Customers wait to buy fried noodles at a stall
A couple of girls in summer kimonos row a boat past a river-side summer festival
Summer festivals in Japan wouldn’t be the same without yukata. In English, we don’t have a special word for yukata. However, everybody knows kimono. If you call a yukata a “summer kimono,” all English speakers will know exactly what you’re talking about.
40 year’s ago today, mankind landed on the moon.
40 years ago today, mankind started an amazing journey. Watch the Apollo 11 launch here.
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A whistle is just a sound – it can’t get dirty. In English, if we say something is “as clean as a whistle,” we mean it is very, very clean.
On September 8th, 1966, the very first episode of Star Trek was aired on American TV. I was nearly 3 years old. American TV shows were usually broadcast 3 or 4 years later in Australia. I was 6 or 7 when Star Trek had its first run in Australia. It was groundbreaking [trying new things] TV, addressing such taboo [not usually talked about] subjects for the time as sexual equality & liberation, racial descrimination and integration, the futility of war, and even the explotation of the working class – dangerous topics for the establishment [government & big businesses] to allow in the middle of the Cold and Vietnam Wars. (As I was only 6 or 7, these topics were not the main attraction – I was mostly interested in the monsters!) For this reason, the program ran very late – around 11:00pm (just before the TV stations used to turn off for the night!). I used to beg my parents to let me stay up and watch it. Sometimes they did!
The original series only ran for 3 years. However, apparentlty I wasn't the only 6 or 7-year-old begging his parents to let him stay up late. After the show was cancelled, it just became more and more popular. Eventually, it was the basis of 5 new TV series and 10 movies! (Click here for more info in English or Click here for more info in Japanese)
And it's not over yet! Today the newest movie starts in Japan. Whether you're a big fan or totally new to the series, I recommend you “boldly go” to the movies this weekend to check it out.
Captain Kirk & Mr Spock – then and now!
For photos of the 35th anniversary of Star Trek party we held in 2001 (Click here!)
Live long and prosper!
I was talking to a student recently about the new Star Trek movie (more about that soon!). I mentioned to her that we held a party to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Star Trek way back in 2001 (Click here for photos!). It suddenly occurred to me that this year is the 70th anniversary of Batman. That’s right! The first Batman comic was published in May, 1939 – which means Batman is 70! Happy birthday, Batman! 
The cover of the first ever Batman comic (Copyright DC Comics)
If you don’t know the story of how Bruce Wayne became the Batman, I recommend you check out Batman Begins , starring Christian Bale.
The Winners of the costume contest 
The Borg Queen behind the bar with Mayumi
Rigby with the Borg Collective 
In Japanese, the new flu that’s been spreading around the world is called buta influenza (“pig influenza”). In English, it is most commonly called swine flu. Swine is a general word for pigs. Flu is the commonly-used short form of influenza.大阪府内での新型インフルエンザウイルス検出に伴い、当校でもより一層の除菌に努めていくことにしました。
レッスンに来られたら、まず除菌用ハンドジェルにて手指の消毒をお願い致します。レッスン毎に机やイスも除菌クロスでふきとりをしていきます。 "Better safe than sorry"（用心に越したことはない）の精神です！
ご協力に感謝します。
Be & Me 英会話 Club
Mayumi & one of our students dressed as Harry & Ron one Halloween
Part 2 of my introduction to Sydney is going to be broadcast on FM 802’s Beat Expo tonight (Monday, April 27th), sometime between 7:30 and 8:30.
You cook it yourself!
That’s right! I’ll be presenting a one-minute segment about Sydney – in Japanese! If you’re near a radio around 7:30 tonight, please tune into FM 802.
I’m not too sure why I’m smiling in this picture!
Now it’s a great season to visit the park and look at the cherry blossoms. Have a great time! But watch your step!!!
