Japanese
Child labour
Ever wondered how it was possible to get clothes so cheap?
Well, imagine a world where we employed ‘things’ to do all the work for us and we didn’t have to pay them.. So any money we made from selling what they made would be profit. Sounds like money in the bank accounts of some lucky people with a business plan like that!
Well, harsh reality check. This really does happen.. Apart from the ‘things’ are children and they get paid peanuts. Probably literally peanuts too!
This sick practice goes on all over the world and as we seek lower prices, the market for it gets bigger and bigger. Whenever we look at our clothing labels and see that they are made in other countries, how can we be sure that a child wasn’t tasked with making it in a few hours? How do we know that a child hasn’t been kidnapped and sold to a factory to make that football, or to pick those apples, or to mould your iPod 
The fact is, we don’t.
Popularity: 16% [?]
Chavs
I hope if you are reading this that you are indeed not a chav. Every time I get on public transport I see them, which is part of my reason for preferring to drive everywhere that it is possible to.
Is it offensive to label someone as a chav? I imagine so. I’d definitely be offended if someone were to label me a chav, but what about the people who fit the definition and behave according to the definition? Do they like being called chavs? Well, there is no interview with a chav to follow - just me having a rant..
What is a chav? Well, firstly lets consult Wikipedia as you do.. Wiki says..
Chav (pronounced /ʧæv/) also Charv/Charver (pronounced /ʧɑːv/) are mainly derogatory slang terms in the United Kingdom for a stereotype fixated on low quality or counterfeit goods. It commonly refers to those belonging to a youth sub-culture, often stereotypically associated with a low socio-economic class, a striking dress sense and criminal activity.
And..
Popularity: 21% [?]
Pretty intense Japanese lessons
Just for laughs before I get back into some proper Japanese stuff, I came across this set of videos on YouTube! Yes, as I already told you guys, I am addicted to the darn site!
This young lady named Emily teaches some Japanese lessons in a cheesy set of ‘lessons’. To be honest I thought it was pretty cool and original!
I have posted the first 3 of them on here, check ‘em out n see how much you can learn! 
#1
Popularity: 29% [?]
Tales From Earthsea
This is the third Studio Ghibli film I have watched so far and once again I like it!
From Wikipedia
The movie begins with a war galley caught in a storm at sea. The ship’s weatherworker is distressed to realize that he has lost the power to control the wind and waves, but is even more disturbed when he observes two dragons fighting above the clouds, one of which is even killed.
Shortly thereafter the King, receives news both of the strange omen at sea and of the disappearance of his son, Prince Arren. The King has little time to ponder on this before he is set upon and killed in a dark corridor by a young lad, who turns out to be his son Arren. The prince steals his father’s sword and flees the palace.
[....]
Popularity: 35% [?]
Pitagora Switch
When it comes to fun educational TV shows, Japanese kids have it good. Check out this video of Pita and Gora (talking and singing penguins) teaching kids the difference between different things such as cauliflower and brocolli. Makes me laugh.
Popularity: 22% [?]
Howl’s Moving Castle
This is another of the anime from the same producers as Spirited Away. There is something I prefer about this one though.
Maybe the fact it was actually based on a book written by a British author Diana Wynne Jones. Sometimes when there is already a story written, I think it makes it easier for the movie makers to branch out a little from it adding new ideas and making some interesting storylines.
Popularity: 42% [?]
Spirited Away
I wasn’t joking when I said I was going to be watching anime to help with learning Japanese!
Spirited Away, is the worlds highest grossing non-American film and Japan’s best ever box office earner. Strangely enough, for a movie with these credentials, I had not heard of it before until about a week or two ago. Well, I bought the DVD and watched it (in Japanese with English subs of course) and it was cool. I think I am getting the hang of this anime stuff haha. After watching the Japanese version, I played it again with the dubbed English - awful. The voices in Japanese seemed to flow the English accents didn’t sound right. Possibly due to the mixture of English and American voices which clashed terribly.
The film follows a young girl Chihiro (千尋) in the picture above in the process of moving house with her parents when they lose their way and stumble upon an entrance to a ’spirited world’. Her parents walk into a village street crammed full of shops and restaurants with tempting hot cooked food. This is set out to lure them into the trap. Her parents eat the food ‘like pigs’ to the point they eventually turn into pigs! No, really they do!
Popularity: 43% [?]
Katekyo Hitman Reborn
As part of my learning Japanese, I have decided to start watching anime in Japanese with English subtitles. I came across this anime a few weeks ago and it’s actually pretty good! Obviously, this will purely be for educational purposes 
.
I am not usually an anime cartoon lover, but maybe it’s just the fact that it is in another language that makes it so appealing? No idea, but whatever it is, I will be watching at least one series of this and then maybe move on to something else. Its actually harder than you might think listening to the language in even a cartoon. They speak so fast that missing a word or even a sentence can be expected. Glad they invented the rewind button!
That aside, the story follows a young boy named Tsuna, who has no idea that his family is linked to an Italian mafia. Until ‘hitman tutor’ Reborn comes out of nowhere and sets out on his mission to train ‘innocent’ Tsuna into a tough Hitman, so he can take over control of the mafia.
Quite interesting stuff really!
Popularity: 44% [?]
Learning Japanese - At My Pace
I have finally figured out how to display Japanese characters on this site! After lots of hours of tweaking and adjusting whilst trying not to completely destroy the site, I think I have made it possible!
This can only mean one thing 
I will be ‘learning Japanese’ and using this site as my exercise book to make all my notes and track what I am getting up to. The reason I say ‘learning Japanese’ is because I am not going to dive in and be all intense (just yet), so I will be learning at my own pace. So quite possibly slower than you if you were learning a language.
Popularity: 29% [?]
Happy New Year 2008!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I seriously cannot believe how fast 2007 has gone! Highlights for me were Hong Kong 1 and Hong Kong 2. Not to forget Dubai as well! I also seem to have watched more movies and eaten more food in different places than in any other year!
Enjoy the fireworks and partys!
New years resolutions..
Popularity: 15% [?]
A picture is worth a thousand words…
Really? I’d like to see someone write a thousand words on this one.. To me its just a beach.. One in Bulgaria.. It does look nice to be honest and I wish I was there. However, I don’t think I could actually write a thousand words about it. Maybe if it had a story attatched to it. Like it could have been the beach before the plane crash that started ‘Lost’ the TV series. But apart from that, nope. You won’t be getting a thousand words from me.
Also, in case you haven’t noticed.. I have figured out yet another way to store some of my pictures, which may turn out to be the alternative space for them other than the main site! Here
Anyone figured out where I can learn Japanese yet? I have been prowling the internet looking at other sites where people are learning Japanese and there is some interesting stuff out there! Since some people have been asking me ‘why do you want to learn Japanese anyway?’ I thought I’d give an answer.. Japan is a place I’d like to visit, but when I do - I don’t want to be one of the ‘typical’ tourists who go there expecting people to understand English in their own country. I want to be able to read and understand signs, maps and be able to ask for directions and recommendations if necessary in Japanese! The country is also home to a lot of ‘cool’ such as gadgets (Playstation, Nintendo, Sony), food (sashimi, sushi, teriyaki), martial arts (karate, samurai, ju jitsu) and of course animé to name just a few! So there are lots of reasons to want to go there!
Popularity: 13% [?]
Learning Japanese again!
As I am learning Japanese slowly but surely I will start to add to a page with some of the random things I learn.. Also if anyone knows any then let me know! I would be grateful!
Now, this blog won’t currently allow me to write in Japanese but my website can.. Go to the page www.locksleynet.com/japanese and see for yourself! Don’t forget it is still under construction, as is most of the site!
Oh yea, also I can now add some pictures to this blog easier than before! As seen here.. ‘Only’ took me about a week of tweaks and updates to figure it out (looks so simple right?)..
I found this cool site to help with the Japanese character recognition, check it out here!
Popularity: 8% [?]
Translate
Ahh, blame my iPhone excitement for that! 
This is a neat film. One of the best Miyazaki's. 
ROFL... :mrgreen: 
nup id think twice abt wot u jus sed....cos dude uv done it agen lol!