Here is another disadvantage of using coal as an energy source: "Latest China Coal Mine Blast Traps 170 Miners"

I hope everyone in my IES class is having fun studying this weekend! I have been studying all weekend too. I only have one week left until my Japanese Proficiency Test. Man, it's difficult studying a foreign language. I think I appreciate my students a lot more because of this experience I am going through. Right now, I am in total despiration mode. I am trying to memorize lists of vocabulary words (something I ALWAYS tell my students NOT to do), and I have been doing lots of grammar exercises all week (another thing I would never recommend). I feel like I am breaking all the rules of studying a foreign language. However, all I want to do is pass this test. After I pass this test, then I'll worry about speaking Japanese. Now I understand what it is like to study for the TOEFL test. Gotta go and study! Later!

Hello everyone! Right now, in my class we are talking about the energy crisis and alternative forms of energy, and I found this article about the train system in Calgary. The Calgary trains are now 100% emmissions free because the electricity used to power the trains is generated by wind mills in Southern Alberta. If you want to know more, check out this link:

http://www.calgarytransit.com/environment/ride_d_wind.html

I also found tons of other information about alternative energy, just by typing in "alternative energy" into yahoo.com. I feel pretty good that the trains in Calgary don't produce any CO2 and they aren't contributing to global warming.

On the other hand, as I sit here typing this blog, I guess I am contributing to global warming (or nuclear waste, I'm not sure where my electricity comes from in Hirakata City, but either way, it's bad). The reason I'm having an impact on the environment is that I put all my laundry into the dryer. I desperately need some clean clothes for this weekend, but my balcony is already filled with wet clothes that have been there for three days already. Each time they get a little bit dry, it starts to rain again and all my clothes get wet. Because of that, I had to use the dryer to dry my clothes. It's kind of frustrating, because I want to do my best for the environment, but then I keep having little setbacks like this. I wonder what the solution should be. Maybe I should buy more clothes. But then, that's a problem for me in Japan because I am so HUGE and the clothes here are so LITTLE. What to do?

Congratulations to all my students who passed the studying abroad exams! You know, right now I am studying like crazy for the Japanese Proficiency Test (level 4 - the easiest) and I am having such a hard time. I am taking three Japanese lessons a week, and I still don't really seem to be making any progress. Anyway, my students are inspiring me, because they are all working so hard to learn English, so I want to work hard and study Japanese. Anyway, that's my 2 cents for today.

Why are people voting for George Bush????????? I don't understand! Comments?