Japan learns English from Obama speech textbook

TOKYO (Reuters) – President-elect Barack Obama's speeches are proving a best-seller in Japan -- as an aid to learning English.

An English-language textbook, "The Speeches of Barack Obama," has sold more than 400,000 copies in two months, a big hit in a country where few hit novels sell more than a million copies a year.

Japanese have a fervor for learning English and many bookstores have a corner dedicated to dozens of journals in the language, many of them now featuring the new U.S. leader's face.

"Speeches by presidents and presidential candidates are excellent as listening tools to learn English, because their contents are good and their words are easy to catch," said Yuzo Yamamoto of Asahi Press, which produced the best-selling text book.

"Obama's is especially so. His speeches are so moving, and he also uses words such as 'yes, we can,' 'change' and 'hope' that even Japanese people can memorize," he said.

Speeches by President George W. Bush and former nominee John Kerry's four years ago did not have the same appeal, however, and nor do those made by Japanese politicians, Yamamoto said.

"In Japan, we don't have politicians who have such a positive influence. That's why we have to turn to a foreign president for someone in whom to place our hopes."

The 95-page paperback features Obama's speeches in English from the 2004 Democratic National Convention and during the Democratic Party primaries, in which he defeated Hillary Clinton. They are accompanied by Japanese translations.

The 1,050 yen ($12) book, which includes a CD of the speeches, tops the bestseller list on bookseller Amazon's Japanese Website, http://www.amazon.co.jp/

"Readers have sent in postcards saying that when they heard the speeches, they were so moved and cried even though they don't understand English very well," Yamamoto said.

He said lawmakers from Japan's main opposition Democratic Party had bought the book to study Obama's speeches.

Following Obama's inauguration on Tuesday, Asahi Press plans to issue a sequel that includes his inaugural address, as well as President John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural speech. It will also feature a reading of President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg address of 1863.(Editing by Michael Watson)
Get Sirius----Comedy---2009 Dodge Ram----Advertise Here and 24 Other Sites!

Will Obama say 'banana' in inaugural speech? Bets say no

STOCKHOLM (AFP) – What are the chances US president-elect Barack Obama will utter the words "banana," "Angela Merkel," or swear during his inaugural speech?

Little to none, according to Swedish online betting site Betsson.

The site has listed the odds of Obama using certain words during his inaugural address on January 20, with "banana" and (German Chancellor) "Angela Merkel" given 1,000-to-1.00 odds on Thursday.

Lowest odds were meanwhile given to "the United States," at 1.01-to-1.00 odds, and "change," at 1.03-to-1.00.

The site also provided odds on the president-elect's choice of puppy, which he has promised his daughters Sasha, seven, and Malia, 10.

The most likely First Pet was a Labradoodle, at 1.75-to-1.00 odds, and in second place a Portuguese water dog, with 3.00-to-1.00 odds. Least likely were a Shetland sheepdog and a bulldog, at 100-to-1.00 odds.

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Drops The N Word In State Of The City Speech!

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Drops The N Word In his State Of The City Speech!

Surround by his cheerleaders Mayor Kilpatrick gives a rousing speach to his constituents. I am have to admit he is an excellent speaker and even had me enjoying his tone of optimism.
Then my opinion changed when he called out the council President and gave him a good tongue lashing, then says we need to all work together.
Then Mayor Kilpatrick decided he would use the opportunity to address all his scandals, by diversion. He Said in the last thirty days he has been called a " n word", but he didn't say " n word". He said the mother of all bad words that could be said on television and radio.I was listing to 950 AM WWJ and they did not bleep it!
So Mayor Kilpatrick didn't address any of his scandals, he just made it a racial issue. He used the race card.
I don't think the alleged Party at the Manoogian mansion was a racial issue,i don't think the alleged involvement in the murder of Tamara Greene was racial, i don't think perjury on the stand was a racial issue, The $9million dollars used as hush money wasn't a racial issue, the navigator, city property scams, charity scams, cheating on his wife,....etc
I don't think any of these "alleged" scandals were racial issues! If he is getting death threats that is to bad.
It is one thing to publicly Brade him, it another to make promises of harm to him and his family.
So now in his last acts of desperation he uses the " N word" to turn blacks versus white, City versus the Suburbs.
Nice Job!

State Of The Union Speech

George Bush Jr. gave his last State Of The Union Speech!
What i heard was: Economy, blah,blah,pass a bill to import more goods from South Korea and South America, blah,blah, this will be good for American jobs, blah, Stimulus package (borrowing money we don't have, duh, lets have a flat tax), terrorist, blah, blah, 911, they are coming to get us,blah, Iran, we are spreading Liberty, blah, blah, blah.
Or something like that!