English Recordings

TOKYO – Consider former PRIDE superstar Quinton "Rampage" Jackson the tour guide for his fellow American fighters heading to Japan for February's UFC 144 event.

Jackson, who co-headlines UFC 144, knows the lay of the land, and he could write a travel guide about competing in the fight-crazy country.

But Jackson admits some of his advice doesn't apply to UFC 144 headliner Frankie Edgar.

The two Americans today descended on the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo Ballroom in Japan for a pre-event press conference for UFC 144, which takes place Feb. 26 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Jackson (32-9 MMA, 7-3 UFC) meets Ryan Bader (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) in the co-headliner while Edgar (14-1-1 MMA, 9-1-1 UFC) looks to make a second straight title defense when he takes on Ben Henderson (15-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in the pay-per-view main event.

Jackson fought 17 times for the once-dominant PRIDE organization, which the UFC ultimately purchased and later disbanded. The organization drew enormous crowds and record TV ratings just as Jackson's popularity soared.

While Japanese fans may be more polite than your average MMA enthusiasts, they like exciting brawls as much as the next guys. Jackson said he'll use that knowledge in his fight, but he said Edgar should use the game plan only with a big disclaimer.

"The only advice I would give him is here it's a big show, and the fans are really respectful," Jackson said. "You put on the best show you can. But he's the champion, and when you're a champion, there's a lot riding on that fight.

"Me, I'll just put on the best show I possibly can, take chances to put on the best fight so fans will never forget you. But you have to keep that belt. You have to be smart. (It's like) a chess match."

Edgar, of course, is no stranger to exciting fights. In his two most recent title fights – both against Gray Maynard – he survived first-round beatdowns. In the first, he rebounded to force a draw. In the second, which came this past month at UFC 136, he rallied for a fourth-round knockout.

While such a performance can make him a star in Japan, he's not looking for a repeat performance. Then again, he'll take a win any way he gets it.

"I'm not trying to make a habit of it," he said. "The punishment I've been taking in the past couple fights, it's like a cat has nine lives. I've used eight lives to get out of that first round. It does make for exciting TV, and it's definitely building my legend, so as long as I come out the victor, I'll get beat up four or five rounds. As long as I come out the victor, I'll do it every time."

Edgar meets a former WEC titleholder in Henderson. Like WEC-to-UFC counterparts Donald Cerrone and Anthony Pettis, Henderson hasn't faded a bit on MMA's biggest stage. In fact, following Henderson's dominant wins over contenders Mark Bocek, Jim Miller and Clay Guida, Edgar said he's "more than deserving" of a shot at his belt.

With the Maynard trilogy behind him and his belt now firmly tightened around his waist, Edgar's new duty is to prove he's a UFC champion with the type of staying power Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre do. And he has to do it against a top contender in what's arguably the UFC's deepest division, on a new continent, and as part of a historic UFC event.

Edgar, though, is used to the pressure.

"There's always pressure," he said. "I've got the belt. The pressure just keeps coming more and more. Now, fighting in Japan in a new market and a new country for myself, the pressure's just going to keep coming. But I've got to step up and face that pressure."

For more on UFC 144, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.

The bucket list. Everyone seems to have one these days. It’s the popular thing to do and indeed a good exercise should you want to live an intentional life that is fulfilling, impactful and fun.

Like my bucket list, most are a bit narcissistic, filled with quests that will make “me” happy and do little to improve the lives of others – but that’s okay. We all need adventure and enjoyment in life. And there is a certain overflow that being happy and fulfilled has on those around us that makes our world a better place.

While being primarily focused on things to do and places to see, most as well include one similar life list goal: To Learn Another Language.

It excites me to see this on so many lists and confirms the hunch I’ve had for a long time that everyone, everyone, wants to learn another language.

It excites me as well because it is one of the goals on these bucket lists that has a positive influence not only on ‘me’ but on the world we live in.

Learning another language will open up opportunities to help, to understand and to connect with people from other cultures. Learning another language is a powerful force for peace.

I won’t say it is the most important goal on everyone’s list, but I’d venture to say that it ranks higher in importance than ‘go bungie jumping’, ‘swim in every ocean’, ‘be an extra in a movie’, ‘climb a volcano’, ‘visit the Great Wall of China’, ‘eat a bug’ or ‘look ten years younger than I am.’

Most people have a few amazing goals on their bucket list that are probably more important than learning another language as well.

But learning another language holds a special place on these bucket lists. It is because of this that I want to encourage everyone to consider a little bucket list triage – start learning another language now – or remove it from your list.

Cross if off. Erase it. Remove it.

Learning another language is special for a number of reasons and my hope with this post is to offer a little kick in the pants to those of you who have yet to begin to work toward your bucket list goal to learn another language

Why is Language Learning Special?

I write this post to help you begin to learn another language today – not someday. Hopefully it will be enough to convince you to get started right now. If your not willing or ready to start right now, then I don’t think you are serious about learning another language and you should probably remove it from your list. Really.

But before you remove it, let me try to convince you with five reasons you should get started today.
Reason One

Learning another language is a life long endeavor. It’s not like climbing a mountain or swimming in every ocean or eating a bug. Those you do once and check them off. You plan a trip, find some free time, cough up the money and your done.

Check mark. Cross it off the list.

But learning a language is not so much a destination as a journey. It begins with a single step – an easy step to take – but continues on for months and years and requires daily interaction and long term commitment. And that single step is as easily taken today as it is ‘someday.’

Get started today.
Reason Two

Learning another language is cheap. No, check that, it’s free. If you are reading this article then you are on the Internet and if you’re on the Internet then more resources for learning another language are available to you than at any other time in the history of our world. And most of them are free. Money is not an issue.

Get Started Today.
Reason Three

Language learning is something that for many is a new idea. I know the feeling and the questions:

Where do I begin?
What should I do?
How do I get started?
How do I know how I am doing?

I understand. If Joe the mechanic asked me to overhaul the engine of my car, I’d feel the same way – even if it were parked in a garage full of tools.

That is why I created the Ten Week Journey. It’s a free email course that is designed to walk you step by step into the world of language learning.

It will introduce you to great, free tools on the Internet.
It will teach you how to go about learning another language and help you become an independent language learner.
It will provide accountability and encouragement. (Learn More)

There are also hundreds of blogs out there, including this one, teaching people how to learn languages. There are great guides and books. The resources for learning how are nearly as unlimited as the language specific resources themselves.

So not knowing where to begin is no longer an excuse.

Get Started Today.
Reason Four

Time. Most feel they do not have enough time to learn another language. I say hogwash. You can get started now with even ten minutes everyday. Start small. Start convenient. Do one thing a day. In Turkish there is a proverb, “Damlaya damlaya göl olur.” – Drop by drop a lake is formed.

Some of you are waiting for the “right opportunity.” Sure, a downpour will form a lake quicker, but you’re not in a race. If you were, you would have started already. Everyday you wait to begin is time not spent learning another new word.

By not starting, you are not learning anything. If you learned even one word a day for the next year, you’d know 365 new words. And 365 is a lot more than zero.

Zero is zero and that’s where you’ll be if you don’t start.

So Get Started Today
Reason Five

Perhaps the most important reason to get started today is that learning another language is a powerful force for good in our world. It will change you in ways you cannot imagine. It will open your eyes to other cultures. It will introduce you to new friends. It will allow you to help others in ways you never could before. Charlemagne said that, “To have another language is to possess a second soul.” Nothing but positive will ever come from your learning another language.

Get Started Today

Learning another language is one of the most impactful life goals you will ever complete. But it takes time. It takes commitment. And it will never happen if you think you’ll get to it ‘someday.’

There is no reason not to get started today. It’s free. It’s easy. It doesn’t need to take up tons of time. There is plenty of support.

It’s time to do a little bucket list triage. Get started or get it off the list.

*If you have a friend or family member who has ‘learn another language’ on their bucket list but they are doing little about it, please share this article with them. I want to help as many people as possible learn another language. But they have to get started. I’d love to be a part of that. Thanks.

•I went to my husband`s eldest brother`s house this morning, because tomorrow is ‘Seolnal’
• ‘Seolnal’ is the first day of lunar calendar.
• Most Koreans go to their hometown and spend time with their families, but it`s not always easy to return to hometown.
• Fortunately, my husband`s big family lives near our house, so it`s very convenient.
• So this morning, I went to my oldest brother’s house and prepared food with all of my sisters-in-law for tomorrow, when we’ll have a service to honor our ancestors.
• I came back home tonight, and I`ll go back again with my family tomorrow early in the morning.
•It`s very late. ( It’s already 1:00 A.M. /= It’s already past midnight. /= It’s already 1:00 in the morning.) Good night!
• I`ll go on to talk about ‘Seolnal’ tomorrow.
• Today`s pictures are some of the foods that we prepared(/made) today.

The Olympic Games will be held in our country in four years' time. As a great many people will be visiting the country, the government will be building new hotels, an immense stadium, and a fine new swimming pool. 'They will also be building new roads and a special railway-line. The Games will be held just outside the capital and the whole area will be called 'Olympic City'. Workers will have completed the new roads by the end of this year. By the end of next year, they will have finished work on the new stadium. The fine modern buildings have been designed by Kurt Gunter. Everybody will be watching anxiously as the new buildings go up. We are all very excited and are looking forward to the Olympic Games because they have never been held before in this country.

The expensive shops in a famous near Piccadilly were just "opening. At this time of the morning， the arcade was almost empty. Mr. Taylor， the owner of a jewellery shop was admiring a new display. Two of his assistants had been working busily since eight o'clock and had only just finished. Diamond necklaces and rings had been beautifully arranged on a background of black velvet. After gazing at the display for several minutes， Mr. Taylor went back into his shop.
The silence was suddenly broken when a large car， with its headlights on and its home blaring， roared down the arcade. It came to a stop outside the jeweller's. One man stayed at the wheel while two others with black stocking over their faces jumped out and smashed the window of the shop with iron bars. While this was going on， Mr. Taylor was upstairs. He and his staff began throwing furniture out of the window. Chairs and tables went flying into the arcade. One of the thieves was struck by a heavy statue， but he was too busy helping himself to diamonds to notice any pain. The raid was all over in three minutes， for the men scrambled back into the car and it moved off at a fantastic speed. Just as it was leaving， Mr. Taylor rushed out and ran after it throwing ashtrays and vases， but it was impossible to stop the thieves. They had got away with thousands of pounds worth of diamonds.

Every culture on earth has developed some mathematics. In some cases, this mathematics has spread from one culture to another. Now there is one predominant international mathematics, and this mathematics has quite a history. It has roots in ancient Egypt and Babylonia, then grew rapidly in ancient Greece. Mathematics written in ancient Greek was translated into Arabic. About the same time some mathematics of India was translated into Arabic. Later some of this mathematics was translated into Latin and became the mathematics of Western Europe. Over a period of several hundred years, it became the mathematics of the world.

There are other places in the world that developed significant mathematics, such as China, southern India, and Japan, and they are interesting to study, but the mathematics of the other regions have not had much influence on current international mathematics. There is, of course, much mathematics being done these and other regions, but it is not the traditional math of the regions, but international mathematics.

By far, the most significant development in mathematics was giving it firm logical foundations. This took place in ancient Greece in the centuries preceding Euclid.
Logical foundations give mathematics more than just certainty-they are a tool to investigate the unknown.

By the 20th century the edge of that unknown had receded to where only a few could see. One was David Hilbert, a leading mathematician of the turn of the century. In 1900 he addressed the International Congress of Mathematicians in Paris, and described 23 important mathematical problems.

Mathematics continues to grow at a phenomenal rate. There is no end in sight, and the application of mathematics to science becomes greater all the time.

Erna Hart is going to swim across the English Channel tomorrow. She is going to set out from the French coast at five o'clock in the morning. Erna is only fourteen years old and she hopes lo set up a new world record. She is a strong swimmer and many people feel that she is sure to succeed. Erna's father will set out with her in a small boat. Mr Hart has trained his daughter for years. Tomorrow he will be watching her anxiously as she swims the long distance to England. Erna intends to take short rests every two hours. She will have something to drink but she will not eat any solid food. Most of Erna's school friends will be waiting for her on the English coast. Among them will be Erna's mother, who swam the Channel herself when she was a girl.

Rov Trenton used to drive a taxi. A short while ago, however, he became a bus-driver and he was not regretted it. He is finding his new work far more exciting. When he was driving along Catford Street recently, he saw two thieves rush out of a shop and run towards a waiting car. One of them was carrying a bag full of money. Roy acted quickly and drove the bus straight at the thieves. The one with the money got such a fright that he dropped the bag. As the thieves were trying to get away in their car, Roy drove his bus into the back of it. While the battered car was moving away, Roy stopped his bus and telephoned the police. The thieves' car was badly damaged and easy to recognize. Shortly afterwards, the police stopped the car and both men were arrested.

Editors of newspapers and magazines often go to extremes to provide their reader with unimportant facts and statistics. Last year a journalist had been instructed by a well-known magazine to write an article on the president's palace in a new African republic. When the article arrived， the editor read the first sentence and then refuse to publish it. The article began： 'Hundreds of steps lead to the high wall which surrounds the president's palace'. The editor at once sent the journalist a fax instructing him find out the exact number of steps and the height of the wall.
The journalist immediately set out to obtain these important facts， but the took a long time to send them. Meanwhile， the editor was getting impatient， for the magazine would soon go to press. He sent the journalist two more faxes， but received no reply. He sent yet another fax informing the journalist that if he did not reply soon he would be fired. When the journalist again failed to reply， the editor reluctantly published the article as it had originally been written. A week later， the editor at last received a fax from the journalist. Not only had the poor man been arrested， but he had been sent to prison as well. However， he had at last been allowed to send a fax in which he informed the editor that the he had been arrested while counting the 1，084 steps leading to the fifteen-foot wall which surrounded the president's palace.

Ted Robinson has been worried all the week. Last Tuesday he received a letter from the local police. In the letter he was asked to call at the station. Ted wondered why he was wanted by the police, but he went to the station yesterday and now he is not worried any more. At the station, he was told by a smiling policeman that his bicycle had been found. Five days ago, the policeman told him, the bicycle was picked up in a small village four hundred miles away. It is now being sent to his home by train. Ted was most surprised when he heard the news. He was amused too, because he never expected the bicycle to be found. It was stolen twenty years ago when Ted was a boy of fifteen !