Message: Locky's English Playground has New Looks!

As a courtesy to support Japan, our English Playground will be changing background pictures every now and then with the theme of Green Energy till Easter.

Some of you might have realised that I have changed 2 background themes already. If you have missed them, you can always go to our Facebook page to view that again. 

Other than that, Google Blogger has also provided more blog reading experiences to our readers, and there are now 5 new views for our blog for you to choose!!!

They are the Flipcard, Mosaic, Sidebar, Snapshot, and Timeslide, as you can see from the pictures below. I will try to make some buttons for each of these views and put them on the right side just below the Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, RSS Feeds buttons.

Flipcard

Mosaic

Sidebar

Snapshot

Timeslide

And of course, there is always the original. Until I have finished making the buttons, you can start choosing the  view you like and get your mice ready to click!

I will try to find time to write a proper article later today.

Resources:

Locky's English Playground @ Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lockys-English-Playground/189147484429273?v=wall

Locky's English Playground -- Flipcard

http://lockyep.blogspot.com/view/flipcard

Locky's English Playground -- Mosaic

http://lockyep.blogspot.com/view/mosaic

Locky's English Playground -- Sidebar

http://lockyep.blogspot.com/view/sidebar

Locky's English Playground -- Snapshot

http://lockyep.blogspot.com/view/snapshot

Locky's English Playground -- Timeslide

http://lockyep.blogspot.com/view/timeslide

Economics & Environment: The Green Energy Debate Amid Japan's Nuclear Crisis

Anti-nuclear protest in Germany
Image from guim.co.uk

To nuke or not to nuke?

The nuclear crisis in Japan has raised concerns worldwide as to whether is still a safe solution to the growing demands of energy consumption in the world. Anti-nuclear movements are voicing out their their choices of energy all around the world, namely in Japan, Germany, South Korean, Taiwan, India, Wales, and the U.S.. Interests in the data of Clean / Green / Renewable Energy begins to rise. Some look at the rankings of the green energy investment by countries to find that China has overtaken Germany and USA in 2009 and still leading in the race in 2010, others are looking into the investment environment and opportunities in the green energy sector in the next 10 years or more. Looking at the current development of the energy trend, it appears to me that there is no other possible solution other than moving forward in the direction of cleaner, greener energy sources.

A man walked past a solar power plant in Liaoning Province. China ranked number one in clean energy investment in 2009. (Associated Press/File 2009)

China has great visions and years ago the country has already foreseen the huge growth in demand of energy and begun to invest billions of dollars in greener energy plants and utilities.

Through the words of Mr Cheng Li in the video, "China does not have a choice", it is obvious that China will continue to lead the world in green energy investment. Following the nuclear crisis in Fukushima, Japan, Reuters' today's report titled "China may double solar goal after Japan nuclear leak: report" may well be true.

A vast fan-shaped compound in China has officially taken the title of "largest solar-powered office building in the world". Located in Dezhou in the Shangdong Province in northwest China, the 75,000 square meter structure is a multi-use building and features exhibition centers, scientific research facilities, meeting and training facilities, and a hotel – all of which run on solar power
Image from inhabitat

Then of course, there are opposing opinions, saying that green energy itself is land-space and material demanding, inefficient, extortionate, unreliable, impractical, and un-storable. Nonetheless, in my opinions, no single green energy source can satisfy the huge demand for power and the problems of global warming, the same goes to like coal , crude oil and natural gas alone. When the sun doesn't sun, when the wind doesn't blow, there are still hydroelectric and biomass that will always work. And let's not forget the new generations of green energy such as tidal, wave, geothermal and microgeneration.

I believe that our planet Earth actually has all it is needed for anyone of us to live comfortably and healthily, it is just a matter of human effort to make use of these green resources. If human failed to use the most precious gift that God gives them -- the brain, then they would continue burning fossil fuels and suffer from the consequences of their stupidity.

Just today, an article reveals a solar leaf that is developed by an MIT professor, which could be quite an impact in the changing the way we use energy in the future.

Which is the energy I buy most? Maybe a little recap will help.


Resources:

Anti-nuclear protest in Tokyo as Japan's crisis deepens @Socialist Workers Online
http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=24353

Germany stages anti-nuclear marches after Fukushima @ BBC News
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12872339

South Korean Environmentalists Hold Anti-Nuclear Power Rally @ NTDTV
http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_asia/2011-03-28/south-korean-environmentalists-hold-anti-nuclear-power-rally.html

Cold comfort for anti-nuclear Taiwanese @ Asia Times Online
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/MC29Ad02.html

Dozens of anti-nuclear protesters march in Indian capital @ The Canadian Press
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iAeKMm1arQ8H4Z9tBJftubCrmXRA?docId=6359332

Anti-nuclear campaigners to protest against Anglesey power station @ Wales Online
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/03/28/anti-nuclear-campaigners-to-protest-against-anglesey-power-station-91466-28413745/

Japan Crisis Could Rekindle U.S. Antinuclear Movement @ The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/19/science/earth/19antinuke.html?_r=1

Clean Energy Investment Is Up, but U.S. Lags @ The New York Times
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/29/clean-energy-investment-is-up-but-u-s-lags/?partner=rss&emc=rss

China Wins 2010 Clean Energy Race With $54.4 Billion in Funding @ Fast Company
http://www.fastcompany.com/1743133/china-clobbers-the-competition-in-this-years-clean-energy-race-with-544-billion-in-funding

China Goes Green @ ABC News
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/china-green-12165930

China may double solar goal after Japan nuclear leak: report @ Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/30/us-china-photovoltaic-idUSTRE72T0F120110330

The Green Energy Economy Reconsidered @ Forbes

http://www.forbes.com/2011/03/28/green-energy-economics-opinions-jerry-taylor-peter-van-doren.html

Hydroelectric Power @ Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroelectric_power

Biomass energy @ Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomass_energy

Tidal Power @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_power

Wave Power @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wave_power

Geothermal Power @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_power

Microgeneration  @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microgeneration

Fossil Fuels @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_fuels

MIT Professor Develops Solar Leaf, Could Lead to Cheaper, Cleaner Energy @ getSolar.com
http://www.getsolar.com/News/Solar-Energy-Facts/General/MIT-Professor-Develops-Solar-Leaf-Could-Lead-to-Cheaper-Cleaner-Energy---800473433

Investment: Electric Cars vs Future -- Part 3 @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2009/10/investment-electric-cars-vs-future-part_30.html

Message: Heck of a Week!

Haven't found anything interesting today, so I will just write about what happened to me last week. Hopefully, you won't find it too boring.

I was working on my assignments and term papers for my Master's degree as the deadlines are pushing in. There were classes to attend and classes to teach, I feel like my liver has been suffering a little too much, so much so that taking a shower would mean almost time for bed which was like 2-3am. Fortunately, I have finally completed all of them on Sunday and other than light-workload spell-cum-grammar checking, I shall be free this weekend to do something I have missed and really enjoyed! What will that be? I'll keep that as a secret for now. You post an entry about it if it turns out really enjoyable.

Last Friday night, I went to my 'canteen' -- Tai Hing (Mongkok cheap branch) to have dinner and met these 4 Israeli who needed help with their meal orders and so I did a cameo for the restaurant as the 10-minute waiter and placed orders for them as well as recommended the goose drumsticks and suckling pigs. It was really fun and meaningful to have helped them and they really loved the food! This is what truly matters! They told me that they are on a 10-day trip and it was their 5th day, I bid them goodbye after that and went to teach my evening class. Coincidently, I went to Jordan the next day and I ran into them again!!! They were walking down Nathan Road and going into camera shops for some money-draining actions! I kindly reminded them to be careful in those shops as they often mark up the price once they know you were foreigners and they immediately told me they had experienced a 60% premium price, they also knew about Fortress and Broadway but they said they found bargaining down from 60% exciting and would like to practise more, so I left them with my wishes and went to teach my afternoon lessons.

Saturday night was Earth Hour 2011, and after having Indian dinner with my sis at Aladin Mess in Causeway Bay, we went across to Time Square to wait for the lights-out. Strangely, there was no sign of any off-light shows, so we hurried to World Trade Centre behind Sogo and when the saw the huge screen saying that the time was 8:32pm, which means the Earth Hour had already begun, everywhere was still glowing with light bulbs like day time!

Once again, I was disappointed. I was expecting not-so-many Hong Kong people would switch off their lights and not to join in since the experience in Tsim Sha Tsui last year but I wasn't expecting ZERO difference! On the bus home looking back at the Victoria Harbour, it was darKER in Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, but it was not dark at all.

When will most Hong Kong people care about climate change? Earth Hour Hong Kong wasn't promoting enough, TVs didn't show any ads and the government didn't help.

Today, I donated some money to Red Cross to the needy in Japan and some to OPS for saving the ocean. Let's hope that both Japan and the oceans can be saved.


Resources:
Food and Restaurant: Tai Hing @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2010/05/food-and-restaurant-tai-hing.html

Event: Earth Hour 2011 this Saturday!!!! @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2011/03/event-earth-hour-2011-this-saturday.html

Environment: Earth Hour 2010 (add-ons) @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2010/02/environment-earth-hour-2010-add-ons.html

Hong Kong Earth Hour 2011 @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFGa2sFfGqw

Documentary: The Cove @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2011/01/documentary-cove.html

Event: Earth Hour 2011 this Saturday!!!!

See you there!

Image from Earth Hour

26th March, 8:30pm

Resources:
Environment: Earth Hour 2011 @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2011/03/environment-earth-hour-2011.html

Similes & Song: Everything At Once -- Lenka

Image from rojak

Wow!! New Age, new songs! Recently, Lenka releases a new album Two and there is a song called "Everything at once". The lyrics of the song are flooded with similes!

Image from tnellen

Simile is a very important part of  movies and songs and of course, in spoken and written English, as an English speaker, one must learn at least some of the more common ones.


I hope you still remember what similes are. If not, here is the definition from Cambridge Dictionary,


similes
noun [C or U]
(the use of) an expression comparing one thing with another, always including the words `as' or `like'

And of course, I like the definition from Wikipedia better,

A simile is a figure of speech that indirectly compares two different things by employing the words "like", "as", or "than".^[1] Even though similes and metaphors are both forms of comparison, similes indirectly compare the two ideas and allow them to remain distinct in spite of their similarities, whereas metaphors compare two things directly.

Image from Kai Power

And here are the common formulas,

1. verb (phrase) + like+ noun (phrase)
2. verb (phrase) + (as) + adjective + as + noun (phrase)

Any examples?

Let's check out the lyrics of the song then!

Lyrics:

As sly as a fox, as strong as an ox
As fast as a hare, as brave as a bear
As free as a bird, as neat as a word
As quiet as a mouse, as big as a house

All I wanna be, all I wanna be, oh
All I wanna be is everything

As mean as a wolf, as sharp as a tooth
As deep as a bite, as dark as the night
As sweet as a song, as right as a wrong
As long as a road, as ugly as a toad

As pretty as a picture hanging from a fixture
Strong like a family, strong as I wanna be
Bright as day, as light as play
As hard as nails, as grand as a whale

All I wanna be, all I wanna be, oh
All I wanna be is everything

As warm as the, the sun, as silly as fun
As cool as a tree, as scary as the sea
As hot as fire, cold as ice
Sweet as sugar and everything nice

As old as time, as straight as a line
As royal as a queen, as buzzed as a bee
Stealth as a tiger, smooth as a glide
Pure as a melody, pure as I wanna be

All I wanna be, all I wanna be, oh
All I wanna be is everything

I have a website here which will offer you a list of similes. Hope you enjoy learning them!!!

Have a nice weekend!

Resources:

Lenka Official Website
http://www.lenkamusic.com/us/home

Everything at once @ Sing365
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Everything-At-Once-lyrics-Lenka/EC2A49E74482BA564825783E0007E112

Everything At Once by Lenka w/ lyrics @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbrwlqYVwCE&feature=player_embedded

Simile @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simile

Similes @Said What
http://www.saidwhat.co.uk/spoon/similes.php

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/simile#simile__3

Technology: Apple iPad 2 VS Motorola Xoom

Image from myblogsg

Speculating in Apple products is a risky business because you don't know when it will be officially released, but that ironically, is also the reason for the existence of such business. Like the Chinese saying, "when there is risk, there is opportunity".

But situation can change within a day, while some gray market dealers are still thinking that the gray market iPad 2 can be sold at double price on the 14th March, a day later after the official Apple announcement of sale of iPad 2 in Hong Kong in April, the price has immediately cut down fiercely.

Maybe you are thinking about "To Buy, or Not To Buy", well, I ran into a great review of the Apple iPad 2 and Motorola Xoom earlier on, maybe that can help you a bit.

Enjoy the listening practice!

Vocabulary:
speculate -- (vb)[I] to buy and sell in the hope that the value of what you buy will increase and that it can then be sold at a higher price in order to make a profit

Resources:


Vocabulary: Parallel Import / Grey Product @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2009/06/vocabulary-parallel-import-grey-product.html

iPad 2 Already Selling For Twice The Price On Hong Kong Gray Market @ Business Insider
http://www.businessinsider.com/ipad-2s-hong-kong-gray-market-2011-3


iPad 2 on sale in Hong Kong, Singapore in April @ The Sydney Morning Herald
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/ipad-2-on-sale-in-hong-kong-singapore-in-april-20110323-1c5dx.html

Apple iPad 2 and Motorola Xoom: Tested, Rated, Compared (Video) @ PC Magazine
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2381812,00.asp

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/speculate_2