• Daily Life - Japanese Kangaroos - Roo-ing the Day - Unknown Nichigo

    A Bit of a Roo-ed Shock

    Kangaroos have always taken center stage in this blog (which I started almost 13 years ago to try to tap into the then recent introduction of Australian English into TOEIC testing), so it was a bit rare yesterday when I had the chance to write about roos but didn’t (albeit giving prominence to quokkas, another member of the marsupial family). Yesterday, the Kangaeroos had a wonderful time at the Saitama Children’s Zoo, which has an Australian animal area., and attracted us because Mrs. Kangaeroo wanted to see its quokkas. I know a lot of people aren’t too keen on zoos,…

  • Roo-ing the Day

    オズのアホ使い

     考えRooの母国であるオーストラリアでは、国名を省略して「オズ」と呼ぶことがある。  偶然に、考えるRooの生き方は馬鹿な言動が中心となっていた。  つきましては、「オズのアホ使い」と呼ばれても全然問題ないと思う。  具体的なことを言えないが、分かる人は分かる。いくらでも成功する機会が与えられ、裕福になれてもおかしくない過去があった。  しかし、貧乏で終わって、キャリアも何もならなかったというかキャリア事態はなかったというほど達成感がない。しょうがない。  それはそれでも変えられない。このもんだ。それでも十分。というか、これで満足しています。「オズのアホ使い」らしい生き方をして、最後までもそうだろう。  結局、考えRooはもう少し考えるべきだったかもしれない。

  • Japanese Kangaroos - Roo-ing the Day - Strine Biz - Strine Tucker

    Beauty, Athleticism Driving Boom in Sales of Kangaroo Meat in Japanese Convenience Stores

    Kangaroo meat is selling like hotcakes in Japanese convenience stores. Sales of protein-related products are skyrocketing against a backdrop of growing fascination for weight training. All protein-related products grew 40% year on year at Natural Lawson convenience stores from fiscal 2018 to fiscal 2019. And September 2019 sales increased 70% YoY, with kangaroo meat being a prime driver at the chain’s 143 stores in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Tokyo-based Vasel Inc. sells kangaroo meat under the RooMeat and Paroo brands throughout Japan, including the roo jerky selling strongly at convenience stores. “Kangaroo meat is the pinnacle of red meats. Its…

  • Roo-ing the Day - Strange Strine - Strine Strife

    Thwack! Roo Taking No Nonsense From Paraglider

    An Aussie paraglider copped a shellacking from the national symbol recently, going global with a video showing a kangaroo attacking him as he landed near Canberra. The paraglider offered a warm welcome to the ‘roo only for the mean marsupial to pounce at the intruder and let loose with a couple of decent whacks. The kangaroo bounded off, leaving the paraglider unharmed except for a case of hurt pride and footage that has not gone viral.

  • Roo-ing the Day

    My Goodness, Guinness…It’s a Kangaroo!

    For much of the 20th century, Irish brewery Guinness used kangaroos for its advertising. There was apparently no particular reason that advertiser John Gilroy selected kangaroos for a famous series of ads featuring exotic animals that the brewer used from the 1920s through to the 1960s and still common today. The kangaroos in the ads were notorious for sneaking away a pint of stout in their pouches. In addition to posters, the kangaroos featured in early TV ads, adorned coasters and were used for Carlton Ware figurines and even a salt-and-pepper shaker. The advertisements ran under such copy as “Guinness…

  • Roo-ing the Day - Strine Sports - Strine Strife - Strine Why Atorkin/Australian Methods of Speech/豪語の話し方

    (Costumed) Kangaroo Stars In The “Worst Sports Movie Ever Made”

    the worst sports movie ever made.” Kindly, as it turns out. Matilda was a dreadful, alleged comedy about a boxing kangaroo that challenges for the world heavyweight champion title. The movie was made in 1978, when Elliot Gould, who was then still not too far off the peak of a career that continues going strong today. Co-starring was another A-lister, Outback Steakhouse can attest, Americans don’t really put a lot of weight into authenticity when it comes to Down Under. Matilda was based on a Paul Gallico, whose research into Australia and kangaroos was so extensive he gave the male…

  • Roo-ing the Day - Strine Strife

    Strewth! Roo-ed Awakening for Unsuspecting Cyclist

    An Aussie cyclist got more than they bargained for in Australia recently.  最近、オーストラリア人女性サイクリストが想定外の事故にあった。 While riding along at a gentle pace, the cyclist collided with a kangaroo.  ゆっくりと走りながら、なんと、カンガルーと衝突事故した! The kangaroo leaped out of the bush and struck the unsuspecting cyclist.  カンガルーが道路脇にあった森から飛び出し、女性とぶつかった。 The woman hit by the kangaroo sustained minor injuries.  カンガルーに引っかかれた女性が軽傷で済んだ。

  • Roo-ing the Day

    Packing a Roo in the Days of Pac-Man

    Kangaroo was a mildly successful arcade video game released in 1982. Launched in the same year was the phenomenally successful Pac-Man and notorious Custer’s Revenge. Kangaroo also came out in the same year as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (video game), the flop largely blamed for the video game industry crash of 1983. Kangaroo required players to take on the role of a mother roo who dodged falling fruits and punched primates to rescue her joey, who had been stolen by the monkeys. The game started as an arcade game before Atari made versions for its 2600 and 5200 game consoles. The…