Category Archives: Uncategorized

daiki, Uncategorized

I Believe My Passion

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I believe that even be alone, we can succeed by having a passion. This belief always makes me positive. I learned it from my experience.

When I was a Keio high school student, I belonged to the institute of Fukuzawa as a club activity. It is a club to study about Yukichi Fukuzawa and the Meiji Era. Basically, I’d been interested in history so I wanted to study it more and focus on one historical person. As you know, he is the founder of Keio University and his most famous work, ‟An Encouragement of Learning” made me impressed when I was a junior high school student. I decided to belong to the club but there is no member except me! Have you ever belong to a club which doesn’t have other members? It was also the first experience for me. On the other hand, lots of my friends participate in major sports or music clubs. I felt the difficulty of managing the activity.

Almost all activities are entering essay competition sponsored by Keio University and having an exhibition at the school festival. An Essay was hard enough to spend lots of time in summer vacation. I had to write about Fukuzawa with twenty manuscript papers. In the first year, as a result, my work wasn’t selected for the prize.

In the Second year, my life got harder because I started to belong to the orchestra club. I also had to write an essay as a member of the institute. However, I love history so I enjoyed writing an essay. I couldn’t spend much time only for the essay but I succeeded to win second prize. And I also had a successful exhibition in a classroom at the school festival. Of course, from planning to setting, almost all exhibits are prepared by me. These activities made my club more famous in my school and the institute of Fukuzawa was introduced in school brochures for the outside. And in the final year of high school, my dream which publish club magazines came true. This magazine also consists of almost only my pieces.

These activities are small scale but they satisfied me very much. In Japan, there is an atmosphere that belonging to majority is the safest. However, since I was alone, rather I could do what I want to do. So I don’t regret belonging to one-man club.

I was absorbed in studying history anyway. I think my success comes from this passion for the activity. Success isn’t always relevant to surrounding environment. Therefore, if you want to do something, don’t hesitate to do alone. Someone may notice your efforts. I believe that only your passion lead to a success.

 

nkeita, Uncategorized

MY OPINION ABOUT AIRPORT SECURITIES

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We talked about the news that is about the security at the airport in the US.

The US announced new security measures in response to a terror threat. But the US gave no details about this decision.

After 9.11, we all are forced to deal with the security issues and improve the securities against terrorisms. And they seemed quite natural for us to undergo the very strict security checks when we get on a plane. For me, this seemed natural too, because 9.11 was happened when I was 6 years old. Since then, the time I have little intelligence, it was insisted that we needed to make security checks more and more strict.

But in fact, we hardly see the terrorists be caught at the airport. That may be because the authorities usually check their behaviors, and they get caught before the incidents occur.

Now I can think of this announcement that this is a kind of political performance by the US government. Whatever the truth is, they might have the people feel safe, and this is the key of this announcement. As a matter of fact we don’t know how to conclude the problems of terrorisms, yet people in the Middle East is bing endangered. We can feel safe in some measure when we know some measures are taken, which I think is very important.

haruka, Uncategorized

“Facebook fights largestever”US court data request- My reaction

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Summary
Facebook is fighting a US court order in which it was forced to submit data belonging in people involved in a benefit fraud trial. Last year some private data was supplied to the court. The Facebook accounts showed that fraudulent claimants of US federal disability benefits were in fact healthy. However it had been veiled and was made public by a judge this week. He demanded that Facebook should comply with search warrants. The company abided by the verdict but protested that it violated the US constitution. There are no date restriction on the warrant and the range of the data request. It mean that the government may keep the data indefinitely. Facebook said that the government had obtained controls on the freedom of the account holder’s speech.

Opinion
I think that the court should make more clear ruling. The definition, Facebook as “digital landlord”, has not enough details. The validly of the warrants should be within a fixed period of time. The range of data also should be limited. I don’t understand why the judge don’t make clear about that, although t it is necessary subject in order to protect personal data. When unreasonable searches and seizures become been permitted tacitly, the times would go back to the old days. I can understand Facebook are useful to find guilty such as the example last year, but I can’t agree with the judgment.I hope people may use Facebook safely.

marina, Uncategorized

President Obama’s announcement about US troops in Afghanistan

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Summary:

The US president Obama announced the plan to shrink the number of US troops in Afghanistan by the year of 2016. The current number of forces are 32,000 but the plan is to make it less than 9,800 by the start of next year. The war between them started in 2001 and it is still continuing. President Obama suggested of having a certain date to withdraw from Afghanistan, but some of the Republican members criticized the plan of having the egg timer set.

Reaction:

When I first read this article, I felt very doubtful of President Obama’s words. I understand how President Obama wants to end the war as soon as possible, but you can never foretell the course of events. Even if the relationship between the United States and Afghanistan is stable at the time, it can get worse at anytime. Furthermore, by telling the date of their withdrawal, Afghanistan might stop any kinds of terrorism before the withdrawal but restart it when the American troops leave.

As a conclusion, I think setting a goal for the war and announcing the plan is not a good thing for any countries. However, having a strong desire to end the war is always important and without this feeling, I don’t think the war will never vanish from the world.

kryota, Uncategorized

MY REACTION TO GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE BOARD APPROVAL

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Golden Gate Bridge board approval

Summary

According to this article, San Francisco bridge officials have approved the construction of suicide-prevention nets alongside the golden Bridge. Since the bridge opened, many people have killed themselves by jumping off the bridge. So, the project that the safety nets was constructed under the bridge started. There are many obstacles, but it was approved because “not one more soul will be lost to this bridge”.

My Reaction

In Japan, people often commit suicide at the tourist attraction. Probably many people have killed themselves since trains are opened. In Japan, there are also safety systems.
For example, the gates between platforms and tracks. I think they are working efficiently about reducing a number of suicides. In this article, some people say those who were suicidal would find another way if those safety system were installed but, I don’t think so. They commit suicide when they think they can be dead easily. Almost people are afraid of being dead, so I don’t think they choose troublesome method in order to kill themselves. In short, safety systems have saved many lives.
Also, how should we do to reduce suicide at the tourist attraction in different way?
It is difficult problem. I think there is no epoch-making solution. Getting rid of the cause of suicide or making environment without bullying are not easy. Perhaps, we can only prevent people from committing suicide when we find them doing.

haruka, Uncategorized

Nigeria Gunmen Kidnap 20 Women in Northeast- my reaction

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Summery

Boko Haram abducted 20 nomadic women in northeast Nigeria. On April 15, the group had already kidnapped more than 300 girl students and young women in the same place.

Boko Haram is an Islamic group and their purpose is foundation of Islamic country in Nigeria.

The group of vigilante is prepared to resist Boko Haram’s military actions. A member of the vigilante stated that a member of Boko Haram compelled the women to enter their vehicles and abducted the women and the young men who trid to save the women from Boko Haram.

275 of the kidnapped girls haven’t been found yet.

 

My reaction

Boko Haram is growing as a serious issue and receiving international attention so we have to consider a solution as soon as possible.

I‘d like to discuss two problems, concerning Boko Haram. The first problems is that Boko Haram has a big power in Nigeria and the second is that it is difficult to save women and children.

Firstly, why does Boko Haram have strong influence in Nigeria? The members have a lot of guns. In other words, they have much money so they can act in the way they like.

I think The Nigerian Government has to find Boko Haram’s source of income and restrict their action. However, in Nigeria the government doesn’t have authority so the government doesn’t have a power to stop Boko Haram. Of course, the vigilantes try to restrict Boko Haram, but the act of vigilantes don’t have justified because they are not an official group of Nigeria.

This is why the government has to recover the authority to suppress Boko Haram’s attack.

Secondly, abductions are invasion of women and children’s right. These are immoral action and provoke antipathy in the whole world. So we have to rescue them.

I think Nigerian government should receive support from surrounding countries and developed countries. Almost all countries have recognized that Boko Haram is a dangerous group so it is not difficult to get their support. In fact Britain and America already have stated that they will help gathering information. However, Boko Haram hates western culture so the huge religious conflict may take place if other countries give aid.

This is why Supporting countries need to consider seriously how to save the women and children.

keisuke, Uncategorized

My reaction about poaching elephants

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In the last lesson, our group picked up the topic about apartheid. It was very meaningful for me to study the history on discrimination in Africa. But in the last half of lesson, our teacher Damon gave us some challenging problems, the part of which is about the trade in illicit ivory. So, I would like to talk about ivory.

First of all, what is it ivory?  Since the past, people have been processing ivory and making several products such as musical instruments, craftworks and especially personal seals in Japan. But in Japan, most ivory is imported and China is also big buyer in the world. On the other hand, main exporters are African countries. Cote d’ivoire ,which beated Japan in the World Cup, is one of the largest exporters. That country has another name, Ivory Coast, which means it has been exporting ivory by the ships.

Since 1989, the Washington Treaty has been reducing the trade on ivory. It was held because a lot of elephants was killed by hunters and many people feared that elephants would became extinct. This talks decided to take measures to number each elephants. In that time, the main measure is grasp the numbers of the elephants but that was not succeeded.

I think that poaching elephants is deeper problem. The hunters in Africa want to earn money because of the lack of legal profitable labor. And they also give some profit local people. That’s because killing elephants links to saving their crops and houses from them. Local people are afraid of being damaged by elephants and have been fighting against them. In this topic, several stances are involved. It is bad to takikng a stopgap measure can resolve the complex problem.

Uncategorized, yhiroki

My reaction about a Ugandan journalist

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Summary

In Uganda, a journalist makes effort to support lost and abandoned children. Her name is Gladys Kalibala. She is writing newspaper column for New Vision, one of Uganda’s leading newspapers to get more people know that children and to offer assistance for them.
Kalibala is loved by many of motherless children because she primarily considers them. But she is not a rich woman. But thanks to funds provided by her supportive readers, she supports she pays tuition fees, for example.
Where does her compassion come from? The key is her childhood. Because she was abandoned by her mother, she was raised by her grandfather. He was a reverend, so he often willingly helped needy people. Because she grew with looking at such behavior of him, she took over his mind.
She hopes to start a foundation for supporting these children by providing them with shelter and education.

Opinion

After reading this article, I was surprised at her conscientiousness. How many people who can do the same are there? Of course, some people do the same. But in many cases, they are rich people. Not rich people, like us, can’t easily such things. Well then, what shall they do?
I think there are 2 means for this.
First, they can start fund campaigns or join them. If even they have little money, many a little makes a mickle. This is an ordinary means but most effective means I think.
Second, they can inform existence of that children to other people, like Kalibala. Today, the power of the mass media is very strong. Supportive people may appear for this. Thanks to the spread of the Internet, we can inform various things to people in the world. And recently, by the appearance of SNS, we became to connect other people more easily.

rika, Uncategorized

Porching in Kenya-My reaction

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  In my first group of last lesson, we talked about poaching in Kenya.
According to the article, one elephant was killed by an ivory poacher’s poisoned arrow to feed the seemingly insatiable demand for ivory in far off Kenya. The elephant was in the national park, where understaffed conservationists monitored him regularly to protect him from poachers.
After we read it, we focused on animal protection and its law.
　In Kenya, the government set the law which prohibit animal poaching, but actually poaching are happened. So in the problem like that some restriction often don’t work effectively.
Then what can we do from our public position?
　My opinion is that we should buy some products made by companies which cooperate on animal protection. For example, I always use cosmetics sold by LUSH (they’ve been fighting against animal testing for decades and believe in only buying ingredients from companies that do not commission tests on animals). Mr. Brewster also described his policies: He doesn’t eat whale’s meat, doesn’t buy products by Del Monte, and so on.
It is difficult for us to affect and change national law or regulation, but it is possible to assist and influence present social trend by our own actions. That is, I believe, the most important thing from now on.
haruka, Uncategorized

“Rastrojos members held in Barranquilla raid”― My Reaction

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Summary
Colombian police have arrested criminal gang. They are accused of extortion from shop owners and smuggling drugs such as cocaine. They demanded about $35 a month from businessmen in the city. When people refused to pay extortion money, the gang threatened and often attacked them. They have been related to at least 12 grenade attacks. They also used children and teenagers to sell illegal drugs. President Santos who is now running for re-election said they will continue fighting those thugs relentlessly.

Opinion
I think that Colombia has to propose some drastic measures. Not only arresting but also  not producing thugs is important. If all of the Rastrojos members are arrested, new gang would appear. I think that the social system such as education and economy have to be reformed. I was shocked when I heard teenagers cooperated with gang. They may not receive public education and know that what they are doing is illegal. One of these days, they would become a criminal and the negative chain continue. I think it is necessary to make the society which prisoners can resume their place in. For that purpose, stable economic development and stable social order are needed. I expect President to carry out basically and radical reforms.