Category Archives: ryotaro

Rail fares: Minister Patrick McLoughlin defends rises

Summary

The price of the train ticket increased by up to 2.5% in England and Wales. The government claimed this raise is needed to make the train modern and comfortable. However, trade unions oppose it because the raise of fares keeps going to beat salary growth. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin told good governments has decided to get more money from train passengers by expensive train tickets. If passengers pay more, all the other taxpayers pay less because 95% of English commuters don’t use the train. This action is not comfortable for commuters using trains, but it is necessary, he said.

Reaction

Raising the price of public utility charges is big problem is Japan. For example, the electricity charges was increased as the shutdown of the nuclear power stations. However, many Japanese thinks there is nothing for it but to agree. I think this shows the high qualities of public utility in Japan. The Japanese train services are known for “on schedule” or “not stop running”, so many people can agree with the raise. On the other hand, hiking fares are opposed by many people in England. It is because the service of train is bad and the company of train (Network Rail) increased many times. The price of public utility influences the life of people. If governments decide the raise of this price, they should make an effort to convince them of it.

Audio Essay

The change of eduction system is very big subject and many countries try it.Then,I watched the video of the idea about the education by Ken Robinson,but I think his idea has some big problems.

First, what is the creativity? He says ‘All kids have tremendous talents.’ in this video. He thinks the creativity is the capacities for innovations and all children have them. However, it is the logic making by talented person. Ken uses the word of Picasso and Picasso thinks all children are born artists. I think all children in this word means a few genius. All children are unconventional because they don’t know the rule. It is rated as ‘the creative’ in a few cases,but it is rated as ’the useless’ in many cases.Then, the talented child or person always says ‘ It is common things. All children/people can do it.’ Could we believe this word if the nameless people said it?

Second, Ken believe the education system take the talent of child. If we change the education system, the talents of children are rated correctly. However,I feel the most big reason of ‘the loss of creativity’ is the gap of the talents. According to the research by The Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company, Japanese elementary school boys want to be a sports player, scholar, motorman and girls want to be a patissier,singer, cartoonist. Though, many high school students or college students understand they can’t take these jobs because they know more talented persons than them.They lost their talent by the resignation.If we want children to keep their talents, the answer is very easy. We should destroy the competition, the settlement of winning or losing,the valuation. We should regard the picture by Picasso in the same light as the graffiti by children. We should increase the fixed number of sports player, scholar,motorman,and so on. If we change the social system like this, the many talented person will be born.That is very nonsense.

Finally, I present the example of the Japanese education with breathing space system called yutori education.This education system introduced instead of the cramming education system to recognize and expand children’s individuality and imagination. The system includes a five-day school week, simplification of the curriculum, and more time for independent “general studies” classes. However, many people think this education system makes a decline in academic standards.According to the research of the Mainichi Shimbun,71% of people agree with the change of this education.I can’t say the yutori education is wrong,but many people think academic ability is more important than the imagination.

I don’t want to disagree with the human imagination or creativity, but they are not possessions of all people. This capitalism society screens the talents.If we change the education system,many people oppose it like japan.Ken thinks the creativity as the almighty solution,so his idea is very unrealistic and optimistic. I think the most important purpose of education is teaching basic ability, for example, word, number, and how to communicate with other people. Therefore, present education is not too bad. To improve the talent of children is the role of the outside of education like lessons or club activities.If we want to use the talent of children, we should change the society to be more generous before we change the education.

Google pulls Amazon app from Play Store listing

Summary

We can’t find Amazon’s app in Google Play Store by searching because Google deletes it from search listings. Google is very generous to apps existing in its app store, but downloading apps including Android application becomes possible by Amazon’s app. This service conflicts with Google Play Store, so Google takes action.Google changes its agreement with developers to prohibit distributing Android apps in their apps. On the other hand, Amazon distributes new apps called Amazon Shopping. It is almost the same as old one, but we can’t access to Amazon’s app store by using this new apps.

Reaction

I researched the monopoly of Google in this class, so I thought Google is very childish and holds fast to vested interests firstly. However, the agreement of Google Play Store allowed distributing Android apps in application if its service is not main function. This shows the tolerance of Google and the trusting relationships with the developers. Amazon’s thoughtless action broke this relationship and made Google does the tightening of regulations. The conflict of services can’t be helped, but the enterprise should follow general common sense. I use the Android smartphone and feel drawn to the abundance of apps in Google Play store, so I want Google to keep the tolerance.

 

Ebola outbreak: Obama asks Australia for help

Summary

America and Britain have requested Australia to work more together for preventing the epidemic of Ebola in West Africa, but Australia has only  made a donation. Australian Prime minister claimed that Australia is too distant from Africa and it will not send Australian medical teams until it can ensure their safety. He thinks that Australia has to concentrate efforts for taking measures against the potential outbreak in Asia. However, the opposition parties have asked for the government the more cooperation with other countries against Ebola, so Prime minister reconsider the requests for relief.

Reaction

I feel the difficulty of  the international cooperation from this article. This action by Australia( refuse sending medical team)is right in terms of national defense against Ebola. But if many countries refuse the cooperation, the damage of Ebola increases all over the world. The leader nation should  do the international cooperation activity as long as own nation benefits.

However, this problem shows the trouble of medical intervention on the other hand. In some cases, African people disobey the request of improvement for living because of their cultures and the advanced countries can not stop the spread of Ebola.

I think it is important for keeping the damage of Ebola at a minimum to give the knowledge of Ebola as well as the international cooperation.

This I believe

I believe that people should not give up before you have even started,even if they drop by the wayside.

In my infancy, I was not good at everything, such as, sports,arts,music,studies and so on. At first, I was not caring about it and enjoyed everything purely. However, a change happened. I did not enjoy because I could not do anything right. In handicraft class, my work was worse than others undoubtedly. I did not write the Japanese cursive syllabary at all in dictation. I could not swim even 5m in swimming class.The people around me, such as, parents , teacher of the kindergarten only said ‘ You can do it’ or ‘ It can’t be helped’. These words did not do me any good.

When I entered elementary school, I started going to small tutoring school by the recommendation of the parents. The teacher there was very kind enough to teach anything I did not understand many times over. I disliked going to this school at first, but I became fond of her and came to understand many things. I still can remember her words that now. She said to me,’You do not mind failing.To give up halfway through is all right. However, you must not give up before you have even started.’ This words changed me slightly.

After that, I was getting better at studying. It was enjoyable for me to understand many things and this delight gave me motivation.I felt her words were true. Nevertheless,I was not good at many things as usual. Especially, physical education,handicraft, music class distressed me. I failed and gave up in middle in many times,but I never gave up before I have even started.

Most people often say ’ a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step’. However, I think it is not need to walk thousand miles.To accomplish against the will is not important.The really important thing is start doing something even if it is not good.

Then, something will change slightly.

My reaction to Obama:Soul-searching needed on high gun violence

Summary

US president Barack Obama said, ” The country  must repent of  the increase of shootings  in recent years.”  In America, gun-related crime and accident  happen in many places, for example schools, universities and places of work. ” It’s terrible for me that many American people take mass shootings at rates that are extremely higher than any place else for granted.” Mr obama said.He has required stricker gun control laws, but the powerful gun lobby, especially the National Rifle Association has made a forceful move against it.

My opinion

This problem is very difficult to think for me because of the difference between Japan and America. Many Japanese feel that the gun is very dangerous ,so the gun control laws are no wonder. However, American people, notably the National Riffle Association adovocates the gun control laws are the way to take away freedom from people. The slogan of this groupe is “Guns don’t kill people; people kill people.”: they think American’s violence  proceeds mainly from mental health issues. Therefore, I can’t say “The gun control laws should be pushed” lightly. Still, the gun is the weapon to be able to kill the human easily. If people have the freedom to use the gun, they must be take responsibility for the gun. I believe ” With great power comes great responsibility.” in the words of famous American comics.

My reaction for the big criminal problem in Colombia

Summary

 Combating the activities of the criminal bands named Rastrojos is one of the priorities of the Colombian government.They demanded money from shop owners, market stallholders and other businessmen in the city by force  . In addition to the extortion, they  have smuggled illegal drugs and selled them by using children and teenagers in the coastal city of Barranqulia. The president of Colombia pursued the operation against Colombian criminal organisations ,so the colombian police arrested 46 members of the Rastrojos.

Reaction

 I think the poor public security in Colombia is related with the economic problems. Many people in Colombia think the cultivation of the illegal drugs is very lucrative job.Therefore,Colombia became big illegal drugs-growing district and many criminal bands are formed.I consider the best way of decreasing crime in colombia is improvement of economic conditions.  The attack against Colombian criminal organizations by Santos is the first step to improve the economic conditions. Therefore, measurable stability of public security is needed for  the investment and the advance  by foreign companies.If the people in Colombia stop  cultivating the illegal drugs, the activity of many criminal gangs  become reduction,I think. Afterwards, Colombian government should take action to annihilate them with other countries. In conculsion, mending the economic conditons is important for the fundamenal resolution for criminal problem in Colombia.