Monthly Archives: January 2015

ryota

My reaction about “ADB chief welcomes chance to work with new China-led financier”

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Summary

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a reginal development bank which was established to facilitate economic development of countries in Asia in 1966.  However, recently, new infrastructure investment bank proposed by China and it`s called the Asina Infrascture Investment Bank (AIIB). The head of the Asian Development Bank, Takehiko Nakao said “If the AIIB is established, we are very happy to have the appropriate collaboration.”  Also he added that it was understandable that Asian countries would want such an institution because of the region`s huge need for infrastructure financing.

But some analysts see as a venue to expand Chinese influence at their expense. However, Nakao stressed that the ADB has always been active in infrastructure  and China has always been supportive of the ADB.

Opinion

I think the essence of this article is in the collision between the ADB chief`s opinion (especially Nakao) and analysts` opinion.

The ADB chief is saying that the AIIB is needful for Asian countries` infrastructure financing. Also they think China haas always been very supportive of the ADB. But above mentioned, some analysts see as a venue to expand Chinese influence at their expense and they oppose establishing the AIIB.

Before reading this article, I didn`t know much about the ADB and the AIIB. But I don`t agree about establishing the AIIB either. Because the recent Chinese economic is apprehensived for it`s deterioration. So I don`t think the AIIB is drastic reforms for Asian countries` infrastructure financing.

keisuke

My reaction about Annie

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In the last lesson, Jo and I talked with Annie. Why is Annie a white girl? In the remake Annie movie, Annie is played by black girl. If Harry Potter is Asian, what do you think of it? and so on. So in this reaction, I want to talk as follows; the content of article, the story of Annie and my opinion about black Annie.

 

First, many people protested Annie For Target (TGT) to remove the ad. TGT is a company which partnered with the costume designer for the new Annie movie and began selling clothes like Annie’s wear. The store prepared 26 tights, jeans, dresses, shirts and accessories ranging from $4 to $30. But their ads show some of pretty white girl models. The protestors said that these misleading ad are bad for girls with various backgrounds and the company should apologize to Wallis, black Annie.

We should pay attention to what people protest. They protest that TGT’s ad is immoral, not why Annie is a black girl or a white girl.

 

Second, I want to review the story of Annie. In the recession around 1930, Annie is a young orphan girl who must live in a miserable orphanage run by the terrible Miss Hannigan. Her hopeless situation changes dramatically when she is selected to spend a short time at the residence of the wealthy gentleman, Oliver Warbucks. Quickly, she attracts the hearts of the household staff and even the seemingly cold-hearted Warbucks cannot help but learn to love this wonderful girl. He decides to help Annie find her long lost parents by offering a reward if they would come to him and prove their identity. However, Miss Hannigan, her evil brother, Rooster, and a female accomplice, plan to impersonate those people to get the reward for themselves. Their trial result to fail and Annie is adopted by Warbucks as happy end after she noticed that her parents had died several years before.

This is the short summary. I have not seen this musical and only know the famous song “tomorrow”. I would like to watch both classic musical and remake movie.

 

Third, my opinion about this article is for petitioners. That is because their principle is valuable and should be sticked for every part such as ad. This remake is revolutionary for recently racism. In the past, the days of fierce racism, I cannot imagine that the original musical with a white girl heroine is remaked with a black girl. The challengeof remake is should be appreciated. But TGT lacked careful consideration. Usually, fashion model is played by white people. This company obsessed by the notion. The real aim should be fashion for various races and they should employ diverse type of models.

jo

My reaction about the gap in the U.S.

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Summary
A survey by the Pew Research Center in the U.S. revealed that many of the wealthiest think the poor take a lot of money from the government benefits. However, at the same time, the survey also shows us that the poor need more support, which is said by themselves.
In addition, there are another gaps of thinking between the two. For example, about the role of government, the poor think the government should help the needy more if the government’s debt increase, although the wealthy does not think so.
Their opinion is finally similar when the question is about immigration, but the poor who says immigrates have good effects are fewer than the wealthy.

Reaction
In the U.S., Economic disparity is a serious social issue. Recently, rich person becomes richer and richer, and poor person becomes poorer because capitalism allows taking more money from the poor to the wealthy as business.
For example, costs of food and housing are huge for the poor, they continue being poor. (figure1) They cannot live without them; therefore, they have no money to eat good meals and they only eat fast foods or cheap foods. This makes them unhealthy and their money disappears because of going to hospital without any insurance.
In contrast, the rich scares to lose their money and safety, so they do not want to mix with them. In this situation, the government is only supporter of the poor.
I think the government can decrease the disparity between two groups by supporting the poor paying for daily foods and their home. If the government does nothing to this problem, the poor cannot continue their life in the U.S. because there is no money which they can use.
In conclusion, I want to the government to change the situation.

How the Rich and Poor Spend Their Money
figure1: How the Rich and Poor Spend Their Money

takahiro

the euro drop

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The euro reached a nine-year low against the dollar. Falling of German factory orders, and increased speculation about extra stimulus measures to combat Eurozone deflation played a part in the euro’s drop. European Central Bank will soon move to support the region’s economy with quantitative easing, or buying government bonds, but this pushes a rate rise even further, so the Eurozone will become less attractive for investors. The results of upcoming Greek elections could also be spooking investors.

I feel it’s more difficult to recover the euro’s economy than Japan’s. Many countries must cooperate to aim one goal, but each ones are busy tackling own countries’ economy, so keeping the balance is much difficult. Greece’s, Italy’s, and Spain’s economy are not good, I heard. It is the fact that these counties drag the EU’s economy down. Different from EU, Japan can decide what to do earlier, when the yen drops, we should do quantitative easing, raising tax price, strengthen tourism. It’s not so complicated compared. However, Japan is always in deflation, I have never experienced inflation since I was born. I want to live in Japan in inflation, but economy is like one creature, so I think planning good ways, struggling to get the better economy will never end.

makoto

My reaction to ADB ready to work with new China-led financier

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Summary

Takehiko Nakao , the head of Asian Development Bank, is positive about a new infrastructure bank suggested by Beijing and he is ready to work with China on that, in spite of fears it could weaken his institution. The new bank is called ALLB(Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank). China and 20 other countries have already signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the AIIB. However, it could be a rival to existing Western-and Japan-dominated institutions, such as the World Bank and the ADB. That is why the Japanese government has expressed anxiety and the United States is severely against the ALLB. Chinese authorities have been explaining the ALLB will be complementing and supporting the work of the ADB instead of challenging and becoming a rival.

 

My opinion

I think Takehiko Nakao should be more cautionary because ALBB could be a rival to World Bank and the ADB and the American government disagrees to the new bank. I consider an existing relationship with the American government on the ADB to be more important than the Chinese government. It is unreasonable that the head of ADB will support the potential threat to his bank despite benefits of the ADB.

hdaiki

My Reaction-Obama to beef up laws on privacy and data breaches

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US President Barack Obama will propose three new laws that all deal with our privacy information. As its background, many large US retailers were hit by cyber-thieves who tried to scoop up payment-card data. One of the laws will require companies to let customers know within 30days if their personal information went astray in a data breach. The second law will attempt to give people more control over what can be done with the data companies gather about them. The last one would ban educational software makers from selling data they collect from students. Mr. Obama is believed to want to resurrect a “consumer privacy bill of rights” that was first proposed in 2012 and witch would ensure consumers are consulted before data gathered from their online activity is sold. Exact details of the proposal will come to light during a speech od Mr. Obama at the US Federal Trade Commission on 12 January.

After reading this article, I was surprised that those educational software makers sell our data for their benefits. I really dislike those spam mails sent to my address, and that may be due to these thoughtless organizations. We must feel furious about this, and at least I feel now. In Japan, there are also many cyber-thieves and our personal information has been stolen. Also it is worse that some companies sometimes hide about leaking the information. Thus the law, that require companies to let customers know when information is leaked, is good. However, I think it is too late even if companies tell us about the leak within 30DAYS! I hope all the companies to become honest and responsible for their action. Surely we also have to be responsible for protecting our privacy by ourselves.

 

yusuke

Reaction about employment in U.S

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Summary: As the economy recover, employment rate has grown in U.S. In the article, it said that when the economy starts to recover, usually white people gets the job first. Later on, black people and Latino’s earn the job. This is because racial discrimination exists when people hire someone. Still, in 21st century, there is a trend that white people excels the blacks.

Reaction:

This article made me think of two things. First of all, I was glad that employment rate has been growing, because in a year or two, it will be my turn to look for a job. It was a good news to hear that more and more positions are made for the young adults as well. I hope the positive effect of economic growth influences the Japanese society as well. Second, I was shocked by the fact that there are still discrimination by skin color in U.S. However, I must admit that almost the same thing is happening in Japan as well. In Japan, it is said that the (mainly) Korean people, whose ancestor was taken to Japan, still receives certain kind of discrimination by the Japanese. Especially in elementary school, children are likely to discriminate people who aren’t same. Both Japanese, and Americans must somehow find a way to abolish this. I suggest the government to change from education. We must teach the children how wrong it is to discriminate people by there traits or mother country.

As a conclusion, I was happy to hear that the economic recovery is giving positive effect to the employment. Although, I was upset with the fact that discrimination still happens in many situation.

yuya

My reaction about “Germany ‘must invest more’, says France’s economy minister.'”

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<Summary>

Europe’s economy has been getting worse in recent months and it causes persistently low rates of inflation leading consumers and business to hold off making purchases or making investments.

Therefore, France’s economy minister Emmanuel Macron suggested two things about the way to recover the economy.

First, he said that Germany has an urgent responsibility to invest more in the Eurozone by doing more to boost consumer demand.

Second, he said it was time for the ECB to adopt a method known as quantitative easing to prevent deflation in the Eurozone.

However, he also said we must care about France’s younger generation, many of whom have experienced widespread unemployment. France must firstly think about those people, and recovering economy is just secondary thing.

<Opinion>

When I first read this article, I thought about Japan’s economy. Although it is controversial thing that whether the Japan’s economy is getting better, I feel it’s not getting better and still be bad. Why I feel like that is increasing the number of people who suicide. There’s no day not to hear about the train accident and I guess that’s because of an unemployment or hard work. It is important thing for government to recover economy, but I want government to focus on not only economy but also people’s health and their mental condition.

saki

My reaction about confirmed as Maduro attacks US ‘oil war’

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Summary

The Venezuelan economy is now officially in recession after the central bank released figures showing that it has been shrinking all year. President Nicolas Maduro explained factor of recession and future prospects. He said that political instability and falling oil prices affected economy of Venezuela. He also said his countries was suffering the consequences of an economic war launched by US President Barack Obama “to destroy” the oil producers’ cartel, OPEC. However, he think the crisis as a great opportunity for Venezuela to change its economic model.

Opinion

Venezuela is one of the developing countries. The Venezuelan economy depends on oil exports. Some people accuse that decline of economy is caused by the socialist policies of Mr. Maduo and his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez. I think that exchange control policy and seizure of the product by Mr. Maduro.is the forcible policy. A lot of people in Venezuela are troubled his policy. But he insists his policy is for his country. Venezuela needs to change the economic policy. To become a developing country, he should governs more democratic. In addition, He should support the companies of various fields as well as oil companies. A shortage of many staples, such as corn oil and milk, is very seriously. It is important whether most nations can obtain daily necessaries. First of all, he should do a policy to do their daily lives wealthily. It must lead to recovery of the Venezuela economy. I hope that the nation in Venezuela can live without troubles of lives.

yoshika

MY REACTION TO”Where the joba are and who’s being hired?”

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Summary

Last year, employers added 3 million positions. Especially, Business&Professional services and Healthcare created the most staffing positions. Also, last year proved to be a good year for blacks and Latinos looking for work. They saw stronger employment growth over the past 12 months than whites. Economist explains this is because whites usually see larger gains earlier in economic recoveries. The share of black and Latino workers participating in the labor market has increased since last December, while the rate slipped slightly for whites. However, this news is not all good because Blacks and Latinos still have far higher unemployment rates than whites. In addition, the reason young adults employment rate grew is said to be recovery from great recession.

 

 

My opinion

I think that racial discrimination is still strongly effect young adults’ choosing jobs. Although more and more Blacks and Latinos succeeded in getting hired compared to that of other years that is because they are more likely to be on margins of whites, according to the economist. Also, Black and Latinos still have far higher unemployment rates than whites. US government should revise the system that White people get higher jobs first and then Black and Latino people get the margin of it. I think this time, just have recovered from great recession is good opportunity to reform the bad habit.