Category: jirom

Summary

The IOC  approved the plan of cycling venues for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics including a series of venue changes for the games. The IOC said moving track cycling venues from Tokyo to Izu would save $1,8 billion in total. The international cycling union(UCI) had resisted the plan at first , saying  Izu is far from Tokyo and Olympic experience for athletes and fans are decreased.  But they eventually agreed to it. Olympic experience can be guaranteed from  awide range of perspective. UCI president said this plan had embraced the cost cutting “Olympic Agenda 2020” . Cost-cutting, athlete experience, maximum use of existing venues, and the future development of cycling can be achieved by this plan, he said.

Opinion

I agreed to this plan. “Cost-cutting” is very important aspect for 2020 Tokyo Olympics. We don’t have to be  too particular about the places where games are held.  Izu is not in Tokyo, and about 120km from Tokyo. But I don’t care whether the venues are exactly in Tokyo or not, and who care? The means of transportation have improved and we can easily come and go between those two places. Both convenience and cost-cutting can be achieved. If there are existing venues and post-games legacies, we should re-use those places. However good venue we construct for 2020 Olympic, it is unnecessary if the venues are not useful after Olympic. This plan is very future oriented, I think.

Summary

The law regarding organ donation changes in Wales. It means that all adults will automatically become donors of organ donation. If you don’t want to become a donor , you have to remove your name from the register. If you don’t remove yourself, medics regard you as a donor. This system will apply to adults who have lived in Wales for more then 12 months.  Organ donation rates in UK are lower than those in other countries in Europe that already use the opt-out system. 1,000 people in the UK die every year waiting for  donors. Health official says that this law change will increase the number of donors and save hundreds of lives.

Opinion

I personally agree with this opt-out system of organ donation. I don’t care how my body will be treated after my death. But of course there are many people who  don’t want to be a donor of organ transplant, and their wills must be respected. In Japan, organ donation rates are much lower than other countries in the world. Many people are waiting for donors. I think there are many people who are willing to become a donor, like me. In order to raise the rates of organ donation, it is important to respect our wills and make the most of them. We need a new system that our wills are reflected well whether you want to be a donor or not.

Summary

Chinese President Xi Jinping came to Britain to signed more then $40 billion worth of deals. He said that Britain and China share the same interests and destinies in today’s world where goods and the labor force are flowing. He met British prime minister David Cameron and they toasted their new partnership. But there were protests. They said British government ignored China’s human rights problems in the interest of economic partnerships.　British leaders worked to steer away from human rights discussions.

Opinion

It is true that economic partnerships and human rights problems are different things. But human right is a matter of great importance to us today. Whether you’re in a developed country or not, whether you are Christian or Muslim,  we must respect and share the same value of human rights. I think the attitude toward human rights problems is deeply related to the reputation of the country. In order to promote investment ,the trust in the country is necessary. People will not make investments positively in the country  where human rights are ignored. This type of investments are dangerous. The attitude of British government may make a positive impact on two countries in short term, but may have bad influence in long term.

 

The speaker suggests applying new technology which is called biofabrication. This technology can make meat or leather artificially, so we don’t need to kill animals to get them. He insists that it is wasteful and crazy to kill animals  for food and clothing.

I welcome this new technology.  From the view point of coping with the problem of water shortage or global warming in the future, biofabrication gives our society various possibility. Our livestock is one of the largest users of land, fresh water and also one of the biggest producers of greenhouse gases. As he says, next few decades we will need 100 billion animals for our meat.  Supplementing our food with products of biofabrication is good idea, we don’t need to increase the number of animals.

But I disagree with the idea that all natural meat should be replaced with meat made by biofabrication. I have two reasons to support my idea.

First is the problem of culture and history. Human beings have been eating animals for long time in our history. There are many cultures in the world, and each culture has each idea for eating animals.  These food culture are often related to their history or religions. This is very complex problem. Forcing to eat meat made by biofabrication is a little arrogant.

Second, I want to pick up the feeling of “thank”. Of course, killing animals is cruel thing. I feel sorry when I watch TV where animals are killed to make our food, and that’s why we appreciate eating them and try not to waste them.　I think the feeling of “thank” is very important feeling for us. If people only eat food made by biofabrication, they would forget the feeling of “thank” because you can get food any time if you only have money. You don’t have to appreciate to eat them.

Biofabrication is very innovative and gives us many positive things. But it is difficult to impose the id

ea of not killing animals on everyone.

 

 

In the last class we read an article about Cape penguin and a plan to stop decreasing of them. The number of Cape penguin has continued to decline, due to over fishing of eggs that are delicacy and a decrease of small fish that becomes their food. Recently many parent birds have abandoned their children because of a shortage of food to raise them. Also, oil spill of the tanker polluted their breeding ground. The number of Cape penguins that had several million is now about 50000. Protection Organization “Bird Life” plans to make fence in their breeding grounds so as not to let people and dogs in the beach.

My opinion

Problems about endangered species are happening all over the world, and off course, there are many endangered species in Japan.  Almost problems are caused by humans.We are responsible for it.  We need to discuss the way to stop endangering . I think the most important point is to pay attention to such animals and to try to know about them. For me, I didn’t know the problem of Cape penguin until I read this article. How many people who eat eggs of Cape penguins do know this problem? They might changes their actions if they know this problem, and I hope so.  In this  mass consumption society it is difficult to solve this problem easily, but we can change the situation by small awareness and piles of it.