moeh – DTCN

Tokyo Olympic stadium get new, cheaper design

1.Summary
A new, more scaled-down, design has been chosen for the main stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
The new design will cost less by 100bn yen and it reflects Japanese temple styles so it fits better with its immediate environment. Indeed, it also has demerit in view of capacity or another event, but it will be quicker. It is demanded to meet criteria such as basic principels, construction period and cost.

2.My Opinion
I would like to express my opinion from two points of view.
As far as the method of determination, I don’t agree to changing the design although they decide once. It is impolite for Ms Zaha Hadid, who is the architest of the old design, to cansel the plan. It is true that we should hold down expenses because it is paid from tax money, but I think ‘design’ include not only its looks but also its cost, its construction period and so on. I think we should have demonstrated feasibility more.
However, as far as the design itself, I appreciate the new one because it echoes Japanese temples’ style. I think the Olympics is a good chance to introduce Japanese technic, culture and tradition. Futuristic design is also good to show our technology, but temple styles are a technology native to Japan from a long time ago. It can embody Japanese-heart and excert a powerful appeal to Japanese strong point.
As stated above, I expressed two different opinions from another points. It is difficult to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ clearly because the Olympics is the biggest event in the world so there must be many ploblems. We need to concider them from every possible angle. But I believe Japan has enough power to overcome them. I wish great success in the Olympics.

UK needs Chinese investment, ambassador says

We talked about economy on building new nuclear power. I will summarize this talk and express my mpinion.

1.Summary
UK plans to build a new nuclear power and China support it. China’s ambassador say that UK needs Chinese investment and that it is in the best intrest of pertnership between China and UK. He also asked whether a UK cmopany would be allowed to build nuclear power plants in China in the same way as Chinese firms will do. This is an important project between two countries.

2.Opinion
How does the relationship change after the deal between UK and China? In my opinion, it would be strengthened in terms of economy but doesn’t become a friendly nation perfectly. There are two reasons.
Firstly,this is very complicated political problem. The purposes of this deal is to support monetarily, to plactice nuclear technology and to control energy. It is most important and sensitive for the nation to secure electric capacity and to supply safely so the government must want to manage the nation’s energy. It is quite danger because the foreign countries are in power on supply system. Certainly, we need nuclear power plant because it is efficient because of lower cost and less emission of CO2, but the government would avoid the situation.
Secondly, the ratio of nuclear power plant is not large. The main way to generate electricity in UK is thermal power generate. It wouldn’t change after the deal because nuclear power plant has problems. For example, we don’t have efficient means to deal with radioactive waste. We bury in underground depots now but there is a limit. We have no space to bury long time. Therefore thermal power generation continue being the principal way.
Consequently, nuclear power plant is efficient way and we need it so the relationship would be strengthened. However, to rely on the foreign countries as a source of energy is quite dangerous so the relationship will no more than economy checking each other.

Biofabrication- Is it “real” leather?

My reaction in Ted talk was approval with reservation. I will summarize this talk and express my mpinion.

1.Summary
Andras Forgacs warn about the situation that we slaughter billions of animals to eat or make products and introduce biofabrication to solve this problem. He thinks it should begin by remaining leather to get the understanding from anti- biofabrication. The merit is that the process to grow leather does no harm. And we can create real leather which has all the characteristics through a shorter and much less chemical tanning process because it is made of the same cells. We also can grow this leather in shape of the products and tune this for other desirable qualities. Biofabrication has an educational aspect, too. Cell culture takes place a brewery and we can tour this facility and learn. He also mention the possibility that we design new materials, new products, and new facilities. He thinks biofabrication is a natural evolution for mankind and this is environmentally responsible, efficient and humane.

2.Opinion
Today, many animals are killed to make our handbags. It is quite unfair. Our desire for having luxury bags is dependent on the cost of their lives. We should stop buying animal leather products. But actually, we can’t give up experiencing the happiness of getting the luxury items. We can’t turn back now and we wish this happiness continue in the future. I’d definitely point out biofabrication as the best way to deal with this problem. But I am also worry about putting to practical use. I tell you the merits and demerits of biofabrication.
On the one hand, biofabrication has an advantage to be sustainable. It doesn’t hurt any animals. We don’t have to become a slaughter and animals don’t waste their lives. There is no sacrifice so it is humane. Also, once we take cells from an animal, they keep growing. We can control their growing for example the size, thickness and the feeling freely. We never waste leather or medicine during tanning process. This meets the requirements of the sustainability.
On the other hands, I skeptical about considering biofabrication leather products to be “real” products. Furthermore, I warm that we felt sure that we can manufacture everything by technology. Andras Forgacsmaintained that biofablication leather is real and genuine because the finished goods come from the animals’ cells and we use the function of growing themselves. Compare the two leather which one is artificial and the other isnatural animal skin, perhaps we couldn’t tell them. But I doubt that biofabrication can make real leather because it was not living, just multiplied in a cell culture medium. This is just industrial products. If we regard biofabricationleather as real leather, we become less able to tell artificial and natural. As for the leather products, this is a little mistake, but in the future, this leads us to clone human easily. We might cross the border. This would bring about new ethical problem.
Above these, biofabrication is a controversial technology. Of course it is useful and sustainable to save the life of animals and enjoy having the luxury items. But on the other hands, we shouldn’t forget its danger. It has a possibility to collapse the bioethics. We must keep an eye on how to use this effective technology.

Central American migrants escape Mexico kidnapping

We talked about the attack by the gang. I will summarize this topic and express my opinion.

1.Summary
Tens thousands of migrants were attacked by a gang in southern Mexico on their way to the US.The migrants said armed men rode on their bus near the town of Ocotlan and took them to a car park. But after about six hours, the migrants overcame the gang members and escaped. Although some migrants were arrested by police and handed over to local migration authorities, none of the gang members have been caught.

2.Opinion
I think this is a very controversial and complecated issue. To solve this problem, we need to think about both the gang side and the migrants side. On the one hand,of course the gangs are “bad” people. However, the gangs have many youths with the dissatisfaction to econonical poverty or politics. They don’t have proper job so they are concerned with a crime. We not only arrest them but also protect
their lives by giving them the opportunity of education and so on.
On the other hands, the migrants also should be protested. They
escaped from the death trap and poverty. But there is not their acceptance because of the firm defence of the border of the neighboring countries especially America. I think if the government decrease the cost of the guard and contribute to the migrants, they can get the safty life.
To the conclusion, this is Central America’s whole problem. We must strengthen the cooperation each other and deal with the maintenance of peace and order.

Deutsche Bank shares jump 6% after resignations

We talked about the Germany bank doing wrong. I will summarize this topic and express my opinion.

1.Summary
Deutsche Bank in German has been hit by a series of scandals. They rigged the Libor inter-bank lending rate, which means they changed the lender intrest rate illegally and get benefit.So the two co-chief exectives resigned. As a result, the trust in the bank recovered and shares have jumped 6%.

2.Opinion
I can’t approve this article. I think people should accuse the bank more. The injustice of the bank should not be pardoned easily. People put confidence in the honesty of the bank so we feel relieved and do economic activity such as investment, deposit, getting a lorn. I don’t think the bank will become better only by changing their heads. I suppose that the bank system is in need of structural reform.
For example, I promote the plan to keep watch on the bank. I think to tell the information more clearly is important. It is difficult for us, not expert on economy to understand the term in finance. If we know and heighten the interest in the financial system and conditions, the function to prevent the injustice of bank would be enhanced.

Washington Snubs Bolivia on Drug Policy Reform, Again

We talked about the interference with Bolivian drug policy from Washington. I will summarize this topic and express my opinion.

1.Summary
Washington told Bolivia to reduce the amount of narcotics again.Meanwhile, UNODC thinks Bolivia is doing good job because the president tried to change the Convention. However, it is difficult to control cocaine flows. Despite increased narcotics seizures by government, drug trade activities increased.

2.Opinion
I think this raises the question how to reduce the amount of drugs. To think this problem, first we have to consider whether or not the regulation is really need. On the one hand, of course the narcotics ought to be regulated because it does us harm seriously. Also, it is smuggled by drug – smuggling ring and they get illegal profits. But on the other hands, narcotics shouldn’t be prohibited because it is the chief industry in some country. In Bolivia, people make a living by growing drugs. So I don’t agree with the completely prohibition and Washington shouldn’t interfere. While drug is the whole human problem, it is industrial domestic affairs problem. There is UNODC, which is public institution and Bolivia ratified the Convention. I think it should be entrusted by public institution and evaluate fairly.