June 2015 – DTCN

Cuba to expand internet access to battle country’s terrible lack of connectivity

In the last class, we discussed the article that telecommunication service in Cuba has been refomed by the goverment.

The summery and my opinion are as follows.

1. The summery of this article

Cuban goverment has announced a plan to expand internet access by adding Wi-Fi capacity to dozens of state-run internet centers.

It is the first important expansion of the internet in Cuba. And the change is significant improvement in access for many people.

Cuba goverment has also announced more than halving the cost that users pay for an hour online.

But that price remains expensive for most Cubans. The only Wi-Fi network has been at hotels, and the price is nearly quarter of the average salary for Cubans.

2. My opinion

I think the refom is a notable step. People can use their own smartphones, tablets and laptops. Then they can get online easier in Cuba.

However, it should be reflected that why there was lack of a communication network.

There are two possible reasons.

One is that Cubans were pressured not to use the internet freely. It was because the goverment feared social unrest.

The other is that the U.S. did trade prohibition on Cuba. And there was lack of quipment to communicate with a person. That is why people cannot be access to the internet.

I cannot judge which is correct. But I can declare that a shortage of communication will be a bad effect on people in the country, and it will be one of the gap between rich and poor countries.

Neighbours complain about noisy parties at Usain Bolt’s house

We discussed the article ” Neighbours complain about noisy parties at Usain Bolt’s house” in the last class. The summary and my opinion are as follows.

Usain Bolt caused trouble for his neighbours because of noisy parties. Usain Bolt is well known as a gold medalist at the London 2012 Olympic Games. He has legendary sprinting ability. However, when it comes to hosting parties, he becomes a trouble maker.

Jodi ‘ Jinx’ Stewart-Henriques, a model who lived nextdoor to Bolt, complained about loud all-night revelry at the Bolt’s house. She had been worried about this matter for two years. According to another resident, his parties started in the afternoon and went on until 3am, 4am. On the other hand, others told the newspaper that Bolt was not to blame for the loud party.

Jamaica’s police were aware of these complaints and had something about it.

After I discussed with my group members, I thought about relationship with my neighbours. When and How do I give them unpleasant feelings? And, what makes me worried about relationship with my neighbours?

I have a dog which rarely barks. But, when she finds stray cats, she becomes excited and runs about in the garden while barking. It probably makes my neighbours feel unpleasantness or irritation.

Car parking problem is the cause of worry for me and my mother. One of my neighbours always parks a car in front of the parking lot of our house. So, we can’t go out anywhere by a car.

I think that everyday communication solves the trouble between the neighbours. Although we have less and less interaction with our neighbours in this modern society, we should keep good relation like the old days.

The different airline profits in the world

This is a story from North Africa.

Because the cheap oil and more efficient use of planes, the International Air Transport Association showed that its 2015 forecast will be $29.3 billions. It’s the highest record fir forecast. They also said that carriers are expected to make $8.27 profit for every passenger on average in this year. But it is just an average date. Because we can find that there is a big difference between every country. For example, for North American, their airlines can make $18.12 profits for every passenger. On the other hand, Africa airlines just can have $1 profits from every passenger. We can find many reasons of this difference like different use of planes, the stronger dollar and so on.

At first, I felt so surprise about this news. Because I cannot believe that there are also differences of airline profits between diferent countries. Maybe the bigest reason is the dollar. Because even the price of oil is down, it’s difficult for other countries to buy oil on dollar. They will have the rate probolem of rate.

On the other hand, the date showed us that every country cannot have the same profits. But every country has profits. I think it is a good news. It means airlines use in every country is growing. The world becomes more globle.

“Canada Brings Tougher Law To Crackdown On Drunk Drivers”

I am very sorry to be late for the deadline.
I completely forgot it.

In the last class, we discuss the article about a renewed crackdown on drunken drivers in Canada.

The summary of the article and my opinion are as follows.

1) Summary

In Canada, Peter MacKay, the Minister of Justice, has introduced a new legislation called the “Dangerous and Impaired Driving Act” in order to protect the lives of Canadians. He said that it would cover all transportation-related offences in the Criminal Code and impose stricter penalties on impaired drivers; for example, the maximum penalties for impaired driving will be doubled from 5 to 10 years.

This new bill reflects the Government’s commitment that Canada will not spare law breakers and the penalties will be changed to match the severity of crimes committed.

Reportedly, it is also expected to trigger a wider debate on driving under the influence of drugs.

2) Opinion

Cars are daily necessities in modern society. At the same time, traffic accidents are increasing year by year. In such a society, I think toughening the law against drunken drivers is necessary for the following reason.

Today, many people suffer from accidents caused by drunken drivers and it can be a big factor explaining the increasing number of traffic deaths. However, such accidents can be prevented easily if drivers have strong wills that they will never drive after drinking; while it is not enough for not drivers themselves but others around them to try to prevent them.Therefore, drivers who know drunken driving is dangerous but actually do it should be severely punished. In addition, toughening the law will also be a strong deterrent to them.

However, it does not necessarily follow that the tougher the law is, the more effective it is. It is because lawbreaking drivers conversely might repeat offenses so as to avoid being caught and punished, if the penalties were too heavy.

In conclusion, we should impose stricter penalties on drunken drivers for the safety of innocent pedestrians, but the penalties should not be too heavy; because it might hava an opposite effect.

US says woman will appear on new $10 note.

I read the news about new $10 note in America.

I’m going to write the summary and my opinion about the news.

The US Treasury Department decides to redesign $10 note and a woman will be printed on the new note. However she has not been decided yet.

The new note will be published in 2020 that is the 100th anniversary of the US Constitution’s 19th amendment to give woman the right to vote.

Former US political leaders who are white men are printed on recent notes.

Alexander Hamilton who was a important figure in the American Revolution and the first secretary of the US Treasury were published on the $10 note in 1929 and will be replaced by the woman who the Treasury Department select. Hamilton and Ben Franklin who is a diplomat and inventor are unique non-presidents published on recent US notes.

Woman have been published on US note and dollar coins, but notes and coins were not spread widely and coins were stopped produce quickly.

The most important purpose of the redesign is to prevent counterfeiters. Besides women’s groups have demand to represent women more on US notes.

Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said that Treasury Secretary have changed the faces on the their currency a few times since bills were put into cycles of money for the first time and he was proud of portrait of woman who will be printed on the new $10 note.

In March, a contest to select a woman who will replace$20 note held. Abolitionist Harriet Tubman who allowed many slaves to be free was the public’s top choice and other choices are Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks and Wilma Mankiller.

Mr.Lew who is a member of the US Treasury Department will decide the woman who will be printed on $10 note.

When I read this news, I thought about Japanese bills and I thought that why Japanese warrior “BUSHI” have never been printed on Japanese bill. For example, Nobunaga Oda, Ieyasu Tokugawa and so on. The reason I think why they are not printed is that the most important thing to be printed is “frienship”, so politicians is suited more than “BUSHI”.

Besides in Japan, some women are printed on bill like Ichiyo Higuchi. Japanese people respect Japanese literature, so writer like her is printed on, I think.

A dead fin whale in waters around Alaska

The other day, we discussed social problems in North America. The following is the summary and my opinion.

A mysterious event happened in waters around Alaska. Though scientists rarely see dead fin, some people have reported seeing dead fin whales. Because the bodies of dead whales were uninjured, the cause isn’t related to predators. So, scientists suspect that the cause is related to something which the whales ate. That is, scientists suppose that whales ate something that is poison humans made. However, because living thing that were sacrificed is just one species ‘whale’, the true cause isn’t clear.

Recently, I often hear about such events. Just in Japan, a lot of fish have died at Kasairinkai aquarium with unknown cause. In my opinion, the cause is surely something human made. For example, it may be caused by genetically modified food. The GM food is widely spread now, and it is said that nobody knows what will happen in the future by the GM food. That is dangerous and terrible. It probably have a bad influence on some living things. In short, the GM food destroy an ecosystem just like this event. Human beings must not have a right of destroying the ecosystem. I think we have done whatever we like, and must reflect on our conduct and deal with the present condition.

Police Seize 10 Children From Homeschool Family Because They’re Off-Grid

This article says that 10 Children who live in rural Kentucky seized by government. The government says that the reason why the government seized them was for giving appropriate educational, lifestyle services to children.

However, family members and their Friends say that they are may be off grid, but they aren’t anonymous. In fact, family members updated Facebook page frequently.

Parent of the family taught children as a homeschooling , named “back to basics life.” The government claimed that children ahve a right to choose to living in appropriate conditions, or having public education.

In my opinion, the goverment have to leave them to maintain their own lifestyle. I think homeschooling has more merits than weaknesses since school education does not teach uaual morals to children. Plus, if is very hard for people who live in rural areas to having a long distance attendance to school.

In school, we usually learn about academic moral principles but not morals that we have to improve and to use in daily life. In fact, we learn this kind of morals to one’s parent, in one’s home.

Attending school is very bothering to person who even living in a place near by the school, thus attending a school as long distance might be a huge burden to person who living in off-grid areas.

Therefore, I suggest the government should not intercept family came out from this article.

Swiss banks reported possible money laundering

We discussed about money laundering. Swiss prosecutors are investigating 53 cases of possible money laundering in their inquiry into bidding for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA world cups. At the same time, This investigation is run by US and the organization of it is also looking into alleged breaches by officials relating to bidding. And last month,Swiss police raided a hotel in Zuich, where Fifa is based, and arrested seven of its top executives. However, until now, much less has been revealed about the Swiss investigation than the inquiry being held by FBI. The attorney says that the investigation was huge and complex in many levels, and would take a long time.

I think this is a serious problem, because Fifa is really big organization and it has huge influence to the world. Since the Fifa world cup is the biggest competitive organization in the world , it is required to do justice. I think the most serious problem caused by Fifa is that lose people’s confidence. Now, many people in the world suspect the decisions which made by the top executives. It lead to lose the confidence of Qatar and Russia, the countries where will be the place of world cup in 2018 and 2022, because of the possibility of bidding. this suspect is very reasonable, because there are some histories of bidding. For example, France and Asia. I think if the bidding is true, the executives of Fifa should not have the right of voting anymore. Deciding the place where tournament held needs a fairness and justice. If there are no credits about it, the meaning of world cup is gone. I hope the investigation of Fifa would go well and all of us could know the truth.

Rachel Dolezal who is a civil right activist resigned NAACP for disturbance of pretending to be black

Rachel Dolezal who belonged to NAACP was come out the fact that she had pretended to be a black. This issue caused the disturbance and she quits NAACP. According to her application to serve on the city’s citizen police ombudsman commission, she is a mix of white, black and American Indian. Yet, her parents who are white said she is our biological daughter. NAACP made a statement against this issue that racial identity is not related to the standard of becoming NAACP top. Rachel said “I will continue to fight for human rights after I quit NAACP”.

I think the attitude of NAACP is very good. Because NAACP didn’t criticize that Rachel pretended to be black although black maybe didn’t feel comfortable about her secret. I think this issue has become a good opportunity for NAACP because they can publish an idea of the racial problem. Also, I think Rachel is a decent person. Though she resigned the NAACP so as to take responsibility, she never gives up fighting for human right. I think the person who is enthusiastic like Rachel is demanded to solve big social problem such as racial problem.

gun control in America

Obama’s determination to regulate guns is strong. On Wednesday, in the church in Charleston, nine people were shot by a man. Obama said that the shooting was senseless tragedy and that American nations should more think about gun violence and gun control. In America, murder by guns is very serious problem. Obama made a bill that control gun using. Despite about 80% public opinion support it, the bill was rejected in the Conference. Obama said many people misunderstood that he resigned to action on gun control, but he will never resign.
I think more American politicians should strive to solute the gun problem. These days, public opinion asking for gun control has strengthened. However, the way to solute the problem is unclear in them. Many people need bill that regulates gun using. Yet they don’t think the bill can reduce cases by gun. Politicians who object to the bill also insist that the bill wouldn’t prevent gun accident. I think public people can’t protect themselves because people around them have guns, so only politicians, who can make bills, can protect American nations. Therefore, politicians in America should more think about gun problem.