2.5 The Fornicator - daddy of all roles he managed to keep secret

Eight years ago, Arnold Schwarznegger as governor of California married Maria Shriver. However, he acknowledged having a child with another woman who he wasn't married. The woman's name was Baena, 50 a housekeeper at the Schwarznegger house for 20 years. She posted a picture of her son in a website. Schwarznegger's wife, Mrs. Schiver dicided to divorce the following day when she found out that Arnold Schwarznegger had another child. However, she said she was warried about her children. Their children had difficulty accepting their father's scandal and showed their feelings on their social networking sites. The secrets are being revealed to the world and it is of great interest to the entertainment world.

When I heard this news, I thought it was not so unusual, because divorce rates in America are very high, especially very famous people like movie stars, sport players and politicians. I wonder why Arnold Schwarznegger talked about his secret for himself. It's a late to say the truth. He admitted to his mistake and gave the consolation money that his wife requested. That means he probably already knew about how his affair would shock his family. Of course, his wife and 4 children, and the people of the world felt betrayed. I think, if he could have kept his secret to the end, they would not have known about his love affair. In the wake of his actions he has made everyone unhappy.

9. "We're getting married overseas..."

Please visit the following Website and read the article about ...

We're getting married overseas and you're invited ... to spend heaps (Click Here)

or at:
http://www.theage.com.au/travel/blogs/the-backpacker/were-getting-married-overseas-and-youre-invited--to-spend-heaps-20110705-1h0i8.html

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2.8 Facebook sorry over face tagging launch

Facebook apologized to their users who complained about their tagging service. This service allows people to copy other people photographs and to put them on their blog without their permission. Many users reported it as stolen personal information, because they did not want their photos used in that way. A Facebook spokeman said that only friends can use Facebook and people can check strangers by name, but they admitted that Facebook couldn't control user's privacy. On other side, people in the Canadian privacy commission said Facebook has greatly developed, but it needs to limit scanning photos and the making of albums.

In Korea, there are many websites like Facebook. This may mean that there were many problems about personal problems between people and companies. Many of entertainers, for example, singers, actresses and talents have their information uesd without their permission. This has sometimes led to stress, mental illness and suicide. People are confused about the sharing and copying of information. I think it is very difficult to solve problem, because sometimes we can't see the user's face or personal details on the website. It is not just about apologizing to their users. In the article, the tagging service has now been launched globally. My concern is for the issue of personal information and how it will unfold in the world network.

2.7 Cool Biz

The Japanese government plans to sell a new style for clothing at work. It is called "Super Cool Biz". Salaryman can wear casual suits without wearing a Jacket and tie following the March 11 tsunami. People didn't agree with "Cool Biz" campaign in 2005, because it was not fit and too casual for businessmen. However, according to the research, most people approved to wearing a simple suit. "Super Cool Biz" refers to Okinawan shirts, Polo shirts, Aloha shirts and Kariyushi shirts. The article states, Ryu Matsumoto, the current environment minister said, "This is going to be a big event to change the way of life in Japan and people's lifestyles." The Japanese government encourages people to save energy and to improve lifestyles within Japanese society.

I think this news is very helpful for businessmen. If they wear comfortable clothing in their company, they will work harder to achieve better results. However, their boss may think it inappropriate, because the custom in Japan is that casual suits are not professional. Yet the people wearing the new style are seen as more friendly than people wearing traditional suits. Most Japanese people are concerned about saving energy this summer. The government is asking people and companies to reduce 15 percent of their electricity usage. I am sure this is a good chance to change one's lifestyle as well as to save energy. The government should embrace this idea of Super Cool Biz and implement it throughout Japan.

1.8 Facebook sorry

According to the article, Facebook's new system of tagging has caused problems of privacy with its users. The problem is that the users' photos are automatically tagged without their permission. The article did say that Facebook has apologized for the inconvenience to its users. However, users are still angry with Facebook's sharing personal information as a default function. The issue is users want to control over who can tag or not tag their photos.

I think that it is a difficult issue to solve. It will take a long time to be useful. Facebook should have noticed users what Tag Suggestions were and whether they were used by default or not before introducing them. This privacy issue may affect to Facebook that more Internet users who have never used the social natwork may become more afraid of security.

2.6 Low life satisfaction

According to the Paris-based OECD, 40 percent of Japanese people don't feel happiness in their lives. This is less than the average 59 percent throughout this worldwide organization. In addition, only 33 percent of Japanese people recognize they are healthy. This is also less than the OECD average of 69 percent. In contrast, Japanese people have a good feeling about safety and education. Safety is controlled twice as good than other OECD members and 90 percent of people think they receive a good education.

I have heard about Japanese businessmen feel happiness when they can earn more money than their colleagues. That means they consider themselves more valuable than other people. I believe it is not important for them how much salary they have. I think happiness is within immediate environment. For example, our families, our interests and our inner lives. We usually just see the visible things.

8. Facebook sorry

Please visit the following Website and read the article about ...

Facebook sorry over face tagging launch(Click Here)

or at:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110601/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_super_cool_biz

Please respond to the article by stating your opinion, and why you think so.

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1.7 Cool Biz

The "Super Cool Biz" campaign started on June 1, 2011. It is more important than usual because the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant was crippled by the earthquake and tsunami that hit the Tohoku region on March 11. The supply of electricity has decreased. Offices must set room temperatures at a warm 28 degrees Celsius in order to save energy. Employees are advised not to wear suits, but to wear polo shirts, aloha shirts and sneakers. They can also wear jeans and sandals depending upon the situation. There are also several ways to avoid the heat; using gel sheets, consuming foods that cool the body, limiting overtime hours in the office, and taking 2 weeks of summer vacation.

I have heard about Cool Biz since 2005. I also know that the employees in Shirahama have worn aloha shirts every year for a long time. The activity started even before Cool Biz. I think that everyone in Japan should wear summer shirts like they do in Shirahama when working. It will be a good way to forget the heat during working hours. However, it is a bit difficult because many people feel that it is still hot even if they when waring these kinds of clothes. We must know that the supply of electricity has decreased in Japan except for the Hokkaido and Okinawa areas. There is not enough energy to cool offices, schools, and houses. Therefore, we must consider what ways we can save energy.

7. Cool Biz

Please visit the following Website and read the article about ...

Japan wants businessmen to shed suits, save energy (Click Here)

or at:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110601/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_super_cool_biz

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3.4 Peace Boat

It was the beginning of Peace Boat that a group of Japanese university students set out on a voyage to uncover their country’s military past 25 years ago. Each year, Peace Boat sets off on three global trips and visits 15-20 ports over a three-month period. Through the voyages, Peace Boat members have some projects which they take advantage of the ships. For example, they cooperate a mangrove planting project in Eritrea, and donate soccer balls to the children and wheelchairs to those who need them. Away from the ships, the Peace Boat team is busy with a number of related issues and activities to improve relationships in East Asia. The NPO’s staff is also trying hard to develop a common Asian textbook that is set the record straight by describing each country’s experience during World War II.

I didn’t know about Peace Boat so far. I felt interest in this organization. I think that these activities that they perform would be more helpful for people who have troubles all over the world by continuing to carry out the activity.

2.4 Peace Boat

25 years ago, Japanese university students start finding out their historical problems. They hope to become friendly each other. The Peace Boat go around 15-20 ports over a three-month. The member are from Asian and many countries. These meeting by the Peace Boat they plan to relate between Peace Boat participant and local people. Many foreign volunteers are supportingas a volunteer to teach English and Spanish. Another members are working hard at solving international social problems. They are working also originally job, NPO's staff.

I think young people need to understnad foreign history and culture which tie in their homeland in the international society. I got the deep impression that Japanese university students are interested in their country's military past. It is difficult to point out a historical problem of their homeland and to initiate understanding and reconciliation. Furthermore, they make citizen participate in Peace Boat. It means they show a lot of people their message to set the foreign country straight by various volunteer activities. Today, many countries have a diplomatic issue(territory, religion, trade friction), because they don't understand situation of the other country. I hope they have a fine relatonship with participants through the Peace Boat.

1.6 Low Life Satisfaction

According to the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development's "Your Better Life Index", only 40 percent of the Japanese are satisfied with their lives. 40 percent of Japanese thinks that their lives will be satisfactory five years later. In the area of health, only 33 percent of the Japanese said that they see themselves as healthy. However, the Japanese have good readings on the topics of safety and education. Only 2 percent said they were subjected to violence, and 87 percent of adults had graduated from high school or the equivalent. The Japanese feel unhappy with their lives more than those by the people of 33 OECD member countries.

I doubt why only 40 percent of the Japanese are satisfied their lives. I think that there are too many hidden issues in the area of life and health (insurance, medical treatment, and others). In the area of health, medical expenses have been rising for a long time, because the mental treatments are improved and improved medical equipments cost high. It make people difficult to see doctors. In the area of life, the observations on the affiliation of some people for the pensions, a part of social insurance, are still missing because of the problem in integration of the pension numbers on the basic pensions and the welfare pensions. That causes that they can less pension. The Japanese government must improve our satisfaction by doing what it can do.

6. Low Life Satisfaction

Please visit the following Website and read the article about ...

"Japanese have relatively low life satisfaction." (Click Here)

or at:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9NDQCSG0&show_article=1

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1.5 Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the former governor of California, announced that he had got divorced with Maria Shriver because of having had affair with other woman.

When he was elected as the governor, Mr. Schwarzenegger fathered a 14-year-old child with a member of household staff, Mildred Patricia Baena, a few years before running for office, and he kept it a secret. Ms. Baena kept working in Mr. Schwarzenegger and Ms. Shriver's home in Mr. Schwarzenegger's 8-year career as the governor of California. The couple's children are also upset to know Mr. Schwarzenegger's love affair appeared on social networks.

I do not think that Mr. Schwarzenegger worked as a husband and a father in his life. In many case a man has to apologize to his partner or break up or get divorced with his partner if he knows that he has an affair with other woman. In this case, however, Mr. Schwarzenegger had not apologized to his wife about his fathered child with housekeepers during his career as the governor of California. I doubt why he kept it a secret because I think that this news damaged his image.

5. Arnold Schwarzenegger

Please visit the following Website and read the article about ...

The Fornicator - daddy of all roles he managed to keep secret

(click here)
or at:

http://newsstore.theage.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=age&kw=The+Fornicator+&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=entire&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=nrm&clsPage=1&docID=SMH110519H46FC7UUSS7

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1.4 Peace Boat

It has been nearly 25 years since a group of curious Japanese university students started the Peace Boat. Each year, the boat sets off on three global trips and visits 15-20 ports over a three-month period. Many foreigners choose to get interested in the Peace Boat as volunteers rather than participants, and sign up to teach or translate on the Global English/Espanol Training program. They want to foster the Peace Boat participants' language abilities and to look at how language can be used as a tool for building peace.

Away from the ship, the Peace Boat team is busy with a number of related activities and issues to keep peace.


The Peace Boat team is one of the NGOs (non-government organization) working hard to foster peace in Asia and around the world. I think that it can work more and more for peace by giving people a chance to go around the world and see people in other countries.

2.3 Hague Convention

Japan will announce it's plan to join Hague convention, an international treaty that deals with cross-border child custody disputes. The Hague Convention sets out procedures for resolving child custody cases in failed international marriages. Japan has yet to join it. Whether or not to join the convention has triggered a heated debate in japan, where it is customary for mothers to take sole care of children after divorce. The gavernment plans to dispatch officials to a special committee meeting of The Hague Conference on Private International Law in June and have them investigate how child custody is treated in member countries of the pact.


I think Japan should join the Hague convention as soon as possible, because children have a right to see their fathers. Even though parents get divorced, they have a duty to raise their children. I think each of the parents has a role for children. International marriage is also no exception in this case. I have been heard children who don't have a father tend to be narcissistic, because children feel sure they are number one in their house. It is important for children to know the existence of their father. For their children, Japan should sign the child custody treaty.

4. Peace Boat

Please visit the following Website and read the article about ...
Peace Boat encourages grassroots interaction (click here)
http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/peave-boat-encourages-grassroots-interaction

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1.3 Hague Convention

Currently, the Japanese government only allows one parent to have custody of children after getting divorced. There have been a number of problems for the non-custodial parents gaining access to the their children because Japan has not joined The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction yet.

I found a similar article about Japan's plan to join the convention in the Japan Times website.
Title: Japan to join Heugue child-custody treaty in '11
URL: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20100815a1.html

In the article in Japan Today, Prime Minister Naoto Kan will relay Japan's policy on the problem between parents at the summit in late May in Deauville, France. The Hague Convention sets out the ways to protect children in failed international marriages. Some people are worried that it can create more dangerous situation for children of abusive parents.

The Japan Times shows that the government will develop the law in line with The Hague Convention. The government also judged that it is necessary to resolve pressure from the USA and several European countries to join The Hague Convention as soon as possible. There are differences in the legal systems between Japan and other signatory nations to treat children of divorced parents. Because the situation is so complicated, the Japanese government has not determined when to join the convention yet.

I think that it will take a long time to join the Hague Convention. Some people criticize the convention saying that it is responsible for creating disadvantages for Japanese parents after getting divorced with non-Japanese, because abusive parents will be able to commit violent actions to their children. I do not think that Japan can join the convention, because I think that it takes a long time to revise the laws relating to family life. Some members of the Diet object to joining the convention because of the disadvantages for Japanese parents who take their children back to Japan.

3. Hague Convention

Please visit the following Website and read the article about
Japan to announce plan in May to join Hague convention on child abductions (click here)

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3.2 TBS drama 'Jin' to be broadcast in 80 countries

Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) broadcasted season two of the popular Japanese time-travel drama “Jin”. According to the article, 80 countries around the world have bought it. A brain surgeon named Jin Minakata suddenly passes out at a hospital and is transported back to Edo period. He is struggling to find a way back to the present time while he treats various kinds of people who have injuries and suffer from diseases without access to the latest medical equipment. This drama will broadcast in North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and some African countries.

I have enjoyed watching season one of this drama. It is very exciting and it is easy to comprehend the story, because even if you don't understand the medical words which the actors in this drama say, you can see the explanatory notes of the words in the subtitles. I'm glad that this Japanese drama will be broadcasted all over the world, and I believe that Jin deserves recognition. I haven't started watching season two yet and I am looking forward to it.

2.2 "TBS drama 'Jin' to be broadcast in 80 countries"

The popular Japanese time-travel drama "Jin" has been bought by as many as 80 countries around the world. Jin (Takao Osawa, 43, as a brain surgeon in the drama) was transported back in time to the Edo period. He must continue to survive and he must try to find a way back to the present. According to TBS, it has had a surprisingly strong effect on the world and broadcasting in general abroad, even before the series has finished its run in Japan.

I have never seen a Japanese historical drama since coming to Japan. It is very difficult to understand Japanese history because there are too many kanji, place names, people's names. However, this time I'm interested in why Jin was suddenly transported back to the Edo period and what kind of relationships modern surgeons have with samurai. I think people can be attracted to this unique idea that is contained only in Japanese dramas.

1.2 TBS Drama 'Jin' to be broadcast in 80 countries

Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc. announced that the rights to broadcast Season Two of the popular drama "Jin" (sterring Takao Osawa as Jin Minakata) have been bought by 80 countries around the world. Season One of the drama obtained high acclaim at the international TV trade fair in Cannes, France. Season Two of this drama will be broadcasted in North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and some African countries. According to TBS, it is unusual for Japanese dramas to be broadcasted abroad before the series has finished in Japan.


I agree with the comment from TBS that it is unusual. Usually, Japanese dramas are broadcasted after they have finished their run in Japan. For example, "Karei-naru Ichizoku" (2007, starring Takuya Kimura) was broadcasted in Taiwan a month after finishing in Japan. However, "Jin" will be seen around the world before it has even finished in Japan. I wonder why that is?

2. "TBS drama 'Jin' to be broadcast in 80 countries"

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"TBS drama 'Jin' to be broadcast in 80 countries" (click here)

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You can also access the resources at:
Japan Today article
http://www.japantoday.com/category/entertainment/view/tbs-drama-jin-to-be-broadcast-in-80-countries

YouTube Video

3.1.Red Cross Donations

Since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami occured, the Japanese Red Cross Society and the Central Community Chest of Japan have received donations. The total amount has reached 115.4 billion yen. The article stated that it is not the duty of the central government to decide how to distribute the funds and that they should devise some sort of guidelines to enable the quick distribution of money. However, it is difficult to distribute the donated money in a fair manner, because it is impossible to determine the extent of the damage and the numbers of fatalities are growing day by day.

I recently watched a TV news program, which said that the Japanese Red Cross Society has already received vast amounts of money. These have been changed into payment vouchers. However, it will take a long time to handle the distribution of these vouchers because they isn't enough staff. I saw some video that showed workers struggling to deal with the situation. I can't believe that there aren't enough people to deal with the situation. The Japanese government should be more thoughtful and serious about providing enough staff to deal with the number of vouchers being issued.

2.1 Red Cross Donation

The donations received by the Japanese Red Cross Society by the March 11 for earthquake and tsunami stood at 115.4 billion yen. Softbank Corporation President Masayoshi Son will donate 10 billion yen. The central government of Japan is discussing how to distribute the funds in a fair manner.

I was impressed from Mr. Son's donation. However, the central government has not decided to distribute donated money yet. It has already been about a month from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. I think it has taken too much time to distribute the funds and donations.

People in a stricken area have been sheltering from tsunami. They are still suffering because they do not have enough food, water, gasoline, electricity. I'm worried about the victims' safety in the aftershocks following March 11th. I hope that government takes measures to help the victims quickly.

1.1 Red Cross Donations

The article from the Japan Times tells that there is no agreement on allocating the donated 115.4 billion yen yet. Softbank Corporation President Masayoshi Son will donate 10 billion yen to support relief efforts. He will also donate all of the money he earns from 2011 until his retirement as the Softbank Group President to support children. Mr. Yoshihiro Katayama says that the government would like to devise guidelines to enable the speedy distribution. The You Tube video tells that the CEO of the American Red Cross Ann Wright requests people to donate money and it will be used for construction of supplies, even for toiletries to support people living in the area: there is no water, and no electricity. She also says that small activities can make a big difference.

I already know that a lot of TV stations and radio stations in Japan are requesting us for relief donations. Therefore, I can respect Mr. Son for his donation to support the children. I would like the Japanese Government and the Japanese Red Cross Society to discuss with the governors of the prefectures in the Tohoku District about how to use money for reconstruction and support. I think that Miyagi Prefecture needs the most donated money to do because it was damaged the most as we know. However, I can understand that Mr. Katayama's comment that it will take a long time to finish any reconstruction, and Ms. Wright's comment for small contributions. I believe that more people can survive by receiving food and bottles of water from donated money.

1. Red Cross Donations

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"Quake donations total Y115.4 bil but no agreement yet on allocating it" (click here)

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http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/quake-relief-donations-total-y115-4-bil
YouTube Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AplYVotmUg