Be careful clicking "Like" button in FB

Be careful when you click the "Like" button in Facebook. Worst-case, you are getting fired.

"Like" button is really convenience for expressing your feeling like "I checked" and "I felt sympathy" instead of giving a comment and it's widely used in SNS world, isn't it? However, one incident caused by clicking "Like" button has happened in the real world and it's argued now in the U.S.

One Sheriff who participated at a reelection fired his six employees who clicked "Like" button in his rival candidate's Facebook page in a 2009 election. Then, these six fired people filed a law suit as it infringes the U.S. constitution that guaranteed free- speech. However, the U.S. district court judged that this firing was not illegal, as clicking the "Like" was not enough to protect free-speech in the First Amendment of the Constitution.(Simply put, it doesn't "involve actual statements)

American Civil Liberties Union appealed last week that clicking "Like" button is the same meaning of raising placards at political rallies and it's one of the free-speech that guaranteed by Federal Constitution.

I think it's almost a rebellion that these six people did, but it's the end of the world that people are fired by only clicking "Like" in Facebook, isn't it?

Also, there were other incidents in Japan recently that some companies checked student's SNS who applied to enter the company to see if these students have problems or not. In addition, one soccer player clicked the play button to watch an adult video and this action recognized as clicking "Like" in Facebook automatically, which made him feel really ashamed. I think media reported only negative side of SNS recently.

The internet allows us to express our opinions to all over the world without using mass media easily and to hold social activism like the Arab Spring and Ajisai-revolution (Hydrangea- revolution) in Japan. However, it requires people who transmit information to have a responsibility at the same time. It means there is responsibility even in a private blog and personal tweets, but these are one of personal speech, so it's not allowed to control in democratic point of view. Of course, it should guarantee freedom of speech.

Therefore, I think clicking "Like" button is one of the personal speech and it should guarantee freedom of speech. So, firing by clicking "Like" is breaking human light.

I think the law and real world are world apart.

In conclusion, I think Facebook is really convenient and fun to use, but there is no privacy and once personal information leaks, it's impossible to recover forever and expand in a moment. So we should use Facebook more carefully compared to living in the actual world. It's about time to rethink our mind-set.

Written in Aug 15 2012

http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/10/tech/social-media/deputy-fired-facebook-like/index.html

http://www.cnn.co.jp/fringe/35020377.html?tag=rcol;editorSelect

Customers are God or not

I stayed at a residence style hotel for the first two weeks since I came to Los Angeles on January,6. Also, when I checked in this hotel, I heard that room cleaning is every Wednesday. However, the cleaning didn't happen on first Wednesday. So, I asked the front about it on Thursday morning. Then, she said "It's OK!", but they still didn't clean up on that day. Next morning, I complained about it so strongly. I was disgusted by their service. I also thought that it wouldn't happen if here was in Japan. I wondered why there was such a big difference in service between the U.S. and Japan.

This incident encouraged me to choose this topic this time.

Generally speaking, service in the U.S. is worse than Japan. For example, even if people make an appointment for construction of CATV and telephone, they don't come on time. It's not surprising thing that even if they are late 4 or 5 hours. Meanwhile, In Japan, they are never late or rather call us and say " we'll come from now" and arrive before appointment time. In addition, it takes a lot of time for inquire in the telephone. Also, there are not any appreciation words like "Irasshaimase"(Well come) in Japanese when people enter convenience stores and family restaurants. They say "Hi, How are you?" instead. They also never use honorific word such as "Kashikomarimashita"(Certainly, Yes sir) "Omataseshimashita"(Sorry for waiting) "Moushiwakegozaimasen"(I'm so sorry about that) in Japanese. So, in the U.S., they behave naturally. There aren't any service manuals and education system. Services are referred to individual. Of course, in high-grade restaurants and hotels, we can get good service. So we have to pay money if we want to get good service in the U.S.

Compared to the U.S., even if we go to small tiny shop, we can get good services, because it's common that customers are God in Japan. That means, customers are always in the highest status in Japan.

So, people are giving good services without tips.

I think one of the reasons that why there is a big difference in service between the U.S. and Japan in working system. I mean in the U.S., it's clearly divided into two groups; they are white-color and blue-color and it's really difficult to became from blue-color to white-color. That's why blue-color workers tend to stop thinking about working hard. Then, they think it's enough to work based on only their contract.

In Japan, this problem is gradually increasing. When Neets(Not in employment education or training) and immigrants increase in the future in Japan, they might be a big problem that how we can raise their motivation.

I like Japanese style service. It might be kind of hospitality. I think that merchants shouldn't forget an appreciation for customers. It's not homage, service is not only for giving. Customers is also worker's pleasure.

Written in 2009 and revised July 2012

Education in University

Generally speaking, Japanese university is difficult to enter, but easy to graduate, and American university is the opposite of this. I heard before that the student life in Japanese university is called "the summer holiday of life".

This time, I would like to describe about big differences between Japan and the U.S in university education system.

Actually, my father used to be a professor at Osaka university. I remember he always thought about how to make an interesting class for his students.

This time, I called and asked about problems of education system in Japanese university. I also checked it on the internet. Then I got a lot of information about it.

In the U.S, at first of all, university students concentrate on their class and many students ask questions to a professor in their class. If they make a bad academic record, they are dropped out from their university. Also, many students work part-time or make a academic loan for school expenses. Besides, there is an interesting system that students evaluate their professors. So, students and professors try their best.

Compared to this, in Japan, basically university students don't concentrate on their class and never ask questions. Also, even if they attend their class only a few times, they can get credits and never be dropped out. In addition, almost of all Japanese students go to university by parents' financial support.

Moreover, there isn't a students' evaluating system like in the U.S.

So, students and professors tend to do not make effort.

My father also said that in some private university in Japan, a students' evaluating system has just started. Also, in national universities, there are similar system, too. However, the results are never open to students; they are open to only professors. That's why this system doesn't work for now. If presidents of national university in Japan try to introduce the U.S system, the faculty council will against strongly.

In my opinion, basically universities should be a place for people to study more deeply for their cultural studies. So, I agree with the U.S system.

However, I think it's physically impossible to change it immediately, because even if universities introduce the U.S system, there are no takers.

From professors point of view, it's impossible to change it dramatically.

So, I guess changing slowly is the best way and Japanese government should lead for the new system.

Written in 2009 and revised in July 2012

Plastic surgery

In America, especially in North America, people tend to emphasize beauty, health and youth. So, regardless of their age and sex, the number of receiving a plastic surgery is increasing every year.

Particularly, having regular teeth before being adult is extremely popular and having straight set of teeth is recognized as good educated image. That's why plastic surgery is well known among American people.

To say more deeply, Westerners are likely to get deep lines caused by aging and dry weather. So many American people are suffering from giving acrid image and looking older. In western countries, if people can get more beauty than other people, they can sweep away their mental complex and they can be more positive and maximize their ability.

Plastic surgery is more established than in Japan. That's why the number of plastic surgery is now 11 million in the U.S. LA is the most famous area in the U.S especially in Beverly Hills.

Compared to the U.S, plastic surgery hasn't gained popularity in Japan, yet.

However, it's getting more acceptable every year. Especially, puchi-seikei(quick easy plastic surgery) is popular among young women. Also, there are some plastic surgery tours which go to Korea recently. They include flight tickets, Japanese interpreter, specialty doctor for each parts, good after care service and of course, surgery fee. They are much cheaper than taking same surgery in Japan. Also, to say about Korea, plastic surgery is well accepted among young people. Parents give a plastic surgery to their daughter as a present for university entrance. Recently, same Korean celebrity announced that she took plastic surgery and then she was accepted with open arms. That's why, plastic surgery is recognized as a really positive image in Korea. In China, it's the same situation, too.

However, there are some serious problems with plastic surgery.

For example, nose shape ruined after few years. Also, there are a lot of inexperienced doctors. Plastic surgery is different from general medical treatment that the manager tend to treat patients as a financial backer.

To make matters worse, even if the operation doesn't succeed, patients have to accept it, because if they try to accuse a doctor, that means they announce in public about their privacy. Also, there is no way to get word-of-mouth information. Advertisement is the only way to get information.

Besides, in the U.S, teenager's plastic surgery is a big problem.

Some girls take surgery to make their breasts bigger.

Their growth hasn't finished yet.

I think there are some advantages in plastic surgery. Sweeping away one's complex is good for health. However, plastic surgery is one way operation at the same time. Once it begins, it can't go back to the original. So, people have to think more deeply before they do.

I think they should care for their identity. It's really boring if everyone's face is same. They shouldn't follow a trend.

Why don't they enjoy our face and body that they received from their parents?

Written in 2009 and revised July 2012

Special subsidies for more medals

London Olympic has started and I heard a lot of Japanese athletes got remarkable results through the news. I'm really happy to hear that. Especially, team competition such as soccer, gymnastic, table-tennis and swimming made me so moved. To tell the truth, I never thought that Japanese athlete who are less physical and muscular fought good fight. 

Meanwhile, there are many disappointing news such as misjudgments, a doubt of umpire purchase and feeble games in the tough situation for getting medals. Also, there are still the thought of medal supremacy theories and enhancing national prestige that remain. China and Korea spent tons of special subsidies to get a lot of medals. Of course, the host country-British injected large amounts of subsidies, too.

As the result, it's true that investing a lot of money means a lot of medals. Also, many Japanese people said that Japanese government should use more special subsidies for more medals. However, I want to say "No". So, I'd like to describe whether special subsidies are good or not this time.

Germany  $342.5million  

USA      $206.2million

China     $150.0million

British    $150.0million  

Korea     $132.5million  　

Japan     $33.8million

These are special subsidies in each country. At a glance, Japan's subsidies is so small compared to others. According to survey with showing this number, 70% of Japanese people said that Japanese government should support more in budget to get more international competitiveness

Also, I found one person on the internet who shows how effective the special subsidies for getting medals with quantitatively-analysis. He made and showed the graph of the relation between special subsidies per person and how many medals they got per 1 million people.

As the result, Australia's subsidies were far higher than others. So, medal standings per population is also high. In conclusion, if the cost of subsidies per person is high, there is high possibility to get medals.  

Like this result, it's true that spending a lot of subsidies means getting more medals. Personally,  getting more medals make me happy and excited. However, that means spending more of our taxes, anyway.

Therefore, I think it's important how to use the lean budget for sports promotion.  

Simply put, which is better that building a civic sports center or using it as special subsidies for Olympic? I hope spending the budget will be used to support the development of sports in Japan instead of medals. In the U.S where I'm living now, there are great sports environment and everybody can use it.

So, I think the thought of why we do sports is really important.

My answer is that doing sports is for improving their health and relax, not exaltation of national prestige. Thus, I think it would be better that the private sector should solicit for contribution and the sponsors. Then, sponsors should provide special training programs for athletes instead of the government.

In addition, spending too much subsidies will cause giving too much pressure to athletes. One of Chinese athlete said that I don't pay much attention to get the medal. He seemed to be shocked and when he saw foreign athletes relaxed and enjoyed during their training through his training camp experience with them.

I hope that Japanese government use the lean budget for better sports environment without any influence from outside.  This is because I think that Japanese athletes already did outstandingly in London Olympic.

Written Aug 8

＜日本語訳＞

オリンピック特別強化予算は増やすべきか？

ロンドンオリンピックが始まって連日日本人選手の活躍のニュースが紙面をにぎわしていますね。海外からそのようなニュースを聞くのはとても嬉しい事です。特にサッカー、体操、卓球、水泳などの団体戦などでの活躍は感動しました。正直体格、筋力などで劣る日本人がここまで頑張ってくれるとは思いませんでした。

一方激しいメダル争いの中で誤審や審判買収疑惑、無気力試合など水を挿す出来事も多く起こってますね。またメダル至上主義、国威発揚的な考えも根強くのこっていて、中国、韓国などは多くのオリンピック強化補助金を投入してメダルを狙っています。もちろん開催国の英国も当然ながら強化費用を増額しています。結果から言うとコストをかけるとメダル数が増えるのは事実です。日本ももっと強化費用をかけて選手をサポートすべき！という声もあります。でもわたしはそうでないと考えます。ということで今回はオリンピック強化費用の是非について書いてみようと思います。

ドイツ　274億円

アメリカ　165億円

中国　120億円

イギリス　120億円

韓国　106億円　

日本　27億円

これが前回の北京オリンピックの各国の強化予算である。これを見ると日本だけが突出して少ないように見えます。この数字をみせて世論調査をやると「日本のスポーツが国際的に強くなるために、今以上に国が支援するべきだと思う」という人が７割近いそうです。

また強化費用がどの程度メダル獲得数に効果的なのか、または否かを定量的に評価している人をネットで見つけました。一人当り捻出した強化費で、人口当りどれだけメダルとして獲得できるのか、をグラフ化しています。

 この結果を見ると、オーストラリアが一人当 たりの強化費が突出している。その分人口 あたりのメダル獲得数も非常に高い。よってオリンピック強化費は、単位人口あたりの捻出額が多ければ多いほどメダルとなって帰ってくる可能性が高いと結論づけています。

このようにお金をかければメダルが増えるのは明らかな事実です。個人的にもメダルはやはり多い方が盛り上がるし単純に嬉しいけどもちろんこれは税金を投入するという事でもあります。

なので限られた予算をどのように使うかというのが重要になってきます。平たく言うと市民スポーツセンターを作るのかそれとも選手の強化費用にあてるのかという事です。個人的にはメダルを増やすよりもスポーツが手軽に出来る環境にお金を使ってほしいと思います。今住んでいるアメリカでは市民誰もが手軽にスポーツに参加できる環境が整ってます。

何の為にスポーツをするのかという考え方が大切だと思うのです。

私の答えはスポーツは健康増進や楽しみのためにやるもので、

国威発揚のためでは決して無いということです。

ということで国が中心になってオリンピック選手を強化するよりも、

企業の寄付やスポンサーを募って民を中心に選手強化を図るのが望ましいと思います。

あとあまりにも強化費用をかけると今度は選手に過渡なプレッシャーを負わせることになります。今回のロンドンオリンピックである中国の選手が「金メダルに拘らない」と発言しました。彼は外国のチームと合同合宿したり、トレーニングをした時に『外国の選手達はリラックスして競技をし、楽しんでいる。』と感じショックを受けたようです。

日本政府には周りに影響されずまずみんながスポーツを手軽に楽しめる環境にお金を使ってほしいと願います。だって日本人選手はオリンピックで充分活躍してると思うから

 

California ban on sales of foie gras

California banned on sales of foie gras in grocery stores and restaurants on July 1. A lot of people got last-minute eating. Isn't it like last-minute beef liver eating in Japan?

As you may know, foie gras is the swollen fatty liver of goose or ducks. Animal right groups have been criticizing about the fatting method that inserting a pipe in a throat and pouring feed is cruel. Then the law to ban production and sales of foie gras in California was signed 8 years ago. Through the several years moratorium, the law started from July 1st 2012. The law baned these kind of the fatting method and the sales of foie gras products and to serve meals except for the foie gras made by humanitarian fatting method. Fine of 1,000 dollars(approximately 80,000 yen) per day is inflicted on violators.

The chef of restaurant handling foie gras are having a debate of the last moment for the withdrawal of the prohibitive law. They argue that "ducks and goose do not have a pharynx reflection", "they are used to swallow a fish" and " weight increasing is one of their habit". The chef of the restaurant in San Francisco, Mr Chris Cosentino said " As for meat, factory breeding to use many antibiotics is a bigger problem."  In addition, there are some shops that will take advantage of a loophole in the law and serving foie gras in the future.

One of the popular restaurant in Las Angels is going to evade by the method that serving foie gras for free. Also, there is the restaurant which proposed service of "BYOF(Bring Your Own Foie gras=foir gras carry-on OK) They cook the foie gras which customer brought in the restaurant. 

One famous chef gave a presentation as one of the solution of this problem at TED Talks at the Taste3 conference in 2008. Chef Dan Barber tells the story of a small farm in Spain that has found a humane way to produce foie gras.

Farmer Eduardo Sousa is trying to produce food in his own way that raises goose in nature and Barber believes this is the right way. Besides, Barber said that it is more delicious than the force feeding one.

This state law has already enforced on July first, so the forcus point is how to carry out the law. The Las Angels Police Department said that the foie gras prohibitive law is the state law, so we don't participate in the execution. As for complaint investigation and an execution, we entrust it to the Health and Medical Bureau of the state. Frankly speaking, no one know how much the law could control and execute.

I personally like eating foie gras, but once I see the fatting method, I can't help but pity. At the same time, I think it's unfair to make foie gras the only victim.  I think that feeding the bait mixed with antibiotic to cows and pigs in America and production process of eggs that is popular in Japan are also cruel equally.

I think we should learn the value of enjoying all the blessings of nature even though the taste is less than current. Using a cruel breeding method and pesticide to produce good looking, better tasting food and using genetically modified seeds to produce large quantities of foods although it's unhealthy for human are really like putting the cart before the horse.

Preferably, we should start the new life style of using organic way in food production and the thought of local production for local consumption from the current situation such as mass production, long distance delively, mass consumption. Also, choosing these kind of products are the first step that we can do. Home gardening is good idea too.

http://www.hopeforanimals.org/animals/foiegras/ 

Dan Barber speech

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/ja/dan_barber_s_surprising_foie_gras_parable.html

Written in Aug 1 and revised Aug 10.

＜日本語訳＞

米カリフォルニア州では７月１日から、高級食材フォアグラの飲食店やスーパーでの提供が全米で初めて法律で全面禁止される。サンフランシスコなどでは「最後の一切れ」を求める駆け込み消費が増えているそうな。まるで日本の牛レバー刺しの件と同じですね。

ご存知の通り、フォアグラは肥大化させたカモやガチョウの肝臓。カリフォルニアでは「のどに管を差し入れて飼料を流し込む肥育法が残酷だ」とする動物愛護団体の強い後押しを受けて約 ８年前に禁止法が成立、猶予期間を経てこの７月１日から施行された。こうした肥育法や、「人道的な肥育法以外」による商品や料理の販売・提供が禁止され、違反者に は１日当たり罰金１０００ドル（約８万円）が科される。

フォアグラを扱うレストランのシェフらは、禁止法の撤回を求めて論争を展開しています。「アヒルやガチョウには咽頭反射がない」「魚を丸のみするのに慣 れている」「体重が増えるのは渡り鳥の習性だ」と反論している。

サンフランシスコ市内のレストランのシェフは、「食肉に関しては、抗生物質を多用する工場飼育などの方が大きな問題だ」と話しています。

また法の抜け穴をくぐってフォアグラを出し続けるという店もある。

ロサンゼルスにある人気レストランはフォアグラは有料ではなく無料で出すという方法で回避しようとしています。また、客が持ち込んだフォアグラを店で料理して出す「BYOF（Bring Your Own Foie＝フォアグラ持ち込みＯＫ）」のサービスを打ち出したレストランもある。

 解決法の一つとしてNYの有名シェフのダン・バーバーが２００８年のTaste3のTED Talksで人道的な方法でフォアグラを生産しているスペインの小さな農場を紹介しています。農場主のエドゥアルド・スーザ氏は大自然の中でガチョウを育てながら、バーバーが正しいと感じる食料生産を実行しています。しかもそれは強制給餌のものよりおいしいと言っています。

  

１日に既にこの州法が施行された事により、焦点は同法をどう執行するかという問題に移っています。ロサンゼルス市警は「フォアグラ禁止法は州が定めた法律であり、ロサンゼルス市警は執行に関与しない。苦情調査や執行問題は郡や州の衛生局に委ねる」との立場だ。率直に言って、どの程度 取り締まれるかは分からないのが実情だ。

個人的にはフォアグラは好きだけど生産現場をみると確かに残酷だと感じる。同時にフォアグラだけやり玉にあげるのはアンフェアだとも思う。牛や豚に抗生物質を混ぜた餌を食べさせているアメリカの食肉生産方法や日本でも盛んな養鶏場での卵の生産プロセスも同じくらい残酷だとも思う。

味や見た目は劣るかもしれないけど自然の恵みをできるだけそのまま頂くという価値観をもっと大切にしないといけないなと思います。見た目や味を良くしたり大量生産する為に残酷な飼育方法を行ったり体に悪い農薬や遺伝子組み換え種子を使ったりして健康を害したら本末転倒ですね。

願わくは原点回帰ではないが大量生産、長距離輸送、大量消費などのプロセスから徐々にオーガニックな方法で生産して地産地消していくという考え方に移行して行くしか無いと思います。そのようなプロダクトを選んで行くというのが消費者に出来るファーストステップだと思う。家庭菜園も良いアイデアですね。