207. The shocks I perceive electric assaults became stronger one after another during one of the episodes happened between last night and this morning and other shocks caused fits on one body part after another moving around all over my body in another visit, both of which I will record later, and this I think this shows that the shocks are from outside of my brain and they are not some kind of symptom of some brain disorder.
2011/02/27 Slept about 4:30 hours, waking up around 5:00 a.m. , being disturbed to sleep by the electric shocks , and getting up a little before 7:00 a.m.
2011/02/28 Slept about 3 hours, waking up around 4:30 a.m., being disturbed by either electric shocks or some disturbance in my brain which caused the same shock as electric shocks do. Got up around 5:00 and worked till 8:00 a.m. Tried to sleep again in the loft but again disturbed by the shocks which became stronger one after another. Went down to the floor but again much stronger shocks with ggggggg noise attacked me, which led me to the loft again. Shocks continued but I slept till past 12:00 noon. When I woke up, the sound in my head was loud, though not really wavy, and a car-blast noise that have been bothering me by its Boh! Boh sound was heard. The shocks during one of the sleeps I had in the loft caused fits of my body parts, one shock at one part, moving around one part after another all over me.
2011年2月27日日曜日
Class Supplement (TOEFL Essay, One single object that represents your culture, Essay for ideas and expressions -rewritten-)
Writing Topic: There will be an exhibition in which every country in the world is represented by one single object. What would you choose to send in order to represent your country in the exhibition? Why would you choose that object to send to the exhibition?
Essay for ideas and expressions:
I would choose a katana, Japanese sword, as an object that symbolizes my country. I think katana represents well-known characteristics of Japan: craftsmanship, the samurai culture, and the history of battles.
Katana is said to be the sharpest sword in the world and collectors find aesthetic pleasure in it, which indicates our intense devotion to craftsmanship and beauty. Many people find perfectionism and love of details in things we make from traditional handicrafts to cutting-edge industrial products to Mom’s handmade daily lunch whose colorful, delicately-shaped ingredients are neatly arranged in a little lunch box. Our punctual transportation systems and well-disciplined store clerks also seem to owe their origin in this tendency.
While carrying katana was made illegal long ago, the samurai-warrior culture is still dominant in Japan. Samurai dramas are popular. Business magazines often feature famous Japanese warlords and warriors to learn lessons from their deeds or tactics. Also, many katana-related expressions are alive in our language. To describe a sharp person, we use a more direct expression, “kireru,” cuts well. Crisp beer is “kire ga ii,” or cuts in a nice way. Shin-ken, which is usually used to mean being serious, also means real, not wooden, katana. Lay-off is “kubi-kiri,” cutting heads off and taking a drastic measure is “itto-ryodan,” cutting in half with a long sword. These and many other katana-related expressions are used in our everyday life, by both men and women, young and old. It seems that we are always wielding katana, in metaphor of course.
Katana reminds people of our warlike past. Most of our history is warlords' history. Also, it is a historical fact that Japanese invaded other countries, torturing and killing their civilians. Those who brutally killed women and children with military katana along with guns were not abnormal individuals but average Japanese, who later went home and spent the rest of their lives as gentle workers and family lovers. This fact shows that we can become ice-cold like a katana in certain situations. Although we are not the only people that have committed atrocities, it is more significant that we are one of them.
I do not think all the main features of Japan can be represented by a katana, which is a weapon and therefore has few elements to represent virtues of a people. However, I think our world-famous characteristics, “both militaristic and aesthetic” (Ruth Benedict, The Chrysanthemum and the Sword: patterns of Japanese culture), are symbolized by a katana, which is a top-class artwork and relentlessly sharp.
Essay for ideas and expressions:
I would choose a katana, Japanese sword, as an object that symbolizes my country. I think katana represents well-known characteristics of Japan: craftsmanship, the samurai culture, and the history of battles.
Katana is said to be the sharpest sword in the world and collectors find aesthetic pleasure in it, which indicates our intense devotion to craftsmanship and beauty. Many people find perfectionism and love of details in things we make from traditional handicrafts to cutting-edge industrial products to Mom’s handmade daily lunch whose colorful, delicately-shaped ingredients are neatly arranged in a little lunch box. Our punctual transportation systems and well-disciplined store clerks also seem to owe their origin in this tendency.
While carrying katana was made illegal long ago, the samurai-warrior culture is still dominant in Japan. Samurai dramas are popular. Business magazines often feature famous Japanese warlords and warriors to learn lessons from their deeds or tactics. Also, many katana-related expressions are alive in our language. To describe a sharp person, we use a more direct expression, “kireru,” cuts well. Crisp beer is “kire ga ii,” or cuts in a nice way. Shin-ken, which is usually used to mean being serious, also means real, not wooden, katana. Lay-off is “kubi-kiri,” cutting heads off and taking a drastic measure is “itto-ryodan,” cutting in half with a long sword. These and many other katana-related expressions are used in our everyday life, by both men and women, young and old. It seems that we are always wielding katana, in metaphor of course.
Katana reminds people of our warlike past. Most of our history is warlords' history. Also, it is a historical fact that Japanese invaded other countries, torturing and killing their civilians. Those who brutally killed women and children with military katana along with guns were not abnormal individuals but average Japanese, who later went home and spent the rest of their lives as gentle workers and family lovers. This fact shows that we can become ice-cold like a katana in certain situations. Although we are not the only people that have committed atrocities, it is more significant that we are one of them.
I do not think all the main features of Japan can be represented by a katana, which is a weapon and therefore has few elements to represent virtues of a people. However, I think our world-famous characteristics, “both militaristic and aesthetic” (Ruth Benedict, The Chrysanthemum and the Sword: patterns of Japanese culture), are symbolized by a katana, which is a top-class artwork and relentlessly sharp.
Class Supplement (TOEFL Essay, one single object that represents your country)
Writing Topic: There will be an exhibition in which every country in the world is represented by one single object. What would you choose to send in order to represent your country in the exhibition? Why would you choose that object to send to the exhibition?
Let’s think: For example, tea ceremony is not an object but a cultural activity while a huge teacup used in tea ceremonies is an object. Sushi is rather a food than an object. You cannot place a sushi in a showcase at an exhibition because it is perishable. A sushi replica which is placed in front of a sushi-bar is an object that could represent Japan. A Toyota car or a Nintendo game machine is a single object that probably symbolizes Japan because those machines are the cream of our world-famous high-technology and Japanese culture.
A copy of The Tale of Genji cannot be the answer because its physical aspect, an object made of paper and ink, does not have any Japanese properties even though the content is a famous Japanese story that is considered to be the first novel in the world. Manga or anime is not an object but a form of Japanese pop culture or art.
Now, if carefully put, a copy of manga could be dealt with as an object that represents Japan. It is true that its essence is the content, which is intangible and so is not an object, but still a copy of manga is really Japanese. Its physical characteristics and its existence itself reflect Japanese culture. Its neat appearance－glossy cover and elaborate print－and unique drawings which originate from Ukiyo-e, whose flowing lines exquisitely depict three dimensions on a flat surface are uniquely Japanese. Incidentally, the contents are also not simple superheroes-punishing-homicidal-maniacs stories but those that tell you or share with you something about life, people and small things that count in daily life. Also, putting so much energy into producing just a comic book shows a tendency to be particular about rather trivial or transient things for daily use, as seen in our treatment with other things like cell-phones with many functions and Japanese gardens. Last but not least, the fact that the word manga has become an English word shows that it cannot be replaced with the word comic and that its existence itself reflects some distinctive part of Japanese culture.
Ideas and expressions:
industry: high technology, craftsmanship, car, game machine, high-quality apparel
history and geography: isolated itself until 1868, militaristic/warlike, an island county
culture: extremely aesthetic, perfectionism/love of details, neat/well-organized, polite, punctual, well-disciplined, obsession with cleanliness, group-oriented, sensitive about feelings, the samurai culture, manga/anime, high-school girl fashion, kimono, furoshiki, kotatsu foot-warmer, high-tech toilet
culture: extremely aesthetic, perfectionism/love of details, neat/well-organized, polite, punctual, well-disciplined, obsession with cleanliness, group-oriented, sensitive about feelings, the samurai culture, manga/anime, high-school girl fashion, kimono, furoshiki, kotatsu foot-warmer, high-tech toilet
Let’s think: For example, tea ceremony is not an object but a cultural activity while a huge teacup used in tea ceremonies is an object. Sushi is rather a food than an object. You cannot place a sushi in a showcase at an exhibition because it is perishable. A sushi replica which is placed in front of a sushi-bar is an object that could represent Japan. A Toyota car or a Nintendo game machine is a single object that probably symbolizes Japan because those machines are the cream of our world-famous high-technology and Japanese culture.
A copy of The Tale of Genji cannot be the answer because its physical aspect, an object made of paper and ink, does not have any Japanese properties even though the content is a famous Japanese story that is considered to be the first novel in the world. Manga or anime is not an object but a form of Japanese pop culture or art.
Now, if carefully put, a copy of manga could be dealt with as an object that represents Japan. It is true that its essence is the content, which is intangible and so is not an object, but still a copy of manga is really Japanese. Its physical characteristics and its existence itself reflect Japanese culture. Its neat appearance－glossy cover and elaborate print－and unique drawings which originate from Ukiyo-e, whose flowing lines exquisitely depict three dimensions on a flat surface are uniquely Japanese. Incidentally, the contents are also not simple superheroes-punishing-homicidal-maniacs stories but those that tell you or share with you something about life, people and small things that count in daily life. Also, putting so much energy into producing just a comic book shows a tendency to be particular about rather trivial or transient things for daily use, as seen in our treatment with other things like cell-phones with many functions and Japanese gardens. Last but not least, the fact that the word manga has become an English word shows that it cannot be replaced with the word comic and that its existence itself reflects some distinctive part of Japanese culture.
Ideas and expressions:
industry: high technology, craftsmanship, car, game machine, high-quality apparel
history and geography: isolated itself until 1868, militaristic/warlike, an island county
culture: extremely aesthetic, perfectionism/love of details, neat/well-organized, polite, punctual, well-disciplined, obsession with cleanliness, group-oriented, sensitive about feelings, the samurai culture, manga/anime, high-school girl fashion, kimono, furoshiki, kotatsu foot-warmer, high-tech toilet
culture: extremely aesthetic, perfectionism/love of details, neat/well-organized, polite, punctual, well-disciplined, obsession with cleanliness, group-oriented, sensitive about feelings, the samurai culture, manga/anime, high-school girl fashion, kimono, furoshiki, kotatsu foot-warmer, high-tech toilet
2011年2月26日土曜日
Supersonic/Electronic Weapon 不特定多数による長期にわたる原因不明の嫌がらせ（６）
206. A follow up episode of the 2011/02/24 record: Since I had had a disturbed sleep of 3-4 hours and realizing my head was not suitable for delicate work, I went swimming. After coming back and eating lunch, I tried to work again but started falling asleep, so I decided to take a nap. Right after I slipped into the futon on the floor, a big electric shock twitched my whole body. Several shocks gave way to my going down to sleep. After two hours I woke up or more precisely I was perhaps woken up by a shock because I kept falling asleep again and again and did not have any refreshed feeling. I went to bed again around 11:00 p.m. in the loft, where weaker but strong enough to disturb sleep came incessantly right after I went into futon.
2011/02/25 Woke up around 6:30 a.m. Have a faint memory of being woken up around 3:00 a.m. but not sure. Remember a low frequency noise, a video-game-like noise kept vibrating under my head.
2011/02/26 Rather strong electric attacks on my head, one of which caused a strong fit of my stomach, came when falling asleep around 12:30 a.m. I woke up or woken up around 3:00 a.m., worked for an hour and tried to sleep again, but kept being disturbed by strong electric shocks. Around 7:00 a.m., I went down to the floor from the loft and tried to sleep. The electric shocks became weaker and I slept until 9:30 a.m. but when I woke up I felt like I had been hit in the head many times and the sounds in my head were loud and wavy. I had a headache in the lower back of my head until around 9:00 a.m.
2011/02/25 Woke up around 6:30 a.m. Have a faint memory of being woken up around 3:00 a.m. but not sure. Remember a low frequency noise, a video-game-like noise kept vibrating under my head.
2011/02/26 Rather strong electric attacks on my head, one of which caused a strong fit of my stomach, came when falling asleep around 12:30 a.m. I woke up or woken up around 3:00 a.m., worked for an hour and tried to sleep again, but kept being disturbed by strong electric shocks. Around 7:00 a.m., I went down to the floor from the loft and tried to sleep. The electric shocks became weaker and I slept until 9:30 a.m. but when I woke up I felt like I had been hit in the head many times and the sounds in my head were loud and wavy. I had a headache in the lower back of my head until around 9:00 a.m.
2011年2月25日金曜日
If only Howard Zinn had lived a year longer…
He would be happiest to see this, people united against the current illegitimate powers. And this is happening now in the US. Right after the 2008 Presidential election, he said that to make it possible for Obama to realize change, people should help him by mass movements.
Sources:
Howard Zinn: Vote for Obama but direct action needed (Although this is not the same interview I mentioned in the passage above, what Howard Zinn is saying in this video is the same that I heard.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_M2W5SisPs
US left finds its voice over Wisconsin attack on union rights (Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/24/wisconsin-union-rights-protest
"Don’t Punish the Poor" Economist Jeffrey Sachs Slams Obama-GOP Budget Deal (Democracy Now!)
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/4/11/dont_punish_the_poor_economist_jeffrey
Wisconsin Judge Declares Walker’s Collective Bargaining Bill “Null and Void” By Mary Bottari
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/mike-friends-blog/wisconsin-judge-declares-walkers
Sources:
Howard Zinn: Vote for Obama but direct action needed (Although this is not the same interview I mentioned in the passage above, what Howard Zinn is saying in this video is the same that I heard.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_M2W5SisPs
US left finds its voice over Wisconsin attack on union rights (Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/24/wisconsin-union-rights-protest
"Don’t Punish the Poor" Economist Jeffrey Sachs Slams Obama-GOP Budget Deal (Democracy Now!)
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/4/11/dont_punish_the_poor_economist_jeffrey
Wisconsin Judge Declares Walker’s Collective Bargaining Bill “Null and Void” By Mary Bottari
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/mike-friends-blog/wisconsin-judge-declares-walkers
2011年2月24日木曜日
Supersonic/Electronic Weapon 不特定多数による長期にわたる原因不明の嫌がらせ（６）
205. 2011/02/17 No electric shocks other than a few when falling asleep. Slept 5.5 hours.
2011/02/18 From underneath hit a strong shock accompanied by flash-like illusion and a gggggggg noise several times a few minutes after I went to bed. I took my futon up to the loft and lay there. One strong shock came from below my head when falling asleep and beam-like electric shocks came several times while I was asleep and when I was waking up. Although wearing earplugs, I was woken up by the video-game/car-blast like noise early in the morning. I slept 5.5 hours.
2011/02/19 I slept in the farthest corner in the loft and experienced almost no shocks. I was woken up by the video-game/car-blast like noise at around 5:00 a.m. and slept again till 9:20. I slept about 7 hours.
2011/02/20 Slept in the same area. Felt some shocks several times when falling asleep and waking up. Slept about 6 hours.
I had not thought of sleeping in the loft partly because this avoidance of the assaults did not work when I tried it at the onset of them, about three and a half years ago. Also, the loft in the apartment is very narrow with walls on both sides when I lie only the length of stretched arms, which made me reluctant to sleep between them since in the old apartment I had not other choice but sleep next to one of the walls and suffered severe assaults.
2011/02/21 Some weak shocks when I was falling asleep. I slept around 6 hours.
2011/02/22 Several weak shocks to my head when I was falling asleep. Woke up at around 3:00 a.m., studied for about 40 minutes and went to sleep again, while car-blast like noise continued. I slept about 6.5 hours.
2011/02/23 Went to bed around 11:30 p.m. and woke up a little before 3:00 a.m.. Studied for an hour and went to bed again at around 4:00. a car-blast like noise could be heard all the time although I was wearing ear plugs. Felt shocks in my head when falling asleep both times and left hand fingers twitched when I was trying to sleep second time with my head close to the outer corner of the building. Woke up around 8:00 a.m..
2011/02/24 Stronger shocks repeatedly came to my head and woke me up when I was trying to sleep again after waking up around 3:30 a.m. It felt like I had hiccup in the head and my body jolted once or twice. After the fourth time of it, I took my futon down to the floor from the loft. For a while, nothing happened, but again a little weaker shocks started coming to my head and repeated every time I was falling asleep till I finally gave up sleeping and got up around 7:00 a.m.
2011/02/18 From underneath hit a strong shock accompanied by flash-like illusion and a gggggggg noise several times a few minutes after I went to bed. I took my futon up to the loft and lay there. One strong shock came from below my head when falling asleep and beam-like electric shocks came several times while I was asleep and when I was waking up. Although wearing earplugs, I was woken up by the video-game/car-blast like noise early in the morning. I slept 5.5 hours.
2011/02/19 I slept in the farthest corner in the loft and experienced almost no shocks. I was woken up by the video-game/car-blast like noise at around 5:00 a.m. and slept again till 9:20. I slept about 7 hours.
2011/02/20 Slept in the same area. Felt some shocks several times when falling asleep and waking up. Slept about 6 hours.
I had not thought of sleeping in the loft partly because this avoidance of the assaults did not work when I tried it at the onset of them, about three and a half years ago. Also, the loft in the apartment is very narrow with walls on both sides when I lie only the length of stretched arms, which made me reluctant to sleep between them since in the old apartment I had not other choice but sleep next to one of the walls and suffered severe assaults.
2011/02/21 Some weak shocks when I was falling asleep. I slept around 6 hours.
2011/02/22 Several weak shocks to my head when I was falling asleep. Woke up at around 3:00 a.m., studied for about 40 minutes and went to sleep again, while car-blast like noise continued. I slept about 6.5 hours.
2011/02/23 Went to bed around 11:30 p.m. and woke up a little before 3:00 a.m.. Studied for an hour and went to bed again at around 4:00. a car-blast like noise could be heard all the time although I was wearing ear plugs. Felt shocks in my head when falling asleep both times and left hand fingers twitched when I was trying to sleep second time with my head close to the outer corner of the building. Woke up around 8:00 a.m..
2011/02/24 Stronger shocks repeatedly came to my head and woke me up when I was trying to sleep again after waking up around 3:30 a.m. It felt like I had hiccup in the head and my body jolted once or twice. After the fourth time of it, I took my futon down to the floor from the loft. For a while, nothing happened, but again a little weaker shocks started coming to my head and repeated every time I was falling asleep till I finally gave up sleeping and got up around 7:00 a.m.
2011年2月20日日曜日
WikiLeaks helps free souls, too.
I found this comment placed for Cat Steven’s Father and Son on YouTube today.
“In Egypt this week, Muslims formed a circle around a group of Christians to protect them as they went to mass, later on the Christians reciprocated to allow the Muslims to pray. That's the true meaning of Humanity, no matter what religon you are”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q29YR5-t3gg&feature=related
I also heard the other day on NPR a young Egyptian woman talking about her good experience of not being sexually harassed by men, which is usually unthinkable, during those days and days of mass protest and hoping it would last.
People with humanity are free people in the real sense. It seems that political freedom restores humanity: people of different religions peacefully coexisting just as in ancient times in many parts of the globe and men treating women just as other human beings that deserve as much respect as men do. WikiLeaks helps people gain more freedom. Therefore, WikiLeaks helps free souls.
Note: Although Julian Assange himself says it is not clear whether WiliLeaks’ revelation has any significant relation to Egypt’s mass demonstration and of course it is the people who liberated Egypt from a dictatorship, it is widely accepted that the revolution was influenced by the Tunisians having ousted their dictator, which was partly triggered by WikiLeaks’ “Cablegate” documents, some of which were reports on how deeply corrupt their leaders were.
“In Egypt this week, Muslims formed a circle around a group of Christians to protect them as they went to mass, later on the Christians reciprocated to allow the Muslims to pray. That's the true meaning of Humanity, no matter what religon you are”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q29YR5-t3gg&feature=related
I also heard the other day on NPR a young Egyptian woman talking about her good experience of not being sexually harassed by men, which is usually unthinkable, during those days and days of mass protest and hoping it would last.
People with humanity are free people in the real sense. It seems that political freedom restores humanity: people of different religions peacefully coexisting just as in ancient times in many parts of the globe and men treating women just as other human beings that deserve as much respect as men do. WikiLeaks helps people gain more freedom. Therefore, WikiLeaks helps free souls.
Note: Although Julian Assange himself says it is not clear whether WiliLeaks’ revelation has any significant relation to Egypt’s mass demonstration and of course it is the people who liberated Egypt from a dictatorship, it is widely accepted that the revolution was influenced by the Tunisians having ousted their dictator, which was partly triggered by WikiLeaks’ “Cablegate” documents, some of which were reports on how deeply corrupt their leaders were.
Supersonic/Electronic Weapon 不特定多数による長期にわたる原因不明の嫌がらせ（６）
205. 2011/02/17 No electric shocks other than a few when falling asleep. Slept 5.5 hours.
2011/02/18 From underneath hit a strong shock accompanied by flash-like illusion and a gggggggg noise several times a few minutes after I went to bed. I took my futon up to the loft and lay there. One strong shock came from below my head when falling asleep and beam-like electric shocks came several times while I was asleep and when I was waking up. Although wearing earplugs, I was woken up by the video-game/car-blast like noise early in the morning. I slept 5.5 hours.
2011/02/19 I slept in the farthest corner in the loft and experienced almost no shocks. I was woken up by the video-game/car-blast like noise at around 5:00 a.m. and slept again till 9:20. I slept about 7 hours.
2011/02/20 Slept in the same area. Felt some shocks several times when falling asleep and waking up. Slept about 6 hours.
I had not thought of sleeping in the loft partly because this avoidance of the assaults did not work when I tried it at the onset of them, about three and a half years ago. Also, the loft in the apartment is very narrow with walls on both sides when I lie only the length of stretched arms, which made me reluctant to sleep between them since in the old apartment I had not other choice but sleep next to one of the walls and suffered severe assaults.
2011/02/18 From underneath hit a strong shock accompanied by flash-like illusion and a gggggggg noise several times a few minutes after I went to bed. I took my futon up to the loft and lay there. One strong shock came from below my head when falling asleep and beam-like electric shocks came several times while I was asleep and when I was waking up. Although wearing earplugs, I was woken up by the video-game/car-blast like noise early in the morning. I slept 5.5 hours.
2011/02/19 I slept in the farthest corner in the loft and experienced almost no shocks. I was woken up by the video-game/car-blast like noise at around 5:00 a.m. and slept again till 9:20. I slept about 7 hours.
2011/02/20 Slept in the same area. Felt some shocks several times when falling asleep and waking up. Slept about 6 hours.
I had not thought of sleeping in the loft partly because this avoidance of the assaults did not work when I tried it at the onset of them, about three and a half years ago. Also, the loft in the apartment is very narrow with walls on both sides when I lie only the length of stretched arms, which made me reluctant to sleep between them since in the old apartment I had not other choice but sleep next to one of the walls and suffered severe assaults.
2011年2月18日金曜日
Class Supplement (TOEFL Essay, University education for senior citizens - rewrite -)
Writing Topic: Consider the following statement. People of all ages, including middle-aged and elderly people, can benefit from studying at university, and there should be no age restrictions on university study. Do you agree or disagree with this idea?
Note: Although the topic says, “People of all ages,” the focus is on senior citizens, not the rare geniuses who take university courses at the age of nine, for whom society is doing favor. Nor do you have to write about young people because they are the people you usually think of when you picture university students and therefore they cannot be subject to age restrictions. In aging society, the number of healthy and active seniors is increasing. Many of them are not satisfied with the conventional retirement life. They want to keep improving themselves and contribute to the society. Going to university is a choice that these people make when they give their answer to their plan for the second half of life. Now, objectively, is it beneficial for them or not? Benefit can be anything that does good for the person.
Ideas and expressions:
♦As society ages, as long as it is wealthy, senior citizens’ demand for university education for their second career or a place for self-development increases.
♦People who missed opportunities to get higher education when young for various reasons such as work or child-rearing and are ready to learn after retirement will be happy to take advantage of the system if universities are open to them.
♦Although young students, whose brains are young, are more advantaged in learning, learning takes more than biological factors. Other factors such as curiosity, natural inclination, aspiration, determination, and sense of responsibility are often stronger drives for leaning, and motivation could fall upon a person at any point of his or her life.
♦As a matter of fact, universities usually do not deny people of middle age or older. Many senior citizens have actually been studying among young students and there have not been any reports of problems for that.
♦Now that e-learning is in place and many universities have e-learning courses, the environment is more favorable for senior citizens to get degrees.
♦The primary purpose of university is the pure pursuit and accumulation of knowledge. In this sense, whoever wants to learn something can benefit from participating in it, for learning is a joy and learning in a good environment will give one happiness.
♦Studies at universities are also done for the profit of society. People who start learning after turning fifty could contribute to research and development in different ways from young students do mainly drawing on their experience and time. Making contribution to society can give them confidence and reason for living.
♦Universities are also for producing well-educated workforce. If the goal is practical, senior citizens can complete training for their second career of their interest. This is good for those who love to work or need to work.
Note: Although the topic says, “People of all ages,” the focus is on senior citizens, not the rare geniuses who take university courses at the age of nine, for whom society is doing favor. Nor do you have to write about young people because they are the people you usually think of when you picture university students and therefore they cannot be subject to age restrictions. In aging society, the number of healthy and active seniors is increasing. Many of them are not satisfied with the conventional retirement life. They want to keep improving themselves and contribute to the society. Going to university is a choice that these people make when they give their answer to their plan for the second half of life. Now, objectively, is it beneficial for them or not? Benefit can be anything that does good for the person.
Ideas and expressions:
♦As society ages, as long as it is wealthy, senior citizens’ demand for university education for their second career or a place for self-development increases.
♦People who missed opportunities to get higher education when young for various reasons such as work or child-rearing and are ready to learn after retirement will be happy to take advantage of the system if universities are open to them.
♦Although young students, whose brains are young, are more advantaged in learning, learning takes more than biological factors. Other factors such as curiosity, natural inclination, aspiration, determination, and sense of responsibility are often stronger drives for leaning, and motivation could fall upon a person at any point of his or her life.
♦As a matter of fact, universities usually do not deny people of middle age or older. Many senior citizens have actually been studying among young students and there have not been any reports of problems for that.
♦Now that e-learning is in place and many universities have e-learning courses, the environment is more favorable for senior citizens to get degrees.
♦The primary purpose of university is the pure pursuit and accumulation of knowledge. In this sense, whoever wants to learn something can benefit from participating in it, for learning is a joy and learning in a good environment will give one happiness.
♦Studies at universities are also done for the profit of society. People who start learning after turning fifty could contribute to research and development in different ways from young students do mainly drawing on their experience and time. Making contribution to society can give them confidence and reason for living.
♦Universities are also for producing well-educated workforce. If the goal is practical, senior citizens can complete training for their second career of their interest. This is good for those who love to work or need to work.
2011年2月16日水曜日
Supersonic/Electronic Weapon 不特定多数による長期にわたる原因不明の嫌がらせ（６）
204. 2011/02/10 Woken up a little before 3:00 a.m. by the same noise. Several electric shocks on the head, some of which causing fits.
2011/02/11 Slept with earplugs and felt stronger electric shocks between ears, but was able to sleep straight for 6.5 hours without being woken up by the noise. When woke up, I felt the noise in my head was louder and wavy, and shifted to the rode-side wall and the noise subsided in a few minutes.
2011/02/12 Slept eight hours straight although experienced electric shocks mainly between ears when falling asleep.
2011/02/13 Woken up by the video game like noise despite wearing ear plugs and earmuffs around 3:00 a.m. Experienced slight electric-shock-like shocks between ears when falling asleep.
2011/01/14 Pounding shocks on the head incessantly blocked my sleep when I tried to sleep again after I was woken up early in the morning, perhaps around 6:00 or 5:00 a.m. My brain felt like being sucked in its center when those shocks occurred.
2011/02/15 Other than usual electric shocks when falling asleep, I do not remember anything unusual. Slept about 6 hours.
2011/02/16 Incessant assaults on my head and then my hands and feet, causing rather strong fits when I was falling asleep. At least one of them caused a fit of my whole body. At around 6:00 a.m., woke up with my own loud voice when I had a dream in which I was held from behind by a big male and licked on the left ear. I was shouting in a male-like voice, “Groper! Groper! Don’t lick my ear!” I read a book for an hour and went into a two-hour sleep, during which time strong shocks on the head, the same kind that I had on the 14th, continued until I was woken up by one of the strongest ones. In both sleep, I slid to the middle of the room under which steel framework is. The shock stopped for a while, but came back with the same strength.
2011/02/11 Slept with earplugs and felt stronger electric shocks between ears, but was able to sleep straight for 6.5 hours without being woken up by the noise. When woke up, I felt the noise in my head was louder and wavy, and shifted to the rode-side wall and the noise subsided in a few minutes.
2011/02/12 Slept eight hours straight although experienced electric shocks mainly between ears when falling asleep.
2011/02/13 Woken up by the video game like noise despite wearing ear plugs and earmuffs around 3:00 a.m. Experienced slight electric-shock-like shocks between ears when falling asleep.
2011/01/14 Pounding shocks on the head incessantly blocked my sleep when I tried to sleep again after I was woken up early in the morning, perhaps around 6:00 or 5:00 a.m. My brain felt like being sucked in its center when those shocks occurred.
2011/02/15 Other than usual electric shocks when falling asleep, I do not remember anything unusual. Slept about 6 hours.
2011/02/16 Incessant assaults on my head and then my hands and feet, causing rather strong fits when I was falling asleep. At least one of them caused a fit of my whole body. At around 6:00 a.m., woke up with my own loud voice when I had a dream in which I was held from behind by a big male and licked on the left ear. I was shouting in a male-like voice, “Groper! Groper! Don’t lick my ear!” I read a book for an hour and went into a two-hour sleep, during which time strong shocks on the head, the same kind that I had on the 14th, continued until I was woken up by one of the strongest ones. In both sleep, I slid to the middle of the room under which steel framework is. The shock stopped for a while, but came back with the same strength.
2011年2月13日日曜日
Class Supplement (TOEFL Essay, Is watching TV a useful or enjoyable way of spending time?)
Writing Topic: Some people think watching television is enjoyable and educational, while others think it is a complete waste of time to watch television. Do you think watching TV is a useful or enjoyable way of spending time?
Let’s think: “A” useful or enjoyable way of spending time means that, although it is not “the” best, it is as useful or enjoyable as activities that are considered good. What are useful and enjoyable ways of spending time? What do you usually do when you have some free time and try not to waste it? Do you read, listen to music, watch a movie, do something creative like painting, work out, or hang around with your family or friends? Is watching TV as worth spending your precious time on as other choices?
Ideas and Expressions:
Waste of Time
♦ not a good information source anymore: The amount of information provided by TV for a particular length of time is smaller compared to that of newspapers, magazines, books, and the Internet, which provide detailed information and allow you to skip advertisements. You passively receive the information the TV station has selected according to ratings, popularity votes, which are not always good or right. Information on the Internet is now updated by the minute. Also, there are more informative, thought-provoking, and even enjoyable independent online news shows and information sites. Besides, social media such as WikiLeaks, Twitter, and Facebook often outshine any media in terms of providing truth and latest developments of events.
♦ passive: Not interactive, TV watching requires little creativity, so it dulls your mind.
♦ mind-numbing: TV can make you narrow-minded or brainwashed because it is sponsored by corporations, which can manipulate the content and put emphasis on advertisements. For example, you might develop desire for needless goods or come to follow fashion trends obsessively, not aware of what is really going on in the world.
Useful or Enjoyable
♦ Some special programs such as live broadcasts of sporting events, documentaries, and language programs are not provided anywhere else.
♦ Popular TV programs or ads provide conversation pieces, which are good icebreakers.
♦ One good thing about TV watching is that it allows you to learn things that you did not intend to. By keeping TV on or zapping channels, you can come across interesting people, useful information, or moving stories. It is like taking a walk in an unfamiliar neighborhood and find a lovely garden or sitting among strangers and hear an eye-opening story. The Internet, which is made to be used to search for specific information of your choice, allows this to happen less often.
♦ As long as you keep an eye on how you use it, TV can be a handy tool for fun.
Let’s think: “A” useful or enjoyable way of spending time means that, although it is not “the” best, it is as useful or enjoyable as activities that are considered good. What are useful and enjoyable ways of spending time? What do you usually do when you have some free time and try not to waste it? Do you read, listen to music, watch a movie, do something creative like painting, work out, or hang around with your family or friends? Is watching TV as worth spending your precious time on as other choices?
Ideas and Expressions:
Waste of Time
♦ not a good information source anymore: The amount of information provided by TV for a particular length of time is smaller compared to that of newspapers, magazines, books, and the Internet, which provide detailed information and allow you to skip advertisements. You passively receive the information the TV station has selected according to ratings, popularity votes, which are not always good or right. Information on the Internet is now updated by the minute. Also, there are more informative, thought-provoking, and even enjoyable independent online news shows and information sites. Besides, social media such as WikiLeaks, Twitter, and Facebook often outshine any media in terms of providing truth and latest developments of events.
♦ passive: Not interactive, TV watching requires little creativity, so it dulls your mind.
♦ mind-numbing: TV can make you narrow-minded or brainwashed because it is sponsored by corporations, which can manipulate the content and put emphasis on advertisements. For example, you might develop desire for needless goods or come to follow fashion trends obsessively, not aware of what is really going on in the world.
Useful or Enjoyable
♦ Some special programs such as live broadcasts of sporting events, documentaries, and language programs are not provided anywhere else.
♦ Popular TV programs or ads provide conversation pieces, which are good icebreakers.
♦ One good thing about TV watching is that it allows you to learn things that you did not intend to. By keeping TV on or zapping channels, you can come across interesting people, useful information, or moving stories. It is like taking a walk in an unfamiliar neighborhood and find a lovely garden or sitting among strangers and hear an eye-opening story. The Internet, which is made to be used to search for specific information of your choice, allows this to happen less often.
♦ As long as you keep an eye on how you use it, TV can be a handy tool for fun.
2011年2月9日水曜日
Supersonic/Electronic Weapon 不特定多数による長期にわたる原因不明の嫌がらせ（６）
203. 2011/02/02 Over the past two days, there were several electric shocks of medium strength when I was falling asleep. There were also some optical illusion-like phenomenon of blinking light inside of my eyelids while asleep, loud waving of the sound in my head, and videogame/car blast-like noise either inside or outside of my apartment building yesterday’s early morning. From this early morning, 3:00 /5:00 a.m., to 8:00 a.m. when I got up, a machine-like noise of GwonGwon GwonGwon continued, making my eardrums hurt.
2011/02/03 A strong shock that caused me to see geometrical patterns and several weaker shocks that were strong enough to disturb my sleep and cause fits of my hands and feet. Woken up by a video-game like noise early in the morning. Slept 5 hours.
2011/02/04 Some shocks to my head when falling asleep and many shocks that caused fits of hands, feet and the whole body early in the morning, which accompanied with a video-game/car-blast like noise, woke me up early in the morning (a little before 5:00 a.m.).
2011/02/07 Average sleep hours: around five hours woken up by a video-game/car-blast-like noise early morning except last Saturday morning since the last record. Same shocks when falling asleep mainly at night and early in the morning. Unnaturally loud noise in the head when I woke up over the last two days. Feeling as if hit on the head heavily all day every day.
2011/02/08 Woken up by the same noise very early in the morning. Studied for an hour and fell asleep. Woken up again by shocks to my stomach that caused fits in the area. Shocks in the head when falling asleep last night and in the morning. Felt headache like having been hit in the head heavily.
2011/02/09 Fell asleep probably a little past 1:00 a.m. after incessantly assaulted by electric shocks on the head. Woken up by the same noise a little before 4:00 a.m., which would become suddenly louder after I wore earmuffs. Gave up sleeping at 5:20 and worked for about an hour and slept again, when electric shock came to my head several times when I was falling asleep. Woke up again at around 10:00 a.m.
2011/02/03 A strong shock that caused me to see geometrical patterns and several weaker shocks that were strong enough to disturb my sleep and cause fits of my hands and feet. Woken up by a video-game like noise early in the morning. Slept 5 hours.
2011/02/04 Some shocks to my head when falling asleep and many shocks that caused fits of hands, feet and the whole body early in the morning, which accompanied with a video-game/car-blast like noise, woke me up early in the morning (a little before 5:00 a.m.).
2011/02/07 Average sleep hours: around five hours woken up by a video-game/car-blast-like noise early morning except last Saturday morning since the last record. Same shocks when falling asleep mainly at night and early in the morning. Unnaturally loud noise in the head when I woke up over the last two days. Feeling as if hit on the head heavily all day every day.
2011/02/08 Woken up by the same noise very early in the morning. Studied for an hour and fell asleep. Woken up again by shocks to my stomach that caused fits in the area. Shocks in the head when falling asleep last night and in the morning. Felt headache like having been hit in the head heavily.
2011/02/09 Fell asleep probably a little past 1:00 a.m. after incessantly assaulted by electric shocks on the head. Woken up by the same noise a little before 4:00 a.m., which would become suddenly louder after I wore earmuffs. Gave up sleeping at 5:20 and worked for about an hour and slept again, when electric shock came to my head several times when I was falling asleep. Woke up again at around 10:00 a.m.
2011年2月7日月曜日
Class Supplement (TOEFL Essay Writing, The impact of computers
Writing Topic: Many people feel that computers have been the biggest change in human life in recent decades. How do you think computers have affected the world we live in?
Hint: “the biggest change in human life in recent decades” →a large scale of impact on our lives like those of typography, electricity, engine, and penicillin that brought about fundamental changes in man’s life.
Question: “How do you think …?” → The word “How” is asking about scales and characteristics. This question is not about right/wrong but about quantity and quality although good/bad effects can be included in the list of changes caused by computers.
Note: Computers are not only desktop/laptop computers but also those embedded in other machines: cell-phones, electric dictionaries, elevators, etc.
Examples of changes:
Study: paper dictionary → electric dictionary / textbook → computer / research at the library → on the web
Business: making documents by hand or on typewriter → on word-processing and spreadsheet applications in computers
Travel: making arrangements through travel agents or the person in charge → buying tickets and making hotel reservations personally on line
Lifestyle: household work → faster, easier, and sometimes entertaining / shopping at the mall → at home / information search through magazines → online (anywhere)
Communication: letter → e-mail / international phone call → skype / fixed phone → mobile phone
Entertainment: board game → video game / LP → iPod / handmade animation→CG
Medicine: much faster research and development / equipment with built-in computers such as hospital facilities and artificial arms and legs
Expressions for “change” and “affected”: faster, more efficient, more accurate, cheaper, more open, more entertaining, more global, more dependent on technology, much smaller or more compact, much larger scale (Pentagon Paper – 3000-page copies → WikiLeaks documents -- hundreds of thousands of documents and videos in a memory stick and some CDs), more inclusive (more information is available to the public and more people can participate), change of thought (e.g. concept of “friends” by Facebook, way of communication by e-mail)
Hint: “the biggest change in human life in recent decades” →a large scale of impact on our lives like those of typography, electricity, engine, and penicillin that brought about fundamental changes in man’s life.
Question: “How do you think …?” → The word “How” is asking about scales and characteristics. This question is not about right/wrong but about quantity and quality although good/bad effects can be included in the list of changes caused by computers.
Note: Computers are not only desktop/laptop computers but also those embedded in other machines: cell-phones, electric dictionaries, elevators, etc.
Examples of changes:
Study: paper dictionary → electric dictionary / textbook → computer / research at the library → on the web
Business: making documents by hand or on typewriter → on word-processing and spreadsheet applications in computers
Travel: making arrangements through travel agents or the person in charge → buying tickets and making hotel reservations personally on line
Lifestyle: household work → faster, easier, and sometimes entertaining / shopping at the mall → at home / information search through magazines → online (anywhere)
Communication: letter → e-mail / international phone call → skype / fixed phone → mobile phone
Entertainment: board game → video game / LP → iPod / handmade animation→CG
Medicine: much faster research and development / equipment with built-in computers such as hospital facilities and artificial arms and legs
Expressions for “change” and “affected”: faster, more efficient, more accurate, cheaper, more open, more entertaining, more global, more dependent on technology, much smaller or more compact, much larger scale (Pentagon Paper – 3000-page copies → WikiLeaks documents -- hundreds of thousands of documents and videos in a memory stick and some CDs), more inclusive (more information is available to the public and more people can participate), change of thought (e.g. concept of “friends” by Facebook, way of communication by e-mail)
2011年2月6日日曜日
Class Supplement (TOEFL Essay Writing, The impact of computers - Rewrite -)
Writing Topic: How do you think computers have affected the world we live in?
Essay for ideas and expressions:
The impact of the computer is like that of electricity. With the spread of computers, the world has transformed dramatically into the one where we can no longer live without them, different lifestyles and new things are created, and more democratic society is possible.
Just like electricity, computers have become ubiquitous and indispensable. They are in almost all kinds of machines such as cell-phones, TVs, elevators, cash machines, factory robots, medical equipment, and air traffic control systems. A day would not pass without them. Also, the computer has become part of infrastructure. The world is now connected by the Internet, which facilitates business, communication and many other activities. No organization can function well, totally cut off from the Internet.
The computer has changed how things are done and has created new things. It facilitates faster, more accurate, and better designed jobs from calculation and document-making to trading to spaceship building. Household work is not an ordeal anymore thanks to electric appliances with built-in computers. As the computer evolves, scientific research and development is exponentially expedited and art and entertainment create things that did not exist in the pre-computer age. The World Wide Web has globalized everyday communication. People can now receive and, more importantly, send out information across the world.
The computer has given people chances to change systems for the better, into more decentralized and transparent ones. In business, small business owners can now sell their products directly to consumers online, thus reshaping the distribution channels. In politics, employees who happen to find confidential information that the general public should know, such as reports of human rights abuses and corruptions, can reveal it through the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks by sending it massive amounts of raw data anonymously, and people who are more informed now owing to such leaks can organize nationwide demonstrations with worldwide supports to stand up against corrupt leaders using social networking services such as Twitter and Facebook.
I think it can be said that many more people’s lives have become more colorful and freer than before since Windows 95 made it possible for most businesses and ordinary citizens to make use of personal computers and fiber-optic cables connected continents. Although there are concerns about problems related to computer use and occasional nostalgia for life before computers, the computer keeps breaking new ground and benefitting people. It is a phenomenon of the scale that involves all the people on this planet whether they have it or not and whether they like it or not.
Essay for ideas and expressions:
The impact of the computer is like that of electricity. With the spread of computers, the world has transformed dramatically into the one where we can no longer live without them, different lifestyles and new things are created, and more democratic society is possible.
Just like electricity, computers have become ubiquitous and indispensable. They are in almost all kinds of machines such as cell-phones, TVs, elevators, cash machines, factory robots, medical equipment, and air traffic control systems. A day would not pass without them. Also, the computer has become part of infrastructure. The world is now connected by the Internet, which facilitates business, communication and many other activities. No organization can function well, totally cut off from the Internet.
The computer has changed how things are done and has created new things. It facilitates faster, more accurate, and better designed jobs from calculation and document-making to trading to spaceship building. Household work is not an ordeal anymore thanks to electric appliances with built-in computers. As the computer evolves, scientific research and development is exponentially expedited and art and entertainment create things that did not exist in the pre-computer age. The World Wide Web has globalized everyday communication. People can now receive and, more importantly, send out information across the world.
The computer has given people chances to change systems for the better, into more decentralized and transparent ones. In business, small business owners can now sell their products directly to consumers online, thus reshaping the distribution channels. In politics, employees who happen to find confidential information that the general public should know, such as reports of human rights abuses and corruptions, can reveal it through the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks by sending it massive amounts of raw data anonymously, and people who are more informed now owing to such leaks can organize nationwide demonstrations with worldwide supports to stand up against corrupt leaders using social networking services such as Twitter and Facebook.
I think it can be said that many more people’s lives have become more colorful and freer than before since Windows 95 made it possible for most businesses and ordinary citizens to make use of personal computers and fiber-optic cables connected continents. Although there are concerns about problems related to computer use and occasional nostalgia for life before computers, the computer keeps breaking new ground and benefitting people. It is a phenomenon of the scale that involves all the people on this planet whether they have it or not and whether they like it or not.
2011年2月3日木曜日
Way to go!
WikiLeaks among nominees for Nobel Peace Prize (REUTERS)
http://af.reuters.com/article/egyptNews/idAFLDE7111KE20110202?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0
http://af.reuters.com/article/egyptNews/idAFLDE7111KE20110202?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0
2011年2月1日火曜日
If you don’t know him by now, you’ll never know him.
To us ordinary people, Julian Assange and WikiLeaks are the most precious person and entity in this universe. To put “I think” to this statement is offensive, I think.
The most recent Julian Assange interview:
WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange, Pt. 1 (60 MINUTES)
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7300034n&tag=contentMain;contentAux
WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange, Pt. 2 (60 MINUTES)
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7300036n&tag=contentBody;housing
The most recent Julian Assange interview:
WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange, Pt. 1 (60 MINUTES)
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7300034n&tag=contentMain;contentAux
WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange, Pt. 2 (60 MINUTES)
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7300036n&tag=contentBody;housing
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