Interview on Campus

I had an interview about "School Shootings" with a woman who has two children, 17 and 12 years old. She said that some kids could get the gun from their house easily and also they could buy the air gun at the shop. And she wonders they wanted to show someone their power, or proof of ability "I can do this!".
Furthermore, her opinion is that a huge school should worry about this issue more than small school because in the small high school, the students know very well each other. In addition she also thinks both of the family and school, parents and teachers, should have responsibility to the kids.

Nonverbal Communication: Japan And the US

We always use a lot of nonverbal language for the purpose of assisting our communication. Nonverbal communication is gestures, for example moving the hands, or expression in the face. Some gestures have almost the same meanings in different countries; on the other hand, there are also many differences in the same movement between the countries. In this essay, I would like to introduce a comparison and contrast of the nonverbal behavior between Japan and the US.

First, concerning gestures, there are some similar points between these countries. For example, people express “I got it” or “That’s great” with their thumb up. And also, when people say hello or good-bye to friends, they raise their hand and show their palm. On the other hand, we can see the different meaning of the sign “OK” by making the circle with thumb and index finger. Sometime Japanese will recognize that this circle to mean money. Moreover, the direction of the palm is totally opposite between the countries when people call someone over.

Next, facial communication has also some similarities and differences. No matter what their nation of people's are, almost all facial movement such as joy, anger, sadness and happiness or fear are alike. However, due to cultural background, many Americans are willing to smile and show their teeth even in the formal pictures, some Japanese tend to smile with their mouth closed. Some older Japanese consider to laugh with their mouth wide open as disgraceful.

Finally, the aspect of eye contact between Japan and the US could be almost same. If people know each other a lot or they are attracted to each other, they try to look at their eyes while talking. Furthermore, when people feel guilty or something, they tend to turn their eyes away.

In conclusion, there are some differences in manual gestures between Japan and the US, but we use almost the same facial expression in communication. In addition, our view of eye contact is almost similar to each other. Japan is one of the most influenced countries regarding American culture, so we have many opportunities to be exposed to their gestures in Japan. Therefore, the differences of gestures between Japan and the US might be decreasing.

Article: "School killer made a violent film"

This article describes that the high school student who shot at Red Lake and committed suicide had created a violent animated film before his rampage. And also this article said that this teenager was in peculiar circumstance. His father died four years ago and his mother is in a nursing home in Minneapolis because of brain damaged in a car accident.
If someone could support his life like his parents or notice his mental health, this tragedy might not occur.

Takashi

Sports Drinks: Who Needs Them?

This article is about the sports drinks. We have too much choice of neon-colored sports drinks and Americans spent over $5.4 billion on last year.
In this article, there are two different opinions. One is that sports drinks have little value to the average user. And the other is that sports drinks are healthy and safe, and have fewer calories than sodas and skim milks.
Do we need sports drinks or not?

Takashi

Reading Reaction "Electric Racer"

This article describes that some teenagers, a group of Philadelphia students, could convert the gas-powered vehicle into the electric-powered vehicle (EV) for the contest. They also have made a completely EV by changing a gasoline engine to an electric motor before. Concerning the gas-powered vehicle, the explosive combustion inside the cylinders creates the motion needed to revolve the wheels. On the other hand, an EV can run by the energy provided by batteries. Furthermore, EVs do not create pollution such as smog which is produced by gasoline engines. And also, it is easier to maintain the EVs than the gas-powered ones. However, the EVs have some drawbacks. Whereas it takes within a minute to fill the tank of the gas-powered vehicles, recharging the batteries for the EVs takes six hours. Moreover, the ordinary car can run several hundred kilometers until the tank get empty. In contrast, the EVs can run at most 160 kilometers with one recharging. However, the technology of the EVs needs to improve for our future, and also studying these EVs can give profits to students.

This article makes me surprised very much because the teenagers could create the completely EVs. At the same time, I also feel envious the circumstances of American students. In Japan, most high-school students have no chance to build the car. If the students can experience the practical work and training besides the cars in their early age at the school, more students can perceive the necessity of the sciences, math, physics and technologies.
Nowadays, we can hear that there are many problems of pollution against our life and the earth. And also I know the EVs and other eco-car(ecologically friendly car) have been made progress. In the other hand, some people including me prefer the exhaust noise of the gasoline engine and vibration of the gas-powered vehicles. Therefore, I do not think the gasoline engine will disappear from our society in the near future. Furthermore, the internal combustion engines have also been improved as much as eco-car in many country such as LEV(low-emission vehicle). In addition, harmful gas, such as COX, are created in making the electricity for the EVs at the thermal power plants. I think what is important is that considering how much convenience we are able to sacrifice to the earth.

Reading Reaction "Materials Engineering"

This article is about the materials that could replace the metal or alloy which already exist and are used in our life. Author took the parts of engine in dirt-track vehicles for instance. A carburetor serves as converting the fuel into air-fuel mixture and feeds this mixture into the cylinders and also, equips with pickup tubes made from PPA. Some companies are planning to use the plastic parts in the engine such as this pickup tubes instead of aluminum by reason of lowering the cost. However, severe heat-to-cool cycles of the parts in the dirt-track competitions causes to transform the pickup tubes. Therefore, the companies are trying to develop the materials which are capable of enduring the harsh heat cycles. On the other hand, in the cardboard packaging industry, a Germany’s company supplies a different kind of cardboard packaging from previous one. This new type of packaging is capable of strong moisture-barrier without a plastic-film wrapper so that it would have least impact in our ecology and lower in cost.

Lately there are lots of plastic products in our every day life for reason of lightening the parts and lowering the cost and ease of manufacturing. As everyone knows, the plastic products are useful for our life so that these products seem to be increasing in the future. However, these products also have some problems. For example, tiny organism cannot resolve the plastic garbage and also burning the plastic products causes dioxin contamination. These are significant problem for our life.
The Japan Steel Works, Ltd. for which I work manufactures the Injection Molding Machines and also, I belong to the molding machinery design group. This machines produce the plastic products and is operated in many country and in many field. Therefore, this plastic materials are related to my work. And also, our company has the division which researches the biodegradable plastic materials in the laboratory. Of course, my work is not to improve the plastic materials but to design and develop the machines. However, we have to consider the influence of this plastic materials on our environment.

Sony aims to beam sights, sounds into brain

This article describes the technique will enable us to smell, taste, and touch in video game as virtual reality. Sony Corp. has obtained this patent. In addition, this technology helps person who are blind or deaf see a view or hear sounds without medicines.
In my opinion, I wonder if blind or deaf person can get satisfied in virtual reality even though this technology is safe to the human body. And I also think this technology might be too much for us if it is used in video game.

Takashi

Dancing Away Obesity

This article describes using the video game "Dance Dance Revolution" as losing weight for kids. West Virginia's public employees insurance group started this study and they believe this is an effective instrument for better health and lower costs. In U.S., the obesity is one of the most crucial matter and only in West Virginia, more than 25 percent of the nearly 6,000 children are obese.

I think the video game is just a game. If we want to lose weight, we have to exercise or diet continuously. What do you think of this?

Takashi

BBQ Party & Basketball Game

On Saturday April 9, I had a BBQ party in Ambassador Hall dormitory with my classmates, Sam, Young and Rachel, Kazuko, Joyce and Clerk. We started to light the fire around 4 PM, but it was hard for us to burn the fuel well. Finally we could eat the meat almost at 6 PM. We ate much meat and drunk beer and had fun very much, although we had trouble in making fire. And also, we played basketball on the court and there Clerk and Young, Joyce were good basketball player. We drunk beer and ate food too much so that we couldn't move quickly and got tired in a moment. However, we laughed with each other and enjoyed. I also could have fun and experience great time. Thank you guys! Let's have fun again!

Oh! It's so beautiful

Originally uploaded by takashi13.

We looked around the Japanese plum tree in Okayama! This is the Japanese traditional garden called Korakuen. This is also histrical landmark and chosen one of the 3 most beautiful spot in japan. Now I live in Hiroshima but I was born in Okayama and I spent lots of time here. So, I love this place and I'm glad my daughter gets to like here!

Reading Reaction "Rare is Getting Rarer"

This article describes the excitement of restoring the vintage motorcycles and automobiles. Many people have much interested in restoring classic vehicles as well as operating them. In addition, visiting swap meets for finding the rare parts in perfect condition is also their fun. They would be able to share their enthusiasms among fellows there. Nowadays, these parts for vintage vehicles seem to be decreasing so that some people may spend much time and money. And also to deal with a pile of old iron and sheet metal needs a patience. However, this hard work can bring more satisfaction than quick easy work by catalog.

When I was University student, I had a motorcycle, Kawasaki ZRX-2. My motorcycle is not vintage vehicle but current model. I also have interested in building up my motorcycle although I was not familiar with the detail of the machine. Some of my friends understood much about the motorcycle, therefore I had them assist my remodeling the bike, for example silencer and spark plug and so on.
As author said, some restoring of the vehicles need much time and money and especially patience. However, the ecstasy and joy and delight achieved by restoration are valuable and beyond price. In addition, restoring the vehicle is occasionally more interesting than handling the ones. Someday, I would like to obtain my own motorcycle and enjoy handling the vehicle again if my wife allows me to do.

The Best School Memory

When I imagine my school life, the memory of high-school is coming up. What remains in my mind is having played soccer on my high-school team. Of course, I studied well in classes, but for most teenagers, studying is a boring and a tiring subjects.I joined the high-school soccer team and practiced soccer after class almost every day. Although the practice and the training were so hard and also I didn't become the starting eleven, regular player, I had a lot of fun with my teammates. I spent the most time with them, after the practice, weekends, and holidays. Therefore, I have never met friends better than them. And now we still spend some time talking about those days.

Takashi

Reading Reaction "Designing Monster Machine"

This article represents the use of the technologies in designing the industrial machinery. In recent years the engineers have to design the complex, and massive machines in very short term. For the purpose of making the engineers in designing these machines easier, a computer-aided technologies are used and also improved. This designing tools are changed from wireframe to solid modeling because of a lot of efforts. It is easy for the engineers to check whether the assembly model can move without interfering each parts by 3D CAD. And also in many industries, the computer-aided technologies are used in a finite-element analysis and this analysis can shorten the designing time. In addition, the engineers don’t have to examine the machines minutely after manufacturing the test machines.

I work for Japan Steel Works, Ltd. and everyday design the industrial machinery by computer-aided design tools. And also I often analyze by finite-element method, FEM., in designing machines. Nowadays we need to manufacture the machine in very short time and the market will get to demand the quick delivery of our machines furthermore. Therefore it is most important that how we engineers can shorten the time in designing.
As this article said, using the solid modeling tools, 3D, can enable us to design the machines quickly and with accuracy. And our design division are in the process of applying the 3D computer-aided design system (CAD) from 2D CAD system. However, before designing the machines by 3D CAD system, we have to determine many things. For example, we need the many rules for designing by this tool. And also the cost of the computer technologies may increase. Therefore, we need much time for preparation. But I believe this preparation and advanced computer technologies can help us manufacture the outstanding machines.

Test blog

I check my blog in student center.