Yumi's CESL Blog

Monday, May 07, 2007

The survey of YouTube.

We are CESL student of Southern Illinois University Carbondale. In our NewsTalk class, we study about the issue of news and we decided to do a survey of YouTube. And in my group, we were studying about the Control of YouTube. We wanted to know about the idea of controling for people. Also, we wanted to know about if American government block, what people would and whether the government should be able to block websites and language. We were interested in whether YouTube itself should control film clips. I handed out 13 surveys on my domitory and cafeterria. I got 13 surveys and people were recieved our survey and they answered the questions seriously. They said to me about YouTube that it was so good site for everyone because it was so funny and for free but also it had some plobrems about control and privacy. However, some people didn't know about YouTube, so I was very surprised.

According to this survey, most of people (Male 96%, Female 74%) have ever heard of YouTube, especially young people (18-22years old, 92%) know about it a lot. But a lot of people (Male 70%, Female 81%) have not ever made a clip and put it on YouTube, so they just enjoyed to watch some movie clips. And also many people (Male 95%, Female 80%) believe that sites like YouTubes should not be illegal. I am interested in the question whether the government should be able to block websites.
186 people think about the goverment can not block websites because people try to find another site. And there is a limit to control because of privacy. So, people think about control is so difficult because Internet have already spread.

In my opinion, YouTube is good site for most people because they can get fun but there is so stupid movie clips like predudice and sexual harrasment or violence. So we must pay attention to watch YouTube. I found that people are interested in free movie clips according to survey, so they don't want to pay money to watch it. I think this is good advantege of YouTube. However, the government should make some rules to protect privacy and to control some bad sites. Especially people think about privacy a lot. And males are interested in YouTube than females. So, I felt males' opinion are stronger than females'one. And I was surprised at a lot of young people use Internet a lot and they try to protect YouTube because they want to watch YouTube for free to get fun. Finally, I think this survey included a lot of questions so, I felt this was too much. Some people didn't want to answer because of amount of questions. I think the next survey had better make not too much questions.

yumi

Sunday, April 29, 2007

"The Control of Youtube by government" NewsTalk

In this article, "Chinese YouTubes corting controversy?", by William Moss at the online CNET Asia expresses the present condition of YouTube and the idea of controling in China. A lot of Chinese people use the two Chinese video-sharing sites to watch funny clips for nothing. According to this article, Chinese goverment tries to use internal censors to block bad movie clips like pornography and old-fashioned sex appeal. Also, they worry about Blogger and other information sources because everyone can see your blog. And the author suggests the government have limits to control the Web-sites by blocking because people try to find another way. So, this article give the question of if YouTube was blocked, what happen to people? to us.

In my opinion, the goverment should control bad movie clips like pornography and give the regulation for Blogger which everyone can see to protect our privacy. But to control is difficult because the goverment can not control people. If American goverment block some Web-sites like Chinese goverment, what would people do? Of course, people try to access the Web-sites of another country. Also, if the government can know and record who is log in or out in some sites, people must be lost their privacy. According to this article, some company censor some sites and this is big business. I think to control have limit because people find another way to get some information. So, the governments must think about how can they control and how can they protect people's privacy. However, to control is too late because the Internet spread everywhere, everytime and everyone can use.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

"Death Penalty" Newstalk

I found this article,Resistance to death penalty growing,online at the Chicago Tribune, it is written by Tim Jones. The author expresses that people think about death penalty whether repealing it or stopping it because of high costs in America. According to this article, thirty-seven states admit the death penalty, twelve states do not admit and New York's was announced it is illegal in 2004. About the costs, taxpayers spend their money for imprisonment, police officers and to prevent from a lot of crime. But, there is pros and cons about death penalty from vote. Richard Dieter said that America can't remove it,but American think about it seriously. Also, Ernie Chambers who is the opposite side of death penalty expresses people must consider resisting death penalty. So, to resist death penalty is growing and big issue in America now.

In my opinion, government should abolish death penalty. To kill human by human is so bad because human can't kill human's life and we don't have the right to kill human. Also, human can't judge human. But, a lot of country admit the death penalty including America. In Japan, we have the death penalty and the way is hanging. From old days, we killed human as death penalty by stake and decapitation and so on. Now, some executioners who is the officer to kill a person who was given death penalty pull the lever to hang a person from many levers at the same time. So, they don't know which lever worked. This means they don't know who killed a person. Also, from the law, death penalty doesn't apply a person who is under 18 years old and have lunacy which is mental illness. And about pregnant woman, death penalty apply after childbirth. A person who is under 18 years old can escape from death penalty even though a person killed someone. This idea is paradox. I don't understand how difference about the age. The fact which human kill by human is true. I think Japanese government have to abolish the death penalty. In stead of death penalty, they should give only life imprisonment although we must pay tax to maintain prison. Even though so bad murder, a murder have a right to live the rest of life in prison and have to regret and apologize for victim by living in prison. I think to die is easy by death penalty but murder have to think what he or she did though the rest of life. So, I disagree with death penalty and I hope people think about life and government abolish every country.

Yumi

Monday, March 05, 2007

EAP1-A ww
Argument essay#1

The Influence of Multitasking Media

We use some multitasking which is the ability of a computer to operate several programs at the same time in our life in modern society because we want to get information quickly, efficiently and conveniently. But too much information will bother us; especially young people easily waste time and some information a lot. According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 82 percent of kids use Internet by the seventh grade (cited in “Are kids too plugged in?” 2006). Also, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, American young people who are from 8 to 18 years old use electronic media at 6.5 hours a day. And they use multitasking media at 8.5 hours (cited in “Are kids too plugged in?” 2006). These reports express the danger of the effect of multitasking media for young people, and they may contribute to Internet addiction for children. That is to say, to use electronic tools too much may give young people the problem of developing health and neglect of real life. So, young people should reduce the time of using electronic media and increase face to face communication in their real life.

Today, young generation prefer to use some multitasking a lot. Why do young people spend too much time to use electronic media? Jordan Grafman, cognitive neuroscientist says “Kids that are instant messaging while doing homework, playing games online and watching TV, I predict, aren’t going to do well in the long run” (cited in “Are kids too plugged in?” 2006,p,1.) Young people are crazy about using electronic media because they feel comfortable and convenient even if they meet someone in real life. Also, they can create their own virtual character and they can act as a fake figure and personality. Denise Clark Pope, lecturer at the Stanford School of Education, says “The minute the bell rings at most big public high schools, the first thing most kids do is reach into their bag and pick up their cell phone, and “never mind that the person [they’re contacting] could be right down the hall” (cited in “Are kids too plugged in?” 2006,p,2.) This action may be cell phone addiction because they want to find their cell phone soon and want to use it. I think that they think about their message on cell phone during class. So, they lose their real life; they lose the ability of communicating with teachers and friends by paying attention to cell phone. Also, they use cell phone too much by using it to speak to someone even when someone is near them. This expresses the lack of the interaction. Also, they feel stressed out about the time because time is important in modern society; they are pushed for time all the time. Therefore, to use electronic media is very usual and convenient tool for people especially young people. But, they must exercise. This means they need to walk and talk to the person. This action is natural and good for people because to communicate face to face gives us real knowledge, imagination and progress of mind.

Next, young people greatly lose social skills and they lose the chance to contact with the person face to face in their society. "The problem, "says psychiatrist and author Edward Hallowell, "is what you are not doing if the electronic moment grows too large"--too large for those parents who are equally tethered to their gadgets. In this case, says Hallowell, "you are not having family dinner, you are not having conversations, you are not debating whether to go out with a boy who wants to have sex on the first date, you are not going on a family ski trip or taking time just to veg. It's not so much that the video game is going to rot your brain, it’s what you are not doing that’s going to rot your life” (cited in “Are kids too plugged in?” 2006,p,2.). According to this opinion, young people take the wrong way in their life and they pervert the course of good by using multitasking media. For example, I have one friend who is crazy about multitasking media. She always uses Internet including chatting, mailing, blogs like myspace, facebook at the same time. She always uses Internet in her room all day except in her class. She just sits in front of her computer, and she doesn’t move except to prepare to eat or to go to the bathroom. Even though she eats something, she put her meals next to her computer. I think that she is an Internet addiction absolutely, and she needs help to get to real life. Besides, she can use both computer and cell phone at the same time. Also, she has her real myspace and her virtual myspace. She has fallen love with her virtual boyfriend. To my mind, this action is very weird because she avoids her real life. Furthermore, she doesn’t like to communicate with people, and she doesn’t try to make friends because she isn’t accustomed to talking to people. So, multitasking media has produced a person that has the lack of interaction like this person. Young people are in danger of losing their real life in modern society.

However, we need to use multitasking media as long as we live in modern society. I use multitasking media everyday. I check e-mail, find some articles for my class and entertainment like a game, movie, music. In my case, I can communicate with my family and friends in Japan and all over the world. Also, we can get information from all over the world quickly. So, to use computer is routine for us. According to this article, indeed, many teenagers and college students say overcommitted schedules drive much of their multitasking. Claudia Koonz, professor of history at Duke University, says on the positive side,” Gen M students tend to be extraordinarily good at finding and manipulating information. And presumably because modern childhood tilts toward visual rather than, point media especially skilled at analyzing visual data and images.” (cited in “Are kids too plugged in?” 2006,p2) Students and Schools need to use multitasking media in their class because society needs the skill of this usage. Also, to use multitasking media wisely gives young people good information and knowledge. So, they must learn how to use it wisely and quickly because too much information and too much time is not wise usage.

In conclusion, to use multitasking media is essential for us because we can get information and knowledge. And we can connect with people all over the world. But overusing it is not good for our body and mind. Also, to communicate by using multitasking media is not real because we can’t talk to the person face to face. So, to communicate face to face is the best interaction for us. According to this article, we must learn that overusing electronic tools must influence young people to develop health trouble and neglect real life. So, young people should reduce their amount of using them and they should pay attention to their real life.

Are kids too plugged in? (2006,March,19) CNN.com. Retrieved Feb 7,2007 from Lexis-Wexis database.

Monday, February 19, 2007

EAP1-A ww
Essay#1

The Fantastic Japanese Culture

A culture is a unique set of a beliefs and mental expressions of a people within the world. It's a most important thing in our life. But, today our traditional culture is about to be lost because modern culture represented by the computer is improving and the young on generation don’t learn about the past culture. This is a red light signal for our fundamental culture. Now, what should we do to preserve our own culture in each area? The answer is there is only one solution; to communicate and share our own special culture with people who have the same culture, especially the young on generation and with people who have different culture is one of the most important strategies to protect our own culture, and this is very wonderful action because when we know a different culture, we must get new knowledge and we may change our mind in a good direction. So, I want to share about my fantastic Japanese culture. I have three important aspects of Japanese culture: language, showing affection and religion.

First of all, we Japanese have a peculiar culture in the way of conversation and understanding people’s meaning. I think that you have heard that Japanese people don’t have their own opinion and their speech is not obvious. We don’t say “yes” or “no” clearly, and we prefer to use “maybe” and “probably” so many times during conversation. We have a reason for this because we can recognize a feeling and an opinion by tacit agreement without saying something directly. For example, we use figurative words or roundabout expressions in the conversation. This expresses the virtue of Japanese feelings and ideas. We hold humble conversation dear to our heart. This means we don’t say our opinion or idea directly, clearly and straight in our talking because to tell something directly is not humble and is an impolite attitude for us in our culture. Also, we don't want to make people injured at heart by using direct words. However, when I came to America, I had a problem about this culture. I was wounded in my heart a lot because some Americans said something to me very directly. So, I felt the different culture, but I now think it’s interesting for me. Also, I made my American friends confused so much because I used “maybe” so many times, and I didn’t say my opinion clearly. Especially my roommate asked me, “Which? Yes or no? Don’t say maybe.” Since it is rudeness and a self-centered action for me to tell something directly, I felt confused and thought I must adapt to American culture in America. But this is a very difficult thing for me because I grew up in Japan. And I think this expression is very unique, and I'm proud that this is usual for me and shows good behavior and a good image as a Japanese.

Secondly we Japanese have a humble show of affection. And the show of affection is very different all over the world. For example, the method of greeting is very interesting behavior. When we meet someone for the first time, we rarely shake hands. We shake hands only in a formal situation and essential situation like an interview or serious conference. Also, we don’t hug even friends, but we do hug only close friends before people say good-bye in Japan. But Americans hug very many times in the case of good-bye or also when people meet or anytime. We bow a lot. I think Japanese have a reserved feeling against showing affection because we keep a distance. On the other hand, Americans have a very friendly feeling. And Americans are good at expressing their feelings directly, but sometimes this is an overreaction for me. However, we Japanese show honor for old people directly we have respectful, modest and polite styles. These styles describe the respect of old people from the past. This is a kind of show of affection. We use more polite Japanese for old people because we really respect old people. The elderly have a lot of knowledge, so young people can learn important things from them. Besides, we have a custom in which children take care of their parents in later life because parents took care of their children earlier. This custom is a reasonable and common attitude. We think that old people are precious. So, we represent this feeling by using more polite language and showing affection. Showing affection is different all over the world. I think the Japanese show of affection is not friendly but humble, and it’s the sign of Japanese culture.

Finally, we have an unusual weird idea against religion. Most of Japanese people don’t have a real religion. Of course, some Japanese people have a religion which is Buddhism or Shinto which is very special Japanese religion which has the symbol of a shrine. In the my case, I grew up with my family who don't have a real religion but my grandparents have both Buddhism and Shinto, not as a real religion because my grandparents don't pray to God, rather they pray for their ancestors. In addition, I pray for my advantages and my wishes in the shrine, but I don’t believe any God. This idea is very strange for people who believe in God. Besides, most people who don't have believe in any God hold the Buddhist style funeral when someone dies. And their family, relatives and friends pray for the dead person to go to heaven without believing in God really. In contrast, people who don't believe in God really think that people who believe in God really are weird. They look at believers strangely. Also, they think that believers have joined some occult group. When I came to America, I was really surprised because most Americans have real religion. I felt American and Japanese have very different feeling for religion. And when my classmates asked me about my religion, they were so surprised because I don’t have a religion. If I tried to have a religion, my parents would be upset and they would look at me strangely. So, religion is difficult subject. I'm sure we are strange for believers. But I think that this is also unique Japanese culture and is nothing to be ashamed of.

In conclusion, from these three special Japanese aspects of culture, Japanese are particular, and we have very isolated ideas and behavior. But each culture has its own ideas and behavior. We should live with these characteristics, and we should be proud of each culture. And we must communicate with people who are same culture and people who have a different culture. To communicate is a very fantastic action and we can improve or get some new knowledge in our life. So, I want to tell about my culture to a lot of people. A culture is the source of knowledge and a treasure.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

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Summary&Response#2

The importance of traditional culture

We have original traditional unique cultures with folklore all over the world. To recognize folklore is very important for us, especially children because children can learn about traditional history and cultures through the old generation. And one culture influences other cultures because each culture has a characteristic culture. So, I have my own Japanese culture that I grew up in. But traditional culture is being changed by improving globalization today; therefore, native culture decays. In this article, the author tries to express Navajo culture by explaining important items and symbols about his culture to his friend in his house. So, we must tell children and people who have a different culture about each of own cultures, and we must attempt to share own culture with people who have a different culture.

Whiterock (1995) in “My Navajo Home in Los Angeles” shows his friend Tung about Navajo’s culture. First, he explains about a painting of pottery and corn to Tung because corn is the staple of the Navajo diet. And it has a history in which the white man tried to change Navajo’s religion and language and even their food. Then the Navajo fought to protect their corn; therefore, corn is a very important harvest. Next, he describes kinds of rugs that have different meaning because of their colors. For example, red is wisdom, turquoise means spiritual goodness, and black and red means knowledge. Finally, he discusses about the sunflowers and a silk butterfly. The sunflowers describe that spirits are happy and the silk butterfly represents dead warriors or carrying prayers to heaven. So, these are symbolic of a Navajo’s spirituality. According to this article, he tries to tell his culture, and he thinks that he needs to tell people about the Navajo. Thus, the
author attempts to preserve his Navajo’s culture by sharing it with his friend.

Today, traditional cultures are also about to be lost in Japan because of the power of globalization. And the young generations don’t want to know Japan’s own cultures, and they don't try to know these cultures because they feel that electronic machines are more interesting than traditional culture. But, unique cultures are very important for us because our ancestors left them for us. I have three things to tell about my culture. For example, rice is a very special and essential main food for Japanese people from the old days. Rice has special nutrients like starch and calcium and Japanese rice differs from other rice which is produced in other Asian areas. The feature of Japanese rice is it is sticky and fluffy. Japanese people really like our rice, but the production of rice is
decreasing gradually today because of the spread of bread. Besides, few young people don't know how to cook rice. For example, one of my friends washed the rice by using a detergent because she didn't know how to cook the rice even she had a rice cooker. Her mother didn’t teach her to cook the rice. I didn’t understand why her mother didn’t teach her when she was a child and why she didn't try to learn it. So, to communicate traditional culture is very important. Next, we have a charm to protect a thing from evil and to make us healthy and have good luck in
folklore. It's square, multi-colored and made of cloth. In my case, my grandparents gave the charm to me when I was born. This contains a talisman word and phrases about Shinto. Shinto is a folk religion in Japan. The symbolic building of Shinto is a shrine. So, Shinto developed against the effect of Buddhism. Eventhough most Japanese people don’t have religion, some people have religion. However, we bring the charm when we take a big important exam to pass. Besides, we pray for a wish on new years day or special day in a shrine. I think to have a charm without religion is a unique spirit.And to know another culture for people who have a different culture is interesting and fantastic. Finally, modern people doesn't play with old toys and don't play outside so much in Japan because they are interested in electronic toys. Also, their parents don't try to tell them how to play with the old toys or the meaning of these because modern parents don’t talk to children so much. They think that TV and a computer are the best tool for children to grow up with. Also, they don’t have time because they work very hard. I think children can play by using computer alone. But some old toys like KARUTA, which kind of cards game and some games which KAKURENBO is hide-and-seek can make children active and improve human relations because children can't play at alone. So, parents should talk to children and they must tell cultures which theylearned.

In conclusion, to explain about traditional cultures is to give children
imagination and to give the chance to know and to recognize another culture for people who have different people and to know about each own culture. Also, to present traditional culture is essential act against our ancestor. Tradition is the gift from our ancestor. We must think about traditional culture and must inherit for future’s generation. To explain for some people about traditional culture like this author is essential role.

Whiterock, T. (1995) My Navaho home in Los Angeles. In B. Lee(ed.)(1995). Celebrating Diversity: A multicultural reader (pp.94-6). Lexington,MA: D.C.

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Summary#1

The Crisis of Folk Toys

Kavin Platt (1999) in “Lament for Chinese toys of old” says the power of globalization gives Chinese traditional antique toys an unfavorable result. Modern children like electronic toys like Sony Play Stations better than folk toys. Liang says children feel only satisfaction and happiness when they use modern toys, and it is very important for children to improve their imagination by using old toys. But Li, a student, states that electronic toys also can give ideas and knowledge. On the other hand, Liang says folk culture and traditional culture like stilt-walkers, which only craftsman can produce, is about to be lost. And he criticizes about Mao who made traditional artists jailed or forced to work in Mao’s propaganda machine because of a new communist society. So, he would like to protect traditional toys like shadow puppets which were used to tell the historical traditional tales like a movie for children. He is trying to let people know about the importance of China’s cultural past. So, he suggests people need to preserve folk toys to protect culture and imagination for us and future generations.

Platt, K (1999, Dec, 24). Lament for Chinese toys of old. Christian
Science Monitor, p.6.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Writing Summary Response

The Importance of Interactions for Children

In this article, “Study supports limiting television time for children” by The University of Texas at Austin, in which the author’s name was not listed, the author discusses the study to support decreased television time and increased familial interactions for children. This article is based on research by Dr.Elizabeth Vandewater. She points out that children spend more time watching television than playing inside and outside; however, the issue like childhood obesity is not always influenced by increased watching television. And she insists that children under the age of two don’t have to watch television and children older than two may watch television for two hours in daily life because familial interacting is decreased from the American Academy of Pediatrics’ survey. In addition, she and her college want to know how this affects children’s health behavior and knowledge. According to her and this study, children spend a lot of time in front of television without several interactions.

First of all, it is very important for children to limit television time because children need familial interactions. Why do children watch television for a long time? I think this answer is just interesting. But there are three issues for children. Actually, a lot of children spend a great amount of time in front of television every day. When I was a child, I always watched television about 3 or 4 hours after school without doing homework. I think most of children will be like me. As a result, children become inside people, because they don’t play outdoors and their communication with family is decreased. If they lose the communication of family, they will be quiet and be not good at communication with people. Therefore, children should not watch television for a long time.

Secondly, why do children spend a lot of time watching television? In my opinion, the cause of this is lazy parents, because parents give children television. So, parents think that children can learn about good things. Of course, children can learn some behavior of society from educational programs like Sesame Street. But, to talk to parents is very important for children because children can study something through the experienced advice and ideas of parents. Parents ought to be mirrors of children because children imitate language, behavior and idea from their parents without watching television. However, parents depend on television because of business. Parents should teach communication for children by talking more often.

In addition, to watch television for a long time gives some bad influence for children. So, television is not a useful tool for children, because there is violence, aggression and dirty language and sense. These give negative effects for children and are absorbed into their behaviors directly because they are sensitive; they only listen and watch. Especially, when children watch people kill someone on television and video games, they don’t understand the meaning of death and life. For example, if a famous actor was killed by someone on the screen but the same famous actor was killed by someone on another screen again, little children will be confuse about the idea that he can be revived. So, parents should also pay attention to these situations.

In conclusion, to decrease the television time for children is important. It is the responsibility of parents to restrict this. So, parents should protect children against television because watching the television for a long time is a waste of time and interferes with communicating face to face. I hope that children aren’t addicted to television.


The University of Texas at Austin Office of Public Affairs. (2006, Feb. 6).
“Study supports limiting television time for children."
  • http://www.utexas.edu/opa/news/2006/02/human_ecology06.html.
  • Retrieved 11-29-06.

    Writing Summary

    In this article, “Psst…Wanna buy a celebrity’s house?” by Finlo Rohrer, the writer discusses the privacy of some celebrities when they sell their house. He says it is very difficult to protect their privacy because journalists like the paparazzi always look for a good story. For example, in the case of princess Michael of Kent, her mansion’s detail was spread and this expresses the wish to keep the secret to protect some cerebrities’ privacy. Also, Ms.Casingena asserts that real estate agents had better defend their confidentiality, but we are interested in celebrities’ house. According to an agent, agents have been able to serve celebrities for many years because they protect some clients and never reveal anything. Finally, the author insists we had better have discretion. However, a few celebrities prefer to give the information because they become more famous.


    Rohrer,F. (2006, May.29).“Psst…Wanna buy a celebrity’s house?” BBC news.
  • http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/5013540.stm.
  • Retrieved 11-14-06.