At the Bridge Table, Clues to a Lucid Old Age

"If I stop, I rust." The dementia symptom occurs to the aged folks is sprung from the lack of brain exercise . And it's because once they are set free from the duty to work and raise their child, there's no tricky problem to keep their brains spinning and the reduction of stimuli from outer world as retiring gradually detach them from the society. There's actually a crucial issue when it comes to old people's social welfare, that is to offer opportunity for them to maintain their social value. When people are left to idle for too long, their confidence and sense of self -value weakens, and this happens especially for old people. There's an example that an old lady who thought herself couldn't keep up the bridge game so she quit. But actually it's result from her lack of confidence. It would be good if they can be voluntary workers, even just to moan the lawn or to share their story to prisoners. After all heir merit lies in their experience. Through making some contribution, I believe it would not only keep them in good health but also arouse their positive mental status.

Drugs in Portugal: Did Decriminalization Work?

I've read about the "coffee shops", in Holland, they are shops that offers cannabis . If you want to buy a cup of real coffee, you have to go to "café." I can't believe that such shops can just stand on the street and sell what is regarded as forbidden drug to us. However on the second thought, I guess they don't think it a big deal to get hypotized as a mean to acquire relief from stress as long as the civilian don't do themselves harm or commit crime because of that. In that way, the effect of cannabis works the same as coffee and tea—to relieve our stress or to perk us up. It being forbidden is just based on different view point. Speaking of forbidden, I think it's a smart move to ecriminalize drug using and possessing. First it's psychology, we all know one would more want to have a taste of what is forbidden. If the drug is no longer prohibited, the maze that outshines the harm would disapear and the evilness be seen more clearly. Secondly, it's about the efficiency, the Portugal goverment budget the money for healing instead of jail, which cost money without curing the addicted, is very helpful to cut down the drug using rate ,and moreover, is the opportuniy to provide jobs to the psychologist. Third, They can further use the money saved to education the people about the harmful side effect of doing drugs as the prevention. Sometimes the best solution could be the one seems the most improper. The ou-of-the-box policy goes works well till now. I hope the future drug using situation in Portugal will be still optimistic.

MY OPINOIN ON THE FACEBOOK

I'm old-school. I don't agree with the friendship via any kind of social website such as Facebook. I say so because I actually use Myspace and Facebook, but I gradually sense the emptiness and distance that alienate the users. The reason lies in that the so-called "intimate feeling" is only one sided--to know the trifle of others while not really interacting with each other.As described in the journal."I know her sledding expedition and what she'd cooked for that big birthday dinner."Even you do have close friends on the website, there's barely any emotional connection exist.Unlike real life, it doesn't hurt to lose one "friend" there, because there's no emotional bound.It really disappoints me that the emotion and care for people are even digitalized. Just like what it says, "the constant stream of data is a digital form of closeness." The users are only confusing the friendship with sensation. We see the self satisfaction clearly here,"it makes me feel like I have a grip on my world".There's no exchange of thought, feelings, but what to satisfy one's own need of belonging.This form of connection ultimately brings melancholy to the users, for it's impossible to develop real one through the lifeless Internet. I can only reckon the convenience of connecting, having the premise of distance.But to develop friendship or maintain friendship by the network as Facebook is only fake, in that human connection barely exists.

weblog3

Compare to women's status in the Arabic world, I realize that men and women are very equal in Taiwan. "The veil gives women more power in a man's world.", the women don't directly express power, but at least newly sprouting power is sensed here. The rising conscious of women is the symbol of the progress of society. Knowing the new generation with improved concept is fighting for freedom and innovation in a soft way, I look forward to the day when the whole world to be as one. But the weary journey has just begun. "The West is no longer the only worldview to look up to. There are other ways of sharing the world and negotiating your place in it." The west should have given the Arabic world more time, not seeing the situation from a local perspective and providing inappropriate help is the cause of the conflict between the west and the Arabic countries. We see in this journal that what the Arabian people want is a environment neither confined in the tradition nor westernized. This really needs both sides of the world to sort it out. I think the western countries should not be involved actively, but let them develop on their own, providing aids when Arabian countries need. After all, they don't appreciate what's it like living in the Arabic world. "We firmly believe that America, with your guidance, can help foster that peace, though real peace can only be shared--never imposed." That somewhat reveals the implication of the UN force, didn't settle the conflict effectively but trigger the revolt of the terrorist. The insight of the Arabic world delivered by the journal correct my false bias against the Muslim, for I used to think that they don't accept the west in every aspect. But now I know they are tied together; whatever action both sides take influence each other. I hope those Arabian elite, men and women, will reform their country and connect with with the world soon.

Now let me tell you why Nano is definitely going to succeed.

I actually look good on the Nano, for it obviously has some critical advantages. First, we all know that the traffic in India is chaotic. Bikes, rickshaws, scooters, and even cattle are all competing to dominate the road. The mini size is just right for the tricky traffic condition. Second, India now is starting to taking off. People need cars, and the relatively low price of Nano is more acceptable for the Indian civilian based on their present economic status. Third, seeing that the population in India is stunning. If every family possess a car, the spense on oil would be extremely high and the air would be seriously polluted.That's not the future they wish to have, is it? From the above, it can be seen that the Nano stands a great chance to prosper. Although the news points out some economic "flaws" of the Nano company, they are actually not big deal. Which business doesn't take risk at the beginning? Don't the Microsoft and the Facebook outstand from a humble start?
When Mr. Bhattacharya, a partner in the New Delhi office of Boston Consulting Group, made presentations on the Nano to Western car manufacturers a few years ago, "they would all laugh and say that it couldn't be done," Here reminds me of what MacArthur once said." So many of our dreams seem impossible, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.

A Web Awash in Liquor Ads, Promoting Moderation

翁宇萱

49712063

A Web Awash in Liquor Ads, Promoting Moderation

I'm glad to see this action on moderation drinking. After all, prevention is better than cure! As for Absolut vodka's putting ad. on the Facebook, isn't it virtually placement marketing? Seeing that the article indicated that users of Facebook are youth-oriented , there's little chance for them to get fired and seek alcohol for comfort, isn't it? If I, a teenager, should see the ad., I would think, "yeah, I know I know,alcohol is bad....Hey! It's Absolut vodka, the biggest alcohol beverage company. I should try it sometime." That's probably the response most teenagers would have. So it's plainly useless to put the ad. there. It's possible that the ad. is their excuse for their scheme, with an eye to boost the business under the campaign cover because the report
also said there's no sufficient data indicating the recession's resulting in drinking! Why not just put the ad. on google? Or put ad. in every bar directly? That should be so much more affective! More importantly, this kind of ad. had better not be presented by alcohol company but some health organization. Besides, if the ad. could illustrate the fatal consequence, the campaign would be more successful.

Mr. Hacker also pointed out that there's no powerful waring when it comes to announcing the down sides of drinking alcohol to the public. We all know it's necessary to practice tough policy, for drinking is like doing drug, it's hard for the addict to listen to advice. Even though they are being warned, they just don't take it serious and still indulge in the alcohol world. I personally support the fantasy Mr. Hacker proposed,“program iPhones so you get an electric shock when you take that third drink — or better yet, have them program bartenders’ iPhones to shock them not to serve that third drink”, after all, electronic shock is a lot more effective then text messages.

Milan buys into Brand Beckham

Name: Freya 翁(49712063)

Reaction Article#11

Date:16/12/2008

From:BBC NEWS

Milan buys into Brand Beckham
Former England captain charms the Italian press

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/dec/21/beckham-ac-milan-david-victoria

Now Beckham is hired to play for AC Milan temporarily. I personally envy him for he has the chance to have had stayed in so many places around the world; having experienced so many extraordinary things and earned money at the same time. Isn’t it great that travelling to be part of the job so there’s no need to spend extra money to travel? But he indeed deserves it. It means he really has talent and ability to have come this far. He’s now only 33 years old, yet he had become famous since I was in junior high. And now he’s still in his golden period. Of course besides his talent, dealing with the press and social are also the major factors that push him to a higher status. “Beckham rolled with the cynicism of some of the media questions and, as always, dealt with the demands made of him. It is impossible to dislike the man.” “Beckham dutifully said that he had dreamed of playing for Milan since he was a young boy. Then a local reporter pointed out he made no mention of the club in his autobiography. Beckham deployed effortless charm: "Hmm ... I thought I had ... Maybe I will write another one and put some pictures of me in an AC Milan shirt in there. Sorry."”Laughs all round. Inquisition over. Brilliant. See, even the loathful press likes him. No wonder he still performs brilliantly under so many pressure and attention. Equipped with good social skill and ability can one really succeeds and stand the test of time.