Happy time!!

Last Friday, I ate this ice cream! The name is "Hot caramel Ice cream".

Nowadays, "nama caramel" is very popular sweet in Japan. It is very softly so when we put it in our mouth, the caramel melts quickly.

Its owner is Tanaka Yoshitake. He is a Japanese talent so he introduced his caramel in a variety show. Then, it became a very famous sweet in Japan.

This picture shows that a vanilla ice cream was covered with hot caramel sauce. Yes!! The caramel sauce made of "nama caramel". Additionally, the sauce was hot caramel sauce so I enjoyed eating cold and hot taste.

You know, "nama caramel" is very expensive sweet and we can't buy this "Hot caramel Ice cream" in Kumamoto. The reason why I could eat it , Tsuruya depart held a fair of Hokkaidou so the shop came to Kumamoto and I could eat it.

Unfortunately, the fair had already finished so you can't eat it now.

There are some this ice cream shops in Japan, so if you really want to eat it, you should go somewhere in Japan. Of course, in Hokkaidou, you can eat!

Discussion 7 November 19th

Last discussion topic was that we should introduce the system of daylight saving time. This discussion member were Ms. Satsuki, Kamazuka, Amasawa, Mr. Nikaidou and a chair.


According to the chair, in U.S.A, Canada, Australia and many European countries introduce this system. Therefore, we could introduce too.

First, Ms.Satsuki said she agreed with this idea. She is a government office worker so she stated one's views of the government aspect. For example, she proposed that we could reduce the number of traffic accidents because we could go home before it gets dark. Additionally, the system will lead to the ecology activity. The reason why she said such an idea that if we could go home before it gets dark, we could cut down on the use of lights at the each offices. Therefor, she agreed with the system.

Second, Mr. Nikaidou who is a company employee said his opinion. According to his opinion, he was on neutral ground because the system has both advantage and disadvantage. He said it was good for us to cut cost of energy thanks for the system because we could think about global warming. On the other hand, if we introduce this system, his company have to change all clocks so that means they need a lot of money. Therefore, he couldn't agree with the idea completely.

Third, Ms. Kamazuka said her opinion. She has a daughter who is a elementary school student so she worried about her child's physical condition. If we introduce the system, children's class schedule would change so Ms. Kamazuka thought that they wouldn't be able to keep up with the change of their environment. Consequently, she disagreed with the idea.

Last, Ms. Amasawa who is a elementary school teacher said her opinion. She agreed with the idea because she thought thanks for the system, children can go home before it gets dark so it is very safety for them.

Afterward all panelists said their opinion, they talked about the cost, advantages and case of Hokkaidou. Then, Ms. Nikaidou suggested that we would change only opening time instead of daylight saving time system. According to her idea, we have not to change our clocks and only change our schedule.

After their discuss, audience asked some questions to each panelists. Then, one of the students came up with a new idea. That was we would introduce only eastern Japan. The reason why she thought, western Japan's evening later than eastern Japan so western Japan need not to introduce the system. We thought the new idea was better but we couldn't understand the purpose of the idea completely.
Therefore, when the chair asked us that we agree with the system or not, most of us couldn't agree with the idea.

In the end, our consensus was "NO" so the team couldn't lead to the assent side.

Discussion6 November 12th

In last discussion class, we thought about free medical care for citizen. This discussion team had 4 panelists and a chair.


First, each panelists introduced themselves and they said agree or disagree with the idea. Then, there were 2 supporters in panelists. One was Ms. Ume who is a homemaker and the other was Mr. Tomozou who is a clerk at a cigar store. In particular, Ms. Ume and her husband have no income so they live on pension. However, they have regular health problems so their medical bill is very expensive. Therefore, if medical care change into a free service, it would be good for them.

On the other hand, Ms. Miyu who has a family disagreed with the idea. The reason why she did that she rarely goes to hospital so it is needless system for her. Additionally, her family isn't rich so she didn't want to pay more tax for the system.

However, concerning the raising tax, Ms. Ume and Mr. Tomozou worried too. Ms. Ume and Mr. Tomozou are not rich people so they want to get free medical care without raising tax. Then, the chair asked them that how to get money for free medical care.


Ms. Ume's idea that smoking and drinking is bad for the health so alcohol and cigarette taxes should increase for the system. However, of course, Mr. Tomozou disagreed with her idea and he insisted that we should raise only consumption tax. Then, Ms. Miyu said raising consumption tax is bad for not rich people like her. They argued with each other about what kind of tax we should increase so the chair suggested raising income tax.

Then, Ms. kyoko opposed the idea. Until this point, she said it is not her problem because her husband has a lot of money. However, if we change income tax, Ms.Kyoko would have to pay more money so she thought it was unfair for her.

While they talking about tax, they got off the subject and started talking about object person who can receive free medical care. Therefore, I didn't understand why raising income and consumption taxes was their consensus. So, I got my own thought. In my opinion, if we impose pleasure tax, it would be fair for all people. The reason why I thought that, like drinking, watching movies are not indispensability for our lives so we can pay tax about it. However, it is unhappy to live for people if we impose a tax on all pleasure so we need to limit the extent, I think.

Last, I think both panelists and audience should be careful to keep our discussion topic.

Discussion5 November 5th

Last discussion topic was that how to reduce the electric bill in PUK. The discussion members were Ms. Mariko, Keiko, Mr.Takashi and Shinohara.

First, Ms.Keiko who is a officer of General Administration Division in PUK explained that now, PUK pays a lot of money which is about 75 million yen for the year as electric bill so it is very expensive. Therefore, she suggested that we should reduce it by controlling the temprature of air conditioners. Her idea that we set air conditioners to 28 degrees in summer and to 18 degrees in winter.

However, Ms. Mariko who majors in English literature in PUK disagreed with Ms. Keiko's idea. The reason why she thought that in summer, 28 degrees must be hot and in winter, 18 degrees must be cold so it is bad for students to study in PUK.

Then, Mr.Takahashi who majors in combined management in PUK suggested that we set air conditioners to 26 degrees in summer and to 20 degrees in winter.

Ms. Keiko answered about Mr.Takahashi's idea that if we set 26 and 20 degrees each seasons, we have to reduce the electric bill by the other ways.
So, Mr. Shinohara who is a professor of environment department came up with a good idea. That is "solar panel". He thought if we have some ones, we could reduce the electric bill despite we set comfortable temperature. However, Ms. Keiko pointed that we need a lot of money to buy some solar panels so it is no meaning. Then, Mr. Shinohara explained about her opposing opinion that a solar panel can generate 1kilo watts so it is economical in the long run.
Mr. Shinohara's explanation was good so Ms. Keiko could agree with his idea.

From now, the chair asked Ms. Mariko that setting of comfortable temperature is good or not for the cost and environment. Of course, she answered it is not good but she said PUK should give us a good life for students to study comfortably. So, panelists and audience needed to find some solutions outside of solar panel.

Then, one student came up with a good idea. The idea is that we use an electric fan with air conditioners. The reason why the student thought the idea that if we use it, we could cycle the room's air! It was very good idea so we could say we found a good solution about the topic.
In fact, our consensus was using solar panel and electric fan.

After the discussion, I thought we should reconsider our discussion style. So, next discussion, I want to try to do discussion like group5's style!

Happy Halloween!!

On October 31Th, I had a Halloween party with my friends. The day, we made a jack-o-lantern! The left picture is before making it. The pumpkin was so big and nice orange color. And the right picture is finished the lantern. We made a scared face it!

First, we made a draft on the pumpkin.

Then, we decided the scared face and draw it.

Second, we cut off the top of the pumpkin. The part of jagged shape! The pumpkin was hard to cut so it was difficult for us.

Third, we removed pumpkin fibers. There were a lot of fibers in it so it was very hard work.

Last, we cut off the eyes, nose and mouth. It took an hour for us to complete the jack-o-lantern but we could make a very good it!It was my first time so I enjoyed making it very much.

In the party, I don't have any costumes so I wore a Minnie Mouse hairband which I bought in Disney Land. I had a very good party with my Friends! I hope that next year we have a Halloween party too.

Discussion4 Octorber 29th

Last Discussion topic was "Should all elementary school students have their own mobile phone, or not?" This discussion's guests were Ms. Miyagawa, Sakamoto, Tanaka and Sato.

First, the chair read a data that 30 children died last year so if they have their mobile phone, they would escape the accident. According to the data, in Japan, 70% children don't have their own mobile phone now. Therefore, the chair suggested that the government should give the mobile phones to all elementary school students.

Then, Ms. Sakamoto said that now her daughter doesn't have her own mobile phone but if the government give a phone, it would be a good idea for her daughter. However, she worried about the cost because it is very expensive. So, Ms. Tanaka who is a government officer said if the idea pass after the discussion, they would support the cost so home obligation fees will be only￥1,000 per month. This idea was so good for Ms. Sakamoto but she had another problem. It was that she worried about the trouble of mobile phone. The mobile phone has a lot of troubles now, so she couldn't agree with the idea completely. Then, Ms. Miyagawa who works for a mobile phone company suggested that they would set up the lowest limit system so the mobile phones are safety for children. Therefore, Ms. Sakamoto could solve her cares so agreed with the idea completely.

On the other hands, another guest had a problem. That was Ms. Sato because she is a single woman so she doesn't have her child. If the government support the cost of mobile phones for all elementary school students from income tax, the idea would not be good for her. However, Ms. Tanaka said to her that children would be responsible for the next generation so adult people should save them from a lot of dangerous things. Ms. Sato was convinced by Ms. Tanaka's persuasion so she agreed with the idea at last.

So, the discussion team's consensus that the government should give the mobile phones to all elementary school students. However, the mobile phone has restrictive functions that children could call and send mail to their parents, school and emergency systems. And the cost of mobile phone will be supported by the government from income tax so home obligation fees will be only ￥1,000 per month.

After the discussion, we talked about the problems. Then, one student asked that why 70% elementary school students even now don't have their own mobile phones? The student continued that maybe the 70% parents think their children need not to have their own mobile phones but you recommend mobile phone to them. So, the student didn't understand the reason. When I heard the question, that was exactly what I thought . However, the discussion team couldn't give the good solution to her so I couldn't satisfy the idea.

I think the topic was interesting but the team should have developed their idea deeply.

Frog and Toad are friends 3

~Summary~

One day, Toad and Frog went for a long walk. They walked across a large meadow, in the wood and along the river. After that they went back home to Toad's house.

Then, Toad found that he lost one of the buttons on his jacket. Therefore, Toad and Frog went back to all the places where they walked.

First, they walked back to the large meadow and began to look for Toad's button in the tall grass. Then, Frog found a black button. Unfortunately, it was not Toad's one because his button was white. So, Toad put the black button in his pocket.
After that, a sparrow flew down and he showed a button which the sparrow found to Toad. Unfortunately, it was not Toad's one because his button had four holes but that had only two holes. So, Toad put the button with two holes in his pocket.

Second, Toad and Frog went back to the woods and looked on the dark paths. Then, Frog found a small button. Unfortunately, it was not Toad's one because his button was big. So, Toad put the small button in his pocket.
After that, a raccoon came and showed a square button. Unfortunately, it was not Toad's one because his button was round. So, he Toad put the square button in his pocket.

Last, Toad and Frog went back to the river. They looked for the button in the mud. Then, Frog found a thin button. Unfortunately, it was not Toad's one because his button was thick. So, Toad put the thin button in his pocket.

At last, Toad was very angry and ran home and slammed the door. Then, he found a white, four-holes, big, round, thick button. It was his one! And he thought what a lot of trouble he has made for Frog. Therefore, he took all of the buttons out of his pocket and sewed them all over his jacket.

The next day, Toad gave his jacket to Frog. Frog felt so happy. Of course, Toad had sewed all buttons on very well so none of them fell off.

~My impression~
I think this story is very rhythmical so it is very interesting to read for readers.
It is very good point that Toad felt regretful for Frog and apologized to him.
The story has many good points in it!