One of the best grammar reference book.

I'm really impressed by this very comprehensive and detailed manual for english usage. However, this is not a grammar book for self-learning because its contents are arranged alphabetically like a dictionary unlike other general grammar books which are arranged by importances but it best suits for advanced learners. I think Peter is also using this book as a reference book.

This link below contain the PDF file of Practical English Usage written third edition by Michael Swan. Please be informed that using this file may violate copyright law using for your preview purpose only. I actually had bought this book but I bought it again at the current book exhibition ending tomorrow at very discounted price (300 baht). However, with this electronic file, it is more convenient to use because you can search function without flip around from page to page in the printed out book.

http://www.junjaowka.com/webboard/showthread.php?p=214744

Activities during AEP Class at AUA

I just uploaded all photos from Soo Jin's camera if someone didn't see it yet.

Free time during AEP Class at AUA Bangkok Thailand

The Robots are Coming. Yesterday.

A couple of days ago I watched a new video, which I've embedded below, that has been posted by TEDtalksDirector to YouTube. It's a recording of a presentation given by Rodney Brooks at a conference in 2003. In his well organised presentation, Brooks begins with some general comments about the certainty that robots will become common place in our lives, and suggests that an explosion in the use of robots is beginning now. He then gives some examples to illustrate the recent past of the arrival of robots, with increasing attention to the role and abilities of robots in 2003. He explains some of the work his own research teams are working on, with discussions of such things as robotic awareness of and responsiveness to human visual activity and robotic "emotional spaces". His visual aids, both static and video, make his points very clearly in an entertaining way. Finally, he raises some deeper philosophical questions about the possible developments of robotic intelligence in the not so distant future, including the question of human-like rights for robots, which he relates to the role of scientific and technological progress over the last 500 years in removing our idea that human beings are something special and somehow different to, and superior to, the rest of nature and the universe. 

I enjoyed Brook's 20 minute presentation. He speaks well, with clarity and humour, his ideas are well organised, with interesting visual aids, and his topic and main ideas are relevant to what is likely to happen in our lifetimes. Some of the issues that Brooks addresses are also relevant to the ideas that some of you discussed in your essays on the meaning of person, so although it isn't a reading or writing activity, you might find Brook's presentation worth watching. And it is good practice for speaking and listening. 

TEDtalksDirector is one of the channels I subscribe to on YouTube. They present a range of presentations by leading academics, scientists, authors and others on a range of topical questions. Most are about twenty to thirty minutes in length. Some of my favourites include physicist Stephen Hawking, philosopher Daniel Dennett, psychologist Steven Pinker and evolutionary biologist raichard Dawkins, but there are a lot of other well known thinkers to choose from, some very controversial, such as the Harvard biologist E. O. Wilson. If you are looking for some challenging material to practise listening, you might like to have a look at TEDtalksDirector on YouTube. 

References

Brooks, R. (presenter). (2008, October 10). How robots will invade our lives. TEDtalksDirector on YouTube. Videoclip retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdyRmdv-KiY&sdig=1 

Summarize the Fibonacci's of Pisa

Leonardo Fibonacci was the great mathematician in middle ages. Fibonacci was born in 1170 A.D. His family lived in Pisa city where it was the economical center in that age. Fibonacci learned about mathematic in Algeria. In the first time, he learned to calculate about Indo-Arabic, and he also read about algebra of Algorismi, who was the Persian mathematician. After he was adult, Fibonacci did his business in Egypt, Greek, French, and Constantinople, so he exchanged any knowledge with several people in those cities. When he was 30 years old, Fibonacci went back home in Pisa he referred about Indo-Arabic number, after that it was used in Europe. In 1202, Fibonacci Published the first mathematical book that was name “Abaci” and between 1220 and 1225, he wrote 2 books that was “Flos” and “Liber Quadratorum” Both Flos and Quadratorum were about number theory. Fibonacci number is very surprising and it is learned and applied in many field of study such as biology, engineering, business, and so on. I like this number because it can help me to understand about nature.

Fibonacci number 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 11, 19, …

referrence :
J. Gibb. jrg22@bath.ac.uk

http://people.bath.ac.uk/jrg22/FibonacciNumbers.html

Sweet's article summary

I've read "WHEELS OR NO WHEELS? WHAT'S THE DEAL?". This article point out that when people decide whether or not to buy an own car, it is necessary to consider of the hidden expenses. Some would like to have one because someone else got one, while some think that it is less important than buying houses; however, nobody's right or wrong. This is because if people are confident that their life will run smoothly, that's fine. This article shows many details about financial problems that people will have from owning a car. First, when people decide to down a car, they have to spent much more portion of their salary on installment each month. Also this article wants the reader think of depreciation of a car. And for the drop in price, the used-car market is a good choice for this problems. Moreover, there are a lot of expenses coming such as fuel which car owner has to face with inevitably, tyres maintenance, shock-absorbers, timing belts and insurance cost as well. Furthermore, there are many kinds of public transportation that are more convenient than owning car. The purpose of this article is not to resist buying am own car but rather to make people who really need one think of these expenses.
I think this articlel is essential for people nowadays since most of them are materialistic and also want to have whatever others have. Furthermore, I hold an idea that all of these expenses mentioned in this article is very significant things that some people usually ignore them, even if they are very important for a person who will buy one and also for a person who has already got it. I think this information benefits for many people including me.

Reference
The Nation. (2008, September 15)

Pat's news summary

I've read the news in thenationmultimedia.com it said that there were several sound of gunshots in the ThaiCambodia border at about 2.45pm and it is still not clear who fired first. After Cambodia' premier Hun Sen threatened to open war if Thai troops are not withdraw from the area, both Thai and Cambodia troops moved to the border area in Si Sa ket, Thailand. Thailand has prepared armies and air force to be on the high alerts and to fight back in case if be attacked. And also people were warned to stay away from the border and villagers should stay at home, prepare under shelters and prepare to pack in case if it needs to move out.

I found this is interesting because it just happened not many hours ago and now Thailand is kind of messing, we fight, kill and injure each other even we're the same "Thai" and now other country is attacking us because we are weak, we disunite. This is sad if Thai can't get together .... How Thailand will end up?

Reference
The Nation(2008, October 15). In thenationmutimedia.com.Retrieved 23:25, October 15, 2008, from http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/10/15/headlines/headlines_30086115.php
.

What would you like to read next?

As a class, we have read two pieces of writing so far: Stephen Law's philosophical dialogue "Carving the Roast Beast" and Steven Levitt's economics essay "Where Have All the Criminals Gone?" 

What would you like to read next? The choices are: a classic American novel (a short one), another essay, or your suggestion. 

If you have any preference, please share your ideas.  

Krich's book summary

I read one book before I study in AEP. The name of book in Thai is “pai nok”. If I translate to English is “go aboard”. This book talks about Thai worker in some office of government. He didn’t know anything about England and can’t speak English, but his boss gives scholarship to him to study about technology typing in England. When he thinks that how can he live in England? He didn’t want to go, however, it’s interesting. No one can reject it. After, he decides to go to study. He went to see boss and said that he want to go by ship because he can learn some English in ship with some foreigner. And he could make small talk with other people. When he arrive England he try to study English and take the university test. That’s mean he can graduate bachelor degree. And he can success in his life.

I like this book because at first I gave up in study English because it’s very hard to talk with foreigner. However, I read this book I change my mind I think I can speak if focus on it. Finally, I know some western culture from the book. What is essence difference between city and rural in England.

Reference: Sertthabud. S , PAI NOK.

Yoann's summary

According to Jonathan Amos in http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7668070.stm, scientists seem to become more and more curious about a breakthrough in Antarctica. How would you describe Antarctica?...............A flat iced area, yes I would have guessed. However, in the 1950s scientists discovered that actually there is a mountain chain larger than the Alps (French mountains' chain) under the Antarctica. In the article, it is explained that a plane equipped with radars and gravitational instruments is used to go over the continent as scientists from all around the world are very interested in this discover. The reason of their interest is more on the origin of this chain. Effectively, such a chain could be "created" by two ways which could not have occured in the Antarctica because of its localisation. The aim of the operation is to understand the cause of the creation of this chain which should not be here. Coould you imagine what it could be?

I found that article interesting because first it shows us that we do not have to trust only on what we imagine, a huge area of ice covers in fact a great mountains' chain! Moreover I'm looking forward to knowing the cause of the creation of that chain as it could not be due to tectonics placs collision, and the existency of volcano is studied although it seems to be incredible. The next studies about the age of the whole chain, its composition and what there is even under it could be very helpful and may imply new breakthrough in the field of geology.

Reference: Amos, J.(2008, 10, 14). http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7668070.stm

Tuk recent reading: Newton's Lore

This is the true story of Carl Rowlands about his life and one of the most famous scientist in the world, Sir Isaac New.

Carl Rowland was born on Newton street in Grantham town, Lincolnshire which is the hometown of Sir Isaac Newton. During his childhood, he had to walk pass Newton statue on his way to a school everyday. This is just the beginning of his unbelievable coincidence. When he was 12, he passed the exam to The King's School, Newton used to study here, and he was assigned to be in, definitely, Newton house, one of the sporting house. A year later, he was sent to the town museum to see how the system work. His duty there was to take care of "The Life and Work of Newton" secter. At the age of 14, he broke the school reccord in cricket with his friend, sure enough, Titch Newton. When he turned 18, he joined the Royal Air Force (RAF). Although there were many hundreds of RAF, he was sent to RAF Newton. After attending to national service, he joined the Nottingham City Police Force and, again, he was sent to an address on Newton Street. In 1958, he met a beautiful lady at Palais de Dance in Nottingham, the famous dance hall in the city, then he asked her to dance. During the conversation after dances, he told her how his life, by chance, related to Newton. Then, Jean, his wife-to-be, amusingly told him that her full name was Jean Newton. Moreover, her family were considered to be the decendants of Sir Isaac Newton. He has been married with Jean for 49 years; however, he still thinks about the strange "Force" between Sir Isaac Newton and him. Is it just the incredible coincidence? No one knows.

After I have read this article, I feel so amaze with Carl's story. How can that almost incredible coincidences happen? Are there anybody would like to calculate the probability of that event? I wouldn't, but i guess it would be less than one in a billion. This story remains me about the probability of , most of people think that, impossible events such as other living things out side the earth, somewhere in the universe.

Reference: Carl Rowland. (September 2008) Newton's Lore. Reader's Digest.

"Blood rather than ballots" PAD chose

In New Mandala, blog regarding Southeast Asia political news, I found that the latest column ,written on Oct 14, 08 by Andrew Walker and Nicholas Farrelly is quite interesting. What Andrew and Nicholas wrote about thai politic at this moment; so please be warned that it may be argued from PAD's advocate because what the writer implied in their writing may harm PAD righteousness. If you are hard-core PAD's supporter ,please don't read it.


What make this blog, whose nationality, from its address i guess, is Australian, interesting is that it has different view from mainstream media in Thailand. If you read the column "what happened on 7/10/2008" ,you will receive some information that doesn't exist in Thai mainstream media. However, in "Blood rather than ballots", the writer persuaded reader that PAD prefer blood on the street instead of ballot in the stall. The writer says that it's quite obviouse that PAD intent to benefit from violations in crackdown, or didn't try to avoid this violation. They also analysed that the 2007 election result that PPP almost got a half of members of paliament,but in many electronates, PPP won by very thin margin. Therefore, it is quite clear that if PAD cooporate with Demorate, implicitly or explicitly, Democrat will probably win in the next election. So the election by majority won't be unavoidable tyranny like PAD said. Why did PAD choose the move that risks for their followers' lives instead of supporting Democrat in next election campaign,if their preference is not bloodbath.

In my opinion, their supporting reasons are quite strong and obious. Because in that moment, there is none reasonable stimulant to increase their protest. Everythink were gonna be fine, although their assistant head was captured, there is still no reasons to increase their fighting level. However, thought not related to this column, I agree with PAD that the government should take responsibilities for this violent ,with or without their intention, but because we are in the moment of world's chaos, those responsibilities can be postponed.

References

Andrew Walker and Nicholas Farrelly, (OCT 14, 2008). New Mandala. retrived October 14, 2008 from http://rspas.anu.edu.au/rmap/newmandala/2008/10/14/blood-rather-than-ballots/

Soojin's summary of magazine

This article said about several symptons of sleeplessness and how to overcome it. According to writer in "Bangkok post the magazine", if the more serious sleeplessness you are, the more difficulte you can't fall asleep. This sympton starts when you feel very tired. Writer emphasize the importance of quantity of sleep. We have to check wheather you get deep sleeping or not. Also, internal clock affects your sleep. When you sleep, you has two typles of sleep; REM(Rapid Eye Movement) sleep and non-REM sleep. Non-REM sleep is the deep sleep and generally, an adult has a three-quaters of his or her night in non-REM sleep. It makes your brain activity easing and relaxing. If you haven't enough quality sleep, it will make you very tired and you can't concentrate on everything in your life. For example, fatigued drivers is the most immedeate danger as drunk drivers because the drivers can't contcentrate, according to researchers at Stanford University. David Fairbanks, in his book, Snoring and obstructive sleep Apnoea, said that people with sleeplessness got below average on test for attention and concentration. In additional, people sufferd from sleeplessness are isolated from family and friend. They can't adjust their sociality.
Lastly, the writer suggest that some tips about how to overcome sleeplessness, for example, "exercise and be active, learn to relax".

Referance: Bangkok Post the magazine, 28 August 2008 issue 122

Killing Yaa Baa - forget the government

I read the BBC News report "Montana meth ads winning drug battle", a few weeks ago, when it was published on August 22, but remembered it and looked it up again this afternoon. The article describes an unusually successful campaign against abuse of methamphetamine in the US state of Montana, which, despite it's reputation for natural beauty had been devastated by the effects of crystal meth, which is known as "Yaa Baa" in Thailand. Abuse of this highly addictive drug was said to be responsible for half of the crimes that had put people in prison and for half of babies in foster care because their drug addicted mothers could not care for them. But then in just two years, Montana fell from being number 5 to number 39 on the list of US states with meth. problems. The unusual campaign that made this possible had was financed and planned by Tom Siebal, a rich software developer, who lived there and wanted to help his community. He treated the problem as a sales problem, researched the users demand for the drug and applied the same marketing techniques used to sell software and other products to selling the idea that methamphetamine was bad news and best not used. Siebal's campaign has not completely removed the drug, but it has made a very big improvement. 

What I found most unusual in this report is that it was done without any interference from the government. I can't help but wonder: did it work better because the government was not involved? Would it be better for other areas with drug problems to get rid of the failing government "solutions" and let the local community care for itself? 

It reminds me of a change that has occurred amongst the native Australian communities in cities like Sydney over the past ten years or so. Where once they would accept, or demand, government support, many community leaders now see that as unhelpful and they are leading their own drug addicted, alcoholic and crime prone communities to say "No" to government help because it doesn't seem to work, and merely makes the people dependent on the government. 

Would we all be better off if the government did not interfere in our lives so much? Are free market people like Tom Siebal better agents for improving society than communist like governments that make up laws to try to control people's personal lives? 

__________ 

References

Montana meth ads winning drug battle, (2008. August 22). BBC News. Retrieved October 14, 2008 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7576275.stm 

James and Yoann's Questions: Paragraph or Essay?

The questions that James and Yoann raised in class this morning were, as always, relevant and worth some discussion time. Their supporting reasons were also thoughtful and clearly stated. 

As the example paragraph in Quest shows, it is certainly possible to write a one paragraph answer to the question: What can be done about the problem of drug addiction? (p. 227) However, the same proposition can also be supported in an essay. 

The incomplete essay I've just written to support the same proposition as the paragraph on page 227 is at http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dc39t2qs_417dqfpdcdc . 

Which do you think gives stronger support for the proposition, the paragraph or the essay? Which is more persuasive? 

If you really wanted to persuade others to your proposition, which would you use, the paragraph or the essay? 

James's thesis statement, number 11 on the list, is strong because he is clearly going to give three different supporting reasons for his proposition. Each reason needs to be stated, explained and developed enough to make clear how it supports his proposition. James could do that in one paragraph, or he could write an essay. Which do you think would be the better choice? Why? 

I think the way his his proposition is written now might be a problem, as Sweet suggested, but it certainly seems good enough for him to start writing his essay. He might decide later, perhaps when he reviews his essay, that it would be a good idea to revise the thesis statement. Such revision is normal: you don't always know in advance how your essay will turn out, or what you will end up being able to support, so a final thesis statement is often quite different to the one that the essay started with. Your thesis statement is provisional until you have finished revising your essay. 

Even if you only have one supporting reason (hopefully a very strong one), for your proposition, why might it be better to write an essay than a paragraph? If you disagree, as Yoann and Soojin did, why might a paragraph be a better choice than an essay? 

Why do people usually write essays  instead of paragraphs? 

Since you don't have much else to do this evening, please read the linked essay and list of thesis statements, think about the questions here, and share your ideas in a comment. 

If you would like to disagree with me, that's fine. (Don't worry - I will support my opinion.) 

Pat special

Fashionista, Pat

Yoann special

Cool guy
but psycho?
Just kidding ^^;;ye~

Tukky special

I made it for you with colecting your pictures.^^

There are a lot of your pictures in my camera.

Cutty Tukky~

HELLO:D

All friends agree to post pictures on Friday lunch^^

Sorry, Peter, is this blog just for studyig?

If you don't like it I will delete them.

We had a very good time.Some students didn't join us.

Please come with us next time~
I will picture you too.

HELLO:D

All friends agree to post pictures on Friday lunch^^
Sorry, Peter, is this blog just for studyig?
If you don't like it I will delete them.
We had a very good time.
Some students didn't join us. Please come with us next time~

I will picture you too.

Soojin's response to number 2 and 4, p211 of Quest

I choose number 2 and 4 .
First, I'm going to talk about number 4. As I said in class, in Korea there is an alcohol culture. This culture is similar to Chaina, but alcohol is not like a water like that. Korean would like to enjoy drinking some places like Meeting, MT(Membership Training) in university. If you watch a Korean movie, you can see a Korean alcohol and beer easily. Expecially, if the someone have a lot of stress, he or she find a beer or alcohol with their friends. In that case, they want to be drunk to relieve their sad feeling. If Korean freinds explain unhappy events like breaking with her boyfriend, failing a exam, they usually say to their friends including me, "Could you buy some beers for me?" Every begining of semester, in University some students die because they are drunk too much. Therefore, today university students try to change this culture. No more than 10 years ago, if an elder gave a glass of Korean alcohol "soju" to freshmen, the younger had to empty his or her cup. It was difficulte to refuse thier glass. Thesdays, students think that alcohol culture have a lot of problem so we have to change it. Lately, it is more easier to refuse drinking. However, it is still welcome if you can enjoy drinking in Korea.
Because of Alcohol culture in Korea, the rate of liver cancer is very high. That is a health problem in Korea.

krich's answer question #1,2

In my country the kind of illegal drug to use in people are depend on status and age. For example, Thai worker take Ya-Ba, Thai whisky and something is the price is cheap. But in case of teenagers who have money to support like to take something is more expensive. Because they think is so smart when they do something wrong and no one can catch them. That sound like show to other in the people that they have many powers to do everything that population cannot do.
There are many problems from people who take drug because it can increase many things such as crime rate, a number of addicts, and social problem. It is very hard to control someone who falls in the power of drug. There are many cases in my country; for example, the guys who fall in the power of Ya-Ba catch someone to negotiate to do something with police. Actually, he don’t want to do anything but it’s just stress of the people.

NAT's answer question 2 and 3

In my country, the use of diet drug usually results in psychological problems. After use this drug, they would have side effect, which is yoyo effect. People who suffer from this effect tend to overeat and then their weight would rapidly increase. This kind of health problem usually happens in people who want to lose their in a short time. After that, they would eat more and more drug to lose weight. Finally, they are addicted to diet drug, Moreover, people would have anxiety or panic disorder which cause social problems such as they may be afraid of communicate to other people.

I am surprised by drinking in China. According to Quest2, Chinese people usually drink alcohol with their meal. This means that they usually drink alcohol and drink alcohol instead of water. The reasons are social and physical. I thinks that drinking alcohol with this frequency would not good for health that they cliam. Personally, when I saw people who drink alcohol with their meal usually drink a lot. They don't drink for health. I used to read about drinking alcohol. It says that people should drink a little alcohol if they want to be healthy, so I am surprised that drinking with that reasons doesn't corresponse to physical health.

James on from Mexico with surprise and substance

First start with what surprise me from Mexico, I'm quite surprised by the alcohol drinking information from mexico because It says that poorer people drink more. It contrasts with Tobacco information that people in developing country smoking less than the developed countries which infer that rich people smoke more than the poor. So ,what is the difference between alcohol and tobacco? Why rich people smoke more but drink less while poor smoke less but drink moor?

Another thing is the substance that people usually use in Thailand. At this moment when i think about additive substance, right now in my head, i have an image of yellow clothes people, not monks but PAD. May be the additive substance most used now is belief though belief seems like non-substance. However, i think it will be the worst additive substance in our world if it is used in the wrong way. The war ussually occur because of some conflict in each side belief. You may have never thought about how much strong result it has on people. Only Belief can gather many people to risk their lives for it. And i think addiction to some strong belief may be more difficult to cure than other drug addiction

Yoann's answer to question 1 and 2

In my country, there are more and more young smokers in my opinion, because this "drug" is very easy to find even if it is very expensive. Moreover, a lot of teenagers smoke because they think the fashion is to smoke. I mean, they think they can be more respected if they smoke which is wrong, to my mind. They also want to refuse authority because most of the parents do not want their child to smoke so they do that, smoke, to express they refusal of authority. Another drug which is very fashionable among french teenagers is cannabis. This substance is very easy to find in my country and even if it is illegal it is not considered as a "strong drug", so young people think they can just enjoy the effects without becoming addicted which is wrong.
This consomation has several and severe effects on health, first the number of people suffering from cancer when they are about fourty years old seems to be increasing and the prediction are even worse because when you begin to smoke when you are twelve, you are more likely to dead early. Cannabis also has bad effects on consumers' health, even if they can not believe it and they do not want to believe it,they become addicted. Moreover when they are under the effects of drug they sometimes do things that lead to their death.

Pat's response to "Drug Use and Abuse Worldwide"

I choose questions 3 and 4. For Q3, I was surprised about the number of women that drink alcohol in India,because when I think of the women, their image should be like mother of the children, who takes care of the family, stay home, cooking kind like that and the men, working outside, having meeting, as the men stay more outside in the social they should drink alcohol more than women, but what I found in the box is opposite and the number in percent of women who drink alcohol is very high.
Q4. I think in Thailand we have kind wort which made from fermented sticky rice and people can produce it at home and it's been with Thai for long time, I think. So that I would say people in Thailand have been drinking alcohol since long time ago but in the past men drink alcohol more than women, I think because of the attitude, women that drink alcohol bad persons. But now women is more independent, they decide by themselves what to do so I think of women and men that drink alcohol is about the same. There are many reasons for drinking alcohol, such as drinking in the party for fun, drink for being a part of the society, drink to get rid out of the bad feeling.

Drug use and abuse

For answering question1h and 2h on page211 in Quest2, I think alcohol is the most popularly used in my culture because it's easy to buy it and its price doesn't expensive. In my opinion, people like to drink alcohol in order to reduce stress, feel more relaxed and less anxious from their studying or working. Some of them maybe think that alcohol can make them feel good and also forget problems when they get drunk. Perhaps some like the taste of alcohol as welll. Actually, I think the most important reason that people in my country like alcohol is sociability. For example, most of them maybe don't like alcohol, but they have to drink it in order to join the party with their friends or colleagues. Accordingly to health problems of using drug, there are many problems as a result of drug use in my country such as unconsciousness, difficulty breathing, dangerously low blood sugar and even death. In case of drinking alcohol, it may lead to brain problem like an intoxication. People who drink a lot are most likely to be overweight and have high blood pressure. And if they continue drinking, they may take the risk of damaging their organs such as the liver and heart and probably to get cancer as well.

Discussion about using drug in Thailand.

I'm going to talk in the first topic in Quest2 pages211
Many adicts in Thailand often use glue because it's cheap and it can find very easy. Even though many people, especially teenager, know about disadvantages of glue, they still inhale the glue because many teenager in Thailand have many family problems. Finally, they decide to inhale glue in order to help them to forget any problems, another point they may be induced by thier friends so that it shows that they seem like hero.

What noom reads?

When I was young, I found many interesting book but I rarely buy it because I realize that I never end it. At that time, my interesting books are about psychology or how to increase my IQ. I want to be smart so I read many book about brain function and I also do many test to check my IQ. I have to say that I was smart before. I used to get a high score for the test but now my brain is slower, it’s hardly to think or remember things. I always think that because I getting older and my routine work and I have less activity therefore, I decide to stop working and plan to study more to make my brain alert. Reading a book can help us gain a lot of knowledge. At home I have a lot of book, it usually about law because I studied law. I always update my book. I have to set a room in order to collect my books. I started to spend a lot of money to books when I studied in law school, at that moment I feel it worthy to spent money for it. I started to read many kind of book however, I rarely finished it. The book that I finished it must be a really interesting book for me. Anyway, I always go to book store. Almost everyday I have to check at book store to find something interesting for read. My interesting always changes from time to time for example; sometime I interest Buddhism, sometime travel or novel. That’s why I have many kind of book. I like to compare for each book.

What Kookai reads?

I have liked reading since I was young. I like to read many kinds of books such as cosmic, novel,magazine and newspaper. I usally read a newspaper everyday which I like to read Bangkok Post newspaper now. In Bangkok Post, I find a lot of interesting columns such as entertainment, opinion, business, outlook and so on. When I open it, I will read entertainment column the first because I need to update about movies. I like to watch movies whenever I have free time, so I can update new movies here. Nevertheless, I also like to read novels such as Harry Potter, Princess Diary, The nancy, Sophie Kinsella's novels and so on. It is not surprise why I like reading because whenever I go to book stores, I do not miss to buy books. Therefore, I will take more time here in order to buy books. I have a lot of books which they are like a small library in my house. Surely, I still do not read some of them because I have not free time. Anyway, I will read them immediately whenever I have free time. Absolutely, I will not miss them!!!

What did James read

I also like to read if i have to time. My preference is very broad from novel, business related book to applied Buddhist book. Since i took AEP class, i don't have much time to finished any new books. However, i try to read news in website everyday. the book i finished lately is a speech of buddhadassa pikku about the harmony of Christian and Buddhist's teaching in each religion canon. In Buddhadass view, those two believes are very quite similar if you infer the meaning from Bible instead of interprete word by word. Even, the distintive characteristics of buddhism , usually thought as the unique only in Buddhism such as non-self, can also be infered from Bibel. Also, the story in Genesis, which people in current period believe that it is nothing but just a fairly tales, can infer to the complicate Buddhist dharmma. However, because i've never read Bible more than one page ,i'm not sure that the christian people shall agree with this Buddhadassa's opinion.

What's BALL read?

When I have free time, I usually read books. I like to read many kind of books such as science, history, sports, and fashion. I prefer to read the history while I have free time. For example, I often read about the ancient chinese, especially silk road. "Silk road" it means the path of ancient chinese, local poeple near the road and european people to use in traveling between Asia and Europe. And chinese poeple usually use silk instead of gold to excahnge the products and were able to pay the taxes in china. Silks were very popular in china and Roman too!. Silks which were imported from china to sell in Roman were very expensive. Likewise, the value of it was at the salary of soilder in Roman use all year!

What Pat reads.

Actually, I love books and I like reading, almost anykind of books but except text books or books that I have to read for studying, I don't really enjoy reading them but I have to. My fevourite kind of books, nuber one is, the biligual poem books. This kind of books are mostly in the size of pocket book, not too big so you can carry it with you anywhere and it usually writes about love, encourage, feeling. So when I read it I thnik like it is true oe not what in the book says, and it quite easy to undertand because it about the ehings that near you, I can also learn English vocabulary from these book, without look for the meaning in dictionary because the translation is right there, on the other site of every pages.

What Yoann reads

I usually read several types of books or magazines and I will try to explain what they are. Firstly, I like reading in English I don't read anymore in French because reading in English helps you to improve your skills and it is the best way to learn a foreign language, trying to understand some word in their context and learning some idiomatic expressions. Secondly, I often read magazine and especially magazines about football or planes which are my hobbies. Thirdly, when I read a book, it is often a stephen King's book , because I like his way of writing and when I read him, I find it difficult to stop reading because there is a lot of suspens and I'm fond of it. I also like reading thrillers for the same reason, suspens is important for me to enjoy a book. Finally I also like reading French poems which I find very good.I like reading that kind of books because it calls your imagination and it makes you think and reflect, it permit you to escape, for a while, from reality.

What Tuk Reads: Life's Compass

The latest book that I've read is Life's Compass (It's a thai book so I translate it's title into English). This book may seem to be the ordinary dhama book, but it isn't. In my point of view, the most interesting thing in this book is the writer, Thitinart Na-Pattalung. She graduated the master degree from London university in business major at the age of 20. By 25, She had her own company and it was going very well. Unfortunately, when she turned 27 her husband died and left one little daughter and deft whih was almost one hundred million bath with her. She had no idea how to deal with it. This story sounds like tredgidy. However, within 5 years she can clear th

Voting is not fair

Last week, I have read about voting. Kennth J. Arrow, an economist, says that there is no voting system is perfect. He gives the reasons that voting is fair when we are all three condition. One is non-dictaatorships. It means no one can force you to vote. Another is pareto efficiency, this means if people in society are all agree with some alternatives, that alternatives will become a social perferrence. The third is that voting has to be independent of irrelavant alternatives. Kennth mathematically shows that the dictator exists when we have more that three choices to vote. If we have more than three choices, whatever voting methods we use are not fair. This topic interests me because I usually thinks voting is the best way to find the best agreement.

What krich reads

Nowadays, I have to read some book, which concern about engineering knowledge, because I have to take the test for my engineering license. It’s so easy when I just graduate from university but now it’s quite hard because I change my gold to study aboard. I focus on English. I forgot mostly knowledge about engineer such as shear force diagram, bending moment diagram. I’m not sure that I can pass the exam. However my senior said it’s quite easy. It’s like a real work so easier than subject in university, but I still worry. Since I finished university I didn’t work. I just came to Bangkok and try to study English. I can say that today I have a English book more than engineering book. That’s sound a bit odd for my friend and my family when I told them. Moreover, I read English magazine.

What Sweet Reads

When Peter assigned me to write what I read, I 'm not clear what exactly he would like me to do. Threrfore, I will write about newspaper because I always read newspaper almost everyday, unfortunately,it's a Thai newspaper not like a Bangkok Post or something like that.Whenever I read it, I read almost all of the articles, but I usually pay a lot attention to the topic about entertainment. Nowadays, I think that I try to read an international newspaper more than the past because it can make me practice my English skill, but I have not too much time to read it everyday. In my opinion, reading newspaper either That or international newspaper is very useful for every people....

What Soojin reads

Lately, I have read two books, Introduction of economy and Word power made easy. Actually, I was not interested in economy and that is not my majoy, but I have to read it because of preparing Korean law school. When I read it again and again, I feel interesting, although sometimes it is quite difficult to understand.
And my second bood, Word power made easy, is a kind of Enlish learning books. It inform about the English word, by etymology. Before I read it, I didn't know the latin, greek which are root of English. I think it is so good because if I know a etymological meaning of one word, I can infer the other word's meaning and recite a lot of English word much easier. My father recommended it to me and I have gotten some help from this book.
Therefore, I read one Korean book and one English book. Sometimes I confused English with Korean so, I can't catch the meaning of English word even though it is easy and I already recite it.