Extra calcium better or worse ??

Everyone knows a main benefit from drinking milk consistently which provide us a calcium in order to strengthen our bones. But if you still think that the more you drink the milk, the healthier you get, maybe you want to change your mind.

According to “Not Milk! Too Much Calcium Does The Body Bad, Researchers Say” by Patti Neighmond, Dr. Ethel C. Siris suggests that there is no need for extra calcium more than recommended calcium intakesin usual day, for it can cause a kidney stone since extra calcium are excreted through kidney in form of urine. And it may also calcify in arteries leads to precipitate heart attack.

Although more researches are required to determine another drawback from extra calcium in a body, but it helps raise awareness about the risks from drinking milk or eating calcium rich foods too much. I usually drink milk everyday and someday I drink it a lot, at least 1 liter per day. I am also the one who always believe that drink milk a lot will help me have a good health. But after I finish reading this article, I was surprised that I have always misunderstood. However, calcium is still necessary for all people at every age, but especially for old people and women after menopause which bone loss is one of their troubles. Not only the calcium which affects our health when consumed exceeds the recommended limit, there are many things that we should be aware of such as instant noodle, sugar or soybean. And if you have a well management for your eating, you will absolutely have a good health.


Reference

Neighmond, P. (2012, August 13). Not Milk! Too Much Calcium Does The Body Bad, Researchers Say. NPR from http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/08/13/158506960/too-much-calcium-could-cause-kidney-heart-problems-researchers-say

The Value of Argument: Why We Need Criticism

We often read in the local papers about the need for "reconciliation" as though there was something wrong with disagreeing and arguing, and sometimes laws are even used to suppress criticism on a topic. Are these opinions sensible and helpful?

"Organic Change", in The Economist, is about a recent example of how scientific knowledge grows and corrects mistaken beliefs (2012). The article reports that after a surprising result in biology was published in the prestigious journal Science by NASA, the resulting critical arguments and reports of contradictory results led to discrediting in the same journal of a the report that a new species of bacteria which lived on arsenic rather than phosphorus had been discovered.

NASA, the United States National Aeronautic and Space Administration, is a major government research organization, the same one that has recently landed the one-tonne Curiosity on Mars, and it is full of brilliant and honest scientists. But in the report about arsenic based life forms, they seem to have got it wrong. I don't think this is surprising, and no one thinks the NASA scientists are fools as a result: they just made a mistake, which anyone who is working to discover new knowledge must surely sometimes do. One of the great strengths of science, compared with every non-scientific way of acquiring knowledge about the world we live in, is that when science makes mistakes, they can be corrected, and they are usually corrected by scientists fairly quickly, although sometimes a theory can last for a long time before a better one comes along. This seems to me not only a very successful way to useful knowledge and understanding of our world, but to be honest and modest as well. Scientists always know that their ideas might be proved wrong - and that's not a problem.

Just imagine what would have happened if argument, negative comments and disagreement were not allowed: the mistaken belief could never have been corrected! This is a valuable lesson that science teaches us for every area of life, private and social: if we do not allow and accept criticism, disagreement and argument, then knowledge is impossible. So why do so many people seem to prefer and try to enforce ignorance by suppressing free speech and discouraging disagreement? Isn't knowledge better than ignorance?

Of course, this is also why academic freedom is necessary for a strong and healthy education system.

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Reference

Organic change. (2012, July 19). The Economist. Retrieved August 12, 2012 from http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2012/07/conduct-science

Pre-marital Sex: Tradition or Justice?

I often read worried comments from local politicians and officials, especially the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Education, or from conservative American political leaders and Christian preachers, all of whom believe that society is falling apart because young people are having sex outside of marriage. But as  Morocco: Should pre-marital sex be legal? shows, the situation is much worse in other countries.

This BBC News report by Nora Fakim is about death a sentence imposed on a newspaper editor by an Islamic cleric for supporting an end to a Moroccan law that makes sex between unmarried people illegal (2012). Fakim says that this fatwa is an example of the tension in modern Morocco between socially progressive people and conservative traditionalists.

Some of the other details in this report are shocking, although perhaps not surprising. For example, Fakim quotes Morocco's Justice Minister Mustapha Ramid, who has said that "legalising sex outside marriage is an initiative to promote debauchery" (2012). I heard the same sort of alarmed warnings and predictions in my country 30 and 40 years ago when the laws about divorce, abortion, and homosexual sex were being debated. Such fears, although perfectly sincere, are also perfectly unfounded. Australian society did not become debauched because more people started having sex with more people at a younger age, nor has American society become worse because abortion has been legalized since 1973 along with gay marriage in more recent years. In fact, the statistics plainly show that crime levels in these countries, especially violent crime, are decreasing as basic human rights are being protected instead of violated by unjust laws. If Morocco's Justice Minister looked at some relevant facts, he would see that the younger generation is right not only about those but also about the moral issues involved in unjust laws that make consenting sex outside of marriage illegal.

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Reference

Fakim, N. (2012, August 9). Morocco: Should pre-marital sex be legal? BBC News. Retrieved August 12, 2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19049000

Talking about death

What would you do if your loved one had been diagnosed with a terminal disease? Would you tell him the truth that he would die or would it be better not to tell him?

In "Why we should talk more about death", by Prof Mayur Lakhani, Chair of the Dying Matters Coalition, claims that many patients died witout being identified that they were at risk of dying and not assessed for end of life care, therefore, it is important for every person who is coming to the end of their life is spotted early enough and supported to make a good advance care plan. The suggestion is that everyone ,including doctors, should talk more openly about dying so that patients and their families will have opportunities to prepare about their end of life.

 Death is a serious issue which most people,especially patients,avoid talking about.The reason might be that we fear to separate from something or someone we love. Besides, talking about death may upset the patients and make them worse so people prefer to think positive and to encourage them that they would be fine and finally recover from the illness. However, this news gives the information that people should change their attitude toward death,which I absolutely agree. Death is a certain thing that we cannot avoid so the dying patients and their families should be informed about their situations so that the dying patients can plan what to do as their final wishes and learn the right way to treat themselves.Moreover, the families of dying patients will prepare themselves for the loss.

In my view,to avoid talking about death means to avoid facing the truth.Many people can stay longer than the doctors said because they know their situations and try their best to heal them.Knowing when to die can be the benefit as it make us appreciate the present and do our best so that we won't regret. On the other hand,people who are healthy and don't concern about death might accidental die anytime without thinking about final wishes.

References

Lakhani, M. (2012, May 18). Why we should talk more about death.Health. BBC News. Retrieved August 11, 2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18101418

Usain Bolt wins 200m to make Olympic athletics history

How many sport people can retain both Olympic champions in Olympic Game?  Who can make it?  After the Olympic Game started in London, there are many sports people from around the world who join in it and almost of them wish to get gold medal in their sport but there are a few of them want to retain the champion that they used to make it in last Olympic Game.

According to Tom Fordyce, Chief sports writer, BBC Sport reports that Usain Bolt who is the athletics from Jamaica able to retain the second times champion of Olympic sprint in the 200m.  He could succeed his mission by match the world record time that made by Michael Johnson from the Atlanta Games of 19.32 secs while his training partner from the same nation Yohan Blake’s 19.44 secs was the second in silver and Warren Weir’s 19.84 secs was the third in bronze, before Olympic Games in London he used to lose Blake at the Jamaica, after a rough season, he fixed a target to make the world record in London although he still worried about his back strain and hamstrings that make a problem to him.    

This is a great successful of Usain Bolt that he can make it.  I do believe that he is always sport practice.  He now is twenty five years old with a big body and taller than the other that is an advantage for him.  I am an Olympic Fan, I usually follow it in every times and I think that he is the best of athletics because he won not only 200m but also 100m.  He can make a good famous in sport to Jamaica.  Furthermore, there are now two big countries that going to do everything for the number one of the world in sport.  I’m sure that are China and U.S.A, I used to see the news on TV that China try to develop sports people by identify them to be a group such as a group of children, teenager, and adult.  Next, they have any tight sport practicing schedule to practice in each group to meet the standard that fixed by sport school.  Until now, the U.S.A got the gold medal to be number one and China is the number two it is not important thing for me because it obvious to know these two countries are the big famous in sport of the world.  The important thing for me that I want to know the next Olympic Game 2016 at Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Will Usain Bolt able to retain the champion of Olympic sprint in 200m for the third time?  What should he do?     

    

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Reference

Fordyce, T. (2012, August 8), Usain Bolt wins 200m to make Olympic athletics history. BBC Sport News. Retrieved August 9, 2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18914449

How do hair important?

Heve you ever donated anything? Do you know that we can give the others with out spending money.

According to "East Yorkshire women cut hair to help cancer patients", reports about many women in East Yorkshire cut their hair for cancer patients. They are growing their hair for 18 months to be cut to make wigs for the patients who have lost their hair through chemotherapy.

Real hair wigs

Human's hair grows up everyday so that most of people cut their hair at least once a year. Cut hair was threw away as waste, although hair has more value than it is. Some people unexpected to lose their hair because they ran into cancer. In fact, cancer isn't cause of making hair fall but patient's hair start falling after people got chemotherapy which is the treatment of cancer. Chemotherapy is act as killing cancer cell but it kill healty cell either. To illastrate, you want to get rig of weeds in your garden then you use herbicide, it will destroy not only unwanted plants but also your needed gress. These are same. How do you feel if you wake up in the morning and see that lot of your hair fell around on your pillow? For me, I might be shock, lose confidence and don't want to go out anywhere. However, one way to help cancer patients who lost their hair is using wigs. Although, there are many meterials thoes use to making wigs but the best choice is real hair wig which is very expensive so that some group of long hair women design to grow their hair to donated for one whe need. I think, this is a very nice idea, is it better if someone who is healthy can help the others? 

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References

East Yorkshire women cut hair to help cancer patients. (2011, October 30). BBC News. Retrieved August 8, 2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-15506042

The surprised statistics of the UK birth babies

Do you think before that the first world countries like the United Kingdom, which may have by far the most advance medical technologies, are struggling to the problem in particular the birthrate? The recent report in 2012 reveals the unexpected high birth rate of dead babies in Britain, while this cause is yet to be answered.

Why stillbirth remains a mystery (2012) reports the tragic event of the British singer, songwriter and the former member of Take That, Gary Barlow that he has just got lost his forth child on last Saturday due to stillbirth. It adds that among the rich nations Britain have a higher number of dead born babies or around 4,000 per year, or 11 per day, whereas the stillbirth rate of France and Austria, are the worst ones.

                                         Gary Barlow and his wife Dawn

According to Anna-Marie Lever, the writer of this article reports exactly cause of this phenomenon is myth, because there is no scientific proof yet. To my mind, it should not be like this way, because I can’t believe the great developed country, the UK is confronting with the high stillbirth rate problems. I agree with some assumptions that smoking, drinking alcohol and obesity can give rise to the stillborn risk. My English friend told such British people have a lot of alcohol and smoking, especially in women. Conversely, many other European people might have the same amount of consuming alcohol as well as smoking. But the high number of babies’ born dead has been happened in a few European countries only.


Moreover, I also disagree about previous caesarean sections might lead to more risk, because this method is widely adopted and popular around the world, including in Thailand. I suppose there could be because of the UK health system problem such as the shortage of medical staffs, nurses and physicians. That’s way many pregnant women in Britain might not have enough health checking before delivering birth. My Philippine friend has  settled down in England around 6 years as a nurse said her career is in high demand. Therefore, now a large number of Asian nurses, in particular from Philippine working in the UK. In addition, the hospital system there is quite complicate. People can see a doctor soon just in case of emergency, unless they have made an appointment to the hospital in advance. If ones have never registered to the local hospital, they cannot meet a doctor anyway.

To sum up, it is surprising about the large number stillbirth rate in the UK. The research is needed to find and deal with the problem urgently. For the case of Gary's wife, it could be happen because of the age of her 42-year-old, which might impact to heatlh of the foetus. I feel I’m lucky living in Thailand which the health system is much cheaper and more convenience than many developed countries.



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References
Why stillbirth remains a mystery. (2012, July 7). BBC News. Retrieved August 7, 2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19163712

The image of IT with the girl

Have you ever known any women who expert in technology? Do you think they are geek?

ln "Women And Tech : Why Don't Girls Want To Be Geeks?", Jane Wakefield writes about the girl attitude of  IT. She says that the girl don't want to work in the field of IT because they thought that the person who work about technology is boring and not fashionable.                                                               

When I thinking of  the person who wrok as a IT technician I imagine that they will wear big glasses,  talking something that I don't understant. I think girls don't want to be good at technology because it is not easy. They have to be smart and work hard sometime they have their own world to creat a new thing while many girls spend time to make themself to be accept. Technology is just one thing to show that they are fashionable and make them feel more self confident. How can we change their though that charming woman should have brain not just only good looking.

References

Wakefield, J. (2012,August 3). Women And Tech : Why Don't Girls Want To Be Geeks?. BBC News. Retrieved August 9,2012
from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18687247

The more cooking skill you have, the healthier you get

Do you prefer homemade or take home food? Have you ever cooking by yourself?

In "Why cooking skills are the key to healthy eating", by Philippa Roxby, researcher recommend that parents who want their children are healthier should let them cooking. This is a positive impact to children's eating behavior and more likely to grow up to be healthy adults by knowing about cooking which is important life skill.

Nowadays, our lifestyle changes to be modern than the past. We have to rush to go to the office or school so early because of traffic jam. Mothers have to go to work instead to be housewife. I think that people in big city, like Bangkok, have less time to spend in the kitchen and select instant food or take home instead, such as pizza, hamburger, fried-chicken and snacks. That is impact to our health which is tend to be obese easier.  In my view, this is very serious problem, because I heard news that young boys or girls were death because of overweight. At the present, Thai people was encouraged in this, then now we can see about the decrease weight campaign, konthairaipoong, from many mass medias. Absolutely Thai nutritionist said the same way with researcher from A study in Liverpool that home-made cooking is good for your health.

Is he cute?

Or is she more cute?

In my life as I can remembered, we are always have home made food than eating in the outside. My mother was the nutritionist and my brother was graduated from Food Science, so cooking is my family's hobby absolutely. Every weekend, we have been spending tome together for cooking and create new dishes. I think that homemade food is more hygienic, healthy and delicious. In each recipe or meal, we try to make it nutritionally balance. But now I have gain more weight after I stay at home for 6 months replace my hall at workplace. Maybe because I eat too much. Finally, if you have enough free time, you will try to cook for making yourself healthier.

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References

Roxby, P. ( 2012, February 5). Why cooking skills are the key to healthy eating. Health. BBC News. Retrieved August 8,2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16854572

The Disabled or the Superhuman

Technology has been developed very fast these days. It creates many incredible things. One is the placement of part of human body with artificial one. Have you ever imagined that bionic body like in movies about superhuman has become real?

According from BBC News 'Day in life with my bionic body', it seems to be that bionic body can be applied to Teenager Patrick kane who lost his left arm and right leg since he was 9 month old as a result of serious strain of meningitis -serious disease in which the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord become infected and swollen. He now uses one kind of bionic leg and arm which has two movements when opening and closing a fist. This arm still has no sense of touch so it can exist in hot environment.

In my point of view, this kind of technology is very useful and necessary. Many people suffer from losting their parts of body as a result of diseases such as diabetes and cancer. Patient may have to cut them off to save their life but this technology can help them live in this world more easily. They wont take much time to decide whether they should cut them off or not. Soldiers and polices who sacrifice themselves to their nations in war or in any riots and finally lost their parts of body. This bionic technology can compensate their lost. Moreover, it will be useful if this has been developed further so patient can live and do things exactly the same like normal people. Have you ever think that if this bionic arm can be used like the real one and but can exist the hot environment, what job you suggest them to do?  

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References

Lever, A. (2012, March 9). 'Day in the life with my bionic body'
BBC News. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
From:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17251690

Reading Material

Technology has been developing very fast. Nowadays, you can read books from many different sources. What is the best way for you to read a book?

In "Amazon selling more Kindle ebooks than print books", Jonathan Ruppin writes about ebooks sells more than hardbacks and paperbacks in the United Kingdom. He said that Kindle ebooks will continue to increase on sell, two million ebooks of the title selling in four months, and book industry in the United Kingdom much adapt to deal with the trend.

I though that Jonathan Ruppin article was interesting. Nowadays, I believe that people read article, news, story or newspaper from kindle ebooks more then print books because it is convenient and sophisticated way of reading. You don't have to go to the book shop to buy book to read. When you want to read book you just go online and buy book and save it in your library such as in Apple's iBooks when you buy book you can keep you books in ibooks application. When you want to read you just click on ibook application then select the article or book that you buy form Amazon. Kindle is available in Thailand now many people own it, but I don't have one. I sometime read book or news on smart phone or go to AUA library. In 1997, I study Information Technology at UTS, Sydney, but I not good at IT and I don't know how to use Kindle and I never use once. I am an old fashion. AUA library is ideal place for me to read.

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References

Ruppin, J. (2012,August 6). Amazon selling more Kindle ebooks than print books, BBC News. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
From: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-19148146

Weight training 'reduces diabetes risk'

Do you always do weight training? Do you know that weight training can reduce diabetes rate?

According to BBC news, research suggests that weight training helps to prevent type2 diabetes in men, and researchers found that regular weights reduced the risk by up to a third, in the study of more than 32,000 men published in the Archives of Internal Medicine journal.

The diabetes type2 means the body does not produce enough insulin for proper function, or the cell in the body do not react insulin. Approximately 90% of all cases of diabetes worldwide are of this type. In some case we can control the symptoms by losing weight, following a healthy diet or doing exercise. We have to realize that nowadays we have bad eating habit because we can find the foods easily. We can walk to the store that open 24 hours and locate near your home to find something to eat. A lot of foods in the market are junk foods. It almost composed of high amount of carbohydrate and fats. We all know that when we are eating our enzymes are also working. They make foods we eat become small particles, so our bodies can absorb it. Carbohydrate is catalyzed by enzymes to be glucose. If we have enough insulin in the body, it may control the glucose level in our bodies. If not, the excessive amount of glucose may cause the health problem such as obesity, belly fat etc., because the excessive glucose may change their form into fats. We can fix these problem by do weight training because the research said that it could substitute aerobic exercise. When we do weight training, our body will increase metabolism rate and burn more fats and use more glucose. It means you can lose your weight and decrease glucose amount in your body.

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References

Weight training 'reduces diabetes risk'. (2012. Aug07) BBC News. Retrieved Aug 8, 2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19147646

Middle Eastern women remain at home no more

 Through the old fashion culture in the most of countries in the Middle East, women suppose to stay at home, take care of children and do the house work. So they used to believe that women should not get involved with out side work. Fortunately, this kind of believe is going to change.

 In Syria crisis: Turkey training rebels, says FSA Fighter Richard Galpin has interviewed a female fighter who is trying to achieve the freedom like many others in her country. She is a member of FSA(free Syrian army). She is doing some missions like the spying even better than men.

 I really enjoy when I read news like this. It shows women are going to get out of the kitchen and start to be more effective for their society. they have started to study in the higher levels of education. In some country in middle east women enter to universities more than men. For example in Iran, the women education is growing so fast. Their attendance to universities is even more than men. Women in  Iran manage big businesses, they get high positions in companies and etc. In social and political  activities they are pioneer. Even though they have been under pressure of the many unbearable roles which are made by religious leaders. They are trying to make a difference as well as men to have a free land to live on.

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References
Galpin R. (2012, august 4). Syria crisis: Turkey training rebels, says FSA fighter.
News Middle East, BBC News. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19124810

Chronic fatigue

Have you ever had chronic fatigue syndrome ? How do you treat it?

Prof Paul Mccrone, a health economist from King's College London, said that exercise and behavioural therapies were the most effective and successful ways to treat chronic fatigue syndrome. However, There was some research showing that pacing therapies, learning to live within limits, were better and safer for patients.

I thought that exercise and behavioral therapies were the most effective treatments. Most people work all day ,and still do a job on Saturday and Sunday, which results in chronic fatigue syndrome. They do not have time to rest or get exercise at all. Getting exercise can significantly improve energy levels and decrease fatigue. Furthermore, Exercise is a way for people to feel more energetic. For example, some people are not sleeping enough so they become weary but If they get exercise regularly, they will feel rejuvenated.

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Reference

Chronic fatigue syndrome: Brain training is most cost-effective treatment. (2012, August 2). BBC News. Retrieved August 6, 2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19076398

Shift worker or Day worker

Everyone wants to have a chance to choose the time they prefer to work. But if you cannot, which type of worker that you think it is better for you between shift worker or day worker?

According to a BBC News report on the research in British workers, British Medical Journal (BMJ) says shift work seems to cause more health problems including obesity, high blood pressure especially heart problems. Shift work also affects daily life of the workers such as eating and sleeping habits and these decrease their performances at work places.

I thought this article was interesting as I believe that everyone has the different ideas about the time they wish to work. But I think day worker should be better than shift worker especially night shift worker. As shift worker, your working times are continuously rotated and this is not good for your own body, maybe you could not have enough time to rest to do your job. Not only health problems but it also leads to decreasing in your working performance. This is also very important issue if your work requires caution and responsibility. For example, when I was studying chemical engineering at the university, my lecturer talked about the accident in chemical industry due to the fatigue of the night shift workers. Wrong communications, lack of interest are main causes of this accident (Explosion). However, somewhere in my mind think that night shift worker may be a good idea if I need to work in Bangkok, because I do not want to face the traffic jam in every morning and evening. Traffic jam causes me a headache and it is not good for my health as well.


References
Shift work link to 'increased risk of heart problems'. (2012, July 27). BBC News from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18996082

What's in a NAME?

In academic and non-academic writing, the way words are capitalized matters: gaga is not the same as Gaga; and not is not quite the same as NOT. The well-known pop singer Lady Gaga seems to agree that capitalization matters.

In Lady Gaga to call her third studio album Artpop, Rick Kelsey writes about the music album that Lady Gaga is currently working on. According to Kelsey, the busy and financially successful Lady Gaga is planning to release her third collection of songs next year. He also tells us that she insists on the word ARTPOP being written in ALL CAPS.

It does look meaty.  

I wouldn't normally look at the Entertainment section of the BBC News, but I thought it would make a change from the more serious response I wrote about the unjust drug policy that my government foolishly wastes my tax money on. However, I have read stories about Lady Gaga before. She is a great headline maker. When she wore a meat dress, that did get my attention, which I'm sure is what she wanted. And on her recent visit to Thailand, she again made the headlines when she Tweeted about buying an illegally copied Rolex. The silly Thai officials then made more international headlines with their childish response to her joke. In fact, I was interested enough after the fuss of her visit to Thailand to actually go to YouTube and watch one of her videos: "Born this Way". The music didn't grab me as lot, but it had a good beat, and the video was very eye-catching; obviously a lot of other people, perhaps younger than me, think the Lady is great.

One thing I do like about Lady Gaga is that she peacefully but forcefully challenges traditional ways of thinking that might be rotten. She doesn't say they are rotten (or does she? Maybe I'm wrong about this), but she certainly makes people think, as the fuss about her performing in conservative countries like Indonesia shows. Sadly, some people are terrified of free and independent thinking. They want to use the law to ban anything new and progressive and force everyone to shut up. What they should do is defend their traditions if those traditions really are good. I think that if some part of a culture is strong, valuable and useful, the citizens will keep it. If a traditional bit of culture is not valuable or useful, isn't it better to throw it out and get something better?

So, are performers like Lady Gaga a force for good or a force for evil? Or neither?

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References

Kelsey, R. (2012, August 6). Lady Gaga to call her third studio album Artpop. Newsbeat, BBC News. Retrieved August 6, 2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/19140535

Languages and Importance

My name is Noom. I would like to regard myself as a little shy. I am open mind and nice and friendly. I am interesting Language such as French, Geraman and English. Before, I going to learn other language. I would like to be fluency in English first because English is very important for me and my job. I work for my parents company. We buy and sell house and condo. Our company also rent house and condo. Our customer mostly foreigners came for all over the world such as Europe, American and Canada. I have to communication with them in English. I have to reply email in academic English writing. 

The next language will be French. I think French is very romantic language. I used to be able to read French very well after I stopped work at travel agency, I forgot how to read and speak. At my work now we also need to be able to speak French many French people can not speak English.

German language also significang for my work. Thailand is nice weather many people from Europe migrate to live here. In the future, the number of internationl people in Thailand will increasing. So, Language is vital for people who deal with foreigner. Fore example, our company provide accomudation for those people. 

A bit about Peter - shopping and free time.

I did a quick brainstorm in my head, and shopping seemed like something to write a bit about. Actually, I usually hate shopping. I buy clothes only two or three times a year. When there is a sale on of a brand I like, I buy several shirts, and whatever else I might need. If it's for work at AUA, I buy half dozen shirts and a couple of pairs of pants. I buy fresh food every day, but that's pretty straight forward. I usually pop into Tops at Silom Complex on the way home after class, except that at the moment it's closed, so I'm going to Foodland in Patpong, which is OK, but Tops is much better. After my Sunday class, I usually meet friends for an early lunch at Siam Paragon, and then I go shopping in the Gourmet Supermarket there. I do actually enjoy that bit of shopping - I like eating, and there are some great things available there.

Shopping is not my favourite free time activity, but reading has been very high on the list ever since I was around ten years old. I grew up on a farm, which was fun, but definitely not the life I wanted, and I enjoyed curling up somewhere and just reading. I even read my school books! Thankfully, my parents had a lot of books in the house, and subscribed to some newspapers and magazines, so there was always plenty of varied and new reading material coming in. Today, as I've written in a comment here, most of my reading is no longer paper based: I still read novels, magazines, journals and so on, but these days it's nearly all online or on a Kindle.

And you? What would you like to tell us to introduce yourself?
(In case you're wondering about my title: I did choose the topics before I started writing, but if I'd changed my mind half way through the writing, it wouldn't have been a problem. I would have revised the title to reflect the changed content.)

The "War on Drugs": Winning or Losing?

We all know that drugs, as well as other enjoyable things like sugar, beef and pork, cause serious problems for society, with people dying early, suffering ill health, breaking up families, and lowering national productivity. But, although it is popular, is making drugs illegal a successful solution to the drug problem?

Australia seizes drugs worth $500m from Hong Kong ring reports on the seizure of an enormous amount of "ice" (yaa baa), heroin and other drugs in Sydney recently (2012). It says that the Australian police investigated for one year with the help of the United States Drug Enforcement Agency to capture the drug gang, who imported the drugs hidden in terracotta pottery.

When I first read this on the BBC News, I thought it was more evidence that making drugs illegal is a total failure. The police are saying that it's a success, but they are wrong. Drugs have been illegal for decades, and if amounts this large are still being imported for sale, then that seems to me to prove that the current drug policy is a 100% failure. What sort of people repeat exactly the same mistake knowing that it does not work? Idiots do this. And the policy of making some popular drugs illegal is idiotic because it's obviously a total failure. Drug dealers continue to go a lot of trouble to produce, export and import drugs because there is a very high demand from consumers for their products. That means that ordinary, normal people in Australia, and Thailand, and every other country, use drugs and want to use drugs.

These people, a lot of people in every country, obviously think that the laws against them enjoying their life without harming other people are unjust, so they ignore the law. The result is corruption of police, judges and politicians. The result is higher drug prices and profits for mafia groups. The result is more crime to pay for drugs. The result is more addicts with problems. Every result of the "War on Drugs" is bad for citizens and bad for society. So why are some drugs that ordinary, normal citizens want to use illegal? I've given some reasons why they should not illegal, but I can't think of any good reason why marijuana, heroin, or yaa baa should be illegal to buy and use. Can you think of any good reason?

And in the meantime, the "War on Drugs" will continue to be a very expensive failure that harms society. This does not seem rational to me.

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References

Australia seizes drugs worth $500m from Hong Kong ring. (2012, July 31). BBC News. Retrieved August 4, 2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19058726

Something Tasty to Chew on

Do you think some people's eating habits are a bit weird? Does your culture eat any strange foods?

In "Plan To Slaughter Horses For Human Consumption Is Met With Distaste", Ted Burnham writes about the end of the US ban on killing horses for people to eat (2012). He says that although horse ranchers in the US like this idea, it is probably less popular with many other Americans.

I thought that Burnham's article was interesting, and as you will see, it fits very well with our readings in the first chapter of Quest. Although there are some foods I couldn't eat, horse would not worry me. And as Burnham also tells us, in Australia, my country, we regularly eat kangaroo, and I think kangaroo is a tasty meat. I usually have a kangaroo steak or something at least once on my annual visit to Australia. I can't see any good reason for objecting to eating horses. Why would killing and eating horses be any worse than slaughtering and eating pigs, cows, duck, chickens or dogs?

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References

Burnham, T. (2012, April 18). Plan To Slaughter Horses For Human Consumption Is Met With Distaste. The Salt. Retrieved August 1, 2012 from http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/04/17/150833468/plan-to-slaughter-horses-for-human-consumption-is-met-with-distaste

Tom's academic interest

My academic's interest is art and business. It seems totally different, but I like it. I became like art since I was young, because this subject is by far my favorite study when I was in a primary school. After that I was surprised that I would study in this major in bachelor study in Art education. This major is not pure art like visual art major, but is about art teaching.

Then, when I started working as a teacher in the school. My friends suggested some business workshops, NEC: New Entrepreneur Creation. This short course is free, or else you may pay just a bit and it is still running  by Department of Industrial Promotion. If you have some free time during weekends, you might like to join this.