According to the "Drugs in Portugal: Did Decriminalization Work?(Time)", Although its capital is notorious among stoners and college kids for marijuana haze-filled “coffee shops,” Holland has never actually legalized cannabis – the Dutch simply don’t enforce their laws against the shops. The correct answer is Portugal, which in 2001 became the first European country to officially abolish all criminal penalties for personal possession of drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.
My Reaction:
Many drugs are used for medical surgery because they can relieve pain or make us forget about the feeling of hardship. These drugs include nicotine, cocaine and heroin. Therefore, people may possess some drugs. However, the situation is likely to result in crime. Although the policy helps Portuguese government a lot to manage and control the drug problem, we still can’t confirm that the policy is beneficial to every country, especially to those in poor economical status. If it is adopted by the government of poor countries, the rate of taking drugs will increase rather than decrease.
There are some pros and cons to decriminalize drugs. For some patients, they can buy drugs in pharmacy on their own. For the government, it’s a challenge to control the import of drugs and the policy may lead to drug abuse. It can be a dilemma for many countries to think deeply about whether to carry out the special policy or not.(221 words)
2009年6月12日 星期五
2009年5月29日 星期五
At the Bridge Table, Clues to a Lucid Old Age(The New York Times)
According to the "At the Bridge Table, Clues to a Lucid Old Age(The New York Times)", At the Friday afternoon bridge game, Ms.Cummins and Ms. Scott sit with two other players, both women in their 90s. Gossip flows freely between hands, about residents whose talk is bigger than their game, about a 100-year-old man who collapsed and died that week in an exercise class.
My Reaction:
Senior citizens are afraid of their memory recession. On the other hand, middle-aged people are gradually not good at memorizing things so they are sometimes forgetful. However, it happens automatically without purposes. If a person stops thinking about anything serious or important and what he does every day are eating and sleeping, I’m sure that his memory becomes worse easily. Exercising a person’s wits slow down the recession of a person. There was once a research said that a 70 years old man who still reads books and teaches students has better memory than others who are as old as he.
Doing some activities like puzzles, jigsaw and bridge game can give people stimulation. In addition, working and finding your hobbies can work. Take my mom for example, after she quit her job and stayed at home, she felt so bored and was afraid of dementia. Therefore, she worked with my aunt as her assistant. Now, she likes her job very much. I think that it’s a good way to prevent people from dullness. (223 words)
My Reaction:
Senior citizens are afraid of their memory recession. On the other hand, middle-aged people are gradually not good at memorizing things so they are sometimes forgetful. However, it happens automatically without purposes. If a person stops thinking about anything serious or important and what he does every day are eating and sleeping, I’m sure that his memory becomes worse easily. Exercising a person’s wits slow down the recession of a person. There was once a research said that a 70 years old man who still reads books and teaches students has better memory than others who are as old as he.
Doing some activities like puzzles, jigsaw and bridge game can give people stimulation. In addition, working and finding your hobbies can work. Take my mom for example, after she quit her job and stayed at home, she felt so bored and was afraid of dementia. Therefore, she worked with my aunt as her assistant. Now, she likes her job very much. I think that it’s a good way to prevent people from dullness. (223 words)
2009年5月9日 星期六
Does Facebook Replace Face Time or Enhance It?(Time)
According to the "Does Facebook Replace Face Time or Enhance It?(Time)", Although Facebook started as an online hub for college students, its fastest-growing demographic is the over-25 crowd, which now accounts for more than half of the site’s 140 million active members.
My Reaction:
Back to many years ago, there were no Internet and computers in the world. If people wanted to contact with friends, family or companies, they had to write letters or make phone calls. Writing letters is not as efficient as we think because we may face some problems, such as the carelessness of post office or the postponement about getting the letters due to the bad weather. However, the circumstance has changed since the occurrence of the web and computers. People do not need to worry about the obstacles to keep in touch with friends. By Msn, e-mail and skype, they can interact with friends and family in every time and everywhere. For people in this busy society, they have less and less time to contact with their friends.
There are some advantages and disadvantages for this situation. The advantage is that we can know the condition of our friends easily. We can surf the Internet as our routine and check their Facebooks. It is easy to loss contact with friends because our friends may have less interaction with us. The disadvantage is that we may have fewer chances to meet our friends face to face and contacting with friends by merely photos lacks of a sense of reality. (240 words)
My Reaction:
Back to many years ago, there were no Internet and computers in the world. If people wanted to contact with friends, family or companies, they had to write letters or make phone calls. Writing letters is not as efficient as we think because we may face some problems, such as the carelessness of post office or the postponement about getting the letters due to the bad weather. However, the circumstance has changed since the occurrence of the web and computers. People do not need to worry about the obstacles to keep in touch with friends. By Msn, e-mail and skype, they can interact with friends and family in every time and everywhere. For people in this busy society, they have less and less time to contact with their friends.
There are some advantages and disadvantages for this situation. The advantage is that we can know the condition of our friends easily. We can surf the Internet as our routine and check their Facebooks. It is easy to loss contact with friends because our friends may have less interaction with us. The disadvantage is that we may have fewer chances to meet our friends face to face and contacting with friends by merely photos lacks of a sense of reality. (240 words)
2009年4月9日 星期四
A Quiet Revolution Grows in the Muslim World(Time)
According to the "A Quiet Revolution Grows in the Muslim World(Time)", Three decades after Iran’s upheaval established Islamic clerical rule for the first time in 14 centries, a quieter and more profound revolution is transforming the Muslim world. Dalia Ziada is a part of it.
My Reaction:
Many countries in the Middle East think highly of the Koran and Muslims follow the Koran piously. The Koran regulates what Muslims should do and it also represent their law. Turkey is the first Islamic countries that developed into a modernization country. Turks attributes the achievement to their great father- Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. He changed many traditional rules and policies in Turkey so that Turkey was an advanced countries compared to others at that time. Then, Turkey was push out from the Islamic world because most countries in the Middle East thought Turkey a betrayer. Nowadays, Muslims want changes. They don’t want their countries and their rulers to be too conservative as before. They are eager to reform in order to progress further more. However, if they determine to transform, they must give up some traditions and customs which are obstacles to develop to strong nations. Although traditions are their treasure, some sacrifices are still needed.
In the past, women rights are ignored because their statuses are not as high as men do. Now some people of noble aspirations stand up in public and are willing to strive for women rights, including the right to work and the substantive right. Nevertheless, these countries may confront unprecedented problems and it really takes time to solve them. Therefore, these movements are praised for they make big differences for the countries but some measures must be undertook to prevent the happening of riots. (274 words)
My Reaction:
Many countries in the Middle East think highly of the Koran and Muslims follow the Koran piously. The Koran regulates what Muslims should do and it also represent their law. Turkey is the first Islamic countries that developed into a modernization country. Turks attributes the achievement to their great father- Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. He changed many traditional rules and policies in Turkey so that Turkey was an advanced countries compared to others at that time. Then, Turkey was push out from the Islamic world because most countries in the Middle East thought Turkey a betrayer. Nowadays, Muslims want changes. They don’t want their countries and their rulers to be too conservative as before. They are eager to reform in order to progress further more. However, if they determine to transform, they must give up some traditions and customs which are obstacles to develop to strong nations. Although traditions are their treasure, some sacrifices are still needed.
In the past, women rights are ignored because their statuses are not as high as men do. Now some people of noble aspirations stand up in public and are willing to strive for women rights, including the right to work and the substantive right. Nevertheless, these countries may confront unprecedented problems and it really takes time to solve them. Therefore, these movements are praised for they make big differences for the countries but some measures must be undertook to prevent the happening of riots. (274 words)
2009年3月26日 星期四
India’s ultracheap car arrives with load of uncertainties(International Herald Tribune)
According to the "India’s ultracheap car arrives with load of uncertainties(International Herald Tribune)", NEW DELHI: Six years after the idea was hatched, the much-hyped Tata Nano, priced around $2500, goes on sale Monday. The low-cost compact car, marketed to the developing world’s millions of motorcycle owners with four-wheel dreams, arrives trailing dark clouds, as Tata Motors struggles with production and a huge debt load.
My Reaction:
Since the downgrading economy situation, more and more notorious car companies, such as Jaguar, Chrysler, Rolls-Royce etc begin to merge with other motor companies in order to survive in the market. Those whose price is low usually popular among the crowd. Tata Motor actually does a good job because it matches up the demand of most people. Their products are not expensive compared to the products of other companies. They are produced by Indian. There are a lot of people in India and most of them are poor so low price car is the best choice for them. Due to the economic recession, many people in developed countries gradually change to but Tata Motor rather than the car of famous brands since they take the cost and the efficiency into consideration. Once they are imported to other countries, they may impact the possessing rate of other cars’ companies in the market largely.
Although many critics and experts said that whether the safety and the endurance of the car are enough or not is still a question. Most people think the quality is in direct proportion to the cost and are skeptical of the capabilities of Tata. Therefore, if you are attracted by the price of Tata, you really need to think about whether you want to take the stake. (270 words)
My Reaction:
Since the downgrading economy situation, more and more notorious car companies, such as Jaguar, Chrysler, Rolls-Royce etc begin to merge with other motor companies in order to survive in the market. Those whose price is low usually popular among the crowd. Tata Motor actually does a good job because it matches up the demand of most people. Their products are not expensive compared to the products of other companies. They are produced by Indian. There are a lot of people in India and most of them are poor so low price car is the best choice for them. Due to the economic recession, many people in developed countries gradually change to but Tata Motor rather than the car of famous brands since they take the cost and the efficiency into consideration. Once they are imported to other countries, they may impact the possessing rate of other cars’ companies in the market largely.
Although many critics and experts said that whether the safety and the endurance of the car are enough or not is still a question. Most people think the quality is in direct proportion to the cost and are skeptical of the capabilities of Tata. Therefore, if you are attracted by the price of Tata, you really need to think about whether you want to take the stake. (270 words)
2009年3月12日 星期四
A Web Awash in Vodka Ads, Promoting Moderation(The New York Times)
According to the "A Web Awash in Vodka Ads, Promoting Moderation(The New York Times)", WHILE there may not be sufficient data to indicate whether the economy is driving people to drink, major marketers of alcoholic beverages are maintaining or even stepping up campaigns to encourage drinking in moderation.
My Reaction:
Compared with the past, people drink more beverages, such as tea, coffee, wines and so on in their daily lives. They think they are necessities. In other words, they cannot live without them. Drinking a little bit is ok while drinking in a great amount may not be good for people in many ways. For example, drinking a lot of wine causes liver cancer and people‘s mind is not usually clear. Another example is that drinking a lot of tea everyday results in your yellow teeth since the materials easily dye the color of our teeth. Although consumers buying more products can benefit the growing of economy, you really need to think about your health conditions, the financial income whether it can afford your pay or not and if it is necessary to do it.
Now, some organizations want to raise some campaigns or activities to persuade people to drink beverages in moderation. The activities include text messages which can inform people in time to drink less and many relevant ads in the website. We can see they put a lot of efforts to inform people about the news. Therefore, I think we can try to accept their instruction and realize them. Maybe they are really good for us. (242 words)
My Reaction:
Compared with the past, people drink more beverages, such as tea, coffee, wines and so on in their daily lives. They think they are necessities. In other words, they cannot live without them. Drinking a little bit is ok while drinking in a great amount may not be good for people in many ways. For example, drinking a lot of wine causes liver cancer and people‘s mind is not usually clear. Another example is that drinking a lot of tea everyday results in your yellow teeth since the materials easily dye the color of our teeth. Although consumers buying more products can benefit the growing of economy, you really need to think about your health conditions, the financial income whether it can afford your pay or not and if it is necessary to do it.
Now, some organizations want to raise some campaigns or activities to persuade people to drink beverages in moderation. The activities include text messages which can inform people in time to drink less and many relevant ads in the website. We can see they put a lot of efforts to inform people about the news. Therefore, I think we can try to accept their instruction and realize them. Maybe they are really good for us. (242 words)
2009年1月8日 星期四
Japan Seeks Australia's Help to Thwart Whaling Opponents(The New York Times)
According to the"Japan Seeks Australia's Help to Thwart Whaling Opponents(The New York Times)", SYDNEY, Australia- With the annual battle between Japanese whalers and their opponents heating up again, Japan said Tuesday that it would formally ask Australia to keep antiwhaling activists and their ship, the Steve Irwin, from refueling at Australian ports.
My Reaction:
Whales are endangered species. In addition, they are the largest mammals in the ocean. Due to their amounts are on the decrease, many groups whose goals are to protect rare species appeal the public to cherish them. However, as we know, Japan is the well-known country that hunts down whales for some researches. According to their statement, it’s a biological research. Nevertheless, many Japanese restaurants sell whale meat or use fish oil to make health foods for they want to get some benefits from whales. Although capturing whales is illegal in many areas and countries, Japan still uses the excuse to make it legal. Because it is a powerful nation in Asia, nobody admonishes it against the hunting action. It is needed to worry about the circumstance will deteriorate.
The movement done by the opponents in Australia was resented by Japan and the government of it decides to do something to defend itself. In my opinion, maybe the Japanese government considers the Australians poke their nose into others business, but their goal is reasonable. We have to think highly of ecological protection rather than what we can gain from nature. Therefore, there will be fewer selfish ideas and the environment will be better.(241 words)
My Reaction:
Whales are endangered species. In addition, they are the largest mammals in the ocean. Due to their amounts are on the decrease, many groups whose goals are to protect rare species appeal the public to cherish them. However, as we know, Japan is the well-known country that hunts down whales for some researches. According to their statement, it’s a biological research. Nevertheless, many Japanese restaurants sell whale meat or use fish oil to make health foods for they want to get some benefits from whales. Although capturing whales is illegal in many areas and countries, Japan still uses the excuse to make it legal. Because it is a powerful nation in Asia, nobody admonishes it against the hunting action. It is needed to worry about the circumstance will deteriorate.
The movement done by the opponents in Australia was resented by Japan and the government of it decides to do something to defend itself. In my opinion, maybe the Japanese government considers the Australians poke their nose into others business, but their goal is reasonable. We have to think highly of ecological protection rather than what we can gain from nature. Therefore, there will be fewer selfish ideas and the environment will be better.(241 words)
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