The cigarette prices should not be raised-Discuss

Smoking is responsible for approximately one in five deaths in the United States. From 1997 to 2001, smoking killed an estimated 438,000people in the USA each year. Among adults, the three leading specific causes of smoking attributable deaths were from lung cancer, chronic abstractive pulmonary disease and ischemic heart disease.

The French government has decided to raise the price of cigarettes dramatically in order to discourage people from smoking, but the smoker did not lessen.

In Korea, the government has raised the price, but the smokers as same as before. The government hoped the smoker be lessen, so they raised the price from ₩1,000 to ₩3,000.
Where will the tax be used for? Will the tax be used for non-smoker? In French and Korea do not. They use the tax for government budget and government stock, etc.
So, the government wants to raise the price just to increase revenue. It does not for non-smoker, who the government said have to quit smoking cigarette. There are many reasons why smokers smoke cigarettes. If the government really cared about smoker’s heath, they should give a comfortable life to the poorest people who are smoker. If they enjoy their life maybe they might want to live a bit longer.
Otherwise, make many smoke area and non-smoke area, and make limits. I think Japan have good limits. In Japan, they have Taspo card what can prove you are an adult. Then, in convenience store they check the buyer’s age.

I think the cigarettes price shouldn’t be raised. It depends on individuals. If people do not like cigarettes, they can stay away from smoker.

Pictures by:http://images.google.co.jp/images?hl=ja&rlz=1T4GGLJ_jaJP316JP318&um=1&q=cigarette&sa=N&start=18&ndsp=18

Comparison of British Christmas and New Year with Chinese Christmas and New Year

Today, I’m going to compare Japanese Christmas and New Year with Chinese Christmas and New Year.
In Britain, Christmas Day is a holiday, but Christmas Eve is not. People buy presents for friends and family and hide them until Christmas Eve. Then they put the presents under the Christmas tree. People usually have parties on Christmas Eve and spend Christmas Day with their family. On Christmas Day, people go to church, open their presents, eat Christmas lunch and watch the Queen’s Speech. Christmas lunch is usually roast turkey, roast potatoes, vegetables, mince pies and Christmas pudding.
In China, Christmas Day and Christmas Eve are not holiday, but young people celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. People buy red apples for friends and lovers and give it in Christmas Eve. In China the apple is ‘苹果’.--平—peace. We give apple: ‘苹果’ in the hope that people who will have peace. Then, the steady couple will date on Christmas Day and some Christians go to church. I don’t know what they do in church. Most Chinese people don’t eat lunch or dinner with family or friends.
In Britain, New Year is a short holiday. Only January 1st is a holiday. People go to parties on New Year’s Eve. Stay up until midnight with family and friends and celebrate New Year with champagne. Although January 2nd is not a holiday, many people stay home. There is no special food for New Year.
In China, New Year is a long holiday. We celebrate New Year from 30th to January 3rd. People go back home and buy some new clothes. On New Year Eve we eat dinner with family and watch TV. January 1st we stay home, talk with family and the children get New Year gift from parents and grandparents. People eat Chinese Dumplings on New Year Eve and New Year Day.

In both China and Britain, people spend the holidays with family and friends. In Britain eat special food at Christmas, but In China, people eat special at New Year. In Britain, people give presents at Christmas only, but In China people give presents at Christmas and New Year. In Britain, Christmas is more important, but In China New Year is more important.

The winter break was began from 23rd. I celebrated Christmas Day with my friends. Then I worked at my part-time job until 30th. Then, I stayed home. I watched TV on New Year Eve and New Year Day. I wrote my reports. It was very boring winter break.

Photo:http://nihongo.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/11446060/2/istockphoto_11446060-happy-new-year-2010.jpg

Winter break

The winter break is just 2 weeks long. It will begin from 23th. I will celebrate Christmas with my friends. I will write a letter to Santa. I still believe Santa will come when I am asleep and leave me a special gift. Then, I am going to work my part-time until 29th. I have not decided yet from 30th, maybe I will go to Korea to meet my parents and friends. We will be together in New Year. Then I want to travel with my parents if I go to Korea.

Merry X'mas and Happy New Year.

Livemocha

I use Livemocha to study English and French. If you want to study any language by yourself you can use it. You can practice listening and pronuncication by going to this website. You also can make friends there. Please check it.

Hokkaido or Okinawa

I want to travel in late December or January. I want to visit many places I have never gone, but I don't have enough money to go. The places are Hokkaido and Okinawa. Both places are famous places in Japan.
I heard Hokkaido’s winter is very beautiful, and there are fresh crabs in this season. Maybe I can see snow there. I want to see snow, and I also want to eat crabs.
Okinawa is beautiful place too. The sea is clean. You can see many kins of thing in Okinawa’s sea. I heard of Okinawa’s food. There are some foods where are different from Osaka. I also want to eat the food in Okinawa.
I have not yet decided where I should go in the winter.

Chicken and Egg Domburi

I like to eat Chicken and Egg Domburi.
Do you know Chicken and Egg Domburi?

It’s Japanese food.

Chicken and Egg Domburi

First, you should prepare the following things.
100g Chicken breast
1/4 cup Dashi or chicken bouillon
4 table spoon Japanese dark soy sauce
2 table spoon Japanese light soy sauce
4 table spoon Mirin, sake or dry sherry
2 table spoon Sugar
6 Scallions; cut into thin-rings
2 Eggs
Then, cut the chicken breast into thin strips. Bring the stock to a boil. Add the soy sauces, mirin, sake or dry sherry, and sugar, Bring back to a boil. Add the chicken, reduce the heat and simmer for　5 minutes. Stir in the scallions and leave stand for 1 minute. Lightly stir the eggs in a bowl just enough to break them up. Add the eggs tot the pan and leave to stand for a further 2 minutes. Carefull stir once. When finished, serve immediately while the food is hot.

The bank robbery

This story is about Susan and John who go to bank and stops a strange man. Susan and her little husband, John go to shopping. She wants to buy balloon for her little husband, so Susan go to bank and draw some money. Her handbag and her umbrella are on her arm. John has a balloon on a string. A man with curly hair is walking in. His picture is on the bulletin board. He lost his memory. His family finds him. He wants to know who he is. This man walks to a window to ask who is he, but the bank director said he doesn’t know, so he who lost his memory pulls out a gun. He shows a note that writes something. When the director saw the note, the director gives some food to him. The food looks very delicious, so he put his gun down and goes away. Susan feels he is strange so she stops him and calls the police. The policeman takes him away. Then she go to buy balloon with her husband. When John gets balloon, he smiles.