Global Warming and Plankton
Today the biggest problem of the world is global warming. It has caused many problems. Weather is getting hotter, and glaciers are melting. These changes are threatening our environment. We have to find the way to stop global warming and recover the environment. Many scientists are trying to find solutions. Many people may think that there is no way to escape from global warming. However, surprisingly, an invisibly small creature would have a key to solve the problem. The article
“Galapagos plankton project could hold key to,” written by Steve Connor, says that tiny marine plankton will be the solution for global warming. According to the article, plankton plays a critical role in controlling the carbon dioxide balance of the atmosphere and the oceans. Plankton consumes carbon dioxide and produces organic matter, the article explains. Planktos, an eco-restoration organization, has a project of cultivating plankton by dropping iron into the Pacific Ocean near the Galapagos Islands, the article says. In the article, the Planktos team believes that the oceans will largely contribute to weakening the effects of global warming. I believe that the plankton project is effective and helpful for the oceanic ecosystem and humans.
First, the plankton project will be more effective than planting trees. Basically, reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the key to solving global warming. Though planting trees is one way to lower carbon dioxide density in the air, it is less effective. This is because planting trees requires large lands, enough water, and a long time. On the other hand, increasing plankton population is relatively easy. We can make it by supplying iron, a necessary nutrient for plankton, into the sea. Also, the population grows very fast because it increases exponentially. Furthermore, plankton’s capacity of consuming carbon dioxide and producing oxygen is better than the Amazon forest’s. Plankton removes the half of the carbon dioxide of the earth and generates half of its oxygen. Therefore, using plankton against global warming is more beneficial than planting trees.
Second, the plankton project is also helpful for the marine ecosystem and human beings. Plankton is a prey of many kinds of fish. If the number of plankton increases, then the number of fish that eats plankton will increase, too. Additionally, the food chain will make other oceanic species flourish. Also, sufficient food for fish will help the species facing extinction survive and thrive in the sea. In this way, the ocean ecosystem would be more diverse and healthier. It is also good for human beings. People can get various and lots of seafood, and fisheries will thrive. The plankton project is beneficial for both the oceans and people.
In conclusion, global warming is the biggest problem to be solved. The article “Galapagos plankton project could hold key to” tells us about one possible solution for global warming. The article says that Planktos, eco-restoration organization, is planning to conduct the project that will grow plankton by supplying iron which a necessary nutrient for plankton. Plankton consumes a lot of carbon dioxide, the main reason of global warming, and global warming could be solved, the article mentions. I support this idea for two reasons. This project is more effective than planting trees, and it will play an adventurous role for marine the ecosystem and human beings. I hope this project is successful, and global warming is controlled.
Reference:
Connor, S. (2007, May 7). Galapagos plankton could hold key to. Canberra Times. p4. Retrieved on May 31, 2007 from Lexis-Nexis
The Problems of the Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the world’s largest ocean. It has strong influences on the whole world. It provides us with food and controls global temperature and climate. However, these days it has some problems caused by global warming. The temperature and sea level are rising, and the oceanic ecosystem is changing. Some scientists and researchers are warning of the possible results we will face. Some people are still saying the problems of the Pacific Ocean are not serious or urgent. I believe that the problems are at a dangerous level because they will cause collapse of oceanic ecosystem, food shortage, and lack of living places.
First, the ecosystem of the Pacific Ocean has been destroyed by global warming. As the global warming has been proceeding, the temperature of the Pacific Ocean has been rising slowly but gradually. Many kinds of sea lives are very sensitive to temperature, so they can’t live any longer, or have to change their habitations. Furthermore, more and more species of marine lives are on the way to extinction. If one species disappears, other species deeply related to it will disappear, too. This is the reason why the ecosystem collapses faster and faster. This will cause lack of food in the near future, because seafood is a big part of our food.
Second, the rising of sea level is reducing the area of living places. Rising global temperature has been melting the glaciers in the Artic and the Antarctic region. This raises the sea level. The problem is that many people live near the coast of the Pacific Ocean. As the sea level of the Pacific Ocean is rising, the coastal area is being submerged. Therefore, people who live near the sea may have to leave their places soon. Also, global warming makes deserts larger and larger, so the area of living places is decreasing.
Finally, the idea that the problems of the Pacific Ocean are not serious is a wrong idea. The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean and also the largest part of the earth. It exerts the strongest influence on the earth, because the Pacific is not a separate ocean, but connected with all oceans and most continents. El Nino in the Pacific is a good example. It happens in the Pacific, but it causes natural disasters throughout the world. It can cause floods in Europe, even though the European continent is far from the Pacific Ocean. The bigger problem is that the present problems don’t belong only to the present. They will continue and become bigger exponentially. Therefore, unless we try to solve the problems now, we can’t manage them later.
In conclusion, the global warming has made many problems in the Pacific. Many scientists are worrying about them with scientific research results, but some don’t think that way. However, I strongly believe that the problems of the Pacific are very serious and urgent. They will cause collapse of the oceanic ecosystem and lack of seafood, and reduce the living areas. Therefore, we must consider the problems as our priorities to solve now.
YouTube is Guilty or Innocent?
YouTube has become one of the most popular websites in a short time. However, YouTube has faced the unexpected problem, infringement of copyright. According to the article “YouTube and the copyright cops: safe… for now?” written by K. Fisher, YouTube is involved in the infringement of copyright. The BBC had a similar problem and was legally restrained, the article said. However, according to the article, legal actions have not been taken against YouTube. In addition, YouTube hasn’t showed advertisements on webpages where unauthorized video clips are posted, says the article. However, it is still controversial whether YouTube violates copyright. I believe that YouTube is not guilty because YouTube just provides the space to post video clips, and YouTube hasn’t made profits by using unauthorized video clips.
First, YouTube just provides the space where the users can post video clips. Actually, YouTube itself hasn’t done anything involved in infringement of copyright directly. It is YouTube users that have posted movie clips illegally. Additionally, YouTube doesn’t allow people to download the video clips, so people just can watch them. If a tenant committed a crime in his or her house, it’s not a landlord’s responsibility. We can’t insist that the landlord is guilty just because the place of the crime belongs to the landlord. Equivalently, YouTube provides its users only with virtual space.
Second, YouTube hasn’t made profits by using unauthorized movies. YouTube hasn’t earned money directly by using unauthorized video clips. In the article, Lohmann said that YouTube hasn’t put advertisements on the pages where movie clips are posted. Movie making companies’ allegation that YouTube is making money by their movies is unreasonable. Even if YouTube shows some advertisements on the pages where there are movie clips, YouTube is not guilty. Many people can visit places where celebrities go often. Those places are a good place for business. Then if someone runs a business there, they don’t have to pay part of their profits to celebrities. Similarly, advertisements are just posted on the popular pages of YouTube.
In conclusion, YouTube has been involved in the problem related to copyright. Some movies have been posted on YouTbue illegally. However, unlike the case of BBC, YouTube has been safe until now. YouTube itself hasn’t posted unauthorized movies. Furthermore, YouTube hasn’t made profits from them. Therefore, I believe that YouTube is not guilty.
Anti-Aging Management
I found
this article on CNN website. According to the article, anti-aging product market of the U.S. has been growing gradually. However, many doctors in traditional fields don’t believe anti-aging practitioners, the article says. Some observers mention that there is no anti-aging medicine to make people live longer, and people are taking pills which are not proven their effects. On the other hand, one patient of an anti-aging doctor says that she experienced apparent effect.
There are two big concerns that today's people have. One is economy, and the other is health. There are some people who don’t worry about money, but there are few people who don’t care about their health. As economical conditions have been improved, people have been more interested in their health. They spend much money and time for health. And anti-aging management emerged as a new kind of business. Anti-aging doctors insist that medical treatment can extend human life. However, I don’t believe this. Some pills, so-called anti-aging medicine, may make people look younger by smoothing out wrinkles, but principally they can’t stop cells getting old. The effects are temporary and somewhat exaggerated. Additionally, people should know that most medicine which is believed harmless has side effects. People should not depend on medicine to keep themselves healthy. I think regular exercise and fresh food are more helpful to our health. I believe that healthy living pattern makes our bodies healthy.
My Korean Culture
Today we live in a different lifestyle compared to the past. Cultures from other countries have changed many things of our native culture materially and mentally. Even though there have been many changes in our culture, we still have our own culture such as a language, food, traditional clothing, social customs, a housing system, family structures, and so on. In my culture, the biggest cultural differences are in housing system, food, and traditional clothing.
First, the Korean housing has its unique heating system named “Ondol.” Unlike the western heating system, “Ondol” is a heating system that warms the floor. In the past people heated the floor by having a fire in the kitchen. This is also different from Japanese and Chinese heating systems. Even though this heating system has been changed by technologies, the principle is same. And still most people sleep on the floor thanks to this heating system. By it’sboiled water flows through the pipes, the floor is warmed.
Secondly, Korean food is also different from foreign food. There are many kinds of fermented food. “Kimchi” is the representative example. Kimchi is salted cabbage with red ground pepper and some sauces. Koreans eat Kimchi at every meal. And there are several fermented sauces. Fermented bean sauces are also very common in Korea. There are two kinds of bean sauces. One is liquid and the other is very sticky paste. The liquid sauce is named “Ganjang,” and the sticky paste is named “Daenjang.” China and Japan have Ganjang, but only Korea has Daenjang. These are widely used in Korean food. And there are also some fermented sauces made of seafood.
Finally, “Hanbok”, traditional clothing, represents Korean clothing culture. Hanbok means the clothing that Korean people wear. It basically consists of two pieces. One is a jacket and the other is a trouser or skirt. And there are some additional light and thin outerwear. Women’s clothing is usually splendid and bright and multi-colored. Men’s clothing is darker than women’s, but these days many young men wear bright-colored Hanbok. This clothing is not for daily life, so people wear this clothing only on special days such as New Year day, Chusuk(Korean Thanksgiving day), and for weddings.
These days the influx of foreign cultures has made our culture changed. But we still have our own culture in our lives. We use our own heating system ‘Ondol’ even though we live in an apartment. We eat ‘Kimchi’ at every meal. Onspecial days, we wear our traditional clothing ‘Hanbok.’ Thanks to these traditional items, I feel I’m Korean.
My Korean Culture
Today we live in a different lifestyle compared to the past. Cultures from other countries have changed many things of our native culture materially and mentally. Even though there have been many changes in our culture, we still have our own culture such as a language, food, traditional clothing, social customs, a housing system, family structures, and so on. In my culture, the biggest cultural differences are in housing system, food, and traditional clothing.
First, the Korean housing has its unique heating system named “Ondol.” Unlike the western heating system, “Ondol” is a heating system that warms the floor.
In the past people heated the floor by having a fire in the kitchen. This is also different from Japanese and Chinese heating systems. Even though this heating system has been changed by technologies, the principle is same. And still most people sleep on the floor thanks to this heating system. By it’sboiled water flows through the pipes, the floor is warmed.
Secondly, Korean food is also different from foreign food. There are many kinds of fermented food. “Kimchi” is the representative example. Kimchi is salted cabbage with red ground pepper and some sauces. Koreans eat Kimchi at every meal. And there are several fermented sauces. Fermented bean sauces are also very common in Korea. There are two kinds of bean sauces. One is liquid and the other is very sticky paste. The liquid sauce is named “Ganjang,” and the sticky paste is named “Daenjang.” China and Japan have Ganjang, but only Korea has Daenjang. These are widely used in Korean food. And there are also some fermented sauces made of seafood.
Finally, “Hanbok”, traditional clothing, represents Korean clothing culture. Hanbok means the clothing that Korean people wear. It basically consists of two pieces. One is a jacket and the other is a trouser or skirt. And there are some additional light and thin outerwear. Women’s clothing is usually splendid and bright and multi-colored. Men’s clothing is darker than women’s, but these days many young men wear bright-colored Hanbok. This clothing is not for daily life, so people wear this clothing only on special days such as New Year day, Chusuk(Korean Thanksgiving day), and for weddings.
These days the influx of foreign cultures has made our culture changed. But we still have our own culture in our lives. We use our own heating system ‘Ondol’ even though we live in an apartment. We eat ‘Kimchi’ at every meal. Onspecial days, we wear our traditional clothing ‘Hanbok.’ Thanks to these traditional items, I feel I’m Korean.
Internet Addiction Test(IAT)
Today most people use the internet and many people have got addicted to the internet. There is
the internet addiction test developed by Dr. Kimberly Young. This test will tell you how much you are addicted to the internet. It consists of 20 questions about your internet usage. Here are some samples. How often do you find that you stay on-line longer than you intended? How often do you fear that life without the Internet would be boring, empty, and joyless? How often do you feel depressed, moody, or nervous when you are off-line, which goes away once you are back on-line? Answer the questions and click the "calculate score" button. Then you can see your scores and results. At the bottom of the webpage, you can see other results according to different scores.
I tested myself, and the test’s result told me that I am a normal internet user. The test was very easy and interesting. I recommend that you take this test. If you know what kind of internet user you are, then you can control your usage of the internet and prevent being an internet addict. The internet is one of indispensable things in our lives. We use the internet for shopping, bill-paying, banking, searching information, watching world’s news, and so on. But we don’t have to be suffered by the internet. The internet is just a convenient tool that exists for us. If we use the internet moderately, our lives will become more pleasant.
Madonna vs. Paparazzi
In the picture of
the site, Madonna was wearing a black cap, a black jumper, and big sunglasses. She looked normal, but she wasn't OK. On November 7, Madonna got jostled by paparazzi in Heathrow Airport in London. At that time, she was holding her 1-year-old adoptive son, David from Malawi. Fortounately the baby was OK, but she had a bruise on her cheek. And paparazzi took pictures of her.
Paparazzi always follow famous stars. I think paparazzi can take pictures of famous stars. But if they hurt someone in order to take a picture, it is absolutely wrong. Like Madonna, celebrities can be hurt by aggressive paparazzi. Celebritie's privacy can't be protected, but they should be physically protected from paparazzi's actions. Therefore, the actions of paparazzi should be restricted by law, I think.
