Porn Ban in South Africa

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba has proposed a ban on inappropriate websites and television programs. He proposes that the ban, covering TV but also mobile phones and the web, could be implemented in the form of filters set by Internet service providers. Countries such as Australia and China have already developed filters to block access to certain websites, however Internet security experts have dismissed the idea as "madness". Gigaba's rebuttal was "Cars are already provided with brakes and seat belts... There is no reason why the Internet should be provided without the necessary restrictive mechanisms built into it." Many people in South Africa are against this ban. Craham Cluley of security firm Sophos said "Although their intentions may be honourable, it's barking mad to think you will be able to completely outlaw pornography from the web which, is after all, the modern equivalent of the wild west." Pornography is a big topic of debate in South Africa and no one knows where this proposed ban will take the country.

I agree with what Sophos has said about the Pornography ban in South America. No matter how hard the government tries to ban pornography, people will always find ways around the ban. There is no point in wasting millions of dollars trying to filter something that is unstoppable. It is like a country trying to ban alcohol or cigarettes. As honourable as their intentions may be, it's just impossible to accomplish. I believe it is up to the parents or guardians to censor their children from pornography. The parents control what the child sees and watches on television and the government should not intervene with that. Furthermore, trying to restrict pornography would be against what the public wants. If the government were to make this bill into a law, the citizens of South Africa would be dissappointed, perhaps even angry at their decision. Pornography on the Internet is something the government just can't control. It is up to the parents and educators of South America to teach the children the rights and wrongs of the Internet.

Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/10180937.stm

US predicts busy hurricane season

The top US climate agency says that as many as 14 hurricanes could hit the Atlantic this year. NOAA (The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) forecasts from 14 to 23 storms. 8 to 14 of these storms could develop into hurricanes, they added. The NOAA stated that this season could be one of the most active one on record, with three to seven major hurricanes. These major hurricanes can reach category three or higher, meaning that they bring sustained winds of at least 111mph (178km/h). The NOAA says the seasonal forecasts have a 70% probability, which might begin on 1 June and until the end of November.

This news would be very frightening to people living on the Atlantic coast because these hurricanes can devastate the towns and cities like previous major storms. Previously in New Orleans, people suffered a severe loss from Hurricane Katrina. Unlike previous hurricanes, I hope that the cities and towns near the Atlantic prepare for a possible category three or higher hurricanes. There was an alert of tsunami threats, and I thought people should prepare for it to avoid great loss. Just like in Indonesia, I think people in the US should prepare for a season of natural disasters. Even if this forecast be correct or wrong, it will be better for us to consider them as correct, as it is better to prepare and have no event than not preparing and having a hurricane when they are not ready.

Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/us_and_canada/10134964.stm

North Korea 'severs all ties' with Seoul

Pyongyang's official news agency stated that North Korea is cutting all relations with South Korea. On Tuesday, KCNA announced the severing of all ties with South Korea, including communications, ships and planes from its waters and airspace. Also, North Korea stated that they are expelling all South Korean workers from a jointly-run factory in North Korea. This move came from the destruction of Korean Warship called Cheonan. North Korea was blamed for sinking the ship near the border of Korea by torpedoing it. Pyongyang denies the action, but Seoul still announced to end its trading relations with North Korea. US Secretary State of State Hillary Clinton had said Washington and Beijing should work out to "fashion an effective response" to the sinking of the ship.

This was not a good response to the destruction of Cheonan warship. Although there were clear evidences showing that it was North Korea that was to blame for the destruction, I don't think people should be too offensive towards the North. I don't like North Korea's response to the blame that they are only denying what they had done. However, I believe this derives from South Korea and the US's attitude towards North Korea; they were being certain that North Korea committed the action. I think we should slowly discuss the issue and avoid future consequences, because North Korea will go into war anytime. Therefore, this serious issue should be dealt carefully.

Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia_pacific/10156834.stm

World Cup bomb plot detailed by al-Qaeda suspect

An alleged al-Qaeda militant detained in Iraq has given details about a plan he had to attack the World Cup in South Africa next month. Abdullah Azam Saleh al-Qahtani, the Saudi man, told reporters that he had suggested an attack on the Dutch and Danish teams. He said it is in revenge for cartoons drawn of the Prophet Muhammad. It is not sure if al-Qaeda in Iraq has the resources to carry out a complicated attack that far away from their home base. A note detailing the plan and Mr Qahtani's name, was discovered in a joint US and Iraqi operation in which top al-Qaeda in Iraq operatives Abu Ayyub al-Masri and Abu Omar al-Baghdadi were killed. Qahtani also said that if they could not target the teams of Denmark and Holland, the fans would be targeted. Now, the threat of terrorism at the World Cup is causing fears from people all around the world who are interested in the league.

I am personally interested in soccer and World Cup is the league I am most interested in, because many teams represent their countries. It is fun watching them play for their nation, but I could also cheer for my country. I've heard people close from me planning to go watch the World Cup. Therefore, this news is a huge concern to me today. I hope this threat is just a threat to get an apology from Denmark and Holland, not to actually bomb South America. In this situation, I cannot say my opinion much because al-Qaeda is currently so secretive. All I hope is that this threat is not an actual planned attack at South Africa, and I hope no one is attacked by the terrorists at the World Cup.

Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/middle_east/10125271.stm

Why universities should hate the iPad

Recent release of IPad from Apple has been a phenomenon. College students over nations are preparing for the next year, buying different books needed. Like previous years, students will once again swarm into bookstores to purchase materials for courses taken next year. University bookstores are bigger businesses than we think they are. However, as electronic versions of books are being distributed through gadgets like the IPad, bookstore businesses might become a business that existed in the past. The college bookstores are also wary of this fact that new gadgets are possibly diminishing their number of sales. According to a study, last year, 51% of students bought their textbooks at campus booksellers while 18% of the students acquired the book in an electronic version. Opposite to bookstores, sales rates in ebookstores are tremendously increasing by year. E-book sales only accounted for 2~3% of the total sales but last year, it increased to 10~ 15%. Although it is unfortunate for college bookstores, it seems like the future of book sales will most likely change.

With the new release of iPad and new technologies of online books, I have to say, the book market has changed a lot in the last few years. The fact that sales of college bookstores are decreasing will continue to do so until most of the books will be in electronic versions. Although reading books in electronic screens may not be pleasant for some people, it is a good transition if you think about the trees that are being killed when books are made. Will bookstores be a thing of the past? It might be. With crises of saving nature becoming a bigger topic, selling electronic versions of books might be encouraged by environmental groups. On a period of new beginning of e-book sales, I guess it only remains to wait and see what happens to the book markets in the future.

Article: http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/05/17/why-universities-should-hate-the-ipad/?cnn=yes

Faraway galaxy cluster found

U.S. astronomers had recently acclaimed that they discovered the farthest cluster of galaxies ever found. This newly discovered cluster was created 2.8 billion years after the Big Bang. According to researchers, its age appears to its modern counterparts, which are much older. This remote cluster is located 15 billion light years from Earth today, and it is named CLG J02182-05102. NASA's Splitzer Space Telescope had identified and examined using an advanced spectrograph from the Carnegie Institution’s Magellan/Baade 6.5 meter telescope at the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. One of the postdoctoral researchers at Carnegie Observatories stated, “In this cluster we found a number of surprisingly ancient-looking galaxies. This cluster resembles modern-day clusters, which are nearly 10 billion years older.” In this galaxy cluster, there are approximately 60 galaxies and several large galaxies at its core that holds all of them together.

This is very interesting to me; I was always curious about the universe since I was young. A news that says the farthest galaxy cluster is newly discovered gets me interested. If that galaxy cluster is the farthest one that exists now, it means that we have reached the absolute limit of the universe because the farthest galaxy cluster would be at the very tip of the universe. However, I don't think it would be the one at the tip because the universe is just too big for us to discover everything. The galaxy cluster is 15 billion light years away from us; this proves how eveloped our technology is. In the future when I am alive, I hope to see some more significant discoveries of the universe.

Article: http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2010/05/13/galaxy-cluster-found.html

Strong earthquake hits off Indonesian island of Sumatra

An earthquake of magnitude 7.4 has struck offshore neaer the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The US Geological Survey stated that the earthquake hit 214 km south of an Indonesian province named Aceh. Due to this earthquake, a local tsunami alert was triggered in the region. The region that was struck by the earthquake is very near to the place tsunami was created in 2004, so people are anxious about another disastrous tsunami.

In 2004, Indonesia was not well-prepared for a tsunami; therefore Indonesia was more harshly damaged. After that severe loss due to the tsunami, I think people learned how serious a tsunami is. If they didn't want to suffer the same impact, I think Indonesia should be very careful for a tsunami. Although the tsunami might not strike Indonesia, it is definitely better to be safe than risk it. If the first tsunami that struck Indonesia was a sudden strike that caused millions of deaths, they should be prepared to hide from the tsunami at any time.

North Korea 'committed to disarmament talks'

North Korea's Leader Kim Jong-il committed to end the North Korea's nuclear program. Kim Jong-il secretely arrived in Beijing and met with Chinese President Hu Jintao on Monday. Kim said to the Chinese President, "North Korea is willing to work with you to create favourable conditions for a resumption of the six-party talks." He committed to end North Korea's nuclear program. The six-party negotiations to end North Korea's nuclear plan are hosted in China: the two Koreas, Japan, US, and Russia are involved in it. North Korea quit the talks in 2009, but now he is willing to join again. In answer to that, China promised to support North Korea's economic development and improving livelihood.

Today, I think the only trading partner North Korea has is China. That means China would be the only country that Kim Jong-il might rely on. Possibly, the leader of China could suggest Kim to stop his nuclear ambitions. I don't think any other countries can change Kim's idea of nuclear plans, because most countries are North Korea's enemy. However, China can make the difference. This time it was only his nuclear plan and six-party negotiations, but he can then further lead North Korea to internationally involve with other countries. I think it is in Hu Jintao's hands for the world's peace in the future, and that this meet in Beijing can be the first step to peace.

Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8666793.stm

3-D video gaming is coming, but at what cost?

As the movie, Avatar, caused a huge boom in 3-D industries, many game-developing companies including Samsung, Dice, and Microsoft also began to make 3-D video games. While other companies are also preparing to issue their 3-D televisions, companies such as Samsung and Panasonic had already introduced their 3-D home television. For example, Patrick Bach who is the senior producer at game developer at Dice, said that the company will be upgrading their games, "Battlefield: Bad Company 2" into 3-D game. He also predicted that many companies will do extra job on 3-D game such as out-of-screen effects and showing in-game movies. One of the disadvantage will be the expensive price of everything you need to buy. You need all the hardware (3-D TV, shutter glasses), 3-D software, and 3-D designed games. Therefore, it will cost quite much. Also, the health concern cannot be ignored. Some moviegoers reported that they suffered dizziness, headaches, and nausea during watching the 3-D movie. Since it is not a well-developed area, many researchers and scientists are focusing on the health issue of 3-D.

The technology is developing at a very quick pace. In only a few months, new inventions come out, new developments come to our society. However, so many companies are expanding the idea of 3 dimensions and trying to apply them to various areas including video game in this case. Honestly, I am a fan of video games, and I would like to try the games in 3-D, like some movies today. Also, it will be such a huge success if 3-D televions, 3-D video games and other 3-D medias became popularized in the world. In the future, I expect that 4-D might be developed which the fourth dimension is time. I cannot say exactly when it will come, but I think in very close future, we would have medias in 4-D, as I said the technology is developing incredibly quick. I think this is another step to a future high technology.

Article: http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/05/05/3d.gaming.future/index.html

North Korea's Kim 'visits China'

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il crossed the border into China with his private train and arrived the city of Dandong early on Monday. Kim arrived in Dalian and stayed at a hotel of Dalian. South Korean government said it could not confirm the reports, but that there had been rumours of visit to China for several weeks. He is not believed to leave North Korea since 2006 after a visit to China. China, as North Korea's main trading partner, has the most influence on the communist state. The special train Kim Jong-il took and the stations he will arrive are being guarded by 200 Chinese police officers. Currently, analysts suggest that Kim could be seeking economic aid from China in the wake of a disastrous currency reform from last year. Also, China could urge North Korea to return six-party talks on ending its nuclear ambitions. Still, it is unknown whether he will head to Beijing or not.

Personally, I don't think it is that much of a concern when a country's leader visits the other. It is true that North Korea is threatening, but I don't think Kim Jong-il is planning for a greater threat. I think the reason for a visit to China was to seek economic help from China, since China is the most welcoming country towards North Korea. Many countries are suffering an economic problem, and I do not think Kim would seek for another nuclear threat to other countries. I don't think people should worry about a threat from North Korea. As people say, North Korea might cancel its nuclear ambition. In conclusion, I do think this visit would not cause any trouble in the future.

Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8657688.stm