Thinking of Aid

I watched a TV program on Angola (Republic of Angola). Ms. Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, one of the Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF went there and meet people who suffer with problems of education, poverty, health, and the like.

I remember one guy from Kenya. When I was in the UK, a postgraduate student from Kenya said to me, "people care each other in Kenya, and neighbors are like a big family". As same as today, I heard many stories of crimes in Japan, so I asked him "To be honest, when I look at Japan, a rich country, I wonder the meaning of being wealthy. Is it necessary for us to be even though we get rid of the minds such as caring or helping people?" His answer was wealthy was really important. Good quality of road, water, and other infrastructure are the basic to live in this world.

And, the program I watched this afternoon showed the same points to me. Angola has oil, so many foreigners have begun to visit there. However, there is a gap between rich and poor. I try to make a list as follows:

1. Clean water
It suddenly rains harder and there was no drains. The road immediately becomes like a small river. People there need water in their daily life, so they use springs which are not always clean. This means they live with infections diseases.

2. Shortage of Doctors/No telephone
Once they suffer diseases, they need to wait for medical examinations or consultation. The number of doctors is not enough and there is no booking system or telephone to ask to come and visit patients' places.

3. Education
There is a shortage of classrooms. Those who are not able to enter a classroom, they need to go out and be taught under the sun. According to the TV program, many adults also want to learn many things at school.

4. Minefields
It is said that there are about 8 millions of landmines.

5. Malaria
Mosquitoes are mediators to deliver Malaria. In the program, the UNICEF gave many mosquito nets (we call it Kaya) to patients at hospitals. According to the report, there was an ancient tradition not to sleep inside of something because it would bring bad things.

I begin to think to act in some ways to take in consideration of a gap between rich countries and poor. Realistically speaking, it is easy to rely on some social group to get involved with this matter. I know one guy from an African country who thank for a Foster parent program. Making action will be a big step.

I put some URL about the UNICEF.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Children%27s_Fund

http://www.unicef.org/people/people_tetsuko_kuroyanagi.html

Thoughts on Journalism

I went to my friend's home party in this evening. I met some experienced journalists there. Some of them stayed in China, Korea, Russia, and so on. They introduced stories on meeting authorities. I enjoyed the conversation, then one friend asked a question. Why the business newspaper put some articles on companies' revenue or profit with prediction? She said those articles were related to "insider dealing". I said writing articles were generally based on interviews and not committed to crimes like insider dealing. Of course, when journalists get information, then purchase some shares of the company which has a strong relationship with the matter, this is a crime. When I try to write about companies' revenue, people tend to refuse. Is it a crime to get scoops on companies? Do we need to wait for announcement from companies?

She kept saying business journalists behaviour should be changed at the home party. Her comments stimulated my pride on my job. I said "I do not want to fight with you anymore and I believe your comments are not right".

On my way to my home, I was thinking of my behaviour and the nature of my job. News sometimes make the stock markets volatile, but journalists should not hesitate to write news.
This is my relief.

Globa Media Studies

One of my friends has just visited the UK to do his presentation in Oxford. I got his latest papers on global media studies. I have never known what he has studied or taught in universities, and I
recently got papers through emails.

To be honest, I tend to think people in academies never understand what happens in media companies and they need to know it. And now I understand my way of thinking that way is sort of arrogant. His papers are not just full of criticism on to mass media, but are trying to let students be aware of the importance to look at themselves. How do they react to the news from media? Why do they rely on media?

I personally gain power to start new week from today by reading his paper. I do hope his presentation will be successful.

A Day of My Daily Life

Let me tell you a day of my life... the example is today's behavior.

4:40am get up
5:10am take the first train from my nearest station
5:45am change another train
6:10am arrive at my office in Tokyo
6:20am start to check major newspapers with looking for materials for the stock market
7:10am finish to write a first article to summarise today's news digest
7:30am start to call analysts to have their comments on prediction of today's market
8:00am finish to write a second article to show a market commentator's view
8:30am discuss with colleagues which point of view we should focus on the market
9:00am the market starts, and I keep writing, calling, reading, checking...
11:30am take a lunch... mainly box lunch
12:30 the market restarts, and I act as same as the morning
14:30 think to prepare some ideas for the articles after the market closes
14:50 let my colleague prepare some articles after the market closes
15:00 start calling, reading, considering, and writing
19:00 finish works and cleaning my desk
20:00 leave the office for my home

hmmm... let me rest more...