Blog #4: Chicago Gangsters

Gangster genre has always been a popular theme used in modern movies. I have never watched any gangster movies but my grandfather`s top five gangster movies are as listed below.

1. The Godfather (1972)
2. Goodfellas (1990)
3. The Untouchables (1987)
4. Branded to Kill (1967)

If anybody is intrested in this genre my grandpa recommends it very much, so you should check it out someday.

Now, what I want to share to everyone today is not about gangsters in the movies, but real gangsters that have done many interesting and shocking events in past history. I`m sure everybody has heard of the name Al Capone. The most famous Chicago gangster.

Photo credited to zippycart

His full name is Alphonse Gabriel Capone and is known for the many crime such as, smuggling, bootlegging liquor, and prostitution. He rose to infamy as the leader of the Chicago mafia during the Prohibition era. Born in a poor Italian family, he commited many crimes and robbery for a living. Living in New York, Capone moves to Chicago to start a better life. His biggest crime of all was the big shooting to murder his rival gang group.

Despite all the crimes and murders he has done, he was known to be a generous person. He often came out in public with a bright colorful suit. Flashing off his 11.5 carrot diamond pinky ring, he gave big tips to people and was the first one to open a soup kitchens during the Great Depression.

Capone was arrested in 1931, for tax envasion. The government wanted to use him as an example so they did not let him go off so easily. Sentencing him to 11 years in prison and millions of dollars of fine, it was his end of reign as a crime boss. After a few years in prison, he became increasingly sick and died of teritiary syphilis. He was only 48 years old.

A real gang`s life is full of many extreme events just like in the movies. However, it is really fearsome to think and know that there are real gangs around you.

I have lived in Chicago for 18 years, but I wonder what kind of gangsters there are in Japan? 

Blog #3: Soccer News

   Hi! This is Yu Yamanashi. As we are in the middle of the World Cup Qualifying Tournament, I came across an interesting and possibly shocking news article that I would like to introduce to you. The title is, "Fifa alarmed at widespread 'abuse' of painkillers ".(Matt McGrath, 5 June 2012, BBC News) Please click on the title to jump to the BBC webpage for the full article and to find out what happened to the player in the photo below.

 

   To make the long story short, this article is about the Fifa medical officer and several doctors alerting that too many soccer players are taking too much painkillers too frequently. The article points out that the major factors in the growing use of painkillers in soccer are the pressure on team doctors to get injured players back on the pitch quickly and players to stay on the pitch. Some problems induced by overdose painkillers are damage on the kidney and liver from strong drugs, irreversible destruction of tissue from numbed alarm systems and elevated risk of heart disorder. What concerns the Fifa medical officer the most is the attitude being passed on to younger players.
  
   What do you think about this article? Do you think there is an effective solution to this problem? I was very sad  to hear that so many players were too wrapped up in playing to care about their health. I also felt that with playing being their job, it wouldn't be easy to just take away painkillers from the players. In my opinion, the best way to improve the situation is to act upon supporters and spectators instead of the players and doctors themselves. This is because the major factor in this problem, the pressure to keep playing, is coming from the expectations of supporters and spectators. Also, players wouldn't be able to ignore if the very fans they are supposed to give hope and dreams to pleaded them to stop abusing painkillers. I hope soccer players would soon come to realize that by abusing painkillers, they are hurting the feelings of many soccer fans.


Yu Yamanashi

blog#3 Japanese Major leaguer

Ryo Yonekawa

HIdeki Matsui is Japanese baseball player. Recently, he got promoted to major league from minor league.  He belong to Tampa Bay Rays naw, but, I like him since he has played in Yomiyri Giants.

Blog#3: world news

 Hello, this is Akane Homma.
 I heard the news that some people was shot at the shopping mall in Canada. The shot man was dead, and other people were injured. A criminal of this trouble is still at large.
http://sankei.jp.msn.com/world/news/120603/amr12060316130000-n1.htm
This above is the web page of the news.


 There are many countries which admit that citizens have their own guns to protect their lives and fortunes, and the trouble with guns are happened one after another. Forexample, a child playing with a toy pistol was shot by a man, because the man mistook the child had a real gun and pointed him. Moreover, ordinary people can get them easily in the countries under warfare and use them for killing. I feel sad when I know the fact like those.
 Guns are useful tool for people in the area which is not safe, but they are also so dangerous tool. We, Japanese people, are not permitted having our own guns for self-protection, so this problem looks unrelated. However it is important to think of it because now that world has been globalization so world peace must be problem, like environmental probrems or economic ones, we humanbeings have jointly.

Blog #2: The Butterfly Effect

Hi everybody! This is Kaori Shimamoto.

Today I would like to share to you all a movie I really enjoyed watching.

The Butterfly Effect is a science fiction psychological thriller movie, starring Ashton Kutcher and Amy Smart. This was written and directed by Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber. The meaning of the title refers to the chaos theory, butterfly effect, which means a small initial difference can, overtime, lead to large consequences. 

Ashton Kutcher plays the role of a 20-year-old student, Evan, and finds a journal he has kept throughout childhood. As he reads through his journal he finds out that he is able to travel back to his past. Evan had several traumatic experience in his past, so every time he went back to his past, he attempted to change how he had acted before to a different move to make everything better. One little thing may have made that moment better, but that little difference turns out to a unintended consequence in the present time. 

The film draws heavily on Evan's flashback. As audience find out what had happened in Evan's past, we see that the change he has made leads to an unexpected outcome. The new present becomes worst then before so Evan searches for a perfect outcome. 

After watching this movie it really made me think about myself and the past I have lived through. The past can never be changed and you have to live with all the fears and traumas you have gone through. 

Now, I have a question for everybody.

If you are able to change an event in your past what would it be and how do you think that would change your present self and environment? 

The time you live now is only lived once and can never be rewinded back. Life is full of decisions, but whatever outcome it leads to there is no right answer. You learn from your mistakes and it is important to know what you did wrong and how you should act in the future. I made a life changing decision to come back to Japan and there were times I had regret coming here. But all I had to do is change that feeling to something I can be proud of. Now I participate in a lot of school events and extra curricular activities so I enjoy my life now very much. I am proud of the decision I made and there is nothing I would like to change about it because you can change things now to make a better future.

If you ever go to Tsutaya, check out The Butterfly Effect! Even though this film received a poor critical reception I enjoyed it very much. They have made The Butterfly Effect 2 and 3 but I have not seen it yet. So if I ever do I would like to share it again. Thank you!

Last but not least, here is a trailer of this film.

Blog#1: A drink

Hi, this is Koyo. And it is 45 min before deadline!! wow!!

Well, I think I would like to start introducing a drink I like. When I drank it, it was amazing, like floating on air. And it smells of bread baking in the oven.

It is red wine called “ALTER EGO DE PALMER” from Margaux. I have drunk it just once. But I will never and ever forget what the taste like. If you have a chance to drink it, you should try this one. I’m pretty sure that would be a great experience for you!!

Blog #1: You will go WILD!!!

Kaori Shimamoto

Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar is one of my favortie restaurants in America!
It`s a sports viewing bar combined with a restaurant so customers can enjoy there time with friends while watching your favortie sports team play!
Of many varieties of food option they have, they are known for their fabulous pieces of wings.
From sweet bbq to blazin` hot, every time you visit, you can choose a different kind of sauce.

It is located almost everywhere in the U.S., but unfortunatly you won`t be able to get a bite on those delicious piece of wings in Japan. Their food are unexpensive so you can bring your friends to eat and chat. Not only for kids, but adults can also enjoy there time there because of the number of beers and beverages they serve.

If you ever have a chance to travel the U.S. you MUSTcheck it out!