Man’s Selfie with His Daughters Goes Viral

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. viral /ˈvaɪrəl/ (adj.) – referring to something that is widely and rapidly circulated on the Internet

Example: The controversial photo of the governor and his alleged mistress went viral last night.

2. selfie /ˈsɛlfi/ (n.) – a person’s photo that he or she took by himself or herself

Example: The actress posted a selfie showing her in a bridal costume. 

3. baby carrier /ˈbeɪbi ˈkæriər/ (n. phrase) – a sling-like garment that one wears to carry a baby while having his or her hands free

Example: My sister uses a baby carrier to carry her baby while she cooks in the kitchen.

4. deadbeat /ˈdɛdˌbit/ (n.) – a person who does not fulfill his responsibilities

Example: He should start looking for a job or else he’d be a deadbeat.

5. lament /ləˈmɛnt/ (v.) – to feel or express sadness over something

Example: The woman hugged her children as she lamented the death of her husband.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

A father of two from Los Angeles got the surprise of his life when a photo of him with his two daughters went viral online. Doyin Richards, a blogger and a father of two, posted a selfie on Facebook that shows himself while taking care of his two daughters. In the photo, Richards is seen carrying his three-month-old baby girl in a baby carrier while brushing his other daughter’s hair. Within hours, the photo generated thousands of views and drew a lot of positive and negative reactions. Some commenters took notice of his skin and accused Richards, who is an African-American, of being a deadbeat. Others pointed out the differences in Richards’ and his daughters’ skin color, and accused him of renting or stealing the children in order to take the picture. However, the difference between Richards’ skin color and his children’s is because his wife is half-American and half-Japanese. Despite negative comments, many others were more positive about Richards’ photo. Many parents expressed admiration over Richards’ dedication as a father. They even called Richards a hero and an inspiration. For his part, Richards lamented the racist comments, many of which came from African-Americans like himself. He added that people who can criticize his kids because their skin is not as dark as his skin have some serious problems. He also referred to his photo as the ultimate selfie because it tackles several themes, including fatherhood and race. He hopes that the photo can generate a fresh conversation about modern parenthood and the role of a father in his children’s lives.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

         In your opinion, why did the photo posted by Richards garner so much attention and reaction?

         Do you think it was inappropriate to comment or inquire about the ethnicity/race of Richards and his daughters? Why or why not?

Discussion B

         Why do you think some people enjoy posting selfies online? Discuss with your tutor.

         Do you think the Internet and the rise of social networking sites have made people more confident about their appearance? Explain.

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The Small But Important Difference Between Apes and Humans

Credit: Image courtesy of University of Oxford

An area of the brain that appears unique to humans (in red).

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We are obviously different from apes and monkeys despite the fact that 99.6% of our DNA is the same as found in chimpanzees.  For millenia, we assumed humans had language and apes don't, and that's what makes us different.  But apes do have language, and can learn American sign language equivalent to a human six year old.  Well, humans make tools and that makes up unique.  Not so, says science.  Apes, monkeys, dolphins and ants all make tools as well.  So much for that.

Social organization?  Not really.  Consider the sophisticated social organization of elephants.  Wolves.  Ants.

So how are we truly different?  Oxford University researchers have identified an area of the human brain that appears unlike anything in the brains of some of our closest relatives.

The brain area pinpointed is known to be intimately involved in some of the most advanced planning and decision-making processes that we think of as being especially human.

'We tend to think that being able to plan into the future, be flexible in our approach and learn from others are things that are particularly impressive about humans. We've identified an area of the brain that appears to be uniquely human and is likely to have something to do with these cognitive powers,' says senior researcher Professor Matthew Rushworth of Oxford University's Department of Experimental Psychology.

MRI imaging of 25 adult volunteers was used to identify key components in the ventrolateral frontal cortex area of the human brain, and how these components were connected up with other brain areas. The results were then compared to equivalent MRI data from 25 macaque monkeys.

This ventrolateral frontal cortex area of the brain is involved in many of the highest aspects of cognition and language, and is only present in humans and other primates. Some parts are implicated in psychiatric conditions like ADHD, drug addiction or compulsive behaviour disorders. Language is affected when other parts are damaged after stroke or neurodegenerative disease. A better understanding of the neural connections and networks involved should help the understanding of changes in the brain that go along with these conditions.

Professor Rushworth explains: 'The brain is a mosaic of interlinked areas. We wanted to look at this very important region of the frontal part of the brain and see how many tiles there are and where they are placed.

'We also looked at the connections of each tile -- how they are wired up to the rest of the brain -- as it is these connections that determine the information that can reach that component part and the influence that part can have on other brain regions.'

From the MRI data, the researchers were able to divide the human ventrolateral frontal cortex into 12 areas that were consistent across all the individuals.

'Each of these 12 areas has its own pattern of connections with the rest of the brain, a sort of "neural fingerprint," telling us it is doing something unique,' says Professor Rushworth.

The researchers were then able to compare the 12 areas in the human brain region with the organisation of the monkey prefrontal cortex. Overall, they were very similar with 11 of the 12 areas being found in both species and being connected up to other brain areas in very similar ways.  However, one area of the human ventrolateral frontal cortex had no equivalent in the macaque -- an area called the lateral frontal pole prefrontal cortex.

'We have established an area in human frontal cortex which does not seem to have an equivalent in the monkey at all,' says first author Franz-Xaver Neubert of Oxford University. 'This area has been identified with strategic planning and decision making as well as "multi-tasking." '

The Oxford research group also found that the auditory parts of the brain were very well connected with the human prefrontal cortex, but much less so in the macaque. The researchers suggest this may be critical for our ability to understand and generate speech.

*  *  *  *  *

Story Source:  Franz-Xaver Neubert, Rogier B. Mars, Adam G. Thomas, Jerome Sallet, Matthew F.S. Rushworth. Comparison of Human Ventral Frontal Cortex Areas for Cognitive Control and Language with Areas in Monkey Frontal Cortex. Neuron, 2014

Sleep Loss Damages Brain, Study Claims

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. blow /bloʊ/ (n.) – a sudden hit or attack, especially with the fist

Example: The boxer’s head is bleeding after receiving a strong blow from the opponent.

2. deprived /dɪˈpraɪvd/ (adj.) – having little access to things needed to maintain good health

Example: He is sleep-deprived because he works until late at night. 

3. molecule /ˈmɒləˌkyul/ (n.) – the smallest unit of a chemical compound

Example: A microscope is required to be able to see molecules.

4. signify /ˈsɪgnəˌfaɪ/ (v.) – to imply or to indicate

Example: Yawning signifies that one is sleepy. 

5. indispensable /ˌɪndɪˈspɛnsəbəl/ (adj.) – extremely necessary or very important

Example: Fruits and vegetables are indispensable parts of a healthy diet.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

Not sleeping for one night may damage the brain like a blow to the head, a recent study revealed. Professor Christian Benedict of Uppsala University in Sweden studied a group of young men who were sleep-deprived. According to the study, a young man who was not able to sleep even just for one night had an increased level of NSE and S-100B molecules, similar to when a person is hit in the head. NSE is a neural enzyme while S-100B is a protein present in the cells of the central nervous system. These molecules are not poisonous, but their increased levels in the blood may signify brain damage. Professor Benedict found in his experiment that men lacking sleep had increased levels of NSE and S-100B. This result indicates that lack of sleep may lead to a loss of brain tissue. Professor Benedict thus emphasized that good sleep is indispensable in maintaining brain health. This recent study supports previous studies that say lack of sleep harms the brain. Previous studies also claim that lack of sleep or irregular sleep patterns may cause illnesses such as diabetes, ulcers, heart diseases, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Lack of sleep may also result in a lower IQ. Based on statistics, one third of the population in the United Kingdom suffers from sleep-related problems. Recent studies have also shown that people do not get as much sleep as they used to, from nine hours 10 years ago to seven hours nowadays.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

         Do you agree with the conclusion of the study? Why or why not?

         After reading this article, would you now try to get more than enough sleep? Explain.

Discussion B

         How do you think people can get enough sleep? Explain.

         How else can lack of sleep affect a person? Kindly explain.

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People Remember Unattractive Faces More Than Attractive Ones

Great eyes, full lips and harmonious features: actress Angelina Jolie is in possession of all of these. That she is regarded as the epitome of female attractiveness doesn’t come as a surprise for Dr. Holger Wiese of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Germany). “Her features combine many factors which contribute to the attractiveness of a face,” the psychologist says. In his research, he mostly deals with the perception of faces.

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”On the one hand we find very symmetrical and rather average faces appealing,” he explains. “On the other hand, people who are perceived as being particularly attractive stand out by additional traits, which distinguish them from the average.” Apart from being attractive, features like big eyes or a distinctively shaped mouth ensure a high recognition value. “We tend to remember those faces well,” according to Wiese.

But this isn’t generally true for all attractive people – as Wiese and his colleagues, Carolin Altmann and Professor Dr. Stefan Schweinberger have shown in the new study. “We could show that the test subjects were more likely to remember unattractive faces than attractive ones, when the latter didn’t have any particularly noticeable traits,” Holger Wiese says.

For their research the psychologists of Jena University showed photos of faces to their test subjects. One half of the faces were considered as being more attractive, the other half as less attractive and all of them were being thought of as similarly distinctive looking. The test subjects were shown the faces only for a few seconds to memorize them. During the ensuing test phase they were again shown faces and they had to decide if they recognized them.

The scientists were surprised by the result: “Until now we assumed that it was generally easier to memorize faces, which are being perceived as attractive – just because we prefer looking at beautiful faces,“ according to Wiese. But the new scientific results are showing that such a correlation cannot be easily sustained. Moreover, Wiese and his colleagues assume that the recognition in the case of attractive faces is distorted by emotional influences which exacerbate the recognition at a later time. This is suggested by evidence from the EEG-recordings during the memory tests.

Additionally the Jena psychologists’ study revealed a further interesting secondary aspect: In the case of attractive faces, scientists detected considerably more false positive results. In other words: in the test phase the test persons stated that they recognized a face without having seen it before. “We obviously tend to believe that we recognize a face just because we find it attractive,“ Wiese supposes.

*  *  *  *  *

Story Source: Materials provided by Friedrich Schiller University Jena.  Holger Wiese, Carolin S. Altmann, Stefan R. Schweinberger. Effects of attractiveness on face memory separated from distinctiveness: Evidence from event-related brain potentials. Neuropsychologia, 2014

Company Introduces New Device for Golfers

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. glide /glaɪd/ (v.) – to move smoothly and steadily

Example: The ice skater glided gracefully in the arena.

2. steep /stip/ (adj.) – has a very high and vertical slope, usually in landforms

Example: The driver found it difficult to drive along the steep road.

3. traverse /ˈtrævərs, trəˈvɜrs/ (v.) – to go through different directions

Example: The truck traversed throughout the city.

4. terrain /təˈreɪn/ (n.) – a particular type of land

Example: Big-wheeled vehicles can pass through rough terrains.

5. game changer /geɪm ˈtʃeɪndʒər/ (n.) – anything that can cause great and significant changes

Example: Unique ideas can be a game changer in business.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

Playing golf may become more appealing with the arrival of a new device that lets players glide along the field. Eighty-year-old Don Wildman [WAYLD-muh n] designed the GolfBoard hoping to modernize the sport. Often called as an old man’s game, golf is often viewed by most teenagers as a boring activity. But with Wildman’s invention, golfers can enjoy the sport with an added fun as they can go through steep golf courses by standing on a board, just like in skateboarding. The GolfBoard contains gearboxes [GEER-bok-ses] similar to what golf carts use to smoothly traverse through varied terrains. Riders can drive the board by using a handheld, gun-like tool to control the speed. They can also switch directions by adjusting their balance. A 48-volt lithium [LITH-ee-uh m] battery pack powers the device and needs 90 minutes to be fully recharged. The GolfBoard can travel with a speed of up to 19 kilometers per hour and pass through an entire 36-hole golf course. The electronic board measures similar to a skateboard. Its other components prevent the user from getting out of balance or slipping from a high hill. During an event, professional golfer Chris van der Velde said he enjoyed using the GolfBoard. However, he doubts the invention to be a game changer as many traditional golf players might not like it. Paul Hodge, president of the device’s manufacturer SolBoard, said breaking traditions is necessary for the sport to grow, to make it more fun, and to attract more players. To date, the company has already received about 2,000 orders for the product. People can buy this device for $3,500.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

         If given the chance, would you buy a GolfBoard? Why or why not?

         Why do you think traditional golfers won’t like the GolfBoard?

Discussion B

         How does technology affect sports?

         Should inventors continue to create new sports equipment? Kindly explain.

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Elance.com & Haas Business School: How to Succeed as a Freelancer

Simply put, freelancers who understand their own skills and experience, have a career path in mind, a goal, and who accept and decline jobs based on this focus, are more successful in landing contract jobs.  

This report is based on an analysis of assignments made on Elance.com, but confirms my own experience.  

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• When I made work proposals to prospective clients saying, "I can do any type of writing," I rarely got the assignment.  
• When I focused on what I do best and applied for that type of work, more often than not, I got the assignment.

This is not new advice.  Variations of  "To thine own self be true," appears both in the Christian Bible and in Shakespeare's Hamlet and in other sources as well. Here's the report of an analysis of the experiences of freelancers on Elance.com conducted by the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business.

*  *  *  *  *

According to Elance.com, the online workplace lists more than three million registered freelancers worldwide, and each month it posts 100,000+ freelance jobs ranging from omputer programming and web design to finance and engineering. As an increasing number of freelancers depend on the virtual workplace, how can they make themselves more attractive to potential employers?

New research suggests freelancers who demonstrate work commitment through an incremental career path, by moving between similar -- but not identical -- types of jobs, are the most likely to be hired. The findings also conclude that competitors who work on only one type of job or on too many disparate types of jobs are disadvantaged when it comes to winning assignments.

Freelancers should specialize
"Previous findings would suggest that freelancers should specialize in a particular type of work so prospective employers know what they're good at," says Leung, "But I was curious about how freelancers can demonstrate their skills and commitment in an online world to acquire more jobs. My research suggests that employers on Elance.com appear to value freelancers who demonstrate their commitment by making incremental moves between jobs."

Leung observes that nuances in the online workplace will continue to affect hiring trends in the future. For workers, direct competition with other freelancers searching for online work presents new challenges. And in the virtual workplace, Leung says employers are often concerned with how engaged and committed a virtual, non-local worker will be despite the availability of information, such as a freelancer's job history and ratings/feedback from prior employers.

To understand how employers navigate the uncertainty of not meeting a potential hire in person, Leung analyzed millions of job applications and more than 100,000 worker profiles around the world from a 2007  Elance.com data set. Leung began by calculating how similar jobs on Elance were to one another. He then looked at the jobs each freelancer completed and found that those who exhibited some movement in their past history -- by taking jobs that were similar to one another but not the same -- were more likely to get hired through the website than those freelancers who accumulated experiences from dissimilar jobs or from jobs that were identical.

An adviser to Elance.com, Leung says the rise in contract and temporary employment is leading employers to increasingly embrace such a virtual workforce for specific skills and flexible employment arrangements. He also notes that in contrast to past characterizations of contract employees being low skilled and low paid, today's freelancers are performing highly skilled tasks.

This study suggests virtual labor markets will continue to change employment and career opportunities. By better understanding the market's dynamics, Leung says, freelancers will be more prepared to demonstrate their credibility and competence to employers.

*  *  *  *  *

Story Source: Materials provided by University of California - Berkeley Haas School of Business. M. D. Leung. Dilettante or Renaissance Person? How the Order of Job Experiences Affects Hiring in an External Labor Market. American Sociological Review, 2014

Toyota to Sell Hydrogen-powered Cars in 2015

【Unlocking Word Meanings】

　今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. showcase /ˈʃoʊˌkeɪs/ (v.) – to show or present an item, usually in an event

Example: The museum showcases many old car models.

2. prototype /ˈproʊtəˌtaɪp/ (n.) – original or first model of a thing or product

Example: The new car model’s prototype will still undergo changes before its release.

3. accelerate /ækˈsɛləˌreɪt/ (v.) – to move with greater speed

Example: The car accelerated when he stepped on the gas pedal.

4. impending /ɪmˈpɛndɪŋ/ (adj.) – possible to happen soon, usually a problem or danger

Example: Sleepy drivers face an impending road accident.

5. optimal /ˈɒptəməl/ (adj.) – giving the most effective or best results

Example: Well-maintained cars provide optimal driving experience.

【Article】

　ニュース記事

Read the text below.

Japanese carmaker Toyota is set to sell hydrogen-powered electric cars in the U.S. in 2015. The company showcased its latest model of fuel cell vehicles (FCV) in the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held in Las Vegas. Toyota plans to start selling these vehicles in California, with a price ranging from $50,000 to $100,000. Bob Carter, senior vice president of Toyota U.S.A., said the demand for FCVs in the U.S. has recently increased. He added that the company will reduce the production costs from the prototype by 95 percent in order to provide a reasonable cost for the buyers. FCVs can drive for 300 miles or 482 kilometers. This vehicle can also accelerate for almost 100 kilometers per hour within 10 seconds from steady position. When refueling, the hydrogen tank can be filled in three to five minutes. Almost all car users will still drive with engine-based vehicles by 2015. So, gas stations with a hydrogen refueling area can be difficult to find. However, Carter said the company has already worked with University of California researchers to solve this impending problem. As of now, 68 refueling stations from San Francisco to San Diego can provide the hydrogen for the FCVs. California has also agreed to provide $200 million to construct 20 more stations by 2015. By 2024, the company aims to have a total of 100 refueling stations. Carter added that the researchers also analyzed the optimal locations on where to best place the hydrogen stations. They plan to place each station where it will be accessible in people’s home and office.

【Viewpoint Discussion】

　ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

         What do you think are the disadvantages of using FCVs? Kindly explain.

         Would you be willing to try using an FCV? Why or why not?

Discussion B

         How can this type of innovation help the environment?

         If you were an inventor, what type of innovation would you create to help protect the environment? Please explain.

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