Important announcement and the May’s FAME meeting

Posted on 2012年4月24日 by admin

The following are announcements about the meeting, and the details of May’s FAME meeting.

announcement:

FAME will be moved from 2^nd Saturday to 4^th Saturday of the month.
FAME will be moved from 13:30 in the afternoon to 9:30 in the morning
The 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd Saturdays are when the ABC class meet. ABC members will have the option to join the FAME Saturday free of charge.
FAME members will have the option to join the ABC group if they wish. If they do, they will pay the ABC membership fee.
FAME members who do not want to join ABC and only wish to attend FAME will be able to continue to do so the same as until now. They will only pay for attending the FAME meetings.

Thank you to Mr. Hiyama for his suggestion.

The Details of May’ s FAME meeting

Date:Saturday May 26^th

Time:9:30-11:30

TOPIC:May 3^rd will be Constitution Memorial Day(憲法記念日). TheJapanese

Constitution (日本国憲法)came into effect May 3^rd, 1947. Do you know the contents of the Constitution? Let’s read the Japanese constitution in English!

FAME March meeting

Posted on 2012年3月14日 by admin

The next FAME meeting will be:
DATE: Sat. March 24
TIME:13:30-15:30
PLACE: Seibu Kouminkan 第４講義室
TOPICS:

Earthquake and tsunami – 1 year on. What are English-language media saying?
Consumption tax – should it be raised or not?

I look forward to seeing you there.

FAME meeting　on February

Posted on 2012年2月10日 by admin

Announcement: February’s FAME meeting is not on 11th, but Feb. 25th.

The details of February’s meeting

DATE: Feb. 25^th (Sat.),

TIME: 13:30-15:30

the first emperor of Japan Emperor Jimmu

PLACE: Gakuenmae Community Centre 5F #1 meeting room 第一講座室５F

TOPICS:

1. Let’s read about Japan’s National Foundation Day (and related matters)(建国記念の日) in English.

2. (if time) World news in English from other countries.

FAME December 2011 meeting

Posted on 2011年12月8日 by admin

Announcement :There will be no January session.

The following are the details of the FAME December meeting.

Speaker: Mr. David Eckford

Mr.David Eckford is a long-term resident of Japan and now a teacher at a high school in Osaka.

DATE: December 10th (Sat.)
TIME: 13:30-15:30
PLACE: Gakuenmae Community Centre 5F room 創作室
TOPIC:
1. Who is Mr. Eckford?
2. Japan’s Popular Culture from a Westerner’s point of view
3. ‘Yes, Virginia. There is a Santa Claus’

FAME November 2011 meeting

Posted on 2011年11月5日 by admin

Update: In the November session, we discussed the present-day value of Japanese history. In particular, we read and discussed this blog, written in English by a Japanese resident. Through the Sapphire Sky | Shrines and Temples of Nikko – legacy of the Tokugawa Shogunate

Although I did not get an answer to my question – does this kind of “legacy” have any value for us living in Japan today? – it was a very interesting reading/discussion and I learned a lot of things.

We then spent a short time discussing the matter of TPP. One thing I find a little disappointing about living in Japan is that people don’t really like to discuss or debate things, but in the case of TPP, I have been surprised to hear people express their opinions and give their reasons. This is a good sign. In FAME today, we heard about not only the expected objections – the farmers will be put out of business, fear of the food supply, etc – but also concerns about Monsanto and GM crops and labeling of such products.

I wanted to talk some more about the meaning of a “free-trade agreement” and the value of free trade, but we ran out of time. Perhaps next month?

Thank you again to all those who attended and took part and helped tomake it such a lively and interesting session. And thanks also to Mr. Hiyama for bringing those colorful and helpful name-cards!

Next meeting: December 10th

Dear FAME member,

The following are the details of the November FAME meeting.

DATE: November 12th (sat.)
TIME: 13:30-15:30
PLACE: Gakuenmae Community Centre 5F room 4
TOPIC: Japanese culture and history have no value for today, except as tourist attractions. Discuss.

Fame October 2011 meeting

Posted on 2011年10月8日 by admin

Dear FAME members,

Here are the details of the Oct. FAME meeting, and the time is on the 22nd this month. The next FAME meeting time will be held as usual on the second Saturday of November.

Details:

TIME: 13:30-15:30

PLACE: 第４講座室(5F)

Guy Fawkes

THEME: Britain’s first terrorist, Guy Fawkes,

and his legacy.

Fame September 2011 meeting

Posted on 2011年9月2日 by admin

Dear FAME members,

The following are the details of the FAME September meeting

when: Sat. Sept. 10th 13:30 – 15:30
where: Gakuenmae Kouminkan Dai 4 kouza-shitsu(5) 学園前公民館第４講座室
Topics:

The Japanese prime minister, Yoshihiko Noda

The next Prime Minister of Japan will not last 1 year - discuss.

The 3/11 multiple disasters have had a big impact on the Japanese economy, but also on the national psyche – how have people’s behavior and thinking changed? Discuss.

Posted on 2011年7月9日 by admin

Date: July 9^th (Sat)
Time: 13:30 ~ 15:30
Place: Gakuenmae Community Centre 5F, classroom no. 4

学園前公民館第４講座室（５Ｆ）

Theme: Unintended consequences of laws

In the June session, we talked a little about unintended consequences. Sean Gabb, British libertarian, wrote that making laws to limit what music videos children can and cannot buy, and what clothes are suitable and not suitable for young children, will have unintended consequences.

In the July session, we will read part of an essay on unintended consequences by British scientist and philosopher Herbert Spencer.

Then we will read some newspaper articles about laws which have had or might have unintended consequences.

Finally, we will discuss Japanese laws which have had or might have unintended consequences.

I look forward to seeing you there. Please keep cool until then.

FAME June session report

Posted on 2011年6月12日 by admin

Topic:
What is in the news in Britain these days?

The Queen’s Birthday Honours list – Bruce Forsyth and Colin Firth are listed. Update: Japan also has a spring honours list:

TOKYO, June 18 (AP) – (Kyodo)—Former Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu, actress Ruriko Asaoka and graphic designer and artist Tadanori Yokoo are among the 4,064 recipients of annual spring decorations for their contributions to society, the government said Saturday.

(Click here for more background information about the British Honours system).
Wales is a bilingual country. (See the BBC news graphic on the right: Wales is “Cymru” in Welsh)
Wales = Cymru
Parts of England hit by drought
Prince Philip is 90 years old
London hosts the Olympic Games in 2012 (this is the 3rd time the Games have been held in London: also 1908 and 1948).
Former Labour minister Ed Balls’ private papers leaked to the Daily Telegraph.
After discussing briefly various headlines, we looked at one headline in detail: Child sexualisation complaints website to be set up, and we discussed the Bailey Review.
We then discussed an opposing view from the libertarian Sean Gabb, which you can read here. Mr. Gabb, Director of the Libertarian Alliance, has been on radio and television several times recently, arguing against more laws or regulations on what people can wear or buy. One of Gabb’s key points was the unintended consequences of such legislation. The unintended consequences of much legislation was described in exact and humorous detail by British philosopher Herbert Spencer. He wrote in 1885 in The Man versus the State,

It is said that when railways were first opened in Spain, peasants standing on the tracks were not unfrequently run over; and that the blame fell on the engine-drivers for not stopping: rural experiences having yielded no conception of the momentum of a large mass moving at a high velocity.
The incident is recalled to me on contemplating the ideas of the so-called “practical” politician, into whose mind there enters no thought of such a thing as political momentum, still less of a political momentum which, instead of diminishing or remaining constant, increases.

(p. 23, link to PDF).
Libertarianism has been made popular in the U.S. recently by Republican politician Ron Paul (click link to read his Wikipedia entry in Japanese). However, there is no equivalent figure in British politics.

Fame June 2011 meeting

Posted on 2011年6月11日 by admin

Dear FAME members,

The following are the details of the FAME June meeting

When: Sat. June 11th, 13:30 – 15:30

Where: 学園前奈良公民館　第４講座室（５F）

Speaker: Mr. Sheffner

Topic:
What is in the news in Britain these days? Mr. Sheffner will bring photocopies of some big news items from British newspapers.

Some sample topics:

1. Why is Manchester United player Wayne Rooney in the news?

2. What is Manchester United player Ryan Giggs in the news?

3. Something has killed 22 people in Germany. What is the mystery cause?