NZ confirms Silver Fern as flag referendum candidate

BBC news
NZ confirms Silver Fern as flag referendum candidate

Summary
On March, New Zealand flag will probably be changed because the current flag is too similar whih Australia's and it is time to remove the Union Jack from the current one, said  Prime Minister John Key.　
Both flags are designed with the Southern Cross on Blue Ensign. Southern Cross means that the country is in the Pacific Ocean. Originally, Southern Cross is five stars, including a small star. In the New Zealand flag, small star is omitted. Four stars are colored with red. In the Australian flag, the Southern Cross is added with seven pointing one star and six stars are colored with white.
This time, the black, white and blue silver fern design was chosen by a referendum. A second referendum will be held in March.

How to tie your shoes

TED
Terry Moore: How to tie your shoes
Summary
Many people who are already adults and have high skills for something won't know that there are two ways to tie your shoelaces. 
When you pull tied shoelaces, you will see that the bow will orient itself down the long axis of the shoe, this is a weak form of the knot.
However, when you start over and simply go the other direction around the bow, you will able to tie for the strong form of the knot. The bow will orient itself along the transverse axis of the shoe when you pull it. It is clean but it is not easy to get loose. It looks also better.
This is a small realization. You must think that it is ludicrous, but sometimes a small thing leads to a good result and it helps you.
◆Viewpoints&Discussion
 1. What do you think of this video?
I think that this is an interesting and good story, because the speaker he is moved when he is taught a good way to tie.  Standing on the TED stage to share is great and summarize stories shortly, easily and happily is very important.
 ( By the way, in my case, I was scolded by my mother when I tied something in a wrong way when I was a child. I think that although I could remember how to a good way  to tie, it was a bad memory.)
2. What do you think is his message to the audience in having this talk?
There are many small ideas that you don't realize still, it will make you happy and will lead to a good result for you. This lesson is everybody is not perfect.
3. Do you find this TED talk educational? If so, what have you learned?
Yes, I think so. I learned that we don't realize some good ideas that is very close to us.  It made our life happier before.  A small realization is also important, you must not think it is ludicrous.  It is important for one story to summarize and talk shortly, easily and happily. Someday, I want to stand on the TED stage.

How to succeed? Get more sleep

TED
Arianna Huffington: How to succeed? Get more sleep

When I heard this speech, I couldn't understand many points that audiences were laughing. I want to become able to laugh with them, that's why I chose this article.

Summary
You must have heard that people brag about their sleep deprivation, especially men who set some important positions. They and also us think that they are incredibly busy, productive and good leaders. However, some of them had made serious mistakes. 
Not to be bragged about their sleep deprivation, but you have to get enough sleep.
Sleep has power that can unlock billions of big ideas that lie inside us. It leads to best for the world, especially, for women.
◆Viewpoints&Discussion
1.How many hours of sleep do you usually have? Do you think it’s enough for you or not?
My sleeping time is about 6 hours every day, I go to bed around 12:30pm and I get up around 6:30am. I thought that 6 hours was not short because my sleep was very deep. I never wake up in the middle of my night.
However, recently, I have read one book about sleep. It said that it is necessary to sleep 7 hours to increase good memory. I have thought that this has been my reason that I was not able to remember English. I have to sleep to speak English well.
2.Which is better to be successful, having enough sleep, or “no sleep” at all?
Of course, I think that  being successful is necessary to have enough sleep. It leads us to being beautiful, youthful and healthy. Having enough sleep also can give us good concentration and better memory. Those are very important way to be successful.
3. What should you do if you want to have enough sleep?
This is very difficult question. I have a lot of things that I want to do. I don't think that I make time to have more sleep. I want to work, study and love. If I want to have enough sleep, I think that I have to give up those.

Humans Sleep Less, Better Than Other Animals

VOA news
Study: Humans Sleep Less, Better Than Other Animals
Summary
A deeper stage of sleep is called rapid eye movement sleep, or REM. The study showed that in human, REM sleep reached  25 percent, in other primates, it didn't recah 5 percent. It concluded that a human's sleep is higher quality and more efficient. Human can prosper with an average of seven hours of sleep a day. Compared human ancestors, human's sleep habits evolved.

Discussion
1.Do you have trouble sleeping? What do you do to fall asleep easily?
No, I don't. I fall asleep easily after I go to bed.  I sleep easily. Even if I saw smartphone while lying on the bed, I have fallen easily and my smartphone often fell on my face.
2.Why is sleep important for us?
According to some books I have read, it is very important for us to be beautiful, youthful and healthy. It is necessary for you to have your good memory and to do the work with good efficiency.
3.What could be the effects of sleeplessness?
The effects of sleeplessness are that you can't have concentration and a good memory, it causes some diseases like depression or obesity.  Your mistakes will also increase during work.

Top 10 New Year's Questions.

Top 10 New Year's Questions 2016.
I summarized about this past year to help my plan for 2016.
1. What did you learn about yourself from this past year(2015)?
This year I learned  that having knowledge of correct Japanese language and news are very important to study English.
2. Which relationship meant the most to you this past year and why?
My officemate often helped me when I have mistakes or when I was depressed.
3. What was one of the biggest challenges you faced this past year and how did you handle it?
Now, Japan has fallen into recession. In this situation, it's very hard for a small company most specially. To continue the work is my biggest challenge. I always think that our company products will make customers happy.
To take an English lesson once day for 50 minutes is also my big challenge. However, I am sometimes absent when I am not able to prepare  my lesson and I don't speak well during the lesson.
4. What was one of your proudest moments from this past year and why?
Although many times, my offer was rejected, I was able to try and make new customers. This is my proudest moment, it's the same as last year.
5. What was one of the most meaningful compliments you received this past year? Why was it so meaningful to you?
My teacher often told me my English skill is improving . It encourages me, that's why I continue studying.
6. What did you do for fun this past year? What was one of your favorite memories?
To try singing some English songs is very fun. Yet, I was not able to sing one whole song. When I have difficulties or I feel sad, it encourages me.
7. If you could change one thing from this past year, what would you change and why?
I want to change to sleep early because according to the book I have read, I  needs to sleep for over 7 hours to improve my memory .  If I walk up at 5:30 am, I have to go to bed at 10:30 pm.
8. What was the most meaningful thing someone did for you this past year? What was the most meaningful thing you did for someone else?
This past year, very good news didn't happen, however, very bad news didn't happen also. I think that  continuing ordinary everyday life is happy for me. 
The end of this year, I am going to go to Osaka to see my parents.  Although I saw my parents every year, I haven't been there for over ten years. It will be the most meaningful thing I do for my parents.
9. If you were to brag about one of your accomplishments from this past year, which one would it be and why?
It's a difficult question, I don't have something to brag. Cntinuing to work might be able to brag a little bit and it's also continuing to study English. Even if those are very hard,  I enjoy those in my life. These are the things I can brag.
10. Given all your experiences, insights, and lessons learned from 2015, what's the best advice you could give yourself for 2016?
Continue to make an effort is important. Aim for good timing.  I will do my best.

Grit: The power of passion and perseverance

TED 2013
Angela Lee Duckworth: Grit: The power of passion and perseverance
The key to success? Grit
Summary
It was a fascinating story for me, because I didn't have a high scores IQ.
Usually, people often think IQ but having high IQ scores equal that they are doing so well and get a good grade. And then they are successful. Is it really true?  The speaker said no. It is not equal and true.
The speaker's noticed about one characteristic after several years of teaching, because her studens who did not get a good grade or have a high scores IQ could learn hard materials if they worked hard and long enough.  So it wasn't social intelligence, it wasn't good looks, physical health, and it wasn't IQ. It was grit that was key to succeed.
Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is living life like it's a marathon with stamina. How is it built in us?  Not only teachers, parents but also speaker  did still not know it well.
So far, it is important to believe that the ability to learn is not fixed, that it can change with your efforts.  Your brain can learn to persevere when you fail but its failure doesn't continue. This is growth mindset that is a great idea for building grit.
Speaker's said that it is necessary to know and test about grit more to be gritty. It leads to get grittier.
I could hear that it could be built in adults. Be gritty and continue. It leads to be successful.
◆Viewpoints&Discussion
1. Do you think IQ is the only measure of a person’s intelligence?  Why or why not?
No,I don't think that it is not the only,IQ can measure person intelliget though other ways will show people who have good behavior, are artistic, being intelligent.
2. How do you define success? And how can you tell if you are already successful?
I think that success is that you achieve goals that you decided. I am not successful yet, I just now try to succeed in business.
3. Who do you think will succeed more, those people who are intelligent enough or those who managed to accomplish things with grit? Please explain your reason.
I think that success is that you achieve goals that you decided. All people have chance of success. however all of them are not intelligent but don't manage to accomplish things with grit. It is possible for people who are tricky also to succeed, but people who dodn't give up and people are gritty definitely succeed.
4. Do you think passion and perseverance can lead to more success in the future? Why or why not?
Yes, I do, becaous all people have chance of success. I think that people who dodn't give up and people are gritty definitely succeed.
5. How do you handle yourself when you encounter a failure of your plans?
I will change my ways when I encounter a failure of your plans. First, I check my goals, propuses and plans that I want do. I read many books to find some ways to improve my action.
It is important the PDCA (plan-do-check-act) cycle.
Words in this article
success / the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. However, success is not just defined by being rich, power, or fame. success is about living a good quality of life.
Grit noun verb, Gritty adjective
persevere verb,Perseverance noun
patiently adverb, patient adj, patience noun
passionate adj, passion noun, assionately adverb

8 secrets of success

TED 
Richard St. John’s: 8 secrets of  success.
I was very surprised when I heard this TED speech, because that was a time when I was just thinking about the similar thing: TED has a key that is my success,that's why I chose this article.
Summary
There are many successful people on the TED stage.  He interviewed them and summarized it as 8 secrets of success.
Those keywords are passion, work, good, focus, push, serve, ideas, and persist.
TEDsters have passion, good things and good ideas.  They work hard but they are being fun. However, what they have to do is only one thing. It's focused. They also have something that pushes themselves. They serve society. They persist even if they are painful with believing in themselves.
There is no  magic. Those are the big eight things that will lead you to success, and let's take part in TED!
◆Viewpoints&Discussion
1.Have you ever been successful at something you’ve done? What did you do to achieve that success?
No,I haven't, because I failed high school and university entrance exams. However, right now, I try. I want to be successful in my work. I'm working very hard to succeed.
2.How did you feel when you were successful about something?
Now, Although I am in pain I feel fun and happy, because I can imagine what I am successful. It also pushes myselfe.
3.Which factor mentioned above is more important to be successful
I think that passion is more important to be successful.