320th topic ))Quake moved Japan coast 8 feet, shifted Earth's axis//JOB TALK: Turn challenges into opportunities at the job interview//Social class

[영정 (avril)]

1st section : Politics / Education / People / National / Life / Science

Quake moved Japan coast 8 feet, shifted Earth's axis

14:26 3/11 2011 (time of quake)

The 9.0-magnitude quake shifted the planet on its axis by nearly 4 inches (10 centimeters). It was the most powerful to hit the island nation in recorded history and the tsunami traveled across the Pacific Ocean, triggering tsunami warnings and alerts for 50 countries and territories as far away as the western coasts of Canada, the U.S. and Chile. The quake triggered more than 160 aftershocks in the first 24 hours -- 141 measuring 5.0-magnitude or more.

The destruction goes on & on. Nuclear concerns escalated from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Radiation levels at the plant have increased to "levels that can impact human health." The government imposed a no-fly zone over a 30-kilometer radius of the plant and anyone within that area were urged to remain indoors.

A massive emergency response operation is under way in northern Japan, with world governments and international aid groups coming together to bring relief to the beleaguered island nation. Ninety-one countries and regions and six international organizations have offered assistance, according to the Japanese Foreign Affairs Ministry

Summary) An 9.0-magnitude earthquake hit northern Japan early Friday last week, triggering a tsunami that sent a wave filled with boats and houses toward land. The powerful earthquake moved the main island of Japan by 8 feet (2.4 meters) and shifted the Earth on its axis. The quake was "hundreds of times larger" than the 2010 quake that ravaged. While the full extent of the disaster's aftermath is not yet clear, the earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of Japan could be the most expensive quake in history.  Radiation levels at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant have increased to "levels that can impact human health," and anyone within a 30-kilometer radius of the plant should remain indoors.

Question)

1. Do you know what we should do if the quake occurs in our place?

2. If Japan isn't placed in that area, the tsunami came to korean peninsular and made much more terrible damages in several areas in Korea. What might happen if the tsunami comes to Korean peninsular?  ( how much, how wide)

3. Nuclear power has generally proved safe and nondetrimental to human health. But radiation levels is  alreay high. so we don't know how much and fast it will be raising. Can you go to Japan to rescue Japanese in spite of the danger of radiation? Why? or Why not?

2nd section : Business / IT / Science / Industry / Economy

JOB TALK: Turn challenges into opportunities at the job interview

(...) During the interview is not the right time to think about the best and most appropriate answer.

The interviewer tries to eval‎uate every candidate based on the specific criteria of the job and the overall culture of the workplace.

The interviewer will determine:

1. do you have the skills, experience and ability to perform the job

2. do you have what it takes to be enthusiastic, energetic and a success in the job

3. will you be a good fit for the overall company. (...)

Your best approach to the interview is to practice the typical questions over and over. Stand in front of a mirror and watch yourself. Practice speaking out loud so you can get familiar with the sound of your voice. (...)

Be ready to sell your self as a potential employee and think about great answers that will captivate your audience. Remember, honest answers are always best ? and answers that will really help you shine as a potential employee.

Candidates make huge mistakes in their effort to communicate. When there is no thought put into answers it is obvious. Often candidates give entirely too much information or information that is inappropriate or ineffective. (...)

Your interview is a time to sell your education, skills, abilities, talents and experience. The best sales people, including candidates, are those that are upbeat, positive and are remembered for being a bright spot in someone’s day. Successful candidates are the individuals that can turn challenges into opportunities for growth and will show winning potential for the workplace.

Summary) This article is about some advice for you when you have a job interview. Such as, you should practice the typical questions over and over to answer properly and it's important that you are ready for the questions, etc.

http://www2.godanriver.com/business/2011/mar/13/job-talk-turn-challenges-opportunities-job-intervi-ar-900103/

Questions)

1. When you apply for a job, they typically ask some questions such as 'strengths and weaknesses', 'personality', 'the person you respect', 'the reason of application', 'the worst experience ever', 'leadership experience', etc. Why do you think they ask these kinds of questions? Do you think they are essential? Answer in the view of the interviewer. (If you want, you can add the answer as interviewee, too.)

2. As the interviewer, what kind of person do you want to hire? Give specific reasons as many as you can.

3. Suppose there are two point of views about the goal of an interview. They are, "The goal of an interview is screening" vs "The goal of an interview is to communicate" Which one do you agree with? Give your opinion and the clues.

4. See underlined part in the article above. It says, "honest answers are always (the) best" Do you really agree with this opinion? Tell me your stories about success or failure when you were honest if you have any anecdotes.

3rd section : Culture / Entertainment / Food / Travel / Sports / Social Affairs

Social class

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'. In the modern Western context, stratification typically comprises three layers: upper class, middle class, and lower class. Each class may be further subdivided into smaller classes (e.g. occupational).

The most basic class distinction is between the powerful and the powerless.[1][2] Social classes with a great deal of power are usually viewed as "the elites" within their own societies. Various social and political theories propose that social classes with greater power attempt to cement their own ranking above the lower classes in the hierarchy to the detriment of the society overall. By contrast, conservatives and structural functionalists have presented class difference as intrinsic to the structure of any society and to that extent ineradicable.

In Marxist theory, two basic class divisions owe to the fundamental economic structure of work and property: the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. The capitalists own the means of production, but this effectively includes the proletariat as they are only able to sell their own labour power (See also: wage labour). These inequalities are normalised and reproduced through cultural ideology. Max Weber critiqued historical materialism (or economic determinism), positing that stratification is not based purely on economic inequalities, but on other status and power differentials. Social class pertaining broadly to material wealth may be distinguished from status class based on honour, prestige, religious affiliation, and so on.(...)

Summary) Instead of summary, I recommend reading this article aloud together.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_class

Questions)

1. What is your first impression of 'social classes'? Do you think the 'classes' are actually exist or they are just imaginary concepts?

2. Think about this sentence - "In Korea, a person is judged by the university he/she graduate." Do you think the university is the factor which divides the social classes? Discuss this with your own clues and experiences.

3. Substitute this - 'English speaking skill that he/she owned' - instead of 'university he/she graduate' above, and discuss same questions again.

4. Are there any other conditions that make people positioning themselves into different social classes? Work with examples from your own experiences.

쌩유~~~