Jun.22 iPhone Accidentally Call 911

Article:

iPhones Accidentally Call 911 on Theme Park Rides

Some iPhone 14s have been automatically calling emergency services on theme park rides, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.

This is because of a new feature on the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8, released in September 2022, that detects car crashes.

If the owner doesn't respond to an alert within 20 seconds, the phone or watch automatically calls 911 with the person's location.

The Wall Street Journal reports that, since September, the Warren County Communications Center in Ohio has received several crash-detection calls from people on rides at Kings Island, a local theme park.

Similar calls have been made from iPhones on a ride at Six Flags Great America in Chicago, according to The Wall Street Journal.

In a recording shared by the newspaper, the message says: "The owner of this iPhone was in a severe car crash and is not responding to their phone." It is repeated several times, along with the person's location.

An Apple employee told The Wall Street Journal the feature is excellent at detecting accidents — such as a recent accident in Nebraska where a driver crashed into a tree and there was no one to call for help.

But he added that the company will continue to improve the feature to reduce the number of false calls.

Some theme parks aren't waiting, however.

Chessington World of Adventures in the UK has banned iPhone 14s from some of its rides.

And according to Coaster101, to stop false emergency calls, Dollywood in Tennessee is asking people to turn off their phones before going on some rides.

Useful Words & Phrases for Making Your Opinion:

ロッカーに貴重品を預ける：deposit my valuables in a locker

Questions:

What do you think of this article?

Do you have an Apple Watch or other smartwatch? What is convenient feature about it?

Have you bought anything which has a new technology, recently?

Have you ever been surprised by a recent new technology? What's it?

Have you ever experienced a car crash?

Have you gone anywhere recently for leisure? or, is there anywhere you want to for leisure?

Have you ever called 911? Why?

Jun.15 Cosmetics for Ojisan

Article:

Older Japanese men making up for lost time by dipping into cosmetics

Japanese men are increasingly turning to cosmetics and skin care to sharpen up their image, with those in their 40s and older seemingly becoming more conscious about how they present to important clients and customers.

The market grew about 1.7-fold from 2017 to 43.3 billion yen in 2023, according to major Japanese marketing research firm Intage Inc, as men focused more on how they appear in the video and online meetings that became much more common during and after the coronavirus pandemic.

The use of make-up became more accepted among some young Japanese men in recent years, but the trend has spread to older generations, with spending on cosmetics rising some 1.5-fold among men in their 40s and 50s, the firm said.

In November last year, Shiseido Japan Co featured actor Takashi Sorimachi, 50, and his wife and actress Nanako Matsushima, 50, in its advertisement for the men's skin care brand Shiseido Men.

Sales of the brand rose about 60 percent after the commercial was aired and through early March, attracting men across a broad range of age groups, according to the company.

Yuta Arai, involved in sales strategy of a beverage maker under Asahi Group Holdings Inc., took part in a make-up lecture by Shiseido in March which saw him using an eyebrow pencil and eyeliner for the first time.

"I would like to try this when I need to psyche myself up for a business presentation," Arai, 28, said.

In 2022, a wellness firm under Suntory Holdings Ltd began selling skin care product Varon which the company markets as both a toner and moisturizer, targeting men in their 40s and older.

Its cumulative sales in two years exceeded 4 billion yen, well above the initial expectations, according to Suntory Wellness Ltd.

As about 70 percent of middle-aged or older men have yet to experience skin care, the potential addressable market is huge, said an official of the company.

Useful Words & Phrases for Making Your Opinion:

化粧水：skin toner

保湿クリーム: moisturizer

私は白髪を染める：I color my gray hair.

Questions:

What do you think of this article?

Since the coronavirus pandemic, have you began to care about your appearance in online meetings?

Have you started using cosmetics and skin care to make your online or real meetings successful after the pandemic?

Aside from appearance, have there been any other changes in your awareness or way of thinking after the pandemic?

The makeup like Korean BTS is becoming popular among some young Japanese men. What do you think of it?

Are you good at presenting at meetings? Or not? Why?

(This question is only to men) Have you ever used toner or foundation?

Do you prefer online or face-to-face meetings? Why?

Where do you see about someones's appearance when you first meet the person at work?

What aspect do or did you see when you try to find your partner?

Jun.8 Love or Money?

Article:

Japanese TV star, Madam Dewi's views on marriage make waves in Japan

On September 4, 2022, the Nippon TV variety show Sekai no hate made itte kyu, or Off you go to the ends of the earth, aired a special episode featuring the Japanese-Indonesian businesswoman, socialite, television personality and philanthropist Dewi Sukarno, widely known in Japan as Devi fujin, or Madam Dewi. She was also the third wife of former Indonesian President Sukarno.

The show was set in Dubai and featured a "Girls' Night Out" with Madam Dewi and other personalities.

Madam Dewi's views on marriage:
On the show, Madam Dewi, together with models Maria Tani, Akane Hotta and Yumena Yanai, enjoy sightseeing in Dubai before heading to a restaurant to enjoy a sumptuous dinner.

During the meal, Hotta asks Madam Dewi the age-old question: "Which is more important, love or money?"

Taking it in stride, Madam Dewi replied with another question: "If you could choose between a man whom you loved with an annual income of 2 million yen (around $13,900) and a man whom you didn't love with an annual income of 20 billion yen (around $139 million), which one would it be?"

In response to Madam Dewi's question, the three models immediately answered, "Even if the man's income is low, it's better if you love each other."

Madam Dewi laughed and rejected their answers, jokingly calling them "all idiots." But then, with a serious expression on her face, she explained her own view of things:

If your partner's income is low, no matter how much you love them, you will always be looking at other people's lifestyles, other people's houses, other people's clothes... and gradually, you will lose your love for him.

But if you marry a man who earns 20 billion yen, even if you don't have love for him, you'll have respect for him, you'll have trust in him.

Then, gradually, love will blossom.

Madam Dewi says that her original life was not a wealthy one. When she was in high school, she even worked to feed her family.

At the age of 17, she got a job at an exclusive club where foreign celebrities gathered, and when she was 19, she met former President Sukarno, who later became her husband.

She has experienced both poverty and wealth, and tasted both the sweet and the sour sides of life, which is why she believes that "even if you don't love your partner, your respect for and trust in them will naturally develop."

After the program aired, Madam Dewi's comments became a hot topic of conversation on the Internet, and it made many people think about marriage. For example, some of the comments were:

"Realistically speaking, yes, it is true. Money makes people happy."
"When someone succeeds in earning that much money, I suppose you trust and respect them as human beings."

Each person has his/her/their own standards. It's one of life's choices and could be the path that leads to happiness for some people and not for others.

Useful Words & Phrases for Making Your Opinion:

私たちは相性がいい。　We have good chemistry.

価値観　sense of value

Questions:

What do you think of this article?

Do you agree or disagree with the Madam Dewi's views on marriage?

Are there any bad points about getting married only for love?

Are there any bad points about getting married only for money?

Do you think there are any other important points when someone decide to get married?

What do you think is important after getting married and to keep good married life?

What is the most impressive experience when you travel abroad? or if you've never traveled abroad, what country do you want to go the most? Why?

What is your favorite TV program?