Voting Age in the UK

Hello everybody!  Many students have already started their summer breaks, and people are planning to travel around and outside of Japan.  Please stay safe in this heat but have a great time!  

Recently, Japan had a major election, and the results were surprising.  It seemed like more young people became interested in politics, and they decided to vote in the election.  Around the world, many different countries are trying to encourage young people to become more involved in the political process.  Today, we will look at a new idea that is being introduced in the UK.  

The British government has decided to lower the voting age to 16. Before this change, people had to be 18 to vote. This new rule is part of a plan to make voting fairer and to get more young people involved in choosing their leaders. Teenagers who are 16 or 17 years old will be able to vote for the first time in the next big election in the UK. The government said they want to update democracy for the 21st century and help more people trust the system.

Some people are happy about this change. They say that 16-year-olds already have jobs and pay taxes, so they should have a say in how the country is run. Prime Minister Keir Starmer agrees and said that if young people pay taxes, they should also get to vote. Another government leader said young people work hard and even join the military, so it makes sense to let them vote on things that matter to them.

However, not everyone thinks this is a good idea. Some people believe 16-year-olds are still too young to make such important choices. They point out that teens at that age can’t drink alcohol, buy lottery tickets, or get married without their parents’ permission. These people wonder why someone too young for those things should be allowed to vote.

What do you think about the UK's decision?  Should Japan lower the voting age, too?  Please let us know what you think when you come to BRIDGE in the future. 

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Cheese = Nightmares!!!

Hello everybody!  How are you handling the weather?  There has been some heavy rain lately, so please take care of yourself and stay dry.   For today's blog post, we want to discuss a surprising reason for bad dreams: cheese!

Scientists have found that eating dairy products, like cheese, might cause nightmares, especially for people who have stomach problems. A study in Frontiers in Psychology looked at over 1,000 people’s eating habits, health, and sleep patterns. Professor Marie-Pierre St-Onge from the Dream and Nightmare Lab in Canada wanted to know if food could affect dreams. She used ideas from a 2015 study, where many people said eating cheese made their sleep worse.

The study showed that people who have trouble digesting dairy, such as those with lactose intolerance, had more bad dreams and woke up during the night more often. Dr. St-Onge said that stomach pain could make it hard to sleep well and lead to scary dreams. Another scientist, Dr. Tore Nielsen, explained that many people have sleep problems, with about 30 to 40 percent of people having serious sleep issues at some point. Other studies also show that most adults have at least one nightmare every year, and some people have them very often.

In short, if you have stomach problems, especially with dairy, you might be more likely to have nightmares. Eating certain foods can affect sleep, so it is important to think about the connection between your diet and your sleeping patterns!

What do you think about this topic?  Please share your ideas with your teachers at BRIDGE when you study again at our school.  Take care and study hard!

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A Unique Problem in Italy

Hello everybody!  How are you doing?  Do you have any plans for summer vacation?  I really want to visit a beach and cool down in the sea sometime this month.  Please remember to stay cool everybody and be safe in the sun. 

I know a lot of you have been paying attention to the rice crisis this summer in Japan.  Prices are almost twice as much as last year, but hopefully, the government will find ways to make rice cheaper as soon as possible.   Italy is also facing a challenge with their rice supply but for a very surprising reason. 

Flamingos are causing big problems for rice farmers in northern Italy. The birds have moved into the rice fields in Ferrara province, where rice for risotto is grown. They don’t eat the rice, but while walking through the shallow water, they stir up the soil with their feet to look for insects and small animals. This movement damages the young rice plants and can ruin the whole crop.

Farmers are trying hard to protect their fields. They make loud noises by honking truck horns, banging barrels, and using gas cannons to scare the birds away. But the flamingos just fly to another rice field nearby and continue their search for food. Some farmers say they’ve lost up to 90% of their crops.

Experts think the flamingos came from a nearby nature area after a drought in Spain made their old homes too dry. To stop the damage, scientists suggest planting trees around the fields or using less water in the paddies so the birds won’t like it there. Farmers agree the birds are beautiful, but they need help to save their rice.

What do you think about this situation?  Is this another problem potentially caused by climate change?  Please share your thoughts with your teachers at BRIDGE when you have your next lesson.  Take care!

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