2024/7/13(土)SMC

Word of the Day

<one-up>

(Vt.) one-up someone

(Adj.) be one-up someone

Lecture: SM Eda

Idiomatic usage about auxiliary verb

Table Topic Speech

(1) Whom do you secretly envy? Why?

(2) What has fear of failure stopped you from doing?

(3) What is the most enjoyable thing your family has done together in the last three years?

(4) Who impresses you?

(5) In twenty years, what do you want to remember?

(6) What do you sometimes pretend you understand that you really don't?

(7) What is your biggest regret?

Prepared Speech

(1) How does AI respond to a question? : SM Noro

When A.I. receives a question, it tries to provide the most likely answer by measuring the intensity of relationships between individual pieces of information, expressed with vectors. For example, "summer" and "watermelon" are closely related, while "summer" and "radish" are not. A.I. records these relationships in a high-dimensional vector space, allowing it to find relevant answers based on vector proximity. However, unlike humans, A.I. struggles with "risk avoidance" because it cannot assume there is information it does not know.

(2) How lucky!: SM Yoko Narisawa

 Have you ever seen Doctor Yellow? To tell the truth, I saw it on the Shinkansen on the way home from Kyoto 2 months ago.

 Doctor Yellow will be retired in the coming years due to its age and condition. It will be replaced by a 

specially equipped Shinkansen train. As the schedule for Doctor Yellow is not made public, witnessing it is a matter of chance. As a result, seeing Doctor Yellow in operation is believed to good luck to the viewer, 

which is partly why it is so popular with rail enthusiasts. I was very lucky to see Doctor Yellow before its 

retirement. There are some other things said to bring us good luck if we see them. The signs of good luck are seen in daily life.

 For example, seeing numbers like 1111, 777. or 88 is said to bring good luck. When I went shopping in the shopping center near my house before, I had a surprising experience. When I paid at the cash register at the supermarket, the total amount was 3,333yen. The cashier and I looked at each other in surprise and shared a moment of astonishment. And in addition, the license plate next to my car in the parking lot there was 1111. I should have bought a lottery ticket!

 To give another example, have you ever experienced home appliances breaking down one after another? The other day, the electric bidet seat, the air conditioner, and the TV set in my house broke down almost simultaneously. These are essential items for me. I bought new ones and had the TV set repaired. I was disappointed by the extraordinary expenses.

 However, it is said that when home appliances break down one after another, it signifies an improvement in our luck and that something nice will happen to us. I don’t know whether it is true or not, but it may be better to take things positively. I think seeing something rare itself is a lucky thing.

(3) The 80-years-Wall: SM Ishimura

I will turn 82 this November. It may be presumptuous to compare myself to US President Biden, but I was born in the same month and year, November 1942. 

Recently I became a fan of Hideki Wada, the psychiatrist and author of the bestseller “ The 80-years-Wall” which was published two years ago. The book serves as a guide to enhancing the quality of life in an aging society.

In his book, Hideki Wada states that after the age of 80, it is more important to prioritize enjoying things you love, such as drinking, and eating sweets, rather than abstaining from them. He believes that enjoying the remainder of one's life is more important than adhering to restrictions for the sake of longevity. Wada argues that for elderly individuals, enjoying what they like can improve their quality of life.

This perspective is based on the view that emphasizes the quality of life (QOL) for the elderly and is sometimes supported from a medical standpoint. Particularly, it is often suggested that enjoyment and happiness can reduce stress and contribute to overall mental and physical health.

Hideki Wada proposes that to live a high-quality life beyond the age of 80, it is essential to value the three pillars of health, social connections, and mental enrichment. By implementing these pieces of advice, elderly individuals can lead richer and more fulfilling lives.

(4) The Stockholder's Meeting: SM Koizumi

Recently, in addition to attending in person, it has become possible to participate in stockholder meetings online through company websites. I had never tried attending a meeting online, so I decided to do so with great curiosity. 

I knew construction machines of Komatsu Ltd. were widely used in Japan and abroad, but I didn’t know the company in details. Before attending the stockholder's meeting, I reviewed the materials the company sent by mail and browsed their website for additional information.  

When I accessed the website on time, a half-hour before the meeting started, a company video started. The video provided a wealth of information about Komatsu. I was particularly impressed to learn about Komatsu's large mining machines, which can be operated remotely in challenging mountainous areas. Additionally, I could watch new development by Komatsu in the future.   

The 25-minute video impressed me greatly. Then, the screen displayed a board showing the meeting site as scheduled.  

The President appeared at the center of the screen and began his address calmly. His presentation was backed by data, charts, and real pictures. He also outlined Komatsu's vision and long-term plan. His speech was clear, confident, and trustworthy. He proposed five items.　After the Q&A session, it was time to vote on the motions by clapping. All proposals were approved.

I was much impressed that the stockholder’s meeting online was fruitful to get information effectively and trustworthy.

(5) A Beetle: SM Kaneko

About twelve years ago, while I was riding a bike on a very hot day like this summer, I saw something moving on the street. As I got closer, I realized it was a female beetle turned over on the scorching road under the sun. It seemed difficult for her to get up on her own. She was suffering and struggling. So, I got off the bike, reached out my hand towards her, and she naturally grasped my finger. I picked her up and put her on my left chest or shoulder, then rode with her for about 50 meters. I like female beetles as well as male ones, so going with her made me kind of happy. Then she flew away. But she didn't just fly away; she stayed in the air for a while, hovering, as if she was thanking me. It was a strange experience. You might say it was just my imagination, and I would agree with your interpretation. However, if she had actually thanked me and showed her thankfulness, it would be special. What I learned from her is that expressing thankfulness when I feel it is important. Thank you.

(6) Recent Report: SM M.G

Have you ever lost your motivation for something? How did you hold up without motivation?

I hadn't studied English for 4month due to busyness and lost my motivation for studying.

I decided to start small to break my habits.

Meeting Schedule

-In-person: 9:30 AM on Jul. 27 at Oyama Comunity Center (medium conference room)

(Coordinator: SM Noro, Word of the Day: SM Takahata, Lecturer: SM Yoko Narisawa)

-Zoom: 7:30 PM on Jul. 15 and 22