Degital Marketing in US / 2007.11.14

-- Paragraph 1 ---

Facebook Is Marketing Your Preferences

Facebook wants to put your face on advertisements for products that you like. In a twist on word-of-mouth marketing, Facebook just began selling ads that display people’s profile photos next to commercial messages that are shown to their friends about items they purchased or registered an opinion about.

Last word: There is no better product endorsement than one from a trusted friend. That has the potential to be a game-changer in the social media space if they can pull it off. However, the latest news is that this offering may be against the law in the US. Apparently, using a person’s likeness in an endorsement requires written permission (a law written 104 years ago), so this may be wrapped up in legal limbo for a little while.


--- Vocabulary ---

in a twist : 予想外の展開
word-of-mouth : 口コミ
product endorsement : 製品推奨
pull off : 成功する
offering : 提供品、売り出し品、申し出ること
warp up : 包む、完成させる、終える
legal limbo : あいまいな状態
for a little while : 少しの間



--- Paragraph 2 ---

Web Ad Spending Expected to Double By 2011

U.S. spending on Internet advertising will surpass $21 billion this year and double by 2011, as more money moves away from traditional media like television and newspapers, research firm eMarketer forecast on Wednesday. The company said concerns about the economy are hurting forecasts for advertising spending across the board, but said in a report that budgets for online campaigns will likely hold up better than for traditional campaigns.

Last word: By 2011, the lines between “traditional” and digital media will be even greyer than today. Where does television end and “online” begin ? The discussion will become academic, but it is safe to assume that newspapers will continue to suffer.


--- Vocabulary ---

surpass : 上回る
double : 2倍になる
forecast : 予測する (=predict)
hurt : 傷つける
across the board : 全体的に
hold up : 持ち上げる、持続する
academic : 学問的な
suffer : 苦しむ

Catch a Cold

Unfortunately I caught a heavy cold so that I have lost my voice today.
To avoid extending my virus, I dicided to be absent for company.
Especially my throat was disorder therefore I was always having candy for cure.
Tanks to take the drugs that my doctor prescribed, I am constantly sleepy.

Eventually I have improved my physical condition.
If possible, I will come to the office tomorrow.

While I healed my self at home, there were a lot of e-mails for me.
I will have to come to the office tomorrow and deal with undone working.
Well, I am going to go to bed.



--- Vocabulary ---
catch a cold : 風邪を引く
have lost my voice : 声が出ない
virus : ウィルス
absent : 休むこと、休み
throat : 喉
disorder : 不調
take the drug : 薬を飲む　★
prescribe : 処方する　★
constantly : 常に
improve : 回復させる、修復する
come to the office : 出社する　★
heal : 治療する、療養する
undone : なされていない

Suicide Rate of Self Derense Forces

SDF troops helping US wars have suicide rate 3 times national average

The suicide rate among Self-Defense Force members assisting U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq is over 3 times higher than the national average, the government said Tuesday.

Of 19,700 troops to have served in the SDF's refueling missions in the Indian Ocean since they began in 2001, or those dispatched to Iraq, 16 have taken their own lives.

But Defense Ministry officials said the high suicide rate was not necessarily because of the duties troops had been made to perform.

"It is not possible to generalize by saying there is a direct relationship between the dispatch of the SDF and the deaths," the Defense Ministry said in a statement about the issue.

House of Representatives Social Democratic Party member Kantoku Teruya sparked the debate on SDF suicides by asking the government a question during a Diet debate Tuesday about extending the refueling missions.

The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill that would extend Japan's refueling missions, which have been put on hold since Nov. 1. The opposition, which controls the House of Councilors, is opposed to Japan taking part, saying that it violates Article 9 of the Constitution, which forbids Japan from waging war.

There were 32,155 suicides in Japan last year, a rate of about 24 per 100,000. The 16 self-inflicted deaths in SDF ranks would equate to 81 suicides per 100,000. The overall SDF suicide rate was 0.03 percent in 2006, while the rate of self-inflicted death among SDF troops who had taken part in missions aiding the U.S. wars was 0.08 percent.

--- Vocabulary ---
SDF : Self Defence Forces （自衛隊）　★
troop : 軍隊、一団
3 times : 3倍　★
refueling : 燃料補給
refuel : 燃料を補給する
dispatch : 派遣する
take one's own life : 自殺する
duty : 義務、職務
perform : 行う、実行する
generalize : 一般化する
House of Representatives : 衆議院（日本）、下院（米国）
Social Democratic Party : 社会民主党（SDP）
spark : 口火を切る、刺激する
diet : 国会
extend : 伸ばす、広げる　★
pass a bill : 法案を可決する、議案を通す
put on hold : お蔵入りにされる、（電話で）待たされる
opposition : 反対、相手、敵
oppose : 反対する、反抗する
House of Councilors : 参議院
take part : 参加する　★
article 9 : 憲法第九条
article : 記事、条項
Constitution : 憲法　★
forbid : 禁じる
wage : （戦争などを）行う、賃金（名）
inflict : 与える、負わせる
self-inflicted : 自ら課した
eauate : 同等とみなす
aid : 手伝う

Kyokusyuzan had been blackmailed

Two members of the Sumiyoshi-kai yakuza gang have been arrested for ramming a 2-ton truck into sumo's Oshima Stable in Tokyo's Sumida-ku in November last year, police said Tuesday.

Arrested for willful destruction of property were Sumiyoshi-kai yakuza pair Yoshifumi Okawa, 46, of Abiko, Chiba Prefecture, and Shigenori Kitabatake, 30, of Omitama, Ibaraki Prefecture.

A warrant has been taken out for the arrest of a third member of the Sumiyoshi-kai who is accused of involvement in the attack, which police believe took place because of money troubles between the yakuza gang and former Komusubi Kyokushuzan, who belonged to the Oshima Stable.

Both the suspects have admitted to the allegations against them, police said.

Kyokushuzan retired from sumo soon after the November 2006 alleged attack on his stable, later saying that he would have continued to grapple had it not been for the troubles he was having with the yakuza. In July, three high-ranking members of the Sumiyoshi-kai were arrested for trying to blackmail Kyokushuzan in connection with money problems, but they were later released without being charged.

A tear gas attack two days before the truck was rammed into the stable is also being investigated, with Kitabatake and Okawa among the suspects.

Police said Kitabatake and Okawa stole a 2-ton truck from Ageo, Saitama Prefecture, and rammed it into the front of the Oshima Stable early on the morning of Nov. 11, 2006, smashing a concrete pillar and destroying a bicycle. Police said the pair left the truck where they crashed it and fled the scene.



--- Vocabulary ---
ram : 衝突する（自）、激しくぶつかる（他）
stable : 相撲部屋、安定した（形）
willful : 意図的な
destruction : 破壊
property : 財産、不動産
warrant : 令状、証明書
accuse : 責任を問う、非難する
involvement : 関与、関係
suspect : 容疑者
admit : 認める、承認する
allegation : 申し立て、主張
soon after : -の直後に
grapple : 取り組む、組み合う
blackmail : 脅す、脅迫する
in connection with : -に関連して
without being charged : 告発されることなしに
tear gas : 催涙ガス
smash : 打ち砕く
concrete : コンクリート、具体的な、明確な
pillar : 柱
scene : 現場

Fierce Talent War (NPB)

--- Translation of Japanese into English ---

FUKUDOME declared Free Agent

In Nippon Professional Baseball, Kosuke FUKUDOME who belongs to Chunichi Dragons (30 years old) made a statement that he will declare right of Free Agent that he got this season. To acquire him there are a lot of teams not only japanese teamｓ but aloso Major League for example Tigers, Giants, Cubs and more.

He said "I don't have any priority" therefore it is said that there will be fierce talent war about him.

FUKUDOME appeared at statement that was conducted from 9 am with at ease. I became to want to have evaluation about me from another teams he was quoted to explain the reason of decision about Free Agent.

On the other hand, he said "if I have no illusion about business is business It was easy for me to decide this decision. But I have been stood by fan and teammates so I
could not grow by myself." He exposed his bitter about this decision.



--- Translation of English into Japanese ---

プロ野球、中日ドラゴンズの福留孝介外野手（３０）が１２日、名古屋市内で会見し、今季取得したフリーエージェント（ＦＡ）権を行使することを表明した。福留をめぐってはすでに阪神、巨人のほか、カブスなど国内外の１０球団以上が獲得に名乗りを上げている。福留は「すべて横一線。（希望する球団は）一切ない」としており、今後、し烈な争奪戦が繰り広げられることになる。

福留は午前９時から開かれた会見にすっきりとした表情で臨み、「周りの評価を聞いてみたいという気持ちが強くなった」とＦＡ宣言の理由を説明。

一方で、「ビジネスと割り切れば簡単だったが、９年間、ファン、チームメートに支えられてきた。自分１人でここまで育ったのではない」と苦渋の決断だったことも明かした。



--- Vocabulary ---

Declare : 宣言する
Make a statement : 声明を発表する
Right : 権利
Acquire : 獲得する
Priority : 優先
Fierce : 熾烈な
Talent war : 人材争奪戦
Appear : 現れる
Conduct : 行なう
At ease : 落ち着いて
Evaluation : 評価
Have no illusion that : -を割り切る
Decision : 決定
Stand by : -を援助する
Glow : 成長する
By myself : 1人で
Expose : 明らかにする
Bitter : 苦しみ

Current Account Surplus in JAPAN

Current account surplus marks 40 percent rise

Japan's current account surplus rose 40.4 percent in September from a year earlier, marking nine months of growth, the government said Monday.

The surplus in the current account stood at 2.883 trillion yen (US$26.07 billion) in September before seasonal adjustment, the Finance Ministry said. The data recorded a 42.1 percent increase in August.

The result exceeded the estimate by economists surveyed by Dow Jones and Nikkei, who had predicted a surplus of 2.655 trillion yen (US$24.01 billion).

The surplus, the broadest measure of Japan's trade with the rest of the world, for the April-September fiscal half expanded 34.1 percent on year to 12.424 trillion yen (US$112.33 billion), marking the fourth consecutive growth, the ministry said.

The current account measures trade in goods, services, tourism and investment. It is calculated by determining the difference between Japan's income from foreign sources against payments on foreign obligations and excludes net capital investment.



--- Vocabulary ---
Current account surplus : 経営黒字
Surplus : 残り、黒字、余剰
Current account : 経常収支
Rose : 上昇した (=rise)
Trillion : 1兆
Seasonal adjustment : 季節調整
Predict : 予測する、予想する
Measure : 量、単位、手法、手段、測定する（動）
Consecutive : 連続した
Determine : 決定する、測定する
Obligation : 義務、債権、債務
Exclude : 排除する
Capital investment : 資本投資

Nuclear Waste Disposal Problem

Waste disposal problem forces Japan power company to shut down nuclear reactor

A Japanese power company is investigating a waste disposal problem that forced it to shut down a reactor at a nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan, a plant spokesman said Sunday.

No radiation was leaked in the incident at the No. 3 reactor at the Onagawa nuclear power plant in Miyagi prefecture Saturday afternoon, plant operator Tohoku Electric Power Co. said in a statement.

Power plant workers manually shut the reactor down after an abnormal jump in hydrogen concentration in the reactor's gaseous waste disposal system, plant spokesman Toshio Abe said.

Workers at the plant detected the gaseous buildup at midday; the reactor had only resumed operations about 12 hours earlier following the completion of a six-month-long regular inspection, Tohoku Electric Power said.

Officials decided to shut down the reactor a few hours later to investigate the cause, the statement said. No radiation was leaked and no other anomalies were detected, it said.

The 825,000-kW reactor was to be closed indefinitely while Tohoku Electric Power Co. officials completed their investigation, Abe said. The plant's No. 1 reactor was operating normally, but the No. 2 reactor has been closed since mid-October for regular inspections, he said.

Japan relies heavily on its nuclear power program, which supplies about 30 percent of its electricity. The country's largest nuclear power plant was shut down in July for repairs and tests after an earthquake led to a raft of radioactive leaks and malfunctions.


--- Vocabulary---
reactor : 原子炉
radiation : 放射物
power plant : 発電所
leak : 漏れる、小便をする、漏らす
manually : 手動で
abnormal : 異常な
jump : 急上昇
hydrogen : 水素
concentration : 濃度
gaseous : ガス
spokesman : 広報担当者
detect : 見つける、見破る
buildup : 積み上げ、終結
midday : 正午、真昼
resume : 再開する、復旧させる
following : -の後に
six-month-long : 6ヶ月間開催される
completion : 完成、完了
anomaly : 例外、異常
indefinitely : 無期限に
rely on : 頼る、信頼する
heavily : 重く、大量に
supply : 供給する、提供する
electricity : 電気、電力
led to : -にいたる、-をもたらす (lead to)
raft or : 大量の
raft : いかだ、救命ボート
radioactive : 放射能を持った、放射能による
malfunction : 機能不良、異常、故障

Japan Beaten Kenya at WC Women Volley Ball

--- Translation of Japanese into English ---

Japan beaten Kenya straight and come to the final stage in which they keep 2 games defeat.
The 8th day of world cup volley ball that combines elimination of Beijing olympic took place at Hokkaido prefectural total sports center in the city of Sapporo on November 11th, 2007. Japan beaten Kenya who is said weak compared with Japan. Japan's total score is 6 wins and 2 defeats that is same with Serbia and Cuba and competition range about 4th place. They have three continuous match against Cuba, USA and Brasil who all are tough enemy from November 14th, 2007.

On the other hand, Italy and USA are clean sweep and Brasil is second place with 7 wins 1 defeat.

At 1st set, Japan beaten down Kenya with especially Oomura's strong attack who was starting member for the first time. At 2nd set, Syoji or Kawai joined game and main force were made rest. But they didn't give enemy any initiative.



--- Translation of English into Japanese ---

日本がケニアにストレート勝ち！　２敗守って終盤戦へ
　北京五輪予選を兼ねたバレーボールのワールドカップ（Ｗ杯）女子大会第８日は１１日、札幌市の北海道立総合体育センターなどで行われ、日本は格下のケニアに３－０で勝った。通算成績はセルビアやキューバと並ぶ６勝２敗の４番手集団で、１４日からの最終３連戦でキューバ、米国、ブラジルの強敵と戦う。

　イタリアと米国が８戦全勝で、ブラジルが７勝１敗で追う。

　日本は第１セット、今大会初先発の大村（久光製薬）の強打などで圧倒した。第２セット以降は庄司（パイオニア）や河合（大分・東九州龍谷高）らを入れて主力組を休ませたが、最後まで主導権を渡さなかった。



--- Vocabulary ---
beat : 打ち負かす
straight : ストレートで
comt to the final stage : 終盤戦に進む
defeat : 敗戦
combine : 兼ね備える
elimination : 予選
Beijing : 北京
take place : 行われる
prefectural : 道立（県立）
November : 11月
weak : 弱い
continuous : 連続した
tough enemy : 強敵
on the other hand : 一方
clean sweep : 全勝
beat down : 圧倒する
starting : 先発
for the first time : はじめて
main force : 主力
rest : 休む (=take it easy)
enemy : 敵 (=opponent)
initiative : 主導権

SUGURI maked a comeback

--- Translation of Japanese into English ---

SUGURI maked a comeback and finished 4th place.
On the other hand Yona-KIMU came back and won at Figure Skates China Cup.

The final day of figure skate grand prix series at china took place at Harbin. In women division Fumie SUGURI (belongs to Avex team) who was 11th place of short program yesterday got 3rd place of free style program and totaled 137.13 points that was 4th overall.

Korean Yona-KIMU totaled 180.68 points that was the highest and came back from 3rd position. Overall 2nd place was American Zan-CAROLINE who is 14 years old. Italian Costner-CAROLINA who was first place in short program yesterday finished 3rd place.

Suguri worked out safety strategy therefore she got 4th place.
She delayed at 11th place in short program yesterday but came back as 3rd place and totaly finished at 4th place.

She said it is better for me compared with short program. But I am not perfect condition so I have to revise several points. She looked like at ease.

Her strategy was safety. For example continuous jumping that she prepared changed to single jumping and triple axel changed to double axel. Consequently she did not tip over. Still there was situation that she broke down the balance when she got down to the ice. She was quoted at practice I have stability but at
game I often failed. She looked like be frustrating not to expose her real ability.



--- Translation of Japanese into English ---

村主、巻き返して４位！キム・ヨナが逆転Ｖ　フィギュア中国杯


フィギュアスケートのグランプリ（ＧＰ）シリーズ第３戦の中国杯最終日は１０日、ハルビン（中国黒竜江省）で行われ、女子はショートプログラム（ＳＰ）で１１位だった村主章枝（ａｖｅｘ）がフリーで３位に入り、合計１３７・１３点で４位だった。

キム・ヨナ（韓国）が１８０・６８点の高得点で、ＳＰ３位から逆転優勝した。２位は１４歳のキャロライン・ザン（米国）で、ＳＰ首位のカロリナ・コストナー（イタリア）は３位に終わった。（共同）

村主、安全策取って４位。

ＳＰ１１位と大きく出遅れた村主がフリーは３位と巻き返し、４位に食い込んだ。「ＳＰよりはよかった。まだ仕上がってない部分があるので修正していきたい」と安堵（あんど）した様子だった。

予定していた連続ジャンプを１回にしたり、３回転を２回転にするなど、転倒を避けて安全策を取った。それでも着氷でバランスを崩しかける場面があり「練習では安定しているんだけど、試合になるとミスが出る」。力を出し切れないもどかしさを口にした。



--- Vocabulary ---
make comeback : 巻き返す
on the other hand : 他方
come back : 逆転する
take place : 行われる
division : 部
total : 結果-になる
overall : 全体で
work out : 苦労して成し遂げる
delay : 遅れる
revise : 修正する
look like : -に見える
at ease : 落ち着いて
continuous : 連続の
prepare : 準備する
consequently : その結果
tip over : 転倒する
still : とはいえ
brake down the balance : バランスを崩す
get down : 着地する
practice : 練習
stability : 安定
fail : 失敗する
frastrating : もどかしい、イライラしている
expose : -をみせる、明らかにする

Dating Violence

50 percent of young people in Japan subjected to dating violence
Fifty percent of young men and women in Japan have been subjected to physical or psychological violence in a relationship, a government survey on dating violence has found.

The survey, conducted over the Internet, found that 55.5 percent of the respondents talked to their friends when they suffered violent treatment, but 42.7 percent didn't share their problems with anyone.

Since dating violence is not covered by Japan's domestic violence prevention law, it has been difficult for the government to form a response to the problem, prompting the Cabinet Office to conduct the survey on young single people in their teens and 20s.

A total of 35.4 percent of men and 56 percent of women said they found it annoying when their partner did something selfish, suggesting a possible cause of dating violence. Another 10 percent of the respondents said they thought that the person subjected to violence was also at fault.

Of the 258 people who said that they were dating or had a partner in the past, 53.1 percent of men and 44.6 percent of women said they had had experienced mobile phone-related issues in their relationships. Examples of such problems included being berated for not answering their phones or not immediately returning e-mails.

The survey also found that 21.7 percent of respondents said their partner had restricted their actions, and 13.2 percent were made to feel bad because of things their partners said to them.

Figures in the survey were based on responses from 192 men and 166 women chosen randomly from 600,000 registered monitors in their teens and 20s who were not married.



--- Vocabulary ---
subject to : -することがある、-しやすい、-に支配されて
subject : -を支配する
dating violence : デート中の暴力
relationship : 関係
suffer : 苦しむ、-をこうむる
treatment : 扱い、処置
since : -して以来、-だから
domestic violence : 家庭内暴力
prevention : 防止、阻止
form : 形成する、組織する
prompt : 刺激する、促進する、促す
cabinet : 内閣
possible cause : 考えられる原因
suggest : 提案する、意味する、示唆する
annoying : 気に障る、うるさい、うとおしい
selfish : 利己的な、自分勝手な、自己中心的な
at fault : 責任のある
related : 関係のある
issue : 問題、刊行物、株式
berate : 激しく非難する
immediately : すぐに、直接に
restrict : 制限する、限定する
figure : 形、数字
randomly : 不規則に
register : 登録する、一覧表