Norway police no more equip guns

Just when fear of terror is rising over the world, and the candidates for President claim the necessity of enhanced military, the Norwegian government made a brave decision.

Police officers in Norway will be disarmed soon. Previously, they did not carry guns as usual, but have been ordered to equip arms since November 2014 for strengthening its defense force. This order was considered to be temporal, but was prolonged because of Paris attack last year. At last, the armament will cease.

Independent: Norway to disarm its police force after officers ordered to carry guns for just one year

Norway is a developed country with high standard of public welfare. The GDP per capita and literacy rate mark great level. Gender equality is also focused in Norway. It is the unique country in which women are subjected to conscription.

In 2011, Anders Behring Breivik made a massacre in Oslo and Utøya Island. A total of 77 lives were victimized. I can imagine the agony of victims. Breivik is an anti-Muslim extremist. Fortunately, there is no evidence that his ideology has badly influenced Norwegian citizens.

I guess the financial issue is one of the backgrounds of disarming of police officers. Military equipment is often very expensive. Norway is infamous for its high tax rate. The government seems eager to keep its welfare level without raised expenditure.

I have not visited Norway or other Northern Europe. I hope to see the lives of citizens some day.

Flexible working is preferable for women, but not for men

Flexible working, such as stagger work hour or working at home, is spread in some companies. We sometimes see working women with delayed attendance for taking her child to a nursing home. Nomad working is now a trend in workers in the IT industry.

However, there seems a difference between men and women about the efficacy of flexible working. If you are male, you should not expect to be a flexible worker, according to a new research.

The Guardian: Flexible working helps women succeed but makes men unhappy, study finds

In this study conducted by Brain & Company, over 1,000 employees in Australia were asked to tell the perspective of flexible working. As a result, male workers were not accepted as a flexible worker compared to women. In addition, men were less likely to commit their jobs deeply in a flexible work than women. Thus, flexible working seems not fitting for men.

The historical factor can explain the difference. Until some decade ago, men usually got a full-time job, and women never. Recent tendency of gender equality brought both employers and female employees an opportunity to consider alternative working styles. Part time work, early or late shift work, and working at home apply to women who are willing to care their children or old parents on their own. On the other hand, it is hardly acceptable for employers to alter male workers’ work styles, especially as a form of reducing the quantity of work time.

The fact that tasks for caring children dominantly rely on mothers rather than fathers may be another reason. The familial environment is gradually changing in every culture, but only women can get pregnant, at present. It is natural that women are permitted to have diversity in choosing work style.

However, it is problematic if many men are suffering from flexible working. Male workers, as well as employers, have to recognize the current situation, to make their organization plastic and acceptable for various workers.

Models should not be slim in France

Recently, French government approved a bill to restrict skinny women from working as a fashion model.

Vogue: France Passes Model Health Law

In this new legislation, models have to pass a health check by a doctor to certificate their fitness to work. Employers hiring models who are too slim to survive the work will be liable to a fine, or deserve to an incarceration. In some countries, similar legislation has been established.

SCMP.com: Models in France can’t work without doctor’s note to say they’re healthy under new law

This legislation aimed at reducing patients suffering from eating disorders. Not only in France, but also in many other countries, skinny ladies tend to be approved. The fashion industry is eager to adopt slim ladies as a model, and forces the candidate to lose their weight. Both models and consumers are involved in an endless competition of shape-up. As a result, many women become to refuse to take enough calories.

Eating disorder is one of the particular mental disorders relevant to modern culture. Most of the patients are women. Its mortality is higher than cancers at the early state. Models, actresses, and other professional women are considered to be at high risk.

My past entry: Controversies in eating disorders

It is unclear that requirement of medical certification can keep risky women from harmful eating behaviors. Regulation by the government should be minimized, according to the ideology of libertarian. However, the current situation in which everyone wants to be slim can be deemed as a failure of the free market. I think the fact the French government, whose leader François Hollande is a socialist, declares prohibition of being too slim has a symbolic effect.

As a psychiatrist, I do not want women, as well as men, to be keen to lose weight excessively. I am interested whether the patients with eating disorders will decrease in France.

Fear of Zika spreading

Zika virus infection is infiltrating several countries located in Asia, Africa, and South America.

This virus causes some symptoms like a cold. Slight fever, joint pain, headache, and erythema are commonly seen. It is quite unlike that the infection leads to a fatality.

However, Zika inflicts terrible damage to your fetus. It was recent that Zika virus was proven to be a cause of microcephaly of the baby when pregnant women get infected. Reported cases were rocketed in this year in the regions the outbreak occurred. Brazilian government warned citizens not to be pregnant until the outbreak is terminated.

Independent: Zika virus: Hundreds of thousands could be infected by 'shrunken brain' disease

Mosquito transports Zika virus. Thus, you should be cautious not to be attacked by a mosquito. And it is tough to protect yourself perfectly.

Zika virus was reported firstly in Uganda in 1947. And it was spread through South-East Asian countries to South America. A few patients were also reported in Japan.

Recently, the WHO declared the emergency of Zika outbreak, following Ebola fever in 2014. It has been potentially spread to Europe, because four-fifth of patients remain asymptomatic, and there are many people travelling to Brazil and Rio.

Independent: How the Zika virus spread around the world

Attempt to develop a vaccination against Zika virus is ongoing. Some researchers expect its utilization within the end of this year. If it is realized, young women should be firstly adapted to be vaccinated. Mass production and quick delivery are challenging considering most of the affected regions are developing countries.

Reuters: Zika vaccine may be ready for emergency use this year: developer

Human history is accompanied by the battle with the infectious disease. Some bacteria have perished thanks to modern medical science. But astronomical numbers of pathogenic bacteria are still alive, perhaps forever.

*Sequel

Confusing CNN article about child sex in Japan

A CNN article about attract attention in Japan.

CNN: Fascination with Japanese schoolgirl culture hiding a darker side?

In this article, some kind of businesses were introduced as suspicious child exploitation. According to the author, some schoolgirls are working in the sex industry.

This article was translated into Japanese, and then it ignited criticism of some Japanese people. They claim that considerable parts of the content of the article are incorrect.

CNN shot a cosplay shop at Akihabara without permitting and made a hoax [in Japanese]

I am not familiar with this matter, but there is some misleading description of the CNN article, I confirm.

First, “Enjo-Kosai,” or compensated dating with a girl is illegal if the women are under the age of 18. They having a sexual contact with a girl for money are arrested. The government never permit such an act, regardless of the age of consent.

Second, it is true that child abuse victims are increasing in Japan. But, it is because more cases are recognized thanks to the recent activity of enlightenment. Anime and manga with adult contents are unlikely to be relevant to the real crimes. On the other hand, sex crimes on the internet such as “revenge porn” became problematic in Japan, as well as other countries.

Third, the author seems to misidentify a sex shop as a café in which schoolgirls are working, according to Japanese readers. Sex shops prohibit schoolgirls from working or entering there. Instead, some adult women who look young wear a school costume to serve the customers. In an “ime-kura” or image club, you can get sexual services from women wearing a costume. There are many “maid café” at Akihabara, but no sexual services are offered at such places.

It is surprising that, as many readers mentioned, no interviews to the shops were implemented. Some shoppers tweeted that their shops were shot without any permission. The author seems not to try to understand what happens in the real situation.

On the other hand, child exploitation sometimes becomes a topic in Japan, recently. Sexual abuse is not common, but quite a big problem. I also sense victim-blaming culture in Japan, agreeing with the author, while in the UK similar situation is issued I have heard.

Above all, this article is combining too many things. Sex crimes, JK business, and sensational manga and animation, are not, or very weakly connected with each other, in my opinion.

Japan is sometimes reported as tolerant to children’s sex. Recently, a report in which up to 13 percent of schoolgirls had taken part in Enjo-Kosai was published. It was retrieved later because of its incorrectness, but was sometimes referred.

Aljazeera: Paid dating with teenage students thriving in Japan

I do not think JK business should be approved as Japanese culture. I never permit sexual abuse to children. But, we have to recognize the difference of our sense toward sexual expression. Remember a recent case covering nude sculpture.

My past entry: Naked statue covered for Iranian President

Also, we recognize the fact that sex crime is very rare, even if there are some unreported cases, in Japan. I do not believe manga or animation have an impact to the number of crimes. Child protection is essential. On the other hand, the non-biased discussion is necessary to consider these matters.

My past entry: Sex dolls can save pedophilia?

Copy is closing

Shocking news. Copy, an excellent cloud storage service, is going to be terminated.

Copy End-of-Life Copy and CudaDrive Services will be Discontinued

I found Copy two years ago, and have utilized it. It offered minimum 15 GB cloud storage with seamless sync. The transfer speed was not bad. There were few troubles I have met on this service.

My past entry: Cloud storage services (2)

However, recently, I saw some confusing messages. Copy frequently notified me that some files were conflicting. I had no idea of the cause. I guess the quality of maintenance became poor because of the shortcoming of the budget so that Copy occasionally provided erroneous messages.

Now, I have to choose an alternative instead of Copy. Could storage service is essential for me to keep my job. In this industry, the situation is rapidly changing. Thus, the information I gathered in the past may be out of date. I will investigate some similar services.

Holding his son during bullfight

A Spanish bullfighter attracted attention as bringing his child into the ring.

The Guardian: Spanish matador investigated for bullfighting with baby

Francisco Rivera Ordóñez posted a photo in which he was holding his own boy during the fight with a bull. He tagged the photo as “Carmen’s debut.” As not surprisingly, his act ignited broad criticism.

People concerning child protection accused him of risking his child’s life. It is possible that he will be sued. But it is uncertain he has broken some laws. Some animal right groups also blamed him too, but the reason seems not relevant to this child.

I am not familiar with a bullfight. But, there is a particular risk of fatality in a bullfight, considering that Rivera’s father was killed by a bull in the ring. The matter is how much is the risk. As mentioned in the article, “a fireman wouldn’t dream of taking a child to put out a fire.” In contrast, it is acceptable for a truck driver to keep his baby on his knees during driving.

Anyway, it would be catastrophic if a bull gores Rivera in front of his son. Even if saved before attacked by the bull, the son will suffer from PTSD. I am quite doubtful that he can take the responsibility in such a case.

It is interesting that other bullfighters have similar experiences. Early exposure has the crucial influence on our life in some occupation. Professional sports players are accustomed to the game in their early life stage. I understand Rivera’s desire, a little, to show his work to the son in the close position. But does his son hope to do so with a fatal risk? Even if he nodded, his capability is doubtful.

The bullfight is a traditional culture of Spain. But it is in the way to decline. If a fatal accident occurs, a loud argument toward regulation will be ignited. I hope nobody will be victimized.