K-sec meeting Summary October 5, 2017
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- 1. Transatlantic Telegraphic Cables
- 2. Populist former ally aims to rip up Japanese PMs election plans
| K-SEC Meeting Summary
October 5, 2017 Here is a summary of the materials we read at the K-SEC meeting on October 2nd, 2017. Attendees (in ABC order): Kanzawa, Kotake, Nishimura, Nishiwaki, Sekiguchi, Shirashoji, Taruishi, Tomozawa, Tsurumoto, (Total of 9)
In the 1840s and 1850s several individuals proposed or advocated construction of a telegraph cable across the Atlantic Ocean, including Edward Thornton and Alonzo Jackman. Cyrus West Field and the Atlantic Telegraph Company were behind the construction of the first transatlantic telegraph cable. The project began in 1854 and was completed in 1858. The cable functioned for only three weeks, but it was the first such project to yield practical results. The first official telegram to pass between two continents was a letter of congratulations from Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom to the President of the United States James Buchanan on August 16. Signal quality declined rapidly, slowing transmission to an almost unusable speed. The cable was destroyed the following month when Wildman Whitehouse applied excessive voltage to it while trying to achieve faster operation. It has been argued that the faulty manufacture, storage and handling of the 1858 cable would have led to premature failure in any case. The cable's rapid failure undermined public and investor confidence and delayed efforts to restore a connection. A second attempt was undertaken in 1865 with much-improved material and, following some setbacks, a connection was completed and put into service on July 28, 1866. This cable proved more durable. Before the first transatlantic cable, communications between Europe and the Americas took place only by ship. Sometimes, however, severe winter storms delayed ships for weeks. The transatlantic cable reduced communication time considerably, allowing a message and a response in the same day. Five attempts to lay a cable were made over a nine-year period – one in 1857, two in 1858, one in 1865, and one in 1866. Lasting connections were finally achieved with the 1866 cable and the 1865 cable, which was repaired by Isambard Kingdom Brunel's ship SS Great Eastern, captained by Sir James Anderson. In the 1870s duplex and quadruplex transmission and receiving systems were set up that could relay multiple messages over the cable. 2. Populist former ally aims to rip up Japanese PM's election plans - Sekiguchi Tokyo mayor Yuriko Koike’s newly formed party could scupper Shinzō Abe’s attempt to cement his position at the poll. This article was adopted from Guardian Thursday 28 September 2017 Japan’s prime minister, Shinzō Abe, faces a serious challenge from an ally turned nemesis, as voters prepare to go to the polls next month in an election he has described as a verdict on his handling of the economy and North Korea. Koike’s Party of Hope, formed only a day earlier, has pledged to be a “tolerant, conservative reform party” that will challenge vested interests and respect diversity. Abe called the election – a year earlier than expected – in an attempt to exploit a weak and divided opposition and to secure a mandate for his spending plans and tough line against Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear programmes. A survey by the Mainichi newspaper found 18% of respondents would vote for Hope compared with 29% for Abe’s party. Another poll by the Asahi newspaper put Koike’s party on 13% and the LDP on 32%. The Party of Hope’s emergence on the national political scene has thrown the main opposition party, the Democrats, into turmoil. Several Democrat MPs have defected to Koike’s party, while its leader, Seiji Maehara, is reportedly considering allowing Democrats to run as Hope candidates. As of 4th Oct, most of the Democratic except liberals ( leftists) converted to Hope, and it seems that the candidate from Hope would reach as much as half of total capacity. However there are a lot of questions. What are the core policies of Hope? Does Koike stand for the election? Does LDP/Komei maintain the majority? In case they lose, what would be the magnitude of the turmoil? How does America or North Korea respond? The election starts on 10th, voting day is 22nd, we still have another meeting on 16th, hoping a new positive drama would be developed. C. Role assignment for October 16th, 2017 Kotake, Umemura Download 11.59 Kb. Share with your friends:
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