The Japanese samurai sword, called the katana, was implemented commonly into battle around the years 1185 to 1333. The sword was viewed as the sacred weapon of the warrior class and was held very highly. It is viewed like many weapons are today, as an extension of ones self. Many military personnel today hold their rifles to be their guardians in combat; this is the same for samurai. A common saying is that you are only as good as you train to be. And this is a very true fact also held in high regard with the katana

            The training required to be a samurai was long, intense, and very demanding. The training required focus, and discipline to withstand pain, and agility to be quick and avoid enemies. The main divider between the samurai and a nimrod with a katana was this very training and way of life that was adopted with it. The katana was more than just a blade; it was a status symbol and a way to earn respect. And to this day it goes down as one of the most culturally famous icons in Japan.

The website I acquired information from was: http://www.swordsofmight.com/samuraiswords.aspx

In Japan there is a show called Nodo Jiman Za! World, it is similar to the American equivalent of American Idol. In the show Nodo Jiman Za! World participants sing in front of people. It is relatively unique because it involves people from different races singing in the Japanese language. However in American Idol all participants have to sing in English regardless of race or background. In both, contestants are judged and a winner is crowned at the very end.

In the past North Korea has posed a threat to United States well being however it has never proved to have any weight behind it. After the first weaponized use of a nuclear weapon during the close of the second World War, Russia launched there own version in 1949 calling for more strict enforcement on nuclear law. However following the Cold War many countries, including North Korea, have wanted to engage in arming themselves with these weapons. This would be a great threat to the U.S. however after decades of false promises and lacking technology, the United States considers Korea as little more than a nuisance rather than a world leader.

This is relative to our discussions in class because nuclear warfare and censorship are both factors in the countries of Japan and China. In China the issue of censorship is highly relevant because news has a hard time reaching the rest of the world much like in Korea. In Japan the first and only detonations of nuclear arms on human targets were recorded. Both of these examples show that nuclear threats are real and a problem still today.


A link to the article : http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/15/the-danger-of-dismissing-north-koreas-nuclear-thre/?page=all