Uchino Kanako is the first Japanese crew of Hokule’a and shared the traditional Polynesian navigation process in an interview. Hokule’a is a replica of a traditional Polynesian canoe that sails across the Pacific Ocean. These canoes have some ropes that are kilometers long used to tie the hulls. Currently, Kanako and her team use GPS for navigation, but traditional Polynesian navigators were known as “wayfinders” who used nature to show them the way. The wayfinders watch for natural signs from the moon, sun, stars, clouds, winds, and birds.

To start, wayfinders carefully observed the position of the rising sun in the early morning. They read the patterns of the waves they refer to as “faces of the ocean” before the sun got higher in the sky. During the days, the wayfinders keep their canoes at the same angle as the waves so that they maintain going to the right direction.

The Super Bowl is the championship of American professional football. It’s America’s biggest sports event of the year. More than 90 million people nationwide watch the game. It’s also one of the biggest business chances of the year for some companies. Since the number of Super Bowl viewers is guaranteed, companies pay millions of dollars for just a 30-second TV commercial aired during the game. Like the game itself, these commercials are entertaining. Some people find them even more memorable than the game. All in all, the Super Bowl gives you a lot to talk about with your family and friends.

Legal ages in Japan differ from those in America. In America, legal ages vary from state to state. In California, you take your first step into adulthood on your 16th birthday. At 16, you can get a driver’s license, which is almost a necessity in California, unless you live in big cities like Los Angeles or San Francisco. At 18, you have the right to vote, a right that allows you to experience the full benefit of US democracy. At 21, you are officially considered an adult, with the right to drink alcohol in public. In Japan, there’s an official day to celebrate the “coming” of 20, the day you become an adult. In America, young people receive adult responsibilities one at a time, while in Japan, young people are pronounced “adults” all at once.

Dear Bob,

On this special day of the year, I just wanted to let you know that I love you. You mean everything to me, and I’m lucky to have you in my life. And I hope you feel the same way, too.

When you told me you were moving to San Francisco, I thought our relationship was over. I just didn’t think that I could handle a long-distance relationship. I know it’s so much easier these days to stay in touch with people, but I just couldn’t bear the thought of being apart. I was crying the whole day after I saw you off at the airport. But together, I think we can overcome anything.

Thank you for sharing special moments with me every day. I love you, Bob
Happy Valentine’s Day!

With lots of hugs and kisses,

Ellen

Jim Allen used to scold his son for playing video games. Now he joins his son in front of the TV. “These games used to come between us,” Allen said. Now the father and son are gaming partners. Today’s game consoles offer wireless controllers. Wireless controllers allow a more physical kind of play. With these controllers, players can do more than fire guns and move a character around. Indeed, Allen and his son go skiing, play ping pong, and go bowling together, all with a video game. “My favorite is the golf game,” says Allen. For people like Allen and his son, wireless game consoles are closing the generation gap.