luck favors the prepared.

This is a captured image of the world clock. Click the link if you want to view the real one.

We, human beings, are creatures that grow continuously and rapidly. Countless numbers of babies are born every instant; however this website not only proves how astonishing we are as a species that gives birth to new lives so quickly but also points out the fact that mankind kills and harms other organisms on this planet and maybe the planet itself as well. According to my observation, about 1,600,000 babies appeared on Earth while 330 species became extinct in one week. 7 days—in this short period of time, humans reproduce their own descendents without stopping; unfortunately, at the same time, we are the ones who are fully responsible for damaging this beautiful environment.

People cut down forests; they pump out oils using up uncontrollable amount of natural resources; cars never stop being produced causing pollution that will eventually make our planet a hotter (in terms of temperature) place to live in. It is amazing how fast our population grows. Approximately 600,000—only one third of number of births—died last week, showing apparent rise in the world population. Population growth itself is not a negative phenomenon; but what humans do as the population grows bigger engenders conflicts. Forests produce oxygen that we rely on. If we continue to cut forests down, then how will our grandchildren breathe fresh or any type of air at all? Global warming, although it seems like it’s not happening and some people deny its presence, surely takes place. There are lots of decimal points required to indicate temperature change, yet it is certainly going up.

Mankind not only harms other species but also kill each other under a tragic incident called war. People in Iraq are suffering; people all over the places are being injured by violence. People, standing on the same sphere as we are, commit suicides; and its rate seems like it will never drop. We need to stop damaging our gifted woods. We have to pay attention to those species being forever lost. We must put an end to ongoing cruelty within our species. Let’s realize what’s happening to the planet and to us. Earth has been a wonderful dwelling place for us to live on. Yet it will no loner serve as a peaceful, comfortable, and reliable home if we, human beings, continue to destroy it.

Capitalism.
Economic freedom.
Free enterprise.
Laissez faire.

They are nothing but fancy and alluring outer wrappers trying to cover human filth. It is almost impossible to not admit the fact that capitalism is the most effective economic model so far in our history. We, you and I have witnessed the eventual collapse of communism and other various forms of socialism. Socialism is definitely a wonderful model “in theory”, yet human nature is incapable of supporting its success. I live for myself, and so do you. We all try to put something delicious inside our mouths, wear finest clothing, and live in comfort. No one can be criticized for having such desires, because everyone posses such wills.

Our capitalistic and money-based society not only has caused the creation of natural flow of wealth, but also has given birth to certain crises.

Blood diamonds, often referred as conflict diamonds, are the breathing evidence of the chaos. Blood diamonds literally refer to diamonds that are produced on top of tragic bloodshed in Africa. Europe, the home of capitalism, had imperialized African continents for decades. When European nations finally released the continent from the chains, they have left the land with no effective counterplan. The sudden absence of power naturally created struggle for strength. Ambitious forces wanted heavy arms. Weapons required money. Power and wealth—these two have grown undetachable.

In order to gain money, armed forces began to kill. Africans killed other Africans over the control of diamond mines. Humans murdered other human beings for greater profits. There are 20,000 African child soldiers with guns in their small hands. The young kids use their fingers to pull the triggers.

Illegal diamond trading, Child labor, forced harlotry, and other dirty business are in presence. So many people are unaware of this tragedy. Some do know about this, yet they refuse to reveal this stain. Why? How stupid it is to even ask. They do not want to stop or talk about it because such businesses make considerable profits.

I am not attacking capitalism. I can’t, since I do not have reasonable measure that will replace the current system. However, we should stop for a moment. We should stop and have a look around us. We must see the sad reality and what we have done with our glorious, successful capitalistic minds.

If you want to know more about the blood diamond, click this link.

It is said that we all currently live in the Era of Globalization. It is true that various countries constantly interact with one another. However, is globalization a correct, right, and appropriate term to be used? Free Trade Association, United Nations, and many other international organizations claim that their ultimate purpose is the fair and peaceful coexistence of the world. However, is it always true?

The Western colonialism and imperialism officially ended after the World War II. The colonies achieved their national independence. They were freed and liberated according to the textbooks. The Age of Colonialism and Imperialism was over, and the Age of Globalization has approached—people say and believe. Yet, unfortunately, what we—the world—is experiencing at this moment cannot be referred as a true globalization.

It is not globalization. It is pure westernization. Now, here I am to present myself as the walking example of the false globalization. I live in a country called Korea located in East Asia. I go to an international school. Teachers punish me whenever I speak Korean in the school. I receive western education. I read Jane Eyre in English. I speak English. I write English essays. I dress in western clothing. I eat hamburgers. I drink coca-cola. I use macbook. I watch Lost and Gossip Girl. I am writing this post in English and will post it up on wordpress.com, a western site with layouts written in English.

The stronger players (also known as the Westerners) want to call this phenomenon as globalization, because they desire to justify their continued, yet newly formed imperialism. The weaker players (the non-Westerners) hope to call this phenomenon as globalization as well, since they do not want to acknowledge their weaknesses and do not want to admit that they are doing nothing but imitating the West.

Ah, globalization! What a sweet-sounding and comforting term it is!

The Milgram experiment is one of the most famous and one of the most shocking psychological experiments at the same time. The experiment was conducted by Yale University psychologist, Stanley Milgram, in 1963.

 

The experimenter (E) orders the teacher (T), the subject of the experiment, to give what the subject believes are painful electric shocks to a learner (L), who is actually an actor and confederate. The subjects believed that for each wrong answer, the learner was receiving actual shocks, but in reality there were no shocks. Being separated from the subject, the confederate set up a tape recorder integrated with the electro-shock generator, which played pre-recorded sounds for each shock level. (wikipedia)

The participants read the voltage rate on each button; they heard the person’s screaming behind the screen when each button was pressed; they knew that they were hurting the learner through electric shocks; yet they continued to follow the orders and constantly pressed the button with the higher voltage rate written on. Some people, during the experiment, refused to continue the operation. However, such resistances were temporal for the most time. They began the operation again once the conductor “ordered” them to do so. The participants questioned and wavered, but did not stop. Two thirds of the participants (although demonstrated hesitations up to certain degrees,) ended up giving the electronic shock of the highest voltage that will surely kill a person. Only the other one thirds stopped and “disobeyed” to kill a man. The result shocked the United States. None of the participants had committed any form of crimes. They were normal citizens that a normal person would meet while walking down any street.

Millions were killed during the Holocaust. Through the use of gas chambers, open-air shootings, and extermination camps, the Jews and “the inferior beings” lost their lives. When the war ended with Hitler’s loss, inhumane war-crimes of the Nazis were severely criticized. People questioned: how can a human being commit such a heartless violence on another human being? How could the Nazi guards push the poor, innocent people into the gas chambers?

Sinister intention, ill will, anger, and violence were not the motivations that drove the Nazis to commit their sins. Obedience—this simple ingredient of human nature was what made them heartless. The mass tends to seek a strong leadership. People always search for a powerful authority to rely on and expect the leader to give instructions.

Let’s think, people. Let’s question, people. Let’s stop, people. Do not think this scary rule of obedience applies only to the past events. Look at the Iraq war. The American soldiers killed, kill, and will kill the innocent Iraqis. Why? How? They follow “the orders”; and that’s all it takes for a person to become the most cruel criminal.

When ume blossoms fall, Cornus officinalis come into bloom. By the time Cornus officinalis scatter, the buds of cherry blossoms develop into flowers. At this point of a year, the riverside of Sum-jin River becomes full of flower blossoms. The winding river reflects the images full of flowers on its surface.

             “Follow Sum-jin River and watch,

             Several men may try to bail out water,

             But the river will never be dried.”  (Yong Taek Kim’s poem)

As Yong Taek Kim sang in his poem, Sum-jin River gets wider and deeper as it goes nearer to its riverbank. The river, with its special power, makes the minds of travelers, following the river path, comfortable and broad. Everywhere is filled with flowers, lighting the mountain and the river.

Sum-jin River is the first place where the spring visits on the Korean Peninsula. Some people even say that it can’t be said that a real spring arrive unless the fire of flower flares near the river. The wind of spring comes across the ocean, kindles up the flame of flowers, and spreads all over the peninsula. Around this time of the year, blossoms of ume flowers reach their peak. Sum-jin village of Kwang-yang is invaded by the waves of red and white ume flowers. There are several color variations: white, blue-green, and pink. The ume flowers are beautiful when they begin to bloom, yet the scenery of their fall is way more attractive. 

Near the riverbank, when the ume flowers fall, cornus officinalis dye the land with the color, yellow. Cornus officinalis’s colony is composed of 50 villages around Jiri Mountain. Among all the villages, the one located on the top of the mountain has largest population of the plant; therefore many refer the village as Cornus Officinalis Town. In general, cornus officinalis matures in mid October. The opened seeds even function as oriental medicine. However, the process of opening seeds requires a person to use one’s mouth and crack them. In the past, many young girls of the village were married with their teeth dyed in red—the color of the seeds.

In the past, corbicula catching provided housewives of Sum-jin region source of income. However, nowadays, influx of Chinese corbicula and raised corbicula threatens their income. Increasing number of restaurants in the downtown of Hadong uses cheap Chinese corbicula. The sea itself has changed over time. Electronic power plants and iron foundries have been established; such changes caused decreased production of seaweed. Although oyster and fry production continues until today, the sea is no way similar to that of the old days.

Despite the changes, Sum-jin River remained unchanged. It constantly provides fresh water to the ocean, embracing the variations. Its designation as the mother river originates from such characteristic. The river continues to flow into the sea even today.