Korea Just Legalized CBD

It's a start. Could take another decade or two.

What If There Was Some Thing Like A God, And Everyone But You Knew?

Just kidding. Maybe only a few people knew because of people's misconceived impressions from religious Gods.

A God that can give you nothing direct in the way of material things, but lots of metaphysical things.

Metaphysical things? Yes., things that are, in most part, not physical. Like the knowledge that most things are not two dimensional, but are multidimensional and in most cases constantly changing. Be given motivation to do good things. Be mostly happy with most things the way they usually are.

Marijuana Industry To Create More Jobs Than Manufacturing By 2020

Hey, Korea, and many other countries!  Wake up!

Due to job losses in the manufacturing sector, Korea is suffering from unemployment which is much larger than the official 3-4% unemployment rate. It seems like about 30% of young people and old people are out of work.

The most likely solution is the legalization of marijuana. Watch the US's and Canada's economies grow in the coming months and years.

Forbes: Marijuana Industry Projected To Create More Jobs Than Manufacturing By 2020

What Kind Of God Do You Know?

If I tell people I believe in a God, most look at me with surprise. Almost all assume that I believe in a religious God. Many assume that I believe God controls the universe and such.

I believe in a metaphysical world that might be influenced by some entity or force. That entity or force is what I call God. The world of knowledge, good, will.



Stephen Hawkings said that he does not believe in God. He states there is no proof. I ask, "Can you prove that God does not exist?".

There is no physical proof that God exists, or that God does not exist. Also, people's conception of God varies greatly.

Just because there is no physical proof, does it mean that it does not exist? Can you physically prove that knowledge, good, or will exist?  Yet, they do. 

More Evidence Of The Non-Existence Of Dark Energy?

Some theorists have concluded that String Theory does not allow for Dark Energy.

As stated before, if the universe has matter and the surrounding nothingness does not, then there is a difference in pressure which should cause the universe to expand. Matter at the "edges" of the universe would dissipate faster than the matter in the "center". This might make it seem that the rate of expansion is increasing, since we use distance as a measure of age (time passed), thus measuring the edges of our known universe to find out what happened in the distant past.

Also, if everything decays into radiation which travel at the speed of light, then does this radiation "know" distance, since according to known theory, it does not "experience" time?

Quanta Magazine: Dark Energy May Be Incompatible With String Theory

Korean Conservative Party Is Against Fighting Fake News

Maybe it is because the conservative Free Korea Party is the one spreading all the fake news. The conservative party which supported disgraced former Korean Presidents Myung-Bak Lee and Keun-hye Park is saying that fight fake news is against democracy. What travesty!

New York Times: South Korea Declares War on ‘Fake News,’ Worrying Government Critics

Indiana Farmers Need Marijuana To Prosper

According to an article in Forbes.

Forbes: Indiana Farmers Need Industrial Hemp Or Legal Marijuana To Prosper

Pretty Certain Legal Marijuana Is Fueling US Economic And Job Growth

I wonder what kind of people control US media. Many mainstream media in the US contribute the growth to tax cuts and other policies. None mention the role of legalized marijuana in economic and job growth.

Suppose there are 200 pot retail outlets for each of the eight states that have legal marijuana. And 50 pot pharmacies in the 30 or so states with legal medicinal marijuana. Let's say each employ about 4 people. So that's a total of 12,400 jobs. Then there are pot farms, testing facilities, pot related patents, and companies selling vaporizers, bongs, fertilizer, lights and such. That could add up to another 10,000 jobs.

Then there's pot companies listed on the stock market which contributes to economic growth. Also some of the underground market has shrunk, enabling the sales of pot to be taxed.

In addition, there's the music market which would be much smaller without pot.

Wonder why US media is quiet on this? Maybe they want to corner the market first.

If Korea legalized, then that would create thousands of jobs and eliminate the outflow of money used to purchase drugs abroad.  It would be almost like creating a new economic sector worth tens of billions of dollars. Corporations, stocks, taxes, jobs... Less dependence on alcohol and cigarettes. A more mellow Korea?

China Has Always Bullied Countries On Trade

China has bullied South Korea and other countries on trade by using unfair regulations. China has regulations requiring that Chinese entities own over 50% of foreign subsidiaries operating in China. China has EXREMELY UNFAIR regulations that they use to restrict imports of online games and other products, and gain technological knowledge in return for access to the Chinese market. This is in addition to very lax regulation of copyrights and patents.

I am glad Trump is standing up to China, because no other country would dare due to retaliation. Now, China is stating that they are saving the world from unfair US trade practices? Generous trade practices by the US has contributed to developing many under developed countries into developed ones. South Korea, Japan, and China, just to name a few.

Express: 'We're saving the world from US,' says Beijing as trade war EXPLODES

Sincerely hope that no one believes all this misinformation by China. If news were free in China, we would hear more about all the human rights abuses and aggression against minority groups, especially Muslim and other religious groups.

Newsweek: CHINA, YOU'RE AN EMBARRASSMENT ON TRADE | OPINION

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Legalizes Marijuana

Another place with legal recreational marijuana. Wish I lived there instead of Korea.

Forbes: Governor Signs Marijuana Legalization Bill, Making History In US Territory

Cannabis Company Worth $20 Billion

Is Korea missing out on a lot of business opportunities and jobs due to outdated marijuana laws?

CBS News: Tilray shows the highs, lows of investing in pot

All Around The World, Only The Rich Keep Getting Richer

Not only in Korea, but all around the world, the rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer.

The Guardian: If the Czech economy is thriving, why are we so poor?

South Africa Rules Marijuana Is Legal

South Africa's high court ruled that private consumption of marijuana is legal.

Hightimes: South African Court Rules Private, Adult-Use Cannabis is Legal

The pace of legalization seems to be accelerating.

And you can bet CBD is going to be big, if Coca-Cola is looking to invest in it.

Hightimes: Coca-Cola in Talks to Make the Next CBD-Infused Beverage

Korea Finally Raises Property Tax On Residential Property

The Korean government announced new measures to counter the rapid rise in residential property values. These measures need to be approved by the national assembly. The measures include a raising the property tax to 3% for those with residential properties worth over about one million dollars (and taxed only on the amount over one million dollars), stopping mortgage loans to those with multiple residential properties, raising the value at which properties are taxed to 100% of the actual market value. Most Korean media have "experts" on their news shows criticizing these measures and stating that they will not work. These "experts" do not have any opinions on how to counter the rapid rise in property values, but they definitely are against anything the Moon administration proposes.

The wealthy have few other places to park their money, so they buy up real estate, using loans and mortgages, if possible. This makes owning an apartment, or house nearly impossible for ordinary people. An average small apartment in Seoul costs about $500,000.

Yonhap News: Seoul unveils tougher measures to cool down property prices

Trump Wants Korea To Pay For THAAD?

The guy is definitely senile. I am certain his generals have told him the history behind THAAD, the missile defense system.

The US had asked South Korea for years to allow THAAD to be installed in Korea. Korea refused. With THAAD in Korea, the US can monitor missiles launched from China, Russia and North Korea sooner.

If North Korea, China or Russia launch missiles at Korea, there is very little time to react. In addition it would ruin good relations with China. Also many Koreans, do not want THAAD in Korea.

CBS News: Why wouldn't S. Korea want U.S. missile defenses? (June 14, 2014)

Stars and Stripes: Why do so many South Koreans hate THAAD? It’s complicated

Former President Keun-hye Park agreed to give permission to install THAAD in Korea in retaliation for North Korean missile launches. She also agreed to give land free of charge for the installations.

Because South Korea installed THAAD, China retaliated by stopping group tours from visiting Korea and cracking down on Korean companies in China. A Korean company, Lotte, had their stores in China inspected and all failed to pass inspection and were forced to closed. After a couple of years of closed stores, Lotte sold their businesses in China for a loss. In total, Lotte probably lost over 10 billion dollars. Korea's tourist economy has probably suffered tens of billions of dollars over the past few years. The land where THAAD was installed used to be land for a golf course and belonged to the Lotte Group. They were pressured by public opinion to sell the land to the government. If they didn't sell, people would complain about them being unpatriotic.

CBS News: Angered by U.S. anti-missile system, China takes economic revenge

The US did little, if anything,  to defend South Korea from Chinese retaliation.

As soon as North Korea denuclearizes, South Korea has promised China that it would remove the THAAD installations. This is something that the US generals do not want.

After being told all this by his generals, Trump wants Korea to pay for THAAD?

Definitely senile, IMHO. Trump called President Moon a couple of days ago and demanded that South Korea pay for THAAD.

To Trump, don't worry. In a short time, you can take THAAD back! South Korea has no reason to pay for something that the US wanted and pushed for.

No Dark Energy?

More scientists are coming to that opinion.

Always suspected that dark energy did not exist as stated in previous posts over the years.

Newsweek: DARK ENERGY: MYSTERY FORCE DRIVING EXPANSION OF UNIVERSE MIGHT NOT EXIST AFTER ALL

Conservative Media Critical Of Newly Reduced 52 Hour Work Week

Korea introduced a law to limit the work week to 52 hours. Many foreign media outlets commended the measure.

Conservative Korean media, such as the Joongang Daily (affiliated with Samsung), try to make the 52 hour work week look bad, stating that it is creating hardships for hourly workers due to decreased income. If they have to work 68 hours a week in order to feed themselves, which was the maximum allowed under the old law, then something is definitely wrong. They need to be paid a better hourly wage.

They also state that companies will have a hard time hiring more workers in order to make up for the shorter work hours. Korea's unemployment rate is at an all time high and labor laws are so unfair that international labor organizations periodically recommend that the laws be changed. They don't even need to classify a "regular worker" as an employee. Under the law, they can be contracted workers with reduced legal rights and who can be fired after one year when the contract ends.

Joongang Daily: Korea Inc. scrambles to adjust to 52-hour week

Korea Unemployment

Most Korean media has finally acknowledged that the rise in unemployment is due to overcrowding of small businesses in such areas as restaurants and retail, and decrease in industrial jobs.

They still criticize President Moon's policies of spending money on low income people and on creating jobs. They do not mention all the tens of billions of dollars wasted by the previous conservative administrations of former Presidents Myung-bak Lee and Keun-hye Park. Myung-bak Lee wasted probably over a hundred billion dollars on construction projects to build canals in which almost all the major construction companies were found guilty of collusion in jacking up bidding prices and faulty construction. They were promptly granted amnesty by President Keun-hye Park. Then there were all the tens of billions of dollars wasted by President Keun-hye Park in her "Creation of Businesses" projects which were ridden with corruption and waste.

The good news is although President Moon has seen his popularity drop from the 80s to the 50s, the conservative party did not achieve any gains in popularity. In fact, they dropped to 11% which is a record low. This is the party that most Korean media blindly support and has almost 50% of the seats in the National Assembly. Their popularity rating was usually over 40%.

It seems most Koreans do not believe conservative media propaganda. And they definitely do not believe the party that supported and fiercely defended former Presidents Myung-bak Lee and Keun-hye Park.



Wish we had NORML in Korea. I would start a chapter, but I am afraid of being arrested.

91.3% of Korean Males Drink Alcohol

As stated before, it seems drinking alcohol is a national pastime in Korea.

According to The Lancet, 91.3% of Korean males drink.

The Lancet: Alcohol Is Associated With 2.8 Million Deaths Each Year Worldwide

As many comedians pointed out, alcohol is a very dangerous drug, and so are cigarettes. These actually kill a lot of people. Consuming marijuana never killed anyone.

No "Life" After Death, But "Consciousness" Is Eternal

Had a feeling that consciousness was eternal, now physicists are trying to prove it.

Express: Life after death: Soul continues on a QUANTUM level – scientists reveal

Dark Energy

If the universe is surrounded by emptiness, then the universe would have pressure and the surroundings would have no pressure. There is no need for dark energy for the universe to expand. It would expand due to pressure difference.

Add this to the pressure exerted by radiation/photons shooting out of the universe.

94% of Americans Approve Legalizing Medicinal Marijuana

Remember when most Americans were opposed to legalizing medicinal marijuana? It seems like only a decade ago.

Newsweek: Legal Weed: How Republicans Learned to Love Marijuana

Wake up, Korea. Stop with the "reefer madness" stuff.

Corona beer maker invests $4 billion into marijuana business.

Reuters: Corona owner invests another $4 billion in cannabis producer Canopy

Heineken also enters the marijuana beer business.

The Drinks Business: HEINEKEN HAS LAUNCHED A CANNABIS ‘BEER’ WITH THC

Only In Korea? I Think So.

Korea's National Assembly  used to receive "special operational" funds to the tune of 5-6 million dollars a year,  which they did not need to account for. Citizens groups sued to have details of how these funds were used made public. The Supreme Court ruled that the details be made public, but the National Assembly has only released some of the details. In many cases, the funds were used for personal purposes, such as children's tuition and vacations.

The National Assembly promised in the past to get rid of these special operational funds, but they again tried to break their promise. However, due to strong public opinion and potential backlash, they now promise to get rid of most of the special operational funds, except for the absolute minimum needed for operation. In addition, they promised that details of use and receipts would be made public.

Yonhap: National Assembly scraps special activity funds amid criticism

Korean Media Blames Minimum Wage Increase For Drop In Employment

Drop in employment has been a global phenomenon for several years and is due to automation and other technological advances. Yet, most Korean media continue to blame labor unions and wage increases. They do not mention that the conglomerates have decreased recruitment of employees despite increased turnover and profit.

When they reduced corporate tax about a decade ago, they argued that businesses would reinvest their profits and increase employment. The conglomerates did not neither. In fact, they reduced employment and investment. They promised many times to increase employment and investment, but did not. They are promising again to invest hundreds of billions of dollars and increase employment, but I seriously doubt they will keep their promises. 

Another critical article typical of Korean media blaming increased minimum wage and critical of the Moon administration. Most Korean media do not seem to want a progressive government to win in the next National Assembly and Presidential elections. The conservative party's popularity is at an all time low, yet they have yet to mention this in the news. Most media spend all their time criticizing the Moon administration and anyone progressive or liberal. At the same time, they give a lot of air time and attention to conservative views. 

Korea is still run by the conglomerates and the wealthy, at the expense of the people. 

Korea Herald: Gov't shifting from 'income-led growth'

A more objective article explaining some of the reasons for the loss of jobs.

Korean Net: Involuntary-job changes

Study Finds Marijuana Decreases Workplace Fatalities By 33.7%

Science Direct: Medical marijuana laws and workplace fatalities in the United States

They say that this could be due to reduction in consumption of alcohol, opiates and other substances.

In Korea, someone gets stoned and it is big news, definitely a crime worth jail time. At the same time, being drunk and beating up people is so common that it does not make even it into the news. In fact, judges give reduced sentences in cases where the person was drunk, stating that their mental capacities were diminished. WTF?

The media is definitely against marijuana and very pro-alcohol. Most young people are not. Old ones are too far brainwashed. Drinking and smoking cigarettes still appear to be national pastimes.

Small Business Owners Protest Increasing Minimum Wage

A small group of small business owners protested the increase in minimum wage to a little under $8 per hour. They say restaurants and other small business cannot afford the increase and will let employees go.

Conglomerates, the conglomerate owners' family, relations, and franchises all have restaurants, retail outlets, and other businesses that compete with "small business owners". This is the main reason for the plight of "small businesses", not wage increases. Also the number of employees employed by the conglomerate, wealthy and franchise related companies probably greatly outnumber the number of employees of actual "small business owners". Reducing minimum wage will benefit the conglomerate and franchise affiliated companies much more than actual "small business owners". Why increase wealth disparity?

I also know many small business owners that are very wealthy, multimillionaires. In some districts, main shopping areas, and rich neighborhoods, almost all of the small business owners are millionaires. There is an old lady in my neighborhood who runs a small very run down beauty salon on her own with no employees. Outwardly, she seems to be poor, but actually she owns the most real estate in my neighborhood. She owns several buildings.

The media portrays most small business owners as poor mom and pop stores, just barely eking out a living. That is definitely not the case. For many, business is not great, but they have already accumulated so much wealth that it doesn't matter that much.

No mention of this in Korean media. They only concentrate on giving negative associations to progressive or liberal policies trying to prevent conglomerates and the wealthy from rapidly increasing their power and wealth, at the expense of small businesses and normal Korean citizens.

Musical enjoyment seems to be God given. There is justice in the world!

Korean conglomerates promise investment and jobs

Korean conglomerates announced that they "plan" to invest $400 billion and create jobs.

I heard these promises many times before for over a decade, but they were mostly not kept. Most Korean media report on the promises, but not when the promises are broken. Why?

Let's see what happens.

Chosun Ilbo: Samsung Promises Massive Investment and Job Creation

Former President Myungbak Lee made a campaign promise to donate all his money to charity. He set up a foundation where his close associates were and are employed. Many went to jail. This foundation does not have to publish where and if they used any money for charity. The foundation has not offered any proof, so far, that any money was spent on charity. Yet, there is no mention in the media about this. If it were a progressive or liberal president that made the promise and set up a foundation instead, then all hell would break loose.

The best way to increase jobs is to legalize pot and keep the conglomerates out. Korea should break away from relying on business conglomerates which only care about profit.

Korean Economy Is Doing Great For The Rich

A lot of Koreans complain the economy is in shambles because they believe what they hear and read in the media. Actually, the wealthy are doing great. The divide between the rich and poor is growing, and the rich control an ever increasing share of the wealth in Korea.

Regular Koreans do not earn $29,000 per year, which was the per capita income for Korea in 2017. Yet, a large number of them support the conservative party which is pro-big business and pro-rich.

This is because regular Koreans are not doing so well, so it seems the economy is bad for them. the conservatives, businesses and most media pick up on this and state that progressive policies are ruining the Korean economy. Most regular Koreans used believed this, but fewer and fewer are believing.

Due to the corruption of former presidents Keun-hye Park and Myung-bak Lee (spying on and blacklisting citizens, framing innocent people as North Korean spies, making deals with Korean courts for rulings against labor unions, etc.), support for the conservative party has decreased, in spite of the fact that most Korean media has mounted a vehement campaign against progressive and liberal ideals, calling it socialism and pro-communist. Pulling out all the dirty tricks and name calling. It used to work in the past, but not so much nowadays. They make it a really big deal, if President Moon's popularity falls a little and state it is because of his bad handling of affairs. As if that was BIG NEWS! What travesty!

I hope that common Koreans continue to not listen to the rich and most Korean media. Most media try to taint anything and anyone that is progressive or liberal with negativity.

I hope regular Koreans come to realize that they are suffering due to conservative policies and the wealthy hoarding all the money while treating common Koreans as second class citizens and acting like dictators.

Regular Koreans should boycott greedy enterprises and VOTE for people who will stand up for them. But alas, it seems most don't care.

Korea's GDP Per Capita Was $29,891 In 2017

Korea has the 11th largest economy in the world.

Why is most of the Korean media complaining that raising the minimum wage to a little under $8 an hours going to wreck small businesses and the economy?

Why are they not complaining about unfair labor laws and the growing divide between the rich and poor?

I supposedly live in a half million dollar apartment (condominium). It is very small and run down. I pay about $400 a year in property tax. The extremely wealthy with multi-million dollar homes and buildings pay about the same rate as I do.

As I stated before, I would gladly pay much more in property taxes, if the rich pay their fair share. Supposedly, raising property taxes will cause property values to plummet and ruin the economy according to most Korean media.

Property taxes are between 0.15% to 0.50%, but are levied on the official property value which is about half of the real value. So, in effect it is about 0.08% to 0.30%.

Corporate tax is 10% on income under about $180,000, and 20-22% for amounts over $180,000.

Businesses get preferential electricity rates with regular consumers getting shafted with up to triple rates for peak periods. Consumer rates are much higher than business rates. 

I could go on and on. 

Korea Herald: Moon administration pushes real estate tax hike, dithers financial income tax

Joongang Daily: Tax changes for next year narrow the income gap

Editorials complaining about wage increases, reduced working hours and other reforms. Very similar to the tone on TV media, very pro-wealthy.

Joongang Daily: Runaway government

Korea Herald:  Substantial, not conceptual, growth

Sending Drug Users To Jail Only Makes Things Worse

Drug users are not criminals. Many rich conservatives abuse prescription drugs, but they don't go to jail. I knew some corporate CEOs that did this. None ever got arrested for abusing prescriptions. Unlike some of my pot using friends.

Time: Want to Win the War on Drugs? Portugal Might Have the Answer

In Korea, conservatives regard pot users as liberals and will do anything to stop pot use, including jailing people. Seems like the US. Using drug laws to suppress freedom.

US Companies Doing Great, Wages Are Not

Sounds familiar. Companies doing well with wages stagnating seems to be the new norm.

Companies seem to be rewarding shareholders and management with ever increasing payoffs, and hellbent on keeping wages down. 

Newsweek: TRUMP’S TAX PLAN IS FAILING TO GIVE AMERICAN WORKERS THE WAGE GROWTH HE PROMISED

Korea already tried tax cuts for the wealthy and businesses several times in the past. It only exasperated the divide between the rich and poor. 

I'm spiritual, not religious

I believe in some sort of God, but not religions.

Korea Monthly Trade Surplus Average Is $50 Billion

For the past seven months, Korea's monthly trade surplus has been about $50 billion.
GDP has grown about 3% this year. Seoul is one of the most expensive cities to live in.

Yet, according to most Korean media, the economy is in shambles due to the increase in minimum wage to about $7 an hour.

The economy for small mom and pop restaurants and stores is bad, with many closing. However, this was the trend before increasing the minimum wage. The problem lies with high rents, high credit card transaction fees and very unfavorable franchise contracts (many would be illegal in the US). Also money does not flow downward into the local economy from the major corporations that export. They are not hiring, not investing and not paying their fair share of taxes. They are not even paying full price for electricity. Just hording money and buying real estate.

Property taxes are appraised according to the official value of the property which is a about 60% or less of the actual value and the rate is probably under 1%. So, in effect, rich property owners pay less than 0.6 percent. Rent is not even properly taxed. There is a tax brake if you report rental income. That's why the rich all have property, and why they hate property tax increases.

Something is not right in Korea.

At least, some are now seeing justice. During the past conservative administrations, Korean courts ruled against labor unions and laborers. Under the present progressive administration, a few are finally seeing justice.

Hankyoreh: Samsung leukemia and KTX cases finally nearing a close after more than 10 years

And to combat high credit card transaction fees, many mobile transaction services have appeared.

Hankyoreh: Seoul Pay to allow direct wire transfers for everyday transactions

There is legislation pending to extend the protection period for renters, so that landlords cannot raise rents exorbitantly, to ten years. There were cases where landlords would raise rents by 1000% or more, after the present protection period of 5 years was over.

I know many landlords who run businesses directly in their buildings, because there are no renters. Since they own the building, it is profitable for them to run businesses. For renters, the rent is so high, they cannot make any profit.

No Time?

Theorists say there are areas of the universe with no time. Centers of black holes. Time before the supposed "Big Bang". Time stands still at the speed of light.

There could be a lot more things that transcend, or are independent of time.

Maybe we should get used to not having time. Pun intended. Just to exercise your thoughts.

Cosmic Expansion Rates?

According to how you try to measure the expansion of the universe, there are two different rates of expansion.

As you know, I doubt the Big Bang. I wonder about cosmic expansion.

Maybe cosmic expansion can be explained, in part, by all those photons, gamma rays and other stuff trying to shoot their way out of the universe. They have no mass, but do exert pressure. Like black holes, they have an element of timelessness about them. Time theoretically stops or becomes non-existent at the center of black holes. Anything traveling at the speed of light does something similar, I think. They say before the big bang, there was no time.

Is intention a form of energy? I suppose so.

No Korean Warren Buffetts?

Not yet.

I told rich Korean acquaintances that I sometimes donate small amounts to charity in the hope that they would also. Most called me crazy. They tell me it's their fault that they are poor. I ask if it doesn't bother them that people are starving and in need. Most reply, "Not at all".

CNN: Warren Buffett just gave $3.4 billion to charity

Fox: Chicago could soon test universal basic income program

But Korea does have a couple of good leaders in government. Seoul Mayor Won-soon Park and President Moon.

Seoul has a program where they pay young unemployed several hundred dollars for a few months while they seek work. The Korean government just announced a program to pay about 500 dollars a month for six months for people with low income jobs.

Korean has a serious unemployment problem. In France and other countries, the young unemployed held huge demonstrations. I guess young Korean unemployed are more depressed than angry. The unemployment rate among young people must be 20-30%, maybe even more.

The amount of money that the Korean government, like many other governments, spends much more on business in the form of tax cuts, grants for research and development, and other subsidies than spending on the poor. Even business that are strong like Samsung, Korean Airlines and LG receive assistance from the government in many ways. Traditional Korean media almost never informs the public about this. They usually only concentrate on criticizing pro-labor, pro-low class policies as socialist that make it hard for businesses to survive.

The Korean government is trying to make it possible to import CBD oil for medicinal purposes, in response to demands from desperate mothers.

Nothing In Korean Media For Raising Minimum Wage or Reduced Working Hours

Even though the majority of the Korean population is for increasing minimum wage and reducing the work week, I have yet to hear or read any favorable comments in the media.

And most people consider Korea to be a democracy. It is a democracy in that Korea elected President Moon, but with regards to media, it seems more like a dictatorship.

The media is getting really vehement and trying to make increasing minimum wage and reducing the work week an issue. Saying that it is ruining the economy. I respectfully am of the opinion the economy is in shambles (the big corporations are doing well, as everyone knows) because of the policies of former Presidents Kun-hye Park and Myung-bak Lee. The conservatives ran the country for almost a decade, before President Moon. President Moon has been in office one year and they blame everything on him and the liberals.

The conservative calls progressives and liberals communists. Being a commie is illegal in Korea! You can get put in jail for being a commie sympathizer. So calling someone a commie should not be taken lightly. It is criminal!

It seems they are against anything liberal. They seem to be really afraid of pot smoking liberals. Talk about reefer madness.

21 Million Korean Contract Workers

Decades ago, companies agitated for relaxation of labor laws. They managed to change the laws so that they could hire contract workers. Under the old laws, these contract workers would be regarded as regular employees. Contract workers can be fired after their one year contract is over. People who teach part time at universities are treated even much worse.

There are now over 21 million contact workers. The entire Korean population is 50 million.

Need I say more?

Nikkei: Moon promises to eliminate all contract jobs in public sector

Ward Autro: Contract Workers Occupy GM Korea CEO’s Office

Workers are being shafted. Yet the media is stating the labor unions are too strong and wrecking Korean companies. Here is an editorial from Joongang News (affiliated with Samsung) and reprinted by Yonhap News. What propaganda!

Yonhap: Our power-crazy unions 

Do The Rich Really Want Equality?

Do the poor want equality?

Do the powerful want equality?
Do the weak want equality?

Forget words and promises, look at actions and the situation today.

If the rich and powerful are elected to public office and run companies, then there will be less equality. I kid you not. Look past all the outward appearances of equality, take a close look at what is happening in the world. Cognitive dissonance kicks in when too much power and money are involved.

Maybe one day, a cooperative will be established where the members buy only from within the cooperative, but also sell to outsiders in order to absorb more wealth into the cooperative. All members will be paid a comfortable wage with quality jobs, but none will be paid more than double or triple the lowest wage earner. Or something along those lines. It is really doubtful that the free market economy as it is will resolve problems of inequality.

In Korea, rent is expensive, so are franchise fees. They are trying to raise the minimum wage and convenience store owners are saying that they will have to close their businesses. They pay much more in rent and franchise fees. Wages pale in comparison. Restaurants and retail stores are also complaining about minimum wage. Corporations are complaining about the 52 hour work week as too short.

The rich backed media is really trying to stir up emotions against labor reform and fair taxation. I think they are really scared nowadays. Doesn't make sense. Do they really need all that money? Can they use it all in their lifetime? Crazy world we live in.

Korean Military Intelligence Prepared A Scenario For Martial Law in 2017

Documents recently surfaced that reveal Korean military intelligence made plans to agitate demonstrators and then call in the military to quell the demonstrations around the time of former President Park's impeachment proceedings.

In these documents, the military calls the demonstrators and progressive leaning people pro-North Korean which is illegal in Korea according to some outdated law forbidding any praise of North Korea. Regarded as treason!

After quelling the demonstrations, the military's scenario was for imposition of martial law. Detailing what to do if the Joint Chief of Staff refused to go along. They would then censor all the leading media services. And so on.

The ruling party had enough votes to reject impeachment, so the military made up this scenario.

Other documents showed that the military intelligence agency spied on Korean citizens, including demonstrators, and opposition members.

These people had no sense of right and wrong., Really messed up power trip.

Hankyoreh: Military considered martial law if court rejected Park’s impeachment 

Nikkei Asian Review: South Korea orders probe into military plans to quash Park protests

They Sell Hemp Seeds, Why Is CBD Oil Illegal In Korea?

Some Korean mothers who have children with epilepsy want CBD oil to be legalized in Korea. Hemp seed has CDB, but hemp seeds are legal.

Anyways, a bill was introduced to make it legal a few years ago, but a committee said it was anti-social and killed the bill.  They are trying to introduce another one, but are short of signatures.

A singer was indicted for marijuana, a couple of days ago, prosecutors are asking for 5 years imprisonment. Many end up getting suspended sentences, but some do get a year or two in prison.

The government is trying to raise property taxes. I am a property owner and would gladly pay much much more in property tax, just as long as the rich pay theirs. The very rich have tons of real estate and they pay really low property tax. Just a few years ago, they didn't even have to report rental income.

Luckily many more Koreans, nowadays, do not trust media which are controlled by the rich. Still have a long ways to go, but things seem to be moving along much faster now.

More and more Koreans trust newspapers like Hanykoreh, which was started by journalists, many fired for their pursuit of freedom and democracy.

Korean Media Claim Reduced Work Week Will Wreck Korean Economy

While most of Korean media is blaming the recent increase in minimum wage for all of Korea's economic woes, and arguing that a reduced work week with create tremendous hardships for employers and reduced wages for employees, there was a very welcome and refreshing article in CNN about Korea and the reduced work week.

CNN: South Korea cuts its work limit from 68 hours a week to 52

I remember when Koreans used to have to work on Saturdays. Samsung Electronics used to make employees work in Sundays also if export targets were not achieved in the 70s and 80s.

How To Get Rid Of Munchies?

Try drinking a glass of wine or a shot of alcohol. Works for me. A lot slimmer now.

Former Korean President Myung-bak Lee Used Police To Spy On Citizens

Several months ago, in a building owned by a foundation controlled by the former president, Myung-bak Lee, prosecutors carrying out search warrants found documents from the police to the former president reporting on citizens and politicians critical of the Lee administration, among other incriminating documents.

Yonhap News: Police seek probe of officers allegedly involved in political interference

The chairman of Korea Airlines, Yangho Cho, didn't use any of the numerous tax loopholes available to him. Instead, he just didn't report $44 million that he inherited, because it was held abroad. Now, if convicted, he faces at least 5 years in prison. But rich people always seems to get a suspended sentence of 2 years and probation. He is also being investigated for many more crimes. About time, he and his family have been doing crooked things for decades.

The Standard: Korean Air chief Cho Yang Ho faces questions on US$44m tax evasion, plunder

"We may all be dissociated personalities of a universal consciousness"

The fabric of the universe may be made up of spacetime, energy and consciousness.

Scientific American: Could Multiple Personality Disorder Explain Life, the Universe and Everything?

New York Catches Up

In the 1970s, Ann Arbor, Michigan changed the laws to only fine cannabis offenders. Now, New York is following suit!

The Vice: Finally, New York Will Stop Arresting Most People for Blazing in Public

Many people suspected that the pharmaceutical industry lobbied hard to keep cannabis illegal. They had a lot of reasons for doing so, it seems.

CBS: Ex-DEA agent: Opioid crisis fueled by drug industry and Congress

Most of those people on opiates would probably have been much better off eating a little cannabis grown in their garden.

Even scientists agree that cannabis needs to be decriminalized.

Scientific American: End the War on Weed

Korean Businesses Cut Down On Jobs

Job growth has drastically fallen from around 300,000 per month early in the year to 110,000 for the past three months and 70,000 for May.

Could it be businesses are cutting back on jobs and investment, in retaliation for increasing the minimum wage to around $7 and other liberal policies?

Xinhuanet: S.Korea faces employment shock as job increase hits 8-year low

The economy is strong. Third month of record trade surpluses. Financial companies doing great due to increased interest rates. Something seem wrong?

On the news today, most of the media are reporting on the low job rate and ever increasing gap between the rich and poor. They are implying that President Moon's administration is to blame.

The ones to blame are the conservative administrations of the imprisoned former presidents Lee and Park, along with the conservative party. Disrupting unions. Decreasing tax on the rich. Stopping regulation of unfair business practices, such as raising rent by 1000% after 5 years. Ending loopholes that the rich use to pay no taxes in transferring wealth to their offspring. Almost all of the major Korean companies passed on control to the founder's children without paying any inheritance taxes.

If the world stopped buying Korean products, it wouldn't hurt me. Might hurt the rich much more than the poor.

Marijuana vs. Opiates?

The answer is obvious.

Today, I read an article that I am in complete agreement with.

Especially this part -

“The misconception is that people are using that [medical marijuana] as an excuse to get high. The reality is our average patient is 55-years-old,” Spirtos said. “These people aren’t out drug seeking. These are real people with real problems that are looking for an alternative that may be more effective.”

I go to doctors in Korea about pain and they just say to live with it. Even doctors are afraid to prescribe painkillers, because of the narcotics laws in Korea.

Fox News: Will medical marijuana replace opioids in war on cancer?

I have had cancer surgery three times, so I am lucky to be alive. It helped me to have a positive attitude on life. Hey! I am still alive! Almost 20 years since the last surgery. Thought I was a goner for sure, so I traveled the world and all around the Korea for a few years. Didn't die, so I had to get a job.

But I still have pain unrelated to cancer, but very serious. That's the reason for my interest in the legalization of cannabis. In addition to relieving pain somewhat, it helps me feel better.

Newsweek: PSYCHEDELIC DRUGS: LSD CHANGES BRAIN, COULD BE USED FOR DEPRESSION, ADDICTION TREATMENT

Korean Local Elections and Media

Yesterday was election day for mayors and district officials. I noticed a large percent of people had no idea about the candidates or their qualifications. They asked each other questions that revealed their lack of knowledge. I guess 20-30%, are voting purely by guesswork with complete disregard of the facts and issues. Most don't even know the names of the candidates and are just voting for the party they like, or according to what the media feeds them.

The media is still strongly conservative. To describe the landslide victory by the liberal Democratic party they used the word "장악". They say that the Democratic party "conquered" all the districts. Media usually uses "장악" with force, dictators, and such, Sounds very negative. If the conservatives won, they would have used the word "landslide victory". Some media did, but some didn't. They keep shading the truth with negativity. Guess that's why the younger generation doesn't watch or read the news. They seem to mostly depend on SNS and peers for information.

Democracy in Korea seems about par with the US in the fifties. Watch the following videos to see what I mean.

Canada Passes Law Legalizing Cannabis

Canada, Portugal, Uruguay have all legalized pot and are creating jobs, wealth and health.

California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado and other states are also reaping the benefits and goodwill from legalization.

Turning people into criminals for using pot is very wrong, it should be illegal.

CTV News: After pot law passed key vote, is it legal to toke?

The Dimension of Mind, Knowledge, Consciousness, Logic

Some physicists now say that the "mental" aspect is fundamental to the real world or "reality".

That would seem obvious.

Scientific American: Coming to Grips with the Implications of Quantum Mechanics

Atoms Decay?

According to theory, atoms will decay into "nothing" (radiation). Takes billions of times longer than the age of the universe though. I thought stable atoms lasted forever.

Futurism: Science Explained: Do Atoms Last Forever?





If all mass is turned into radiation, and that radiation is traveling at the speed of light, then the radiation senses no time and space. Isn't that the condition of the big bang? Intense radiation with inflation. But in this case, there is no need for inflation. That is what Sir Roger Penrose postulated in the video embedded in the previous post.

Does time only exist when there is mass?

A "Big Bang" Theory I Can Understand

I was very skeptical of the big bang theory, but in the following video is a kind of a "big bang" theory that I can agree with.

Crooked Judges?

Just a few years ago, I was too scared to write anything criticizing past conservative Korean governments or the conservative party. They could put conservatively minded police, intelligence service and prosecutors on you. Possibly frame you as a North Korean spy or sympathizer.

I also often wondered about some Supreme Court's rulings. Some seemed very unjust. Now, we are beginning to find rare evidence revealing the crooked inner workings of the Korean justice system. 

It appears that the courts spied on liberal judges in order to get incriminating evidence against them, and influenced rulings to favor the rich and powerful. 

Below is a an article about a former Head Justice of the Supreme Court trying to influence a former Korean President through rulings favorable to conservatives (against labor unions, etc.), and favoring conservative judges over liberal ones. The majority of abuses will never become public, so few will know how terrible the situation was and still is, since some of the people involved are still in office. 

Kyunghyang News: Influence Peddling in the Judiciary

On the bright side, it's much better now than before. 

Before 1980, only Koreans granted permission by the government were allowed to go abroad. Articles critical of Korea in Time and Newsweek were censored. There was a curfew from 12 to 4 in the morning. Police randomly stopped people on the street and searched bags, hassled long haired people, and those wearing short skirts. Bribery was common. Alcohol and cigarettes were encouraged on TV, and in real life. 

Is Will A Force or Energy?

If you want to move a pencil, you first have to think and will yourself to do it. Somewhere along the line, that will is transformed to electrical, chemical or other physical force. From metaphysical, it seems, to physical. From a non-local dimension to the physical dimension. So, there is a connection, somewhere.

Smash photons together and you get matter and anti-matter.

Different God? Same God?

Freeman Dyson seems to see the same God as I.

He wrote, “I do not make any clear distinction between mind and God. God is what mind becomes when it has passed beyond the scale of our comprehension. God may be considered to be either a world-soul or a collection of world souls. We are the chief inlets of God on this planet at the present stage in his development. We may later grow with him as he grows, or we may be left behind.”.

Slight difference of opinion in the details, but uncannily similar. 

Scientific American: Freeman Dyson's Solution to the Problem of Evil

If you leave a hydrogen atom alone in empty space, does it exist forever?
Is thought/knowledge a dimension?

Mass Cognitive Dissonance?

People, me included, hoarding wealth, when many need the money much more desperately. Many make up through church, charity, and other good deeds.

Praying? I avoid praying. I think it distances me from God. God is in my head, why bother? Supposed to know everything.

Examples of Non-local Dimensions?

Meaning or concepts? Mathematical laws? Logic? ...

Scientific American: A Super-Simple, Non-Quantum Theory of Eternal Consciousness

The metaphysical is definitely connected to the physical. 

Is God an emergent phenomenon from a Group Of Dimensions?

Non-local Dimensions

"Spooky action at a distance" seems to be proof that there is a dimension or thing that is non-local. Dimensions that are not influenced by distance, space, and maybe also time.

PHYSICS

Scientific American: Should Quantum Anomalies Make Us Rethink Reality?

Rights?

Before civilization, humans had the freedom to feed themselves. Now, that is impossible. All of the land is owned by someone else, no hunting allowed, not enough fish, and so on.

If society took away the freedom to feed one's self, then society needs to make amends. Society should guarantee the freedom of the right to feed oneself, or the equivalent. Right to a job that affords basic food and shelter.

However, jobs are becoming scarcer. Right to basic food and shelter for all.

HuffPost: Towns Trying Out A Basic-Income Scheme And Changing Lives

How Do They Measure The Age Of Black Holes?

I can understand how they can do it for stars. Also, if time stops in the center of the black hole....

They found a galaxy without dark matter. Why do some less dense galaxies have no dark matter, but dense ones do?

Forbes: 5 Ways To Make A Galaxy With No Dark Matter

Is Kim Jong-un Serious This Time?

You betcha!

North Korea didn't want talks to denuclearize during the Lee Myung-bak and Park Kun-hye administrations. They were hostile and didn't want peace with North Korea. If Kim Jong-un held peace talks with these administrations, then the credit would go to conservative administration of Lee Myung-bak or Park Kun-hye. The same Korean conservative party that always calls the opposition leftists, communist sympathizers and other bigotry. If you were Kim Jong-un, would you want that?

However, the administrations of Kim Dae-jung and Noh Moo-hyun wanted talks and peace with North Korea. They understood that North Korea probably would not keep its promises, but tried anyways.

The present administration of Moon Jae-in can be seen as a continuation of the administrations of Kim Dae-jung and Noh Moo-hyun.

North Korea has said in the past they would give up nuclear weapons, if the US guaranteed that they would not overthrow or oppose the present North Korean regime. Now, they said it's too late and they will not give up nuclear weapons. I think they will not give up what they have, but they should agree not to go further. Give up reprocessing, developing further technology needed to become fully nuclear.

All sides are serious, but can they work out an agreement?

Why God Is Needed?

Without God, humans would be stuck in a self-centered consciousness. Those who know, believe, or live in a God-centered world, understand what a non self-centered consciousness is.

Bill to Shorten Korea's Work Week From 68 to 52 Hours Introduced

A bill to shorten the work week from 68 to 52 hours was introduced today in spite of fierce opposition from many companies with two notable exceptions, Shilla Hotels reduced the work week for salaried employees to 35 hours, and LG Electronics to 40 hours.

A bill to raise the minimum wage to a little over $7 per hour was passed earlier this year despite threats that this would force companies to reduce employment.

Still have a long way to go.

UPI: South Korea reduces work to 52 hours a week

Yonhap News: Parliamentary committee passes bill on reduced working hours

Marijuana Cures Autism?

Read about in the Times Magazine article -

IS MARIJUANA THE WORLD’S MOST EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR AUTISM?

Denying people a cure for their ills sounds criminal and immoral to me.

Two Aides To Ex-President Myung-bak Lee Arrested For Bribery And Misappropriation Of Funds

It seems they are implicating former Korean President Lee in the scandal surrounding the misuse of secret funds from the intelligence agency amounting to approximately $400,000.

Yonhap News: Arrest warrants sought for 2 former aides of ex-President Lee over bribery

The arrest warrants were issued early this morning. 

Let's see, Presidents Lee Sung-man, Park Chung-hee, Chun Do-hwan, Noh Tae-woo, and Park Keun-hye all committed crimes. Two received life sentences (Chun Do-hwan and Noh Tae-woo), but were given Presidential pardons. Park Keun-hye will probably be sentenced to many years in jail. Now, it looks like Myung-bak Lee may be indicted. Only three former Korean Presidents were "clean"?

With these kinds of people leading Korea, it's a miracle that Korea has developed so much economically, and a tragedy that Korea has such an "unjust" society at the moment. Seems like a country half run by crooks.  

Will Ex-President Myung-bak Lee Go To Jail?

Probably?

It looks like he abused power during his presidency for personal gain, blacklisted liberal figures, used government agency to spread pro-conservative propaganda, spied on liberal figures, received funds illegally from the intelligence agency, obstruction of justice, and more. Even though almost a decade has passed, there should still be enough information out there to convict him.

Korea Today

In Korea, the birth rate is really low and dropping. People want a bright future for their child. If they feel their children would not be able to get a job and have a good life, they probably would put off having children. Then there are those who choose not to have children for other reasons.

Korean TV broadcasting companies, MBC and YTN, recently changed CEOs. Another broadcasting company, KBS, just fired their CEO yesterday and should appoint a new one soon. Suddenly, I am able to watch some TV without getting ticked off now.

1987, a movie about the 1987 protests for democracy ignited by the deaths of two students was released last week. One died while being waterboarded by the authorities. They claimed he just gasped and died. Another was killed by an exploding tear gas canister aimed at his head.

The prosecutors found evidence that ex-President Keun-hye Park asked for money from the intelligence agency (over $3 million) and used it to pay for personal expenses and staff. On TV, they keep showing footage of her swearing on TV that she never thought of her personal interests, but acted only for the good of the country.  

TV from the 60s and 70s 

Legalize Pot and Pot Use Among Young People Drops?

Happened in the Netherlands, Portugal and Colorado, I think.

CBS News: Measuring Colorado's "great experiment" with marijuana

So, governments that do not legalize pot are contributing to increased drug use by young people?
Too bad you can't sue governments.

Grew Up Listening to Jackie Wilson and Others

Even remember watching Red Skeleton ... Tap dancing ...