Koreans are appalled at all the lying being done by President Park and her associates. Some of the lying is to avoid jail and delay the court process, but most seem to be post truths trying to rally her supporters.
Post truths are opinions that are aimed at emotion (which is the main factor in decision making), even though they may be false or untrue.
The Saenuri Party has done this for decades. Trump did it. To these people, if lying is beneficial to them, they will lie.
I hope the everyone reads up on post truths and how emotions influence voter decisions more than facts.
Wikipedia: Post-truth politics
The Guardian: Broadcast news is losing its balance in the post-truth era
President Park's post truths are detailed in this next article;
Joongang Daily News: Some serious self-deception
By stating that North Korea was behind the candlelight demonstrations and other lies, President Park is trying to stir up the fear of North Korea and communism. This works well with Koreans in their 60s and above who lived through the Korean War and military dictator Park's propoganda. That is why President Park's approval rating has risen to 10%. Remember the days of dictatorship? Time and Newsweek with sections blacked out. Long hair was illegal as were mini-skirts. People were framed as spies. Curfew. Martial law. Torture. The good ole days.
There are even TV commentators raging about the opposition trying to stir up indignation and other emotions. Nowadays, they are lying low, but elections are coming up and they will be out in full force. I used to get very frustrated watching all this and knowing, but now, it is starting to get interesting.
The following is a very informative article on President Park and corruption in Korea.
New York Times: As Scandal Roils South Korea, Fingers Point to Mixing of Politics and Business
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Korean Intelligence Implicated Again In Domestic Espionage
The most interesting piece of news on TV was that the Special Independent Prosecutor carried out search warrants and from the phones that were confiscated, they managed to find out that people in the Ministry of Culture worked together with the Korean intelligence in making and updating the blacklist. Korean intelligence agency caught red handed again! They have been doing this for decades and still get away with it.
There is evidence that Korean intelligence spied on the head of the Supreme Court, a judge or prosecutor (I forget), and now the entire cultural and arts industries (movies, writers, TV, cable, theater, artists, dancers, musicians, etc.).
Another news flash. The Special Independent Prosecutor just announced that they have evidence that Korean intelligence spied on the National Pension Service to find out committee meeting results, political preferences, and how they would vote on the Samsung merger. The Special Prosecutor said that they found instant phone messages with Korean intelligence officials on ex-Presidential Secretary Ahn Jong-bom's phone and related notes in his notebook. They had this information for a couple of weeks. I think they are releasing this information now in retaliation for President Park's statements to the press, yesterday, claiming innocence. The Special Prosecutor also stated that ex-Presidential Secretary Ahn's notes also show that President Park asked Samsung's Lee Jae-yong, and the chairmen of Hanhwa and SK to donate money to various foundations under Choi Soon-sil's control. There is testimony that President Park raged at Samsung's Lee Jae-yong during a meeting for not donating to the foundations as he had promised ten months earlier, and asked that he donate about $8 million. In the same meeting, President Park said that she hoped that Samsung's merger would be completed during her term in office. Samsung paid $9 million promptly.
Joongang Daily News: Spy agency’s endless abuse of power
There is evidence that Korean intelligence spied on the head of the Supreme Court, a judge or prosecutor (I forget), and now the entire cultural and arts industries (movies, writers, TV, cable, theater, artists, dancers, musicians, etc.).
Another news flash. The Special Independent Prosecutor just announced that they have evidence that Korean intelligence spied on the National Pension Service to find out committee meeting results, political preferences, and how they would vote on the Samsung merger. The Special Prosecutor said that they found instant phone messages with Korean intelligence officials on ex-Presidential Secretary Ahn Jong-bom's phone and related notes in his notebook. They had this information for a couple of weeks. I think they are releasing this information now in retaliation for President Park's statements to the press, yesterday, claiming innocence. The Special Prosecutor also stated that ex-Presidential Secretary Ahn's notes also show that President Park asked Samsung's Lee Jae-yong, and the chairmen of Hanhwa and SK to donate money to various foundations under Choi Soon-sil's control. There is testimony that President Park raged at Samsung's Lee Jae-yong during a meeting for not donating to the foundations as he had promised ten months earlier, and asked that he donate about $8 million. In the same meeting, President Park said that she hoped that Samsung's merger would be completed during her term in office. Samsung paid $9 million promptly.
Joongang Daily News: Spy agency’s endless abuse of power
Monday, January 2, 2017
Finland Giving Away Free Money Emulating Seoul Mayor Park Won-sun
Finland is giving about $500 a month to 2,000 unemployed as an experiment into Universal Basic Income. Seoul Mayor Park Won-sun introduced a watered downed version where they give a few hundred dollars a month for a few months to young unemployed, so that they can use the money to find jobs or get training. He tried to do more, but the Park administration opposed him, took him to court and other things.
Mayor Park has tried many other good solutions to solve many problems. All the time, the ruling party and President Park have attacked his policies and character. Why? The ruling Saenuri Party seems to prefer the cognitively dissonant and Mayor Park is certainly not one of those.
Very few articles in the media have been favorable to any of Mayor Park's policies and all have repeated the Saenuri Party's criticism of his policies as leftist and populist. His popularity rating for Presidential candidate is down there at 4% with Ahn Chul-soo, another good person. In my opinion, they receive a lot of bad press and flak, so the polls are sort of biased. They both led the polls at times in years past, but then were blasted by the media.
Business Insider: Finland just launched an experiment giving 2,000 people free money until 2019
Mayor Park has managed to pay off 6-7 billion dollars of debt incurred by the previous mayor's foolish construction projects and disastrous policies. President Park's administration managed to rack up the fastest rate of debt among developed countries. Where did all the money go? To big business? To President Park's associates?
Korea Herald: South Korea has fastest growing government debt in G-20
Mayor Park has tried many other good solutions to solve many problems. All the time, the ruling party and President Park have attacked his policies and character. Why? The ruling Saenuri Party seems to prefer the cognitively dissonant and Mayor Park is certainly not one of those.
Very few articles in the media have been favorable to any of Mayor Park's policies and all have repeated the Saenuri Party's criticism of his policies as leftist and populist. His popularity rating for Presidential candidate is down there at 4% with Ahn Chul-soo, another good person. In my opinion, they receive a lot of bad press and flak, so the polls are sort of biased. They both led the polls at times in years past, but then were blasted by the media.
Business Insider: Finland just launched an experiment giving 2,000 people free money until 2019
Mayor Park has managed to pay off 6-7 billion dollars of debt incurred by the previous mayor's foolish construction projects and disastrous policies. President Park's administration managed to rack up the fastest rate of debt among developed countries. Where did all the money go? To big business? To President Park's associates?
Korea Herald: South Korea has fastest growing government debt in G-20
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Metaphysics 201
Matter = Energy = Life = Thought = Knowledge ?
Is there more? Hmm... Structure, data, or logic could fall under knowledge.
What about time or change? Good question. Maybe time or change is the backdrop or medium against which the knowledge-matter universe is played out?
If time is forwards for matter and backwards for anti-matter, why is that? Do anti-matter and matter repel each other? Or do they just fall away down different slopes due to some force? Or is it like nothing or empty space, just a figment of the imagination? That sounds good. Just as there is no such thing as empty space, there can be no universe without time. Maybe with anti-matter going in a negative direction and matter in a positive direction?
For the uninformed, empty space and nothing are abstract concepts. You cannot make empty space or nothing. As soon as you make it, it is something.
Why do matter and anti-matter give off energy when they combine? Seems like they should just disappear. Could be something like ripples. If an opposite explosion happened in the anti-matter world, then it would cancel out to zero.
Physicists theorize that everything in the physical world emerges from vibrations. Do thoughts emerge from vibrations? Does knowledge emerge from vibrations? Knowledge emerges from assumptions made on experience. Albeit, experiences based on the "real" world which could be comprised of strings or vibrations. Where do thoughts emerge from? If they were only for survival in the beginning, why evolve so far past the point of just survival, in such a short time?
Thoughts - Possible to have many simultaneously, conscious and unconscious. Are emotions thoughts? Is determination a thought or emotion? Gimme some time on this. Remember thinking about this before. Thought generated by the body and environment vs. other thoughts (curiousness, conscience, boredom, God, etc.).
Consciousness - Maybe we run a subroutine of conscious and unconscious thoughts. We are conscious of the last part of the subroutine where we pause to add and delete parts of the routine. The subroutine is really fast and we just think we have many thoughts at once. And like in a movie with frames, these frames create the illusion of consciousness. Seems unlikely, but who knows. Can't make a computer do this yet, but the computer doesn't have mirror neurons and not as complicated as the human brain and organs.
Anyways, energy drives life, but what drives intelligence? What made emotions evolve? What drives the quest for knowledge and good?
Back to the real world -
If Korea were run like Startrek, then Dr. McCoy would have ordered a psychiatric exam and had Captain Kirk locked up in an asylum. Seriously, she could be a danger to herself.
Is there more? Hmm... Structure, data, or logic could fall under knowledge.
What about time or change? Good question. Maybe time or change is the backdrop or medium against which the knowledge-matter universe is played out?
If time is forwards for matter and backwards for anti-matter, why is that? Do anti-matter and matter repel each other? Or do they just fall away down different slopes due to some force? Or is it like nothing or empty space, just a figment of the imagination? That sounds good. Just as there is no such thing as empty space, there can be no universe without time. Maybe with anti-matter going in a negative direction and matter in a positive direction?
For the uninformed, empty space and nothing are abstract concepts. You cannot make empty space or nothing. As soon as you make it, it is something.
Why do matter and anti-matter give off energy when they combine? Seems like they should just disappear. Could be something like ripples. If an opposite explosion happened in the anti-matter world, then it would cancel out to zero.
Physicists theorize that everything in the physical world emerges from vibrations. Do thoughts emerge from vibrations? Does knowledge emerge from vibrations? Knowledge emerges from assumptions made on experience. Albeit, experiences based on the "real" world which could be comprised of strings or vibrations. Where do thoughts emerge from? If they were only for survival in the beginning, why evolve so far past the point of just survival, in such a short time?
Thoughts - Possible to have many simultaneously, conscious and unconscious. Are emotions thoughts? Is determination a thought or emotion? Gimme some time on this. Remember thinking about this before. Thought generated by the body and environment vs. other thoughts (curiousness, conscience, boredom, God, etc.).
Consciousness - Maybe we run a subroutine of conscious and unconscious thoughts. We are conscious of the last part of the subroutine where we pause to add and delete parts of the routine. The subroutine is really fast and we just think we have many thoughts at once. And like in a movie with frames, these frames create the illusion of consciousness. Seems unlikely, but who knows. Can't make a computer do this yet, but the computer doesn't have mirror neurons and not as complicated as the human brain and organs.
Anyways, energy drives life, but what drives intelligence? What made emotions evolve? What drives the quest for knowledge and good?
Back to the real world -
If Korea were run like Startrek, then Dr. McCoy would have ordered a psychiatric exam and had Captain Kirk locked up in an asylum. Seriously, she could be a danger to herself.
Friday, December 30, 2016
Korea Demonstrations - 10th Week
The cumulative number of demonstrators that have participated in anti-Park demonstrations stands at around 8.9 million. Protest organizers are hoping to break the 10 million mark tonight.
The protests kick off at 7:00 pm with live rock performances by Shin Dae-chul and Chun In-kwon. Tonight's demonstration is titled "Farewell Park, Welcome New Year".
The protests kick off at 7:00 pm with live rock performances by Shin Dae-chul and Chun In-kwon. Tonight's demonstration is titled "Farewell Park, Welcome New Year".
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| Gwanghwamun Square at 5:00 pm |
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| Gwanghwamun Square at 6:30 pm |
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Around 20 Countries Have Or Will Legalize Marijuana
According to CNN, about 20 countries have legalized or looking at legalizing marijuana. Many countries are getting patents, registering trademarks, developing medicine, and other materialistic things with cannabis. Wake up Korea. Losing a lot of money and employment opportunities versus wasting money and lives locking up people.
CNN: The global experiment of marijuana legalization
The United Nations may soon decriminalize medicinal marijuana. The first step is for the World Health Organization’s Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) to reclassify marijuana from a narcotic drug to medicine. The ECDD is conducting pre-reviews of cannabis in order to consider reclassification.
The UN takes it's advice from the ECDD. The United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, as amended by the 1972 Protocol is the leading obstacle to worldwide decriminalization. If the UN amends this convention, then all 185 nations that signed it will have to follow and decriminalize medicinal marijuana.
Americans For Safe Access: Major International Victory for Medical Cannabis!
CNN: The global experiment of marijuana legalization
The United Nations may soon decriminalize medicinal marijuana. The first step is for the World Health Organization’s Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) to reclassify marijuana from a narcotic drug to medicine. The ECDD is conducting pre-reviews of cannabis in order to consider reclassification.
The UN takes it's advice from the ECDD. The United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, as amended by the 1972 Protocol is the leading obstacle to worldwide decriminalization. If the UN amends this convention, then all 185 nations that signed it will have to follow and decriminalize medicinal marijuana.
Americans For Safe Access: Major International Victory for Medical Cannabis!
Rockers To Perform Banned Song At Gwanghwamun Demonstration
"Beautiful Rivers and Mountains" written by the late Shin Jung-hyun, the godfather of Korean rock, will be sung by his son tomorrow at the demonstrations tomorrow in Seoul.
His son, Shin Dae-chul, has asked pro-Park demonstrators to stop playing his father's song which was written in protest against the late Military Dictator Park. Park had asked his father to write a song supporting the dictator and refused. Instead, he wrote a song about the beautiful country and it was banned by the government. Several thousand songs were banned during the Park regime.
The song starts at around 40 seconds.
Even though it is really cold, it will be New Year's Eve, demonstrations, and live rock music. Sounds like it will be a big crowd tomorrow.
Good news on the Park scandal, ex-Minister of Health was arrested for pressuring the National Pension Service to vote in favor of the merger. The Special Prosecutor seems to be making progress in getting testimony and evidence to back 3rd party and also direct bribery charges to President Park. It seems that ex-Presidential aide Ahn Jong-bum wrote down everything in his notes, including the President's orders after her meeting with the vice-Chairman of Samsung Lee Jae-young.
It also appears that Choi Soon-sil paid hospital bills, bought clothes and accessories for the President. Park has stated that she paid Choi Soon-sil back, but I doubt that. Someone had to pay the hairdresser, make up artist, injection lady and chi therapy lady. Yes, injection lady. An instant message from a President's aide stating that he was bringing in the injection lady to another aide was found. The injection lady and chi therapy lady visited the President around five times in 2013.
It also appears that Choi Soon-sil paid hospital bills, bought clothes and accessories for the President. Park has stated that she paid Choi Soon-sil back, but I doubt that. Someone had to pay the hairdresser, make up artist, injection lady and chi therapy lady. Yes, injection lady. An instant message from a President's aide stating that he was bringing in the injection lady to another aide was found. The injection lady and chi therapy lady visited the President around five times in 2013.
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Matter vs. Knowledge?
Matter can be converted to energy which can be converted to life. Life can be converted to knowledge.
Can knowledge be converted by life to energy? One knows how to move muscles. By exerting will and flexing muscles, thought can be converted to energy.
Gonna have to think on this some more.
Basic universal wage. Sounds like a good start. I expect that in the future, everyone will get basic whole foods, necessities and a place to live, in return for studying and exercising. Maybe also jobs like taking care of plants.
What kind of past times will we have? Exploring the world and universe.
The Verge: iPhone manufacturer Foxconn plans to replace almost every human worker with robots
Can knowledge be converted by life to energy? One knows how to move muscles. By exerting will and flexing muscles, thought can be converted to energy.
Gonna have to think on this some more.
Basic universal wage. Sounds like a good start. I expect that in the future, everyone will get basic whole foods, necessities and a place to live, in return for studying and exercising. Maybe also jobs like taking care of plants.
What kind of past times will we have? Exploring the world and universe.
The Verge: iPhone manufacturer Foxconn plans to replace almost every human worker with robots
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
President Park Had Cosmetic Surgery Between April 15 and 17, 2014
In addition to the high resolution photographs of President Park's face on April 15, 16 and 21, 2014, the press also found a photograph for April 17. The photograph of the President's face on April 17 also show marks that could be due to cosmetic surgery,
Some doctors say that the marks are due to thread inside the skin. The thread was used for lifting the skin to eliminate wrinkles. The marks are not there on April 15 or 16. The doctors say that the marks are because the end of the thread started to poke through the skin and that the surgery happened a day or two earlier.
The two Presidential aides who are always at the President's side have yet to testify. When the prosecutors calls on them to testify, they will most likely refuse.
The Special Prosecutor's Office carried out a search warrant on the residence and offices of Doctor Kim Yong-jae, a Presidential Doctor and plastic surgeon, this morning.
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| April 15 April 17 April 21 |
How did people suspect cosmetic surgery two years ago? They must be psychic.
Probably only the President, the two aides, a doctor, and an assistant knew. Who talked? The doctor? Maybe he bragged about it. Or the assistant. Someone had to assist in the surgery. In this case, maybe the doctor's wife. Did she maybe gossip a little?
Probably only the President, the two aides, a doctor, and an assistant knew. Who talked? The doctor? Maybe he bragged about it. Or the assistant. Someone had to assist in the surgery. In this case, maybe the doctor's wife. Did she maybe gossip a little?
Cheapest Place To Buy In Seoul - Lighters
Five lighters for 1,000 Won.
Get on Subway Line 1 or Line 6, and get off at Dongmyo station. Go out Exit 3 and it is the shop right at the corner. The lighters are on a shelf on the outside of the store.
Get on Subway Line 1 or Line 6, and get off at Dongmyo station. Go out Exit 3 and it is the shop right at the corner. The lighters are on a shelf on the outside of the store.
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| Store outside Exit 3 |
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| Side of store |
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| Lighters are on middle shelf, left of the canned beans. |
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| 2 pairs of socks for 1,500 Won |
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| Woolen hats for 2,000 Won |
Maybe Anti-Matter Moves Backwards In Time?
Does anti-matter move backwards in time? As soon as a anti-proton is created, maybe it disappears leaving only the proton.
Monday, December 26, 2016
President Park Blacklisted Opposition Supporters
There were reports on TV news that prosecutors found a copy of the blacklist on a computer in the Ministry of Health.
According to notes taken by deceased former Presidential Secretary Kim young-hwan, Chief Secretary Kim Ki-choon ordered on October 2, 2014 that leftists in culture and arts must be fought against, and again ordered on January 2, 2015 that there was a need to keep track of left leaning film makers and their connections.
Former Culture Minister Yoo Jin-ryong has testified that he has seen the blacklist. He stated that about a month before he left the ministry in July 2014, he received a list of a few hundred names from the President's Office. He also stated that before this, the blacklist existed only verbally, with nothing written.
There were rumors that a list with 9473 actors, writers, artists and others in the culture and arts fields, along with their "offenses" which were mainly supporting the opposition or opposing President Park's administration. It also listed if they received any government grants or support. Most listed no government support.
From a verbal list to a list with over 9473 names. Since 2014, it seems that President Park has censured artists, denied funding, and suppressed anyone opposing her. And this is just the surface. I am sure that it gets much worse.
Joongang Daily: Indie counsel raids search for evidence of culture blacklist
Korea Herald: Key figures in Choi scandal probed
A mysterious citizen investigator, famous in Korea for uncovering evidence in previous scandals including Korean Intelligence Agency's illegal involvement in the previous Presidential elections. claimed that a submarine caused the sinking of the Sewol Ferry and uploaded a video with his theory on the sinking to Youtube in Korean.
On radar during the sinking an object can be seen to the right of the ferry. The authorities said this was an image of freight containers that had been swept off the ship. The citizen investigator says that containers could not have made the image, since they are travelling faster than the ocean currents. He also encourages the military to releases their radar images. At the time, the military said that these images were secret and couldn't release them. Now, they say they do not have the images. It could be something, it could be nothing. But this citizen investigator has not been wrong, so far.
Korea Herald: ‘Submarine crash may have caused Sewol sinking’
Sunday, December 25, 2016
More Arrests Likely Soon In President Park Scandal
The Special Prosecutor's Office announced that they are carrying out search warrants on the offices and residences of Culture Minister Cho Yoon-sun, ex-Chief Presidential Secretary Kim Ki-choon, ex-Minister of Health Moon Hyung-pyo, Presidential Secretary for Health Kim Jin-soo and other locations.
Korea Times: Independent counsel raids home of former top presidential aide
Yonhap News: Independent counsel raids ex-president aide, minister's homes
Culture Minister Cho Yoon-sun is said to be to President Park and also alleged to have committed offenses.
Korea Times: Culture minister Cho denies making blacklist
Yonhap News: Park's trusted confidante named new culture minister
The search warrants on ex-Minister of Health Moon Hyung-pyo, and Presidential Secretary for Health Kim Jin-soo are related to the suspicious Samsung merger.
Korea Times: Independent counsel raids home of former top presidential aide
Yonhap News: Independent counsel raids ex-president aide, minister's homes
Culture Minister Cho Yoon-sun is said to be to President Park and also alleged to have committed offenses.
Korea Times: Culture minister Cho denies making blacklist
Yonhap News: Park's trusted confidante named new culture minister
The search warrants on ex-Minister of Health Moon Hyung-pyo, and Presidential Secretary for Health Kim Jin-soo are related to the suspicious Samsung merger.
German Prosecutors Only Tracking $3 Million
Contrary to reports of money laundering of over $600 million, Korean news agencies reported that German prosecutors revealed that they are looking at only around $3 million alleged to have been money laundered by Choi Soon-sil.
This makes sense. Why would someone with $600 million bother with embezzlement of millions of dollar? Then again, why would someone need $3 million? Pretty selfish.
More countries are looking at universal income. Less labor, less mind hours are needed for productivity. Pretty soon, humans will not be too expensive to do labor. Companies need less workers, fewer companies will be needed. The world is changing. All over the world, developed countries are having trouble with job growth.
In the future, there will be no need for us to "work" to eat and have a place to live. Even now, if you change the system, there is no need for people in many countries to "work" in order to eat and live. Do the math, include only necessities.
Having people own land will always create class differences, and so on. In an ideal world, if the land is called a country, then the land would belong to the country and all the citizens. Why change the world? It will change eventually.
This makes sense. Why would someone with $600 million bother with embezzlement of millions of dollar? Then again, why would someone need $3 million? Pretty selfish.
More countries are looking at universal income. Less labor, less mind hours are needed for productivity. Pretty soon, humans will not be too expensive to do labor. Companies need less workers, fewer companies will be needed. The world is changing. All over the world, developed countries are having trouble with job growth.
In the future, there will be no need for us to "work" to eat and have a place to live. Even now, if you change the system, there is no need for people in many countries to "work" in order to eat and live. Do the math, include only necessities.
Having people own land will always create class differences, and so on. In an ideal world, if the land is called a country, then the land would belong to the country and all the citizens. Why change the world? It will change eventually.
Saturday, December 24, 2016
The Secret Of Consciousness
It's been a while since I read up on consciousness. However, I just happened to see an article in Scientific American on the latest theories into consciousness. Not much has happened in consciousness research.
Scientific American: The Mind–Body Problem, Scientific Regress and "Woo"
Scientific American: The Mind–Body Problem, Scientific Regress and "Woo"
Friday, December 23, 2016
Korea Demonstrations - 9th Week
Protesters, demanding that President Park resign immediately and also that the Constitutional Court make a quick ruling on the impeachment, are already gathering at Gwang-hwa-mun Square. It's really cold today.
Two blocks down the road, pro-Park protesters demanding the opposite are in full force. Police stated that over 12,000 pro-Park protesters were in attendance. I would estimate around 7,000 to 8,000.
Anti-Park protesters gathering in advance for the best seats in front of the main stage.
Two blocks down the road, pro-Park protesters demanding the opposite are in full force. Police stated that over 12,000 pro-Park protesters were in attendance. I would estimate around 7,000 to 8,000.
Pro-Park protesters waving Korean flags
The number of pro-Park protesters increased around 4:30. I agree with the police estimate.
Protest organizers estimate 600,000 participated in Seoul and 100,000 in other cities. They plan to continue the protests until the middle of January 2017.
Press coverage of the demonstrations:
Korea Herald: Protestors singing carols demand Park’s removal
Korea Times: Anti-president vigil continues on Christmas Eve
Joongang Daily: All protesters wanted for Christmas is impeachment
Korea Protests On X-mas Eve
Crowds demanding that President Park resign immediately continue protesting for the 9th consecutive week. For details of the demonstrations and marches, read The Hankyoreh article: Protests seeking President's resignation continue on Christmas Eve and into the New Year.
The organizing committee's website is in Korean only and is at bisang2016.net. There you can find all sorts of materials, including pictures of past demonstrations, as on http://bisang2016.net/b/board03/841.
The following editorial is from the Chosun Daily News on President Park's initial written defense statements submitted at the impeachment hearings. The editor asks if President Park is crazy for sticking to her story that she did not know about any criminal activities of those around her, the sports and culture foundations were set up and funded voluntarily, and that she was working at the Presidential residence during the Sewol Ferry tragedy and that she promptly reacted to the situation. This goes against all the recorded phone conversations, instant messages, written notes and witness testimony. The editorial details the President's defense and how it contradicts the facts based on evidence.
Chosun Ilbo (Daily News): Has Park Lost Her Grip on Reality?
The Constitutional Court which is hearing the impeachment case against President Park asked her to submit details of her whereabouts and actions on April 16, 2014, the day of the Sewol Ferry tragedy. Everyone has asked, but she has never answered. Now, she has to answer or forfeit. No escape.
Saenuri Party member, Yi Wan-yong, was is accused of promoting witness perjury was caught on picture with members of a regional association drinking heavily at dinner several years ago. In the picture is the lawyer of Choi Soon-sil and a close associate of Woo Byung-woo. Many members of this association are linked to the Choi Soon-sil scandal. Saenuri Party member Yi Wan-yong has questioned witnesses with a strong prejudice towards questions to help Choi Soon-sil's defense. He denies all allegations, but he is under investigation and I suspect he will be found guilty. It will be hard to find concrete evidence. but I hope they find some.
Joongang Daily News: Photo connects Yi to Choi’s lawyer
The Secret Of How Life Began On Earth
As I read the beginning of this article in BBC News, I wondered about Matter = Energy = Life? Since hydrogen matter is converted to energy in the sun, light is converted into energy on Earth, and energy is converted into life.
Towards the end of the article, I wondered about life and knowledge. Is knowledge just a byproduct of life? What about self awareness?
Towards the end of the article, I wondered about life and knowledge. Is knowledge just a byproduct of life? What about self awareness?
It was a long article and showed how much research into the origins of life has progressed since I was in school. From theories supporting that amino acids, RNA, compartmentalization, metabolism, or replication was first to the present day, everything at once theory. They have proved to me that life could have started from clay in a pond of warm water. That sort of changed my world. Slightly less mystic. But I still wonder about logic, knowledge, and self awareness (consciousness).
BBC News: The Secret Of How Life Began On Earth
So, how does one link matter and thought? Matter vs. Energy vs. Life vs. Thought? Thought vs. Knowledge? Time vs. Change? Consciousness vs. Thought?
Is this what they meant by "clouding minds"? I am almost sure that Jesus was trying to teach people metaphysics and it clouded a lot of minds.
So, how does one link matter and thought? Matter vs. Energy vs. Life vs. Thought? Thought vs. Knowledge? Time vs. Change? Consciousness vs. Thought?
Is this what they meant by "clouding minds"? I am almost sure that Jesus was trying to teach people metaphysics and it clouded a lot of minds.
Thursday, December 22, 2016
Choi Soon-sil Alleged To Have Over $660 Million In Europe
German prosecutors have listed Choi Soon-sil and her daughter as major criminals and are investigating their wealth. It is alleged that they have over $660 million stored in 500 companies and bank accounts under false names.
Korea Times: Probe targets Choi Soon-sil's daughter and hidden $660 million
Korea Times: Probe targets Choi Soon-sil's daughter and hidden $660 million
How to Convince Someone When Facts Fail
That's the title of a Scientific American article on cognitive dissonance and how best to handle people who refuse to believe the facts.
Experiments have shown that people will make up or distort things in order to reduce dissonance, which arises when a person holds two conflicting thoughts. Conflicting thoughts arise when someone lies, is dishonest, and such. If unchecked, it will continue in something like a feedback cycle.
Sounds like they are talking about President Park supporters. The article explains how lies or falsehoods cause people to justify themselves and lead to a distortion of reality. So, the worst thing to do is to tell pro-Park supporters that they are wrong. It will only cause them to reinforce their false beliefs and make them more radical.
They have been talking about cognitive dissonance for decades. I thought the best approach was to just observe people with cognitive dissonance from a distance and if you have to deal with them, then try to absorb some of their negativity. The article suggests pretty much the same.
1. Keep emotions out of it.
2. Don't attack. Discuss.
3. Listen carefully and try to fully understand the person's perspective.
4. Show respect.
5. Show that you understand why the person might have that opinion.
6. Try to show the person the facts and that the facts do not really change that person's view of the world.
Scientific American: How to Convince Someone When Facts Fail
Experiments have shown that people will make up or distort things in order to reduce dissonance, which arises when a person holds two conflicting thoughts. Conflicting thoughts arise when someone lies, is dishonest, and such. If unchecked, it will continue in something like a feedback cycle.
Sounds like they are talking about President Park supporters. The article explains how lies or falsehoods cause people to justify themselves and lead to a distortion of reality. So, the worst thing to do is to tell pro-Park supporters that they are wrong. It will only cause them to reinforce their false beliefs and make them more radical.
They have been talking about cognitive dissonance for decades. I thought the best approach was to just observe people with cognitive dissonance from a distance and if you have to deal with them, then try to absorb some of their negativity. The article suggests pretty much the same.
1. Keep emotions out of it.
2. Don't attack. Discuss.
3. Listen carefully and try to fully understand the person's perspective.
4. Show respect.
5. Show that you understand why the person might have that opinion.
6. Try to show the person the facts and that the facts do not really change that person's view of the world.
Scientific American: How to Convince Someone When Facts Fail
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Noose Is Tightening On President Park And Samsung
The Special Independent Prosecutor's Office investigating the Choi Soon-sil scandal keeps leaking details of its investigations. They seem to be asking President Park to resign or they will slowly reveal all that they know. They have told us about portions of telephone conversations and the ex-Presidential Secretary Ahn Jong-bom's notebooks. In the notes, there were memos on orders from the President in relation to the Samsung's merger.
Now, they have released the details of their investigation into influence peddling in the Samsung companies merger. They say that this is only one step in the process of transferring control of Samsung to vice-chairman Lee Jae-yong and explained how he might have committed perjury during the recent National Assembly Investigative Hearings in the Choi Soon-sil scandals.
Read all about it in the Hankyoreh News article: Samsung’s Lee Jae-yong may have perjured at National Assembly hearing
The Joongang Daily News investigated further into the contract between Samsung and the German sports company owned by Choi Soon-sil. Over $800,000 from Samsung was used to pay for Choi's personal expenses for seven months in Germany. For more details, go to Joongang Daily News: Samsung signed suspicious deal with Choi
The Special Prosecutor is also looking into President Park's financial association with the family of Choi Soon-sil over the forty years that they have know each other. A stepson of Choi Tae-min (Choi Soon-sil's father) stated, shortly before he died, that a truckload of money and bonds were transported out of the Presidential residence on the night Park Chung-hee was assassinated. Before this, the Choi family were poor. Right after, the daughters started buying buildings in southern Seoul.
Forty years of leaving behind evidence, almost got caught many times, but always managed to get off. The times have definitely changed in Korea. These people are going to be caught and jailed, even if they know or are the President. We still have plenty of bad, or put more kindly, misled people, but the tide is turning. It should have continued from President's Kim Dae-jung and Noh Moo-hyun, but it got backtracked.
Former President Noh did not embargo, or force the press to publish things. He did not influence prosecutors, or police. He did not appoint his own director to the intelligence agency, but promoted from within. He installed a computer system, so that no one could erase Presidential records and other things. He never met anyone one-on-one in meetings and always had witnesses in attendance. He wanted transparency and freedom. I think that is why most of the rich and powerful, especially the ruling Saenuri party and President Park hate him and always try to discredit him. I get a lot of flak for saying that.
Now, they have released the details of their investigation into influence peddling in the Samsung companies merger. They say that this is only one step in the process of transferring control of Samsung to vice-chairman Lee Jae-yong and explained how he might have committed perjury during the recent National Assembly Investigative Hearings in the Choi Soon-sil scandals.
Read all about it in the Hankyoreh News article: Samsung’s Lee Jae-yong may have perjured at National Assembly hearing
The Joongang Daily News investigated further into the contract between Samsung and the German sports company owned by Choi Soon-sil. Over $800,000 from Samsung was used to pay for Choi's personal expenses for seven months in Germany. For more details, go to Joongang Daily News: Samsung signed suspicious deal with Choi
The Special Prosecutor is also looking into President Park's financial association with the family of Choi Soon-sil over the forty years that they have know each other. A stepson of Choi Tae-min (Choi Soon-sil's father) stated, shortly before he died, that a truckload of money and bonds were transported out of the Presidential residence on the night Park Chung-hee was assassinated. Before this, the Choi family were poor. Right after, the daughters started buying buildings in southern Seoul.
Forty years of leaving behind evidence, almost got caught many times, but always managed to get off. The times have definitely changed in Korea. These people are going to be caught and jailed, even if they know or are the President. We still have plenty of bad, or put more kindly, misled people, but the tide is turning. It should have continued from President's Kim Dae-jung and Noh Moo-hyun, but it got backtracked.
Former President Noh did not embargo, or force the press to publish things. He did not influence prosecutors, or police. He did not appoint his own director to the intelligence agency, but promoted from within. He installed a computer system, so that no one could erase Presidential records and other things. He never met anyone one-on-one in meetings and always had witnesses in attendance. He wanted transparency and freedom. I think that is why most of the rich and powerful, especially the ruling Saenuri party and President Park hate him and always try to discredit him. I get a lot of flak for saying that.
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
More Proof Of Bribery In President Park Scandal
The media reported that they had found documents recording expenses incurred in Germany by Chung Yu-ra and Choi Soon-sil. These documents show that they spent over $800,000 on personal items and expenses, such as pet supplies, diapers, ironing board and so on. Once source close to Choi Soon-sil claims these documents were supposed to be submitted to Samsung as proof of expenses incurred via a sports company owned by Choi Soon-sil in Germany under a consulting contract with Samsung.
Joongang Daily News: Choi’s Germany trip was on Samsung
The Special Independent Prosecutor is carrying out search warrants at the National Pension System, the Ministry in charge of overseeing pensions, and ten other locations. I think they are trying to find evidence of outside pressure in the decision to approve the Samsung merger.
Korea Herald: Special prosecutors raid state-run pension service
Korea Times: Independent prosecutor team raids pension service
To prove the bribery charges, the prosecutors need to find evidence linking the Samsung merger approval by the National Pension System and the money that Choi Soon-sil spent. Then they can charge the President with bribery.
The Hankyoreh: Targeting Park’s bribery and Samsung
The Special Independent Prosecutor managed to find the personal secretary of Choi Soon-sil. This personal secretary visited Ewha University many times and testified that she gave six packages to Ewha representatives.
If the President and her aides were busy doing their thing, what about everyone else?
Well, one Presidential aide went off on his own and managed to get over $5,000,000 from a Pusan property developer. Both are now in jail awaiting trial. I think we will find out about the others in the future, once things settle down.
A producer for MBC TV revealed that he was pressured by his General Manager to hire and pay a higher than average wage to the actor son of Chung Yoon-hae (ex-husband of Choi Soon-sil). There had been rumors and allegations, but this is the first witness.
So far, all the evidence continues to confirm all the allegations and point to even more corruption.
Joongang Daily News: Choi’s Germany trip was on Samsung
The Special Independent Prosecutor is carrying out search warrants at the National Pension System, the Ministry in charge of overseeing pensions, and ten other locations. I think they are trying to find evidence of outside pressure in the decision to approve the Samsung merger.
Korea Herald: Special prosecutors raid state-run pension service
Korea Times: Independent prosecutor team raids pension service
To prove the bribery charges, the prosecutors need to find evidence linking the Samsung merger approval by the National Pension System and the money that Choi Soon-sil spent. Then they can charge the President with bribery.
The Hankyoreh: Targeting Park’s bribery and Samsung
The Special Independent Prosecutor managed to find the personal secretary of Choi Soon-sil. This personal secretary visited Ewha University many times and testified that she gave six packages to Ewha representatives.
If the President and her aides were busy doing their thing, what about everyone else?
Well, one Presidential aide went off on his own and managed to get over $5,000,000 from a Pusan property developer. Both are now in jail awaiting trial. I think we will find out about the others in the future, once things settle down.
A producer for MBC TV revealed that he was pressured by his General Manager to hire and pay a higher than average wage to the actor son of Chung Yoon-hae (ex-husband of Choi Soon-sil). There had been rumors and allegations, but this is the first witness.
So far, all the evidence continues to confirm all the allegations and point to even more corruption.
President Park Had Cosmetic Surgery Between April 16 and 20, 2014
The media gathered up all their high resolution pictures of President Park and found that she had undergone regular cosmetic surgery for years.
They found pictures of the President on April 15, 2014 which showed no marks on her cheeks. However, in pictures on April 21, 2014, there was punctures and bruising on the bottom of her left cheek. Doctors say that it looked like the President had filler or some type of treatment a few days before.
During testimony in front of the Parliament, all of the President's doctors denied having performed cosmetic surgery or treatments, including the doctor who runs the plastic surgery clinic.
Whether the President had cosmetic treatments on the day of the ferry sinking or after, people feel that this was extremely inappropriate. The whole nation was watching as students suffocated and drowned over several days, stuck inside the ferry. How could President Park even think about her looks? Heartless.
They found pictures of the President on April 15, 2014 which showed no marks on her cheeks. However, in pictures on April 21, 2014, there was punctures and bruising on the bottom of her left cheek. Doctors say that it looked like the President had filler or some type of treatment a few days before.
President Park's face on April 21, 2014
During testimony in front of the Parliament, all of the President's doctors denied having performed cosmetic surgery or treatments, including the doctor who runs the plastic surgery clinic.
Whether the President had cosmetic treatments on the day of the ferry sinking or after, people feel that this was extremely inappropriate. The whole nation was watching as students suffocated and drowned over several days, stuck inside the ferry. How could President Park even think about her looks? Heartless.