2017: February 2017

Friday, February 24, 2017

N. Korea more isolated than ever after Malaysia

N. Korea more isolated than ever after Malaysia killing AFP News Theo Merz AFP NewsFebruary 22, 2017 View photos North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un More North Korea had few friends even before the assassination of the leader's half-brother at a Kuala Lumpur airport last week, but the fallout from the killing looks set to further isolate the nuclear-armed state. Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur have enjoyed relatively warm economic ties, with some bilateral trade and citizens from both countries entitled to travel to the other under a unique reciprocal visa-free deal. Malaysia has also provided a channel between Pyongyang officials and the wider world, with Kuala Lumpur in recent years serving as a discreet meeting place for talks between the regime and the United States. But all that could come to an end following a war of words over Malaysia's probe into the assassination of Kim Jong-Nam, which has seen Pyongyang's envoy to Kuala Lumpur savage local police, and Malaysia recall its ambassador to the North. Singapore cancelled its visa-free arrangement with Pyongyang last year in protest over the regime's fourth nuclear test. Andray Abrahamian of Choson Exchange, a non-profit that provides economic policy training to North Koreans, believes Malaysia could now make a similar move. "It wouldn't surprise me. The arrangement is already absolutely unique. North Koreans don't need a visa to work in Mongolia, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos. But the Malaysian side is the unusual thing," he told AFP. Malaysia and North Korea are both non-aligned nations and the one-off visa deal was likely hashed out as they sought to develop business ties, he said. Muhammad Fuad Othman, a lecturer in international politics at Universiti Utara Malaysia, said diplomats would need to be seen to respond to the killing -- which Seoul has said was orchestrated by Pyongyang. "In order to pacify the West maybe there is a need to re-evaluate the free visa policy that we accord to North Koreans," he said. Up to 1,000 North Koreans currently work in Malaysia and, like expats from the Stalinist state worldwide, their remittances are a valuable source of foreign currency for the isolated regime. North Korea imports refined oil, natural rubber and palm oil from Malaysia, which buys electrical and electronic items, chemicals as well as iron and steel products from North Korea. On the Malaysian side bilateral trade is negligible, amounting to just 23 million ringgit ($5.2 million) out of the country's total external trade of 1.5 trillion ringgit, according to figures cited in the Malaysian press. The pinch of any tail-off in trade would be felt more keenly in North Korea, especially when combined with the much harder blow of China's snap decision to halt coal imports from the country last week. - With friends like these - In other areas the strain is already beginning to show, with Malaysia's sports minister asking the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to consider safety concerns ahead of the national team's planned match against North Korea in Pyongyang next month. "I will ask the AFC to monitor the situation in Pyongyang because security is our priority. It is a difficult situation now because the diplomatic relationship between North Korea and Malaysia is strained," Khairy Jamaluddin said Tuesday. But officials in the North are unlikely to be losing any sleep over the spat, whatever the economic, diplomatic or sporting repercussions. Evans J.R. Revere of the Center for East Asia Policy Studies at the US-based Brookings Institution said Pyongyang had a history of sidelining the concerns of allies as it pursued its own aims. In 1983, for example, North Korea bombed a mausoleum in Myanmar during a visit by South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan. He survived but 21 people were killed and once-close ties were torpedoed. "North Korea is even prepared to put at risk relations with a friendly country as it pursues its enemies, and is even willing to damage ties with friends as it commits acts in violation of international norms," Revere told AFP. John Delury from Seoul's Yonsei University said Pyongyang would likely pick up the pieces as it has many times before, and find another venue for its tentative contacts with the world. "It has a good relationship with Malaysia by North Korean standards, but North Korean standards are so appallingly low," he told AFP. "It's always being pinched in one way or another, so this is just another pinch. They have an extraordinary capacity to absorb pain."

Thursday, February 23, 2017

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About Suggest Edits BUSINESS INFO Founded in 2006 CONTACT INFO http://wix.com/ MORE INFO About Wix.com is a web development platform that lets anyone create a beautiful website and #StartStunning online (no coding needed!) Company Overview Wix is a leading global software platform for small businesses to operate online with millions of registered users in 190 countries. Wix was founded on the belief that the Internet should be accessible to everyone to develop, create and contribute. Through free and premium subscriptions, Wix's powerful technology empowers millions of businesses, organizations, professionals and individuals to take their businesses, brands and workflow online. Wix ADI, the Wix Editor and a highly curated App Market enable users to build and manage a fully integrated and dynamic digital presence. Learn more : www.wix.com categories Product/Service Milestones 2013 Wix goes public 1 Million Facebook Fans Sweet! 30 million Wix users and counting 2012 Kawaii! Wix is available in Japanese 20 Million Wix Users Worldwide! HTML5 Is on Wix! Wixo Parlo Italiano! Welcome to the Wix Lounge San Francisco 2011 Spoko, Wix Speaks Polish :) Ukraine Studio is Open for Business Someone said Wix in German? Celebrating 10 Million Wix Users! Introducing the Mobile Wizard! Parlez-vous français? Oui! Portuguese - Aqui vamos nós! See All

1 Year of Blogging & De-Mystifying 6 Blogging Myths 22.02.2017 at 10:00 am By Kachi T 15 Comments

KacheeTee: 1 Year of Blogging & De-Mystifying 6 Blogging Myths 22.02.2017 at 10:00 am By Kachi T 15 Comments KachinI think I’ve made quite some good decisions in my life, and so it’s rather interesting that one year later, choosing to start a blog is up there as well. I was so scared to start, so scared to let people into bits and pieces of my life. But on 10th February 2016, which happened to be Ash Wednesday, I thought “what purpose is there to life if we don’t try, step out of our comfort zones and inspire others”. So I paid for the domain name KacheeTee.com, and shared my first post on Facebook. The response was pretty encouraging. And well, since then I haven’t stooped. I’ve published roughly 130 blog posts and just passed 150,000 views. I’ve met incredibly amazing people. I’ve grown. I’ve become better. I’ve worked with a couple of brands and I’ve actually made money from my blog via a sponsored post (little, but hey, humble beginnings). I’ll love to write about how blogging has changed me, but I’ll save that for another day. Today, let’s discuss the myths associated with blogging. Because there are quite a few. I was in a meeting recently with a couple of lawyers. And at the end of it, the conversation tilted to what we like to do outside of work. A lot of interesting answers came up – skiing, wine tasting, baking etc. To borrow Chimamanda Adiche‘s phrase of happily boring, I said “well, I like to chill at home, read a good book, see a good movie, and write“. After a couple of back & forth and “what do you like to write about?”, the dreaded question popped out. “So do you have a blog?”. I’m not sure why I shifted slightly uncomfortably in my seat. What was the big deal if I blogged? Were there going to take me less seriously – if the term blogger was associated with my name? I answered half heartedly, “Yeah I blog occasionally” – (but with my aim to have a daily lifestyle blog, I’m not sure this qualifies as occasional). And when they asked what I blogged about, I was sure to include the fact that I love to write about law and career. Perhaps this is also why my previous posts on BellaNaija have been slightly serious. I’ve written on Tips to Secure an Academic (Foreign) Scholarship, How to Make the Most of Nigerian Law School, 4 Practical Things to do while Job Hunting and 11 Contract Terms every Small Business Owner should be Aware Of. Even this post is still slightly serious. I leave the more fun personal posts on my blog, where I have control over it. But I love blogging, and day by day I admire bloggers. It’s therefore unfair that a lot of people believe these myths and under-appreciate bloggers. If you’re also thinking of starting a blog anytime soon, this will help set you on a clearer path. Blogging is Easy Bloggers get a lot of flack because most people believe it’s easy. I mean, what could be difficult in it? You write and/ or take photos and you upload right? But in actual fact, blogging could almost be tougher than a regular 9-5. It’s often a one man business and you run on full steam, all the time – particularly if you’re serious about it, creating original content, building a brand and a community. You’re the writer of posts and the editor. You’re responsible for constantly promoting your posts on social media (and this is tough! – forever saying #LinkinBio and Don’t forget to subscribe and follow me!). You design graphics and posters. You may have to learn to code, and become a tech geek – keeping tabs on latest apps and software. It’s crazy the amount of new things I’ve learnt in this one year. From building my website from scratch to some of the other things mentioned above. Blogging can be tough and some days bloggers may want to break down. But they love it so much so they keep pushing. And for some people, blogging has actually become their full time job. So if you ever thought blogging was easy, please erase that thought. Blogging is Cheap How I wish. Even if I forgot about my blog anniversary, the £100 that was taken out of my account for my host registration definitely reminded me. Plus the very many apps and software I’ve put off buying, because I’m not sure I can justify it at this point.. Blogging is not cheap. And it’s probably because of this myth, many people brands refuse to pay bloggers due remuneration. I laughed, when I considered buying an iMac to help with the blog, and my husband said “can’t your blog pay for this?” . Unfortunately it couldn’t. But asides gadgets that have to be bought, there’s regular software subscription to be paid – for emails, graphics, promotion and maybe even ads. Blogs which rely on great photography or video might have to pay for these as well. So when you require a service from bloggers, please consider paying them in cash. Everyone’s in it for the Money We can’t really blame people who think this way, can we? Based on myth number 1 & 2 above – it might seem like an easy way to get rich! I was slightly upset one day on Facebook when someone suggested that I was all about the clicks, when I was genuinely hoping that someone would share her story in a bid to inspire others. And so yes, once you start a blog, there’d be people who think you’re in it for the money. The truth is, the money may come – but except you start of as being incredible – it’ll come much later. And it’ll come in different ways. Lots of people have built their brands first by blogging. Others have created products, others have begun to render services & others have worked with brands. So for many, passion comes first. That and a genuine desire to share and add value is what sustains a majority of bloggers, while they hope the big bucks come soon. Plus honestly, not everyone is in it for the money. Blogging is not real writing Where do we even start to debunk this? Someone once said to another blogger on Twitter, “But all you guys do is copy and paste?”. I was literally too weak to engage in a sensible conversation. I guess it’s as a result of this myth that some have chosen to identify as “Content Creators“, rather than bloggers – to show the emphasis that they create original content. And truth is, for many bloggers, it’s real writing. Whether it’s their style or thoughts on fashion, on beauty, on faith, fitness, lifestyle, career, food – there’s so much real effort and creative energy that goes into it. Not to say that some bloggers do not simply copy and paste. But for a whole lot, blogging is often real writing. Please appreciate this. And if you intend to succeed in blogging you’d probably have to come up with real original writing / content. Blogging is dead and saturated The truth is, there are A LOT of blogs out there. Trust me, you wouldn’t realise how many unless you were a blogger or an avid blog follower. When I launched my blog, I had no idea just how many people blogged. And as time went by, I often started to think “geez who would read my blog”. So we can’t blame the audience if they roll their eyes when someone says “Guys I finally launched my blog, please subscribe!“. But it’s hard for a field to be truly saturated, as everyone brings a different perspective. I mean, just look at the MUA industry in Nigeria. Yet new entrants are still making their mark. As a blogger, you’ll probably find yourself wanting to quit sometimes when you think you’ll struggle to shine. Don’t! The top is never saturated. If you’re willing to be excellent, are passionate and put in the work, you’ll most likely stand out. Plus there’s always someone who wants to hear from your unique experiences. Blogging has no use This is surprisingly common and even though I’m in it, sometimes I have those “why am I bothering with this blog” kind of days. And interestingly many people have this opinion as well. I think fashion bloggers get hit the most with the question “so you just dress up and take photos, why!?” But if we truly think about it, bloggers share so so much that help us in our daily lives. Whether it’s fashion tips, or improving our natural hair slay or quick food hacks, inspirational & motivational posts, travel and tourism, career guidance or even just for laughs. That’s the use of blogging. And that’s why contrary to myth 5 it’s unlikely to die anytime soon. It may evolve, but I doubt it’d die. So as a blogger, for the days you think it has no use, the days no one leaves a comment on your blog, think of the very many people you continue to inspire in one way or the another. Even if it’s just one person. It’s probably worth it! So that’s it. Some popular blogging myths hopefully de-mystified. I’ll generally be sharing some of my blogging tips and everything else I learn going forward. So if you’re interested in that, subscribe to the blog! If you’re not, well, still visit us and subscribe – there’s a whole lot of posts you’d love – I promise. Lawyer’s honour. Plus, this is good timing, as we’re about to have a one year anniversary giveaway (that’s a clear plug in!) Bloggers what other myths can you relate to. If you don’t blog, what do you genuinely think of bloggers? About Kachi T Corporate Lawyer, with two first-class Nigerian Law degrees and an LL.M from the University of Cambridge. Wife, Writer, Foodie, Aspiring Life Hacker and generally the Girl-Next-Door making a conscious effort to live intentionally and fully love life. By night, she blogs at www.KacheeTee.com. Instagram/ Twitter: @KacheeTee

SONGBUN | SOCIAL CLASS IN A SOCIALIST PARADISE Food: Songbun has a huge effect on a North Korean citizen’s food supply. Particularly at times of scarcity, the distribution of food and resources has been concentrated to the higher songbun levels – Pyongyang and central regime institutions (Party, government and military). This was particularly noticeable during the famine of the 1990s and the chronic food shortages that have blighted the people ever since. When the state-economy collapsed and there were not enough provisions to go round, the regime stopped providing food to the politically undesirable northeast regions, so the famine hit those regions the hardest. It has been reported that as many as 30% of the population died in the worst affected regions, particularly North Hamgyeong Province. It should come as no surprise then that around 60% of North Korean refugees who have made it to South Korea are also from that province. An issue for another post is how this demonstrates the inextricable linkage between human rights and humanitarian / economic issues in North Korea. Understanding songbun should call us to question the wisdom of distinguishing between “economic migrants” and “political refugees” when it comes to this population.

Hostile (적대), 27%. Includes descendants of landlords, capitalists, religious people, political prisoners, those who had assisted South Korean forces during the Korean War, or were otherwise judged anti-Party or associated with external powers. The data is now managed using the software system “Faithful Servant 2.0.” This digitization makes it easier for authorities to access any citizen’s songbun file from any Ministry of Public Security computer terminal from provincial to county levels. Wavering (동요), 45%. Includes people who had previously lived in South Korea or China, those with relatives who went to the South, families of small-scale merchants, intellectuals, practitioners of superstition, etc. Core (핵심), 28% of the population. Includes professional revolutionaries, descendants of ‘war heroes’ who died working or fighting for the North, peasants or those from peasant families. http://www.libertyinnorthkorea.org/songbun/ http://www.libertyinnorthkorea.org/songbun/ http://www.libertyinnorthkorea.org/songbun/ http://www.libertyinnorthkorea.org/songbun/ SONGBUN | SOCIAL CLASS IN A SOCIALIST PARADISE POSTED June 25, 2012 The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles. Freeman and slave, patrician and plebeian, lord and serf, guild-master and journeyman, in a word, oppressor and oppressed, stood in constant opposition to one another, carried on an uninterrupted, now hidden, now open fight, a fight that each time ended, either in a revolutionary reconstitution of society at large, or in the common ruin of the contending classes… The modern bourgeois society that has sprouted from the ruins of feudal society has not done away with class antagonisms. It has but established new classes, new conditions of oppression, new forms of struggle in place of the old ones. So begins Chapter 1 of The Communist Manifesto, written by Marx and Engels and published in 1848. If we take the last paragraph, and change a couple of labels, it perfectly describes North Korea today: The North Korean society that has sprouted from the ruins of the division of Korea and the Korean War has not done away with class antagonisms. It has but established new classes, new conditions of oppression, new forms of struggle in place of the old ones. In fact, the North Korean regime has established 3 new classes divided into 51 categories, and has created what is widely recognized as the most oppressive society in the world. Maybe Marx rests easier now that his portrait no longer adorns Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang; it was taken down before Kim Il-sung’s centenary celebrations in April. The North Korean regime has been extremely intentional at creating and enforcing social classes based on political loyalty and this system, known as songbun (성분), is key to understanding North Korean society as a whole and specifically and the system of oppression which the ruling elite uses to maintain political control. So a new report on Songbun by our colleagues at HRNK, Marked for Life, is a great addition to the literature on NK. The report describes songbun as a state-directed system of discrimination based on hereditary classes determined by perceived loyalty to the regime. It decides your prospects in almost every area of life, including education, occupation, military service, Party membership, treatment by the criminal justice system, housing, medical treatment, marriage, and even food supply. The individual has no control over this system, their songbun being decided by their family line, making it analogous to discrimination along racial lines. The whole system can be described as a political apartheid, reminiscent of the racial apartheid in South Africa that attracted such international criticism until it ended with the election of Nelson Mandela. CREATION OF SONGBUN The songbun system was devised in the early years after the formation of North Korea out of a motivation to protect the Kim regime by isolating and controlling perceived internal political threats. It did this by categorizing every single North Korean resident according to how politically safe or risky they might be. The key factors considered were your ancestors’ socioeconomic background at the time of liberation (1945), their activities during the Korean War (1950-1953), and whether you had relatives in South Korea or China (being connected to the outside world is bad for your songbun). North Koreans were split into three broad classes: Core (핵심), 28% of the population. Includes professional revolutionaries, descendants of ‘war heroes’ who died working or fighting for the North, peasants or those from peasant families. Wavering (동요), 45%. Includes people who had previously lived in South Korea or China, those with relatives who went to the South, families of small-scale merchants, intellectuals, practitioners of superstition, etc. Hostile (적대), 27%. Includes descendants of landlords, capitalists, religious people, political prisoners, those who had assisted South Korean forces during the Korean War, or were otherwise judged anti-Party or associated with external powers. The regime keeps a file on every single person above the age of 17 (before that age your details were registered on your parent’s file), and an incredible amount of work goes into creating and regularly updating these records. The data is now managed using the software system “Faithful Servant 2.0.” This digitization makes it easier for authorities to access any citizen’s songbun file from any Ministry of Public Security computer terminal from provincial to county levels. EFFECTS OF SONGBUN Songbun is deeply entrenched in North Korean society and affects nearly all aspects of a North Korean’s life, including (see HRNK’s full report for further details): Occupation: In NK, you do not choose your job. The regime chooses it for you, and it is heavily influenced by your songbun. Simply put, if you have low songbun, you will be put into gruelling manual work, whereas if you have high songbun, you might expect a relatively cushy Party cadre position. There is no element of meritocracy here and ability does not factor in much, meaning that it is quite possible that more able workers are placed in less important roles while less able workers are given positions of responsibility. This failure to efficiently utilize their national talent-pool is yet another reason why North Korea’s state-controlled economy struggles so much. Education: Again, this is not meritocratic. If your parents have good songbun, then you are allowed to progress. Otherwise, no matter how hard you study, you will not advance academically. As you can imagine, this can cause resentment (although that resentment is sometimes aimed at the parents, not the regime). This system also ensures that “elites play together.” Those with good songbun go through the same schools and the same colleges, and they network within this pool for their future mutual benefit. Those with bad songbun are of course denied such opportunities. The importance of personal connections in North Korean society compounds the importance of songbun. Family: Knowing the importance of keeping a clean record in NK society, parents impress on their children the importance of not doing anything to step outside the Party line, as it would affect the whole family. The importance of songbun also means it is one of the most important factors to consider when finding a spouse. If you marry someone of lower songbun you and your children will lose out, so people tend to marry within their songbun level, as indicated by the occupation and status of their partner’s family. (Note that these phenomena are not unique to North Korea, as people tend to marry within their own social class in other countries too. What is unique in North Korea is how this is being played out within a class system which has been systematically created according to the interests of the ruling elite.) Internal Exile: For decades, the regime has systematically exiled tens to hundreds of thousands of low-songbun political undesirables to isolated and unfavourable mountainous areas in the northeast of North Korea. Here they have been forced into hard labour, subject to tighter controls, excluded from population centres, and effectively removed as a potential political threat. It could be argued that the regime has not only tried to cut off the outside world but is now increasingly cutting off Pyongyang from its outer provinces, leaving those who are judged as potential political threats isolated and with no way to demonstrate their frustration without risk of complete elimination. Food: Songbun has a huge effect on a North Korean citizen’s food supply. Particularly at times of scarcity, the distribution of food and resources has been concentrated to the higher songbun levels – Pyongyang and central regime institutions (Party, government and military). This was particularly noticeable during the famine of the 1990s and the chronic food shortages that have blighted the people ever since. When the state-economy collapsed and there were not enough provisions to go round, the regime stopped providing food to the politically undesirable northeast regions, so the famine hit those regions the hardest. It has been reported that as many as 30% of the population died in the worst affected regions, particularly North Hamgyeong Province. It should come as no surprise then that around 60% of North Korean refugees who have made it to South Korea are also from that province. An issue for another post is how this demonstrates the inextricable linkage between human rights and humanitarian / economic issues in North Korea. Understanding songbun should call us to question the wisdom of distinguishing between “economic migrants” and “political refugees” when it comes to this population. Medical Care: The public health system all but collapsed in the 1990s, but special treatment is still available for elites in Pyongyang. People of lower songbun cannot access these facilities, even if they have independent wealth, and the best they can hope for is to buy medicine on the black market. In short, songbun institutionalizes the dominance of the ruling elite and their descendants over all other groups in society, and as this system has been implemented over several decades, the privileges of the core class have grown while the others suffered. The operation of this system is not at all transparent but people are generally aware of it, although they may not know details, including of their own songbun. Quite a few of the North Korean refugees that I have interviewed about their songbun have not been very sure about their own level. People of higher songbun are better aware of the system, and one gentleman that I interviewed jokingly half-boasted to me that his family was “totally red, the core of the core.” To him it was clear that he had good songbun because so many of his relatives held positions of responsibility within regime institutions, and some members of his family had also been granted considerable educational opportunities. It is worth noting that while it is extremely difficult to improve your songbun, you can easily drop levels if you get in trouble through committing criminal or political offenses, or fail to cooperate with regime officials, or if a family member gets into such trouble. The implementation of songbun therefore creates considerable fear and forces people to obey the regime, and in reality it is an effective tool used by the regime to maintain control and power. As we might expect, the changes inside North Korea over the last 15 years have affected the implementation of this system, albeit without being able to overturn it. The interaction between marketization and songbun (both mitigating and exacerbating effects), songbun’s effect on anti-regime sentiment, and the extent to which the songbun system can constrain change in North Korea will be covered in the next blog post… Red_Line SOKEEL J. PARK | Research & Policy Analyst https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=&tbm=isch&tbs=rimg:Cd9dygz2HJ2cIjjPgRDnWVydRP-cFto3-zLyzg0T2ZmhupGyyRsdGWthl6ZgOLA8KEe42lJ78A98ElOtT6bbUAcfgyoSCc-BEOdZXJ1EEXOfb5mMsu-TKhIJ_15wW2jf7MvIRE6K3b4-ocOgqEgnODRPZmaG6kREocBJQSccx6CoSCbLJGx0Za2GXEXxvG4pfCOdXKhIJpmA4sDwoR7gRSHhiEC9yHR0qEgnaUnvwD3wSUxHIHKezZNxrmCoSCa1PpttQBx-DEeLHni8tUrKB&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiWqP74zaXSAhVLqVQKHZwVCfoQ9C8ICQ&biw=1366&bih=623&dpr=1 https://www.google.com.ph/imgres?imgurl=http://study.com/cimages/videopreview/sb86hdl6r5.jpg&imgrefurl=http://study.com/academy/lesson/social-stratification-definition-theories-examples.html&h=576&w=1024&tbnid=313KDPYcnZx_0M:&vet=1&tbnh=118&tbnw=211&docid=l-x2BcHY9WPUUM&usg=__i0d1yREpjG-rlQdEyPWt7FGBt7U=&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwienPfFzaXSAhXnrlQKHSZ2BqEQ9QEIHDAA#h=576&imgrc=313KDPYcnZx_0M:&tbnh=118&tbnw=211&vet=1&w=1024 http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazine/how-does-indias-caste-system-work

Food: Songbun has a huge effect on a North Korean citizen’s food supply. Particularly at times of scarcity, the distribution of food and resources has been concentrated to the higher songbun levels – Pyongyang and central regime institutions (Party, government and military). This was particularly noticeable during the famine of the 1990s and the chronic food shortages that have blighted the people ever since. When the state-economy collapsed and there were not enough provisions to go round, the regime stopped providing food to the politically undesirable northeast regions, so the famine hit those regions the hardest. It has been reported that as many as 30% of the population died in the worst affected regions, particularly North Hamgyeong Province. It should come as no surprise then that around 60% of North Korean refugees who have made it to South Korea are also from that province. An issue for another post is how this demonstrates the inextricable linkage between human rights and humanitarian / economic issues in North Korea. Understanding songbun should call us to question the wisdom of distinguishing between “economic migrants” and “political refugees” when it comes to this population.

SONGBUN | SOCIAL CLASS IN A SOCIALIST PARADISE POSTED June 25, 2012 The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles. Freeman and slave, patrician and plebeian, lord and serf, guild-master and journeyman, in a word, oppressor and oppressed, stood in constant opposition to one another, carried on an uninterrupted, now hidden, now open fight, a fight that each time ended, either in a revolutionary reconstitution of society at large, or in the common ruin of the contending classes… The modern bourgeois society that has sprouted from the ruins of feudal society has not done away with class antagonisms. It has but established new classes, new conditions of oppression, new forms of struggle in place of the old ones. So begins Chapter 1 of The Communist Manifesto, written by Marx and Engels and published in 1848. If we take the last paragraph, and change a couple of labels, it perfectly describes North Korea today: The North Korean society that has sprouted from the ruins of the division of Korea and the Korean War has not done away with class antagonisms. It has but established new classes, new conditions of oppression, new forms of struggle in place of the old ones. In fact, the North Korean regime has established 3 new classes divided into 51 categories, and has created what is widely recognized as the most oppressive society in the world. Maybe Marx rests easier now that his portrait no longer adorns Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang; it was taken down before Kim Il-sung’s centenary celebrations in April. The North Korean regime has been extremely intentional at creating and enforcing social classes based on political loyalty and this system, known as songbun (성분), is key to understanding North Korean society as a whole and specifically and the system of oppression which the ruling elite uses to maintain political control. So a new report on Songbun by our colleagues at HRNK, Marked for Life, is a great addition to the literature on NK. The report describes songbun as a state-directed system of discrimination based on hereditary classes determined by perceived loyalty to the regime. It decides your prospects in almost every area of life, including education, occupation, military service, Party membership, treatment by the criminal justice system, housing, medical treatment, marriage, and even food supply. The individual has no control over this system, their songbun being decided by their family line, making it analogous to discrimination along racial lines. The whole system can be described as a political apartheid, reminiscent of the racial apartheid in South Africa that attracted such international criticism until it ended with the election of Nelson Mandela. CREATION OF SONGBUN The songbun system was devised in the early years after the formation of North Korea out of a motivation to protect the Kim regime by isolating and controlling perceived internal political threats. It did this by categorizing every single North Korean resident according to how politically safe or risky they might be. The key factors considered were your ancestors’ socioeconomic background at the time of liberation (1945), their activities during the Korean War (1950-1953), and whether you had relatives in South Korea or China (being connected to the outside world is bad for your songbun). North Koreans were split into three broad classes: Core (핵심), 28% of the population. Includes professional revolutionaries, descendants of ‘war heroes’ who died working or fighting for the North, peasants or those from peasant families. Wavering (동요), 45%. Includes people who had previously lived in South Korea or China, those with relatives who went to the South, families of small-scale merchants, intellectuals, practitioners of superstition, etc. Hostile (적대), 27%. Includes descendants of landlords, capitalists, religious people, political prisoners, those who had assisted South Korean forces during the Korean War, or were otherwise judged anti-Party or associated with external powers. The regime keeps a file on every single person above the age of 17 (before that age your details were registered on your parent’s file), and an incredible amount of work goes into creating and regularly updating these records. The data is now managed using the software system “Faithful Servant 2.0.” This digitization makes it easier for authorities to access any citizen’s songbun file from any Ministry of Public Security computer terminal from provincial to county levels. EFFECTS OF SONGBUN Songbun is deeply entrenched in North Korean society and affects nearly all aspects of a North Korean’s life, including (see HRNK’s full report for further details): Occupation: In NK, you do not choose your job. The regime chooses it for you, and it is heavily influenced by your songbun. Simply put, if you have low songbun, you will be put into gruelling manual work, whereas if you have high songbun, you might expect a relatively cushy Party cadre position. There is no element of meritocracy here and ability does not factor in much, meaning that it is quite possible that more able workers are placed in less important roles while less able workers are given positions of responsibility. This failure to efficiently utilize their national talent-pool is yet another reason why North Korea’s state-controlled economy struggles so much. Education: Again, this is not meritocratic. If your parents have good songbun, then you are allowed to progress. Otherwise, no matter how hard you study, you will not advance academically. As you can imagine, this can cause resentment (although that resentment is sometimes aimed at the parents, not the regime). This system also ensures that “elites play together.” Those with good songbun go through the same schools and the same colleges, and they network within this pool for their future mutual benefit. Those with bad songbun are of course denied such opportunities. The importance of personal connections in North Korean society compounds the importance of songbun. Family: Knowing the importance of keeping a clean record in NK society, parents impress on their children the importance of not doing anything to step outside the Party line, as it would affect the whole family. The importance of songbun also means it is one of the most important factors to consider when finding a spouse. If you marry someone of lower songbun you and your children will lose out, so people tend to marry within their songbun level, as indicated by the occupation and status of their partner’s family. (Note that these phenomena are not unique to North Korea, as people tend to marry within their own social class in other countries too. What is unique in North Korea is how this is being played out within a class system which has been systematically created according to the interests of the ruling elite.) Internal Exile: For decades, the regime has systematically exiled tens to hundreds of thousands of low-songbun political undesirables to isolated and unfavourable mountainous areas in the northeast of North Korea. Here they have been forced into hard labour, subject to tighter controls, excluded from population centres, and effectively removed as a potential political threat. It could be argued that the regime has not only tried to cut off the outside world but is now increasingly cutting off Pyongyang from its outer provinces, leaving those who are judged as potential political threats isolated and with no way to demonstrate their frustration without risk of complete elimination. Food: Songbun has a huge effect on a North Korean citizen’s food supply. Particularly at times of scarcity, the distribution of food and resources has been concentrated to the higher songbun levels – Pyongyang and central regime institutions (Party, government and military). This was particularly noticeable during the famine of the 1990s and the chronic food shortages that have blighted the people ever since. When the state-economy collapsed and there were not enough provisions to go round, the regime stopped providing food to the politically undesirable northeast regions, so the famine hit those regions the hardest. It has been reported that as many as 30% of the population died in the worst affected regions, particularly North Hamgyeong Province. It should come as no surprise then that around 60% of North Korean refugees who have made it to South Korea are also from that province. An issue for another post is how this demonstrates the inextricable linkage between human rights and humanitarian / economic issues in North Korea. Understanding songbun should call us to question the wisdom of distinguishing between “economic migrants” and “political refugees” when it comes to this population. Medical Care: The public health system all but collapsed in the 1990s, but special treatment is still available for elites in Pyongyang. People of lower songbun cannot access these facilities, even if they have independent wealth, and the best they can hope for is to buy medicine on the black market. In short, songbun institutionalizes the dominance of the ruling elite and their descendants over all other groups in society, and as this system has been implemented over several decades, the privileges of the core class have grown while the others suffered. The operation of this system is not at all transparent but people are generally aware of it, although they may not know details, including of their own songbun. Quite a few of the North Korean refugees that I have interviewed about their songbun have not been very sure about their own level. People of higher songbun are better aware of the system, and one gentleman that I interviewed jokingly half-boasted to me that his family was “totally red, the core of the core.” To him it was clear that he had good songbun because so many of his relatives held positions of responsibility within regime institutions, and some members of his family had also been granted considerable educational opportunities. It is worth noting that while it is extremely difficult to improve your songbun, you can easily drop levels if you get in trouble through committing criminal or political offenses, or fail to cooperate with regime officials, or if a family member gets into such trouble. The implementation of songbun therefore creates considerable fear and forces people to obey the regime, and in reality it is an effective tool used by the regime to maintain control and power. As we might expect, the changes inside North Korea over the last 15 years have affected the implementation of this system, albeit without being able to overturn it. The interaction between marketization and songbun (both mitigating and exacerbating effects), songbun’s effect on anti-regime sentiment, and the extent to which the songbun system can constrain change in North Korea will be covered in the next blog post… Red_Line SOKEEL J. PARK | Research & Policy Analyst

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Without opening that initial opportunity, you sustain a caste system favoring those from a more privileged background. ForbesFeb 5, 2015 I would argue that liberal Democratic policies have helped promote the development of an academic caste system. ForbesFeb 2, 2015 The desperation is greatest among families who belong to the lowest rung of the Hindu caste system — the Dalits, or "untouchables." Los Angeles TimesJan 27, 2015 Shin was nine years old when the North Korean caste system knocked him on the head. Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West

https://www.google.com.ph/imgres?imgurl=http://study.com/cimages/videopreview/sb86hdl6r5.jpg&imgrefurl=http://study.com/academy/lesson/social-stratification-definition-theories-examples.html&h=576&w=1024&tbnid=313KDPYcnZx_0M:&vet=1&tbnh=118&tbnw=211&docid=l-x2BcHY9WPUUM&usg=__i0d1yREpjG-rlQdEyPWt7FGBt7U=&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwienPfFzaXSAhXnrlQKHSZ2BqEQ9QEIHDAA#h=576&imgrc=313KDPYcnZx_0M:&tbnh=118&tbnw=211&vet=1&w=1024 https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/caste%20system https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/caste%20system

Social stratification Social stratification involves not just inequality but beliefs as well (inequality is rooted in a society's philosophy)

Social stratification involves not just inequality but beliefs as well (inequality is rooted in a society's philosophy)As we argue in Creative Schools, this academic/vocational caste system is one of the most corrosive problems in education. https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/caste%20system https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/caste%20system https://www.google.com.ph/imgres?imgurl=http://study.com/cimages/videopreview/sb86hdl6r5.jpg&imgrefurl=http://study.com/academy/lesson/social-stratification-definition-theories-examples.html&h=576&w=1024&tbnid=313KDPYcnZx_0M:&vet=1&tbnh=118&tbnw=211&docid=l-x2BcHY9WPUUM&usg=__i0d1yREpjG-rlQdEyPWt7FGBt7U=&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwienPfFzaXSAhXnrlQKHSZ2BqEQ9QEIHDAA#h=576&imgrc=313KDPYcnZx_0M:&tbnh=118&tbnw=211&vet=1&w=1024 https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/caste%20system https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/caste%20system

A caste system is a class structure that is determined by birth. Loosely, it means that in some societies, if your parents are poor, you're going to be poor, too. Same goes for being rich, if you're a glass-half-full person.

caste system A caste system is a class structure that is determined by birth. Loosely, it means that in some societies, if your parents are poor, you’re going to be poor, too. Same goes for being rich, if you’re a glass-half-full person. The phrase caste system has been around since the 1840’s, but we’ve been using caste since the 1500’s. You might’ve heard about the caste system in India, but there are caste systems all over the world, where people are born into a position, like having a certain kind of job, and it’s hard to change. America prides itself on not having a caste system, because people can “pull themselves up by their bootstraps,” and janitors can go to Harvard. Add to List... Thesaurus Share It Definitions of caste system 1 n a social structure in which classes are determined by heredity Type of: class structure the organization of classes within a society Foreigners who traveled to the United States often experienced the caste system firsthand. Hidden Figures India's caste system is among the world's oldest surviving forms of social stratification. BBCJan 18, 2017 As a Dalit, part of the lowest rung of Hinduism’s ancient caste system, his mere touch, to some, would render the shrine unclean. Los Angeles TimesJan 18, 2017 Your revelation; your "money based caste system" is not news to us. New York TimesApr 23, 2016

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Success & Motivation ‏@isuccessfully Feb 19 More Be fearless. Have a vision. Believe in yourself. Always hustle. Stay focused. Get out there. Get motivated. Get inspired.

Monday, 20 February 2017 Success & Motivation ‏@isuccessfully Follow More learn your worth. know your worth. enforce your worth. fuck anybody who don't recognize it. https://twitter.com/The1nspMind Tony Robbins - Do Not Limit Yourself (Tony Robbins Motivation)TheInspirationalMind @The1nspMind Inspiration and Motivation to Reach Your True Potential In Life United Kingdom theinspirationalmind.com Joined January 2017 There are Six Human Needs that we all have which are the driving force in all of our lives, a great eye opening video! Posted by Mike McCormick at 21:41 Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest Labels: Achieve the Impossible, Certainty, Connection, Contribution, Growth, Habits Of The Wealthy, Love, Patterns, Reason, Significance, Six Human Needs, Success, Tony Robbins, Values, Variety http://www.theinspirationalmind.com/2017/02/tony-robbins-do-not-limit-yourself-tony.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnZFnEmiEew Tony Robbins - Do Not Limit Yourself (Tony Robbins Motivation) Habits of the Wealthy Habits of the Wealthy Subscribed77,923 Add to Share More 91,981 views 1,223 38 ShareEmbedEmail https://youtu.be/LnZFnEmiEew Start at: 0:41 Published on Oct 14, 2016 Tony Robbins - Do Not Limit Yourself (Tony Robbins Motivation) ►About Tony Robbins: Tony Robbins is is an American motivational speaker , Tony Robbins is an personal finance instructor, and Tony Robbins is self-help author. Tony Robbins became well known from Tony Robbins's infomercials and self-help books: Unlimited Power, Unleash the Power Within and Awaken the Giant Within. In 2007, Tony Robbins was named in Forbes magazine's "Celebrity 100" list. Forbes estimated that Tony Robbins earned approximately US$30 million in that year. ►Early life of Tony Robbins: Tony Robbins was born Anthony J. Mahavorick in North Hollywood, California, on February 29, 1960.Tony Robbins is the eldest of three children and his parents divorced when Tony Robbins was 7. Tony Robbins's mother then had a series of husbands, including Jim Robbins, a former semi-professional baseball player who legally adopted Anthony when Tony Robbins was 12. Category Education License Standard YouTube License SHOW LESS COMMENTS • 19 Oscar del Rosario Add a public comment... Top comments MissPiixiie MissPiixiie3 months ago I listened to this the other week driving to work and kept driving past work! He is simply phenomenal. Reply 9 1REVINT 1REVINT2 months ago I am sooo fucking sick of the add guy that says "hey, i'm here in my backyard..." Fuck he's annoying. Reply 18 Kim Stockblom Kim Stockblom2 months ago 1REVINT HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HA WOOORD! Reply 1 Marie Alexis Marie Alexis1 month ago The need for (6 needs):1. Certainty2. Uncertainty/Variety3. To feel special/unique/important/significance4. Connection & Love5. Growth (Progress = Happiness) - spiritual6. Contribution - spiritual Which are your top two needs? https://youtu.be/LnZFnEmiEew Read more Reply 4 Ash Craft Ash Craft4 weeks ago great hair Reply 1 dcsanders92 dcsanders923 months ago fantastic speech. mind blown! Reply 2 Ash Craft Ash Craft4 weeks ago god bless this man Reply 2 Jesus MC Jesus MC3 months ago 26:30 Reply 2 Diana Roberts Diana Roberts3 months ago I absolutely loved this speach....thank you. Reply 2 E Allen E Allen3 months ago Love Tony. Reply 2 Acute1 Acute14 months ago I get all of this!! Thank you, 👌🏼 Reply 2 Dinkle Berg Dinkle Berg4 months ago loved it! great clips from tony that you find. What happens after this? Seems like he left it at a cliff hanger! Just subscribed the other day by the way :) Reply 1 abigail ryan abigail ryan3 months ago Dinkle Berg ubbyyu Reply anees sm anees sm2 months ago great Reply Garren Luce Garren Luce2 months ago Tony loves saying 666 Reply tikea p tikea p3 days ago Tony Robbins is Outstanding! Reply Growing&Growing Growing&Growing3 weeks ago Have listened it at all? Reply Jamal Seraj Jamal Seraj3 months ago (edited) who knows the name of the music in background ????????????????????? Reply Autoplay Up next Tony Robbins - Your Mind is the Key to Your Success Habits of the Wealthy 236,623 views 39:32 Tony Robbins Helps You Train Your Brain To Stay Focused PositivityxSuccess 308,385 views 45:41 Secrets to Becoming rich exposed by Tony Robbins (@TonyRobbins) Inspired and Disciplined 19,357 views 1:39:34 How to Influence People and Get what you Want by Tony Robbins shared by Salomon Ackerman Salomon Ackerman - Successful Sales Management and Performance Training Program 28,115 views 57:28 DIRE WARNING: "SOMETHING HORRIFYING IS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE 2017" Watch, We Must Stop This! #888 LOGICBEFOREAUTHORITY Recommended for you 45:05 Tony Robbins - Greatest Secret Ever Motivational Guru 13,384 views 45:46 Planet X Nibiru Wormwood Coming Sept-Oct, 2017 Part 4 The End Of the Line Recommended for you 15:06 20 Beautiful Chicken Breeds - Silkie, Brahma, Vorwerk, Bantam, Leghorn, Pekin, Araucana, Hühner HD Robert Höck Recommended for you 13:03 Tony Robbins How to Attract What You Want Law of Attraction Dave Birtwistle 28,657 views 33:13 Tony Robbins Helps You Change Your State in Minutes. How To Get More Energy Instantly PositivityxSuccess 112,203 views 41:05 Tony Robbins 2017 - The Keys To Massive Success Wisdom Of The Day 106,859 views 1:21:28 Tony Robbins: The Magic Of Visualization (Law of Attraction) VYBO 228,660 views 24:48 Tony Robbins 2017 - How To Overcome Depression And Change Your Life | Pt. 1 | (#ad) Wisdom Of The Day 54,675 views 1:25:45 How To Set Goals & Achieve Them in 2017 Wisdom Of The Day 44,004 views 46:22 Tony Robbins: How to deal with STRESS and DEPRESSION - #MentorMeTony Evan Carmichael 303,822 views 12:39 3 Signs That You Will Become Rich One Day SUCCESS INSIDER Recommended for you 5:52 Tony Robbins's Top 10 Rules For Success (@TonyRobbins) Evan Carmichael 1,140,676 views 34:08 How To Think And Attract Wealth (MUST WATCH) VYBO 156,050 views 32:05 Tony Robbins - The Power of Believing in Yourself (Tony Robbins Motivation) Habits of the Wealthy 75,599 views 16:25 Words Of Wisdom: Tony Robbins' Compilation Affirmation Institute 858,550 views 42:46 https://twitter.com/hashtag/success?src=hash https://twitter.com/isuccessfully Success & Motivation @isuccessfully Success doesn't come to you, You Go To It. Dm for 5$ promotion shout out worldwide instagram.com/isuccessfully Joined December 2014 https://twitter.com/isuccessfully Success & Motivation ‏@isuccessfully Feb 19 More Be fearless. Have a vision. Believe in yourself. Always hustle. Stay focused. Get out there. Get motivated. Get inspired. Success & Motivation ‏@isuccessfully 22h22 hours ago More Money💵 is just A solution to many problems but not THE only solution to solve a problem,plz CHANGE🤐,don't Be money MINDED😈 #mondaymotivation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnZFnEmiEew

The Inspirational Mind

The Inspirational Mind 10 hrs · There are Six Human Needs that we all have which are the driving force in all of our lives - #success #inspiration https://t.co/TCDoOkXKtq https://t.co/E0D1QFI8AT TheInspirationalMind (@The1nspMind) posted a photo on Twitter Get the whole picture - and other photos from TheInspirationalMind PIC.TWITTER.COM/E0D1QFI8AT|BY THEINSPIRATIONALMIND https://twitter.com/The1nspMind/status/833795170172813317/photo/1?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=fb&utm_campaign=The1nspMind&utm_content=833795170172813317 TheInspirationalMind ‏@The1nspMind Follow More There are Six Human Needs that we all have which are the driving force in all of our lives - #success #inspiration http://www.theinspirationalmind.com/2017/02/tony-robbins-do-not-limit-yourself-tony.html http://bit.ly/2lfRgHZ 1:47 PM - 20 Feb 2017 0 replies 0 retweets 0 likes Reply Retweet Like https://twitter.com/The1nspMind/status/833795170172813317/photo/1?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=fb&utm_campaign=The1nspMind&utm_content=833795170172813317

Thursday, February 16, 2017

By WakingTimes February 14, 2017 4 Comments Read More → Great Political and Social Leaders Always Call Out the Bankers

By WakingTimes February 14, 2017 4 Comments Read More → Great Political and Social Leaders Always Call Out the Bankers 82316523 Like Dylan Charles, Editor Waking Times A common thread between many of the world’s great political and social leaders is their willingness to call out the major banks and bankers for their complicity in establishing and maintaining economic tension and international conflict in our world. Jesus whipped the money changers when he drove them from the Temple for turning his Father’s house into a den of thieves, and since the days of Christ, history is the story of a never-ending struggle between houses of finance and public interests. Banks are in a unique position of power in our world, and can generate extraordinary profits without actually producing anything. Through the issuance of currency and credit, they can control the amount of money available to the economy and create economic booms and busts, seizing titles to land, homes, businesses, and property. They hold extraordinary influence over government for their role as financiers of everything from public works to war, and enjoy extraordinary pecuniary advantage and privilege. “The few who understand the system, will either be so interested from its profits or so dependent on its favors, that there will be no opposition from that class.” — Rothschild Brothers of London, 1863 Consider the following statements against banking establishments by some of history’s greatest social and political leaders. Thomas Jefferson: “If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their Fathers conquered…. I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies…. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.” ~Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States Andrew Jackson: “You are a den of vipers and thieves. I intend to rout you out, and by the eternal God, I will rout you out.” ~Andrew Jackson, to a delegation of bankers discussing the recharter of the Second Bank of the United States, 1832 Abraham Lincoln was an advocate of federal banking over private banking in an ongoing effort against the tyranny of the banking cartels. He renounced the bankers insistence on charging 24-36% interest on money borrowed to carry out the civil war, and was assassinated within a year of establishing the greenback to side-step the influence of private banks. “The Government should create, issue, and circulate all the currency and credits needed to satisfy the spending power of the Government and the buying power of consumers. By the adoption of these principles, the taxpayers will be saved immense sums of interest. Money will cease to be master and become the servant of humanity.” ~Abraham Lincoln U.S. Congressman Louis T. McFadden: “… one of the most corrupt institutions the world has ever known. I refer to the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Reserve Bank.“ – Louis T. McFadden Franklin Delano Roosevelt: “The real truth of the matter is, as you and I know, that a financial element in the large centers has owned the government ever since the days of Andrew Jackson.” — Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States (1933–1945), in a letter to Colonel Edward M House dated November 21, 1933, as quoted in F.D.R.: His Personal Letters, 1928-1945. Former New York City Mayor, John F. Hylan called out the banking establishment in 1922: “The real menace of our Republic is the invisible government, which like a giant octopus sprawls its slimy legs over our cities, states and nation… The little coterie of powerful international bankers virtually run the United States government for their own selfish purposes. They practically control both parties, … and control the majority of the newspapers and magazines in this country.” – New York City Mayor John F. Hylan, New York Times, March 26, 1922 Senator Barry Goldwater: “Most Americans have no real understanding of the operation of the international money lenders. The accounts of the Federal Reserve System have never been audited. It operates outside the control of Congress and manipulates the credit of the United States” — Sen. Barry Goldwater, Rep. AR Ron Paul is an outspoken critic of the central banking model and the Federal Reserve, consistently admonishing these institutions for their role in creating insurmountable debt and perpetual war. Here he confronts former Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, on the manipulation of interests rates by the Feds. Even Senator Bernie Sanders, whom today is admired by many, frequently spoke out against the bankers during his 2016 bid for president. In 2009, Sanders had the following to say in a confrontation with former chairman Alan Greenspan, seeking information on some $2 trillion dollars loaned out by the Federal Reserve. “Will you tell the American people to whom you lent $2.2 trillion of their dollars? … Can you tell us who they are?” ~Senator Bernie Sanders John F. Kennedy spoke out against the bankers, attempting to strip them of their power to print currency, and many attribute his demands for metals-backed currency as one of the primary reasons he was shortly thereafter assassinated in Daley Plaza. JFK’s speech against secret societies, combined with Executive Order 11110 are signs that he was engaged in a confrontation against powerful financial interests operating outside the law. “The very word “secrecy” is repugnant in a free and open society; and we are as a people inherently and historically opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths and to secret proceedings… Our way of life is under attack. Those who make themselves our enemy are advancing around the globe… no war ever posed a greater threat to our security. If you are awaiting a finding of “clear and present danger,” then I can only say that the danger has never been more clear and its presence has never been more imminent… For we are opposed around the world by a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy that relies primarily on covert means for expanding its sphere of influence–on infiltration instead of invasion, on subversion instead of elections, on intimidation instead of free choice, on guerrillas by night instead of armies by day.It is a system which has conscripted vast human and material resources into the building of a tightly knit, highly efficient machine that combines military, diplomatic, intelligence, economic, scientific and political operations. Its preparations are concealed, not published. Its mistakes are buried, not headlined. Its dissenters are silenced, not praised. No expenditure is questioned, no rumor is printed, no secret is revealed.” — John F Kennedy, 35th President of the United States, from a speech delivered to the American Newspaper Publishers Association on April 27, 1961 and known as the “Secret Society” speech (click here for full transcript and audio). Internationally, it is well-known that whenever a foreign leader attempts to reject the IMF and other international banking affronts, said ruler will soon to be knocked off either by covert CIA operations or full-scale military invasion. Libya is the most recent example, as documents show that the real reason for toppling his regime was linked to Gaddafi’s pursuit of an independent gold-backed currency. Citizen leaders have also led the masses against the corruption of bankers, such as Iceland’s HorHörður Torfason, who corralled the enthusiasm of his entire nation in defense against the banking system that nearly toppled Iceland during the international banking crisis of 2008. “This is about our life and the future of the children, of the generations, of the young people.” – Hörður Torfason Say what you will about the Reverend Louis Farrakhan, but he’s not afraid to preach to his flock on the evils of private banking and corruption. Here he is in fiery speech: Final Thoughts Great political and social leaders have always called out the bankers, and the fact that very few contemporary leaders choose to make an issue over banking is a sign that banks have an extraordinarily dangerous level of influence in our society today. Read more articles by Dylan Charles. About the Author Dylan Charles is a student and teacher of Shaolin Kung Fu, Tai Chi and Qi Gong, a practitioner of Yoga and Taoist arts, and an activist and idealist passionately engaged in the struggle for a more sustainable and just world for future generations. He is the editor of WakingTimes.com, the proprietor of OffgridOutpost.com, a grateful father and a man who seeks to enlighten others with the power of inspiring information and action. He may be contacted at wakingtimes@gmail.com. Like Waking Times on Facebook. Follow Waking Times on Twitter. This article (Great Political and Social Leaders Always Call Out the Bankers) was originally created and published by Waking Times and is published here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Dylan Charles and WakingTimes.com. It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution, author bio, and this copyright statement. ~~ Help Waking Times to raise the vibration by sharing this article with friends and family…

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Friday, February 10, 2017

World seniors health

The 10-minute walk increased energy for two hours. That’s because walking pumps oxygen through your veins, brain, and muscles. http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/natural-tips-sleepiness#1 http://eventsbaguiocity.blogspot.com/2017/02/what-we-eat-and-drink-directly-affects.html What we eat and drink directly affects the structure of the brain that, in turn, influences the brain’s function. This includes both the synthesis and function of neurotransmitters as well as the presence or absence of inflammation. http://eventsbaguiocity.blogspot.com/2017/02/what-we-eat-and-drink-directly-affects.html

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

What we eat and drink directly affects the structure of the brain that, in turn, influences the brain’s function. This includes both the synthesis and function of neurotransmitters as well as the presence or absence of inflammation. Most psychiatrists fail to appreciate the role of nutrition in mental health. Medication alone cannot help you make up for a crappy diet.

What we eat and drink directly affects the structure of the brain that, in turn, influences the brain’s function. This includes both the synthesis and function of neurotransmitters as well as the presence or absence of inflammation. Most psychiatrists fail to appreciate the role of nutrition in mental health. Medication alone cannot help you make up for a crappy diet. No amount of Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, or Viibryd will make up for an inadequate intake of iodine, B12, B3, folate or omega-3 fats, or other nutrients. Now I’m not saying medication has no role in mental health. It’s just unreasonable to think that you can have optimal psychological and emotional health without addressing your underlying biology. So whether you’re using talk therapy, medication, or both to manage mental health, you will get better results if the physical health is addressed as well. How Important Is Feeding Your Brain? Serotonin, dopamine, and norepinepherine are the three neurotransmitters that concern mental health. The building blocks for these guys are amino acids derived from protein; a nutrient that most of us easily get in adequate amounts (except for homeless, elderly, and those with addiction, for example). 00:01 00:57 Improving your diet and using targeted supplements helps improve your mood, with a possibility of reducing or eliminating medication use. Vitamins and minerals are critical in the synthesis and function of the neurotransmitters. For a steady neurotransmitter production and function, we need optimal amounts of nutrients on a daily basis. A lack of such a diet results in and aggravates mood disorders like depression.1 9 Nutrients Important For Mental Health 1. Omega-3 Fats Food sources of omega-3 fats are fatty fish, omega-3 fortified eggs, and supplements. The omega-3 fat DHA is critical for brain cell (neuron) structure. If your diet doesn’t have enough of it, other fats will take its place, such as trans fat, which spells trouble. Trans fat increases inflammation, which in turn increases the risk of depression. The other main omega-3 fat EPA helps with neuron function and also reduces inflammation, which is why research supports the role of omega-3 fats in reducing the symptoms of depression (and other mood disorders). 2. Iodine This can be thought of as the new vitamin D. Iodine is critical for a healthy thyroid, the master of metabolism (i.e., cellular fitness). Most of us don’t get enough of iodine as it has largely been removed from our food supply. The average iodine intake has reduced from about 800 mcg per day to 138–350 mcg per day. Good food sources include seaweed, cod, and iodized salt. Moderate food sources include milk, yogurt, and eggs. While the average intake can stave off an overt deficiency, it likely won’t be enough for optimal functioning of physiological processes. If you go for supplements, opt a good-quality one that provides at least an RDA of 150 mcg. ADVERTISEMENT 3. Zinc This is a tireless ally involved in over 250 separate biochemical pathways, or reactions, that support just about every function. It is critical for neurotransmitter production and function. Good food sources include oysters, crab, beef, lamb, pork, dark meat, chicken, legumes, cashews, and a good-quality multivitamin with minerals. Zinc is also needed for healthy digestion and a strong immune system, most of which is found in the digestive tract. A healthy digestive tract equals optimal mental health since 90% of serotonin and 50% of dopamine is produced in the small intestines. 4. Magnesium Like zinc, magnesium is required for over 300 separate biochemical pathways, or reactions, needed for healthy bones and teeth, reduced anxiety, lower blood pressure, and reduced risk of diabetes to name a few. Most of us only get about half of the recommended magnesium amount. Good food sources include nuts and seeds, dark green vegetables, whole grains, bran, and dark chocolate. Magnesium helps activate the enzymes needed for serotonin, dopamine, and norepinepherine production. The supplements can help people meet their minimum daily requirement on a consistent basis, thus helping reduce depression by avoiding magnesium deficiency. 5. Vitamin D Most people don’t get enough of this vitamin. The brain loves vitamin D and has loads of vitamin D receptors just waiting for their payload. The few natural food sources available include oil/fatty fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, and trout and eggs to a lesser extent. Vitamin D deficiency has not only been linked to depression but anxiety, SAD, and dementia as well. Supplementation is the only viable option to raise vitamin D levels enough to lower the risk of depression. 6. Selenium Like iodine, selenium is needed for good thyroid function. Often, just increasing selenium intake can improve early symptoms of low thyroid function. A healthy thyroid supports mental health including reducing the risk for depression. Good food sources include Brazil nuts, fish, ham, shrimp, liver, and chicken. Selenium helps convert the inactive thyroid hormone T4 to the active form T3. It also helps make the master antioxidant and detoxifying compound glutathione. Increasing glutathione levels has been shown to reduce depression, likely because glutathione reduces inflammation in the brain. 7. Iron Iron deficiency is more common in women than in men due to losses via menstruation. The most common form of anemia is iron deficiency and its symptoms are similar to depression: fatigue, irritability, apathy, brain fog, and lack of motivation and appetite. Such a broad range of symptoms can lead to a misdiagnosis and aggravate any existing legitimate depression symptoms. Good food sources are beef, pork, lamb, dark meat chicken, eggs, liver, oysters, and white beans. Eating foods rich in vitamin C along with iron-rich foods helps to increase the absorption of iron. For women, a multivitamin with minerals typically provides 8–12 mg of iron. Men should choose a multi that is iron-free. 8. B Complex This typically includes about 11 B vitamins, all of which are involved in neurotransmitter production and function. Some, like B12, are needed to help maintain brain mass, a.k.a. prevent brain shrinkage—a cause of dementia. Depression is a classic B12 deficiency symptom. Other B vitamins important for mental health include B1, B6, B3, and folate. Folate, along with B12 and B6, helps to lower the levels of homocysteine, a by-product of protein metabolism. Elevated levels of homocysteine increase the risk of depression. B vitamins are found in whole grains, nuts and seeds, dark green vegetables, and meat. For dietary folate to be effective, it needs to be converted to its active form 5-MTHR; however, about 66% of the population don’t do this effectively because they have a mutation in the gene [5-MTHF reductase] that metabolizes folate into 5-MTHF, putting them at a 180% increased risk of folate deficiency. 9. Vitamin C Vitamin C deficiency usually causes conditions like scurvy and bleeding, swollen, and achy gums all of which resolve within a week after the initiation of vitamin C supplements. But one of the more common symptoms of vitamin C deficiency is depression. Good food sources include citrus, kiwi, bell peppers, and strawberries. Nearly 20% percentage of the population can be functionally vitamin C deficient not only because of their diet but also because they have a gene mutation that doesn’t allow them to absorb and metabolize the vitamin properly. This puts them at a 150% increased risk of vitamin C deficiency. In a nutshell, food feeds the brain. Optimal mental health cannot be realized if the underlying biology of mood regulation and the structure and function of the brain isn’t addressed. Feeding your brain and enhancing an optimal sense of well-being is as close as your grocery store! View Article References (+) Doug CookDoug Cook EXPERT FURTHER READING #Vitamins #Depression #Omega-3 Fatty Acid

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Friday, February 3, 2017

The Hearty Soul 51 mins · Even though a heart attack happens in a moment, it doesn't come out of nowhere. Do your part to prevent a potentially fatal attack with the top 3 nutrients that help fend off heart problems. 3 nutrients that prevent fatal heart attacks that nobody talks about This fantastic article was written by Joshua Graham, CNP, FRCms, CF-L2, who is… THEHEARTYSOUL.COM|BY COCOON HEALTH & FITNESS

3 nutrients that prevent fatal heart attacks that nobody talks about Joshua Graham This fantastic article was written by Joshua Graham, CNP, FRCms, CF-L2, who is a fitness trainer, Holistic Nutritionist, and owner of Cocoon Health & Fitness. You can find out more about Cocoon Health by checking out their website and following them on Facebook and Instagram. In an instant, a heart attack can change everything without warning. A heart attack is a blockage of an artery which is a vital pathway for blood to be transported around the body. In America, there are 735,000 heart attacks a year, and about 15% of people who have a heart attack will die from it.1 It is a good idea to make ourselves aware of the symptoms of a heart attack as immediate medical attention is the best route for survival. How Does a Heart Attack Happen? Even though a heart attack can occur in an instant, it doesn’t come out of nowhere, it takes many years of damage and issues inside the body to cause a heart attack. Our arteries are designed to be smooth and allow the flow of blood to happen freely, after all, every second we’ve been alive our blood is moving throughout our body, the flow never stops, and when it does it is a major problem. A blockage starts with damage to the wall of an artery; this damage can be caused by a variety of things such as free radicals, inflammation, low antioxidants, etc. This damage can be made worse with the presence of small dense LDL and/or lipoprotein-a or Lp(a),2, 3 both of which are influenced by lifestyle and nutritional factors. 3 Nutrients To Reduce The Chance Of A Heart Attack chest pain man One of the best ways to mitigate the possibility of having a heart attack is through good nutrition and lifestyle. We can also use specific nutrients to decrease the likelihood of a heart attack. Three that we will be covering in this article are CoQ10, PQQ, and Glutathione. 1. PQQ Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) is a vitamin-like compound which assists the body in a variety of actions. PQQ helps with the cell cycle in the body; we are at a much higher risk of developing health issues like a heart attack.4 PQQ can do this by acting as an antioxidant and scavenging free radicals which can cause damage to our arterial lining. It also plays a very important role in the production of new mitochondria the power plants of our body.5 Our heart is constantly working 24/7 it, therefore, needs a constant supply of energy without it, our heart cannot work. PQQ can help to keep the heart functionally optimally. Where PQQ really shines regarding heart attacks contributes to prevent further ones from happening. Individuals who have one heart attack are at great risk of having another, and some of this is due to the damage caused by the first one. PQQ has been shown to lower the damage caused by a heart attack.6 Therefore, if you are at risk for a heart attack supplementing with PQQ can help to prevent one from arising, if you do have or have had a heart attack it will help prevent another one from occurring. PQQ is found in most whole foods meaning the better diet we eat the better chance we have at preventing a heart attack. It can also be taken in supplement form and has been shown to be safe to be taken at 60mg for four weeks, and a lower dosage of 20mg per day would be safe to take over a longer period.6 Just because PQQ can be taken in supplement form doesn’t mean it should be an excuse to eat poorly as poor nutrition significantly increases the likelihood of a heart attack. 2. CoQ10 Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a crucial nutrient in the body and is vital for proper heart function.7 CoQ10 is a fat-soluble antioxidant which helps to prevent cellular damage. We all have the ability to produce and make CoQ10 ourselves. Unfortunately, our production capabilities take a dip once we hit our thirties meaning we need to rely more heavily on external sources like supplementation.6 CoQ10 also plays an important vital role in the production of energy6 and statins (a class of prescription drugs) can inhibit the bodies ability to make CoQ10. Our heart, as discussed earlier, needs large amounts of energy to function and if enough isn’t produced, we can end up with heart failure. If taking a statin, it is essential also to be supplementing with CoQ10. CoQ10 plays an important role in preventing heart attacks in the body. CoQ10 is present in Lp(a) which can be a causing factor in heart attacks. CoQ10 is present in Lp(a) and is thought to inhibit Lp(a) receptor expression, therefore, causing a decline in levels through the body and the possibility of a heart attack.8 Also, due to the antioxidant function of CoQ10, it helps to prevent damage to the arterial walls and the build up of plaque. Individuals with cardiac issues have been identified as having abnormally low levels of CoQ10.9 Supplementing with CoQ10 if we have already had a heart attack can lower our risk of having another heart attack by 50%.10 There are two types of CoQ10 on the market ubiquinol and ubiquinone. They are both CoQ10, but Ubiquinol offers superior absorption and has been shown to be more effective.6 When purchasing a CoQ10 supplement, we want it to be in an oil base, so it is absorbed. CoQ10 is fat soluble meaning we need to absorb it with some fat present. CoQ10 is a nutrient that should not be overlooked when it comes to optimizing our heart health especially if we already have any heart issues. 3. Glutathione Glutathione is the often called the body’s master antioxidant. It is incredibly powerful, and we have the capacity to make it ourselves within our cells. When it comes to glutathione and heart attacks, we need to talk about homocysteine which damages arteries, DNA, and the brain.7 Homocysteine is created in the body from methionine, an amino acid. We produce glutathione our master antioxidant from homocysteine. However, the issue arises when homocysteine is not able to be converted and therefore stays as homocysteine which can cause damage in our body. Higher levels of homocysteine have been found in heart attack patients.11,12,13,14 The conversion of homocysteine to glutathione requires vitamin B6, and it is not possible without it. Therefore, is essential to ensure adequate intake of vitamin B6 to prevent a heart attack. Some good sources of vitamin B6 are green leafy vegetables, whole grains and sea vegetables (nori, dulse, seaweed). Since Glutathione is a master antioxidant, it can also be useful to supplement it to help prevent damage from free radicals to our arteries. Supplementing with glutathione itself can cause it to be broken down into its amino acid components so it can be more effective to supplement with N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) to increase glutathione levels in our body.15,16 Glutathione is extremely important and can help to boost our health and prevent many issues including heart attacks from occurring. Conclusion A heart attack is something none of us ever want to experience, and there are ways to help prevent one from ever occurring or occurring again such as a good diet and exercise. We can also give ourselves a little boost with PQQ, CoQ10, and Glutathione. These nutrients do a lot of amazing things in our body and are essential to help prevent heart attacks from occurring. If you think you are at risk of a heart attack or would like to mitigate, your risk look into supplementation to boost these nutrients in your body. Sources About Latest Posts Joshua Graham Joshua Graham Founder at Cocoon Health & Fitness Joshua Graham, CNP, FRCms, CF-L2 is a Fitness Trainer, Holistic Nutritionist and owner of Cocoon Health & Fitness. Cocoon is dedicated to transforming health and well-being. Their mission is to awaken the power of self-love through fitness, nutrition and mindful living by creating awareness and connection to the whole self, mind, body and spirit. Cocoon will be launching a wellness centre in early 2017 in Toronto. You can connect with Josh on Facebook and Instagram, or check out his website here!

Truth Theory 7 hrs · 10 effective ways to raise the dopamine levels in the body, without using medications. via Truth Inside Of You How to Supercharge Your Dopamine Levels to Never Feel Sad, Stressed or Depressed Again Did you know that we have chemicals in our brain that make us feel good? One of the most important is Dopamine (also known as the ‘feel good chemical’).… TRUTHINSIDEOFYOU.ORG

How to Supercharge Your Dopamine Levels to Never Feel Sad, Stressed or Depressed Again TRUTH INSIDE OF YOU NOVEMBER 21, 2016 13.9K 22 146K VIEWS Did you know that we have chemicals in our brain that make us feel good? One of the most important is Dopamine (also known as the ‘feel good chemical’). Having reduced levels of dopamine can lead to adverse effects like depression and negativity. But don’t worry, there are natural ways to increase your dopamine so you can experience a more constant level of happiness. Best of all, the following techniques don’t involve medications. 1. Exercise. Exercise can boost your levels of endorphins, serotonin and dopamine, which will not only strengthen your muscles, but will help reduce your stress. The best bit? It works with any kind of exercise – just as long as you get moving! This Is What Sitting Too Long Does To Your Body 2. Avoid Addictions. While addictions may provide an instant boost of pleasure, it isn’t long-lasting. What eventually happens is that your base levels of dopamine will actually decrease and you will need your addiction more often. Therefore, it can beneficial to avoid addictions and focus on things that give you calm and peace. 3. Detoxification. Toxins and unhealthy bacteria can halt your body producing dopamine, so make sure to consistently detoxify your body. Eliminate All the Toxins from your Body 4. Increase Tyrosine. This amino acid is one of the most important for the production of dopamine. Make sure to consume almonds, bananas, dark chocolate and green tea. 5. Music Music actually increases your feel good chemicals, so make sure to regularly listen to music you enjoy. 6. Organize your life. When you complete a goal, dopamine levels are increased. Therefore, write down your tasks, even small ones, and tick them off once you complete them. Every time you finish a task, you’ll experience a small rush of dopamine for completing your goal. 7. Creativity. Being creative releases dopamine. The great thing is creativity can be found in a whole range of tasks from writng to singing to dancing. 8. Get a streak going. This is a visual display of the number of times you achieve something. Again, by displaying things you achieve, your brain will recognize that you’re completing goals which will increase dopamine. 9. Supplementation. These are the supplements that can boost dopamine levels: Curcumin – found in turmeric Ginkgo Biloba Acetl-l-tyrosine L-theanine, which is found in green tea. 10. Meditation. This works differently compared to exercise. It will make you more calm and relaxed, which will enable you to reduce stress. What is meditation? References: fitlife.tv www.collective-evolution.com besthealthyguide.com themindunleashed.com

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Dear Uplines... Coaches... Mentors... Partners and Ohanas (Family)....to the whole Forever Infinite Millionaires (F.I.r.M.) Team..and it's Great, Dynamic, and ever supportive Leaders..Thank God for you,

Virgie T. Bungay added 2 new photos. January 31 at 9:24am · Dear Uplines... Coaches... Mentors... Partners and Ohanas (Family)....to the whole Forever Infinite Millionaires (F.I.r.M.) Team..and it's Great, Dynamic, and ever supportive Leaders..Thank God for you, Thank you very much for being a part of your journey in AiM Global....I love and treasure my journey and all its Ups and Downs with you...I am now a Global Ambassador and that is Thanks to all of you! I DEDICATE THIS TO ALL OF YOU!!! Looking forward to the next chapter...This is just a beginning and I know that the best is yet to come!!! I am sorry if I may have caused you pain and unhappiness in any way... TO OUR GRAND UPLINES Ed and Florife Andales THANK YOU for all the support and learnings, for introducing AiM Global to me, Upline Johnellen Jumao-as Salamat sa lahat...to Upline Kiking Amores for always being there...Thank God for the BOD's meron AIM GLOBAL, Sir Francis Miguel, Sir John Asperin and Doc Ed Cabantog, to the VP's Sir Jurgen Gonzales and Especially to Sir Arnel Limpin who gave up some of his precious time to mentor us...to all the Training Specialist who give their all when they come Up to Baguio... Sir Bong Asperin, Sir Jason Layno, Sir Adrian Del Rosario, Lcoachjohn Gay, Doc Butch Villena, Sir Francis Miko Imson, Sir Tj Villanueva and to a friend and Coach Sir Elmo Bayer ...God Bless all of you and you all serve as my strength and inspiration!!! Thank you and God Bless! But I thank the most my ever supportive husband Ramir Bungay and my 5 kids Ram Cloud, Rowan, Raven, Ramir Junior, and my bunso Rayver who are the reasons I am with AIM Global!!! In all this...TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!