THINKING WITH LOGIC

Trust

2011-02-22T12:28:00.000-08:00

This is interesting. Educated people are more trusting. Some people suggest that IQ is the factor for the pattern.

Verbal IQ and wealth

2010-03-09T07:01:00.000-08:00

Verbal IQ is better predictor of wealth since verbal IQ is critical at value transfer, not for creation. For the same value or work, verbal skill is critical for extracting higher profit margin.

Coevolution between men and women

2009-01-21T23:19:00.000-08:00

Wealthy men give women more orgasms
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article5537017.ece

Natural selection shape sexual selection. Women who have natural sexual attractions to wealthy men had more surviving offsprings than those who favor looks over money in preindustrial hard life.

However, such coevolution can only achieve in civilized society where personal wealth is protected by law not muscle.

In tribal society, muscle matters more than personal wealth which need to be protected by pure physical strength and aggression.

Hollywood roman becomes reality

2008-11-05T17:10:00.000-08:00

Hollywood films had many fictional black presidents before, which was obviously romantism about American democracy until November 4, 2008.

Intelligence and mate choice

2008-10-06T09:16:00.000-07:00

http://dienekes.blogspot.com/2008/10/women-and-intelligent-men_03.html

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/sex/dn14868-nerds-rejoice-braininess-boosts-likelihood-of-sex.html?feedId=online-news_rss20

But some things never change. Looks were still a much more powerful predictor of sex appeal than brains. "Women are still going for the hunk,"

There is potential flaw in this study. Who are those women in the first place? Are they average IQ working class women?

According to Assortative mating, intelligent women are more likly attracted to intelligent men than working class women. In culture with long civilized history, women from high class background are more attracted to status of men than looks.

Olympic medals and team work

2008-08-29T09:07:00.001-07:00

Olympic medal counts show China weak at team sports like basketball or soccer. My speculation is that such team sport is really skill of hunter-gatherers.

Hunter-gatherers small tribes are likely good at intuitive cooperation as small team without leadship. Societies with recent hunter-gatherers history is possilbly good at such `team' sports.

People with long civilized history will be weak at `hunter-gatherer' team work without obvious leadership. This kind of `team ' work need spontaneous or intuitive cooperation.

However, larger team work involving over thousands people needs leadership hierarchical control. People of long civilized history like China will domniate, as shown in opening ceremony.

Spontaneous cooperation only work for small team or tribes, not for large organized empire.

Also it is also true for army. Huge organized army is strong for civilized people. Hunter-gather society is only good for small raiding party.

Solar energy and biofeul

2008-07-08T12:48:00.000-07:00

Biofuel is solar energy essentially. Corn or crops on the fertile land convert solar energy into carbohydrate through photosynthesis. Then carbohydrate is converted into biofeul through fermentation. Efficiency of solar energy as biofuel is doubtful compared to direct solar panel since each steps have inherited energy loss. Biofuel needs farming machines of burning diesel, which further subtract energy generated.

Biofuel is like burning food for car with bad efficiency. Reduced food output only lead to high food price and starvation on the earth.

However, solar energy from desert is perfect. Solar panel will produce more energy in desert than fertile land since desert has few cloudy day. Efficiency of desert solar energy should be better than biofuel. Solar energy is converted into electricity which is most useful energy form.

Buddhism and creativity

2008-07-01T12:03:00.000-07:00

Buddhism is one of most intelligent philosophy and religion. Kung Fu Panda film has the best metaphor for Buddhism as scroll in the movie. At end, every thing is `empty' or `nothing'. In deed, even universe is nothing or meaningless at end.

To fully comprehend wisdom of Buddhism needs great intellectual reasoning. But such realization or wisdom of universe is also self-defeating in real life. In other word, it is too smart for its own good. People truly embrace Buddhism will not try hard to achieve in real life.

China gradually lost its creativity edge after arrival of Buddhism. People of Buddhism belief will not face challenge head on and progress. In stead, they will endure or avoid problem with mind of fatalism because every thing is nothing at end.

Most creative time of China was Spring-fall and War State era. Intense competition between Han-speaking states encourage novel idea which might bring domination over other states. At the same time, Buddhism was not yet in China.

Politics vs Science

2008-03-27T18:53:00.000-07:00

In politics, popular idea win, which might not be truth.
In science, truth win, which might not be popular.

When science and politics are at odd with each other, who is going to win? Most time, political (popular) idea win. Galileo was a perfect example.

Politicians are ultimately populists. Scientists are truth seeker.

Politicians are more likely to change their stands according to the wind.

Scientists only change their mind because of logical evidence, not of popularity.

Victimhood: most powerful political idea.

2008-03-25T12:40:00.000-07:00

Victimhood has been a very powerful psychological force behind most powerful political movement, for good or bad.

African Americans constantly use victimhood of slavery to mobilize their political base. Jews often use holocaust to remind people for sake of Isreal. Angry white men also play victimhood to support conservative movement. Victims of discrimination is behind policy of affirmative action. White victimhood of affirmative action used against affirmative action. Tibetans play victimhood. Hitler also used victimhood of humiliation due to WW-1 to generate fanatic support and get powers.

Humans are easily galvanized by victimhood. Playing victim is the game of politics. Even aggressors are playing victim.

The best soldiers and best army

2008-02-23T08:22:00.000-08:00

A new Chinese film based on true story during Chinese civil war between PLA and KMT has been out. The soldiers showed incredible obedient to commander and foutght to their very end.

http://www.chinese-embassy.org.uk/eng/whys/t407109.htm

Epic Chinese film ASSEMBLY hits The Curzon Soho from March 7th

The second highest grossing Chinese film of all time, Feng Xiaogang's ASSEMBLY will be showing at London's Curzon Soho Cinema from March 7th 2008. Based on a true story, ASSEMBLY follows one man's journey in search of truth and honour. The Huaihai Campaign of the Chinese Civil War broke out in the winter of 1948 and became one of the bloodiest battles in Chinese history. Thousands from The People's Liberation Army and the KMT Army fought in a bloodbath in between Xuzhou and Bengbu. Captain Guzidi, commanding the Ninth Company, led the infantry unit which consisted of a mere 46 men on a sniping mission to defend the south bank of the Wen River. His orders were to fight until the retreat assembly call was charged. After long hours of defence, ammunition was running out, and the number of men standing in the Ninth Company was quickly decreasing. Everyone began to wonder if they had missed the retreat bugle call. But Guzidi insisted that the bugle had not sounded and that they were to continue to battle at all costs. It was not until later when he found that all the neighbouring troops had already left the field, that he realised he might have made a mistake and contributed to his men's deaths. Guzidi woke up in the hospital and discovered that due to a military re-organisation, he and the 46 men who sacrificed themselves during the deadly engagement, had lost their identities and ranks, and were deemed missing. Determined to prove the existence of the 46 men and honour their glorious deaths, Guzidi embarks on his journey to search for his troops.

Just like Japanese kamikaze, it is matter of obedience and loyalty, not personal bravery. Your job is more important than your life. That is it. People who treat their job more important than their life make the best soldiers.
Here is your tube battle scence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCWmRX9Kojo

Rambo vs Geek

2008-01-27T10:32:00.000-08:00

An interesting article from War Nerd: Da Kurds: Boo Hoo Who?
http://www.exile.ru/articles/detail.php?ARTICLE_ID=14150&IBLOCK_ID=35&PAGE=2

And the Kurds are willing to die, I'll give them that. Always have been. Good fighters; Saladin was a Kurd, after all. They just can't stay united for more than the time it takes to sign a manifesto. By the time they've got pen in hand to initial their latest United Front for Kurdistan memo, the Supreme Commander of the Kurdish Liberation Front has stabbed his imported Parker Pen into the throat of his ally of two minutes ago, the Generalissimo of the Free Kurdistan Army.

It's not hard to fight people like that, or keep them "oppressed." You just farm it out to their relatives. Most of the time, you don't even need to use your own tribe's troops. Kurd-on-Kurd violence will do it. Which is why bravery isn't anywhere near as important as discipline in a military force. A force of 200 German clerks or Vietnamese insurance agents, no matter how many of them wear glasses and can't bench-press a Starbucks latte, will beat 200 Rambos every time on the battlefield, because 200 Rambos is pure chaos, nobody willing to obey orders. And Kurds, too bad for them, are a pretty Rambo-y group, all macho yelling, counting coup and strutting instead of sticking together. You get this a lot with mountain tribes, and the Kurds are mostly--not all--mountain people. "Our valley vs. the world," that kind of small-time crap. Cute if you're Swiss, but only because the Swiss valleys usually had enough sense to unite against foreign invaders. Kurds don't. They have what the professors call "local loyalties," meaning whatever little baron family always ran their valley.

Following is my thought.

As in my previous post Individual vs group dominance , obedient people make the best soldiers. The best units are often made of high IQ and obedient individuals who have no problem carrying through order without objection. A pack of wolf will never do job for human. A pack of dogs is different story. Only idiot will have a pack of wolf as guards or hunting aides. Thus, hunter and gatherer tribes are never good military force because they more think and function like wild wolf.

When a lot of people find Mongolians are bunch of shy people with little alpha personality, they could not figure out why Mongols were fierce military forces who conquer some people with much macho personality. It is because average folk make mistake to believe individual alpha personality reflecting military strength. A military action is job to perform just as any other jobs. Obedient workers are better workers. Yet, such obedience made them formidable military force when working together, an ideal trait for collectivsm.Only even more disciplined (obedient) people have better chance fend off Mongols.

Third party punishment

2007-12-19T17:31:00.000-08:00

More ‘altruistic’ punishment in larger societies

Abstract

If individuals will cooperate with cooperators, and punish non-cooperators even at a cost to themselves, then this strong reciprocity could minimize the cheating that undermines cooperation. Based upon numerous economic experiments, some have proposed that human cooperation is explained by strong reciprocity and norm enforcement. Second-party punishment is when you punish someone who defected on you; third-party punishment is when you punish someone who defected on someone else. Third-party punishment is an effective way to enforce the norms of strong reciprocity and promote cooperation. Here we present new results that expand on a previous report from a large cross-cultural project. This project has already shown that there is considerable cross-cultural variation in punishment and cooperation. Here we test the hypothesis that population size (and complexity) predicts the level of third-party punishment. Our results show that people in larger, more complex societies engage in significantly more third-party punishment than people in small-scale societies.

In Chinese history, surrendered enemy soldiers were often executed during battle because such enemy soldiers considered not loyal to the master. Captured enemy who want to die for his master actually often was spared.

Yet, negotiated surrender during peace was often accepted without execution because enemy soldiers or commander were `enlightened' by negotiator to switch side for `justice'.

Similar third party punishment in ancient west is Alexander the greast. Alexander continued his pursuit of Darius for hundreds of miles from Persepolis. When he finally caught up to him, he found the Persian king dead in his coach, assassinated by his own men. Alexander had the assassins executed and gave Darius a royal funeral.

Chinese Empire

2007-12-01T12:11:00.000-08:00

Empire is not single country or state. Just like British empire, Chinese empire should be considered the same way, which includes its homeland states and its colonies.

Historically and culturally, north and east coastal region of China is the homeland states (similarly like Scotland and England). South and west Chinese provinces are really Chinese colonies.

The homeland states are often in political and economical control. Homeland states are also wealthy in term of GPD per capita. On average, with its colonial states in west, China is low in term GPD per capita. If organized the same way as British empire, Chinese homeland states like ShangHai regions should have GPD per capita in the wealthy countries category.

If China keeps together with current demography, GPD per capita will never reach top of world. If each province have its own economy independence and currency, homeland provinces of Chin might have been in the league of developed countries.

Tribal society vs civilized society

2007-11-13T06:59:00.000-08:00

Hunter-gathers are living in small tribes. They survive in group. When come to competitions with other tribe, it is about group survival and selection. So in barbaric (hunter-gather) society, tribe elimination or genocide is often rule than exception. The way they compete is very similar to that of wild animals.

However, in civilized society, human subjects are equivalent to domesticated animals. So called civilized societies were often ruled by king or emperors in early days. The rule of game in civilized society is productivity and taxation. Highly productive individual domesticated human or animal is selected to survive in such condition. Non-compliant non-productive barbaric human or wild animal would be rid of. As ruler or breed selector, it does not matter what ethnicity or breed of subjects are. What is really matter is productivity. Thus, in civilized society, ruler and subjects can have different ethnicity or be from different origin. England have been invaded numerous times. But original Celtic blood survived under different rulers as long as they survived brutal taxation imposed by increasing demanding successive rulers. New ruler either by inheritance or conquering often want more wealth than previous ruler. Higher taxation will be imposed on subjects. Only highly productive subjects can survive. Only obedient subject (law-abiding) can survive just as domesticated animal. The net result of thousands year of social Darwin evolution is highly productive civilized (domesticated) obedient citizens.

Ruler's greed for wealth to higher tax to higher productivity of subject creates evolutionary cycle leading to high material wealth in civilized society. Civilized productive subjects are descendants of brutal exploitation.

When English established its empire, it was about wealth and taxation. If local subjects are taxable, they can survive like Hong Kong. If they were nontaxable barbarians, they would be replaced by domesticated species, English settlers in north America, Chinese in Singapore, ects. To ruler, it does not matter what subjects are. Only matter is tax. Same thing happened to domesticated animals against wild animals. Domesticated wheat or rice are replacing wild plants around world because they are useful to civilized society. Corn or potato in new world survive onslaught of old world invasion because they are productive to civilized society.

Group behavior based tribalism is true for people with short history of civilization. Group behavior is different story for civilized people, which is more of loyalty to the master who might have different ethnicity.

In civilized society, a royal king is more interested in his subjects loyalty and productivity than their ethnicity. Thus, WASP less ethnocentric behavior had its histological and evolutionary background.

Tribalism is relic of barbarians. In today, tribalism express itself in form of racism

Agriculture and Civilization

2007-10-04T09:17:00.000-07:00

The spreading pattern of agriculture in Europe.

The spreading pattern of agriculture is the same spreading pattern of civilization. Again, this implicates economical basis for well-known civilizations.

CIVILIZATION VS DOMESTICATION

2007-10-03T09:23:00.000-07:00

Civilized human shares incredible similarity with domesticated animal. In fact, it is the same process.

GPD growth vs Electricity growth

2007-08-28T12:44:00.000-07:00

Traditional economy growth is manufacture based industrial growth, which is heavily depending on energy supply. So in traditional industrial economy, electricity growth is often highly correlated to GPD growth.

However, in today IT age, service oriented economy will not demand too much energy since a faster runing computer might need actually less energy than old vacuum electronic tubes computer. An economy based on tourism will not demand tromendous increase of energy either. In IT age, increased productivity often end up with less energy usage.

So old model of Electricity growth correlation with GPD will not apply in information technology based economy.

Survey disparity

2007-08-14T12:24:00.000-07:00

NY Times about evolutionary biology

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/12/weekinreview/12kolata.html

One survey, recently reported by the federal government, concluded that men had a median of seven female sex partners. Women had a median of four male sex partners. Another study, by British researchers, stated that men had 12.7 heterosexual partners in their lifetimes and women had 6.5.

But there is just one problem, mathematicians say. It is logically impossible for heterosexual men to have more partners on average than heterosexual women. Those survey results cannot be correct.

It is entirely possible to get such disparity if you consider cut off age for the survey.

For example, at age 70, there are more females than males alive. One old guy might actualy have mutiple female girfirends at the same time. Yet all these surviving females share only one old guy. Now you get the picture.

High protein and low carb food.

2007-05-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

Human are still evolving according to their environments and culture. Agriculture societies like those in China or Europe will produce carbon-hydrate dependent metabolism. So this European studies might fit people of agriculture society. But hunter-gather society depends on total different food which often has very little carb. Such people include Mongolian or Eskimos who are almost pure carnivores (meat-eater). For these people, high-protein and low carb food might be most healthy ones which fit their metabolism better.

This might explain why people of recent hunter and gatherer societies like Hawaiian, American Indians, and African often have higher incidence of diabetes because their metabolism is not evolved to handle high carb food yet.

IQ amd financial success

2007-04-27T08:28:00.000-07:00

IQ pretty much defines the social class in today's world. But personality determines the achievement within a certain class. I bet the median personality type, very possible the median IQ, within each class is the winning quality for success.

If you throw Einsein into ghetto class, he would performed even worse than reqular ghetto guys in that particular class.

Northern Chinese diet and civilization

2007-03-01T13:06:00.000-08:00

Northern Chinese traditional diet is very limited compared to other parts of world. Traditionally they only eat domesticated plants and animals. Wild animals and plants are not part of their diet. Most food is processed extensively and well-cooked with many procedures and steps.

Northern Chinese often use food as way to judge a civilization. In their mind, raw food or food from wild is only for uncivilized barbarians. Human raised animals and cultivated plants in field are symbols of civilized people. Hunter and gatherer society which only take what nature can provide is absolute barbarian in their eyes. Raw meat uncooked is only for animal or barbarian to eat. The life style of hunter and gatherer is very similar to that of wild animal.

Northerner Chinese call southern Chinese `barbarian’ due to southerner’s habit of eating wild animal meats. Northerners also think most foreigners as semi-civilized / semi-barbaric people due to raw meat in their diet such as under cooked beef in western diet, sushi with raw and wild fish in Japanese diet. Barbecue is simple and primitive cooking method, not much different from cave men’s cooking.

In modern day, such perception has changed.

However such perception has its own merit defining human evolution.

The least ethnocentric group was the WASPs

2007-01-29T14:18:00.000-08:00

Irwin Silverman, of the psychology department of York U. in Toronto, did a study of "ethnic nepotism" among English-speaking Canadian college students.

The least ethnocentric group was the WASPs, while the most was the Jewish-Canadians.
East Asians are the 2nd least ethnocentric group.

No wonder Enlish culture share quite similarity with East Asians. That makes them least likely racist.

Rich getting richer

2006-11-27T09:21:00.000-08:00

It makes sense for rich to get richer unless the major change in social condition. Good runner is ahead of bad runner in 100 meters. The good runner will leave a even bigger gap in 200 meters. So on and on.

Certainly in socialist or communist society, we give put more weight on good runner to slow them down so the bad runner can catch up.

Creativity vs shizotypal personality

2006-10-27T12:37:00.000-07:00

Creativity depends on many factors cluding adequate IQ, time, social condition, personality ects.

Creativity needs to think out of box or beyound common sence. Extreme form of uncoventional idea or thought is clinically defined as delution or hallucination, which are the signs of schinzophrenia. However, mild form of it without disruption of normal social life is called schizotypal personality or paranoia.

My deduction: Creativity needs schizotypal personality.

The people or culture with greatest creativity might have higher incidences or prevalence of schizophrenia in the population.

Self-esteem vs achievement

2006-10-02T09:45:00.000-07:00

Threshold for self-esteem is different among people. People with low threshold are often more confident and low achievers. People with high threshold are often depressed and end up as high achievers because nothing will make them happy until they conquer the world.

People with low selfesteem often set themself for higher standard to be happy.

Brokerage account for foreigners

2006-09-27T19:21:00.000-07:00

Only USA citizen and green card holder are allowed to open American brokerage account. However with only one exception-Chinese!

Foreign citizens in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan are allowed to open an American brokerage account to buy USA stocks. No other foreign citizens even Japanese are allowed. I asked the brokerage firm why. They do not seems to know the answer.

I have not figured out why yet.

However, this abusolutely gives Chinese a great advantage in capitalistic world since most Chinese have strong desire to invest. They are natural born Capitalists as I have shown in previous post about longevity and forward planning.

Military Parade

2006-09-21T22:03:00.000-07:00

Chinese Military Parade at National day in 1999.

Like I said in previous post, submissive or obedient people are the best solders. They would follow the order to death. Trainabilty is depend on obedient personality and IQ. As we often consider most smart dogs like shetland sheep dogs, German shepherds ect are those breeds with best obedient quality.

Best soldiers is not equal to best army. A successful military force is combination of many different factors such as soldiers, generals, weapon technology, supplies ect. The most displined soldiers can not win battle without good weapon and supplies.

Asian longevity and psychology

2006-09-12T14:24:00.000-07:00

From NPR morning edition, September 12 2006:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6057076

The 'Eight Americas'
Dr. Christopher Murray analyzed mortality data between 1982 and 2001 by county, race, gender and income. He found some distinct groupings that he named the "eight Americas:"

Asian-Americans, average per capita income of $21,566, have a life expectancy of 84.9 years.
Northland low-income rural whites, $17,758, 79 years.
Middle America (mostly white), $24,640, 77.9 years.
Low income whites in Appalachia, Mississippi Valley, $16,390, 75 years.
Western American Indians, $10,029, 72.7 years.
Black Middle America, $15,412, 72.9 years.
Southern low-income rural blacks, $10,463, 71.2 years.
High-risk urban blacks, $14,800, 71.1 years.
--The Associated Press

For example, scientists have long thought that the Asian longevity advantage would disappear once immigrant families adopted higher-fat Western diets. Murray's study is the first to closely examine second-generation Asian-Americans, and found their advantage persists.

(This indicate other factors including possible genetic factor here)

If you check CIA world fact data, most countries at top of life expectancy are either Chinese nations or Japan. The international data are consistent with USA domestic data, which futher imply genetic factor.

https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook
/rankorder/2102rank.html

1 Andorra 83.51 2006 est.
2 Macau 82.19 2006 est.
3 San Marino 81.71 2006 est.
4 Singapore 81.71 2006 est.
5 Hong Kong 81.59 2006 est.
6 Japan 81.25 2006 est.
7 Sweden 80.51 2006 est.
8 Switzerland 80.51 2006 est.
9 Australia 80.50 2006 est.
10 Guernsey 80.42 2006 est.
11 Iceland 80.31 2006 est.

Most East Asian people exhibit strong tendency for future planning like good at saving, investment for future, education ect. Most theses East Asian nations even show higher official foreign reserves which reflect their national psychic of saving for the future.

Such strong tendency for future planning is very likely genetically related to their natural longevity. When people have natural shorter life expectancy, future planning become less important. Instead, living for the day is more relevant.

Smart people have less children

2006-07-26T12:33:00.000-07:00

This is not dysgenic. Low IQ population have r reproductive strategy. High IQ people have K reproductive strategy. Rushton has made it clear. High IQ people are forever minority.

r strategy people do have more kids. But r people survival rate is also low. They are the first victims of famine. They are usually cannon-fodder. They live shorter life. They need to sexually mature fast and be sexually attractive at younger age to reproduce as early as possible. Their population expand fast at good time and shrunk fast at bad time. K strategy population however is relative stable in both good and bad time. Believe or not, Carl Max has studied proletarian population (r strategy population) behaving such way.

Value

2006-07-03T10:09:00.000-07:00

Value is the question of all human talents and every thing in market economy (capitalism). Market force is determinant factor of value. There is value for IQ, height, physical attractiveness, muscular strength. In capitalistic society, no one can artificially decide IQ or Education worth more than height or physical attractiveness. Mental ability worth some thing, but non human object like property also worth a lot of money too. If height or pretty faces needed by market (despite of stupidity), then height or pretty faces sell. The mistake of left wing idealist is to try to determined value of every thing in the world by rationale thinking in stead of market force (which is not controlled by human logic). Communists and socialists are making mistake here.

It is market-force that rule. As long as some thing is needed by others, that thing has value. If some thing is not needed by any one, the thing become worthless. Sale people can make a worthless thing to an ignorant customer into some thing valuable by creating need through fear, education, or even lies.

Value of brain power

2006-06-27T08:57:00.000-07:00

Market force also affect price of any thing including intellectual ability. When high IQ people are rare, high IQ people get highly paid and valuated. When tons of people with high IQ who can do rocket engineering, high IQ people will not get highly rewarded. However, a low IQ star or athlete might get way higher pay than smart ones. I do not deny g a valuable asset. But even a valuable asset is subject to market force of supply and demand.

In China, smart people might not be so valuable compared to some really low IQ countries. That explained Chinese willing to emmigrate to even poorer countries, where a poor Chinese landless farmer can strike rich.

Racism is crime and punishable by jail in some part of world

2006-05-09T17:51:00.000-07:00

http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=31206

SINGAPORE: Racist bloggers jailed

Two men arrested under the Sedition Act for posting comments against Muslims and Malays on Internet blogs

The Straits TimesSaturday, October 8, 2005
By Chong Chee Kin

The two young men who posted inflammatory racist and vicious remarks about Muslims and Malays on the Internet were given landmark jail sentences yesterday.
Animal shelter assistant Benjamin Koh Song Huat, 27, was convicted of two charges under the Sedition Act and jailed for one month.
Nicholas Lim Yew, 25, an assistant marketing manager, was convicted of one charge under the Act and given a 'nominal' jail term of one day and fined the maximum of $5,000.
Both pleaded guilty to all charges.
Senior District Judge Richard Magnus noted that the remarks posted by Koh were 'particularly vile'.
In imposing sentence, the judge reached back into the past and also noted current terrorism fears to point out the need for 'especial sensitivity of racial and religious issues in our multi-cultural society'.
Using the 1964 race riots to make a point, he said: 'Young Singaporeans, like the accused persons before this Court, may have short memories that race and religion are sensitive issues.
'They must realise that callous and reckless remarks on racial or religious subjects have the potential to cause social disorder, in whatever medium or forum they are expressed.'
He added that it is every Singaporean's duty to respect other races and religions.
This is 'only appropriate social behaviour, independent of any legal duty, of every Singapore citizen and resident', he said.
This is the basic ground rule of living here, he said, and the Sedition Act was meant to draw a 'red line on the ground' against such behaviour. Crossing this line harms not just a racial group, but the very fabric of society, and this was why a deterrent sentence was needed.
The case, which became a major talking point and even drew comments from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last month, is being seen as a watershed moment in the arena of Internet expression.
It was sparked by a letter to The Straits Times from Madam Zuraimah Mohammed, who asked if cab companies allow uncaged pets to be transported in taxis, after she saw a dog on a taxi seat.
She was concerned because many Muslims in Singapore are forbidden by their faith to come into contact with a dog's saliva.
In response, Koh posted 'highly inflammatory' remarks on his blog, or online journal.
'He spewed vulgarities at the Muslim Malay community, derided and mocked their customs and beliefs and profaned their religion,' Deputy Public Prosecutor Amarjit Singh said.
One comment compared the Muslim religion to Satanism, while others were so extreme they cannot be printed.
Lim posted similar, but less extreme, comments on an online dog lovers' forum.
'He (Lim) derided the practices of their faith, preached intolerance of their beliefs and used highly insulting words against their community,' DPP Singh said.
He stressed that the prosecution was not trying to police and regulate the Internet, but certain basic rules had to be followed to maintain order in Singapore's multi-ethnic society.
After noting that both Koh and Lim had taken action to reduce the offensiveness of their acts by posting apologies on the Internet and in court, the judge closed with a stern warning.
'Bloggers who still have similar offending remarks are well advised to remove them immediately,' he said. 'The Court will not hesitate to impose... stiffer sentences in future cases.'

My thought:

Both Singapore and Israel are isolated countries in muslim world through occupying muslim land by outsiders. Initially, Israel even offered military support to Singapore in fear of invasion by neiboring muslim countries. Yet, Singapore never fought a war with its army build by the help of Israel. Singapore is actually converting former foes into friends with diplomacy and sensitivities. Under Chinese dominant society, minorities rarely felt mistreated. Could Israelis or world learn from Singapore?

Or is this only uniquely Chinese culture character?

People who rather to kill themself than others

2006-05-05T13:52:00.000-07:00

People from Northeast Asia and North Europe are more likely to kill themself than other people.
Why?
Less sunlight? Nope. Singapore Chinese, New Zealand and Australia whites are living in region with most sun light (high melanoma rate). Yet they still have simlar pattern as their ancestror land.

Countries with high suicide/low homocide pattern are mostly developed countries except China. If China become rich country, then every thing will be consistent.

Ability to plan and predict future is critical to forecast future suffering and hopeless outcome. When people realize the future unbearable suffering with no hope, ending your own life is end of suffer.

If one is agnostic about future, one will not kill himself.

Value of life

2006-03-10T07:34:00.000-08:00

A question being asked on net like this ` A embryo and a toddler, if you only can save one life and sacrifice another, who would you save?' Such question probes into our mind about value of life.

I would save toddler over embryo because toddler is a human product which have been invested more in term of time, energy, money and care. So it is cost effective to save toddler. If the choice is between toddler and 80 y old retiree, I would save toddler over old, again for the same reason of potential human investment return. We make this kind of decision all the time. Human capital is related its value to your family and society. It is like investment. Sound pretty cold blooded but it is true.
Most valuable human lifes are those between 18 to 60 who are the productive member of society. People's grief is greatest over life lost between these age ranges. The very young and very old death cause less grief.

COMMON SENSE

2004-06-22T11:36:00.000-07:00

People of too high or too low IQ often lack common sense.

Too smart can be a problem.

"Traditional" Capitalism

2004-06-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

Pyramid

Ants War

2004-06-09T16:12:00.000-07:00

Human and ants are the only animals who kill their own kinds in mass number

Main battle field

Close combats

casualties of war

Except we human are much better than ants in killing our own with efficiency and grand scales.

Tanning

2004-06-03T12:56:00.000-07:00

Asking to a dermatologist about what type of tanning is safe to skin. His answer is there is none. No tanning bed is safe either except those spraying color onto skin.

The mechanism of tanning by light is UV light triggering protective reaction from skin. UV light, and any other type of radiation waves including X-ray, beta-Ray, ect, are the same in nature. They are all electromagnetic waves with different wave lengths which render them the different penetration powers. Such energy can cause molecular disturbance in DNA structure and cause mutation, which lead to destruction, aging and neoplasm including cancer in tissue. UV light has limited penetration powers and only causes damage to skin. The skin tries to protect itself by producing melanin which is tanning. However, such protective response is partial in its effectiveness. UV light to skin is like smoking to lung. The harmful effect is cumulative with time. Victim will not notice the damage until later in life.

A lot of young people choose to tan their skin. Some might choose with above knowledge in their head and it is matter of life choice. I suspect a lot of young people choose to tan so as result of ignorance. Only they noticed the harm in early started in their 30s with aging winkled skins. Too late! Low IQ and ignorace might shorten people's life. Had they known earlier, they might have done thing differently. People with Knowledge certainly will live longer and healthier.

Individual vs group dominance

2004-06-03T08:02:00.000-07:00

Individual aggressiveness or dominance has nothing to do with group dominance or aggression.

Japanese are the least aggressive as individuals. They are not very confrontational in person. Yet, Japanese nation is quite aggressive and dominant.

English (Anglo-Saxon) are the least aggressive individually in Europe. Yet, English nation is the most dominant and aggressive one.

People of dominant and aggressive personality are often having most wimpy nations like those in middle-east, Africa, ect.

To make your country military and politically dominant, individuals have to be extremely loyal and obedient to the leaders with strong cooperative spirit.

Arranged marriage

2004-05-26T19:14:00.000-07:00

Arranged marriage is obviously unique human invention. It is mating arranged by third party. All animals go through natural courting and mating process except some human society. Only domesticated animals do not have much chance for such natural process because human controls their reproduction and selects straits desirable for human not for animals themselves. It is selective breeding controlled by human. Domesticated animals might well have lost their courtship skills. Of course, slavery treats human like domesticated animal. However, slavery in history never was long enough to make such impact on our human biology.

Arranged marriage is selective breeding for human. We human are subject of selective breeding. Match makers and parents are the breeders. Young couples are selected together by pure calculating intellectual process. Such arranged marriage or selective breeding of human are only exist in well-developed society or civilization. Arranged marriage should be considered as civilized product. In primitive society, tremendous amount of time and energy are spent on natural courting rituals like dancing, socializing, ect. In modern societies, such rituals are transformed into nightclubs, parties, other social gathering with such courtship and mating potentials.

However, in certain societies, I suspect, long civilized history with arranged marriage (human breeding) have deemed their citizens weak in natural courtship skills. In a way, they are inadequate in such natural skills like domesticated animals compared to wild animals. Such highly civilized people will be at loss when they are thrown back to natural dating and courtship environment. In such societies, abandon of match making and arranged marriage might not be good idea in the name of freedom. This might explain the weak romantic or courtship skills observed in some East Asians living in West. Maybe, arranged marriage is better idea for them.

Even in China, ethnic minorities living at peripheries of Chinese territory have better dating skill than that of ethnic Han. Such observation further supported that civilized history suppress such natural or primitive (depend on how you perceive)mating skill.

People are products of their long society and history. Their way of life and social organization should be compatible with psychological profile which might have been shaped by genetic traits as result of evolution. Blind applications of morale value, social structure, political believes and way of life from one society to another often lead to disastrous consequence.

Such disastrous or harmful consequence can be seen daily around world. So there is no absolute idea about what is good or bad. It is about what is working for you. If you are good at courtship and romance, you should find love on your own. If you are weak in romantic skill, yet strong in other aspects as civilized citizen, arranged marriage might not be bad thing for you.

Aspirin and breast cancer

2004-05-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

New study indicates that aspirin can reduce risk of hormone sensitive breast cancer.

...aspirin and NSAIDs as chemopreventive agents against breast cancer, particularly among postmenopausal women. The mechanisms are probably distinct from those that are protective against gastrointestinal tract cancers

Again, this drug and NSAIDS provide preventive action against another disease (breast cancer in postmenopausal women) related to aging. It would not be surprised to find out even more other aging related diseases which could be prevented by aspirin.

English hates anger

2004-05-24T14:39:00.000-07:00

Listen to John Cleese

Or you can listen to John cleese right here.

He said: `English is very uncomfortable with anger........it is certianly to do with English family, more than British family. They hate anger.....They regard it as loss of face....They found it very difficult to express it. So they got pushed around a little bit... They dont complaint it well, so they got bad service......'

There are so many evidencs supporting my previous post about English.

SHALLOW MEN

2004-05-22T21:53:00.000-07:00

In the mating game, men are known to be visual in their search of mate. Physical beauty of women reflects biological health and youthfulness, which are strongly related to fertility status. Mating is about reproduction. Men are seeking fertile mates. For those who do not care about such fertility status, they would be losers in evolution.

The following are quote from a relationship forum:

redchild888 wrote:
I think many guys are dating women who are older than themselves; but don't know it.

TBNYC wrote:
That's a good one.

claretmoon8 wrote:
Yeah, but not for the guy who's been duped....smack that ass

redchild888 wrote:
that would go to show that it wasnt that relevent; if he couldnt tell, hmm? Smack that azz back twice.

Many women often falsely advertise their age younger than their actual age. They know that men are looking for younger women.

No wonder men become shallow. Don't trust women's words about their age. If she looks youthful and pretty, then she is young and healthy. If her face is full of wrinkle and looks old, she is old. Trust your eyes, not words. To produce your offspring successfully, you have to be visual.

In the game of mating, honesty is the first victim for both sex as described in my previous post.

Roman Britannia map vs England map

2004-05-20T08:10:00.000-07:00

England map matches that of Roman Britannia map.

This is not coincident. This raises the strong possibility that English are descendents of Roman recruits over centuries Roman occupation.

On history channel, excavation at ancient Roman Britain Fortress revealed evidence that a lot of Roman Soldier recruits were from Holland regions.

Another site shows similar evidence from archeology:

Archaeological evidence indicates there were Germanic troops in what became England well before the fifth century.23 The Romans used auxiliary troops from all over the world to provide garrisons for their military installations. Thus from Roman records, we know that German troops were stationed on Hadrians wall. These troops did not leave identifiable artifacts because they were issued Roman equipment. By the fourth century, the Romans were enlisting Germanic troops under their own leaders with their own equipment. Artifacts show that Germanic troops were guarding towns and roads in England from the fourth century on. Much of the pottery that identifies Germanic people has been found along the Saxon Shore where it appears auxiliary troops were stationed. Cremation cemeteries have been found that date from before the end of Roman rule in Britain. These early cemeteries are generally concentrated near Roman towns, forts or transportation routes. Their location pattern is similar to that of a wheel made pottery decorated in Saxon styles called Romano-Saxon ware. This pottery was apparently made by British potterers for the Germanic trade.24

English

2004-05-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

Anglo-Saxons are most likely descendants of Roman recruits from continent. Not like some people imagined some kind of brutal aggressive invaders. Because of such selective recruits, English are famous for civility among all Europeans. They have the best anger control and least confrontational (except soccer hooligans). They are least emotional and also most obedient Caucasians. In other word, English are the most introverted people among all Europeans. Typical English dislike anger. They consider anger as disgrace. Such incredible civilized behaviors are result of selection by Roman commanders. At end, they are even more `civilized' than the original countries.

Certainly, most Barbarians have anger control problems.

BIASED OPINION

2004-05-14T11:32:00.000-07:00

If some one is exploiting others intellectual work, if some one is manipulating situation to take advantage of others, how do you respond?

For some one you like or have sympathy with, you would say `Yeah, she (or he) is so smart. She (or he) knows how to take advantage to survive'

For some one you dislike, you would say `he (or she) is such bad person to steal others work' `He is evil exploiter'

Such biased and judgmental opinions can be seen daily around us. The same deed is judged differently. Such bias can be applied to a person, a group of person, or a nation, depending on your prejudice who you like and don't like. Even among my best friends, such inconsistent remarks can be heard often. The same person can give statements like, `Why does this factory violate copy-right stealing intellectual properties of other's invention' or `She is damn smart to manipulate the situation to do less, let other doing more, use other people's brains and protect herself'. Such statements reflect the same essential about exploiting others work. But the responses are quite different.

People apply double standards intentionally or unintentionally. Intentional bias is simply evil and manipulative. I believe majority apply double standards unintentionally because majority do not possess the intellectual powers or sensitivity to realize their biased subconscious mind. This also explained most people of higher IQ are more than often law-abiding and capable of fairness though there are some smart criminals. You really need to think and double check your opinion of potential violating fairness in order to prevent bias and prejudice. Constant self-exam and looking into your own mind objectively are critical for fairness. People who live long in civilized environment might have better chance of such fair judgment because their behavior have been shaped by laws and developed sensitivity to fairness over long time. Law-abiding behavior is product of civilization. To low IQ criminals, or smart barbarians, fairness or law-abiding behaviors are joke to be laughed at. Unfair actions and lack of tolerance are often the cause of conflicts

In my earlier posts about double standard and dynamics in human relation, ugly human nature (or animal nature) is our unfair mind against humanitarian value.

Humanity idealism and animal barbarism. To be on the left and right side of this equation is the question we all need to answer ourselves. We human are mostly somewhere between humanity idealism and animal barbarism with left or right tendencies.

Inflammatory process and aging.

2004-05-13T20:56:00.000-07:00

In my previous post, Aspirin and aging, I hypothesize inflammation in the aging process.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an aging disease. Aspirin can reduce the incidence of Alzheimer's disease. So it is possible that inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.

There are recent studies indicating C-reactive protein-like immunoreactivity in the neurofibrillary tangles of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The present results further support an involvement of inflammatory processes in the etiology of AD.

C-reactive protein is elevated in the inflammatory diseases.

So prevention of Alzheimer's disease by aspirin is based on its anti-inflammatory pharmacological mechanism.

Aspirin and Aging

2004-05-13T12:52:00.000-07:00

It is well-documented in medical literature that aspirin has many benefits beyond pain control and anti-inflammatory function.

Here are some benefits of aspirin or synthesized acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). It can prevent heart attack by its inhibitory effect on platelets and anti-inflammatory function. Reduced incidences of Alzheimer's disease or senile metal retardation were found in patients with long term usage of high dose of Aspirin. It is also known to reduce the incidence of colon carcinoma. Thus aspirin actually prevent many diseases related to the aging.

Following is some of my thought on aging and aspirin.

It is still unclear about mechanism behind aspirin's anti-aging effect. However, anti-inflammation is main mechanism for aspirin. Based on above anti-aging effect, it make sense that aging might have some thing to do with inflammation. As medical professions know, inflammation is triggered by foreign material, microorganism and breakdown product of host tissue. So aging tissue often generates degenerative debris which might trigger inflammation. The inflammation may in turn cause further tissue damage in brain, colon, etc. Aspirin certain can put a brake on such vicious cycle and slow down the aging process.

Anti-oxidant or reductive drug like vitamin E also reduce inflammation and provide anti-aging effect.

Based on this hypothesis, people should start to use anti-inflammatory drug after age 40 when the aging process starts.

SLOWING DOWN YOUR AGING WITH ASPIRIN!

DISCRIMINATION IS A BLESS IN THE LONG RUN.

2004-05-11T21:04:00.000-07:00

It is well known that higher standard (than white students) is applied to Asian students in United States. In many cases, admission standard is also set up higher for Asian student. In southeast Asia, higher standard is set up for ethnic Chinese compared to indigenous southeast Asian majority. As long as you set up tough standard for one group, you apply affirmative action to protect under-performers.

Believe or not, most northeast Asians never complain such affirmative action set up against them to protect majority (whites, blacks, Malaysians etc. ). That means ONLY ABSOLUTE HIGHER IQ NORTH EAST ASIANS CAN SURVIVE. This mechanism in turn will keep absolute top Asians to live and get sexually selected by women. Asians with IQ equal to other ethnic groups will be weeded out because discrimination lead to low SES than average, low chance to attract women. Yes, discrimination is a bless to keep Asian on top in the long run.

Jew might achieve the top IQ due to thousands years of discrimination applied to them. Tough survival condition select top survivors.

DARWIN'S EVOLUTION THEORY OF SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST AT WORK

Dynamics of human relationship

2004-05-08T14:00:00.000-07:00

If you are devoted Catholic, one day, you run into pope, he gives you a personal bless with mentioning of your name. You will achieve the greatest joy and feel pope is the most loving person in whole world.

In another scenario, a homeless guy on the street, or a humble janitor at your work, gives you a personal bless. You might not achieve the same kind of joy as you get from Pope. Such lowly person has to make extra effort to impress you.

Above stories reflect our biased mind which give different value to different people who perform the same task. Such bias will be reflected in our job hiring, personal relationship, wage difference. Equality has long way to go against our human nature (or precisely animal nature). Such nature is totally against our humanitarian value and intellectual thinking. We might not be immured from such bias. But we might minimize such unfairness by promoting decent morale value, civilized law, intellecutal thinking and ethic education.

In term of personal relationship, people often deny such biased behavior but it is very much so true. For example, if your ideal mate is at least 180 cm, you come cross such 180 cm individual and get romantically involved. Such ideal physic will make every thing else easier because 180 cm person self is gift for you. You will greatly appreciate whatever person did for you right and minimize 180 cm persons fault. Now the love is blind to this person's other defect. The relation becomes much easier. However, if a person is only 160 cm, in normal circumstance, you would never date such individual. However such 160 cm individual possess extraordinary quality otherwise, you might be willing give 160 cm individual an exception with condition attached. The attached condition might be higher demand of personal devotion, achievement, and other extra positive factors to compensate this persons imperfection at height. Such relationship might put extra strain on the less ideal individual. However, the question is about what is ideal. Ideal for one person might be imperfection for other. If you happen to consider 160 cm height is perfect for your mate, this 160 cm person will be like dream coming true for you.

People will put different emphasis on different qualities of person in relationship. Such qualities include height, education, ethnicity's, culture background, wealth or personal achievement, physical beauties, etc. To some, the required quality is not negotiable such as ethnicity or education. Others might be willing to comprise one quality in order to achieve other qualities which carry more important to their believes. However, some qualities are changeable like wealth, education, personal achievement, weight, certain habit; while others are not, like height, racial background, certain physical features.

To achieve happy relationship is to achieve maximum desirable traits. Without compromising too much your own criteria, you should look for the individuals who consider your unchangeable features or qualities as desirable. The relationship with the person who admire your unchangeable features is much easier and happier. You really don't have to make too much effort to make your mate very happy because you are `gift of God' to your mate already. Just like Pope giving personal bless to a Catholic devotee, you are like Pope to your mate. Less work, easier time, higher achievement, happier relationship.

If your unchangeable qualities are less than ideal to your mate, you really have to make extra- and extra- effort to compensate for your `defect'. Be well prepared to face tough time.

IQ and the Wealth of States

2004-05-04T17:31:00.000-07:00

Since the book IQ and the Wealth of Nations published, it has raised an interesting issue regarding nation building. Most politicians and economists have left out IQ factor in their analysis and prediction of nations economical development consciously or unconsciously. People's smartness certainly will have impact on wealth at personal and national level.

However, we should bare in mind that wealth is not a direct measurement of person's smartness. What is wealth? Wealth is a measurement of material possession of a person or nation. Many factors are contributing to the wealth of nation or individual. The factors include natural resource, geographic location, personality, personal philosophy of life, IQ (smartness), non-intellectual talents, and many other more. A talented athlete can make enomous wealth with his athlete talent even though he might not smart. A criminal predator can robe others to achieve his wealth with his criminal morality, aggressiveness and fool-hardiness. A very intelligent professor or PhD might not make money more than a not so smart Taxi driver.

This IQ and wealth of states in America is very interesting. The correlation between GDP per capita and IQ is +0.92. Though authenticity of these data is in question, concentration of Ivy league schools in New England would make sense about possilbe higher IQ in those regions. We all know North and North-East parts of America are strong basis for left-wing or liberal political basis.

Is there any correlation between high IQ and liberal politics? Why are most intellectuals are liberal or left-wing in politics? Most incarcerated criminal are right-wing republicans in America according to movie The Life of David Gale

Such phenomena deserve further analysis.

SOPHISTICATED GENTLEMEN

2004-05-01T17:35:00.000-07:00

Gentlemen are often sophisticated. Gentle, the word itself, mean both belonging to a family of high social station, docile and moderate. The life of high social class often encounter extremely complicated political affair. To survive in such complicated enviroment, gentlemen need political savyness. Thus people who are simple, and only speak of their mind strait will not have good chance to make it. So gentlemen are often very sophisticated.

Sophisticate mean 1 : to alter deceptively; especially : ADULTERATE
2 : to deprive of genuineness, naturalness, or simplicity; especially : to deprive of naïveté and make worldly-wise : DISILLUSION
3 : to make complicated or complex

SELF-LOVE

2004-04-30T06:56:00.000-07:00

In romantic relationship, people often say they are looking for other half of themself to make it complete. It is very much true. If there were identical twin of yourself except sex chromosome, she or he might have been your perfect other half. You might be totally infactuated by such individual. Studies after studies have found lovers often look alike. Beauty is in the eyes of beholder. We often find most attractive movie stars sharing similar physical features to ourself. So there will never be consensus about who is the most beautiful person on the earth.

On the other hand, inbreding is also harmful to our gene. So people who grew up together almost never got married even though they might not biological related.

At end, the perfect mate would be some one who look like youself but never together before.

HONESTY IN DATING GAME

2004-04-22T08:17:00.000-07:00

Yeah, nothing will impress a girl more than "I used to be hooked on heroin but now I'm clean." Is total honesty the best policy? The truth is somewhere between total honesty and lie about every thing.

If you believe evolution psychology, you should not expect total honesty during dating game. If you read book`SEX, A NATURAL HISTORY', honesty is the first victim of dating game. Our barbaric ancestors tried to get best mate with whatever means they could just like winning a battle. Man wearing fake Rolex, expensive cloth even though he is not wealthy is form of dishonesty or deceit. Women using makeup or cosmetic surgery can be considered to advertise falsely her fertility status. Bottom-line is we all dishonest or deceiving. But spectrum is different. Every body have different standard as for what is acceptable. Mild form of dishonesty list above are generally considered acceptable. Lying about criminal history, etc is not acceptable. Line was drawn by individuals. One thing for sure, total honesty without politically correctness like skill or savvy will get you nowhere in dating game. It is just like job application. You need to cover up your weakness and emphasize your strength to get hired by your future spouse.

However, we often expect our future mate to be total honest. So dating is also like a detective work to find out truth, especially flaws. We really want to reject defected mate when we ask for honesty.

Confession is sure way to get convicted.

Do you want to be rejected or less competitive?

AFIRMATIVE ACTION OR NOT?

2004-04-16T07:35:00.000-07:00

Affirmative action or not is the question.

The arguments have been polarized between extreme views of totol for or against it. Overall, debates boil down to all or none approach. Often liberal for it all, conservative against it all.

I think we should look at a broader picture. We need to consider the social consequence.

When a patient looking for a doctor and a client looking for an atterney, ethnicity does come into play. A lot of us will prefer to be taken care of by some one with similar ethnic background for many reasons. If all law makers, journalists, medical docs are belong to only one ethinic group, I am not sure that is good thing. Also very few white or asian medical doctors are like to serve in the poor black community. American medical association (AMA) has found black doctors are likely to serve in those communities. So AMA endose affirmative action based on this finding even though AMA is largely conservative politically.

On the other hand, natural science fields are more concerned with new discoveries or new designs which cause little ethinic inequalities or injustice.The work usually benefit all members of society maybe even all mankind. For example, if you want to develope a new rocket, you really dont care about person's ethnicity as long as the person is the brightest one.

With humanitarian value in mind and also progress of human society, the solution is like this:

1.For social science or service related fields, affirmative action is nessesary to ensure social justice.

2. For natural science, affirmative action is not nessessary. You only need the brightest to get job done.

This might not be the best solution. But we need to consider all aspect of life to make flexible decision regarding affirmative action. Cookie cutter policy is rigid way to handle such complicated issue.

New SAT

2004-04-15T22:52:00.000-07:00

The following is quote about new SAT for American college entrance exam.

Two expert readers will score each student essay on a scale of 1 to 6, with higher scores denoting better performance. A third reader will be consulted if the experts’ scores differ by more than two points. The College Board is considering making copies of the essays available to college admission offices

This change will make SAT more subjective than before. Some people are already skeptic about such change. Personal bias will be a factor in judging student's perfomance. Why such change is needed in the first place? Critics believe there is hidden agenda. Such change will favor certain type of students over others. If you can not win, just change the rule of game.

Chinese in Russian Far East

2004-04-13T14:06:00.000-07:00

Russian Far East (RFE)
In the article SELLING OFF SIBERIA author said.

Unlike Russia, China has the ingrained entrepreneurial spirit

This Chinese entreprneurial spirit has been observed in numerous other countries such southeast Asia, Carribean, many other parts of world. Chinese often prosper under extreme adverse hostile enviroment like this article mentioning about racial prejudice or even hatred. Their survival skills are almost like that of Jews. Amy Chua in her book `WORLD ON FIRE' also stated such incredible entrepreneurial spirit of oversea Chinese like that of Jews under hostile enviroments. Not only they survive but often outperform the local population economically. Local population in turn generates jealousy or hatred toward toward such outsiders. However, neither Amy Chua nor Kim Iskyan addressed the reasons behind such extraordinary entrepreneurial skill compared to the local population.

Here are some reasons to consider
1. Cultural or social factors
2. Historical factor
3. Biological factors.
4. IQ factor.

2004-04-11T14:11:00.000-07:00

WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTIONWMD

United States and other western powers go around world to ban weapon of mass destruction because its potencial of killing of innocent people as collateral damage. Here is philosophical dilemma. Who makes the rule that killing of men of arms is only good killing. So killing of people in military uniform is civilized way to kill some one?

If any killing of innocent people is considered uncivilized, should we make ban of any weapon which may potentially kill innocent people? If that hold true, we should ban all weapons of such like bomb, land mine, rifle, even bow and arrow. Most civilized war or fight should be the one with real cold weapons like swords, spear and other cold weapons which need close face to face, hand to hand combat because this is the only way you know for sure who you are trying to kill. No kidding, you are fighting your enemy face to face without any mistake.

If international law make cold weapon war as ways of civilized conflicts into reality, Mongol and East Asian countries will definitely superpower for sure since they have perfected art of wars with cold weapons

2004-04-11T11:27:00.000-07:00

POLITICS AND SPORTS

Just heard on NPR radio that most sports fans are Republicans. Most Democrats are not so interested in sport events (football, baseball, NASCAR ect).

This finding indicates psychological profile of two political views. Competive sports always produce winner and loser. Fans roots for their team to win. Their hope is to win and willing to take the risk of loss. Such competitive psychology make them believe society should be such competitive environment. They do not favor equal results. Every body is responsible for their own fate. This reflects Rebulican political philosophy as fighter and competitors.

Democrats dislike competitive sports. They tend to have sympathy for losers. They would rather avoid such conflicts. Team work and equality are more important than letting a few people become winners at expense of others (losers). People of such psychological profile tend to be more liberal and democrats. They favor stability over polarity due to competition.

2004-04-08T13:38:00.000-07:00

Bias and prejudice

Double standard is the trademark for people of prejudice or bias. For people of double standard, they really have no standard, no principle. People without principle are often observed in uncivilized barbaric tribes. There is really no rule, no law, no principle, no morale in barbarism.

Then why there is double standard in the first place? Double standard is product of barbaric instinct in civilized environment. Standard or principle is guidance of fairness for civilized people. To cover up their barbaric nature, people of less civility create one standard for themselves, another for other. Barbaric people pretend to be civilized in civilized world.

Though no culture is immune from double stand behavior, double standards are observed more often in some cultures than others. Such cultures are often newly civilized from barbarism. Barbaric people are hastily thrown into civilization and their barbaric instincts are still quite strong. To fulfill their barbaric nature, double standards are created because barbaric people really do not want to be fair.

2004-04-08T12:53:00.000-07:00

ONE COUNTRY ONE SYSTEM. Or really?

http://www.economist.com/agenda/displayStory.cfm?story_id=2571707

Economist had this article called `One country one system ' which attacks Chinese government's promise `One country two systems' for Hong Kong special zone. The report is only partially true. It is still one country two systems. The title is misleading and distorted. Hong Kong basically inherited British style rule. I.E. the governor is never elected but appointed by master country (Britain in past, China now). Part of delegates in council are selected by master country (in this case, China). Every thing is the same except master country. British never gave full democracy to Hong Kong because people would have voted Brits out in no time. China is only replacing Brits as rulers without basic change. Hong Kong is still capitalist system with partial democracy. Yet, western reporters often neglect the truth only to smear China. China simply does exactly what British did before. Yet, China got attacked by western media. Why?

Here are several possible explanations:
1. Benign reason because of ignorance or lazy report due to lack of historical knowledge.
2. Sinister reason because of racial prejudice.
3. Motivated by other hidden agenda.
4. Other reasons unknown yet.

For number one reason, well, reporter's credibility is in question. For other reasons, readers should be immune to such manipulation for unspoken motivation. Unfortunately, most people will never know what they get. Whatever motivation or reasons behind this report only leads to further antagonism to Chinese government which really did not do any thing different from British Government.

2004-04-07T08:58:00.000-07:00

Just set up and fun will begin soon.