Travel Risks

There have been many complaints about the dangers of driving in foreign countries, however most of them have been a humorous light; with little resentment. The dangers, however, have risen in the past few years and have forced tourists to think about the risk they undertake driving in a foreign country. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11415913)

We know our hometown like the back of our hand. We know the way people drive there, and what the laws are. For example, in my hometown, turn signals seem to be optional. I mean, I never got the memo on that one for myself, but nearly everyone around me seems to think so. We know about speed traps and snow routes, and where the most dangerous intersections are.

Chicago people know when to drive, when not to drive, and how they can get home without killing someone, especially their passengers. People in small towns know whose cows they’re being blocked by, and the name of the kid playing ball in the middle of the road.

But when we’re taken out of our familiar areas things can get ugly. On a small scale, we’ll wonder whether or not that right-on-red was legal in that place, or whether all the roads are gravel, or perhaps even which road is a one-way. We may even wonder if our car can fit through that tiny, spiraling road.

You’ll get lost if you’re lucky, but you may be killed if you aren’t. Learn something about the place you’re going! Especially if you plan to drive there. If you’re out of the country, make sure you learn the foreign country’s laws. The last thing any of us need is a ticket from a guy who doesn’t even speak our language. If they’re really mean they might even put you in jail overnight, which might not be as bad as you think; at least the hotel was free.

However, if you hit the wrong goat you might lose your life; or if you take the wrong road. Some places don’t have fancy road cleaning systems and the roads can be disastrous at best. Consider whether or not it’s wise to drive while you’re there period. Many travel agencies can hook you up with a rental vehicle or maybe even a guide.

Consider Japan, the roads are fine, if a little small, but trains are almost always the great way to go. They’re cheaper than renting a vehicle, and they’re everywhere; provided you don’t mind the experience of getting close to a bunch of strangers.
Buses, subways, and trains are a good way to get around in foreign countries because most of them go to the tourist destinations anyway. You’re less likely to get lost, arrested, or killed if you take public transport, and if the place is too dangerous for public transport, the place may not be worth going to in the first place as a travel destination.

So please, think about where you’re going and how to get around safely while you’re there before you hop on the plane or in your car. It might just save your life.

Vampires!

A huge phenomenon has spread over the US, with people screaming for blood. Well blood suckers anyway. The ever popular Twilight series has sparked a reborn demand for occult novels featuring everything from werewolves; to vampires; to faeries.

It all starts with Bram Stoker’s Dracula, a fanciful story about Vlad Tepes, or Vlad the Impaler, being a vampire. But long before that there were several legends of vampires, such as the Chinese Jiang Shi, raised from the body of someone who died an untimely death and sucks the blood of the living. The Soucouyant of Trinidad was a female blood sucking shape shifting creature. (http://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Soucouyant)

Legends aside, our vampires have always been popular. Several novels have their own claims to fame as vampire novels. For example Cirque Du Freak by Darren Shawn. Nosferatu (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0013442/) is a good example of a film based off of vampires. Another to be considered is 30 Days of Night a fairly recent horror movie produced on vampires.

Not all of us have a vampire heartthrob such as in Twilight; some would rather destroy them.  Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a TV show, and Castelvania, a video game, both exemplify this.

Nearly everyone knows how to kill a vampire now, although our writers keep changing their minds about what actually works and what doesn’t. The general consensus has been garlic, stake through the heart, or sunlight will destroy them. Twilight breaks all three, although I can’t imagine Edward Cullen feeling too good after a stake through the heart. Cirque Du Freak says garlic is ok, but the other two will do in a full blooded vampire. A favorite of mine, Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchet, suggests there are too many different types of vampires to be sure. The only real way to insure your safety is simply to give them another victim and run.

But what happens to the victims? Some become vampires, like in Dracula, but others merely become servants or ghouls of the vampire, such as a popular manga and anime known as Hellsing. Either way, you won’t die a normal death if one catches you.

My suggestion to Twilight fans? Grab some popcorn and enjoy the movies and books and hope if they were to exist they’d be more like your Edward Cullen. Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans? Hope she’s nearby if any of them show up.

China versus Japan, Recent News

This week, it’s China versus Japan. There have been tensions between the two countries for years, and this week they clash heads again in a similar incident to the Iranian capture of American hikers.

China and Japan haven’t been on good terms ever since WWII. Japan captured much of China during WWII, and killed many Chinese in brutal ways. Japan showed no mercy to women or even children. To them, the shame of surrender was unforgivable; however, China’s views were very different. China regarded the Japanese invaders as monsters, fearing and hating them. Japan’s brutal takeover of China was not so easily forgotten, despite the change in heart of modern Japan. Though things aren’t as bad as they were, it doesn’t take much to set them aflame against each other.
            Recently, a Chinese vessel was incarcerated by the Japanese. The Japanese argue the vessel rammed them close to an uninhabited group of islands owned by Japan. Senkaku, in Japanese, or Diaoyu in Chinese, these islands have been the subject of much debate over the last few decades. (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/23/world/asia/23chinajapan.html?_r=1&ref=world)

China is in disagreement that Japan should hold the captain of the vessel hostage, and argues as an act of diplomacy, Japan should release them. Japan argues this is a case of legalities, and not of diplomacy. China is ready to take action should Japan decline to return the captain to his family. Several protests and inflammatory comments have been geared against Japan already, however the Japanese people seem to feel Japan should try the captain. Hopefully they can come to some sort of an agreement on the issue, and avoid further conflict.

Next Wednesday, the Japanese will decide whether or not to release the captain. With any luck, they will release him and apologies will be said from either side.

(http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/23/world/asia/23chinajapan.html?_r=1&ref=world)

A Little Note on Facebook

One of the biggest cultural differences of our generation from the previous one is probably the huge advancements in social networking; especially websites. I’m going to just look at my favorite one: Facebook.  

            Facebook has allowed us to keep a personal sort of record viewable for our friends, (and the general public if we set it that way). Everyone has a Facebook, or at least, it seems strange to us if they don’t. We use it as a way to keep in touch, and to even keep track of things like birthdays and events. Facebook keeps changing and adding new features, new securities, and new ways to keep up with your friends.  

           It’s nice, truly, to be able to just click on a person and see how they’re doing in a manner of seconds. Oh look, Billy’s had a rough day yesterday; I had best send him a message. The news feed has made this even easier, allowing you to scroll through what everyone you know has been doing lately.

            This new technology has changed the dating world too. Now it’s easy to tell if someone is single; just check their relationship status. I’m not sure if I like this idea or not, but it certainly proves useful to the people looking for dates to the nearest dance. It’s also easy to tell if your friends are fighting with their boyfriends with a quick status change to “it’s complicated”. (Provided they don’t already post something relating to their relationships.)

            But overall I think Facebook is more useful than harmful. What people see about you is under your control, and what you choose to post is entirely on you. It’s a great way to stay in touch with people, and get to know people you recently met better.

the End of the World?

            We’ve set a date for the end of the world; December 21^st 2012. But how do we know? Well, we don’t, not for sure, but there are some theories out there. The end of the Mayan Calendar, this date has put some people on the edge. (http://www.december212012.com/)

            Some believe we’re facing the apocalypse, and we could slam into another planet and create a black hole. Other’s say we’ll undergo a huge spiritual transformation (of a positive nature). Still others foresee a shift in the magnetic fields.

            As for the apocalypse, no evidence suggesting the Mayans predict it’s the end of the world, so much as the end of an era. However, playing off of the magnetic field theory there are some beliefs these shifts would cause catastrophic, possibly world destructive events.

            Spiritual change however seems even more unlikely, only based on the movement of the stars and what sort of astrological meanings they have. (http://www.2012-doomsday-predictions.com/6945/shining-ones-of-enlightenment-2012-spiritual-transformation/) 

            The most likely seems to be some sort of shift in the magnetic fields based on our positions, however, scientists have little information on that either.

            Personally, I think this will end like every other prediction about the end of the world, by not ending at all. Some changes in our climate may be likely, but I don’t see the world ending, or people suddenly clasping hands in peace (as nice as the idea is). My biggest hope is nothing happens at all, but we’ll just have to wait and see.

  It's the End of the World as We Know it, and I Feel Fine-REM

Picture found: http://www.prlog.org/10339115-december-21-2012.jpg

Clash of Religions

                When you think of what makes us different, as a people, one of the biggest things that comes to mind is religion. They don’t believe in the same god as I do, or perhaps they don’t believe in any god, or maybe not the right way. I do not follow Hinduism, sure, but I do not wish them harm;  nor will I condemn them for believing as they do. Is it ok to disagree with them? Sure it is, but it is not ok to wish their deaths simply because they don’t see things your way. It is also not ok to condemn a whole religion of people because of what a small portion of them have done.  Based on what has happened lately I do not believe people are making a distinction between a small portion and the whole.

                Just three days ago marks the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in America.  It was a tragic event and many lives were lost. Al-Qaeda planned four plane attacks. Three were successful, taking out the World Trade Center (the Twin Towers) and the Pentagon.  Naturally, Americans were very angry. They were looking for someone to blame. Because Al-Qaeda is an extremist Muslim organization, many Americans turned to the Muslims for blame, claiming that all of them were terrorists (or are in some cases), which is not true. Anyone can be a terrorist, even Christians.

                Al-Qaeda was formed based on their perceived need for a jihad or a war on the world's Christian people, due to the Crusades in about the 12^th century. I agree, that yes, the Crusades were a horrible thing and should never have happened however, I do not agree that they constitute a war today. The Crusades happened over 800 years ago. That’s almost a thousand years; we’re talking several generations down the line. In today’s modern Christianity the Crusades would be absolutely unacceptable. That and the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon didn’t kill only Christians.

 Let’s simply look at the attack on the Twin Towers, which is probably the most remembered part of the whole attacks.  Approximately 3,000 people were killed in these attacks (World Trade Center, http://www.wtc.com/). Out of the 3,000 people, it is hard to believe that they were all Christian. There could have been Atheists, Muslims, Buddhists, and any other number of religions present at the time of the attacks. If this were truly an attack on Christianity, why strike there? Why not go for a large church on Sunday? It was a World Trade Center, surely people from all over the world were working in those buildings the moment they collapsed.

Still the anger is there, and on both sides. Recently Pastor Terry Jones had plans to burn the Koran to mark the 9^th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. United States officials, including the president, argued that he shouldn’t burn the Koran and that it would endanger our troops overseas and cause unrest. It did cause unrest even though he never burned them. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39113743/ns/us_news-security), However the unrest he and the media caused still led to several deaths.

According to the New York Times, 16 people died in Kashmir alone. (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/14/world/asia/14kashmir.html?ref=terry_jones_pastor) All because of the threats to burn the Koran. Seems a bit drastic doesn’t it? And yet, can the Christians say they wouldn’t react in a similar way to threats for burning the Bible? Or any other religion’s reaction to the burning of their holy book. But is the pastor the only one to blame? I don’t think so, though yes, I do agree some of the blame belongs to him, but the media’s blowing this story out of proportion led to these people believing it would happen and protesting it. I bet that there were lots of people in America burning Korans or even posting hateful comments about Muslims during the anniversary of 9/11 however, they haven’t caused protests because the media has not reported on them, or made such a huge deal out of them.

Basically it is one giant misunderstanding that has only made tensions between Christianity and Islam worse.  Just as many Christian Americans view Muslims as guilty for the attacks because of the actions of Al-Qaeda, Muslims now view many Christian  Americans  as guilty for burning the Koran. Who is right? No one! Because an entire population of people cannot be blamed for the  actions of a small group. If Americans want to protest the attacks, they should only protest against Al-Qaeda, and if they really must burn things, they could burn Al-Qaeda’s name or something very specific to Al-Qaeda. On the other side,  Muslims wishing to protest the potential burning of the Koran should focus specifically on that church, and not all of America, or all American Christians. It is because of misconceptions like these that there is so much hate between religions. If they could only see it in a more individual way, there wouldn’t be so much bloodshed.
Picture is from http://www.ussartf.org/images/ATT390715.jpg

Why I Created This

    Culture is a huge part of our lives, from holidays, to religious beliefs, to pop culture, everyone in the world fits in with some kind of culture. There are so many different kinds of culture out there, and I, Rising Phoenix, want to know something about them all if I can. The purpose of this blog is to learn about different cultures, compare them, and analyze them.