VOL.033 AUG 20 - AUG 26 , 2021
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Vietnam Veteran:
KABUL WORSE THAN SAIGON
What Happened in
By Arvind Datta Vision Times
A
merica’s desperate attempt to evacuate embassy staff from the Afghan capital of Kabul has been compared to the fall of Saigon in 1975. In Saigon, the U.S. military troops hastily pulled out 7,000 citizens from the Vietnamese city. Larry Chambers was skipper of the Midway aircraft carrier during the Saigon evacuation. The 92-year-old believes what is happening in Kabul is actually worse than what took place in Saigon. “We tried to get out as many people who worked with us as we could [from Saigon]… Did we do a good job? Who knows? I do not know what [the Taliban is] going to do, but whatever it is, [is] not going to be pretty… We made a promise to those folks [in Vietnam] that we would rescue them, and we didn’t… In Afghanistan, we are abandoning the folks who supported us while we were there,” Chambers said in an interview with Military Times. Chambers said that one thing that makes the fall of Kabul worse than Saigon is the proximity to the ocean. Saigon is located 30 miles off the coast; Kabul is situated 800
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Refugees who fled Vietnam in 1975. (Image: Jack Cahill / Getty Images)
miles from the Arabian Sea, which is too far for a small airplane or an overloaded helicopter. Kabul airport is also flanked by mountains; the Taliban can easily use these mountains to fire down at the airport and the airplanes. Kabul airport was temporarily shut down after Afghan nationals broke through the perimeter and forced security forces to fire in the air. U.S. military flights have resumed, but the situation contin-
An Afghan family rushes to the Hamid Karzai International Airport as they flee the Afghan capital of Kabul. (Image: HAROON SABAWOON /GETTY IMAGES)
ues to be tense on the ground. Foreign nations are also rushing in to evacuate their people. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called the “images of desperation” at the airport “shameful for the political West.” Kimberley Motley, an international human rights attorney, was
640 desperate people crammed in US Air Force C-17 that flew from Kabul Airport to Qatar on August 15.(Images:video screenshot)
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working to get Afghans out of the country. She called the situation a “human rights nightmare” and compared it to America’s Vietnam exit. “This is like Saigon on steroids,” she said. Mariam Sulaimankhil, a female lawmaker from Afghanistan, cried on her flight leaving Kabul. “The next time I come here it will be a white Taliban flag… Today was one of the worst days of my life. We are leaving people we know behind, in danger. It’s terrifying,”
Passengers inside an Air America C-47 during the evacuation of Da Nang, March 27th, 1975. (Images:video screenshot)
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she told The Wall Street Journal. Elise Stefanik, chair of the House Republican Conference, criticized President Joe Biden for the situation in Afghanistan. She said that Trump’s Afghan policy was “conditions-based” and that Biden “totally abandoned” it, allowing the Taliban to break the agreement. “This is Joe Biden’s Saigon… Joe Biden is desperately attempting to pass the buck. But the buck always stops with the President of the United States. There is only one Commander-in-Chief. There is only one person who sits behind the Resolute Desk. The responsibility for this failure rests solely with President Joe Biden,” Stefanik said in a statement. The fall of Saigon happened two years after American forces had withdrawn from Vietnam. However, the fall of Kabul has taken place amidst the evacuation of American troops. President Biden might end up facing a bigger political impact than what President Gerald Ford faced back in 1975. “I have little doubt that it’s going to hurt Biden… It’s going to be viewed as a loss, and possibly as a disgrace… it really was his call, fairly or not,” Christopher Phelps, an associate professor of American Studies at the University of Nottingham, told the BBC.
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What Is the Current Situation of
Why More Than 1 Million Children Aren’t Attending Public School This Year
AMERICANS LEFT IN AFGHANISTAN? By Arvind Datta Vision Times
At
asked as to how long the U.S. military will remain in Afghanistan, Kirby said that they are focused on the August 31 deadline which “the president gave us.” Washington has sent 6,000 additional troops into Afghanistan to secure a safe passage for its citizens and Afghan aides. As of Sunday, Aug. 15, thousands of Americans remain in Afghanistan. In an interview with CBS, National Security advisor Jake Sullivan said that America will evacuate a “significant number of Americans” in the coming days and that they are “still doing outreach” to determine the total number of U.S. citizens present in the country.
a press briefing on Aug. 16, state department spokesperson Ned Price stated that all U.S. direct-hire embassy personnel, including the Ambassador, have been relocated to the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul that is secured by the American military. However, Price has asked other American citizens still in the country not to approach the airport. “We are asking U.S. citizens to shelter and not to travel to the airport until they hear otherwise from the Department of State. We also continue to pursue all options Hundreds of calls to to relocate interested and quali- hotline for stranded fied Afghan SIV applicants and Americans their immediate families, as well as Staffers from Republican Tom other vulnerable Afghans,” Price Cotton’s office set up a hotline for said in the briefing. Americans stranded in the warThe airport is located five kilo- torn country. In less than 24 hours, meters from the capital city and is hundreds of individuals had conthe only safe route tacted the hotto leave the counline. Though the staffers haven’t try since all other border crossings received any special inside inforare now under control of the Talmation on the iban. Price added state of evacuathat the militions, they have tary has airlifted been able to consolidate con1,600 people out tact details and of Afghanistan in recent days on streamline comtop of the 2,000 munications with appropriSpecial Immigrant Visa (SIV) ate authorities holders who were on the ground. evacuated during Other lawmakthe past weeks. ers, like Republican Ken Buck, He confirmed are also offerthat the department was “prioring similar assisaccording to a report by The Washington Post. itizing American tance through citizens.” their office. However, Pen“My office has tagon press secreheard from over tary John Kirby made an oppos- 100 Americans who need help geting statement in his interview with ting out of Afghanistan… We can’t Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich, saying fly planes or open gates, but we can that American citizens will not get at least give people information. any special priority in the evacua- The Biden administration needs a tion process. plan to get our fellow Americans “Once we get more airlift out of out,” Cotton said to Rogin. Kabul, we’re going to put as many Another GOP congressional people on those planes as we can. staffer who has been fielding calls There will be a mix… not just says that the homes of some AmerAmerican citizens, but perhaps ican citizens have been ransacked some Afghan SIV applicants as and “they are in hiding because well. We’re going to focus on get- the Taliban is terrorizing and ting people out of the country, then tormenting neighborhoods.” He sorting it out at the next stop. It’s blamed the Biden administration not going to be just Americans first, for not having a proper plan “to then SIV applicants,” Kirby said. handle this on a mass scale.” Meanwhile, hundreds of Afghan Afghan SIV applicants Americans gathered in front of the White House to protest against to be housed in President Biden’s failure to approTexas, Wisconsin Heinrich obtained Defense priately act against Taliban’s takeDepartment documents show- over of Afghanistan. They blamed ing that it plans to relocate up to neighboring Pakistan for the dire 30,000 Afghan SIV applicants in situation and asked that America the near future. These refugees bring an end to Pakistan’s fundwould be housed in military bases ing of the Taliban. in Texas and Wisconsin. When
Thousands of U.S. citizens who didn’t make it there (airport) yet are hiding and hoping someone saves them before roaming Taliban gangs find them.
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By Neil Campbell Vision Times
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A woman weeps as she arrives among the first German and Afghan evacuees from Kabul, at Frankfurt International Airport in western Germany in the early hours of August 18, 2021. (Images: ARMANDO BABANI/Getty Images)
US soldiers rest as Afghan people wait to leave the Kabul airport in Kabul on August 16, 2021.(Images: SHAKIB RAHMANI/Getty Images)
US soldiers stand guard as Afghan people wait at the Kabul airport in Kabul on August 16, 2021.(Images: SHAKIB RAHMANI/Getty Images)
US soldiers take up their positions as they secure the airport in Kabul on August 16, 2021.(Images: SHAKIB RAHMANI/Getty Images)
Afghans crowd at the airport as US soldiers stand guard in Kabul on August 16, 2021.(Images: SHAKIB RAHMANI/Getty Images)
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ver 1 million school children did not show up as expected for in person or online public education programs this year. The greatest number of absentees are kindergarteners, according to a new report. Analysis published by the New York Times in conjunction with Stanford University examined government data of 70,000 public schools across 33 states, finding that more than 340,000 kindergartners are missing from expected roll calls. Researchers found at least 10,000 of these schools lost 20 percent or more of their kindergarten enrollment. In comparison, only 4,000 schools suffered a similar decline in 2019 and 2018. They also found that in neighborhoods where the average income of a family of four was $35,000 or less, the drop was 28 percent higher than in other school districts. The article attributes the collapse to the advent of online learning, because, “City schools, which serve disproportionate numbers of low-income students of color, were the most likely to shutter classrooms for extended periods.” Data showed that school districts that went all-in with pandemic hysteria and moved to a strictly online format saw a 42 percent greater decrease in enrollment than regions that offered full-time and in-person education. A July 13 article by the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE), quoted Tiffany Pierce, a New York woman who chose to homeschool her children after pandemic measures exposed the reality of the state’s education system, “During the remote and hybrid school year, parents have noticed how their vision of education did not align with that of the Department of Education, school, or teacher’s vision. Parents were able to see from video learning how their child interacted with content, teacher, and peers.” Pierce, who FEE notes has a Master’s in Education and runs a “daily homeschool micro-learning program,” said the advent of “Zoom school” was what was turning many parents off from the public education system. In a March article, FEE found, based on U.S. Census data, that 11.1 percent of U.S. students were now being homeschooled, up from 3.3 percent in pre-pandemic life. In places such as Massachusetts, homeschooling saw more than a 1,000 percent increase from 1.5 percent in the spring of 2020 as the pandemic first arrived to 12.1 percent in the fall. FEE noted that data by an Education Week survey showed, “This year’s new homeschoolers are also more likely to come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds… more lower-income families were choosing homeschooling during the pandemic response than higherincome families, challenging the myth that homeschooling families are more affluent than others.”
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AUG 20 - AUG 26, 2021 |
A3
Global Semiconductor Supply Shortage Nissan Shuts Down Operations at US Plant (ADOBESTOCK)
of their plants in June. “A global shortage of semiconductors has affected parts procurement in the
auto sector. Due to the shortage, Nissan is adjusting production and taking necessary actions to ensure
recovery,” a Nissan spokeswoman stated to Reuters. Two sources from Suzuki mentioned plans to shut production down in three of its plants in Shizuoka prefecture for around three to nine days. The company did not officially confirm the plan. Mitsubishi Motors announced plans to reduce production by around 30,000 vehicles in June at five of their plants in Thailand, Japan, and Indonesia. In May, Nissan predicted that its vehicle production will be reduced by half a million this year owing to the global chip shortage. “Despite headwinds, we have reduced our losses more than we forecasted due to accelerated transformation, focused on rationalization and quality of sales while enhancing investments in new products and new technologies,” Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida . In early August, General Motors started making adjustments to its production of pickup trucks in three of its factories in North America. Factories of other auto majors like Honda and Toyota were also not fully operational, although they did not indicate any large-scale suspensions at their facilities.
ity and integrity of the messages they read and the responses they receive on the platforms. The CIR says they have uncovered a “Coordinated attempt, using a mix of fake, real and stolen social media accounts, to distort international perceptions on significant issues, elevate China’s reputation amongst its supporters, and discredit claims critical of the Chinese Government.” The CCP’s Twitter botnet was found to use accounts that posed as people by utilizing machinelearning generated profile pictures through StyleGAN. CIR explained the technology in the following way: “StyleGAN, short for Style Generative Adversarial Networks, is a type of machine learning framework, where a technique trained on a dataset is able to generate new data with the same statistics as the dataset. For StyleGAN networks, the tech-
nique enables brand new faces to be created that don’t exist in real life.” Some of the biggest tells the botnet was using synthetic profile pictures was the subtle blurring of facial features, places where heads met backgrounds, teeth alignment, or where glasses met faces. But the biggest red flag was that the eyes of each photo were all on the same horizontal axis, which researchers showed to be definitively consistent across dozens of accounts. They noted that the botnet also utilized accounts with “more authentic appearing images,” including anime images and accounts that were clearly once owned by a person but had been “repurposed” to serve as a propaganda tool, likely through either a purchased account or a compromised password. The team found an almost iden-
tical pattern of text-based image posting, hashtag usage, account nomenclature, profile photo type, and propaganda narrativebased responses on both Facebook and the YouTube comment section. A heavily utilized approach employed by the botnet’s makers was for a tweet by an account devoted to posting to be retweeted by an array of zero-follower accounts with similar archetypal names, photos, and history in order to ensure the propaganda gained traction in Twitter’s algorithm and would have an opportunity to reach the eyes of real human users or go viral. The pattern repeated through other topics such as that of Black Lives Matter and racial justice, India’s recent COVID-19 crisis, the Wuhan Lab Leak theory, and the Hong Kong democracy movement.
By Jonathan Walker Vision Times
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apanese carmaker Nissan is temporarily suspending operations at its assembly plant in Tennessee. The decision was made due to a shortage of semiconductors triggered by the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Malaysia. Nissan’s other plant in the state of Mississippi, will continue to be operational. Nissan’s Smyrna plant in Tennessee mainly produces the Rogue SUV and Leaf electric vehicles. Nissan management plans to resume operations at the plant from August 30. However, this is subject to how the semiconductor situation develops over that period of time. Semiconductors are crucial components for just about any industry manufacturing products with modern electronics. Manufacturing a chip can take over three months and requires huge factories, machinery costs that run into millions, high-end laser technology, and vast dust-free spaces. Specific to the auto industry, semiconductors are used extensively in almost all segments of
Major automakers like Nissan, Toyota and Suzuki have been forced to cut down production owing to semiconductor shortages.
cars, especially technologically high-end ones. Such cars make use of hundreds of sensors and controllers that are run by complex chips to enhance the vehicle’s functionality, versatility and efficiency. The shortage of semiconductors has made it extremely difficult to continue manufacturing next-generation vehicles. Nissan Motor Co. and automotive major Suzuki Motor Corp. had earlier announced a temporary halt of production at some
Twitter Plagued by Artificial Intelligence Posing as Humans Pushing Communist China’s Propaganda: Report By Neil Campbell Vision Times
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he Big Tech cartel’s social media keystones, Twitter and Facebook, made their claim to fame as the mainstream avenue in which citizens, governments, and businesses alike communicate with each other, broadcast warnings and instructions, and advertise. Today, as these platforms have become rife with both censorship and a dense onevoice, left wing, establishment narrative, what if the accounts you see, the comments they post,
and even the profile pictures they use, are actually just generated by artificial intelligence? That is exactly the case when it comes to pro-Chinese Communist Party accounts on Twitter and Facebook, according to an Aug. 4 report by the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) titled Analysis of the Pro-China Propaganda Network Targeting International Narratives. The 80-page report, composed mostly of pictorial evidence and real-world examples, should be considered a must-read for any social media user, especially those concerned about the verac-
Despite headwinds, we have reduced our losses more than we forecasted due to accelerated transformation, focused on rationalization and quality of sales while enhancing investments in new products and new technologies ---- Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida said in a statement.
COVID-19 Vaccine rollout has sped up
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A4 | AUG 20 - AUG 26, 2021
VISION TIMES
Taiwan Rebuffs Chinese Propaganda Claims That Afghanistan’s Fate Is an ‘Omen’ for the Island By Leo Timm Vision Times
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ommunist Party-run outlets in China are touting the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan as a sign of things to come for Taiwan if war breaks out between the self-ruled island and the People’s Republic of China, claiming that Taiwan’s “defense will collapse in hours and the US military won’t come to help.” The communist Chinese regime claims Taiwan — officially called the Republic of China — as part of its own territory, vowing to “retake” the island and bring an end to the unfinished civil war that saw the fall of the ROC on the Chinese mainland.
In an Aug. 16 editorial, Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times directed its rhetoric at Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which advocates formal independence for the island: According to the Global Times, Taiwan’s leaders “must have been nervous and feel an ominous presentiment” following the removal of most U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the subsequent fall of the Afghan government to the Taliban. “The situation in Afghanistan suddenly saw a radical change
after the country was abandoned by the US. And Washington just left despite the worsening situation in Kabul. Is this some kind of omen of Taiwan’s future fate?” “They [the DPP] must have known better in secret that the US is not reliable,” the editorial continued, while positing that should war come “the DPP authorities will quickly surrender, while some highlevel officials may flee by plane.”
Taiwan responds: ‘Stop being delusional’
Speaking with reporters, Taiwan premier Su Tseng-chang dismissed the notion that Taiwanese leaders would flee in the event of a communist invasion. Su noted that despite the protection afforded by the U.S. military, Taiwan has no intention of relying on Washington for protection, as reported by Newsweek on Aug. 17. “We will safeguard this country and this land.” He also took a jab at the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), which used to run the ROC as an authoritarian party, saying that when the KMT “installed authoritarian rule and 38 years of martial law in Taiwan, we lived through martial law without fear of death or imprisonment.” “Today, a powerful country wants to annex Taiwan through the use of force. Likewise, we fear neither death nor imprisonment,” Su said. “To the foreign forces that seek to invade Taiwan, we say this: Don’t be delusional.”
ROC soldiers
(Ministry of National Defense)
Communist China Attempts to Bolster Its Olympic Medal Count by Including Medals Won by Hong Kong and Taiwan By Arvind Datta Vision Times
In
a move widely panned as petty and inappropriate for a world superpower, communist China has claimed it has won the most medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. It did so by adding medals won by Hong Kong and Taiwan to its total. Under the International Olympic Committee rules, Hong Kong and Taiwan compete independently. Hong Kong has a unique place among other nations; Taiwan is a fully sovereign and independent state outside of China. Team USA dominated the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games, garnering a total of 113 medals with China coming in second with just 88. Perhaps the biggest disappointment for the Chinese Communist
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China’s fake medal count was 41 gold, 37 silver, and 27 bronze medals; the United States’s total was 38 gold, 32 silver, and 18 bronze medals.
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Party (CCP) is losing the lead in gold medals on the last day of the Olympics. In a last-minute push, the U.S. finished with 39 gold medals, surpassing China’s 38. Refusing defeat, China engaged in some creative accounting. Images circulating on the Chinese social media platform Weibo and on China’s Central Television depict an altered medal count that includes medals won by athletes from Hong Kong and Taiwan. China’s fake medal count was 42 gold, 37 silver, and 27 bronze medals; the United States’s total was 38 gold, 39 silver, and 33 bronze medals. “According to The Taiwan News, some graphics even showed China leading with 42 gold medals by including a third territory Macau – despite it not being recognized by the IOC as a NOC,” Fox News reported.
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Federal Agents Seize 3,000 Fake Vaccination Cards Made in China By Vision Times Staff
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in Memphis, Tennessee, and other cities have seized thousands of fraudulent COVID-19 cards shipped from China, as announced by the federal agency on Aug. 13. “This fiscal year to date, Memphis has made 121 seizures totaling 3,017 of these vaccination cards,” the CBP statement reads. “They are always from China.” The cards were bound for other parts of the United States. Another shipment, from the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, was intercepted in New Orleans, the CBP said. That batch contained 51 blank vaccination cards, and was the “15th such shipment of the night,” according to the statement. Shipments were described as greeting cards, “Use For-Greeting Card,” or “PAPER PAPER CARD.” “The cards have blanks for the recipient’s name and birthdate, the vaccine maker, lot number, and date and place the shot was given, as well as the Centers for Disease Control [and Prevention] (CDC) logo in the upper right corner,” CBP said.
All teachers in California will have to be vaccinated against Covid-19 or submit to weekly virus tests, Governor Gavin Newsom announced on August 11. (ROBYN BECK/Getty Images)
The cards were identified as fakes because they were not imported by a CDC or medical entity, and because the shipper had a history of fraudulent activity. Some of the counterfeit cards have typos and incomplete words, especially in the Spanish spelling on the back. Demand for fake vaccination credentials has jumped as authorities and institutions across the country increasingly require getting the jab. New York City recently mandated vaccine passports for entry to certain businesses starting September, and many colleges are requiring vaccination for in-person classes. While 60 percent of Americans — around 200 million people — have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine by Aug. 13, there are many who remain reluctant to get inoculated due to safety concerns, religious beliefs, and a desire for more transparency from health organizations. Since the expedited rollout of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, there have been thousands of reports about alleged and sometimes deadly side effects. There is also a significant chance of contracting COVID-19 even when fully vaccinated, according to data released by authorities. On Aug. 13, White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients reminded Americans that it is illegal to counterfeit COVID-19 vaccination cards. This March, the FBI warned that the purchase, sale, or use of counter COVID-19 vaccination documents is a crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
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AUG 20 - AUG 26, 2021 | Adobe Stock
Muddy Waters Capital
Warns Americans
AGAINST
A
ug. 13 marked the fourth year since Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, lauded as “China’s Conscience,” disappeared for the last time into the custody of the communist regime’s security apparatus. In an interview with the Chinese-language edition of Vision Times, blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng urged the United States and other countries to collectively put pressure on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
In Chinese Stocks
Juliet Wei/Vision Times
Beijing is looking to rein in private companies which it blames for increasing inequality, spiking up financial risk, and defying the authority of the government. The action against private enterprises has triggered a wipe-out of around $1 trillion worth of share value listed on the mainland, Hong Kong, and the U.S. stock exchanges since February this year. The chaos caused by Beijing’s crackdown has raised concerns over whether Chinese stocks are still worth investing in.
C
arson Block, the chief investment officer of Muddy Waters Capital LLC, is concerned that people investing in Chinese assets are not accounting for the market risks associated with how quickly the Chinese government makes decisions regarding its domestic companies. “I think investors for the past decade were basically pulling the wool over their own eyes on the capriciousness of the policy environment in China. So that’s coming home now to bite a number of investors. But it’s just one of many risks that you really need to take into account but investors have not,” Block said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. For these reasons, a China stock “should not trade at a significant discount relative to a stock of a company that’s based in the U.S.” provided that all other things are equal. “But often we’ve found that they don’t, because investors like to tell themselves these fairy tales about it,” he added. In China, regulatory crackdowns on companies have intensified in recent weeks. The sectors range from transportation and logistics, education technology, delivery services industries, and so on. Chinese regulatory bodies launched a data security review against Didi, a ride-hailing company right after its shares began trading in the U.S. on June 30.
Chen Guangcheng
‘Inaccurate, then Lying’
In his interview, Block pointed out that American investors don’t fully appreciate the fact that Chinese economic data is not “real data” since there is “inaccuracy and then lying” embedded into it. Yet, investors insist that they need exposure to China’s growth potential. Block noted that investors are currently operating in a world of low-interest rates and financial repression due to which they are shifting more money into higher-risk investments like the equity markets. He has been short on Chinese stocks for years. Muddy Waters is presently market neutral, meaning that its short positions are balanced out by long positions. Muddy Waters conducts extensive due diligencebased investment research on companies all over the world. In 2011, Bloomberg Markets Magazine named Block among the “50 Most Influential in Global Finance.”
Hong Kong Group Famous for Mass Protests Disbands After Coming Under Investigation By Leo Timm Vision Times
Several protests in 2019 saw more than 1 million Hongkongers take to the streets. (Image: Miguel
I
n 2003, half a million Hongkongers marched to protest the planned activation of Article 23, which would threaten political freedoms in their city just six years after its return to China from British colonial rule. On Aug. 15, the organization that put together the protest — and many after it — was forced to disband. Founded in September 2002, the Hong Kong Civil Human Rights Front announced its dissolution after the city’s police went forward with an investigation into the group. “In the course of over a year, the [Hong Kong] government, in the name of the pandemic, continuously turned down march applications by the CHRF and other organizations,” the CHRF stated. In 2019, the CHRF became the backbone of massive pro-democwww.visiontimes.com
If US and Allies Apply Pressure Imprisoned Dissidents Could Be Free By Juliet Wei Vision Times
INVESTING By Jonathan Walker Vision Times
A5
Chen, himself a lawyer famous for defending the poor and disenfranchised, said that methods such as restricting Party officials’ travel to Western countries would prove very effective and could even compel the regime to release dissidents such as Gao. Gao, a self-taught attorney who built his career in the 1990s and early 2000s, was once recognized in Chinese media as one of the nation’s top ten lawyers. However, he became an enemy of the Party by daring to represent adherents of Falun Gong, the popular Chinese spiritual group that remains heavily persecuted to this day. Gao was subject to much of the torture commonly visited upon Falun Gong detainees, and his family was constantly harassed until they managed to escape to the U.S. Gao has been incommunicado for almost all of the last decade. The last news concerning his status was in 2017, when he reportedly attempted to escape house arrest in his native province of Shaanxi. Chen miraculously escaped house arrest in 2012, arriving at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and later gaining asylum in the U.S. He is now a senior visiting scholar at the Catholic University of America.
Candela/SOPA Images/ LightRocket via Getty Images)
On Aug. 15, the organization that put together the protest — and many after it — was forced to disband.
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racy demonstrations in the city, sparked by the rejection of a controversial bill that would allow extradition to mainland China. Several protests that year saw more than 1 million Hongkongers take to the streets. The largest was on June 16, 2019, which saw 2.03 million of the city’s 7 million residents march to voice their disapproval of the extradition bill, as well as call for broader democratic reforms in Hong Kong. By mid-2020, however, protests
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had been worn down by a combination of police suppression, coronavirus lockdowns, and finally, the National Security Law, imposed by Beijing via Communist China’s nominal legislature, the National People’s Congress. The NSL, which bans most forms of free speech and includes a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, has made it nearly impossible to run political opposition in Hong Kong. “Many of our member groups are under oppression, as [the city’s] civil society is facing unprecedented challenges,” the CHRF stated. The Hong Kong police have stated they will continue their investigation into the “criminal activities” of the Front. 212-730-696
‘So far, this has been the most effective policy’
According to Chen, the pressure that sanctions put on CCP officials — many of whom squirrel away their assets and family members in the U.S, Canada, and other democracies — is “very significant.” “So far, this has been the most effective policy. We should keep it up and push to the end,” he said. Chen believes that the vast majority of Chinese regime officials joined the Party for profit, not ideology, so they will only budge if their interests are threatened. “If the United States continues to implement such sanctions, uniting its allies, and makes CCP members unable to leave China, then they will see the imminent harm to their interests and have something to worry about,” Chen said.
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A6 | AUG 20 - AUG 26, 2021
VISION TIMES
Thousands of Canadians Rally in Protest of
Quebec Vaccine Passport By Neil Campbell Vision Times
Demonstrators march past the Olympic Stadium in a protest against mandatory masks and curfews in May of 2021. As many as 100,000 Quebec residents hit the streets of downtown Montreal to protest Canada’s first vaccine passport mandate.
ANDREJ IVANOV/AFP via Getty Images
C
anadians protesting the installation of vaccine passports filled several blocks in downtown Montreal on Aug. 14 in advance of a mandate that will not only see the unvaccinated be excluded from “non-essential” businesses, but require the vaccinated to show their papers to participate as normal in society.
The event was widely unreported in Canadian media, with only a short Canadian Press wire report and a small piece of coverage by Canada’s state broadcaster, CBC. The national broadcaster reported the crowd was big enough to occupy “at least four to five blocks on René-Lévesque Boulevard West” in downtown Montreal accompanied by chants of “no to vaccine passports” in French. Footage taken at the rally from
Veronique Whalen, a 31-year-old who said she does not normally attend protests, told AFP her reason for attending was because she believes vaccination should be personal choice.
controversial right-wing pundit Chris Sky showed an enormous crowd. Sky estimated there were approximately 100,000 attendees at the event. The scheme to be installed will require Quebec citizens to show their vaccine paperwork to access non-essential businesses such as restaurants and bars, festivals, gyms, and other activities. The announcement was made early in the month by Premier Francois Legault. On Aug. 10,
Westphalian Times reporter Marie Oakes shared footage of the protests on Twitter (Images:screenshot)
Health Minister Christian Dube revealed the scheme would come into effect on Sept. 1 and would involve a QR-code based phone app that would be piloted in the meantime. According to a Canadian Press wire, Dube also said “the province will also enter into discussions with religious leaders around how the system could be used for religious events.” Quebec’s vaccination rate is already one of the highest in Canada at 74.5 percent accepting at least one dose of an injection, according to provincial government data. Canadian Press noted during its report on the Aug. 14 protests that Premier Legault has decided there will be no parliamentary debate on vaccine passports, “saying it would expose Quebecers to inaccurate, dangerous conspiracy theories about vaccines.” A spokesperson for the organizers of the event, Quebec Debout (Quebec Stand Up), Jonathan Hamelin, told reporters the lack of debate was a key reason for the necessity of the protest. On Aug. 13, the Canadian federal government announced just two days prior to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s move to call a snap federal election scheduled for Sept. 20 that all Canadians would now be required to show their vaccination passport in order to travel between provinces via plane or train.
Afghan President Flees Country In Cash-Filled Helicopter By Arvind Datta Vision Times
A
shraf Ghani, president of Afghanistan, fled the country with four cars and a helicopter filled with cash just prior to the Taliban taking full control over the government,
country. In a statement, Ghani confirmed that he fled Afghanistan; he said that the Taliban did not leave him with many options. “I came across a hard choice; I should stand to face the armed Taliban who wanted to enter the palace or leave the dear country that I dedicated my life to protecting,” Ghani said. He added that he wanted to avoid bloodshed. Afghan people were visibly disturbed by Ghani’s desertion. Some protestors tore down the former president’s posters near the Kabul airport. “Shame on a president who left this poor country like this and
escaped,” Abdul Hai, a resident from the Talhar province, told TOLO News. Education Minister Rangina Hamidi, who had fully trusted the president, said that he was shocked and in “disbelief” at Ghani’s escape.
Pete Marovich-Pool via Getty Images
Both Indian and Russian news agencies have confirmed Ghani’s presence in Oman. In a speech two weeks ago, Ghani criticized Afghan king Amanullah who ruled the country in the 1920s but fled to British India due to the civil war. Ghani promised that he “will not escape.” A day before the Taliban came to power, Ghani appeared on TV and vowed to fight back. The former president promised that he will focus on preventing instability, violence, displacement and that he has begun consultations with global leaders. It was later revealed that it was a recorded video, not a live broadcast. Ghani had already left the
according to Russian media. “As for the reasons of the collapse of the regime, they are characterized by how Ghani fled the country. Four cars were packed with money, and they tried to cram another bag of cash into the helicopter. Not all the cash managed to squeeze in, and some of the money was left lying on the airfield,” a Russian embassy employee told TASS. Ghani is said to have flown first to Tajikistan. However, authorities refused to permit him to land. It was then reported that Ghani arrived in the Gulf state of Oman and that he would soon leave for the United States.
U.S. President Joe Biden hosts Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani in the Oval Office at the White House June 25, 2021 in Washington, DC. Biden announced in April that he was pulling all U.S. forces from Afghanistan.
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Wall Street Behemoths Ate Reddit’s Gamestop Lunch
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ccording to Wall Street behemoth JPMorgan, the fairytale spun by pundits about Reddit’s WallStreetBets organizing to “squeeze” badly positioned hedge fund short sellers of video game retailer Gamestop (NYSE: GME) in what has been affectionately dubbed the “Gamestop Rebellion” is simply false. Peng Cheng, the JPMorgan quantitative and derivatives strategy analyst, wrote to clients in a note: “Although retail buying was portrayed as the main driver of the extreme price rally experienced by some stocks, the actual picture may be much more nuanced,” according to CNBC.
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Am p and Ad ministrat China’s Craft’s T bassador ion a Sharp Eyes iw a n V is it P Project lanned, Serves as WarningTh toen Can Emph celledasize Founding Free World in Final H Values
Why the CCP k Wants Biden’s Pic n e ll e Y Janet ted Y ur DTNA ina foro
About Pandemic Surveillance
Call Ou for Genot China cide,
Travel pla ns Biden adm scrapped to acc om modat inistratio BlackRock Chair and CEO e n Lautra rence D. Fink attends a session nsitio n proced at the World Economic Forum ures (WEF) annual meeting in Davos
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on January 23, 2020. BlackRock By Leo Timm is Gamestop’s largest owner at “According to the report, ago, a loudspeaker blared out rity police], or placed under more than 9.2 million shares. the project successfully rec- his name and address and surveillance, at any time… (Image: by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP via Getty Images) ognized 1,158 photos of ordered him to extinguish Overall, it feelselly as if we’re not Craft , U.S. various local ‘key targets.’ the blaze immediately. 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(Image: FRED DUFOUR / AFP via an to make stated, “The and “make ’t on United leaving as the forced Gong, as well rating ed the princ fighting crime more effec- that could ing securities in PLA-conbecame a testing Brookings violence to ers,” be willing certain ethnic that a genetic in this worldawfully long time Getty Images) males by forcibly Special Agent attack on to help with nce at the iple claim that organ cent accord office was 51 perseek access tration will is that private of tools to beginning in ing of its and Supervisory everything is an citizennation exists to in Reside continue on A3 tively. ns” nected companies. speaking donatio to profit state media izens, full array working ing to Rasm an interv ,” said Pompeo blood samples adherents. harvest- Repo ish as Amer Our Disease 2019 and earned cre- nese we cherfor companies s. 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By Neil Campbell
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When a resident of Anxi village in the Sichuan province of China set a match to a small pile of garbage in the gutter two years ago, a loudspeaker blared out his name and address and ordered him to extinguish the blaze immediately. He jumped with fright, quickly put out the flames and scurried away.
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WORLD
VISION TIMES
AUG 20 - AUG 26, 2021 |
A7
Last year, many companies raised high amounts of debt to build up reserves, with the issuance by U.S. and European nonfinancial companies hitting $2.4 trillion, as data from Dealogic indicated.
Corporate issuance and debts
COMPANIES STOCKPILE CASH
As Delta Variant Fears Linger By Darren Maung Vision Times
C
ompanies have been keeping a record amount of cash, despite concerns surrounding disruptions from Covid-19 that were expected to surge spending this year. Data from S&P Global states that cash and short-term investments on corporate balance sheets worldwide are at a record high of $6.84 trillion; 45% higher than the average in the five years before the pandemic and 2.6% higher from the previous quarter. Analysts at Goldman Sachs withdrew their 2021 forecast for spending growth by S&P 500 companies from 10% to 19%, citing falling doubts and reopening of global economies. However, according to a report made
on August 6th by JPMorgan Chase and Co, despite a strong start to the year, the global capital expenditures are anticipated to slow in the third quarter. Corporate spending growth is expected to decline to 5.8% this quarter at a “seasonally adjusted annual rate” from 12.9% in the previous one.
Pandemic fears
Companies have ushered in one of the strongest economic recoveries in history, with a powerful combination of fiscal and monetary stimulus. However, warning signs still encourage finance chiefs to enforce their cash reserves again. With Covid-19 variants on the rise, governments, such as those in Australia, Israel, and China, have heightened restrictions on movement. In early
August, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Americans in high-risk areas to wear masks in indoor public spaces again.
Transportation companies
The cruise-line operator Carnival Corp. lost $2.1 billion due to the shutdown of operations from the pandemic. However, it still holds around $9 billion of cash, more than the usual balance of around $2 billion to $2.5 billion before the pandemic, with an additional $2.4 billion through a debt sale on July 21st. United Airlines Holdings and Delta Air Lines held $23 billion of liquidity at the end of the second quarter, and $17.8 billion of liquidity in the most recent quarter, respectively; both counts were higher compared to the amount the companies had at the same periods in 2019.
16 Found Alive
in Rubble Three Days After Earthquake Rattles Haiti By Todd Crawford Vision Times
Over 1,200 deaths
O
n Tuesday, August 17, Hatian rescuers scouring the debris left behind after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the area on August 14, pulled 16 people alive from the rubble, according to Haiti’s Civil Protection agency. “For t he morning, the rescuers have time to remove 16 people alive and 9 others who unfortunately died. Search and rescue operations continue …” Haiti’s Civil Protection tweeted on Tuesday. The earthquake struck the Tiburon Peninsula in the Caribbean nation at 8:29:09 a.m. EDT with its epicenter approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) west of the nation’s capital Port-au-Prince. A tsunami warning was issued after the quake for the Haitian coast but was lifted a short time later. www.visiontimes.com
LES CAYES, HAITI - AUGUST 17: The epicenter was located about 100 miles west of the capital city Port-auPrince. (Image: Richard Pierrin/ Getty Images)
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Currently, 1,297 deaths have been reported with over 5,700 wounded. The number of casualties is expected to rise as Haitians continue to dig out of the rubble. Haitian Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, declared a month-long state of emergency due to the high number of casualties and severe damage to the nation’s infrastructure. The Biden administration authorized a U.S. response to assist in the aftermath of the quake, appointing USAID Administrator Samantha Power to coordinate the relief. The United Nations has requested that the Brazilian government deploy their Army and Marine Corps in order to help secure the nation in the face of the ongoing humanitarian crisis while Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, said that the nation is “ready to assist in any way” in the aftermath of the quake.
In early August, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Americans in highrisk areas to wear masks in indoor public spaces again. (Image: Adobe Stock)
Last year, many companies raised high amounts of debt to build up reserves, with the issuance by U.S. and European non-financial companies hitting $2.4 trillion, as data from Dealogic indicated. At the end of June, Volkswagen said it had €35 billion ($41 billion) of liquidity, and BMW AG reported to have €18 billion ($21 billion) of liquidity midyear. Both companies sold bonds that raised $3 billion for Volkswagen and $2.5 billion for BMW. “Major corporates have been sitting on a large liquidity position for a while now,” said Marc Baigneres, a regional head of investment-grade finance at JPMorgan Chase and Co, stating that they limited their spending even as many have “generated cash flows that are higher than expected.” While average margins have risen, according to Shaunak Mazumder, a global equities portfolio manager at Legal & General Investment Management, many management teams still note that growth may not go on at the same pace going forward. “Guidance has been weaker than investors have expected,” said Mr. Mazumder. “There’s a level of caution from most companies for the second half of the year.”
New Zealand Locks Down Entire Country After Discovering a Single COVID-19 Case By Todd Crawford Vision Times
A
nationwide lockdown has been announced by New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, after the country confirmed a single case of COVID-19, the first locally transmitted case discovered on the island nation since February 28, 2021. Authorities are assuming the case is of the highly contagious Delta variant. An unvaccinated 58-year-old man in New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, tested positive for the virus after travelling to other parts of the country and who is said to have obvious links to the country’s borders, the Director General of Health, Ashley Bloomfeild, said Tuesday. All of New Zealand will be under the strictest lockdown level for the next three days starting at 11:59 pm Tuesday, local time. The level four lockdown requires that everyone must stay home and all businesses are closed with exceptions for essential services such as supermarkets and pharmacies. It’s been over a year since New Zealand has imposed any type of lockdown measure. Areas where the infected man trave-
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NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to media during a press conference at Parliament on August 17, 2021 in Wellington, New Zealand. Auckland and Coromandel will go into level-4 lockdown for seven days - and the rest of the country for three days - after a positive COVID-19 case was confirmed in the community in Auckland. (Image: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)
led in the Country’s North Island are expected to be locked down for upwards of a week. “We are one of the last countries in the world to have the Delta variant in our community. We’re in the position to learn from experience overseas, and what actions work, and what actions don’t work.” Arden told reporters. To date, New Zealand has registered a total of 2,927 cases of the novel coronavirus with 26 deaths and over 2.5 million vaccine doses administered.
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CULTURE
A8 | AUG 20 - AUG 26, 2021
VISION TIMES
A Cultural Symbol of Life By Darren Maung
T
Pectoral and Necklace of Sithathoryunet with the Name of Senwosret II
urquoise has been one of the most revered gemstones throughout history and in many parts of the world for its aesthetic and cultural significance.
ca. 1887–1878 B.C. L. of necklace : 32 5/16 in. H. of pectoral : 1 3/4 × W. 3 1/4 in.
History of turquoise In ancient Egypt, turquoise was associated with Hathor, the goddess of motherhood, dance, and music. It was believed that the stone had the power to protect the dead on their journey to the afterlife, which is why turquoise was commonly found in tombs and burial objects. In fact, it was used to decorate the burial mask of the pharaoh Tutankhamun. The Persians believed that the stone symbolized the connection between heaven and earth and represented pirouzah (victory). It was said that turquoise jewelry would change color when the wearer was in danger. Hence, they would decorate their palace domes, turbans, weapons, and even horses’ bridles with the sky-
This beautiful bluish-green gemstone is a hydrous phosphate that consists of copper and aluminum, mainly used in jewelry and ornaments. The word “turquoise” comes from the French word pierre tourques, which means “Turkish stone” after Turkish traders introduced it to Europe in the 13th century.
664–332 B.C. L. 1 15/16 × W. 1 1/8 × D. 1/4 in.
Native American folklore While important to the world, turquoise is very prominent in Native American cultures for several reasons. Some tribes believe t he gem was created from the mixture of rain and tears from ancestors seeping into the earth,
Ear Ornament, Winged Runner
A pendant depicting a babird with outstretched wings
A.D. 400-700 Moche culture H. 3 3/4 × W. 3 7/8 × D. 3 1/4 in.
Miniature broad collar
332–246 B.C. early Ptolemaic Period H. 3 3/8 × W. 4 1/16 in.
Image:The Metropolitan Museum of Art /Public Domain
The earliest known mention of turquoise can be traced back to 7500 BCE when the Egyptians mined the stone in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. Since then, the stone has found its way across the world and exerted cultural and spiritual influences among many civilizations.
blue color of the shimmering stone, believing the protective powers of the stone would shield people from danger and evil forces. This would eventually inspire the decorations incorporated into the construction of the Taj Mahal centuries later. The Aztecs also treasured turquoise, which they called chalchihuitl. They believed the stone possessed healing properties that could cure disease and could bring strength, prosperity, and victory in battle. Turquoise was even used in Aztec sacrificial rituals as offerings to gods in return for good health. “They valued the stone more than the Spaniards valued emerald and gold,” said Spanish historian Bernal Diaz del Castillo.
and others say the stone helped to form life on Earth. A Navajo legend describes t he fema le goddess Estsanatlehi, who symbolizes creation, protection, and abundance, appearing in the form of a drop of turquoise. Other legends say that she resides in a turquoise house and wears turquoise jewelry. The Navajo use the gem to cele-
The powers and symbolism of turquoise For many, the stone is said to represent wisdom (self-realization and creativity), tranquility (peaceful sensations), and protection (courage and safety). In Feng Shui, turquoise is said to express the beauty of the water element, used to gain wealth and improve health and well-being. Turquoise is also believed to possess magical healing powers and good luck when worn as jewelry, shielding the body and mind from pain and negativity. It is also used as a Zodiac birthstone for Sagittarians, who are often positive, optimistic and curious about the world around them. From the mines of Egypt to wrists today, turquoise continues to promote good health and luck to those who believe in its power.
According to an Arabic proverb, “A turquoise given by a loving hand carries with it happiness and good fortune.” brate birth and marriage ceremonies, initiations, and healing rituals. They also believe turquoise can be used to search for water, to heal and protect from illness, and to help wearers communicate and think more clearly. Turquoise is also believed to prevent misfortune and thunderstorms, absorbing the negative energy targeting the wearer. Because of turquoise’s ability to change color depending on its surroundings, Zuni people use it for prophecy and divining. The stone is said to represent Awonauilona, the miraculous power of the Sun. Pueblo dancers wear the gem to invite rain for their crops, in hopes of a plentiful harvest.
Headdress frontlet ca. 1820–40 Tsimshian , Native American Adobe Stock
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WISDOM
VISION TIMES
By Lucy Crawford
I
n ancient China, and according to Buddhist principles, people believed that everything in this world was a result of cause and effect. The seeds sown in the past, become the fruit of one’s future. When we apply this principle to interactions among people, what seems like a chance encounter is really inevitable. There may be a reason behind the appearance of every person who comes into our lives. According to the Buddhist Dharma, and many religions around the world; including Shamanism, Hinduism, Islam, modern Taoism, Norse Mythology, and even early Christian religions, death is just a continuation of life, as the spirit reincarnates to experience life again in a different person or form. The principle of cause and effect could therefore span multiple lifetimes, as seen in the following story from the Buddhist scriptures. In one lifetime, there was a mouse lying dead on the side of the road, exposed to the scorching sun. A merchant passed by, and upon seeing the small carcass, he covered his nose and left in disgust. Then along came a scholar whose compassion was stirred when he saw the dead creature. He felt it was a shame to leave the poor animal rotting in the sun and buried it on the spot. The merchant was later reincarnated as Ananda, one of Buddha Shakyamuni’s ten disciples, known as the “the most knowledgeable.” One day Ananda met an old woman who scolded him for no reason, and would not
Everything that appears in your life enriches your life.
In more recent times, a man once placed an iron ring around an elm tree, to which he tethered his family’s cattle. As time went by, the iron ring cut into the tree deeper and deeper, leaving deep scars on the bark of the tree. One year, a bacterial plant disease spread across the whole region. None of the trees survived except that elm tree with the iron ring. The tree is still alive today, and full of life and vitality. The iron ring that gave it the scars, also inhibited the bacterial infection. If a tree can be strengthened by injury, what about humans? As philosopher
AUG 20 - AUG 26, 2021 |
even give him a drink of water. The Buddha asked Shariputra, another of his disciples who was known as the “first in wisdom,” to apologize to the old woman for whatever had given her offence; but the woman was so happy to see Shariputra that she made an offering. Ananda was very puzzled. The Buddha enlightened him with the following explanation, “This old woman is the dead mouse that you shunned in the past, and Shariputra was the scholar who treated it with compassion. As you can see, your one thought at the moment, be it good or bad, gave rise to different karmic relationships, so the old woman has treated you differently.” Everything in this world revolves around encounters. As Shakyamuni said, “In this life, who meets who is all about cause and effect.” If there is a karmic debt, one is bound to meet the person he is meant to meet; when the karmic debt is resolved, even if one tries everything to keep the person close, the person would not be able to stay. The Avatamsaka Sutra, one of the most influential Mahāyāna sutras of East Asian Buddhism, says, “All outcomes arise from causes.” Every encounter in life is a predestined bond. To put it in perspective, it is no different from a reunion after a long separation. Life is a stormy journey. If we treat each encounter as a blessing, we can view everyone who comes into our lives as someone who is meant to be there. Each encounter will bring us something. People who love us bring us warmth; people who hate us teach us to be brave. Pain can make people grow; frustration can make people strong.
A9
As Shakyamuni said, “In this life, who meets who is all about cause and effect.” If there is a karmic debt, one is bound to meet the person he is meant to meet; when the karmic debt is resolved, even if one tries everything to keep the person close, the person would not be able to stay.
Friedrich Nietzsche said, “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.” The pain and suffering one endures in life can be considered the tools that shape resilience. If nothing appears in this world without reason, all the people who appear in our lives have a deep karmic relationship with us. If someone gives us scars, they can serve as armor for the future. When we are hurt, the best way to move forward is to accept it. When we make each encounter a practice of acceptance, we will find that everyone has a valuable lesson to offer. If they were meant to be, then we would be wise to cherish every “chance meeting” and accept every experience.
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LIFESTYLE
A10 | AUG 20 - AUG 26, 2021
VISION TIMES AdobeStock
Companion Plants MAKE CHEERFUL FRIENDS FOR SINGLE DWELLERS By Simone Jonker
M
ost gardeners are familiar with the term “companion planting,” the practice of placing certain plants in the vicinity of others with which they have been shown to have a beneficial relationship with; but plants can also have a beneficial relationship with people. Indoor gardening is growing in popularity, particularly among South Koreans. In recent years, many young working professionals who live alone have become interested in parenting potted plants, and started to share their findings with one another online. People who appreciate and cherish plants, or “plantsmen,” understand that they are living beings, deserving of the term “companions,” rather than just decorations. According to an article by Park Yuna for The Korea Herald/Asia News Network, Choi Seol-gi, 26, felt a bit homesick when she first moved into her studio apartment last year. That’s when she was inspired to adopt some plants, bringing a new one home nearly every month. Over the past year, she has accumulated seven houseplants.
“As human beings, we have a desire to be loved, but the important thing is that we also have a desire to give love and care too. I feel so happy when I care for my plants,” Choi said. When she comes home from work, as soon as Choi enters the door, she catches the fresh, pleasant fragrance of her orange jasmine (Murraya paniculata) wafting throughout her apartment, and feels instantly at ease. Choi adopted the young jasmine plant last summer, and is pleased with how nicely it has done.
Murraya paniculata
In the entrance hall of her apartment, the emerald-green foliage of a Guiana chestnut tree, Pachira Aquatica, greets her eyes. In the wild, this tree can grow to a bushy height of 18 meters. They do well indoors, but the size is an issue; so multiple stems of small specimens are often braided to make an attractive house plant. Choi then goes to check on her “Swiss cheese plant” (Monstera Deliciosa). The tropical climbing plant seems to be very happy, it has large heart-shaped leaves, marked by oblong holes, (called “fenestration”) which make it look somewhat like Swiss cheese. It simply makes her large living room ”come alive” with its vibrancy. “I almost killed the Swiss cheese plant last year, the first plant I adopted,” Choi said. “I was so sorry for my plant, think-
Monstera Deliciosa www.visiontimes.com
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ing that I was abusing my plant. I feel like they have become my kids. That is why I say ‘adopt,’ not ‘purchase’ or ‘buy’.” Alocasia, commonly known as elephant ear, fills Choi’s living room with its bold foliage – heartshaped leaves that can grow to be over three feet long in the wild. Choi enjoys watering her Alocasia plant and takes care to keep the plant’s roots slightly moist. To promote lush, healthy vegetation, she regularly mists the plant to maintain the humid environment similar to what it would have in its natural habitat. Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia Reginae), known as the “indoor queen of plants,” is South Africa’s gift to the world. It thrives in sunny areas across the globe, from Florida to Jamaica, southern California, and Hawaii. In addition to its broad tropical leaves, the evergreen perennial features spectacular fan-shaped blooms, a cheery addition to any home. To keep the leaves looking tidy, Choi uses a damp cloth to dust them every few weeks. As long as she has her plants, Choi is happy to stay at home with them for a few hours. Almost 30 percent of all households in South Korea are singleoccupancy, offering a large market for indoor plants. Caring for plants is becoming highly popular, as singles find it a rewarding activity that wards off loneliness, and even fosters emotional bonds.
“Leafy,” an exciting new South Korean business that sells plants online, has already amassed over 70,000 Instagram followers. Nine young professionals run the company, including Jeon Je-il, the
Sansevieria Moonshine for novices.”
Pachira Aquatica
manager, who started indoor gardening while living alone. “Indoor gardening was once regarded as a grandparents’ thing by many younger people, and I never understood why my grandmother would constantly stroke the leaves of plants. But now I do the same and I feel at peace,” he admitted. For younger plant enthusiasts on social media, Leafy offers innovative services like “Plant Space,” which collects direct conversations from Instagram about growing plants, and shares them with members, “We are also thinking about a new project of sharing plants,” Jeon said. “It would be interesting if people could exchange offspring from the plants they grow.” The trend of caring for plants among young people began three years ago, according to Shin Ji-eun, who runs Kkot Jieun, a flower shop in Nonhyeon-dong, south of Seoul. “There are many studio apartments near our store and even male customers regularly visit to buy plants,” she said. “I recommend Dracaena Stuckyi and
Strelitzia Reginae
Alocasia 4 W 43rd St. Suite 312 New York, NY 10036
In a study conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government last year of senior residents who were given plants by the city government, 92 percent said that caring for their plants alleviated depression and sadness. According to Kim Won-soon, an environmental horticulture professor at the University of Seoul, the popularity of companion plants is linked to the rise in single-person homes. “Plants show slow reaction, but we get a sense of comfort by caring for plants as companions,” Kim said. “If you live alone, taking care of animals is difficult, and sometimes it can even be stressful. But plants are different,” he said. Given that we live in an urban environment where we are subjected to high levels of stress on a daily basis, nature, such as indoor gardening, will also help us relax,” Kim added. According to researchers from South Korea’s Agricultural Biotechnology, plant growth is encouraged by music and the human voice. So, there is no need to be shy. Talk to your plants, sing to them, play some nice music that you can enjoy together.
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HEALTH
VISION TIMES
AUG 20 - AUG 26, 2021 |
A11
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THE ‘MAGIC’ OF MUSHROOMS
(1)
If
your mushroom pallet is limited to buttons and portabellas, you’re missing out on a whole load of yum, and more vitamins and minerals than you can shake a stick at. An important protein and B vitamins source for vegetarians also contain compounds conducive to preventing and treating cancer.
A woman shows a cep (Boletus edulis) in the Clairmarais' wood.
The Fly Agaric, or Amanita muscaria, is a hallucinogenic mushroom, considered poisonous.
Some species are known to consume plastic, thus reducing waste and turning it into a food source.
Recent studies show that consuming more mushrooms,in general, can be an effective way to prevent cancer.
By Ila Bonczek
“Magic” mushrooms are a type of psychoactive mushroom effective through its naturally occurring psychedelic compound psilocybin. Another mushroom, Amanita muscaria, gets its psychoactive properties from the neurotoxins muscimol and ibotenic acid. The iconic “toadstool,” this mushroom is classified as poisonous, though it has rarely caused a human death. Mayan and Aztec statues and artwork depict the use of hallucinogenic mushrooms many hundreds of years ago. Ethnomycologist R. Gordon Watson’s 1950’s exploration of and experimentation with ancient magic mushroom rituals in southern Mexico led him to proclaim that “psychedelic mushrooms were the catalyst for humanity’s advancement in language and religion.” His book Seeking the Magic Mushroom was certainly the catalyst for widespread psychedelic drug use. After psychedelic chemists, Albert Hofmann and Roger Heim were interested in Watson’s book, the compounds found in magic mushrooms were quickly isolated and synthesized for pharmaceuticals.
Psychedelic drug use skyrocketed in the 60s, leading to President Nixon’s “war on drugs,” whence the substances were made illegal. Johns Hopkins University researchers have recently discovered that the active compound psilocybin can effectively treat depression, anxiety, and quitting smoking and have thus requested reclassification of the drug.
need to avoid this nutritional treasure. Of the approximately 50,000 different species of mushrooms, only 1 or 2 percent are poisonous, and only about a dozen would cause fatalities. There are a far greater number of edible and medicinal mushrooms, approximately 2,300 according to Science Direct, with their usefulness increasing all the time. Some species are known to consume plastic, thus reducing waste and turning it into a food source.
History
The use of mushrooms is believed to predate history. Archaeological evidence suggests that mushrooms were used as early as 10,000 BC for spiritual purposes. In the fourth century BC, Aristotle mentioned foraged fungi in his writing, as did Pliny, the Elder in the first century AD. According to Cynthia Bertelsen, in her book Mushroom: A Global History, shiitake were the first mushrooms to be cultivated, starting in China and Japan in the 600s. By the 1820s, mushrooms made their debut in America, with a recipe in The Virginia Housewife cookbook. Throughout history, specific mushrooms have been used medicinally. Properties that we now recognize as immune boosters were helpful in the treatment of various diseases, including cancer. Reishi extract is well known for its healing properties in this regard. Many cultures have historically used hallucinogenic mushrooms for religious, ceremonial, spiritual, or ritual purposes.
Nutritional value
Most mushrooms are high in vitamins B12, B3, B5 (riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid), and C. They also contain minerals such as copper, selenium, phosphorus, potassium, proteins and iron, fiber, and folic acid. Huitlacoche, or corn smut, is a sooty-looking lumpy fungus that grows inside an ear of corn. This unique mushroom is decidedly more nutritious than its cereal grain host. The common button mushroom, belonging to the genus Agaricus, contains the carcinogen agartine. For this reason, many mycologists recommend cooking before consumption. The compound is readily deactivated by both heat and cold (freezing temperatures). It also quickly oxidizes in storage, so there is no
Prevention and treatment of Cancer
While specific mushrooms have been used medicinally for decades in cancer treatment and tumor reduction, recent studies show that consuming more mushrooms, in general, can be an effective way to prevent cancer. After reviewing 17 studies dating from 1966 to 2020 involving 19,500 cancer patients, Penn State researchers found that the consumption of as little as ¼ cup of mushrooms per day reduced the risk of developing cancer by 45 percent. The risk reduction was even more pronounced with breast cancer specifically.
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A12 | AUG 20 - AUG 26, 2021
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Citronella oil spray
Citronella oil is an essential oil distilled from lemongrass or Cymbopogon. The fragrant plant has many uses, medicinally and cosmetically. Citronella essential oil is known to inhibit or prevent the development and spread of airborne bacteria. It contains geraniol, citral, citronellal, and limonene, making it a potent mosquito repellent. Its floral, citrus-like aroma is a “happy” fragrance that helps to ease and uplift negativity, reducing tension and anxiety.
Ingredients
• 10 drops citronella oil • 10 mL alcohol or vodka • 90 mL water • Spray bottle
Method
Pour the alcohol and water into the spray bottle and then add the citronella oil. Mix thoroughly. If you want to, you may squeeze a few drops of citrus juice into the mixture. Spray onto exposed skin twice or thrice a daily.
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grance. Vanilla is another effective mosquito repellent, as the scent reliably deters the insect.
Lavender and vanilla spray
It may be loved by little old ladies, but lavender contains compounds highly repellent to mosquitoes. Essential lavender oil has eucalyptol, linalool, limonene, and camphor; all of which will chase bugs away. When vanilla orchids were brought to Europe, the vines grew and produced flowers, but no pods. Turns out that this orchid has only one natural pollinator — a small bee only found in Mexico. Vanilla production flourished In the 1800s, thanks to hand-pollination methods which continue to be used to this day. Vanilla extracts release a sweet, warm, and comforting fra-
Ingredients
• 12 drops lavender oil or fresh lavender flowers • 4 tablespoons vanilla extract • 4 tablespoons lemon juice • 500 mL water • Spray bottle
Method
Mix the lavender oil, vanilla, and lemon juice in a bowl, and then add the water. Transfer the mixture into the spray bottle and shake the mixture well before each use. Spray the mixture liberally on all exposed areas of the skin.
Formulas Adobe Stock
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Cinnamon oil spray
Around two thousand years ago, procuring cinnamon was quite a mission, especially if you were looking for quality cinnamon bark. You needed to venture into Arabian land, find the great Cinnamologus bird, the one that makes its nest from the fruit of the cinnamon tree, and then knock down its nest with a slingshot. That was according to the Arabian traders who cleverly shrouded the source of the sought-after spice in mystery, thereby successfully driving up its price. The fragrance of Cinnamon is sweet, spicy, and nostalgic. According to a study conducted in Taiwan, cinnamon oil can kill mosquito eggs. It also acts as a repellent against adult mosquitoes, particularly the Asian tiger mosquito.
Ingredients
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon oil or extract • 60 mL water • Spray bottle
Method
Combine the cinnamon oil or extract and water in the bottle and shake well. Spray the mixture onto your skin as often as needed.
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By Simone Jonker
Summer is the season of fun, flowers, sunny days, and long warm evenings. While enjoying glorious beach walks and sunsets with friends and loved ones, the refulgence of summer naturally enhances one’s mood. But there is a downside. Mosquitoes and their itchy bites. Prote c ting your f amily with good ins e c t rep ellent is cr ucial for ke eping mos quitoe s at bay. The following for mulas will allow you to create your own natur al mos quito rep ellent using tr us te d aromather apy oil s . Us e d topic ally or as a spr ay in your home, the s e p ower f ul rep ellent s will dr ive annoying mos quitoe s and other bug s f ar away.
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Lemon eucalyptus oil blend
Lemon eucalyptus oil has been used since the 1940s. It is one of the more well-known natural insect repellents. The oil contains trace amounts of citronella. Citronella has been used In China, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia for centuries to treat rashes, as a soothing agent for pain, infections, and inflammation, while p- Menthane-3,8-diol is a harmless substance derived from eucalyptus plants. It is great for repelling insects. The combination of Citronella and p-Menthane-3,8 diol creates a powerful mosquito repellent.
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Neem and coconut oil spray
Neem oil comes from the Indian lilac seeds of the tropical neem tree. It is used in a variety of ways. The oil has a very potent odor that chases mosquitoes away at once. The oil becomes even more powerful when combined with coconut oil. Studies show that neem oil is so strong that it also kills the mosquito’s eggs. For years, the toxic insect repellent DEET has been the “gold standard” when it comes to warding off mosquitoes. However, recent research indicates that coconut oil may be an even more effective natural alternative.
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Ingredients
• 2 teaspoons lemon eucalyptus oil • 90 mL carrier oil, such as jojoba oil or sweet almond oil • A 100 mL lidded jar or bottle
Method
Caution: Remember to do a patch test before any application. Pour both lemon eucalyptus oil and the carrier oil into the jar and put the lid on. Shake gently. For an extra fresh scent, add a few drops of lemon, orange, or lime juice. Apply the balm to the arms, legs, and feet.
Ingredients
• 10 drops neem oil • 30 mL coconut oil • 50 mL vodka • 250 mL hot water • Spray bottle
Method
In a bowl, mix both oils then add the vodka. Mix well together and then pour the hot water into the mixture. Use boiling water to mix the oil and alcohol smoothly. Allow the mixture to cool off. Afterward, transfer the mixture into the spray bottle. Shake the bottle well before every use and spray onto exposed skin. Re-apply at will.
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703-868-1509