Explain that

This recession really bites. But it’s not the only thing…

I read the following article on the BBC today. My best guess is that unemployment makes poorer people eat more cheap, fattening food.

I’m not sure how the economics of it all works, but it seems like a uniquely American phenomenon. Where else do people get fatter as they get poorer?

US obesity problem ‘intensifies’

Obesity rates in the US have surged over the last year, a report shows.

The Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found adult obesity rates rose in 23 of the 50 states, but fell in none.

In addition, the percentage of obese and overweight children is at or above 30% in 30 states.

The report warns widespread obesity is fuelling rates of chronic disease, and is responsible for a large, and growing chunk of domestic healthcare costs.

Obesity is linked to a range of health problems, including heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

Dr Jeff Levi, TFAH executive director, said: “Our health care costs have grown along with our waist lines.

“The obesity epidemic is a big contributor to the skyrocketing health care costs in the US.

“How are we going to compete with the rest of the world if our economy and workforce are weighed down by bad health?”

The US government has set a target of cutting obesity rates in all 50 states to 15% by next year.

However, the report said this target was certain to be missed.

Fattest state

For the fifth year in a row, Mississippi had the highest rate of adult obesity at 32.5%. Three other states – West Virginia, Alabama and Tennessee – also had adult obesity rates in excess of 30%.

In just one state – Colorado – was the adult obesity rate below 20%.

In 1991, no state had an adult obesity rate above 20%, and in 1980 the national average for adult obesity was 15%.

Mississippi also had the highest rate of obese and overweight children (ages 10 to 17) at 44.4%. Minnesota and Utah had the lowest rate at 23.1%.

Childhood obesity rates in the US have more than tripled since 1980.

The report warns that the current economic crisis could exacerbate the obesity epidemic by driving up food prices, particularly for nutritious foods.

In addition, it blames increased rates of depression, anxiety and stress for fuelling unhealthy living.

A recent analysis commissioned by TFAH found that the Baby Boomer generation has a higher rate of obesity compared with previous generations.

This suggests that the percentage of obese adults aged 65 and older could soon increase significantly.

Phone-collecting mountain gods and “rost” ladies

After learning about cause and effect, one of my classes was answering this essay question:

“Imagine Mr. Crew got lost at Mt. Sorak. What could be effects? Finish the story.”

Here’s a sample answer, word-for-word.

Mr. Crew made a wood house. Mr. Crew dropped his cell phone in pond.

then an mountain god came there. he bring a haptic and asked him “Is this yours?”

and he said “no.”

soon, god bring rollypop phone. and god say to him, “Is this yours?”

than he said “No”

god bring Mr. Crew’s old phone an asked “Is this yours?”

then he says “Yes!”

than he got 3 phones because the god gave to him. than he sold haptic and rollypop phone, and he is be a very rich.

Another student even hooked me up with a date in his story.

He see a person. He say “hey! I rost. You have a map?”

Person is not say and go. He is angry. “Not good person!”

And one laddy ask to him. “I lost this mt. did you have a map?”

He say “Sorry. I don’t have a map. I rost too.”

At night they are hungry and cold. they find to cave and sleep there.

one grand father care they to his home. They get up, there is a tree house! laddy see a grand father. and they say “thanku!”

Europe tilts to the right

If you’ve seen world headlines today, you know this already. Europe is about to go conservative.

The notorious British National Party got its first two EU parliament seats. But as far-right as the BNP is, it won’t be lonely.

I’ve also been reading about the parties that have made gains in the Austrian, Danish and Dutch governments. They seem to have many key policies in common with each other. All three, like other right-wing European parties, especially want to restrict Muslim immigration and deny Turkey entrance into the EU.

In other words, “Keep Europe European!”

Denmark’s rising “People’s Party” even supports Israel, the US war on terror, and the maintenance of Denmark’s National Church. Their Netherlands counterpart is openly protective of “Judeo-Christian” culture.

Of course, many of Europe’s conservative parties are decidedly more Christian than their liberal counterparts. But that doesn’t make them all good news.

As American conservatives, let’s remember there are some crucial differences between Europe’s political right and North America’s.

Hungary and Slovakia, for instance, now have some governing officials from parties know for racism (antisemitic, anti-gypsy, etc.). Don’t forget, Europe’s memory of right-wing leaders isn’t filled with people like Ronald Reagan. Try Hitler or Mussolini.

That said, Hungary and Slovakia are relatively unimportant. I do think this general swing to the right could turn out to be a healthy thing for Europe overall.

In other news, I’ve figured out why I’ve become such a political blabbermouth while living in Korea. It’s because my job doesn’t keep my mind and body busy enough. And in the office, my default boredom activity is reading the news. So all the excess mental energy goes into analyzing and blabbering about politics.

Oh well. Hopefully that will be remedied once we get home and I start a real job.

Photos from Soraksan

Mount Sorak is a breath of fresh air in more ways than one, especially set in such a crowded, busy nation. Besides being my most challenging hike in Korea, it was that most beautiful place I’ve seen in this country. These photos don’t do it justice at all.

Click on any sample here to see the Facebook album.

 

  

 

Finally, the Southeast Asia footage

Watch the video here on Facebook.

Korea the drama queen

Public opinion is a beast in any society. But to me, Korean political emotions seem especially confusing and twisted. What’s more, these impulsive emotions seem to move in sync across the nation, as if on cue.

It’s almost like the mental roller coaster of an unstable teenage girl.

Bribery scandals surrounding liberal former president Roh were a huge disappointment to many Koreans. They let the world know by giving conservative Lee Myun Bak a landslide election last year. Now Lee is their new target of even stronger disapproval.

That hasn’t stopped indignation from still growing about how corrupt Roh had been. But the instant Roh jumped off the cliff behind his house, he ensured his place in Korean hearts as a beloved martyr.

It makes some sort of sense, I guess. But despite Koreans’ loathing of their new president, I’m baffled by just how extreme the ongoing displays of affection for Roh have been. In my neighborhood today, someone put up enormous banners honoring Roh. Right now, I’m watching dubious photos on TV that make it look like Lee’s evil cops are desecrating Roh’s funeral flowers.

The moment Roh jumped, he stopped being the weak old man who got crooked and let his nation down. He became everyone’s sweet, innocent grandfather. And of course, Lee is the murderer.

If that’s how effective suicide is in east Asia, I now see why it’s so popular here. Like I said, unstable teenager…

Anyway, I you never got a chance to read about the incident, here’s the story I read the morning it happened.

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s former President Roh Moo-hyun, hounded for weeks over his links while in office to a widening corruption scandal, appears to have jumped to his death in the mountains near his home on Saturday, a top aide said.

[Read it.]

Why to know your history

I’ve been reading C.S. Lewis’ book The Weight of Glory. Today I ran across one of those quotes that’s quotable enough to add to my Facebook “Favorite Quotations.” It’s about the importance of knowing history.

A man who has lived in many places is not likely to be deceived by the local errors of his native village; the scholar has lived in many times and is therefore in some degree immune from the great cataract of nonsense that pours from the press and the microphone of his own age.

Welcome to Korea

Here’s a huge example of the bizarre planning some of us see at work on a smaller scale every week.

If there was an award for the world’s quietest international airports, Yangyang in South Korea would be a strong contender.

One of its newest terminals, which cost almost US$400m to build, has not seen a single passenger in more than six months.

Campaigners have dubbed it a “ghost airport” and claim it is far from an isolated example.

The BBC’s John Sudworth went to visit it.

[Watch video]

 

North American theism (compare with previous post)

Here’s a comparable map of North American religious belief by state/province. I say comparable, not parallel. Data from some areas is a couple years earlier than from others. Also, the question was slightly different: this shows people who identify with a religion as opposed to having “no religion.”

I still see older religious traditions standing out in dark color, although there’s not as noticeable a contrast. The US is extraordinarily religious in relation to Europe. Look at little North Dakota up there.

But Mexico and Quebec (with its neighboring provinces) represent Roman Catholic majorities, and they stand out as religious even compared to states in the US “Bible Belt.” Interesting.

Percentage of EU citizens who believe in any kind of deity

I ran across this while browsing today. The results of a 2005 Eurobarometer poll were made into this map and posted on Wikipedia.

Romania and Greek Cyprus look darkest to me. Orthodox Christianity, like Greece. Looks like Poland and Portugal come in second strongest, both Catholic nations like Italy and Ireland.

The Protestant countries look like total slackers. Interesting. They’ve gone further and faster down the road of secularization than their neighbors, even though the Catholic and Orthodox churches have been around longer. I wonder why that is.

If Turkey finally gets into the EU, it’ll probably be the most religious country by far, even though very secular compared to other Islamic nations.