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Articles by Lukas Amsden
7 Must Visit Places in Fukui - Things to Do
Not many travelers make it to Fukui, Japan. In fact, not many people have heard the name yet alone can place it on that map and yet I find myself in the countryside of such a place. If you have heard of Fukui, it’s likely due to the dinosaur museum in Katsuyama, Fukui which sees the majority of tourists or perhaps you passed through Fukui while transversing the Hokuriku Arch from Kanazawa to Kyoto.
The US’s attitude towards sex work needs to change
It is a well known fact that Portland has the most strip clubs per capita of any city in the United States. The city tends to lean into this part of its brand as a quirky and weird place full of alternative thinkers and dreamers—and much ink has been spilled elsewhere about how there are clubs that cater to vegans, craft beer enthusiasts, metalheads, punks, hip-hop trap fans, karaoke singers, Victorian burlesquers and beyond.
This Week Around the World
March 29 Shanghai, China: A two-stage lockdown was enforced on a financial hub in China’s most populated city, Shanghai, amid a COVID-19 surge in China, according to Reuters. Bridges and highways were closed, and traffic was restricted to contain the spread of the virus.
This Week Around The World Feb. 2-12
Feb. 7 Sydney, Australia: The Australian government announced that the country would reopen its borders to vaccinated travelers and tourists in February, as reported by Reuters. This decision is expected to revive the Australian tourism industry and inject billions of dollars into the Australian economy, though the ban on travelers has been credited for the country’s relatively low death and infection rates.
The fate of OnlyFans and the industries that depend on it
If someone exclaims “check out my OnlyFans,” what are the first things that come to mind? Is it cooking videos, comedy sketches, music and celebrity exclusives? Or is it perhaps the troves of X-rated content that the platform is best known for? An Aug. 19 press release from OnlyFans stated that, beginning Oct.
Proposed changes to student visas faces opposition
The United States Department of Homeland Security published a proposed rule change on Sept. 25 that would potentially end the duration of status for international students and scholars on F and J visas. “If this rule is implemented, international students and scholars will be admitted to the U.S. for either a two or four-year period,” said Christina Luther, Director of International Student and Scholar Services at Portland State.
Election blunder triggers protests in Dominican Republic
Protesters gather outside the Electorate in Dominican Republic on Feb. 20, 2020. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Protests erupted in the Dominican capital of Santo Domingo last month after a Feb. 16 municipal election was suddenly cancelled due to technical difficulties. The election was suspended by officials four hours after voting began due to alleged issues with electronic voting technology.
Quebec’s secularist bill targets Muslim women
Quebec’s Coalition Avenir, a right-leaning organization, is set to pass a ban on wearing overt religious symbols as a public sector employee. The ban has been criticized for specifically targeting Muslim women wearing hijabs. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been a vocal opponent of the bill. “It is unthinkable to me that in a free society we would legitimize discrimination against citizens based on their religion,” he told reporters in a press conference on March 28.
Malaysian government continues to persecute LGBTQ community
Malaysian Flag on a hand. Courtesy of Creative Commons A call for LGBTQ rights was condemned by Malaysian politicians at the International Women’s Day march. Mujahid Yusof Rawa, the minister in charge of religious affairs, said the event was a “misuse of democratic space,” adding LGBTQ rights are “wrong from the point of Islam” and should not be defended.
Faulty flight control system likely to blame for Flight ET 302 crash
Boeing’s 737 model Max 8 and 9 have been grounded in the United States and around the world after a crash in Ethiopia killed all 149 of its passengers along with the 8 crew members on board. It was the second crash in less than six months for Boeing’s flagship model. According to Al Jazeera, flight ET 302 traveling from Addis Ababa to Nairobi crashed near the town of Bishoftu, the airline said, adding the plane was a Boeing 737 MAX 8.
King of Thailand blocks sister’s bid for Prime Minister
King of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn, Rama X of Thailand. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons Thailand’s Election Commission disqualified Princess Ubolratana Mahidol on Feb. 11, stating that “royals exist in a status above politics” after King of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn publicly opposed his elder sister’s bid for prime minister in a palace statement.
The decline of dating in Japan
Corporate life, the multi-billion dollar sex industry and lack of incentive for a relationship are all contributions to the drop in dating. A nationwide study conducted by the Japanese Association for Sex Education in 2017 found that 28 percent of men and 30 percent of women in higher education have never been on a date. 19-year-old university student Issei Izawa commented that dating was simply too troublesome, noting that he would rather not be tied down.
Have you heard of God The Mother?
Portland State students report being approached on campus by World Mission Society Church of God members amid rumors the group is involved in sex trafficking and cult-like behavior. “Have you heard of God The Mother?” asked a woman who identified herself as Julia, a member of the World Mission Society Church of God on PSU’s campus.
Venezuelan Opposition Leader Juan Guaidó swears himself in
Juan Guaidó swears himself in as Interim President of Venezuela Wednesday, January 24th. Courtesy Creative Commons. Opposition Leader of the National Assembly Juan Guaidó was sworn in as interim president following claims of a“fraudulent” election by Nicolás Maduro. Guaidó declared that he will remain president until a “free and fair election” can take place. Washington has called on the world to “pick a side” after backing Guaidó in hopes of a democratic Venezuela.
This Week Around the World – Jan. 20–27: - Vanguard
Jan. 20–21 Syria; Israel: Conflict between Iran and Israel intensified after strikes were exchanged between the two forces. Haaretz reports an attack on an airport near Damascus—which killed four and was believed to be the work of Israel—prompted a missile attack from within Syria, which was intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome and identified as Iranian-made.
Is Huawei spying for China?
Courtesy of Savannah Quarum Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei is at the center of another geopolitical scandal after an employee was charged with spying for the Chinese government in Poland. The company responded by promptly firing Huawei Executive Wang Weijing, who served as director of sales at the Polish branch. Wang Weijing was charged alongside Piotr Durbajlo, former deputy director at the Internal Security Agency, Poland’s domestic counterintelligence agency.
El-Sisi denies presence of political prisoners
In 2015, people gathered in London to protest the visit of Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi, in light of human rights abuse allegations in Egypt. Courtesy of Creative Commons CBS aired a 60 Minutes segment on Sunday, Jan. 6 featuring an interview with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi despite backlash from the Egyptian government. In the interview, President el-Sisi denied the presence of political prisoners in Egypt. “I said there are no political prisoners in Egypt,” el-Sisi said.
Deconstructing “the Great Eskimo Vocabulary Hoax”
The issue of Eskimo vocabulary and its numerous words for snow, known as “the Great Eskimo Vocabulary Hoax,” has become something of an urban legend and remains hotly contested by linguists.
China-Canada: Huawei detention fallout
China’s Premier Li Keqiang (Left) visiting Brazil, and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Right) announcing the 2019 location of the Women Deliver conference. Courtesy of Creative Commons China detained two Canadians on Dec. 10 in what appears to be retaliation for the detention of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei, a Chinese telecommunications giant. Canada has formally demanded the release of the two Canadian citizens.
WTF is happening with Brexit?
With the possibility of a No-deal Brexit looming, calls for a second referendum have gained momentum, and Members of Parliament on both sides support a second referendum dubbed the “People’s vote.” Brexit negotiations have been marred by a series of mishaps from missed deadlines between October to November, which inevitably delayed Brexit talks with the European Union, to the resignation of 10 MPs from Prime Minister Theresa May’s government over a falling out in Brexit negotiations.
Persecuted in Xinjiang
A Uyghur market in Xinjiang, China. Courtesy Creative Commons Over 20 rights groups rallied in front of the UN headquarters in Geneva on Dec. 10–the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights–to protest the persecution and “cultural erasure” of ethnic Uyghurs and other minorities in China.
The re-emergence of rising anti-Semitism in the west
In commemoration of Kristallnacht, German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave a speech on Nov. 9 at the Neue Synagogue in Berlin where she offered a stern warning concerning the dangers of rising anti-Semitism. “There is a blooming Jewish life in Germany again, an unexpected gift after the disruption of civilization of the [Holocaust],” Merkel said via Deutsche Welle.
Best beer at this time of year
Prost, a beer hall in Portland. Alexander Kirk Amen/PSU Vanguard Oktoberfest is perhaps the premier autumn festival and, for Munich, the largest volksfest in the world where naturally Germany’s, and specifically Bavaria’s best is celebrated. German beers overwhelmingly represent the best beers to drink in autumn. Fall beers should be full-bodied, yeasty, amber in color and potentially spiced with clove. Prost—meaning “cheers” in German—is an excellent bar on Mississippi Ave.
Security consulting firm to hold listening forums on CPSO shooting
Following the June 29 fatal officer-involved shooting of Jason Washington, an independent security consulting firm was selected by Portland State President Rahmat Shoureshi to review campus safety policies and procedures. Shoureshi announced on Sept.
Not safe in exile
Saudi officials confirmed on Oct. 20 that Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate after discussions descended into a violent altercation, resulting in his death; 18 have been arrested in connection to the allegedly accidental death. Prominent Saudi journalist and self-exiled dissident Khashoggi disappeared on Oct. 2 after entering a Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.
Disaster hits Indonesia
A 7.5 magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit the Indonesian island of Sulawesi on Sept. 28, displacing more than 82,000 people and killing 2,045, though that number is still increasing. The coastal city of Palu was hit the hardest with 67,000 homes destroyed or damaged. Approximately 300 families disappeared overnight, with their homes and cars swallowed by four meters of mud as a result of soil liquefaction.
Hong Kong: world’s least affordable city
With one of the top five most expensive housing markets in the world, Hong Kong was ranked the least affordable city for the eighth year in a row by the Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey.
The whaling loophole
The Japanese government, along with other pro-whaling countries such as Norway and Iceland, attempted to lift the 33-year whaling ban at the annual International Whaling Commission meeting in Brazil, held on Sept. 14. The Japanese delegation at the IWC put forth a proposal to move IWC rules away from conservation and toward “resource management control.” “There is this perception that we are asking [for the] total lifting of the moratorium.
Still in crisis: ethnic cleansing of Rohingya
A mob of nationalist Buddhists and Myanmar security forces attacked Rohingya villages in 2017 as retaliation to the militant liberation group Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, which had previously assaulted 30 security outposts in Myanmar. The systemic burning of 288 Rohingya villages along with rapes and murders has been called a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing” by the United Nations, prompting a mass exodus of over 750,000 Rohingya out of the estimated 1.1 million population.
Indigenous leaders of Colombia assassinated
In Colombia, over 300 activists and social leaders of indigenous communities have been assassinated since peace accords were signed in 2016 between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. The peace accords saw to the demobilization and disarmament of FARC, the absence of which created a so-called power vacuum. The killings are taking place in territories previously policed by FARC.
Where to Defect After Graduation
Denmark is a Scandinavian country bordering Germany and separated from Norway by the Skagerrak Strait. It is a half-hour train ride from Sweden, making it a convenient entryway to travel further into the Norse countries or down into Central Europe. I was lucky enough to spend some time in Denmark in August 2016. With over 390 kilometers of bike lanes, Copenhagen is truly a city of bicycles; in fact, you will stand out without one.
The #metoo movement in Korea
Hundreds of women took to the streets on International Women’s Day March 8 in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square carrying signs that read “#metoo #withyou,” and “Feminism Will Save Our Country!” Byeon Ye Jin, 17, was one of the women to speak out. “I could not tell my parents I didn’t have a place to seek help, and I couldn’t even name the case,” Byeon told a group of women on International Women’s Day.
The #metoo movement in Japan
The #metoo movement takes on Japan’s media as female journalists begin to come forward. The #metoo movement in Japan has garnered international attention after a high-ranking finance ministry official stepped down amid claims of sexual harassment by a female journalist working for TV Asahi. The scandal exposed issues regarding Japan’s media organizations and sexual harassment. Junichi Fukuda was recorded asking the journalist, “Can I kiss you? Can I hug you?
Israeli PM called insensitive after serving Japanese PM dessert in a shoe
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has drawn accusations of cultural insensitivity after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe and his wife Akie Abe were served dessert in a dish shaped like a shoe while visiting Netanyahu in Israel. In his second visit to Israel, Abe dined with Netanyahu on Monday, May 2.
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