Kim Jong-Un Goes Outside and Does Stuff Sometimes

A banquet was organized on December 29th at the Daedong River Diplomatic Hall in North Korea to celebrate the 61st anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. The only ones that received the invite to this prestigious event were the Chosun Workers' Party Central Committee, Comrade Hyung-Joon Kim, Vice-Chairman of the Party Central Committee, Comrade Park Myung-guk (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Comrade Vice-President Park Soon-deok, the Chairman of the Education Committee (also known as the Chosun Kuba Unity Committee), the Embassy of Cuba and his majesty himself, "The Beloved Supreme Leader" Kim Jong-Un. In the Supreme Leader's speech, it was emphasized how the relationship between North Korea and Cuba will continue to be strengthened as both countries celebrate many years of "success".
It is headlines and stories like these in the format of a 2003 MySpace page in which you will find news directly reported from North Korea. Under the tab labeled "Latest news" I found more headlines of Kim Jong-Un's whereabouts where he showed up to more celebrations, competitions, and other events where he gave speeches about how the Communist regime has been and will continue to serve the people well; an emphasis on education was especially prompted in these headlines. All of the headlines were addressing the leader with only the most loving and endearing (and quite excessive) terms--and nothing short of it. If you scroll around to the other tabs discussing politics, economy, culture, etc., there is criticism of other nations' faults, praise of their allies (like Cuba), and good news about North Korea. It's all quite optimistic and sort of cute how North Korea will only show their best side to the rest of the world and to their country when given the power to regulate the platform.

Just something to chew on.

Korean Central News Agency-- North Korean News

MSG is Everywhere and You're All Racist

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) has been considered a very "unhealthy" food additive for years and widely linked to solely Chinese food (and other Asian cuisines) however, studies say differently. In fact, MSG is an amino acid that is commonly (and naturally) found in foods such as tomatoes and cheese which can be extracted by fermentation-- a process similar to yogurt and alcohol-- and put into chicken stock and other savory dishes.
How could a common ingredient be regarded as taboo and compartmentalized into a single cuisine? The answer lies in the origins of, "Chinese Food Syndrome"-- the belief that Chinese food or other Asian cuisines are solely unhealthy for you due to it's known use of MSG.
In 1968, the debate over the health effects of MSG began when a man complained to the New England Journal of Medicine about feeling numbness after dining at Chinese restaurants. A year later, a scientific journal was published warning others of "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" in which symptoms included heartburn and facial pressure after eating at a Chinese restaurant. After years of research and inquiries conducted by the FDA and other credible sources/organizations, MSG was considered safe by the 1990's. Despite these findings, many today are still plagued by ignorance and fear of Chinese cuisine.

MSG in Chinese food isn't unhealthy -- you're just racist, activists say

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Declares Missing Civil War Victims as Dead

Sri Lanka's recently elected President Gotabaya Rajapaksa officially declared those who were reported as missing from the civil war as dead as an attempt to provide closure to families and the country as well. The civil war started out from rebellion against the Sri Lankan government over the independence of the Tamil Eelam state in the northeastern region of Sri Lanka and lasted for about 26 years before the Sri Lankan military defeated the rebellion (also known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) in 2009.
President Rajapaksa released a statement mentioning that the missing are dead and, "I can't bring back the dead," in hopes of closing one of the bloodiest chapters of the country's history while also squandering the hopes of some friends and families who are still waiting for their loved ones to return. Rajapaksa's blunt statement is not unusual considering the fact that he was the Sri Lankan's Secretary of Defense in the final years of the civil war and was the one who led to the harsh and urgent defeat of the rebels. Some accuse Rajapaksa of gross human rights abuses considering the actions he took to end the war.
Given the circumstances of Rajapaksa's statement, about 24,000 death certificates will be issued to the families of those who are still missing from the civil war. Despite the certificates, some families still hold onto the initial certificates of absence that were issued shortly after the war. Some families still make the effort to search for their loved ones while others are still waiting for a body of proof.

‘I Can’t Bring Back the Dead’: Sri Lanka Leader Ends Search for War Missing