November 2020 – RISM BLOG

The Earth’s most Odd Men

They say each of God’s human creation possesses certain skills and abilities that will make them apart from the others – a unique identity that only he/she holds. While there is who consider themselves as well blessed, there are some who also say that their unique characteristic is some kind odd. Perhaps, the term odd is added or used when the rest of the people in the society have not yet seen something like it before or encountered – these people we call strange or odd. Here, we are also pertaining not just the physical characteristics, the abilities, but also the way of thinking of a man that others find disturbing. Let’s run through some of them and let’s get amazed rather than calling them weird or names unsuitable and judgmental. Now, shall we begin?

The man without three decades sleep

Thai Ngoc is a sixty-four-year-old called as Hai Ngoc who is known for losing his ability to rest well at night after a fever he was through in 1973. He recalled his night’s as boring and long session of countless numbering of sheep to lay him asleep but apparently failed. He counted his sleepless nights to be more than 12,000 but claimed that he did not see any effects of insomnia as he can still perform far duties like his fellow farmers. Ngoc dedicated his night time doing extra farm duties.

The reign of reptilian humanoids

David Icke also was known as the former professional football player claimed in 1990 that there is a group of species controlling the world. According to Icke, there is a secret group called “The Elite” who is currently ruling the world; only, this group is not composed of humans but of reptilian humanoids who are known to appear during the Babylonian ancient period. Icke also believes that these reptilian humanoids have descendants from the human race such as George W. Bush, Queen Elizabeth II, and Kris Kristofferson. He claims that the reptilian humanoids and their belonging reptilians perform evil acts such as child molestation and Satanism.

The devil’s horns

Zhang Ruifang is a 101-year-old Chinese woman who apparently has one devil-like horn growing on her forehead. However, it was proved to be cutaneous horns – a rare keratinous skin tumor that takes an appearance like of horns or wood of coral. This type of health issue is considered to be rare and localized.

The living Professor X

Alex Lenkei is an incredible hypnotist who managed to undergo an ankle surgery without anesthesia. Lenkei relied heavily on his power of hypnotism to keep the pain under his control. According to Lenkei, his body will heal faster without the anesthesia in his blood streams, and he is not against anesthesia. “The brain is a very sophisticated computer and if your press the right buttons it will do amazing things — if you press the right buttons it will switch certain things off,” Lenkei said.

The girl who see through everything

A native Russian girl named Natasha Demkina claims to see through people’s skin and their insides without the use of x-ray machine. Natasha had a normal life until she turned 10, that is when she started seeing what’s inside of her mother and started to describe what she see. The news came out wildly through word of mouth which popularized the x-ray girl. After she had been discovered, she was asked for multiple healing activities around the world. Got more to add?… Continue reading...

Introduction to the Study of Social Structure

The Study of Social Structure is a 246-page book written by the brilliant Jamaican anthropologist Michael Garfield Smith and published by the Research Institute for the Study of Man. Before we dive into the book details, let us first talk about the man behind this incredible masterpiece of knowledge.

Michael Garfield Smith is a renowned Jamaican social anthropologist born on August 18, 1921. Smith is also known for the poetry of international repute. He was a brilliant scholar at the one of the island’s leading schools, the Jamaica College. His colleagues during his education recall him as their “intellectual hero.” At an early age of seventeen, Smith was able to achieve the highest point grade among all the Higher Schools Certificate candidates in the entire British Empire. At Smith’s later years in school, he showed excellent skills in poetry showing a bright potential future and soon was able to publish the promising poem. His fellow scholars acknowledged him the prestigious Jamaica Scholarship, although it did not bring him to Bombay as Smith planned, it brought him to Canada’s McGill University instead of to major in English Literature. He shortly served the Canadian army during war placing at the frontline in Europe, France, Holland, and Germany. In 1945, he was dismissed in the military and pursued his short career in law before he finally settled to studying anthropology. According to his wife, Mary, Smith was dismayed with the law as soon as he gets into it and realized that it was not justice as he hoped it was. As soon as he switched his career as an anthropologist, he became a prize student in Daryll Forde’s department at the University College in London. After his successful field research in Nigeria, he completed he was awarded hi Ph.D. in 1951.

The Study of Social Structure is one Smith’s notable works. The book was one of the two studies he virtually completed during the time of his health struggle in 1993. The book, as it may sound, was almost like a journal and in testamentary tone; it tackles the key elements of Smith’s epistemology while discussing the subject of social structure in a systematic inquiry. Throughout his anthropologist career, he is convinced that there is a period of scholarly disinterest when it comes to the study of social structure and even it was central to the anthropological enterprise; it was still critically reexamined. In his final call, he suggested that there should be a development of new conceptual frameworks to assist the study of social structural phenomena. He insisted that the structure currently used must have development and progress and the subject of the study also changes. The Study of Social Structure, which rests on Smith’s compelling logic, deals with those perspectives and approaches that objectify and thereby unravel social structures and their parts.

The Study of Social Structure primarily deals with Smith’s powerful and compelling logic in regards to the perspective and approaches that gives meaning and unravel social structures and their integral components.… Continue reading...

Ganja in Jamaica Involving Religion and Faith

Re: Letters, Rev. Pothead March 15-21: “There is no need to search the Bible for mention of cannabis or its use to attack the prohibition of marijuana from a biblical perspective.”

Christian for Cannabis believer, Jennifer L.G. Wallace, believes that the great plant, marijuana, has already been exciting the third day since the creation of the universe and God claimed it to be good. Wallace also believes that He gave it to man as a gift along with all other seed-bearing plants and trees on the sixth day, this is to support life and maintain a good flow of energy. It was later in Genesis that He gave all the green plants to man as he could survive, live, and soon produce – this happened during the covenant made with Noah.

We all know that there has been an ongoing war between law, science, and religion in regards as to whether marijuana is a gift or a curse to humanity. Clearly, the law is there to protect the people, the human race – it exists to limit and to assess the proper use of the plant. However, the prohibition actually prevents others from using it. To be clear, Rastafari is a religious movement which began and developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. The believers of this religious group also known as Rastas are noted to have a unique cannabis culture, beliefs, and tradition such as it requires a believer to consume and distribute cannabis/marijuana sacrament and medicine. Their faith was by doing so; they honor the prophecies of the Christian Old Testament in connection with the New Testament.

According to Wallace, they admit that there are no direct mention of the cannabis in the Bible but it is clearly instructed that we should treat each other with respect and love regardless of belief and cultural differences Thus, the condemnation against the Rastas are absurd as it clearly the law of the Bible not to judge or condemn those who are in Christ. Criticizing those who are using cannabis is a clear form of judgment and condemnation. Wallace said that supporting the prohibition of cannabis will bring no good to those who make quick judgments and prejudice.

There are a lot of misconceptions and wrong allegations on behalf of the Rastas – the prohibition of marijuana may protect the people who abuse it but not the people who do it for something they honor and something they faithfully believe in. In the end, a good argument closer is to place respect above anything, above pride, above judgment minds, above beliefs, and cultural differences.

For questions and additional information, you may reach through us via our contact form.… Continue reading...

Peruvian Fisheries under the Impact of El Niño

Natural catastrophe cannot be stopped from happening. The only cause a human could do is to lessen the impact as far as it could use technological advancements and discovery. We cannot deny the fact that we are nothing against the Mother Nature. Nature can come back ten times fold stronger when a disaster strikes. The only hope for humanity to have a chance of survival against the claw of Mother Nature is to help one another. That is why the Research of Institute for the Study of Man led a research studying the underlying effects of El Nino to the Ecuadorean fisheries, Peruvian in particular.

A powerful El Nino has significant adverse implications in the Eastern Pacific, and it is reported to be causing adverse effects on Peru’s fisheries near the coast. The most affected area is located on the coast of northern Peru. One of the most affected fishing is the anchovy farms. It was considered severely impaired by El Nino. According to the Ministry of Fisheries anchovy practically disappeared during the strike of the calamity. All left was a few small fishing grounds along the southern coast; anchovy was also found along the cities of Ite and Morro Sama and in Camana and Ocona. Meanwhile, anchovy can only be found along Huacho and Sucre, Salaverry and Isla Lobos on the northern coast.

According to the Instituto del Mar or IMARPE, the behavior of the anchovy changed to adapt to the situation – they bury themselves in as deep as 200 m, making it impossible for the fishermen to catch the school of anchovy. It was also noted that in the year 1982, over 60,000 fishermen and other workers had been laid off caused by the dawning dilemma.

On the other hand, sardine, shrimp, and mackerel are the other sea living that has been affected. Although IMARPE noted that El Nino has a positive impact on mackerel fishery. However, not all Peruvian fishers can take advantage of the situation since large vessels and gears are the ones capable of fishing mackerel. These opportunity open doors for a joint venture with offshore fishers who are already doing business out of mackerel.

Out of the calamity experience by Peru, there are also opportunities to be learned from the challenge. The phenomenon was extensively discussed by oceanographers, meteorologists, and other scientists to hopefully find a solution and put an end to the problem faced by the humble fishermen in the Peruvian community.

Trees From Around The World

Nature is amazing. There is no doubt and no proof needed to say that the beauty the world beholds is sometimes is something that we do not expect. One of the beauties the nature offer could be in your backyard – trees. Trees are everywhere but do you know that somewhere place far from you there are interesting trees, especially in Vancouver, that grow and looks beyond our expectations. If you have not checked these amazing and interesting trees yet, here are some of our collection that you should definitely check out.

Dragon Blood Trees in Yemen

One really uncommon types are the Socotra Island dragon blood tree or Dracaena cinnabari. This tree not just has a really distinct look it has a red sap or material, that is referred to as dragon’s blood. Individuals have actually accumulated and also utilized the material for several years.

Socotra Island belongs to an island chain off the coastline of Yemen and also Somalia. A one-of-a-kind, as well as remarkable team of pets as well as plants, survive on the islands of the island chain. Preservation of these microorganisms is extremely vital for preserving the Planet’s biodiversity.

According to the tale, the initial dragon blood tree was developed from the blood of a dragon that was injured when it combated an elephant. Dragon’s blood is still made use for dye and medicine up to this day. You can go ahead and read more here to learn more about trees.… Continue reading...