The Rich and Diverse Origins of English Loanwords
Did you know that the word “tycoon” is from the Japanese word, “taikun?” This term was used by foreigners to…
Let Us Give Thanks for Another Fruitful Year
The year 2012 is about the close. And it has been such a blessedly fruitful year for us. We have…
King Sejong the Great, Joseon’s Visionary Leader
A quick look into the life of one of Korea’s great kings Hangul. Religious tolerance. Rain gauge. Korean calendar. Celestial…
Top 10 Most Awesome, Significant and Historical Trees Around the World
Our planet has more that 400 billion trees. But this number seems to be not enough to stem the carbon…
Winter Solstice: The Time that Signals that Nights will be Longer
Winter solstice is the time when the sun it at its lowest altitude above the horizon when it appears at…
Dreaming of White Christmas
Irving Berlin wrote the classic Christmas song, White Christmas early in the 1940s. It was recorded by Bing Crosby in…
Wishing Upon A Star: Is it true or just myth?
People have been conditioned to make a wish. People make wishes on New Year's Eve, on Christmas Day, and when…
Holy Days, Holidays and Wacky Days of December
December. It’s the last month of the year. The winter solstice, the official date when winter begins in the northern…
Unique Traditional Greetings of Welcome
A handshake is universally accepted as a greeting, both formally and informally. An exchange of “hello” or “hi” is usually…
As American as Apple Pie
“As American as apple pie” is a common phrase that you might have heard all your life. It connotes history,…
Bowing the Head – Different degrees of showing respect
Without words, there are still many ways for people to communicate. A kiss, a smile, the fluttering of the hands,…
Ramen: One of the world’s favorite comfort food
It’s been 102 years this year when ramen first appeared in Japan, although the noodle could be older than that…