[ 張亨來 ]

Korean couple Kim Yoo-chul, 41, and Choi Mi-sun, 25, neglected and starved their prematurely-born infant to death while addicted to raising a virtual baby in an online game. “They indulged themselves in the online game of raising a virtual character so as to escape from reality, which led to the death of their real baby.”

It seems that this form if escapism is ubiquitous, and often not readily apparent. I mean, for example, Tumblr addicts obscure their real, ugly selves by projecting an ostensibly exceptional but ultimately tailored image of cliché faux-wit. They substitute substantive interpersonal relationships with the illusion of community and connection with fellow attention-starved individuals similarly seeking affirmation through a pyramidal scheme of cheaply-traded compliments. Albeit, it is less abhorrent and criminal than a couple neglecting their real child for an online one,  but someone who vainly paints the Easter egg of her virtual persona when the yolk inside has long taken on a repugnant odor evokes a comparable level of both disdain and pity.

Approximately 50 species of sharks, or 10% of all known sharks, are able to camouflage themselves by emulating the sunlight shining down through the waters by giving off bio-luminescence from their underside. These sharks use their eyes and a small gland in their brain to monitor the light shining from above so that their own glimmer matches its intensity. Since most deep-sea creatures have upward-looking eyes, this effectively renders these sharks invisible to prey and predators alike below them. Notice how the pelvic region of the shark in the picture is slightly brighter? The shark’s light pattern also serves to attract mates.

The May, 2010 issue of GCC Insights is out! GCC Insights is Global China Connection’s monthly e-newsletter. I managed the content for the Introduction, Announcements, and Opportunities sections. This was a particularly good issue because it contains a lot of information on upcoming events and summer internships. Click here to subscribe!

If you’re going to be in Berkeley or Boston for the summer (even for a week or so), you should check out Half the Sky Foundation’s grant writing internship. Half the Sky Foundation is a non-profit organization that works with orphans in China, and the internship will involve helping to apply for grants to support their various programs and initiatives.