Topic 1 Interviews

I interviewed an employee of Anima Mundi Apothecary in Brooklyn, NY. Sophia is a clinical herbalist who has studied at an herbalism school for three years.

Q: Can you tell us about yourself? How and when did you come to start working here?

A: From a young age, I was exposed to holistic healing from my mother. In my 20s, I dealt with a lot of digestive and hormonal issues and tried conventional medications and skincare but none of them worked. That’s when I started healing myself using herbs and I became passionate about helping others with the same method. I ended up going to herbalism school for three years and have been working at Anima Mundi Apothecary for the last year.

Q: What is the mission of this store? Who is the target consumer?

A: We were founded in 2013 by a Costa Rican herbalist, Adriana Ayales, who was passionate about bringing herbal medicine in New York City and having people reconnect with nature. She developed formulas that would help a general audience, but also created spaces for people who need more customized support as well. The shop’s name, “Amina Mundi,” actually means “one world” or “one soul” and represents the connectedness between us and nature. The goal is to combine traditional medicine with the modern world.

Q: In your opinion, what is the difference between herbal medicine and pharmaceutical medicine? What would you say herbal medicine is better?

A: The major difference with pharmaceutical medicine are the side effects that occur when used. For instance, taking medication for diabetes can often times raise your blood pressure. It can be really hard on the liver and kidneys, and people don’t realize that, and in a lot of cases, we’re overmedicating people. Herbs have been used for medicinal use since ancient times, and you can often take something that ends up benefiting another part of your body. Herbalism allows people to take back the power and knowledge of their medicine.

Q: What do you think is the popular opinion about herbal medicine, especially here in the US? Is it controversial?

A: I think nowadays people is more open to herbalism. People have said we are currently in a “wellness renaissance”. Back in the 80s, there was a shutdown of herbal medicine, but in the last 5-10 years there has been a resurgence. I think the big issue currently is the spreading of false information, especially though social media. It’s important that people go to school and learn through hours of clinical work.

Q: What kind of clinical work and training was taught at your herbalist school?

A: I attended ArborVitae School of Traditional Herbalism, which was taught by an herbalist who was previously a M.D., and learned about anatomy and physiology, different kinds of medicines from all cultures, bodily systems, etc.

Q: Do you think that herbal medicine is gaining popularity in America? Especially with the younger generation?

A: Yes, I do think it’s gaining popularity with the younger generation, who tend to be more open-minded. I think in the 90s and 2000s there was an extremely toxic culture around dieting and undernourishing ourselves in order to be considered beautiful. We are learning from those mistakes and as our society is becoming more progressive and advanced, people are coming back to holistic practices.

Q: Are you aware of any sustainability/ethical issues with producing herbal medicine?

A: Absolutely. When anything becomes popular, it’s important to be aware of the ethics around it. When growing and harvesting herbs, it’s important to be organic or ethically wildcrafted. Wildcrafting means a specialist will collect herbs that are in abundance in an area, and organic means that they are grown without chemicals or additives. There are certain herbs that are endangered, specifically the slippery elm tree. It’s known for healing gastrointestinal issues, but was being overly wildcrafted. A lot of herbalists are now working to grow their own slippery elm.

I interviewed one of my high school classmates who is working in the airport as a “bird killer”. He is working in this position since the airport was established. When I wanna start my interview post he is the first person who pops into my mind.

Based on your experience How many will be killed by you per day?

Come on! I am not a real killer, ok? I don’t kill birds.Kill birds cannot make air-plane safe. we currently using different technology  now.

So, what is the standard that can make sure air-plane can get safe departure or landing process. 

Based on Chinese air regulations. have to make sure, (airport as the center) make sure within radium 3 km have no birds. when air plane take off about 100 meter height, when air plane during landing about 60 meter height from the ground is the most dangerous situation to get birds accidents.

What are the main strategies we are using right now?

Currently Biological control technology is the main method, any others like sound, or visual methods  just always stand by as plan B for us. but now people and goverment considering harms birds and environment system, so

Why can’t have birds around airport?

Because of the safety. every year there is over 10,000 cases air accident in the planet, about 20% are made by birds. Ok! like make a quick demonstration for you, if unfortunately the plane and the bird hit up when them flying on their regular routes. From the point of view of physics, if a bird weighing 500 grams hit with an aircraft with a speed of 370 kilometers/ H, it will produce an impact force of 3 tons. Such a huge impact force may cause serious safety problems, and the aircraft will inevitably be damaged. Big mess.

Are you feel guilty when you have to kill birds. 

Yes, of course, but this is my duty, also I can give up over hundred life to save a bird.

I asked a friend who is fascinated by astronomy, and he is an amateur in space and satellites.

Q: What do you think about the concept of satellite?

A: A satellite is something that orbits, or goes around, a planet or a star, and there are lots of different types. Some natural things are satellites – like the Moon, because it goes around the Earth, but usually, when people talk about satellites they mean the ones that were made by people. They’re sort of like spaceships moving around the Earth, and they’re usually made up of a computer, along with solar panels to get power from the Sun. Sometimes they also have cameras or other scientific tools to help gather information.

Q: What is the situation in space right now?

A: Junkyard…We’ve launched rockets and spacecraft into Earth’s orbit, but now thousands of objects from tiny screws and bolts, to dead satellites encircle the Earth. Transforming the space above us into a junkyard.

Q: What is space junk?

A: any man-made object in orbit around the Earth that no longer serves a useful function

Q: What is the damage of space junk?

A: It directly threatens people in space like ISS(International Space Station), which is in the crosshairs. ISS has already been hit by little bits of debris on a number of occasions and there are no guarantees that other substantial things might not hit it again in the future.

Q: What do you think about the future space environment?

A: Getting worse I guess? You know SpaceX plan to launch 12,000 satellites in space, but we already have 6,000 satellites in space right now and it has already been a junkyard, I think it will become more severe in the future.

According to the interview, I’ve learned lots of space environment problems and also concerned about our future. It’s a good direction to develop my satellite guide.

I interviewed one of friend who is working in a sales and marketing department as general manager position in a local Publicly traded Semiconductor company where is in South Korea. His graduated from international trade business major , and professional keep working in this industry over 10 years.

What is DIODE?
Semiconductor diode

What is the most popular, or what is kinda TECHNOLOGY you are interesting in?
Health care photodiode and Avalanche photodiode.
Health care photodiodes are obviously used for human being health care.
The avalanche photodiode is being used for artificial. Smart cars such as Tesla.

what is health care PHOTODIODE, and how does it work on people?
The health care photodiode mostly used to monitor the heart rate, and how is the heart rate goes, but it is not only for the heart but also for blood pressure, blood oxygenic, and so on.
Now the technic can be used in many ways, but he mentioned the most popular use is on smartwatches, hospital professionals, household health check facilities, and machines. As Simply explanation, It is a type of light receiver, a special light that goes through people’s skin layer, and the receiver sensor will works after it receives the light back, the computer will calculate the number, also compare to the regular data. Also, save it at the same time.

Where does it from? Where does it make the most? And where does it sell to?
Technic mostly is from the US, but most of them are made in TSMC, which is located in Taiwan, and they produced over 50% all over the world. Most of the productions sell to APPLE, SAMSUNG, MI, and so on.

How about the future of health care photoDiode?
The future for photodiodes is wild bright because people live longer, and many countries have to face the problem which is the aged population. As time goes by, technic will definitely be developing. It will be used in more industries.

What is the most important element to make a photodiode?
Si, Au, Sn, most of them from China.

I interviewed a very good friend of mine. She graduated from the philosophy department and has many years of yoga experience.

Q: Have you ever heard of yoga? Have you ever done yoga yourself?

A: Of course I’ve heard of yoga, and I’m also a yoga lover myself.

Q: When you are practicing yoga, what is your physical and mental feeling? For example, physically or psychologically?

A: Yoga actually talks about a process of integration, allowing people to completely immerse themselves in the present. When I take a very rhythmic breath with the teacher, I feel that the whole person’s essence and spirit have reached an unprecedented pure state. I like the yoga teacher’s words very much: breathe out worry and pressure, and breathe in health.

Q: What do you think people have wrong understanding of yoga?

A: I think many people practice yoga with a wrong mentality of comparison. They always want to challenge a very difficult position. I think it is totally unnecessary. Because position is not the most important place of yoga since ancient times. And the core of yoga is to focus on yourself. It is better to compare yourself with yourself as long as you do better today than you did yesterday, or keep it. Another mistake I think is that everyone thinks yoga can help you lose weight, but generally speaking, yoga may help you to correct your posture at most. The main reason for practicing yoga may be that yoga helps you improve your usual attention to healthy diet and keeping a good rest, rather than directly losing weight through yoga.

Q: What do you know about traditional religious yoga

A: I know yoga comes from India. I think yoga may be the same to India as Tai Chi to China. Yoga is actually a concrete manifestation of Indian religion. I don’t know much about the specific teachings of yoga.

Q: If you have a chance, would you like to know more about traditional religious yoga

A: Of course! Because yoga is a very good exercise, I am certainly very interested in understanding its origin.

Interviewee: Designer and illustrator

Q1: 　Do you know about “Coat of Arms’?

I heard of it, but don’t know a lot about the history of “Coat of Arms”. I am quite impressed by the design of “Coat of Arms”, especially in the recent Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. I saw different kinds of “Code of Arms” there.

Q2: In your work, have you designed something similar to “Coat of Arms”?

Yes, I used to design team emblems for video games, e.g.: Honor of Kings.

Q3: When you designed these emblems, are there any certain elements included in?

Yes, basically the emblems will reflect the team’s name and what they stand for. Usually there will be an animal – Wolf, Bear, Tiger…, the landmark of the city where they come from and the team name.

Q4: Have you seen any “Coat of Arms” in China?

Not much really. Oh yes, National Emblem can be one.

Q5: Do you see any connection between of “Coat of Arms” and “Logo”?

Yes, some Logos was evolved from “Coat of Arms’. For example, apple logo.

Q6: Do you think individual are interested in owning his or her own “code of Arms”?

Yes, individuals are now seeking self-identity and unique approach to show his or her own uniqueness.  “Code of Arms” will be an interesting approach.

(Q1) Have you ever heard of a DMZ?
(A1) Yes.

(Q2) Great! Would you be able to explain what it is?
(A2) It’s some line in Korea that keeps the North part and the South part divided. It cuts the country in half so that the North one can’t attack the South one. You can’t keep your military in there.

(Q3) Did you know there are other DMZs in the world?
(A3) I only heard about that one.

(Q4) Would it surprise you that space is a DMZ?
(A4) Yeah, that does make sense. But they have satellites in space that they can use to attack with. So does that really mean that there is no military in space.

(Q5) Why do you think DMZs need to exist?
(A5) Because when two countries fight each other a lot of people will get hurt. People will die. Also people’s living situation can get really bad. It’s really sad. So when you make a DMZ you can stop them from attacking each other and it makes things more safe.

(Q6) Did you know that a lot of animals come back to live in DMZs?
(A6) No, I did not.

(Q7) Why do you think they would go to the DMZ?
(A7) Probably because there are not as many people. So they can live there and not be disturbed.

(Q8) Do you think DMZs are effective?
(A8) I think it depends. It helps create some space, so people need to talk. I think that aspect is definitely very good. But if two countries hate each other they will still find ways to attack each other even with an are that is no military allowed.

What I learned:

So, I interviewed my mom (who is not an expert in DMZs at all) to see what people know about the topic of DMZs in general. Like me, she didn’t seem to know much beyond the basics. It just shows how niche some of these issues can be on a global scale but how vital on the local scale. I’m sure if I interviewed anyone in Korea about the DMZ they would have strong opinions and know a lot more about it’s structure and history.

I interviewed a sanitation worker who operates a garbage truck in my area and works for the New York Department of Sanitation. He wanted to be anonymous, so for the purpose of this write-up I’ll call him “Steve”. 

Q. How long have you been a sanitation worker?

A. 14 years.

Q. Why did you decide to take on sanitation as a profession?

A. I’ve always been a clean dude. But nobody wakes up and says “I want to pick up trash for my whole life”, you know? It really came down to pay and benefits. The city takes good care of us, and the guys I work with are like family now.

Q. Would you consider yourself a garbage expert?

A. Well, shit. I guess so, yeah.

Q. How many trash bags would you say you collect in a day?

A. Way too many to count. You’ve seen some of these building, right? They have hundreds of people up in there. Sometimes we can get 600 hundred bags from a single building. Shits unreal.

Q. Do you know how many tons of trash you collect?

A. This truck can hold like 10 tons. Maybe 12. Depends on how it gets crushed. 

Q. Would you say most of it is recycling or landfill waste?

A. Most of it is black bag landfill trash. And to be honest, the clear bag recycling is worthless. Half of that shit ends up in a landfill anyway because people don’t know how to recycle proper. They mix all their shit together and yeah it gets sorted, but usually that shit goes straight in the ground. But that’s not really my department.

Q. Do you feel like your work is rewarding?

A. I guess so, yeah. You know, I definitely feel like I’m doing a good thing. It’s not a nice job like a doctor or lawyer or something. But I definitely feel like it matters, right? Like if I’m not gonna come by and pick this shit up think about how nasty these streets would be. And shit, even with me here they’re nasty.

At this point Steve needed to get back to work, but I enjoyed hearing his perspective. 

What I learned:

I think this provided some real world context for the scale of the waste management problem. The sheer amount of trash a single building can produce was crazy to me. Also the fact that most of the recycling ends up in a landfill anyways was disheartening.