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{ 84 comments… read them below or add one }
Screw you Robert, Your dads the mailman!
I plah nice.
j/k
Your father was a dresser of hair, and your mother a girl you could call on.
I found an interesting on-line book the other day. It’s called “Games Hong Kong People Play: A Social Psychology of the Hong Kong Chinese” It about using elements of game theory to identify what makes Hong Kong society click. What is interesting is how much of the book parallels aspects of Korean society. Not all, but many of what Dr. George Adams writes about is spot on. The book even get you to think about games only Koreans play. It’s an older book, published in 1991, but still a useful read.
The link:
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/lookupid?key=olbp10218
just heard my first cicada of the year. summer has officially arrived in Seoul.
What happened to the Han River this morning/last night? When I walked along it this morning, it looked like someone had dumped a few tons of bright green paint in it. But the green was everywhere, so I began to think it was some sort of algae or weird pollen explosion or something. But I saw the green on a lot of trees by the river, too. Was there something nasty in the rain last night? I have no idea.
That “children” comment pisses me off. I just got out of federal prison and that’s definitely grounds for an Internet shankin’
I’m actually not feeling very nice right now. I’m actually pissed off.
Speaking of cicadas, I remember in 1999 the cicadas were so loud at the apkujong-dong subway that I almost had to cover my ears. It hasn’t been that bad since.
Hmmm…haven’t heard any cicadas downtown so far, usually they crank up the volume by now.
Time for some patbingsu.
Cicadas were like the D-War of america back when we were all told they would emerge from the Ground and wreak wretched havoc upon Midwestern U.S. ears 3 years agao… Never happened but evryone was like ” Ok does your house have a Raid shelter? Code orange people, Code fucking Orange!. Only a yank can understand that, then again, I happen to be drunk tonight. TGIF.
LINKD – I’ve been trying (unsuccessfully) to reach you through the “contact me” section of your website. Would you mind dropping me an email or a note on my blog? I am rclott at ro dot com -Chris
If we go back to 1984 we fondly remember the slogan “Where’s the Beef” uttered by Clara Peller who at the age of 81 starred in a number of commercials about the size of a hamburger patty. Here is a photo from that advertising campaign that worked then …
I wonder if that same campaign would work now??
Sorry about the photo NOT working out. Just search for Clara on any search engine, and you can see a number of dynamic photos of her with that suspected beef patty.
Heard no cicadas here in Itaewon yet, but they were out in force when I was down in the Daecheong area on Friday afternoon. Being British, I’d never really seen cicadas before I came here. I was walking down the street last summer and saw a woman with what I assumed was a large and unusual brooch in the shape of an insect on her sweater. It was only after seeing the reaction of my friend that I realised she was going to get a very nasty shock the next time she looked down.
Book recommendation: ‘Over The Line – North Korea’s Negotiating Strategy’ by Chuck Downs. A very right-wing viewpoint on how North Korea negotiates with the South and the US. Despite its definite hawkish tone it’s also deeply critical of how flawed US negotiations have let NK get away with murder (very literally) for over 50 years. Heartily recommended.
Oh, and now I remember, I spotted something rare and interesting today: Korean police officers doing useful police work. I was driving home on the Gyeongbu Expressway. Police cruisers were sitting in the slow-moving traffic, then sprinting out and booking anyone who used the bus lane to dodge the traffic. Saw them nab 8 or 9 vehicles. It made me feel slightly better about my almost-2-hour-long drive from Yongin to Seoul.
can anybody tell me of a good japanese historical drama? i’m having a hard time finding one.
for those who care, i’d like to recommend the english historical drama ‘the tudors’. great story though it’s semi-fictional. i’d recommend it to the western confucian since he says he likes epics though i’d warn him that the sex scenes are a bit racy and in my opinion, unnecesary.
Pawi you asked me to prove you had said something and you disappeared like vapor, eh? http://www.rjkoehler.com/2008/07/10/chul-soo-from-la-no-ahmed-from-libya-ok/ (go to 97)
no, thanks.
spend lots of time on me, don’t you, dda?
let’s see, comp program, little troll sign.
i get to you, don’t i?
ain’t my fault you were born ugly and white.
lol.
I was told that in the mid to late 70′s the rapid expansion, development and population of Seoul was putting a huge burden on the power grid. One particularly hot summer there was the fear of downed generators and blackouts. Apparently it was announced that sleeping with fans on during the night could cause asphyxiation and death. Within days electrical demands had fallen and the power crisis was averted.
This may or may not be true. It doesn’t sound that far-fetched.
Actually I’m beginning to think Pawi is either a sock or has socks, since he so obviously can’t remember what he has written before.
And yeah, I am sorry for feeding the troll, but I can’t help feeling pity, since the reason a troll craves attention is because he is so desperately lonely.
Pawi, I just want you to know even though you are such a poor miserable creature, somewhere, somebody loves you…
..but that person isn’t me.
‘Actually I’m beginning to think Pawi is either a sock or has socks, since he so obviously can’t remember what he has written before.’
either that or i really believe you and yours are bunch of whiney ingrates denigrating the people who’ve given you so much.
good bye, bipolar.
I think you were drunk. I was in Illinois three years ago when a crop of 17-year cicadas emerged. Far from being fearful, locals were actually excited and occasionally annoyed. Lots of amazing photos and videos were taken and posted online. There isn’t only one but several different batches of cicadas that come out either every 13 years or 17 years in certain spots, so almost every summer somewhere in America will experience that familiar buzzing.
one last thing, i wasn’t going to tell you this for fear of causing a celebration but today is the last day i’ll be posting here.
it’s been fun driving all of you nuts. lord knows you all deserved it. i’ll leave your whoring, boozing, chest thumping, and whinning for another korean.
goodbye.
Great!
Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out, sport. We’d like you to make a clean getaway – for our sakes.
Wow. Prayer really does work.
Is Pow-Pow leaving us? I can’t see his comments, which is a blessing, but I wish I’d see this one
if the idiot Pwiki is actually leaving, this is a grand day for the site…
Pawi,
You will be missed. Zaijian. 再見 in Chinese literally means “See you Again”
And somehow I think that’s not going to happen.
I remember a summer YEARS AGO when the cicadas hit Ohio. Throwing them down and popping them on the sidewalk. Whiffle ball batting them on the trees. Not very kind of us, I suppose, but it appears the population hasn’t suffered. Too bad we can’t run cars on them.
#26 and there was much rejoicing!
Yay!
The Dirty Racist K-expat Antagonist has left the building.
Well I never really got a chance to know Pawi. I wish him well in his life though. Hope you come back soon. (puts on flame shield)
#36 you didn’t miss much. At first Puwi’s racist, Anti-American, Anti-Everything not Korean comments and personal attacks were shocking and enough to gag a maggot. After a while though, his shtick got old and lost its shock value. I’d compare him to changing dirty diapers. Shocking and smelly at first, then you become immune to the whole ordeal and realize it’s just shit.
Back to the “Open Thread”, I (purchased, then) downloaded and installed the iPod touch 2.0 firmware, which enables my early-adopter September 2007 iPod touch to use Mail and Maps and Weather and all those new applications that will be available to iPhone and iPod touch owners via Apple’s App Store.
If you haven’t got the 2.0 update, it’s worth it. Check out Apple’s Remote app, which turns the iPod (or iPhone) into a touchscreen (and therefore programmable) remote that communicates with iTunes or Apple TV via WiFi.
Remote is a (yet-another) game-changer for Apple. It points the way to iPod/iPhone and their successors becoming the central device in everyone’s media-based, connected life. Immediately, I am interested in getting an Apple TV, and wonder how long we’ll have to wait for Apple to develop Apple Car Stereo in conjunction with leading car makers.
When will someone come up with an iPod/iPhone-connected home control system (X-10, anyone?) to allow homeowners to monitor and tune energy use while they’re away, or to monitor security systems with real-time video or still images?
Digital Convergence, one of those overhyped 90s words, never happened, and never will. A multi-function electronic device that does no job well… Apple’s tendency to closed-source and in-house-only interoperability will eventually be its downfall. Eventually.
Enter Steve Allen: “Developers, developers, developers…”
The iPhone may be interesting, but will eventually be considered a flash-in-the-pan…
Apple isn’t going to monopolize the smartphones.
Sounds like overblown bias justifying your massively wasted dollars for a better browser on a phone.
The Samsung Instinct and all the other smartphones being released this year have more functionality than the iphone.
Brendon – I finally got some of that Kirkland bacon that you recommended. Wow, it is really delicious. Unfortunately (for my health), I now have 3-1/2 pounds left to go… gotta love those Costco-sized packages.
Given how much Koreans like pork and 삼겹살, I wonder why this style of bacon isn’t the norm rather than the exception here in Seoul?
While trying to find something of substance to watch on TV this morning I was reminded of something that Juvental wrote, “Romans only care about bread and circuses.” Sure, Roman circuses were of the violent kind, but the thought put a smile on my face given that all I found was Korean celebrities clowning around and/or sampling local culinary specialties.
…I guess that explains why intelligent Koreans are avid readers.
bacon’s been pre-treated. Bacon looks artificially brown. Samgyup looks more bloody. Bacon’s got the N’s, but I’m not sure if samgyup does.
Chris — I think American-style bacon is too salty for Koreans’ palates (unbelievable, I know, given the salt level of everything else they eat), plus the smoke flavor is off-putting. We love it, they don’t — for me, it’s kimchi in reverse.
Glad you like the Kirkland bacon. Next step, chicken-frying it…
Next on my high-fat comfort food recommendation list: Navajo tacos. McCormick taco seasoning packets are available from on-line vendors for W2500 apiece. But taco shells are hard to come by. However, who says you need taco shells? Why not Navajo fry bread? You can make it at home if you have flour, baking powder, salt, and water, plus some cooking oil and a skillet to fry it in. Everybody has that.
I made mine with USDA ground beef (sure to kill me), and a can of kidney beans into the pan with the beef and taco seasonings. Chopped onion (fill your pockets up with chopped onions on your next visit to Costco), chopped lettuce, diced tomato, cheese if you want it, and some sour cream (also available mainly at Costco), on top of the seasoned beef and beans, and all of it over fresh Navajo fry bread — Mmm.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hTPPM5eyoWa5PgeObNcWP0chAopQD91QRQ900
No doubt a shadow of the man he used to be.
Maybe surprisingly to some, but Al Sharpton has a very insightful retort to those who share Jackson’s opinion:
“He’s not running for president of black America; he’s running for president of the United States.”
“Bacon looks artificially brown.”
Nitrates.
Brendon – Navajo Fry Bread tacos, sounds delicious. You know, you CAN just fry tortillas to make taco shells. My wife and I used to do that years ago, they taste better then the store bought shells – we were partial to the flour ones. I get them in what must be 2000-packs at Costco, last me forever. I use them to make cheese quesadillas, chicken fajitas or something I like called Chicken Enchilada Casserole. Good idea about the packets of Taco Seasoning, I’ll have to bring some back next trip. I’ve just been using 고추가루 and jalepenos peppers to spice up any mexican-style dish I prepare.
The thing about trolls, guys, is that they’re only gone until they come back.
I never use this word but I am stoked about this year’s ETPFest, Seo Taiji with Marilyn Manson, Epik High, and Death Cab For Cutie… and more.
August 14 & 15 at Jamsil Stadium.
http://etpfest.com for more…
Pawi will be back. You don’t post day after multiple day on the MHole unless you have the slack job of all creation, or a twitching neurosis. Pawakirogi was a neurotic, which is no surprise to any of us here.
Bipolar M – My cousin, get out. Get out of Korea and never look back. My guilt at bringing you here, although small, remains.
Engrish slacking can be as easily done in H
Pawi is like a case of black clap, you can’t scratch him off.
One more thing I’m stoked about, The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (PiFan) starts July 18th… http://www.pifan.com/
I personally am looking forward to Saturday’s screening of Japanese gore movie, Machine Girl… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSpCWJnnWVI
Nitrates are found in not only in bacon but most processed meats, including hot dogs, sausages, and deli meats. Despite links to stomach cancer, meat processors continue to use it because a tiny amount is highly effective in killing bacteria. It also aids in color retention, keeping the meat pink, not brown. Next time you’re in the US, compare the color of nitrite-free processed meats with those containing nitrites. The nitrite-free version shows its age rapidly with brownish color. It is something else – probably caramel or some other added coloring – that makes some bacon look artificially brown.
A Korean tourist was gunned down. Yet, North Korea and South Korea both want to sweep it under the rug.
What is the human value of 50-something women who is not wealthy? Nothing much.
This is how Koreans think.
Soon, both sides will forgeddabouddis.
This could have been the “message” to President LMB. It could have been the head of fish delivered.
Whatever it was, SKs beware. NKs will kill. Even 50-something mother. No mercy.
in regard to comfort food,
sounds like things will be easier if
the KOR-US FTA
that you so vehemently oppose
actually passes.
You might have a Seoul version of your H-Mart,
But, no, no, no. You wouldn’t have it that way.
PS, write your congressman.
i know samgyup is the national meat of Koreans, but I honestly never had samgyup in my years in Korea, a little over a decade.
I think samgyup is the food of the suh-min.
not that I claim to be upperclass.
but, my mother and father never fed me samgyup.
we always ate real gogi, although, at dramatically less frequently than the US.
samgyup, I started eating in the states, actually.
I’m a first time poster here… anyway, I, along with pretty much everyone else I’m sure, has noticed that there is a ton of complaining about Korea on this site. Which is fine. I’m sure a lot of the problems brought up here are valid. But by the tone of posts, it seems that complaints massively outnumber praise or really any appreciation of the country. Well, if Korea is so bad, why do you stay? I don’t mean this as a rhetorical question. I’m genuinely curious. Because of the girls? Because of inertia?
And I don’t just mean the option of (largely) teaching in Korea vs going back to the US, Australia, etc. Why Korea instead of Japan? Or Taiwan, or China? Lots of complaints about rude behavior, a general silliness and emotionalism… well Japan doesn’t have that. While at the same time that country has plenty of willing girls, considerably more easy to succeed with than in Korea. What do you guys like about Korea that keeps you here?
^^ by the way, I was refering to the comments sections on this site. Mr Koehler seems like he likes Korea quite a lot, despite the problems.
For all you warmongers out there.
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=vo6fgZ-dbOw
Anyone else buying a scooter to get around town? I’m going to keep the car at home for a while, these gas prices are a pain. So if anyone needs delivery service, open air taxi, or cha-jang-myong, let me know! I accept currency, but prefer specie.
bricky, I was just thinking about this today. After 4.5 years in Korea, I’ve come to accept it like my home. That doesn’t mean I’m going to stop complaining about it. This past Christmas I spent 3 months in Canada and found myself not complaining about Korea but about – you got, it – Canada…
I think the type of person who is attracted to Korea is exactly the type of person that Korea needs, progressive, adaptable individuals who would gripe about faults because they desire CHANGE FOR THE BETTER, no matter where it is they live. The problem, of course, is that nobody likes a whiner and that’s what we’re reduced to, because we have no actual power to change a country that does not, and will probably never accept us, no matter how much we love to live here.
Just look at celebrity foreigners. Robert Holley is a great example… he no longer even lives in Korea (at least last I heard) and his most frequent complaint is that he still feels treated as “waygook” despite speaking fluent Korean and having acquired citizenship… Stories like that are discouraging.
So, on a positive note, I remind myself daily that I am a long-term guest in Korea, that I will leave someday and in the meantime, like any good guest, will leave things in better condition than when I found them… I hope.
Isn’t interesting that our government likes to use the word, “WAR” in everything?
WAR on poverty
WAR on education
WAR on drugs
WAR on terrorism
How about the the War Against Giving Birth at Home:
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=5340949&page=1
Concerning three of those ideas above, the federal government has no business getting involved. Those are state matters. The last one well…it’s just a way to solidify belief without actually declaring war. Rather un-Constitutional, wouldn’t you say?
****** Short Rant Ahead******
When are other people going to stop telling me/us/you what to do? For Pete’s sake, if I want to home-school my child or give birth at home, or take ephedra, that is my business alone and none of the federal government’s business. So long as I don’t infringe on other peoples’ right, don’t infringe on mine.
Republicans used to champion these beliefs until they were bought out or evangelized. Democrats want to take our individual responsibility and dictate what’s good for us, our hard earned pay and redistribute it to those that didn’t earn it. Libertarians want to give back the freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution, and eliminate taxes. Can you imagine? What better way to stimulate the economy that to eliminate direct (income) taxes! AND with less taxes comes a smaller government and more personal responsibility! To quote, Austin Powers, “That’s groovy, baby!”
I’ll answer #60, too. That’s a good question.
I’ve been here five years. The thing that keeps me from going back to the States is the cost of living there (specifically, gas, car insurance, and health insurance). I can make a comfortable living here and — as long as I drink Cass instead of Guiness — save a lot. I’m more comfortable financially than I was back home.
The thing that keeps me from moving to another country — Japan, for example — is that it would be like starting over. I’ve studied Korean, and know the kinds of mistakes that Koreans make when speaking English. In other words, I have a lot of experience as a teacher to Koreans, and zero to Japanese.
So, even though the nonsense can get out of hand here, for the time being I’ve decided to stay.
bricky — It’s the girls.
Serious allegations of a massive fraud in the Bear Stearns bailout:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=8974
#68. redneck hickboy
I don’t think it’s too suspicious that puts were traded with very low strike prices. Rumours about Bear Stearns had been around a while, and if they were going to go down, it was a fair bet that they would go down hard as no one would want to come in and bail them out (unless the govt wanted to bail them out).
The interesting question is, who sold all the puts? Someone who was very confident that they wouldn’t go down? If they were traded on an exchnage then presumably the exchange knows.
I didn’t know that naked short selling was illegal. I just thought it was very dumb, since you’re basically screwed when you fail to deliver. Shows what I know.
Selling uncovered options is also pretty dumb, although at least with puts your downside is limited to the strike price.
“I’ve studied Korean, and know the kinds of mistakes that Koreans make when speaking English. In other words, I have a lot of experience as a teacher to Koreans, and zero to Japanese. ”
Not that I’m advising you to dump Korea and come to this side of the sea of Japan,but the Japanese makes same sort of mistakes as the Koreans and if you could speak their language,it’s not so difficult to pick up ours.
Putting general silliness aside,Korea isn’t such a bad expat destination to my eyes.I mean,expat people are demanding not only job and quality of life,but some sort of years of living dangerously-type of life experience to host nation.Japan certainly can’t provide you that.And Koreans do have some sort of open hospitality(along with open hostility)that you don’t find among Japanese.
One thing about the living standard though,when I went Seoul last year,I was shocked with the rise of price on everything.I’ve been visiting Korea occasionary since 1992,but now the price is almost the same with Tokyo.
71. Aceface, did you take a taxi while you were here, or come by Shinkansen/KTX?
I flew in from Narita.
# 17,
Shotoku Taishi…. on NHK back in 2003 if you can find it. It’s hard to find, but it’s a great drama of the most impactful and dynamic Prince Regents of the early Yamato Dynasty. Also openly discussed the influence that Baekje and Silla had on developing the Yamato Dynasty. Shotoku’s best friend is a Korean actor playing a Silla immigrant. The drama’s dialogue is in both Korean and Japanese.
67/Brendan: It’s the girl. Drop the ‘S’ – we all know you ain’t no player.
#73, Aceface, I meant that high speed travel is still much cheaper in Korea than Japan, as are the taxis and budget hotels. OK, might not be quite as comfortable but still 300km/h and that’s just the taxis
Low speed travel is also much cheaper. I can get to Daejeon on the Mugungwha for $10, probably less on the bus. $1.50 will get me to Munsan. How far out of Tokyo can I get for $10? Can I get out of Tokyo?
Bipolar — Let a guy dream, why don’t you?
“How far out of Tokyo can I get for $10? Can I get out of Tokyo?”
By train or bus,Yes.
#66, aceface is on the money, the mistakes are similar and if you’re in Seoul, I don’t think it’s much more expensive to live in Tokyo. Well, might need to spend more time for housing hunting, but remember that the pay is usually better too, and less sketchy.
I don’t think many people realize how wild or hostile S. Korea can get before they come though. I think they initially come because of the idea that wages are high+living costs low.
I personally stayed because of my line of work, though I worked in Japan initially. I didn’t have a bad time nor many complaints, but I couldn’t really see myself living in any Asian city for the rest of my life. BTW aceface, are/were you an expat as well or native Japanese?
Wow. I don’t even know what this means yet. Just got back from a little family trip to Anmyun-do. ($200 for rental minivan; $200 for ‘pension’; $150 for gas; $70 for Australian beef; $100 for seafood – and Koreans ask me why I don’t vacation in Korea. Sheesh). Turns out my money worries are nothing.
I just powered up the computer to find that the US government has just nationalized Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. OK, they call it ‘conservatorship’, but it’s indistinguishable from a nationalization. In a move that looks to me like the biggest move to socialism ever seen during a republican presidency, America has effectively moved to add $5 trillion in Fannie/Freddie debt to the US government’s explicit debt of $9 trillion. Paulson promised that the treasury will lend as much as needed, buy as much equity as is required, or even take the companies over if that is required – at the same time the Fed promises access to Fed funds.
New York opens in 10 minutes. WTF is going to happen? This is just too weird. Now that America is running its economy on Hugo Chavez’s playbook, I’m ironically thinking that this just might be the bottom, and it could be time to buy.
It’s 9;30 a.m. in New York and nothing earth-shattering has happened. Assisting the two entities maintain capital adequacy does not make the U.S. Treasury co-guarantor of $5 trillion in mortgage loans, the vast majority of which will not become defaulted loans.
Hmmm – I think there’s more to it than that. Sez Paulson:
I read that as saying “the government is now the boss of these two ‘private’ companies.” Also, your mention of ‘capital adequacy’ (as you know), isn’t quite a correct reference to BIS, since they aren’t banks. They have been allowed by US law to keep VERY low capital, and are still within their regulator’s capital requirements. But they are still insolvent, and their debts are still backed by real estate that is now worth less than the value of the debt.
Note that the market is calm this morning.
1. “Capital adequacy” does not refer solely to the BIS ratio. The issue with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -is- capital adequacy.
2. The “consultative role” is nothing new; it was part of the existing Treasury plan to improve financial regulation.
#79
I am a native Japanese,but I used to be an expat myself in New York way back in the 80′s and some of my best friends are expats from English speaking nation here in Tokyo.So I can understand the dilemma of being an expat.
Back to Japan/Korea thing.
We have a guy named Debito Ardou,a naturalized Japanese of American origin, who is the champion of expat-with-the-attitude community.
And the way I read his blogs and comment section,Japan sure has the same problem with S.Korea in the eyes of many western expat.
So in my opinion,those who thinks Japan is an expat heaven compare to Korea is falling into the grass-is-always-greener syndrome.
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