This of course was our target Bae Jung Elementary School.
2.
He couldn't help himself, fascists salutes never get old.
3.
After scoping out the front doors and the back, where some men where diligently stealing some trees, we decided that the best course of action was to try a side infiltration under the cover of ignorance. Some recon was done before hand so we moved around back where there was a open window. Originally I was told it was 5 feet up, but later found it to be 8 feet up and right in front of someones house.
4.
But it wasn't a complete waste of time...this provided us with comic relief as our hopes of getting in the building began to shatter.
5.
We made our way around to the back and found some hope, but found that it lead to a padded door. The neighbors were out in force staring at the large foreigners lurking around their schools.
6.
Eventually we made it around to the front, were this boy with Down Syndrome was running wild on the oodles of garbage packed everywhere and anywhere on the school grounds. This is typical for Korea, mentally ill or challenged people just left to run amok. In fact later that night after we took these pictures we witnessed a mentally ill woman standing in the middle of the road blocking traffic on a very busy, very dangerous intersection on a rainy night.
7.
Finally I said screw it, it was starting to rain so I was either going in or going home, so we charged forth to the last area we could infiltrate, the hillside. Scaling down the side of the hill and into a flooded room we made it onto the third floor.
8.
And we are in!!!
9.
This will join the lonely chair forum later...
10.
This room was full of candles, cake boxes and sticky notes. I assume the local kids use this place for debauchery.
11.
Looking out the window I saw a new truck in the yard, right about the time we heard someone moving around downstairs. Frozen in place we waited and listened and decided what our next step would be. We decided to retreat back to our entrance. Moving like ninjas we stepped over broken glass, plastic and wooden planks without a peep. Not willing to give up on our infiltration we waited to see if it was other explorers. At this point I checked out our escape route and was shocked to see two caretakers cleaning out a flooded balcony, right were we needed to be.
12.
We said screw it, well Will did. We decided that we would sneak down past them. Not before photographing as much as we could first.
By the way it says "Man, Lets F**k!"
13.
14.
Sweet freedom so far away.
15.
16.
Random blockades throughout the building.
17.
Our potential captors are in that room. Sneaking down the stairs as quietly as possible we spotted the men working on the balcony adjoined to a room right in front of the stairs. It was a stressful adventure trying to sneak past them.
18.
This read very true to me as we huddled in a room which we LITERALLY had to dive into as one of the men came trotting down the stairs practically behind us. Stuck in the room for about 10 minutes I was as a still as could be, while my cohort trotted about the room snapping/beach002.jpg)
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the car's on fire and there's no driver at the wheel
and the sewers are all muddied with a thousand lonely suicides
and a dark wind blows
the government is corrupt
and we're on so many drugs
with the radio on and the curtains drawn
we're trapped in the belly of this horrible machine
and the machine is bleeding to death
the sun has fallen down
and the billboards are all leering
and the flags are all dead
at the top of their poles
it went something like this:
the buildings tumbled in on themselves
mothers clutching babies picked through the rubble
and pulled out their hair
the skyline was beautiful on fire
all twisted metal stretching upwards
everything washed in a thin orange haze
i said: "kiss me, you're beautiful -
these are truly the last days"
you grabbed my hand and we fell into it
like a daydream or a fever
we woke up one morning and fell a little further down -
for sure it's the valley of death
i open up my wallet
and it's full of blood
Prosecutors believe the rising number of American drug offenders correlates to a rising number of English teachers coming to Korea, prompted by the recent trend for English education.
We live in a beautiful world, yeah we do, yeah we do.Even worse was the one that came on next.
Don't you forget what I've told you for so many years: We are hopeless and slaves to our fears, We're an accident called human beings, Don't be angry for loving the baby or say it's unreal. So many lies turn to songs, like roses who hide in their thorns. It's the end of the world, the end of the world. It's a prison for dreams and for hopes, yet still we believe there is God. It's the end of the world, the end of the world. We're dead though pretend we're alive. Full of ignorance, fools in disguise. In your room doing nothing but staring, at flickering screens Streets are empty, but still you can hear joy of children turning to tears. Disease hides around every corner, quietly still. Wait for the moment to heal Wait for God, want his touch, want to feel. It's the end of the world, the end of the world. Take this pill it will make you feel dizzy, and then give you wings. Soon boy you're falling to sleep without nightmares, without any fears. If you wake up in hell or in heaven tell the angels we're here, waiting below for a dream, here in the garden of sin. Blackfield
Full of fear and valves and a synapse or two waiting for things to crawl and a year spent with you a loneliness that is smooth and surprising 3 decades and a May lament Autumn leaves in the summer and a fall with no grace Soft hair thats not a boys and this spiral is going down A boy is my pride and a girl my joy this is just an arrogant poem that has no meaning.
"The kind of seed sown will produce that kind of fruit. Those who do good will reap good results. Those who do evil will reap evil results. If you carefully plant a good seed, You will joyfully gather good fruit."
Dhammapada
Hey yeah, I remember you, how are you?After the basic reply, there is nothing but silence. Maybe it is too much like High school, you know, go out on a date with a girl and call her once and after that the ball is in her court. I really want to get to know them, they were all a big part of my childhood and as my memories fade, they are a great way to refresh and reconnect with the past. That part of my life I lived with my Mother, when I left Toronto, I was leaving cause she was leaving me. I have no fond memories of her, simply because it is all clouded by hatred. But I did have good memories of school. The Field that ran under the electrical towers, Morningside park with all its poison ivy, summer playing in the swimming pool, pushing all the buttons on the elevator where I lived, going to my first party, playing handball and even my crush on Pavan. How can I reconnect with those memories after so much time has passed, and after so long I have finally succeeded in accomplishing what I wanted, a reconnection with the past, but I haven't gotten the results I wanted. I did get an old school picture; mine was taken by my Mother along with my childhood memories. I'm in the second row, far right, 3 kid in with the black sweater.
Just one last lament. I moved schools 3 times in my life and boy did that suck. First I was at Alexmuir and left after a few years and had to jump into life at High Castle. I never really did make a real group of friends, you know that kind of bond that you would think would last a lifetime. The closest I came was Keith, hence my search for him and the attempt at reconnection. Then I left a week before graduation, so at High Castle my picture is not on the wall, like I was never there. So I moved to Calgary and started in the second year of Junior High, and again, never really fitting in and making that friendship connection most stable people, I am stable, have during their lives. Even my last real friend, who came to my wedding in Korea is no longer a friend, but just a picture and profile on Facebook, but at least I have that.
look upon my work ye mighty and despair.
Face down, Ass up. I assume you use to be an N.W.A. fan and know the rest of the lyrics. My first design was a simple design, 바보랑 같이 있 음 (Rollover to see the English) and included the ever faithful arrow pointing to the left. Simple yet effective and I really think that there is a good Market in Korea amongst the Ex-Pats to have shirts that allow us to poke fun and claim ignorance at the same time. There are couple other designs, some are vulgar and done just for fun, but I plan on pumping at least one or two a week. The only limitation right now is that I can only list one of each shirt style with Cafe Press until I start paying them a monthly fee, so I have to kind of tailor my ideas to the shirt. Like the Golf Shirt with the name tag that says
My name is변태. Some other ideas I have been kicking around in my head are.
I have no idea what this saysand
Boobieswhich would be a chick shirt, unless there is male demand, or course both would be written in Korean.. Here is a picture of the Pabo shirt, and a variation of the shirt. I don't expect any of you to buy anything, but I would like you to at least look and give feedback.
"By the late fourteenth century, a period began in Korea that saw it literally freeze in time, earning it the apt description of "Hermit Kingdom"Having lived here for 4 years, I can honestly say that this all still rings true for Korea and her philosophy, even though she is the fastest growing Christian nation in the world and apparently is the second largest religion in Korea to-date with 20% of the population. Those ideals are most apparent during the holidays like Chu-Seok and when I go out drinking with my brother in law. In-sa is what they call it, and it dominates the family and business which causes me some of my difficulty here at my new school. Sometimes they make silly requests, like I should go to the principal and bow and thank him for letting me have a day off for my Lucy's birth. Maybe it is a matter of opinion it was just ceremony and I could tell by the look on his face, he didn't really give a shit what I do, or when. And looking to the past could be the reason for their questionable stubborn hatred of Japanese and the American Military. Basically the hermit kingdom lived through 500 years of relative peace, creating most of the culture that I have experienced while I have stayed in Korea. Then suddenly, much like the British did with China, the USA forced the Hermit Kingdom to face the reality that is needed to open its door to trade, cause the USA needed the income. A fickle view point and one of the view things that I didn't really appreciate about the book so far was the reference to the Russo-Japanese war of 1904 and the fact that he did not dwell on the Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce and Navigation between Chosen (Korea) and the United States of America. (pant, pant) at all. The treaty was
... Confucius taught the Koreans the value of position and relations. He stressed that humans are bound by duty and family and that education is a worthy goal in and of itself. Confucius taught that one looks to the past for solutions to present-day problems and that interpretation of laws and rules depends on the situation at the time"
RatifiedMay 22nd, 1882 and the first article clearly states.
Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce and Navigation between Chosen (Korea) and the United States of America.
Artice I. There shall be perpetual peace and friendship between the President of the United States and the King of Chosen and the citizens and subjects of their respective Governments. If other Powers deal unjustly of opressibely with either Government, the other will exert their good office, on bieing informed of the case, to bring about an amicable arrangement, thus showing their friendly feelings.
Good Offices pl.n. Beneficial acts performed for another, especially acts performed by a mediator in a dispute.This was all forgotten and thrown out the window when the Treaty of Portsmouth was negotiated, and I think it is worthy to mention in the book that the treaty before had clearly states, that the USA does not have to offer military support, but they do have to work in a beneficial manner towards Korea.
Just like that, President Theodore Roosevelt mediated the treaty which gave Japan sole and unhindered control of what most considered a backwards nation, and to top it off he received a Noble Peace Prize. It would seem to me, that if I was a Korean and a Country that has forcefully opened my doors and made me sign a treaty of relations and trade suddenly and without justification signed me over to another more aggressive foreign power, I would FOREVER bear resentment and continuously question their motives and diplomacy. But such diplomacy is still in place today, NAFTA, illegal Lumber tariffs, illegal steel tariffs. I am slowly beginning to realize why so many hate the USA and it's devilishly one-sided foreign policy. To quote Gordon once again so I can point out why I have some problems with his book.The Treaty of Portsmouth, 1905 - September 5, 1905
Article II The Imperial Russian Government, acknowledging that Japan possesses in Korea paramount political, military and economical interests engages neither to obstruct nor interfere with measures for guidance, protection and control with the Imperial Government of Japan may find necessary to take in Korea...
Why would Teddy Roosevelt, with his reputation of being fair-minded, agree to this? Partially because of the reputation that Y-Dynasty rulers had made internationally for Korea. By their own choice the Yi rulers had erected an anti-foreign (what about the treaty of 1882?), closed atmosphere that repelled outsiders(except the USA) and gave the world the impression – correct or not – that Korea was a backward, ignorant country, little more than a province of China,(China was the Country that forced the 1882 treaty, so they could strength their eastern flank against Japan) incapable of governing itself or, for that matter, of handling its own affairs without causing harmWill the history books write the same about Afghanistan and Iraq?
The Boss of it All by Lars Von Trier, who did the TV show The Kingdom, which was fantastic, spooky and very well acted, and then Stephen King butchered it and try to make it his own. I guess I have to learn to contain my frustration more and more, cause to be honest the more tolerant I become at home to the demands of having two children, the more intolerant I am outside. Seen Men In Tree's yet? The second episode was hilarious, had a dog with a raccoon skin on it to pass off as a real Raccoon, tooooo funny.
S Korea 'more hostile' for foreign staff Teachers organise to counter poor treatment and a tarnished image, reports Liz Ford. Friday June 24, 2005 Guardian Weekly English-language teachers in South Korea are to set up a national union to counter a backlash against foreign workers. Last month delegates at a conference organised by Asian EFL Journal, attended by some 400 teachers, agreed to press ahead with "long overdue" plans to establish a union in order to protect teachers' rights. The union would be the first of its kind for English language teachers in the country. An official from the ministry of labour told Learning English that any foreigners working in the country legally had the right to unionise. English teachers who work on government education programmes are already entitled to join the union for native Korean teachers, although applying can be a long process. The move has been prompted by recent attacks on the profession in Korea. A documentary that portrayed English teachers as lazy and unqualified, broadcast on national television earlier this year, coupled with salacious comments about where to meet Korean women, discovered on the talkboards(forums) of a website specifically for English teachers - Englishspectrum.com - caused widespread consternation in the local press and sparked an online petition to keep foreigners out of the country. This was followed in March by the high-profile arrest of two Canadian teachers who were jailed and later deported following a fight outside a bar in Seoul. One of the Canadian teachers was believed to be working in the country illegally. The Korean government has been on a mission to expel illegal foreign workers for some time. Although the justice ministry denies there is a renewed crackdown, there does seem to be a more concerted effort to clean up the ELT sector, with raids on schools and the arrest of owners and teachers. Four Korean recruiters were recently fined up to $10,000 for employing illegal teachers. And in March, police raided 28 English language schools in the southern city of Pusan and arrested their owner for employing unqualified teachers who were working in the country on tourist visas. Some of the teachers were believed to be from Russia and Turkey who were being passed off as native English teachers. Official figures put the number of English teachers working legally in Korea at 7,800, but the number of those working without the necessary papers is believed to be significant. The government would not speculate, but two years ago the Korea Times put the figure at close to 20,000. An increase in the number of hagwon - privately run schools - set up in the country over the past 10 years to meet the growing demand for English language lessons has been partly blamed for the rise in illegal workers. Owners of some of these schools regularly flout labour and immigration laws, turning a blind eye to standards and employing foreigners without visas and, in some cases, with fake qualifications. "The sector is totally unregulated, and that's the problem," says Tom Davidson, who runs the EFL-law.com website, which offers legal advice to English teachers working in Asia. "The idea is that everyone should have a recognised Tefl certificate, but [the government] just can't get it off the ground," he says, adding: "Anyone can set up a school, any time. The owner doesn't have to know anything about teaching; they just need a licence." Caroline Linse, an associate professor at Sookmyung Women's University in Seoul, worries that this lack of regulation could be putting young pupils at risk from teachers who might not have undergone background checks. Criminal checks are run on teachers applying to work on government teaching programmes, and some recruiting firms outside the country will investigate applicants' backgrounds, but few private schools appear to do the same. Linse says the sector should be more demanding. "Anyone working with children should have the appropriate background check. People need a commitment to teach children. My concern is not a lot of people are talking about the issue." While moves to clean up the industry have been largely welcomed by the EFL community, which believes it will ensure quality, it has also brought into focus the lack of rights afforded to teachers working in the country legally. The attacks on the profession do not appear to have deterred teachers from working in the country, but there are concerns that forcing schools to uphold standards could have a negative impact on them. According to EFL-law.com, more than 20 teachers a week have serious contractual disputes with their employees, while a further 50 to 70 encounter minor problems. "The most urgent thing is dismissal," says Davidson, who is one of the teaching union organisers. "As soon as someone is dismissed they have to leave Korea, so you can't fight for your rights." He believes a national union for English teachers would go some way to address these problems. "It's not a pay issue. Everyone agrees that everyone who comes here is aware of what the pay is. It's just to protect their rights." Despite the challenges, however, Davidson would still recommend working in Korea, although he advises teachers to visit the country first to assess the schools and the jobs on offer before signing a contract. The debate comes as the Korean government tries to increase the number of native English teachers in the country. According to reports in the Korea Times, the government wants to recruit more than 900 teachers in the capital alone to boost language learning in schools. It is also keen to encourage more "English villages" (all-English activity centres), which give students full immersion teaching.
한편, 선풍기로 인한 사망 사건이 가능하다고 주장하는 외국인도 있다. 학원 강사로 활동하고 있는 외국인 블로거 금비(Gumbi)는 자신의 블로그에서 “나도 처음에는 선풍기로 인해 사람이 죽을 수 있다는 것을 믿지 않았다”면서 “그러나 한국에서 살다보니 선풍기로 인해 사람이 죽을 수도 있다는 것을 알게 됐다”고 말했다.
Knowing is half the battle
Nothing has a stronger influence psychologically on their environment and especially on their children than the unlived life of the parent
I kick ass for the LORD
~In Britain and Australia it was released under a different title, but that doesn't matter! I found out the title name==BrainDead
Anyways the picture above IS a real dog and apparently it won the ugliest dog contest! Here is the Rat Monkey I was referring to.
[For Better Busan] Part V Spatial Culture Monday 5 16, 2005, 8:04 The foundation of the city Busan originated since Korean War and it has nothing to do with city planning. Busan was formed regardless of people's will and then it expanded only according to development logic. In terms of quality of life and environment, the standard of Busan is inferior to its economic level. Urban space should be newly changed through independent cultural perspective. - Busan's urban environment Busan people live next to the sea but they forget that fact because they are surrounded by piers and factories. The outward appearance of the city is almost like ugly objects. For strangers' eye Busan looks like a mass of concrete. There are high rises in the mountainside and on the beach and has no unique skyline. It is because of unconsidered establishment of apartment. Apartments mar the beauty of the city. The function of the city produced only blocked buildings at the society which has priority on capitalistic commercial value. People move from building to building, and outside space of the city centers on the function of the traffic. Street signs do not have unity, footpaths are narrow, a plan for afforestation and resting places is lacking, and it is difficult to find unity in the urban elements. - Master plan for the City Identity First one should know the characteristics, identity or value of Busan and arouse sympathy among people about what really needs for the development of Busan. In terms of population and industrial structure of Busan it is natural to have general city design and master plan. For city planning, collecting active opinions of local citizens as well as various cultural experts is important.Busan Ilbo
~Canada Day Background On June 20, 1868, a proclamation signed by the Governor General, Lord Monck, called upon all Her Majesty's loving subjects throughout Canada to join in the celebration of the anniversary of the formation of the union of the British North America provinces in a federation under the name of Canada on July 1st. The July 1 holiday was established by statute in 1879, under the name Dominion Day. There is no record of organized ceremonies after this first anniversary, except for the 50th anniversary of Confederation in 1917, at which time the new Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings, under construction, was dedicated as a memorial to the Fathers of Confederation and to the valour of Canadians fighting in the First World War in Europe. The next celebration was held in 1927 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Confederation. It was highlighted by the laying of the cornerstone by the Governor General of the Confederation Building on Wellington Street and the inauguration of the Carillon in the Peace Tower. Since 1958, the government has arranged for an annual observance of Canada's national day with the Secretary of State of Canada in charge of the coordination. The format provided for a Trooping the Colours ceremony on the lawn of Parliament Hill in the afternoon, a sunset ceremony in the evening followed by a mass band concert and fireworks display. Another highlight was Canada's Centennial in 1967 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II attended the celebrations with Parliament Hill again being the backdrop for a large scale official ceremony. The format changed in 1968 with the addition of multicultural and professional concerts held on Parliament Hill including a nationally televised show. Up until 1975, the focus of the celebrations, under the name "Festival Canada", was held in the National Capital Region during the whole month of July and involved numerous cultural, artistic and sport activities, as well as municipalities and voluntary organizations. The celebration was cancelled in 1976 but was reactivated in 1977. A new formula was developed in 1980 whereby the National Committee (the federal government organization charged with planning Canada's Birthday celebrations) stressed and sponsored the development of local celebrations all across Canada. "Seed money" was distributed to promote popular and amateur activities organized by volunteer groups in hundreds of local communities. The same approach was also followed for the 1981 celebrations with the addition of fireworks displays in 15 major cities across the nation. On October 27, 1982, July 1st which was known as "Dominion Day" became "Canada Day". Since 1985, Canada Day Committees are established in each province and territory to plan, organize and coordinate the Canada Day celebrations locally. Grants are provided by the Department to those committees.
Many Koreans emphasize proper pronunciation only. They get tired of learning or reviewing grammar very easily. They seem to forget that even in their own language they have to be attentive to the rules in order to communicate correctly. I think pronunciation should not be the top priority. Koreans should be able to understand English regardless of who (native or non-native) speaks it.
Someone just figured this out!?! I`ve been telling everyone I meet for the past 25 years - but will anything be done about it? How hard can it be to ask a native speaker for some help? Just too damn cheap to pay for it!~Firms Use Wrong Slogans(Korea Times) Honestly, I strongly agree with the second comment. I was looking at some books to buy for Marley, and one of the book I looked at was Pinocchio. The book was so full of grammatik errors I couldn't stop myself from complaining to the bookstore owner. It was part of a set of fairytale books. I took the email address down and I sent them an email logging all the errors and the approprate corrections, as a sort of a gimme. I still haven't heard back from them! Not suprised.
For example the Gwangan Bridge in Haeundae will soon be home to a huge laser light show in an effort to attract tourists to Korea. I'm sure quickly after its launch the city will learn that all it has done is provided more entertainment for its citizens. When I think of beaches I think of white sand, green or turquoise water, privacy and quiet. Do you get any of those in Korea? So how does a laser light show improve the chances?
This is taken from the Busan Website.
"From the next year it is expected that Busan citizens' eyes as well as those of Busan visitors will stick to the unforgettable night laser beam shows at Gwangalli beach," a Busan Metropolitan city official said. Busan plans to equip the bridge with a magnificent night lightning extravaganza, performing with laser beams and night video shows so as to attract domestic and foreign tourists. According to a study, this suspension bridge has great potential as a global attraction if the project is executed. From the second day of this month, Busan Metropolitan city will take a step towards this illumination project with designated construction and design companies as major installers after bidding for the project. An official said, "Half of the cost of the project, totalling 4 billion won has already been guaranteed, and the rest will be supported in the fall quarter of this year." The ground breaking will occur in the latter half of this year, and citizens can witness the gorgeous night lightning shows from the latter half of the next year. An even more significant point is that every night, lightning shows around the Gwangan suspension bridge will be one of the most fantastic laser beam and animation illumination shows to utilize a water-screen. To become a laser-beam-show mecca, attracting domestic and foreign tourists, Busan will also add audio facilities to the illumination system if necessary. The source of news: Busanilbo, 2005. 06.03. 08:00While another province is planning to make nude beaches for its tourists, but other then the French, most people like to swim in the water waters of the South Pacific rather then the cold East Sea. Then only thing I can see happening is that their will be a raise in voyeurs and fisherman in that area taking pictures from afar of naked men, because you would never get a Korean women on one of those beaches naked. While in France they are more then happy to let those inhibitions out, in Korea society dictates to them that it is ungodly and immoral.
Nude Beach Planned on East Coast By Park Jung-youn Kangwon Province is reviewing a plan to designate a nude beach on the east coast, an official said Thursday. The province's environment, tourism and culture bureau has been toying with different ideas for new tourist attractions, including a nude beach. "We are going to conduct a series of surveys on tourists this summer about their opinions on a nude beach along the east coast," provincial official Lee Myun-ki said. "If tourists respond positively to the idea, we could go ahead with it, having a nude beach in Kangnung or Kosong," he added. However, even if tourists were to approve the idea, the project may face many challenges along the way. Residents and fishermen on the east coast are expected to protest strongly against it, citing the possibility of the beach creating an environment unsuitable for local adolescents. More importantly, the nude beach may not draw as many visitors as expected. "Nude beaches are a very radical idea for Koreans, and we are going to review it carefully," Lee said. The survey will be conducted among visitors of east coast beaches and resort cities this summer. If all goes well, the nude beach could open next year. The plan is part of Kangwon Province's efforts to attract more domestic and foreign tourists and maintain the ones it has. With the opening of the highway and bullet train service along the west coast, the provincial office has been voicing concerns about losing its seasonal tourists to other costal areas. "Kangwon Province wants to continue to be the most popular domestic tourist destination," Lee said.Stick with what you know, or change society. PIFF is a given tourist attraction and FIFA was also a great opportunity, but even the income from these events wasn't enough to show people that permanent change would be better then the quick fix, fool hearted plans then we are reading about these days.
~This was a great find for me, about 11 months too late and if I had known sooner I would have spent my breaks busting up the wall. Already I have laid out a warm up and cool down track and I have enjoyed working on some old techniques like figure fours and ridges.
I like to climb alone so I can have freedom of movement. The problem with Mountain Bank was there are way too many regulars there. When I started climbing there about three years ago it was usually just me and two people. Now when I go there, there are at least 8 people climbing and 3 or 4 others working out and stretching.
You have to see the place to understand that this is beyond capacity and it is very difficult to climb in this environment, especially since they climb like they drive...
The other plus is that the YMCA has a gym that I can use and pool tables if you want to hang out rather then climb. The cost is 2,000 to climb and 2,000 for the gym. Or else you can pay 40,000 for a month and get full use of the facilities. If I get the job in Jeon-po dong then I will be climbing everyday and night, PLUS Saturdays and Sundays until 8pm.
Don't tell the wife, but I am going to take her there and try to get her to workout and burn off some of that fat she stored after Marley's birth. 
postal scrotum: Gumbi replies! Gumbi writes: Just read [the] Taken to task post and I would like to add in a few points. I didn't mean for you to assume that I was attacking the fact that you were posting about Z, but rather I was just whining about the way you seemed to be handling her and most of that stemmed from the 'mic' incident. In fact I would be a hypocrite if I was telling you not to log about funny and strange student stories, my most... only read posts are when I have something outrageous happen at my school, like flashers, slashers and ...nope nothing rhymes... Anyways you get the point, I just need to make it known that that was the opposite of my point of view. Also I would like to quickly say that I find it funny you would use Pagoda as a typical Korean hagwons (e.g., Pagoda) It is a grave injustice to those of us who do toil under their iron fascist fist of lies and deceit. And [thus] the conversation with myself carries on into your court. Gumbi .... you've already taken [me] to task, this was actually Marley this time. Marley I found your email very thoughtful and compassionate toward Z. I admit that my own thoughts regarding Z haven't always been of the compassionate sort (as the blog will attest), but I do feel my actions toward her-- excepting the Microphone Incident-- were the best I could do given the circumstances. If your complaint is focused on the Mike* Incident, well... I'd have to agree that I could've handled that better. A lot better. As for Pagoda being a "typical" hagwon: In a sense, it's not typical, but only because it's the paradigm case for hagwons in Korea. Everyone knows Pagoda, either by experience or through a friend. They're a big-- probably the biggest-- hagwon chain in South Korea. Their classes are conducted in what is now the standard (read: typical) format for most hagwons: 10-15 (or more) students per class, student complaints and reregistration determining things like raises and bonuses, etc. To know Pagoda is to know 95% of hagwons out there: the mismanagement, the obsession with money to the exclusion of educational quality, the crazy hours, the high faculty turnover rate-- everything.
Hey Kevin,
Hate to bitch and all, but are you sure you are taking the right approach with this Z girl? You seem to have narrowed her out of the group for our reading enjoyment or our displeasure, and I am sure the readers who are teachers have all been their before with that type of student. And I am sure that we were never successful in getting through to them. But I have to pipe in and say that she may be locked into an imperfect system.
The driving force behind English in Korea is making money and increasing attendance, everything else is just a show of face. While Z has shown some strange tendencies in and out of class, maybe she is looking to you for more guidance then you are giving her. Maybe she is the Ugly Duckling or the Prince trapped in the frogs' body.
Plus as you mentioned it in your post it took a lot of guts to go up the front (of the auditorium) late and ask if she had won. Then you booming the question over a mic didn't deter her from her goal. I think that deserves a certain level of respect or at least some more patience and understanding.
Again I don't know the whole situation; I just like the sound of my own internal monologue.
Gumbi
Thanks for writing. My own outward actions toward Z have been nothing but patient. I never rolled my eyes in class, sighed loudly, or did anything else to betray impatience because I realized early on that this girl needed a friendly atmosphere. This didn't keep me from being internally frustrated, however, and it appears that one girl quit the class because of Z (she came the first day and never returned; the main office told me she'd complained about Z). It's been hard for everyone involved. My blog describes my internal struggle to deal with a student who very likely has Asperger's Syndrome, which I've been reading up on. (Major props to Julie, the resident medical professional, for cluing me in to this. For an interesting article on Asperger's, see here.) All the signs are there: echolalia (thanks go to the Maven for pointing this out; the Wikipedia article also mentions it), a certain apparent emotional detachment, an inability to navigate simple social situations or to detect subtleties like sarcasm, etc. My booming into the mike was stupid (props to Matt for pointing this out). As I wrote, I felt like a shit after the incident. It would have been better to have pulled the mike away from my mouth and spoken to Z privately. I've tried to rationalize what I did but it all comes down to a simple lack of common sense. If Gumbi's complaint is that I'm showing Z no patience and understanding on my blog, I'd argue that that's untrue. Yes, I've found my time with Z amusing in some ways, but I think I've made it obvious that her condition fascinates and concerns me. Also, the blog is my place to vent. Honesty is more important than politeness, and I'm not going to hold back about what crosses my mind when I think of Z. Some thoughts will be charitable; other thoughts won't. I won't censor the uncharitable thoughts just to make myself look better to the public. As for being a mentor/guide/etc. to Z-- the semester's finished, so what's done is done. I did all I could; I don't think I made drama class especially uncomfortable for her, and I have no intention of seeking Z out to provide extra nurture. I deeply regret how the raffle went, but the fact that Z made it to class on the final day shows that she's a trouper. If it's true that she has Asperger's, then she needs far more help than I or her classmates can give. We gave her our tolerance and understanding, holding our occasional frustration at bay. Z's classmates deserve special mention. They were, at times, obviously frustrated with Z. Z is so unreactive, and Korea is a conformist culture. Put two and two together, and you have the potential for Bad Things Happening. They didn't happen, however, because the students were ultimately supportive of Z, making allowances for her social slowness, asking her questions to keep her engaged in conversation, and so on. Everyone knew Z was the "little sister." The day Z was absent, the students breathed nary a negative word about her, keeping their thoughts to themselves. So I plead "not guilty" to the charge of not having been nice enough to Z. Except for my inexcusable stupidity during the Microphone Incident, I think I treated Z fine. Z confirmed this by coming to class on the last day of the term. I also defend my blogging of both my positive and negative feelings toward Z; this blog isn't prettified for the reader's comfort. I further challenge anyone to be in a similar situation-- dealing with someone who might have a more-than-mild case of Asperger's-- and to get through it mistake-free. I learned a few lessons this term and will apply them if ever I get another student like Z (or, as is likely, Z herself in a different class of mine). Perhaps some people feel that a blog with so much religious content is an inappropriate place for, well, baser meditations. I disagree. The integrated approach is better. My angels and devils are, for the most part, equally visible to all. This blog might be a monument to my narcissism (and whose blog isn't?), but at least it has the virtue of being the mostly honest blog of a religiously inclined asshole.
Regarding the 'sponsorship law'...it is like any other law...if it is wrong, it needs to be revised or repealed. But...if they say that allowing privates is against the 'sponsorship law' and that is their main argument; that brings up a couple of questions: 1. If the teacher's 'sponsor' were willing to allow that person (by initial contract) to teach privates (and by this i mean free reign without 60,000 won and a pain in the ass for all involved every time you want to add a private lesson) would it be possible to put that in place? This would have to be in the original contract...that way, the teacher could choose to sign or not sign based on the ability to do outside teaching without extra permission. It could be done in much the same way as a single or multiple entry visa...you choose your option based on the contract....call it...say...an outside work permit. If implemented, this could actually improve the pay rates for foreigners because pretty soon, the highly qualified foreigners would require a higher salary if the employer restricts them from doing outside teaching or they would simply go where there is no such restriction. This would give a distinct advantage to smaller hagwons and schools in remote areas (something the congress would likely smile at) who are willing to allow the teacher to teach outside in exchange for normal contract pay. Thereby improving the level of education in areas where it is needed most and supporting small and medium-sized business (something else the congress has 'said' they want to do) 2. For those of us married to Koreans, holding an F type visa, our sponsor is our spouse. So, there would then be no violation of the 'sponsorship' if those holding the F2 were allowed to teach wherever and when ever without the aforementioned 'pain in the ass'. With regards to F2 holders: I still say forcing an F2 holder to go to immigration every time a private comes up and even worse, having to tell a primary employer (for the E2 teaching visa that is required in conjunction with the F2) when other jobs come up is unconstitutional. Aside from the 'restraint of trade' rules....it means that a foreigner married to a Korean is not able to provide subsistance for his/her family on the same level as a Korean with the same skills/training/education. That alone is patently racist and (correct me if I'm wrong here) the Korean constitution provides AGAINST 'racisim' . So, let's say a Korean woman married to a foreign man got up in front of the National Assembly and spoke of how she feels that because she chose to marry a foreigner, she is being forced to consider leaving Korea for her own financial well-being because her country restricts her husband's rights to make a living since he is a foreigner. And let's say that there were hundreds or thousands of other Korean women (and possibly some men) who feel the same way. (*see note below)....they feel their government is punishing/restricting them for their choice to marry a foriegner. Wouldn't this be a good catalyst for changing to a 'green card' system for resident spouses like those in Europe, Japan, the US and Canada (most of the rest of the world for that matter)? Sorry to be so long-winded, Paul, but this access you have to the Natl Assy. seems like a big deal and I hope something good can come of this. Korea's immigration laws need some serious revision. * I use women here because Korea is, however unfortunately, a male-dominated society where the man is expected to be the breadwinner. Sexism or not, if the woman were expected to be the breadwinner when she does not want to do that, it is a restriction of HER freedom based on HER choice of spouse; and that is, in my unprofessional opinion, unconstitutional.
Let's start off with the oldies but goodies. There was a trend in the past month to release rehashed, redigitized albums of some of the greatest artist to ever rock the stage. For instance Bob Marley and the Wailers Soul Revolutionaries the Early Jamaican Albums, this is a four CD compilation with some classics as well as some really good quality recordings of their earlier albums. I usually stayed away form those albums due to the tinny voice and hollow sound, but these are nice and head bobbingly fun. The fourth CD is just the music from the 3 CD, I assume for mixing.
The next album of interest is a Jimi Hendrix album. During my High School era I was a fanatic for Jimi Hendrix and my favorite album to date is still 'Live at Monterey' but 'Axis Outtakes' offers a side to the music not often heard. I still get excited when I hear Spanish Castle Magic and Little Wing. Speaking of Little Wing, their are two outtakes on this album and Jimi does an excellent job on the Sitar which was overlaid, but later removed same with the Piano in Spanish Castle Magic. (Be Ready to EQ this album, still a little dirty.
The last of the remakes is more of a remix, the Beatles Chill out Ambient Album. I guess this makes an interesting add to the collection, but not the same as the real thing.
Enjoy.
Now into the new albums and one that I was so eagerly waiting for and worried that it would never come was the Teamsleep album. If you like the Deftones and you like Chino's voice, then I am sure you will enjoy his little side project that deals more with the lyrics then the grinding angst that made Deftones so loved. I really enjoy the variation is this album, something majorly lacking from the Deftones repertoire since White Pony.
I am sure you have already heard about this album. In my day I was a Rager and Soundgarden Fan to the extreme. I always had all albums on hand in my car at all time and whenever I made a mix tape you would find two or three songs from each group. Typically 'Fell on Black Days', 'Overfloater', 'Loud Love' and 'Rusty Cage'. While for Rage I would enjoy 'Renegades of Funk', 'Vietnow' and pretty much the whole debut album.
Priceless.
But time moves on and new bands have to forge ahead and I am marginally happy that Audioslave is surviving, although I personally feel that Morello is holding back Cornell and visa versa. Maybe if Chris still had the voice he had back on his debut release they could be a rockin' team, but for now they are two of the greatest bands making the most mediocre mix. I would like to point out that their cohesion seems to be better then each bands previous band, for example already they have played a live concert in Cuba, something Morella wanted to do, but was unable to do to Zack's prima donna attitude near the end of their stint together. Good for Morello and it would seem that Zack has got what he deserves, maybe in future he will understand what the word 'Band' means.
Having always been a fan of Reggae, but not the raunchy stuff, I always gamble on albums that look promising. I have lucked out once so far by discovering Bill Laswell's Dub albums and Slightly Stoopid who now get frequent rotation on my iRiver. Well I will add Mishka to my list of good Reggae albums that will put a lift in your step.
Oh I loved the piratey sound the Coral achieved on their Magic and Medicine album and since then I have been devoted. This one seems to be a good album, but I still haven't given it a full once over. Just too many albums on the go and 5 gigs of music goes along way.
Like the cover, liked the last album, will probably like this one.
Discover through my love for Elbow, I have enjoyed this album immensely in a short period of time and I have begun to dig back into their earlier albums. If you like Brit Rock with some talent you should look this band up, as well as 'Elbow', 'Muse' and my all time favorite 'Porcupine Tree'.
Related to this album I also took a shot on this group. Broken Social Scene who are very similar to Mogwai.
Other albums I am enjoying but have nothing to say about are.
Enjoy the pictures below.
Cockroach:
Right away when we entered out hotel room we were greeting by scurrying cockroaches. This is a sure sign that you have in FACT found the perfect motel for the beer blogger budget.
Motel:
After dropping off out luggage we prepare to head out for the evening. Excited for what lays ahead of us.
Star Wars :
After hours of searching we found a park that would offer some entertainment. We played football (American) and just dicked around for 2 hours, whilst drinking beer.
4am:
After making it back at 4 am I had to take this shot, Just to show you how cheesy this place was. All the doors had business cards in front of them of naked women. My favorite girl was Tomato and in fact I have her card still.
4am:
Sunday on our way out of the city we found this art sculpture. It offered my lots of amusement when I was drunk on Saturday so I had to memorialize it. Not really what I would call Art, but the people who create these plan cities have no sense of taste.
That's not my point though; my point is what I saw while we were talking to Cindy. An old man of at least 50+ was feeding the monkeys in the nearby cage some snack food and then as they reached for the candy he would whip them with his towel, but it wasn't limited to just this guy, as I was watching and trying to control my anger, another ignorant ass came running up to try his have at whacking the monkey with his towel. Rollover the image to check it out.
There were snacks all over the ground outside the cage and the bears where so hungry and dependent on this food that they were taking turns to gnaw through the wire enclosure. The three bears looked very sick and very unhealthy. The last time I was at this zoo it had its Polar Bear in an enclosure no bigger then the average bedroom and the bear would pace back and forth from one end of the cage to other. The pool in the enclosure was too small for the bear to swim in and the heat at the time was at least +20. Hell Polar Bears need to frequently swim in the Artic Ocean because they get to hot outside. Imagine what it would do to you if you couldn't swim or cool down? It would probably boil your brain and make you crazy. 
I think is what has happened to this bear that was pacing around the pool, which took about three steps. As you can see no bear that size could fully submerge in a pool that size, and from the look of it, no bear would want to. In 2002 they had an elephant, two giraffes, 2 lions and 2 tigers as well. When we asked about them last week we were told that the Elephant died, the two giraffes were to sick to be cared for their and that the 2 lions and one tiger died as well.Yoo said he dismembered the bodies at his apartment, ate the livers and then buried them in shallow graves near a Buddhist temple...He said during his sentencing hearing he felt sorry for his victims, but said he would kill a hundred more if he were released...Psychiatrists said Yoo was sane but suffered a personality disorder after being jilted and divorced by his wife...His lawyer, Kim Byong Joon, said his client would not appeal..."He wants to die before the snow falls," Kim said.
Only 354 of the 1,276 -- 27.7 percent -- said they were sexually experienced.. From what I have heard and talked about in my classrooms, I have found Korean women to be VERY educated in sex and in fact as one student recently put it
I'm hungry for a ManOn parting I leave you with this passage and ask you to interpret it for me, because I am at a lost as to why they used this word. Does it mean what it says or is it an idiom?
Respondents revealed gaps in Korea's sex education, with only 36.8 percent saying such classes were helpful in improving their understanding of sex. Among students who found out about the birds and the bees from other sources, 58.5 percent of women fingered friends, and 55 percent of men the Internet.
Dear Gumbi & Marley, I am a webmaster of Busan Metropolitan City Website. Thank you for your e-mail and interest in Busan City. The X-Games Complex project has been cancelled because environmentalists protested against this plan. As you know, Eulsukdo is the largest migratory bird habitat in Asia. I hope that you enjoy beautiful nature of Eulsukdo. If you need any other information of Busan City, Please email me at emaster@metro.busan.kr or visit the Busan City Web site at http://english.busan.go.kr/ Best regards, Jiyoung An, Webmaster Busan Metropolitan CitySo I emailed back asking if they decided to build the center in another area of town, which is acceptable as long as they build the damn place, but I am still waiting for a reply. The problem with the current sports centers is that they are either University grounds and located in very inconvenient part of town or they are so over run by weekenders that you can't actually do your sports for fear of hitting or running over someone. But I have to respect the environmentalists the one thing this Country and City needs is someone to wake the Koreans up to their blatant misuse and plunder of nature in and around them. Maybe I will create another useless petition to satisfy my anger. Until then I will wait for the reply to my latest email.
In his own comments outside the House, Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe said his party will now stop trying to topple the government.
"We will be respecting the vote, we won't do like the Liberals have done" he told reporters. "The procedural tactics are done for now."
Seizing on the negative publicity, the Conservatives and the Bloc Quebecois found themselves aligned in their condemnation of the minority Liberals, challenging their "moral authority" to govern.
military budget request for Fiscal Year 2005 of $420.7 billionIt is no wonder people in Korea always laugh when I mention the Canadian military, with our one submarine we will take over the world.
Good werk Edulaciouis!~His email really helps to sum up how I and many people who have emailed me about my article feel. Not only about Dokto, but everything in life. Admitting you are wrong is difficult, but even worse is the idea of forgiveness. I would just like to say that I thought that the Da Vinci code was shit, and not for purposes of religion, but I found the writer actually VERY boring and I was utterly disappointed with his weak ass ending. But it reads more like a Hollywood movie then a novel. Thank God for Ron Howard and Tom Hanks, they are like the Mickey the cereal kid, they will eat(film) anything. If you haven't read my article, please do so now and comment below.
Well written and broad minded ta boot!
After having finished 'The DaVinci Code' I am now finding myself reminded of a small fact that I may have been overlooking for the past few months; namely, Women are Awesome!
I'm not sure if Dan Brown coined the term 'sacred feminine ' or not for his book, but the divine godess and godess worship has been of interest to me since I took a course at Concordia called 'Women in Hinduism'. The prof was this older fireball of a Hindu woman who said 'ejaculate' and 'orgasm' in class; she was absolutely awesome in many ways.
Anyway, having the 'Women are Awesome' thingy on the brain for a while, I thought I might share a few thoughts from a few women we know.
Firstly, Yuka mentioned that the Chinese government uses anti-Japanese sentiment to effectively displace the repressed feelings which they have towards their own government. It seems that a lot of countries are actually quite pissed with Japan; Korea, Taiwan and China to name a few. I suppose it is always best to turn anger towards your own country in another direction, and this, it seems, is what is currently happening I guess. However, I must say that it is a little freaky being in Japan when N. Korea says 'hi there' with what was possibly be an ICBM. (Aside from 'the Kimster', general hatred of the Japanese within Asia, earthquakes, volcanoes and killer bees, Japan is actually quite safe.)
Secondly, after talking with my Mom aboot 2 weeks ago about the anti-Japanese sentiment in Korea, she said, 'Well you know Nath, what country really has appologized for what they have done in the past, and how could they? Has the Canadian government appologized for what they have done (and are still doing) to the First People...hell no!'
People think in the box everywhere man, forgiveness is hard; especially collectively, and the media is a fucking lethal tool.
I hope you're doing well and that your wife and Marley are happy and healthy. You're a good man Ed, and Keep 'em coming.
Check out Trans-Border (Wildlife) Reserves (aka; TBR or Peace Parks) on the net and let me know what you think. In the relatively near future this will be my pursuit, and if you're interested in it I'd like to discuss it further, perhaps over a few pints 'o beer.
No Borders.
Come visit.
Werd.
Nathanzuma Fennstiniberg
- Gumbi (5/9/2005 9:50:23 AM)
12/23 ~ 1/1 Apple Tree
1/2 ~ 1/11 Fir Tree
1/12 ~ 1/24 Elm Tree
1/25 ~ 2/3 An Aged Pine Tree
2/4 ~ 2/8 Popular Tree
2/9 ~ 2/18 Hemp Tree
2/19 ~ 2/28 Pine Tree
3/1 ~ 3/10 Weeping Willow
3/11 ~ 3/20 Line Tree
3/21 ~ Over cup Oak
3/22 ~ 3/31 Hazel Tree
4/1 ~ 4/10 Mountain Ash-Rowan Tree
4/11 ~ 4/20 Maple Tree
4-21 ~ 4/30 Walnut Tree
5/1 ~ 5/14 Popular Tree
5/15 ~ 5/24 Chestnut Tree
5/25 ~ 6/3 Aspen Tree
6/4 ~ 6/13 White Birch
6/14 ~ 6/23 Fig Tree
6/24 Birch Tree
6/25 ~ 7/4 Apple Tree
7/5 ~ 7/14 Fir Tree
7/15 ~ 7/25 Elm Tree
7/26 ~ 8/4 An Aged Pine Tree
8/5 ~ 8/13 Popular Tree
8/14 ~ 8/23 Hemp Tree
8/24 ~ 9/2 Pine Tree
9/3 ~ 9/12 Weeping Willow
9/13 ~ 9/22 Line Tree
9/23 ~ Olive Tree
9/24 ~ 10/3 Hazel Tree
10/4 ~ 10/13 Mountain Ash-Rowan Tree
10/14 ~ 10/23 Maple Tree
10/24 ~ 11/11 Walnut Tree
11/12 ~ 11/21 Chestnut Tree
11/22 ~ 12/1 Aspen Tree
12/2 ~ 12/11 White Birch
12/12 ~ 12/21 Fig Tree
12/22 ~ 12/31 Beech Tree
Apple Tree (Love) You are usually slim, attractive, charming, appealing, sometimes frivolous but bold. You always fall in love with someone because you want to give and take love. You are reliable and make a good partner. Talented in Science, an optimist and have a rich imagination.
Aspen Tree (Ambitious) You have an uncommon attraction. You are active, but impulsive, so you don't care about how others look at you. You are selfish, yet reliable and decisive. You are also rational with love and you carefully choose your partner.
Beech Tree You are luxurious and thank about appearance too much. You have a certain rules for life and work. You have good financial power and great leadership skills. You avoid unnecessary work, but you live a rational life and take great care of your appearance and body with exercise.
White Birch Tree (Inspiration) You are active, attractive, kind, elegant and natural. You dislike exaggeration and vulgarity, since you are not enthusiastic or ambitious. You like a clam and peaceful surrounding.
Hemp Tree (Confidence) You are the perfection of beauty. (Stoners stop nodding your heads, we are talking about people.) You are friendly and like a luxurious life. You are self-confident, determined and impatient. You are also appealing, talented, diligent and intensive; you wait for true love.
Chestnut Tree (Honesty) You have an uncommon Beauty. You have outstanding judgment and diplomatic talent. You are humorous but temperamental and sensitive. It is difficult for you to find a partner, because you have a sincere heart.
Aged Pine Tree (Belief) You are strong, generous, flexible and optimistic. You make a good effort for honor and financial power. You dislike loneliness and don't satisfy easily. You are impatient and careless, but you want to fall deeply in love.
Elm Tree (Noble) You have a good appearance and leadership skill, but you are not generous. You tend to ignore other people. You are honest, believable, humorous and realistic. You do not mind getting into trouble for others.
Fig Tree (Sensibility) You are strong, stubborn and independent. You hate arguments and any types of conflict. You love family, children life and animals. You are extremely social, humorous and realistic; but you are also lazy.
Fir Tree (Mystery) You have uncommon taste, maybe eccentric. Yet you are dignified, refined and stubborn. You have a large ego, but you are modest enough to help others with their troubles. You are diligent, talented and ambitious.
Hazel Tree (Extraordinary) You are attractive, considerate and generous. You make a great businessperson. You are popular, honest, judgmental, and very fickle.
Birch (Noble Taste) Beauty and appearance are the most important to you. You aren't selfish, but you desire a peaceful and comfortable life. You are kind, but you aren't very realistic.
Lime Tree (Doubt) You hate conflict and try to remain calm. You do not like stress or hard work. You are talented in everything, but you do not persevere. You are jealous and dissatisfied person.
Maple Tree (Independence) You have a rich imagination. You are shy but ambitious, and you often desire a new challenge or experience. Sometimes you are nervous and confused. You have a good memory and are a fast learner. You fall in love easily.
Overcup Oak (Bravery) You are vigorous, brave, independent and sharp. You hate change and you tend to stay with what you are use to.
Olive Tree (Intelligence) You love the sun. You are kind, rational and harmonious, You hate violence and conflict. You are generous, cheerful and judgmental. You can be sympathetic and jealous at times.
Pine Tree (Unique) You agree with others and are great at compromising with others. You are active, enthusiastic and natural. You are difficult to become friends with, but you fall in and out of love easily.
Poplar (Uncertainty) You aren't very confident, but if needed you can be brave. You have an artistic talent and you are philosophical. You fall in love with prudent partners.
Rowan Tree (Sensitivity) You love life! You have two faces, independent and dependent. You are talented, enthusiastic and sensitive. You do not forgive others easily.
Walnut Tree (Passion) You have a unique character. You are egotistic, offensive and ambitious. You are poor at compromising.
Weeping Willow (Gloomy) You are attractive, sympathetic and always gloomy. You are dreamer who loves to travel. You are honest but fickle. You have good intuition, but you get hurt in love a lot.
Sho Kosugi to Return as The Ninja
Source: Variety.Com
March 29, 2005
Sho Kosugi, who starred in a series of ninja films beginning with "Enter the Ninja", will reprise his role in "The Return of the Ninja," a film being scripted by Steven de Souza ("Die Hard," "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life"). Kosugi, who divides his time between Tokyo and Hollywood, where he runs several martial arts studios, will play the last ninja master, who travels to the U.S. to find the American heir to the stealth martial arts legacy.
Producer Kevin Foster of Amazing Grace Films said the ninja pic will correct the Hollywood misperception that the masked men in black pajamas are bad guys, as opposed to Robin Hood types.
Well I wondered considering Korean turbulent history if there was any significant history behind the Tae Guk Ki, or the Korean National Flag. Instead, what I found out was that the TaeGukKi has a very Zen like philosophy behind it. The flag is based around the principles of Yin-Yang, or the dualism present in life. I'm sure you have all heard about yin-yang, when I was a wee lad I use to love watching Martial films like American Ninja, Enter the Ninja, Revenge of the Ninja and Ninja III: The Domination and after one of those movies and drinking way too much sugar I would charge around the house 
with my yin-yang headband on and the ability to do crane kicks and flying ninja kicks. Of course all the movies in fact used a 
rising sun headband, but as an ignorant 10 year old boy and hopped up on sugar I was allowed to make that error and during my meditation before battle I prayed to the Ninja Masters of old to forgive my transgressions.
Or if you have studied Tae Kwon do then you have seen the Korean flag, since Tae Kwon Do is represented with the TaeGukKi. Actually TaeGuk is the name of the flag and Ki means flag.
The upper red half of the circle represents yang, while the lower blue half represents eum or yin and together they represent duality or harmony. I like to think of it as The Decepticons vs. The Autobots, with each transformer having it's own counter-part that was an opposite, yet if you looked at the stat chart you would see that they were evenly matched, offering harmony and balance while children argued about who shot who first.
Kun Heaven
Yi Fire
Kam Water
Kon EarthMarch 1st is a day of celebration for Koreans. They celebrate the spirit of Koreans, which has permeated deep into the collective unconsciousness of the Korean people flowing from generation to generation. They celebrate their love of freedom. They celebrate the independence of each sovereign nation, respecting the right of each nation to err and grow on its own determining their own fate. On this day many people gave their lives for a noble cause. It was the eve of March 1st, 1919. Cold. It was coldest for a sixteen year old, flimsily dressed, high school girl. She had been secretly running from door to door for days, avoiding the sharp eyes of Japanese policemen. She had been too busy to find time to sit down long enough to finish her meals. She was exhausted and had forgotten to feel hunger. Her fingers and toes were numb in the piercing coldness. Her job was almost done. She had been delivering outlawed Korean flags. Inspired by the principle of self-determination of subjugated peoples, proclaimed by The 28th US president, Woodrow Wilson, she had informed those in her hometown of a secretly planned nationwide declaration of Korean independence and massive public rallies to take place on March 1st. She was totally exhausted, but excitement kept her awake. No sooner had she lay down on the hard floor of her cold room, than it was time for her to get up and leave for the plaza where people were expected to assemble. People young and old started arriving at the designated places all over the country. Each had a Korean flag hidden in their clothes. The clock struck twelve times at noon. Making earth-shaking cries, people took out and waved Korean flags. They marched through towns shouting at the top of their lungs, "Dae-hahn Dok-rip Mansei!!" (Long live independent Korea! Give us independence or death!) The shouting was so loud that it shook not only the whole country but also the heaven and the earth. A declaration of Independence signed by 33 freedom movement leaders from different sectors of religion and community was read. Approximately two million people participated in this peaceful movement. This sixteen-year-old girl marched in front of the long peaceful parade. The day's events shook up the Japanese police. However, their response was immediate and brutal. They started shooting indiscriminately at the crowd of students, and farmers who were peacefully marching for their nation's independence. Thousands of homes and Christian churches were burnt down. The Japanese police intentionally set fire to a church filled with hundreds of people, resulting in the charring of every on inside. Five hundred thirty three Koreans were killed. One thousand four hundred and nine Koreans were wounded. Twenty six thousand seven hundred and thirteen Koreans were arrested. This sixteen-year-old girl was one of the leaders arrested. She was convicted of conspiracy and sentenced to a term of seven years in prison. But, the Japanese brutality did not stop there. They continued torturing her in an unimaginably inhumane manner. On November 17, 1920, this frail, high school girl finally gave in and drew her last breath on the cold concrete floor of a prison cell. Silence followed. Her name was Yoo, Kwon Sun - Korean Joan of Arc. Like many of the heroes who willingly gave their lives for their nation, she wasn't afraid to die for what she believed in. She actively participated in the movement instead of idly standing by. Yoo, Kwon Sun's spirit, her yearning for freedom and independence of the many subjugated people around the world, and her love for her country is alive in the blood of every Korean. March 1st is the day of celebration of Yoo, Kwan Sun and many other heroes. Long live the Korean nation! Long live the Korean spirit! Korea was liberated from a thirty-six yearlong occupation by the Japanese on August 15th, 1945,when the Japanese unconditionally surrendered to the allied forces.
has just released a new album and that I am prouldy listening to it right now. If you have never heard them, I really recommended that you give them a try, even if you have to get the mp3 illegally, which I'm sure you all can, you should give the band a try.
~Getting up so bloody early in the morning is really taking its toll on me. I have 4 hours of classes in the morning and then I am ready to collapse for an equal amount of time. A couple times I just crashed in the couch in the teacher's room, but I have abused a couple sleeping teachers before, so I am a little weary of sleeping there.
So on Friday I went to my gym, which is also a Spa. Lots of strange stuff happens at the Spas in Korea, not including the Ajumma fight since I was never able to find any proof. But, for example Korean men and women (yes, women too.) like to use a blow dryer on their genitals in order to stop chaffing or ball-itch or whatever ailment women suffer from: I just don't care to know.
In the Nam Tangit is common to see a man with one leg up on the counter, hunched over his private area vigorously blow drying for all to see. I find it rude and shocking, but I'm not isolating this to just one person, usually there are three of them at work, and then they tag off like WWE wrestlers to let the next row of men get their 5 minutes. I will never use a blow dryer again, and I will treat them like possessed artifacts from the Poltergeist movies, that may suck me into a perverted world of ball drying and genital scrubbing. I never made it to the gym on Friday, instead I went straight into the Spa and found the ¿Âµ¹, which is just a heated stone floor. They are amazingly relaxing and I often spend at least an hour relaxing on them after a vigorous workout or on a day like Friday, to sleep. The only drawback is that you are naked and being nervous about falling asleep in a room full of naked men, I always take in a towel to wear as a sort of loin cloth. On Friday I feel asleep quite quickly and had weird dreams that I was a photographer in a small town somewhere in North Korea, which looked strangely like Omemee, a place I once visited to see my sister many many years ago (yes that place was frightfully boring). After about 3 hours I woke up and rolled over onto my side. As my eyes opened and I peered about I was shocked to see a Very fat and Very naked man lying beside me, staring at me and smiling. His shit-eating grin really gave me the willies and at once I became aware of the fact that this man was also playing with his little add-on. Fearful of whether my towel was still wrapped around my loin and aware that if I wanted to leave the ¿Âµ¹ I would have to step over the behemoth, I decided that I needed to roll over and ignore this situation. But as I rolled over and did a casual wake up stretch I let out quite a viscous blast of hot air in the direction of the shit-eaten behemoth, it was enough to make him cough, swear under his breath and leave. I smiled triumphantly to myself and adjusted my pillow, when I noticed the other man noticing that I was noticing that he was noticing that I was smiling. He smile and winked at me, I didn't have any gas left, so I just shut my eyes and went back to the North.
paradoxium.
I goggled all weekend. Well I was busy being paradoxistic in my own little corner of space.
I also added a link to the left of the flash advertisement to Tour North Korea, where the mp3 came from; posted on Friday.
Lots of fun stuff to read at the DPRK website, so go browse their NOW!
The Korean Friendship Associationrecently released a flash video to help lure tourists into the country. Very quickly the video was passed around and the soundtrack ripped and technoized.
umph, umph, umph in the background, it is still fun to dance to. Don't forget the kimchi and soju and you will have one hell of a party.
Marked by persevering, painstaking effort. I would like to argue that does not mean you are a hard work, but someone who tries very hard without giving up.
A suspect in the shootout that erupted inside a large farm building that police were investigating also died when he turned his rifle on himself, said Bill Sweeney, commanding officer of the RCMP in Alberta.
Watched Hosuhtegee the other night. I was actually really impressed with the movie, while I am in no way a good critic; I am a critic; I'm just affluent in expressing my opinion on movies other then to say That Fucking Ruledor
Huh?! What?! It's over?!But I do appreciate a good director and cinematographer and both did a fine job on this movie. I attribute that to not being of blockbuster caliber yet, but from what I have seen it won't belong before their talent is wasted on sad and pathetic blockbusters. The cinematography was done by Giovanni Fiore Coltellacci, while this was the first movie of his I have seem him do, he has been around for awhile as a second unit and camera operator on some popular movies, like The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Red Sonja and Popeye; wow haven't seen that one in awhile. While they weren't the most popular movies, I still think he has a great resume like Philippe Rousselot and Katsumi Yanagishima. If can get out to the movies I suggest that you give this movie a try, granted I am known for liking some of the stupidest movies ever put to film and that my brain shuts down when I watch movies, this was entertaining and a really good emotional character driven movie. I still liked Constantine better, mostly due to that fact that I was laughing to myself throughout the movie, while the Koreans didn't really get the gist of most jokes.
PREDICTIONS FOR MARCH 2005
The Seismic Window of March 8-15, 2005 is based on the new Moon of March 10th, the fairly close lunar perigee 53 hours earlier, and the Golden Gate tides of 7.4 ft. on March 8th. (13.1 ft. at Puget Sound on March 10th.)
I am 75% confident in my prediction that between March 8-15, 2005 there will be the following quakes:
1. Within two-degrees (140 miles) of Mt. Diablo(about 38N; 122W), at least one quake of 3.5-6.50M;
2. Within 140 miles of Los Angeles (34N; 118W) at least one quake of 3.5-6.5M.
3. In the Northwestern U.S.A. and having an Oregon or Washington address, at least one quake of 3.0-6.0M.
4. At least one major quake of 7+M globally, probably within the Pacific Ring ofFire where 80% of the world's strongest quakes occur.
While I was searching for information about the recent Earthquake that struck just off the coast of Japan, I came across a website about a predication on future Earthquakes. At the time I thought this guy was a right wacko, even considering the fact that I was looking for Earthquake information and I had just experienced a quake. But now I find it curious given all the factors involved, like having experience tremors, looking out to sea for huge waves and leaping onto the computer to search for seismic activity, that I still considered this guy a right nutter for trying to predict the future.
I have always that of myself as open minded and a bit nutty as well. I even do so far as to listen to Coast to Coast Am everyday via webcast at work. But still some form of preconditioning made me view the prediction as stupid.
Somewhere in my grey matter the Battle for control went on. The Right Brain Forces fighting the Evil Left Brain for control of the…emptiness of space.
If I had actually listened to my Psych teacher I could probably quantify this problem, instead all I remember is how to cube someone.
In fact I just read this yesterday and I fully believed in it, for twisted is that.
Earthquake Strikes Asia
Magnitude: 6.4
Date-Time: Sunday, March 20, 2005 at 01:53:42 (UTC)
Sunday, March 20, 2005 at 10:53:42 AM = local time at epicenter
Location 33.85 N, 129.975 E
Depth 10 km (6.2 miles) set by location program
Region KYUSHU, JAPAN
Distances
40 km (25 miles) WNW of Fukuoka, Kyushu, Japan
115 km (70 miles) N of Nagasaki, Kyushu, Japan
130 km (80 miles) NNW of Kumamoto, Kyushu, Japan
915 km (570 miles) W of TOKYO, Japan
Well here is something startling, someone has been able to sneak a video out of North Korea which shows the execution of some people accused of helping Norks defect. You can read more about this and find more detailed information at the Marmots Hole, as well as leave your opinion on the matter. I would love to get my hands on some of the propaganda posters that they have in North Korea, in fact last week I was reading about an auction being held for the leaflets that were distributed by the US army during the 1950 to 1953 Korean War. Should of jumped on that and bought myself one of them, oh well I can always make my own.
ME: What do you think about the moral and ethical implications of blogging
about your employer?
YOU: I think this is another issue of Big Brother trying to watch and
control every one of our moves!
ME: Would it not be more productive for you to let the world know about
the manipulation and discourse you face at the work place?
You: There's nothing wrong with intercourse with co-workers at the
workplace, especially if my boss is a real hottie. She can manipulate
me whatever way she damn well pleases.
ME: Okay, so then If you are blogging about your employer and you are
being manipulated, then would you post visuals to help your viewers
understand your moral implications, as well as add a little spice to
your web log (blog)?
You: Who the hell is manipulating me? My boss? My mother? Your mother? No
one's manipulating me. I'll do whatever I want. What do you
mean by "visuals?" You mean porn? Anyway, spice is good. A little
salt, a little pepper, a little chili pepper powder, etcetera.
Mmmmmmm-mmmmmmmmm, tasty!
Me: Okay, I'm sorry maybe manipulation was the wrong word to use. So you
think it moral acceptable to blog about your employer in either a
positive or negative aspect and that the more tasty or embellished the
gossip is the better it would be for your readers?
You: Heavens no! That might be amoral, immoral, and maybe even unmoral, and undoubtedly have me perish in the fires of hell. As you know, the Lord
Jesus Christ, our savior, says pestilence will come and cleanse all
whom are festering from within. In Corinthians 3:16 he doth sayeth,
"And a bolt of terrible red lightning shall striketh ye from above…"
Those are words to live, or die, by don't you think? God loves you. Jesus blesses you.
Me: Well I have to congratulate you on successfully halting this conversation
and I would like to thank you for your patients and comments.
views and sudden switch towards Religious rhetoric was sudden and
surprising.
In news also related to Korea, I read an interesting story about Monkeys and Ducks. It would seem that ducks from all over the world are getting weird and wacky. First we had to deal with ducks engaging in necrophilic acts, now it seems the ducks are getting into gang rape as well. This is like Hitchcock's 'The Birds' meets 'Japanese Smut'
And it would also seem that Cathartidae has had some problems with those pesky monkeys, those 'Foreign Devil Monkey's' to be exact, give it a read, short but to the point. ~.
Proposition 1.1 Let P be a plane with Cartesian equation ax+by+cz+d=0.
• If a=0, the train will be on the red line
• If b=0, the train must be on the purple line.
• If c=0, the plane is parallel to the blue line. But if in a negative, it shall be of the yellow line.
• If d=0, the train will break down.
Corollary 1.2 Let P be a plane with Cartesian equation ax+by+cz+d=0.
• If a=b=0, the transfer will take place at stop 32.
• If b=c=0, the transfer will take place at 38 on blue track on unless represented with a negative, then on the green line.
• If a=c=0, the answer will cause your head to implode.
Luckily my cell phone has a calculator function, I was able to successfully navigate the subways and make it to Suwon for a night of Karaoke and Soju Bombs.
Interestingly riding the subway on a Friday night is like being kelp at the bottom of the sea, swaying from side to side with the surf. The car was only glob of human flesh swaying as the train sped and slowed down, being situated in the middle and taller then most Koreans I was able to breath with ease, the mixed smell of Kim chi and sweat was exhilarating, making me giddy while I laughed swaying with the human flesh. Somewhat of a religious experience I think.
Anyways, now I am back at home in Busan, enjoying a nice relaxing evening before tomorrow's party. Wish me well and I hope to have some stories of interest for you all tomorrow.
(some pictures in the photoblog sidebar of us at the meeting) ~.
