Soju, Sake and Canadian Beer

Freakier than a Horror Movie! And a Hotel of Doom!

2008-07-18T01:10:00.004-04:00

As crazy is this sounds, it ACTUALLY HAPPENED!

Korean protesters smash birds with hammers

Seoul warns Tokyo over row
Hong Kong Standard
Friday, July 18, 2008

South Korea could stop cooperating with Japan in six-party talks on denuclearizing North Korea if their territorial dispute worsens, Seoul's ambassador to Tokyo Kwon Chul Hyun warned yesterday.

South Korea has already rejected a Japanese proposal for foreign ministerial talks next week on the sidelines of a security forum in Singapore.

Japan's reaffirmed claim to the South Korean-controlled Dokdo islands (Takeshima to Japan) in the Sea of Japan has sparked anger and protests in Seoul, which recalled ambassador Kwon this week.

About 40 military veterans wearing army uniforms staged a gory protest outside Japan's embassy yesterday.

They cut the heads off live pheasants, Japan's national bird, and dripped the blood on Japanese flags and on pictures of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and former Japanese leaders. Some battered birds to death with hammers. Others cut open bellies and ate the livers, shouting: "Dokdo is our territory!"

Japan's largest condom maker was forced to take down advertisements from subway cars because they might not be acceptable to some people in the current climate, a spokesman for Seoul Metro said.

About 200 advertisement spots that boast Okamoto Industries' condoms are "number one in Japan" were removed.

And more silliness over the Laincourt Rocks.
South Korea rejects Japanese exchange students
AP
OTTORI, Japan, July 16 (Kyodo) - The city of Tottori said Wednesday it has been notified by the South Korean city of Chongju that the annual exchange program among their junior high school students should be cancelled indefinitely due to the territorial dispute over two disputed islets.

The education board chief of Chongju said in a faxed message Tuesday that the decision was made in consideration to national sentiments in South Korea following the Japanese government's move to mention the islets, known as Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in South Korea, for the first time in a teaching guideline for junior high schools.

"It is regrettable that a political and diplomatic matter like Takeshima disrupts a friendly event between the two countries' middle school students," said Toshitaka Nakagawa, head of Tottori's education board. Read More...

See more at Japan Probe...

North Korea's "Hotel of Doom" wakes from its coma

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea's phantom hotel is stirring back to life. Once dubbed by Esquire magazine as "the worst building in the history of mankind," the 105-storey Ryugyong Hotel is back under construction after a 16-year lull in the capital of one of the world's most reclusive and destitute countries.

According to foreign residents in Pyongyang, Egypt's Orascom group has recently begun refurbishing the top floors of the three-sided pyramid-shaped hotel whose 330-metre (1,083 ft) frame dominates the Pyongyang skyline.

The firm has put glass panels into the concrete shell, installed telecommunications antennas -- even though the North forbids its citizens to own mobile phones -- and put up an artist's impression of what it will look like.

An official with the group said its Orascom Telecom subsidiary was involved in the project but gave no details.

The hotel consists of three wings rising at 75 degree angles capped by several floors arranged in rings supposed to hold five revolving restaurants and an observation deck.

A creaky building crane has for years sat unused at the top of the 3,000-room hotel in a city where tourists are only occasionally allowed to visit.

"It is not a beautiful design. It carries little iconic or monumental significance, but sheer muscular and massive presence," said Lee Sang Jun, a professor of architecture at Yonsei University in Seoul.

The communist North started construction in 1987, in a possible fit of jealousy at South Korea, which was about to host the 1988 Summer Olympics and show off to the world the success of its rapidly developing economy.

A concrete shell built by North Korea's Paektu Mountain Architects & Engineers emerged over the next few years. A proud North Korea put a likeness of the hotel on postage stamps and boasted about the structure in official media.

According to intelligence sources, then North Korean leader Kim Il-sung saw the hotel as a symbol of his big dreams for the state he founded, while his son and current leader Kim Jong-il was a driving force in its construction.

But by 1992, worked was halted. The North's main benefactor the Soviet Union had dissolved a year earlier and funding for the hotel had vanished. For a time, the North airbrushed images of the Ryugyong Hotel from photographs.

As the North's economy took a deeper turn for the worse in the 1990s the empty shell became a symbol of the country's failure, earning nicknames "Hotel of Doom" and "Phantom Hotel."

Yonsei's Lee and other architects said there were questions raised about whether the hotel was structurally sound and a few believed completing the structure could cause it to collapse.

It would cost up to $2 billion to finish the Ryugyong Hotel and make it safe, according to estimates in South Korean media. That is equivalent to about 10 percent of the North's annual economic output.

Bruno Giberti, associate head of California Polytechnic State University's Department of Architecture, said the project was typical of what has been produced recently in many cities trying to show their emerging wealth by constructing gigantic edifices that were not related in scale to anything else around them.

"If this is the worst building in the world, the runners up are in Vegas and Shanghai," said Giberti.

See Original...

Big Assed Japanese Festivals in Kansai

2008-07-08T07:23:00.002-04:00

Some BIG ASSED festivals coming up soon in the Kansai region of Japan (my current hood).

Tenjin Matsuri Festival

Where: Osaka

Considered on of Japan's 3 great festivals. The Osaka Tenjin Matsuri hasmore than 1,000 years of history. The most popular summer event in osaka, it is also called "the festival of water and fire in the water city." There will be more than 4,000 fireworks and many other cool things such as Taiko drumming and a water procession at night.

When: July 24-25th.
Getting there: Subway Taninmachi and Sakaisuji line, Minamimori-machi station/JR Osaka-Tenmangu Station.

Here's some video.

Gion Matsuri

Where: Kyoto

The Gion Matsuri (Japanese: 祇園祭, "Gion Festival") is an annual festival that takes place in Kyoto and is said to be one of the most famous, if not the most famous, festival in all of Japan. It spans the entire month of July and is crowned by the beautiful parade, the Yama-boko Junkō (山鉾巡行, Yama-boko Junkō?) on July 17.

Kyoto's downtown area is closed for pedestrian traffic only on the three nights leading up to the massive parade. These nights are known as Yoiyama (宵山) on July 16th, Yoiyoiyama (宵々山) on July 15th, and Yoiyoiyoiyama (宵々々山) on July 14th.

here's some video:

Little America in Japan? (America Mura) アメリカ村

2008-07-08T06:08:00.004-04:00

Last weekend I went into Osaka to do a few things. I checked out Sumiyoshi Shrine...for a fairly important reason....booking my wedding later this Fall. As well, I went downtown to Namba. Namba is the ever groovy heartbeat and pulse of Osaka's youth culture. Many an English teacher in Korea who had done a visa run to Osaka knows the place well. The Korean Consulate in Osaka is located in Namba, beside the cool areas Shinsaibashi and of course Dotonbori.

I walked all over the place. In one of my latest YouTube vlogs, you can see me checkin out America Mura (American Village). Is it really like America? NO, of course not!! It's completely different, but it's such a cool place. A young hipster's shopping paradise. I'm by no means hip, but for me it was a great place to people watch and admire how freakin' cool young Japanese people really can be!

American Village (America Mura) アメリカ村

A BusanKevin vid...

I saw the throngs of people gathered around the strange robotic-like clown wackin a drum when I was in Osaka last weekend. I wondered what the Hell was happening. Why do thousands of folks want a picture of such an odd thing?? Here's the answer!
Popular Osaka restaurant Cui-daore closes doors after 60 years
Mainichi
OSAKA -- Cui-daore, a popular restaurant here known for its drum-beating mascot, closes its doors on Tuesday, putting an end to almost 60 years of history.

Attention is now focused on the fate of the mascot, Cui-daore Taro. The restaurant, situated in the Dotonbori entertainment district in southern Osaka, has been flooded with inquiries about the mascot, many from people offering to buy it. The restaurant owner is negotiating with several people and businesses over the terms to buy it.

"We're asking them about their purchase conditions, and are considering each case. We can't easily decide (to whom we will sell the mascot)," said an executive of the company that operates Cui-daore restaurant.

The company is considering the possibility of displaying it somewhere in the Dotonbori district or continuing to hold the trademark rights over the mascot.

Life in Japan

2008-07-06T08:09:00.005-04:00

It's been a really long time since I've updated my blog. Sorry about that for all of those who are readers. I suppose I've been focusing my "content creation" juices towards my YouTube Channel. I've been having a lot of fun making videos about life in Japan and meeting other Japan-based video bloggers.

Things are going well for me in Japan. The initial few weeks were a little on the bumpy side, but I'm really enjoying myself here. Kobe is a great city and I'm constantly finding new little restaurants, cafes and cool places to shop. Of course, life here is never boring! It's always great to carry a camera in your pocket every time you leave the house since you'll always see something interesting, weird or cool! That is some advice I'll give to anyone living in Korea, Japan, China, etc. Always have a digital camera in your pocket. Especially one with video/audio capabilities, because you're almost guaranteed to encounter something strange everywhere you go.

Here's something I came across recently. A glimpse into the slower side of life in Japan. Normally, when you see documentaries about living here or YouTuber blogs, it's about the fast-paced life in places like Tokyo and Osaka. This is a mini-documentary about an Australian who is a rice farmer in rural Japan (Shikoku).

Japan: The Slow Life

The best Japanese food you won’t easily find outside of Japan

Forbes Magazine has an article about the “Best Japanese Foods You Can’t Get At Home.” The full list of foods is in photo slideshow form, and starts with natto, a food that many foreigners apparently do not like.

Japanese underdog, hot to reclaim NY gluttony title, gets 2 fewer minutes
Mainichi
NEW YORK (AP) -- He's suddenly the hot dog underdog.

World renowned competitive eater Takeru Kobayashi of Japan is aiming to chomp his way back to the top of Friday's annual Fourth of July hot dog eating competition on Coney Island after a disappointing three-dog loss last year shattered his six-year winning streak.

And this year it could be even harder -- organizers said two full minutes would be shaved from regulation time after it was recently revealed that the original competition in 1916 was just 10 minutes long, instead of the 12-minute limit used in more recent years.Read More...

Tommy Lee Jones in Japan??

A BusanKevin vid...

Farmer's Vomit Creates Chlorine Gas!

2008-05-22T07:55:00.001-04:00

54 sickened at hospital after farmer's chemical-fuelled vomit generates toxic gas
Mainichi Daily News

KUMAMOTO -- Fifty-four people were sickened at a hospital here after inhaling toxic gas from the vomit of a man who had apparently swallowed an agricultural chemical to kill himself, police and hospital officials said.

The 34-year-old farmer was admitted to Kumamoto Red Cross Hospital in Kumamoto at around 10:50 p.m. on Wednesday after apparently swallowing an agricultural chemical to commit suicide.

He vomited while undergoing treatment, generating toxic chlorine gas.

A total of 54 people near him, including doctors and patients, fell ill. Of them, 10 were admitted to hospitals including the Red Cross Hospital, while the 44 others who were not in serious condition are steadily recovering.

A bottle of chloropicrin, an agricultural chemical that is legally designated as a poisonous substance, was found at his home in Koshi, Kumamoto Prefecture. Investigators suspect that he swallowed the chemical to kill himself.

Firefighters clad in protective gar took three hours to neutralize the gas from 11:50 p.m.
Original

Oh yeah...if you're interested in learning a little Japanese....check out Victor's video at Action Teacher on YouTube. This video is geared to Japanese students studying English, but is useful to English speakers as well.

See Channel...

Victor is alsoknown as Gimmeabreakman on YouTube...

"The Office"....Japanese version!

2008-05-21T07:33:00.003-04:00

We all know that the hit American television show "The Office" actually began as a British show. BUT....did you know that, the British version was actually inspired by a Japanese "Office"? hehe...check out this SNL skit!

The Japanese Office

Kobe Matusri...pics and vids....

2008-05-19T09:25:00.005-04:00

Well...as I mentioned in my previous post, I went to the Kobe Matsuri. It was a cool time. It wasn't the "traditional" matsuri many people may think of with folks running around carrying giant shrines and screaming "bonzai." It was more of an international themed festival with a wide variety of acts and show performing.

Here is a video I put together for my Youtube Channel about the Kobe Matsuri.

It was a beautiful and sunny day, but pretty damn hot. After a few hours of checkin stuff out in the sun, I was spent! See the original...

This was my first festival in Japan so Idefinately thought it was very cool. I'll be off to the Himeji Matsuri in a few weekends. Apparently it will be a more "pure" matsuri. It will be much more traditional without all of the corporate sponsorship and "international" flare.

Kobe Matsuri and other things

2008-05-18T05:37:00.004-04:00

Again, it's been awhile since I've updated and a great big ol' apology for that. I've just been busy. Getting adjusted to life here in Japan hasn't been as easy as I expected, but things are certainly turning around. There were a few bumps here and there, but no most things are organized.

Golden Week came and went. It was nice to have the time off between school in Canada and work in Japan, but I was really starting to get bored. I've been meeting more people and getting out to do more and more things.

Yesterday Mai and I went to Mt. Rokko. We took a cable car to the top and had lunch at a "Swiss-themed" botanical garden. Swiss-themed you might ask?? Well stop asking! One thing I learned years ago while living in Asia was to stop asking the question; "Why?"

This is me checking out the "Swiss Wonderland" in the middle of Japan!Original here....

Today Mai and I went downtown in Kobe and checked out the Kobe Matsuri. It was the 38th year for the Kobe city festival and I had a great time. It was a sunny day and I had the chance to hear some great music. The traditional drummers from Okinawa were definately the coolest thing for me. I'll post some Kobe Matsuri pictures and video later on.

To everyone in Ottawa...hope everything is great. Looks like summer is around the corner. Wish I was there for Ottawa Race Weekend!!! For everyone in Busan and Seoul....keep rockin!

Golden Week

2008-05-05T23:57:00.003-04:00

I realize it`s been awhile since I`ve updated, but I still don`t have internet at home yet.

It` the end of japanese Golden Week and everyone will be forced to go back to work and school tomorrow. it will be my first day at the new job so I`m excited. Yesterday was Children`s Day. I happened to be on the waterfront at Meriken Koen yesterday to see some of the festivities. Check`em out!

Children`s Day in Japan

I was also hiking again a few days ago on Mt. Rokko in Kobe. I came across a little traditional Japanese house in a pretty sweet location.

Once I`m online at home I`ll update more frequently.

I moved to Japan!

2008-04-28T03:33:00.002-04:00

Here are my first 3 Vlogs about my move to Japan. I've been here for almost a week.

Vlog20...I'm in Japan

Vlog21 My Sleepy Yet Industrial Japanese Neighborhood

Vlog22 IKEA Madness in Kobe!

Check out my Japan Youtube vids here...

Beer Machines and stuff...

2008-04-24T07:25:00.003-04:00

Day 2 and I was feeling great until about 6pm and the jetlag kicked in again. I'm totally exhausted, but things are still fine. I went to my new school in Akashi this afternoon. I just wanted to check things out and find out what time I'm expected there in the morning. I'll observe classes there tomorrow morning and at another branch on Monday morning. Then Golden Week...which means I won't actually start teaching til May 7th. That's going to be a nice break for me to relax, settle into the new apartment (which will be in Kobe) and take in more things Japanese!

For those of you who live in Japan or have done the visa run thing there from Korea; you'll recognize this contraption. For my friends and other watchers from Canada and places "not-Japan", this may be a strange sight. Yes...it is what you may thing. A beer vending machine on the street. They aren't everywhere, but there are some. Reasonable prices compared to convenience stores too! HeHe...I find them amusing...hence the picture.

I can't imagine if these things were in Canada. They'd be torn out of the wall and stolen within minutes!!!

I'm in Japan...and Watch Out for Fake Police!

2008-04-23T12:19:00.006-04:00

Alright...it always messes me up when I move to a new country and the webpage (i.e. Blogger) asumes the language script of the ISP it reads. As of now, All of my blogger tabs and controls are in Japanese. This would lead one to assume that I am in Japan...which is a correct assumption. I am.

I arrived in Osaka just a few hours ago. I'm jetlagged, but generally happy. My flight was a long one on which I couldn't sleep. Never have the good fortune of being able to nod off on an airplane. My theory is that the air pressure changes simply freak my body out. I was envious of the young U.S. Marine who slept scross from me for nearly 10 hours....of course is life is probably exponentially more stressful and busy than mine...therefore the easy slumber.

I arrived in Osaka about 7pm-ish local time and am staign downtown for the night. I was greeted by the warm feel of hundreds of men wearing black suits,stumbling home or towards the subway stations....red-faced and happy. The true sign of a good "sake or biru evening."

I hope everyone back in Canada is doing well. To all the uOttawa Sction D'ers....I hope you're all enjoying the Transition to Practice week. I wish I had a transition. I've been guided directly into the fire...nothing I can't handle though.

Hey there...to all the 6's in Mr. Kennedy's class. I made it safely to Japan and brought the card you gave me (special thanks to David and Chris D.) for that. I'll take a picture of it with my Japanese class in a week or two. David...I hope your knee is feeling better :) Thank you all for the goodbye party last Friday...it was AWESOME!!!! You are a GREAt class and Mr. kennedy is truley lucky.

Whoah...check this...all of you teaching and living in Japan....
Fake Police May be Casing Foreigners, Stealing Identities
Japan Probe

If you are a foreigner in Japan, you may want to take a good look at the officer the next time you are asked to show your ID, especially if at your own home.
I just caught this story at a online blog community called Expats Japan. You can see it here. In the article, the poster tells of a suspicious cop who came to her home and asked for personal information. She later called the local police and sure enough, they knew of no such information collecting activities being performed by their own officers. They offered the following advice:

1) the police department usually sends officers out in pairs, not alone, to someone’s door
2) if the police want to collect personal info, they will tell you explicitly what it’s for (and this would be a very rare case). if language is an issue, they would encourage you to call a japanese speaking friend or would just leave and return later with an (insert your language here) speaker
3) police officers will always show clear IDs, and you can copy down their ID numbers for your records
4) police officers who come to your door will always be wearing large badges, also with ID numbers
5) and of course the usual….always keep your door locked, hide your valuables, don’t answer the door to anyone you don’t know, blah, blah, blah.
See Original...

Weird Japan....you surprised??!??

2008-04-16T22:57:00.007-04:00

Ok....this is some weird shit, but I suppose that's not a big surprise. I've been toJapan and seen maids on the street adverstising maid cafes. I've spotted them both in Osaka and in Tokyo. This is even more interesting for me since I'm moving to Japan in 5 days. BUT..this story is WAY BAKED....too weird for Kev!

Cross-Dressing Maid Cafe

Spelling error aside....this pic I found is still funny!

Hermit Kings...Rockin Busan! (old footage)

2008-04-13T18:56:00.003-04:00

I came across some old footage last night and spliced some of it together to make this little vid. If you were living in Busan last year, you might remember the Hermit Kings. We used to play a lot at Ol'55 and U2. This is from a gig at Interplay by PNU. We were playin Balance Beam by Blue October.

Balance Beam...Hermit Kings

See original...
The Kings were...
Mike, Gino, Tom, Travis and Kevin(Moi).

Had so many vids where I couldn't se myself hiding behind the drums so I set the camera up backstage. Good times. Gino, Mike and Travis are still rockin it out in Busan as we speak!!!

Go Sens Go

2008-04-09T18:08:00.009-04:00

Here we go! I serious dose of all things Canadian, days before I move to Japan. The Stanley Cup playoffs start tonight and Ottawa's very own Senators are in Pittsburg to take on Sid "The Kid" Crosby and his Penguins. Are the Senators expected to do well?? No...they are considered the underdogs. With several key injuries, such as Daniel Alfredsson, and the lack of drive, feeling and goaltending this season the Sens have their work cut out for them.

Of course, since I'm teaching at an elementary school here in Ottawa...things are Sens crazy. My students are more excited than excited can be.

I'll cross my fingers with everyone else in Ottawa tonight at 7:00pm and hopefully the Sens can turn things around for themselves.

At least I'll get to be here in Canada for a few games of the Stanley Cup playoffs. With the time difference, I doubt I can catch many if not any at all, games.

"Get well Mr. Alfredsson"

So....Good Luck tonight boys!!! Kick some Penguin BUTT!!!

Hero in the Hallway!

2008-04-07T20:05:00.002-04:00

Long time no post! Things are busy. I'lll be finished Teacher's College in less than 2 weeks and will be moving to Kobe, Japan in less than 3. No time to slow down at all on my end. I'm teaching 6th grade (practice teaching) and trying to pack and clean out my apartment a little every night.

I'm teaching an anti-bullying unit in my 6th grade class and came across a cool vid last night. This is a great vieo to show students who may be bullied or, to be honest, all students.

Hero in the Hallway

See the original YouTube Channel here...

No more "Love Shots" for salarymen

2008-03-30T11:16:00.004-04:00

Now what are all those greasy salarymen going to do??? Maybe they'll have to go home to their wives and families instead of trying to ply young women with alcohol after work!!!

Court Rules Against Forced `Love Shot’
Korea Times

It's common in Korean drinking bouts that male and female drinkers gulp glasses of alcohol while tightly linking their arms to help ``elevate moods.''

But the nation's top court said forcing the time-honored ``love shot'' constitutes sexual harassment.

The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a construction company owner identified as Koo, 48, must pay a 3 million won ($3,000) fine, upholding a lower court's decision.

The businessman was indicted without physical detention in August 2005 on charges of harassing two waitresses at a golf club's restaurant in South Gyeongsang Province.

In the ruling, the court said ``Despite the waitresses' resistance, Koo forced `love shots' on them by utilizing his relationship with the restaurant's owner.'' Read More...

DON'T TOUCH THE FISH!!!!!!!!

Tokyo scales back fish tourists
BBC
Japan's celebrated Tsukiji fish market is cutting back on tourists because they are hindering the work of traders.
The Tokyo market has become a big draw for tourists, who can watch as the large tuna and other fish are sold off.

But camera flashes, which distract auctioneers, and some visitors touching the fish are causing problems, say market officials.

Tourists will only be able to watch the tuna auctions from a designated area and entry times are being restricted.

"At a place that auctions several hundred tunas in a day, this is affecting our business," said Ihei Sugita, who deals with visitors to the market.

Between 20 and 30 people visit the market each day. Foreign visitors, said Mr Sugita, were inclined to touch and photograph fish they discovered had come from their home countries. Read More...

North Korea warns South of 'pre-emptive strike'
CNN
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- North Korea threatened South Korea with destruction Sunday after Seoul's top military officer said he would consider attacking the communist nation if it tried to carry out a nuclear attack.

The statement from North Korea's official news agency marked the third straight day of bellicose rhetoric from the North, which is angry over the harsher line the South's new president has taken against the country since assuming office last month.

"Our military will not sit idle until warmongers launch a pre-emptive strike," said an unidentified KCNA military commentator. "Everything will be in ashes, not just a sea of fire, if our advanced pre-emptive strike once begins."

On Friday, North Korea test-fired a barrage of missiles into the sea and warned it would "mercilessly wipe out" any South Korean warships that violate its waters near their disputed sea border. Read More...

Wierd....

Fukuoka sets up collection boxes for discarded false teeth
Mainichi
FUKUOKA -- The Fukuoka Municipal Government is planning to set up collection boxes for used false teeth in nine locations across the city as part of its charity efforts.

No, the dentures won't be passed on to new owners -- they will be recycled for the precious metals inside them, with 80 percent of the profits going to charities such as UNICEF Japan. Read More...

Dogs Now Considered Livestock in Korea

2008-03-27T17:56:00.010-04:00

This was even in the Ottawa free newspaper, Metro this morning....bon apetite!!

Seoul Categorizing Dogs as Livestock
Seoul will propose to the central government that dogs should be categorized as livestock in order to properly regulate the trade of dog meat and strengthen sanitation inspections.

The proposal aims to solve the ironic situation where many Koreans enjoy eating dog meat despite the absence of regulations on the sale of dog meat amid ambiguous categorization of the animal, a city official from the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) said.

``The real problem is, we cannot regulate the sanitation process of how dog meat is served due to the lack of regulations,'' the official said. ``We will have a series of public hearings to discuss the issue as it's a necessary step.''

Under the current law, dogs are categorized in the same group as donkeys, rabbits, horses and deer, not as livestock such as beef and chicken. Read More...

Seoul college sues Yale for $50m
A South Korean college is suing top US university Yale for $50m (£25m) over an administrative error that snowballed into a national scandal. Read More...

What the Hell???? Next thing you know it, Seoul will be referring to dogs as livestock!!! Oh wait...they just did that too!

FINALLY...How to speak fluent Japanese without saying a word PART 2 by Ken Tanaka

See Ken Tanaka...
Ken is the KING....just watch a few vids and you'll understand!

Korean Haiku/Tanka Poets Shunned By Countrymen
Japan Probe/Herald Tribune
SEOUL: When Son Ho Yun published her poetry, South Korean writers denounced her as unpatriotic.

When Rhee Han Soo wrote his poems, he avoided discussing them with friends because he was certain he would get the same negative response.

Although they never met, Son and Rhee shared a passion for more than six decades: They each wrote traditional Japanese poetry in South Korea, where animosities rooted in Japan's colonial rule still run deep and people of their generation considered such literary pursuits little short of sacrilegious.

"Here, people look up to you if you write poetry in English and publish it in America or England," said Rhee, an 82-year-old retired dentist. "But if you write Japanese poems, they despise you or dismiss you as a fool."Read more...

Fund created to pay for manual removal of human waste from World Heritage site
Mainichi
YAKUSHIMA, Kagoshima -- Yakushima Municipal Assembly has unanimously approved the creation of a fund to pay for the manual removal of human waste products from toilets threatening the island's World Heritage-listed natural environment.

There are six mountain area toilets on Yakushima, all of which use sewage tanks, the contents of which are buried in the mountains.

There has been a massive and constant increase in tourists to the area since UNESCO added it to the World Heritage list in 1993. The increase in people led to fears that their wastes would adversely affect the area's unique natural environment.
Read More...

Geek Heaven!!! I bet there's more than a few scary creatures visiting this place!! "Otaku" as they are called in Japan..."absolutely bizarre" here in North America!
Tokyo International Anime Fair 2008

A visitor to the Tokyo International Anime Fair 2008 looks at cartoon figures on display in Tokyo, March 27, 2008. The world's largest anime fair expects to have more than 100,000 visitors from around the world. (AP)

Perverts of Korea Rejoice!

2008-03-26T19:31:00.004-04:00

Apparently...according to Korea's Supreme Court...it's A-OK to photograph the legs of women on subways with your cameraphones! It's not hard to imagine what creeps, such as this "Mr. Ahn" who take these pics, do once they get home!!!
Photographing Legs is NOT Sexual Harassment in Korea
Asian OffBeat
Does taking a picture of the bare legs of a woman in a miniskirt constitute sexual harassment or not? Korea’s top court said, ``No.’’

The Supreme Court acquitted a 34-year-old man of charges that he sexually harassed a young woman by taking a picture of her legs on the subway last December.

The man, identified as Ahn, photographed the legs of the woman in her 20s using his mobile phone. She was sitting in front of him while he was standing.

During questioning, police found the photo saved on his mobile phone and charged him with sexual harassment. The picture shows legs with a skirt covering her thighs 10-15centimeter up from knees, according to the court records.

The key in this case was to establish whether Ahn’s act constituted a violation of that law. But the photo presented as evidence does not reveal the face of the woman and only features her legs below the short skirt. The Supreme Court said the picture did not fully prove that Ahn wanted to gratify his sexual desire or to cause the woman humiliation by taking it.

The top court supported an acquittal by a lower court which said, ``It is hard to say that the defendant took a picture of a part of another person’s body that can cause sexual desire or shame.’’

Under the law on sexual harassment, those found guilty of photographing parts of other people’s bodies in a way that can cause sexual desire or shame can be jailed for up to five years or fined a maximum 10 million won ($10,000).

Prosecutors had demanded the accused be fined 500,000 won.

A lawyer approved the Supreme Court decision, saying the man had not taken photos of intimate parts under the skirt and had not spread the photo on the Internet. Therefore if he had been found guilty, his personal freedom would have been limited excessively.

Women rights advocates criticized the ruling. ``No matter which part of the body the man photographed, it is an infringement of human rights if he took the picture without her permission,’’ said Kim Eun-kyung, a director of Korea Women’s Associations United.

``It is regrettable that recent court rulings are lenient to violators of women rights,’’ she added.
Asian OffBeat
Women's rights...I'm sure these supreme court judges don't even know the basic definition of the term!

This story reminded me off this BIZARRE sight...a men's room at a pub in Busan, South Korea. I came across it during a night of beers with my friends about 2 years ago. I thought it soooooooo very warped...I had to share it with the wider world.

This Somyeon pub bathroom in Busan, Korea makes it "easy" to see why some male-type folks might think it ok to take candid photos of women on trains...Freakin Warped stuff...in my opinion!

Korean fasion designer touches english teacher's johnson!!??

2008-03-19T18:43:00.004-04:00

This is too funny!!! Talk about a curious and creepy situation! I hope the teacher's emotional scars will heal quickly.

Curiosity Killed the Cat… Or Made You Touch the Foreigner’s Johnson
A 28-year-old fashion designer by the name of Mr. Park has been booked on charges of sexually assaulting an American man in a Mapo-gu sauna.

According to police, Park assaulted (which probably means in this case inappropriately touched) the American, a 27-year-old English teacher, as he slept in the sauna jjimjilbang. The victim had his loins covered with a towel as he slept.

Park pleaded with the police for leniency, claiming he did it “out of curiosity since he was a foreigner.”
Marmot's Hole...

Why is it that this type of media NEVER makes it to Korea's English media. It's in the Korean Chosun Ilbo, but not the English edition? (Damn funny story though!)

English Teacher Union Bad News for Hagwon?
With demand for English teachers skyrocketing, foreign English teachers are now pushing for the creation of their own union, reports the Hankyung Shinmun.

While there’s no legal problems with foreign teachers establishing a union, the paper reports that should they become a pressure group and demand things like, oh, boosting wages, it could drive up private education costs.

According to people in the English education industry, some 40 foreign teachers have recently created a group called the Association for Teachers of English in Korea (ATEK), and are gathering members in order to form a labor union.

The union would be open to E and F visa holders involved in the public and private education fields.

According to members of ATEK, the group’s aim is to improve the position of foreign English teachers working in Korea.
Read More...

Korean-American Instructor Arrested on Murder Charge
A second generation Korean American was arrested here after evading an FBI search for nearly nine years on charges of killing a retired policeman in the United States.

The murder suspect, identified as Nam, 31, an ethnic Korean with American citizenship, was caught at a private school in Gyeonggi Province where he was teaching English, police said.

The suspect has worked here as an instructor at private language schools in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Jeolla and Gyeongsang provinces since fleeing the United States while on bail.

``He changed his workplace every two or three months in order not to be caught,'' Lee Jae-sool, the spokesman for the Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency, said. ``He will soon be extradited to the United States after appearing in a Korean court.''

He was initially arrested in January 1997 in Pennsylvania, with three other accomplices on charges of killing a former U.S. policeman with the victim's own gun.

The suspect was granted bail for $1 million and confined under house arrest, but he fled to Seoul the following year.

Police had searched for the suspect since 1998 at the request of the FBI and arrested him on March 4, 1999. But he was soon released as an extradition treaty between Seoul and Washington did not exist at the time. The treaty took effect on Dec. 20, 1999.

Police resumed their search for the suspect from April 2000 and uncovered his whereabouts in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province after focusing their investigation on popular locations for foreigners and private language schools.

``He first arrived here as a tourist but worked as an English teacher,'' Lee said. ``Most small-scale private language schools usually hire native English speaking teachers without checking their personal background because they cost less than qualified teachers.''
Korea Times....

Check out his FBI Wanted poster!

NOW...Let the good times roll!

Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura stands with Doraemon and Nobita -- characters from the popular comic series "Doraemon" -- at the foreign ministry in Tokyo, Wednesday, March 19, 2008, after the minister named the robotic bluecat as Japan's first Anime Ambassador. Doraemon will work to promote Japan's pop culture to the world.

Korean Anti-Semitism and a Rat Head in your Shrimp chips!

2008-03-18T18:37:00.008-04:00

Rat Head Forces Producer to Recall Popular Snack
The nation's largest snack maker, Nongshim, made a public apology Tuesday for one of its best-selling items containing the head of a small rodent. The company shut down the snack production line, and supermarkets are already removing them from their shelves.

The apology came after gray skin-like material, 1.6 centimeters in length, was found last month inside a jumbo-sized Nongshim snack, ``Saewookkang'' (shrimp snack). The Food and Drug Administration on Monday issued a correctional order to the snack manufacturer.

The ``material'' was very hard and covered in oil and burnt hair, and it also had the remains of eyes and a nose, which led the administration to conclude it to be the head of a rat.

A customer had reportedly called Nongshim asking for a refund and a recall on all of its product made on that day. Initially her requests were denied. However, later the company tried to compensate her and recalled all the products in the market, she said.

The company explained that a factory in China makes the dough and sends it to a factory in Busan to fry, pack and distribute it. ``I doubt the frying process in Busan is unhygienic, but we are looking into the possibility of the material being added during the dough process at our factory in China,'' a Nongshim spokesman said during the public apology.

However, the market has already plummeted over the news. E-Mart, Lotte Mart, Home Plus, Homever and several other large supermarket chains decided on Monday to stop selling the snack indefinitely.

The online world is abuzz over how the matter could have passed the three-step inspection at the Busan factory and how Nongshim should be punished. The FDA has only given a correctional order.

``What gets me angry is that the company tried to play the whole thing low key and I ate several bags of Saewookkang,'' an angry netizen (ID: KTU) said.

The fact that Nongshim has raised the snack price by 100-200 won due to rises in raw materials prices earlier this year is adding to public anger, experts said.
See original...

Why does this not in any way surprise me!
Korean Comic Book Condemned as Anti-Semitic by US Govt

A series of cartoons in the America volume of ‘Far Country, Neighbor Country’ saying the reason Arab terrorists hate the U.S. and carried out the Sept. 11, 2001 attack is because ‘Jews use money and public discussion as weapons to make WASPs do what they want!

Recently the South Korean comic book 먼나라 이웃나라 aka ‘Far Country, Neighbor Country’ has been defined as anti-Semitic in a U.S. State Department report. The book is from a series called "Distant Countries and Neighboring Countries" and is about the U.S. And the author Rhie Won-bok has been cited in the anti-semitism department's report as Korea's representative of Contemporary Global Antisemitism.

In a report on contemporary global anti-semitism submitted to the U.S. Congress on Saturday, the State Department said the book "recycles various Jewish conspiracy theories, such as Jewish control of the media, Jews profiting from war, and Jews causing the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center attacks."

The series, written by Rhie Won-bok, a professor at Duksung Women's University, was designed to teach youngsters the history and culture of other countries in comic book format. The "best-selling" children's book series sold more than 10 million Korean-language copies, according to the report.

The report cited two examples of anti-Semitism in the book. One comic strip shows a newspaper, a magazine, a television, and a radio, each with a Star of David, and is captioned, "In a word, American public debate belongs to the Jews, and it's no exaggeration to say that [U.S. media] are the voices of the Jews."

Another strip shows a man climbing a hill and then facing a brick wall inscribed with a Star of David and a STOP sign. The caption reads, "The final obstacle [to success] is always a fortress called Jews."

The author later acknowledged his mistake and pledged to write "in a more responsible way," the report said. In March 2007, the book's publisher agreed to pull the controversial book from stores, the report added.
Original...
Also see...

What can I say? For those Koreans wishing to isolate Korea from the rest of the world...you're doing a bang-on job!!!!

ESL Teachers and rappin in Korea!

2008-03-14T20:43:00.006-04:00

This made me laugh my ass of for a good 5 minutes. Some ESL teachers in Geumchon, Korea made a hip hop video about the "Life of a Waygook" in Korea. FUNNY STUFF!!!!

"Kickin' It In Geumchon"

See the original here!

I love the ajumma visors they wear in the vid!! hehe

Thanks to my buddy Arin for sending the like to me!

The Best Gift and the Worst

2008-03-10T18:05:00.007-04:00

First Korean Astronaut Switched to Woman

A 29-year-old female mechanical engineer was belatedly filled in Monday as the first South Korean in space, after Russia's space authorities dismissed Seoul's original choice on security rule violations ahead of next month's mission.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology told a news conference that Russia's Federal Space Agency asked for Ko San's replacement, as the 31-year-old repeatedly broke training protocol by taking sensitive training material outside of the Russian space center. Back-up candidate Yi So-yeon will take over.

``The main reason for the cut is Ko made two consecutive security violations,'' said Lee Sang-mok, the head of the ministry's space technology bureau, adding that both events appeared unintentional.

He explained that the Russians regard abiding by the rules as critical since even a small and innocent mistake could lead to serious consequences in space.

Paik Hong-yul, president of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, said local authorities made the final decision early Monday to tap Yi after Moscow sent an official request for a switch on Friday. Read More...

This Ko San guy sounds like a knucklehead to me!!! What a stupid way to lose a chance at going to space! Ko San apparently, on one occasion, he "accidentally" mailed a manual....not meant to leave the Russian base....back to South Korea...then he fucked up again and removed some other crucial documents! I have to admit that this makes me feel good. I originally thought the only reason he was given the seat to space was due to gender! Now...I think I am correct....doesn't sound like he won the spot on due to his "shining" intellect!!!! hehe Well, it's really nice to see a female taking such an important role....especially when it is the person who desreved the role in the first place.

Now...here we go....officially the WORST graduation gift ever!!!! WTF!???

Pupils polish potties as elementary school graduation gift

SAZA, Nagasaki -- Dozens of 6th grade pupils from Saza Municipal Elementary School got barefoot and cleaned the toilets at their school as a mark of gratitude for the six years of learning they obtained there.

The 68 pupils scrubbed the restrooms following an idea from local volunteer cleaners and worked under a motto of "scrubbing up your toilet will also scrub up your heart."

Initially, some children complained of the smells, but eventually most became absorbed by the task as they ground away at the cisterns with a scrubbing brush.

There was one reluctant girl chided for being "gutless" and another boy who remained frightened until the very end of the exercise to come into contact with a urinal, but another pupil was delighted when the job was over.

"It was like I could wash away my cowardice of the past together with the water we used," the pupil said. Original

Wow...a story that answered so many of my questions!!
Japanese scientists discover traffic jams are caused by too many cars!

Foreign Teacher Dies of Injuries From Fire

2008-03-09T20:09:00.005-04:00

Foreign Teacher Dies of Injuries From Fire

William Kapoun, 26, an American teacher who sustained severe burn injuries in a fire at his apartment, passed away Saturday.

He had been in intensive care at Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, since Feb. 24.

The young American’s parents asked for repeated cardiopulmonary resuscitation after concurrent cardiac arrests to be stopped.

His father Dan Kapoun, a retired soldier, plans to hold a memorial service at the U.S. Army Base in Yongsan as soon as his son’s body is conveyed to the family from the hospital after the settlement of treatment fees, estimated at 77 million won (about $80,000) in total.

Donators and supporters extended their helping hand to the Kapoun family through the blog site www.billkapoun.com. They also made direct donations to a bank account that was opened here under the name of Warren Franklin William Fund. The donations have reached about $60,000 in total, according to his friends.

``Thank you all of you, from our entire family for your support and good wishes. The Korean people have been very kind to us,’’ Judy Kapoun, his mother told The Korea Times. His parents will return to the United States after the memorial service here.

On top of donations from various people around the world, his family found that part of treatment costs would be covered by South Korea’s National Health Insurance Corp. following a retroactive payment. About 30 million won was covered by the insurance.

His death has alerted other foreign teachers here about their working conditions and safety. ``The unfortunate tragedy awoke me to the fact that foreign teachers should make plans for their own safety. They must make sure that they are covered by insurance,’’ said Michale John Bodnar, one of William’s friends.

Meanwhile, police said it appears the fire was ``accidental.’’ But they said they have yet to officially determine the exact cause of the fire that killed Kapoun and his girlfriend.

``We have yet to determine the exact cause of the fire. But it appears the fire broke out accidentally and chances of arson are low,’’ a police official said.

Kapoun, a graduate of Indiana University, had been teaching students English as a part-time teacher at Bulam Elementary School in Northern Seoul. The fire at his apartment left him with third-degree burns over 70 percent of his body.

Korea Times

Just can't get enough news about Japan's Obama City???
Well then....here you go!

All I can say is, "WTF?????"

I Can't Hair You
Mar. 8 - An Indian man makes it into the Guinness Book of World Records for a hirsute feat he complains isn't appreciated enough.

Growing hair out of your ears to a head-turning length isn't everyone's idea of an attractive look. But it's got a man from India's northern Kanpur a long-standing entry in the Guinness Book of World Records.

HOLY CRAP....ThE WEATHER!!!!!

2008-03-09T00:59:00.002-05:00

The Prelude to the storm...(this is supposed to be Ottawa's worst snw storm in recorded history!)

original...

Wow...the SHIT has hit the fan weather wise...sometimes you can see a Good Samaritan during this kind of weather....

See original vlog...