A great article in the Chosun Ilbo today ‘Superbacteria’ in Korea Came From Japan," according to Korean scientist and cried the headline. So it's definitely Japan's fault. A single country. The Japanese are always doing bad things to Korea.
Oh, wait. What's that?
"In the process of the research, we found that the MRSA issue caused by the abuse of antibiotics is never a matter of a single country,” Ko said. “So we need international cooperation to handle the issue of antibiotic abuse."
Never let the truth, facts, or reality get in the way of a headline.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
A new post
After many weeks a way we've returned to Korea to spread the gospel.
There have been a few stories in recent days that have caught our attention, along with one giant mural we saw inn Daejeon a few days ago.
The first story that embodies everything that makes us laugh about Korea, while at the same time shake our heads both in fear and dismay comes from the Chosun Ilbo. The headline was what caught our attention, since it said that applications for overseas military service were pouring in, and the specific example was to go to Iraq. The story explains that the money is far above what they would make by staying in Korea. They also go into the challenges of overseas postings.
But, and I say this honestly, the 'real' story here is actually found in the last paragraph:
And this is what makes it a TiK story. Men. Adults. Who can vote. Drink. Drive. Men (and women) who are trained to kill, and who are entrusted to go into battle, defend their country etc. These men have to 'get their parent's permission'. I honestly shake my head in wonder at these people...
Then there's this article which shows one of the major, MAJOR problems in this country. The issues of pardons is one I don't like, because if you need to issue pardons there is something wrong with the system. And to pardon some people who have lost their jobs over minor, minor things is one thing, but to issue 341,864 pardons shows the system is totally fucked up. And that's over 340 thousand pardons IN A SINGLE YEAR!
And the number is only the start of what's wrong here. The other issue is who gets pardons:
The fact that they committed crimes, received suspended sentences, and continued to serve on boards is, again, totally fucked up. The fact they received pardons is even crazier.
And perhaps the most disturbing element of all:
A man who literally committed treason by trying to undermine the country's democracy gets a pardon. The sheer number likely has something to do with trying to gloss over some of the more controversial pardons, but the pardons that were issued to these specific people shows that there are major problems in Korean society that need to be rectified.
And these pardons, both in the number and for who received them made me think about something. Thousands upon thousands of people will take to the streets in protest day after day over completely insane fears over american beef, and when corrupt and criminal businessmen receive pardons, and this many pardons are issued, they do nothing. More importantly came this story about an arrest.
One of the organizers of the insanely stupid beef protests is getting arrested. MONTHS after the protests started, and while they were apparently illegal the entire time, they are arresting him NOW. Again, this type of act undermines democracy in a way that is very, very serious. As much as I disagreed with the protests and thought they made Koreans look like complete and total idiots on the world stage, this arrest is wrong on many, many levels, and in many, many ways.
But all of these issues can be explained away by reading THIS article. Delusional nationalism explains so much in this country that it's scary. That said, I wonder if they think these "secrets to their success" also explain why they:
1. Koreans work the longest hours for less money
2. Why Korea has the third largest wage gap in the OECD
3. Korea's gender wage gap is the biggest in the OECD
4. Korea's educated job rate ranks low in the OECD
5. Korea has the sixth highest inflation in the OECD
and
6. Korean producer price growth is the second highest in the OECD
The lesson to learn from this is that as long as you are 'fighting' and/or 'sparkling', all of your nation's problems don't need to be addressed.
One final TiK lesson. Not only does nationalism make all your problems meaningless, but spelling things correctly doesn't matter either... I leave you with this:
There have been a few stories in recent days that have caught our attention, along with one giant mural we saw inn Daejeon a few days ago.
The first story that embodies everything that makes us laugh about Korea, while at the same time shake our heads both in fear and dismay comes from the Chosun Ilbo. The headline was what caught our attention, since it said that applications for overseas military service were pouring in, and the specific example was to go to Iraq. The story explains that the money is far above what they would make by staying in Korea. They also go into the challenges of overseas postings.
But, and I say this honestly, the 'real' story here is actually found in the last paragraph:
The spokesman said soldiers who want to serve with overseas units must get their parents' consent in advance. During the early recruitment process for the Zaytun Unit, some soldiers were recruited but had to drop out because they failed to get their parents' consent, he added.
And this is what makes it a TiK story. Men. Adults. Who can vote. Drink. Drive. Men (and women) who are trained to kill, and who are entrusted to go into battle, defend their country etc. These men have to 'get their parent's permission'. I honestly shake my head in wonder at these people...
Then there's this article which shows one of the major, MAJOR problems in this country. The issues of pardons is one I don't like, because if you need to issue pardons there is something wrong with the system. And to pardon some people who have lost their jobs over minor, minor things is one thing, but to issue 341,864 pardons shows the system is totally fucked up. And that's over 340 thousand pardons IN A SINGLE YEAR!
And the number is only the start of what's wrong here. The other issue is who gets pardons:
Among the 74 people in the economic sector receiving pardons were Chung Mong-koo, the chairman of Hyundai Motor Co., Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, and Kim Seung-youn, chairman of Hanwha Group.
The three tycoons were handed suspended prison terms by judges in recent years for embezzlement, accounting fraud and assault, respectively. Despite their convictions, all three have remained active in the boardroom.
The fact that they committed crimes, received suspended sentences, and continued to serve on boards is, again, totally fucked up. The fact they received pardons is even crazier.
And perhaps the most disturbing element of all:
Also among high-profile figures pardoned was Kwon Young-hae, a former South Korean spy chief.
Kwon was found guilty of plotting to destroy the 1997 election campaign of former dissident Kim Dae-jung. Kim was elected and served a five-year term.
A man who literally committed treason by trying to undermine the country's democracy gets a pardon. The sheer number likely has something to do with trying to gloss over some of the more controversial pardons, but the pardons that were issued to these specific people shows that there are major problems in Korean society that need to be rectified.
And these pardons, both in the number and for who received them made me think about something. Thousands upon thousands of people will take to the streets in protest day after day over completely insane fears over american beef, and when corrupt and criminal businessmen receive pardons, and this many pardons are issued, they do nothing. More importantly came this story about an arrest.
One of the organizers of the insanely stupid beef protests is getting arrested. MONTHS after the protests started, and while they were apparently illegal the entire time, they are arresting him NOW. Again, this type of act undermines democracy in a way that is very, very serious. As much as I disagreed with the protests and thought they made Koreans look like complete and total idiots on the world stage, this arrest is wrong on many, many levels, and in many, many ways.
But all of these issues can be explained away by reading THIS article. Delusional nationalism explains so much in this country that it's scary. That said, I wonder if they think these "secrets to their success" also explain why they:
1. Koreans work the longest hours for less money
2. Why Korea has the third largest wage gap in the OECD
3. Korea's gender wage gap is the biggest in the OECD
4. Korea's educated job rate ranks low in the OECD
5. Korea has the sixth highest inflation in the OECD
and
6. Korean producer price growth is the second highest in the OECD
The lesson to learn from this is that as long as you are 'fighting' and/or 'sparkling', all of your nation's problems don't need to be addressed.
One final TiK lesson. Not only does nationalism make all your problems meaningless, but spelling things correctly doesn't matter either... I leave you with this:
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
When all else fails........
you turn to TiK madness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, as the conservative president (LMB) watches his landslide victory in both the presidential and National Assembly elections dissolve into a near coup d'etat (by High School Students no less) he seems to have turned to the old standby from the liberal days, BLAME JAPAN!
What better way to get the stupid masses off your back over misjudgements on US beef, FTA's, USFK policy, and a crazy Jesus-told-me-to-do-it canal plan then by lighting them up with Dokdo! What is Dokdo? Two crappy islets (yes islets, not even islands) that both Korea and Japan claim as their own. In this crazy Asian grudgematch, Korea holds all the cards since their military forces occupy the islets and there is no way (short of a war) that they would give them up.
So why even bring up Dokdo? Well the Japanese conservative nuts bring it up in Japan and then oppertunitistic leaders in Korea use it to rally the masses against the evil "Japs". But does the government really care about what some silly people say about the islets?
No, of course not. But now all the "Korean thinkers" have stopped worrying about the failing economy, the US Beef deal, the dead S.Korean tourist, the fact that LMB has broken everyone, EVERYONE, of his election promises in under 200 days in office.
Ahhhhhhhh smell that, its rampent, xenophobic nationalism mixed with piss-poor personal judgement. That's TiK!
Go here for some reads on this developing bullsh*t non-story:
http://english.chosun.com/
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/index.asp
So, as the conservative president (LMB) watches his landslide victory in both the presidential and National Assembly elections dissolve into a near coup d'etat (by High School Students no less) he seems to have turned to the old standby from the liberal days, BLAME JAPAN!
What better way to get the stupid masses off your back over misjudgements on US beef, FTA's, USFK policy, and a crazy Jesus-told-me-to-do-it canal plan then by lighting them up with Dokdo! What is Dokdo? Two crappy islets (yes islets, not even islands) that both Korea and Japan claim as their own. In this crazy Asian grudgematch, Korea holds all the cards since their military forces occupy the islets and there is no way (short of a war) that they would give them up.
So why even bring up Dokdo? Well the Japanese conservative nuts bring it up in Japan and then oppertunitistic leaders in Korea use it to rally the masses against the evil "Japs". But does the government really care about what some silly people say about the islets?
No, of course not. But now all the "Korean thinkers" have stopped worrying about the failing economy, the US Beef deal, the dead S.Korean tourist, the fact that LMB has broken everyone, EVERYONE, of his election promises in under 200 days in office.
Ahhhhhhhh smell that, its rampent, xenophobic nationalism mixed with piss-poor personal judgement. That's TiK!
Go here for some reads on this developing bullsh*t non-story:
http://english.chosun.com/
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/index.asp
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Changes on the way
To the readers of this blog. Changes will be coming and a new blog will be formed from this one by August 20th.
The prevailing themes of this blog will be maintained, just expanded in scope.
This blog will likely be inactive from July 18th to August 20th, but check back just in case.
Over and out.
The prevailing themes of this blog will be maintained, just expanded in scope.
This blog will likely be inactive from July 18th to August 20th, but check back just in case.
Over and out.
Accountability
Accountability is a buzz word in politics that gets thrown around. It's a word and an idea that needs to be developed in Korea on a level that is difficult to imagine. The education system is ripe with examples of no accountability, and Korean society at large is the best example whereby every problem Korea has is someone else's fault, with the normal scapegoats being Japan, America and sometimes China. I remember one distinct conversation I had with the trainer at my gym who was making perfection sense describing many of Korea's many problems in very clear terms. And then he explained the reason for these problems was that when Japan occupied Korea they taught Koreans only bad ways of doing things, and when they left they took all the good things with them and left only the bad...
So in honor of accontability, I give you this story from the Ilbo
In it it explains that web portals have been fined for online defamation. The portals played a role based on what the story explains, but the key issue missing is personal accountability. It says that the mother of the girl played a role, but mentions no fines against her. It mentions that many people played a role in spreading the info about him, and they did not get fined either. And perhaps most important of all, it doesn't say that the claims were untrue, only that they were damaging.
Accountability is lacking all around with this incident, from the law, to those involved in the portals, right down to the guy who left his pregnant girlfriend, who clearly wasn't being accountable for his actions/sperm.
So in honor of accontability, I give you this story from the Ilbo
In it it explains that web portals have been fined for online defamation. The portals played a role based on what the story explains, but the key issue missing is personal accountability. It says that the mother of the girl played a role, but mentions no fines against her. It mentions that many people played a role in spreading the info about him, and they did not get fined either. And perhaps most important of all, it doesn't say that the claims were untrue, only that they were damaging.
Accountability is lacking all around with this incident, from the law, to those involved in the portals, right down to the guy who left his pregnant girlfriend, who clearly wasn't being accountable for his actions/sperm.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Canada Day Special!!!
Sorry for being gone so long, but not much new has been happening here. The last month has been all about beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, etc etc etc etc.
But, with the third oil shock upon us and the very fabric of our world (possibly) coming apart I thought I would highlight the difference between the Taiwanese way and the TiK way.
In this corner the Taiwanese plan of higher prices and rebate incentives to reduce power consumption:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2008/07/01/2003416235
And in this corner, TiK plan of cutting taxes, drilling more, opening strategic reserves and subsidising prices to "protect" Koreans. This plan looks like it was written by Dick Cheney and the CEO of Exxon:
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200806/200806300009.html
Which one will work in reducing energy consumption, hmmmmmmmmmmmm.
TiK!
But, with the third oil shock upon us and the very fabric of our world (possibly) coming apart I thought I would highlight the difference between the Taiwanese way and the TiK way.
In this corner the Taiwanese plan of higher prices and rebate incentives to reduce power consumption:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2008/07/01/2003416235
And in this corner, TiK plan of cutting taxes, drilling more, opening strategic reserves and subsidising prices to "protect" Koreans. This plan looks like it was written by Dick Cheney and the CEO of Exxon:
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200806/200806300009.html
Which one will work in reducing energy consumption, hmmmmmmmmmmmm.
TiK!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Man, you have a huge.....
You know, my family always asks me what living in South Korea is like. My response is always the same, you know North Korea? Think of that mentality but run by Americans!
So here is a double play of TiK!
1st: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2008/06/160_25545.html
This quote sums up the TiKness of it all:
" Those looking for symbolism needn't look far. An attempt by Kim II-sung to visualize his own power? The concrete embodiment of Juche ideology? The ultimate middle-finger to the rest of the world? North Korea's prolonged failure to finish it undermines everything it stands for, whatever exactly that may be."
While the Western author avoids saying it, this is a classic TiK penis envy story. Most political decisions, military decisions, business decisions, etc etc seem to have an underlying phallic element. Whether its the tallest flagpole in the world (North Korea), the tallest building in Asia (the 63 Building in Seoul for a year), to the new rush of Korean cities building super skyscrapers (see Incheon and Lotte), the penis is never far from the minds of the Korean decision makers, especially when comparing it American, Japanese and Chinese wangs!
#2 http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200806/200806100018.html
This one is a classic TiKer cause it has penis envy (versus Australia and Japan, in this case) and the Janus-like desperation for love from America despite hating everything about there "control" over Korea. And the best part is, it seems like it just might be a vocabulary/diplomatic language cockup. Then again, it might be the evil Megooks subtly poking Korea for the county's almost complete failure to live up to its international obligations.
Hmm, lets let the crazy netizens sort it all out! TiK!
So here is a double play of TiK!
1st: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2008/06/160_25545.html
This quote sums up the TiKness of it all:
" Those looking for symbolism needn't look far. An attempt by Kim II-sung to visualize his own power? The concrete embodiment of Juche ideology? The ultimate middle-finger to the rest of the world? North Korea's prolonged failure to finish it undermines everything it stands for, whatever exactly that may be."
While the Western author avoids saying it, this is a classic TiK penis envy story. Most political decisions, military decisions, business decisions, etc etc seem to have an underlying phallic element. Whether its the tallest flagpole in the world (North Korea), the tallest building in Asia (the 63 Building in Seoul for a year), to the new rush of Korean cities building super skyscrapers (see Incheon and Lotte), the penis is never far from the minds of the Korean decision makers, especially when comparing it American, Japanese and Chinese wangs!
#2 http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200806/200806100018.html
This one is a classic TiKer cause it has penis envy (versus Australia and Japan, in this case) and the Janus-like desperation for love from America despite hating everything about there "control" over Korea. And the best part is, it seems like it just might be a vocabulary/diplomatic language cockup. Then again, it might be the evil Megooks subtly poking Korea for the county's almost complete failure to live up to its international obligations.
Hmm, lets let the crazy netizens sort it all out! TiK!
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