Koreans taking over the world ... one nose at a time

"Korea's Makeover From Dull to Hip Changes Face of Asia"

"Across Asia, South Korea is cool. From fashion to music to film, the country of 48 million people is redefining style. And as notions of Korean beauty become popularized by the country's exploding cultural exports, women from around the region -- and some men, too -- are flocking to Seoul to have their faces remodeled."

South Korea's new tourism campaign: Visit Korea -- You, too, can look like a Korean soap star.

Scary.

Note (10/26/06): Sorry, just noticed the link now requires a WSJ login. Can probably find the article online doing a search on title.

'Honey, you make me sick!'

"Japanese women suffering from retired husband syndrome:
Some wives become sick under the stress of demanding spouses"

The treatment? Therapy and spending "as much time as possible away from your husband."

4,000-year-old noodles found in China

"Ancient noodles discovered in China"

"The Chinese say the Italians got it from them, via Marco Polo; Arabs claim its creation as an easily stored foodstuff suitable for long treks on the desert. The Japanese, Koreans, French and even the Germans also have claimed the noodle as their own.

Chinese researchers may have finally settled the contentious question by unearthing a 4,000-year-old container of noodles in northwestern China."

More weird animal stories

"Python Explodes After Eating Alligator""

(Be sure to check out the photo with the article.)

"Alligators have clashed with nonnative pythons before in Everglades National Park. But when a 6-foot gator tangled with a 13-foot python recently, the result wasn't pretty.

The snake apparently tried to swallow the gator whole — and then exploded."


More python news, this time with a kitty! :(

"This Time, Python Eats Siamese Cat"

Shark bait?!

Fido and Fluffy used as shark bait ...

"Dogs used as shark bait"

Throw 'im in!

I don't usually believe in an "eye for an eye," but in this case I think the man should be thrown in with the lions instead of getting life in prison ...

"Life for S Africa lion murderer"

"White farmer Mark Scott-Crossley and an employee beat up black former worker Nelson Chisale, and threw him to lions.

"Scott-Crossley had earlier sacked Mr. Chisale, who was murdered when he went back to the farm to get his belongings."

50 years

James Dean died 50 years ago today at the age of 24 ...

"The Dean of Immortality"

When I was a teen and into my early college years, I had a thing for James Dean. The walls of my room were covered with his image from posters, pictures and a calendar.

I never knew exactly where he died. I just remember seeing a photo of his smashed-up Porsche. There is a memorial at the junction of Highways 41 and 46 in Cholame in San Luis Obispo County. Was just in that area last year. If I had known I was so close, I would have stopped there. Will have to make another drive down that way soon.

"A Lasting Tribute"

Kimchi in the news, again*

OK, headline is a bit misleading, but ...

"S. Korea questions safety of national dish kimchi"

The article states that "a study by the Seoul Research Institute of Public Health and Environment had indicated that Chinese imports contained three to five times more lead than domestic kimchi."

Hmm, wonder where San Francisco kimchi comes from. Will have to check my kimchi jar.

*On April 29, 2005, the Wall Street Journal also had an article ("Scientist Believes South Korea's National Dish Can Fight Bird-Flu Virus" -- accessible if you have an account) about kimchi.

Disgusting

I was horrified when I read about this incident last week ...

"Man Charged After Urinating On Woman"

"Students may face charges for racially motivated felony"

"The Ann Arbor Police Department has issued warrants for two University students for allegedly yelling obscenities and urinating on two students in a racially motivated act."

"AAPD Lt. Michael Logghe classified the crime as ethnic intimidation, or verbal or physical attack against a person of another race or gender. Logghe said ethnic intimidation is a felony and carries a maximum penalty of four years in jail. The suspects could also be charged with assault, and one of the suspects could face a charge of indecent exposure, which would require him to register as a sex offender."

I hope the students not only get expelled, but also convicted of the felony and all other charges.

Seems some U of M students need a refresher course in potty training ...

"University of Michigan Football Player Arrested For Urinating on Barroom Floor"

Flipper: Armed and dangerous?!

"Armed and dangerous - Flipper the firing dolphin let loose by Katrina"

"Armed dolphins, trained by the US military to shoot terrorists and pinpoint spies underwater, may be missing in the Gulf of Mexico."

OK, well maybe not ...
"Dolphin assassins menace Gulf of Mexico"

'Knowing what I know now'

On NPR this morning ...

StoryCorps: Recording America
"A Birth-Mother and a Son Revisit the Past"

Listen to the audio clip. An excerpt below:

Son: "You now know having lived through it what the consequences of choosing to give me up are. So knowing what you know now, would you do it again?"

Birth mother: "Well, of course, knowing what I know now, I wouldn't do it again.... Now I wouldn't even think about it because the separation and the loss is just way too hard."

Promises

"North Korea to Scrap Nuclear Program"

The list of the "Highlights of Accord" includes "U.S. has no intention to attack N. Korea."

Uh, yeah, we have wars going on in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the government can't even respond to a natural disaster in its own backyard. Then again, who knows what goes on in the mind of Shrub -- maybe there'd be a good photo op for him in North Korea, err, I mean in an "Axis of Evil."

9:12 a.m.

I was born at 오전 9시 12분. I weighed 3.0 kilograms, or 6 pounds and 3 ounces. I received the polio, smallpox, measles, and diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (DPT) vaccinations when I was a baby.

This information may not seem very important to many people. But it is for me.

Unlike many others I know, I don't have to wonder if my birthday is my real date of birth. I even know the exact time I was born and where.

Amazingly, I have my birth tag and immunization records. My 이모, maternal aunt, gave them to me while I was in Korea.

I also know that I was loved dearly -- and wanted. Like my birth date, this much I know is true, without a doubt.

Ouch!

"South Africa anti-rape condom aims to stop attacks"

"A South African inventor unveiled a new anti-rape female condom on Wednesday that hooks onto an attacker's penis.... The device, made of latex and held firm by shafts of sharp barbs, can only be removed from the man by surgery, which will alert hospital staff, and ultimately, the police."

Welcome to the doghouse

Can you teach an "old dog" new tricks?

Based on years of experience and study, the answer is "NO"!

The "old dog" is now in the doghouse ... indefinitely.

Grrrrrr.

The rules

Just down the block from my home is this little hole-in-the-wall sushi restaurant. It's only open Monday through Friday, and only takes cash. I haven't eaten there yet, but I always see people outside the place, waiting for it to open at 7:00 p.m., or the place is filled (fits maybe 10 people max).

The other day I walked by the restaurant and noticed a new sign in the window that listed the "House Rules":

1. Everything is good and everything is fresh.


2. No forks, no soda.


3. No teriyaki, no tempura.


4. No rush orders.


5. No to go.


6. Cash only.


7. No weekends.


8. No complaining.


9. Come back after 9:00.

Lately, I've been on a quest to visit all the Korean restaurants in the area, but I may just have to try this little gem the next time I get a sushi craving.

Addition (August 25, 9:51 p.m.):
Walked by again to get the complete list of rules. Missing one. Hmm.

Wanted: Duck killer

I'd like to see this bastard get run over by a car a few times ...

"Sadistic driver intentionally plows into hapless fowl"

"Reward in duck massacre grows to $14K"

"The birds were killed early on the morning of Aug. 5 by a man in a red Acura sedan who was caught by a security camera deliberately driving back and forth over the creatures, most of them babies from a newly hatched batch of 17 ducklings. At one point in the disturbing attack, the killer got out of his car to manhandle the ducklings with his bare hands."

Probably got annoyed they were in his way or something.

A follow-up article states that felony animal abuse can bring up to three years in prison. I hope he's found and gets the maximum sentence. Unfortunately, he'll probably only be charged with animal cruelty and have to pay a fine.

The DMZ as a nature park?

Hmm, Ted Turner?!

"A nature park for Koreas' DMZ?"

Perhaps after they clear the area of landmines ...

"There are tens of thousands of landmines and pieces of unexploded ordinance in the DMZ because of the heavy fighting during the war. There are also periodic explosions when animals such as a deer stumble into mine fields."

Too cute!

Stampede!

For used iBooks ...

"Panic ensues in rush for cheap laptops"

"One woman ... was so desperate to retain her place in line that she urinated on herself."