Elections - Korean Style

Yesterday brought the blessed end to regional elections throughout Korea. For those who have not had the pleasure of experiencing Korean-style elections (these are my second), allow me to explain their most charming feature: the use of the megaphones and flatbed trucks. Basically, someone got the marvelous idea that candidates should record songs, monologues and jingles on tape, set up a megaphone system on a truck, and then drive around the city blasting their individual messages.

This happens everywhere and at all hours.

Some candidates even go so far as to ride around on these trucks, themselves, disseminating asinine rhetoric with catch phrases like "Dong Tae Kim Works Hard!" or "Tae Kyeong Kim has Experience!" On top of all of this, it seems that the Conservative party has swept the elections. Now, don't get me wrong, I agree with some American conservative tenets--but not so in Korea.

In other words: kill me now.

Dave Tate 2 - Wants and Needs

As long as he keeps putting up quality stuff like this, I will continue to steal it.

"...One other topic that came up dealt with commitment.

I am big into this and this is something I take very seriously. Since this whole "project" started (me getting into shape and getting healthy) I have been contacted many times (over 40 now) in regards to how I did it and what can they do to do the same thing. They all admire what I am doing but state they can't do it themselves.

Why?

Because on a commitment scale they suck. They all have stated that they want to do it (lose weight and get healthy) but they do not NEED to do it. To WANT something and to NEED something are two entirely different things. When you make a want a need then you are committed because at this point you cut off any other option except for success. Many don't like this because they also will take full responsibility and can't pass the buck or place the blame.

For me I want the ball in my hands, I want the responsibility and need the challenge. There are many things I want to do. These are on my want list but are not set goals because I am not committed to them. They may happen someday or they may not but I don't go around telling people about them because at this time I am not doing anything but thinking about them. When something hits my goal list then a NEED is established and I will do whatever I need to to make it happen because failure is not an option. I get in it to finish it, for better or for worse. The commitment is made and action is taken and stays on track regardless of how screwed up the track gets.

The problem with these people is they have not made a real internal commitment to what they want so it never becomes a need. This is fine enjoy life, have fun, train hard but don't tell me you can't do something or it is too hard to do because this is total bullshit. You have all over come more than this in your lives. You just don't want it bad enough."

Enough is...

I took this photo with my phone, on the way to the grocery store this evening.




The "well being" fad in Korea has gone a little too far.

Poker Championship Series

There is something pretty cool going on here in Korea which I thought I might bring it up here.

Adam (my Canadian ex-roommate / coworker / BrokebackMountainBuddy) has arranged a for-cash poker game tomorrow with a buy-in of $100, winner take all. The idea is that we play until someone wins, then we all go out, eat (and drink) like slobs, with the winner picking up the bill for most of it and then keeping whatever change is left over as a prize.

The idea being that a bunch of cool people get together, battle it out, but then piss the cash away having fun.

We should do something like this when I get back. Everybody has fun, the winner gets a little cash and nobody needs to feel like they really lost out that much.

What think ye?

Dreaming

I had a dream last night. In the dream, I was driving a car, in which were several passengers. I'm not sure what kind of car it was, or where we were driving, I know only this--the car is out of control. So here I am, driving this out of control car with several passengers, all of whom are counting on me to get them out this situation alive. Needless to say, the situation is more than a little stressful. When the dream ends the situation has not been resolved, but nobody has been hurt yet either.

The considerably more interesting aspect of this dream, something I only realized this morning, is that I've had this dream several times. It is decidedly recurring.

Psychos and Psychologists, start your engines.

Smoke and Mirrors

This kind of crap makes me sick.

For those that are not inclined to read the article, it basically talks about how 'designer' services are popping up so that people can use them to appear more influential, rich or powerful than they really are. Things like renting Gucci bags, Ferraris, having a call service that makes it seem like you have your own secretary, etc.

What pretentious nonsense.

Whatever the gene is that makes people care about what strangers think about them, I seem to lack it.

Asshaving Revisited

Konami, I'll have a classic--or I'll have your ass.

Click

Only In Korea

You've got to love stuff like this.

Murderous Dog Stew Lover Undone by Telltale Collar

A discarded dog collar led authorities to a man in his 40s who had stolen a pedigree dog and turned it into the stew known as Boshintang that is still considered a delicacy by some Koreans.

Police said a woman identified as Kim (57) on the morning of April 3 tied her pedigree dog, of a breed that sells for some US$300, in the yard of the restaurant she manages. That was the last she saw of her furry companion. Searching all over the neighborhood later that morning, however, she found the animal’s collar near the door of a portakabin, home to a man identified as Song (44). Kim reported her suspicion that Song had stolen the dog to the police, who arrested the man on Monday.

An officer with Seoul Guro-gu police station said Song was a great lover of Boshintang, and his mouth watered at the sight of the dog, driving him to steal the animal and eat it. "He probably never thought he would be caught because of the collar," the officer added.


The only thing that bothers me is in the first sentence. When they say 'still' and 'some Koreans', it sounds like they are judging their own culture by Western standards--which is bullshit, in my opinion.

Dave Tate's Random Thoughts

Not only is he getting jacked, he's got some great ideas as well. I completely agree with what he's written here:

" Simple things dawn on me all the time. I listen, watch and learn from everyone I come across. I am looking for anything that I can pass on or make myself better.

In the past 24 hours I have spoke to two different people. The first is getting married next week to a guy who is freaking loaded, she just got a huge raise, and is very nice to look at if you know what I mean. Yet, she is one of the most negative people I have ever spoken to. I dread speaking to her because all it is negative gossip, what is wrong with the world, who said this and who said that. Just seeing her emails or name on my message pad kills me. We go back a very long time so I try my best to keep in touch but it is draining. She should be excited as everything seems to be going very well for her but she is making herself miserable and is stressed to the max.

The second person is one I love to hear from. He is in the battle of his life and is dealing with shit I only pray I never have to deal with. While the person above is shopping he is puking blood. While she is driving her BMW he is wondering when the hell will end. While she is gossiping on the phone he is speaking with doctors. While she finalizing wedding plans he is making sure his will is in order. Yet, he is one of the most positive pleasant people in the world to speak to. He looks top each day as a gift and takes the time to make sure it is treated as such. He is a master of life while she is letting life master her.

I guess, without much more rambling, the point is we can't always choose what happens or what we have to deal with but we can choose our reaction to it.

It is not what happens around us that determines our happiness, it is what happen within us that does."

2006 Busan International Motor Show

For some weeks now a degree of anticipation has been building for Busan's third biannual motor show. I considered stopping by (as I have a fair amount of free time on my hands), but to be honest, I'm not particularly interested in cars.

I am, however, particularly interested in this:



I ended up going to the show alone, initially with a hint of distain toward the Koreans guys there and how many pictures I heard they were taking. This holier-than-thou business did not last long; as soon as man met the womanflesh, man's baser instincts took control.






Now, it's been about a week since I took these pictures (well, these and about one hundred more), and I realize that they don't do the genuine article justice.

Some might wonder what the big deal is.

To the naysayers, I have only these words: If you weren't there, you simply can't understand.

Motivational Strategy #2481-B

As things continue to warm up and the diet progresses, I have decided to implement diet strategy #2481-B: namely, the not wearing of shirts at all times while at home, particularly while sitting down.

Sitting at the desk with the gut in plain view at all times should prove highly motivating. With the advent of clothes, we sometimes forget what we really look like.

Let's Attack Aggressively!

One thing I forgot to mention about last week's emulation session. Adam
and I were cruising through a variety of games, playing each for a few
minutes before moving on. Largely, the NES games were pretty boring.
Nostalgia can only do so much.

However, when we kicked it up to the SNES we were immediately blown
away by one game:



Holy shit, that game is kick-the-front-door-in, ball busting action from the get-go. The music starts rocking the moment you hit the ground and before you know it you're blowing up cars, crushing fools with a tank and dodging exploding pillars of flame.

At any rate, Maddox has already touched on this game far better than I ever could.