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October 31 A big surpriseI was in for a big surprise this afternoon. My replacement as chair of our association asked me to meet with him about something. He told me about a past issue we were having and asked me to join him on a walk to discuss it. He took me down to our coffee shop, and out popped half of our association board and the general manager gathered there to throw me a surprise party. They gave me a really nice certificate laminated to an oversized oriental concrete roof tile (see photo below), the same kind of tile we used to repair the association building roof. I was absolutely surprised, beside myself...and touched! I couldn't believe it. It's one of the nicest things anyone has done for me. The tile is heavy and believe it or not, pretty expensive. Their thoughtfulness is priceless. I stepped down from the board last September, and I thought that would be the end of it after one year as chair and one-and-a-half years on the board. Of all the special moments I've had during my time in Seoul, this one ranks near the top. It's been a trying two weeks for me at work, and this was such a welcomed respite from the onslaught on my desk waiting to be done. My certificate and roof tile are now proudly displayed on my shelf behind me. I'll carry that 15 pound concrete tile around the world with me.
For the Shutterbugs: I posted some photos tonight of Halloween activities from the past week. My son is the one dressed up as Batman (see my previous blog entry). I also posted some photos of our pet spider, a golden orb weaver we named "Charlotte." Charlotte is still around and as big as ever. She must be two-and-a-half inches long by now. We'll be sad when she finally crawls away in a few days or weeks. October 29 Batman and SpideyLast night my son donned his Batman costume and joined his best friend, Michael, who portrayed Spider-man, for a round of neighborhood trick or treating. They did more treating than tricking, collecting handfuls of candy from our generous neighbors. Where we live, Halloween festivities are held on the last Saturday evening in October, regardless of whether it falls on October 31st. Koreans don't celebrate Halloween, so the date does not matter to them. Some Korean children enjoy putting on a variety of homemade costumes so they can fill their bags with candy, but it is not a widespread practice here. Neither my wife nor I are fans of the holiday because of its dark connotations and fattening confectionary exchanges. I trick-or-treated when I was young, but after my wife and I married, we made it a habit to go out to dinner to avoid the trick-or-treaters. Now that we have a son, we acknowledge the holiday to the point that we allow our son to wear a costume and collect some candy with his chums. We're pragmatic about it--we would rather our son not feel different from his peers for the sake of not observing a holiday we don't really like. It would be awkward for him to go to class without a costume when his classmates and teachers are dressed up, and we would have to explain to him why he can't trick or treat when his friends can do it. We'd rather let him have some fun, even if we now have a bag full of candy. Mom and dad will probably covertly munch on a few to make sure they're safe to eat.
Tonight I carved a Jack-o-lantern with my son, just like we did last year. Last year we carved Oliver, one of the Thomas-the-Tank-Engine trains. This year, my son wanted me to carve it into Spider-man. He wanted to dress up for Halloween as the Green Goblin, Spider-man's nemesis from the first Spider-man film, but we talked him out of it. After his friend Michael decided to be Spider-man, he decided to carve his pumpkin in Spider-man's likeness. Next year, in Paraguay, he wants to dress up as Superman. Last year he was Thomas the Tank Engine. What a difference a year makes.
Tonight's topic got me wondering about a mystery of life--why do some comic book superheroes and archvillians become popular, and some don't? Batman and Spider-man, along with Superman, are the three most popular superheroes in comic book lore. Between them, the three characters have spawned hundreds of comic books and almost a dozen movies. What happened to other superheroes and villians from the animal world, including Snakeman, Mansquito (Mosquito Man), and Sharkman? It seems that some of the most popular superheroes and villians, such as Wolverine, are based on creatures from the animal kingdom that create fear and wonderment among us humans. Why aren't other creatures (or pests) who create fear in humans popular comic book characters? Why aren't there heroes or villains such as Pigeon Man, the bird poo slinger, or Yellow Jacket Man, who ruins backyard barbeques, or Pit Bull Man, who grabs bad guys and won't let go? They would be really cool. The characters could be females, but I would not wish it on any woman to be one of those superheroes or villains. Viral Man to the rescue! October 26 Days getting shorter, time running outOur time here in Korea is getting shorter and shorter. In just three months, we will depart the Land of the Morning Calm and Daytime Frenzy for the United States. My wife and I put together a master calendar and started throwing activities on it like darts on a dart board. Lately we've found ourselves saying, "Don't forget to do that; oh yeah, we really have to have so and so over before we leave." About three months out from a major move, you find yourself starting to figure out how to do absolutely everything you need or really want to do before you leave. All else gets cut from the master plan.
I've been told that we really don't need to do any move activities until one month before we move, although that is advice I've heard from people who subsequently claim to be in a tizzy and running out of time before the big move. I think it would be better to get it all done earlier and then be absolutely bored for the last two weeks of our stay here in Korea. That's not going to happen! I'll settle for the middle ground and hope we can get most of it done weeks in advance. At least this move won't be as earth-shattering as our first move, when we dismantled our average middle-class suburban life and exchanged it for adventure and expat life that seems eerily similar to the life we had back in suburbia!
Nevertheless, by this time next year we will be in Paraguay, experiencing an entirely new reality. I love Korea, but I am ready for a change of scenery. At some point I need to start blogging more about Paraguay and my quest to improve my Spanish. It seems so far away, even if it is only a few months from now. October 25 Guest blogger: A typical weekend at homeTonight, I have the honor of posting one of my wife's excellent blog entries. Enjoy!
Hubby's disclaimer: In case you're wondering whether I'm some slacker dad who lets my wife do everything on the weekend, I thought I would let you know that I do grocery shopping during weekdays, do a variety of household chores on the weekends, and often take my son during the weekend. Whenever my son is ill, he tends to prefer being with mommy. Her comforting spirit is something I cannot match. Whenever he's healthy, he loves hanging out with dear old dad. October 23 Featured Blog: Steven's Space (Barenaked Ladies)Barenaked Ladies (BNL) is one of my favorite music groups. Their music lyrics are eclectic, pensive, and subtly satirical--OK, sometimes not so subtly--a bit like I can be. I love their music and can relate to their offbeat style, which is why BNL is one of the few groups whose albums I will buy unheard, because I know that I'm buying something I will undoubtedly enjoy. Frontman Steven Page started publishing a blog (http://bnlsteven.spaces.live.com/) on Windows Live to promote the group's latest album, "Are Me," and the band's upcoming "BLAM" tour. I think it's a fabulous way to reach out to fans, and I'm glad that Windows Live Spaces conned, cajoled, or doused him in bucketloads of moolah to get him to start a blog. Thanks, Steven! You are the real frontman--don't forget that. Just because Ed gets more airtime...pshah. You are real deal.
I will plug the shameless fan blog comment I posted on Steven's blog tonight:
I had to one shameless step further in the vain hope that Steven will actually click on the link to this web site and stop by for a visit. That's the best a poor, shameless fan could expect! October 22 Public officials can be nice people tooIn this day and age when cynicism reigns, scandals real and manufactured burst into the news, and public officials are caricaturized and dehumanized, it is easy to forget than public officials are people too. Yes, that politician you can't stand is still a human being. Most don't deserve to be castigated as much as they are in media and public discourse. This fact crossed my mind this week when I met two top U.S. officials. I was very impressed by both of them.
Earlier this week I briefly met Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice while she was in Seoul for a visit. She stopped by the U.S. Embassy for a short meet and greet with Embassy employees and their family members. I organized the event. Following her brief remarks, I shook her hand and ushered her to a place where she could take photos with members of the Embassy community. It's the third time I've seen her in Korea and the first time I've met her personally. Each time I see her, I'm struck by how cordial and friendly she is with others. She treats people courteously, and she exudes a demeanor that invites you to be personable with her. In spite of the crush of people who wanted to be close to her for a photo or a handshake, she held her own with grace. Regardless of your views on U.S. foreign policy, you would probably come to the same conclusion if you met her in person. I write this not because I have anything to gain by "sucking up," but rather, I truly believe she is a graceful lady who holds up well under pressure. I sometimes feel empathy when I see her on the news and try to imagine the immense pressure she faces in front of the camera each day by other world leaders, by the media, and by the public. It is a tremendous responsibility for anyone to bear, to look your best at all times when you lack sleep and have the weight of the world on your shoulders.
Last night, I picked up Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin and two members of his staff at the airport for a short visit here in Seoul. Mr. Martin and another colleague joined me last night for a couple of drinks and a short tour of one of Seoul's busier districts. It's not every day one has a chance to sit down and share drinks and conversation with the head of a federal agency (traveling overseas affords those opportunities more frequently than when one is in Washington, D.C.). Both Mr. Martin and his colleague were charming and affable. We're all about the same age and have some things in common, so the conversation was lively and touched on many different, interesting topics. Although both gentlemen are very busy working for one of Washington's busiest agencies, I hope we will all have an opportunity to meet again in the states. Mr. Martin replaced Michael Powell, the son of former Secretary of State Colin Powell. His tenure as FCC chairman has been far less contentious than that of Mr. Powell.
Meeting Secretary Rice and Mr. Martin reminded me that public officials are are human as you and me, and many of them can be nice. October 19 Fan death vs. mosquito deathThe other night I couldn't sleep. I woke up at 3:30 a.m. with a mosquito buzzing around my head. The lil' buggers here are much more aggressive than the ones in parts of the U.S. where I've lived, and now is the time of the year when they seek refuge indoors, out of the cold and (literally) into the arms of humans. It seems as if they visit you, not once, not twice, but thrice a night for a hemoglobin refill. Fed up with the inconsiderate bloodsucker, I turned on the bedroom light, tracked it down, and mercilessly dispatched the annoying critter with a fly swatter. I returned to bed victorious over my quashed foe, but by then I couldn't fall back to sleep. At 4:30 a.m., another nasty cretin buzzed around my head. Fed up once again, I ended up getting up for the rest of the day. Mosquito net is the surest way to eliminate annoying mosquitoes, but we decided to forego a net, because we did not need one last year. What a mistake.
To avoid a repeat assault last night, I tried something new to discourage mosquitoes from accosting me--I turned on the fan full bore. The air turned cool, and I hunkered down to keep warm, but I wasn't berated by any mosquitoes. I had a blissful, buzz-free night. As an added precaution to keep the mosquitoes at bay, I closed the bedroom door. Fortunately, I survived. Most Koreans believe in "fan death," a condition where an individual in a closed room with a running fan faces a heightened risk of death. That's right--if you close the door and run an electric fan, you are more likely to die. The alleged causes are many, including suffocation, poisoning, and hypothermia. Is it true? Ask a Korean, they will probably tell you "yes." Ask a non-Korean, and you are likely to hear strong skepticism. As a foreigner, I am more than willing to run the risk of fan death, particularly if running a fan in a closed room helps me avoid another, more credible, cause of death--mosquito death. At the very least, my skin will look better, and I won't be subject to so many mosquito welts! October 18 A parade of dignitariesThe past few days have witnessed a parade of dignitaries streaming through Seoul. Last night I went to a reception honoring the Washington State trade delegation, a group of 86 government and business leaders now in Korea on a trade mission. Governor Christine Gregoire and University of Washington President Mark Emmert were in attendance. Unfortunately, neither stayed long at the reception, apparently committed to appear at another function. They departed before we could exchange words. Nevertheless, it was fun to meet some fellow Washingtonians as well as Koreans who attended school in Washington State.
Tomorrow a very important visitor will be in town for a one-day visit with Korean leaders. I'm busy getting ready for the visit, as are many of my colleagues. This weekend, yet another U.S. official will arrive in Seoul, and I will pick them up at the airport. It feels like a veritable who's who among American political and business leaders. It's definitely a happening time to be in Seoul right now. I'm glad I'm here right now, despite having interviewed my 26,500th individual today. It is a mental gride interviewing that many people, to be sure, but times when the dignitaries roll in and you play a part in planning and executing logistics make it worth the mental taxation. I think. October 15 Our wildlife collectionWe aren't really pet people. We don't have a cat, dog, or any other furry creature, but somehow we've managed to gather an eclectic collection of wildlife here at home. We have three tetra fish. The blue one is named "daddy," the pink one is named "mommy," and the translucent yellowish one is named "baby." We have a pet spider, a gorgeous golden orb weaver spider outside our door I named "Charlotte," after the fictional spider Charlotte in Charlotte's web. Our Charlotte's web is a bit messier than Charlotte's web in the children's classic.
Then we have "Pest," a collection of pesky mosquitoes that have migrated into our home. Korea has plenty. It doesn't help that our home isn't far from a giant pool near a big city park, a good mosquito breeding ground. In fact, the mosquito buzzing around my head right now helped me think of this trivial blog entry. Now that the weather has turned cooler (it's been a beautiful fall), the mosquitoes are trying to move in full force. It seems that every night we have at least three mosquitoes in each room. We won't be able to root them out until late November or December. They arrive in early spring and stay with us for about seven months. I definitely will not miss the mosquitoes when we leave Korea. I will miss Charlotte and the fish family, though. We can't take the fish with us, and we plan to donate them to someone in the neighborhood. Charlotte will disappear within a few weeks as the frost sets in, her life having run its course. I will miss the golden orb weaver spiders. They are absolutely the most beautiful spiders I have ever seen. I wonder what critters will be waiting for us in Paraguay. Spiders, mosquitoes, and snakes, I'm sure. Oh, my! October 14 Rain's ComingLast night my wife and I attended Korean pop megastar Rain's concert to promote his fourth, soon-to-be-released album, "Rain's Coming." One of my coworkers gave me two VIP tickets to Rain's concert at Olympic Stadium in Jamsil (south Seoul). About 40,000 fans showed up to cheer the Korean pop star whose vocals and music style are one part Usher, one part Justin Timberlake, and one part Michael Jackson (yes, the King of Pop) minus the crotch grabbing. Rain is the English translation of his Korean name, "Bi" or "Pi." Rain has been making waves on both sides of the Pacific, especially after his appearance on MTV's Total Recall earlier this year. His image has shifted somewhat from that of a Korean entertainer to that of an international persona. My wife, who's more up on Korean pop (K-pop) than I am, told me that Rain is planning an English language album to break into the U.S. market. Mainstream pop artists who want to make it big in the U.S. ultimately need to sing in English, although some foreign language songs do become runaway hits (e.g. "Macarena," a Spanish-language song, and "Da Da Da," a German song). "Rain's Coming" is Rain's prelude to hitting the U.S. music scene in full force.
I enjoyed the concert. The stage show was excellent, although I was a bit perturbed by the opening sequence depicting Rain as a military helicopter pilot shot down during a fire fight. Recalling the horror my father went through during the Vietnam War when his helicopter was shot down by enemy fire along the DMZ, I was not happy to see Rain incorporate such horror into his show. He has no idea what hell guys like my father went through when they're shot down and have to fight for their lives on the ground in a hostile environment. (For a glimpse of what it's like to be shot down in a helicopter over enemy territory, try watching "Blackhawk Down.") I think war is inglorious and should not be part of a concert stage show. Despite this, the show's visual effects, particularly Rain's transformation into an angel, were absolutely stunning. It is the most professional stage show I've seen since my wife and I went to Barenaked Ladies' "Maroon" concert a few years ago. My wife thoroughly enjoyed the concert, as did the thousands of screaming fans yelling all around me. I felt like a middle-aged fuddy duddy in the middle of a crowd of Gen Y youths, and I'm not even that old! At times, I found my foot tapping to some of the music, and I had to make myself stop. I'm not supposed to like K-pop ala NSync. Fortunately, I was sitting next to another coworker in her 50's. She is an unabashed Rain fan and loved the concert. She took some photos of the concert and will send them to me next week. When she does, I will post them on this blog. You'll see them here first.
Perhaps the most tragic moment of the concert happened when we were assigned to new seats because the concert promoters accidentally issued two tickets for each seat in the VIP area. When the real ticket holders arrived to take their seats, we were in them. We explained that the ushers put us there, but they refused to move even after the ushers asked them to move. I felt badly taking their seats, but we had no control over the chaos down on the floor in front of the stage. If I had my druthers, I would have moved, but our group did not want to move. After about 20 minutes, the ticket holders we displaced finally gave up and moved to different seats. It took a lot of cajoling and irrational Korean dialogue to resolve the issue. I sat quietly and thanked my stars that I can't argue well in Korean! They left me alone because I'm a foreigner.
Blog Notes: I was offline for a couple days because my computer monitor burned out last Thursday. It's nigh impossible to use a computer when you can't see anything! I went to the store today and bought a beautiful 19-inch Sony monitor. It's almost too nice for the computer I've been using! Very easy on the eyes.
As expected, Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon was elected by the United Nations to serve as its next Secretary-General. Congratulations, Korea and Mr. Ban. Make us all proud. Also in the news today--traces of radioactivity have apparently been found in the air near the site of the alleged nuclear test in North Korea. The UN Security Council agreed on a draft of sanctions against North Korea. Hold on tight. We could be in for a bumpy ride. October 11 The stiletto heel danceThis may be funny to some but not to others. Korean women often wear high-heeled shoes. Stiletto-heeled shoes are especially fashionable. It's not so fashionable, though, to get those stilettos caught in pavement crevasses or between cobblestones while walking on the street. Every once in awhile, while one walks through the streets of Seoul, one notices a stylishly-dressed woman suddenly stop, look down, back up, lift her leg slightly, and then move forward again, as if pirouetting during a dance sequence. Most of these ladies seem well-trained in the art of keeping their dignity intact while extracting their heels from offending crevasses. They make it look good rather than embarassing, and effortless to boot. The odds are good that walking in Seoul wearing stiletto heels will inevitably result in such incidents. It makes me glad that I don't wear stiletto-heeled shoes. October 10 Still hereYes, it is still here. Yes, we are still here. Despite North Korean claims that it had conducted an underground nuclear test yesterday morning, life in Seoul was fairly calm by Korean standards. The air was a bit more agitated than usual with news of the test and with new Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in town for a visit with Korean President Roh Moo-hyun. I spent the afternoon touring the Insadong area of Seoul with my mom. (During our tour yesterday, we spotted Abe's wife Akie strolling through the shopping area). The air was truly still--no public panics, no riots, no protests, virtually nothing happened. If the news is indeed true, it seemed almost anticlimactic, but that's fine with me. We are still here, and that's good. If we weren't, that would probably be bad. For those in the U.S. wondering whether this will lead to the unthinkable, rest assured that at this moment, life seems to be focused on business as usual in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula.
Few really know what truly happened yesterday in North Korea. Some experts even speculate that the "test" was a ruse by the North Koreans to convince the world they had detonated an atomic device, when they really had not. Right now, speculation about what happened is running rampant, and the Powers That Be are huddling behind closed doors around the world, trying to decide how to respond to North Korea's claims, sorting through the evidence to discern the truth. No matter what, I hope that North Korea's claims that whatever happened was fully contained are in fact true, because I don't want anyone--particularly my family--exposed to any radiation drifting down from the North. October 08 Can Cyworld catch MySpace?Earlier this year, Cyworld, South Korea's hottest online social networking site, launched a U.S. version of its popular web community. Cyworld also launched mirror sites in Japan, China, and Taiwan (R.O.C.). Owned and operated by SK Telecom, one of South Korea's largest telecommunications companies, Cyworld has been nothing short of phenomenal in South Korea. According to Wikipedia, 90% of Koreans in their 20's have a Cyworld account (I've read as many as 95% of youth under 29 do), and 25% of all Koreans have a Cyworld account (I believe this to be much higher). A question has been mulling over in my mind for awhile--can U.S. Cyworld catch up to MySpace, another online social networking phenomenon? While MySpace does not have the penetration rate in the U.S. that Cyworld has in South Korea, an estimated 50 million visitors visit MySpace each month, more than the entire population of South Korea (est. 48 million).
I like both Cyworld and MySpace. I set up accounts with both sites and tested them out. Both are comparable and offer compelling products. Cyworld has a stronger social pull than MySpace, but MySpace offers more features that allow individuals to showcase their talents. The sites' objectives differ in that Cyworld has always been about sharing one's life with family and friends, whereas MySpace began from humble beginnings as a way for people to showcase their talents. MySpace launched as a site for musicians and music fans to network in a new and different way. MySpace' theme is still centered around music, and its success, like that of Apple's iPod, can be partly attributed to Americans' strong affinity for music. Cyworld tapped into South Korean's affinity for socializing and networking. Americans aren't quite as attuned to networking for networking's sake, which is likely why early social networking sites without specific themes such as Tribe.net and Friendster did not experience the success of MySpace or college-themed site Facebook.
Will Cyworld catch MySpace and become the biggest social networking site in America, just as it has in South Korea? No, I don't think so. I don't believe that Cyworld will supplant MySpace as America's favorite online hangout, just as I don't believe MySpace could overtake Cyworld in South Korea. Google has had difficulty competing in South Korea against Naver, Korea's biggest online search engine, to the point that it recently announced that it will open a research and development center in Korea to figure out how to catch up to Naver. Likewise, as compelling as Cyworld's product is, it too will have difficulty beating MySpace on its home turf. Still, the U.S. social networking market is big enough that there is plenty of room for Cyworld and MySpace to co-exist. I believe Cyworld will establish a viable presence in the U.S., possibly partnering with SK's joint venture with EarthLink, Helio. Helio currently markets MySpace Mobile, but it's entirely conceivable that it will partner with its sister company, Cyworld, in the not-too-distant future.
Which social networking site do I think is the coolest? Hands down, Second Life is by far the coolest. Although it requires a good computer graphics card and a downloaded software program, Second Life's virtual reality interface puts it leagues ahead of any web community bound by static web pages. Second Life was recently featured in a BusinessWeek Magazine article. I set up an account and briefly checked it out. It is quite amazing. Although I did not explore too far into this strange new world, I imagined its amazing potential and plan to visit again soon. I would not be surprised if Second Life creates the same kind of buzz next year that MySpace did this year. Run by a small, private outfit, Second Life will probably get many unsolicited buyout offers from major technology or media companies.
Blog Notes: AP is reporting that New York Yankees Manager Joe Torre may resign or be fired after the Yankees' loss to the Detroit Tigers in Major League Baseball's American League Divisional Series. Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner may rehire former Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, and Seattle Mariners Manager Lou Piniella to take his place. That would add yet another former Mariner to the Yankees roster, extending the Curse of Yamauchi. Message to Lou Piniella--don't do it! You couldn't manage Tampa Bay! You're not going to last three years in Yankees pinstripes! No matter what, Joe Torre won't be unemployed for long. As soon as he's fired, the have-nots of baseball will be lining up to let him manage their team.
Should Google buy YouTube? YouBet! Although YouTube competes with Google Video, Google Video is still in beta (as my cousin often likes to note), and YouTube is far more popular. YouTube fits well into Google's mission and product offerings. Like MySpace, YouTube has generated significant buzz this year. However, before Google invests $1.6 billion of its war chest, it must answer two questions: 1) How will YouTube make it money? and 2) How will it handle copyright issues? After all, much of YouTube's uploaded video content is copyrighted, opening the possibility of hefty lawsuits for copyright infringement. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your perspective), Google is already grappling with both these issues as it tries to grow its business beyond search. If Google can figure out how to make money from searchable content it does not produce without intrusive ads, and it can resolve sticky legal issues, then it should invest in YouTube. At the very least, it should help Google's stock price! October 07 200,000 hits and the Curse of YamauchiThank you, Dear Reader, for visiting World Adventurers over 200,000 times. I really appreciate it! I was very happy to see this blog pass that milestone. I especially have to thank Google, Technorati, and Baidu for hitting it so often--some of the hits come from Web searches. Thank you for stopping by to read my musings and post comments. I will do my best to respond to your comments soon.
As if that weren't enough, the Detroit Tigers eliminated the New York Yankees, the best team money can buy, from post-season play in Major League Baseball. I am such a happy camper, and I'm not even camping! Will wonders never cease? First, the Atlanta Braves' 14-year playoff streak is broken, then the Yankees become the Braves by making it to the post-season for the ninth time but falling short yet again. Will Manager Joe Torre be able to keep his job year in and year out without a World Series ring, as has Braves Manager Bobby Cox? We'll have to wait and see what Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner does. Wait, before flaming me, Yankees and Braves fans, consider this--I am a lowly, hapless Seattle Mariners fan. I root for a team languishing in futility and tantalizes fans with letdown season after letdown season. It breaks my heart to see two of the greatest Mariners of all time, Randy Johnson and Alex Rodriguez, playing on the New York Yankees. Come root for the Mariners for, oh, 29 years, the number of times the Yankees have won the World Series, before casting any sneaky fastballs this way.
Actually, watching A-Rod and Randy on the Yankees may be for the best. I have a theory, and here it is: No team with a former Seattle Mariner who came up through the Mariners farm system will win the World Series while the Mariner is on that team, unless that player is acquired through a trade with the Mariners (and your team is not the Arizona Diamondbacks--OK, so this theory has a lot of stipulations). Call it the "Curse of Yamauchi" (in honor of Hiroshi Yamauchi, majority owner of the Mariners). When Mariner Pitcher Freddy Garcia was traded to the Chicago White Sox, they won the World Series. When Mariner Pitcher Derek Lowe and Catcher Jason Varitek were traded to the Boston Red Sox for Red Sox Pitcher Heathcliff Slocumb in what will surely go down as the dumbest Mariners trade in history, the Red Sox won the World Series. The Curse of Yamauchi extended to the Texas Rangers and now to the New York Yankees, who picked up Alex Rodriguez, the greatest shortstop of all time playing third base, as a free agent. Now that A-Rod is gone, Texas can win a World Series. The Curse extends to the Cincinnati Reds, who got the deal of the century when they hired possibly the greatest player in the 1990s, Ken Griffey, Jr., who proceeded to implode. I can't think of a single Mariners acquired by another team in free agency who has won the World Series, except Randy Johnson, when he was with the Arizona Diamondbacks. During the 2001 World Series, the Diamondbacks beat the New York Yankees with Randy Johnson on their roster, in spite of Randy Johnson. (Randy is terrible in post-season player--not the pitcher you want to choose for your fantasy baseball team.) It could be that the Blessing of Gonzo (in honor of Outfielder Luis Gonzalez) trumped the Curse of Yamauchi in that instance.
If the "Curse of Yamauchi" is true, I hope the Yankees go after Ken Griffey, Jr. in the offseason. With Griffey, A-Rod, and Randy on the Yankees roster, it would be like reliving the glorious, magical 1995 Mariners season, when the Mariners lost to the Cleveland Indians in the American League Championship Series! It was pure magic. Until they lost. October 06 You know you've been somewhere too long......when you visit the same tourist sites over and over again. Today we visited Gyungbok Palace in Seoul, this time with my parents. We visited on Chuseok Day, the day of the harvest moon when the moon is at its fullest. It's the third time we've been to Gyungbok Palace since we arrived in Korea 1.5 years ago. Earlier this week, we visited the Korean Folk Village for the third time. On Wednesday, my wife and parents went on the Korean DMZ tour; I stayed home with my son because I will wait for the next opportunity to visit it again when my cousin arrives in early November for a two week visit. When he comes to Korea, he will undoubtedly want to see many of the sites we've previously visited. Visiting twice is fine--the third time gets a little old when you add in the cost and time commitment involved with seeing something you've already visited once as a tourist.
That's why locals rarely go see the famous sites close to home. Locals usually visit once on their own and then save repeat trips for visits with out-of-town guests. Thank goodness we're leaving Korea soon, before we visit local tourist attractions for the four or five times! October 05 What is a Foreign Service officer?Whether you're a new visitor to this site or a long-time reader, you might be wondering--what do I do for a living? What brought me and my family to Korea? Am I a soldier? No, I am a civilian assigned by the U.S. Department of State to work in the Republic of Korea (South Korea). I am a Foreign Service officer, also known as a Foreign Service generalist or diplomat. I am an officer commissioned by the U.S. Congress to perform a specific duty. I'm commissioned by the U.S. Government to protect U.S. interests overseas and promote American values. The term "diplomat" is a general term that can apply to anyone who works in an official capacity overseas. The term "diplomat" conjures images of cocktail affairs, intense negotiations, and photo ops. While these events happens from time to time--usually at a more senior level--reality is different than perception for Foreign Service officers.
I presently work at the American Embassy in Seoul, although my wife and I will leave soon to return to the U.S. for vacation and for training in Washington, D.C. Next year, we will move to Paraguay, where I will serve for two more years in the Foreign Service. In Korea, I have issued visas to foreign nationals to visit the United States, and I have helped many Americans who need assistance. I absolutely love my job. Although no job is perfect, I consider myself blessed to be in a career that I love and serve my country. There is no job like it in the world. No other job would give me the opportunity to do consular work in Asia one year and political work in South America the next. If I weren't doing what I'm doing now, I would probably be in Phoenix, Arizona with my family, working in the semiconductor industy and living a quiet, suburban lifestyle. Instead, I'm overseas, living a dream.
If you are interested in working overseas and serving your country, consider becoming a Foreign Service officer. Many people do. BusinessWeek Magazine recently named the U.S. State Department the sixth best place to launch a career. According to BusinessWeek, recent college undergraduates named the U.S. State Department their third most desireable employer, after Walt Disney and Google (I don't know about you, but I would much prefer working on cutting edge diplomacy than working at a theme park or writing code). Simply put, this is an exciting career, and there is never a dull moment. You see and do things you would never have an opportunity to see or do in other fields. It isn't easy to become a Foreign Service officer. The selection process is competitive, and few who apply are chosen to serve.
If you're interested in pursuing a career in the Foreign Service, visit the State Department's Careers web site (careers.state.gov) to learn more about jobs with the Department and how to begin your career as a Foreign Service officer or specialist. The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) also offers great information about the Foreign Service. AFSA's "Inside a U.S. Embassy" book is perhaps the best resource for learning more about what Foreign Service personnel do for a living. AFSA also publishes the Foreign Service Journal (FSJ), a monthly publication dedicated to the Foreign Service community. The FSJ offers in-depth analyses of contemporary foreign policy issues. Finally, my friend Editfish writes one of the best Foreign Service-oriented blogs, Tumbleweeds (http://editfish.blogspot.com/). His site chronicles his quest to join the Foreign Service. It includes a variety of helpful links related to the Foreign Service, including a list of other blogs written by members of the Foreign Service community.
I know this doesn't give you a detailed description of what I do for a living, but I hope it gives you an idea of what it means to be a Foreign Service officer. I hope you'll also consider a career in Foreign Service. Chances are, you won't regret it. October 04 Korean set to head United NationsReuters and other news sources are reporting that Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon is set to become the next United Nations (U.N.) Secretary-General. Mr. Ban would succeed Kofi Annan of Ghana, who has held the post for 10 years. Mr. Ban won all four straw polls of the 15-member U.N. Security Council. More importantly, he did not receive any vetoes from Security Council members, clearing the way for him to be officially nominated by the Council on October 9. If chosen, he would take over from Mr. Annan on January 1, 2007.
I heard Mr. Ban speak last year when he was keynote speaker at a banquet in Seoul honoring former President George H.W. Bush. He is understated, yet eloquent. My impression of him during his address and from his two-year tenure as head of Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) is that Mr. Ban will make a fine Secretary-General. In a country where politics can be brutal and scandalous, Mr. Ban is one of the few statesmen who remain above the political fray, succumbing to neither the pull of the Left nor the Right. Although his political views are not widely known, he exudes the persona of a moderate and a consensus builder. The United Nations has been quite contentious in recent years. Mr. Ban has a big job ahead of him as Secretary-General, but I am sure that he is up to the task. I am happy for Mr. Ban and for the Korean people, who will soon have one of their own in one of the world's most important diplomatic posts.
I harbor some misgivings about selecting a South Korean to head the United Nations. It isn't anything personal, because as I mentioned, Mr. Ban will likely make a fine U.N. Secretary-General. My concerns stem from geopolitical realities. Traditionally, the head of the UN does not come from a conflict area where U.N. troops or peace keepers may be needed. Presently, North and South Korea are technically at war, and today's news that North Korea will conduct its first nuclear test highlights the fact that this peninsula is still very much a hot spot. Mr. Ban will have to separate himself--quickly--from politics on the Korean Peninsula and subserve any nationalist inclination to impartiality. In a recent vote on North Korean human rights, South Korea chose to abstain. The Security Council also voted to sanction North Korea for its missile tests. Mr. Ban must separate himself from the government that now employs him as foreign minister and build a multinational concensus, even when it conflicts with official South Korean policy.
Secondly, Mr. Ban could become a political lightning rod, drawing furor for siding too closely with Japan and/or the United States or by not adequately engaging them. The unique nature of South Korean politics is such that the South Korean people tend to regard Japan, North Korea, and the United States to be the three greatest external threats to their internal stability. Occasionally North Korea and the U.S. change places when geopolitical realities change, such as when North Korea launches test missiles. Japan consistently ranks first in the minds of many Koreans. At the same time, the U.S. and Japan are the top two contributors to the United Nations' budget, and in recent years, both nations have called for significant United Nations reform. Although Mr. Ban obtained his master's degree from Harvard and is an astute diplomat, he is still South Korean. He was born during the Japanese occupation and was six years old when the Korean War began. He was nine years old when the 1953 ceasefire went into effect. He grew up in an era when the United States played a significant role in Korea's development--economically, militarily, and to an extent, politically. The events of the years 1950s-1980s, from the assassination of former President Park Chung-hee to the Kwangju Massacre, are etched into the Korean psyche. These were Mr. Ban's formative years, when the U.S. loomed large in Korea and relations with Japan played an influential role in Korean affairs. Mr. Ban will need to work closely with both the U.S. and Japan in the multinational context of the United Nations and put aside biases he may have for or against these nations.
Finally, Mr. Ban's selection as Secretary-General could directly impact U.S.-Korean bilateral relations. If U.S. policy differs significantly from that of the U.N., and by fiat, Mr. Ban, the Koreans will be more likely to support Mr. Ban than the United States. Many Koreans were outraged when Korean Skater Kim Dong-sung was disqualified during 1500 meter speed skating competition at the 2002 Winter Olympics for allegedly blocking American Skater Apollo Ono. They were also outraged during the 2004 Summer Olympics, when American Paul Hamm was awarded a disputed gold medal in the Men's Gymnastics All-Around. Most Koreans believed Korean Gymnast Yang Tae Young should have won the gold. Although neither incident led to a direct shift in U.S.-Korean relations, both indicate that international disputes can strongly influence Korean public opinion. If relations between Mr. Ban and the United States are less than cordial, the affect could spill over to U.S.-Korean relations. Mr. Ban will be on a much more visible--and contentious--stage than are Olympic athletes. Hence, the risk is greater that the Korean public's mood could sour vis-a-vis the U.S., if they believe that the U.S. is leaning too heavily on Mr. Ban. This could negatively impact U.S.-Korean bilateral relations.
With these thoughts in mind, I still believe that Mr. Ban will make a good United Nations Secretary-General. His candidacy has prompted the Koreans to further engage the international community and increase their international obligations, such as increasing their financial contributions to the U.N. Millennium Development Goals. Mr. Ban is well versed in global development, and he bridges the gap between developed and developing nations. Korea is an optimal model of economic and political development that Mr. Ban can share with the world. I wish Mr. Ban well and godspeed in his new mission. October 02 What's My Story?I'm honored that the editorial staff at Microsoft again chose World Adventurers to feature on this week's "What's Your Story?" I also want to send a shout out to fellow bloggers Ladybug's Life, A Teacher's Teacher, and Healthy Cooking, whose blogs were also featured this week by Windows Live Spaces. As Jim Carrey said while portraying Stanley Ipkiss, a man bestowed with powers by the Norse God Loki in the movie, "The Mask"--You love me! You really love me! Someone on the Spaces.live.microsoft.formerlyknownasmsnspaces.canwemakethisdomainanylonger.com staff must like what I write (I'm only kidding MSN--you know I love you). World Adventurers was initially featured on "The Best of MSN Spaces" in September 2005 and again in February 2006. From time to time, Windows Live Spaces features the same blogs again. Because this week is Chuseok, one of Korea's most important holidays, I think it's fitting that Spaces chose to highlight a blog about Korea this week. Dear Reader, thank you for stopping by to peruse World Adventurers and posting your comments. Stop by anytime. I'll try to respond to as many comments as I can. Lately I haven't had as much time to write as I would like, so any extra time I have will be devoted to posting entertaining content and responding to your comments. If you have a blog on Spaces that hasn't yet been featured, you might be wondering...hey, how come this guy's blog gets featured so often when my blog has never been featured? Well, never fear. Here are some suggestions that might help you curry favor with the Spaces editorial staff:
Blog Notes: Dear Reader, you might be wondering, "OK, so, what's your story, World Adventurer?" I'm often intentionally vague about personal details, but in an upcoming blog entry I will tell you more about our life and what I do as a Foreign Service officer. Check back again soon! * This is an updated blog entry posted February 11, 2006. October 01 Reaching for the skyI'm a bit of an armchair architect. I enjoy keeping tabs on some of the new, aestetically appealing buildings currently under development around the world. I saw the new artist's rendering of the new Seoul City Hall in today's Korea Times. I like the new design. When completed in 2009, it will be a beautiful building reflecting the symbolic significance of the taeguk, the blue and red harmonic symbol featured on the South Korean flag. It will blend in well with Seoul's central district and sit in a stately position next to the current city hall building, a relic built by the Japanese in 1926 during the Japanese Colonial Period. It will also accent the green circular park in front of the city hall. Considering that most buildings in downtown Seoul are late 1980's-style block, concrete and steel structures, the futuristic city hall will be a welcome addition.
The new Seoul City Hall is hardly the only new, exciting building to be built in Greater Seoul. From 1985 to 2002, the 63 Building in Yeoido, Seoul's financial district, held the title of Korea's tallest building. However, in 2002 it lost this distinction to the Mokdong Hyperion Tower, also in Seoul. One of the Samsung Tower Palace buildings located in the Gangnam area of Seoul currently holds the title of Korea's tallest building. However, plans are in work for an American firm to build a 151-story, 2,000-foot skyscraper named Incheon Tower in Incheon, Korea. If completed, it would become the world's second tallest building. This building would be almost 50% taller than any other existing skyscraper and taller than any existing structure.
It seems that virtually every developer is attempting to earn the mantle of the world's tallest building for their mega-structures. The Petronas Towers (452 meters, 1,484 feet) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia lost the title of world's tallest skyscraper in 2003 to Taipei 101 (509 meters, 1,671 feet) in Taiwan. The Freedom Tower (541 meters, 1,776 feet) in New York, which will replace the World Trade Center, the Shanghai World Financial Centre (492 meters, 1,614 feet) and the Fordham Spire (488 meters, 1,600 feet) in Chicago are all current bids to become the world's tallest structures. The Incheon Tower would surpass all of these. However, it would still be the world's second tallest building after it is completed in the distant future.
Why? Because the Burj Dubai (est. 808 meters, 2,650 feet) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, will become the world's tallest building in 2008. It is currently under construction and already rises about 60 stories. The Burj Dubai will likely remain the world's tallest building for a long, long time, in spite of feverish efforts by architects to design buildings that reach for the sky. In fact, the architect of the Burj Dubai has been mum on the actual height of the building to thwart would-be copycats who want to build their structures even higher. Once completed, the structure will be almost 80% than the world's tallest building, Taipei 101. That is an absolutely massive structure!
While all this magnificent engineering is spectacular, it makes one wonder--is man really made to reach for the sky? Did we not learn any lessons from the Tower of Babel or the World Trade Center? Call me fatalistic, but I believe that what goes up must eventually come down. Of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, only the Pyramid of Giza remains standing. The Pharos Lighthouse, a 40-story, 121 meter structure built around 290 B.C., was once the world's tallest freestanding structure, until it fell in 1323 during an earthquake. How long will the Burj Dubai, Incheon Tower, or any of these other mega-structures remain standing? I don't want to be around to find out. |
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