Monster Island (actually a peninsula)*

Pearls of witticism from 'Bo the Blogger: Kushibo's Korea blog... Kushibo-e Kibun... Now with Less kimchi, more nunchi. Random thoughts and commentary (and indiscernibly opaque humor) about selected social, political, economic, and health-related issues of the day affecting "foreans," Koreans, Korea and East Asia, along with the US, especially Hawaii, Orange County and the rest of California, plus anything else that is deemed worthy of discussion. Forza Corea!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

What's on Kushibo's iPod:
miscellaneous Newshour pieces

All right, this is what's left for now, the stuff that doesn't fit into the economic, military, and political categories. At least not exactly. A lot of environmental stuff and education-related stories (for which I should make their own category in the future).

The first one, about a touching documentary on North Korean refugees and how they escape, is worth looking at as a preview to the actual documentary, which is a must-see.

'Kimjongilia' Film Highlights Harrowing Stories of Escape From North Korea

Classroom Culprits? Invasive Crayfish Threaten Western Waterways

Laura Bush, Melinda Gates, CARE President on Women's Issues, U.S. Foreign Ai d

Transportation Secretary: Electronic Issue Not Cause of Toyota Recall Woes

Chicagoland Students See Success Hitting the Gym, Then Hitting the Books

In California, a Rescue Mission for 'Iconic' Franciscan Manzanita Plant

Big Sky Country Struggles With Yellowstone Oil Spill Aftermath

Oil Spill Probe Reveals Need to Balance Precautions, Profits

After Haiti Quake, Using Science to Build Sturdier Buildings

Robert MacNeil on Jim Lehrer's 'Stealth' Exit

The Films Are Alive With the Art of Foley

Photographer Alec Soth on a Life of Approaching Strangers

New York Times' Brantley Previews Upcoming Theater Season

Weekly Poem: 'The Winter's Wife'

Abigail Washburn Uses Banjo as Tool for Diplomacy

2 comments:

AnonymousWednesday, July 20, 2011 1:23:00 AM
I'm sorry, but what is the point of this ipod link dump?
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kushiboWednesday, July 20, 2011 3:50:00 AM
Well, as I explained a couple days ago, these are links that I think are worth a listen to. I'm a big fan of Newshour for how it comprehensively and objectively deals with the big picture of a lot of stories, and these are ones that I had considered writing posts on but didn't end up having time for.
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Share your thoughts, but please be kind and respectful. My mom reads this blog.

Ask Kushibo.

My Google/Blogspot data shows that a lot of the 2 million people who have landed on my site (yes, that's the real number) are looking for cultural information on Korea (e.g., “When did Syngman Rhee die?” “What did the Indians bring to the first Chusŏk?’ etc., etc.), as well as practical or historical stuff.

That got me thinking that, hey, I have a master’s degree in Korean studies and a minor in Japanese studies, I’ve lived in Seoul far longer than most foreans my age (whether they're kyopo or non-kyopo), I teach introductory courses on Korea and its cultural trappings and history, so why not offer a free service where I attempt to answer people’s questions, point them in the direction of where they can get them answered, and/or offer my regulars (that’s you!) a chance to take a stab at some of this stuff, too.

So if there’s something you’d like to know from a “contrarian scourge,” click on ASK KUSHIBO and just ask a succinct question in the comments section below.

Oh, and play nice. Please don’t make me regret this.

九十五大怪獣란? 쿠시보의 몬스터 아일랜드란?

Pearls of witticism from 'Bo the Blogger: Kushibo's Korea blog... Kushibo-e Kibun...
Now with Less kimchi, more nunchi. Random thoughts and commentary (and indiscernibly opaque humor) about selected social, political, economic, and health-related issues of the day affecting "foreans" ("foreigners" in Korea be they kyopo or non-kyopo), Koreans, Korea and East Asia, along with the US, especially Hawaii, Orange County, and the rest of California, plus anything else that is deemed worthy of discussion. Forza Corea!

* Monster Island (actually a peninsula)

The name of this blog comes from a line in "Lisa on Ice," a beloved episode of The Simpsons, perhaps my all-time favorite television show (even though for several seasons there, it really did suck). Lisa is imagining being sworn in as president, but at the last minute, it is discovered that she failed P.E. (physical education) and she is thus "sentenced to a lifetime of horror" on Monster Island. "Don't worry," the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court confides in her, "It's just a name."

Fast forward to Lisa and other prisoners running in panic through a tropical jungle, chased by Godzilla-like creatures, including a monster turtle and a monster firefly.

"He said it was just a name!" Lisa screams to the man next to her. While he, too, runs for his life, the unidentified man calmly says, "What he meant is that Monster Island is actually a peninsula."

Anyway, I thought in some ways that punchline summed up modern-day Korea in a nutshell. For many people—foreigners and Koreans—the ups and downs and everyday travails of the Republic of Korea make it as precarious as a Monster Island would be (and with the DMZ being the only land border, it really is like an island). But it actually is a peninsula. Okay, it made sense in my head.

So as you can see, despite the hits I get from people looking for Japanese tentacle porn, it has nothing to do with anything salacious as that.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

What's on Kushibo's iPod: miscellaneous Newshour pieces

2 comments:

What's on Kushibo's iPod:
miscellaneous Newshour pieces