Carbonboy's Weblog

November  2006

Coolest Websites?

Time Magazine recently came out with their annual 50 Coolest Websites.  Well, "cool" is a relative term and I found only a few on the list that made Carbonboy's Cool List.

A refreshing approach to the "news" can be found at The Morning News.  It's got more than news - video clips and sounds, opinion and interesting short features.

DIGG renders some interesting voter selected sites and is not nearing as annoying as Netscape's.

The 9 is a great video stress reliever and time waster as well.  In fact all of the sites listed under "entertainment" are worth a check.

The search engine SNAP is pretty cool as you get a preview of the web page, and if you search for carbonboy, my home page comes up as #1  (just like Google),

I'm going to try BLURB, a relatively inexpensive publish-about-anything website.  Carbonboy's Weblog in hardcover?  Well I don't have to actually sell any copies.

~~~

Korean Fitness

So why it is that Korean's can eat like horses and still remain so fit and thin?

Well, they exercise!  Everywhere you go you see Koreans walking, jogging and stopping off at any number of fitness sites along the walking trails.

Their only possible demise: American Junk Food - it's all over, and the only thing going for them is it's a novelty, not a way of life - yet!

~~~

Bush's (former) Mandate

Well, I have renewed hope in American Democracy - for a time anyway. 

Thousands of Americans dead, tens of thousands in VA hospitals for decades and (like we care) hundreds of thousands of Iraqis brutally killed. 

The Democrats say they won't impeach.  Right!

~~~

Mr. Bean and the Yellow Plastic Hand on a Stick

 

So we were walking up a long narrow road outside of Gyeongju to this Buddhist Temple where we passed numerous street vendors selling plastic yellow hands on a stick (two varieties; a pointing finger and a fist).  Whether or not plastic yellow hands on a stick have anything to do with Buddhist Temples was not discerned, but I bet there’s some distant connection. 

One in our group could not resist, and bought the hand on a stick with the pointing finger.   I’ve got a few good photos of that event, but have yet to ask permission to post them here.

Anyway, a day later, I bring up the yellow hand on a stick while commuting from the hotel and young associate mentions the Mr. Bean Movie, where Mr. Bean gets himself in trouble for mistakenly thinking pointing the middle finger is a friendly gesture.

OK, I’m thinking, who is Mr. Bean?  I mean I’m totally out of touch with most of what is on TV these days, but I should at least recognize the name of a popular English show on TV.  Wrong.

So I week later I’m on the Asiana flight from Busan to Osaka – a one hour hop.  After take-off, down pops these little video screens.  I think nothing of it until the title of the short feature catches my eye:  Mr. Bean.  

Odd, I travel half way around the world, have a chance discovery of a yellow plastic pointing hand on a stick, and another chance discussion of that event which leads me to learn of Mr. Bean and then have pleasure to see two episodes. 

The young Korean stewardess must have thought I was a bit nuts, as I couldn’t stop laughing.  It must have been the champagne. 

In any event, when I finally get back to the States, I’ll put the Mr. Bean Movie on the top of my Netflix List.
November 18, 2006

Expression Web and APEC

I downloaded the free beta version of Expression Web today, but have no intent to use it for publishing until it is released (I just want to learn how to use it).

I'm so glad FrontPage is near death.  I've never taken (had) the time to master Dreamweaver, and I was always hoping Microsoft would come up with something better then this quirky wannabe product.  So I've now committed to mastering this new MS Product - not that I'm a big MS fan, just too lazy to master Dreamweaver.  Will it make me a better web designer? - well that's a stretch, but I will have a better tool anyway.  In any event, a new format and content coming for CB and C-B-D in 2007!  It's well overdue.

~~~

So here I am in South Korea staying at the same hotel Bush stayed at for APEC 2005 - and he's in Hanoi at APEC 2006, trying to convince the South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun to jump on board a hard line policy to NK.  And the Korean dude (also a lame duck) is saying we'll cooperate, but "no way" to actually blockading ships (he may have a starving cousin up there).

Now, I'm not saying that a hard line policy is the wrong approach - if you have a ranch in Texas.  I think the world has figured out (especially those at risk) that Mr. Bush may not have quite the right process or advisory team in place to avoid the disasters of his policies (or lack thereof).

Is North Korea a threat?  Damn right they are, and South Korea is in a perpetual state of readiness for war.  They just don't necessarily actually want to go to war; they have it too good right now.

November 20 footnote:  The Korean Times headline today: "Bush Softens Tough Stance on North Korea."  Someone on his staff must be reading Carbonboy's Blog!

Right Wing Protesters (who likely agree with Bush) in Seoul November 17, 2006

November 12, 2006

Mission Falafel

I had one task today – find the Turkish Restaurant in the National University District – or rather figure out how to drive there as we’ve taken taxis before (always at great risk to one’s life, as Busan cab drivers are collectively insane).  This was a promise I made to a friend that is returning on Tuesday, who isn't particularly fond of Korean Food.

After one false start attempting a “local” route, I back-tracked to the national highway and pointed my trusty Sonata to Seoul.  With the help of my memory, luck and an unmarked tourist map, I exited to Doungnae and let intuition take over (something I only do during daylight hours).  One nice thing about Busan is the major road signs are in both Korean and English:  straight ahead to National University, the signed directed me.  Then a chance glimpse of the subway line, and I knew I was on the right track.

As I drive, the college kid crowd intensifies.  So when I see a rare parking space on the street, I grab it, although I don't quite have my bearings.  I walk one direction a few blocks and soon figured I was going the wrong way, so I turn back, pass my car and surprise: the crowded narrow cross street where the restaurant is located is 10 yards in front of where I parked!  It's loaded with shops, street vendors and kids.  I walk up the narrow street a block to find Kebapstan's open and ready to feed me.  My intuition is working well today!

I'm seated by a sweet young Korean Girl who flirtingly practices her English with me.  I order Falafels (actual picture to the left), a mellow glass of red wine and, of course, Shish Kebab.  I'm famished by the time I finally found the place and enjoy every bite, as well as the boisterous young crowd of Korean college kids.

Afterward, I hike around the district just to get a better feel for the area.  There seems to be about a hundred places to buy mobile phones,  tons of upscale clothing stores (at least if your are a college kid) and about everything else for sale that one could imagine.

Returning to the car, I back-tracked to the Westin Chosen making only one wrong turn, ironically heading me over the Gwangan Bridge.  I didn't mind paying the 2000 won toll as it was a sunny, clear day and the view from the bridge was fantastic.  Just the night before there were a million people viewing that bridge during Busan's 2nd Annual Fireworks Event.

By sunset I was back in my room enjoying the lingering sun over Haeundae Beach.  Later, there was no need to eat dinner - I just head to the Executive Lounge and snack on tender roasted duck and fresh chilled scallops.  To complete the evening I take a short hike on Dongbaek Island past the APEC House and loop back to the hotel.  Mission Accomplished! 

The Nurimaru APEC House on Dongbaek Island with Gwangan Bridge in the distance (my backyard for a time)

~~~

Oh, I'll add a link to my Kyoto Adventure at a later date.  Unfortunately it is back to the assignment tomorrow - you know, the part that pays for all the fun stuff in between.

November 10, 2006

Fire & Water

Gwangan Bridge is the 2nd leg of my daily 30 kilometer commute to Gimhae Airport which is adjacent to the Global Partner that I’m currently auditing.  It is the longest bridge in Korea and serves as a stunning landmark from both Gwangalii Beach and Dongbaek Island (which is really a peninsula).  In celebration of this bridge, Busan has begun its annual laser and fireworks  show (a really big show), with the bridge as the principle star. 

When it comes to fireworks, I’m still a kid (actually, when it comes to about anything, I'm still a kid).  A decade or so ago, I was lucky enough to be in San Francisco for the Golden Gate Bridge Anniversary (I don’t recall which one it was).  It was awesome.  Of course on the rare ocasions when I’m actually home in Piney Point, I make every effort to attend the Capital 4th – not so much for the cheesy entertainment, but the finale – the 1812 Overture with cannons and fire works.  So how could I pass up an opportunity to witness such an event right in my own back yard? 

I quizzed some of the Korean guys that I was working with as to if they planned on attending.  To my surprise, they all said no – too many people – at least a million at, and around Gwanglii Beach.  Well, I thought, I'll have to create a work-around, as I'm not too fond of crowds that big.  I decided that I’ll just watch the event from the top of Dongbaek Island and view the fireworks from the back of the bridge. 

That plan didn’t quite work, as the locals had other things in mind – VIP’s only at the APEC House and about 100 local and federal police to seal off the island from riffraff like me.  But where there is a will, there is a way.  In the darkness before the police barricade, I jumped off the paved path and headed to the top of the hill through some real dense brush, to a hiking trail I had found weeks ago. 

I made my way to the top, but had one problem: the brush and trees were too thick to actually see the bridge.  As I wandered further down the path, I actually passed the heavily fortified APEC House. The only option for a full view of the fireworks was to head all the way down to the lighthouse and join the VIPs. 

In my bag I had my security badge from the partner and I figure it might serve as a little helper in case I got stopped by security.  I confidently walked down the pass right to the lighthouse with tripod and camcorder in hand.  No one stopped me!

I missed about half the show, but we all know that the best is always saved for last.  When I finally got into a good position, I let the video roll – about 30 minutes of world-class fireworks and dazzling lasers off of the bridge. 

After it was all over, I mingled right in with the VIP’s and all the securely couldn’t care less.  With a few moments, I was back in my room.  I had to sacrifice only one thing – my socks were so encroached with thistles that I simply tossed them in the trash.  A small price for such an simple yet incredible adventure – and one less thing to pack and carry home at year’s end.

A cool, clear day in Busan - Gwangan Bridge November 10, 2006

November 3, 2006

R & R in Osaka (and Kyoto)

Expecting a dull night at a remote end of Osaka Harbor . . .

Chance circumstances affect us all, and are the stuff of novels, drama and film.  For me, as most of us, such events are far less profound, but they do keep life interesting just the same. 

This last weekend, I had to leave Korea, as I have no visa to stay for over 30 days.  I figured I'd go to Tokyo, as that was an easy trip and seemed like a good 3-day weekend tourist destination.  But a local young lady suggested I visit Kyoto instead. 

As I was in desperate need of a stress-free weekend, I figured Kyoto has got to be less stressful than Tokyo.  But to get to Kyoto from Busan, one has to fly into Osaka.  OK, even if it actually takes longer by train to Kyoto from Osaka than by plane from Busan to Osaka, I didn't care.  It sounded like a good plan.  Anything to get away from this current assignment for a time!

So my young associate booked the flight and I called Boeing Travel to book the room.  It turns out nothing was available in downtown Osaka, as far as Boeing Travel was concerned anyway.  So I told them to book anything they could find in Osaka.  They got me a room in the Hyatt Regency and I thought fine, at least it's a hotel name I recognize.

I look up the location at the Hyatt Website and see there's a bus directly from the airport, but when checking the on-line map, I discover it's miles from nowhere, in the middle of Osaka's massive harbor district.  I'm thinking back to Nagoya's Harbor which is totally deserted after dark, and then I'm thinking I made a big mistake.  Too late as it's time to pack up all my stuff at the Busan hotel and stash it into the rental car for the weekend.

Well it turns out Boeing Travel books me into this massive corner suite with a spectacular harbor view. Turns out some smart Japanese guys built a massive mall right in the middle of all those cargo containers.  Or maybe the 52 story WTC tower came first and that justified a world class hotel around all these cargo ships.  This ain't Nagoya Harbor! 

My only goal for that Friday was to get out of Korea, have a damn good meal, a long walk and a good night's rest (I threw in a hour long Shiatsu massage just to make sure). 

Oh, back to chance circumstance.  Again for me, nothing profound, but what an incredible little corner of the world I discovered because downtown Osaka was booked.  Funny how the Japanese can take Italian, Chinese or any cuisine and make it so much better.  I don't recall having a better meal or room - ever!  Now, how do I justify a $600 a night suite on my business expense report?

Tomorrow morning, early, I head to Kyoto.  I will be well rested and relaxed!

. . . only to discover a mega-mall surrounded by containerized freight and . . .

. . . a massive World Trade Center Complex and World Class Hotel, but . . .

. . . if you grow tired of shopping and eating and world trading, you can step outside and go fishing!

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