Something About Numbers

Can anyone out there see a connection between the numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42? Post your thoughts and ideas.

Something About Being Stylishly Homeless

South Korean customs officers recently discovered a large amount of fake designer clothes. Instead of destroying the clothes they decided to give them to the homeless people of Busan. Said one homeless person: "I do not care about the quality of these clothes. They are very fashionable and I like that." If I was homeless I wouldn't want to wear these knock-offs. I'm not suggesting that every homeless person begs for money but many of them do. Would you give money to a beggar wearing a fake Armani suit?

Something Else About Easter

My niece Julia

Something About Easter

The students in my 7:00 class painted me these eggs at their Catholic High School. There are more but they aren't very photogenic. I think I mentioned before that Easter isn't really a big deal here. The only reason they made the Easter eggs is because they go to a Catholic High School. Instead of draining the yoke like we do in Canada they just boiled them. I would like suggestions on how to preserve these beautiful eggs. Anyways, have a Happy Easter!

Something About Donna

As watchers of "That 70's Show" already know, Donna dyed her hair blond this season. I've often wondered why she did this. This morning I found out why: she has signed on to play the part of Karla Holmoka in a new movie called "Deadly." I have four questions. Question one: Why on earth would someone want to make a movie about this pond scum couple and their evil deeds? Question two: Why would anyone watch such garbage? Question three: Why would a promising young actress such as Laura Prepon want to portray such an evil women? It really confuses me. I wonder if this infamous Holmoka, who gets out of jail this Spring, will receive any royalties. My final question is this: Given that Canadians were shut out from much of the trial due to a media ban, will the film be even shown IN Canada? I find the whole idea of this movie ridiculous.

Something About Toilet Water

The other day I heard a "lapping" sound coming from my bathroom. I peaked around the corner and there was Venus balancing herself on the toilet seat drinking toilet water. Why would she do this? If you had to choose between fresh spring water or toilet water, which would you drink? I'm starting to wonder if Venus knows something that I don't. I'm almost tempted to take a sip for myself. Also, whenever I finish having a shower Venus races into the bathroom and starts licking the water up off the floor. What a strange cat.

Something About A Song In My Head

Do you ever get a song in your head? I've had a particular song in my head since last Thursday and I cannot get rid of it. What's even worse is that it's a really dumb song. I was watching The Daily Show with John Stewart last week when he had a segment about Condoleezza Rice. Apparently there's speculation that she will run for president in 2008 (imagine a bill with Condi and Hillary). Stewart played a video found on a website dedicated to electing Rice for President. How do you get a song out of your head? With the song in my head and her image all over the news (she's touring Northeast Asia) I'm afraid she will slip into my dreams. Help me! If you want to share in my pain you can listen to the song on the web.

Something About English Movies In Korea

I always have a chuckle whenever I flip through the T.V. channels in Korea. While movies are usually edited for nudity they are definitely not edited for language. This morning on a Korean station I watched "The Basketball Diaries" starring Leonardo Dicaprio. While it is a good movie the language is very excessive. Not quite the Saturday Morning T.V. you get in North America.

Something About Beer-4-Bravenet

If you look on my blog I have a free counter from Bravenet. Besides showing the number of visitors it also alows me to keep track on who is viewing my blog. I checked my counter stats today and noticed that you can upgrade to a "pro" counter. With pro you have no advertisements and can track your counter for up to a year. The price is $1.66 per month. Here's the funny part: as well as the $1.66 per month you can also give towards a "beer fund." Appentlly customers have been so impressed with the tools offered at Bravent that on occasion they have offered to buy them a beer. I would like to know if anyone has actually given money to this fund.

Something About St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Something About "Crunch Crunch Crunch"

As I was watching the latest episode of "Malcom In The Middle" I was distracted by the most joyous sound I had heard in months. I dared not make any fast movements for I was sure my instincts were right. I quietly peaked into my kitchen and behold: Venus was eating her dry food! I grabbed my digital camera to try and get it on video. The result is not the best (kitchen light was off) but you can still see her mowing down on Meow Mix (look at the right hand side my blog). Oh happy day! I am so excited. No more SPAM for you, Venus!

**UPDATE*** Better video added Wednesday morning.

Something About The Korean Language

I just read in The Korean Herald that, starting this August, all new migrant workers coming to Korea must pass a mandatory Korean language course. Interesting. Should Canada and the U.S. require mandatory English tests to foreign workers coming to their countries? I say "no way." Without foreigners with bad English we would have no television characters like "Apu" from The Simpson's or "Fez" from That 70's Show to make us laugh.

Something About The Simpsons

On the recent episode of "The Simpson's" Selma goes through menopause and decides she wants to adopt a child. She goes to the Chinese Consulate to see about adopting a Chinese baby. On the wall of the consulate is a big map of China colored orange with Taiwan colored green. This may be a political statement on Fox's end. China considers Taiwan to be a Chinese island, therefore I would think a map located in a Chinese consulate would have the same color for both China and Taiwan. This would not necessarily be the case for maps not belonging to the Chinese government. In a more obvious "jab" at the Chinese government the outside of the building says "Consulate of China: Russia's Wacky Neighbor." Something to think about.

Something About Kimchi

Seoul National University claims that Kimchi can help poultry fight off Avian Bird Flu. Is there anything this disgusting Korean dish can't do?

Something About Repeating Myself

I posted a few days back about Korean cell phone technology. Tonight one of my student blew me away with her phone (no, Korean cell phones don't have guns). My students taught me how to say "I don't speak Korean" in Korean. Countless times a Korean phones my cell and I try my best to tell them I can't speak it. The girls thought it was hilarious. One girl thought is was so funny that she video taped it with her cell phone. That's right- SHE VIDEO TAPED IT. The playback wasn't the best but it was still pretty good quality for a phone. She said she can take up to 30 seconds of video. The price wasn't too bad either: 300,000 Won, or$360 Canadian. For under $400 you could have a cell phone, digital camera, MP3 player AND a video camera all in one small folding unit. Amazing.

Something About Wacko Jacko

Okay, how on earth is a jury going to take Jackson seriously when he shows up to court wearing slippers and pajamas? He was late for court the other day because he was at the hospital with "serious back problems." He claims he hurt his back while getting dressed that morning. While waiting for Jackson to appear I can just imagine what the jurors were saying to each other: "He's not at the hospital. He's out to lunch!"

Something About Singapore Pictures

I finally have my pictures from Singapore on the web. There's a link on the right hand side of the page. For some reason the site looks better in Internet Explorer than in other browsers. I'll try to see what's up with that. On another note, if anyone has any ideas on how to deal with a biting cat that won't eat dry cat food, please tell me. I have gone as far as to buy a small food chopper to blend the dry stuff into the wet. She still puts her nose up at it.

Something About Sleep

A survey just released by CNN states that Asia sleeps less hours than any other area in the world. Australia apparently sleeps the most. It would be interesting to know what age group CNN surveyed. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evening I teach 8 High School Girls. I used to teach 10. The 8 remaining are taught at 7:00 and go to a private High School. The two that I used to teach I taught at 6:00 and go to a public High School. All are in their first year. At both the private and public High School the girls are required to be at the school by 7:00 a.m. . The first 2 hours of the day are strictly for studying. Classes don't actually begin until 9:00 a.m. . Think that's bad? They are also required to be at the school until 9:00 p.m. . Classes stop at 3:00 p.m. but they are required to stay at the school and study until 9:00 p.m. . Private High Schools allow exemptions from this study time so students can go to other schools (Math, Science, Tutor Schools and English). Public High Schools however don't offer this exemption. It gets even better. In their second year of High School students are required to be at the school from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. . Want more? Third year students are required to be at the school from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. . I thought a bit about the third year of High School. It would take students at least an hour to get home and go to bed (12:00 a.m.). To get ready for school and eat breakfast those students would have to be up by at least 6:00 a.m. . That's a maximum of 6 hours of sleep a night! The reality is that students don't go to bed at 12:00 a.m. . I have a Korean friend in Daejeon that tutors students until 12:30 a.m. . I asked my students last night what time they usually go to bed. They all said they go to bed at around 1:00 a.m. . That's 4 hours of sleep a night! My director told me that teachers tell the students that if they can't live on 4 hours of sleep a night then they can never go to Seoul National University (the most prestigious University in Korea but, ironically, very low on the world stage). Teachers seem more concerned with the length of the students hair than with the amount of quality sleep they are getting. It's funny but my students don't complain about his lack of sleep. They feel if they can endure it they will get into a good University and end up with a good job. Besides, it's always been this way; they don't know any different. Personally I can't live without my 8-9 hours of sleep a night.

Something About Milk and Juice

Is it milk or is it juice? It's milky AND juicy. Yummmmy!

Something About Roots

Okay, sometimes I have nothing to write about and other days I have plenty. I just read that The Canadian Olympic Team has signed an 8 year, 100 million dollar contract with The Bay to outfit the team. The team will no longer be dealing with Roots. Why is that? Everyone loves the Roots Olympic outfits. Athletes from America, Great Britain and Barbados wore Roots designed Olympic clothing at the 2004 Summer Olympics. Roots is the official clothing provider to the Americans in next year's Winter Olympics. It makes no sense to me. If something isn't broken, don't fix it.

Something About The Weather

I was just watching CNN when they had a report about the weather in Moscow. Apparently the Mayor has had it with wrong weather forecasts. He wants to implement a law that would fine a weatherman for giving a wrong forecast. That is funny. I think it would be a good idea in Canada. Instead of receiving a fine maybe they could just donate money to charity.

Something About Korean Technology

I just read an article that said Sony, in competing with Apple, will introduce a line of cell phones that will offer MP3 capability. They expect to have these phones selling by the second half of this year. To the Western World this may seem like new technology. Thing is, Korea has offered MP3 capabilities on it's cell phones since at least the Spring of 2004. Monday, Wednesday and Friday night I teach 8 High School girls. Every one of them has a "hand phone." 5 of them have built in digital cameras and 3 of them have MP3 players. In Korea they are developing cell phones that are embedded with a computer chip to allow passengers to simply swipe the phone on a pad when getting on a bus or subway. Korean cell phone companies have said they want to expand this to include debit card transactions. Clearly Korean cell phone technology is a head of the pack.

Something About The Razzies

On my flight from Tokyo to Busan I watched perhaps the stupidest movie I have ever seen. "Catwoman" was poorly written, directed and acted. I had always considered Halle Berry a respectable actress but this movie left me wondering what on earth she was doing. While the movie didn't receive any Oscar nods it received plenty from The Razzies. The Razzies honor the worst films and actors of the year. This is nothing new- they are held every year. What is new is an actress actually showing up to accept her award. Halle Berry appeared at The Razzies to accept her "worst actress" award and wasted no time playing to the audience. She thanked Warner Brothers for "putting me in a God-awful movie" and also her fellow co-stars: "I'd like to thank the rest of the cast - to give a really bad performance like mine you need to have really bad actors." Funny how she doesn't seem to blame herself for accepting such a dumb script.