So who can name this location?
I reported before about how Japanese car makers are targeting Korea for hybrid car sales. Well this may be in response to the Japanese attempt to corner the hybrid market in Korea:
South Korea will spend 144.9 billion won (US$149.5 million) this year to introduce emergency robots and boost demand for fuel-efficient hybrid cars, the government said Tuesday.
In a meeting of government officials and business executives, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said that it will help public companies buy a total 418 hybrid-engined cars by year’s end.
The cars will have fuel economy rates more than 50 per cent greater than the Hyundai Verna sedan that can travel 12.3-kilometers on a liter of gasoline. This translates into vehicles traveling 22-kilometers for the same fuel.
The ministry said it will offer each public company 28.0 million won for each vehicle that it purchases. The cars have a price tag of 33.6 million won at present, but actually cost the manufacturer 100 million won to produce.
Basically what I’m reading from this is that the Korean government is going to subsidize and protect the Korean car market from the Japanese attempt to corner the hybrid market. If it sells more hybrids overall I’m all for it.
More fuel efficient cars will mean in the long run that there will be less money in the hands of idiot dictators such as the rulers in Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela not to mention the environmental impacts that hybrids will have, especially in a city with such heavy traffic as Seoul.
Here is an interesting interview in the Korea Times with a leader in Korea’s Muslim community:
Accordingly, the 69-year-old clergyman asked terrorist groups around the world to turn to nonviolent and nonresistant measures. “They need to be convinced that we cannot control the evil by an evil measure. It should be done by the good measure.’’
Lee also made no bones about his criticism of “Western Powers.’’ “It is apparent that terrorism shall never be justified or encouraged, but on the other side we shall observe the sad history of the Middle East under the influence of Western Powers,’’ he noted. “They shall bear a certain responsibility for the cause of terrorism.’’ “Why do people commit suicide bearing bombs in the Middle East? They are definitely to blame. However, at the same time, we need to understand why they are doing such an act,’’ he said.
“Cannot control the evil by an evil measure, it should be done by good measures?”, Does he saying that the cause of terrorism is just, but they need to use non-violent means instead? I will also have to take that comment as meaning that he believes western powers are evil and later states that they are to blame for suicide bombings.
Here is what he thinks about the cartoon controversy:
Regarding the controversy over the “blasphemous’’ Danish cartoon, the clergy took a cautious, but strict, position. “It is inappropriate behavior for them to describe Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist,’’ he said.
Lee said the cartoon is also based on false stereotypes about the religion and the prophet. “On the contrary to the image of terrorists, the prophet spread messages of peace and equality around 1,400 years ago when every ruler wielded their powers to kill people,’’ Lee said.
Even worse, Islam strictly bans recreations of Muhammad’s image. “The prophet ordered not to paint his image for fear that he might be deified later. However, the Danish newspaper unduly depicts his image,’’ the imam said.
“False stereotype?”, isn’t there an inornate amount of terrorists hijacking the Muslim religion? This is what the cartoons were suggesting. Plus Muhammad may have ordered Muslims not to recreate his image but as far as I know he made no mention about Danish cartoonists recreating his image.
This religious leader is an example of what I see as the problem with the Muslim religion. Many Islamic leaders claim Islam is the religion of peace, yet they are weak in condemning terrorists and instead make excuses about how the evil western powers are to blame for all that ails the Muslim world.
The evil western powers are not the reason women are treated as nothing more than property in many areas of the Muslim world. Western powers are not to blame for the ruthless dictators that encompass much of the Muslim world. Western powers are not to blame for the lack of emphasis on education in the Muslim world. How many inventions and inovations have come from Islamic countries today? The lack of job opportunities in Islamic countries as well cannot be blamed on western powers. Not to mention the lack of basic human rights and freedom of speech.
Until religious leaders start to condemn the dictators and terrorists more strongly the religion of peace will continue to be hijacked by the extremists. Yet Islamic leaders such as this Korean leader condemns Danish cartoons more strongly than terrorism.
Many of you have probably heard about the US port management controversy involving a Dubai based Arab owned company. I find it interesting that the same people like Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer who are complaining about this business deal are the same people that complain about police using racial profiling yet are willing to use racial profiling when it comes to business deals, but that is whole different rant. This fiasco has now wisely been referred to a 45 day security review where I expect it will get approved anyway.
This controversy does lend to some interesting thoughts about if foreign companies should managing US ports at all? Keep in mind that they do not provide security, the US does that they just manage the containers and boats coming in and out.
According to the Asiapundit, the decision on this port deal may have consequences that reach back all the way to Korea:
I haven’t noticed that many West Coast lawmakers taking a stand on the ports controversy. Of course, the ports in question are on the East Coast, but I suspect that most of the westerners are praying that the whole controversy blows over before Congress does something really stupid, such as passing some law to ban foreign operations of port terminals. That would cause chaos on the West Coast.
Take for example, the Port of Seattle. Of the three terminals, one is leased to an American stevedoring firm MSS America, one to Hanshin, the South Korean shipping line, and the other to the American President Lines (now APL) which, despite it venerable patriotic name, is actually owned by Singapore.
Port management is an international business that is dominated by foreign interests. That’s not hard to understand since there are obviously close synergies between ships and terminals.
If the Dubai port deal is denied then using that logic that would that maen that the Korean company managing a Seattle port should also lose their contract as well since South Korea has close relations to North Korea and North Korea is a known terrorist state with weapons of mass destruction?
The ROK Army has continued to take on missions central to the defense of the Korean peninsula as USFK prepares for transformation:
As of mid-January, South Koreans now are in charge of the maritime response to any invasion by North Korean special operations forces should war break out, Koenig said. The move marks South Korea’s goal of evolving from a ground-based military to a stronger multi-branch force, he added.
(…)
One of the more public transfers happened in the fall of 2004 at the Demilitarized Zone, the border that separates North and South Korea. On Oct. 31, 2004, the South Koreans took control of patrolling the Joint Security Area, the compound where talks between the two Koreas occur and where millions of tourists on both sides visit each year.
But some of the more strategic changes include South Korea’s ability to protect supply routes in wartime and to counter and destroy North Korea’s underground missile system, which can hit Seoul repeatedly while barely revealing its weapons, Koenig said.
Improved technology for the South Koreans helped with this “counter-fire†transfer. Koenig said it’s right that South Korea is now responsible for defending such an attack on its capital city.
“That’s about the defense of Seoul,†he said. “It’s their capital, their center of society.â€
All I can say is, that it is about time.
In the near future people may be able to take a train to Russia if this long negotiated deal is finally completed:
Russia and South Korea are coming closer to an agreement on connecting a Trans-Korean Railroad to the Trans-Siberian Railroad, head of Russia’s transportation monopoly, the Russian Railways, said on Sunday, Feb. 26.
Vladimir Yakunin, the president of Russian Railways, said that the negotiations were being conducted within the framework of three-way meetings between Russia, North Korea and South Korea, RIA Novosti reported. “We have advanced considerably on the issue of rail transport with the South Korean side,†Yakunin said.
He also said representatives of the three nations were being invited to a “demonstration trip†to Russia’s Far East, including seaports, for further meetings. “Invitations have been sent out,†Yakunin said.
Judging by the picture, I really hope they decide to use South Korean trains instead of North Korean. Maybe the North Koreans can extort the South Koreans in this deal to make a KTX system for them as well. Edit this Post | Delete this Post
Here is a link from Occidentalism, to an interesting video clip that shows what Itaewon looked like back in 1988. Just a few things I noticed was the juicy girls were all Koreans. No signs of Russians or Philippinas. Plus some of the clubs around in 1988 are still around today. Also you got to love the hairdos. The 80’s sure had some bad hairstyles.
Let this be an example of why I have always advocated against getting drunk and having sex in the barracks:
An airman on trial for the April rape of a female airman in her dorm was found guilty Friday and sentenced to two years in prison and a dishonorable discharge.
Senior Airman Calvin Wheeler Jr.’s rank also was reduced to the military’s lowest pay grade, E-1, and he must forfeit all pay and allowances. He was a member of the 51st Communications Squadron.
A six-member jury of Air Force commissioned officers handed down the verdict Friday morning and imposed sentencing Friday afternoon on one charge each of rape and adultery.
The victim definitely had some creditbility issues but there must have been enough evidence presented to convict him beyond a reasonable doubt. To bad he didn’t think about this before getting drunk and having sex with her:
Wheeler noted that as a convicted rapist, he likely would have to register as a sex offender. He said he did not know how he would find the words to explain to his sons his status as a convicted rapist.
I don’t feel sorry for him because he put himself in the situation especially as a married man. Hopefully others can learn from this.
Does Korea have it’s own Brokeback Mountain? Some people in the gay community think so:
Just as “Brokeback Mountain” has become a pop-culture phenomenon in the United States, a gay-themed movie has racked up big box-office in South Korea.
“King and the Clown” – about a delicately effeminate male clown caught between the affections of a despotic king and a fellow performer – has sold more than 11 million tickets through Sunday since its Dec. 29 premiere, making it the third-most popular film ever in this conservative country.
Even President Roh Moo-hyun has seen it. (By contrast, President Bush said last month he’d yet to see the cowboy romance favored to win the best-picture Oscar.)
The surprise hit is about a troupe of entertainers condemned to die for an act mocking 16th-century King Yonsan, but who beg to be pardoned if they can make the king laugh with their racy skit lampooning him and his favorite concubine. The clowns succeed and become court jesters.
Kong-gil, the gentle-faced male clown who portrays the woman in the skit, draws the king’s attention – staging private puppet shows to Yonsan’s delight but evoking the jealousy of clown leader Jang-saeng, who has always protected his friend from other men’s amorous advances.
The gay story line is muted. The king and Kong-gil share one quick on-screen kiss.
The movie is based on a fictional play that was inspired by a brief mention in the king’s diary about his favorite clown.
I think it is a mistake to compare The King and the Clown to Brokeback Mountain because Brokeback was filmed to push a Hollywood agenda advocating homosexuality thus the hype for the movie. Who talks about Brokeback Mountain without mentioning homosexuality and pup tent scenes?
The King and the Clown on the other hand is drawing huge audiences due to the focus on a great storyline and fine acting not homosexuality.
Would love to hear opinions of those who have seen both movies.
Can anyone tell me why this is backpage news?:
North Korean diplomats were caught attempting to smuggle US$1 million and 200 million yen into Mongolia on Tuesday, the Mongolian press reported. Reports said the North Koreans told Mongolian authorities they were planning to put the money in a Mongolian bank account, according to Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun.
The paper said that it was unclear whether the money was counterfeit or not, and what measures the Mongolian authorities will take. It said the incident revived concerns about North Korean involvement in money laundering.
I wonder if the South Korean government that is eager to defend North Korea from US counterfeiting claims will spin this to say that at least they were not smuggling drugs with them as well, as many North Korean diplomats before have been caught doing.
