Wednesday, May 12, 2010

And You Remember How Badly THAT Turned Out! (for the Indians)

Do YOU want to be the new Indian in America?


Teaching English in Japan?

Should I or shouldn't I? That is the question. I have been teaching for five years part time with one of the fast food English Language chains in Japan. A pleasant enough experience once in a while. Helps fill the time and puts money in the pocket.

But alas, my patience, being saintly as it is, is wearing thin. This type of conversation 'school' is more a beauty and popularity contest and much less an actual educational experience. In fact, it could be refered to as talkingt to a wall and then expecting the wall to talk back.

Yes, ok, once in a while people do walk in who actually want to learn something. They are a pleasure to speak too and one can actually have an intelligent conversation which helps them to increase their skill. On the other hand you have a great many who are so emotionally immature that if you look at them sideways they fall apart.

It really is no wonder that instructors either leave soon after starting, or just decide they are talking to a wall and enjoy the wall paper. I have one friend who has a smile that looks glued on.

Ah, well ... what should I do next to stay entertained while living in this 'safety' country?

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Boycott Samsung!!

Samsung doesn't find satirical spoof amusing. Samsung shows its arrogance as former criminal, Chairman Lee Kun-hee convicted for tax evasion and bribing two former presidents, re-takes control of Korean chaebol, by suing British columnist for satiric Christmas story.

Samseong-eul Saenggakhanda. One wonders how you can be sued for damage to its reputation if the one suing has already damaged itself.

Samsung doesn't find satirical spoof amusing

Oh, and just so you don't think this is a one off thing" They've done it before many times: Samsung can't take a joke or real criticism, resorts to bullying: Samsung, the great vampire squid

And this: "'Isn’t this a comedy?' Mr. Kim, 52, said in an interview. 'I am challenging them to slap my face, to file a libel suit against me, but they don’t. They treat me like a nut case, an invisible man, although I am shouting about the biggest crime in the history of the nation.' 'Think Samsung': Corporate corruption and unethical government influence

And from 2006 - old but the phone isn't the issue, how they deal with the 'little people' is:
Samsung Lets The World Know Its Phones Are Breakable

And if you think it's bad for the customers - think about the workers of this chaebol corporate monster:

"While Samsung corrupt practices are being revealed, at the same time the dead left by Samsung's refusal to allow trade unions and to fully protect its electronics workers, are now coming to haunt him. Already 10 workers have died, of leukemia or other blood cancers, and a total of at least 26 have been known to have fallen ill. Most recently, former semiconductor factory worker Park Ji-yeon died at the tender age of just 23, after working only 3 years."

For more from the group of workers and victims who demand accountability from Samsung (SHARPS), see Samsung workers die on the job

More: Samsung Tries to Sue Its Way to Mohammunity

Sunday, May 2, 2010

What is the definition of a journalist?

1. One who collects and disseminates information about current events, people, trends, and issues.
2. A person who collects and edits news.
3. A writer for newspapers, magazines and other media outlets.
4. An objective and unbiased reporter of sourced material.
5. A person who keeps a journal.
6. A person who interprets current events and their meaning.
7. One who conveys information for the good of the people
8. One who conveys information to inform the people
9. A person who sits at a desk all day turning wire copy into a story.
10. A person who reads a prompter on TV informing the people.

All of the above? Various parts of the above? None of the above?

What would you say?

Where is Augustine's "City on the Hill" and who lives there?
And perhaps more importantly: How do they live - with each other?

不知彼,不知己,每戰必殆 (孫子)

(If you don't know yourself and if you don't know your enemy,
then you are in for a world of hurt!)


γνῶθι σεαυτόν (Δελφοί)

“I couldn’t imagine this ... world.
Hell is so big and dark and heaven is so small." HJM

"the U.S. has a little manifest destiny over here,
and a little more manifest destiny over there..."

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How About a Bill of Responsibilities Rather Than A Bill of Rights

What if we chose the wrong religion?
Each week we'd just make God madder and madder.