Wet.
Visiting Seoul? Bring a Raft.
Many sewers and areas near the river in Seoul can’t handle heavy downpours. A few years ago, I was surprised to see when this happened. But, I think most Seoul-ites are used to it.
Other parts of Korea are facing landslides. I hate when I see Korean construction digging into mountains. It seems like they’re just asking for it to happen.
Listening to … Ghost Funk
I don’t listen to as much rap/hip hop as I used to. Usually, there are 3-4 good songs on an album and the rest is garbage. Why do rappers add intros, interludes, skits, and so much trash between songs? Anyways, this Ghost Funk album, the Mos Dub, and Dub Kweli albums from Max Tannone have pulled me back in. It’s liek the best vocal tracks over the freshest African, dub, reggae beats.
The albums are free to download and easy to listen to.
Hyundai Veloster
I saw one of these on the road and it had me turning my head. They’re also in Korean showrooms.
All of South Korea’s Textbooks to Go Digital by 2015
By 2014, all of South Korea’s elementary-level educational materials will be digitized, and by 2015, the entire school-age curriculum will be delivered on an array of computers, smart phones and tablets. While the country’s education ministry is yet to announce the make or model of the devices it will purchase, it has revealed it will spend $2.4 billion buying the requisite tablets and digitizing material for them.
This is a story I’ll have to follow. Personally, I’ve NEVER seen anyone with an e-reader or Kindle in Korea. NEVER. People are still reading paper books. Of course, I think there is no eco-system for e-books, like Amazon has achieved for the Kindle. When there is an eco-system or market place for e-books, maybe a reading device will follow.
I’ve seen very few university students and subway-goers with iPads. The 7″ Samsung Galaxy Tab is more prominent. More students and people have them. However, they’re not using them for educational purposes.
I’m sure there are a plethora of educational apps from 3rd party companies trying to peddle their services for big money. Their product will “raise your child’s IQ” or “improve his English ability without the expensive price tag of a private tutor”! That stuff will always be pushed in people’s faces.
I’ll have to wait and see and how this unfolds. If the Korean government wants to make this happen, it WILL happen. But, currently, there is no e-book base. The next time in Kyobo bookstore (the largest bookstore), I’ll check out what they are pushing. Personally, I’d still like to study Korean from a paper book. But, I might be an old fuddy-duddy.
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