Kim Jong Il is Healthy (well, at least, on canvas)

This is what happens when I take off to L.A. for a week and come back completely obsessed by politics: I neglect my fellow bloggers.

I was over at the DeepGlamour site today and saw this great post by Kate on art and Kim Jong-il. He might be sick, or dead, but in art he's as healthy as an ox (or maybe as a goat).

Kim Jong Il: Alive, Robust in Art

Taking a leaf from Generalissmo Franco's political playbook, North Korean semi-strongman Kim Jong Il might be sick, might be dead, might be stuffed. He missed the country's 60th anniversary parade, leading to increased message traffic at Langley, no doubt.

But he's got the strength of 10,000 tigers, if the official art of North Korea is accurate. In fact, the whole country is good looking, strong, brave and energetic beyond belief.

North Korean posters are ubiquitous, with strong graphics, bold colors and relentless cheery exhortations, inviting the passer-by to join in:

LET'S EXTENSIVELY RAISE GOATS IN ALL FAMILIES! (Los Angeles is on board with this.)

LET'S LIVE AND WORK IN THE SPIRIT AND VIGOR OF THE PERIOD OF THE GREAT POST-WAR CHOLLIMA UPSURGE!

David Heather is the foremost authority on these posters, writing:

As important tools in the mobilization of the masses, posters have to have an instantaneous impact on the viewers' understanding and their desire to act upon this understanding. Their message has to be accessible, clear and direct; informative and explanatory, as well as exhortative. The link between contemplation and action is crucial.

The stylization of the figures turns them into instant icons--almost too perfect to be real, but as familiar pop singers in the West. The soldier, the scientist, the farmer are remote, benevolent and courageous, and urge the viewer to forget petty everyday cares and join them in the adventure of building North Korea.

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[Regina Walton's Expat Interviews] An exclusive with Death Cab for Cutie

Hot fun in the summertime ;)

Here is my Korea Herald interview with Death Cab for Cutie.

[Regina Walton's Expat Interviews] An exclusive with Death Cab for Cutie

Summertime in Seoul, as in most cities, is a great time for concerts and festivals. Seo Tae-ji's 2008 ETP Festival didn't disappoint; a wide range of rock acts were brought to Seoul. On the same day, there was Marilyn Manson, one of PETA's 2008 Worst Dressed, on the same stage as the PETA-friendly band, Death Cab for Cutie. For this band, which has been on tour to promote their latest album, "Narrow Stairs," such a study in contrasts isn't new.

They also played at this year's Pemberton Festival in British Columbia, Canada, which featured acts from Coldplay to Jay-Z.

After consistently recording and touring for over 10 years, Death Cab has finally reached rock-star status.

Before their show in Korea, I was lucky enough to get the chance to sit down and speak with two members of the band, Jason McGerr and Nick Harmer. The group took its name from a satirical song of the same name by the British Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.

Death Cab started in Seattle over 10 years ago. Because I've been abroad for most of that time, I missed their rise to fame, until I ran across a video of theirs on YouTube and put it on my blog. I also missed the OC phenomenon in which Seth Cohen, one of the main characters, named Death Cab for Cutie as his favorite band. The OC featured the band's songs, and eventually the band appeared on the show.

When I asked them to describe their music, Harmer said, "At the core of our music, I guess, we're just kind of a rock band. We're just playing melodic songs. There is really nothing too overtly aggressive about the music that we play. I think that the themes of our music tend to be around relationships and the interactions between people and the journey that happens as you get older and figure those things out.

"I'd say that we're a little bit more intellectual than not, at times. I guess the hardest thing is to capture what exactly you sound like. We've been really fortunate to see our audience grow over the years since we started 11 years ago."

McGerr added that he sees Death Cab as a career band. He explained that the guys in the band have known each other for 13 years. "And, as much as we've been placed with certain lifestyles or television shows, we've still been that career band that spans beyond those things. It doesn't seem to be slowing down, and I think we're going to continue to do it as long as it makes sense," he said.

Harmer and McGerr played together in a band for three years before joining Death Cab. McGerr mentioned how "the Pacific Northwest is, in general, is a very small music community. We would be in other projects, passing in the night, playing the same shows and venues together, and it was only a matter of time before there was appropriate timing and our schedules lined up."

After their show in Seoul, the band immediately headed to Australia for a few concerts. While they were there, they also helped MySpace TV Australia launch their online TV channel by playing an online concert. Harmer explained: "It's definitely for Australia. Australian MySpace is just getting started in a lot of ways, so our connection, and the reason we're doing it, is mainly for the Australian fans.

"It will probably be available on MySpace worldwide because that's how MySpace is." That led me to ask them a question about Death Cab telling their fans to download music when they signed with Atlantic Records in 2004. "I've always encouraged downloading. I've never encouraged stealing, and I think there is a difference. A label sells albums.

We live in a world now where everyone is using the computer to discover music and to share music. That's an integral part of any band's career, any musician's career or any entertainer's career," said Nick. "You can't really ignore it. The internet has been invaluable in helping us grow and helping spread the word of our band."

The band also has blogs on their website, and both McGerr and Harmer admit that they've not really been able to keep them current.

McGerr adds, "We've been fortunate enough to be savvy enough to understand how important it is. But, for us, we're fortunate that we became a band before all that mattered. We actually had to work hard before anyone found out about who we were. We needed to physically drive across the country for someone to hear about the band. One writer called us a "pre-blog" band. I understand. I totally get that. You can have so much notoriety with a click of a button, but do you have staying power?"

However, for their autumn tour, Harmer said he'll use try to use Twitter for updates. "Twittering would be a lot easier because I can just do it when I can do it." That way, fans can keep up with what this hardworking career band is up to next.

You can find clips from Death Cab's Australia concert at my blog: expatjane.blogspot.com

For more information on Death Cab, see their website: deathcabforcutie.com, and their MySpace page: myspace.com/deathcabforcutie

Here is an Adobe Acrobat version of the file:

KH09302008 - Upload a Document to Scribd

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Who Won The Debate? Reviews Go To Obama

Zero:



My blog is so overwhelmingly partisan right now and I'm loving it. This does relate to Korea because I viewed the debate at the Starbucks in the Itaewon district of Seoul with a bunch of Obama supporters ;)

Anyway, here is the report card re polls about whether Obama or McSame won the first presidential debate.

Who Won The Debate? Reviews Go To Obama

Several positive reviews for Obama. A CBS News instant poll finds:

40% of uncommitted voters who watched the debate tonight thought Barack Obama was the winner. 22% thought John McCain won. 38% saw it as a draw.

68% of these voters think Obama would make the right decision
about the economy. 41% think McCain would.

49% of these voters think Obama would make the right decisions about Iraq. 55% think McCain would.

Watch:

Two focus groups, one by GOP pollster Frank Luntz and another by Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg, both declared Obama the winner. Here's video of Luntz, some pretty powerful stuff:



Independents in the MediaCurves focus group "gave the debate to Obama 61-39. They also think he won every individual segment. Republicans gave the debate to McCain 90-10, Democrats to Obama 93-7."

And even Time's Mark Halperin weighs in with his grades: Obama A-, McCain B-.

Update: CNN's poll has all Obama winning overall, on the economy and on Iraq:

Who Did the Best Job In the Debate?

Obama 51%
McCain 38%

Who Would Better Handle Economy?
Obama 58%
McCain 37%

Who Would Better Handle Iraq?
Obama 52%
McCain 47%

CNN confirms it too: Poll: Obama wins first debate
Oh this is a gem.

Before McSame confirmed that he would actually show up for the debate, his campaign released this:

McCain Wins Debate

Although the fate of tonight's presidential debate in Mississippi remains very much up in the air, John McCain has apparently already won it -- if you believe an Internet ad an astute reader spotted next to this piece in the online edition of the Wall Street Journal this morning.

"McCain Wins Debate!" declares the ad which features a headshot of a smiling McCain with an American flag background. Another ad spotted by our eagle-eyed observer featured a quote from McCain campaign manager Rick Davis declaring: "McCain won the debate-- hands down."

Here's the screenshot.

The CNN link to the same story. And here is the screenshot:


Hilarious! I thought McSame "suspended" his campaign? I guess someone in his camp didn't get that memo since this managed to get released BEFORE the debate. Instead, that person was hard at work spinning the result of a debate his candidate said he wouldn't take part in.

Reuters on this too: McCain to attend debate, Web ad claims victory already

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Missed the First Presidential Debate?

If you missed the debate MySpace.com is the "official online companion" to the debates.

This morning I and a whole bunch of other people watched the Obama/McSame debate at a Starbucks in Itaewon. We saw most of it, but due to connection glitches sometimes we missed a few seconds of the telecast.

MySpace will upload the full debates and clips, so you can watch it how you like. So click on the link above or the picture to go to the MySpace debates page. You can also sign up for reminders for the next debate.

Here is a transcript of the debate from CNN.com: Transcript of presidential debate

Here video of the first debate from MSNBC (MySpace doesn't have it up yet...thanks to the YouDecide 2008 site):



If that goes down, here is the YouTube link:

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Podcast Picks of the Week - 09/26/2008

I recently got into podcasts this year when I broke down and finally bought myself an iPod.

There are a few that I subscribe to but one stand out favorite that has me completely addicted is Slate's Political Gabfest. Since I just started listening, I've been catching up on the podcasts they had during the primaries and now eagerly anticipate getting the new one each week. I sit on the bus and subway laughing quietly when they say something funny or nodding subtly when they make points I agree with.

There is also the UChannel podcast which is a much more formal. It's a lecture series and sometimes the issues they discuss are pretty good. Usually, I'll listen to lectures from the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), so the levity that comes with the Slate podcasts is missing but I usually feel like I've learned something when I find lectures on topics I'm interested in.

Anyway, here are my picks of the week. Because I'm now addicted to Slate's podcasts, I'm on a quest for more and one from Salon.com on featuring an economic blogger was great. I think what these podcasts do is quench my thirst for an intelligent discussion of politics and, honestly, I can't say that's easy to find.

I'll try to make this a habit. We'll see how successful that will be. Note that clicking on these links will take you to the iTunes store. These podcasts are free AND you don't need an iPod to listen to them. You just need to download them and you can listen to them using iTunes.

Slate's Political Gabfest for Sept. 19, 2008: The Economic Collapse Gabfest

Salon.com: Salon.com Radio - Digby on the bailout

UChannel: Permission to Speak - What right do you have to tell me what to say? and Democracy: participation to passivity - can things change?

I've just added podcasts from the New York Times and the New Yorker to my subscription lists, so maybe I'll find a few more gems. We'll see.

Okay, now it's time to cook (yes, I know it's late...but eh.)

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Poll: Bullshit Is Most Important Issue For 2008 Voters and Latest Poll Reveals 430 New Demographics That Will Decide Election

One, no, two more for the road...these from the great folks at The Onion.


Poll: Bullshit Is Most Important Issue For 2008 Voters


Latest Poll Reveals 430 New Demographics That Will Decide Election

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Debt to America! from the Daily Show

Just funny...



Update 1 - September 28, 2008 @ 1:30am

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice quote from Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a Democrat from Texas, re this bailout being pushed on the American taxpayers:

"I think President Bush did properly diagnose it when he said the problem was that Wall Street got drunk and has a hangover. The problem is the people who are asked to clean up all the broken furniture, they didn't get invited to the party," said Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas. "That's why so many of the people that are contacting me are not just against this bailout, they're very angry they're even being asked."

from CNN Money: 'Grave threats'

Update 2: September 28, 2008 @ 10:30am

More Daily Show clips.

Anyone not notice that the Bush administration has pulled this urgency line before?



And another for the road...

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Homemade Yogurt and Sugar-free Rambling

Last night I made a batch of homemade yogurt.

Why do I bother when you can get yogurt in Korea? Well, I'm an insulin dependent diabetic and what you can't get in Korea is sugar-free yogurt. You can get plain unsweetened yogurt, but the types of yogurt I miss are the fruit flavored yogurts with a sugar substitute.

Forget getting anything like that here in a land where my favorite new sugar free lemon-lime soft drink, the Kin Cider Zero, just simply disappeared off the shelf of my regular grocery store. Maybe it will be back in stock one day, but usually what happens is I fall in love with a product but the Korean population doesn't, so buh bye. Honestly, you'd think with the obsession on being rail thin that sugar-free products would be hard to keep on the shelves. It truly beats me why no companies have sought to tap into the thin paranoia that exists here.

Anyway, the reality is my homemade yogurt is probably much healthier for me than a mass produced brand. So with my stash of XyloSweet, xylitol, that I bought while I was at home, some kiwi that I bought, cut up and froze before I left for L.A., milk and plain yogurt (as a starter), I woke up to a few cups of fresh yogurt and that makes me happy.

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Another Reminder - Absentee Ballot Requests: The Deadline is Looming

Yes, I'm blogging about this again.

For most US election districts, early October is the deadline for voter registration and absentee ballot requests.

Even this week I've run into a couple of US citizens that I know who have not registered or requested their ballots. I think this time it's less than normal, but even one unregistered voter is a waste.

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...

There will be one more weekend of voter registration in the Itaewon area of Seoul. Democrats Abroad Korea has been doing these registration drives since April. I got started with them around May. As a group we've managed to get tons of people, from Republicans to Democrats, to register or request their absentee ballots. If you've not registered or requested your ballot either click on one of these links, Vote From Abroad or Overseas Vote, or come on out and register in person.

People will be at a table in front of the Starbucks next to the Itaewon subway station (exit 3), the police station and the KB Bank in Itaewon.

Because of the debate, on Saturday registration will be from 12 noon to 5pm and on Sunday from 10am to 4pm. (Then again, it looks like there won't even be a debate...what a bunch of B.S. After years of laissez-faire capitalism now we've got to rush to approve a bailout package?) Anyway, I'm over doing the landmarks because I want to make sure no one is confused.



Should the embed be buggy, here is the direct link to the video.

I'm so gung ho on this issue because I remember having a discussion about absentee voting with co-workers during the 2004 election. I said that I always voted absentee. Most said that they didn't and gave a range of what I thought were pretty lame reasons why they didn't. These reasons ranged from voting early meant they'd miss those last minute smear tactics (oh, no!) or that they simply thought voting early and by mail stripped them of something they really couldn't be bothered to articulate. For me, in contrast, I started voting absentee when I was in law school. I just didn't want to wait until the last minute and be bound to go to my polling place. Plus, I was such a nervous and tense wreck that it was just easier to not have one more thing I HAD to do in a tight time frame. Instead, I'd request a ballot. I'd get it in advance of the election. I'd vote at my leisure. I'd just mail it back so it would arrive before election day (in San Francisco your ballot isn't counted if it arrives after a certain time on election day.) Of course, since I was in the city, I could also just choose to not mail it in and vote on election day. A couple of times I did that too.

I think voter apathy is one HUGE reason we've been stuck with this farce of an administration for 8 years. This time I hope the lesson is very clear that while you might not think your individual vote counts, as a group, all of our votes do make a huge difference.

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It's Not Too Late - Register to Vote and Get Active

Update 1: October 28, 2008 @ 9:30am

What's funny to me is after months of what I think is the longest presidential campaign ever (or, at least, it feels that way) and with just a week to go, people are still searching for this "I'm not registered to vote is it to late?" (BTW, it's "too" and I hope that by pointing that out no one calls me an elitist.)

Yes, you're too late. (a link to State deadlines) With one week before a presidential election it's too late to register to exercise your right to have a say in government.

Next time make sure to register early. However, maybe you can still volunteer to help others get to their polling places so they can vote on that day.

Go Obama!
____________________________

Back to politics because this election is too important to stay silent. I notice that a lot of people find my blog because they need to register to vote, and I'm glad I've had voter registration links up for months now.

Here is an email I just received from Americans Abroad for Obama. I'll post it here in full.

Hello Americans Abroad for Obama!

With only 47 days left, our efforts abroad are in high gear and we need your help!

Time is running out to request your absentee ballot so you can vote in November. It only takes a few minutes to complete at www.VoteFromAbroad.org/11. Please go there and request your ballot NOW! Make sure you voice is heard in this historic election!

Also, all across the world we are phone banking Americans abroad to make sure they have requested their absentee ballots. We need your help to ensure that we get through our list of voters! Please email your Regional Field Director if you are interested in helping- it is very easy and important! In this election, every vote counts!

Below is the complete list of regional staff. **Please note that we have added five new field staffers since our last email** Reach out to your appropriate staff member with any questions you have regarding registering to vote, requesting your absentee ballot, or getting involved with Americans Abroad for Obama in your community. With only a few weeks left for Americans abroad to request their ballots, we need everyone's help!

Below are the names, contact information and regional assignment of our Regional Field Directors:

Eastern Canada: Will Fripp, frippw@dnc.org
Western Canada: Kim Burkhardt, burkhardtk@dnc.org
Guadalajara area of Mexico: Tim Whiting, whitingt@dnc.org
All other parts of Mexico: Nick Moreno, morenon@dnc.org
UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, and South Africa: Karin Robinson, robinsonkj@dnc.org
Francophone Europe and North Africa: Christine Houben, houbenc@dnc.org
Spain, Italy, Israel, Portugal and sub-Saharan Africa: Bob Barad, baradb@dnc.org
Greece, Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Cyprus, UAE area- Elina Mihalaki, mihalakie@dnc.org
Germany and Central/Eastern Europe: Hilary Bown, bownh@dnc.org
Australia, Philippines, and New Zealand: Carmelan Polce, polcec@dnc.org
Northern Asia: Terri Macmillan, macmillant@dnc.org
Southeast Asia: Chang Chiu, chiuc@dnc.org
India & Nepal: Shelli Koffman, koffmans@dnc.org
Central/South America, Caribbean: Zak Schwarzman, schwarzmanz@dnc.org

This is a grass roots effort that begins with individuals just like you. We need your involvement! Please reach out to your assigned staffer and get involved with this historic campaign in your community TODAY! We have no time to lose!

Thank you all for your continuing support!


Ali Sutton
Field Director, Americans Abroad for Obama

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Vegetarianism in Seoul - Some Places to Go

The Vegetarian Food Pyramid

Wow, of late my blog is completely a pro-Obama tome and has very little to do with Korea. Then again, I've been more focused than not on my country these last few weeks. I just got back a few days ago from a week in my hometown of L.A. I was there for a wedding and I had a blast.

Anyway, before I left I decided that I would go back to mostly eating vegetarian style meals simply because I've not been eating as healthy as I should and my body shows it. "Vegetarian style" also means I'm not a strict vegetarian. I'm someone who will still eat meat from time to time. I decided this for purely health reasons. If I force myself to eschew meat, I'll just make healthier choices. As an insulin dependent diabetic, I've got to say that if it comes between me and a lab rat in researching possible cures for my disease, I'm all for taking the lab rat out. In that sense, it's simply hypocritical for me to even try to be a moral vegetarian. That sort of reasoning has been constant with me, when I was a vegetarian in college I was never a judgmental one.

With that said, living in Korea as a vegetarian can be a challenge. There are traces of animal products in so many foods and, if you don't know the language, it can be difficult knowing what is what.

Since I'm coming back to the fold, at least in part, let me help others who think like I do with a list of vegetarian restaurants and healthy food stores someone forwarded to me.

This is all from the Happy Cow website.

Vegetarian Restaurants: (19 Listings)

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Country Life Health Restaurant
Shigol Shaenghwal (at Gangnamgu Shinsa St, subway 3, gate 2)
02-511-2402
Vegan, Korean, Buffet

NOTE: As of March 2008, restaurant has relocated... please send new address and information to HappyCow - thanks!
Reviews(5): read reviews / write review

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Han Gua Chae
30-9 Guan Hoon Dong, Jong Ro gu, Insadong (at Insadong Street, subway 3/An-Kuk station, gate 6)
02-720-2802
Vegan, Buffet

Seoul vegan restaurant serving home style traditional Korean food in a friendly and clean atmosphere. Buffet restaurant, costs around 10,000 won. Accept credit cards. Open 11:30-14:30 and 17:00-20:30, closed Sunday.
Reviews(2): read reviews / write review

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Hoonja Food
Hoeghie subway 1
02-2242-9500
Organic, Korean food

Also an organic food market and Christian bookstore. Stock varies and might include veggie meat, organic legumes, medicinal honey.
Reviews: write review

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Myonginga
196-6 Kwanhun-dong, Chongno-gu
02-722-1060
Korean food

Korean vegetarian will consist of a lot of tofu, probably bibimbap, (vegetables on top of rice with an egg on top) a lot of tofu and seaweed based soups, savory thin pancakes with green onions and chile peppers, lots of side dishes (different kinds of kimchi and rice, seasoned seaweed, thin soups) and fried vegetable fritters. It will be as flavorful as you like, usually you can add your own seasoning.
Reviews: write review

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New Start Restaurant
Gangnamgu Seounryung (at subway 2)
02-565-4324
Organic, Korean

Seoul vegetarian restaurant serving veggie Korean food. Uses some organic ingredients.
Reviews: write review

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Oh Say Gay Hyang
Insa-Dong 4 Gil (at Metro:1 line JongGak/3 line AnGuk/5 line JongRo3Ga)
02-735-7171
Ovo, Lacto, Vegan-friendly, Korean, International

Seoul vegetarian restaurant owned by well-known Korean vegetarian food company, Vegifood. 60-seats and Korean style seating. Each 12 tables introduce the world 12 Saints' wise sayings and their pictures. Food is mostly Korean and Chinese, yet you can have pasta and salad as well. No use galic & green onion. Located at Insadong near NakWonSangGa where there are many Korean traditional crafts and art works in the area.
Reviews(4): read reviews / write review

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Sanchae
Togok-dong, Kangnam-gu
02-579-6787
Korean

Vegetarian Korean food.
Reviews: write review

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Sanchon
Insa-Dong
02-735-0315
Vegan, Korean

Features excellent panchan (side dishes), soups, vegetable dishes, and traditional music & dance. Started by a former monk.
Reviews(3): read reviews / write review

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Sanjang
Socho-dong, Socho-gu
02-583-6136
Korean

Reviews: write review

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Shigolsaenghwal
16-1 Nonhyun-dong, Kangnam-gu
02-511-2402
Korean

Reviews: write review

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SM Vegetarian Restaurant
229-10 Poi-dong (at Yangjae station on Orange line, Exit 5)
02-576-9637
Ovo, Lacto, Organic, Korean, Buffet

Vegetarian restaurant operated by a meditation center with a small vegetarian grocery store inside that is open throughout the day. Buddhist monks dine here often. Around US10 dollars (12,000 won) for all-you-can-eat buffet featuring some vege meats and changing dishes. Open 12-2:30 pm and 6-9pm. Directions: South of the Han River in Poi-dong. Take the subway to Yangjae Station, go out exit 5 and turn right, walk about one minute to the bus stop, and take bus 4430 and get off two stops later. There's a Starbucks across the street. Cross the street and turn right. You'll see the restaurant sign on your left. Or take a taxi from Yangjae Station to the Samhomulsan area (around 3,000 won).
Reviews(6): read reviews / write review

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Sosim Vegetarian Restaurant
Insa-Dong Gil Street (at Anguk station on Line 3 (Orange line), exit Insa-Dong)
02-734-4388
Ovo, Lacto, Vegan-friendly, Macrobiotic, Organic, Korean

Nice vegetarian restaurant in basement of building. Menu is in Korean and English, and English is spoken. Sample items include Korean pancake, bi-bim-bap (Korean traditional vegetables and rice) without egg upon request, free refills of rice and side dishes. Also offers a fixed menu meal for around 10,000 won (about US$10.50). Interior is natural wood, and guest sit at regular tables or on the floor. A popular place with monks from nearby chogye-sa (temple), though the restaurant is run by Christians. Closed Sunday. Directions: After train exit, walk straight pass Tourist Information booth on right, art store on left. Walk across Insa-Dong Street towards convenience store in front. Go right when you get to convenience store. Entrance is between GS25 convenience store and bank, and is marked by large vertical black-and-white sign with the name in two Chinese characters, the English words "Sosim" and "Vegetarian Restaurant."
Reviews(7): read reviews / write review

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Curry Town
Itaewon Station, Exit 1
02-749-8175
Ovo, Lacto, Indian, Buffet, Beer/Wine, Banquet, Not 100% Vegetarian

Not 100% Vegetarian. Seoul Indian restaurants operated by an Indian family from Punjab. Menu incudes some vegetarian dishes. Will host parties at around 15,000 won per person for a custom-order vegetarian buffet. Open daily. Directions: From Itaewon Station Exit 1, go straight, and turn right at the second alley (there's a shoe store at the mouth, restaurant is on the left, across from a bakery.
Reviews: write review

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Dimibang
84-14 Gwanhun-dong (at Exit 6, Jongno-gu, Subway Line 3, Anguk Station)
02-720-2417
Vegan-friendly, Korean, Beer/Wine, Not 100% Vegetarian

Not 100% Vegetarian. Korean food based on medicinal herbs and roots. Menu is largely vegetarian though one dish features snails. Owner speaks English. Accept credit cards. Closed Sunday. Direction: Take Exit 6 from Anguk station, there's a small side street between the exit and the police station, follow the block around to the left, and look for the signs.
Reviews(108): read reviews / write review

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Pulhyanggi
Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu
02-794-8007
Korean, Not 100% Vegetarian

Not 100% Vegetarian. The vegetarian set meal comes with a shrimp side-dish and small fish side-dish so ask about it. Note: Korean vegetarian will consist of a lot of tofu, probably bibimbap, (vegetables on top of rice with an egg on top) a lot of tofu and seaweed based soups, savory thin pancakes with green onions and chile peppers, lots of side dishes (different kinds of kimchi and rice, seasoned seaweed, thin soups) and fried vegetable fritters. It will be as flavorful as you like, usually you can add your own seasoning.
Reviews: write review

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Pulhyanggi (Changchung)
190-12 Changchung 2-ga, Chung-gu
02-2265-1320
Korean, Not 100% Vegetarian

Not 100% Vegetarian.
Reviews: write review

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Pulhyanggi (Hannam)
726-54 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu
02-794-8007
Korean, Not 100% Vegetarian

Not 100% Vegetarian.
Reviews: write review

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Pulhyanggi (Shinsa)
632-2 Shinsa-dong, Kangnam-gu
02-545-0415
Korean, Not 100% Vegetarian

Not 100% Vegetarian
Reviews: write review

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Sticky Fingers Bakery
Moon-Jung Dong, Song-Pa Gu
02-542-9724

Not a restaurant. Bakery only, offers vegan-friendly cakes, cookies, muffins, pies, and more. No butter, milk, or eggs used. Open 8.00-22.00. Confirmed open as of Nov 07 in this new Seoul headquater location. Also confirmed open as of Nov 07 at other locations all hours approximately 10.30-22.00 at: Sinsegae Department Store, Myung-Dong Branch, Seoul; Sinsegee Department Store, Kang-Nam Branch, Seoul; Sinsegae Department Store, Jook-Jun Branch, Gyung-Gi-Do; Hyundai Department Store, Mok-Dong Branch, Seoul; Hyundai Department Store, Chun-Ho Branch, Seoul; Samsung Plaza Store, Bundang Branch, Gyung-Gi-Do.
Reviews(2): read reviews / write review

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Health Food Stores: (1 Listing)

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Huckleberry Farms
Apgujeongno, Gangnam (at Eonjuro)
02-514-3800
Sells a range of organic products including fresh fruits and vegetables. Has a small section of beauty products, baby food, and organic korean ginseng. Also a branch in Bundang at Jongja, near Quiznos.
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Thanks to Jeff Chang for sending this out. It's most definitely worth reading because it's amazing that this close to election day you still have people hanging so passionately to any anti-Obama sentiment they can get their hands on and talking around one big issue that we all know still is very relevant to many (very silly) people.

For Obama, Race Remains Elephant in the Room

By Michael Grunwald Monday, Sep. 15, 2008

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama speaks during a Sept. 4 rally in Lancaster, Pa.

On a swing through Pennsylvania last month, John McCain visited a Manheim Central High School football practice — not to ingratiate himself with the players, who weren't even old enough to vote, but to identify himself with the gritty, down-home, lunch-bucket values of small-town football. "This is a blue-collar town," Manheim's coach said in his introduction of McCain. "We don't have a lot of flashy athletes. We don't come out with a lot of flash." But the coach explained that his team works hard, plays with discipline and comes through in the end. "A lot like John McCain," he said.

If you're familiar with the code words of the sports world, you've probably already guessed that Manheim's players had something else in common with McCain: they were white. On the other hand, athletes who are described as "flashy" almost invariably have something in common with Barack Obama. I'm not saying the coach was trying to inject race into his discussion of flashiness. I'm saying that sometimes we talk about race even when we're not talking about race — in presidential politics as well as sports. Sports announcers have at least made an effort to shed their stereotypes; they occasionally describe black players as "scrappy" or "blue collar," adjectives that used to be reserved for whites. But for political pundits, "working class" or "blue collar" or even "small town" voters still means white; blacks have their own category.

Race is the elephant in the room of the 2008 campaign. In West Virginia's primary, one out of every four Hillary Clinton voters actually admitted to pollsters that race was a factor in their vote; that may be an Appalachian outlier, but even in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio the figure was a troubling 1 in 10. It's a tribute to America's racial progress that a biracial man born before Jim Crow died could come this close to the presidency, but if you believe that contemporary America is color-blind, you probably also believe the Georgia Congressman who recently called Obama "uppity," then claimed he had no idea it was a traditional Southern slur for blacks who didn't know their place. ("Uppity" often modified the slur everyone knows is a slur.) Blacks are still known as "minorities" because this is still a majority white country, and Obama is just as anxious to avoid running as "the black candidate" as McCain is anxious to avoid running as "the Republican candidate." (See photos of Barack Obama's family tree here.)

This is something to keep in mind now that the Thomas Friedmans and Arianna Huffingtons of the world are imploring Obama to get angry, to shed his above-the-fray cool and fight back against the McCain campaign's silly-season accusations that he's a charismatic chauvinist who wants to teach kindergartners how to have sex. Over the past 18 months, Obama has been attacked as a naive novice, an empty suit, a tax-and-spend liberal, an arugula-grazing élitist and a corrupt ward heeler, but the only attacks that clearly stung him involved the Rev. Jeremiah Wright — attacks that portrayed him as an angry black man under the influence of an even angrier black man.

White America has shown an abundant willingness to support no-demands blacks like Tiger Woods, Oprah Winfrey, Colin Powell and Will Smith, but a race man like Malcolm X would be another story. It was no accident that Bill Clinton tried to pigeonhole Obama in the primaries as another Jesse Jackson, or that Michelle Obama introduced her family at the convention as a new version of the Cosbys (or the Bradys). Obama's opponents want him to look niche, like BET or Chris Rock or the NBA; his challenge is to prove that he's also attractive to the ABC and Dane Cook and MLB crowds. During the primaries, Joe Biden took flak for his dopey description of Obama as "the first mainstream African American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy." Articulate is one of those racially tinged words that sports announcers use to express surprise that a black man can speak proper English, and clean hints at even uglier stereotypes. But the key word in that verbal vomit was mainstream, because it suggested that most blacks aren't. And the media perpetuates that idea by excluding middle-class blacks from their middle-class calculus.

This is touchy stuff, partly because "the race card" is not always, so to speak, a black-and-white issue. New York governor David Paterson recently accused Republicans of using "community organizer" as a subtle racial put-down; that seems hypersensitive to the point of paranoia. Obama was a community organizer, and his opponents should be able to criticize him without being accused of race baiting. But it's tricky when the attacks wander into the neighborhood of racial stereotypes, like the McCain "Celebrity" ad linking Obama to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, which had a whiff of lock-up-your-women alarmism about the sexual power of black men. The usually somnolent David Gergen lashed out at McCain's ad portraying Obama as the Messiah, calling it a subtle but intentional effort to paint a black man as The Other. "It's the subtext of this campaign; everybody knows that," Gergen said. "As a native of the South, I can tell you, when you see this ad, 'The One,' that's code for, 'He's uppity; he ought to stay in his place.' "

The McCain camp — before its recent forays into the politics of umbrage and grievance — dismissed the ad furor as political correctness run amok. "Have a sense of humor," spokeswoman Nicole Wallace told me. For his part, Obama never accused McCain (or Biden, for that matter) of playing the race card. He wrote eloquently about race in his books, and he spoke eloquently about race during the Wright flap, but he's avoided the subject ever since the McCain campaign accused him of playing the race card, after he suggested that Republicans would try to remind voters that he doesn't look like the Presidents on U.S. currency. I've already reported Obama's negative response to a New Hampshire voter who asked him to launch another Clintonesque national conversation about race: "All that self-flagellation, it's not useful. African Americans get all riled up, and whites get defensive." In a year when generic Democrats are trouncing generic Republicans and polls suggest that the domestic and foreign policies he supports are much more popular than McCain's, it's certainly not useful for Obama.

So Obama is probably wise to ignore the liberals who keep begging him to drop his air of unflappability and start taking Republican scalps. White America already embraces black celebrities, even "flashy" ones. But it has never really warmed up to an angry one.

(See photos of Barack Obama on the campaign trail here.)
(See photos of Barack Obama backstage at the DNC here.)

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Republicans Hijacked 9/11: Keith Olbermann Special Comment 9/11/2008

Wake up American voters.

And BTW, George W. Bush IS a retarded cowboy.



Analysis from the Associated Press: Analysis: McCain ad twists truth

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Repost: Glamour wants to know if you have friends of other races

This is on point and simply interesting for me since I'm in my hometown of L.A. right now. I'm staying a friend's house. Her parents immigrated to the US from Mexico and she was my college roommate. Now she is a doctor as is her husband. I'll be staying at another friends house later in the week who is a black American. I'll also be touching base with quite a few Caucasian and Asian friends of mine while I'm here. So I pretty much laugh when someone asks me if I have friends of another race. Of course, I do.

I'm not naive and I know this is a question that still needs to be discussed. It's just I'm so past it. I went to integrated schools and have had friends of all races since elementary school.

However, while I'mat ease on this point, many aren't.

Maybe by posting and linking this discussion there will eventually be more people who one day will be at ease discussing race.

I'll post and link the discussion here because maybe it can help a few people realize that someone being another race is pretty much irrelevant to friendship.

Glamour wants to know if you have friends of other races

by Carmen Van Kerckhove

The October issue of Glamour magazine, on newsstands now, has a feature story on race and friendship among women. Read the PDF here.

It’s the second in a series of conversations the magazine has been hosting about race, at least partially in response to the controversy last November surrounding a beauty editor’s alleged remarks about black hair styles being “political.” The first installment was about race and beauty, and we gave it a luke-warm review here on Racialicious.

This article is a rehash of a discussion panel I participated in back in May at the Conde Nast headquarters. The audience was made up of Glamour staff, as well as an ethnically diverse group of media, fashion, semi-socialitey types.

Sidenote: I have newfound respect for fashion models after doing the shoot for this article. See that photo where the three of us seem oh so relaxed and casual? Um… in reality we were each perched on a narrow wooden crate, and I was literally straddling Aisha Tyler. Seriously, my crotch was like, all up on her hip, my boob on her arm, and my face on her shoulder. Sooooo… awkward. Especially considering I had met her just an hour earlier.

Anyway, back to the article.

I walked away from the discussion panel in May pleasantly surprised. The discussion was really substantive, and people were not at all shy about exploring topics one wouldn’t ordinarily associate with Glamour magazine. I mean, we talked about white privilege and white supremacy (yes, in those words), about feeling like the token, about being asked to represent your entire race, about feeling used, about feelings of rejection, etc. Not only were the panelists refreshingly forthright, but some of the greatest nuggets actually came from the audience members.

Does the article reflect the depth of that conversation? Unfortunately, no. But I guess that’s what happens when you’re forced to boil down what would have been 20-30 pages worth of text into just a few.

Still, I’m impressed that Glamour is hosting these conversations on race, and doing it in an intelligent manner that does not talk down to the reader. Let’s not forget how mass this magazine is — they’re Cosmo’s no. 1 competitor, with a circulation of over 2 million. That’s a hell of a platform, and I hope it will spark some authentic conversations about race among their readers.

Interestingly enough, the question we kept coming back to during the panel was this: How do you define friendship? Who’s a friend and who’s just an acquaintance? I’m the type who only considers a handful of people in my life to be genuine friends, but other folks have much looser definitions of friendship.

What about you? Do you have friends (real, genuine friends) of other races? If you do, what are some of the challenges to interracial friendship? What are some of the rewards? If you don’t have friends of other races, why not?

Also, since I posted about that daff Glamour editor's comments and this is part of their response to that. I'm all being fair and showing them when they're good as well as bad. This is good.

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Bloggers Choice Awards

Click the picture to vote for us at the Blogger's Choice Awards - thanks!!!

This is great even just for more exposure.

As some of you know, I got a bit fed up with all the negative celebrity swill out there. So I started a blog talking about the good that celebrities do with charities, donations and fund raising. That led me to the Look to the Stars website. I wrote to ask them some questions and they asked if I wanted to write for them. My original blog on that topic didn't last long as I started writing for them pretty much right away.

This year Look to the Stars has been nominated for two categories in the Blogger's Choice Awards:

• Best Charity Blog
• Best Celebrity Blog
  

The likelihood of getting the second one is close to nill. However, we just might get the Best Charity Blog if you take a minute and vote. Click here to give us your vote.

Here is a link to the site.

Here is a link to the last five pieces I've written for them.

Go and vote. Also, check out the other categories.

Thanks a lot!

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Arianna Jumps Into the Fray, Part II (this just might become a series)

I just got another update from the Huffington Post and this one is good too.

Check it: McCain is Running on the Amnesia Platform, But It's Democrats Who Need to Forget Sarah Palin

During his acceptance speech, John McCain had some very strong criticism of his opponent. I'm not talking about Barack Obama; I'm talking about George Bush. After rushing headlong into the embrace of Bush and the Rovian wing of the GOP, McCain has now decided that he desperately needs to distance himself and try to reclaim the maverick mantel. Not an easy thing to do when you have sided with Bush 90 percent of the time. But McCain gave it his best shot, claiming: "We need to change the way government does almost everything." Listening to the speech, you'd think it was the Democrats who occupied the White House the last seven-plus years and it was time to throw the bastards out.

That's a big, yeah...because I'm like wait a minute? How can he be for change when he supported Bush 90% of the time? 90%!

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Missed the Democratic National Convention Speeches?

I was on iTunes this morning and saw that they have a podcast page to download some of the speeches (some as video) from last week's Democratic National Convention.

You'll need iTunes installed.

For good measure, here is the link to the Republican National Convention podcast page. For what it's worth, Palin's speech is generating a lot of buzz. If I can tolerate the GOP rhetoric, I'll make myself listen to the whole thing.


Update 1: Sept. 6, 2008 @ 1:08am -

Palin as I and, clearly, the Chosun Ilbo editors see her.



Update 2: Sept. , 2008 @ 11:18am -

Oh and look at who beat Palin out for Miss Alaska way back when:
Sarah Palin’s revenge?

Hat tip to Undercover Black Man ;)

I've gotta say the "speed dating" through the UN Session yesterday was B.S.

She completely avoided questions from the press. I wonder why? However, now I do hope she knows what the Bush Doctrine is. (BTW, by linking to my thesis on that very topic, I'm not saying she's had to study it in school. It's just that it's a concept you can summarize in one sentence. It's been at the forefront of foreign policy discussions since 9/11 and she had not a clue what it was.)

A bunch of rushed photo-ops taken while meeting foreign leaders doesn't give her anymore foreign policy experience. Sheesh.



Just in case the embed is buggy, here is the link Photo-op Follies by Jeanne Moos of CNN.

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EBS Induced Trauma: Brain Pops

Okay, I just wanted to share something that traumatized me this evening.

I was switching channels, which is now a new thing for me. I was doing it because my cable company has changed the channel line up...again. So the channel number and channel order is new. That means I've got to learn and remember where the channels I view are again.

I was flipping through the channels when, unfortunately, I saw this:

SANY0195
Uploaded by ExpatJane

Basically, a bunch of Korean housewives singing "Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ole Oak Tree" with two hosts who really shouldn't be singing on TV.

I get it. Sit the family in front of the TV and learn English by learning easy to sing pop songs, but oh...the pain.

Now they're showing clips for the next show and on that they'll be singing Michael Jackson's "Ben". I fucking love that song.

Now I'm scarred for life.

Thanks EBS, Educational Broadcasting System, and Brain Pops.

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"I'm Amazed That You'd Ask That Question"...Really?

Just going to throw this out there and then I'm heading back to bed for a cat nap before I head to work.

I was watching Canadian journalist Jonathan Mann on CNN International interview New Mexico's Congresswoman Heather Wilson at the RNC. He asked her about Palin's ability to handle life as a VP and be a mom to five children. Her reply was something like this: "I'm amazed that you'd ask that question."

Now, okay, it is a gender-biased question for sure. But what I don't like is this exasperated reply which implies that the question can't be asked. Like it or not, women still take on the brunt of raising children. We know this.

Is that necessarily fair? No. However, is it how it is? Yes.

There are certain issues that maybe ought to be off limits or handled carefully, like the story that Palin's 17 year old daughter is five months pregnant, which ties right into Mann's question to Wilson. As my friend over at the Metropolitician says if it were Chelsea showing up five months knocked up it would be a feeding frenzy. However, I want Obama and the Democrats to take the high road and, thank goodness, they are.

The public knows very little about Palin. The press as well as the public should and ought to as as many questions as they need to and not made to feel like they've offended anyone in asking.

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Arianna Jumps Into the Fray

I get daily emails on what's being written on the Huffington Post. I usually delete the emails unless I know the writer, am interested in what the writer has to say or if, in this case, the writing is on point.

This is what pulled me into this title. There has been no lack of criticism leveled at McSame's, that's code for McCain for you slow folks, choice for VP. However, it's to be expected. I know I don't care to read much on Palin. The woman's views are virtually from the stone age.

However, what Huffington wrote is funny:

Saving the GOP and The Unbearable Lightness of Being Sarah Palin

Minneapolis-St. Paul -- Even without George Bush in the Twin Cities, the GOP cannot escape its miserable record over the last eight years. (Indeed, trying to spot a recognizable Republican in town has become a favorite early-convention game.)

So you can see why Sarah Palin was such an appealing pick for John McCain. Along with all the things she brings to the table -- fresh face, mother of five, hockey mom -- Palin is notable for what she doesn't bring: a track record.

The Democrats can level the same lack of experience argument at the GOP ticket now.

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Repost: Interview: Death Cab for Cutie Talks to Look To The Stars

I usually don't post my Look to the Stars pieces here, but this one is different because it's more than just writing about what's going on, it's an interview. Since I've made it a habit to post my Korea Herald interviews*, I'll do the same for the Look to the Stars interviews.

Interview: Death Cab for Cutie Talks to Look to the Stars

Summertime in Seoul, South Korea, like in many other big cities, is the time for music festivals. Being a new columnist on the interview beat here in Seoul means I had the chance to attend a few of those festivals and was able to interview some of the artists, too.

During Seo Tai-ji’s 2008 ETP Festival I sat down and talked to two of the members of Death Cab for Cutie – bassist Nick Harmer and drummer Jason McGerr – before their set. I asked them a few questions about their charity work and causes they support both as a group and as individuals.

Jason McGerr made it clear that they are a group that take their causes seriously and that they do their best to “think globally and act locally.” To this end, a portion of their concert ticket proceeds go to the Seattle Public Schools Lunch program.

Nick says, “We’re probably most active as a group with the Seattle Public Schools…to get all those kids fed.”

They also donate both time and money to various music programs in Washington State, and they give table space to non-profit organizations such as Planned Parenthood and to voter registration organizations.

In 2006, they were invited to play at the annual Bridge School Benefit. The Bridge School Benefit is a concert organized by musician Neil Young and his wife, Pegi, that takes place in Mountain View, California. The school’s mission is to help students with severe speech and physical challenges learn the skills needed to fully participate in their communities.

Also, Death Cab contributed a track to the 2007 Causes 1 benefit album to help ease the humanitarian crisis Daufur, Sudan. The benefit album is available on iTunes.

In addition, Death Cab’s guitarist and producer, Chris Walla, attended the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado along with lead singer Ben Gibbard where they performed at a few shows to benefit the political causes they support.

During the DNC they performed at the “Concert for a Cooler Planet”, the SEIU (Service Employees International Union) Rally, and the “Fix Health Care Now” rally. In addition, Chris Walla also wrote a blog from the DNC for Rolling Stone Magazine.

Individually, Nick and Jason describe Chris Walla as “the PETA guy.” Chris has been a vegetarian since he was a teenager. He made a public service announcement for PETA which encourages people to “try vegetarianism”.

Ben Gibbard is also vegetarian. As a group, Death Cab has supported PETA by giving away copies of the 2005 DVD Drive Well, Sleep Carefully. The teamwork regarding the vegetarian lifestyle and cause also shows up in how they tour. Nick and Jason describe themselves as “conscious omnivores”. However, during Death Cab’s tours they eat vegetarian meals.

Jason said, “We’ll roll that way for an entire tour just because it’s just easier having food brought in or prepared.”

“It’s easier to say the whole band is vegetarian because we can eat that, for sure, [but] they [Chris Walla and Ben Gibbard] can’t eat the other options,” added Nick.

Nick donates both time and money to the 826 Valencia Writing Center. 826 Valencia is the creation of author Dave Eggers and educator Nínive Calegari. 826 Valencia mission is to support children ages 6 to 18 with their writing skills and to help educators get excited about their student’s writing. 826 Valencia started in San Francisco but now has programs in NYC, Los Angeles, Michigan, Seattle, Chicago and Boston.

Nick says “I’ve donated money and I’ve donated time. I taught a class last year at 826.”

Nick also supports Kiva. “That’s actually a really cool organization. They’re loan brokers for underdeveloped and impoverished areas where people are trying to get businesses started.”

Kiva is a non-profit organization that helps people in developing countries with small loans. Their mission is to connect people together to alleviate poverty. They do this by helping match lenders with entrepreneurs in need of small loans. Lenders browse the profiles of small business owners, choose an entrepreneur and amount to loan to the entrepreneur. Kiva’s partners then distribute the loans and often they also help the entrepreneur with training and other services to help their businesses be successful.

“I’ve been doing that for awhile. It’s been actually really great. I’ve been paid back for every loan I’ve lent out. It’s awesome to have the one-on-one connection with a business owner. It’s really personal. It’s not, like, [you] give your money to some faceless organization. It’s a really fun thing to be involved with,” Nick said.

Jason said, “[My] charitable time is in the world of music [and] the world of teaching and education, spending time in Seattle public schools [and] private teaching schools and donating my time for school camps. Because we’re able to do what we love and make our livings doing it, it is my duty to give back. The budgets in the public school system for not only lunches but for extracurricular programs are just not there anymore. Nick’s mom was a principal for years, she could tell you. My mom was a teacher was a teacher for years, so education has been in my background and upbringing for years and years and years. I used to teach in a music school and don’t have much time now, but when I do have time I certainly volunteer all my time…”

The guys in Death Cab definitely show their commitment to thinking globally but acting locally, backing up their words with both donations and with actions.

Thanks, Nick and Jason, for taking the time to talking to us about the causes important to you!

To learn more about some of the charities Death Cab for Cutie support, visit the websites below:

826 Valencia The Bridge School Peta.org Planned Parenthood

* Of course, I do that primarily because the Korea Herald still thinks people ought to pay for premium content after a few days, and I want people to be able to accessthe content I write. Look, if the New York Times and CNN has given up on premium pay sites, I'm curious to see when other media will get a clue.

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