southkorea - Jezebel

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Get A Grip
Seoul To Soul
This Is A Test. This Is Only A Test.
The Spice Of Life
950th Time's The Charm
Seoul To Soul
In South Korea, Single Parenthood Is A Radical Choice
Seoul To Sole: How To Make Women Happy? Make Streets Safe For Heels
Rubs Them Right Way
The Devil's Playground

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whynotshesaid
03:06 PM

In reply to Get A Grip
I had no idea until recently that some of the best power lifters are former gymnasts. I guess gymnasts builds up such incredible strength that, when a woman is no longer able to bounce around on a balance beam, it's a natural transition for her to go into heavy lifting.

I would totally get into powerlifting but I wouldn't want it to interfere with my distance running.
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TheBumbler
05:20 PM

@whynotshesaid: This is olympic weightlifting and not powerlifting. They are two very different sports (clean and jerk and the snatch verses squat, deadlift and benchpress). But, yes, ex-gymnasts make for killer oly lifters as they know how to generate bucketfuls of power (oly lifting is all explosive hip flextion) and have ridiculous body awareness, which is helpful when doing seriously complex oly lifts. If you ever want to confuse yourself, grab a broomstick and a intro book on the snatch and clean and jerk. Good times!
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whynotshesaid
08:50 PM

@TheBumbler: Oops, thanks for clarifying that for me! I don't know nearly as much about the sport as I'd like, esp. as it kicks so much ass! I take it you are a weightlifter then?
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Kali Mama
01:19 PM

In reply to Get A Grip
Daaaammmmn son those are bitching arms.
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badmutha
01:17 PM

In reply to Get A Grip
Though Yuliya considered herself quite the fashionista, she had to admit that the new large shoulder pads just didn't suit her.
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JessickerFletcher
11/18/09

In reply to Seoul To Soul
I oppose the war in Afghanistan but I can't help but wonder why South Koreans would feel so strongly about it. They haven't experienced terrorist attacks (originating from the Afghanistan or Middle East) to my knowledge and South Korea withdrew from NATO-ISAF in 2007 (before that there were some South Korean troops in Afghanistan but I don't think there were any fatalities). It's great that they want to stop war (I think we all do) but telling us to end a war that they are not involved in (nor did our current President start) is as invasive to our political affairs as telling them to join in a war.

Also, if there are any Korean speaking Jezzies out there, I'd love to hear what the signs say.
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BearDownCBears
11/18/09

@JessickerFletcher: Just guessing, but...
a) In my experience you can drum up some people for any particular cause in most modern big cities .
b) He's THERE this week, so, you know, hellooooo cameras.
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Adah
11/18/09

@JessickerFletcher: I was guessing that the large U.S. military presence in South Korea was the catalyst for the protest. A lot of left-wing groups in Europe protest their countries having military bases when those troops go to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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JessickerFletcher
11/18/09

@BearDownCBears: @Adah:
I just remembered that there was the South Korean presbyterian missionaries hostage crisis and that's why they withdrew from NATO (the Taliban used SK's withdrawal as ransom; also, 2 hostages were killed). But I'd still think that that would be a reason to favor the war in Afghanistan. I think BearDownCBears has the right answer here. I know a lot of people who say they oppose the war in Afghanistan but pretty much have no clue as to why.
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Marla Singer
11/18/09

@JessickerFletcher: I think the actual invasion of Afghanistan is more invasive than protesting against it.
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BearDownCBears
11/18/09

@JessickerFletcher: I wasn't saying they weren't legit, but maybe you're right.

Also, in attempt to clear up some cognitive dissonance in light of this site's obvious anti-war zeitgeist: the rabid HRC fans around here know which way she's been leaning on Afghanistan, right? [www.nytimes.com]
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JessickerFletcher
11/18/09

@MechaMech: I think you misread my comment.

#tips
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Edited by JessickerFletcher at 11/18/09 6:08 PM JessickerFletcher was starred

sarasasa
11/18/09

@JessickerFletcher: International affairs are just that, international affairs. A war is not a political treaty between two countries that has been mutually agreed upon, it's one imposing itself over another. If the other has not been able to defend itself successfully, should the rest of the world just butt out because it's none of our business? I beg to differ, war is everyone's business.
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Adah
11/18/09

@BearDownCBears: I'm interested in Clinton's plan to combat corruption in the Afghan government. I, too, think we should stay in Afghanistan and do what we can to win the war there. But soldiers can only fight the people shooting guns. If we don't straighten out the government, somehow, I think we'll be looking at something of a Pyrrhic victory.
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JessickerFletcher
11/18/09

@Adah: I completely agree. I think we should end the war in Afghanistan but not necessarily withdraw troops. I haven't really seen or heard of Clinton's plan in detail but it seems like the right course.
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littlepj
11/18/09

@JessickerFletcher: I've been to Seoul before, and they do seem to love to protest there. As for what the signs say, I can't tell the bottom part of the white sign on the left, but the top line simply says Afghanistan, while the yellow sign in the middle says stop the occupation, stop the slaughter. The one on the right I can only make out part of, and it does mention slaughter again. Sorry, my Korean is not the best.
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JessickerFletcher
11/18/09

@sarasasa: I agree that "war is everyone's business," but not necessarily that "it's one [country] imposing itself over another." I think it's important to point out that the US and international troops aren't combatting any other nation. We're combatting the Taliban and extremist/terrorist factions that were behind 9/11 and similar the factions that continue to pose/make threats against the United States, the Western world, the rest of the world and Afghanistan itself. South Koreans should voice their opinions about the war in Afghanistan, I'm just saying that I can't imagine why they'd declare that we should stop the war, when they have no official involvement in it. And I don't know how, "If the other has not been able to defend itself successfully, should the rest of the world just butt out because it's none of our business?" applies in this context (I'm guessing it's hypothetical?).
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Edited by JessickerFletcher at 11/18/09 6:44 PM JessickerFletcher was starred

BearDownCBears
11/18/09

@Adah: High time for a Carpentier/Ackerman retro-Crappy Hour guest post over here on the topic.
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sarasasa
11/18/09

@JessickerFletcher: Well, I'm guessing it hasn't been very successful since the troops are still there, but it was mostly hypothetical. A lot of countries have declared the US should stop the war on Irak as well, without having any involvement whatsoever, because again, in any war it is unreasonable to expect the rest of the world to be indifferent since it's not directly affected by it. It's important to note, this is not (as far as I'm aware) a formal request to stop the war from the South Korean government per se, but rather a peaceful protest from South Korean citizens. They probably don't represent their country on this issue, they're just a bunch of people against the war in Afghanistan.I don't think it's at all invasive, any country's international politics are the rest of the world's business, and specially those that such as war, where human rights will always be an issue.

#tips
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JessickerFletcher
11/18/09

@sarasasa: It actually has been somewhat successful campaign but clearly there's a long way to go. Afghanistan is an extremely unstable country at the moment and many countries (including Afghanistan) fear that if the international troops withdraw, the Taliban will once again takeover. It's a very similar situation to Vietnam in a lot of ways because the enemy is in hiding and utilizing guerilla warfare. Also, the war on Iraq has stopped, but the war in Iraq has continued. It's true that many countries still oppose our occupation of Iraq but I believe the withdrawal of troops would likely result in a genocide of Shi'ites. I never said their protest was invasive, it isn't. Their message on the other hand is. They have the right to speak their minds and they should, I'm just wondering where their argument is coming from. I'm especially wondering what their argument is because they feel strongly enough to protest the arrival of President Obama.

Also, I think you should reread my sentence concerning the "invasive" aspects of this protest.

#tips
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JessickerFletcher
11/18/09

@littlepj: I remember South Koreans protesting the importation of American Beef (to South Korea) and hearing that it was the largest protest in twenty years. That seems to support "love to protest" generalization.
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DevilsLawyer
11/18/09

@JessickerFletcher: The signs say, in clockwise order from the English sign:

(Black sign) No to Afghan re-deployment

He (Obama) would escalate a mass-murder war fresh from the Nobel Peace Prize?

(Yellow sign) Stop the occupation Stop the mass murder

(Blue sign) No redeployment to Afghanistan

As you can see from the signs, they're protesting not only the war itself but Korean involvement in it, since Obama is expected to ask for Korea to lend its support as well.

Korea, as stated below, had a small number of troops which they withdrew after the hostage situation. Not much gnashing of teeth over that, since Korea doesn't feel involved or committed in Afghanistan--it was just showing loyalty to its U.S. alliance.

What's more, there weren't many tears shed for the hostages (at least one man, I think, a pastor, was killed) because they were missionaries who went to Afghanistan against a government advisory. The prevailing attitude was that they shouldn't have been there in the first place and willingly placed themselves in harm's way. If the women were harmed there might have been a bit more heat but since they were returned safely, the response was a collective shrug.
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JessickerFletcher
11/18/09

@DevilsLawyer: This makes much more sense. Plus, I can understand why they wouldn't want to become involved. I can't see any good reason why Obama would ask for South Korea's support in Afghanistan (well, support as in troops).

P.S. Thank you for the translation/perspective. You = Awesome!

#tips
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DevilsLawyer
11/19/09

@JessickerFletcher: Thanks! I think the U.S. wants support from as many countries as possible largely for reasons of legitimacy and domestic political justification. Legitimacy, as in this is the will of the international society rather than a unilateral U.S. action, and domestic justification, as in showing Congress that the U.S. is not carrying the entire burden of the war. From the bigger military powers like Britain or France, America might want actual burden-sharing as well, but with small players like Korea it's more political smoke and mirrors in my opinion.

And Korea will do as the U.S. asks, of course, because of the alliance. That's what makes some Koreans mad about the thought of deployment--that we'd be putting our young men in harm's way for purely political reasons.
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CherriSpryte
11/12/09

In reply to This Is A Test. This Is Only A Test.
Anyone else get the feeling that's a lucky pink hairclip up there? #southkorea
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sybann
11/12/09

In reply to This Is A Test. This Is Only A Test.
oh honey - it's not worth losing your lunch over. #southkorea
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Adora Belle Dearheart
11/12/09

In reply to This Is A Test. This Is Only A Test.
Unfortunately in South Korea, this test pretty much determines the rest of your life. People die for this test. My parents emigrated from SK so that I wouldn't have to take this test. Seriously, that was a top 5 reason.

From far away in my large liberal arts university, I still fear this test a little. #southkorea
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lilyHaze
11/12/09

@Adora Belle Dearheart: Students spend a year or two studying for this test. Every waking minute is spent on studying. Tutors are hired for lots of money. It completely drains you. When I visited South Korea a long time ago, I barely saw my older cousins because they were studying all. the. time.

I like living in the US. I was an above average student in honors courses, but I did lots of extracurriculars and it got me into a good college with scholarship. That is impossible in Korea.

In order to be competitive, hiring tutors (for English, etc) is a necessity. Extracurricular activities like learning to play an instrument (even if you don't plan to become a professional) is super expensive.

I've never once forgotten that my parents struggled in the US so my brother and I can succeed here. #southkorea
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Gretchen is a new kitten mom!
11/12/09

@Adora Belle Dearheart: Our daughter is Korean and she is thankful to do her college here and not have to go through the hell of this exam. We've heard the horror stories about the large number of suicides each year at exam time. #southkorea
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wtfox?!
11/12/09

In reply to This Is A Test. This Is Only A Test.
35. Which of the following reliably induces nausea and/or rage when contemplated?

A. The unreasonable amount of airtime devoted to Jon Gosselin, Michael Lohan, and Carrie Prejean, as opposed to actual, legitimate news?

B. The reliance of news outlets on hyperbolic, inflammatory rhetoric as a way to boost ratings.

C. The systematic destruction of constructive discourse in politics regarding such issues as universal health care, equal education, and the equal treatment of women, racial minorities, and GLBT individuals.

D. Mindless warmongering on the part of almost everybody in the world.

E. All of the above.
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Edited by wtfox?! at 11/12/09 2:29 PM wtfox?! was starred wtfox?! was unstarred

Mary McCarthyite
11/12/09

@wtfox?!: ALL OF THE ABOVE!

Extra credit: what Jezebel commenter should receive the comment of the day? Answer: wtfox?! #southkorea
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futuremouse
11/12/09

In reply to This Is A Test. This Is Only A Test.
Just remember: If it's a true or false question don't choose C as your default. [www.buzzfeed.com] #southkorea
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lastsinglestanding
11/12/09

In reply to This Is A Test. This Is Only A Test.
OK - don't panic. Don't panic! You're wearing clothes, you have a mechanical pencil and you can do this! Just breathe deep and remember your geometry. And don't barf, 'cause that's gonna blow the whole bubble-grid outta whack. #southkorea
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ucelluccia
11/12/09

In reply to This Is A Test. This Is Only A Test.
That's a perfect encapsulation of how overwhelmed I feel right now. Urrrghhhhh school. #southkorea
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Mary McCarthyite
11/10/09

In reply to The Spice Of Life
Has anyone read the article in the New Yorker (I think it was the Nov. 2 issue) by Barbara Demick? It's about a woman who survived the famine in North Korea. Demick discusses kimchi a bit -- which made my mouth water -- but the article left me with my jaw on the floor. It is a powerful story and Demick does some great reporting. #kimchi
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andBegorrah
11/10/09

In reply to The Spice Of Life
My sinuses opened up just looking at this. Thank you, Anna. (And you too, Korea.) #kimchi
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Anna
11/10/09

In reply to The Spice Of Life
I love kimchi but it makes me fart.
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Tippi Hedren
11/10/09

In reply to The Spice Of Life
If they are not already in existence, someone needs to invent some kimchi potato chips. I would eat the shit out of those. #kimchi
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