Empty eyes

My favorite song. so sweet. Whenever i listen to this song, i'm in mood to travel beautiful places.
This song is composed by Kanno yoko, she is a famous japanse artist to make animation, movie, game ost. "Empty eyes" is 大航海時代(game title) ost song.

Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea

I have friends who snore loudly... And it's annoying when you are trying to sleep...
Some times I wish they would get their snoring treated...
So here's some info I found about snoring.
While loud disruptive snoring is at best a social problem that may strain relationships, for many men, women and even children, loud habitual snoring may signal a potentially life threatening disorder: obstructive sleep apnea.



It is important to distinguish between snoring and OSA. Many people snore. It's estimated that approximately 30% to 50% snore at one time or another, some significantly. Everyone has heard stories of men and women whose snoring can be heard rooms away from where they are sleeping.


Snoring of this magnitude can cause several problems, including marital discord, sleep disturbances and waking episodes sometimes caused by one's own snoring. But, snoring does not always equal OSA; sometimes it is only a social inconvenience. Still, even a social inconvenience can require treatment, and there are several options available to chronic snorers.


Some non-medical treatments that may alleviate snoring include:


Weight loss — as little as 10 pounds may be enough to make a difference.


Change of sleeping position — Because you tend to snore more when sleeping on your back, sleeping on your side may be helpful.


Avoid alcohol, caffeine and heavy meals — especially within two hours of bedtime.


Avoid sedatives — which can relax your throat muscles and increase the tendency for airway obstruction related to snoring.


Your doctor has other treatment options, including the following:


Radio Frequency (RF) of the Soft Palate uses radio waves to shrink the tissue in the throat or tongue, thereby increasing the space in the throat and making airway obstruction less likely. Over the course of several treatments the inner tissue shrinks while the outer tissue remains unharmed. Several treatments may be required, but the long-term success of this procedure has not as yet been determined.


Laser-Assisted Uvuloplasty (LAUP) is a surgical procedure that removes the uvula and surrounding tissue to open the airway behind the palate. This procedure is generally used to relieve snoring and can be performed in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon's office with local or general anesthesia.


So don't take it lightly and go get yourself treated at a hospital before it becomes too late.


Source : http://www.aaoms.org/sleep_apnea.php

Researchers make breakthrough with phone-charging t-shirt

Found an interesting article :


     Researchers have come up with another use for T-shirts: They can hold a charge like a capacitor.


     A duo at the University of South Carolina, Professor Xiaodong Li and researcher Lihong Bao, managed 
     to convert a cheap t-shirt bought at a discount store into a wearable power source.
     The t-shirt was soaked in flouride, dried and then baked in an oxygen-free room at a high temperature, 
     which changed the fabric from cellulose to activated carbon, without damaging the flexibility of the      
     material.

     The result is that the fabric could be used as a capacitor, which can store an electrical charge. The 
     outcome was further enhanced by coating the fibres with manganese oxide, resulting in what Li called a 
     “stable, high-performing supercapacitor.”
     The professor said that when these are stacked together they could be used to charge phones and tablet      
     computers, making clothing that little bit more useful than it currently is.
     Of course, the potential downside is the unknown risks of wearing “charged” clothing. Electric shock is 
     one possibility that will need to be addressed, made even more problematic when considering what 
     might happen if the fabric gets wet. If these concerns were addressed, however, we might be plugging 
     into our t-shirts and jeans instead of the wall sockets.


I wonder where the limits to science and technology are... It sometimes scares me...


Link : http://vr-zone.com/articles/researchers-make-breakthrough-with-phone-charging-t-shirt/16625.html#

LG fridge survives tornado

LG Electronics said Tuesday that one of its refrigerators withstood a tornado in Johannesburg, South Africa. 
A local resident, Mark Louw, sent an email to the Korean firm with a picture of his LG-made refrigerator working as usual after a tornado ripped through  Johannesburg.
His refrigerator remained intact among the debris of his roof-less house and damaged car.
Was it pure luck? or does this prove once again LG fridge’s durability and trustworthiness. You be the judge.

Kaiwo Maru

The biggest sailing ship in terms of scale called 'Kaiwo Maru' came into Yeosu port in South Korea to participate in Yeosu Exposition.

Visitors to Yeosu Expo can watch that ship for four days. And many events in regard of 'Kaiwo Maru' will be held during that time. It is consisted of opening inside of the sailing ship to visitors, 'Sail Drill' in which about 100 sailors on that ship altogether spread the huge sail and crews on top of the sail saluting in line with command which is unusual ceremony.

Also, under the theme of 'Korea-Japan friendship', special concerts such as that of Japanese Diva 'Kuraki Mai' and parades like large-scale fireworks are going to be held. That makes Yeosu Expo more interesting and attractive to prospect visitors.

Kim Jong Who??

Just found it interesting...

Exhibition of Advanced Information Technology

Tens of thousands of people flocked to South Korea's 2012 Yeosu Expo, which opened last week. The 2012 Yeosu Expo opened to the public after four years of preparation, with 104 participating nations showcasing their oceanic culture and science. The Yesu Expo will display advanced oceanic IT technologies, and will even show futuristic submarine cities.

 

Amenities, such as tickets, and transportation, lodging, and tourism information will be available for online, and on smartphones. The expo is providing realtime information about exhibitions via smartphones as well.

 

The Expo Digital Gallery located on the main street of the Expo site has the distinction of being the world's first marine culture and art gallery which incorporates cutting-edge information, 3D sounds and the world best LED technologies. Moreover, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine will showcase a large fish robot called Firo, and bipedal talking humanoid robot called Charlie.

The world's first expo to hold an opening on the sea...!

The world's first expo to hold an opening on the sea, '2012 Yeosu Expo (May 12 ~ Aug 12)' opened upon grand opening to welcome domestic and foreign visitors.

 

This main theme of Yeosu Expo, "The Living Ocean and Coast," conceptualizes the most desirable future for the ocean whose sound preservation and well-being is essentially linked with the survival of human kind. The expo will be held for 93 days, and 104 countries will participate. It's a once in a lifetime experience that you will definitely regret not going.

Moreover, more than 3700 'maritime performances' will be held so come to Korea and make memories that you will never forget in your life!!!

Luxury hotels at 2012 Yeosu Expo

This is one of six luxury hotels that opened in Yeosu early this year ahead of the 2012 Expo in the South Korean port city, 455 kilometers south of Seoul. The number will increase to 11, with five hotels located within a one-hour driving distance from the city, providing a total of 1,299 rooms. Reservations are available via the official homepage of the 2012 Yeosu Expo (www.expo2012.kr). The Expo takes place from May 12 through Aug. 12 under the theme, "The Living Ocean and Coast." More than 100 nations are expected to participate.


Source : Yonhap News Agency

A Living, Breathing Ocean, Yeon-Ahn

Yeo-Soo, a mesmerizing port city filled with natural beauty, is hosting a 3 month long Yeosoo Expo (5.12~8.12) in 2012, and it is more than prepared to welcome its guests.

The reason why the 2012 Yeosoo Expo is gaining so much attention is because of its unique theme 'The Living Ocean and Coast', and its emphasis the 'Unity of Sea and Land, Humanity and Nature, Past and Future'.

2012 Yeosoo Expo will host 100 nations worldwide as well as 5 international organizations for 93 days. Each day is packed with 40 different "Ocean Concerts, Festivals and Events", totaling up to 3,700 different experiences. Yeosoo is expecting 8 million people from all around the world for this Expo.

The Korean government and Yeosoo City are taking extra measures to ensure everyone's stay at Korea is an exceptional one. The Korean express railroad KTX, Korea's various airlines, Korea's road infrastructure and housing are all more than ready to welcome and impress the guests from around the world.

Come to Yeosu Expo 2012

A robot fish on a scientific mission shoots lasers from its nose, its tail swinging as it swims around a tank. It's part of an effort to showcase technology at Expo 2012, which opens for three months on May 12 in Yeosu, South Korea, with a theme focused on the ocean.
Organizers have coined the term "seavilization" to promote the event in this southern coastal city. It's the first expo to be held in South Korea since 1993, and millions of visitors from around the world are expected to attend. Its formal theme is "The Living Ocean and Coast: Diversity of Resources and Sustainable Activities."
It's also being billed as the biggest gathering of robots in the history of expos, and South Korea hopes the event will help promote the importance of technology — including robots — to develop underwater resources without harming the environment.
In addition to the robot fish with the laser-shooting nose, there is a human-like robot that smiles, cries, frowns and winks at visitors, and at another booth, a group of robots the size of schoolchildren that dances in perfect harmony to the beat of Korean pop music. Another robot that looks like a starfish crawls inside a water tank as it demonstrates its ability to detect and analyze underwater resources.
Organizers hope the expo will both capture visitors' imagination and showcase South Korea's eminence as a technology powerhouse. Other high-tech aspects will include submarines, LED displays and a mobile app that allows people with smartphones to access information while touring the exhibits.
In another effort to use modern technology to draw attention to the coastal setting, Yeosu has also built a gigantic round-shaped structure in the water called the Big-O to display colorful hologram images. Lasers and flames shoot from the structure, which stands about as high as a 13-story building at 41 meters tall and 35 meters wide (135 feet by 115 feet).
Yeosu is a port city 300 kilometers (187 miles) south of Seoul. It is one of the most scenic areas on South Korea's southern coast, with 300 islands nearby. One of its biggest tourist attractions is a wide coast, submerged daily by flood tides and rich with sea life.
The expo venue offers 2.7 million square meters of space (29 million square feet). Typically countries that join the host country for these events create pavilions to showcase their own technology, culture and products related to the expo theme. This year's participants are expected to come from 105 countries and 10 international organizations, organizers said. The organizing committee said it asked North Korea to participate, but Pyongyang has yet to respond.
Expo 2012 is a smaller exposition than the larger world's fairs that are held in years ending in 0 and 5. Those larger events last for six months; the most recent large expo took place in Shanghai in 2010. Smaller expos, like the one in Yeosu, are held every four years for just three months and tend to be in less well-known destinations, such as Zaragoza, Spain, which hosted Expo 2008. The expos are sanctioned by the Bureau International des Expositions. The next large expo will take place in Milan, Italy, in 2015.
___
If You Go...
EXPO 2012: http://www.worldexpo2012.com/ .
Opens May 12 for three months in Yeosu, South Korea, located about 300 kilometers (187 miles) from Seoul. One-day tickets are about $30, two days, $50, three days, $60.
GETTING THERE: One-hour flight from Seoul, plus a 30-minute bus ride from the Yeosu airport to the expo. By high-speed KTX train, three hours from Seoul to a train station near the expo site.

Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea count down begins!!

For 3 months starting May, Korea's southern coastal city, Yeosu will host 'Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea,' with the theme of "The Living Ocean, and Coast." Therefore, I will introduce to you the major attractions of the romantic city of Yeosu.

♠ Goso-dong, "Angel Town"

At Goso-dong, located near Yeosu Coastal Park, Exists "Angel Alley," which has murals of Yeosu's history, culture, and legends. The murals attract tourists due to its beauty, and its function as an gigantic museum.

♠ Odong Island

Moreover, in spring, Yeosu's major island, 'Odong Island' turns in bright red, and in May, the island is full of blue camelia, and attracts many tourists year round.

 

This year's 'Yeosu Expo' has four sub-themes, "Sea, Land, Forest, and Wind," and will focus on Coastal Development and Preservation, New Resources Technology and Creative Maritime Activies.

For more information click on Yeosu Expo homepage

http://eng.expo2012.kr

 

2012 Goyang International Flower Olympiad

The ensemble of 20 billion flowers, '2012 Goyang International Flower Olympiad,' starts from the coming 26th to May 13th at the Goyang Lake Park.

Floriculture companies from 40 countries all over the world from Netherlands, U.S., Colombia, Japan will participate at the world's largest flower exposition, Goyang International Flower Olympiad. This year, companies from 11 countries including Cambodia, Egypt, Nepal, and Cameroon will partcipate at the expo and will provide visitors lots to see.

Apart from various flower expositions, there are other cultural events to add to the atmosphere of the festival.

Body flower shows, a fashion show using flowers, demonstrations of famous floriculturist, and K-Pop performances!

I'd have to say it wouldn't be a bad idea to spend an aromatic day with 20 billion flowers.

Samsung retains top spot in LCD, LED markets

South Korean tech behemoth Samsung Electronics Co. retained its No. 1 market share in liquid-crystal display (LCD) and light-emitting diode (LED) monitors in 2011, a market research firm said Monday.
DisplaySearch said Samsung's share stood at a combined 15.1 percent, outperforming rivals such as Dell Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co. that controlled 12.9 percent and 11.2 percent of the market each.
The South Korean company's market share was unchanged from the year before when it ranked first overall in LCD and LED sales.
Samsung pushed aside LG Electronics Inc. to become the largest producer of LCD panels, with the company doing well in both the general and premium market sector with the launch of its TB750 units.
The market researcher said Samsung expanded its presence in the hotly contested 24-inch LED monitor sector by securing a 34.7 percent share of the global market, outpacing Apple Inc., whose share stood at 14.1 percent.
In 2010, Apple enjoyed a 53.3 percent market share, compared with 12.3 percent for Samsung.
Samsung's presence in China, the world's single largest monitor market, reached 20 percent last year, just behind Taiwan-based AOC, whose share hit 21.5 percent, according to DisplaySearch
Market watchers, meanwhile, said Samsung's strength in monitors is linked to its ability to sate market demand and churn out quality products.

Korea Discount

The ``Korea Discount'' is defined by Forbes Magazine as ``the amount by which investors undervalue Korean stocks.'' This discount rate can be seen in how Korean stocks have consistently maintained low price-earnings ratios, and are predicted to maintain this low ratio in the future as well. Korea is perceived to have certain long-term investment risks that need to be addressed. 
This risk can be characterized as risk of both foreign and domestic capital flight. Foreign investors currently own roughly 40 percent of the shares on South Korea's stock exchanges, and this investment is perceived as somewhat volatile and at higher risk. 
Domestic investment is also at risk of capital flight as South Koreans are no longer inhibited from investing abroad (since the financial liberalization of its market in 1998). 
So what are these perceived risks that have caused capital flight and consequently enabled Korean stocks to be valued at a discount?


1. One predominant cause for potential capital flight remains South Korea's geographic proximity to and political rivalry with the unstable North Korean regime.
For example, when North Korea tested a nuclear weapon and launched a short-range missile on May 25, 2009, the KOSPI stock index tumbled as much as 6.3 percent. 
Similarly, on Oct. 9, 2006, when North Korea conducted its first nuclear explosion, the index fell 2.4 percent. In both cases, however, the KOSPI quickly recovered, recovering much of its losses the following day (Bloomberg 2009).


2. Another cause of concern for investors is Korea's significant debt load. Household debt in South Korea surpassed 700 trillion won in September for the first time ever, which may have a snowball effect when interest rates rise. 
Similarly, chaebol conglomerates are experiencing financial instability _ the LG Economic Research Institute (LGERI), recently reported that 12 out of the 41 largest conglomerates failed to earn sufficient returns to cover interest payments during the first three quarters of the year. 
And out of the 12 underperformers, seven recorded deficits. Government debt as a share of GDP has also significantly increased.


3. Another reason for the Korean discount is an overbearing labor union force. Lim Ji-won, an economist at JPMorgan Chase, said, ``Labor union issues are a persistent discount factor for South Korea.'' 
In 2007, according to International Labor Organization data, South Korea had six times more strikes than in Japan, whose population is more than double the size.
Recently, on Nov. 25, 16,000 railway workers went on strike, paralyzing 96 percent of Korail's cargo train service, with only 11 out of 300 daily cargo trains running normally. 
With unions that are so powerful now as to be able to disrupt the entire country's transportation sector, investors are thinking twice before investing in such a high risk market.


4. A perception of an unfair playing field in the market is another concern for investors in Korea. Last year, Transparency International ranked Korea as 39th on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), tied with Oman.
In contrast, Japan ranked 17th, Australia 8th. 
Slush fund scandals and allegations of bribery abound in the media nowadays, and can be found across a broad spectrum of Korean society, from education to business to politics. 
In addition, foreign investors sometimes feel particularly left out of a fair playing field, as was the case when Lone Star, a Dallas-based private equity fund that holds a controlling stake in the Korea Exchange Bank (KEB), was denied permission to sell its investment. 
The perception of an unlevel playing field in the market, whether from corruption or protectionism, is a major reason for the discounted value of Korean assets.


5. Finally, the Korea discount is also the result of underrated assets due to uncompetitive marketing in certain industries. For example, Korea's science and technology sector, which ranks fourth, has a global image that ranks ninth. 
Improving the image of Korea Inc. could help create a more accurate understanding of the Korean market, but in the meantime this is another reason for assets in Korea to be valued at a discounted price.


The Korea Discount is the reward for assuming a greater degree of risk in this emerging market. Those who are not risk adverse and are willing to accept a risk premium can take advantage of this discount rate and reap handsome rewards. 


But before entering the market, it is essential to understand the risk variables of geopolitical proximity with North Korea, Korean debt and credit concerns, the impact of Korea's labor unions, potential transparency issues and the need to further develop a positive image of Korea Inc.

24 venues open 24 hours in Seoul

In Seoul, no one goes home by midnight. 
In fact, many of the city's night owls emerge around then, to enjoy the nocturnal entertainments that kep this perpetually lit city humming till dawn.  
The unintended side effect of this city-wide insomnia is that travelers from another time zone don't have to feel alone when they wake up at 2 a.m. and crave breakfast.  
They can join the thousands of other Seoulites on the street, who, despite their lack of jet lag, apparently feel the same way.  
Because nighttime fun doesn't have to be all about partying -- although there are parties aplenty (most clubs and bars stay open until 6 a.m.). 
You can shop for clothes at any one of the malls in the Dongdaemun area, such as Migliore, which closes at 5:30 a.m. Nothing like a bit of shopping after a pint (or three), when your judgment is just impaired enough to make everything you try on look stunning. 
So for anyone prowling around the city at random hours, here are 24 places in Seoul that never close.


For more info: http://www.cnngo.com/seoul/visit/24-venues-open-24-hours-703584

Naver, Korea's Internet Search Engine

One very interesting thing to note about Korea is that Koreans have their own search engine, Naver. Korea is one of the very few countries that Google was unable to gain market share.
Although Google is loved by most of internet users  for its simplicity, and accuracy, it just lacks contents compared to Naver. Apart from being a search engine, Naver also has its own contents, such as Naver Webtoons, and encourages users to actively post their ideas, blogs, etc. by publishing it in the front page if it gains enough attention...
I personally use Naver as 1. search engine, 2. Korean-English dictionary, 3. Webtoons...


FYI... Naver is owned by NHN Corporation.
Go to Naver : www.naver.com


And this is just one of the webtoons that I really enjoyed...

Bongcheon-dong Ghost Story is considered by many to be one of the most horrifying online comics of all time. The story references the real-life 2002 suicide of "Mrs. Cho", a woman who lived in the area. The reason behind her suicide was the loss of her child due to a divorce settlement. The comic tells of the mother's demon who terrifies a young schoolgirl while looking for her daughter.



Source: http://comic.naver.com/webtoon/detail.nhn?titleId=350217&no=20&weekday=tue

Seoul Lantern Festival 2011

From CNNgo :

Cool Seoul photo-op alert -- the annual Seoul Lantern Festival kicks off today at Cheonggyecheon in Jongno-gu. 

30,000 colored lanterns will float on the water and in the air along the 1.3-kilometer stretch from Cheonggye Plaza to Jongno-3-ga. 

The theme of this year's festival? "Seoul of yore," as told through lanterns shaped like traditional landmarks and historical figures from past dynasties.

The theme seems to be a loose one, however, as robots and cartoon characters will also be on display, as well as works from Japan and the Philippines. 

The lights will be on from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Admission is free. 

Besides all these, you will find special and traditional Japanese lanterns, and Philippines' beautiful Christmas lanterns too. Grab a camera and get out there!


For more : Seoul Lantern Festival

Little Kim Jong-Il for Holloween

Saw this on Tumblr. Aww.

Reddit : Korean moneyface

Now I can't even remember what the face actually looks like on the bill...

Saw this on Reddit. Enough said.