The Iceberg

Rumors are flying around the Internet that Seattle’s 2009 MLS expansion team is interested in signing Thierry Henry and - get this - the feeling may be mutual.

More here.

There could be a big announcement coming soon.

(Soon being a relative term.)

UCLA lost to Memphis, which means I’m done.  North Carolina lost to Kansas, which means that everyone else is done.  The man who shall henceforth be referred to as the “northern North American” (NNA) won the pool, which simply reinforces the notion that - in March Madness pools - the less you know about sports, the more likely you are to win.

I must give the NNA his due, however.  The guy put in about 20 hours of research before making his picks and it paid off.  He nailed both teams in the final.

I’m trying to persuade him to go double or nothing on my contribution to the pool for the championship game, but he’s not biting.  I like Memphis.  Damn, they looked good against UCLA.  Of course, Kansas looked pretty good too.

“North American Scum”, by LCD Soundsystem

North American Scum

Or 내귀에 도청장치 in Korean.

I’d been meaning to write about this band for months, but never got around to it until now.

I first stumbled across Wiretap at Pentaport 2007. They performed late Friday afternoon (day one) on the second stage. I had never heard of them and probably still wouldn’t know who they are were it not for a little luck. I ran into one of my former hagwon students and her friend and they were big fans of the band. They insisted that I watch the show with them and the rest was history.

The four members of Wiretap performed while wrapped in faux-bloody bandages. That alone was worth seeing. But the band had more than a visual gimmick. They had a good sound and a loyal group of enthusiastic fans, which made for a great show and a fun time. And vocalist Lee Hyuk (이혁) - whose stage presence evokes the spirit of Ziggy Stardust - can carry a tune. Here is a very brief excerpt of their performance at Pentaport 2007:

I decided that I wanted to see Wiretap perform again and finally had the chance last December at the Hero Rock Festival. They didn’t disappoint - except for the fact that the guitarist ripped off Slash’s hat. That wasn’t good. But forgivable. I put together some snippets of their performance. Note that I recorded the show using my digital camera with its little digital camera microphone, so the sound is not as good as it could be.

Here’s hoping that Wiretap in My Ear plays again at Pentaport 2008 - and this time gets a slot on the main stage.

“March into the Sea”, by Modest Mouse

Modest Mouse - March into the Sea

Excellent listening for that sunny day (that we are going to have today).

After surfing through a variety of different blogs, downloading music and movies, watching the same episode of CSI Miami twelve times (”DRIVE-by…MiAMi style.”, “You know what they say, Frank…speed KILLS.”)*, playing X-box 360, searching for random videos on YouTube, and photoshopping your coworker’s face being squeezed out of a bottle of lube, do you fret that you still have too much time on your hands? Well, I think I have the solution to your problems:

Just download some AC/DC (or The Cars, if you’re not a fan of AC/DC…but how could you not be?) and click on this link to journey back to the days of hanging out at pizza parlors, bowling alleys, and yes, video arcades. A time when a man actually had to have some character and resolve to waste away the day. Wax nostalgic to the young snuffies of the Internet age how you used to have to tread barefoot through five miles of wind, snow, and ice to your local bowling alley to get your Galaga fix.

*And when you’re finished, if you STILL have ten minutes to kill before punching out, download Timbuk 3’s “The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades” and check out this video.

That’s what HAPpens………when worlds colLIDE.

…and the verdict is in. By a count of 1-0, I have decided to continue blogging for at least one more year. The fact that I’m already paid up for a year of hosting and the cost of renewing icebergkorea.com was nil made it a pretty easy decision.

To celebrate, I decided to give the blog a facelift. Out (but perhaps not for long) is my nifty little Korean-flag-on-an-iceberg logo. In are some new fonts and colors.

I’m also adding a few new links to the sidebar. Welcome to JoeSeoulMan, ZenKimchi, and Brian in Jeollanam-do.

Furthermore, I am contemplating changes in my categories and posting style. From this point forward, you will see a new, mature, and sophisticated Iceberg. And a more revealing Iceberg.

For example, were I to have shut down this blog, you would never have been privy to tidbits like this:

I like grapefruit juice.

Welcome back, me. Why thank you, me.

This post is in response to reader tp’s request/comment.  I had considered writing about this a few weeks ago but then found myself in “can’t be bothered” mode.  I started writing the following in the comments section, but then thought “what the hell?” and decided to put it in a post.  Cut and paste is a glorious invention.

Here goes:

Funny you should mention international credit debit cards.  I, in fact, DID receive one from KB early last year.  Because I am overly cautious (I reek caution), on three subsequent visits to the bank last year I took the card out of my wallet, showed it to the teller, and confirmed that it would indeed work at overseas ATMs.  I received three different answers:

“Yes”, “Sure”, and “Of course”.

So last January in Vegas I decided to check it out.  Result?  No way, Jose.  I contacted KB and was told, “Sorry, foreigners can’t use the international ATM card overseas.”  Huh?  You’re telling me I can’t use an international debit card overseas?  I can’t take my own money out of my own bank account?  That is whacked!  (Apologies for using the word “whacked”.  This is what happens when it’s 2 in the morning and you’re suffering from insomnia.) 

Fortunately, I am overly cautious (caution is my middle name) and planned for such an eventuality.  Oh yeah, that royal flush on the video poker machine didn’t hurt either.  A cool $1000 baby…YEAH!  I was able to make it out of Vegas without having to whore myself out to strangers (like I do here in Korea).

Back in Korea, I decided to look into the issue a little further.  As luck would have it, there was a post at The Marmot’s Hole here (do a search, lazy ass*) where, if you filter through the *sigh* petty bickering in the comments section, you’ll find some useful information.  In a nutshell, it sounds as if Korea Exchange Bank is the place to go if you want to get that international debit card (the one that actually works).

On a related note, I recently inquired at my local KB (yes, that KB) into the possibility of a foreigner getting a loan.  Turns out it’s actually possible.  All I need is a Korean willing to cosign the loan.  Check.  In fact, I can even get one of those accounts set up where I can withdraw money up to a certain limit (10 million won) anytime I wish.  I’m not sure what that’s called.  Perpetual loan?  Convenient loan?  Dangerous and stupid loan?

Then again, the guy at the bank (who bears no personal repsonsibility for the international debit card fiasco, btw) said that I could qualify for such a loan because…

a) I’m a regular customer at the bank.
b) I work for a reputable school.
c) I’ve lived in Korea for a long time.
d) I earn a decent salary.

and…

e) I’m incredibly cool.

So this information may not apply to everyone.  Particularly “e)”.

*The “lazy ass” comment is directed toward “tp”, not the other six readers of this blog.

This marks the end of the Iceberg Financial Hour.  Now on to more important matters.

Yes, tp, the bear on the trampoline video made for high entertainment, but could you imagine a lion, water buffalo, crocodile AND a bear all jumping on the same trampoline?  THAT would be stupendous!