Monster Island (actually a peninsula)*

Pearls of witticism from 'Bo the Blogger: Kushibo's Korea blog... Kushibo-e Kibun... Now with Less kimchi, more nunchi. Random thoughts and commentary (and indiscernibly opaque humor) about selected social, political, economic, and health-related issues of the day affecting "foreans," Koreans, Korea and East Asia, along with the US, especially Hawaii, Orange County and the rest of California, plus anything else that is deemed worthy of discussion. Forza Corea!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

My 420 post, one day late, sort of

It's April 20 here in Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time, even if it's already April 21 in this blog's cyber home, UTC+9. I have nothing really to say about pot-smoking in the Aloha State or the Golden State, but this is apparently a big day for some people, and already I've been getting hits from people Googling, say, UCI + 420 + party + marijuana.

Such a gathering sounds exciting, but all that search gets them from me is this post on the prospect of a ballot proposition to legalize marijuana, which will be on the November ballot (the Los Angeles Times is against legalization — for now).

That's not really enough to prompt me to devote an entire 420 post, but two days ago I discovered the Netflix's online offerings now include seasons 4 and 5 of "Weeds," a very witty and cleverly written program about a suburban widow who sells pot — and gets in way over her head — to make ends meet. While the theme of the show seems sympathetic to relaxing or eliminating marijuana prohibition, its comic portrayals of drug use are interspersed with caveats about the dangers of stronger drugs, as well as subtle admonishments about the paranoia and stupid behavior that comes with pot use itself.

Meanwhile on the incoherent list of things remotely related to this day, my The Sonagi Consortium post on Hurley's car included a link to the revival of Cheech & Chong, the "Get It Legal Tour." I, for one, am excited about this exercise in democracy and social experimentation, even if I still have a slight bit of ambivalence about legalization. I'm also looking forward to seeing how "Weeds" deals with the prospect of legalization, now that I see that Season 6 will begin airing in August (I had thought it was canceled after the fifth season).

And now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to watch episode 4 of season 4 while I enjoy my macadamia-vanilla coffee. This show is pretty much the extent of my involvement with pot.

I would like to be president some day so, no, I have not smoked marijuana. I ate a brownie once, at a party in college. It was intense, kind of indescribable, actually. I felt like I was floating. Turns out there wasn't any pot in the brownie. It was just an insanely good brownie.*

* Stolen from "Parks & Recreation"

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Ask Kushibo.

My Google/Blogspot data shows that a lot of the 2 million people who have landed on my site (yes, that's the real number) are looking for cultural information on Korea (e.g., “When did Syngman Rhee die?” “What did the Indians bring to the first Chusŏk?’ etc., etc.), as well as practical or historical stuff.

That got me thinking that, hey, I have a master’s degree in Korean studies and a minor in Japanese studies, I’ve lived in Seoul far longer than most foreans my age (whether they're kyopo or non-kyopo), I teach introductory courses on Korea and its cultural trappings and history, so why not offer a free service where I attempt to answer people’s questions, point them in the direction of where they can get them answered, and/or offer my regulars (that’s you!) a chance to take a stab at some of this stuff, too.

So if there’s something you’d like to know from a “contrarian scourge,” click on ASK KUSHIBO and just ask a succinct question in the comments section below.

Oh, and play nice. Please don’t make me regret this.

九十五大怪獣란? 쿠시보의 몬스터 아일랜드란?

Pearls of witticism from 'Bo the Blogger: Kushibo's Korea blog... Kushibo-e Kibun...
Now with Less kimchi, more nunchi. Random thoughts and commentary (and indiscernibly opaque humor) about selected social, political, economic, and health-related issues of the day affecting "foreans" ("foreigners" in Korea be they kyopo or non-kyopo), Koreans, Korea and East Asia, along with the US, especially Hawaii, Orange County, and the rest of California, plus anything else that is deemed worthy of discussion. Forza Corea!

* Monster Island (actually a peninsula)

The name of this blog comes from a line in "Lisa on Ice," a beloved episode of The Simpsons, perhaps my all-time favorite television show (even though for several seasons there, it really did suck). Lisa is imagining being sworn in as president, but at the last minute, it is discovered that she failed P.E. (physical education) and she is thus "sentenced to a lifetime of horror" on Monster Island. "Don't worry," the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court confides in her, "It's just a name."

Fast forward to Lisa and other prisoners running in panic through a tropical jungle, chased by Godzilla-like creatures, including a monster turtle and a monster firefly.

"He said it was just a name!" Lisa screams to the man next to her. While he, too, runs for his life, the unidentified man calmly says, "What he meant is that Monster Island is actually a peninsula."

Anyway, I thought in some ways that punchline summed up modern-day Korea in a nutshell. For many people—foreigners and Koreans—the ups and downs and everyday travails of the Republic of Korea make it as precarious as a Monster Island would be (and with the DMZ being the only land border, it really is like an island). But it actually is a peninsula. Okay, it made sense in my head.

So as you can see, despite the hits I get from people looking for Japanese tentacle porn, it has nothing to do with anything salacious as that.

Monster Island (actually a peninsula)*

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

My 420 post, one day late, sort of

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