Money supply expands 14.9 percent, fuels inflation
Money supply is surging amid soaring inflation, which is set to further add to inflationary concerns.
Funds in the market, which find no investment targets, are flocking to short-term products, including money market funds.
According to the “trends of money and liquidity indicators for April,” which was released by the Bank of Korea on Wednesday, M2 money (outstanding balance), a measure of currency in circulation including time deposits and installment deposits with less than two-year maturity, increased to 1339.4349 trillion won, up 14.9 percent on year.
The April M2 growth rate is the highest figure since June 1996, when it posted 16.1 percent. The M2 growth rate has continued to increase since January, when it recorded 12.5 percent.
The Bank of Korea predicts the M2 growth rate will expand around 15 percent in May, higher than the April figure, as bank lending has been on a steady rise.
A BOK official said, “The money supply has increased due to expanding household loans, including mortgage loans, and corporate loans.”
Some economists say the steady growth of money supply will add to inflationary concerns. Money supply growth is one key factor for inflationary pressure along with surging international oil prices and soaring exchange rates.
Meanwhile, market funds are seen to be moving into short-term products, including MMFs, en masse. MMFs are a great channel for standby funds awaiting investments, since real interest rates have turned negative.
According to the “financial market trend for May,” released by the central bank, MMFs expanded 10.9 trillion won in May. The figure is the highest since the bank began tallying the data.
In contrast, fund inflows into banks have slowed.
By Kim Kyu-sung /mirror@fnnews.com
According to the Bank of Korea on wednesday, M2 money(outstanding balance) indicators increased to 1339.4349 trillion won, up 14.9 percent on year.
The bank of Korea predicts the M2 growth rate will expand around 15 % in may as bank lending has been on a steady rise.
Market funds(including MMFs) are seen to be moving into short-term products. And MMFs expanded 10.9 trillion won in may. But Fund inflows into banks have slowed.
The Bank of Korea said that the money supply continously increased since January 2008, and the indicator is recorded second hightest.
The reason of the increasing money supply is by fuels inflation. But by making money, the price index will be increased and the Won's value will be go down. These phenomenon would generate serious problem and richs will be richer and poor will be poorer. The president of Korea, Myung Bak Lee said that he will increase the Korea's economy about 7%, but if the M2 supply increase countinously
20200041 kwon hyuck sung
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
Strategy Versus Tactics
20700193 Haeyeon Ryan Kim Entry # 14
Strategy Versus Tactics
What is the difference between a strategy and a tactic?
According to the bald guy in the video, Tim Berry, a doctor slash entrepreneur,
strategy is a long term plan compared to tactic, which is a short term actions.
Strategy requires a lot of committment while tactics requires testing, tracking, tweaking, little more ongoing day to day work. When a Strategy is a road map for overall plan, a tactic is the vehicle for the trip.
When you start working online, you get these emails about what they offer.
They offer you new, awesome tools. If you purchase these tools, you might
end up killing your business. The thing about these tempting tools are that
they all seem to be things that you need for your company. However, the truth is
that your online business is not really a billion dollar company. You have
limited resources; if you choose to buy things that are good for you but are
not necessarily essential, you will end up wasting a good deal of money.
When you start a business, it is critical for you to develop a strategy as soon as possible. Take actions that are congruent to the overall business strategy; if you don't do this, you will end up wasting your time, energy, and resources.
20700193 Haeyeon Ryan Kim Entry # 14
Strategy Versus Tactics
What is the difference between a strategy and a tactic?
According to the bald guy in the video, Tim Berry, a doctor slash entrepreneur,
strategy is a long term plan compared to tactic, which is a short term actions.
Strategy requires a lot of committment while tactics requires testing, tracking, tweaking, little more ongoing day to day work. When a Strategy is a road map for overall plan, a tactic is the vehicle for the trip.
When you start working online, you get these emails about what they offer.
They offer you new, awesome tools. If you purchase these tools, you might
end up killing your business. The thing about these tempting tools are that
they all seem to be things that you need for your company. However, the truth is
that your online business is not really a billion dollar company. You have
limited resources; if you choose to buy things that are good for you but are
not necessarily essential, you will end up wasting a good deal of money.
When you start a business, it is critical for you to develop a strategy as soon as possible. Take actions that are congruent to the overall business strategy; if you don't do this, you will end up wasting your time, energy, and resources.
20700193 Haeyeon Ryan Kim Entry # 14
14. The iPhone Eyes BlackBerry's Turf
With its next-generation iPhone, Apple wants to turn it into a much bigger player in the mobile-phone market. In order to do that, the CEO cut their price for the entry-level iPhone to $199 which is half that of the previous edition and right in line with what competitor's high end phones cost. This strategy of lowering prices was made to attract new customers, especially those who had been turned off by the higher price. Apple knows that everyone wants an iPhone, that's why they had to make it more affordable. Besides the lower prices, they are boosting the speed at which the iPhone can pull in e-mail and other corporate data making sure it works with programs used in corporates. They even opened up the iPhone so that outside software developers could create their own programs for the device.
Apple sees Reasearch in motion, the company behind the Blackberry wireless devices, as a standard for this market. They already have a huge lead in the market offering corporate customers several capabilities that Apple can't yet match. RIM has spent years developing capabilities that corporate tech managers want, but Apple doesn't have all the tools that RIM has built up over the years.
In my personal opinion, Apple is in the right path doing really well in everything they do, including the pc and software market as well as the mobile phone market. They have such a good brand image, that can't be hurt even when prices are lower which is necessary to make their brand more popular. I think they will catch up to the RIM company over the years and getting the experience and tools they need to do so. Apple is seen as a company of innovation and differentiation, which is an image gained by their products. I am sure their development will keep innovating more and more their products and give more satisfaction and comfortability to their products.
20600642 Entry #14
Apple sees Reasearch in motion, the company behind the Blackberry wireless devices, as a standard for this market. They already have a huge lead in the market offering corporate customers several capabilities that Apple can't yet match. RIM has spent years developing capabilities that corporate tech managers want, but Apple doesn't have all the tools that RIM has built up over the years.
In my personal opinion, Apple is in the right path doing really well in everything they do, including the pc and software market as well as the mobile phone market. They have such a good brand image, that can't be hurt even when prices are lower which is necessary to make their brand more popular. I think they will catch up to the RIM company over the years and getting the experience and tools they need to do so. Apple is seen as a company of innovation and differentiation, which is an image gained by their products. I am sure their development will keep innovating more and more their products and give more satisfaction and comfortability to their products.
20600642 Entry #14
13. Has Microsoft really given up on Yahoo as Google Search Deal Looms?
Microsoft, the software giant who was willing to buy the Internet pioneer, Yahoo for $33 a share, announced that they abandoned their plans of acquisition. But, there are rumors that Yahoo may shortly sign a search deal with Google. The problem is that Yahoo's investors aren't so happy because of its stocks which closed down 10%. It happened because if there's no Microsoft deal, there is less support for the acquistion premium that has buoyed Yahoo's stock since Microsoft's first offer. Investors are not seeing Yahoo's deal with Google as valuable as the Microsoft buyout offer because any deal that can pass regulatory muster most likely would require Yahoo to keep its own search ad unit in operation. In the deal created by Yahoo and Google there would be a creation of a open search ad auction in which any company could participate. In their statement Yahoo indicated that they saw little value to selling off its search operation to Microsoft, for this reason it seems unlikely it would do that with Google either.
In my opinion, Yahoo should sell their search operations because it is the only way they can at least try to follow Google and expand their market share. At the present moment Google is superior in its ability to make money out of search ads, which eliminates Yahoo as a competitor. If yahoo is not able to compete by themselves, with their own power, they should seek for other forces that could help them in regaining their competitive force.
20600642 Late Entry #13
In my opinion, Yahoo should sell their search operations because it is the only way they can at least try to follow Google and expand their market share. At the present moment Google is superior in its ability to make money out of search ads, which eliminates Yahoo as a competitor. If yahoo is not able to compete by themselves, with their own power, they should seek for other forces that could help them in regaining their competitive force.
20600642 Late Entry #13
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Truckers start striking over fuel prices
June 11, 2008
Trailer trucks are parked near the container terminal at Pyeongtaek Port in Gyeonggi Province as some members of the independent truckers’ union began to refuse to haul containers yesterday. [YONHAP]
Prior to a planned nationwide strike scheduled to begin Friday, unionized truckers in several locations have begun work stoppages, a move that could hurt Korea’s already fragile economy.
In the Pyeongtaek Harbor near Seoul, a total of 444 car carriers and truck drivers belonging to an alliance of unionized truckers called a strike yesterday in the container terminal. A total of 13,500 20-foot containers, which should be delivered to Seoul and other cities in Gyeonggi, were still piled up there. Other regions are face the same predicament.
The 59,893.5-square-meter (14.8-acre) pier, located in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, which is usually crowded with several dozen trucks at any moment, was empty yesterday. About 60 trailer drivers who went on strike yesterday repeatedly shouted “Raise shipping prices,” and “Lower diesel costs,” as they gathered at a vacant lot three kilometers away from the pier.
In Ulsan, drivers of a total of 130 car carriers already called a strike on Monday. They used to deliver 800 out of 1,200 cars per day produced by the Hyundai Motor Ulsan factory.
“With recent oil price hikes, drivers spend 480,000 won ($468) out of their daily wages of 550,000 won on fuel. As a result, we are bleeding red ink,” Kim Sang-soo, a driver, said.
About 180 truck drivers started to refuse shipments on June 5 in Changwon, South Gyeonsang.
Experts are worried about the expected economic damage to the country. They anticipate that if the strikes continue for more than a week, the estimated economic loss will run up to 500 billion won.
Meanwhile, the Korean government decided to introduce emergency transportation measures to prevent economic disaster. To maintain normal operations, the government will call on hundreds of non-unionized truck drivers and bring 500 military containers and 1,000 military trucks into service. Government officials recommended companies use the railroads for deliveries. Companies are also considering allowing private and commercial vehicles to ship goods.
On Monday, an alliance of unionized truckers announced that they will go on a nationwide strike.
-----
the whole world suffering from high-price so i think from now on, countries and companies investment replace-energy such as solar-energy or hybrid.
but Korea has not any well-known company in this industry. in the future,Korea will depend on foreign energy.
and knowledge based industry will be very profitable and human resource will be critical point in the global market.
Korea suffering from high oil price, but Korea has many cutting edge technologies such as Dram or NAND flash memory.
so we concentrate developing technology and human resource.
20500530 entry #14
June 11, 2008
Trailer trucks are parked near the container terminal at Pyeongtaek Port in Gyeonggi Province as some members of the independent truckers’ union began to refuse to haul containers yesterday. [YONHAP]
Prior to a planned nationwide strike scheduled to begin Friday, unionized truckers in several locations have begun work stoppages, a move that could hurt Korea’s already fragile economy.
In the Pyeongtaek Harbor near Seoul, a total of 444 car carriers and truck drivers belonging to an alliance of unionized truckers called a strike yesterday in the container terminal. A total of 13,500 20-foot containers, which should be delivered to Seoul and other cities in Gyeonggi, were still piled up there. Other regions are face the same predicament.
The 59,893.5-square-meter (14.8-acre) pier, located in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, which is usually crowded with several dozen trucks at any moment, was empty yesterday. About 60 trailer drivers who went on strike yesterday repeatedly shouted “Raise shipping prices,” and “Lower diesel costs,” as they gathered at a vacant lot three kilometers away from the pier.
In Ulsan, drivers of a total of 130 car carriers already called a strike on Monday. They used to deliver 800 out of 1,200 cars per day produced by the Hyundai Motor Ulsan factory.
“With recent oil price hikes, drivers spend 480,000 won ($468) out of their daily wages of 550,000 won on fuel. As a result, we are bleeding red ink,” Kim Sang-soo, a driver, said.
About 180 truck drivers started to refuse shipments on June 5 in Changwon, South Gyeonsang.
Experts are worried about the expected economic damage to the country. They anticipate that if the strikes continue for more than a week, the estimated economic loss will run up to 500 billion won.
Meanwhile, the Korean government decided to introduce emergency transportation measures to prevent economic disaster. To maintain normal operations, the government will call on hundreds of non-unionized truck drivers and bring 500 military containers and 1,000 military trucks into service. Government officials recommended companies use the railroads for deliveries. Companies are also considering allowing private and commercial vehicles to ship goods.
On Monday, an alliance of unionized truckers announced that they will go on a nationwide strike.
-----
the whole world suffering from high-price so i think from now on, countries and companies investment replace-energy such as solar-energy or hybrid.
but Korea has not any well-known company in this industry. in the future,Korea will depend on foreign energy.
and knowledge based industry will be very profitable and human resource will be critical point in the global market.
Korea suffering from high oil price, but Korea has many cutting edge technologies such as Dram or NAND flash memory.
so we concentrate developing technology and human resource.
20500530 entry #14
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Availability Uncertain
Olympic Coach Mulls Life Without Ji-sung
By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
Rarely in football can a single player impose his will on a team and dictate its fate. But that said, could there be any individual more critical to his team's success than Park Ji-sung?
Granted, this is not to discuss the midfielder's role with reigning European champions Manchester United, where despite garnering praise for his industrious play, he benefits from the diversionary brilliance of otherworldly talents such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney.
However, for the planet's other self-proclaimed Red Devils, or the South Korean national squad, Park is practically their name card.
The 27-year-old winger was clearly the country's most gifted player for the past decade and his brilliance on the pitch has resulted him logging heavy minutes in a grueling double duty for club and country.
The upcoming Olympic tournament in Beijing was penciled as Park's next major assignment for the Taeguk Warriors, carrying the nation's hope for its first Olympic football medal on his scrawny shoulders.
The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) restricts entry to the Olympic tournament to players born after Jan. 1, 1985, but each squad is allowed to carry three over-aged players as ``wild card" picks.
And South Korea's under-23 coach Park Sung-hwa had declared a spot saved for the Manchester Untied midfielder, naming him in the provisional 40-man roster announced in April.
However, with Park's strengthened status with his club, moving up in manager Alex Ferguson's pecking order down the stretch of United's title run, as well as concerns about overuse, the coach is now forced to consider a Plan B that doesn't involve the country's most transcendent sports personality.
``Ji-sung is not as established as a Cristiano Ronaldo and not in a position where he has a strong opinion about a move that could stand against the club's interest," said coach Park.
`` The Olympic tournament overlaps with the opening of the new Premier League season, and joining the team in Beijing would require a lot of sacrifices on his part. We also need to consider his participation in the month-long World Cup qualifiers and the Manchester United training camp."
The coach would love to have Park at his disposal in Beijing, where South Korea is drawn in a tough Group D with Italy, Cameroon and Honduras.
Park's versatility, which allows him to excel as a wide midfielder from both sides of the flank and also as a support striker, combined with his wealth of international experience and reputation as a big game player, would provide a clear value to a team of youngsters.
It remains to be seen how the coach could replace Park in the lineup if he is not available for Beijing. The under-23 team has capable wing players in Daegu FC's Lee Keun-ho and Gwangju Sangmoo's Kim Seung-yong and may use a wild card spot on a central midfielder, which makes the Suwon BlueWings' Cho Won-hee and Seongnam Chunma's Kim Jung-woo logical candidates.
Coach Park had insisted he would use two spots for a left-footed midfielder or defender and a striker. Zenit St. Petersburg defender Kim Dong-jin had been discussed for the job, but with the fullback currently hobbled with an injury to his left calf, Chunnam Dragons' Kim Chi-woo is emerging as a likely replacement.
Jeonbuk Motors striker Cho Jae-jin was considered to have secured his ticket for Beijing, but the recent emergence of the BlueWings' striker duo of Seo Dong-hyun and Shin Young-rok, both under the age limit, may prompt coach Park to spend the veteran spot at another position.
As Park's Position and importance is getting higher, the club and nation's expectation also high. So because of the gain and loss about him between club and nation, Park 's availability about the olympic is uncertain.
20200041 kwon hyuck sung(late)
By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
Rarely in football can a single player impose his will on a team and dictate its fate. But that said, could there be any individual more critical to his team's success than Park Ji-sung?
Granted, this is not to discuss the midfielder's role with reigning European champions Manchester United, where despite garnering praise for his industrious play, he benefits from the diversionary brilliance of otherworldly talents such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney.
However, for the planet's other self-proclaimed Red Devils, or the South Korean national squad, Park is practically their name card.
The 27-year-old winger was clearly the country's most gifted player for the past decade and his brilliance on the pitch has resulted him logging heavy minutes in a grueling double duty for club and country.
The upcoming Olympic tournament in Beijing was penciled as Park's next major assignment for the Taeguk Warriors, carrying the nation's hope for its first Olympic football medal on his scrawny shoulders.
The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) restricts entry to the Olympic tournament to players born after Jan. 1, 1985, but each squad is allowed to carry three over-aged players as ``wild card" picks.
And South Korea's under-23 coach Park Sung-hwa had declared a spot saved for the Manchester Untied midfielder, naming him in the provisional 40-man roster announced in April.
However, with Park's strengthened status with his club, moving up in manager Alex Ferguson's pecking order down the stretch of United's title run, as well as concerns about overuse, the coach is now forced to consider a Plan B that doesn't involve the country's most transcendent sports personality.
``Ji-sung is not as established as a Cristiano Ronaldo and not in a position where he has a strong opinion about a move that could stand against the club's interest," said coach Park.
`` The Olympic tournament overlaps with the opening of the new Premier League season, and joining the team in Beijing would require a lot of sacrifices on his part. We also need to consider his participation in the month-long World Cup qualifiers and the Manchester United training camp."
The coach would love to have Park at his disposal in Beijing, where South Korea is drawn in a tough Group D with Italy, Cameroon and Honduras.
Park's versatility, which allows him to excel as a wide midfielder from both sides of the flank and also as a support striker, combined with his wealth of international experience and reputation as a big game player, would provide a clear value to a team of youngsters.
It remains to be seen how the coach could replace Park in the lineup if he is not available for Beijing. The under-23 team has capable wing players in Daegu FC's Lee Keun-ho and Gwangju Sangmoo's Kim Seung-yong and may use a wild card spot on a central midfielder, which makes the Suwon BlueWings' Cho Won-hee and Seongnam Chunma's Kim Jung-woo logical candidates.
Coach Park had insisted he would use two spots for a left-footed midfielder or defender and a striker. Zenit St. Petersburg defender Kim Dong-jin had been discussed for the job, but with the fullback currently hobbled with an injury to his left calf, Chunnam Dragons' Kim Chi-woo is emerging as a likely replacement.
Jeonbuk Motors striker Cho Jae-jin was considered to have secured his ticket for Beijing, but the recent emergence of the BlueWings' striker duo of Seo Dong-hyun and Shin Young-rok, both under the age limit, may prompt coach Park to spend the veteran spot at another position.
As Park's Position and importance is getting higher, the club and nation's expectation also high. So because of the gain and loss about him between club and nation, Park 's availability about the olympic is uncertain.
20200041 kwon hyuck sung(late)
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Preserving the history of Korean food from her house
June 06, 2008
Drying garlic and bean paste jars. Photos by Lee Eun-joo
The hanok in Jungkangwon, an institution for traditional Korean cuisine.
PYEONGCHANG, Gangwon - The air is filled with the delicate scent of fried organic vegetables that add savory flavor to bibimbap, or steamed rice with assorted vegetables.
Walking closer to the main hanok, a traditional Korean-style house, in Jungkangwon, an institute of traditional Korean cuisine, you see hundreds of reddish-brown jar stands filled with doenjang (soybean paste) or gochujang (hot pepper paste), adding extra aroma to the air.
The jars are buried in salt and charcoal to keep fermented pastes fresh.
What you see here is rustic.
Garlic hangs from the hanok rooftop piled with wooden vessels, and a lotus pond reminds one of a Joseon scene.
Cho Jung-kang, the founder of the cuisine institute.
In the backyard, Cho Jung-kang, the owner of the 33,058-square meter institute, cultivates some 300 vegetables, including cucumbers, pumpkins, red peppers, lettuce, cabbages and eggplants.
Cho, 70, built the traditional house in 2005 to preserve, develop and educate people about Korean food. There are daily cooking classes, with reservations needed. Prices vary. The most popular tour runs 90 minutes and costs 20,000 won ($19.50).
“The influx of imported Western foods threatens the dining tables of Koreans today,” Cho said.
Her story begins in 1999, when she invested 3 billion won ($2.9 million) to buy land in Pyeongchang to build the traditional complex. The construction took seven years.
The surrounding was perfect for fermenting foods. And nature was all around - mountains and streams.
“People say the mecca of Korean cuisine is Jeonju, but the flavor is too strong,” Cho said. “Instead, I prefer cuisine from Gangwon Province ? it’s more mild.”
It wasn’t easy to start such an unpredictable business. She had to let go of her stable life as a well-known restaurant owner.
Timothy Wong from Hong Kong mixes rice for bibimbap.
At 37, she opened “Dongchon,” a hanjeongsik restaurant that serves rice, stew and various side dishes.
The restaurant branched out after opening in Seogyo-dong near Hongik University in Seoul. Former presidents Choi Kyu-ha, Chun Doo Hwan and Kim Young-sam often visited.
“My food doesn’t contain any artificial flavoring,” she said.
Cho inherited traditional cooking skills from her grandmother.
In fact, she is the 12th descendent of Cho Heon (1544-1592), who led an army during the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592.
Pursuing justice and loyalty, he led some 1,700 soldiers, including monks, to recapture taken land. Most died in the battle, himself included.
Cho wanted to preserve that spirit flowing through her family’s blood.
“Korean culture and cuisine should be taught properly,” she said. “And Koreans should be proud.”
But first you need to be educated, she says.
The institution has traditional cooking kits, a museum, hanok seminar rooms and an icehouse kept at 1 to 5 degrees Celsius (33.8 to 41 F) all year round.
All the recipes taught strictly follow traditional form ? from ingredient selection, cultivation, cooking and storage.
But business wasn’t always easy.
The summer after Cho built the institution, heavy rain soaked ingredients, including soybean paste and kimchi. Some parts of the hanok are still under reconstruction.
“Words cannot express how shocked I was to see things collapse in no time,” she said.
But the incident steeled her to drive toward her goal ? establishing a school for traditional Korean cuisine.
“Fewer and fewer households make kimchi,” she said. “Naturally, some are not familiar with the process.”
She pictures an image of a royal kitchen depicted in the historical TV drama, “The Jewel in the Palace.”
With help from others, her vision is nearing fruition.
Yoo Myung-hwan, an official at the Gangwon provincial government office said, “Though there are no specific plans yet, we hope to turn the place into an educational tourist site.”
Cho’s youngest daughter, Kim Joo-sung, is also pitching in. Though she was an undergraduate industrial arts major, she decided to study food engineering for her master’s and doctorate.
Last week, Kim was making bibimbap with Han Young-soon, the general manager of the institute, and some 20 students from Hong Kong.
“The bibimbap recipe is inherited from the family ? it is 400 years old,” Kim said, while gently sorting one of the 18 vegetables on rice before mixing it with gochujang.
“It is said that you need a daily intake of 18 vitamins,” she said.
“Instead of taking concentrated supplements, why not eat a bowl of bibimbap?” she said.
After making bibimbap, Han led a group tour of the hanok.
“Hanoks have high ceilings,” Han said. “And there is hidden wisdom behind the architecture.” The high ceiling made of pine wood helps the air circulate better.
Visitors can spend a night here with a reservation.
Timothy Wong, a student from City University of Hong Kong, wanted to stay overnight if time allowed.
“Korean culture is high and noble, especially the cuisine,” Cho said.
“But it has been left out in the cold. It is now time to bring it back to our lifestyle.”
To reach Jungkangwon, take a bus from Dongseoul Bus Terminal (Gangbyeon Station, line No. 2) to Jangpyeong. The two-hour ride ticket costs 10,500 won. It is a three-minute taxi ride from Jangpyeong Terminal.
--------
in this era of globalization, local area can meet directly the whole world without any boundaries such as border or countries. so local area should have 'brand' to survive in global competition. because before globalization, country fight to country and local area is not important. but in the era of globalization, local era bocome major competitor. and we named it glocalization.
so, preserving korean traditional food is so important, and it's related to country's brnad image directly. specially, kang won province there is so many environmental resource.
20500530 entry # 13
June 06, 2008
Drying garlic and bean paste jars. Photos by Lee Eun-joo
The hanok in Jungkangwon, an institution for traditional Korean cuisine.
PYEONGCHANG, Gangwon - The air is filled with the delicate scent of fried organic vegetables that add savory flavor to bibimbap, or steamed rice with assorted vegetables.
Walking closer to the main hanok, a traditional Korean-style house, in Jungkangwon, an institute of traditional Korean cuisine, you see hundreds of reddish-brown jar stands filled with doenjang (soybean paste) or gochujang (hot pepper paste), adding extra aroma to the air.
The jars are buried in salt and charcoal to keep fermented pastes fresh.
What you see here is rustic.
Garlic hangs from the hanok rooftop piled with wooden vessels, and a lotus pond reminds one of a Joseon scene.
Cho Jung-kang, the founder of the cuisine institute.
In the backyard, Cho Jung-kang, the owner of the 33,058-square meter institute, cultivates some 300 vegetables, including cucumbers, pumpkins, red peppers, lettuce, cabbages and eggplants.
Cho, 70, built the traditional house in 2005 to preserve, develop and educate people about Korean food. There are daily cooking classes, with reservations needed. Prices vary. The most popular tour runs 90 minutes and costs 20,000 won ($19.50).
“The influx of imported Western foods threatens the dining tables of Koreans today,” Cho said.
Her story begins in 1999, when she invested 3 billion won ($2.9 million) to buy land in Pyeongchang to build the traditional complex. The construction took seven years.
The surrounding was perfect for fermenting foods. And nature was all around - mountains and streams.
“People say the mecca of Korean cuisine is Jeonju, but the flavor is too strong,” Cho said. “Instead, I prefer cuisine from Gangwon Province ? it’s more mild.”
It wasn’t easy to start such an unpredictable business. She had to let go of her stable life as a well-known restaurant owner.
Timothy Wong from Hong Kong mixes rice for bibimbap.
At 37, she opened “Dongchon,” a hanjeongsik restaurant that serves rice, stew and various side dishes.
The restaurant branched out after opening in Seogyo-dong near Hongik University in Seoul. Former presidents Choi Kyu-ha, Chun Doo Hwan and Kim Young-sam often visited.
“My food doesn’t contain any artificial flavoring,” she said.
Cho inherited traditional cooking skills from her grandmother.
In fact, she is the 12th descendent of Cho Heon (1544-1592), who led an army during the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592.
Pursuing justice and loyalty, he led some 1,700 soldiers, including monks, to recapture taken land. Most died in the battle, himself included.
Cho wanted to preserve that spirit flowing through her family’s blood.
“Korean culture and cuisine should be taught properly,” she said. “And Koreans should be proud.”
But first you need to be educated, she says.
The institution has traditional cooking kits, a museum, hanok seminar rooms and an icehouse kept at 1 to 5 degrees Celsius (33.8 to 41 F) all year round.
All the recipes taught strictly follow traditional form ? from ingredient selection, cultivation, cooking and storage.
But business wasn’t always easy.
The summer after Cho built the institution, heavy rain soaked ingredients, including soybean paste and kimchi. Some parts of the hanok are still under reconstruction.
“Words cannot express how shocked I was to see things collapse in no time,” she said.
But the incident steeled her to drive toward her goal ? establishing a school for traditional Korean cuisine.
“Fewer and fewer households make kimchi,” she said. “Naturally, some are not familiar with the process.”
She pictures an image of a royal kitchen depicted in the historical TV drama, “The Jewel in the Palace.”
With help from others, her vision is nearing fruition.
Yoo Myung-hwan, an official at the Gangwon provincial government office said, “Though there are no specific plans yet, we hope to turn the place into an educational tourist site.”
Cho’s youngest daughter, Kim Joo-sung, is also pitching in. Though she was an undergraduate industrial arts major, she decided to study food engineering for her master’s and doctorate.
Last week, Kim was making bibimbap with Han Young-soon, the general manager of the institute, and some 20 students from Hong Kong.
“The bibimbap recipe is inherited from the family ? it is 400 years old,” Kim said, while gently sorting one of the 18 vegetables on rice before mixing it with gochujang.
“It is said that you need a daily intake of 18 vitamins,” she said.
“Instead of taking concentrated supplements, why not eat a bowl of bibimbap?” she said.
After making bibimbap, Han led a group tour of the hanok.
“Hanoks have high ceilings,” Han said. “And there is hidden wisdom behind the architecture.” The high ceiling made of pine wood helps the air circulate better.
Visitors can spend a night here with a reservation.
Timothy Wong, a student from City University of Hong Kong, wanted to stay overnight if time allowed.
“Korean culture is high and noble, especially the cuisine,” Cho said.
“But it has been left out in the cold. It is now time to bring it back to our lifestyle.”
To reach Jungkangwon, take a bus from Dongseoul Bus Terminal (Gangbyeon Station, line No. 2) to Jangpyeong. The two-hour ride ticket costs 10,500 won. It is a three-minute taxi ride from Jangpyeong Terminal.
--------
in this era of globalization, local area can meet directly the whole world without any boundaries such as border or countries. so local area should have 'brand' to survive in global competition. because before globalization, country fight to country and local area is not important. but in the era of globalization, local era bocome major competitor. and we named it glocalization.
so, preserving korean traditional food is so important, and it's related to country's brnad image directly. specially, kang won province there is so many environmental resource.
20500530 entry # 13
Friday, June 6, 2008
Mad Cow Disease. What's Wrong???
20700193 Haeyeon Ryan Kim entry # 13
The korean police conducted a 27th dawn compulsion suppression about the demonstrative unit which participated to a May 27th American beef trade opposition meeting. Like this, the opposition between the ROK Government and the citizen is getting overheating. From position of an American student studying abroad who dreams journalist, I said an opinion about beef trade policy and democracy, the Korean society, furthermore the US government.
It's so amazing how Korean people just get so excited like that.
Here are a few factors that i PERSONALLY think is effecting this uprise.
First, the Korean people who raise han-woo (korean cows) really don't want FTA to happen because it will lead to the decline of their own revenue. I personally think this is selfish yet unavoidable.
The next is that Korean people are very passionate, united, and emotional. When something like this, something violent, something that hurts and threatens our country comes into existence, they fight it. It might not me a real enemy, but they
still overreact to it.
Well, I also think that this uprise is not just about the mad cow disease. It is a fact that the internet & news are being censored to an extreme extent in korea. The police are abusing their power. Some females getting beat up for no reason. Some of the policies of president Myung Bak to me just doesn't make sense. They should happen like a 100 years later. President Lee is being very very pushy. The fact is that South Korea is a democratic country. No president has the right to do something when almost all of the citizens of the ROK oppose to it. I still do not understand how he isn't impeached yet.
aside from that, how do we, as managers and economists, deal with this situation. If we were the president of Korea, how would be display our leadership and control these people. How do we encourage them; how do we bring about the changes needed in korea without displeasing the people? I personally think president lee is an aweful leader. Communication. He should have communicated things better. It's just such a pity how people are getting hurt so much and yet the president is just sitting there.
20700193 Haeyeon Ryan Kim entry # 13
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Is the Main Character Missing? Maybe Not.
Dan Walsh, a 33-year-old technology manager in Dublin has posted doctored version of the comic strip "Garfield" on his blog from February. He thought it might amuse a few friends of his. Yet as many as 300,000 people come and see his version of Garfield to his site and recently, it has leveled off to 30,000 to 35,000 a day.
Walsh does nothing to the panels except strip away Garfield and other characters like Odie the dog and Nermal the kitten, to create a new, even lonelier atmosphere for Jon Arbuckle, the main human character. Walsh said that Jon's loneliness and sadness was already there and he just deepens it by taking out Garfield and others.
Jim Davis, the cartoonist who first created Garfield occasionally visits Walsh's site. He says that Walsh's strips are fascinating, that he is flattered rather than peeved by the imitation.
The following comic strip's real version, which first appeared in 2002, Garfield keeps Jon company in all three panels. In the middle one, Garfield thinks, “Oh sure,” and then in the third: “There’s the one about the 12-foot chocolate éclair...”
>> Original Article
>> Garfield minus Garfield
What Dan Walsh did is just a simple thing: taking out Garfield out from the comic strips. Yet it worked. It worked so well that way too many people are visiting his blog. A simple act that he did made a big difference. He would be able to make some money using this. Some companies would like to pay him some money and advertise on his site. In short, a simple Innovation, a great deal of benefit!
20500419 Entry #14
Experts Revive Debate Over Cellphones and Cancer
By TARA PARKER-POPE
Last week, three famous neurosurgeons told the CNN interviewer Larry King that they do not hold cellphones next to their ears. Dr. Keith Black, a surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles as well as Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a neurosurgeon at Emory University Hospital said that they use earpieces so you keep the microwave antenna away from your brain. The other neurosurgeon, Dr. Vini Khurana, an associate professor of neurosurgery at the Australian National University also said that he uses it on the speaker-phone mode and do not hold the cell to his ears.
It is not clearly defined if the cellphone causes cancer; however, vast numbers of studies that have been published in scientific journals around the world show that wireless phones do pose a health risk.
Cellphones emit non-ionizing radiation, waves of energy that are too weak to break chemical bonds or to set off the DNA damage. There is no explanation if this wave leads to cancer yet but researchers say that just because science can’t explain the mechanism doesn’t mean one doesn’t exist. They claim that since the heat generated by cellphones and the fact that the radio frequencies are absorbed mostly by the head and neck, there are good chances of risk. Supporting that, in recent studies, the tumors tend to occur on the same side of the head where the patient typically holds the phone. Not only that but also some of the research suggests a link between cellphone use and three types of tumors: glioma; cancer of the parotid, a salivary gland near the ear; and acoustic neuroma, a tumor that essentially occurs where the ear meets the brain.
What is more concerned is that more and more children are using cellphones. Since their brain is still in the process of growing and their skulls thinner, they have more chances to be in risk.
It is much early to reach a conclusion that cellphones are either safe or not safe yet it is no harm to be careful.
>> Original Article
Nowadays, there are not many people without cellphone. Especially in Korea, most of the people including young and old have their own cellphones to carry. Starting from the moment they wake up, during breakfast, lunch, and dinner, during spare time, during classes, upto the end of the day when they go to sleep, people always carry cellphone with them and use it continuously. Since the market is almost saturated in Korea, the cellphone companies including Samsung are expanding their market to the other countries abroad. Yet if the concerns about cellphone continue on, those companies would meet a big downturn of the market.
The only way not to do so is to differentiate their products. Of course companies like Samsung have more advanced technology than other firms and have big technological potentials. It is nice to have camera, MP3 and other stuff in the cell yet what the customers need right now is the cellphone that does no harm to their health: that is the differentiation point that they need to make.
20500419 Entry #13
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Older Brain Really May Be a Wiser Brain
The common thoughts about the older people are that they lack memorizing skill with aging brain. Yet a growing number of studies suggest that this assumption is often wrong. In the new edition of a neurology book, "Progress in Brain Research" suggests that some brains do deteriorate with age yet for most cases, it is only that a gradually widening focus of attention makes it more difficult to latch onto just one fact. Shelly H. Carson, a psychology researcher at Harvard says that this is nothing wrong or bad, but is useful since it may increase the amount of information available to the conscious mind. This can yield big advantages in the real world where it is not always clear what information is important, or will become important.
Dr. Harsher said that a broad attention span may enable older adults to ultimately know more about a situation and indirect messages of what is going on than younger people. Jacqui Smith, a professor of psychology and research professor at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan also says that since older adults take in more information in a situation and they are able to combine it with their comparatively greater store of general knowledge, they are going to have a nice advantage. This is the process of building wisdom, she said.
>> Original Article
It is really common that people misjudge older people about their memory and ignore them a bit. This research has shown how the older people might be better with their knowledge and attention as well as memory.
They say in few years, companies are going to suffer from lack of workforces of young people. The general age of the society is growing old but only few young ones exist. Companies will be desperately look for young people to hire; however, is it always a good idea to hire young people? Older workers have advantages such as tenure, wisdom and now, a greater span of attention on every situation they are in! As mentioned in the article, the world is chaotic, not predictable of what is important or what would become important. Now it is proven that older people may do better than older people.
20500419 Entry 12
Friday, May 30, 2008
Lee’s Trip Promotes Mutual Understanding
By Kim Yon-se
Staff Reporter
President Lee Myung-bak will return home today, after ending a four-day state visit to China during which the two countries agreed to raise their bilateral relationship to a ``strategic partnership,'' an upgrade from ``partnership of comprehensive cooperation.''
With the two countries agreeing to foster closer ties, President Lee conducted ``economic diplomacy.'' China is currently Korea's biggest export destination ― in 2007 South Korea exported products worth $82 billion, while importing $63 billion worth of Chinese products.
During the visit, President Lee extended Korea's deep sympathy to those killed in the massive earthquake and pledged assistance in the region's rebuilding efforts. He is to visit the quake-hit region before coming home.
Sympathy for Quake Victims
An earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale hit Sichuan Province, a mountainous region in western China two weeks ago.
The first destination for on his overseas trips was the United States as many observers expected. Then he visited Japan on his way home in April.
Though Lee picked four countries ― the U.S., Japan, China and Russia ― as the four major diplomacy targets, his ``favorable'' comments were mainly concentrated on Korea's relations with the U.S. and Japan over the past few months.
Even a U.S. newswire carried an article, headlined, ``New pro-U.S. South Korean president aims to reassure China that he cherishes relationship.''
Some Korean think tanks, including the Institute for Foreign Affairs and National Security, analyzed that Lee's China visit is momentous in resolving misunderstanding in Beijing that the Lee government may have been lax in its relations with China while prioritizing relations with Washington and seeking future-oriented relations with Tokyo.
Lee might have conveyed the message that China is as important as the U.S. to Korea's diplomatic campaign to encourage North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program through his summit talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and meetings with other Chinese leaders, sources said.
The Lee administration and the governing Grand National Party (GNP) believe that Lee and U.S. President George W. Bush established amicable personal ties through a two-day summit at Camp David near Washington, D.C. in April.
Conservatives said the Lee-Bush summit marked a crucial turning point in South Korea-U.S. relations, insisting that their alliance was undermined during the liberal administrations of Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Dae-jung.
In his summit with Chinese President Hu and a meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, Lee reiterated that the Seoul-Beijing relations have been elevated to a strategic partnership from a partnership of comprehensive cooperation under the Roh government.
Lee said the strategic bilateral relations indicate that the two countries will expand cooperation from trade to other fields, including diplomacy, regional security and North Korea policies.
Positive on FTA
While some Korean conglomerates are negative about a free trade agreement (FTA) with China ― a giant producer of cheap industrial goods ― Lee was an active cheerleader for the opening of trade talks during his visit.
A Seoul-Beijing FTA would play a significant role for the development of the economy of Northeast Asia, he said. ``The 21st century is the era of Pan Asia-Pacific. You (business leaders of the two countries) will be the leading players in the region ― a new growth engine for the world economy.''
A ranking Chinese official made sensitive remarks after Lee arrived in Beijing Tuesday, by calling the military alliance between Seoul and Washington a ``Cold War product.''
``East Asian nations has also changed a lot since the U.S.-South Korean alliance was forged in the 1950-53 Korean War,'' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
President Lee Myung-bak will return home today, after ending a four-day state visit to China during which the two countries agreed to raise their bilateral relationship to a ``strategic partnership,'' an upgrade from ``partnership of comprehensive cooperation.''
During the visit, President Lee extended Korea's deep sympathy to those killed in the massive earthquake and pledged assistance in the region's rebuilding efforts.
While some Korean conglomerates are negative about a free trade agreement (FTA) with China ― a giant producer of cheap industrial goods.A Seoul-Beijing FTA would play a significant role for the development of the economy of Northeast Asia, he said. ``The 21st century is the era of Pan Asia-Pacific. You (business leaders of the two countries) will be the leading players in the region ― a new growth engine for the world economy.''
President Lee visited the China to extend the sympathy and for FTA. The earthquake was so severe and cruel for china and it was not their problem. So we should help them to rescue people and improve the relationship with china. And president lee made some agreement about the FTA, the effect of FTA will be enormously arose.
20200041 Kwon hyuck sung
Staff Reporter
President Lee Myung-bak will return home today, after ending a four-day state visit to China during which the two countries agreed to raise their bilateral relationship to a ``strategic partnership,'' an upgrade from ``partnership of comprehensive cooperation.''
With the two countries agreeing to foster closer ties, President Lee conducted ``economic diplomacy.'' China is currently Korea's biggest export destination ― in 2007 South Korea exported products worth $82 billion, while importing $63 billion worth of Chinese products.
During the visit, President Lee extended Korea's deep sympathy to those killed in the massive earthquake and pledged assistance in the region's rebuilding efforts. He is to visit the quake-hit region before coming home.
Sympathy for Quake Victims
An earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale hit Sichuan Province, a mountainous region in western China two weeks ago.
The first destination for on his overseas trips was the United States as many observers expected. Then he visited Japan on his way home in April.
Though Lee picked four countries ― the U.S., Japan, China and Russia ― as the four major diplomacy targets, his ``favorable'' comments were mainly concentrated on Korea's relations with the U.S. and Japan over the past few months.
Even a U.S. newswire carried an article, headlined, ``New pro-U.S. South Korean president aims to reassure China that he cherishes relationship.''
Some Korean think tanks, including the Institute for Foreign Affairs and National Security, analyzed that Lee's China visit is momentous in resolving misunderstanding in Beijing that the Lee government may have been lax in its relations with China while prioritizing relations with Washington and seeking future-oriented relations with Tokyo.
Lee might have conveyed the message that China is as important as the U.S. to Korea's diplomatic campaign to encourage North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program through his summit talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and meetings with other Chinese leaders, sources said.
The Lee administration and the governing Grand National Party (GNP) believe that Lee and U.S. President George W. Bush established amicable personal ties through a two-day summit at Camp David near Washington, D.C. in April.
Conservatives said the Lee-Bush summit marked a crucial turning point in South Korea-U.S. relations, insisting that their alliance was undermined during the liberal administrations of Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Dae-jung.
In his summit with Chinese President Hu and a meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, Lee reiterated that the Seoul-Beijing relations have been elevated to a strategic partnership from a partnership of comprehensive cooperation under the Roh government.
Lee said the strategic bilateral relations indicate that the two countries will expand cooperation from trade to other fields, including diplomacy, regional security and North Korea policies.
Positive on FTA
While some Korean conglomerates are negative about a free trade agreement (FTA) with China ― a giant producer of cheap industrial goods ― Lee was an active cheerleader for the opening of trade talks during his visit.
A Seoul-Beijing FTA would play a significant role for the development of the economy of Northeast Asia, he said. ``The 21st century is the era of Pan Asia-Pacific. You (business leaders of the two countries) will be the leading players in the region ― a new growth engine for the world economy.''
A ranking Chinese official made sensitive remarks after Lee arrived in Beijing Tuesday, by calling the military alliance between Seoul and Washington a ``Cold War product.''
``East Asian nations has also changed a lot since the U.S.-South Korean alliance was forged in the 1950-53 Korean War,'' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
President Lee Myung-bak will return home today, after ending a four-day state visit to China during which the two countries agreed to raise their bilateral relationship to a ``strategic partnership,'' an upgrade from ``partnership of comprehensive cooperation.''
During the visit, President Lee extended Korea's deep sympathy to those killed in the massive earthquake and pledged assistance in the region's rebuilding efforts.
While some Korean conglomerates are negative about a free trade agreement (FTA) with China ― a giant producer of cheap industrial goods.A Seoul-Beijing FTA would play a significant role for the development of the economy of Northeast Asia, he said. ``The 21st century is the era of Pan Asia-Pacific. You (business leaders of the two countries) will be the leading players in the region ― a new growth engine for the world economy.''
President Lee visited the China to extend the sympathy and for FTA. The earthquake was so severe and cruel for china and it was not their problem. So we should help them to rescue people and improve the relationship with china. And president lee made some agreement about the FTA, the effect of FTA will be enormously arose.
20200041 Kwon hyuck sung
Business Intelligence before business strategy
20700193 entry #12
introduction:
According to this video, business intelligence comes before business strategy
one must collect different informations before setting a strategy. An information, singular, is just one version of the truth. one must collect many different versions of the truth in order to see an objective, clear picture. If one implements a business strategy without doing this, his or her strategy would be obsolete.
Application to our class:
We have done a few presentations so far about different companies. This is gathering information. gathering business information. what we need to do before setting a strategy in the real world is doing what we did for these presentations. however, i guess we should do much more reserach than what we did for our presentations. i am talking about weeks, if not months, of research.
Reference:
chet phillips is the reference used in this video. he was good in gather information and i think he is a role model. we should definitely should follow him and pursue business information.
"Business inteligence is not about spying or wire taps. in essense, it's the ability of a business to convert its data into tiny and accurate information that generate competitive advantage."
this is why business intelligence is critical.
Conclusion.
So check the video out; intelligence is the foundation of business strategy. How are we gather information that is accurate and objective? How do we know if our information is clean and good? i hope we will be able to answer these questions soon.
introduction:
According to this video, business intelligence comes before business strategy
one must collect different informations before setting a strategy. An information, singular, is just one version of the truth. one must collect many different versions of the truth in order to see an objective, clear picture. If one implements a business strategy without doing this, his or her strategy would be obsolete.
Application to our class:
We have done a few presentations so far about different companies. This is gathering information. gathering business information. what we need to do before setting a strategy in the real world is doing what we did for these presentations. however, i guess we should do much more reserach than what we did for our presentations. i am talking about weeks, if not months, of research.
Reference:
chet phillips is the reference used in this video. he was good in gather information and i think he is a role model. we should definitely should follow him and pursue business information.
"Business inteligence is not about spying or wire taps. in essense, it's the ability of a business to convert its data into tiny and accurate information that generate competitive advantage."
this is why business intelligence is critical.
Conclusion.
So check the video out; intelligence is the foundation of business strategy. How are we gather information that is accurate and objective? How do we know if our information is clean and good? i hope we will be able to answer these questions soon.
12. The United States strengthens army with at least 2 thousand ‘warrior’ robots.
The U.S. army will be gaining more technological power in the next 5 years. The U.S. military forces announced a US$ 400 million contract with Foster-Miller, a company that produces robots used to defuse mines and explosives, act as sentinels and also to carry heavy equipments. The contract predicts the production of an army of two thousand to four thousand replica robots ‘Talon’ specialized in defusing bombs.
According to the American magazine ‘Wired’, this is the Pentagon’s greatest investment made in robotics recently. In December, the U.S. government spent US$ 286 million purchasing units manufactured by Robotic FX.
The Talon, a robot operated by remote control, is already being used in Iraq and Afghanistan assisting troops in detection and defuse of explosives. Usually, the ‘life’ of a robot specialized in this area is short because many of the bombs cannot be defused and end up being exploded, but in a safe method.
Even though I am against war and investments in technological weapons, thinking in how many casualties and wounded soldiers this technology will be able to prevent, I think it is a good invention since it is used to protect and secure the life of many soldiers in the war field.
20600642 Entry #12
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Is Korea ready for smartphones?
‘Things are changing and larger phones are gaining popularity here.’
May 26, 2008
The BlackBerry 8707g and the BlackJack II
American adults these days are obsessed with the BlackBerry, checking their e-mails and returning messages with a whir of thumb movement.
Although the BlackBerry is used by people in over 120 countries who number 14 million subscribers, it has failed to catch on in high-tech Korea, where smartphones have had little appeal until now.
Even Samsung Electronics’ smartphone, the BlackJack, sold more than 2 million units in North America in 2006. But sales in the Korean market reached slightly more than 30,000 units during the same period.
But things could take a new turn as SK Telecom, which has 22 million subscribers, is planning to introduce the BlackBerry here in the second half of this year.
In a countermove, Samsung Electronics announced that it is releasing the BlackJack II later this month, while Taiwan-based HTC is expected to introduce its Touch Dual smart phone later this year.
Compared with mobile phones, smartphones have more functions like scheduling, sending and receiving e-mails and accessing the Internet.
The conventional mobile phone is used for text messaging and voice communication.
“Smartphones are called ‘a palm-sized personal computer,’ as they have a Qwerty-type keypad and access to Windows,” said Yoon Jong-jin, a high-level official at SK Telecom.
Laptop computers have the weaknesses of being big and running through battery power quickly. Smartphones, on the other hand, are not only convenient to carry but use very little power.
SK Telecom is planning to target salesmen and construction workers, initially.
The newest BlackBerry design is expected to be much slimmer.
“Korean consumers felt burdened by something larger than a mobile phone,” said Lee Young-soo, a researcher at LG Economic Research Institute. “However, things are changing and larger phones, like LG’s Touch phone, are gaining popularity here.”
The BlackBerry, developed by the Canadian company RIM, is expected to reach Korea some time in August.
Although the model hasn’t been decided yet, market insiders consider the 8707g model the most likely candidate.
This model employs a Qwerty keypad system and has a 320 by 240 pixel color screen. It has a tracking wheel that controls the system from the right-hand side of the screen.
The wheel is thumb-operated. It has a Bluetooth communication system allowing wireless access to the Internet, the use of e-mail, a digital camera and a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting system.
The BlackJack II, also uses a Qwerty keypad but it has a bigger screen, 2.4 inches, and a jog wheel, which operates more like a mouse, on the front and not on the side.
The Samsung smartphone operates on a Windows Mobile 6.0 system and has a 2 mega pixel digital camera with a MicroSD memory slot.
It also employs the Bluetooth system.
HTC’s Touch Dual is expected to launch in the third quarter of this year and employ a touch system allowing the user to operate or access any function by simply touching the screen, very much like Apple’s iPhone or Samsung Electronics’ Haptic mobile phone.
Unlike the BlackBerry or BlackJack, the Touch Dual uses a slide system.
By sliding the screen up, a keypad appears, allowing users unfamiliar with the touch system to use a more conventional method.
It uses the Windows Mobile 6.0 system and also has a 2 mega pixel digital camera like the BlackJack II and has a MicroSD memory slot.
-----
is this smart phone really success in Korea. i think it will be very high price, so it doesn't have competent. because i think in the Korea mobile phone market very sensitive of price, because many of customers are students or Young people.
but it will be very successful young-business man and late-20s or early-3s.
there are so many competitors, not just other mobile phone, laptop, PDA and so on.
smart phone, automatically will be expensive, for surviving in the competition, it should have high-quality technology.
20500530 entry #12
‘Things are changing and larger phones are gaining popularity here.’
May 26, 2008
The BlackBerry 8707g and the BlackJack II
American adults these days are obsessed with the BlackBerry, checking their e-mails and returning messages with a whir of thumb movement.
Although the BlackBerry is used by people in over 120 countries who number 14 million subscribers, it has failed to catch on in high-tech Korea, where smartphones have had little appeal until now.
Even Samsung Electronics’ smartphone, the BlackJack, sold more than 2 million units in North America in 2006. But sales in the Korean market reached slightly more than 30,000 units during the same period.
But things could take a new turn as SK Telecom, which has 22 million subscribers, is planning to introduce the BlackBerry here in the second half of this year.
In a countermove, Samsung Electronics announced that it is releasing the BlackJack II later this month, while Taiwan-based HTC is expected to introduce its Touch Dual smart phone later this year.
Compared with mobile phones, smartphones have more functions like scheduling, sending and receiving e-mails and accessing the Internet.
The conventional mobile phone is used for text messaging and voice communication.
“Smartphones are called ‘a palm-sized personal computer,’ as they have a Qwerty-type keypad and access to Windows,” said Yoon Jong-jin, a high-level official at SK Telecom.
Laptop computers have the weaknesses of being big and running through battery power quickly. Smartphones, on the other hand, are not only convenient to carry but use very little power.
SK Telecom is planning to target salesmen and construction workers, initially.
The newest BlackBerry design is expected to be much slimmer.
“Korean consumers felt burdened by something larger than a mobile phone,” said Lee Young-soo, a researcher at LG Economic Research Institute. “However, things are changing and larger phones, like LG’s Touch phone, are gaining popularity here.”
The BlackBerry, developed by the Canadian company RIM, is expected to reach Korea some time in August.
Although the model hasn’t been decided yet, market insiders consider the 8707g model the most likely candidate.
This model employs a Qwerty keypad system and has a 320 by 240 pixel color screen. It has a tracking wheel that controls the system from the right-hand side of the screen.
The wheel is thumb-operated. It has a Bluetooth communication system allowing wireless access to the Internet, the use of e-mail, a digital camera and a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting system.
The BlackJack II, also uses a Qwerty keypad but it has a bigger screen, 2.4 inches, and a jog wheel, which operates more like a mouse, on the front and not on the side.
The Samsung smartphone operates on a Windows Mobile 6.0 system and has a 2 mega pixel digital camera with a MicroSD memory slot.
It also employs the Bluetooth system.
HTC’s Touch Dual is expected to launch in the third quarter of this year and employ a touch system allowing the user to operate or access any function by simply touching the screen, very much like Apple’s iPhone or Samsung Electronics’ Haptic mobile phone.
Unlike the BlackBerry or BlackJack, the Touch Dual uses a slide system.
By sliding the screen up, a keypad appears, allowing users unfamiliar with the touch system to use a more conventional method.
It uses the Windows Mobile 6.0 system and also has a 2 mega pixel digital camera like the BlackJack II and has a MicroSD memory slot.
-----
is this smart phone really success in Korea. i think it will be very high price, so it doesn't have competent. because i think in the Korea mobile phone market very sensitive of price, because many of customers are students or Young people.
but it will be very successful young-business man and late-20s or early-3s.
there are so many competitors, not just other mobile phone, laptop, PDA and so on.
smart phone, automatically will be expensive, for surviving in the competition, it should have high-quality technology.
20500530 entry #12
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Korean Firms Lack 'Smart Power' (late)
By Lee Hyo-sik
Staff Reporter
Samsung Electronics is the global leader in chip production, Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group is within the top 10 car manufacturers in output and Hyundai Heavy Industries is conquering the world's shipping industry hands down.
They may be happy to see their cash registers bulging but their public relations are debatable. A recent Samsung Economic Research Institute report points to the general lack of this knowledge among Korean firms.
It suggested local firms should strengthen public relations efforts to establish a better corporate image abroad and invest more to recruit talented manpower and create a better workplace.
The institute said the average corporate performance of the top 100 firms listed on the domestic stock market is equivalent to 43 percent of that of the Standard and Poor's (S&P) 100 firms. But the size of their intangible assets amounts to only 3.2 percent of global firms.
In calculating the scale of intangible assets, it looked into 11 factors; national image, knowledge level, corporate culture, brand perception, corporate image, leadership, manpower competency, technology advancement, system capacity, quality of workplace and corporate networking.
When those of S&P 100 firms are set at 1, the overall image of Korean businesses stands at 0.03 with their knowledge level at 0.82 and corporate culture at 0.3.
Local firms' average system capacity, measured by inventory turnover ratio, is 1.7 times that of global companies, while their manpower competence, or the average salary amounts to 75 percent of what S&P 100 firms are paying employees.
Korean companies' quality of workplace, gauged by after-tax operating income divided by total labor costs, is 0.78, with corporate networking, or the amount of media exposure, at 0.005, and brand perception, or advertising expenditure, at 0.018.
SERI said the intangible assets of the country's leading companies are largely undervalued, compared with those of multinational firms in the U.S. and Europe, because they generate lower earnings from investment and are more vulnerable to market changes.
Samsung Electronics' technology advancement and system capacity are 1.8 times and 1.5 times those of Hewlett Packard, but its brand image and manpower competence lag far behind the U.S. computer maker. Also, Hyundai Motor is far superior to General Motors in system capacity and manpower competence, but its brand image and corporate networking are outpaced by the U.S. automaker.
The institute said Korean businesses should make an all-out effort to improve their corporate and brand images abroad to market their products and services at higher prices.
``It is important to generate large revenue and profits. But it is also as important for local companies to build up intangible corporate assets to become more competitive in an increasingly globalized marketplace,'' it stressed.
They may be happy to see their cash registers bulging but their public relations are debatable.
The institute said Korean businesses should make an all-out effort to improve their corporate and brand images abroad to market their products and services at higher prices.
20200041 kwon hyuck sung
Staff Reporter
Samsung Electronics is the global leader in chip production, Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group is within the top 10 car manufacturers in output and Hyundai Heavy Industries is conquering the world's shipping industry hands down.
They may be happy to see their cash registers bulging but their public relations are debatable. A recent Samsung Economic Research Institute report points to the general lack of this knowledge among Korean firms.
It suggested local firms should strengthen public relations efforts to establish a better corporate image abroad and invest more to recruit talented manpower and create a better workplace.
The institute said the average corporate performance of the top 100 firms listed on the domestic stock market is equivalent to 43 percent of that of the Standard and Poor's (S&P) 100 firms. But the size of their intangible assets amounts to only 3.2 percent of global firms.
In calculating the scale of intangible assets, it looked into 11 factors; national image, knowledge level, corporate culture, brand perception, corporate image, leadership, manpower competency, technology advancement, system capacity, quality of workplace and corporate networking.
When those of S&P 100 firms are set at 1, the overall image of Korean businesses stands at 0.03 with their knowledge level at 0.82 and corporate culture at 0.3.
Local firms' average system capacity, measured by inventory turnover ratio, is 1.7 times that of global companies, while their manpower competence, or the average salary amounts to 75 percent of what S&P 100 firms are paying employees.
Korean companies' quality of workplace, gauged by after-tax operating income divided by total labor costs, is 0.78, with corporate networking, or the amount of media exposure, at 0.005, and brand perception, or advertising expenditure, at 0.018.
SERI said the intangible assets of the country's leading companies are largely undervalued, compared with those of multinational firms in the U.S. and Europe, because they generate lower earnings from investment and are more vulnerable to market changes.
Samsung Electronics' technology advancement and system capacity are 1.8 times and 1.5 times those of Hewlett Packard, but its brand image and manpower competence lag far behind the U.S. computer maker. Also, Hyundai Motor is far superior to General Motors in system capacity and manpower competence, but its brand image and corporate networking are outpaced by the U.S. automaker.
The institute said Korean businesses should make an all-out effort to improve their corporate and brand images abroad to market their products and services at higher prices.
``It is important to generate large revenue and profits. But it is also as important for local companies to build up intangible corporate assets to become more competitive in an increasingly globalized marketplace,'' it stressed.
They may be happy to see their cash registers bulging but their public relations are debatable.
The institute said Korean businesses should make an all-out effort to improve their corporate and brand images abroad to market their products and services at higher prices.
20200041 kwon hyuck sung
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Business Strategy in the Streets
20700193 Haeyeon Ryan Kim entry #11
The streets are open for anything. You can have so many different types of
advertisements. I've seen people in costumes to weird-shaped balloons floating
around. You can do almost anything. you can paint anything, you can change things around, you can do things to people, you can leave something, you can take
something, you can spill something, you can do whatever you want as long as it's
legal. here's an example of something creative you can do.
The pictures above are pictures of creative advertisements of a game called "Clue."
The first two picture were Okay, but the third one with the red soap was just
totally brilliant.
We learned a lot of things is class about advertisements. In Markstrat, we
found out the marketing and advertising is truly essential in business.
We spent almost half, or more of our budget in advertising and sales. but with those
kinds of advertisements, those brilliant advertisements, i think we can have the
same effect with half the money.
Here is another example of a good advertisement:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid271552642/bctid1311211025
please visit the link and watch the video; it's a video of a drama promotion
that happened in the states. The show was called dexter, and this marketing
project was called "dexter's red fountains." Who would have thought of that?
who could possibly think, and promote this. I am sure that the people in charge
of these fountains were hard to convince. People may feel uneasy about all the
red liquid that signifies blood. However, i think hundreds of thousands of people
stopped by to check out what all the red stuff was about.
amazing effect.
Totally Awesome.
20700193 Haeyeon Ryan Kim entry # 11
The streets are open for anything. You can have so many different types of
advertisements. I've seen people in costumes to weird-shaped balloons floating
around. You can do almost anything. you can paint anything, you can change things around, you can do things to people, you can leave something, you can take
something, you can spill something, you can do whatever you want as long as it's
legal. here's an example of something creative you can do.
The pictures above are pictures of creative advertisements of a game called "Clue."
The first two picture were Okay, but the third one with the red soap was just
totally brilliant.
We learned a lot of things is class about advertisements. In Markstrat, we
found out the marketing and advertising is truly essential in business.
We spent almost half, or more of our budget in advertising and sales. but with those
kinds of advertisements, those brilliant advertisements, i think we can have the
same effect with half the money.
Here is another example of a good advertisement:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid271552642/bctid1311211025
please visit the link and watch the video; it's a video of a drama promotion
that happened in the states. The show was called dexter, and this marketing
project was called "dexter's red fountains." Who would have thought of that?
who could possibly think, and promote this. I am sure that the people in charge
of these fountains were hard to convince. People may feel uneasy about all the
red liquid that signifies blood. However, i think hundreds of thousands of people
stopped by to check out what all the red stuff was about.
amazing effect.
Totally Awesome.
20700193 Haeyeon Ryan Kim entry # 11
Toothbrush Not Included
By Linda Stern | NEWSWEEK
Jun 2, 2008 Issue
Original Article
Lost luggage, security checks, extra-bag fees and spilled shampoo make suitcase stress one of the worst parts of traveling, but Flylite thinks it has the solution. The two-year-old Massachusetts company is a clothing butler for frequent business travelers. New customers pay an initial $500 fee and pack their bags. Flylite workers then clean, press and store the clothes, polish shoes and scan everything into a virtual "iCloset." Each trip, travelers can virtually "pack" their suitcases by dragging and dropping clothing icons, after which Flylite delivers the bags to any U.S. destination. After each stay, Flylite picks up the bags, cleans the clothes and stores everything for the next trip. With two days' notice, it costs $100 to get the bag packed and sent anywhere within 25 miles of a major airport. Typical customers are road warriors who travel three to five times a month and store a dozen suits and assorted shirts, ties, recreational wear and golf clubs, says marketing VP John Walsh. "Time is a luxury to them," he says. The company, which says it's already profitable, isn't yet set up for travel outside the United States, but has many foreign clients who travel here. It plans iClosets in London and Dubai, and will soon start selling shirts and shoes to clients who are so busy jet-setting that they can't take time to go shopping. The new clothes will simply show up in their suitcases on the next trip—along with a bill.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First of all the word "Dubai" caught my eyes. Yes, indeed Dubai is becoming a target for business these days. For all the effort they have made, they are finally getting a reward fro their hard work. Anyways, back to the point. The company who started this Flylight business is just a rookie to the business, it is only 2 years old. However their innovative idea is definatley scraping up some money. The key target customers are the "road warriors" who travel frequently, and for whom the time is a luxury to them. Even for me, sometimes I plan to go off somewhere but discourage myself due to packing my luggage. But if there was someone to pack for me? I would definately pay them. Only if it wasn't for $100, I would be their #1 customer. Keeping that in mind, for some people who are busier than I am, a $100 could be worth the time they spend for packing. But we must be careful now, just because you are lazy (though you have sufficeint amount of time to pack), and you have the money, I stronly urge them NOT to be so inclined with this news, These are really for the people who need the time to do something valuable rather than to pack.
However, this business would have a bright future, as increasing number of people fly more than 20 times a month, this is what they probably need.
20700775 Article Entry #15
The Wii Fit Workout
By Anne Underwood | Newsweek Web Exclusive
May 21, 2008 | Updated: 1:46 p.m. ET May 21, 2008
As a health writer, I know the awesome benefits of exercise--improving cardiac and lung function, encouraging weight loss, boosting strength and endurance, improving mood and possibly even making you smarter. In theory, that's all terrific. It's the bit about getting to the gym more than twice a week that's the problem. Now Nintendo's new Wii Fit is bringing the gym--or a stripped-down version of it--to me and my Mii (the Wii's onscreen representation of me). At $90--plus $250 for the basic console--Wii Fit is not cheap, but it still costs less than an actual gym membership. And since it's in the middle of my living room, it's harder to ignore. That can only be good news.
Wii Fit follows on the success of the original Wii console, which has been a coveted item since its November 2006 release. Reaching well beyond the teenage-male fan base of the standard videogame, the basic Wii has attracted kids, soccer moms and seniors. Certain rehab centers are using it to help patients recover from strokes, injuries and, in some cases, war wounds. Physical therapists have even come up with a name for this new form of rehab--"Wiihab."
Where the original Wii featured golf, boxing, tennis, baseball and bowling, Wii Fit offers fitness training of four types--aerobics, strength training, yoga and balance games. Most of the exercises are fun, and all of them increase your heart rate or muscle tone while helping develop "core" muscle groups that aid balance and posture.
The key to all of this is the Wii Fit balance board that you stand on. It looks like a glorified kitchen cutting board but contains weight-sensitive areas for both feet. The concept came from a Nintendo developer who saw sumo wrestlers on TV weighing themselves with two scales. (Japanese scales go up to only about 300 pounds, so two scales are often necessary.) While trying out the two-scale idea, "developers noticed that keeping the balance between your left and right legs is actually very challenging and fun," says Cammie Dunaway, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Nintendo of America. Developers recruited Kaoru Matsui, a Japanese trainer, who was already using balance concepts, to advise them on specific exercises.
Don't even think about trying to fool the board. It uses four sensors to measure your body weight 60 times a second. It gauges not only the total pressure on each foot but also how your weight is distributed. It notes your tiniest wobbles and translates this into eerie insight into your posture and balance. On the ski jump, you have to position yourself just right, in alignment with a dot on the screen, as your Mii barrels down the slope. Then, as you reach the bottom of the ski jump, you straighten your knees, rise onto your toes and hold the pose to lift off and sail through the air. If you're successful, you'll enjoy waving to the applause of a virtual crowd. (If you're not, expect to tumble head over heels in an avalanche of snow and skis that's not pretty. Fall off the tightrope in the exercise of the same name, and it doesn't show us what happens.) At the end of each of the 40-plus exercises, you receive not only a numeric score but also a one-to-four star rating, from "unbalanced" at one end of the spectrum to "yoga master," "bodybuilder" or "calorie incinerator" at the other.
At their best, gadgets like Wii Fit can help people get in shape by combining exercise with the addictiveness of videogames. A half hour on the elliptical can be boring. Not so a videogame that's always offering you new rewards, like vocal encouragement ("great job") and extra points in the Wii Bank that unlock new exercises. Studies have shown that earlier games like Dance Dance Revolution helped people lose weight by making them want to come back for more. Can the Wii Fit hold one's interest for the months needed to lose weight and get in shape? Perhaps. But it certainly tries to ensnare your competitive spirit, allowing you to monitor your progress and play against family members. And there is the ever-present challenge of meeting your weight-loss goals, which the scale-based system excels in tracking.
One of the greatest virtues of Wii Fit is that it encourages you to try a broad range of exercises that you might not try otherwise. At the gym, it's easy to get stuck in a regimen of Stairmaster and weights, or the recumbent bike and treadmill. With Wii Fit, you'll want to sample all four types of training, getting a well-rounded workout. The games are especially fun, including the hula hoop and soccer. And though Wii Fit is no substitute for a workout with a trainer, it certainly beats sitting at the computer and exercising your index finger.
Is it for everyone? No. Anyone with a serious workout regimen can pass Go and keep their $90. Nor is it the way to develop a dedicated yoga practice. On the other hand, it could just be the gateway exercise program that a lot of us need to get up and get moving. By the end of a 30-minute workout, I feel the effects, but the sensation is great. In fact, I'm feeling so good, I just might go to the gym.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is amazing. They even thought out that the price of their product would be in the range of 90-250 dollars; however, according to them it is whole a lot cheaper than an actual gym membership, that is a way to move the customer segments to yours! By playing this game it can improve cardiac and lung function, encourage weight loss, boosts strength and endurance, improves mood and possibly even making you smarter. It also has all kinds of sports from golf to tennis. But you know everything has flaws, what I think the short side of this is that maybe because I watched the "FUN ENERGY" through internet, I mean all this work! all the sweat you let out! all the ENERGY you produce! it only does good FOR YOU! These days, we are learning to do all sorts of things, saving water, gas, is also good for ourselves but ultimately is for the good for the society, the world. Why don't we relate that thought to this wonderful game idea? Fun energy has its benefits for actually producing "Energy" to use the energy for other uses. The Wii Fit Workout has a better
entertainment variety, and its technology and popularity. Think about it! You can loose weight, prevent diseases (such as obesity, diabetes and sorts...), and also help produce energy! in order to cut down on oil consumptions. The blue ocean of the future? the answer is already given... make sure it doesn't only do the good for the consumer, but for all consumers, the community, the society, and the world.
20700775 Article Entry #14
The Summer of Our Discontent
Are high gas prices killing the family road trip?
By Linda Stern | Newsweek Web Exclusive
May 15, 2008 | Updated: 1:16 p.m. ET May 15, 2008
Here comes the summer of our discontent. Economic pessimism and high prices on gas and food have Americans in a sour mood and curtailing their vacation plans, though they probably need those stress-busting breathers more than ever. Just ask Amy and Adam Geurden of Hollandtown, Wisc., parents of Eric, 6, Holly, 3, and Jake, 2. "We were going to take lots of weekends and short trips with the kids," says Amy. "We were going to go to the Wisconsin Dells, the Bay Beach Amusement Park in Green Bay, to Chicago and Door County." Then Amy did the math: 17 miles per gallon in the Chevy Suburban and $4 a gallon gas. Now the Guerdens are planning a "staycation" around the backyard swimming pool instead. "I'm really disappointed," she says.
So is almost everyone else. Almost 60 percent of Americans are cutting back their vacation plans because of gas prices. That's sad, because vacations are so good for you when you're feeling miserable. Here's how to squeeze in a little bit of travel fun without breaking the bank.
Location, location, location. Don't go so far away. "Everyone has places they've always wanted to go in their home state and region," says Tim Leffel, author of "Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune" (Travelers' Tales). "This might be the best summer ever to do that." Draw a circle on the map at 200 miles around your house, and choose a vacation spot within the circle. Alternatively, you can head way out of your circle. Instead of driving to the beach that's 400 miles away, fly to one of the Caribbean resort spots in Latin America for about the same amount of money. They've got off-season rates in the summer and have currencies pegged to the dollar, so they're not getting pricey like the euro countries. Leffel likes the beaches in Honduras, where prices are "cheap, cheap, cheap": a top hotel room and gourmet dinner will come in under $100. He's got more places and prices on his cheap destinations blog.
Getting there. Budget exactly how much you'll spend on gas by entering your destination and your car into the calculator at the American Automobile Association Web site. A family can save significantly by squeezing into the smaller car, or even renting a fuel-efficient car. (Hertz is offering a free tank of gas with a car rental, through the end of June.) Embrace all of those fuel-saving behaviors, like driving under the speed limit and keeping tires properly inflated. And check gasbuddy.com or your GPS system to find the cheapest prices on gas along your way. Fill up early in the morning or late at night, when cool air makes the gasoline more dense, and you'll get more for the money. Alternatively, leave the car at home. Competitive pricing on long-distance buses and decent train fares are making mass transit a solid choice for the summer of 2008. Companies like BoltBus and MegaBus offer some seats as low as a dollar. Plus, it's an adventure.
Creative lodging. Hotels are cutting deals this summer, and frequent travelers swear by the rates they get on Priceline.com and Hotwire.com. Before booking through a hotel Web site or 800 number, call the individual hotel directly and ask for their best rate. Pull out everything you've got—AAA membership, senior status, company affiliations, even your job title—to see if they've got a discount for you. Or seek unusual lodging: Kids love camping, and with all the RVs garaged because of high fuel costs, the campgrounds might be quieter than usual. You can arrange to swap homes with a like-minded family who lives where you want to travel. (Try homeswap.com or intervacusa.com). Or follow the time-honored tradition of freeloading off friends.
Saving along the way. It's the little things that will drain your vacation budget, so control them. Travel with a cooler, some ice, your favorite snacks and drinks. You can stop at grocery stores instead of fast-food chains and buy supplies for two meals a day. Make lunch your fancy restaurant meal. Bring your own bottle of bourbon (in the trunk, not the front seat) and have a drink in the hotel room before you go to dinner. Use coupons for attractions, and if you're staying put in a city, buy a book of passes (citypass.com) or restaurant discounts (entertainment.com). Plan museum visits in advance, so you can catch their free or reduced-price days. And skip the souvenirs: nobody really wants those shot glasses and snow globes anyway.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vacations are good, but the luxurious vacations that we have been going for the last few decades aren't that good. The rise of price of goods, oil, accomodation, everything! Finally we realize how demanding we were and not thankful until now.
Kids in Africa are dying due to lack of food, and from diseases. And we are planning on going to the most prestigious places of the world and stay at the most prestigious 5-7 star hotels, riding comfortably on airplanes. Since the time, and the situation has came to make ourselves realize the reality of ourselves, why don't we all give ourselves a humble vacation this year? If according to the article "staycation" is going to make you miserable, than go off somewhere you could help others that are in need. That is definately a buy1 get 1 deal, you get to get out from your house, and help people at the same time. This time, we should think of what "vacation" really means for us.
20700775 Article Entry #13
By Linda Stern | Newsweek Web Exclusive
May 15, 2008 | Updated: 1:16 p.m. ET May 15, 2008
Here comes the summer of our discontent. Economic pessimism and high prices on gas and food have Americans in a sour mood and curtailing their vacation plans, though they probably need those stress-busting breathers more than ever. Just ask Amy and Adam Geurden of Hollandtown, Wisc., parents of Eric, 6, Holly, 3, and Jake, 2. "We were going to take lots of weekends and short trips with the kids," says Amy. "We were going to go to the Wisconsin Dells, the Bay Beach Amusement Park in Green Bay, to Chicago and Door County." Then Amy did the math: 17 miles per gallon in the Chevy Suburban and $4 a gallon gas. Now the Guerdens are planning a "staycation" around the backyard swimming pool instead. "I'm really disappointed," she says.
So is almost everyone else. Almost 60 percent of Americans are cutting back their vacation plans because of gas prices. That's sad, because vacations are so good for you when you're feeling miserable. Here's how to squeeze in a little bit of travel fun without breaking the bank.
Location, location, location. Don't go so far away. "Everyone has places they've always wanted to go in their home state and region," says Tim Leffel, author of "Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune" (Travelers' Tales). "This might be the best summer ever to do that." Draw a circle on the map at 200 miles around your house, and choose a vacation spot within the circle. Alternatively, you can head way out of your circle. Instead of driving to the beach that's 400 miles away, fly to one of the Caribbean resort spots in Latin America for about the same amount of money. They've got off-season rates in the summer and have currencies pegged to the dollar, so they're not getting pricey like the euro countries. Leffel likes the beaches in Honduras, where prices are "cheap, cheap, cheap": a top hotel room and gourmet dinner will come in under $100. He's got more places and prices on his cheap destinations blog.
Getting there. Budget exactly how much you'll spend on gas by entering your destination and your car into the calculator at the American Automobile Association Web site. A family can save significantly by squeezing into the smaller car, or even renting a fuel-efficient car. (Hertz is offering a free tank of gas with a car rental, through the end of June.) Embrace all of those fuel-saving behaviors, like driving under the speed limit and keeping tires properly inflated. And check gasbuddy.com or your GPS system to find the cheapest prices on gas along your way. Fill up early in the morning or late at night, when cool air makes the gasoline more dense, and you'll get more for the money. Alternatively, leave the car at home. Competitive pricing on long-distance buses and decent train fares are making mass transit a solid choice for the summer of 2008. Companies like BoltBus and MegaBus offer some seats as low as a dollar. Plus, it's an adventure.
Creative lodging. Hotels are cutting deals this summer, and frequent travelers swear by the rates they get on Priceline.com and Hotwire.com. Before booking through a hotel Web site or 800 number, call the individual hotel directly and ask for their best rate. Pull out everything you've got—AAA membership, senior status, company affiliations, even your job title—to see if they've got a discount for you. Or seek unusual lodging: Kids love camping, and with all the RVs garaged because of high fuel costs, the campgrounds might be quieter than usual. You can arrange to swap homes with a like-minded family who lives where you want to travel. (Try homeswap.com or intervacusa.com). Or follow the time-honored tradition of freeloading off friends.
Saving along the way. It's the little things that will drain your vacation budget, so control them. Travel with a cooler, some ice, your favorite snacks and drinks. You can stop at grocery stores instead of fast-food chains and buy supplies for two meals a day. Make lunch your fancy restaurant meal. Bring your own bottle of bourbon (in the trunk, not the front seat) and have a drink in the hotel room before you go to dinner. Use coupons for attractions, and if you're staying put in a city, buy a book of passes (citypass.com) or restaurant discounts (entertainment.com). Plan museum visits in advance, so you can catch their free or reduced-price days. And skip the souvenirs: nobody really wants those shot glasses and snow globes anyway.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vacations are good, but the luxurious vacations that we have been going for the last few decades aren't that good. The rise of price of goods, oil, accomodation, everything! Finally we realize how demanding we were and not thankful until now.
Kids in Africa are dying due to lack of food, and from diseases. And we are planning on going to the most prestigious places of the world and stay at the most prestigious 5-7 star hotels, riding comfortably on airplanes. Since the time, and the situation has came to make ourselves realize the reality of ourselves, why don't we all give ourselves a humble vacation this year? If according to the article "staycation" is going to make you miserable, than go off somewhere you could help others that are in need. That is definately a buy1 get 1 deal, you get to get out from your house, and help people at the same time. This time, we should think of what "vacation" really means for us.
20700775 Article Entry #13
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