This story's been around for years, but it goes to show how much bullshit is ingrained in "traditional" martial-arts practices.
Saturday, August 16, 2025
hilarious animated GIF
Someone did a great job combining Biden's up-the-stairs stumbles with the Chinese spy balloon that floated across America on his watch:
9K: done
I survived a 9K walk this evening. It straddled Friday and Saturday, going from 11:06 p.m. to 1:43 a.m., with about 12 minutes, total, spent either resting or stopping to take photos. About 2 hours and 25 minutes of actual walking, then—a tiny bit over 3.7 kph, which is pitiful. Is this my new normal? We'll see how things go when the weather gets cooler.
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| photo taken before switching to "pro" mode; notice the moon's diffuse glow |
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| but increase the shutter speed and the ISO... |
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| I don't remember how I did this one, but I removed the yellowish tinge somehow. |
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| Down by the Tan Creek. No more mysterious sacks of dirt or concrete crumbles or whatever that was. |
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| This one was in "pro" mode, but it was a failure. |
I sweated a ton, but at 26ºC (about 78ºF), the night was barely tolerable. Making it out to the Han River was a relief; walking back felt a bit easier. I wondered the entire time whether some cardiac incident might arise. There were subtle, shall we say, precursors; I could feel them in the background. I also remember going on walks of this length before my heart attack last year. Right now, the goal is to stay alive until my heart scan in early January, so I don't want to push myself. If I have a heart attack now, especially while on a path, I likely won't be anywhere near other people, so I imagine I'll be found only after my body has had a chance to cool down. Question, then: do I keep walking these lonely routes at these lonely hours, or do I start walking in noisier, more public places at noisier, more public times to increase my chances of being found by people quickly? I don't like that choice at all, and it rubs my introversion the wrong way. For now, at least, my attitude is a shrug: I'm doing what I love doing, and if I die, I die. When I'm dead, I'm certainly not going to care what becomes of my body, but I do feel sorry for the people who have to take care of the aftermath.
When we'd met for dinner sometime ago, Charles called these speculations "morbid," but it's more about pragmatic realities than about gloom and doom or self-pity. I'm pretty reconciled to the idea that I'm going to cark it sooner rather than later, that I'm on borrowed time. I do feel some frustration: my situation doesn't feel entirely just, given the people I know who are seemingly in worse shape than I am yet who seem to have (or claim to have) great blood pressure, normal blood sugar, and no diabetes. All I can do is be envious of their genes (assuming they're not lying). I was dealt a suck-ass hand in more ways than one. But as they say, you play the hand you're dealt, and besides, I can't simply blame my genes for a long series of poor dietary decisions made over the years. That's character, not genes. I've always been one to indulge, and I never cultivated a conscience when it came to eating. That's on me.
But it's not as though I've given up. There's still life to be lived. I'm still looking forward to surviving 2025. I still hope to hit 60 and do the Camino with my buddy Mike and with a good bit of Spanish knowledge under my belt. But I've got to be realistic: borrowed time means I could go at any moment, and really, it's no big deal. I won't leave behind a family; I have a few Korean relatives with whom I'm in contact only once or twice a year; I have a few friends in Korea whom I rarely meet; I've got my brothers and my buddy Mike in the States, plus some relatives on my aunt's side in Texas, not to mention relatives I never talk to in California. My passing will be quiet and small: the pebble that plops into the lake, making barely any ripples. And that's fine. A life is the sum of one's choices, and I'm happy with most of the choices I've made, especially with the choice to walk the Four Rivers for the first time in 2017. That changed my life and my perspective on Korea.
Do I have regrets? While I'd love to be the guy who boasts that he has absolutely no regrets, I'd be a liar if I did that. I regret quite a few things, usually involving not having the courage or the moral fiber to do or to say what was right, or times when I was needlessly hurtful to people close to me, or times when there were things I could have said or done but failed to do. As the prayer goes in "The Thirteenth Warrior":
For all we ought to have thoughtbut have not thought
For all we ought to have said
but have not said
For all we ought to have done
but have not done
I pray thee, God, for forgiveness
—Ibn Fadlan, "The Thirteenth Warrior"
Despite its interesting premise (it's based on a Crichton novel), it's a silly movie, but that prayer touched me deeply, and Antonio Banderas delivered it well right before the story's climactic battle. It summed up every imperfect life, but as Zen Buddhists will tell you, imperfection is precisely where perfection is found. I can take some solace in that.
Friday, August 15, 2025
images
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| Exceptin' Alice... |
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| Every day, not everyday. Everday (one word) is an adjective meaning "ordinary." |
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| This sounds like a joke for my senior readers. |
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| So does this. |
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| No, actually, I've felt that crushing weight myself. After college. And after grad school. I was an idiot. |
further housekeeping
After enduring too much confusion from the respective titles of my Substacks (every damn time I have to post something), I decided, during these early days, to change the sites' names.
Original names:
- BigHominid's Extraordinarily Voluptuous Grammar Buttocks
- BigHominid's Extraordinarily Large and Sweaty Grammar Crack
New, more streamlined, less confusing names:
- Tasty Grammar (free + paid content—minimal subscription cost)
- Dirty Grammar (paid content only—somewhat more than Tasty)
No changes needed to the URLs, nothing for the readers to do. I might send out notifications of the title changes, but seeing as I have no subscribers to the Dirty Grammar site yet, I doubt I'll need more than one notification. And so far, that site (Tasty) has only one paying subscriber. Who probably doesn't even look at the welcome page.
So I doubt I'll need to send out any notifications.
But for people who spend hours just staring at my welcome pages, pining for my love, here they are for you: regular and spicy.
subversion, always subversion
They really are traitors. Click over and read the whole thing. Jesus.
New report accuses bureaucrats of running ‘shadow government’ pushing DEI, gender ideology in red states | Rachel del Guidice, Fox News
— Owen Gregorian (@OwenGregorian) August 14, 2025
State Leadership Initiative report identifies 23 national associations promoting DEI, gender ideology policies, among other issues
A new… pic.twitter.com/gmcOIteybY
happy Liberation Day
As happens every year on August 15, Korea celebrates the day it was liberated from Japan at the end of World War 2. It's called Gwangbok-jeol in Korean (광복절, 光復節), and it roughly translates as "Light-restoration Day." That seems appropriate if we think of the Japanese occupation as a dark period in Korean history. Of course, the larger powers divided the peninsula up in September 1945, and the world got to watch a massive experiment on which economic system had better long-term benefits: central planning versus more-or-less free-market capitalism (that liberalized and Westernized over the years as South Korea moved beyond dictatorships). For the first decade or so, though, North Korea was actually doing better than South Korea. Little did they know what was to come.
On Liberation Day, Korean politicians almost never thank the US or the United Nations for freeing the country. Acknowledging others' roles in helping Korea is probably seen as somehow shameful. The impression one gets from politicians these days is that Korea mysteriously, miraculously freed itself. Passive-voice locutions like "has been liberated" and various circumlocutions, by eliminating the subject, i.e., the actual actors, contribute to this impression. I wonder what South Koreans are taught in school about how the Japanese occupation ended at the end of World War 2. Were Koreans' roles in liberation exaggerated while US/Allied roles were minimized? It's not a topic I've ever discussed with anyone, which may be for the better since I'm fairly ignorant of the details myself.
I briefly forgot that today was August 15. A few days before, when I'd created the paid Substack posts that were released today, just a moment ago, I'd actually written a long paragraph noting how various cultures celebrate today: for Catholics, August 15 is Assumption Day. For Americans, it's Lemon Meringue Pie Day. For Indians, today is also Liberation Day. And despite all of that, in my senility, I forgot that I wouldn't be able to go to the bank today until commenter Paul reminded me that today was a national holiday in Korea.
Senility: it's not just for the over-60 crowd!
Part of an unofficial translation of President Lee Jae-myung's speech for today. Note how it skirts around the issue of US/Allied involvement:
Eighty years ago today, we reclaimed the light that had been wrested from us. The light that once again touched our hearts and brightly illuminated every corner of the Korean Peninsula was not freely obtained. It was won through the dedication and sacrifices of countless individuals who risked their lives with an indomitable will for the sake of national liberation and a fervent desire to restore our sovereignty.
Liberation Day is not simply the day we regained our independence. It is also the day we reclaimed the freedom and the right to determine our own future and choose the course of our lives.
[ ... ]
As the ancient saying goes, “When drinking water, remember its source.” It behooves us, as a nation enjoying freedom and prosperity, to honor the sacrifices and dedication of those who made the Republic of Korea what it is today.
Honoring the proud history of our struggle against imperial Japan and upholding the prestige of decorated independence activists is how we protect our community’s past, present and future.
We must no longer tolerate any acts that deny the history of our independence struggle and insult our independence heroes.
If we turn our backs on those who sacrificed themselves for us all, who will step forward when our community faces yet another crisis?
The more deeply we honor and respect those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our community, the stronger our community will become.
My comment: the above section would have been a good opportunity to mention by name the non-Korean parties who engaged in the struggle and sacrifice to free Korea. But no: Korea can only credit itself by name. This is a bitter point for me. But maybe, given how the peninsula was divided up without its consent, Korea feels it has a reason not to be completely thankful.
It was the Korean people who, overcoming the sorrow of losing their nation, gave their lives for independence; who rose from the ashes of war to accomplish a remarkable industrialization; who weathered the 1997 foreign exchange crisis through the gold collection campaign; and who safeguarded our constitutional order against an armed insurrection.
Nope—no partisan political references here.
The rest of the speech expresses optimism for the future, kisses up to North Korea (couched in cautious language, of course), and notes Japan's "tandem" achievements while expressing hope—as happens perennially—that Japan will finally face up to its occupational past. No mention of the US or the Allies. One really is left with the impression that Korea somehow freed itself. How South Korea keeps up this pretense even now is beyond me. At times like this, I'm almost glad the US is plagued by critical leftists who, right or wrong, loudly call out America's flaws. At the very least, such calling-out allows for a discussion to be had as to whether those flaws are real, and if they are real, what can be done about them. By couching his speech in such squirrely, evasive language, President Lee removes any opportunity for similar discussion in Korean society. Then again, I have no idea what Korean Netizens are saying; it's an entire aspect of modern K-culture that I have absolutely no interest in. Maybe there are online conservatives pointing out the same criticisms that I am. One can hope.
Anyway, a happy and mindful Gwangbok-jeol to you. Or just enjoy your 15th.
do you agree with Dan Murrell?
He pronounces his surname like "Merle." To me, 2025 has been a mediocre year for movies. My buddy Neil texted me on July 17 while watching "F1" to say that it was crap. I know it was made by the team that gave us "Top Gun: Maverick," but it might still be a load of trite nonsense (or a movie that appeals exclusively to Americans). And hey, Neil—turn off yer cell phone in the theater! Unless you're sitting in the very back row, in which case who cares?
are you having trouble paying to subscribe to my Substack?
Have you been having trouble paying for a subscription to either of my Substack newsletters? Here's a comprehensive reference that might help.
Sorry for any inconvenience. So far, my one American subscriber, based in the Philippines and presumably using an American credit card, has successfully subscribed to me. I got word today from my friend in Masan that he was unable to subscribe for whatever reason. He'd received what he called a "credit check international call," and I have no idea what that is or what payment method that's associated with. The call mentioned a total he didn't agree with.
Following Substack's instructions, I'd connected my Stripe account to my US-based bank account. Stripe, which I've had as an app for years, accepts all sorts of credit-card payments. Beyond that, I don't know the technicalities. If you click on the link above, though, you'll find that most people wanting a paid subscription will be presented with several options: free, monthly, yearly, and "founding member" (which earns you special privileges provided by the author of the newsletter being subscribed to).
Does Substack have a phone number where you can talk to an actual human being, not an AI? I'm not sure. Like a lot of companies these days, Substack doesn't seem too interested in real human contact. The best I can do is this Contact Us page. Again, sorry.
I would question whether I set up the payment method correctly, but if my one subscriber was able to pay without any problems, then that ought to be the case for everyone else as well. I don't think the problem is with how I set the payment method up. That said, I wish I knew what the real problem might be. International credit-card compatibility? Another problem with specifically Korean cards when making international purchases (Korea's financial network, reflecting Korea's continued insularity, doesn't always play well with others)?
Anyway, good luck. I hope this helps at least somewhat.
has anyone else heard this legend?
This is brought to you by my trivia-hunting buddy Mike, who's got a talent for finding weird esoterica all over the place. Is this another popular trope or legend that has somehow escaped my attention all these years? Is this story commonly told to children? Are kids in Korea worried about ghosts that have sex with their nostrils?
ADDENDUM: Reddit has a hilarious message board about this.
who knew? the Kurt Cobain theory
I don't know whether this qualifies as a conspiracy theory, per se, since it doesn't seem to involve a coordinated network of people. But it's creepy. And if Courtney Love is as litigious as they say, this video is going to disappear, and Brandon Herrera might end up getting sued. Because of the video's content, you have to click the link and watch it only on YouTube.
the myth of the racist "MAGAt" (MAGA/maggot)
Righties actually sympathized with this girl. The left assumed the righties just wanted her to go to jail. What the fuck is wrong with these people?
Thursday, August 14, 2025
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| Is this some kind of nanosurface placard/marquee, that the text can change like that? |
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| JD Vance smiles. |
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| I'd scream for eye bleach, but it's right there. Next to the problem. |
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| Football-loving conservatives might be confused by this one. And I love the Trumpish capitalization. |
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| I'd at least unlock the dog-sage's wisdom. Or would I instead be like, "...Grandpa?" |
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| Kill the Boer! More! More! (Or maybe Moore! Moore!) |
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| No, but you'll be a woman: Meryl Streep. |
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| I'd eat that. |
the sad reality of AI facsimiles
It's like being an adult but still clinging to an old teddy bear. This is, frankly, horrific. Who needs an AI Kevin still haunting this plane after I pass on? I'd rather be mythologized and lionized (or denigrated!)—not that I'd ever really care about such things, seeing as I'd be dead. But Dave Cullen is right: postmortem AI facsimiles are an unhealthy way to deal with grief, just as lifelike, AI-powered "girlfriends" are no substitute for a real, live girlfriend.
goddamn motherfucking Shinhan Bank app
My phone had a comprehensive system update a day or so ago, and all of my apps that were updatable also received updates which, in the case of my Shinhan Bank app, means that I needed to reenter all of my personal data again (which doesn't feel very safe or secure). Despite my having tried the re-registration procedure, which included scanning my (spanking new) ID card, I ended up getting a message saying it was too late in the evening for me to register. In frustration, I closed the app and have decided to just visit the bank and get help from a teller tomorrow. I feel like one of the many old people I see in the bank, often just as confused and flustered by procedures as I am (though for different reasons: in my case, it's my low ability with technical Korean; the old folks are just bemused by complexity).
Well, we'll set it all right tomorrow. I hope. Talking to a human usually helps.
Johnny Somali: still in the shit
It's not looking good for ol' Johnny, and the Korean process is designed to last a long time. As they say these days: The process is the punishment. And after the judicial process, Somali can look forward to a few years in prison. Will he be any different when he gets out? Personally, I hope he's in longer than ten years. I'll likely be dead by the time he walks out, so someone in the know will have to die and find me in hell to catch me up on how things went for Johnny.
Colbert has no support
I hope he goes out with a whimper and is never heard from again, but I realize that that's too much to hope for.
today's work agenda
Work agenda:
- I have enough "Superficial" posts on my free Substack to last me through the end of the month and a little bit into September. I'll need to make more of those eventually, but for the moment, I can take a pause. Which means—
- I need to make enough paid posts to last me through the end of August. That can happen by the end of today. Eventually, though, I need to keep working ahead so as to make enough of all types of post (paid and unpaid) so I can do my cross-Korea walk this fall. I want this walk to go from late October through a good part of November. I'm thinking roughly October 20 (Monday) through November 18 (Tuesday) or October 23 (Thursday) to November 21 (Friday). It's always better to start and end on a weekday, and while Friday isn't a great day to check into a Busan motel, I know there's a large motel next to Busan Station that will always have room. And if not that motel, there are plenty of others by the station, as I found out last year.
So today: make enough Substack posts to carry me through the end of August. That'll give me time to work on other stuff like my new Canon camera (photo and video), my WiFi router (which I messed up long ago), and my third Substack—the one devoted to quizzes, tests, and answers. The one that requires coding. This weekend, I also need to square away my Anki-flashcard situation (Anki's not as intuitively user-friendly as one might think) so I can make a slew of Spanish flashcards. I took a week-long break from ChatGPT Spanish lessons (but not Babbel!) so I could work on Substack and other projects. Maybe tonight or tomorrow night, I'll try a 9K walk out to the river. Fingers and tentacles crossed.
the detail and the helium voice
When the owner comes and reacts to the detail... what's up with her voice?
the car that sucks... and is awesome
This McMurtry Spéirling electric car is faster and has more traction than most Formula One racers. Its secret? A superfan underneath that sucks the car to the road surface, radically increasing traction and allowing for extreme curve-handling. Imagine if regular citizens were ever to get their paws on this kind of power and ability.
last night's walking speed and other news
My park's loop, if I do the widest version of it (which means skimming through a parking lot), is about 930 meters—not quite a kilometer. A lot depends on how I measure it using the ruler tool on Naver Map (desktop version), but 0.93 km will do for now. I timed my walk for a lap yesterday and got about 13 minutes, which is slower than I used to be. 0.93 km in 13 minutes is about 4.29 kph. Not horrible, but definitely slow by the standards of normal Koreans (who are an impatient, hasty-footed people) or healthy Americans. In miles per hour, my speed translates to 2.67 mph. The average human walking speed is somewhere around 3 to 3.5 mph (4.8-5.6 kph). Koreans, even the very old ones, are toward the faster end of that range. That's one reason why I'm glad I walk alone: everyone would be annoyed at having to wait up for me, and I don't like feeling as if I'm on someone else's schedule—not during my "down" time.
In other news: I tried a new exercise on my GPT-generated list: a jump squat (or squat jump). Long story short: never again. (Here's why they're not always the best exercise.) My feet are easily hurt by impact because I'm heavy, and I'm currently limping around my place. It's probably better for me to avoid plyometrics altogether (remember jump rope?). I had hoped to take a cool-but-rainy stroll outside this evening, but instead, I guess I have a date with my hydraulic stepper. Meanwhile, on my ten-week calendar, I've replaced the jump squat with easier bodyweight squats. I still can't do those at a full range of motion; instead, I bounce my ass off my bed with every rep. I'll eventually wean myself off the furniture as I progress in reps, and I might have to practice deeper squats in my building's staircase, where I can hold on to a railing. For the moment, though, the current easy workout for my thighs—2 sets, 16 reps each—is better than nothing. This will ideally become 3 sets, then 4 sets. There's hope.
Wednesday, August 13, 2025
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