Tuesday, December 14, 2010

The English Speaking Robot “Mero”

 

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The above Robot named “mero” which by the way means “mine” in Nepali happened to make it to the list of Times list of 50 best inventions of 2010.   Mero can move in any direction and can follow human facial expressions as well. It is not only an effective teacher, but students at school also enjoy interacting with the new, fun, and cool school “staff.”While robots are used primarily in support roles for real human teachers, the Time Magazine called Mero the robot a “job terminator,” saying they could potentially replace the native speakers currently employed in Korean schools. Although there remain issues of economic feasibility as well as ethics, both inventions indicate excellent capacity of Korean universities as future leaders of world science and technology.

Along with Apple’s iPad, Google’s Driverless Car, Sony’s Alpha A55 Camera and others, the Online Electric Vehicle (dubbed OLEV) manufactured by the Korea Advanced Institute of Technology (KAIST) was included in the 50 Best Inventions of 2010 published by The Times.  OLEV runs on embedded electric power strips that provide electromagnetic power to the vehicle, wirelessly, charging an onboard battery and powering the bus’s electric motor.  The makers of this vehicle say that this “technology not only eliminates pollution, but also alleviates the problems usually associated with hybrid vehicles such as heavy batteries, lengthy charging and limited range.”

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The OLEV has been on a test operation since last March at the Seoul Amusement Park.

Blogger Labels: English,Robot,Mero,Nepali,Times,direction,human,expressions,teacher,Time,Magazine,Korean,Although,ethics,leaders,world,science,technology,Along,Apple,Google,Sony,Alpha,Camera,Online,Electric,Vehicle,OLEV,Korea,Institute,KAIST,Best,strips,battery,pollution,problems,hybrid,operation,March,Seoul,Amusement,Park,students,robots,roles,teachers,speakers,makers,vehicles,batteries

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Nepathya in South Korea, Seoul

 

A popular band from Nepal, Nepathya, was here in Donguk University, Seoul on September 21, 2010.IMG_5392

A few dances and openers before Nepathya jammed.

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Opening by a hip-hop Korean band as well.

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And then finally there was Nepathya….

IMG_5431 Vocalist - Amrit Gurung and drummer Dhruba Lama.

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Content crowd.

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Fans of Nepathya.

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Key board – Suraj Kumar Thapa and Guitarist – Niraj Gurung

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Bass Guitarist – Subin Shakya.  The band was also accompanied by their technical coordinator Sudip Bista and band manager Kiran Krishna Shrestha director of a popular documentary ‘Bheda Ko Oon Jasto - In search of a song’(you can watch the trailer of this documentary below).

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Exhilarated frontline fans - Ananta and Babu.

Credit: nepalisangalo - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZkPND9Rog0

 

Blogger Labels: Donguk University,Amrit Gurung,aina jhyal,Bheda ko oon jasto,Kiran Krishna Shrestha,South Korea,Nepathya,South,Korea,Seoul,band,Nepal,Donguk,September,Korean,Vocalist,Amrit,Gurung,Dhruba,Lama,Content,Suraj,Kumar,Thapa,Guitarist,Niraj,Bass,Subin,Shakya,coordinator,Sudip,Bista,manager,Kiran,Krishna,Shrestha,director,Bheda,Jasto,song,trailer,frontline,Ananta,Babu,Credit,documentary

Friday, August 27, 2010

Taekwondo Tests in Korea

Taekwondo is the national sport of Korea.  We tried our hands in it almost 2 years ago, started out with white belt but did not get further than that (HA!HA!).  Didn’t really have the time to take it further but would definitely like to recommend it to people.  In Korean, tae (태) means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon (권) means "to strike or break with fist"; and do (도)means "way," "method," or "art."  Thus, taekwondo may be loosely translated as "the way of the foot and fist" or "the way of kicking and punching" (See Wikipedia).   In Korea to pass various stages of belts one has to  have to go through a panel of Taekwondo experts and fulfill  a certain criteria.  Some days ago we happened to slip through in an auditorium where one such test was taking place.  Take a look at the pictures below.

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The above black and white picture was taken from www.flickr.com – Photo credit: Hwang’s Martial Arts.  You can find Hwang’s photo stream here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/13694234@N00/with/63471302

Thanks to Taekwondo and a man by the name of Deepak Bista Taekwondo is a popular sport in Nepal these days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credit: www.youtube.com Al Jazeera.

Al Jazeera's Andy Richardson reports in the last of our special series on sport in Nepal.

Blogger Labels: Andy Richardson,Al Jazeera,Deepak Bista,Taekwondo,Korea,Didn,Korean,foot,method,Thus,Wikipedia,panel,Some,auditorium,Take,pictures,Photo,Hwang,Martial,Thanks,Deepak,Bista,Nepal,Credit,Jazeera,Andy,Richardson,reports,series,criteria,photos,fist,flickr

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Jindabaad (Nepali Band)

 

JINDABAAD 's first single from their "PLASTIC HEART EP".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credit: JINDABAADJINDABAAD   August 23, 2010 (Youtube)

The video was shot by 2 DSLR Cameras. Directed by Prasiit Sthapit and Rohit Shakya .

Edited by Rajan Shrestha.

Crew:

Prasiit Sthapit :Camera

Raajib Sayami :1st Assistant camera

Astha Singh :Lights

Pooja Shrestha :Makeup and wardrobe

Marina Menuka lama:Production Manager

Special thanks to Umes Shrestha,Deep Cheetri, Rizu Tuladhar and The British School.

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Sunday, June 27, 2010

Hwaseong Haenggung Palace (화성 행궁) – Places to see in Suwon, South Korea

Haenggung means a shelter in Korean where a King rested or retired from a war.  Hwaseong haenggung palace in Suwon is the biggest one of these shelters.  This palace was built during King Jeongjo’s time (18th century) and has been used by various Kings after him.  A fortress surrounds the city, on which, we will post another blog.  We did not find an official site for Hwaseong Haenggung palace but you can find more information about it here - http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264410

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View of the palace from atop.

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A courtyard inside the palace.

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Architecture.

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King’s throne.   

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Paintings on the wall.

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You can even do a bit of pottery, make traditional Korean paper, play games, and try on ancient costumes.

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On Saturdays and Sundays, they do an act of the royal procession.

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Guards on duty.

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King’s procession.

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Ancient archery show.

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During summer they also have a water fountain outside the palace.  We will be visiting there again to kill the summer heat.  

Blogger Labels: Places in South Korea,Art,King's Procession,Ancient Korea,Ancient Korean Archery,Korean Pottery,Places to see in Suwon,Hwaseong,Haenggung,Palace,Places,Suwon,South,Korea,Korean,Jeongjo,Kings,surrounds,View,courtyard,Architecture,paper,Saturdays,Sundays,procession,Ancient,fountain,costumes,summer

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Yuldong Park (율동공원) Bundang

 

Some Pictures from Yuldong Park in Bundang.   A walking course runs around the lake and there is a huge park filled with installation arts.  We loved it. 

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There is a bungee jump place near the lake as well.

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Our son was fascinated by these huge ants. 

Blogger Labels:
Parks in South Korea,Parks near Seoul,art, Korean installation art, sculpture, Yuldong, Park, Bundang, Some, Pictures, lake, installation

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

South Africa 2010 world CUP Schedule

schedule

You can click here on the FIFA homepage for more details – http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/ 

Teams 

Which is your team? See the next post ( World Cup Football Fever 2010) below for our choice of teams.

Blogger Labels: San Marino,Luxemburg,Latvia,Israel,Greece,Sweden,Finland,Belgium,Northern Iceland,Denmark,Hungary,Slovenia,Slovakia,Poland, Czech Republic,Switzerland,Netherlands,Malta,Albania,Spain, Portugal,Germany, United States,Turkey,Russia,Mexico,Japan,Italy, Bet, World Cup Schedule,South Africa 2010 Football World Cup,South,Africa,world,Schedule,FIFA,team,teams

World Cup Football Fever 2010

Can’t wait for the world cup to start.  We are betting on these three teams.  We hope the Nepali team reaches the world cup one day.  Which teams are you folks betting on?  Leave comments -

South Korea TeamSouth Korean Team

brazilsoccerteam470 Brazilian Team

England English Team

Blogger Labels: English Team,Brazilian Team,South Korean Team,World Cup 2010,World,Football,Nepali,team,folks,Leave,comments,South,Korean,Brazilian,English,teams

Friday, May 7, 2010

Cheongok cave (천곡천연동굴)

 

Cheongok Cave (천곡천연동굴) is a limestone cave in Donghae City of Gangwon Province, located in the East coast of South Korea.  The cave is about 1,400 meters in length and estimated to have been created 400 to 500 million years ago.  Donghae is known to have many limestone deposits.  It also has many cement factories,  Ssangyong Cement Industrial Co., Ltd., is one the largest cement factories there.

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The entrance to the Cave

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  Displays of crystals in glass cases

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Stalactites hanging from the ceiling like natural chandeliers

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Some parts of the cave were quite low and narrow, wouldn’t recommend it to the Claustrophobic

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The colorful lights made the rocks look psychedelic

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The Stalactites meet the Stalagmites to make these limestone pillars

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Definitely worth a visit. For  more information, try this link http://www.knto.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=789931&nearBy=accom&