House of Cards
Gwangju’s wildly fluctuating house prices beg the question if buying a home in the city is a solid investment or just throwing good money after bad. By William Urbanski My … Read More
Category: Opinion
Hasta la Vista, Old Man Winter!
Spring is already in the pipeline. Avian messengers cum couriers of the season will soon appear in our skies. Among other birds of that ilk, swallows will be sighted here and there, almost always in pairs. As birds go, they are exceptionally smart. Smart enough to be able to fly across seemingly endless stretches of ferocious ocean.
Orange Parking Cones: The Heroes Gwangju Needs but Does Not Deserve
As you may have noticed, Gwangju exhibits an extremely high level of permissiveness when it comes to allowing people to park on sidewalks. Apps that encourage citizens to snitch on such terribly parked cars do nothing. The police and tow truck drivers, it seems, are both powerless to fix this problem. In what seems like a hopeless situation, a lone hero has emerged to fight this chaos and lawlessness: a tall orange parking cone that is bolted into the ground. Truly, a tall orange parking cone that is bolted into the ground is the hero Gwangju needs but does not deserve.
What If the Gwangju Subway Were Free?
By William Urbanski If you’ve tried to walk, take a bus, or drive anywhere in Gwangju over the last two years, you’ve no doubt noticed that there’s a massive construction … Read More
If Winter Comes, Can Spring Be Far Behind?
Far from being a time of utter despair, frigid winter is when we can look forward to a beautiful spring over the horizon. Incidentally, I like the saying that “No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.” Alexander Pope (1688–1744) famously said, “Hope springs eternal in the human breast.” Deeply comforting is this inexhaustible capacity of ours to hope for better things down the road. No matter how dire the circumstances may be, this inborn optimistic streak in us will always come to our rescue and deliver us from the darkest abyss imaginable.
What Is a Red Traffic Light?
Far above the streets and suspended in midair like a guardian angel, there lies a timeless piece of technology that acts as a focal point between psychology, physics, and electrical engineering. Often disregarded or outright ignored by the populous at large, this silent sentinel does not judge, does not get tired, and asks for nothing in return while keeping a watchful eye over all of us like a fearless eagle protecting its young.
What Is a Parking Spot? A Gwangju News Special Investigation
The simplest and most convenient place to park is, obviously, in the middle of a road, but doing so creates a dangerous problem. Other cars that are moving quickly (sometimes as fast as 50 km/h!), risk colliding into the non-moving car. Even in the best-case scenario, a car that parks on a road can prevent other cars from driving on the road.
What Is a Turn Signal? – Part Deux
The people of Gwangju have spoken and this past month I felt a renewed sense of purpose in my quest to continue and expand my research into the blatant and egregious misuse of turn signals in our fair city. So, here we go again.