The Unreliable iRiver USB!

In July 2015, I received a 16 giga-bite USB flash drive from the Seoul City Government as a prize. I thought it was dependable; I was wrong.

And last month, I decided to bring it along during my vacation during the chuseok (thanksgiving) holidays. But a few days before chuseok, I had to visit the iRiver customer service center in Sinchon, Seoul, to have it formatted because when I first tried to open it through my laptop, it wouldn't open. I should have treated it as a sign.

A sign of its untrustworthiness and unreliability!

The trouble started when, in the middle of my vacation in Europe, I transferred some photos and videos from my Samsung smartphone to the iRiver USB to free up memory space in my smartphone. This was the reason why I brought along the USB, to store the photos and videos I took during my vacation. 

For the first two days, I was able to transfer the files, which was less than 3 gigabytes. But on the third day, when I attached the USB to the smartphone, it couldn't read anything on the USB. F#&@%!

Then on, I didn't attempt to open the USB while I was on vacation. I only tried it again on my laptop when I got back to Seoul, but failed.

So, last week, I went back to the iRiver customer service center in Sinchon to have it checked. The female staff, who couldn't speak English, tried to open it with her computer, but told me the USB was empty and even asked me if she should re-format it! I told her I transferred a lot of photos and videos into the USB, and it should not be empty. And she wanted to re-format it?? That would have erased anything on the USB! Geez, these people have no common sense!

She then called a male staff (if I recall it right his name was Daesung Chung), who also tried to open my USB with another computer. He, too, said it was empty. I asked him to explain what could have had happened, but since his English wasn't good either, I just surrendered to the idea that all the photos and videos of my first few days of vacation were lost forever! 

So, what to do now, iRiver? I am asking you why you sell these unreliable and undependable USBs in the first place? 

You successfully ruined the memories of my vacation in Europe!

Nobody should trust iRiver products ever!

Global Seoul Mate's 4th Mission: Seoul Is Excited for 2014!

With the new year, the Seoul city government also has laid out ten (10) new policies that cover the citizens' safety, welfare, living and happiness.

While most of the facilities and welfare policies seem to be sufficient for me, I am more of the type who would like to explore the other parts of the city, which I have yet to discover.

And the new policy No. 7, which is the development of more trails around the mountains surrounding the city, just caught my fancy. Who wouldn't want to hike up the mountain and take a breather from all the chaos downtown?

So, in 2014, I am looking forward to exploring these new trails around the mountains. Spring time, or maybe even next autumn would be a good time to do this.

So, what else do I expect in 2014?  Maybe heavier penalties for undisciplined drivers in Seoul, especially those who do not respect traffic lights and the rights of pedestrians. I am also irritated with those delivery motorbikes who speed through the sidewalks as if this was a race track.  

And those bus drivers who ignore traffic lights should also be re-educated. 

I think it would be helpful if the citizens, and not just the traffic enforcers, can help report on these drivers before more car accidents happen and more pedestrians are injured or worse, killed! 

Calling Mr. Mayor!

Thumbs Up For Seoul!

I was just appointed as one of the 2013 Global Seoul-Mates by the Seoul City Government, and our first mission was just rolled out. Our mission didn't come in a video that would self-destruct in a few seconds like in the Mission Impossible movies. But it's a mission just the same. Ha-ha-ha!

We just had to take a photograph of our favorite spots in Seoul with our thumbs-up sign! And so, when I was in the downtown area, all I had to do was just that! So, thumbs up for my favorite tourist spots in Seoul! 

Although, I would have put up both thumbs, I had to hold the camera. Ha-ha-ha!

Both thumbs up!