It Makes a Difference to the Sheep

PLACEHOLDER

2010-01-19T20:11:00.004-05:00

If for some unfathomable reason you have stumbled upon this blog, you will quickly deduce that it has been defunct for quite some time.

I have a newer blog, "History Matters" on which I occasionally post and/or opine. It can be found here.

BLOGGING WHILE GRADING

2006-12-20T10:58:00.000-05:00

For some reason, this semester’s grading papers and exams has been more tedious and time-consuming than usual. To break up the monotony, I have decided to allow myself a brief blog entry for every exam or paper I finish.

Epistemology: how do we know what we think we know? I ask this question in the specific arena of climate change. I believe the claims that the climate of the earth is, overall, warmer of late than it has been. I am not a scientist or a specialist. Why do I believe this (especially given the fact that I am a bit more skeptical about the most dramatic claims that all of the warming is anthropogenic and even more skeptical about the doomsday predictions that follow)? Why do those who believe otherwise believe what they believe? Is there any reasonable way to reach a consensus?

Top 5 cities not to visit in Asia (if you care about your lungs). The cities with the worst air pollution in Asia are:

1. Beijing
2. Xi’an
3. Kathmandu
4. Dhaka
5. New Delhi
(list comes to me via Asia Watch )

Not terribly surprising except for Kathmandu. I would have expected given its remoteness (and altitude?) that the air might be cleaner there. Alas.

The ten most dangerous toys of all time . How things have changed! I can imagine having a lot of fun with one of these when I was a kid.

Temperature outside: 48 degrees Fahrenheit (that’s 9 degree Celsius for all of you who actually believed that film-strip in science class that confidently declared that the U.S. would be entirely metric within a matter of years). Chances of a white Christmas here in Virginia? Pretty much nil.

Cue the PowerPoint brigade: University Diaries muses about the threat posed to universities by business-oriented “managers”

Yet the Powerpoint brigade, to take one instance, has already stormed the tower, its pedagogical weapon deadly boredom... And more and more university presidents are justifying outrageous personal compensation by telling everyone they're managers, not... what's it called... intellectuals...

I think that part of the problem that this “threat” is a response to is a change in how a university education is regarded by students and their parents. Few and far between are those who go to a university to become educated, well-rounded, or otherwise intellectually and culturally enhanced. Rather, higher education is, it seems, increasingly regarded as an important aspect of vocational training and little more. As long as that is the goal, approaching higher ed from the viewpoint of a “manager” might even make sense. But much will be lost.

"Barack Hussein Obama: American": I wholeheartedly agree with James Joyner's reaction to some rather silly insinuation about Obama.

MADE ME CHUCKLE

2006-12-15T08:07:00.000-05:00

I'm a big U2 fan and admire Bono for using his prominence for good. Still, this made me laugh:

Bono, the lead singer of the band U2 is famous throughout the entertainment industry for being more than just a little self-righteous.

He was playing a U2 concert in Glasgow, Scotland when he asked the audience for total quiet.

Then in the silence, he started to slowly clap his hands ... once every few seconds.

Holding the audience in total silence, he says into the microphone,

“Every time I clap my hands, a child in Africa dies.”

A voice with a broad Scottish accent, from near the front of the crowd, pierces the silence ...

... ... ... ... ... ... “Well, ... stop doin’ it then!”

UPDATE: Oh dear. Ahistoricality did what I often do--run a too-good-to-be-true story by snopes.com before airing it to the world--but inexplicably did not do this time around. Alas, this one is, indeed, too good to be true.

NUMERACY! CATCH IT!

2006-12-12T17:13:00.000-05:00

I am one of the more mathematically challenged people I know and even I know the difference between .002 dollars and .002 cents! I guess the good folks at Verizon don't seem to get it.

HAS TO BE SEEN TO BE BELIEVED

2006-12-06T09:19:00.000-05:00

as long as I'm talking about football, check this out:

What a game (be sure to watch the whole thing)

THE LAST BCS STRAW

2006-12-04T11:11:00.000-05:00

I've never been a fan of the college football Bowl Championship Series (BCS) for a variety of reasons. But the last straw that just broke this college football fan's back is this year's schedule: according to ESPN, the final, national championship deciding game will be held on January 8th. What happened to New Years Day as the day of all the best bowl games? Bleh!

NOT THE BEST FCAE OF THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT?

2006-11-21T13:27:00.000-05:00

you make the call (and no, this does not appear to be a photoshop):

Literacy: Catch it!

A SIGN OF HOPE?

2006-11-20T16:15:00.000-05:00

Perhaps there are lines that even our "anything goes" (especially if it makes a buck) society is reluctant to cross? News Corps' decision to cancel its O.J. Simpson "If I Did It" special might be an example of this.

According to Ann Althouse, "shame works."

NOT QUITE ONE OF A KIND

2006-11-09T17:12:00.000-05:00

but close?

HowManyOfMe.com

There are:
15
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

NIGHT AND DAY

2006-10-13T18:17:00.000-04:00

Many of us are familiar with how satellite photos of the Korean peninsula reveal a dramatic contrast between North and South with the lights shining brightly in the latter and being nearly non-existent in the former.

Here is another illustration of this phenomenon. Taken by a student of mine, this photo is of the bridge that crosses the Yalu River between Dandong and Sinuiju.

Note how the lights disappear right at the middle of the river. Any guesses as to which side is which?

here's another photo which shows the contrast between the PRC and the DPRK in daytime:

OH DEAR ...

2006-10-02T16:37:00.000-04:00

It turns out that my middle name signals that I am perhaps destined for less than great things:

Ms. Stewart has an unusual hobby: clipping newspaper articles of a particular ilk. She sent me xeroxs of her most recent finds. All of these clippings were from The Dallas News, from February 2006 to the present. The articles had two things in common: (1) all of them were stories reporting on crimes, and (2) the perpetrator’s middle name was “Wayne.”

I have to say I was stunned by the number of examples she sent me:

Eric Wayne Kelley—sex charges
Nathan Wayne Green—kidnapping and beating, homicide
Ronald Wayne Spencer, Jr.—triple homicide
David Wayne Rhodes—10 years for practicing nursing without a license
Larry Wayne King—homicide
Paul Wayne Mitchell—Theft
Michael Wayne Hills—theft
Jeremy Wayne Hopkins—homicide
Garry Wayne Carriker—knowingly having unprotected sex when HIV positive
Bruce Wayne Potts—homicide
Joshua Wayne Jones—assault of officer
Billy Wayne Sinclair—homicide
Billy Wayne Boyer—assault
Billy Wayne Miller—attempted murder and robbery
Kenneth Wayne Downs —sex assault
Jerry Wayne Lucas—attempted homicide
Tony Wayne Swinnie—aggravated assault of grandmother in front of her grandchildren, robbery
Larry Wayne Dacy—home invasion
Richard Wayne Miles—police standoff
Charles Wayne Thomas—homicide

Kirk Wayne Larsen--speeding on I-95; incessant listening to 80s synth-pop.

HEELYS

2006-09-24T11:24:00.000-04:00

are about the coolest thing to have come out since sliced bread.

After saving his money and adding to it some birthday money (thanks grandparents!), my eight-year-old son got himself a pair. It took him a couple of days (and a number of falls) to get the hang of it, but now he's a pro, coolly gliding here and there with a maximum aplomb and a minimum of effort.

Having him own a pair has changed our lives because he now doesn't mind going shopping as it gives him an opportunity to glide down the aisles (store floors are often the best surfaces for this). What used to be a kicking-and-screaming tooth-and-nail struggle to get him out the door and into the car is now a much more pleasant experience for everyone involved.

But for me the biggest appeal to these newfangled skate-shoes are the looks he gets everywhere he goes. Kids, especially boys, anywhere near his age invariably look at him with the greenest of envy; if he happens to encounter a fellow Heely-dude, they generally roll past each other with the slightest of nods, acknowledging fellow membership in the coolest of clubs; older kids and not a few adults regard him with a wistful "if only they had those when I was a kid" look.

We were in one of the huge freight elevators at IKEA the other day and a kid who looked to be somewhere between 16 and 18 asked him, "are those the shoes with the wheels in the back?" When my son replied in the affirmative, his only comment was, "sweet!"

OH, WHY NOT ....

2006-09-19T12:44:00.000-04:00

as a public service, please remember what day it is. Arrghh!

LIKE TRYING TO NAIL JELLO TO A WALL

2006-09-12T13:42:00.000-04:00

that's what trying to pin down conspiracy theorists often feels like. Any counter-evidence one brings to the table is ignored, obfuscated, subjected to the "yes, but what about ..." routine or (my favorite) is accepted as evidence of just how deep the conspiracy runs.

That doesn't mean that trying to debunk conspiracy theories isn't a worthwhile effort, merely that it is a frustrating one. As such, the conclusions of James Meigs of Popular Mechanics are gratifying but not terribly surprising:

In every single case, we found that the very facts used by conspiracy theorists to support their fantasies are mistaken, misunderstood or deliberately falsified.

Here's one example: Meyssan and hundreds of Web sites cite an eyewitness who said the craft that hit the Pentagon looked "like a cruise missile with wings." Here's what that witness, a Washington, D.C., broadcaster named Mike Walter, actually told CNN: "I looked out my window and I saw this plane, this jet, an American Airlines jet, coming. And I thought, 'This doesn't add up. It's really low.' And I saw it. I mean, it was like a cruise missile with wings. It went right there and slammed right into the Pentagon."

We talked to Walter and, like so many of the experts and witnesses widely quoted by conspiracy theorists, he told us he is heartsick to see the way his words have been twisted: "I struggle with the fact that my comments will forever be taken out of context."

'KOREAN MARKETING GENIUS"

2006-09-06T08:08:00.000-04:00

Who am I to quibble?

NK MALL HAS IT ALL

2006-08-30T18:14:00.000-04:00

Satisfy all your needs for DPRK food, paintings, and trinkets here. You can even buy snazzy men's suits (but no sign of the khaki outfits favored by Kim Jong-il.

MADE ME CHUCKLE

2006-08-30T14:29:00.000-04:00

Orson Scott Card on global warming true believers:

How can you tell who someone's god is? You look to see whose name they invoke as the cause of all things, good or bad. By that standard, the god of the devout Left is Global Warming; here is the Psalm of Al, from which the faithful constantly quote (King James Version):

1. Great storms ravage our cities, and the wise man saith: Global Warming hath done this.

2. Drought keepeth all storms at bay, and the wise man saith: This also hath Global Warming done.

3. Global Warming maketh the oceans rise; it maketh deep snow to fall;

4. Flood and fire, feast and famine, typhoon and tornado, hail and lightning, all things good and bad that come from sky or sea, Global Warming hath made them all.

5. And when our homes are beneath the waves, we shall know that Global Warming in its wrath hath seen our sins.

6. For our vehicles that glut themselves on oil, for the trees we cut and land we clear,

7. For the cooling and heating of our houses, for the plowing and harvesting of our fields, we are punished.

8. Whenever we burn carbon and release it into the air, we shall know that Global Warming seeth it, and is wroth.

9. O man! Thou hast flouted the great god of the sky, and by three degrees of temperature we shall be burned,

10. For Global Warming is a jealous god, and small and annoying is man.

This probably doesn't describe the outlook of scientists who attempt to measure temperature and climate change but it seems all too accurate a depiction of how their conclusions are used by others (cough ... Al Gore) ...

BREAKING NEWS!!!

2006-08-18T11:09:00.000-04:00

Of a vague and dubious kind. North Korea "Appears to be Preparing for Nuclear Test," or so reads the breathless headline. Of course if one reads the fine print, the story pretty much falls apart. Some snippets:

U.S. officials caution that the intelligence is not conclusive. Last year U.S. spy satellites picked up suspicious activity at suspected test sites in North Korea, leading some to predict an imminent nuclear test, but nothing happened.

...

Underground nuclear tests are notoriously difficult to detect ahead of time. U.S. intelligence agencies, for example, failed to predict nuclear tests by India and Pakistan in 1998.

...

Some analysts believe Kim Jong Il may feel the only way to be taken seriously is to prove that North Korea is a nuclear power. Officials acknowledge that nobody really knows Kim Jong Il's intentions, but there is a belief among analysts that he is upset about the recent U.N. resolution condemning his missile tests and upset with the Chinese for supporting that resolution.

I suppose that "U.S. intelligence may be wrong yet again about another nation's WMD program" doesn't have the same sting as a headline but perhaps it would be more accurate?

UPDATE: Bush offers mild "warning" to North Korea:

"If North Korea were to conduct a test, it's just a constant reminder for people in the neighborhood, in particular, that North Korea poses a threat," Bush said at the Camp David presidential retreat. "We expect our friends and those sitting around the table with us to act in such a manner as to help rid the world of the threat."

Is it just me or does it sound like Bush is resigned to the DPRK being a nuclear weapons state?

Additional doubt and backtracking about the initial reports:

Bush refused to confirm or deny the report, saying he would not talk about intelligence information. State Department spokesman Tom Casey declined to comment.

South Korea's point man for the North said he was skeptical of the reports and U.S. officials have said they had no new evidence of such a plan.

"There was a lot less to that report than meets the eye," said one senior U.S. official.

STILL NO SIGN OF HURRICANE DEBBY

2006-08-11T20:17:00.000-04:00

by this time last year, we were days away from Irene. So far so good.

NICE PHOTOS

2006-08-09T17:44:00.000-04:00

of the DPRK taken by a Russian couple can be seen here. Note the ubiquitious oxen.

HURRICANE SEASON STARTING WITH A WHIMPER?

2006-08-03T09:24:00.000-04:00

Saw in the headlines today that Tropical Storm "Chris" is weakening. Seeing that made me wonder how this year's Atlantic hurricane season compares to last year's. The short answer is: "quite favorably." By August 3 of 2005 Tropical Storm Harvey was forming in the Atlantic. That is a total of eight storms which included one category 1 (Cindy), one category 4 (Dennis), and one category 5 (Emily) hurricanes (see here for the complete rundown).

Of course we have far to go before the season is over but as of now, things look much better. What does this say about the Al Gore Global-Warming-will-produce-killer-storms-that-will-destroy-us-all theory? Little to nothing. Still, I'll take a mild month of storms over its alternative any day.

LIFE IN P'YONGYANG

2006-07-25T12:49:00.000-04:00

according to the DPRK:

Notice that even this lovely video doesn't attempt to claim that all of North Korea is this nice (found the video here).

MEDIA

2006-07-11T17:33:00.000-04:00

Another day, another North Korea-related media "appearance." This time, on a morning radio show in Lowell, MA (one doesn't "appear" on radio, but what, exactly does one do?). I greatly prefer radio to either television or print media. Radio programs generally allow one to slow down and actually convey some information and opinions, sometimes with, gasp, nuance and complexity. Does any of this make any difference in the end? I don't really know, but they are usually pretty fun.

"EXPERTS DISCUSS THE ISSUES"

2006-07-05T19:07:00.000-04:00

in this case, the North Korean 4th of July fireworks extravaganza. Where they found that "expert" from GW is a mystery.

GLOBAL WARMING AFFECTING YOUR LIFE?

2006-07-05T09:51:00.000-04:00

You may have heard that ABC News is soliciting personal accounts of how global warming has affected one's life. This story isn't a personal one, but should it count anyway? Why or why not? Discuss ...

NORTH KOREAN MISSILE LAUNCHES...WHY?

2006-07-05T09:28:00.000-04:00

Woke up this morning to find that our friends in P’yôngyang have test launched a number of missiles. The early reports couldn't seem to decide on exactly how many--three? five? seven? ten?--or on the exact nature of each (although the consensus appears to be that the long-range Taepodong failed soon after launch).

One obviously significant question is why did the powers that be in North Korea want to do this? Here's what one expert concludes:

"North Korea wants to get the U.S. to direct bilateral negotiations by using the missile card," said Paik Hak-soon, a North Korea expert at the Seoul-based Sejong Institute. "Timing the launch date on July 4 is an attempt to apply maximum pressure on the U.S. government."

Those who watch Korea have heard this all before. They have probably also taken part in discussions about whether the current six-party or direct bilateral talks are more likely to avoid a confrontation and perhaps even lead to a solution.

The question I have this morning is: "Why would North Korea prefer direct bilateral talks to the current six-party ones?" It is evident that both South Korea and China have played a role in restraining or resisting the hard-line impulses of the Americans. So why would P’yôngyang want to go tete a tete with the very group that appears least willing to compromise?

WHEN UNIVERSES COLLIDE

2006-06-13T19:34:00.000-04:00

in a way that only true fans could love ...

How Many Escorts Does it Take to Get 3 Children Home?

2006-06-08T18:02:00.000-04:00

Apprently a fair number when it involves getting the kids past angry Israeli settlers in Hebron. Whatever one thinks of the Gordian knot that is the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, I think most will agree that it would be better to leave schoolkids out of it, if possible.

Peace.

RECONSIDERING ...

2006-05-25T18:50:00.000-04:00

I have long thought this to be the worst music video/song/performance of all time (see here). Now, perhaps I should reconsider ...

GW NORTH KOREA

2006-05-25T11:02:00.000-04:00

is back up and running, at least for the next six weeks. Give it a look if interested. See also GW Urban Legends.

DEMOCRATS' BOLD AGENDA

2006-05-09T20:06:00.000-04:00

The Washington Post has an interesting article that describes what House Democrats say they will do if they are returned to power in November (article can be read here; free registration required).

The specifics are as follows (with my editorial comments interspersed).

“House Democrats have formulated a plan of action for their first week in control. Their leaders said a Democratic House would quickly vote to raise the minimum wage for the first time since 1997.”

I am ambivalent on this one. On the one hand, it is obvious that most people can not expect to live on today’s minimum wage (especially if one wants to have a house and health insurance). On the other, I think it is fairly well established economic theory that raising the minimum wage will cause employers to create hire fewer low-wage jobs. So which is better: more jobs at lower wages or fewer jobs for better wages?

“It would roll back a provision in the Republicans' Medicare prescription drug benefit that prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from negotiating prices for drugs offered under the program.”

I know little about this but it seems to make sense to me. I suspect that the absence of such a provision in the original was a sop to the pharmaceutical companies. As long as the government is going to be their biggest customer, big drug companies should at least be compelled to offer a decent deal.

“It would vote to fully implement the recommendations of the bipartisan panel convened to shore up homeland security after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Democratic leaders said.”

Again, I don’t know much about the specifics (which recommendations haven’t been implemented yet?) but this seems reasonable as well. There will doubtless be issues of implementation and enforcement (with plenty of opportunity for corruption, cronyism, earmarks etc.) but if we can’t heed the recommendations of a bipartisan panel on national security, who on earth should we listen to?

“And it would reinstate lapsed rules that say any tax cuts or spending increases have to be offset by spending cuts or tax increases to prevent the federal deficit from growing.”

No problem with this proposal. I suspect, however, that Congress will, as always, find abundant loopholes and exceptions sufficient to keep the gravy train of any individual legislator running as usual.
….

“Pelosi also vowed "to use the power to investigate" the administration on multiple fronts, starting with the task force convened in secret by Vice President Cheney to devise the administration's energy policy. The administration has successfully fought lawsuits since 2001 that sought to reveal the names of energy company executives tapped to advise the task force.
"Certainly the conduct of the war" in Iraq would be the subject of hearings, if not a full-fledged House investigation, Pelosi said. Another subject for investigation could be the use of intelligence on Saddam Hussein's alleged weapons of mass destruction to make the case for the 2003 invasion.”

Given the relentless use of investigations for obvious partisan reasons during the Clinton Administration (remember Senator Al D’amato’s never-ending parade of subpoenas?), it is hard to not grant the Dems a good deal of leeway in their quest for payback. I think the country would be better off if both sides backed off a bit but I can’t blame the Dems for salivating at the prospect of going after Bush with guns a blazing.
So, all in all, I don’t find myself seriously objecting to these Democratic proposals, despite the fact that I didn’t grow up a member of that particular tribe. I don’t think, however, that these would necessarily be on the top of my to-do list were I contemplating controlling the U.S. House of Representatives.

What would be on the top of yours?

I am also a bit surprised that some of the big issues that have been perennials for the Dems of late (rolling back tax cuts for the rich, bringing our troops home, ratifying Kyoto, going after price-gouging oil companies, etc. etc.) aren’t on this list. Perhaps they are all slated for the second big week.

ANY SENSE OF CONTRADICTION HERE?

2006-05-04T11:35:00.000-04:00

We report, you decide:

Reuters ("US ENVOY RULES OUT "FAVORS" FOR N.KOREA", 2006-05-03) reported that the US will not ease its crackdown on the DPRK’s illicit financial activities or offer bilateral talks to entice the DPRK back to nuclear talks, the US envoy to the talks said on Tuesday. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said it is the DPRK that must end its six-month boycott of talks aimed at halting Pyongyang's nuclear arms programs and helping the state join the global community. "We are not prepared to try to just sit outside the six-party process and allow North Korea to boycott the process and look for favors in order to bring them back," said Hill.

Chosun Ilbo ("N.KOREA 'LOSING MILLIONS A WEEK FROM TALKS BOYCOTT'", 2006-05-03) reported that the US chief nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill says the DPRK is losing tens of millions of dollars each week by staying away from multilateral talks aimed at dismantling its nuclear weapons program. Hill used the figure to persuade the DPRK to come back to the dialogue table.

AN OVER-EAGER PRESS?

2006-05-04T11:27:00.000-04:00

In the case of recent allegations of North Korean money-laundering and/or counterfeiting, apparently so; at least according to Daedong Credit Bank official Nigel Cowie

One further incident occurred specifically to us, which I would like to relate, and you can draw your own conclusions.

At the end of last year, we opened new accounts with Golomt Bank of Mongolia, in Ulaanbaatar. We discussed in detail with them procedures for handling cash transactions in a legally correct manner, as well as providing them with a copy of
our anti-money laundering procedure manual, a manual that, incidentally had been accepted by our other correspondent banks.

On 21 February, our designated couriers transported a cash deposit to Mongolia,
consisting of USD1 million and JPY20 million; the couriers were met, as previously agreed, by Golomt Bank officials together with local police at Ulaanbaatar International Airport. However, the couriers were then detained by Mongolian
intelligence agents who took them, and the cash, to the Bank of Mongolia (central bank); the couriers were accused of importing counterfeit currency.

DCB’s couriers were detained outside the Bank of Mongolia for most of the night, whilst the intelligence agents claimed to be checking the authenticity of the cash. The next day they alleged that USD61,700 was suspected to be counterfeit; the alleged fakes were sent, together with two additional notes randomly taken
from each remaining USD10,000 bundle of cash, for further examination at an unspecified location.

On 22 February the Mongolian press carried false reports, based on a leak, to the effect that “North Korean diplomats had been intercepted smuggling USD1 million and JPY200 million (not JPY20 million) into Mongolia”. These reports were subsequently carried by international news agencies.

Our Treasurer was dispatched to Mongolia, where he was subsequently joined by me, to protest this action and demand the return of its funds.

On 7 March, after holding the cash for 14 days claiming they were still checking it, the intelligence officials in a meeting with us finally conceded that all the notes were genuine; the cash was released. The money was deposited with the Golomt Bank of Mongolia on 9 March, as had originally been intended.

By the way, I would like to add that this is not a complaint against the Mongolian
authorities. All the meetings I attended were most cordial, and I had the impression that all the officials I met were just trying to do their job. At the final meeting with Mongolian intelligence, they appeared rather embarrassed
that they had been given incorrect information..

Somehow, this doesn't surprise me much.

"PEST CONTROL"

2006-03-20T18:01:00.000-05:00

We've had birds We've tangled with a few spiders in our time. But we've never had to deal with an infestation of ninjas before (warning: the "queen" of the ninjas is not a pretty sight).

TELL ME THIS ISN'T REAL

2006-03-18T12:31:00.000-05:00

Please let this be a spoof. Please, please, please. I want to believe in the basic intelligence of humanity.

NEAR MISS

2006-03-18T12:19:00.000-05:00

Check out how close we came to a full-fledged nuclear war but for the brave but difficult decision of one Stanislav Petrov. I don't think I miss the Cold War very much. Thanks to Dean Esmay for the link.

COMEDY GOLD

2006-03-17T09:43:00.000-05:00

Check out what would happen if the evil empire (sorry Ed) got ahold of Apple's i-pod.

THE SUN SHINES ON

2006-03-16T12:52:00.000-05:00

Associated Press ("SOUTH KOREA OFFICIALLY OPENS IMMIGRATION CHECKPOINTS AT NORTH KOREAN BORDER", 2006-03-15) reported that the ROK formally opened new immigration checkpoints Wednesday for travelers crossing the heavily fortified border with the DPRK. A checkpoint at Paju is a gateway to one of the two roads and adjacent railways that the divided Koreas have reconnected since their leaders held their first-and-only summit in 2000. A second immigration point to the east connects with a tourist spot in the DPRK. Permanent buildings formally opened at both sites Wednesday replace temporary structures previously used at the crossings. "We have already entered the process of becoming a unified community by geographically connecting the South and the North through the roads of peace," ROK Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok said at the Paju checkpoint. "The immigration offices are no longer 'inspectors' that restrict, check and control, but 'helpers' for comfortable and safe trips ! between the South and the North," he said.

All well and good. My only question is why they call these "immigration checkpoints." No one is seriously entertaining the notion that citizens of the two Korea's will be allowed to immigrate or emigrate to their counterpart are they?

WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS?

2006-03-16T11:05:00.000-05:00

Check out how the venerable (?) New York Times Magazine depicted Virginia governor and Presidential dark horse candidate Mark Warner (see here for more):

No, he wasn't really wearing a maroon jacket. Nor was he wearing a cheesy "anti-Hilary button) See here for some actual original stills from the photo shoot. The New York Times apologized, sort of, for this (thanks to Ann Althouse):

The cover photograph in The Times Magazine on Sunday rendered colors incorrectly for the jacket, shirt and tie worn by Mark Warner, the former Virginia governor who is a possible candidate for the presidency. The jacket was charcoal, not maroon; the shirt was light blue, not pink; the tie was dark blue with stripes, not maroon.

The Times's policy rules out alteration of photographs that depict actual news scenes and, even in a contrived illustration, requires acknowledgment in a credit. In this case, the film that was used can cause colors to shift, and the processing altered them further; the change escaped notice because of a misunderstanding by the editors.

Does this matter? Should it? Discuss ....

NEW MANCHURIAN GUERRILLAS?

2006-02-13T16:26:00.000-05:00

Gunfire across the Sino-Korean border.

North Korean sources say that North Korean authorities consider this the work of a dissident organization composed mainly of defectors who are emulating the June 1937 Battle of Bocheonbo.

Hmmm.....

WHO ARE THESE GUYS?

2006-02-03T07:54:00.000-05:00

Today's KCNA leads with a rather typical story: "DPRK Holidays to Be Observed in Nigeria." Once again, I am filled with curiosity about groups who meet to learn about or celebrate all things North Korean from extreme distances:

A preparatory committee of Nigeria for commemorating the Day of the Sun and February 16 was formed with due ceremony in Abuja on Jan. 25. The inaugural ceremony elected the deputy president of the Senate of the Nigerian National Assembly chairman of the preparatory committee, and the national secretary of the People's Democratic Party of Nigeria and the chairman of the Information Committee of the Senate vice-chairmen of the preparatory committee.

The preparatory committee set the commemoration period from Jan. 25 to Apr. 20 and discussed the issues of widely introducing the wise leadership and undying exploits of President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il through mass media, organizing colorful functions including a seminar, a film show and a photo exhibition and intensifying the movement for friendship and solidarity with the Korean people (emphasis mine).

So who is this "deputy president of the Senate of the Nigerian National Assembly"? According to this website, he is one Senator Ibrahim Mantu, a man with a Diploma in Professional Salesmanship & GCE (London) and a career in "Marketing / Business Management," and legislative interest in infrastructure. Is he really the chairman of this preparatory committee? Has he abandoned marketing and sales in favor of the glories of Songun?

LONG TIME, NO BLOG

2006-01-30T19:25:00.000-05:00

I've been (and am likely to remain) exceptionally busy. Not that this blog's offerings have been missed much.

A couple of observations:

Books I'm reading:
--Freakonomics. A quick, easy, and enjoyable read (so far). Thought-provoking and provides useful evidence in my ever-present campaign against the racket that is run by real estate agents.
--1491. Interesting. Iconoclastic. Provocative. More to report once I finish it.

I almost find myself cheering for the Seattle Seahawks for the simple reason that everyone seems to be discounting the NFC as the weak sister conference. I actually like more AFC teams than NFC but the sheer dismissal of the NFC doesn't strike me as justified.

Are the 60 degree days we are enjoying of late a sign of global warming?

LILEKS ON 2005

2005-12-13T14:05:00.000-05:00

Regardless of whether one agrees or disagrees with his conclusions and outlook, his writing is often fun. Some snippets:

Rumors persist in the media that there is a new left-wing radio network called “Air America.”

Darfur victims petition Janet Jackson to show up and partially disrobe, if only to get the world’s attention. Alas, this works no better than their previous request to have Terry Schiavo moved to the Sudan, in the hopes of catching a reporter’s ear after he’s finished his hourly update on the saline levels in her intravenous bag.

An oppressive colonizer is forced to withdraw from occupied Arab land. This is initially met with dancing in the streets of Cairo, Paris, and Turtle Bay. Then everyone realizes it is Syria pulling out of Lebanon. You must understand that the Cedar Revolution, after years of Syrian domination, has nothing to do with the American presence in Iraq, you jingoist. It’s just one of those international coincidences like the moon being where it was when Apollo 11 flew past. A few months later, Israel voluntarily withdraws from Gaza, earning approximately 17 seconds of good will from the international community. Personal best!

...

Hurricane Katrina strikes precisely at the moment when the dynamite charges, personally installed by Karl Rove, blow up New Orleans’s levees. Teams of the same ninjas the Bushies used to rig the Diebold voting machines have already disabled the buses that could be used in evacuation. Initial media reports indicate that refugees in the Superdome have resorted to murder, cannibalism, voodoo, keno, and possibly jai alai. FOX anchor Shep Smith is consumed on camera by zombies. His last words indicate that he shares their outrage, if not their desire for sweet, sweet brains. In the weeks that follow it becomes obvious that the hurricane was caused by global warming—specifically, a 0.07 percent rise in median ocean temperature that caused New Orleans police officers to snatch DVDs from Wal-Mart shelves. The destruction of New Orleans, and the attendant effect on refinery capacity, is exposed by media crusaders as part of a GOP plot to raise gas prices and cripple the economy in time for the midterm elections, so they can run on a platform of “You like that? You want some more? Well do you?”

WHEW!

2005-11-07T16:21:00.000-05:00

I passed!

You Passed the US Citizenship Test

Congratulations - you got 10 out of 10 correct!

Could You Pass the US Citizenship Test?

DONG-A ILBO A DINOSAUR?

2005-10-28T12:43:00.000-04:00

I suppose that is what the KCNA might be implying:

Pyongyang, October 27 (KCNA) -- The South Headquarters of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification (Pomchonghakryon) issued a statement on Oct. 20 in which it termed Dong-A Ilbo a pro-Japanese and pro-U.S. reptile paper and demanded the disorganization of this conservative group.

On the other hand, cutting-edge science seems to point to the conclusion that dinosaurs were ancestors to today's birds, not reptiles. Hmmmm ....

HOW UNLEARNED ARE YOU?

2005-10-24T14:34:00.000-04:00

If this list of the "100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present" is any indication, I am quite unlearned indeed. I've read only 17. Ouch!

WHO SAID IT?

2005-10-20T08:34:00.000-04:00

"Until we discover ways to eradicate evil from the hearts of those who wish us ill, those who accept the duty of standing that post will risk, and tragically lose, their lives so that we here may enjoy our freedom."

@&%&# simplistic theocon!

THE PITFALLS OF LANGUAGE

2005-10-17T15:34:00.000-04:00

Interesting piece by one of the State Department's top Korean interpreters. The whole thing is interesting. Among other observations, I like this one:

In contrast to the American media description of North Korea as a "Stalinist Communist state," I have come to see it as a Confucian nationalist monarchy, based on traditional Korean values and reflecting the bitterness born of foreign invasions throughout Korean history. In Confucian society, loyalty to the ruler and respect for elders are basic tenets. The iconic stature of the late "great leader" Kim Il Sung isn't that different from the Confucian image of a divine ruler.

What is missing from this description, however, is a good dose of 20th-century Japanese-style militarism.

OOPS

2005-10-16T09:31:00.000-04:00

Don't you think if you have only one cartoon about affairs of the day to create you could at least get the spelling right? (link here).

SOME PEOPLE HAVE

2005-10-11T14:42:00.000-04:00

too much time. Gosh!

UPDATE: And then there's this.

THIS BLOG IS

2005-10-11T08:16:00.000-04:00

On the other hand, that also means that it is:

THOSE PRACTICAL GERMANS

2005-10-07T09:51:00.000-04:00

always making up long words that precisely describe a given phenomenon. Here's a great example:

"There are a few more interesting German words such as 'handschuhschneeballwerfer', which means somebody, who wears gloves to throw snow balls. It is used in general for all cowards."

"handschuhschneeballwerfer" I need to figure out how to work that word into one of my next lectures!

MADE ME CHUCKLE

2005-10-06T12:43:00.000-04:00

link is here (I think)

CARNIVAL OF ASIAN HISTORY BLOGGING

2005-10-03T15:28:00.000-04:00

sounds like a good idea to me. Kudos for Jonathan Dresner for starting it up. For more info and to make submissions, see here. The entrance requirements are quite generous:

You do not have to be Asian, an historian, or a carny (you do have to be a blogger, at least once); all you have to do is blog about Asian history.

GOOD WRAP-UP OF POST-KATRINA REVISIONISM

2005-10-01T09:32:00.000-04:00

from Mickey Kaus

Hurricane Parties: It's getting a bit confusing, what with the press revisionism and all. Let me make sure I've got the competing party lines down correctly--

Liberal position: Racist neglect caused poor New Orleans residents to suffer from the unspeakable things that only a racist would assume actually happened!

Conservative position: A fatherless underclass culture caused poor New Orleans residents to do the unspeakable things the anti-Bush MSM falsely reported they did!

THAT'S A LOT OF ZEROS

2005-09-30T13:24:00.000-04:00

in the new ROK numerical/monetary unit, the kyông/gyeong/?. Sadly, it still won't make one's wallet any less fat in Seoul.

OUR REPRESENTATIVE POLITICAL SYSTEM AT WORK

2005-09-26T14:41:00.000-04:00

(via Instapundit). One Mary Wlodarski wrote letters to her Illinois Senators "asking them to review the budget in light of the need of our southern states, foregoing our projects to help out the gulf states." In other words, asking to get rid of pork projects. The reply she says she received from Senator Obama clearly had other kinds of critters in mind:

Dear Mary:

Thank you for contacting me regarding Hurricane Katrina and rescue operations for the pets of evacuees. I appreciate hearing from you.

Among the many difficult and heartwrenching aspects of this tragedy has been the lack of resources to rescue and care for those pets left behind by evacuees who were unable to take them on evacuation transports. Fortunately, as news spread about the plight of these animals, several groups volunteered to travel into that dangerous environment to help rescue them.

As soon as the resources were available, the United States Navy and National Guard began searching for and rescuing these pets in New Orleans and elsewhere in the Gulf Coast. The U.S.S. Tortuga moored near New Orleans, and the Tortuga's repair division began a search and rescue mission for abandoned pets. The crew members set up "Camp Milo and Otis," a makeshift kennel where medical care and shelter was provided for dogs, cats and other displaced animals from the city. The Department of Homeland Security also assisted by deploying Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams to provide medical care to pets and livestock, as well as provide any needed veterinary medical care for dogs involved in the rescue effort. And only days after the storm, SPCAs, Humane Societies and other pet welfare organizations from across the country joined the United States Navy and National Guard in attempting to rescue stray animals. Several thousand pets were rescued and sheltered around the state by late last week.

Individual citizens have helped with this effort as well. I was particularly heartened by stories like one in Grand Rapids Michigan, where an anonymous donor helped relocate 175 displaced dogs and cats. While it is tragic that so many pets remain left behind, that is yet another example of how humanity can shine through any disaster.

As you know, the lack of government planning for this disaster has drawn the ire of many Americans, and a substantial review process must take place to ensure that the same mistakes are not repeated. Planning for the rescue and care of pets should certainly be part of that discussion.

Thank you again for writing.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama
United States Senator

As Glenn Reynolds aptly notes, it is hard to tell whether it is worse that Obama replied to a letter about pork in this fashion or that he has a form letter about pets and Katrina.

UPDATE: At least Obama's staff are quick learners.

CONSIDER ME UNSURPRISED

2005-09-26T11:41:00.000-04:00

Remember all of the stories about anarchy, violence, rape, murder and even cannibalism in New Orleans, particularly in the Superdome and the Convention Center? Remember Oprah fuming outside of the Superdome (“I am just so mad!”) before bravely venturing in to witness the carnage firsthand?

Well, I am happy to report that many, if not most, of these stories are greatly exaggerated at a minimum and in many cases outright falsehoods. A snippet from some actual reporting (rather than the breathless trafficking in rumor and urban legend that all to many engaged in during the days and weeks after Katrina):

After five days managing near-riots, medical horrors and unspeakable living conditions inside the Superdome, Louisiana National Guard Col. Thomas Beron prepared to hand over the dead to representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Following days of internationally reported killings, rapes and gang violence inside the Dome, the doctor from FEMA - Beron doesn't remember his name - came prepared for a grisly scene: He brought a refrigerated 18-wheeler and three doctors to process bodies.

"I've got a report of 200 bodies in the Dome," Beron recalls the doctor saying.

The real total was six, Beron said.

Of those, four died of natural causes, one overdosed and another jumped to his death in an apparent suicide, said Beron, who personally oversaw the turning over of bodies from a Dome freezer, where they lay atop melting bags of ice. State health department officials in charge of body recovery put the official death count at the Dome at 10, but Beron said the other four bodies were found in the street near the Dome, not inside it. Both sources said no one had been killed inside.

At the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, just four bodies were recovered, despites reports of corpses piled inside the building. Only one of the dead appeared to have been slain, said health and law enforcement officials.

That the nation's front-line emergency management believed the body count would resemble that of a bloody battle in a war is but one of scores of examples of myths about the Dome and the Convention Center treated as fact by evacuees, the media and even some of New Orleans' top officials, including the mayor and police superintendent. As the fog of warlike conditions in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath has cleared, the vast majority of reported atrocities committed by evacuees have turned out to be false, or at least unsupported by any evidence, according to key military, law enforcement, medical and civilian officials in positions to know.

Read, as they say, the whole thing.

As something of a student of urban legends, I have to say that this does not surprise me in the least. Human beings have consistently demonstrated a willingness to suspend disbelief in the pursuit of telling and retelling a juicy story. Murder, rape, mayhem, and cannibalism are what we would/should expect of a group of people who rapidly descended into Lord of the Flies Savagery. To simply recount that actually the vast majority of people behaved rather reasonably in the face of considerable suffering is hardly a story worth retelling. And besides, how can Bush, FEMA, and the federal government have “failed” if things ended up turning out much better than the salacious stories and exaggerations (remember Nagin’s “thousands of dead bodies” declarations?) led us to believe?

DPRK: NUCLEAR REACTORS ARE OUR "SOVEREIGN RIGHT"

2005-09-21T19:57:00.000-04:00

Yonhap News ("P'YANG STRESSES POSSESSION OF NUCLEAR REACTOR IS ITS SOVREIGN RIGHT ", 2005-09-21) reported that DPRK's abandonment of its nuclear weapons program depends on the US' provision of light-water nuclear reactors, a pro-DPRK newspaper published in Tokyo said on Wednesday. Washington should provide Pyongyang with the nuclear reactors if it wants to see dismantlement of DPRK's atomic weapons, Chosun Sinbo said. "North Korea has already decided to abandon its nuclear program, and it will not backpedal on the commitment," it said. "Provision of a nuclear reactor to North Korea is not a gift from the US but Pyongyang's sovereign right to peaceful nuclear activities."

I think that we underestimate the symbolic significance of nuclear power to the DPRK at our peril. Given the rather glorious self-image that is part and parcel of the official DPRK ideology, it shouldn't be surprising that even if it is willing to give up nukes (obviously a rather large "if"), the DPRK might still cling to nuclear power as a sign of its great power status.

OPINION DIVIDED ON NORTH KOREA AGREEMENT

2005-09-21T10:10:00.000-04:00

Inside the beltway here in Washington DC? Well yes. But also in Russia:

The Russian government and media welcomed the six-party agreement about North Korea's nuclear programs announced on September 19. Izvestiya even called it a breakthrough. Deputy Foreign Minister, Alexander Alexeyev, Russia's delegate to the talks, hailed it as an historic document that would have been unimaginable six months earlier and a triumph of common sense. Alexeyev also emphasized that the first paragraph of the accord calls upon the DPRK to denuclearize and rejoin the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) regime. He also added that while Russia will extend North Korea economic aid, primarily energy assistance, it would not offer a light-water nuclear reactor (LWR), which is what Pyongyang now demands as a precondition for denuclearization.
...
Other opinions are more varied. Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the Duma's International Affairs Committee, emphasized Pyongyang's long record of unpredictability, whereas Major General Nikolai Bezborodov of the Duma Defense Committee openly supported North Korea's right to a peaceful nuclear program. But Russian media were more unrestrained in their assessments. Moscow Gazeta openly called this accord a victory for North Korea as it won guarantees of energy aid and security, even though it had to promise to renounce its nuclear program.

The government paper, Rossiiskaya gazeta, said that Pyongyang "won the battle of nerves" with Washington, forcing the U.S. to recognize its right to a peaceful nuclear program and to discuss supplying it with a light-water reactor and energy assistance. Washington also had to formally state that it had no intention of attacking North Korea and promise "to respect each other's sovereignty, to coexist peacefully, and to improve relations." These media outlets see the accord in this light despite the fact that they and other media, e.g. Politkom.ru, along with Moscow Gazeta.ru, observed that Pyongyang, by demanding a LWR as a precondition for denuclearizing, has reverted to its habitual nuclear blackmail of the other five parties and did so because North Korea remains a socialist state and its negotiators were accused of conceding too much in Beijing.

plus ca change

ECONOMIST BACKS BARABRA BUSH?

2005-09-15T07:54:00.000-04:00

We report, you decide:

Said the Bush family matron (to much criticism, comparisons to Marie Antionette etc.):

"What I'm hearing, which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality."
...
"And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this -- this is working very well for them."

Said Edward Glaeser, "a Harvard professor who specializes in urban economics":

"We have an obligation to people, not to places,"
...
"Given just how much, on a per capita basis, it would take to rebuild New Orleans to its former glory, lots of residents would be much [better off] with $10,000 and a bus ticket to Houston."

Question: are both statements equally repugnant? Why, or why not? Discuss.

SOME GOOD NEWS

2005-09-15T07:51:00.000-04:00

for New Orleans:

As military helicopters circled overhead and rescue teams combed New Orleans' flooded neighborhoods in search of remaining survivors, Mayor C. Ray Nagin stood in historic Jackson Square in the city's fabled French Quarter and announced that air and water testing conducted throughout the city by the Environmental Protection Agency had yielded much more optimistic results than expected.

Tests showed that at least four of the city's neighborhoods-- the French Quarter, the Central Business District, Uptown and Algiers--would soon be safe to occupy again. Those neighborhoods escaped much of the flooding that had covered 80 percent of the city.
...
Nagin said he hoped many residents would be allowed to return to the city soon. Unlike officials in surrounding cities, who so far have allowed residents back in for only brief periods to assess damage and retrieve essential personal items, Nagin said residents of the cleared New Orleans neighborhoods would be allowed back permanently, with a curfew likely after nightfall.

All the neighborhoods that may be reopened are suffering from power outages, but energy officials were predicting power would be restored by next week. Nagin said water, too, would once again be running, though probably not yet safe to drink.

The sooner, the better.

IS IT JUST ME ...?

2005-09-14T21:51:00.000-04:00

Or has the KCNA carried a significantly higher number of stories of the "floral baskets from Zimbabwe" and "greetings to the president of the Maldives" variety of late? I wonder what, if anything, to make of this.

WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

2005-09-11T10:18:00.000-04:00

Check out this eye-witness photography of Katrina and its aftermath.

A LOT OF FOLKS

2005-09-06T09:13:00.000-04:00

appear to have purchased and are liberally using these of late.

LABOR DAY

2005-09-06T07:55:00.000-04:00

We went to the pool for one last swim before it closes for the season. The sky was bright and the air a warm 85 degrees. But the water was cool and the occasional breeze chilled rather than refreshed.

Grilled cheeseburgers and ate them with a healthy side of potato chips and sweet, sticky flavored sodas. All good summer food.

But the grocery store had a cart filled with flip-flops and grilling tools “priced for quick sale.” And suddenly chili and soups start sounding good.

Another good summer, gone.

LATEST LOVELY URBAN LEGEND

2005-09-02T17:29:00.000-04:00

is that denizens of New Orleans are resorting to cannibalism. While there have been documented cases of so-called survival cannibalism (Donner Party, soccer team that crashed in the Andes etc.), I find it extremely unlikely that folks in New Orleans are resorting to this practice a mere four days after the local McDonalds stopped running. Much more likely is that in this case, like many, many others, cannibalism is being invoked as a "this is how bad things have gotten" trope.

THE FUN NEVER ENDS

2005-09-02T10:45:00.000-04:00

Just got a tip from the wife of a regional sales manager for one of the big oil companies (I won't say which one just to be on the safe side). The word it that local gas stations both in Richmond and Fairfax County are running out of gas. Just to be safe I went out and topped off my VW Beetle. The diesel it runs on used to be the most expensive fuel at the station. Now it is by far the cheapest. I wonder whether this latest round of energy shocks will change American behavior or expectations or whether we will simply see another round of complaining about price gouging and the fact that someone else didn't do what they should have done to get us out of our current predicament.

THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT ...

2005-08-30T17:24:00.000-04:00

This is probably bad form, making light of what is clealry great suffering on the part of the people of the Gulf Coast, but it occurred to me that this band really needs to put together a reunion tour/benefit concert for New Orleans and its environs.

CLIO AWARD WINNER NOMINEE

2005-08-10T12:42:00.000-04:00

I don't know that this ad really has been nominated, but it should be. (link from Dean's World).

SHOULD SPELLING COUNT?

2005-08-10T12:05:00.000-04:00

If you receive $40,000 to create a mural for a public library, it probably should.

“What’s in a name?” Shakespere asked.

Make that “Shakespeare.” Miami artist Maria Alquilar, much maligned for 11 misspellings that popped up in the educational mural she designed for the Livermore public library last year, spent today under the hot sun correcting her mistakes.

In addition to fixing the bard’s name, she changed “Eistein” to “Einstein,” “Gaugan” to “Gauguin” and more.

One wonders whether to laugh or cry.

SENSIBLE ADVICE ON VISAS

2005-08-02T20:07:00.000-04:00

from Heritage's Balbina Hwang. Her conclusion:

Ever since the events of September 11, 2001, America has understandably been concerned about immigration and border security. However, the United States should prudently weigh the benefits and costs of strict visa processes, such as those that hamper cross-Pacific business cooperation. In December 2004, China lifted visa requirements for eligible South Korean businessmen, encouraging greater Korean economic cooperation with China, perhaps at the expense of American businesses. At the very least, such Chinese diplomacy makes headway in South Korea at the expense of increasing anti-American sentiments.

As the United States works to improve its alliance with South Korea, it should demonstrate that America is committed to working with its partner to develop a mature relationship by paying attention to issues such as visas that, although seemingly minor from the U.S. perspective, affect South Korean pride and sensibility. South Korea’s inclusion in the VWP will go far in improving relations with one of America’s most important allies.

Amen!

CONEY ISLAND?

2005-08-01T11:22:00.000-04:00

Nope. It is Haeundae Beach in Pusan, Korea. Jeff (in Korea) doesn't want to brave the summer time crowds. Can't say that I blame him.

GETTING HITCHED HAMAS STYLE

2005-08-01T09:01:00.000-04:00

The grooms, clutching copies of the Koran, stood opposite the brides in a stadium packed with 60,000 onlookers.

Organisers said the ceremony was an attempt to show a different side to Hamas, which has carried out numerous suicide bombings in Israel.

It was also a show of strength for the organisation, which is contesting Palestinian parliamentary elections.

Link courtesy of Hit and Run.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

2005-08-01T08:52:00.000-04:00

via Daniel Drzener:

What have we gotten from Republicans controlling all the branches of government? A bloated entitlement state that eats its young, and a lot of buildings named after Ronald Reagan.

AN "ANTI-KOREAN WAVE"

2005-07-30T09:39:00.000-04:00

Appears to be washing over the Japanese blogosphere.

LANGUAGE MYTH: "CRISIS" = DANGER + OPPORTUNITY IN CHINESE

2005-07-27T09:35:00.000-04:00

Sorry folks, it ain't so (thanks to Jane Galt for pointing this out).

This bit of folk American wisdom is similar to the oft-repeated "Chinese curse":

May you live in interesting times

I heard that one dozens of times before I realized that I had absolutely no idea how one would say such a thing in Chinese. After asking some native-speaking colleagues, I came to the conclusion that this was another case of a nugget of wisdom being "orientalized" in order to give it more appeal (somewhat akin to how Mark Twain supposedly uttered nearly every humorous anecdote known to man in the last century).

NORTH KOREA REVIEW

2005-07-27T09:14:00.000-04:00

a new academic journal devoted to, you guessed it, North Korea is up on the web. Probably worth a look for those interested.

PEAS IN A POD

2005-07-27T09:08:00.000-04:00

Witness the praise the KCNA has for its fellow socialist hold-out Cuba:

Pyongyang, July 26 (KCNA) -- Moncada Spirit still remains alive even after passage of decades. The Cuban people are firmly advancing along the road of socialism, sharpening the bayonet of justice. Newspapers here today say this in signed articles dedicated to the 52nd anniversary of the attack on Moncada barracks in Cuba.

Cuba is now speeding up socialist construction, while frustrating the ceaseless U.S. pressure, threat, blackmail and sanctions, Rodong Sinmun says, and goes on:

The Korean people highly appreciate the Cuban people for defending and advancing socialism in Moncada spirit and extend firm solidarity to their just cause. In the month solidarity with the Cuban people a series of events took place in Korea to positively support their struggle and boost the DPRK-Cuba friendship.

The just cause of the Cuban people will be invincible.

There clearly are some interesting similarities between North Korea and Cuba. I'm not sure that the invincibility of the two regimes is among them.

UPDATE: Glenn Reynolds posts some interesting links about Cuba here.

MY FORTUNE COOKIE FORTUNE:

2005-07-25T22:33:00.000-04:00

"You could prosper in the field of medical research."

A bit scary, that. The only way I can think of this actually working out is as a subject of medical research. Let's hope not.

WHO IS THIS ANGRY LOOKING MAN?

2005-07-10T10:03:00.000-04:00

He's Na Sôk-ju, a Korean patriot. According to the explanatory plaque, Na “throwing grenades and firing a pistol staged a single-handed attack on the office of the Oriental Development Company.” When was this statue erected? 1999. Not sure what this might say about the development of friendly relations between Korea and Japan.

COALITION OF THE WILLING

2005-07-10T09:58:00.000-04:00

Sometimes we may forget that the ROK provides the third largest number of troops in the occupation of Iraq. Not that there was much sign of awareness of it here in Korea either. Except for this advertisement for the Korea Exchange Bank

SEOUL VS. HANSÔNG

2005-07-10T09:56:00.000-04:00

Hey all you Chinese visitors to Korea. Never mind the fact that the capital of Korea was known as Hansông for 500 years. The name is Seoul (or Shou-er) and don't you forget it!

SEOUL DIARY

2005-07-09T00:27:00.000-04:00

I’ve been in Seoul for a couple of days now but have been too busy to blog. A few random thoughts:
--I have engaged in my usual practice of querying whomever has the misfortune of sitting by me on the subway (or drive my taxi or whatever) concerning whatever issue I am interested in at the moment. The last few days it has been Tokdo/Takeshima. My impression based on my rather small and unrepresentative sample: most Koreans don’t really care about the issue in the way that the media might lead us to believe. “Of course it is ours” was the usual reply but there was no fervor in the reply and little interest in discussing the matter further. The only exception was the fact that the KAL stewardess wasted no time in coming on the intercom and announcing “Welcome to Korea” the minute we flew over Tokdo.
--Universities in Seoul seem to have a penchant for locating their housing for international guests as far from the main university entrance as possible (and usually up a steep hill to boot). This arrangement is probably good for my cardiovascular system but it is somewhat inconvenient. Having said that, it is a nice thing to have such housing at all!
--“Hubby” is still around, trying to make the case for Korea as the “Hub of Northeast Asia”

--Misspellings of English are still to be found (though seldom in such a prominent place as the Subway) as are humorous t-shirts (my favorite thus far is “Avoid costly septic repairs”).

--Does Bill Clinton know he is being used to announce that certain subway cars will be non-smoking?

Obviously I need to figure out how to use this new blogger "add image" feature.
More later.

LONG TIME, NO BLOG

2005-07-02T22:23:00.000-04:00

It has been a busy and hectic month. Much of it has been spent teaching two interesting and rewarding courses (and overseeing two interesting blogs in the process), one on North Korea and another on Invented Traditions and Urban Legends. Things should settle down a bit more now, except of course for the fact that I will leave for a short trip to Korea in a few days. If all goes well, I will blog about the trip with a bit more regularity than the last few weeks.

Movie recommendation for the day: Spellbound. Surprisingly captivating account of a bunch of misfits and their parents. The National Spelling Bee somehow becomes the embodiment of the American Dream. And it all works.

Went with my wife and kids to watch fireworks that were put on by one of the local churches. In an attempt to reach different, often younger demographics, this church has been known for its Harley-Davidson weekends and the like. It certainly put on a good fireworks show. Have to confess that there is something magical about crowds of people sitting in the dark and gazing at the startlingly beautiful streaks of light in the sky. Needless to say, my kids loved it. So did I.

READING BETWEEN THE LINES

2005-06-15T18:36:00.000-04:00

Agence France Presse reports on the ROK-DPRK Unification Festival:

Communist North Korea rolled out the red carpet for South Korea dignitaries Wednesday but kept its nuclear weapons ambitions under wraps at a Pyongyang festival marking a 2000 inter-Korean summit.

The celebrations remained free of any boasts about nuclear weapons as some 400 South Koreans, including 40 government officials, took part in the four-day festival in the North Korean capital. (emphasis mine)

One wonders what the eagle-eyed AFP reporter thought was meant by the event described in the JoongAng Ilbo as follows:

As An Kyong-ho, a North Korean delegation member, said in a speech, "We are no longer a puny nation," Unification Minister Chung Dong-young of South Korea nodded and clapped.(emphasis mine)

Last I checked, North Korea has neither added any territory nor significant numbers of citizens. Just what, then, was Mr. An referring to if not North Korea's nukes?

PEOPLE OF ULSAN, BEWARE!

2005-06-09T17:11:00.000-04:00

A Greenpeace-sponsored "Virtual March" is headed your way! See here for examples of the virtual marchers.

HOWARD DEAN DIDN'T SAY THIS

2005-06-08T18:00:00.000-04:00

Many Republicans probably voted for George Bush dozens, if not hundreds, of times in 2004, according to Democrat party Chairman Howard Dean, "by taking advantage of the fact that Democrat poll workers have difficulty distinguishing individuals from among a crowd of white Christians."

"Thanks to their pale skin, round eyes and khaki trousers, Republicans just blend in," said Mr. Dean. "So they vote, get in the back of the line and vote again. And because they've never made an honest living in their lives, they could do that all day long."

But would many have been honestly surprised if Dean had actually said the above? (thanks to Scrappleface for the humor).

The following explanation/excuse rings true as well (although in an equal-opportunity way; replace DNC with RNC and it sounds just as good):

A spokesman for the DNC later clarified the comments, noting that, "Chairman Dean intended his offensive remarks to be heard only by party loyalists, not the general public."

DIXIE VS. YANKEE

2005-06-07T07:36:00.000-04:00

Are you what you speak? According to this test I am 40% (barely) Yankee. Probably about right. Thanks to Brandon at GWUL for the link.

GITMO VS GULAG

2005-06-03T13:03:00.000-04:00

A good fact-based comparison between the Soviet gulag system and the U.S. prison camps in Guantánamo here. A snippet:

Deaths as a Result of Poor Treatment:

Gulag: At least two to three million. Mass burials were often employed to keep death rates secret (camp commanders sometimes received permission to remove gold fillings before burial). In some particularly brutal periods, camp commanders simply executed thousands of prisoners. But deaths due to overwork were much more common. It is estimated that 25,000 gulag laborers died during the construction of the White Sea Canal in the early '30s. One convoy of "backward elements" destined for the Gulag in 1933 included about 6,000 prisoners; after three months, 4,000 were dead. "The survivors had lived because they ate the flesh of those who had died," according to an account cited by Applebaum.

Guantánamo: No reports of prisoner deaths.

Typical Treatment:

Gulag: For the most part, Gulag prisoners provided labor for the Soviet system. Treatment varied widely, but most prisoners lived in overcrowded barracks, and prisoners occasionally killed one another in an effort to find space to sleep. Deadly dysentery and typhus outbreaks were common. Prisoners often had inadequate clothing to protect themselves from the elements, and most camps lacked running water and heat.

Guantánamo: A recent Time magazine report found that "the best-behaved detainees are held in Camp 4, a medium-security, communal-living environment with as many as 10 beds in a room; prisoners can play soccer or volleyball outside up to nine hours a day, eat meals together and read Agatha Christie mysteries in Arabic. Less cooperative detainees typically live and eat in small, individual cells and get to exercise and shower only twice a week." Human Rights Watch and other watchdog groups have collected firsthand testimony from prisoners alleging abuses, including the use of dogs, extended solitary confinement, sexual humiliation, and "stress positions." An official investigation uncovered only minor abuses, and most detainee accusations have not been verified.

And the proper conclusion:

The detention center at Guantánamo is legally dubious and has been a public relations disaster for the United States. The treatment of certain prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan has been far worse. Amnesty's president Irene Kahn says that these practices are "undermining human rights in a dramatic way." Her outrage is valuable and essential. If only she could express it without employing obscene moral parallels.

Amen!

NORTH KOREA CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL CHILDRENS DAY

2005-06-03T07:27:00.000-04:00

According to the KCNA:

Korean children marked the International Children's Day with various sports and amusement games Wednesday. Every nursery and kindergarten were beautifully decorated with stringed miniature flags, balloons and flowers. They were animated with children, nurses, kindergarteners and mothers in holiday best.

I couldn't help but wonder if the "various sports and amusement games" included these ones (thanks to The Marmot for finding these photos)

GW URBAN LEGENDS

2005-06-01T13:58:00.000-04:00

a site in which GW students explore a variety of urban legends and invented traditions, is now up and running. The folks at snopes.com can't have all the fun!

STAR WARS THOUGHTS

2005-05-29T17:50:00.000-04:00

Saw the latest Star Wars flick with my wife and kids yesterday. A few thoughts and reactions (warning: possible spoilers).

1) The special effects, scenes, and sets were, as expected, exotic and exquisite. I want to go see the movie again on the big screen simply to enjoy the visual aspects of the film.

2) The dialogue was not quite as painful as the last two films. This does not mean that it was by any means well-written but it just wasn't quite as a bad as before (with the additional plus of having Jar-Jar nearly non-existent and completely silent).

3) The story was, for anyone who has followed the previous five films, predictable. Most of the Jedis get wiped out. The Emperor comes out of the closet to assert overt control over his new galactic empire. Anakin Skywalker becomes Darth Vader. Yoda and Obi Wan Kenobi go into hiding/exile waiting around for Luke and Leia to grow up. Etc. Etc. None of this is surprising. The hard-core fans watched as much to see how Lucas would handle impending continuity problems as for any real plot development.

4) Anakin's motivations for turning to the dark side were not terribly convincing. More compelling and believable (to me) would be the simple lust for power and the slightly more subtle and complex desire for absolute power in order to impose order on chaos (and ignoring the dictum that absolute power corrupts absolutely). But trusting in a Sith Lord's empty promise of immortality seemed rather stupid and terribly tragic.

5) Just like Arwen in The Return of the King, the once powerful and dynamic Amadala/Padme is reduced to a whining weakling who has no control over her own life, let alone events at large. This really bothered my wife, with good reason.

6) Why the shock at the news that Anakin killed "the younglings"? After all, he had already massacred men, women, and children before (in Episode II). Apparently it never occurred to Padme that this might be indicative of a character flaw. Nor did it ever occur to her to mention this fact to the Jedi or any other potential law enforcement. Young love trumps all I suppose.

7) The force, in the end, didn't seem to be all that useful. It didn't give Yoda and other members of the council any insight into the nature of the cancer in their midst. It didn't give any of the Jedi any inkling of warning about the clone storm troopers who would eventually kill them all. It apparently didn't occur to any of the Jedi to wonder about the efficacy and desirability of employing a clone army whose creation was commissioned by unknown hands.

8) Obi Wan violates the number one rule of dealing with bad guys (or good guys for that matter): don't ever assume they're dead. Make sure of it. All he had to do was give Anakin's burning corpse a little kick into the lava and the course of future history would have probably been a bit brighter.

9) Lucas's attempts to relate this movie to contemporary power politics were crude and not terribly convincing. If Bush is the Emperor, taking control (to great applause) of the Republic, this must mean that Bin Laden and Al Zarqawi are the righteous rebellion? Have I got that right?

UPDATE: I forgot to mention two responses to the film by my fellow viewers.

In response to Anakin's statement "I will not betray the Republic," my intense six-year-old son (who had been sitting on my lap for some time because he was a bit anxious and nervous about all the fighting and killing) screamed back at the screen: "YOU ALREADY HAVE!"

After Darth Vader's agonized but horribly cliched "NOOOOOOOOOO!" my increasingly worldly-wise ten-year-old daughter leaned over to me and whispered, "OK, that was stupid."

That, in a nutshell, captures Lucas's appeal to key demographics and his inability to transcend them.

UPDATE II: Good (spoiler filled) plot summary here. A snippet:

Obi-Wan - "The Jedi in the temple have been murdered with a lightsaber! And all the Jedi are dead, except...I'd better look at the security video."
Yoda - "You need to look at the video to figure out who did this? Oy. Stupid you are."

'DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PET THE CRUISE"

2005-05-25T20:46:00.000-04:00

just don't. OK?

UPDATE: I think all the attention caused the original site to crash (or the owner to take the photos down because of bandwidth problems?). Similar explorations of Tom's antics can be seen here and here. Does anyone on the planet think that this is for real?

GOOD WORK

2005-05-25T19:34:00.000-04:00

is being done over at Strengthen the Good. I haven't heard much from/or them for a while. Nice to see that they are back in business.

SELIG HARRISON'S LATEST TRIP TO NORTH KOREA

2005-05-25T18:10:00.000-04:00

was his 9th. I know this is slightly old news for hardcore, inside the beltway, Korea-watchers. But a brief and interesting report of his trip can be read here. Harrison met with some DPRK heavy hitters (but not the DL):

My meetings in Pyongyang included Kim Yong Name [sic] Nam, President of the Supreme People's Assembly (one hour), Kang Sok Ju (two hours), Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Gye Gwan, who has represented Pyongyang until now in the Beijing talks (five hours) and General Ri Chan Bok, the North Korean representative at Panmunjom (two hours).

What does North Korea want? Dignity. Respect. A promise that the U.S. will no longer pursue regime change:

What North Korea wants now is a start toward normalization with the U.S. in the form of direct bilateral talks with the U.S. A direct bilateral dialogue is regarded as an essential first gesture of a willingness to recognize and legitimize the North Korean regime. Six party talks could also be held, but Pyongyang's emphasis is on direct talks.

Kim Gye Gwan emphasized that North Korea is not seeking to impose preconditions for its participation in the six-party talks relating to the agenda, such as a U.S. willingness to discuss its March 31 demands. However, North Korea will not attend, he said, unless the United States "improves the atmosphere for the talks by making clear that it is not seeking regime change."

The formal North Korean position is that Condoleezza Rice should apologize for calling North Korea "an outpost of tyranny." But Kim Yong Nam said, "if they are not prepared to do that, there should be some other way to provide us with a justification to attend. It's up to them to find a way. The ball is in their court."

Similarly, Kang Sok Ju said that it was not enough for Rice to have said: "no one denies that North Korea is a sovereign state." I asked whether it would be satisfactory if she said that "the United States will respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DPRK and is prepared for peaceful coexistence despite the differences in our social systems." "That's something we can accept," he said, but we want to hear it directly in open or secret discussions with the United States."

"We need a springboard to be at the six-party talks," Kang added, "some signal that the United States treats us with respect. We have to convince our Army and our people that we are acting in a way consistent with the dignity of a sovereign state that is respected as a strong military state. It's not a difficult thing to be at the six-party talks, but we can't do so if we are going there under pressure."

Is the Bush Administration willing to give this? Should it? Does a nation that starves and oppresses its citizens deserve dignity and respect? Only when it can threaten its neighbors with nukes? I don't think these are simple or easy questions.

Finally, some tantalizing bits on DPRK nuclear capability (or the lack thereof):

When I asked Kim Yong Nam how he knew North Korea's nuclear weapons would work in the absence of a test, he replied, "The agencies concerned are convinced that they have all the preparations made properly, and that our nuclear weapons are operational." General Ri Chan Bok said, "there's no need for a test, and we don't want to have one, even one underground, because of the fallout. Without a test, our nuclear deterrent will be functional. We are ready to put warheads on our missiles whenever we want."

This statement suggested that the warheads are not yet on the missiles. It also prompted me to ask whether the North Korean deterrent consisted only of missiles, or also included air-deliverable nuclear bombs. "In the twenty first century," he replied, "it's hard for me to believe that any country would use air deliverable nuclear weapons."

GW NORTH KOREA

2005-05-25T17:25:00.000-04:00

is back. Check out what the best and brightest students at The George Washington University (what else can I say? They're intelligent enough to sign up for my classes; they must be smart!) are reading and thinking about all things North Korea.

COMMENCEMENT 2005

2005-05-22T19:45:00.000-04:00

has come and gone. Another beautiful day on the Ellipse between the Washington Monument and the White House. Not a bad place for a Commencement ceremony all things considered.

This year's festivities were filled with much of the usual. Thank yous to retiring professors. Awards to the best and brightest students, staff, faculty, and alumni. The obligatory cheesy visit of our university's namesake accompanied by his wife. Pres. Trachtenberg has done all this stuff so often he can (and probably does) do it in his sleep. Though he did sport a different sort of headgear today: a Washington Nationals baseball cap.

The main speaker was Andy Rooney. He was accompanied and introduced by his graduating granddaughter (good job Alexis!). Rooney was, if I might say, his usual witty but pessimistic self.

If you're smart at all you should be nervous about facing the world you're entering. If you're not nervous you're not very smart, because there's plenty to be nervous about. First, you're going to have to find a job, then you're going to have to learn how to do it. I don't know whether you're aware of this or not. On a big day like this, graduating, you probably think you've got everything. But it's very likely that nothing you learned in college is going to help at your job.
...
Capitalism has gone berserk. It isn't working. There are too many rich people and too many poor people. You don't have to be a communist to think that.

Corporations whose boards of directors used to meet to discuss ways to improve their product now meet to talk about ways to make it cheaper. They also meet to decide how many workers to fire so they can vote themselves million dollar bonuses.

The key word in big business today is "takeover." It means taking over a company built on someone else's brains and labor for another's profit. No product ever got better when a big company took over a smaller one.
...
Civilizations have ended before, you know. It's not impossible. It seems so to us, but it is not impossible, and I worry about the future of the world. I worry about my grandchild and my grandchildren's grandchildren.

You get the idea.

"COREA" VS. "KOREA"

2005-05-19T12:49:00.000-04:00

Kushibo weighs in on this never-ending debate (and has some interesting visuals). For me the kicker has always been that the official Japanese name for "Korea" wasn't "Korea," but "Chosen."

"SING US A SONG .."

2005-05-18T15:59:00.000-04:00

You're the piano man. Oops, not that piano man. Interesting story nonetheless.