Shooting loudspeakers

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT?

Some days I really enjoy the things I eat here. This is one of my favorites, I ate it last night.

Koreans constantly tell me that it is a summer dish and that restaurants don't serve it now. Yet, for the past few months, I have constantly found places that serve it year-around. I guess I am one of those people who likes what he likes when he likes it, I don't wait for a particular season or time to eat something. That is not just about Korean food. I don't particularly like turkey and would never choose it at a restaurant. I don't like it more on Thanksgiving Day than I do on other dates.

But...I'm not even sure what those things below were. I didn't bother asking. I just made sure those things were cooked thoroughly when they got to my table a few minutes later.

* * *

PROMISES, PROMISES

I happened to be in South Korea in 1994 when North Korea's founder, Kim Il-sung, finally kicked the bucket. North Korea closed the border for a month and cut off communication with the world. I remember that friends and relatives were alarmed that I might get caught up in a civil war.

Today's Korea Times tells us: "North Korea said Tuesday that it will cut all relations with South Korea and will have no contact with the Southern authorities during the remaining tenure of President Lee Myung-bak."

Such promises.

Assuming he serves out his term, Myung-bak will be in power until 2013.

So North Korea will go without handouts from the South for at least three years? Or do they plan on being good communists and just TAKING what they want?

* * *

I have been asking my Korean friends about the North. Their main two responses:

* MB is crazy and eager to start a war.

These seem to be the same people who thought the ship that sank may have been an inside job.

* The two previous liberal South Korean presidents were too soft and have encouraged North Korea to feel like an entitled bully.

I haven't yet told them what I think about it, I really wanted to hear what they thought.

* * *

NO NAME-CALLING (yet)
A wonderful thing is happening. My comments about the Civil Rights Act violating private property rights were posted on a black issues blog. So far, none of the people commenting have called me a sell-out or questioned my sanity as a black man.

Of course, that can always change, especially after pointing it out. I think it helps that I'm not in America now. I'm clearly not angling to get a job with Republicans or selling out in some other way (that seems to be a major concern of blacks who lean to the left). I'm really saying what I think and I guess they are accepting it.

In response to questions, I recently told a black friend in Korea that one wonderful thing about being here is that no one can accuse me of doing well here because of affirmative action.

Things I get here are despite my race.

* * *

WHO NEEDS A TEAM DOCTOR?

NBA player suffered a broken nose during a game the other night. He kept playing in the game.

Let's just say that if I suffered a broken nose that I wouldn't play basketball for a while. Or probably do many other things.

Incredibly, he adjusted his broken nose himself during the game!

* * *

SHOOTING AT LOUDSPEAKERS
According to the Korea Times:

North Korea threatened to fire at South Korean loudspeakers along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and destroy them, Monday, if Seoul resumes propaganda broadcasting suspended since 2004.

"If South Korea installs new speakers for psychological warfare, we will directly aim at them and open fire to destroy them," an unnamed North Korean military commander said in a statement, carried by Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency.

"If the South Korean traitors challenge our rightful response, we will counter with mightier physical strikes to eliminate the root cause of their provocation," the statement said.

I know North Korean leadership hates freedom of speech but this is ridiculous even for them. If the Korean War resumes then I hope it won't be because of some idiots shooting at loudspeakers.

CJL

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