Upcoming

Korea: The Hidden Economic Miracle
Thursday, August 16, 2012
7 p.m. Artreon TOZ, Shinchon subway (near Yonsei University)

* * * Henrique Schneider, chief economist of the Swiss Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises, Switzerland’s biggest think tank, and a member of the Swiss Council for Energy and the Swiss Competition Commission, will be the featured speaker. 10,000 won per person, wire to Woori account 1002-842-088197 by August 13 (15,000 won per person after that).

Casey Lartigue, a visiting scholar at the Liberty Society and host of the event, will also comment on Korea's economic miracle.

RSVP by August 13, 10,000 won per person. After that or at the door, the charge will be 15,000 or until seats are filled. Email caseyradio@daum.net to confirm your RSVP with the spelling of your name on your bank account. Food and beverages will be served. Business Casual (i.e., dress as your mother would dress you) requested, but even Business Clown will be accepted.

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August 20, Seoul National University

Casey Lartigue, a visiting scholar at the Liberty Society, will be giving a 90 minute presentation to about 30 Seoul National University students who want to study or live abroad in the future.

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August 22, Book discussion on Chang Ha-Joon's 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism

Two authors popular with South Korean readers are leading critics of capitalism and free markets. Last month, we examined Harvard professor Michael Sandel. This month, we turn to Chang Ha-Joon of the University of Cambridge. Aaron McKenzie and Casey Lartigue, Jr., both Visiting Scholars with the Liberty Society, will kick off the discussion with comments about Chang's analysis. Roundtable attendees will then be invited to join the discussion. More details to follow later.

Get rid of that watermelon!

Part 1: When I was a youngster I used to collect Confederate money, posters and photographs with caricatures of blacks, and "No blacks allowed signs." I loved the money because it was a reminder of how far the sorry Confederacy had fallen. I had one poster of a dark-skinned black boy munching on a watermelon. I would look at that small poster and wonder, "What in the world is wrong with anyone wanting to eat watermelon?" Yes, white people, I'm talking to you. Your parents, grandparents, and other ancestors who thought making fun of blacks for eating watermelon were crazy ! Even people who say that nothing has changed in race relations must acknowledge that the many stereotypes of blacks are no longer prevalent. But then, there are also some ready to remind us of days-gone-by by debunking stuff that doesn't need to be debunked today. According to the Washington Post: The sound you just heard was yet another racial stereotype going kersplat ! Some ...

Common Sense on North Korea (Korea Times, April 2, 2012)

By Casey Lartigue, Jr. As interesting as Kookmin University professor Andrei Lankov’s writings are, there is nothing quite like attending one of his lectures. He can barely restrain himself behind the podium, often pointing and waving his arms. I also enjoy his unscripted speeches, but his answers in Q&A sessions are like the difference between watching Michael Jordan shoot baskets in warm-ups and an actual game. I have finally discovered the secret behind Lankov’s consistently solid analysis about North Korea: Use common sense. At an Asan Institute conference last summer, he argued that North Korea watchers should try to understand North Korea from its perspective. Don’t most people know that you must understand the mindset of others you are dealing with? Yet, common sense in theory gets ignored politically. From the North Korean perspective, nuclear weapons are the best thing they’ve got going. They will NOT give them up easily, even if President Obama ...

Rich talking back

The rich are talked about very often in negative terms, but how often do the rich respond in kind? Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart, who inherited most of her money but apparently has also done very well with it, recently railed against class warfare and had some advice for the non-rich : "There is no monopoly on becoming a millionaire," she writes. "If you're jealous of those with more money, don't just sit there and complain. Do something to make more money yourself - spend less time drinking, or smoking and socializing and more time working." She complained about politicians raising taxes, regulations that slow investment, and other anti-business policies that harm the poor. "If you want to help the poor and our next generation, make investment, reinvenstment and businesses welcome."

Park Jin welcoming remarks to FSI (and Casey Lartigue)

National Assembly member Park Jin makes the welcoming remarks at FSI's conference featuring North Korean diplomats. Park Jin | Greeting message to FSI and Casey Lartigue mention - YouTube

Random photos from today

I went walking around today. Whereas some people like to go walking in the mountains, I enjoy walking around in the city. Well, not D.C. or other cities with many homeless, crazy and/or armed people walking around... * * * Here's where I had lunch today. About $1.90 for a hamburger hamberger. * * * Ha-ha! Bet you never would have guessed that Batman is a drinking place in Korea! * * * Man Clinic? The Koreans walking by seemed to be very curious about why I was taking a photo of a "Man Clinic." They may know something I don't know...Actually, I wasn't curious enough to go in and find out what it was... * * * Right down the street from the Man Clinic...there's a Love Shop! I love the euphemism. "Love Shop" sounds much better than Sex Shop. I'm guessing that if you don't go to the "Love Shop" to buy condoms that you may need to visit the Man Clinic a short time later? * * * Nobo...

The Casey Lartigue Show!

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