North Korean Scare Tactics

About this time of year, every year, the North Korean Government initiates threats to the world and South Korea concerning their stance on war. They reiterate their military preparedness for war.

This time of year, every year for the past several years the R.O.K. [Republic of Korea/South Korea] Armed Forces and the U.S. Armed Forces come together for a joint operation. The purpose of the joint operation is the prepare for a possible war scenario and or to stay prepared for such an incident.

My friends back home have been leaving some interesting comments on my Facebook social network concerning possible war. Just today, my friend from Washington State wondered why I love South Korea in response to my status update [Loves Korea]. Here in Seoul, a hour away from the DMZ [demilitarized zone] life moves on as if the threat did not exist. Seoul, has lived with the threat of the North and the Pyong-yang government for half a century.

For all you lovely readers who may wonder about the peninsula of Korea. Be rest assured, until there are bullets flying in the streets of Seoul, only threats from a desperate and isolated government.

American Politics and my 2 sents

This is a thread of conversation that occurred on Facebook concerning the following article.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-goldberg3-2009mar03,0,1748845.column

J.L.: The conservative commentator said he hopes Barack Obama fails. But what's so radical about disagreeing with an agenda he doesn't believe in?

Grey: I never wished failure upon our former president. Wishing failure upon Obama sounds just about anti-American as it can get. It's wishing that America fails. Who can agree to that and still consider themselves American?

K.L.: I like that article Josh! I agree AND consider myself very patriotic! What do you know?

J.L.: That's just the point .. nobody is wishing failure upon the country, only on an agenda with which they disagree. It's not a personal attack and I fail to see what's so preposterous about that... besides, it's nice to see that at least SOMEONE is getting job security out of this...

Grey: Not liking a party's agenda is one thing but wishing failure is overstepping that line. Imagine the consequences for America as a whole if Obama's agenda were to fail. Are you so opposed to success because failure is better than success? Moderates really want to know and this libertarian is inquiring.

J.L.: Hey...

What he said to clarify his remark - and yes, I feel he sometimes steps over the line, but you have to take him with a grain of salt because he stirs the pot as well as anyone - made perfect sense to me. He doesn't want the President to succeed IF these programs (particularly those involving runaway domestic spending by the federal government which as a libertarian you would surely understand) are how success is defined. The point being, he is of the opinion that if Obama's agenda succeeds, the problems this country faces will get worse. I don't condone wishing personal failure upon the President, but I don't think that's really what he was getting at.

The other reason I posted the editorial is because I thought it got the point across well that there is a media fascination with the remarks that really amounts to a whole lot of nothing. Keep in mind that Rush Limbaugh has been hosting talk radio for about two decades and probably about 5 years ago went through a very embarrassing public scandal involving prescription drugs. The fact that the White House chose to make him an issue instead of ignoring him, in my opinion, was unwise...

Grey: Still sounds like what I said earlier with a whole lot of sugar coating. I still don't see how failure equates something better than Obama's success.
My stance as a Libertarian is that the Federal Government has too much control. It doesn't matter which of the two parties are in control they take to much liberties upon themselves to speak for the entire nation. Sure, Democrats and their social reform may seem to be far from what a libertarian would want for our nation. On the flip side of the coin, so is the ridiculous auto bailout of our former president. To much of our money spent on programs that the government shouldn't meddle in.
I've got mixed feelings about social welfare and the sort. I believe there is a need but I don't stand for mandates by the government enforcing it. I believe that it's the responsibility of the people and religious or social organizations to carry the load.

* * *

Don't wish failure on America. If you want to wish anything upon America, wish that we make the right decisions for the greatest good of the people... the people. Not government, corporations or the World Bank... the greatest good for the people.

Winter in Korea

It's cold again here in Korea. The temperature barely breaks freezing point. It's been below zero for the majority of the week. It sucks.

A few more weeks and maybe the real groundhog will make it's presence felt with the beginning of Spring. I want to see the sprouting of new life. The green emerging from the dead. The colors of the cherry blossoms.

A few hundred years ago society was in a much different world. We all know and take so much of it for granted. Anthropologically speaking... we as humans are not made for 12 months of work. The early humans migrated with the animals. Eventually, early society learned to farm the land. Farming is not a year long occupation.

Animals have a cycle through the year and in some ways the human species should learn from our closest example of a bio-rhythm. Creation or the Earth as we know it... okay on this side or the Southern side of the hemisphere there is most definitely a cycle of rebirth... life and the eventual death. The seasons capture this so well and every Spring we are blessed with the reincarnation of that life again.

Where was my hibernation? Capitalism has stripped us of our natural human cycle and has made us slaves of the corporate machine. AH!

You can't live without it and you hate it when it crushes the joy of life into a compressed can of properly timed enjoyment.

On another note. The weekend previous to this the guys and I went out to the slopes to snowboard. It was definitely one of those canned enjoyments. Wish I could do it all winter without being burdened with work.

Random 25

A Facebook Trend. Decided to post it here on grey image.

1. McDonald's in Korea has delivery. It's not particularly good but the closest thing I can get to a good burger at home.

2. Driven across the continental United States. The trip followed this route...
Chicago - Boone N.C.
Boone N.C. - Ft. Worth Texas
Ft. Worth Texas - San Antonio TX
San Antonio - Dallas TX
Dallas TX - LA California.
LA California - Tacoma Washington

3. Lost my sanity before.

4. Enjoy reading philosophy books.

5. Not good at keeping in touch with my family even though they are missed so much.

6. Realize that people know more random things about me than I know about myself.

7. Favorite number: 18

8. Favorite color: Grey

9. Have issues with commitment, mostly relational, involving the opposite gender.

10. Am working on a Novella on and off.

11. Don't particularly like exclusive language that may marginalize anybody I know.

12. Think: religion can be the most damaging thing to society.

13. Belief: religion has done more good for more people than it has done bad.

14. Believe in the arguments for an Intelligent Designer.

15. The intelligent designer to me is the Ultimate Designer.

16. The Ultimate Designer is the name I call God.

17. Was in a lower grade than my younger sister in High school. Attendance issues.

18. Was involved with an Asian street gang in my youth/teens.

19. Attended Trinity International University in Northern Chicago.

20. Affirmation is the basis for social growth.

21. I have hope for society and the human population as a whole.

22. Love Guy Richie films.

23. Hardly ever get bored.

24. Looking forward to purchasing an Apple Notebook/Laptop this year.

25. I have a blog and am a consistent blogger.

Grey's Commitment Issue

Did anybody see the movie about a guy who ages backwards? It's quite an interesting movie. The story is intriguing and definitely worth your time. It doesn't end very happily. If anybody is planning on watching it remember, although it isn't happy it's well worth the time investment. It isn't exactly depressing either. A very well rounded story told on film. Check it out.

There was something about the movie that got me thinking about my own women situation. The issue involves... mainly commitment. Let me back track a little.

I'm not sure if it's true and maybe somebody from the world of the Multi-web can give some light to it. Do women settle? I mean, it seems that women are always speaking of their dreamy unfulfilled love with a guy. This usually takes place some time in their late teens or early twenties. Women talk of this dreamy unfulfilled love sometime after they are involved with somebody else. I'd say some women would trade their present life situations for a chance to relive their dreamy past. Some women have actually ventured to fulfill their dreamy love and have failed terribly. Later in life the dream of this unfulfilled love on their death beds.

The women that have crossed paths with me have long passed that dreamy love stage in their lives.

"There's no way that this is love." Grey says.

Now of course... this is all beside the point. The truth of Grey's matter is that he's got issues. The issue boils down to commitment.

It isn't quite clear to me if it's fear that prevents me from falling in love or my lack of interest to begin with. My lack of interest in love? No, this couldn't be it. Love and it's many aspects awakens my curiosity.

There is the other idea that hovers over my issue. The amount of people there are on this Earth. There are billions of people. As a pragmatist following the line of my favorite philosopher... Shouldn't all the women have their say and is that even possible? Of course not. I'd be dead and why would they want to take the time to speak their opinion to me? They wouldn't. Not every woman would have their say. Why? Not until the end of the world and no human is procreated again would their be an end of a woman's opinion.

Who wants to make a mistake? Not me. I don't want to marry the wrong person.

I'm pulled between the two spectrum's. Maybe there is no spectrum. It boils down to me being afraid.

Now... back to that dreamy unfulfilled love. Woman aren't the only one's with dreamy unfulfilled love. Is that the other side of the spectrum that divides this heart.

The variable amount of women sit on one side of the spectrum. The possibility of making a mistake and giving up on my dreamy love from the past.

My issue with commitment... fear. No more denying it.

The President of South Korea

The picture is of the Korean President with soon to be ex-President George W. Bush. The Korean president was elected into office at the end of 2007. It was ridiculous to say the least.

Let me explain. In America we have a simple two major party system. Sure we have our libertarians and Green parties. Nationally, we narrow down our candidates to two major persons. That is far from the case in Korea.

Yi Myung Bak ran against 7 other candidates. There were actually 10 candidates running until days before election.

If you look very carefully in this picture you can see that Yi (Lee) Myung Bak has his eyes open. I promise you. The Korean President's eyes are open.

At the kindergarten the teachers and students have been very busy this month. The reason for this business is due to a big performance the school is presenting to the parents of our students. Each class has a speech or some presentation of art and dance.

The age group that I teach have come together to perform a dance routine to Natalie Cole's, Love Song. It was originally done by her father Nat King Cole. I teach two classes rotating between them with my co-teacher. She teaches one class while I am teaching the other. Through out the day we switch back and forth depending on the day of the week and the schedule.

For one of the classes the students have been practicing speeches. It is a self introductory speech for one of the four Mt. Rushmore Presidents. Anyways... On Friday we had a large rehearsal for the entire Kindergarten. We all gathered up stairs in the activity room (Surprise Room) to perform in front of each other. While one class was getting ready I was looking through some pictures that I made for my students. The pictures were portraits of the Presidents. Each student would hold up the portrait/picture while they spoke. Introducing the president as themselves in first person.

This is the conversation that occurred as I was looking through the pictures.

STUDENT: Teacher, they are so ugly.

GREY: Do you think Yi Myung Bak is handsome?

GIB (another teacher): I tell my students that I'm Yi Myung Bak.

GREY: (laughing) You would need smaller eyes.

GIB: Are you kidding me? If I think I'm Yi Myung Bak, I need to open my eyes

Both are laughing out of control.

GREY: That is a great pun!

It's much funnier if you were there.

Thanksgiving Day!

This Thanksgiving Day passed without a turkey to be seen. You'd be surprised how little Koreans are aware of our North American bird the turkey. It didn't bother me so much last year when Thanksgiving Day came and went. This year, it sort of got under my skin. Sure, I miss my family and not being able to be with them back home in the states on important holidays can make a huge difference. However, there was something else that irked me.

This past Halloween, the kindergarten I worked at made a big event of the day. We ate candy and dressed up as little monsters, princesses & superheroes. We traveled in our little buses to the homes of a few students to receive candy from parents. We made it to be a day that encouraged the kids to see it as an important American holiday.

Now, do remember that I really gave up on Halloween in my teens. My family didn't particularly agree with the whole celebratory aspect of Halloween and what it stood for. As children our parents participated as do most American families. However, as my sister and I grew up Halloween became less important. Now my sister has children and is married to a minister. The pictures I saw on my networking site (facebook) showed my little nephew and niece dressed up for Harvest Night The Christian re-interpretation of Halloween for kids. Not a bad idea if I may say so.

Getting back to Korea. Here I was with a bunch of Korean kids attending an American based private kindergarten that was showing them an American holiday. Not an important holiday. Mostly an excuse for children to eat more candy than they should & adults to dress up in strange costumes and get drunk.

Then Thanksgiving came around. An important holiday in my mind's eye. A day when families from across the country and Earth gather back together all under one roof. It's a day to remember why and for what each family and person should be thankful for. Here in Korea... it was forgotten, for the most part in my kindergarten.

Sure, I made an extra attempt to inform my students of Thanksgiving Day. The school however, down played it. I worked, as most Koreans did on Thanksgiving Day. As I went through the day. I felt robbed of my National identity.

There is another day in Korea that is very similar to America's Thanksgiving Day. It's called Chusoek. On this day, all of Korea migrates to their families to celebrate the harvest. It's one of two very important holidays here in Korea. Chuseok & the Korean New Year which follows the lunar calender.

This is the background and the logistics of my Thanksgiving Day. At the end of the day I was drinking a bottle of whiskey at the western bar that never forgets my name.

This Thanksgiving I am especially thankful for life, liberty & family. I'd also like to thank all my friends who are in some ways an extended family away from home.