Concerning the arson convicted of setting fire to South Korea's 600-year old cultural relic, the Sungnyemun Gate.

The individual in question is Jong-gi Chae, a 70 year old farmer from Ganghwa Island who raised cabbages and lettuce.  Newspapers report that  convicted on basis of a supposed past arson attempt, "similar clothing," a bottle of ( Read more... )

Art...

That does not make a fool
of itself by making a fool
of others

That transcends boundaries set by 
petty prejudices, propriety, self-interest, 
and accepts people free of labels

That actively seeks questions rather than assumptions,
truth and reason (not always truth in reason),
impartial yet conscientious, straightforward,
informed yet not obscured in ( Read more... )

That is all.

Korea's South Gate went ablaze.

Let's look at the facts.
70 year old man with clothes and a bag discovered IN HIS HOUSE similar to what witnesses describe?

How many grey coats are in Korean houses?

Over a LAND COMPENSATION case?  Broke into the second floor with a ladder and set fire with paint thinner?

I don't know what's real and what's not.

( Read more... )

The old school jazz at Starbucks greets the sound of overlapping conversations with a warm handshake and I am thinking back to that staggered path through Taegu ad howling along to Led Zeppelin classics in a colorful second story underground bar/café with my unrelated uncle drummer dreaming of jazz, notes accumulated under the glass panel of notes ( Read more... )

While the movie expertly emulated the Cold War period, it made relevant references to current issues while providing historical background for the United States' foreign policy. I'd thoroughly enjoy proselytizing about the significance of background art in relation to people, the odd usage of camera angles, good acting (though the script didn't ( Read more... )

Namdaemun in flames and it makes me want to be a firefighter

I am watching this on TV right now.  What can be done?   I feel terribly for it as I sit by watching the debacle on screen as fire hoses pour into a flame that does not abate.  Why burn the gate!? It's a historical cultural site...It's terrifying.  The hoses' streams pour into it with the ( Read more... )

Is this true??  We shouldn't purchase Snickers bars anymore? 

Senator Obama has been a leading Senate opponent of photo ID provisions that disenfranchise the poor, disabled and minority voters

Strengthen Civil Rights Enforcement

Combat Employment Discrimination

Expand Hate Crimes Statutes

End Deceptive Voting Practices

End Racial Profiling

Reduce Crime Recidivism by Providing Ex-Offender Support

( Read more... )

WHew.

Who are you voting for?  Not that I plan to follow everyone else's vote, but in light of the upcoming primaries, I'm going to post perspectives on each candidate.

When I have the time, it'd be fun to make a sonnet about the candidates.

Upcoming post on issue topics

I mean, this whole fiasco is really humorous in a way, if it didn't have to do ( Read more... )