Friday, October 28, 2005
PlameGate
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/ts/093005cialeakcase;_ylt=AkmMtr1_eRmf1AgTvnUmgAIGw_IE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3bGk2OHYzBHNlYwN0bXA-
Good slide show of photos related to the investigation.
Good slide show of photos related to the investigation.
Monday, October 24, 2005
Retirement?
A friend retires next week and is going to fly to Africa and board a missionary ship for two months. He calls it 're-hiring,' rather than retiring. The amazing thing is that, even though he was a senior advisor in his office, he volunteered to work in the deepest hottest part of the ship, the engine room.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Chronicles on Public Diplomacy
Great Beef
Was at a reception last night and had some of the best roast beef I've ever had in my life. Great chocolate cake in the shape of an airplane, too.
Odd but true observation: the ice carvings seem to melt a lot faster in Seoul than in Saigon, even though it is much colder here.
Odd but true observation: the ice carvings seem to melt a lot faster in Seoul than in Saigon, even though it is much colder here.
Saturday, October 15, 2005
An American Voice in Kabul
http://www.americanvoices.org/projects/2005/afghanistan/
My friend John Ferguson made it to Afghanistan with other musical colleagues. He had dreamed of doing this for four years, and it finally happened. John is a pioneer--he helped us bring some of the first American music to southern Vietnamese cities while I was there.
My friend John Ferguson made it to Afghanistan with other musical colleagues. He had dreamed of doing this for four years, and it finally happened. John is a pioneer--he helped us bring some of the first American music to southern Vietnamese cities while I was there.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Blue Monk
A long-lost Carnegie Hall pairing of Thelonius Monk and John Coltrane in 1957 is now out on CD.
You probably know the saxophone great John Coltrane, but in case you don't know off-planet pianist Thelonius Monk, here is an excerpt from the WSJ: On all of Monk's recordings, the strikingly original melodies -- often witty, haunting, and also taking surprising turns -- initially hold the listener's attention. But as Paul Bacon, one of the first critics to get way inside Monk's music, wrote in the 1948 Record Changer magazine: "Monk has a beat like the ocean waves. No matter how sudden, spasmodic, or obscure his … inventions, he rocks irresistibly on … Monk is really making use of all the unused space around jazz, and he makes you feel there are many unopened doors."
Back in Seoul after a week in Busan. Looking good for www.APEC2005.org
You probably know the saxophone great John Coltrane, but in case you don't know off-planet pianist Thelonius Monk, here is an excerpt from the WSJ: On all of Monk's recordings, the strikingly original melodies -- often witty, haunting, and also taking surprising turns -- initially hold the listener's attention. But as Paul Bacon, one of the first critics to get way inside Monk's music, wrote in the 1948 Record Changer magazine: "Monk has a beat like the ocean waves. No matter how sudden, spasmodic, or obscure his … inventions, he rocks irresistibly on … Monk is really making use of all the unused space around jazz, and he makes you feel there are many unopened doors."
Back in Seoul after a week in Busan. Looking good for www.APEC2005.org
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Bright Lights...
...Busan is so modern, reminds me of Seoul when I first arrived there in '88. Lots of neon, clean well-lighted restaurants, ultra-fast Internet and good roads. Jackie Chan is supposed to be in town for the internatinal film festival, too.
I Blackhawk'ed up to Kyoungju yesterday for a look around. More hotels than when I was last there in the early 1990s, but the historic sites are well-preserved and the air is still clean there. http://www.npa.or.kr/kyongju/eng/main.htm
I Blackhawk'ed up to Kyoungju yesterday for a look around. More hotels than when I was last there in the early 1990s, but the historic sites are well-preserved and the air is still clean there. http://www.npa.or.kr/kyongju/eng/main.htm
Blasting Off
Mr. Hoang Minh Chin, Former Director of the Marxist-Leninist Institute, gave a pretty explosive speech at Harvard on September 30. Email at staicvoid@hotmail.com if U want me to forward you a copy.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
APEC 2005
Writing this in Busan from an Internet cafe two floors below ground level. Went to a walk-through of sites for upcoming APEC Summit in November. Then had dinner with colleagues at an alley-nestled restaurant. Relieved to find that there are still $3 dinner places in Korea.
This is the fastest Internet I have ever used anywhere. And only one buck (1,000 won) an hour.
This is the fastest Internet I have ever used anywhere. And only one buck (1,000 won) an hour.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
In League
Met the President of the League of Women Voters today. Kay Maxwell. Very inspiring person. Has done a lot to promote voter awareness and political participation in America. She is attending a conference at Ewha University.
Korea has an NGO Studies program at Ewha U's Graduate School. I don't think there is a similar program in the U.S., is there?
Korea has an NGO Studies program at Ewha U's Graduate School. I don't think there is a similar program in the U.S., is there?
Monday, October 03, 2005
English Bypassed in L.A.
A Stream Runs Through It
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051001/sc_nm/environment_korea_stream_dc
A powerful symbol of how developed Korea has become. I wandered around by the renewed stream last night. Kids dipping their toes into the water, adults waving flags.
And the Mayor of Seoul has offered to fund most of Hanoi's expenses to revive a river in Hanoi as well.
A powerful symbol of how developed Korea has become. I wandered around by the renewed stream last night. Kids dipping their toes into the water, adults waving flags.
And the Mayor of Seoul has offered to fund most of Hanoi's expenses to revive a river in Hanoi as well.
