got you on my mind…..

ILYWYNYMY.

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The NY Times gives Kofi Annan a soapbox and he presumes to lecture us on Sudan. He who steadfastly refused to call what is happening there genocide and has stood idly by while Sudan-supported militias have murdered thousands for the crime of not being Arab. The man apparently has no shame and the depths of his hypocrisy appear bottomless.

Captain Ed provides a much deserved rhetorical boot to Kofi’s ass:

Kofi Annan takes to the opinion pages of the New York Times today to preach accountability to Americans, a stunning and laughable assertion from the man who has led the United Nations to its nadir of credibility at least partially based on his own lack of accountability…

Annan makes it sound as if the civil war came as a result of a famine, and that the deaths could not have been prevented. He has it backwards. The famine came as a result of the war, and the failure of Annan himself in designating the Darfur atrocities as a genocide — which would have obligated him to act to stop it — contributed to hundreds of thousands of those deaths. For Annan to use those figures as a scold against the Western nations that had all but demanded Annan to acknowledge the Darfur genocide is akin to Marshal Petain standing on the grounds of Bergen-Belsen in 1945 and demanding food aid to Jewish victims of a “famine”.

Hey, I’ll go Annan one better. Annan set up a famine-relief program for Iraqis called Oil-For-Food, into which went at least $64 billion dollars. Somewhere between $10B and $21B of that money disappeared into the pockets of the genocidal dictator it was meant to bypass, meaning that up to a third of the money never made it to the starving people it intended to feed and heal. Millions more of the money went into the pockets of UN personnel, such as his own right-hand man, Benon Sevan, and his own son, Kojo Annan. Kofi never bothered to ensure that the program, the largest aid program he ran, was properly audited.

The last person to lecture the US, the West, and the world on accountability should be Kofi Annan. Had he any shred of honor, he long ago would have resigned his post in the face of the collapse of his credibility on this point alone. The editorial board of the New York Times should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this abomination on its pages, and its tacit endorsement of Annan as global scold should cement its reputation as a clueless, inept, and outrageously biased media outlet which has no further credibility to speak on international affairs. There may be more disgusting examples of hypocrisy and shameless propaganda in media — the Times’ Pulitzer for Walter Duranty’s Stalin apologias come to mind — but few reach this standard.

Well Kofi, get ready to meet Ambassador Bolton. There’s gonna be a new Sheriff in town, but frankly I think the UN may be broken beyond repair.

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But just imagine you do….

Your wife decides to go out with her friends drinking and dancing.
You’re okay with it, because you get to watch sports all night.
You hear her stumble into bed around 4 a.m.
You wake up the next morning and go outside to the family Volvo,
which she used last night.
You are happy to see it all in one piece.
But ….. Wait a minute…….

>> Read more

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UPDATE: Here’s the link to the Stars and Stripes story….

Mr. Kim, Yong-tae was honored yesterday in a ceremony at “the white house” (USFK Headquarters) in recognition of FIFTY years service to the United States.

As his supervisor, I have come to rely heavily on his wisdom and expertise. But I have tremendous respect for him as a really great person who is also extremely dedicated and hard working. Frankly, I would be lost without him.

Here’s some photos from the ceremony:

It was interesting watching them set up. The Army is real big on protocol, and they had every detail managed from seating charts to the order of the flags. Were it up to me, the UN flag would not have been so honored as to be postioned next to Old Glory, but of course it was not up to me….

GEN LaPorte (he of 4 stars and Commander of all US Forces Korea) made some very nice remarks about Mr. Kim’s contributions through the years. I was glad he wasn’t reading some prepared remarks, he appeared to be speaking from the heart. I think Mr. Kim was moved. GEN Campbell, head of the Eighth US Army was also present.

The presentation of the 50 years of service certificate. This is such a rare event, I doubt I will ever see another.

And the awarding of the 50 year service pin. I asked and that’s as high as they go.

In addition to the certificate and service pin, each of the Commands present at the ceremony gave Mr. Kim one of their medallions.

And Stars and Stripes was there to do an interview.

Mr. Kim with the Director, Civilian Personnel Division, Sharon Alsop.

And finally, one with me.

Very nice ceremony. Mr. Kim is a modest man and wanted to avoid all the hoopla. We tried to accomodate his wishes as best we could, but it was such a milestone event we had to give him the honor he has so richly earned.

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Spring has sprung!

The cherry trees have blossomed….

And so has this magnolia……

Ain’t life grand?

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Well, I guess that ain’t exactly news, is it? You would think my capacity for outrage at the moral equivalence that is the foundation of the Left’s hypocrisy would be maxed out by now. But no, the Left finds new and astounding ways to boggle my brain with repulsive behavior in a fashion that appears limitless.

And as much as I despise all that is France, it appears that the Germans are looking to defeat them yet once again, this time in the battle of dubious thinking. Two salvos from the German left appear to be a powerful blitzkrieg like stroke of madness that other contenders on Left may find hard to best. As reported at Davids Medienkritik :

Few places symbolize the moral bankruptcy and hypocrisy of the German left more clearly than Chechnya. When US President George W. Bush visited Germany last February, tens-of-thousands of angry demonstrators turned out in Mainz and all across Germany to vent their outrage at the Iraq war and the abuses at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo. Now, less than two months later, Russian President Vladimir Putin is in Germany. And a whopping 30 protesters showed up to demonstrate the bloody Russian war and widespread human rights violations in Chechnya. Putin and Schroeder were all smiles as they tipped champagne glasses and signed multi-billion dollar business deals for everything from Russian natural gas imports to German bullet train exports in Schroeder’s hometown of Hannover. Naturally, with the cash registers busily ringing away, Chechnya never came up and the German media has all but ignored the topic…

…The entire charade clearly demonstrates how the so-called German “peace movement” has changed little since the days of the Cold War when thousands protested in outrage over US involvement in Vietnam, but gave the Russians a free pass during the brutal Soviet war of occupation in Afghanistan. The movement’s unending attempts to seize the moral high ground have been repeatedly undercut and exposed by the same sort of left-leaning Doppelmoral time and again…

Once again: Where are the hoards of angry anti-war protesters now that Vladimir Putin is in Germany? Why aren’t they out waving rainbow PACE flags, beating drums, burning Putin effigies and pounding the pavement in mass protest by the thousands? Where are the shrill cries of “no blood for oil?” Where are the concerned friends of oppressed Muslims with their Palestinian flags? Where is the outrage at the violation of the Geneva Conventions and international human rights? Where are the mock funeral processions and empty coffins? Where are the candle-light vigils and the portraits of the dead and missing? Why has the German left sold out in the interest of selling trains and securing the rights to import oil and gas?

Clearly: As long as this double standard in the handling of Iraq vs. Chechnya remains, the German left will continue to suffer a massive credibility gap. It is hard to lend any credibility to a movement that is so obviously biased and motivated by a one-sided hatred of America.

Hmm, and to think this is happening in that bastion of moral superiority, Europe. No wonder Michael Moore is so popular over there. As loathe as this ignorant hick is to critisize my betters, in this case those enlightened Germans (you know, the fun bunch that brought us two world wars and the holocaust), I feel compelled to share some of Davids other post exposing just how sick and jaded German thinking has become:

Hard to beat the idiocy of this wacko conspiracy theory: A top member of the German Green party - Antje Vollmer, the highest ranking woman in Germany’s parliament (and a real beauty by any definition) - accuses the U.S. government of an underhanded campaign against pedophile Catholic priests aimed at punishing the pope for his opposition to the Iraq war.

Poland’s participation in the Iraq war an attempt to weaken the Pope’s “hinterland”? An anti-pedophile campaign as a veiled attempt to attack the pope’s position against the Iraq war?

Oh, those evil neocons…never shy about hatching dark conspiracies. This probably means they are behind the Michael Jackson pedophile accusations as well…probably to discredit him for being such a macro-pacifist. This all just makes one wonder: How long will it be before the US government hauls in Michael Moore on child molestation charges and ships him of to Gitmo? Who will be the next victim of this vast conspiracy? Have the neo-cons no shame? If they are willing to take the pope down, they could be willing to take anyone down.

It gets worse, read the whole thing if you have the stomach for it.

Meanwhile, I’ll just step back real quietly. I wouldn’t want to provoke these lunatics too much. It’s best that they be left to rage against the awesome evil of BusHitler while we go on about our business of deposing tyrants.

Still, watching the wackiness of the Left is sorta like a visit to the zoo, isn’t it? The antics of the silly monkeys can be quite entertaining at times I suppose.

Via Vodka Pundit

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Last night I stopped by the shoe repair stand in Itaewon and had another notch put in my belt (the one Mrs. LTG bought for me in New Mexico).

I knew you would want to know about that milestone event.

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Well, maybe not a star, but I have been on television twice in the three months I’ve been here. Admittedly, they were bit parts, but you have got to start somewhere, right? The first time was when SBC broadcast the wedding of my boss to a Korean woman. I was a face in the crowd for three or four seconds. Still, the barkeeps at Tiffany’s and Sweet Caroline’s both mentioned seeing me. Hey, you can’t buy that kind of face recognition.

My latest television exposure comes courtesy of the Armed Forces Network (AFN). As you might recall, I attended LT GEN Campbell’s press conference where he broke the news that unless the ROK ponied up some more cash, we would be laying off 1000 Korean employees. Someone sent me the video clip of the AFN news report of that event, and about one minute into it they capture me hanging on Campbell’s every word (while chewing on my pen). Well, I am thankful I was not doing something even more disgusting.

So, if you want to see me on TV here’s a link.

No autographs please, I want to remain just a regular guy (albeit famous).

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As I said, I bought the Team America: World Police DVD yesterday. Now I can’t get this damn song out of my head…..(let it load then let it rip!)

Warning: Extreme language. It’s the American way! (oh, yeah some of the images are not work safe either)

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UPDATE 2: Ok, couldn’t figure it out with Picasa, but the HP Photo Imaging had a resize feature, so I think I have the photos up now…..

UPDATE: Hmm, the photos are too large for my template so I have had to remove them for now. Anyone know how to shrink photos to fit?

Well, it turns out I just knocked my memory card loose, so I was able to salvage the photos of yesterday’s hike. Not that they are anything to write home about, but then, that’s exactly what I’m doing. My photography does not do justice to the beauty of the day, but for what its worth, here are some shots….

I don’t read Hangul too well, this MIGHT say welcome to Namsan Park or maybe it means “Yankee Go Home”. Or not.

Seoul Tower, my destination. It was closed for renovation so I could not ride to the top. It reopens in October, so I’ll be back….

Lots of interesting concessions at the top of the mountain. Here we have an assortment of dried fish, squid, and what I think might be octopus. I was not hungry, but it did look tasty, don’t you think?

A view from the top……

What was cool was that from any direction you looked, Seoul spread out before you in all her glory…..

One more vantage point. After winding my way up the mountain, I lost all sense of direction so I don’t know what compass point this would be, but the point is Namsan is an island of serenity amongs the urban sprawl. Quite impressive really.

All along the crest of the mountain are these old fortifications. As many times as Seoul has been conquered and reconquered I can’t say they were as an effective defensive as they appeared, Reminded me a little of the old city walls in Istanbul, only smaller….

I came down the mountain using the road as opposed to the trail I took going most of the way up, and at the bottom is the National Theatre. The marquee indicated some type of traditional folk dancing show would be taking place, but in the afternoon lots of folks were roller blading on the promenade.

In front of the theatre was this statue which I understand represents the celebration of Korea’s independence. I assume from Japanese occupation in 1945, but I’m not too clear on that point.

So I wasn’t sure which direction to go to get back home from the theatre, I just went with instinct and figured worse case I would catch a cab home. Came upon this sign which sounded so final I almost turned back. My instincts proved correct however, and I found my way back to Hannam-dong with no difficulty.

Alright, there you have photographic evidence of my best adventure so far. I’m going to see about a tour of some points south through the USO next month. I figure I just about have enough confidence now to expand my admittedly limited boundaries. We shall see.

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It’s a tough job and this wife shares some lessons learned:

LESSONS I’VE LEARNED
By Mandy B, Wife of SGT Erik B

Now that the journey has almost come to a much-anticipated end, I find myself looking back, and discovering that I’ve learned some precious lessons along the way…

I’ve learned that dads need their kids.
I’ve learned that two-year-olds hurt & need their daddies more than I expected.
I’ve learned that kids know more about what’s going on than we think they do.

I’ve learned that moms can fix more than just broken hearts; we’re pretty handy with tools when we have to be.
I’ve learned that I can chase away monsters just as well as my husband can.
I’ve learned how hard it is to cook for just two people, one being a two-year-old.

I’ve learned, in my husband’s absence, just how much he does to help me out.
I’ve learned that a family is a family, no matter how many miles separate them.
I’ve learned that I can hold down the home front pretty well on my own, but I’d much rather have best friend there to help me.
I’ve learned that we are a team.

I’ve learned that it’s no fun being without the one you love on special days.
I’ve learned that love can go the distance.
I’ve learned that trust is the most crucial quality that a relationship can hold.
I’ve learned that love can withstand all things.
I’ve learned how much a late-night phone call home can mean.
I’ve learned that a package is like a little piece of home in an unfamiliar world.
I’ve learned about sacrifice.

I’ve learned that just hanging out together is so precious.
I’ve learned how nice it is to feel his arms around me.
I’ve learned how quickly two weeks goes!
I’ve learned just how long 15 months really is.

I’ve learned that freedom really is not free.
I’ve learned that there is always someone else worse off.
I’ve learned how lucky we are to be living in the United States, be free, and be safe.
I’ve learned that there is always someone sacrificing for the rest us to have that freedom.

Via Big Al’s Army Life

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Today turned out spectacular weather wise. I did the hike up Namsan to the Seoul tower and it was fantastic. The cherry blossoms are not in bloom yet, but they have buds, so maybe next week. The magnolia trees are in blossom and so is the gae-na-lee (yellow flower bushes) and gin-da-ley (purple flowers). I spelled those names phonetically, at least as best I can tell. Some great vistas, pine scented air, and a very exhilarating walk. I took some great photos too. Then I dropped my camera, the batteries fell out, and apparently everything in memory disappeared. I’m not real happy about that obviously, but I do plan on going back once the cherry tree blossoms appear, so I will take more then. If you want to get some idea, you can check out the photos taken by Kevin of Big Hominid when hiked up there last week (keep scrolling down from the food section to get to the Namsan pics).

For the first time I really got some perspective on just how big Seoul really is. Namsan (meaning Nam Mountain) is surrounded on all sides by the urban sprawl of this city of 13 million. It had rained all day yesterday, so today was about as clear as I have ever seen the air here. Seoul is surrounded by mountains, and it was all quite beautiful from my lofty perch above the city. And to be in this natural wooded area surround by the massive city was quite the juxtaposition. It was probably my best day in Korea. It just felt good to be out amongst the people soaking up the sunshine and fresh air.

I was disappointed to find the Seoul Tower closed for renovations (it won’t reopen to the public until October), but the view from the top of Namsan was well worth the hike. I think it will be a regular thing for me to do on nice days.

Once I got back to Itaewon I treated myself to dinner at Pancho’s Mexican restaurant. I had low expectations, but it turned out to be quite good. Chicken enchiladas (of course), a bit pricey at 10,000 WON but it was nice to have a taste of “home”.

As I was walking back to my villa I saw a street vendor selling DVDs. And he had Team America: World Police! And for another 10,000 WON it is mine. Just finished watching it and it was almost as funny as it was last summer in the theatre.

So, all in all a great day. And other than the beer I drank at Pancho’s with dinner, I was “bar free” today. I am sorry about the pictures, but they would not have done justice to the natural beauty I experienced on my hike.

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More evidence of which side the MSM has taken in the GWOT is summed rather nicely in this post from Greyhawk at Mudville Gazette.

It is bad enough that we have to endure biased coverage that misrepresents what is happening on the ground in Iraq. To learn that CBS actually has the bad guys on their payroll strikes me as crossing the line into treason.

UPDATE: Meanwhile, over at CNN Tim Blair notes an interesting example of what is considered “news”.

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I present 10 beautiful American women. Guess amongst this group my vote would go to Angelina Jolie. But that’s just me…..

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It has been raining all day here. I don’t understand how it can be so perfect all week long and then suck on the weekend. Well, I do understand how, but I don’t like it much. I am planning on hiking up Namsan tomorrow, weather permitting. My contingency plan is to visit the Korean War Museum.

Last night I was bad. I have been scoping out some alternatives to Sweet Caroline’s. Nothing wrong with SC’s, its just a little too much same old, same old. I immediately reject any bar where women push drinks, which is probably half the bars in town. I found a couple of good places last night, and wound up playing pool with a guy named Stephan from Germany. I realized that it has been years since I shot pool. At least before I started wearing bifocals. I don’t know if it was the beer or my glasses, but I played horribly. Embarassing ass kicking over and over. The worse I played the more I drank and I of course kept playing worse.

Anyway, came home inebritated and I really hate ODing like that. Wound up on the floor in the bathroom hugging the toilet. It was not a pretty site.

So today I have just chilled for the most part. Ran a couple of errands and bought groceries. Watched TV and napped.

From now on my motto is: Everything in moderation. Really, I mean it.

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Nothing makes me sicker than hypocrisy. Wait, there is one thing that makes me sicker. Hypocrisy that results in the death of innocents.

We are all painfully aware of the oil-for-food fiasco. UN bureaucrats enriching themselves by stealing money intended to buy food and medicine for the people of Iraq. And now we know that UN “peacekeepers” in the Congo have been using the impoverished children of that desperate land as their sexual playthings.

I have been a long time critic of the UN on many levels. It is a worthless institution. I could live with that I suppose, but its tendency to destroy that which it is sent to protect is unforgivable. The scope of the corruption and hypocrisy is made all too clear in this article from the Guardian. It was written by a former UN employee and pulls open the curtains on the evil in blue helmets.

Here’s a glimpse:

The children’s installation is introduced by the words: ‘They should still be with us.’ A nearby display asks whether they could be. It honours the actions of ordinary people of courage. People like Yahaya, a 60-year-old Muslim who saved Beatha, who narrates her story: ‘The killer was chasing me down an alley. I was going to die any second. I banged on the door of the yard. It opened almost immediately. He [Yahaya] took me by the hand and stood in his doorway and told the killer to leave. He said the Koran says if you save one life it is like saving the whole world. He did not know it is a Jewish text as well.’ Next to these tributes is another installation - a reproduction of the infamous fax by the UN Force Commander, General Romeo Dallaire, imploring the then head of UN peacekeeping, Kofi Annan, for authority to defend Rwandan civilians - many of whom had taken refuge in UN compounds under implicit and sometimes explicit promises of protection.

Here, too, is Annan’s faxed response - ordering Dallaire to defend only the UN’s image of impartiality, forbidding him to protect desperate civilians waiting to die. Next, it details the withdrawal of UN troops, even while blood flowed and the assassins reigned, leaving 800,000 Rwandans to their fate.

The museum’s silent juxtaposition of personal courage versus Annan’s passive capitulation to evil is an effective reminder of what is at stake in the debate over Annan’s future: when the UN fails, innocent people die. Under Annan, the UN has failed and people have died.

His own legions have raped and pillaged. In two present scandals, over the oil-for-food programme in Iraq, and sex-for-food in Congo, Annan was personally aware of malfeasance among his staff, but again responded with passivity.

Well, ok you say. Rwanda, that was bad. And yeah, the corruption in the oil-for-food deal is unacceptable. And the Congo, that was surely an aberration. So, three examples where the UN could have done better. Is that all you got?

I wish.

One very personal example: when I worked in Liberia in the mid-Nineties a new chief administrative officer was dispatched to Monrovia by the UN to replace the previous CAO, who was removed (then reassigned elsewhere) for taking a 15 per cent kickback on UN procurement contracts. In the name of cleaning up the old corruption, the new CAO tapped our phones, paid locals to spy for him and threatened to send home anyone who opposed him, all to facilitate his own quest for a 15 per cent kickback on everything we purchased.

The worst part was watching him try to coerce as many of his young ‘local staff’ to sleep with him as possible. A UN salary is enough money to support an entire extended family in a country such as Liberia, so these vulnerable women were in a tortuously compromised position by their boss’s unwanted advances.

I was the human rights lawyer and these girls would come to my office in tears asking for help. I wrote memo after memo of complaint to my chain of command, but no one did anything. I even confronted the CAO personally. To no effect. When I visited the UN human resources office in New York to complain personally, they laughed at my naive outrage: ‘It happens all the time in the field,’ they said. ‘There’s nothing we can do.’

In the meantime, a quarter of a million Liberians died, and warring factions committed war crimes. And the UN did - nothing. Just as it was simultaneously doing nothing, more infamously, in Rwanda and Bosnia.

So, I have to ask…where is the outrage? Who amongst us could not be outraged? Who would not be demanding Kofi’s resignation? Who will speak in favor of maintaining the status quo at the UN?

Oh, its our “peace loving” friends on the left. Who’d a thunk it?

The second searing irony for me is that the American neoconservative right has occupied the moral high ground in critique of Annan, outflanking the left, which sits on indefensible territory in his support. But if prevention of genocide and protection of the vulnerable are not core priorities on the left, then what is? If anyone’s values have been betrayed, it is those of us on the left who believe most deeply in the organisation’s ideals. I am mystified by the reluctance of the left both in the US and the UK (the Guardian ’s coverage, for example) to criticise Annan’s leadership. The bodies burn today in Darfur - and the women are raped - amid the sound of silence from Annan. How many genocides, the prevention of which is the UN’s very raison d’être, will we endure before the left is moved to criticise Annan? Shouldn’t we be hearing the left screaming bloody murder about the UN’s failure to protect vulnerable Africans? Has it lost its compass so badly that it purports to excuse the rape of Congolese women by UN peacekeepers under Annan’s watch? Is stealing money intended for widows and orphans in Iraq merely a forgivable bureaucratic snafu?

I am co-author of a book critical of Annan’s peacekeeping legacy, Emergency Sex (and Other Desperate Measures): True Stories from a War Zone . My co-author, Dr Andrew Thomson, penned a line that drove the UN leadership to fire him. Lamenting UN negligence in failing Bosnian Muslims whom it had promised to protect in its ’safe area’ of Srebrenica - where 8,000 men were slaughtered - Thomson wrote: ‘If blue-helmeted UN peacekeepers show up in your town or village and offer to protect you, run. Or else get weapons. Your lives are worth so much less than theirs.’

Tell me again about liberal values. What exactly do these people stand for? Have they no shame? Is their hatred of America so great that they can not find time to criticize the evil that is personified in the UN?

Tell me later. Right now I need a bath.

Cross posted at The Wide Awakes

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The Bass Hole has a great post that really nails the situation currently taking place between the US and ROK. If you have any interest in the crumbling alliance between old friends, you need to read this post.

In my short time here I have really come to love Korea and I have a deep respect for the people, but I fear their political leadership is making a mistake that is putting their freedom in jeopordy. I am very upset about this. And in my job I will be seeing first hand the immediate human impact that comes when you throw a thousand people out of work. Good, hard working people who have devoted their lives to supporting USFK.

I suppose there is still hope that President Roh will wake up and face reality. But I wouldn’t bet on it.

Damn.

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The Marmot’s Hole links to this story in the Chosun Ilbo regarding the controversy surrounding the quest to identify the 10 most beautiful women in Korea.

I’m not touching this one with a ten foot pole. But you can see for yourself here.

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This guy is rapidly becoming a daily must read for me. I almost always take away some nugget of wisdom, and even when I don’t I can appreicate some damn fine creative writing. Not that I don’t trust you to click a link, but I am going to reproduce his Arbor Day post in its entirety. I just like the way this guy thinks….

Arbor Day meditation

I was sitting under a tree, feeling glum.

The tree asked, “What’s up?”

I said, “You know, I’ve done things I’m proud of, and things I’m not proud of.”

The tree said, “It sounds to me like you’ve got something specific in mind.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Just some things I’ve said and done recently which are bothering me.”

“I’m only a tree,” the tree said, “but I’ve been sitting in this spot for centuries, collecting wisdom from all over. Tell me what’s on your mind and maybe I can offer some insight.”

“OK,” I said, heaving a sigh. “Let’s say you’ve gotten into a fight with someone.”

“A female someone?” the tree asked slyly.

I smiled. “Yeah, a female someone. And let’s say that… well… you both said things you regret. Things you might have meant, or might not.”

“You’re not sure if you meant what you said?” asked the tree.

“No, I’m not. I really don’t know,” I replied. “I sure as hell meant them the night I said them, but now…”

“Now you think that maybe you had your head up your knothole,” said the tree wisely.

“Yeah, that’s about the size of it. But I’m still angry, see. She said some awful things that night, and it wasn’t just that night, but the night before, too. I think she meant what she’d said.”

“I see. Have you thought about simply forgiving and forgetting? Have you thought about apologizing for what you said?” asked the tree.

“Apologizing? Forgiving? Forgetting?” I asked, incredulous. “Tree, I don’t think I’m there yet. And the last things I said and wrote to her were… well, they pretty much killed any possibility of further dialogue.”

“So it seems. You strike me as something of an arrogant bastard, if you don’t mind my saying so,” said the tree.

I kept silent. The tree seized the opportunity to keep talking:

“Did you ever see that movie, Karate Kid 2?” the tree asked.

“Yeah, I remember it,” I said.

“Remember the beginning of the movie, when Mister Miyagi has the chance to kill that evil karate instructor, but he doesn’t?”

“Yeah. Pretty cool,” I said.

“Daniel-san asks him why he didn’t do it. Do you recall Mister Miyagi’s answer?”

I racked my brains. Then it hit me.

“He said, ‘For man with no forgiveness in heart, living worse punishment than death,’” I quoted. I looked up at the tree. “Are you saying I should forgive her, anyway?”

“You’re pretty good at quoting movie lines, aren’t you. Yeah; try some unilateral forgiveness,” suggested the tree.

I was angry again. “But she doesn’t think she did anything wrong,” I said, staring into the branches above me.

“And you don’t think you did anything wrong, either, do you?” asked the tree.

“I gave her so much, and she kicked me in the damn head,” I snarled.

“The selfsame head that’s stuck up your knothole?” grinned the tree.

I simply glared at the ground. It’s hard to take when a vegetable is dispensing wisdom you don’t want to hear.

The tree pressed its advantage. “Just a little while ago, you expressed regret for things you’ve said and done. At least we know you’re feeling sorry, even if you are still angry.”

“So?” I asked.

“So,” said the tree, “that’s your starting point.”

“I don’t get it,” I said.

“That’s because men are perennially stupid,” sighed the tree.

I looked up. “You’re not a guy? Not some fatherly wisdom figure?”

“Deep wisdom is always female,” laughed the tree.

“Women are fucked in the head,” I said. “They say one thing, they mean another, they don’t make any rational sense.”

“And there’s your problem in a nutshell,” said the tree. “You’re looking for sense. Do you think you can be philosophical about matters of the heart?”

“No,” I admitted. “A man can try, but… ultimately, no.”

“So– back to that starting point we talked about. I don’t know her side of the story, but it sounds to me like you’ve got some regrets. Do me a favor, would you? Try this. Stand up.”

I stood up, somewhat reluctantly.

“The wind is going to blow hard in a second,” said the tree. “When it does, just shout I’m sorry into it.”

I didn’t want to do this.

“Trust me,” the tree said, apparently reading my mind. “It’ll make you feel better.”

A slight breeze caressed my face, then began to build.

“You ready?” asked the tree. I nodded.

The wind picked up, turned harsh. The tree’s leaves rustled and its branches writhed violently. It was like watching some mysterious, inhuman struggle.

“Do it!” boomed the tree.

“I’M SORRY!” I shouted.

“The wind is still blowing! Do it again!” shouted the tree.

“I’M SORRY!” I shouted.

“Come on, keep it up! You’re making progress!” exhorted the tree.

I’m sorry…
I’m sorry…
I’m sorry…

I shouted until I was hoarse. Then I finally slumped down. I felt intensely pained, but strangely relieved. It was a bizarre, paradoxical feeling.

The wind ended.

“Not bad,” said the tree, thoroughly impressed. “Maybe the wind will carry your message to her.”

“Maybe,” I said. What was I hoping for?

“If the message reaches her, what’ll you do?” asked the tree.

I thought for a bit. “I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I really don’t know.”

A soft breeze rustled the tree. I thought I could hear its smile.

“One day at a time,” the tree whispered. “Just take it one day at a time.”

Thanks, Kevin.

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I walk to the office most days, which is generally more pleasant than driving and certainly better for my health. Of course it was raining when I walked home tonight and my umbrella was safely in my hall closet. Oh well, I needed a shower anyway.

So, come on, let’s go for a walk…..

I exit the apartment walk past the elevator and go down two flights of stairs….

…into the basement parking garage. That’s my lonely car in the corner…..

Then out of the garage and onto my street…..

and past my neighborhood market. Picked up some small items there on a couple of occasions…

…then it is up this hill which is steeper than it appears….

….then I climb these stairs. There are sixty steps but some mornings it feels like more…

…but at the top I turn around and am rewarded with a nice vista of the Seoul skyline…

…but work beckons, so I walk on past the Turkish restaurant which I haven’t tried…

….and walk past this Mosque (which is responsible for my wake up calls on weekends when the call the faithful to prayer. Its just background noise to me though….

…turning right onto this road….

….and then I turn right again onto the bar drag. This street has a lot of raunchy bars with expensive “drinky girls” who try to tempt you into their lair with scantily clad bodies. But none of them are up this early in the morning so I have no temptations to deal with. Which by the way I do not succumb to in the dark of night either…..

…anyway, after a couple of blocks I turn left down this alley. In the evening it is packed with food vendors, but somehow seeing unrefridgerated food exposed to the elements does not whet my appetite….

…after crossing a major intersection (and dodging city buses and taxis) I continue down this alley….

…then I climb these stairs….

…and encounter a vendor setting up for breakfast. By the way, this is right in front of my home away from home, Sweet Caroline’s….

….and the main drag through Itaewon. It is nice and quiet in the morning. By afternoon it is so packed with street vendors and tourists it is difficult to walk….plus you have to fend off the guys wanting to sell you a custom made suit. Just as irratating as the drinky girls but not nearly as good looking….

…then I stroll past Mickey D’s (and no I have not had any desire to eat a quarter pounder or whatever they call them here. Too much good food to spend time and money in there)

Ah, the Itaewon arch….gateway to sleaze and decadence. That’s not fair, it is not really so bad, you just have to know which places to avoid and I have been quite successful at that….

They have this display of kimchi pots in the median. Man, to Koreans kimchi is the staff of life. They eat it with every meal (they literally reek of it). But hey, most of them are in good shape so maybe they are on to something. I don’t love kimchi, but it is quite tasty as a side dish….

…waiting for the light to change so I can cross this monster intersection in rush hour traffic….

I have seen no graffiti in this city, but somehow this mural strikes me as worse. I don’t know why, it just gives me the willies….

….walking on I pass the subway line I have ridden all of one time….

…I encounter a glimpse of spring’s promised arrival….

…almost there now. That bridge connects Main Post from South Post. My entry gate is at the base of the bridge. Sorry, I was a bit uncomfortable taking a picture of the Korean police who provide security at the gate. There are usually 20 or so of them and they carry these BIG sticks. Also, I don’t think we are supposed to take photos on post, so the last mile of my walk you will just have to imagine. Sorry ’bout that….

Objective achieved. Here I am safely at my desk ready for another day of doing the government’s work. All told, it is just over 30 minutes door to door.

Now, don’t you feel better for the exercise? Let’s go grab a beer…..

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