Got an email from a friend back home worried that I might be consumed in fire when the crazies up north reduce Seoul to ashes.  Ho hum.  It’s all so ridiculous and unsurprising.  I told him no one here takes DPRK rhetoric very seriously and it was tantamount to a spoiled child throwing a tantrum to get what he wants.  Sadly, it’s been a rather effective negotiating ploy as the ROK usually acquiesces with additional food, fertilizer and other aid.

I guess the only thing really interesting about this round of threats is they’ve moved on from “the sea of fire” imagery to the more creative special action that will “will reduce all the rat-like groups and the bases for provocations to ashes in three or four minutes, (or) in much shorter time, by unprecedented peculiar means and methods of our own style”.

Good luck with that.  In the meantime, here in the world of reality we will continue to mock the ineptitude of your government while feeling sorry for the poor people who had the misfortune to be born north of the 38th parallel.

Just in case they really, really mean it this time, I’m set to go out listening to Johnny Cash.