Spotlight on South Korea!

What a wonderful, complex, amazing nation.

We may think we know everything about South Korea. They love to protest, and when they protest, man, do they PROTEST. Fistfights in Parliament? No big deal. Sucking in lungfuls of police-fired CS gas on the streets? Bring it on. Yes -- South Koreans are scrappy.

But this is the same country that, quite literally, went into national mourning over the fact that one of their "own" -- a SECOND-GENERATION IMMIGRANT -- was responsible for killing more than 30 students at Virginia Tech University.

South Korean friends I have known are their own country's versions in a single person. Each is passionate, focused, in-your-face against injustice, but willing to be your best friend if everyone plays by the rules. They love to laugh, and love to eat. They will not hesitate to tell you American foreign policy is stupid -- and, usually, they're right. But if they know you, and they trust you, they'll die for you.

Look at the women in the photo. They know when to be combative, and when it is a time for contemplation.

My dad fought for South Korea in 1950. He has one South Korean friend to this day, who is still alive, with whom he corresponds. The bond he has made with him and his family will last beyond death.

Take some time to investigate this wonderful nation. What a lot of cool people.

~Waving to my special friend in Seoul, and my other friend in Suwon~ :)

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(I'm enjoying putting a spotlight on visitors' countries -- looks like it's going to be a regular feature :)

Public Kool-Aid drunkenness

Via The Macho Response:

"I've been a big fan of Sarah Silverman (I try to be a fan of all comedians), but this was a pretty dumb move on her part: accusing Jewish grandparents of being bigots and racists if they don't vote for Obama is just dumb. (Is it just me, or does the Obama campaign drive people to throw their grandparents under the bus?)"

Wow.

Read the whole thing.

What's wrong with conservatives today

Via The Blog of Walker:

"(I) know that I'm not the only one who's unhappy with the Conservatives right now.
And hey, maybe it's all meant to be for the greater good. After all, the Conservatives can do more good behind the wheel than when they're riding shotgun.

"They can reform Canada's out of control Human Rights Commissions. They can make sure that the Liberals' Green Shift nonsense doesn't have a chance to do the damage that it could.

"But quite frankly, they better deliver. Because I can't take much more backing down from Conservative values."

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Bam.

Plenty of discontent with our own homegrown versions to the south.

I allude specifically to the recent fraud, er, financial bailout. It wasn't the market itself that caused the crisis, as our Democratic friends are busy trying (increasingly successfully, sadly) to convince Americans. It was GREED.

Having said that, though, Republicans have done little, if anything, to rebut that. Another New Deal-type situation -- where none is needed -- is not only wrong, but dangerous. Don't they see the iron fist of Big Brother behind it all? Evidently not. Or they don't care. Or they're in league.

It's a trifecta of bad news for their constituents, and their voters.

"I can't take much more backing down from Conservative values."

Me neither, Walk-Man.

Palin by comparison

(image credit: Ruth Regina)

Quite possibly, the best Halloween costume ever.

(Via Instapundit, who sez, "Okay, this is just wrong.")

Don't worry -- be happy!

Spotlight: New Zealand!

So, I've got this cool thing called Google Analytics. The little site meter I have on here tells me how many people visit, and whether they're "unique" (aren't we all!) or referred, or whatever. But Google Analytics tells me WHERE Y'ALL COME FROM. And I think that's neat :)

I've had two visitors from Auckland, NZ, and one from Wellington. ~Waving~ :)

So, I thought I'd take some of the countries from whom I'd had visitors and put 'em in the spotlight.

Take a bow, beautiful New Zealand!

What is NOT to like about this country? (Except for the regrettable drain on its economy from adherence to the equally regrettable Kyoto Protocol)

The whole of it is straight out of a postcard -- the very nicest looking postcard you've ever received in your life. And the kicker is, you know -- you just KNOW -- that the real New Zealand is a thousand times more beautiful than any picture ever could be.

New Zealanders? I've spoken with a number of them, as a part of my job. Kind and friendly? Check. Humorous? Check. Laid back? Double-check. I'm sure there are angry and unpleasant New Zealanders somewhere. Perhaps all three of them will comment here ;)

I still haven't quite discerned the nuances between NZ accents and Australian -- and, believe it or not, to a certain extent, South African --

But, frankly, in another reality, I'd move there in a heartbeat.

Guess you'll have to behead me, Dad

Guess there's going to be one p***d-off Paternal Unit right now:

(image credit: Blazing Cat Fur)

"The daughter of the radical Islamic cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed is a pole dancer, it emerged last night.

"Yasmin Fostok, 27, has admitted rebelling against her father’s strict Muslim beliefs by performing semi-naked in London bars and nightclubs. ...

"Miss Fostok, who left the Bakri former home in North London four years ago, said: ‘I don’t get on with my dad. I don’t agree with his views - I just get on with my life and that is it.’"

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Ah. Yes.

Um ...

Mmmf. *snerkle*. *koff.*

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

(Via the Most Excellent Cat Fur of Blazing)