Spring Post #1

Yes, Spring is here. The flowers are growing and blooming. I will try to get some photos up from the flower festival in Yeoido.

This week is also election week in Korea. If I were to vote/allowed to vote, I would vote for the guy bowing to everyone off the back of a moving truck. That's commitment! He is also this week's 'Man of the Moment'. I will try to get his name and maybe even a photograph.

As some of you know, I subscribe to 'The Economist' and 'The Korea Herald'. The Economist this week, in a review of "The Three Trillion Dollar War: The True Cost of the Iraq Conflict" reminds the reader that now the world knows for sure that Saddam Hussein can not get his hands on weapons of mass destruction. A repugnant statement as any weapons Hussein had were provided by the US for his war against Iran. I am still surprised that the Americans 'knew' he had chemical and biological weapons when inspectors could not find any. Obviously, he had them under his bed in the palace. And I suppose that even though they still had the receipt for the weapons sales, the US administration forgot they had taken/destroyed any chemical and biological weapons Hussein had during the invasion in 1991.
Curiously, before the quest to restore Kuwaiti democracy (Kuwait didn't have a democratic government at this point but now has the oldest directly elected parliament of any Persian Gulf nation, dating to 1991) nearly everyone had built up Iraq's military to staggering proportions. A country of 17 million people had 500,000 soldiers in arms, 5000 tanks, chemical weapons, a nuclear program (!) and underground airfields (!!). The liberating forces were compensated/thanked to the tune of US$17 billion for their efforts.

Finally, things to do this week:
1. Write to my Russian penfriend. I am a very bad penfriend. Sorry :(
2. Plan something for Tuesday night and Wednesday. Elections here are, unlike in Australia which are on Saturdays, public holidays. A day in the park near my house would be great if the weather permits.
3. Find something cool for my classroom. Preferably Greek.

And, Happy Birthday to my brother and sister. Born on 6th and 7th April a year apart! Miss you guys!