Yesterday we traveled out to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that divides the capitalist/democratic South from the communist North in Korea. Sitting in a lookout tower/tourist trap, we gazed out upon a land of… fog. Truly, we could not see a foot beyond the windows at first. A few minutes later the fog began to lift and we took in the sight of a beautiful, unspoilt-looking broad valley that encompasses the line of demarcation. Thanks to M-16s and land mines, the region has largely returned to its pre-war state in a swatch 2km wide on either side of the border.
June 2005 Archives
May Peace Prevail in Korea
The 2008 Global Council Is Born
Last night, at a fabulous buffet dinner 22 stories above the heart of Seoul, we said goodbye to the 2005 URI Global Council and welcomed in only the second Global Council of the United Religions Initiative. Amidst heartfelt welcomes from our Buddhist hosts for the evening, we were reminded that not only was this weekend the birthday of the UN (60th) and the URI (5th), and the anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War (55th) — but it was also the 60th anniversary of the division of the Korean peninsula itself, which they say was agreed upon in a secret meeting of the Americans and Soviets in Yalta.
Flight to Seoul and Staff Retreat Day
Thus far the trip has been wonderful and without incident (at least for me). Left home at 4:30 AM CDT and went to sleep at about 7:30 AM CDT the next day. Did manage to sleep on the plane some, thankfully. And surprisingly well fed through the journey.
Yellow Journalism and the URI
A recent article on George Lucas, the Presidio, and the URI in the Canada Free Press is an excellent example of the yellow journalism that now plagues the Internet, particularly in the blogging domain. Instead of providing the courtesy of a link to the article, I'll just talk about it instead. Some might say I'm engaging in a yellow tactic myself &mdash but then again, I don't claim to be producing news at Conscientia.
Intel + Apple = Microsoft Killer?
16 Days from Seoul
Getting mentally prepared for a trip to Seoul, South Korea in a few weeks... I'll be there for the URI Global Council meeting. Arriving the same day as an important diplomatic meeting between North and South, also in Seoul. And I'll be there for the 55th anniversary of the Korean War, the 60th anniversary of the UN, and the 5th anniversary of the URI. It promises to be an amazing and intense time.