A BIT OF SERENITY FOR SUNDAY: IN THE "SECRET GARDEN" OF CHANGDUK PALACE

IN THE 

"SECRET GARDEN" 

CHANGDUK PALACE 

(CHANGDEOK PALACE) 

Seoul, South Korea 

The Garden is formally called the Huwon (Rear Garden) 

The Palace is a World Heritage Site 

Another view here  

THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY SETS THE DATE...FOR THE 18TH NATIONAL CONGRESS

THE 18th PARTY CONGRESS 

IS ON (November 8, 2012) 

BO XILAI IS OUT 

THE 17th CONGRESS OF THE CCP 
(Chinese Communist Party), October 2007 
BO XILAI sits in the last row  
second from left 
He can be seen more clearly here 
(includes something of the backstory) 

BRIDGE ON THE RIVER HAN ... THE NIGHT VIEW I

NIGHTTIME 

ON THE HAN RIVER 

LOOKING UP 

FROM DOWN 

Seoul, South Korea 

Sailing on the river 
at night here 

A CRUISE SHIP DOCKS IN VLADIVOSTOK

CRUISE SHIP 

DOCKED IN 

VLADIVOSTOK 

A LATE SUMMER'S DAY 
VLADIVOSTOK, RUSSIA 

Vladivostok: 
  Russia's "Window on the East"? here 

SMILES OF A SUMMER'S ALMOST-TWILIGHT...ON THE WAY BACK FROM THE DMZ

TWO SHOPKEEPERS 

BEFRIEND 

A WEARY TRAVELER  

ON THE WAY BACK 

FROM THE KOREAN 

DEMILITARIZED ZONE 

JOE KENNEDY IS SIXTY

JOSEPH P. KENNEDY, II 

b. September 24, 1952 

JOE KENNEDY 

Not Quite Twenty 

Published on p. 1 of the 

July 11, 1972, issue of 

Women's Wear Daily 

Rep. Joseph Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1987-1999 (biography here).  He is the founder of Citizens Energy Corporation and currently its Chairman and President (information and contemporary photographs here and here). 

IN THE KYONGBOK PALACE THRONE ROOM

A VIEW OF  THE KYONGBOK 

PALACE THRONE ROOM 

DETAILS FROM THE  

GEUNJEONGJEON THRONE HALL 

of the 

Gyeongbok (Kyongbok) Palace 

Seoul, South Korea 

NIGHTTIME AT THE INCHEON AIRPORT

EMPTY IS THE AIRPORT 
AT NIGHT 
INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA 

SEEN THROUGH THE WINDOW 
OF THE IN-AIRPORT HOTEL 

LET'S DANCE TO SATURDAY: B-BOYS AT THE PALACE II

B-BOYS AT THE PALACE 

"LAST FOR ONE" 
GYEONGBOK PALACE 
(Kyongbok Palace) 
Seoul, South Korea 
one week ago Saturday 

Much more here 

"ON GUARD" AT THE DMZ

ART ON GUARD 

AT THE DMZ 

ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE 

OF THE KOREAN BORDER 

WHAT DO YOU SEE AT THE DMZ?

AT THE 

DEMILITARIZED ZONE 

ON THE SOUTH KOREAN 

SIDE OF THE BORDER 

Looking Northward 

Standing on the South Korean side of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), above a valley, seeing what there is to be seen.  High-power binoculars provided (fixed at the wall; see above).  For a price.  No photographs allowed at the wall, or for several feet in front of it.  Hold high the camera. 

HAROLD BROWN TURNS EIGHTY-FIVE

HAROLD BROWN 

b. September 19, 1927 

HAROLD BROWN 
as Secretary of Defense 
(January 21, 1977-January 20, 1981) 
testifying on Capitol Hill 

Dr. Harold Brown (Ph.D., Physics) was "the first scientist to become secretary of defense."  His Pentagon biography is here. 

PUTIN SAYS "NYET" TO USAID

THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT

CALLS FOR AN END TO

USAID IN RUSSIA

VLADIMIR PUTIN

GIVES THE HOOK TO THE

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

What are we talking about, and what amounts of money? According to the Washington Post: "USAID, which has been working in Russia since shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union, had budgeted $49.47 million for Russian programs for fiscal 2012, with 59 percent of that directed for programs supporting democracy and civil society, 37 percent designated for health projects and 4 percent for environmental programs." So, not huge amounts, but demoralizing for the recipients in tough times for "supporting democracy." At the government-to-government level, this is the judgment call of the Post: "No matter who wins the presidential election in November, the expulsion is likely to make relations with Russia even less of a priority for Washington than it has been in recent years, which might or might not suit Putin’s needs."

B-BOYS AT THE PALACE I

SATURDAY MOVES 

"LAST FOR ONE" 
Gyeongbok Palace 
(Kyongbok Palace) 
Seoul, South Korea 

More Moves here 

WINDOW ON THE EAST? FROM THE APEC SUMMIT, VLADIVOSTOK 2012

RUSSIA'S 
"WINDOW ON THE EAST"? 

THROUGH THE 
WINDOW WALL OF 
THE APEC 2012 MEETING HALL 
RUSSKY ISLAND 
VLADIVOSTOK, RUSSIA 

PAUL VOLCKER CELEBRATES EIGHTY-FIVE

PAUL A. VOLCKER 
b. September 5, 1927 

PAUL VOLCKER 

as 

Chair of the Federal Reserve Board 

For more Volcker, see here and here