Earthquakes, underground nuclear tests

The recent slew of underground movements of tectonic plates should indeed raise eyebrows from geologists to turn their attention to the war mongers, who have been testing nuclear bombs underground over the past years. While I only attended Geo101, my suspicion is that the tectonic movements could have been accelerated and exacerbated by these tests. Indeed, Indonesia which bore the brunt of the plate movements, which inflicted untold hardships and misery on its people, is not responsible for any of these underground test but still there is room for experts to take a closer look at the occurrences.

Today, Iran is anxiously trying to join the ranks of the nuclear powers with North Korea competing and behaving like the antics of two spoilt kids trying to rush for a toy. In the context of the unnerving soil movements seen globally, from Taiwan across to Japan, down to Indonesia and the Mediterranean, we have to circumspect in doing what we think others can't see - underground. The ramification of one country's actions is taking a toll on another, with the loss of many innocent lives.

It is timely that a multi-disciplinary team of experts should dwell on this matter, and an organization like the United Nations should assemble it team of learned individuals to put the matter under the microscope. Alas, if we don't do something, we may all end up as - who knows - just nothing as the world disappears into dust.

Jailing of US Journalists by North Korea

The job of a journalist is invariably demanding. Not only are they expected to bring the latest news to the world, they are often challenged by difficult circumstances to get the "breaks" so that we could be better informed of what's going on around us. The London news break about MPs who were making unacceptable expenses claims is one fine example of journalism. Often journalists are also made the scape goats by politicians and other newsmakers when events turned sour, or used as hostages for political mileage. The case of the two US journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who have been sentenced to 12 years hard labour by the North Korean regime is one case that comes to mind. North Korea must be punished for its habit of snatching citizens of other countries. They did this to countless Japanese. Now they turned to the two US journalists. A concerted effort must be made by the world to force the North Koreans to comply with civilized behaviour. Kim Jong Il must be put in his place. China must bear some responsibility for mollycoddling a despotic political leader. There is a time and a place for everyone. A mad man has his place in a mental institute, not at the helm of a government that is driving its people to doom.

The world community has enough of these antics. Some sense needs to be knocked into the head of Kim Jong Il. He is the one who should be in the hard labour camp. I hope it comes sooner than later.

Obama's Young Team

The team of key office bearers announced by President-elect Obama is indeed something to watch when the New Year unfolds. The average age is about 55 years and this group will certainly bring a new perspective to the White House. In fact this is about the first time that the White House will be steered by such a large group of post-War leaders whose experiences and perspectives will hopefully bring a new freshness into US role as a leader in world politics.

Hitherto the US has been brandishing its might and roared at anyone who gets in its way. No doubt the US has shown its willingness to sit on the negotiating table in several instances, and North Korea nuclear talks is one good example, but its patience often fall short after a while. Dealing with others in the past by dangling aid and other incentives might have worked, but not so for Pyongyang whose pygmied leader seems to apply a different brand of negotiation skills. The mainland Chinese were famous to the point of notoriety for delaying in coming to an amicable conclusion. They would procrastinating in the hope that the opposite party would eventually give in out of frustration. The Koreans are worse. They don't show what they are willing to put on the table and you end up getting frustrated for coming to the table to talk. Suffice to say, there would have been Think Tanks who would have studied the psychology and the techniques of the Korean negotiating style to be able to advise the US negotiators a key that would fit the hole to open up Pyongyang. However, so far this seems to have eluded the Americans. I had occasion to negotiate in a trade dispute with a South Korean. Certainly there is a difference between the northerners and the southerners, but if the techniques adopted by the south is anything to come by, I can understand the difficulties face by the US nuclear negotiators. The stand taken by my counterparty was that their position was non-negotiable, and there was no such thing as a win-win outcome.

Perhaps Obama's young team would have some tricks up their sleeves that may well undo what the outcoming US administration has not succeeded over the past years. Or, am I putting too much expectations on Obama's new team...