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andyim0517
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Name: Andy
Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States
Gender: Male
Interests: theology, reading, tennis, sociology, food, cooking, UNC basketball, travelling, friends, sports, politics, history, hiking, camping...
Message: message meEmail: email me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
1/3/2006
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| last week on thursday afternoon at roughly 11am, i began my trek across the united states from north carolina to california. let me tell you, that drive is not one to jump up and down for.
i can see why the likes of sang yim, myself, my cousin tracey pae, and countless others have finished that journey in record time. the mid-west is one bleak, brown, and desolate looking place (at least along I-40) that cannot but leave you feeling lonely and isolated.
it's a journey that's supposed to take up to 3-5 days but i finished it in two. i stopped once to sleep for 6 hours early friday morning. that was the only stop i was to make.
but finally making it to sang yim's at riverside, CA made it all worthwhile. he even let me sleep in his bed, which i'm totally thankful for. we spent the sabbath together, hung out with mutual friends and family (jessica bong, tracey pae, sang yim, and myself), and by sunday morning, i began the journey to weimar college.
so, here i am at weimar. for those of you who don't know, i will be teaching religion at the college here (in addition to being the men's dean and teaching some at the academy). i am joining dr. ron dupreez who will be chairing the religion department and dr. Leroy moore. please keep us in your prayers!
anyways, if ANY of you, for whatever reason, will be near or around sacramento or san francisco, please drop on by to weimar! know that you will have a place to stay, free of charge with over-abundant and radiant hospitality.
until next time, God bless!
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| Sgt. John Bruhns on the consequences of collateral damage
"If we return fire [from Iraqi insurgents] with overwhelming firepower, and...a 13 year old girl gets killed, you're just going to have to assume right then and there that her father, and her brother, and her uncles, they're not going to say Sadam Hussein was a bad guy and thank the United States for...liberating us. They're going to say if the U.S. never came here, my daughter would still be alive. And that's going to cause them to join the Resistance, and when they do join the resistance, President Bush says, 'They're Al-Quaida, They're Al-Quaida,' but they're not. They're just regular Iraqi people who feel occupied and they're reacting to an occupation..."
Will the situation in Iraq get any better? Do we have 'just cause' for the war?
As a so-called "Christian" nation, is this the best way to exemplify Christian values?
Is it wise to fight a war that instills in the minds of both Christians and Muslims, an "us" versus "them" mentality?
For more in-depth coverage and testimonials from U.S. soldiers on the killings and abuses of innocent Iraqi citizens read the breaking story (link): http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070730/hedges
Let me warn you however, their stories are not for the weak or faint-hearted. It's an honest, tear-inducing, and graphic portrayal of the realities of war...
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| I recently listened to Michael Moore's interview by Amy Goodman of Democracy Now on his latest documentary film entitled "Sicko." And, I must admit I have seen the bootlegged version that has been running around the internet, but it was simply too tempting NOT to watch it. I must say, it is a truly poignant and gripping film that unveils the egregious atrocities resulting from the current healthcare system in America.
The United States is the wealthiest nation in the world, yet we are ranked a dismal 37th globally in terms of healthcare (behind Costa Rica, Chile, Columbia, Oman, Saudia Arabia and only a few slots above Cuba). This is in spite of the fact that the "U.S. health system spends a higher portion of its gross domestic product [on healthcare] than any other country" in the world (according to the WHO). Yes, we may have the best doctors and the most innovative technology, but the realistic accessibility to these healthcare needs are well under par when compared to other, even less developed countries. The film is a definite "must see" for those in the healthcare profession.
You may not agree with everything Moore says (esp. his left-leaning ideology), but he proposes some convincing arguments in favor of universal healthcare. The common understanding that Canada, Great Britain, and France, for example, having subpar healthcare systems because they are government owned and based on a free-for-all system is somewhat unjustifiable. For one, France was ranked number one (out of 191 countries), and Britain 18th (England spends just 6% of its GDP on health services, while providing free healthcare to all its citizens) when it comes to overall healthcare performance.
Also, doctors in these countries are not driving around in Pintos. You don't have to wait months and years in order to get treated. And truth be told, citizens in these countries are quite satisfied with their healthcare, and I would add, a lot less stressed.
Go and see for yourself!!
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| Some pics of my recent trip to Asia for your viewing pleasure!
In Korea we stayed at the Hotel Riviera, a nice 4-star hotel.
Unfortunately, that wouldn't be the case in Vietnam, Cambodia,
and Thailand...
Danny, myself, and Daniel (Jannie's brother)
eating in Myung-dong, famous for its
kar-gook-su...
Newlyweds Young and Julie took us to
Red Mango, a popular ice-cream joint
 
meeting up with some family and friends...
THAILAND SDA friends and contacts...
exotic fruits...
   
exotic beaches and resorts, namely krabi, Railay,
Phi Phi, and Phuket...
     
typical bungalows of Thailand...
we stayed in the one directly below....
a 5-star bungalow out of our price range...
the view from our resort lobby on phi phi island...
our bungalow on phi phi...and the view from the balcony!!
 
more scenic delicacies...
     
a gas station in Phuket
an artsy place to stay in Bangkok
 
MBK, THE place to shop for fake designer wear including
close but no cigar Rolex's, 7 jeans, Nike, Adidas,
you name it...they have it!
and if u fancy the real stuff...
CAMBODIA
traffic on the streets of Phnom Phen
using cuteness to sell...and it works!!
 
faces of women killed by the Pol Pot regime...
CAMBODIA'S Ankor Wat
 
 
VIETNAM
 
 
weaving through the absurd traffic on our "cyclos" was a
delightful way to spend our afternoon...
....their markets are CRAZY!
Pho for about 75 cents...
 
Vietnam's Notre Dame looks like a sweatshop to me!?
what's left of the War...
U.S. soldiers would fall down these traps set up by the
Vietcong...
the infamous miles and miles of tunnels is totally crazy...
only small, short asians could fit in them though!
well....that's about it for now!!!
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| After essentially three sleepless nights studying for finals and writing papers, it feels nice to know that I can put that all behind me. Tomorrow I will be embarking on a wonderful journey to Asia. It's kinda crazy, but I'm going to be gone for a whole month. I will be visiting the islands of Krabi, Phuket, and Phi Phi (in Thailand), in addition to Siem Reap and Phnom Phen in Cambodia, and hopefully Hanoi and Saigon too! Oh yea, I'll be going to Korea too, but I'm not a big fan of Korea. Sad, I know being Korean n' all. So, anyways, I'm sitting here in the business center of the hotel I'm staying in just thinking what this month-long trip is going to be like. I can't even imagine. I mean, I've been to both Thailand and Cambodia before, but never on vacation like this. And I wonder what Vietnam is going to be like? Is their Pho going to taste like it does here? And will I get to eat the new, odorless Durian that I've been reading about? My brother Danny and his wife Jannie offered me a trip to Asia several months ago, free of charge, airplane ticket n' all. How could I refuse? Yea, I have a really nice brother and sister in law. All I have to do is keep them company! Oh, and her brother is also coming along. Cool isn't it?? Anyhow. I better get to sleep. I have a long, grueling flight tomorrow! I will try and keep you guys updated from time to time. until then....keep us in your prayers! I will try and do the same... | | |
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