Morning Brief: Carter returns from Pyongyang, Kim to meet Hu

http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/node/395887

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Posted By Joshua Keating Friday, August 27, 2010 - 8:38 AM.

Today: Former President Jimmy Cater is leaving North Korea today along with freed American Aijalon Gomes. Gomes had been sentenced in April to eight years of hard labor for entering North Korea illegally.

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Carter arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday on a private diplomatic mission at the invitation of the North Korean government. It was suspected that North Korea would use the trip to push for an easing of U.S. sanctions, but it does not appear that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il met personally with Carter, as he did with former President Bill Clinton during a similar trip last year.

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Instead, Kim traveled by train to China on Wednesday night and will reportedly meet withPresident Hu Jintao of China today. Kim is reportedly traveling with his 27-year-old son Kim Jong Un, who is believed to be his father's chosen successor. Kim may be seeking the support of North Korea's largest ally for the succession. He is also likely seeking Chinese aid in response to chronic food shortages.

Burma's non-military junta

http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/08/27/burmas_non_military_junta

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by Joshua Keating

Friday, August 27, 2010 - 3:26 PM

Burmese leader Than Shwe, along with his second-, third-, and fourth-in-command, have resigned from the military ahead of upcoming elections. This is actually a tactic to make sure that members of the country's military elite -- whether in uniform or not -- retain overwhelming control over the government:

Under the country's new constitution, the newly created 440-member House of Representatives will have 110 military representatives along with 330 elected civilians. If retiring generals run for parliament they would not be counted in the military's quota although they are likely to enhance the army's influence in parliament.

The constitution also apparently states that the presidency must be held by civilian, but only one who is "well acquainted with the affairs of the Union, such as … the military".

Funny how that worked out.

이제야 공부가 재밌다.

2009/04/01 16:55

중학교 1학년..
시험보면서 울던 내모습이 떠오른다

(위의 사진은 당연히 내용과 직접적인 상관이 없음을 밝현둔다...아래 사진들도 마찬가지다:)
왜?
모르는 문제가가 나와서...
당시에 난 시험점수와 등수 가 인생의 전부같았다
공부는 싫고, 무서운 것이었다


고등학교 3학년..
부모님의 바램인 의대 대신
독어 독문학과 를 가기로 마음먹고 이과에서 문과로 옮겼다

당시에 헤르만헤세, 루이제린저의 책을 좋아한 나는
'독립선언"을 하는 심정으로 부모님께 저항하며 대학을 선택했다
대학만 가면 내가 원하는 것을 배울 수 있다고 생각하며 입시공부에 매진했다

대학..
난 공부에서 손땠다
내가 배우고 싶은것은 학교 수업시간에는 배울 수가 없었다.

어떻게 사는 게 행복한 삶인지

왜 세상이 이모양인지
정말 좋은 학점과 토익점수가 내 인생을 아름답게 만들어줄 수 있는건지..


대학에 입학한 그 해
나와 같은 나이의 남자아이가 시위에 참석했다가 전투경찰들의 손에 맞아 죽었고,
두살 많은 언니는 군홧발에 밟혀서 죽었다. 1991년의 봄..

아무래도 ..
공부에 전념할 수 없었다
난 질질 울면서 ,무서워 떨면서
거리에서 대부분의 시간을 보냈다
어떻게든 세상이 변하길 원했다.

우연히 연극을 보러갔다가 단원으로 입단하고
포스터 붙이면서 처음 본 대학로 연극
'여자는 무엇으로사는가 '를 보고 또 봤다
매일 두번씩 한달 보름을 보다보니 대사를 다 외웠
그리고 펑크를 낸 배우대신 무대에 섰다

쟁쟁한 선배들 틈에서 그야말로 매일이 공부였고 훈련이었다

그렇게 다른 배우들이 바뀔때 난 계속 그역할로 무대에 섰고
1년가까이 그 공연을 하면서
지금 내가 연기에 대해 알고 있는 거의 대부분을 그무대에서 익혔다

도망가고 싶을 때가 한두번이 아니었지만
난 연기하는 게 좋았다.
그래서 스스로 익히고 배우는 것도 좋았다

난 여전히 연기하는 순간을 사랑한다
그러나 그순간은 내 삶 에서 그리 오래, 만족할만큼 지속되지 않는다

기다리고, 준비하고,초조해지고, 고민하고..

지금도 많은 연기자들이 그런시간속에 있을 것이다
과연 내가 다시 연기할 수 있을까, 누군가 나를 원할까? 기다리고 기다리고 기다리고..

뉴욕으로 연기공부를 하러 가기도 하고,
여행을 다니고
책을보고 다른 연기자들의 연기를 보고..

그러면서 난
솔직히 인정해야만 했다
이것만으로 충분히 행복하지가 않아 ...

공부를 시작했다
내 마음에 대하여,
세상에 대하여,
사람에 대하여...

세상은 지금
'경기불황'이 가장 큰 문제라고 여기고있다

나도 뼈저리게 느끼고 있다.T.T

그래도
난 우리가 행복하지 못한 이유가 꼭 '경제불항'때문만은 아닌 것 같다

왜냐면
내가 행복했던 많은 순간들을 떠올려보며
수중에 돈이 많고 적음과는 별 상관이 없었기 때문이다
행복하지 못한 순간..
돈이 없어서....는 아니었다

연극 할 때
한달에 10만원도 벌지 못할 때
지하철값 아끼려고 걸어다니던 그 때
난 불행하지 않았다
오히려 행복할 때가 더 많았다

절대 빈곤의 상황 에서
끼니를 때우기가 어려운상황에서
행복하기란 거의 불가능하겠지

그래도
돈만 벌면,
경제만 살리면 모든것이 해결될거라 생각하지 않는다.
확신한다

요즘 내 관심은 내 블로그 이름처럼
'무조건 행복'이다

난 행복하고싶다
당신도 행복했으면 좋겠다

이렇게 확실한 목표가 생기니 공부가 재밌다
매일매일 배운다
책을보고
강의도 듣고
사람들과 의견을 나눈다.
마음을 나눈다

아니 만나는 사람 한명한명이 다 스승이다
가는 곳이 다 학교다

어떤 공부를 어떻게 하고 있는지
학교다니며
나만의 핵심정리 노트를 만들었듯이
이곳에 적어보려한다...
공짜로 공개도한다..큰맘먹고...


TO BE CONTINUED...

COMING SOON...

What do you think about human rights (and your rights) online?

https://www.google.com/moderator/#16/e=23d2d

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Human rights content on YouTube is changing the way that activists, citizens, and organizations discover and share stories of injustice around the world. But there are many complex questions to consider in this space. . YouTube and Witness, a human rights video advocacy and training organization, have been writing a series of blog posts examining the role of online video in human rights - and now we want to hear from you. Learn more in this blog post, and submit your answers and ideas to the questions below. . http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2010/08/what-do-you-think-about-human-rights.html . How can uploaders balance privacy concerns with the need for wider exposure? How can we stay alert to human rights footage without getting de-sensitized to it? Does human rights content online require some kind of special status? We'll address some of the top-voted ideas in a future blog post. .

39 people have submitted 17 ideas and cast 105 votes but what do you think?

A Letter From New Campus Pastor Jeremy

http://journeyon.net/blogs/jeremy-irwin/letter-new-campus-pastor-jeremy

08.20.10

Home › Blogs › Jeremy Irwin › A Letter From New Campus Pastor Jeremy

Dear HR Family,

Grace and peace to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am profoundly thrilled and privileged to begin serving you as the Campus Pastor of Hanley Road!

Several months ago, the elders asked me to consider transitioning from Worship Director at The Journey to HR Campus Pastor. As my beautiful wife Megan and I considered this opportunity, we talked, prayed, and sought wise counsel from trusted friends/advisors. The more we did so, the more excited we became about this opportunity to serve you and our King Jesus. So, we have accepted the offer!

In the last four years at The Journey, God has richly blessed us. When we arrived, we experienced some much-needed Gospel healing. Honestly, we were both disillusioned by the church and angry at God. The Gospel-centered teaching of Pastor Darrin was life-changing for us. God’s grace began to sink down deeper into our hearts. “For God demonstrated His love for us in this, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8). Amen! Our love for Jesus began to grow and we deeply resonated with the core values of the church – truth, worship, beauty, community, and mission.

As a result, we quickly began to lead a community group and I started leading worship, first at West County, then at Tower Grove. After graduating from Covenant Theological Seminary in May ’09, I came on staff as the Worship Director and have been gladly fulfilling that role since then.

During that time, God continued to impress upon my heart a desire to expand my leadership by becoming a Campus Pastor. I knew that God had given me the ability to lead, shepherd, and teach. And I wanted to honor him by pursuing that calling - “to equip the saints for the work of ministry” (Eph. 4:12). Yet I needed further development so that I could better, “set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim 4:12). Again, God was gracious and has given me great mentors. I am grateful to my brothers and sisters on staff at The Journey, as well as all the volunteers and people with whom I have interacted. They have played an integral role in shaping me as a disciple of Christ and as a leader of God’s people.

So now, I am entering a new season of service to King Jesus. I am very excited and yet soberingly aware of the high stakes and my own shortcomings. I will do my best and when I fail, I will, Lord willing, repent quickly and thoroughly. Like you, my hope is in Christ – that He will build His church, that He will lead and guide me and you as we lead and guide others to Him. May the Lord grant us great faith and teachable spirits.

Please pray for my wife and me. And come introduce yourselves to us! We want to get to know you quickly. I am here to serve you and equip you for the work of Gospel ministry, as Jesus Christ empowers me, so that we can live out the mission to which God has called us - “to make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19).

Hanley Road, I am exceedingly glad to be here with you. May the Lord continue to work in us and through us, often despite us, to reach St. Louis with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Blessings, Jeremy Irwin

• Jeremy Irwin's blog

Jennifer Aniston, Jon Stewart laugh about their awkward first date

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/celebrity.news.gossip/08/20/jennifer.aniston.jon.stewart.ppl/?hpt=Sbin

By Kate Hogan, PEOPLE.com

August 20, 2010 6:19 p.m. EDT

(PEOPLE.com) -- Before Pitt, Vaughn and Mayer, there was Stewart -- Jon Stewart, that is.

When Jennifer Aniston visited "The Daily Show" Thursday night, the talk-show host reminded her that they'd shared a romantic Italian meal in New York City more than a decade ago. But their recollections of the evening were, to say the least, somewhat conflicting.

"I asked you out," Stewart said. "And it was lovely. I remember you brought so many of your friends. And I remember thinking, 'She's so excited to be on a date with me, she wants me to get to know her posse.' "

Aniston saw things differently. "If I remember correctly, wasn't it sort of like, 'Hey, a group of us are going out, do you want to join?' " she asked.

Regardless of who possesses the better memory, Stewart still has fond feelings for his would-be flame. "You were lovely then and lovely now," he said.

See full article at PEOPLE.com

Three Grounds of Appeal for the Duch Verdict from the Cambodia Tribunal

http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/international_law/2010/08/appeal-of-the-duch-verdict.html

Aug. 20, 2010

As reported earlier, the Co-Prosecutors for the Extraordinary Courts of the Chambers of Cambodia (ECCC) have filed an appeal of the Trial Chamber's judgment against Kaing Guek Eav (also known as "Duch"). This post sets out the three grounds of appeal in the co-prosecutors' notice of appeal.

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The ECCC Trial Chamber issued its judgment on July 26, 2010, sentencing Kaing Guek Eav to 35 years imprisonment, but giving him credit for 11 years already served and a further reduction of five years because he had been illegally held without charges for nine of the 11 years served. The co-prosecutors now appeal on three grounds.

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First, the Co-Prosecutors claim that the Trial Chamber gave insufficient weight to the gravity of the crimes, his role and willing participation in those crimes, and other aggravating circumstances. The Co-Prosecutors also said that the Trial Chamber gave undue weight to mitigating circumstances. The Co-Prosecutors also stated that the sentence failed to consider the relevant international sentencing law and that the sentence imposed fell outside the range of sentences available.

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Second, the Co-Prosecutors claim that the Trial Chamber erred in not issuing cumulative sentences for the crimes against humanity of enslavement, imprisonment, torture, rape, extermination, and other inhumane acts, and by subsuming those crimes in the crime against humanity of persecution on political grounds. The Co-Prosecutors also stated that the Trial Chamber erred by characterizing the crime against humanity of rape as torture, and by failing to convict him cumulatively for the distinct crimes against humanity of rape and torture.

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Third, the Co-Prosecutors claim that the Trial Chamber erred in using a definition of the crime against humanity of enslavement that required forced labor as an essential element. They claim that the Trial Court erred in not sentencing Duch for the enslavement of persons who were not subjected to forced labor in the S-21 prison.

Click here to read the notice of appeal.

Security or Privacy? Courts Split on Warrantless GPS Tracking

http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2010/08/16/security-or-privacy-courts-split-on-warrantless-gps-tracking/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+wsj/law/feed+(WSJ.com:+Law+Blog)

AUGUST 16, 2010

By Clifford M. Marks

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Earlier this month, we posted about a ruling in a federal appeals court that threw out a drug trafficking conviction because police had attached a GPS tracking device to a suspect’s car without obtaining a warrant.

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Well, the New York Times over the weekend took a broader look at the burgeoning legal debate surrounding GPS tracking. The DC Circuit may have sided with privacy advocates, who worry police gain too much information from round-the-clock GPS surveillance, but three other circuits have ruled the other way.

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Proponents of the technology say GPS tracking is analogous to the low-tech police tactic of trailing a suspect’s vehicle. In a case before the Seventh Circuit, Judge Richard Posner wrote that the Fourth Amendment “cannot sensibly be read to mean that police shall be no more efficient in the 21st century than they were in the 18th. There is a tradeoff between security and privacy, and often it favors security.”

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Privacy got the nod in the DC decision, though, with Judge Douglas Ginsburg concerned that unceasing nature of GPS monitoring crossed a line: “A person who knows all of another’s travels can deduce whether he is a weekly churchgoer, a heavy drinker, a regular at the gym, an unfaithful husband, an outpatient receiving medical treatment, an associate of particular individual or political groups — and not just one such fact about a person, but all such facts.”

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Several state supreme courts have also weighed in with decisions that say their constitutions require that police obtain a warrant before attaching a GPS device to a suspect’s vehicle, reports the Times.

Given the circuit split, the case may well make it to the Supreme Court. Until then, the line will remain too uncertain, worries Orin Kerr, a GW Law professor and former federal computer-crimes prosecutor.

“Police will never know whether they have violated the Fourth Amendment until some judge tells them,” he told the Times.

Domestic violence as torture

Dr. Mary Hansel

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 02:24 AM PDT

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Recently, reports of detainee abuse in the “war on terror” have dominated the international legal discourse on torture. This focus on detainee abuse, however, should not obscure developments concerning the most common and pervasive form of torture: domestic violence.

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Last summer, a landmark judgment for victims of domestic violence, Opuz v. Turkey (2009), was handed down by the European Court of Human Rights (below right). The Court found the Republic of Turkey liable for torture or inhuman or degrading treatment, under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, because local officials had failed to prevent and redress the abuse of Nahide Opuz and her mother by Opuz' husband. The Court concluded that the state’s response to the abuse “was manifestly inadequate to the gravity of the offences in question,” in spite of noting that the Turkish authorities “did not remain totally passive” and that “ill-treatment must attain a minimum level of severity if it is to fall within the scope of Article 3.” Turkey was ordered to pay Opuz 30,000 euros in compensation for violating Articles 2, 3, and 14of the European Convention.

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For years, human rights bodies have recognized that state failures with respect to domestic violence can amount to torture. An example is General Comment No. 2 - Implementation of article 2 by States parties, issued in 2008 by the Committee Against Torture.

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The ECHR decision in Opuz, however, seems to mark the first time that an international or regional court has held a state accountable for domestic violence, between partners, under a theory of torture — thus establishing the justiciability of the concept. Yet this aspect of the holding has received surprisingly little media attention.

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The lack of coverage may be partially due to the fact that, as IntLawGrrl Stephanie Farrior pointed out in a prior post, theOpuz judgment was also remarkable in other respects, including its acknowledgment of domestic violence as a potential form of gender discrimination.

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Women’s rights advocates have been pushing for greater recognition of domestic violence as a breach of international human rights for decades, and have made enormous jurisprudential strides. Seminal cases such as Velásquez Rodríguez v. Honduras, decided in 1998 by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (left), helped establish the concept of state accountability for transgressions by non-state actors. Moreover, the traditional view that domestic violence is inherently a family matter beyond the purview of the state has been challenged by cases like Bevacqua and S. v. Bulgaria, rendered by the European Court of Human Rights in 2008.

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As a result, state failures to prevent and redress domestic violence can now beunderstood to violate a range of human rights. The late Rhonda Copelon (right), to whom I have dedicated this post, explained in early 2009:

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The next step in this legal and cultural revolution is to treat gender violence as torture. So far, rape — in war, by the state and where the state does not take measures against it — has been acknowledged in international law as an act of torture. Domestic violence — the most private and most common of all forms of gender violence — is on its way.

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The Opuz holding is an important milestone in this regard.

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The benefits of a “torture” designation are manifold, and have normative as well as practical value in enhancing legal protections for domestic violence victims:

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► These victims of stand to gain from the jus cogens status of the prohibition of torture. It confers a heightened level of international condemnation and sends a clear message that domestic violence is an unqualified violation of human rights.

► Another benefit is the resultant availability of the protections and complaint mechanisms that exist for torture. These can bolster international legal protection for victims of domestic violence.

► A third benefit is the synergistic effect of combining the efforts and resources of advocates focused on feminist issues with those of international human rights generalists.

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As Copelon articulated:

Simply recognizing domestic violence as torture will not solve the problem of domestic violence. But . . . it will help make domestic violence a front burner issue, hastening both the impartiality, adequacy and appropriateness of official responses and the cultural revolution that demands absolute and unconditional condemnation of such violence.

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Accordingly, as the world laments the mounting evidence of torture perpetrated in the “war on terror,” the same sense of indignation and urgency must be extended to the private torture that countless people endure on a daily basis.