August 2007

This week we’ll have to start the process to get Susana’s U.S. passport, her Social Security number, and register her birth as a U.S. citizen born abroad. One of the passport requirements is a 2×2 photo, against a white background, with the baby’s eyes open and no parents’ hands in the frame.

Our solution? The changing table photo studio. Here she is getting ready for her closeup.

I’ll be taking an extended break from blogging to enjoy the arrival of our daughter.Susana JillBorn: August 8, 20073:43 a.m.Samsung Medical CenterShe wasn’t expected until early September, but somehow decided that seeing Seoul in August was a good idea.Just after she was born, one of the nurses told me: “Your daughter was looking at the sky.”At the time, I thought it was such a beautiful and mystical thing to say (if a bit strange). She then clarified that Susana was born sunny-side up with her face toward the ceiling, which made the birth more difficult.I think I prefer the first interpretation. I hope that she will always be looking at the sky.I’ll be back soon with updates.

From the Chosun Ilbo:

“Korean hostage negotiators have agreed to direct talks with Taliban kidnappers in Afghanistan, a purported spokesman for the Islamists militants told DPA Thursday. The news agency quoted Qari Yousuf Ahmadi as saying Korean Ambassador to Afghanistan Kang Sung-ju spoke directly by phone with his Taliban counterpart.”

I have to say I really hope this is not true, but given some of the statements from the country’s leadership over the past several days, I have a bad feeling.

Talk about completely legitimizing kidnapping as a political tool. So, the next time the Taliban wants something accomplished with a certain country (definitely Korea) they’ll just grab and threaten to kill a few unarmed civilians as a means of opening “negotiations.”

I haven’t commented before about the kidnappings because I didn’t (and don’t) think I have the background to add anything substantive to the discussion. But it gets to the point that you feel like you’re ignoring the elephant in the room by not talking about it.

I have been linking to stories on the link blog at the upper right. If you’re interested in what’s being said in South Korea, I recommend reading posts (and the comments)  here, here and here for starters.