A blade turns the tide

Dear Reader, I hope to feature photos of our trip to the United States and stories about our recent journies in upcoming blog entries.  I’m still trying to shake off jetlag and fatigue and at the same time focus on settling down back at home.  Last night I ended up crashing at about 8 p.m. and will retire again soon.  I’ve been told that jetlag is much worse when returning from the Americas to Asia than when traveling to the Americas from Asia.  My son has also been battling jetlag and has woken up at 2 a.m. or 4:30 a.m. every morning since we returned.  My wife is also battling fatigue.  We’re all thankful for the three-day weekend and upcoming Korean national election holiday next Wednesday to assist with our recovery.
 
On the subject of recovery and election day…the recent assault on Grand National Party (GNP) Chairwoman Park Geun-hye, daughter of former Korean President Park Chung-hee, made big news, and it may be a decisive factor in next Wednesday’s Korean national elections.  An assailant attacked Ms. Park with a box-cutter knife during a political rally, lacerating her face.  The 10-centimeter wound required 60 stitches.  Doctors at Yonsei University’s Severance Hospital, one of the best in Korea, treated her wound, although the scar will remain after it heals. 
 
Some people have whispered that the incident, which occurred just one week before crucial national elections, was politically motivated.  A possible connection between the assailant and the Uri Party leave some suggesting that the GNP’s main rival political party is somehow directly involved.  Others conjecture that the timing and resulting surge in popularity of the GNP casts suspicion on the GNP.  Both allegations seem baseless.  I’m sure that the Korean media will be able to feret out a story that the Korean public will embrace–whether it is true or not.  It seems absurd to me that either the Uri Party or GNP was directly involved in the incident, although stranger things have happened.  It’s one week until the election–not much time to uncover the true motivation of the assailant.  The one truth that seems to be emerging is that the assault has been a boon to the GNP because it has piqued public sympathy for the GNP’s leader, translating into a noticeable increase in support for the GNP leading up to next week’s election.

Poor Barbaro

Another mighty warrior has fallen.  Barbaro, winner of the Kentucky Derby and heavily favored to win the Preakness, sustained a career-ending and life-threatening injury to his right rear leg.  The three-year old colt won the Kentucky Derby by a commanding margin, drawing comparisons to Secretariat, the legendary Triple Crown winner.  Barbaro could have become the first horse to win the Triple Crown of horse racing (Kentucky Derby/Preakness/Belmont Stakes) since Affirmed won the coveted trifecta in 1978.  Barbaro’s fractured leg was an unexpected shock, dousing any flickering hopes for a Triple Crown winner this year.  Sports fans, especially horse racing aficionados, have been left wondering when the next Triple Crown winner will seize victory from the grip of defeat.
 
Barbaro’s tragedy is reminiscent of other recent failed Triple Crown contenders.  For those who enjoy watching thoroughbred horse racing, who could forget underdog Smarty Jones in 2004, when he fell short of the Triple Crown at the hooves of stronger rival Birdstone?  Or Funny Cide running away with the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, only to be stopped by favored Empire Builder in the Belmont Stakes?  In the 28 years since Affirmed’s Triple Crown, 17 colts have teased fans with two Triple Crown victories, but none have won all three races.  Barbaro’s fall is especially bitter because he was such a dominant horse–the kind you knew had the potential to win it all.  Like many great competitors, Barbaro fell in defeat astonishingly fast.  No longer is winning Barbaro’s objective–it’s survival.

Good to be home

Dear Reader, we just returned to our home in Korea after spending the past month in China and the United States.  We are exhausted and will no doubt experience lingering jetlag throughout the week.  It’s Sunday night.  Thank goodness Memorial Day weekend is next week.  I have a feeling we’ll need the extra day to catch up from our vacation.
 
Although I did not blog at all last week–the longest I’ve been away since I started writing this in December 2004–you still stopped by to read World Adventurers.  As always, thank you.  I wanted to write, but vacation and a dial-up modem at my parents’ home kept me away from the computer.  We had a fabulous time nonetheless.  I will drive into writing again tomorrow.  Today’s post is just a short note to let you know that I am still alive and made it home safely.  I plan to spend the next couple weeks recapping some of the highlights of our trips to China and the states.  Good night, and thanks for all the hits.