I'm glad my son was posted out of the DMZ last year

[MajGenl.Meade]

OK OK he wasn't IN the DMZ - he was posted just south of it because of stuff like this

North and South Korea appeared headed toward another clash, as Seoul refused an ultimatum that it halt anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts by Saturday afternoon or face military action, and North Korea said its troops were on a war footing.

South Korean Vice Defense Minister Baek Seung-joo said on Friday it was likely the North would fire at some of the 11 sites where the loudspeakers are set up on the South's side of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the countries.

Tension escalated on Thursday when North Korea fired four shells into South Korea, according to Seoul, in apparent protest against the broadcasts. The South fired back 29 artillery shells. Pyongyang accused the South of inventing a pretext to fire into the North.

[Big RR]

This sounds like something that has been going on for a long time rather than just new, but I hope you son gets a transfer soon.

[MajGenl.Meade]

This is current stuff, Big RR - a major confrontation between North and South that threatens to get out of hand very quickly.

The boy was posted to Arizona early this year (not last as I wrote) and now is on to Fort Polk, Louisiana soon. But this kind of crisis can easily bring our boys back out to South Korea - just in case

[Big RR]

I have no doubt about that.

[wesw]

ok meade, you can stay.

kim jung un is a new wildcard. I agree that things are really iffy right now.

give your son a big hug for me.

[Big RR]

If I'm not mistaken, this is not the first time small arms or artillery fire has been exchanged; I recall hearing about similar attacks around 2008-2009 that killed some people. Hopefully now, like then, cooler heads will prevail.

[MajGenl.Meade]

That's correct, Big RR - certainly not the first. Of course, what everyone wonders is, 'will this be the last?' and then BOOM!

... and thanks, wesw. If ever I see him - the one time this year was the first in six but of course we were away in SA for 5. I did drive down to his house in Kentucky when we came stateside from SA for a holiday. His birthday is this Sunday - 39 years old.

[wesw]

hee hee. Kentucky! please tell me that he likes coonskin caps and long rifles....

...and you are welcome.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Ah, he was based at Fort Knox (the military camp and not the bullion depository). Probably not into either coonskin caps or Kentucky rifles (that was my youth). He's one of those Society for Creative Anachronism types - loves bugs, plants, animals (not raccoons in particular), health food, walking, exercise, Japanese thingies..... hmmmm, he's not actually my child, I think.

PS don't get too used to it!

[wesw]

a tree hugger! ah well, my boy won t pick up a book unless he can learn how to build, design or repair something from it. and he likes fancy doo dads like computer controlled fuel and air controls on his 1980 z-28- with the original faded ugly brown paint job, and the 407 cu in racing motor and all the fancy suspension and stuff underneath. his little sleeper. he tunes it up with a laptop....

I think that he s a redneck....