OMG the north koreans STILL have Laura Ling?! I’d seen something on this awhile back but didn’t realize how serious it was. I’m so sorry for these ladies and their families.

I am really concerned for Laura and her friend now. Lisa did a story on this mans regime undercover. This is only payback for that.

I hope this outcome has the same as with the other Journalist who was held prisoner in Iran…they both are released and not tried.  Keep up your spirits gals! 

I’m so so sorry, this is an outrage.  Ironic, Lisa has made such an impact with her reporting on so many political abuses around the world. Abuses against women, etc.  I pray everyday for Lisa  and her family for a good and speedy end to this horror.

Sounds like they were speaking to N. Korea very clearly. I hope a lot is going on behind the scenes to resolve this.

I certainly hope that Ms. Ling and Ms. Lee are released unharmed.  But perhaps this should serve as a reminder to Americans and particularly women when you enter a foreign country who has hostile relations with America…that, Ding! perhaps you should presume you are at high risk and probably being watched.  I just had dinner with a friend, who was giving me her travel itinerary for the next three or 4 months…China, Thailand, and Mongolia. She and her daughter will be taking the train into Thailand from China.  But when I started to question whether it was a good idea, she waved me off. Americans stand out like the 800 lb gorilla in the room and given how Muslin terrorists would love to get their hands on a couple of Americans ..I find her lack of consciouness about possible risk factors odd to say the least. But she essentially told me she likes danger and risky countries.  I think that is romantic bull.  So, did I find it ironic last night, after watching Anthony Bourdain’s show on the Travel channel to find my self watching the Travel channel’s new show which  re-enacts  kidnapings of tourists that take place every day all over the world.  I think they cited ten kidnappings a day. This week’s re-enacted story happen to be about two young women from Britain who were on the last leg of a year of traveling. They arrived in India and seemedclueless about how they might be seen as women traveling alone in a poor country. One of the women wore a tank top again completely unaware as to what the Indian women were wearing (all covered up) or what might be correct for the culture. Trying to save money, they made no arrangements to be picked up at the airport or had any clear understanding of how tourists should behave or what precautions to take in India. So they land and go outside to a mass of people looking for transportation to their hotel. Male  non english speaking cabbies trying to vie for their dollar.  And some of these men were actually putting their hands on the women and touching them. The girls seem to have no idea that in middle eastern countries,  women walking around with bare arms, shoulders and chest might seem promiscuous. White women in a majority brown nation will grab even more attention. They met an english speaking cabbie and paid him to take them tour of the city.  He turned out to be part of a gang who kidnapped unsuspecting  tourists and the next thing they knew, they had been kidnapped. The ordeal was stunning as was the women’s absolute passive response to finding themselves kidnapped. They survived with their lives and virginity intact. The gang simply wanted to steal their money and use the women to transport goods. The show just reiterated what I have long believed. Many Americans live pretty cushy lives (compared to living in a third world country) rarely running into tragic circumstances.  So they often travel never giving a thought anything would happen to them.  It is both arrogant and simple minded that they do not see the world as as dangerous place.  For these young women, and the others I have read about in the last several years being grabbed in a foreign country and being held, their lives in the balance. I wonder did none of this occur to them? Are Americans ill prepared for the realities of being an American in the broader world today?   

I read an article by an Obama supporter that said N. Koreas missle tests are a farce. Of course she believes these tests were scheduled while Bush was in office.

 Obama is leaving for Europe tonight. While he’s in Saudi Arabia, why doesn’t he stop in Isreal? It would show the middle eat that we truly care about Isreal. Or does he? This is like a slap in their face. Their president was here, Obama should go there.

 I want to go along with Obama, but he’s doing things that don’t make sense. The government owning an automobile company. Thats insane.

My prayers for the families of Laura Ling and Euna Lee Free.  May this be resolved and these two can return to their families and friends swiftly.