Kip is back at the ECCC

Good bye ECCC!

2010-10-15T23:33:00.000-07:00

Wow, this blog was an unmitigated failure! I guess being that busy with work and that into life in Cambodge has that effect on my ability to upkeep a blog. This will sound very ironic, but I want to have a more proper post later on. But for now, I want to inform all my loyal followers ;) that I am leaving the ECCC in December. Heading back to the US of A. Stay tuned for more info....

NY Times article on the trial that I work on

2009-06-27T08:58:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/world/asia/21khmer.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=torture%20pride&st=cse

Quick note! Still working on fixing my computer. Will get a proper post when I finally get this all sorted out.

Long time coming...update time! Did someone say Preppy? Broncos Season Tickets?

2009-05-31T07:36:00.000-07:00

So, sorry for the late update...almost a month! May was a rough month for all sorts of reasons, and one of those reasons was that my new computer broke down. Two weeks to figure out what was wrong with it, and it is still not completely back to normal. However, I have the time and the ability to drop a note.

First thing, I really want to make the blog more than just about international criminal law and politics. Tami has given me some ideas, and once I get some of my pictures back (saved on a drive at work until my computer gets back to normal), I will have some stories to share, like my fun ten days cat sitting, the crazy bats in my stairwell, Socheata Puma, and the Bangkok movie theatre experience!

http://www.bostonmagazine.com/articles/the_argument_the_prep_gets_the_last_laugh/page1

Wanted to share a weblink that my father sent to me about one thing everyone knows about me before I even open my big mouth....my preppy-ness. As my family and I have consistently said, preppydom is not, at its core, about country clubs, martinis, Buffy, and low taxes. While people who embodied these things and value them are certainly "preppy" to a degree, that was more of a recent phenomenon, and these people hi-jacked "preppy" for altogether different reasons than its true roots. True preppies are frugal, into old worn-out things, liberal (more or less), and not flashy in the bit (although I take on the flashy bit in my preppiness :) ) My dad came across an article that discussed the true heritage of "preppy" (and some interesting stories about the humble beginnings of many particular pieces of preppy clothing, many of which I wear and get flak for wearing (i.e. Nantucket reds, bright colors, madras)) and how applicable "preppy" actually is in lean economic times, like the current worldwide financial recession. Dad particularly liked the sentence about driving a rusty old Volvo (Dad obviously liked this line since he drives a 1989 maroon Volvo station wagon affectionately called "Ulga"...or is it "Olga" in proper Swedish?)

Finally, "the dream" has come true. I am now (or more accurately, my parents $ is) a Denver Broncos Season Ticket Holder. The average wait time is 15-17 years, but I made it in 7! I was awarded a spot, and would have done anything to buy them, but financial issues with my new UN contract (by the way, I have a UN contract! I am a legal consultant working for peanuts, but it is a start) made buying them impossible at this point. Thankfully, the parents jumped in to save the day and this (I hope) means I will be a season ticket holder for many years to come! Anyone interested in buying our tickets at face value, feel free to contact someone in the Hale Clan. Hey, it really could be worse people...take a look at this webpage http://www.denverpost.com/ci_12486571

Is it weird that I am jealous of this guy?

Stay tuned for more post.

CNN Khmer Rouge Special

2009-05-03T07:57:00.000-07:00

CNN International just premiered a great 30 minute episode on the Khmer Rouge and the Khmer Rouge tribunal (again, known officially as Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia). I believe it only showed on CNN International, but it is available online (links below). It is very good and worth a watch. Although, I will say that I disagree with certain things said by a staff member interviewed, and the CNN reporter (Dan Rivers) is flat wrong in some of the assertions he makes. But, in any event, please watch. Let me know what people think.

Part One
http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/international/2009/04/29/wus.cambodia.killing.field.bk.a.cnn

Part Two
http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/international/2009/04/29/wus.cambodia.killing.field.bk.b.cnn

Part Three
http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/international/2009/04/29/wus.cambodia.killing.field.bk.c.cnn

Also!

2009-04-18T00:47:00.000-07:00

Today is the 34th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge takeover of Cambodia on April 17th, 1975. Only they knew the carnage they were about to inflict on Cambodia. Terribly sad. I was actually reminded by a moto driver about this anniversary, and he was born in 1975, a lucky baby that made it through alive.

Musings From My Trip to Vietnam

2009-04-17T21:52:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Vietnam a few days ago, and I really love Vietnam for multiple reasons. Not to disparage Cambodia whatsoever, but I prefer Vietnam. Although Cambodian people are kinder, gentler, and less aggressive than their Vietnamese counterparts, Vietnam as a country is more modern, advanced, organized, and habitable than Cambodia (or Kampuchea as it is know in this part of the world). Additionally, Vietnam is overall cheaper, its landscape is diverse and beautiful, and it is easier to get around. Aaaaaaaa one of the few Communist places that outshines its neighbor.

So I went from Saigon to the amazing island of Phu Quoc (WOW!) and back to Phnom Penh.

First stop was Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City as it has been called since 1976. Saigon is a bustling city that has all the modern conveniences. I have not seen the entire city, so I cannot speak of its overall character, but South Vietnamese are a bit more lad back than their Northern compatriots, and its shows in Saigon. Little more geared towards fun, drinking, eating, and overall enjoyment than Hanoi. The city has a bit of its French architecture still around here and there, but the city is fairly rebuilt and new. So, it is a bit less aesthetically pleasing as Hanoi for example. I spent 2 days in Saigon, and one of the days I took a trip to the Cu Chi tunnels. For those not old enough to know or those who are otherwise unaware, the Cu Chi tunnels were an extremely large and elaborate system of tunnels that the Viet Cong (who I was told were not North Vietnamese, but South Vietnamese who sympathized with their Northern communist) built around Saigon to help them fight a guerrilla style war against the American forces. These tunnels were one of the main reasons that American forces left Vietnam altogether. Hospitals, kitchens, movie theatres, and small factories were just some of the things built underground to evade the superior American army. From these tunnels, they were able to infiltrate behind enemy lines (even inside American bases) to conduct surprise attacks, create booby traps to escape pursuit, and retreat to safer areas (even as far as Cambodia, which is tens of miles and miles away!). American tried to force them out by shooting water down these tunnels, sending soldiers in to kill Viet Cong, bombing the area with napalm and B-52s, and even training dogs to root them out. The Vietnamese were extremely resilient, and they used very creative method to combat American tactics, such as wearing friendly American clothes to fool the dogs, using faux tunnels to throw off their location, or creating additional tunnels to divert water. The site of the Cu Chi tunnels was, unfortunately, a bit kitchy, touristy, and not well setup (however, I really don't think this was avoidable, but just a reality), but the story behind them was extremely interesting, and a good trip, kitchiness and all

After this day long trip, I went to the Vietnam War Remnants Museum. Most of this museum is, predictably, about actions committed by American and Allied forces against the Vietnamese civilian population. Most of this was portrayed through extremely graphic and extensive photographic displays that covered everything from French military involvement in the 1940s-50s to the last days of America's time in Vietnam in the 1970s. There was a small, but impressive collection of American war machines on display that were captured by Vietnamese forces, and a section of the Museum recreating South Vietnamese-American prisons called "Tiger Cages" that housed North Vietnamese prisoners. (sadly, these Tiger Cages were eerily similar to the Khmer Rouge's S-21 in many ways). But, for the most part, there was picture after picture after picture of the war. These pictures covered the undertaking and results of seek and destroy missions, napalm attacks, Agent Orange bombs, Herbicide misuse, B-52 bombings, and other things of this nature.

Ok, let me give my two cents politically, if you will. I do not claim to be a Vietnam war expert having not lived through it. Yet, I think I know more than the average person about this war and geopolitical matters in effect at that time. My take on the war is mixed overall. After going through this Museum, my first reaction was (and still is) embarrassment that my country did these inexplicable and inexcusable things to the Vietnamese people (and Cambodian and Laotian people as well). I think my country has so much to be proud of, and so much to offer the world, so it pains me all the more to see this on our track record. While the exact extent of American misconduct is up for debate and I certainly do not know the truth, it is beyond contention that somethings done by American servicemen and their superiors amounted to international crimes. On the other hand, aside from one sizable section of the Museum which showed color drawings by Vietnamese and American children about the present day and future positive friendship between Vietnam and America, this Museum put the worst foot forward on America's actions in Vietnam and did not discuss at all the equally reprehensible actions of the North Vietnamese during the war. The museum did not differentiate between the travesties of war (which are not criminal, but just what happens in war) versus the deliberate targeting of civilians (which is criminal). They kind of lumped it all together, which is disingenuous. Also, I kept thinking about what was going on in the mind of a typical American solider during the Vietnam war (putting aside the few soldiers who were absolute murders to the core). The enemy is fighting a guerrilla war against your army. The enemy deliberately melds into the civilian population, making it so hard to distinguish friend from foe...putting you on edge that someone is going to pop out and kill you at any moment. Now, when some innocent civilian, adult or child, pops up and surprises you, and you shoot out of reaction, what happens in your mind? You cannot believe what just happened, that it happened accidentally or not what you intended....causing you to snap! You either (more or less) disengage mentally and go into a cocoon, or you lose it and start killing indiscriminately. I partially fault the American government for not preparing soldiers for this reality, and finding ways to prevent it (at least in part). Lastly, portions of South Vietnam really did not want to be Communist or under Communist rule, and America had a right and a choice to defend people that wanted our support, financially and militarily, to escape Communism.

Yet, I also thought about self-determination, especially in the context of the Cu Chi Tunnels. If Vietnamese people were willing to live underground for months at time, in the jungle,and fight a superior American army that threw almost every type of weapon of war imaginable at them and mercilessly, the Vietnamese earned the right to live as they see fit. All in all, I see why the USA entered Vietnam: to stem the tide of totalitarian communism (arguable if this perception was real or not) and many are supported by the fact that Communism did not establish roots in Southeast Asia. Nevertheless, Americans committed crimes in so doing, the American public was misled and/or lied to by their government on the extent of the war, and the entire scope and duration of the war was unacceptable in many ways. Whether cliche or not, no side was blameless in this war. It was an unfortunate time (to put it very very lightly) in American and Vietnamese history.

Now to something way more uplifting: Phu Quoc. This island is actually very close to the Cambodian coast (large island right off the southern coast, used to be a part of Cambodia, and is settled in the Eastern portion of the Gulf of Thailand). I arrived by plane from Saigon, as this was the easiest and most direct route there from Cambodia or Vietnam for that matter. Without reservation, this island had some of the best beaches I have ever seen or heard about. The sunsets were amazing, the accommodations around the island were extremely quaint and charming, and the food was downright terrific. There is no town worth visiting, but the rest of the island made up for it. The island is slowly being developed, but the lack of crowds and the multiple areas that are untouched show that Phu Quoc is years away from turning into just another Thai beach island (not to mention a Communist government not known for marketing itself well).

My entire Phu Quoc experience had an undertone of sadness, because it was certainly a place for couples and a place that Tami would love to visit. This made me think of her and us constantly, which I already do, but more intensely :( Anyway, first half day was spent on the main beach aptly called Long Beach. Had a great squid lunch, and a good pasta dinner. The next day, for 15$, I was able to go on a day long tour of Phu Quoc's many beaches and smaller islands off of Phu Quoc, snorkel and swim at uninhabited beaches with great corral, and get a terrific lunch cooked on the boat with freshly caught squid and fish! At this point, I would like to mention that I have been on two boat tours in Vietnam in my life: this one and one a year and a half ago in Halong Bay. On both tours, I shared the boat tour with individuals not only from Denver, but lived amazingly close to me. The first was a young woman who lived about a mile from me in downtown Denver, and this Phu Quoc tour had an older woman who was also working in Phnom Penh presently, grew up in Capitol Hill mere minutes from my childhood home, went to Kent Denver as well, and also lived on Ios, Greece (where Tami and I lived right after college)! Ok, that is weird, really weird. Anyway, after the tour, the small group from the boat tour met up for dinner, and we had a great night talking and drinking at a little French bistro right off the beach (wow, my French is better when I am drunk).

Well now, I am back to the grind, although not really a grind, because I love working at the tribunal in almost everything I do there. Again, I encourage people to follow the trial on http://www.cambodiatribunal.org/ and http://www.eccc.gov.kh/. There is some very interesting stuff happening in Duch trial, and even more interesting issues coming up in the case against the five other defendants. If there is anything that I post about or do in Cambodia that followers of this blog would like to explain, or things you want me to discuss, please do not hesitate to leave a comment. Best, Kip!

Farewell to a friend and Chomsky is an idiot

2009-04-09T07:52:00.000-07:00

Farewell to Ben

First, a farewell to a friend, Robert "Ben" Fleming. Ben just left the tribunal last week after working at the ECCC for 2 1/2 years. For all tense and purposes, Ben and I were predisposed not to like each other, let alone converse at any level. He worked in a different office (the Office of Co-Investigative Judges) that sometimes is at odds with my office. Not only is he a Texan (a huge flaw in any true Coloradoans' mind), but a proud Texan (kind of like having egg on your face and bragging about it). He and I did not see eye to eye on most everything, from international criminal issues to the best NFL franchise (guess which one I defended?). Yet, Ben and I typically had a good time together, laughed about all sorts of things, had a respect for each other (albeit, he would say his respect for me was just a facade) and enjoyed making fun of each other (it was pretty easy for me, given his background at all). I don't profess to be one of Ben's best friends or even one of his good friends here in Cambodia, for we did not hang out religiously or anything. Yet, I respect what he did for this tribunal. He was at the ECCC from the very beginning, and played a considerable role in forming it, legally speaking. Ben's work products have and will continue to shape this tribunal's legacy. He was a smart guy with an obvious intellect. He was nice to just about everyone, and spoke honestly and direct. Ben took an interest in helping me out in my career even when he had no reason or obligation to. He also started work here out of a sincere interest to help Cambodians. His family back home took in some Cambodian refugees around the time of the Khmer Rouge, and they created a bond with this family. Ben keeps in touch with them, in the US and abroad, and he always wanted to do something for the Cambodian people. This tribunal was one of the ways he did that. Ben told me a crazy story before he left. When he first came to Cambodia to work at the ECCC, he hung out at this random bar and met this guy. They struck up a relationship. Some considerable time later, the two found out that the Cambodian guy was directly related to the Cambodian refugee family that Ben's family took in in Houston! Small world huh? Anyway, thanks Ben for your contribution to the ECCC. Stay in touch, and best of luck on your next adventure.

Chomsky is an idiot.

Ok, while I hope all readers read this next section, I warn you, it is about international politics, international criminal law, and Norm Chomsky! Some may consider this a bit dry (sarcasm laid on thick right....here). Anywho, Chomsky was interviewed by the Phnom Penh Post, and before reading the rest of this paragraph, take a gander at this article. http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/National-news/Tribunal-ignoring-US-role-says-Chomsky.html
Now, political philosophers and academics have a right to speak their mind, a right to stir the proverbial pot, and a right to push the limits, even on some facts. Yet, there is also an obligation to be generally accurate and be true to the overall topic you are discussing. However, Norm Chomsky has apparently forgotten that last part. While Chomsky and I may share similar political leanings and view of the world order, this interview that the Phnom Penh Post published is so factually inaccurate and legally fanciful that it was hard not to scream out in shear anger or laugh uncontrollably while reading this. Maybe this explains why it was published in the Phnom Penh Post of all papers.

In his assessment of the ECCC, his basic argument is that this tribunal, like all others in history, are all about one or more powerful countries (often the case with Chomsky, the US is the powerful country) leveraging its power to prosecute selectively...meaning only former enemies, citizens of weaker nations, and politically beneficial targets. Continuing, Chomsky sees that the US and its leaders are either equally or more criminally responsible than those that these tribunals prosecute. Or the US is partly to blame for whatever criminal acts others committed and are now being tried for. To be fair, Chomsky is right to assert that the US, through its leaders and officials, is not blame free. Plenty of legitimate arguments exists that US officials should have been prosecuted for acts committed in the many wars and engagements that my beloved country has participated in, starting with events in World War II.

Despite this, Chomsky is still a freaking idiot. First, in trying to make his argument, he commits a "farce" of trying to state accurately what international criminal law is. First, bombs cannot have genocidal intent Norm. Only people can. Bombs do not discriminate, especially carpet bombing. Sure, if you drop a bomb on a town because it is a town that has a certain protected group (e.g. Muslims, Vietnamese, or Hutus), that could be genocide. But he is talking about random, blanket bombing. His example of stated US policy in bombing Cambodia to prove the genocidal intent of the US ("use anything that flies against anything that moves") actually proves that the US did not act with genocidal intent! The US would have to bomb to kill a certain group, not just "anything that moves"! He also says the Nuremberg tribunal was all ex post facto law or law created after the commission of the act (making the act criminal after the fact) that was unjustly applied against the Nazis. So Norm, have you seen the international legislature lately? Oh yea, there isn't one. Therefore, international criminal laws are created through unanimously created and not obligatory treaties, but also (and primarily I might add) through custom (i.e. customary international law that are binding on nations regardless of consent). The laws that the Nazis violated were either laws in treaties they signed and ratified, or international customs that they violated (i.e. crimes against humanity). Sure, prior to Nuremberg, no entity announced these laws publicly, but they still existed among the customs of nations, the rules of war, and the rights of humans. These is just a taste of the legally inaccuracies that litter this interview, and Norm should be ashamed that he passed this along as fact.

Yet, what is the most frustrating is his unrealistic political view of the field of international justice. Chomsky believes that international justice (i.e. international tribunals and international criminal law) should only occur if it is perfect, in that the world is politically able to prosecute anybody, anywhere, from any country. Plus, he argues that international criminal law can only be if it is flawless and indisputable. How is this view not only not realistic, but achievable, Norm? Of first importance, don't victims of these conflicts deserve some measure of justice? It is all or nothing Norm? Well, I believe some level of justice, imperfections and all, is better than no justice (but I don't even accept his proposition that these tribunals are unjust when in fact they are far more just than not). Just because we cannot prosecute all those that might be culpable than we cannot prosecute anyone. Let impunity live? The bigger point, however, is that a perfectly acceptable international criminal enforcement mechanism cannot spawn overnight. Heck, a functional, fair, and just DOMESTIC criminal system cannot spawn overnight either, which is, unfortunately, very evident the world over. It takes time, experience, and trial and error to get it right. For example, the US criminal justice system is one of the most respected in the world, but it took hundreds of years to get to where it is. In the very beginning, it was flawed, unjust, and a shadow of its present self. And still, it too is problematic and far from perfect. With that being said, how can you ridicule international tribunals and the field of international criminal law, Norm, when the field has only be around, in earnest, since 1992 (the formation of the Yugoslav tribunal)? In this context, not only has this field of law advanced quickly, effectively, and admirably, but it should also be noted that this field has been created and manned by individuals from very different legal cultures, legal customs, legal traditions, and legal beliefs. Mixing and matching these differences into a patchwork that all nations can agree to, and more importantly, can justly try those accused on committing international crimes is a very difficult feat, yet this is exactly (more or less) where the field of international justice is. Of course, the field is far far far from perfect, and it has many decades of development ahead of it. However, this field has done some remarkable stuff when put in context. Arguing that the field can only exist if it drags US presidents into a courtroom in The Hague is (albeit legally desirable when applicable) politically absurd and counterproductive in numerous ways. This field cannot get to a place of advanced, blind justice at the snap of a finger, Norm, or without decades of development.

True History...unfolding in front of my eyes

2009-03-31T06:17:00.000-07:00

In 2006, I was in the ICTY (Yugoslavia tribunal) courtroom when the largest multiple accused genocide case in the history of international criminal law started, a case that dealt (and is still on going) with the Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia. In 2007, I watched the very first public hearing at this Khmer Rouge tribunal, which signified that Cambodia's 30 year wait for justice was beginning. Last year, I watched as the very first oral submission made by a victim and civil party in an international criminal case occurred, actually sitting right next to them as they did it. It was dumb luck that I stumbled into these situations, and I count my lucky stars often that I am afforded the opportunity to do such work and witness and/or participate in these events.

Yet, today's historic event will always hold a special place in my memory, forever engrained in my conscience. Today, the trial against Kaing Guek Eav alias DUCH started in earnest with my bosses, Robert Petit and Chea Leang, making their opening statements, which was followed by an admission of guilt by the Accused, Comrade DUCH. He was the prison chief of the notorious S-21 - Tuol Sleng prison where roughly 12,000 people were interrogated, tortured, and killed. Only a handful of people walked away alive.

On a professional level, I contributed in large part to the drafting, editing, and organizing of the opening statement (although, not the level of Stuart Ford....great work Stuart!). So, it was rewarding to see my work displayed (albeit only bits and pieces) at such a moment. However, this historic moment itself was truly amazing, in every sense of the word. The process of justice, truth, and reconciliation for Cambodia was actually starting, not just an idea on paper anymore. I sat behind a S-21 - Tuol Sleng survivor (I do not feel comfortable releasing his name...sorry) as I watched from the public gallery. As our opening statement was given, there were particular sections detailing the crimes committed against detainees at S-21 - Tuol Sleng. And at certain points, this survivor broke down crying by just hearing the words that described what he and many many others like him went through emotionally, physically, and mentally. I, like most others, got teary eyed just being in such close proximity to this.

Yet, I witnessed the flip side of justice and reconcilliation as well, the side seldom seen and rarely expected. During the past two days of the trial, I sat behind this same survivor, and on about four occasions when the trial hearings would go into a break, DUCH would have to walk by the huge glass divider that separates the gallery from the courtroom and he has to walk right in front of this survivor. And on each occasion, the unexpected occurs right in front of my eyes. DUCH looks at the survivor, smiles, and either waives, salutes, or puts the palms of his hands together in the traditional SouthEast Asian pose, and the survivor smiles back and reciprocates the same hand gesture, sometimes even laughing. What unfolded before my eyes is a pleasant, unforced exchange between a former prisoner who still carries mental and physical scars and the man responsible for inflicting those scars, and responsible for torturing and killing his friends and family. I will not try to put all of this into context for worry that I would ruin encapsulating this moment, but suffice to say that at least for one survivor and one culprit, the process of coming to terms with what happened to them is starting.

I also witnessed an moment that I only wish I was allowed a camera to capture (court bans cameras inside the public gallery). As I sat in this courtroom filled with ambassadors, dignitaries, NGO officials, but most importantly, Cambodians who survived the Khmer Rouge, from my seat, my line of sight was directly in line with three men...Robert Petit giving the opening statement....next I could see DUCH sitting there hearing the case against him and the horrors he participated in....and finally, I saw the same survivor I mentioned before watching all of this happen. Truly hard to put into words what it was like to see this.

These first links are good and informative news stories about today's events. The New York Times article actually quotes a line that I wrote for Robert and that he delivered beautifully. I encourage you to watch the videos in these links as well, particularly the last one as well as the CNN slideshow that has accompanying audio from Christian Amanpour.

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/03/31/cambodia.trial/index.html#cnnSTCText

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7973463.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7972494.stm

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/world/asia/01cambo.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

For those even more interested, I include links to stories that show a critical look at the trials in the context of today's events. Recommended for sure.

http://www.latimes.com/la-fg-cambodia-genocide31-2009mar31,0,864536.story

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7970881.stm

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fgw-cambodia-genocide30-2009mar30,0,5556809.story

For those with an insatiable appetite for this court, I strongly recommend checking the http://www.eccc.gov.kh/ and http://www.cambodiatribunal.org/ website in the next few days to watch the actual opening statements. Stirring and gut wrenching words, pictures, and videos.

And he's back!

2009-03-09T06:13:00.000-07:00

Hello Cambodia and Hello people on the other side of the Pacific! (what a lovely facial expression huh?)

Yes, I am (as many of you already know) back in Cambodia. I got back in late January and I am again working at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (short name Khmer Rouge Tribunal) working for the Prosecution's office. I am not yet an UN employee, but getting paid nonetheless. Hopefully, this will last a good while.

Better news: Tami and I got engaged. Worser (sp) news: Tami is not here, but in NYC studying at Parson's school for Interior Design. Very tough and undesirable, but good that we are both pursuing our goals. The result should be putting those two goals together in one location (hint hint Amsterdam!)

Well, I hope to keep this blog going to the level that Tami kept our previous blog. I need to learn to be a camera buff to do that, which I think I just may have in me. Ok...sounds good. Talk later.