I have been sitting at my computer trying to come up with something witty and profound to share with everyone. Truthfully, I think that I’m just too tired to come up with anything. So, instead, I’m going to write my congratulations to Ban Ki-moon (the new Secretary General of the United Nations) and, most importantly, the first South Korean to hold the position. There is a full bio on the UN website.

On the front page of the UN website, there is a quote by Ban Ki-moon – “I believe that life is precious and must be protected and respected, and that all human beings have the right to live in dignity.” I hope he remembers this as he continues his tenure.

I am fascinated by his appointment on many levels. Here is a chance for an Asian leader to take the world stage on a positive note. Here is someone that I can point out to my son and show him how high an Asian man can go if he wants to. I hope that Ban Ki-moon lives up to my expectations.

On NPR today, I listened to Ban Ki-moon in an interview. I was quite impressed by the extent of his English language knowledge. The interviewer asked some pretty complex questions (that I had trouble following), but he never missed a beat. He struck me as a quiet man, but perhaps that is what the UN needs right now - someone with a little less volume and a "get it done" spirit.

I am also quite intrigued by the fact that little South Korea isn’t so little anymore. It is obviously a new force to be reckoned with if one of its citizens is considered for such a well known post. South Korea is no longer sitting in the shadows of China and Japan.