242 on 24/11/2010 at 18:39
Quote Posted by Vivian
I obviously don't know because I've never been to either, but to a casual observer NK looks to be a lot more fucked up than East Germany ever was.
Yeah, they aren't comparable, NK compared to DDR is about like DDR compared to UK f.e., actually there is a bigger difference in the former comparison than in the latter.
Kolya on 24/11/2010 at 18:45
I don't know, I've never been to NK either. But you never know what's going inside, especially inside the heads of the people there. And going in guns blazing is what you do when you've run out of other solutions.
SubJeff on 24/11/2010 at 19:43
Quote Posted by Kolya
In my opinion and from what I witnessed, the fact we had access to unfiltered information and music played a MAJOR ROLE in supporting resistance and eventually overturning the regime peacefully. You really cannot overestimate its long turn effect.
Most of all, the constant display of colourful yet unattainable consumer products did in grey old East Germany in the end.
So people were actually saying "fuck this shit, check out the awesome they have elsewhere! I wants me some of that!" from watching the TV and no-one in authority realised this and cut off access? I would have thought that stopping people seeing the outside world was Totalitarianism 101.
Anyways, I think I'm going to Berlin over New Year (if I can get one more day of annual leave at the right time). To Tresor if possible, but I look forward to seeing Berlin. People tell me the old Eastern architecture is... interesting.
242 on 24/11/2010 at 19:56
Quote Posted by Kolya
I don't know, I've never been to NK either. But you never know what's going inside, especially inside the heads of the people there.
I know. Absolute majority sincerely believe in what they have been taught. No access to alternative information + no previous experience = you're a clean slate.
And about what's going on inside, just check youtube f.e., there are many documentaries/hidden cam footage.
Muzman on 24/11/2010 at 21:10
Interesting, but it is a bit hard to imagine no one knows how to hack a radio that's been "fixed" to certain state frequencies. Maybe they don't want to or there's nothing to pick up
The problem for a "Radio Free (north) Asia" is the political and geographic isolation of the place so far. So maybe that's changed and we have to just remind Japan that AM exists or see if the Russians are feeling mischevious.
SubJeff on 25/11/2010 at 00:33
To be fair that arguable slip of the tongue is the least of her offenses in that snippet.
"This speaks to a bigger picture here."
Wtf does that even mean? If that's really her and she is actually allowed to run for president I'm supporting North Korea in whatever they do.
Renzatic on 25/11/2010 at 00:48
Quote Posted by Subjective Effect
Wtf does that even mean? If that's really her and she is actually allowed to run for president I'm supporting North Korea in whatever they do.
Her running for president doesn't concern me much. Her winning the presidency is what scares the shit out of me.
The day I have to face the reality of President Palin is the day I stock up on the nonperishables like a militant survivalist paranoid Mormon. At least I'll have something to eat while I watch the economy spiral down into another depression, brought about by our war with Sweden.
Swiss Mercenary on 25/11/2010 at 01:28
Am I the only one who sees no end to North Korea's style of extortion?
They aren't going to uphold any agreement we reach with them. At this point, I'd be inclined to say that the cheapest solution would be to cut off all aid, and set up relevant embargoes.
Sooner or later, it'll come to that, anyways - and however they may respond, the situation won't be worse then if it were to happen a decade from now.
