The popular election system of the DPRK is really excellent
August 10, 2011 11:01 PM Subscribe
"This is my 24th visit to the DPRK, but it is the first time I have ever visited a polling station here." (Background here and here)
DEAR LEADER CAPTURES CAPITALIST SANTA CLAUS WITH HIS BARE HANDS FROM ROCKET SLED OF HIS OWN INVENTION
posted by joelf at 11:14 PM on August 10, 2011 [9 favorites]
posted by joelf at 11:14 PM on August 10, 2011 [9 favorites]
That was so surreal.
posted by Phire at 11:16 PM on August 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Phire at 11:16 PM on August 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
Amazing Kremlinology here: a strange report from a random Western guy apparently saying "I loved visiting this country, I'm going to come back soon!" actually means "We have not detained this guy, we will help him get home if we find him, but we don't know where he is."
I hope he gets home safely.
posted by shii at 11:22 PM on August 10, 2011 [8 favorites]
I hope he gets home safely.
posted by shii at 11:22 PM on August 10, 2011 [8 favorites]
Interesting note: the site is blocked in South Korea.
posted by curuinor at 11:47 PM on August 10, 2011
posted by curuinor at 11:47 PM on August 10, 2011
The main link wasn't working for me, so I tried the Google cache. It returned a masthead and a lone, very North Korean 404 message:
posted by Rhaomi at 12:22 AM on August 11, 2011 [24 favorites]
No.If you say so, Dear Leader!
There is no article you want.
posted by Rhaomi at 12:22 AM on August 11, 2011 [24 favorites]
The main link wasn't working for me
Here's a screenshot of the main content.
posted by vidur at 12:34 AM on August 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
Here's a screenshot of the main content.
posted by vidur at 12:34 AM on August 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
That Bobby Egan article is fascinating
posted by Pruitt-Igoe at 1:28 AM on August 11, 2011
posted by Pruitt-Igoe at 1:28 AM on August 11, 2011
Speaking of North Korea (were we?), were you aware that North Korea nears age of affluence?
"The Western world will be left stunned as the North emerges as the next Asian Tiger economy, struggling to figure out how North Korea has achieved so much in the absence of financial and technological assistance from abroad ..."
(Brought to you via Google News' selection algorithms ...)
posted by woodblock100 at 2:28 AM on August 11, 2011
"The Western world will be left stunned as the North emerges as the next Asian Tiger economy, struggling to figure out how North Korea has achieved so much in the absence of financial and technological assistance from abroad ..."
(Brought to you via Google News' selection algorithms ...)
posted by woodblock100 at 2:28 AM on August 11, 2011
More background on Wim van der Bijl
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 2:30 AM on August 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 2:30 AM on August 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
Rather spoils it, but the 'No.' in Rhaomi's 404 is actually the label for the dropdown selector for the number, which isn't rendered. It becomes more obvious in this broken link.
posted by edd at 2:36 AM on August 11, 2011
posted by edd at 2:36 AM on August 11, 2011
I just realised that every time Kim Jong Il or Kim Il Sung is written on that site it's rendered in a slightly larger font. Bizarre!
posted by dave99 at 4:51 AM on August 11, 2011
posted by dave99 at 4:51 AM on August 11, 2011
Having clicked on that link, I now shudder at the thought of what kind of malware may be found in a .kp website...
posted by Skeptic at 5:04 AM on August 11, 2011
posted by Skeptic at 5:04 AM on August 11, 2011
That site is completely fascinating. "Korea is One"! "Entry Procedure" (for tourists)! ON THE OCCASION OF FOUNDING THE ANTI-JAPANESE PEOPLE’S GUERRILLA ARMY! ("The work describes the course of founding the Anti-Japanese People’s Guerrilla Army and sets out the tasks and ways for waging a full-scale armed struggle.") "50-part cartoon movie "Boy General" (not apparently available online, argh)! Open Letter to US and S. Korean Authorities !
I wish there was more information about this missing gentleman. Is there even any info about where and when that photo was taken?
posted by Gator at 5:20 AM on August 11, 2011
I wish there was more information about this missing gentleman. Is there even any info about where and when that photo was taken?
posted by Gator at 5:20 AM on August 11, 2011
From the department of mixed metaphors, I loved the following quote from the above-linked "Age of Affluence" article, which is full of dictatorship-by-way-of-Walt-Disney goodness:
North Korea would be like a powerful and prospering family without any successor that could be compared to a rudderless ship left at the mercy of the elements, running every risk of being sent to Davy Jones' Locker.
But this paragraph is spine chilling, and not in a good way:
The Korean people, the Workers' Party of Korea, government and the Korean People's Army consider Kim Jong-eun a manifestation of the founding father, Kim Il-sung that effectively keeps him alive and in charge for ever.
posted by Gordion Knott at 6:39 AM on August 11, 2011
North Korea would be like a powerful and prospering family without any successor that could be compared to a rudderless ship left at the mercy of the elements, running every risk of being sent to Davy Jones' Locker.
But this paragraph is spine chilling, and not in a good way:
The Korean people, the Workers' Party of Korea, government and the Korean People's Army consider Kim Jong-eun a manifestation of the founding father, Kim Il-sung that effectively keeps him alive and in charge for ever.
posted by Gordion Knott at 6:39 AM on August 11, 2011
I love the drip animation in the upper right corner. But what does it mean?
drip, drip, drip, drip, drip, drip....
posted by R. Mutt at 7:18 AM on August 11, 2011
drip, drip, drip, drip, drip, drip....
posted by R. Mutt at 7:18 AM on August 11, 2011
Chinese water torture?
posted by woodblock100 at 7:23 AM on August 11, 2011
posted by woodblock100 at 7:23 AM on August 11, 2011
So, in clicking through the pages in Naenara, I came upon a link for "Life, food, culture".
"there is no data for you" is the sum total of the content on that page.
posted by OHenryPacey at 8:03 AM on August 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
"there is no data for you" is the sum total of the content on that page.
posted by OHenryPacey at 8:03 AM on August 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
Whenever I read more about North Korea my brain slips in to a mode like I am watching a movie or experiencing an Alternative Reality Game.
So so surreal, I can't believe this place exists as it does.
posted by Theta States at 8:20 AM on August 11, 2011
So so surreal, I can't believe this place exists as it does.
posted by Theta States at 8:20 AM on August 11, 2011
I love their PR...
[06/29/2011] Spokesman for DPRK Government Warns Lee Myung Bak Group of Stern Punishment
[06/30/2011] Lee Myung Bak Group's Hideous Provocation to Be Shattered
[2011-07-25] 99.97 Percent of Voters Participated in Local Election
[2005.01.01] Party, army and people, give fuller play to the might of Songun in single-minded unity
The Statements and Commentary section has more articles than all of the other categories combined.
And clicking on Education and other sections:
There is no data for you.
posted by Theta States at 8:41 AM on August 11, 2011
[06/29/2011] Spokesman for DPRK Government Warns Lee Myung Bak Group of Stern Punishment
[06/30/2011] Lee Myung Bak Group's Hideous Provocation to Be Shattered
[2011-07-25] 99.97 Percent of Voters Participated in Local Election
[2005.01.01] Party, army and people, give fuller play to the might of Songun in single-minded unity
The Statements and Commentary section has more articles than all of the other categories combined.
And clicking on Education and other sections:
There is no data for you.
posted by Theta States at 8:41 AM on August 11, 2011
Wim van der Bijl, director of the art building material company of the Netherlands
Ah, yes! THAT prestigious firm. I guess The Netherlands is small enough to only need the one.
posted by snottydick at 8:46 AM on August 11, 2011
Ah, yes! THAT prestigious firm. I guess The Netherlands is small enough to only need the one.
posted by snottydick at 8:46 AM on August 11, 2011
I didn't know that stamps were considered "art building materials".
I still don't.
posted by Seamus at 10:01 AM on August 11, 2011
I still don't.
posted by Seamus at 10:01 AM on August 11, 2011
pretty cool flickr set from north korea's "election day" 2009 here (from kernbeisser, of course)
posted by jjoye at 10:12 AM on August 11, 2011
posted by jjoye at 10:12 AM on August 11, 2011
North Korea - you come for the stamps (and the polling stations), you stay for the excellent free elections (and possible political imprisonment)!
posted by Metro Gnome at 2:07 PM on August 11, 2011
posted by Metro Gnome at 2:07 PM on August 11, 2011
Metafilter: No. There is no article you want.
posted by Hairy Lobster at 4:05 PM on August 11, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Hairy Lobster at 4:05 PM on August 11, 2011 [2 favorites]
I didn't know that stamps were considered "art building materials".
It's an anagram for "martialed brutalising" and "admittable ruralising."
posted by zippy at 6:40 PM on August 11, 2011
It's an anagram for "martialed brutalising" and "admittable ruralising."
posted by zippy at 6:40 PM on August 11, 2011
update aug 14: Acording to dutch media reports van der Bijl's business partner has informed them that van der Bijl has returned to the Netherlands, but does not want to give more details.
posted by PaulZ at 2:51 AM on August 14, 2011
posted by PaulZ at 2:51 AM on August 14, 2011
North-Korea kept him for 2 weeks on suspicion of state endangering activities. According to local news media.
posted by joost de vries at 9:16 AM on August 14, 2011
posted by joost de vries at 9:16 AM on August 14, 2011
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posted by joelf at 11:13 PM on August 10, 2011