Where are all the starving peasants, massed ranks of synchronised swimmers and shots of stern looking Stalinists in badly fitting hats? Dunno. Must've been their day off. This little gem was crafted by the fair hand of Tessa, an academic who shot lots of video while on holiday in North Korea (hey, it takes all sorts). Oh, so it's a censor-approved-Nork-appologist piece of propoganda... actually not. Our Man was so intrigued he got off his virtual arse and did some deeply investigative investigations, probing every angle of the video. Well, actually he just sent Tessa an e-mail, and she replied. And here's what she said:
I took the footage (and a lot more that isn't included in that snippet) on two visits - one last year to Kumgangsan from South Korea, shortly before the unfortunate Ms. Pak was shot and that route was shut down, and one this year via China to Pyongyang and various other places. I was allowed to take a video camera in - visitors generally can bring video cameras. None of the filming was seriously undercover or concealed, though I guess it may not always have been obvious that the camera was rolling.
I think most of the footage would have been acceptable to the authorities had they seen it (which they didn't), except for perhaps about two or three bits (you can probably guess which ones).
Politics apart, I actually love North Korea - beautiful scenery, a very fascinating history, and some wonderful people who survive in the most extraordinarily difficult circumstances.
9 comments:
Hmm, I get an endless grey void with three stylized silhouetted people inside a slowly spinning circle. Truly, North Korea is far stranger than I ever imagined!
Quick thought: It's been more than 20 years since East and West Germany united. West Germany was and is one of the largest economies in the world, able and willing to pour an enormous amount of resources into its new easter part. East Germany was one of the most advanced eastern bloc states, economically and technologically. And yet, the former East Germany is still an economic backwater with high unemployment, few viable industries and a distressing trend towards "Easy Solutions"-style extremist politics.
North and South Korea have been divided culturally and economically for much longer and has been at open war with each other; South Korea has far fewer resources than Germany, while the North is far less advanced than the former East. If/when the North regime falls, I'm not at all sure the South would be all that willing - or even able - to integrate the north again. Such an undertaking may well drag the south down with the north.
Janne, try here: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=59163268
As far as reunification, well it may not be a bed of roses, but it's got to be better than the status quo, hasn't it?
OMG, My Man,
How many times do I need to tell you, that you simply must stop highlighting clever,witty,smart, brave women?
Your daughters are going to think that is the norm!
Just look at that poor lady at the Health and Welfare Ministry. She didn't do anything that was not "expected" of her.
But she will be punished ten times more than her male colleagues and the politicians involved will walk. As an unwanted outsider, which is what women are still in Japanese organizations, there is no one to defend her. It was just too easy for all the men involved.
Wimin's Lib isn't Our Man's battle, but if someone has something interesting to say, it is not for Our Man to judge the message by whether the messenger pees sitting down.
it is not for Our Man to judge the message by whether the messenger pees sitting down.
Unless, of course, the message is being delivered mid-pee, in which case it does start to matter.
Janne, have you tried turning yourself off and re-booting? Oh, that was to the first comment. Maybe.
Our Man, you obviously have not read this gem about Japanese men, http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=3373, which states that 40% sit to urinate.
Seats down, ladies...
Yes, but 40% of all surveys are meaningless, a percentage which increases the more money is, er, splashed out on them.
Anyway, this guerilla war against stand-up pee-ers is out of order. Our Man says it's time for men to stand up for their rights too, sister.
'Unless, of course, the message is being delivered mid-pee, in which case it does start to matter.'
lol.........
as for the norks,you have to admire any dictatorship that has a standing army of that size.idi amin would be in his element.
what I don't quite get with a lot of these communist dictators is the relatively high proportion that pass their power down within the family.......dear ol datsun thought that was the main problem with the aristo's.
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