semiotix: Its function is straightforward but important. Whenever leader Kim Jong-un is mentioned, his name is automatically displayed ever so slightly bigger than the text around it. Not by much, but just enough to make it stand out.

See, this is why my money is on this extremely detail-oriented regime, hateful though it is. All the United States' sanctions get us is more hungry people angry at us. Meanwhile, in just a few lines of code, they're making people love them without even knowing why.

Well played, sir. Well played.

Anthracite: Why don't we go over and free them ? just asking...does it have to do with China or Russia?

Because they have nukes.

They might have some problems, so far, with intercontinental missiles (but they're working on it). But if you invade NK, they'd nuke themselves just to kill the Americans.

They'd also nuke Seoul, and hey, Japan, why not.

Anthracite: Why don't we go over and free them ? just asking...does it have to do with China or Russia?

It would be a disaster, there is so much propaganda that the population is essentially brain washed. How about freeing the people fighting for it first, once those people are free maybe the Best Koreans will ant it too.

There is a documentary that got into the country with some surgeons that were removing cataracts (or something else with the eye). They did hundreds of surgeries and then had an 'unveiling' the next day. With the surgeons right there the people would basically start thanking their 'Dear Leader' like he made them see again himself.

JesusJuice: pastorkius: JesusJuice: Anthracite: Why don't we go over and free them ? just asking...does it have to do with China or Russia?

Why should we risk the lives of our citizens in order to give freedom to a people obviously don't want it? You get the leaders you deserve, and the North Koreans must be some pretty shiatty people to deserve the Kims.

Yeah, why don't they just vote out their single party dictatorial government?

I was actually thinking of having a revolution. If they're not willing to die to be free, why should anyone else?

PLus, it's hard to revolt when you have no way of organizing, or have the energy to do so since most of your time is scavenging for grass and tree bark to make soup. If they even had an idea their was revolt in the air, the real or perceived organizers would be sent to the gulags or killed in public to set an example.

JesusJuice: pastorkius: JesusJuice: Anthracite: Why don't we go over and free them ? just asking...does it have to do with China or Russia?

Why should we risk the lives of our citizens in order to give freedom to a people obviously don't want it? You get the leaders you deserve, and the North Koreans must be some pretty shiatty people to deserve the Kims.

Yeah, why don't they just vote out their single party dictatorial government?

I was actually thinking of having a revolution. If they're not willing to die to be free, why should anyone else?

Their "government"(wardens) basically tells them "You think you have it hard, you should be glad you are not in the rest of the world. This is a paradise by comparison."

Anthracite: Why don't we go over and free them ? just asking...does it have to do with China or Russia?

The short answer is that South Korea can't afford it. You are essentially talking about reintegrating 24 million people into the 20th century. South korea already spends a fortune reintegrating escapees from Best Korea. They apparently have a walled compound where they provide, medical, dental, career counselling, financial counselling,manners/social integration, (apparently people from the Best Korean have abysmal manners, by our standards) etc. All at the cost to the south Korean people.

The comparison is made to the reintegration of East Germany which was far easier than Best Korea. These people are light years behind the times.

Put Escape from Prison Camp #14 on your Christmas list, it is enlightening. I've always wondered why we fark with Iraq/Iran/etc when Best Korea is clearly the biggest oppressors of their own people on the planet.

dittybopper: "In order to make sure the mobile phone frequencies are not being tracked, I would fill up a washbasin with water and put the lid of a rice cooker over my head while I made a phone call," said one interviewee, a 28-year-old man who left the country in November 2010.

Heh. That's funny.

How is that any different than what we will have once the Global Corporate Socialists get all of the internet laws they are trying to buy with dump trucks full of cash?

Arkanaut: I wonder -- with all the Linux- / Mozilla-based stuff, how long before somebody cracks their security measures?

It doesn't matter if it's Linux or Mozilla-based stuff, I'm sure that's already happened. There's just no telling how widespread it may be by now. There was an article a few yrs. ago here about how some had just discovered The Sound of Music. It was one of the few western movies approved for the public to watch. By now, who knows how far they may have come.

I wonder -- with all the Linux- / Mozilla-based stuff, how long before somebody cracks their security measures?

Anthracite: Why don't we go over and free them ? just asking...does it have to do with China or Russia?

Operation Best Korea Freedom is scheduled for three days after vast reserves of oil are found there.

Beyond the Kwangmyong intranet, some North Koreans do have full, unfiltered internet access.

However, it is believed this is restricted to just a few dozen families - most directly related to Kim Jong-un himself.

I bet he has all of the porn.

dittybopper: "In order to make sure the mobile phone frequencies are not being tracked, I would fill up a washbasin with water and put the lid of a rice cooker over my head while I made a phone call," said one interviewee, a 28-year-old man who left the country in November 2010.

Heh. That's funny.

That's how I manage to make calls on AT&T in my apartment.

Why don't we go over and free them ? just asking...does it have to do with China or Russia?