Kim Jong-Il to lose iPod privileges

[Da Skinna]

I almost feel bad for him... almost.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exer...DED87FE281.htm

My real question, aside from whether sanctions will have any lasting and progressive effects, is what the hell is that quote in the picture? Boney M? Are you serious?

EDIT: Maybe it's a joke... or something.

[conon394]

My real question, aside from whether sanctions will have any lasting and progressive effects

Nope, seeing as China most likely has no intention whatsoever to enforce a list handed to it by the US.

On the Boney M thing I did come across a blog entry that suggested Boney M was once popular in S Korea because it toured there back in the day. Maybe Kim is still a fan - but seems like a joke to me.

[Dromikaites]

While the list may look ridiculous, do not underestimate the ingenuity of the North Korean engineers. During the Cold War the Communist countries (being under technological embargo) cloned some of the microprocessors and integrated circuits found in game consoles, personal computers like the Sinclair Spectrum and home appliances.

In 1989 I was in my first year studying Computer Science at the Bucharest Technical University and I remember the computer networks which were using "workstations" based on the Z80 processor clones and the "mainframes" based on clonned PDPs. While you can't do anything spectacular with such equipment, it was adequate for handling many of the IT needs of a large company (payroll, inventory management, production scheduling, etc) or the logistics of an army. Tens of thousands of people became available for other tasks instead of pushing papers. An iPod has much more computing power than the Z80 and the PDP 11 so I wouldn't be surprise the North Koreans found other applications for it.

[hsimoorb]

Wait, this is a guy who built a nuc despite our agreement to the contrary, and after that, we were still selling him iPods, rolex watches, and wine? WTH is our state department up to anyways?

Also, the idea that we're going to bring the north korean govermnet to it's knees by cutting Kim's allowance is just rediculous. Erode his power base indeed.

[The Walrus]

If the US wasn't in Iraq it could better deal with this situation. Seriously though, North Korea thrives on bribes. The guards get bribed all the time. No one cares as bribes from anyone keeps loyalty there. Guards are happy they get money and gifts from both sides so they don't desert. Everyone seems to win except the commoners. They don't get bribed, they don't even get food. Why hasn't assassination been tried yet?

[cegorach]

There were several attempts, but N.Korea is known for its secrecy.

For certain we cannot be sure what was an assassnation case and what was not, but couple of years ago a train full of TNT exploded only some time after Kim moved through the station.

According to intelligence agencies there is a strong possibility it was a case of failed 'tyran killing' or some internal struggle.

Korean political system is constructed in such way that killing KIm doesn't change a situation - society is made to believe that anyone in charge is almost a demi-god (funny in atheistic society), besides if he died it would be announced that he fought a 'heroic struggle against American imperialism' to 'liberate all Koreans' especially those in S.Korea where for some reason people throw away more food to rubbish bins than is produced in the entire N.Korea.

But as N.Korean TV claims 'eating grass is good to your health' - no wonder cell phones are virtually banned there...

Ehh wonders of 'the ultimate worker paradise'...