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US Bans Sales of iPods To North Korea

gamer4Life writes "The United States has created their list of products banned from being exported to North Korea. This list includes iPods, plasma televisions and Segway electric scooters. U.S. intelligence officials who helped produce the Bush administration's list said Kim prefers Mercedes, BMW and Cadillac cars; Japanese and Harley Davidson motorcycles; Hennessy XO cognac from France and Johnny Walker Scotch whisky; Sony cameras and Japanese air conditioners."

28 of 269 comments (clear)

  1. The Good Kind of Sanctions by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As I've posted before, I think this is a good approach.

    There are good sanctions & bad sanctions. An example of bad sanctions were the sanctions the UN imposed against Iraq that caused a lot of human suffering. Yes, it put pressure on the dictator but it was easy ammo to use against the United States. Essentially claiming that we were starving and murdering the civilians--and I knew people that were saying we were doing horrible things!

    When we impose sanctions on a country to pressure the dictator, I think that things like food, water, clothing & medicine should be increased with pro-American propaganda along with it. What we should decrease is things like automobiles, electronics & other high standard of living commodities. Therefore we make it annoying for the people of North Korea to get by but it isn't possible to point to conditions of people dying due to our sanctions.

    Their economy might stagnate and people might die as a result of that but it's not so easy to point the finger at the UN then. In my opinion, the blocking of these high commodities is precisely how sanctions should be done. If these have little or no effect (which they probably will) then you can always ramp it up to include other things. I think one of the harsher things you could do is just block all traffic two/from North Korea from the United States. I mean, they probably block most of it already so that might not matter but internet access would be another commodity that would certainly upset me if I didn't have access to it.

    --
    My work here is dung.
    1. Re:The Good Kind of Sanctions by Lumpy · · Score: 5, Funny

      here are good sanctions & bad sanctions. An example of bad sanctions were the sanctions the UN imposed against Iraq [globalpolicy.org] that caused a lot of human suffering.

      have you tried living with a teenager that did not have her ipod? this causes HUGE amounts of human suffering!

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    2. Re:The Good Kind of Sanctions by monoqlith · · Score: 4, Funny

      It's strange, actually. I heard the body of the new Taepodong II nuclear missile is actually constructed out of refurbished iPods, clock radios, and 5 megapixel Sony cameras straight from Best Buy web site. These sanctions are good! That Kim Jong is just too thrifty!

    3. Re:The Good Kind of Sanctions by hkgroove · · Score: 5, Funny

      Until recently, they've been using the shoddy bomb-casing full of used pinball machine parts the Libyan Nationalists gave them.

    4. Re:The Good Kind of Sanctions by Fujisawa+Sensei · · Score: 5, Funny

      They should only permit the export of Microsoft Zunes to NK, that'll show him!

      --
      If someone is passing you on the right, you are an asshole for driving in the wrong lane.
    5. Re:The Good Kind of Sanctions by Mysticalfruit · · Score: 5, Funny

      Actually, exporting the Zune to them would be a violation of the Geneva conventions.

      --
      Yes Francis, the world has gone crazy.
    6. Re:The Good Kind of Sanctions by Silver+Sloth · · Score: 5, Funny
      Does the USA check the mail to Johny Kim in N.Korea?
      Why not - they check everyone else's!
      --
      init 11 - for when you need that edge.
    7. Re:The Good Kind of Sanctions by inviolet · · Score: 5, Insightful
      This [sanctiong] does not hurt the dictator.

      It doesn't have to; he won't change his mind about us because we annoy him. What will get his attention is if the influential North Korean upper-classmen get pissed off at him over his policies.

      The lower-class are just ballast. It's the upper-class that wields the most political power because Kim can't function without them and their thousands of separate fiefdoms. If those upper-classmen cease enjoying their lifestyle, then watch for a regime change or even a "popular uprising of the common man".

      --
      FATMOUSE + YOU = FATMOUSE
    8. Re:The Good Kind of Sanctions by Main+Gauche · · Score: 3, Insightful

      "In other words, you make the only people your enemies who could actually overthrow the dictator you're trying to get rid of - the rich upper-class with ambitions."

      Yes, the rich upper class is always the one starting revolutions.

      "Great plan. No surprise you're doing so well in Iraq, you have all these excellent ideas. ;-)"

      Did you read the post to which you responded? GP was contrasting his idea to the ones used in Iraq. But don't let that get in the way of a chance to make an Iraq crack.

      If GP weren't already maxed out, I'd be shoving my karma points his way.

  2. This will surely fail! by Kim+Jong+Il · · Score: 5, Funny

    This dastardly attempt by the imperialists to stifle us will surely fail, as it always has in the past.

    Our revolutionary scientific laborers, working under the glorious revolutionary banner of Juche, are coming up with our own as we speak! Our fervor shall produce better equipment than the American garbage, whether it be electronics, liquor, or food. Indeed, we have always done so, and the stories of us needing to import so called "luxury" goods are imperialist lies to discredit us.

    As just one of many examples, it is well known that Great Leader Kim Il Sung, in his secret bunker on Mount Paekdu, singlehandedly created the Internet during the War of Resistance against the Japanese, passing on the specification to American military whose scientists who took credit dastardly for it twenty years later. I post this first post as a trivial testament to our revolutionary ingenuity, illustrating our pre-eminence!

    Once again the imperialist dogs will be reminded of the futility of their ill-advised ways!

  3. But strangely by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The Zune is a go for Lil Kim.

  4. Newsflash by radiashun · · Score: 4, Funny

    Segway declares bankruptcy after losing it's stranglehold on the North Korean electric scooter market.

    Seriously, why would the ban Segway exports?

    1. Re:Newsflash by jimstapleton · · Score: 4, Informative

      it's nothing against Segway, it's against their not-so-benevolent dictator. It's something he wants, so they are banning it.

      --
      34486853790
      Connection too slow for X forwarding? Try "ssh -CX user@host"
    2. Re:Newsflash by antifoidulus · · Score: 3, Funny

      I dunno, given our own president's record with the devices, maybe we should be giving them more of the things.

    3. Re:Newsflash by bitt3n · · Score: 3, Funny
      Seriously, why would the ban Segway exports?
      a segway came closer to killing W than any Taepodong ever will.
  5. North Korea is dark by Southpaw018 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The man drives BMWs and Caddies, rides a Harley, sips fine cognac and drinks good scotch, plays with cameras, and relaxes in air conditioning, and his country looks like this.

    I think if I could choose to stab anyone in the world in the face, he'd be a finalist for sure.

    --
    ACs are modded -6. I don't read you, I don't mod you, I don't see you. Don't like it? Don't be a coward.
    1. Re:North Korea is dark by Hennell · · Score: 5, Funny

      Say what you like about North Korea, but the country has a damn good record on light pollution.

    2. Re:North Korea is dark by YrWrstNtmr · · Score: 5, Funny

      Say what you like about North Korea, but the country has a damn good record on light pollution.

      And Ethiopia has a damn good record on obesity.

    3. Re:North Korea is dark by Fred_A · · Score: 3, Funny
      The man drives BMWs and Caddies, rides a Harley, sips fine cognac and drinks good scotch, plays with cameras, and relaxes in air conditioning, and his country looks like this.
      That's because he just got into astronomy.
      --

      May contain traces of nut.
      Made from the freshest electrons.
    4. Re:North Korea is dark by unsupported · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Dude, the people of North Korea eat leaves and twigs to survive. They are constantly told that South Korea and the rest of the world are worse off than they are. The only pictures the news shows of North Korea are of the millitary. Old busted ass Russian missile vehicles, the millitary, and Shorty Mc-Il. God forbid the rest of the world actually see the attrocities this mad man is unleashing against his own people.

      [soapbox]But don't get me started on why the UN did not do anything when North Korea first uncapped their nuclear reactors. They should never have gotten this far.[/soapbox]

      --
      Yopu for you?
    5. Re:North Korea is dark by h2g2bob · · Score: 3, Funny
      You can't have a serious pollution issue if YOUR PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD CARS.

      Even if they could afford cars, they wouldn't be able to park them in well-lit places.

  6. Talk about effective sanctions by Salvance · · Score: 4, Funny

    Woah! North Korea certainly won't be able to progress in their quest for the bomb now that they won't be able to watch the "How to Make a Nuclear Bomb" podcasts anymore! How ridiculous.

    --
    Crack - Free with every butt and set of boobs
  7. In other news by Timesprout · · Score: 4, Funny

    Kimdude has set a new high for monthly purchases on ebay.

    --
    Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
    What truth?
    There is no dupe
  8. Re:Black market, anyone? by tehcyder · · Score: 4, Funny
    some of that fine American cognac
    Is this a joke?
    --
    To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  9. We banned plasma TVs? by qazwart · · Score: 4, Funny

    Um...

    Does the U.S. even make plasma TVs?

    While we're at it, why not ban quantum based time machine portals?

  10. Your english is too good. So, I translated it. :) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    This dastardry attempt by the imperiarists to stifre us rirr surely fair, as it arrays has in the past.

    Our revorutionary scientific raborers, rorking under the grorious revorutionary banner of Juche, are coming up rith our orn as re speak! Our fervor sharr produce better equipment than the American garbage, rhether it be erectronics, riquor, or food. Indeed, re have awrays done so, and the stories of us needing to import so carred "ruxury" goods are imperiarist ries to discredit us.

    As just one of many exampres, it is rerr known that Great Reader Kim Il Sung, in his secret bunker on Mount Paekdu, singrehandedry created the Internet during the rar of Resistance against the Japanese, passing on the specification to American miritary rhose scientists rho took credit dastardry for it trenty years rater. I post this first post as a triviar testament to our revorutionary ingenuity, irrustrating our pre-eminence!

    Once again the imperiarist dogs rirr be reminded of the futirity of their irr-advised rays!

  11. Re:Let's get this straight: the black market by Perseid · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yes, the North Korean middle class will be hit hard by this and I assume they'll both be pretty pissed.

  12. MAKE YOUR TIME by Infinityis · · Score: 5, Insightful

    IN A.D. 2006
    WAR WAS BEGINNING.
    Kim: WHAT HAPPEN?
    Mechanic: SOMEBODY SET UP US THE BAN.
    Operator: WE GET EMBARGO.
    Kim: WHAT!!
    Operator: VIDEO IPOD TURN ON.
    Kim: IT'S YOU!!
    Bush: HOW ARE YOU GENTLEMEN!!
    Bush: ALL YOUR IPOD ARE BELONG TO US.
    Bush: YOU ARE ON THE WAY TO BOREDOM.
    Dictator Kim: WHAT YOU SAY!!
    Bush: YOU HAVE NO CHANCE TO PRESS PLAY MAKE YOUR TIME.
    Bush: HA HA HA HA....
    Operator: DICTATOR!
    Kim: TAKE OFF EVERY 'MP3'!!
    Kim: YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DOING.
    Kim: MOVE 'ITUNES'.
    Kim: FOR GREAT JUSTICE