Friendliness is hard to judge as most people can only speak Korean and almost exclusively pretend like you don't exist. Whether that is through fear or not, I can't say but it is unusual when you consider that NK is the most homogenised society in the world and that the number of western tourist is only ~2000/year that most people did not seem curious at all to see us.
Cooking skills may not be lacking but raw ingredients certainly are. I never realised how much I depend on fruit until I visited NK. I don't particularly like apples but after almost a week of no fruit and almost the same meal everyday (kim shi), I was genuinely excited when I managed to get half an apple. I can only imagine what it is like for ordinary NK citizens.
For all its affront and posturing, you cannot visit NK without recognising that it is a poor country masquerading as a rich one. The paucity of cars even in the city centre of Pyongyang was eerie - especially so when we drove on an empty 10-lane motorway. There seemed to be only about 5 styles of clothing available (especially for men) that reminded me of school uniform every where we went. The complete lack of crime (except against humanity, perhaps) was almost disconcerting.
I have actually visited North Korea in order to see the Arirang Mass Games. Although Truman Show is a good analogy of what it is like there, I feel a better description is like a human safari. While it is heavily locked down there to an amusing extent (my guide genuinely thought Madonna was man but had heard of her), every now and then you saw a glimpse of something that showed you that it wasn't entirely true.
When I was leaving the country and passing through passport control, I was lightly grilled by the border guard. He asked me a few questions and then asked me what my job was. "Programmer", I replied. "Which language do you use?" "Java" He then leaned forwarded and whispered to me as he gave me my passport back, "Me too".
The most startling fact I found out when reading this article is that I am now, at 29 years old, past it. I had heard of hardly any of the "top" artists in these lists never mind pirate their music.
All this supposition that Assange is being extradited to Sweden only for them to extradite him to USA his nothing short of a conspiracy theory. Why would anyone go such a convoluted route when they could simply extradite him from the UK using the fast track extradition process (that the USA has failed to honour incidentally). Involving Sweden in the process makes no sense what so ever, to extradite him from there requires both the UK and Sweden's permission and if the USA can get the UK to agree then why involve Sweden at all!
Over and over it has been said that Sweden wants to question him as they need to do this formally before charging him and that needs to take place in Sweden legally. So to drop by or phone is of no interest to Sweden and in any case, why should he be treated differently from every body else?
The key part you neglect to mention is that the Icelanders signed up to a statutory guarantee to guarantee up to a certain level of depositors funds. When Landsbanki collapsed taking IceSave with it, Iceland turned around and said that this guarantee only applied to Icelanders and not to other countries. Only then did the UK and the Netherlands start taking Landsbanki's assets.
With one hand, attack the nuclear computer systems of another country and with the other hand, demand extradition and decades of imprisonment for those who break into your systems to have a look around.
But not Scotland?
Scotland has had the right to roam since time immemorial (much like Scandinavia's allemansrätten) whereas for England & Wales that's only really been allowed since the Countryside and Rights of Way Act of 2000 - and even then it's more restrictive than in Scotland.
I love the way you bash the majority of states in the UN as not being "free, democratic societies" and use that as justification as to why they should not be involved in deciding the direction of the internet; denying to them the very same freedom and democracy that you so espouse.
Pot. Kettle. Black.
Didn't think it would be of interest to anyone who wasn't Swedish:)
"Fastighetsägare" translates as "property owner" and normally refers to people/associations that own a block of flats and is somewhat akin to a housing association.
Bredbandbolaget's prices are variable depending on the fastighetsägare and the setup in the local telephone exchange (is it LLUB? Are they selling over someone else's network? If it's Skanova then it won't be cheap).
Confessions of a former B2 programmer
I find it fittingly ironic that in a story about the nefarious Chinese censorship that the slashdot editors felt it okay to censor the expletive in question.
Last time I checked, the US has the most college graduates of any country. Our worst college-educated state, West Virginia, has more college graduates than any country in Western Europe.
I agree that $60/month seems very expensive. Here in Sweden I pay $15/month and then 10 cents per call (to any mobile or landline) iresepective of the length of the phone call.
You can onl register a personal domain with your initials and two digits after that eg JohnSMith can get js01.ie and he you have to demonstrate a "Real and Substantive Connection" to Ireland. After that companies with Irish links, state agencies, schools and politicians (and a few more categories) can register a domain. So this ban will only affect those who managed to register a company or trademark with an "offensive" name or try to make use of the "Discretionary Name" category.
Look here for more details:
http://www.domainregistry.ie/RegistrationPolicy.ph p
This will only make schools (if they don't already) make students sign waivers that grants them (and associates) the ability to retain a copy of their work for the purpose of detecting cheating. Can this group not see that it's in their interest academically to root out cheating so that everyone is forced to work and learn if they want to pass?
Slashdot Mirror
You are over-egging NK from my experience.
Friendliness is hard to judge as most people can only speak Korean and almost exclusively pretend like you don't exist. Whether that is through fear or not, I can't say but it is unusual when you consider that NK is the most homogenised society in the world and that the number of western tourist is only ~2000/year that most people did not seem curious at all to see us.
Cooking skills may not be lacking but raw ingredients certainly are. I never realised how much I depend on fruit until I visited NK. I don't particularly like apples but after almost a week of no fruit and almost the same meal everyday (kim shi), I was genuinely excited when I managed to get half an apple. I can only imagine what it is like for ordinary NK citizens.
For all its affront and posturing, you cannot visit NK without recognising that it is a poor country masquerading as a rich one. The paucity of cars even in the city centre of Pyongyang was eerie - especially so when we drove on an empty 10-lane motorway. There seemed to be only about 5 styles of clothing available (especially for men) that reminded me of school uniform every where we went. The complete lack of crime (except against humanity, perhaps) was almost disconcerting.
I have actually visited North Korea in order to see the Arirang Mass Games. Although Truman Show is a good analogy of what it is like there, I feel a better description is like a human safari. While it is heavily locked down there to an amusing extent (my guide genuinely thought Madonna was man but had heard of her), every now and then you saw a glimpse of something that showed you that it wasn't entirely true.
When I was leaving the country and passing through passport control, I was lightly grilled by the border guard. He asked me a few questions and then asked me what my job was.
"Programmer", I replied.
"Which language do you use?"
"Java"
He then leaned forwarded and whispered to me as he gave me my passport back, "Me too".
Actually it was Evelyn Beatrice Hall who said that as a summarisation of Voltaire's beliefs.
The most startling fact I found out when reading this article is that I am now, at 29 years old, past it. I had heard of hardly any of the "top" artists in these lists never mind pirate their music.
All this supposition that Assange is being extradited to Sweden only for them to extradite him to USA his nothing short of a conspiracy theory. Why would anyone go such a convoluted route when they could simply extradite him from the UK using the fast track extradition process (that the USA has failed to honour incidentally). Involving Sweden in the process makes no sense what so ever, to extradite him from there requires both the UK and Sweden's permission and if the USA can get the UK to agree then why involve Sweden at all!
Over and over it has been said that Sweden wants to question him as they need to do this formally before charging him and that needs to take place in Sweden legally. So to drop by or phone is of no interest to Sweden and in any case, why should he be treated differently from every body else?
The key part you neglect to mention is that the Icelanders signed up to a statutory guarantee to guarantee up to a certain level of depositors funds. When Landsbanki collapsed taking IceSave with it, Iceland turned around and said that this guarantee only applied to Icelanders and not to other countries. Only then did the UK and the Netherlands start taking Landsbanki's assets.
With one hand, attack the nuclear computer systems of another country and with the other hand, demand extradition and decades of imprisonment for those who break into your systems to have a look around.
Except you cannot always extradite someone who you have had extradited to your country. The first country normally adds caveats to prevent that
Citation please. That song was written in it's modern form in 1881.
"Bear Wengse" should be "Björn Wengse". Poor journalism.
But not Scotland? Scotland has had the right to roam since time immemorial (much like Scandinavia's allemansrätten) whereas for England & Wales that's only really been allowed since the Countryside and Rights of Way Act of 2000 - and even then it's more restrictive than in Scotland.
Hate to be a grammar nazi but it's "shouldn't have" not "shouldn't of"
That doesn't make any sense! In the summer the UK is on UTC+1.
I love the way you bash the majority of states in the UN as not being "free, democratic societies" and use that as justification as to why they should not be involved in deciding the direction of the internet; denying to them the very same freedom and democracy that you so espouse. Pot. Kettle. Black.
Even though it's not their rig, I'm sure BP had some nefarious hand in it all. The oil leak, hurricanes, Lockerbie, 9-11 etc and now this!
Its like calling the English Parliament the congress of England
It's doubly incorrect as England, unlike its parters in the UK (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) has no parliament of any kind.
Didn't think it would be of interest to anyone who wasn't Swedish :)
"Fastighetsägare" translates as "property owner" and normally refers to people/associations that own a block of flats and is somewhat akin to a housing association.
Bredbandbolaget's prices are variable depending on the fastighetsägare and the setup in the local telephone exchange (is it LLUB? Are they selling over someone else's network? If it's Skanova then it won't be cheap). Confessions of a former B2 programmer
I find it fittingly ironic that in a story about the nefarious Chinese censorship that the slashdot editors felt it okay to censor the expletive in question.
Last time I checked, the US has the most college graduates of any country. Our worst college-educated state, West Virginia, has more college graduates than any country in Western Europe.
You honestly think that a state with 1.8million people has more college graduates than the UK (pop. 60 million)? In 2003 the UK had 3 million full-time students aged 16 and over. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/articles/labour_market_trends/economic_inactivity_students_LMTDec03.pdf/ and had 16% of the working population with a degree http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D7743.xls/.
I agree that $60/month seems very expensive. Here in Sweden I pay $15/month and then 10 cents per call (to any mobile or landline) iresepective of the length of the phone call.
You can onl register a personal domain with your initials and two digits after that eg JohnSMith can get js01.ie and he you have to demonstrate a "Real and Substantive Connection" to Ireland. After that companies with Irish links, state agencies, schools and politicians (and a few more categories) can register a domain. So this ban will only affect those who managed to register a company or trademark with an "offensive" name or try to make use of the "Discretionary Name" category. Look here for more details: http://www.domainregistry.ie/RegistrationPolicy.ph p
I submitted this same story two days ago and it was rejected. What has changed in the intervening two days to make the story publishable?
This will only make schools (if they don't already) make students sign waivers that grants them (and associates) the ability to retain a copy of their work for the purpose of detecting cheating. Can this group not see that it's in their interest academically to root out cheating so that everyone is forced to work and learn if they want to pass?