안주 Links for 10 March 2009

NORTH KOREA has serial killers?

EVERYONE ACT SURPRISED: Kim Jong Il is reelected with 100% of the vote — which even beats Obama’s margin in Takoma Park. But whereas free elections are noted for saturating voters with information, North Korea’s election was accompanied by a crackdown on illegal cell phones. More here.

KIM JONG IL AND I MAY AGREE ON ONE THING: Can I infer that he detests Vista, too?

THE LEAKY BLOCKADE: Open Radio has more on the proliferation of media in North Korea, including Pentium 4 computers (no internet or printers, though) and mini LCD TV’s. Just as North Korea’s food policy and economy are changing from the bottom up, the same is true of the slow disintegration of the information blockade. The regime’s whack-a-mole campaign against “unofficial” information occasionally makes temporary gains against one medium or another, but its strained resources can’t hold back the rising demand for news, entertainment, and everything South Korean.

NEXT STOP, TAIPEI? China joins the list of nations seeking to validate the Biden Prophecy. Oddly enough, Hillary Clinton’s human rights sellout seems not to have bought us much goodwill. Let’s just hope China’s provocations won’t get in the way of our unity of purpose in fighting climate change.

BEING LOVED IS OVERRATED: The headline asks, “Is Europe falling out of love with Obama?,” as Joe Biden appeals to Europeans to contribute more troops to Afghanistan. If the Europeans still refuse to help, we may have to question those talking points about “smart diplomacy” restoring our alliances with friends we had foolishly alienated.