UPDATE 1 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il dies during train ride

[LandOfSmileys]

I never understood the appeal to being a dictator for somewhere like North Korea.

Congrats on your new job Jong "King of Dirt" Un

King of Dirt, exactly! Sometimes kids mix water with dirt to make mud pies. What happens when you mix fat with dirt?

[Scott]

Some inappropriate posts have been removed.

[Credo]

Personally, I think the passing of this leader could be an opportunity for a couple of countries. If we could arrange for Thaksin to take power in N. Korea, his business sense would do wonders for the country. His perceived need for adulation would be fulfilled and the current mess in Thailand over him would settle down. A win-win situation.

[GentlemanJim]

Here's an interesting take on the death of an evil mass murdering racist dictator from the recently late, great Christopher Hitchens:

http://www.slate.com...ist_dwarfs.html

A Nation of Racist Dwarfs

Kim Jong-il's regime is even weirder and more despicable than you thought.

Thanks Jingthing

The world will miss Christopher Hitchens. Often abrasive, often rude, often undiplomatic, but eloquent incredibly intelligent, articulate and more often than not, bang on the money, as he was in this article.. I watched a couple of youtube videos of him in action when I heard he had died, I ended up being transfixed for 3 hours worth of him at his best.

[Steely Dan]

Here's an interesting take on the death of an evil mass murdering racist dictator from the recently late, great Christopher Hitchens:

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/fighting_words/2010/02/a_nation_of_racist_dwarfs.html

A Nation of Racist Dwarfs

Kim Jong-il's regime is even weirder and more despicable than you thought.

Wow! It's quite an achievement for an entire nation to be mentally ill without the aid of religion as a control mechanism, though coming to think of it it does make perfect sense for North Korea to be aiding and abetting Iran, a similarly mentally ill regime.

It is entirely possible atheism is also a control mechanism. It seems to work in North Korea.

Yes, so it would seem. Perhaps a cult can be a religion but need not be just so long as the brainwashing, intimidation and lack of an escape route are there the result is the same. The interesting thing is if you get a wizard of Oz type occurrence when people do wake up and pay attention to the man behind the curtain, though needless to say outside intervention would be just as fraught with danger as it would be with Iran, but may be difficult to avoid if things get messy.

[maidu]

It is entirely possible atheism is also a control mechanism. It seems to work in North Korea.

You can't blame atheism for the miserable place that N.Korea is today. The reasons for N.Korea's bleakness are plain to see, and they're well mentioned in the posts within this thread.

One silver lining on the intractible mess that the Korean peninsula has become: the 4 mile wide DMZ zone, because it has no people therein, has reverted to a somewhat wild natural state, with deer and wild hogs and other species that don't survive well alongside people.

It will be interesting to see when/how N.Koreans will throw off the yoke of the required absolute adoration. Destabilization is what the big powers (NPK's neighbors and the USA) keep saying they're worried about. I'm thinking 'what's so bad about destability in N.Korea, particularly if it paves the way for N.Koreans breaking the bonds of forced compliance?

Edited December 20, 2011 by maidu

[chuckd]

It is entirely possible atheism is also a control mechanism. It seems to work in North Korea.

You can't blame atheism for the miserable place that N.Korea is today. The reasons for N.Korea's bleakness are plain to see, and they're well mentioned in the posts within this thread.

One silver lining on the intractible mess that the Korean peninsula has become: the 4 mile wide DMZ zone, because it has no people therein, has reverted to a somewhat wild natural state, with deer and wild hogs and other species that don't survive well alongside people.

It will be interesting to see when/how N.Koreans will throw off the yoke of the required absolute adoration. Destabilization is what the big powers (NPK's neighbors and the USA) keep saying they're worried about.  I'm thinking 'what's so bad about destability in N.Korea, particularly if it paves the way for N.Koreans breaking the bonds of forced compliance? 

The North Korean regime's obsession with having Kim Jong Il as their God in place of any higher supreme being is atheism at work. It did not work very well, much as the USSR in earlier days.

[wxyz]

sadly, n korea does have a religion, kimism, they deify the kims to thus keep and justify their monarchy

[lannarebirth]

I say Rest in Peace. His Father was a great man that defeated the nation of Nippon; it was commando War. He was known for his lavish lunches. At least the ex-Libya leader had the guts to die in his own country! Better than these loser public speakers and book promoters that are responsible for killing hordes of people. I am sure that people had no freedom as we call it and died of starvation and some may have resulted to eating a carcass or two to stay alive. One has to admire a Nation that has no lonely planet book.

"One has to admire a Nation that has no lonely planet book." Admire it why? Because it is so nasty of a place that nobody would ever want to holiday there? The reason for no Lonely Planet book. If there was a book, it be one page: "STAY AWAY".

I believe ThaiVisa member "corkscrew" has visited there a couple of times and has posted about it, along with pictures. Very interesting I thought.

[CraigSchuler]

One less nut case the world has to worry about........Sometimes a good man is a dead man!

[Steely Dan]

The North Korean regime's obsession with having Kim Jong Il as their God in place of any higher supreme being is atheism at work. It did not work very well, much as the USSR in earlier days.

Before you try and pin this on atheism I would suggest cultism is more accurate. The original use of the word was related to religious practice but the mechanisms of control used by malignant narcissists (megalomaniacs) have the same defining characteristics whether they occupy religious, political or military positions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult

Edited December 20, 2011 by Steely Dan

[wxyz]

<br />

<br />Here's an interesting take on the death of an evil mass murdering racist dictator from the recently late, great Christopher Hitchens:<br /><br /><a href='http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/fighting_words/2010/02/a_nation_of_racist_dwarfs.html' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.slate.com...ist_dwarfs.html</a><br />

<br />A Nation of Racist Dwarfs<br />Kim Jong-il's regime is even weirder and more despicable than you thought.

<br />

<br /><br />Thanks Jingthing<br /><br />The world will miss Christopher Hitchens. Often abrasive, often rude, often undiplomatic, but eloquent incredibly intelligent, articulate and more often than not, bang on the money, as he was in this article.. I watched a couple of youtube videos of him in action when I heard he had died, I ended up being transfixed for 3 hours worth of him at his best.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Hitchens was against all forms of totalitarianism, as we all should be, they are crimes against humanity

"born in the wrong country"

Christopher Hitchens talks to Jeremy Paxman

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/9233571.stm

In a wide-ranging special interview, Jeremy Paxman talks to the writer, polemicist and commentator Christopher Hitchens about his cancer diagnosis, his life, his politics and writing.

Broadcast on Monday 29 November 2010.

“Who are your favorite heroines in real life? The women of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran who risk their lives and their beauty to defy the foulness of theocracy. Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Azar Nafisi as their ideal feminine model.”

Christopher Hitchens,

“Islam makes very large claims for itself. In its art, there is a prejudice against representing the human form at all. The prohibition on picturing the prophet – who was only another male mammal – is apparently absolute. So is the prohibition on pork or alcohol or, in some Muslim societies, music or dancing. Very well then, let a good Muslim abstain rigorously from all these. But if he claims the right to make me abstain as well, he offers the clearest possible warning and proof of an aggressive intent.”

Christopher Hitchens

[Scott]

This thread. It's about N. Korea.

[swisstouristpattaya]

In north Korea, when a family member think "bad", police arrest the entire family, and gaz them. Where is doctor Phil?

sent from tapatalk :-)

Edited December 21, 2011 by swisstouristpattaya

[bonobo]

It is entirely possible atheism is also a control mechanism. It seems to work in North Korea.

You can't blame atheism for the miserable place that N.Korea is today. The reasons for N.Korea's bleakness are plain to see, and they're well mentioned in the posts within this thread.

One silver lining on the intractible mess that the Korean peninsula has become: the 4 mile wide DMZ zone, because it has no people therein, has reverted to a somewhat wild natural state, with deer and wild hogs and other species that don't survive well alongside people.

It will be interesting to see when/how N.Koreans will throw off the yoke of the required absolute adoration. Destabilization is what the big powers (NPK's neighbors and the USA) keep saying they're worried about. I'm thinking 'what's so bad about destability in N.Korea, particularly if it paves the way for N.Koreans breaking the bonds of forced compliance?

The North Korean regime's obsession with having Kim Jong Il as their God in place of any higher supreme being is atheism at work. It did not work very well, much as the USSR in earlier days.

Actually, it is pretty obvious that North Korea does not practice atheism. Their Gods are Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. When Il Sung died, the Koreans reported that 1000 cranes came to lift him to heaven, but when they saw the people crying, they decided to leave him to sleep amongst the people.

The North Korean propaganda machine has deftly taken old religious and Confucian beliefs and intertwined them with stories about the Kims, proving their godhood, so-to-speak. Both men are credited with numerous miracles, and even the animals are said to worship them.

FOr all practical purposes, North Korea has a religion, a state religion, and that centers around the two Kims as their gods. This is not atheism.

[tw25rw]

Here's an interesting take on the death of an evil mass murdering racist dictator from the recently late, great Christopher Hitchens:

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/fighting_words/2010/02/a_nation_of_racist_dwarfs.html

A Nation of Racist Dwarfs

Kim Jong-il's regime is even weirder and more despicable than you thought.

Wow! It's quite an achievement for an entire nation to be mentally ill without the aid of religion as a control mechanism, though coming to think of it it does make perfect sense for North Korea to be aiding and abetting Iran, a similarly mentally ill regime.

It is entirely possible atheism is also a control mechanism. It seems to work in North Korea.

Atheism isn't a doctrine.

They have made a religion out of Kim to replace their traditional religions.

[tw25rw]

The North Korean regime's obsession with having Kim Jong Il as their God in place of any higher supreme being is atheism at work. It did not work very well, much as the USSR in earlier days.

Religious regimes used their imaginary deities to justify their power over the people. In this case, their faith in the Kim regime is the religion. Any sensible atheist can see they are just control mechanisms and that the people are the victims.

[eddie61]

2011........a bad year for dictators world-wide.

Robert Mugabe next?? There is still time.

God, let Bob Mugabe be the next dictator to approach the gates of St Peter. My prayer for Zimbabwe! It can not get worse.

[Skywalker69]

Another one bites the dust!

Is Robert Mogabe next?

[geriatrickid]

Watching the newsfeeds of the little bloated new leader and I have to wonder just how terrified he must be. He is safe for now as the puppet boss, but when and where will he meet his fate? I don't see him lasting long. He is morbidly obese in a nation where malnutrition and starvation are the norm.

[wxyz]

With any luck they will stick an apple in the new leader's mouth, mount him on a spit and roast him.

That could save many N Koreans from starvation.

[Skywalker69]

Thanks for the link. Terrible to se masshysteria like this.

It will take a generation to reprogram this people.

[TAWP]

Seen the latest news-reports from the funeral proceedings, with the son greeting the two cars from South Korea with the older women - not sure what their relations are - and the bowing infront of the casket etc. Notice how hugely fat, frontwards especially, not sideways, the son is. He is a prime candidate for dying young due to health issues.

[koheesti]

Thanks for the link. Terrible to se masshysteria like this.

It will take a generation to reprogram this people.

I wonder how many are crying because they had their Dear Leader in their 2012 Dead Pool and miss the payoff by a couple weeks?

[abcz9]

go look what benjamin falford says happened

[Scott]

Topic continues here:

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