great share

 Thank you, saferia!

Very interesting video about film and culture in North Korea. 

http://www.vbs.tv/watch/the-vice-guide-to-film--2/north-korean-film-madness-full-length

About 24 mins. long

What did you find most insane?

Let's discuss!

I heart Michael Green

 My newest academic crush.

A 40 min. video interview.  VERY good if you have the time
http://c-span.org/Watch/Media/2010/11/24/HP/R/41162/Experts+Discuss+North+Koreas+Nuclear+Ambition+and+Aggression.aspx

And an article of his:

Why We're Always Fooled by North Korea

The analysts who predicted North Korea's latest nuclear breakthrough were denigrated and ignored.

By MICHAEL J. GREEN AND WILLIAM TOBEY

According to Siegfried Hecker, the former director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, North Korea is working on two new nuclear facilities, a light water power reactor in early stages of construction, and a "modern, clean centrifuge plant" for uranium enrichment. Mr. Hecker visited the facility over the weekend and says it appears nearly complete.

The centrifuge plant is particularly significant because it could produce more than enough highly enriched uranium to make a nuclear weapon every year—and it may not be the North's only such facility. North Korea's artillery bombardment of the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong on Tuesday makes it doubly clear that Pyongyang intends to leverage its new nuclear breakthrough for maximum concessions from the international community.

This nuclear revelation is not an intelligence failure. Over the past decade, intelligence analysts have consistently predicted North Korea's path to nuclear weapons and noted the increasing evidence of its missile and nuclear proliferation. The failure has been that of policy makers and pundits who denigrated the analysis, ignored it, or clung to the fallacy that North Korea would abide by a denuclearization deal.

In 1994, Clinton administration negotiators acknowledged that North Korea might be experimenting with uranium enrichment, but they chose to focus on an agreement called the Agreed Framework freezing the North's plutonium production at the Yongbyon facility. Intelligence agencies followed the uranium trail, but policy makers ignored it. As North Korea's most senior defector, Hwang Jang Yop, told us in 2004, the regime negotiated the Agreed Framework with every intention of "confronting the U.S. with a nuclear deterrent" before the reactors were complete and inspections became necessary.

In 2002, the Bush administration received compelling intelligence about active North Korean efforts to procure the equipment and materials necessary for a highly enriched uranium (HEU) facility. The experts had put together multiple-source information like a Rosetta Stone in an amazing piece of sleuthing. The exact state of the program was still unclear, but estimates were that it could be up and running within the decade. This was right on target, as we now know.

The North's clandestine HEU program was a blatant violation of the Agreed Framework, and in response the Bush administration suspended shipments of heavy fuel oil to North Korea. Critics immediately accused President Bush—not Kim Jong Il—of destroying the nuclear deal, even though the evidence demonstrated that the North had been assembling the HEU program since at least the 1990s.

By 2007, North Korea tested a nuclear device and the six-party talks were bogged down. U.S. negotiators were keen to shoehorn the talks back into the original Agreed Framework, with its focus on freezing the Yongbyon reactor, but the intelligence on the HEU program stood in the way. Negotiators set the issue aside, publicly and privately questioning the original assessment.

The New York Times and others aided this effort by reporting that the top U.S. intelligence expert on North Korea had "downgraded" his assessment on the North's HEU program in testimony to Congress in February 2007. In fact, he was simply reporting that the U.S. knew less about it—not surprising given that Pyongyang was alerted to our insights and could better hide its efforts.

Meanwhile, North Korean negotiators warned our delegation in Beijing in March 2003 that unless the U.S. ended its "hostile policy," Pyongyang was prepared to "demonstrate its deterrent," "expand its deterrent" and "transfer its deterrent." True to its word, Pyongyang did all three.

When stories leaked that the two of us were sent in February 2005 to inform Japan, Korea and China that uranium hexafluoride likely originating in North Korea had shown up in Libya, we were accused by outside experts and sources in the State Department of exaggerating the intelligence. After the CIA publicly noted North Korean complicity in a Syrian reactor construction project that Israel bombed in September 2007, the U.S. negotiating team successfully argued within the U.S. government to set aside the proliferation issue in order to focus on obtaining North Korean agreement on "verification protocols" to account for the plutonium at Yongbyon.

As a result, U.S. sanctions were lifted and North Korean illicit funds that had been frozen in a bank in Macao were returned, but no protocols were signed. Instead, North Korea conducted a second nuclear test. Meantime, evidence mounted that Myanmar was next in line seeking nuclear capabilities from Pyongyang.

It should be obvious by now that Pyongyang seeks acknowledgment as a nuclear state and intends to continue leveraging its proliferation threat to enjoy perpetual concessions from the U.S. North Korean officials have told outsiders that if America is concerned about proliferation, we should negotiate an "arms control agreement" with the North as mutual nuclear weapons states.

This would validate Pyongyang's weapons status and leave the door open for repeated escalation of the North's own weapons programs or proliferation, as U.S. credibility and deterrence steadily eroded. The existence of a highly enriched uranium facility makes this dynamic even more dangerous.

The Obama administration has said that the bombardment of Yeonpyeong is not a crisis, which is probably wise if the aim is to avoid granting the North even more leverage. On the other hand, it would be a colossal mistake to return to negotiations as if provocations are merely the price of doing business with Pyongyang. The focus right now should be on containment, interdiction and pressure. The inability to do so on a sustained basis until now was a failure of policy, not intelligence.

Mr. Green served as a senior official on the National Security Council Staff from 2001-05 and is now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Mr. Tobey served from 2006-09 as a deputy administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration and is now a senior fellow at Harvard's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

stop it, stop it! NorKor

 Why is it every time this year there is high profile news about my favorite subject (north Korea) I am otherwise engaged?  Sinking of the Cheonan submarine-- too busy to post.  World Cup Soccer-- in the hospital.  Now with the recent aggression towards S. Korea's Yeonpyeong Island, I am just getting back from my vacation with with in-laws.  Should this be a lesson to me?  Always be ready and able to blog and East Asia will be at peace? 

If only it were that simple.

This situation is beyond bad and it seems to be getting more divided--more cliquey, more take sides-y

1) U.S. & Japan are doing military exercises right now.  So is South Korea.  North Korea AND China are pissed about this.

2) China still has not condemned NorKor for blasting So. Ko.

See 2 minute video http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/koreas-obamas-move-12242158

3) The Wiki leaks incident.  Now NorKor (and the rest of the world) knows that China would consider annexing it.  Is that going to make NorKor angry--probably.  Will they be less likely to cooperate with China--assuming that China will EVER stick their neck out for greater stability in the area?  Probably. 

4) TODAY Hillary Clinton is meeting with heads of So.Ko. and Japan about NorKor.  Was China and Russia invited?  Not so much.  Will that piss off China--probably.  Also, if China isn't going to do anything should the U.S. be concerned about it?  Yeah, probably even though it is pretty aggravating. 

argh!  I've said it once and I'll say it again:  Where does this end!?  U.S. So.Ko. & Japan Vs. China (and NorKor)
= loss of life, more military spending, China annexes NorKor (future Taiwan-type situation with So.Ko.??) and a long term standoff between the two superpowers; China and U.S.

How is this not giving everyone an ulcer?

Vacation with the in-laws Part 3 (last)

We drove back up to Orlando for the last 2 days of the trip.  It took the better part of a day to get there, so we pretty much just went to dinner in Orlando and found our hotel.  The in-laws LOVE American buffets.  I don't understand.  So much complaining about our food, but then you take them to the Golden Corral and you'd think they thought they were in heaven.  go figure.

We had 1/2 a day to kill before going, yet again, to the outlet malls.  I knew the perfect place--GATORLAND!

I went to Gatorland when I was 9 and remember liking it.

It's an amazing mess of alligators, wildlife and corny shows.  The park doesn't take itself too seriously, so it's a great time.

lots of 'gators!

I love peacocks.  This was my feeble attempt to try and get a picture with one.

pillow?

There was actually a  nice nature trail and a waterside boardwalk.  The park is surprisingly beautiful with nature.

 

One of their shows is to dangle chickens and try to get the gator to grab them. 

disturbingly entertaining

in the wild

The birds of Gatorland:

White alligator

I think Kyohei's little sister, Maki had to most fun at Gatorland.  She got to hold this boa.

not a real gator

real gator

Maki again with a gator

After another round of shopping, Kyohei decided that his family need to experience a Chinese Buffet.  barf. 

There I made my own version of  Taco Salad:

get it, get it?!  Tako Salad!  ha ha ha ha ha ha

[Tako=Octopus in Japanese]

In sum, I miss the family now that they are gone.  It was a much anticipated trip and lead to Kyohei starting a new job!  He's been working at the new place for a week now and so far, so good.  We'll see when the paycheck comes, though, you know what I mean? 

There was much hugging and crying at the airport when everyone had to part ways.  Living far away from your family is sad sometimes.  I wonder when we will see them next?  Probably the next time we go over to Japan.  hhmmm  2011?  2012?  Imagine doing another pilgrimage while the sakura were falling.... aahh sigh....

just daydreaming

Vacation with the in-laws (part 2)

 Miami and Key West

From Orlanda we headed down to Miami Beach for two days. 

The first thing we saw was this big rainbow on the beach.

just hanging out

all the neon lights

this is the funniest picture of my in-laws ever, especially dad.  Look at them all decked out in their Miami tourist gear drinking beer in the morning. 

Miami Beach was beautiful.  The water was warm and wavy. 

 
Then I tried to get creative with my camera

onlooker

after some great Cuban food, we are back on the road.

Next stop: Key West

The first thing we did was go to the Southernmost Point in the Continental US.  (Hawaii wins)

No vacation from A-holes though

Beginning / End of the road

For, what else, the sunset

an interesting street performer
He got the audience to put him in a straight jacket and all these chains-- then got out of it.  crazy

Key West was great because we rented a condo instead of staying in 3 separate hotel rooms-- so it felt more like real life.  We got to make and eat dinner together, which was relaxing

The next day, we took a mini-adventure tour

ha ha

After some delicious fruit, it was time for snorkeling!

I'm always afraid to snorkel and forget how much I love it until I am doing it again.  LOVE it.  I saw all sorts of fish and corrals, but also two stingrays and a lobster.  I love rays so this totally made my day.

Next we had some beer, went out to a mangrove and kayaked around it. 

I actually learned a lot about the history of the Keys and nature, so I love it.

Another fabulous sunset!

Another thing I love is LIMES--so all the Key Lime Pie was fabulous!

Wait, what!?  I love the laid-back lifestyle, but what does rain have to do with it?

We went to see Hemingway's house too. 

It was more interesting than I expected.  Here is where Hemingway did much of his writing.

Kyohei with one of the descendants of Hemingway's beloved 6-toed cat.

Another amazing t-shirt.  I'm pretty sure he got about 2 shirts and a hat from every place we went.  ha ha

not your typical view from McDonald's 

I would definitely go back to Key West or any of the keys again....