COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

North Korea 'to conduct nuclear test'


The BBC is reporting that North Korea has announced intentions to set off a nuclear test. This seems to be part of a pattern where US leadership is being tested. Iran, Venezuela, Russia and Georgia, Syria, to name a few. The perception is that the US is stuck in Iraqi tar and unavilable to consider other problem areas. It is time for the US to set that theory back a few paces. Not good.


"North Korea is to conduct a nuclear test, the foreign ministry has said in a statement.
The move would "bolster" the country's self-defence in the face of US military hostility, North Korea's official KCNA said.

"[North Korea] will in the future conduct a nuclear test under the condition where safety is firmly guaranteed," the ministry said.

Pyongyang has come under mounting pressure over its nuclear programme.

Six-nation talks on its plans have been stalled for nearly a year, and the US has imposed financial sanctions on North Korean businesses.

North Korea is believed to have a handful of nuclear warheads but is not known to have tested one.

'Grave situation'

The statement from Pyongyang said "the US daily increasing threat of a nuclear war and its vicious sanctions and pressure have caused a grave situation on the Korean Peninsula".

The ministry went on to say that "under the present situation" in which the US moves to isolate and stifle" North Korea, the country "can no longer remain an on-looker to the developments."

32 comments:

  1. Hell, we Nuke Our own Folk
    In the good old days we'd just partake in our own folk's "nukie."

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  2. Bush should come out and say if the Norks test, then he will greenlight the Japs and South Koreans and Taiwanese testing too. Then China will have a lovely ring of nuclear-armed assholes around them instead of just one. Then sit back and watch the Chinese cancel all imports to the Hermit Kingdom.

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  3. Yep, that's the solution to proliferation, more proliferation
    Nukes in Saudi Arabia, Sryia, Kuwait, UAW and Jordon.
    They could buy 'em from the South Koreans, North Koreans, Taiwanese or the Pakisatni. Or, the Chinese could decide they need to balance the scales of terror.

    Changing the players,
    changes the game.

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  4. The US has thousands of warheads, no need for anyone to "develop" capabilities.
    If the Koreans, Japanese or Taiwanese need or deserve nukes, we can just give them to the needy, if their "Nuking up" makes sense.

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  5. Teresita and the Gang promote containment of nuclear threats.
    First North Korea, then, by extention, Iran.

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  6. it's a gambit Rat. It has no application in the ME, but it makes sense with Korea, because if China tells the Norks, no mas, it is no mas. The last thing the Chinese want is a nuclear Japan, let alone Taiwan. The South Koreans would not have to do anything if the Japanese went nuclear. Taiwan probably already is.

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  7. Japan is already nuclear, they just have not "put it together" and built a bomb.

    Their assembly of one would not change the balance of the region, just the tempature. If the Chinese were going to say "no mas", it would take a greater lever than the Japs putting their pieces together.

    A US Trade Embargo could do the trick, but who would cry "Uncle" first. US or them?

    Approved proliferation is not a "good" policy for US. Not in the battle for "Hearts & Minds".

    Destruction of the capacity is the means, if North Korea cannot be attacked, Iran would be impossible.

    Iran is much more important to the Chinese then is NorK. As rufus says, it's all about the oil.

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  8. That poll is meaningless, rufus.
    "... So voters in FL-16 will give “Generic Republican” 48% of the vote. ..."

    The ballot will not say
    "Generic Republican".

    No, the ballot choices are
    Mahoney and Foley

    Amongst certain voters it is Mahoney 52% and Foley 42%

    Certain voters already "know" that Foley is the generic Republican.
    And he really is.
    What an image to market to the evangelical Republican base.

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  9. Vote Republican
    Vote Foley

    That'll play well in KS and TN
    All eyes will be on FL16, that campaign will be dissementaed across the country.

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  10. With Aologies to
    Country Joe and the Fish


    Yeah, come on all of you, big strong men,
    Uncle Sam needs your help again.
    He's got himself in a terrible jam
    Way down yonder in Iraqnam
    So put down your books and pick up a gun,
    We're gonna have a whole lotta fun.

    And it's one, two, three,
    What are we fighting for ?
    Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
    Next stop is Iraqnam;
    And it's five, six, seven,
    Open up the pearly gates,
    Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
    Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

    Well, come on generals, let's move fast;
    Your big chance has come at last.
    Gotta go out and get those rags —
    The only good Islami is the one who's dead
    And you know that peace can only be won
    When we've blown 'em all to kingdom come.

    And it's one, two, three,
    What are we fighting for ?
    Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
    Next stop is Iraqnam;
    And it's five, six, seven,
    Open up the pearly gates,
    Well there ain't no time to wonder why
    Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

    Huh!

    Well, come on Wall Street, don't move slow,
    Why man, this is war au-go-go.
    There's plenty good money to be made
    By supplying the Army with the tools of the trade,
    Just hope and pray that if they drop the bomb,
    They drop it on the Iranq throngs.

    And it's one, two, three,
    What are we fighting for ?
    Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
    Next stop is Iraqnam.
    And it's five, six, seven,
    Open up the pearly gates,
    Well there ain't no time to wonder why
    Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

    Well, come on mothers throughout the land,
    Pack your boys off to Iraqnam.
    Come on fathers, don't hesitate,
    Send 'em off before it's too late.
    Be the first one on your block
    To have your boy come home in a box.

    And it's one, two, three
    What are we fighting for ?
    Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
    Next stop is Iraqnam.
    And it's five, six, seven,
    Open up the pearly gates,
    Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
    Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

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  11. I wonder why North orea has chosen this particular time to test a nuclear bomb? I'm puzzled.

    Surly they know we'll send them a nasty note via some other foreign embassy.

    The Laws of Thought
    1.Every that is, exists.
    2.Nothing can simultaneously be
    and not be.
    3.Each and every thing either is
    or is not.
    4.Of everything that is,it can be
    found why it is.


    A.Schophauer

    ReplyDelete
  12. Lurkers Lessons (con't)
    Multiple usage of a post

    Notice that in a few of my preceeding posts I've used musical lyrics to convey a thought. You may want to try this.

    Also in another post I've used sarcasm mixed with a great philosopher's musings thus conveying that my thoughts are worthy of being in the same post.
    This is of course fallacious but it does make good use of hitting the send button only once.

    Good Luck

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  13. "... nuclear weapons test by North Korea "would pose an unacceptable threat to peace and stability in Asia and the world," the US State Department spokesman said in Cairo.
    "A provocative action of this nature would only further isolate the North Korean regime and deny the people of the north the benefits they so rightly deserve," Sean McCormack said.

    "The US will continue to work with its allies and partners to discourage such a reckless action and will respond appropriately," he added.


    Unacceptable
    Where have we heard that, before?

    ReplyDelete
  14. This young man may find himself in trouble, but good for him!

    More Troops, Please

    ReplyDelete
  15. Funny to read both a Country Joe and a Schopenhauer reference at once, since they are both linked to Joyce's "Finnegan's Wake" through the comedic interpretations of 70s comic troupe "Firesign Theater".

    ReplyDelete
  16. Firesign Theater and A Child's Garden of Grass were two classics..timeless, until all the Boomer die off then some 60 year old will be say, "Yeah, baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-A-Lot was timeless.

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  17. Habu 11:49

    Oh My God, I didn't realize North orea was testing too. Where is North orea anyway..is that near Altoona,PA?

    ReplyDelete
  18. I fell in to a burning ring of fire
    I went down,down,down
    and the flames went higher.
    And it burns,burns,burns
    the ring of fire
    the ring of fire

    ReplyDelete
  19. North orea is still the same place. They just banned "K" to be used only as the "Fire" sign for their theater nukes. As in,
    "You want to fire the nuke?"
    "...mmm, 'K."

    Remember, the Lonesome
    Beet and the Whisperin' Squash were all once intended to be characters
    in a western radio show, featuring an all-vegetable cast.

    ReplyDelete
  20. The girls are going to LOOOVE this (until they read the fine print).

    "Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering."
    Beyond Bias and Barriers


    Cathy Young’s rebuttal is found at,
    Math on the X-Y Axis

    “As the report briefly acknowledges, male scores have far greater variability, with more boys clustered at the bottom, among children with severe learning disabilities, and at the top, among the highly gifted.”

    “The study looked not primarily at the highest achievers, but mainly at lower-level professionals with bachelor's degrees.”

    “Ultimately, the report is a missed opportunity…Instead, it upholds an orthodoxy of female victimization. Women, and science, deserve better.”

    ReplyDelete
  21. Ballad of North Korean
    (sung to the tune of Thunder Road)

    Let me tell the story, I can tell it all
    About the NORTH KOREAN who built ill-egal nuk-lar bombs
    His daddy made the fac-trees his son, he drove the load
    When his engine roared, they called the heavens Thunder Road.

    Sometimes into Pyongyang, sometimes Toko Ri The IAEA chased him but they couldn’t run him down
    Each time they thought they had him, his mind it would explode
    He'd go by like they were standin’ still on Thunder Road.

    (CHORUS)
    And there was thunder, thunder in the heavens skies
    Nuk-lar was his engine, and white shroom clouds was his load

    There was nuk-lar, nuk-lar to quench the Commies hurt
    The law they swore they'd get him, but the Soviets got there first.

    On the twentieth of October two thousand and ought six
    A Federal man sent word he’d better test his nukes no more
    He said two hundred missiles were coverin’ the state
    Whichever rocket he tried to use, they’d get him sure as fate.

    Son, his dead Daddy told him, make this test your last
    The tank is filled with hundred-proof, you’re all tuned for a blast
    Now, don’t take any chances, if you can’t get off I’d rather have the world explode than keep them Imperial rats.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Talking about misogynist American males:

    Noble Prizes to date:

    John C. Mather and George F. Smoot physics

    Robert H. Grubbs and Richard R. Schrock medicine



    More discrimination to follow later.

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  23. Wall Street is bett'in on a republican victory

    ReplyDelete
  24. This country is in a moral free-fall. For over two generations, the public school system has taught in a moral vacuum, expelling God from the school and from the government, replacing him with evolution, where the strong kill the weak, without moral consequences and life has no inherent value.

    We teach there are no absolutes, no right or wrong. And I assure you the murder of innocent children is always wrong, including by abortion. Abortion has diminished the value of children.


    (--from a parent of a schoolmurder victim--)

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  25. habu just wrote, over @ BC,

    I think Foley should have stuck it out

    habu needs to be either killed, or published.

    ReplyDelete
  26. buddy larsen & habu,

    re: Foley

    Wasn't that the problem? I mean, sticking it out.

    ReplyDelete
  27. if you're gonna stick 'er out, you shouldn't waver.

    ReplyDelete
  28. reminds me of the constipated mathematician--he worked it out with a pencil

    ReplyDelete