Flotsam and Jetsam

[mzzz]

Is it illegal to be a Christian in NK?

I'm guessing so but not in the formal legal sense. I don't know man. I think it's probably like an unspoken rule. For appearances' sake for the international community, I think they probably say they don't persecute. But I think they do or figure out some trumped up charges to 'hide' the persecution.

 

[Gatefan1976]

The "glorious leader" is the state religion, just like with Hitler, Stalin, and all the other "Athiest leaders" that church leaders like to point at as the "evils of Atheism"
If only someone else put the same 11 "holes in one" on the Jong Ill that started this bullshit, then there may not be a North and South Korea at all.

 

[YJ02]

Is it illegal to be a Christian in NK?

I am afraid to answer that question---I just want to make clear that I am not trying to "start" anything, I am just answering your question

Yes, it is illegal to be of any religion in North Korea.

Back in the day- Kim Il Sung invited Billy Graham to come in a nd preach to a very large crowd-officially arranged. There was even a brief time where the Graham missio nwas allowed to do follow on missionary work http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mgj45efek/billy-graham/

Kim's death put a stop to this

Officially one can only "worship" Juche and as a consequence the founder and patrons of the ideal-the Kim regime. In the North, one can find small Buddha like statues with the head replaced with Kim Il Sung ,

The Kim's and their henchmen have been very clever over the years ( though it has all been done before to every religion) to incorporate traditional beliefs-Confucianism and Buddhism- into the Juche principle. Subsequently, the North has set up several "Buddhist Temples" refurbished on the very ruins of actual very old and very expansive Buddhist temples and campus'. These now come equipped with "Buddhist Nuns and Monks" in traditional grey robe attire, They are however, not really Buddhists and when they preach it is a mixture of corrupted Confucian and Buddhist teachings heavily laced with Juche or twisted in a way to show proof that Juche is a natural development of the two older philosophies.

Here is a "sugar coated" version of the story (I can't find the more critical one now) http://www.voanews.com/content/atheist-north-korea-keeps-buddhist-temple-in-operation/1716975.html

 

[YJ02]

Rodman sings Happy Birthday to Kim Jung Un. The NK team won the game; I think it was a classic case of "letting the Wookie win"

 

[Overmind One]

I am afraid to answer that question---I just want to make clear that I am not trying to "start" anything, I am just answering your question

Yes, it is illegal to be of any religion in North Korea.

Back in the day- Kim Il Sung invited Billy Graham to come in a nd preach to a very large crowd-officially arranged. There was even a brief time where the Graham missio nwas allowed to do follow on missionary work http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mgj45efek/billy-graham/

Kim's death put a stop to this

Officially one can only "worship" Juche and as a consequence the founder and patrons of the ideal-the Kim regime. In the North, one can find small Buddha like statues with the head replaced with Kim Il Sung ,

The Kim's and their henchmen have been very clever over the years ( though it has all been done before to every religion) to incorporate traditional beliefs-Confucianism and Buddhism- into the Juche principle. Subsequently, the North has set up several "Buddhist Temples" refurbished on the very ruins of actual very old and very expansive Buddhist temples and campus'. These now come equipped with "Buddhist Nuns and Monks" in traditional grey robe attire, They are however, not really Buddhists and when they preach it is a mixture of corrupted Confucian and Buddhist teachings heavily laced with Juche or twisted in a way to show proof that Juche is a natural development of the two older philosophies.

Here is a "sugar coated" version of the story (I can't find the more critical one now) http://www.voanews.com/content/atheist-north-korea-keeps-buddhist-temple-in-operation/1716975.html

HAHAHAHAHAHA! Why arent we just annihilating North Korea? While our military was playing pattycake in Afghanistan, North Korea developed nuclear weapons AND a missile delivery system. But just the threat of WMD in Iraq (which was not true), we spent trillions. Its all a front. I think if I was 20 years old today and faced with the idea of joining the military (even by strong suggestion by my father), I would not even think of joining, knowing what I know today. I do not have any pride for our military anymore.

 

[YJ02]

HAHAHAHAHAHA! Why arent we just annihilating North Korea? While our military was playing pattycake in Afghanistan, North Korea developed nuclear weapons AND a missile delivery system. But just the threat of WMD in Iraq (which was not true), we spent trillions. Its all a front. I think if I was 20 years old today and faced with the idea of joining the military (even by strong suggestion by my father), I would not even think of joining, knowing what I know today. I do not have any pride for our military anymore.

Well if our military had the ability to both express its collective political opinion or to act independently separate of civilian rule-the they probably would have done the smart and pragmatic thing with NK by now

Don't not have pride or respect for our military-don't have pride and respect for the jackwipe politicians in DC who do not know how to run foreign affairs or to effectively use the military--Do we blame the cops for the dumb laws they have to enforce? We shouldn't

And, just for the record, NK was first thought to be developing OR TO HAVE RECEIVED FROM Pakistan/rogue former USSR states-free agents nuclear weapons to place on their long range scud misslies WAYback in 1994

That's why my happyass (really, I was happy to go) and my entire PATRIOT Battalion was emergency deployed to South Korea in 1994. The worry was that the North had obtained a nuke in order to use it to invade the south--Kim Il Sung was very ill (he died while we were there) and his "standing orders" were to be buried in Seoul-something the South and the US takes seriously even now.

Additionally, the north had built reactors already and had been refusing the entry of un inspectors

http://www.fas.org/spp/starwars/congress/1994/s940131-patriot.htm

and the 1/43 ada bn was the unit sent to replace us after our being there 6-8 months-sucked for then, they had to "emergency pcs (reassignment usually by individual soldier)" without families

they came, and 2 other patriot bn's and its supporting units deployed by 1995 to form a new air defense-patriot-brigade in south korea that is still there today

http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,SS_120104_Deploy,00.html

 

[shavedape]

Um... Ah... Hmm...

http://tv.yahoo.com/news/natgeo-snake-salvation-star-dead-snake-bite-175410245.html

‘Snake Salvation’ Star Dead From Snake Bite; NatGeo To Air Tribute Episode

Jamie Coots, one of the stars of National Geographic‘s reality show Snake Salvation, died Saturday of a venomous snake bite. According to reports he refused medical attention after being bitten in his Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name in Middlesboro, Kentucky and died shortly thereafter in his home. The show debuted last Fall centered on two Pentecostal preachers who handle deadly snakes as part of a century-old Appalachian practice originating from a Bible passage that suggests those anointed by God will not be harmed by a poisonous snake bite. Coots had previously been bitten nine times and lost a finger to a rattlesnake bite. He starred on Snake Salvation alongside Tennessee Pastor Andrew Hamblin, both of whom claim serpent handling is their First Amendment religious right. The pair have come under fire from authorities for hunting and collecting deadly snakes for their church services. Last year Coots pled guilty to illegally possessing and transporting three rattlesnakes and two copperheads in Tennessee after the state seized them in a traffic stop as he was driving them from Alabama to Kentucky.

 

[YJ02]

John Kerry Calls Climate Change a 'Weapon of Mass Destruction

And what happened the last time a Sec of State used the term 'weapon of mass destruction' ?

http://abcnews.go.com/International...nge-weapon-mass-destruction/story?id=22542524

 

[shavedape]

OMG, I actually agree with Antonin Scalia on something!

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/pol...ourt-justice-antonin-scalia-article-1.1616454

Chicago-style pizza ‘shouldn’t be called pizza,’ Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia says
The outspoken High Court conservative and Elmhurst, Queens native issued a sharp verdict over the weekend: deep-dish may taste good but it’s not real pizza.

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s ruling is in: Chicago-style pizza isn’t real pizza.

“It’s very tasty, but it’s not pizza,” Scalia, who was raised in Queens, said of the type of pie commonly known as “deep-dish” pizza.

Deep-dish pizza features a very thick and tall crust baked in deep pan, allowing the inside of the pie to be filled, rather than topped, with sauce, cheese and other ingredients.

*For those wondering what the issue is here, it's a fact universally acknowledged that "Chicago style pizza" is pure shit. It's not pizza. It's a ton of soggy dough thrown into a cake pan with several pounds of tasteless cheese and flavorless tomato sauce dumped on top. It's truly disgusting stuff and is a culinary crime.

If I'm gonna have carbs ala a pizza it has to be thin crust NY style. If a pizza joint doesn't do thin crust that means they are incompetent and are not a true pizzeria. And if you're foolish enough to fall for that Chicago style deep dish nonsense then you deserve the clogged colon that no doubt awaits.

 

[YJ02]

OMG, I actually agree with Antonin Scalia on something!

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/pol...ourt-justice-antonin-scalia-article-1.1616454

Chicago-style pizza ‘shouldn’t be called pizza,’ Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia says
The outspoken High Court conservative and Elmhurst, Queens native issued a sharp verdict over the weekend: deep-dish may taste good but it’s not real pizza.

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s ruling is in: Chicago-style pizza isn’t real pizza.

“It’s very tasty, but it’s not pizza,” Scalia, who was raised in Queens, said of the type of pie commonly known as “deep-dish” pizza.

Deep-dish pizza features a very thick and tall crust baked in deep pan, allowing the inside of the pie to be filled, rather than topped, with sauce, cheese and other ingredients.

*For those wondering what the issue is here, it's a fact universally acknowledged that "Chicago style pizza" is pure shit. It's not pizza. It's a ton of soggy dough thrown into a cake pan with several pounds of tasteless cheese and flavorless tomato sauce dumped on top. It's truly disgusting stuff and is a culinary crime.

If I'm gonna have carbs ala a pizza it has to be thin crust NY style. If a pizza joint doesn't do thin crust that means they are incompetent and are not a true pizzeria. And if you're foolish enough to fall for that Chicago style deep dish nonsense then you deserve the clogged colon that no doubt awaits.

I don't like it either- prefer thinner crust.

While in Scranton, PA I had the bad fortune of being intro'd to a similar monstrosity= 'Scranton style (yeah, they called it that)' thick crust with normal topp's, extra cheese and PASTA ON TOP

Talk about a carb bomb!

 

[Gatefan1976]

When members of the highest court in the land feel they need to spend time commenting on "pizza"
You got problems.

Jon Stewart doing it is *funny*, Scalia doing it is SAD

 

[shavedape]

Okay, Jason Collins, the first openly gay basketball player will finally get to play a few games in the NBA. I support him fully and am glad he came out. That said, I'm seriously looking forward to a year from now (fingers crossed) when sexuality won't be a topic in regards to sports and professions in general. Gay people have been doing the same jobs as straight people since the first hominid walked upright out of the surf. So it's sad that in 2014 sexuality is still an issue for many people.


Admittedly, it doesn't hurt that Jason Collins is hot. I'm talking veal pounding hot!

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...nets-glen-davis-los-angeles-clippers/5756793/

Jason Collins is on the verge of becoming the first openly gay NBA player to actually, well, play.

With free-agent-to-be forward Glen Davis telling the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday that he intends to sign with them after he clears waivers at 5 p.m. Eastern and thereby taking the Brooklyn Nets' top free agent option off the table, Collins is - according to a person with knowledge of the situation - in the process of finalizing a 10-day deal with the Nets that would be nothing short of historic.

 

[shavedape]

Saw this and was shocked that it was news. Have these people been living under a rock for 20 years?

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/e...-shooting-elsewhere-to-save-money-1201125523/

Hollywood Continues to Flee California at Alarming Rate

When Paul Audley took the job as president of FilmL.A. in late 2008, he was astounded to discover that physical production on the $70 million pic “Battle: Los Angeles” wasn’t being done in Los Angeles.

SEE MORE:From the March 04, 2014 issue of Variety

“It stunned me that the movie was shooting in Louisiana, and that the state of California was letting this happen,” he recalls.

The trend has been mounting for high-profile films set in the Golden State to be filmed almost entirely outside California, due to lucrative tax breaks elsewhere that producers can’t turn down. One key component of new legislation to strengthen California’s incentive program, introduced Feb. 19, would raise to $100 million the current budget cap of $75 million on eligible productions. To drive home the need for state support, attendees at a Feb. 22 rally in Burbank held by Hollywood unionists were handed petitions to send to Sacramento citing that only one of 41 big-budget feature films shot in 2012 and 2013 was shot entirely in California.

 

[YJ02]

Wait a minute... I find this quite odd--the flyover republican states ban 1st cousin marriage-some with prison sentences-and the liberal states allow it--who follows science?
California allows it while WVa outlaws it

Curious

 

[shavedape]

Wait a minute... I find this quite odd--the flyover republican states ban 1st cousin marriage-some with prison sentences-and the liberal states allow it--who follows science?
California allows it while WVa outlaws it

Curious

What's the science you're referring to? I thought it was proven ages ago that 1st cousin reproduction doesn't carry that great of a genetic mutation risk. The problem with inbreeding only seems to come into play when communities are isolated and numerous generations keep interbreeding with each other over and over. But random, one-off sets of cousins having kids doesn't seem to be an issue. In fact, one of my neighbors growing up were a 1st cousin couple. They had 10 kids, all fine and healthy.

And this was in one of those "striped" states on the chart, but obviously their marriage wasn't forbidden.

 

[Rac80]

well I always knew I had some inbred neighbors growing up....

 

[Overmind One]

What's the science you're referring to? I thought it was proven ages ago that 1st cousin reproduction doesn't carry that great of a genetic mutation risk. The problem with inbreeding only seems to come into play when communities are isolated and numerous generations keep interbreeding with each other over and over. But random, one-off sets of cousins having kids doesn't seem to be an issue. In fact, one of my neighbors growing up were a 1st cousin couple. They had 10 kids, all fine and healthy.

And this was in one of those "striped" states on the chart, but obviously their marriage wasn't forbidden.

well I always knew I had some inbred neighbors growing up....

Not to tie this to "race", but this practice is almost unknown in non-white families. Worldwide.

Why would anyone knowingly marry and procreate with their 1st blood cousin? I can easily accept cousins by marriage, even (in a pinch) siblings BY MARRIAGE. But blood cousins?

 

[Bluce Ree]

Not to tie this to "race", but this practice is almost unknown in non-white families. Worldwide.

You're wrong, dude. Sub-Saharan cousin marriage acceptance and/or preference is estimated to be somewhere around 35% - 50%.

It's very common in the Arab world.

Worldwide, it's estimated that about 10% of all marriages are first and second cousins.

Cousins have no physical impediment to interbreeding. I suppose the exception would be if two brothers married two sisters.

 

[Overmind One]

You're wrong, dude. Sub-Saharan cousin marriage acceptance and/or preference is estimated to be somewhere around 35% - 50%.

It's very common in the Arab world.

Worldwide, it's estimated that about 10% of all marriages are first and second cousins.

Cousins have no physical impediment to interbreeding. I suppose the exception would be if two brothers married two sisters.

I was unaware of that...it seems so unnecessary, considering the huge genetic diversity of Africa.

 

[Gatefan1976]

Chalk it up to tribal/village life. It's probably that high in PNG as well for the same reasons.