But I'm not dead.

[sabotabby]

You know what never stops being funny? Jokes about Cheney shooting that guy.

You know what's not funny at all? Mudslides that wipe out entire villages. These guys could probably use your help.

Still sick. I've been pretty productive, though:


You know when you move to a new place and you say, "Okay, this time I'm going to be all classy and not crowd my walls with political posters?" Yep, that didn't last for long.

Oh yes, and via brownfist, here are some facts about Kim Jong-il.




(Reuters) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il turned 64 on Thursday. The following are reports from official North Korean sources about some of Kim's acclaimed abilities and attributes:

Reports in the past year

Kim Jong-il is blessed with a photographic memory. Kim goes through intensive memory training every day and can remember the phone numbers of workers, lines of computer code and the personal biographies of cadres.

He impressed one funeral gathering by walking among hundreds of tombstones and recounting the achievements, characteristics, tastes and bereaved family members of the dead he passed.

Kim's relentless push to advance the communist movement in the state has turned him into something of an insomniac. Kim was quoted as saying he has never had a night of comfortable sleep because of the days and months he spends giving field guidance to factory workers, farmers and troops.

He does manage to take short naps in the car.

The start

Although South Korean and foreign analysts say Kim was probably born in the Soviet Union, official media say he was born at a secret revolutionary camp on Mount Paektu, a northern mountain on the Korean peninsula that many Koreans considered sacred. A double rainbow appeared over the mountain when he was born.

Accomplished young man

According to his official biography, Kim helped develop North Korea's TV broadcasting industry. He repaired auto engines. He found ways for farmers and steel workers to produce goods more efficiently and avoid back-breaking labor. He wrote a thesis on Korean history. He penned operas and plays -- all before turning 23.

The artist

Kim was responsible for placing museums in all corners of the country. He developed an actors' studio. In 1967, he brought the feature film "Five Guerrilla Brothers" to the screen. That movie was followed by "The Sea of Blood" and other movies, including several award-winning films.

After building a strong North Korean film industry, Kim created a new revolutionary opera and adapted some of his films into operas. Then he developed a new type of literature.

The engineer

Kim's engineering expertise runs deep in the operation of hydroelectric power stations, cutting-edge design in computer circuits, the construction of floodgates and irrigation canals.

"His profound knowledge in electronic engineering made the scientists listening drop their heads in humble respect," official media said.

The weather

For previous birthdays, North Korean official media have reported on the "Wonders of the February holiday" that included sunrises so brilliant that frost exploded with the sound of firecrackers, rainbows appeared and frozen lakes thawed with such a noise that it caused mountains to shake.

SOURCES: KCNA news agency, North Korea's Foreign Language Publishing House, North's communist party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, and North Korean Internet site "Among Our People"

Comments

[ocicat-bengals.livejournal.com]

(Reuters) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il turned 64 on Thursday. The following are reports from official North Korean sources about some of Kim's acclaimed abilities and attributes:

And he looks hella cool in those shades. Is that a perm?

[seaya.livejournal.com]

Some Koreans have naturally wavy hair, actually.

In short, who knows.

[sabotabby]

It'd be better if he had a perm. Can you imagine being the hairdresser that had to perm Kim Jong-il's hair?

[princessrugger.livejournal.com]

there was a great line on the daily show a while back regarding this very topic: "kim jong-il. or as we refer to him here at the daily show--'bouffant hitler.'" har.

[sabotabby]

Tee-hee.

[frandroid.livejournal.com]

For sanity's sake, I keep a wall without posters. I think it works out this way. Now if only my worldmap wouldn't flip out in the window and dall off when we have the windows opened during the summer...

[sabotabby]

Well, the rest of the apartment is pretty sedate so far. I'm overcompensating with that one wall.

[jhfurnish.livejournal.com]

I used to read about this guy when his father was still alive and running things over there. My understanding of him was that he was a poor little rich boy, more or less living a rich young bum's spoiled jaded life at his dad's whim. I read that they kidnapped Japanese directors and actors for him to make movies.

How could he have knowledge of cutting-edge silicon wares? Whereinthefuck did he get that training or knowledge? Why doesn't North Korea have an exploding tech industry therefore?

They make him sound like fucking Buckaroo Banzai, jeez leweez.

The shades are typical of the Hollywood-obsessed young neverdowell I read about when his pop was still stroking his diktatorial cock with a warm hand.

I don't buy into the biography. I also don't buy into the double-rainbow. Gimme a break, does he think his people are that stupid?

[frandroid.livejournal.com]

Of course it's all fantasy.

You have Big Brother's icon... It's not about buying it or not--It's about the lack of alternative information, and not having the choice to buy it or not, and it's about the panopticon society.

Long Live the People's War of Liberation.

[frippy.livejournal.com]

Well, some of those posters look especially nice against the red wall.

[sabotabby]

Thanks! It helps that a lot of them have red or yellow in them.

[ironed_orchid]

The posters look nice on the red.

I'm trying to upgrade to grown-up-ness and getting around to framing posters and prints I like a lot so I can hang them.

[frandroid.livejournal.com]

Framing... I've heard of it!

[sabotabby]

Yeah, me too. But it costs a lot. My best posters come from a now defunct Toronto infoshop; they're beautiful, but they're old and ripped. I need to get them either laminated or framed, but it's utterly expensive.

[frandroid.livejournal.com]

As I was telling brownfist, Ikea has some cheap frames.

Or you can make your own. There's a shop on Queen West that'll sell you materials.

[ironed_orchid]

As frandroid says, it's possible to get cheap frames and do it yourself. But it's easier if you have standard paper or photo sizes, some posters would be tricky.

[sabotabby]

These are big posters.

[roter-terror.livejournal.com]

From what I can tell, it wasn't so much a mudslide as a mudslide dramatically worsened by logging.

[sabotabby]

That's usually the case.

They left out the Heat-Vision...

[seanmonster.livejournal.com]

Then he developed a new type of literature.

That would be the "Makin' shit up about Me" genre.

Re: They left out the Heat-Vision...

[sabotabby]

If Kim Jong-il had Heat-Vision he'd be unstoppable!

Yeah, so I want a "Makin' Shit Up About Me" genre too. How many people do I have to brainwash and/or kill to get that?

[ironed_orchid]

the vice president and several companions were hunting fascists.

OMG, that'll teach me to ignore links!

[sabotabby]

If I link to something, it's probably funny.

[ironed_orchid]

It's one of your many charms.

[rohmie.livejournal.com]

Hey! I recognize that thing above the calendar!

[sabotabby]

Yeah, some awesome artist made it. I heard he's a Wobbly or something.

[brownfist.livejournal.com]

Oh, I found out how much it would cost for a simple postering of my Bhagat Singh poster. You know the ones with a cardboard backing. No really outside frame. $25-32 dollars. I dont think that is too bad. I am thinking of getting it done soon.

[sabotabby]

That's not bad -- but it's also a standard size. Want to scan it first, though?

[brownfist.livejournal.com]

whenever your upto scanning it, lets do it. by the way i also have a copy of the selected writings of bhagat singh photocopied!