disjecta membra
Warnings, gripes, and oddities that don't fit anywhere else...

    When I inquired why there was no non-smoking section in the Hong Kong Convention Center restaurant, I was referred to a card sitting on each table which reads as follows:
    "The concept and symbol of  Courtesy of Choice reflect the centuries-old philosophy that acknowledges differences while allowing then to exist together in harmony. Courtesy of Choice accommodates the preferences of individuals by offering both smoking and non-smoking areas on the spirit of conviviality and mutual respect."
    So basically, if you choose to smoke at a table it is a smoking table, if you don't smoke, it is a non-smoking table. This is the same excuse one is given when criticizing such "cultural traditions" as press censorship and political oppression in Malaysia, China, Singapore, etc. I spent the meal with cigar-smokers at tables on either side of me--and I did complain.
    Click here for a scan of the card.

    Thai Royal Orchid Plus is the frequent flyer program for Thai International. Recently members received an offer to sign up for a free Global One Calling Card from Global One. The brochure mentions "savings," but be careful!!
    If you are in Thailand, you can only use the card to call the US. The first minute costs $5.18! PLUS there is a $3.99 surcharge! Each additional minute is $2.42.
    To find this out you have to call the Global One operator. Their website, www.globalcalling.com, does not specify any prices. We should all thank Thai International for passing along this great offer to us.

Notes on the text below
In an age when websites are packed with weird graphics and text in an attempt to be novel or shocking, the North Korea Central News Agency website is the real deal. Every day they effortlessly serve up some of the wildest prose imaginable. All of the above is from a single day on their website (December 23, 1998).

Of note are the constant references to a gigantic "concrete wall" that North Korea insists that South Korea has built in an attempt to permanently separate the nation. It is claimed this wall is 18 meters high, 9 meters wide at the base, and 3 meters wide at the top and stretches across the Korean peninsula from sea to sea. Of course, this wall is a figment of the North Korean propaganda machine.

Pyongyang, December 23, 1998 (KCNA) -- The South Korean Minister of National Defense visited forefront units in the area along the concrete wall to incite war fever against the north in the wake of the U.S. President's recent trip to South Korea. Rodong Sinmun today says that means that the U.S. imperialists and the South Korean authorities are going to unleash a new war against the DPRK with the concrete wall, the symbol of inter-Korean confrontation, as the attack position. The news analyst says: They, regarding the wall as an impregnable fortress, attempt to make a surprise invasion of the DPRK with it as the attack position. Their attempt is a daydream and miscalculation. The Korean people and people's army have means of a powerful strike, as well as the fighting spirit to smash any military fortress and position of the aggressors at one stroke and annihilate them. Any "impregnable fortress" is nothing when confronted with the merciless retaliatory strike on the part of the DPRK. Nor is there any way for the aggressors to avoid it. If the enemies try to put into practice their reckless war plan against the north with the cursed wall as the attack position, the revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK will never miss the opportunity, but blow it up in the name of all the Korean people and the progressive people of the world and accomplish the historic cause of national reunification without fail.

Pyongyang, December 23, 1998 (KCNA) -- As was reported, the United States and Britain carried out four military strikes on Iraq over December 17-20 on the plea that Iraq refused overall cooperation with the UN weapons inspection team. Almost all countries of the world and even member states of the United Nations security councils harshly denounced the U.S.-British air strikes as a violation of the peace and stability of the Mideast region. But, Japan voiced full support for their aggressive air strikes, going against the trend of times. What can not be overlooked is the fact that the Japanese reactionaries are unreasonably connecting the Iraqi situation to the DPRK. Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura in a press conference on December 17, turning to "possession of nuclear weapons" by some nations, said, "in that meaning Japan should support U.S.-British exercise of armed forces", thus hinting at the issue of inspecting the DPRK's "underground facilities". Moreover, at a joint meeting of the liberal democratic officials for foreign affairs came remarks that Iraqi issue has a thing in common with what North Korea would undergo in case it refuses inspections of underground facilities and that the strikes served as a clear message to someone. This openly reveals their insidious intention to "contain" and stifle the DPRK militarily with the backing of the United States. In a nutshell, Japan has again showed to the whole world her shameless look as a political dwarf. But, it is certain that she does not know what an adverse effect it will have on Japan. Through the statement of the spokesman for the general staff of the Korean People's Army, the DPRK has made it clear that it will deal annihilating strikes at the United States and its followers if they pounce upon the DPRK. Japan will never be an exception to the striking objects. Our strikes will be merciless and powerful. The Japanese reactionaries would be well advised to think and behave with prudence.

Pyongyang, December 23, 1998 (KCNA) -- Trade unionists and agricultural workers met here on Tuesday to commemorate the seventh anniversary of Kim Jong Il's election as Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army and the 81st birth anniversary of the communist revolutionary fighter Kim Jong Suk. Speakers said at the meetings that his election has made it possible for our revolutionary armed forces to carry forward and accomplish the Juche cause of army building started by President Kim Il Sung generation after generation. This is the greatest fortune and honor of Kim Il Sung's Korea, Kim Il Sung's nation, and a great revolutionary felicity worthy of special mention in the history of the army building of Juche, they noted. They laid emphasis on the exploits performed by Kim Jong Il in strengthening and developing the people's army into a matchless army firmly prepared politically and ideologically and in military technique. The Korean people are blessed with the sagacious leaders and commanders through generations, which is associated with the undying feats of Kim Jong Suk, who upheld Kim Jong Il as the eternal sun of Juche, they said. "We should follow the noble example of Kim Jong Suk, the supreme incarnation of devoted defence of the leader, hold Kim Jong Il in high esteem forever and rise up in the efforts to build a prosperous and powerful state of Juche.

Pyongyang, December 23, 1998 (KCNA) -- Overseas Koreans voice full support for the statement of the spokesman for the Korean People's Army general staff denouncing the new Korean war provocation moves of the U.S. imperialists. Kang Sun Ho, Paek Yong Jin, Ri Ho Jun and Pak Kyong Nam, who are chairmen of the United Confederations of Koreans in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, republics in the Central Asian Area, made public a joint statement on Dec. 10. The statement of the revolutionary armed forces of North Korea, the fatherland, that they will answer the arrogant U.S. imperialists' challenge with an annihilating strike is the absolutely just measure, the joint statement said, and demanded that the U.S. not be mistaken. The Korean Veterans Committee in Uzbekistan in a statement said that the fatherland of Korean veterans is always the DPRK and that if a war breaks out in the fatherland again, they will fight to defend it with the people in the homeland. Ju Hui Chol, chairman of the Association of Korean Nationals in Sakhalin, Russia, made public a statement on Dec. 14. He demanded that the U.S. imperialist aggressors and their followers immediately stop the moves to isolate and stifle the fatherland, the DPRK. He vowed to firmly defend the DPRK from the enemy's invasion. The Korean Veterans Organization in Moscow in a letter of protest to the U.S. President on Dec. 18 said that it is a mistake and daydream for the U.S. to think that the time of its blackmail and arbitrariness in the international arena will last long, adding: It will be good for the U.S. to give a careful consideration, though belatedly, and stop rushing headlong along the road of self-destruction.

Pyongyang, December 23, 1998 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today describes the U.S. policy of "globalizing" the American-style "civilization" as an anachronistic dream. The author of the article says: The U.S. policy is aimed at "exporting" the American-style "civilization" to other countries, obliterating their independence and national identity and placing human civilization under U.S. "civilization." this is in essence designed to "incorporate" the whole world in the American-style "civilization" and establish the U.S. monopolistic and dominationist order. Proceeding from this aim, the United States is forcing the American-style "human rights" and "democracy" upon other countries. This is designed to Americanize the political system and life of these countries and gratify the U.S.interests. It is ridiculous and shameless for the United States to advertize the "advantages" of the vulnerable and degenerated American-style "civilization" and force it upon other countries. The scheme to "globalize" the American-style "civilization" is an insult to humankind's civilization and a destructive act.

Pyongyang, December 23, 1998 (KCNA) -- A national meeting was held with a large attendance at the April 25 House of Culture today to mark the seventh anniversary of Kim Jong Il's election as Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army (KPA). Present were Kim Yong Nam and other senior party, state and army officials. Chief of the KPA general staff Kim Yong Chun made a report at the meeting. General Secretary Kim Jong Il is a great military genius who has led Juche-based army building and performed undying exploits in his early years, the reporter said, and continued: The Supreme Commander put forward a unique idea that the army is as important as the people, the state and the party and put into practice the idea of attaching importance to the army with credit, ushering in a new era of historic change in Juche-based army building. Our revolutionary armed forces prove their worth as invincible ones capable of striking and annihilating the enemies who encroach upon the dignity and sovereignty of Juche homeland even a bit, wherever they may be on the earth. That is a distinguished historic exploit
performed by him in army building. His guidance is the most revolutionary one with which he solves all the problems arising in the revolution and construction, giving prominence to the army as the pillar and main force of revolution all the time, and an invincible guidance with which he turns adversity into a favourable condition, a misfortune into a blessing, with a bold and swift stratagem. The Korean People's Army is maintaining the revolutionary character as befits the army of the leader, the party and the people and discharging its honorable mission as a reliable defender of the socialist homeland of Juche. The credit for that is given to his rare wisdom, clairvoyant insight and unique revolutionary guidance which attaches importance to the army before anything else. Foolishly enough, the U.S. imperialists scheme to frighten and subdue the DPRK with intensified aggressive moves against the DPRK, advertizing "operation plan 5027," a reckless plan for a second Korean war of aggression. However, theirs is nothing but an absurd daydream. We always mean what we say. To answer fire with fire is the character and the mode of counteraction of our revolutionary army. There is no limit to our self-defensive striking power. We neither want nor avoid war. If a war is imposed, we will never miss the opportunity to annihilate the U.S. imperialist aggression forces and their followers with merciless blows and accomplish the historic cause of national reunification.