[Windflier]

Meanwhile, Fat Boy is fat.

[Spok]

I read an interview with a defector who said the most shocking thing was how much food was thrown away. A garbage can in South Korea would be a buffet in the north. Yeltsin wept when he toured a supermarket in Houston. Liberals want to throw all of this away.

[beaversmom]

Must be truly awful to be starving.

[NonValueAdded]

Scene from Moscow on the Husdon: coffee, coffee, coffee

[Seaplaner]

It was a few decades back, but I happened to get to know an immigrant from the then Soviet Union who had some interesting stories.

One of the most striking was his first visit to an American super market, and how unbelievable it was.

He was later visited at one point by completely lockstep communist aunt and uncle from then Soviet Union, and when they were taken to an American super market (I'll paraphrase here, but this is quite close) they began to cry and said in Russian that their lives had been wasted.

And now, however, something that I simply do not understand. The current Russian emigres (if I understand reports from friends and acquaintances correctly) somehow tend to be anti-American.

[yesthatjallen]

If you want to learn about the horrors of North Korea watch this 1hr interview about young man who was born in a North Korean prison camp and later escaped.

Blaine Harden discussed his historical narrative Escape From Camp 14: One Man’s Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West.

The book tells the story of Shin Dong-hyuk, who was born in captivity at North Korea prison camp 14 and escaped in 2005. Mr. Harden said he was the only individual actually born in a labor camp to escape. Shin escaped through an electrified fence by climbing over a dead companion’s body.

Mr. Harden explained that Camp 14 holds approximately 15,000 prisoners and is the toughest of North Korea’s six camps due to the brutal working conditions and vigilance of the guards. He related Shin’s witnessing the execution of his mother and brother. Harden detailed Shin’s adjustment to society and civilization, and their meeting for a newspaper story.

Escape From Camp 14: One Man’s Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West

* Shin Dong-Hyuk my be an imperfect witness who has admitted some elements of his personal story have changed over time.

Shin Dong-hyuk

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I read the whole article and found not one mention why the north is dirt poor and starving and the south is prosperous and awash in food.

I guess the Guardian thinks it must be just bad luck. Or maybe the climate changed north of the DMZ. Could there possibly be another reason? Isn’t it curious that they aren’t curious about it?

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

Communism like totally works! We just have to give it enough chances hmm hmmmm...

[AnotherUnixGeek]

I was just reading about the Holodomor - the famine in the Ukraine that Stalin deliberately caused in 1932 and 1933. Up to 12 million Ukrainians starved to death, with widespread reports of cannibalism.

There are similar reports of cannibalism in the midst of the famine of 1959-1961 that killed about 13 million Chinese during Mao's Great Leap Forward lunacy.

Starvation is a horrible way to die, and starving people will go to desperate lengths to get something, anything into their bellies. Communist governments have given millions of unfortunate people this experience.

[dfwgator]

[Berlin_Freeper]

The HU - Wolf Totem

[PCPOET7]

I myself have no clue what real deprivation is and only get a hint from storys like this.

[Grammy]

I was walking through my local grocery when the store manager was talking to the meat dept. manager. Apparently some Russian dignitaries were visiting the next day, and the store manager wanted the meat cases packed full with nothing left in the back. He wanted them to see what abundance looked like.

[Deplorable American1776]

We should send AOC and the freshmen Dem in the house to North Korea for 6 months...it might cure them...