Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
Now something is happening to Kenneth Bae, and yes, you have to thank The Worm for it. Whether he’s drunk, in rehab or singing happy birthday, he brought attention to North Korea. Bae is probably innocent of everything he’s saying he did and in the same pattern as in past cases of anyone stuck in North Korea, you have to gather as much press as you can for the guy. For Kenneth Bae, he’s almost forgotten. He has no fame, no Kickstarter, and not enough reasons for the mass droves of press to care. Except for the antics of The Worm. Is this just a coincidence? No. (CNN – Bae)
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Now something is happening to Kenneth Bae, and yes, you have to thank The Worm for it. Whether he’s drunk, in rehab or singing happy birthday, he brought attention to North Korea. Bae is probably innocent of everything he’s saying he did and in the same pattern as in past cases of anyone stuck in North Korea, you have to gather as much press as you can for the guy. For Kenneth Bae, he’s almost forgotten. He has no fame, no Kickstarter, and not enough reasons for the mass droves of press to care. Except for the antics of The Worm. Is this just a coincidence? No. (CNN – Bae)
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Some guy who thinks he’s going to be the next Rick Rubin, started a Kickstarter account for two D.C. rappers, Pacman and Peso. Their benefactor formed the rap duo, and then had an A-HA moment about how to build hype: send these two dudes to North Korea to make a music video. The Washington Post reported on this story earlier this month, when they had just reached their Kickstarter goal and Peso and Pacman went to apply for U.S. passports. I guess North Korea is the new…. wait, why do they have to go to North Korea? Oh right, cause Rick Rubin 2.0′s buddy is trying to make a living booking tours there. But what’s with this on their itinerary? 11/24 – Kang Bang Suk Middle School Performance, Pyongyang Metro & Metro Museum, Gun Range (Hen Hunt), Music and Dance Conservatory cultural show -circus/opera, Chicken and Watermelon Dinner (chicken from gun range), Kereoke Party Bus Pyongyang at Night City Bus Tour. Clearly these guys need a lot of help getting noticed. A lot. Maybe more than their producer and the guy booking their tour. There’s still a few hours left if you’re interested in jumping on the caboose of their publicity trainwreck.
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Some guy who thinks he’s going to be the next Rick Rubin, started a Kickstarter account for two D.C. rappers, Pacman and Peso. Their benefactor formed the rap duo, and then had an A-HA moment about how to build hype: send these two dudes to North Korea to make a music video. The Washington Post reported on this story earlier this month, when they had just reached their Kickstarter goal and Peso and Pacman went to apply for U.S. passports. I guess North Korea is the new…. wait, why do they have to go to North Korea? Oh right, cause Rick Rubin 2.0′s buddy is trying to make a living booking tours there. But what’s with this on their itinerary? 11/24 – Kang Bang Suk Middle School Performance, Pyongyang Metro & Metro Museum, Gun Range (Hen Hunt), Music and Dance Conservatory cultural show -circus/opera, Chicken and Watermelon Dinner (chicken from gun range), Kereoke Party Bus Pyongyang at Night City Bus Tour. Clearly these guys need a lot of help getting noticed. A lot. Maybe more than their producer and the guy booking their tour. There’s still a few hours left if you’re interested in jumping on the caboose of their publicity trainwreck.
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A new challenger is entering the smartphone marketplace. Get ready for North Korea’s Arirang! The latest innovation from the hermit nation is its very own smartphone. No need to rely on foreign technology (well, except from countries that still export to NK and presumably provided all the parts and possibly the technology) and apps to help you negotiate life in Pyongyang. What are your friends up to on Foursquare? Where’s the nearest coffee sho- oh wait, nevermind, still no internet unless you’re a high ranking government official. No Foursquare badges for you. Maybe they’ll at least be able to get Candy Crush on their phones and tablets. Because everyone likes Candy Crush. Could be the perfect remedy for chasing the blues away when your husband is wasting away in a gulag. I hope they aren’t just stuck with Angry Birds, cause that’s so five years ago… According to nknews.org’s story, North Korea has been taking careful notes on what the US government has been doing, but with considerably more transparency about their activities: “North Koreans now have more opportunities to talk between themselves than ever. In the long run, this is likely to have political consequences. But the North Korean authorities understand the risks and they work hard to cushion the politically negative impact of the ongoing changes. Aside from the censorship and eavesdropping, the North Korean authorities use numerous technical and administrative measures to make it difficult to use the new IT network to spread politically suspicious content.”
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