Iran Pictures, Photographs, and Videos – Mousavi, Khamenei, Islam, Democracy, and Revolution
June 17, 2009
Protest rally in Teheran, Naghshe Jahan Sq
Photoshopped Ahmadinejad rally made to look bigger
Major German newspaper supporting Iranian protests
Iranian protestor killed by Iranian authorities
Iranian government infiltrators sent to disperse crowds and provoke violence
Iranian government infiltrators sent to disperse crowds and provoke violence
Iranian government infiltrators sent to disperse crowds and provoke violence
Iranian government infiltrators sent to disperse crowds and provoke violence
Iranian protesters defy rally ban
Iranians have been defying a ban on protest and media to protest the 2009 Presidential election results which most claim were rigged. The results showed 64% of the vote when to Ahmadinejad, the far right populist incumbent, while only 33% went to Masouvi, the reformist. These protests seem poised to forever change how the Islamic Republic works. What even inside sources (of the regime in Iran) seem to suggest though, is that the results are fabricated, and that Mousavi received 19 million votes compared to Ahmadinejad’s 8 million. Iranians are protesting en masse this fabrication, and these street protests could very well turn into revolution.
North and South Korea – Korean reunification
June 9, 2009
United Korea
Recently North Korea (N. K.) has been acting very belligerently. I personally believe that Korean unification must happen as soon as possible, and that reunification would ultimately be extremely beneficial to South Korea, North Korea, and the preservation of Korean culture.
Many South Koreans, and other economically minded persons, believe that reunification should be a slow, drawn out process that ultimately ends in a federally united Korea. I believe that this is a dangerous mindset, one that could potentially cost the Korean people a united homeland, full rapprochement between the North and the South, and the most possible economic benefits that could come with reunification.
There are a couple of logical conclusions that need to be pointed out.
First, a long term federal solution is not advantageous to the more populous part, South Korea. In this way South Korea will continue footing the bill well into the future whenever N. K. slips behind (and you can be sure they will take a long time to reach S. K. standards, this has much to do with the cultural and social mentality of North Koreans, especially their lack of individual initiative that has been forced on them by the authorities). This in turn will keep N. K’ans and S. K.’ans into distinctly separate entities even after ‘reunification’, which would hinder the development of a single national identity, and the re- development of social and cultural ties. The federal solution is a non-solution, it actually reduces South Korea’s influence over North Korea, and keeps the two nations distinct, while not actually easing the burden on South Korea.
Comparison of the two Korea's
Second, by forcing N. K. to live separately (after fall of dictatorship), S. K. gives off the impression that it does not want to be fully unified, which might have the unintended consequence of spurning N. K. and inadvertently causing them to set up a separate (albeit capitalist) state (post dictatorship). This would also be in China’s favor, keeping the two Korea’s separate, since it would be better able to control them then.
For S. K. to avoid this fate it must immediately show N.K. the path to full union with the South. Not even a European style integration would work, since N. K. will not be able to just reform, it would have to recreate its political process from the ground up to become a modern capitalist state. For North Korea to develop its own successful political system will take years, if not decades. To let them take part in the Southern political system will be much faster and more politically expedient for Southern political parties looking for new voters. But in the spirit of European integration, S. K. would assist with funds the developing statelet, while reminding constantly itself, N. K., and the world, that N. K. is a vital part and incontrovertible part of a fully unified Korea. One could even argue that the fiscal cost of keeping the two Korea’s separate is too high to justify the initial comfort of a federal solution.
Time for Reunification?
Third, the mass exodus of N. K.’ans into S. K. might not happen. S. K. is very crowded, especially around Seoul. The first N. K.’an defector has publicly stated how hard it was for him, how unused to the big city he was, how now, he would rather be living in N. K. still. That has to do with the fact that N. K. simply isn’t as crowded. One might also hope that N. K.’ans simply would prefer to let development come to their cities, and help build N. K.’s success. The question becomes, if free trade between the two halves of the Korean peninsula becomes reality, how much will South Korean firms pay North Korean firms for their goods and services? Will it be enough for North Korean firms to pay their employees more than they would receive in manpower-rich Seoul where competition keeps labor prices down?
Fourth, there is a language ‘barrier’ which would also prevent N. K.’ans from understanding S. K.’ans comfortably, and also prevent mass immigration to the south. Though N. K.’ans and S. K.’ans can understand each other, for any N. K.’an living in the South there would be discrimination (“You came here to take our jobs!”, etc.), which would definitely stop many people from immigrating. North Koreans would be treated as second class citizens. The pride of the North Koreans is immense – many simply would not want to move somewhere where they would be treated second class when they know that economic prosperity will also come to their hometown. Also, North Koreans might wish for better economic conditions; however, they remain very attached to their identity, culture, and homeland.
North Korean festival
I do think it is absolutely necessary that the free traffic of people between the two Korea’s be accomplished as soon as possible. The cultural, social, and language barriers need to smoothed out, if North Koreans and South Koreans are to remain ethnically akin. Free flow of people will ultimately benefit both Korea’s as well, through larger manpower, remittances to the North, etc.
There is a danger with the free flow of people, and that of course comes from the fact that the N. K. intelligence will probably find a way to exist after the fall of the dictatorship and will participate in illegal activities, as can be evidenced by communist Eastern European intelligence services.
United Korea
Elon Musk and the success of SpaceX
September 30, 2008
They finally did it. Falcon 1 launched and reached orbit successfully on September 28th, making it the “first privately developed liquid fuel rocket to orbit the Earth.” (All quotes are from Spacex.com) The booster significantly lowers launch costs, as mentioned in my previous post. Now, Spacex is looking to follow up to this good news by becoming an active commercial launch company; in effect, to make their business profitable. Nevertheless, the founder of SpaceX, Elon Musk, must still have a hangover from all the festivities that probably occured after the successful launch.
SpaceX is also developing the Falcon 9 and Falcon 9 Heavy, which would both be launched from Cape Canaveral, unlike Falcon 1, which was launched from the Kwajelein Atoll, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Falcon 1 Launch 4
And the video:
Let the Space Age begin!
A “Federal Union of Bulgaria and Macedonia”?
August 20, 2008
An interesting (though overtly pessimistic) article I recently read mentioned that there are rumors circulating about a federal state in the making between Bulgaria and Macedonia. While it might be possible, and Bulgarians would certainly like the idea, I’m not so sure how much Macedonians would like to be part of such a union. Macedonians still feel that Bulgarians want Macedonia to be incorporated into a larger Bulgaria. I’m not certain that there is any mainstream political party (except for Ataka, maybe) who even has this goal. In fact, Bulgaria unconditionally recognized the existance of Macedonia as a nation a long, long time ago. And though many people claim that Bulgaria didn’t recognize the Macedonian ethnicity and language, the Bulgarian premier who recognized Macedonia, Philip Dimitrov, has repeatedly said that Bulgaria recognized all aspects of Macedonian independence, such as statehood, ethnicity, and language.
I think it would certainly be an interesting experiment, anyway. As long as the two countries enter into such a union willingly and for good reason. Here’s what it says on the article: “It is interesting to note that widespread rumors for an eventual “Federal Union” between FYROM and Bulgaria are beginning to circulate, an event that will have ramifications probably more important and intense than Kosovo independence.” Not to mention that it might be the only way for Macedonia to get into NATO and the EU in the near future. That is, if the recent trouble between Russia and Georgia doesn’t force Greece to be more lenient with its northern neighbor.
I personally think it’s in the regions interest if all nations work at building closer ties and develop more economic links. What would be very interesting is if the idea of a Yugoslavia sees a rebirth, stemming from the creation of such a union. This time, though, Bulgaria would be included. I think later on I’ll examine how and why it was a mistake and detrimental for Bulgaria to not join (since after World War II Stalin meant for Bulgaria Yugoslavia until Tito took a more independent course) the old Yugoslavia, both for Bulgaria and Yugoslavia as a whole.
