T-Rex on North Korea: “The policy of strategic patience has ended"

Yikes. Not exactly "I believe it is peace for our time".

The NY Times coverage includes this crystallization of the conventional wisdom regarding the motivation of the reigning NoKo thugs:

But classified assessments of the North that the Obama administration left for its successors included a grim assessment by the intelligence community: that North Korea’s leader, Mr. Kim, believes his nuclear weapons program is the only way to guarantee the survival of his regime and will never trade it away for economic or other benefits.

The assessment said that the example of what happened to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, the longtime leader of Libya, had played a critical role in North Korean thinking. Colonel Qaddafi gave up the components of Libya’s nuclear program in late 2003 — most of them were still in crates from Pakistan — in hopes of economic integration with the West. Eight years later, when the Arab Spring broke out, the United States and its European allies joined forces to depose Colonel Qaddafi, who was eventually found hiding in a ditch and executed by Libyan rebels.

#ShePersisted!

Lest you marvel at the capability of the NSA, one clue as to the NoKo thinking came from their own media. Here is the BBC from last September:

Might Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi explain Kim Jong-un's determination to get his own nuclear arsenal?

The lynching of the Libyan leader after he had renounced nuclear weapons and the hanging of the Iraqi president have been cited by the North Korean media as the rationale for their own country's determination not to be put off by sanctions despite the poverty there.

As it is sometimes put: Gaddafi gave up the bomb and lost his head. Saddam was toppled because he did not have it.

After Pyongyang's last nuclear test in January, a commentary in North Korea's media said: "History proves that powerful nuclear deterrence serves as the strongest treasured sword for frustrating outsiders' aggression."

It continued: "The Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq and the Gaddafi regime in Libya could not escape the fate of destruction after being deprived of their foundations for nuclear development and giving up nuclear programmes of their own accord."

Pretty subtle, but we managed to crack the code. Of course, inscrutable hints were dropped even back in 2011:

SEOUL, South Korea — A North Korean statement that Libya’s dismantling of its nuclear weapons program had made it vulnerable to military intervention by the West is being seen by analysts as an ominous reinforcement of the North’s refusal to end its own nuclear program.

North Korea’s official news agency carried comments this week from a Foreign Ministry official criticizing the air assault on Libyan government forces and suggesting that Libya had been duped in 2003 when it abandoned its nuclear program in exchange for promises of aid and improved relations with the West.

Calling the West’s bargain with Libya “an invasion tactic to disarm the country,” the official said it amounted to a bait and switch approach. “The Libyan crisis is teaching the international community a grave lesson,” the official was quoted as saying Tuesday, proclaiming that North Korea’s “songun” ideology of a powerful military was “proper in a thousand ways” and the only guarantor of peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Odd that the failing NY Times forgot to blame Bush when they forgot to mention Hillary's Libya debacle.

Comments

[maryrose]

Spartans look unbeatable.

[Beester]

Oooohhh Maryrose...no, no, no. Jinxing alert.

[Jim Eagle]

Cap,

In their bracket the big winner has to be Dook, right? NC is in another bracket.

[Clarice Feldman]

I remember Duke Zeibert's I had a client and partner in crime who loved that place.
Adams Morgan, 14th st and K streets do hop every night. The restaurants are packed.

[Clarice Feldman]

I saw the origami video several times--incredible. If I find it again I'll try to post it.

[lyle]

Go Zags!

[Clarice Feldman]

Here are lots of origami videos though not the one I was thinking about--the physicist who's made them his life work:https://www.facebook.com/Origami-video-373081172810239/

[sbw]

Dr J, I FB msged your cancer comment to a friend of my son who was researching breast cancer. He wrote back:

Ha - cool perspective. I have had the pleasure of being in the company of oncologists before, too, and I must agree whole heartedly with everything your friend said.

Thanks for sharing!

[Threadkiller]

This one, Clarice?

https://youtu.be/_ndGwJWTKd0

[Beasts of England]

And speaking of big groceries, Charles Barkley...

[Jim Eagle]

Thanks for that link, TK.

Will share with Frederick. I noticed no mention of NEA funding but those despicable Koch Brothers were involved.

[Man Tran]

TK,

That's the one I watched. Near the end the researchers (MIT?) were conjuring new proteins and figuring lower energy states based on the folding. (I'm only vaguely recalling.)

[Clarice Feldman]

Here's the physicist doing origami--sorry I cannot find a way to share if you're not on FB:https://www.facebook.com/greatbigstory/videos/1663233130645780/?hc_ref=SEARCH

[Captain Hate]

In their bracket the big winner has to be Dook, right? NC is in another bracket.

I'm sure you're right; can you tell I didn't fill out a bracket?

Wisconsin is gonna be a tough out for anybody so I'm not sure Dook gained that much. Just for the record, apologies to Gus and henry but I have a completely irrational hatred of Wisconsin. It probably stems from Mother Hate mindlessly shilling for any team from Wisconsin because that's where her mother was from, like that meant a GD thing to me with Baltimore or DC teams to cheer for. Only the greatness of Aaron Rodgers was able to overcome that.

[Clarice Feldman]

No, TK--but that one's amazing, too.

[Threadkiller]

It is incredible, MT. Thank you for pointing it out.

[Clarice Feldman]

Here it is!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ4hDppP_SQ

[Beasts of England]

Any of our Bay Area crew have an opinion on Restaurant Gary Danko?

[RattlerGator]

Chuck Berry; dead at 90.

[Captain Hate]

Yes, RG; I meant to mention that.

Hail, hail rock 'n roll.

RIP

[Jim Eagle]

BoE,

I do. He was starting up when I was there and he is like the wild man of SF. Sort of soft version of Gordon Ramsey. Fabulous food.

I only went there two times on biz trips back to HQ when I was in London. He had just opened up but he was then a big hit.

Don't know now. 17 years can ruin a restaurant.

[Jim Eagle]

RG,

Frederick won't like that news about Chuck Berry. He thinks the world started when Chuck recorded "Jonny be Goode"

[Beasts of England]

'When I was a little bitty boy
My grandmother bought me a cute little toy,
Silver bells hanging on a string
She said it was my ding a ling a ling'

He will be missed.

[Beasts of England]

Thanks, JiB!

[Jim Eagle]

I have yet to see the big Pole in the center for Zaga make a rebound. But somehow he seems to be a factor in all he NW plays toward the basket.

[exdemocrat]

two thumbs up, Beasts

[Beasts of England]

Thanks, exdemocrat!

[daddy]

Hillary Clinton: “I am ready to come out of the woods and to help shine a light on what is already happening around kitchen tables, at dinners like this, to help draw strength that will enable everybody to keep going,” said Clinton.

What the hell does that mean?

At least when Buddha came out of the woods he had figured out the Dharma; the Eightfold Path, the Golden Mean, Illusion, suffering, poverty, death, Nirvana, and a means to World Peace. Hillary entered the woods having damned half the country as unredeemable racists, screeching to high heaven about not being "50 points ahead", and comes out with a new hairdo, telling us to focus our spotlights on kitchen tables.

Well I'm all for illumination, but that's it? That's the revelation?

Clinton was received warmly in Scranton, where her grandfather worked in a lace mill. Her father left Scranton for Chicago in search of work during the Great Depression, but returned often. Hillary Clinton spent summers at the family’s cottage on nearby Lake Winola.

She fondly recalled watching movies stretched across a bedsheet in a neighbor’s yard, and told of how the cottage had a toilet but no shower or tub.

“Don’t tell anybody this, but we’d go down to the lake,” she said.

I'm telling.

[Captain Hate]

These refs are terrible in this Gonzaga game. How do three stooges miss a guy putting his hand through the basket to block a shot?

[Beasts of England]

Even I caught that one, Captain.

[RattlerGator]

Noles have a fantastic team; probably their best ever. Definitely not showing it right now. Gonna be a bunch of tremendously disappointed people in Tallahassee tonight if they don't make a big run.

[Jim Eagle]

Even my Belgian wife thought the NW v. Zaga game was fun to watch.

It's anyone's ballgame this year as far as I can see.

CH, you're right. A BS decision on the hand in the net. Not reviewable which is silly since the ones to review are the plays like that and who touched the ball before it goes out and things like that. Would it have made a difference? That is the question who no one can answer now.

[daddy]

Great fight in NorthWestern. They never gave up and played very well.

On the other channel Florida State looking ugly against a Xavier team that hasn't shown any fear at all.

On the Origami, I recall in one of Brian Greene's books on String Theory (Elegant Universe?) that he spent the last half of the book talking about something called Calabi-Yao shapes, where String Theory boys posit different minuscule Calabi-Yao shaped objects that, if existent, might allow universes of 11 dimensions or 24 dimensions, etc. It seemed fanciful to me but maybe in the long run it might prove plausible and have some relation to Origami and Physics.

[Jim Eagle]

Being a Bearcat, it's hard for me to cheer on the Musky's but they have the Noles by the throat and don't look like surrendering. Huggie takes on Zaga. That may be the best game of the tournament so far.

[Skoot]

The King is gone. RIP Chuck.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Donald/comments/605m89/starcucks_ceo_howard_schultz_steps_down/

Starbucks CEO apparently learned a painful lesson.

[Captain Hate]

I hope Huggy takes out the WAC trash.

So which was the worst seeding: Wisconsin or Xavier?

[henry]

Damn, Chuck Berry was awesome. Played at my high school (community service).

Double damn. Wisconsin beat the Nova. I was at Kelly's on Lancaster when Nova won in '85. Watched the game with a friend I met there.

80's DC worked at 1800 Vermont. Great nightlife in those parts!

[Jim Eagle]

X wins and so has Cincy. Hmmm. What does it take for a meet up? Probably final four but it would be an interesting meetingl

Slaap Lekker., Tots morgen.

[daddy]

Beasts,

New pup arrives Wednesday. Gonna' be very interesting to see how Fry and Scout take to him. His current name from the breeders is 'Nelson,' but momma says she wants a 1 syllable name and I think she wants it to start with letter B.

I think she might have been watching to many of those "How To Whisper to a Dog" reality TV shows.

[PD]

Statement being issued now that the refs missed the call.

[Beasts of England]

May I suggest 'Beasts'?

[PD]

The NCAA completely blew Wisconsin's seeding.

I'll say. Should have been 11, 12 at best.

I'm pleased they beat Villanova, and this was a good game by Wisconsin. Taking the season as a whole, though: They began well, but the last 8 or 9 games of the season were mostly just horrible. Some flashes of what they could be, but a lot of crappy play as well. Really inconsistent.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Daddy,

Here are the names of all the dogs I have owned, beginning in childhood:

Judy, Duffy, Harry, Maggie, Molly, Moochie, Cassy, Maggie (current) Pibby, and Jack.

Guess who doesn't come when called.

[Beasts of England]

I think one of the Hanson Brothers is playing for Saint Mary's.

[narciso]

I know he only thinks he has a show, and Mcguffin indulges the delusion

http://www.blackandblondemedia.com/2017/03/18/msnbc-deceptively-edits-lawrence-odonnell-can-call-potus-liar

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/03/18/trump-flanked-nazi-symbols-nuclear-mushroom-clouds-phoenix-billboard/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social

Art. Sure it is.

Bah.

Get me the pictures of those two artists and put them up on a billboard with Muslim headchoppers and communist hammers and sickles.

Sauce for the goose, etc.

[narciso]

Powerline highlighted this piece.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/17/nyregion/norman-podhoretz-still-picks-fights-and-drops-names.html?mtrref=t.co&_r=2

[Captain Hate]

Listening to Fatass Jackson and Paul Shaffer Van Gundy whine on behalf of the Disney Channel on NBA teams resting players around back to back games reminds you why their coaching expertise is no longer in demand.

[PD]

If you thought Villanova/Wisconsin was an exciting finish, you should be watching the Cederburg/LaCrosse Central Div. 2 WI HS championship! :-)

[Another Bob]

Pitzer college in the news...

http://www.campusreform.org/?ID=8939

[narciso]

A perceptive figure

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-03-18/denmark-brink

[jimmyk]

Narc @ 8:46, interesting piece. One highlight (for those who don't want to click on the NYT):

After supporting Marco Rubio in the Republican presidential primaries, Mr. Podhoretz took a position that was not so much an endorsement of Mr. Trump as a rebuttal to conservatives who opposed him. “I was anti-anti-Trump,” he said. “I said it was a choice of evils, and he was the lesser evil. And I still think that’s true, although it might turn out that he wasn’t evil at all. He has the most conservative cabinet since Reagan, more than Reagan. So I watch what he does more than what he says.” He was not put off by Mr. Trump’s conciliatory approach to Russia, nor his support from white nationalists, whom he considered too marginal to be a real threat.

His son should listen.

[daddy]

Speaking of dogs, the Iditarod's last musher just crossed the Finish line in Nome, 4 days behind the winner: Musher Cindy Abbott claims Red Lantern award, ending Iditarod 45

For the second time since 2015, bib number 31, Cindy Abbott is the winner of the years Red Lantern award officially ending the 2017 race.

This is a record-breaking win for a red lantern finish, according to Iditarod archives.

According to the Iditarod the Red Lantern award is a symbol of perseverance.

Abbott finished this years race in 12-days, two hours and 57 minutes.
In 2015, the same course took her 13-days, eleven hours and 19 minutes.

Go Cindy!

[Captain Hate]

He was not put off by Mr. Trump’s conciliatory approach to Russia, nor his support from white nationalists

Reason enough not to click the link.

[Another Bob]

PD, that Cedarburg kid didn't miss that 80-foot buzzer beater by much.

[PD]

If "she persisted" should be said of anyone, it's Cindy Abbott.

[narciso]

That was editorializing on the interviewers part, without any support in the text.

[daddy]

Excellent 08:55 link, Narciso. Is Denmark On The Brink?

Very smart woman who recognizes the problem.

[daddy]

Maggie?

[BR]

Wow, Clarice your 2:46pm link is really something.

"That system [of Brennan and Clapper's], THE HAMMER, according to the audio tapes, accessed the phone calls, emails and bank accounts of millions of ordinary Americans. The tapes also reveal that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance court (FISA), Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, 156 other judges, members of Congress, and Donald J. Trump were targeted by the HAMMER. One of the audio tapes made public by Federal Judge G. Murray Snow revealed that Brennan and Clapper particularly targeted and wiretapped Donald Trump a 'zillion times.' "

___________

And then there's this aspect to it:

"Montgomery also contends that the government can plant files such as child pornography or state secrets on a target's computer, setting up the owner of that device for blackmail or framed
prosecution." (As was done with Sharyl Attkisson)

The good thing about Weiner's cache is that he himself labelled it "Insurance Files" - therefore, Hillary et al cannot claim that they are fake files.

[Beasts of England]

An interpersonal observation:

Saw an old buddy while we were out listening to some live music last night. He is severely cross-eyed with women. They zig, he zags; they zag, he zigs.

He tells me the story about going to a backyard band party the previous weekend. Lots of pot heads. People are sharing their kind. There's a hot babe out back and he shares some of his stash with her, and asks 'Do you ever run into anything this good?' She replies 'Guys bring it by all the time.'

But first, how would Beasts have responded to her reply? Exactly. 'I look forward to dropping by some time...' :)

So, what did he say? 'Must be nice to be a great looking woman and have guys deliver free pot to your door.' Yowzah. I'm super cereal - that's what he said.

Maybe his zagger is busted...

[maryrose]

How they missed that obvious goal tending I wll never know but coach should not come out on the floor.
Never give up points like that.

[Captain Hate]

You're right, maryrose; Collins hurt his team's chances by losing his cool.

[daddy]

Wow Virginia only has 17 points at the half.

RG's gotta' be happy about that.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

daddy,

Maggie. That's how I spelled it on her AKC form. Don't know why. Anyway, thay's how I spelled it.

She also answers to "Treeeeats!"

[jimmyk]

Reason enough not to click the link.

CH, as I think narc was saying, I read that as something like:

NYT moron: "Aren't you concerned about Trump's ties to Putin."
Podhoretz: "What the [redacted] are you talking about? No."
NYT moron: "Aren't you concerned about the white nationalists who support Trump."
Podhoretz: "What the [redacted] are you talking about? No."

Then the NYT moron writes as if the ties to Putin and the white nationalists are a fact that Podhoretz didn't dispute.

[Captain Hate]

jimmyk, the MFM keeps digging a bigger hole. How many more downsizings do those dolts need?

[daddy]

From Narciso's 08:55 of the Danish Columnist, answering questions about Danish views of the Muslim immigration problems in Sweden:

ET: Indeed, even President Trump made some controversial comments about Sweden at a recent rally in the US, causing an international uproar, with many debates on whether he was right or wrong. Did this cause some discussion in Denmark as well?

The columnist: It wasn’t much of a discussion because we in Denmark know what is happening in Sweden. Malmo is very close so we only need to go there to see it with our own eyes.

There was a TV ad partially paid by the Swedish government recommending that all Swedes integrate into this new multicultural society they are creating. Think about that. Even old Swedes now need to adjust to this new reality, instead of immigrants adapting to Swedish society. They call it “Det nya landet”, which means the new country. Traditional Sweden is gone.

ET: Swedes and Danes share many cultural traits. What explains this divergence in opinions? Is it because you do not face the same societal problems?

Columnist: We are not as politically correct as the Swedes. So there is a lot of discussion here. (…) As such we have a greater awareness of our heritage and tend to be more protective of it.

Which is not to say we don’t have problems. We do. We face the same identity issues, and our traditions – in particular our Christian heritage – are fast disappearing from our society. That same hollowness is now becoming mainstream in Denmark. And this eliminates much of the arguments to defend ourselves against the importation of foreign values and customs, many of which are at odds with our own. Simply forbidding things will not change this reality.
---------------------

Pretty aptly describes America as well.

[peter...]

I'm not too happy about that..

[Beasts of England]

Very competitive game between Arizona and Saint Mary's.

[daddy]

Miss M,

I meant is Maggie the one that doesn't come when called? Far be it for me to accuse anybody of spelling faux paws:)

[Captain Hate]

I'm not going to antagonize my friend OL on the performance of his school tonight in memory of how miserable I felt two days ago; not that there's any evidence that it bothers him.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

daddy,

No, it's Jack.

Notice all of the names are two syllables ending in the "eee" sound. Except Jack.

I have to say, though, that Jack is pretty much a dim bulb, although cute as a button. He just doesn't get things, and gets scared over the silliest stuff, like laundry baskets and large books. Bur as I said, when you call him he sort of cocks his head and looks at you like you are making an alien noise.

By the way, his name is one syllable.

[daddy]

Sorry Peter,

Swap on over to St Mary's-Arizona. St Mary's has done a great job of keeping it too tight for Arizona to get the comfortable lead they need to run away with it.

[Captain Hate]

Or peter whom I met before Thanksgiving.

[daddy]

Ha!

I shoulda' know Miss M. I should'a known:)

Butler fans in Indy have to be pleased with how solid they played.

[narciso]

When you go down the rabbit hole:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/melikkaylan/2017/03/16/did-putin-try-to-influence-the-dutch-elections-through-erdogan/#5150733c1679

[Clarice Feldman]

BR, In restrospect I think that "hammer" article is b.s.

Jimmy k, Norman's son-in-law should have listened to him, too.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

daddy,

My mother was a Butler grad, and my granddaughter has received an acceptance letter from them. She's currently weighing her options, as she has a full ride to De Pauw and also IU will be super cheap for her because she gets the indiana Scholars scholarship.

She got a rejection letter from Middlebury, but given their recent history I am not upset at that at all. She is waiting to hear from Columbia (not my choice)_ and we will see where she ends up.

[sbw]

MM, my niece is at Butler and nephew has been accepted there and at De Pauw.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

sbw,

Wow! What a coincidence!

We will just have to wait and see. There isn't much money here or with her parents, so mainly it's going to depend on which school offers the best bottom line.

[JJ Cintia]

To say American Foreign Policy is incoherent would seem like flattery at this point. Its all about money. It always is with them. Saddam wanted more oil, but wouldn't play nice with the Petrodollar Counterfeiting Ring. It didn't take long for famous lies about atrocities and "human rights violations" led to a large army kicking his ass away from the oil wells. Qaddafi gave up terrorism and nukes, but when he wanted gold instead of Monopoly Money suddenly he was a major violator of "human rights" and bombs were dropped on his Republican Guard and famously female personal guards. "Human Rights" seems to be code words for not accepting Monopoly Money from Old Hickory's enemies at The Den of Thieves International Bank of Counterfeit Monopoly Monies. Mr. Pennybags is a psycho. Pass it on.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2017/03/18/m-e-g-a-scheduled-to-meet-m-a-g-a-first-week-of-april/comment-page-1/#comment-3717301

Sisi is scheduled to be here April 1sr.

Timeline of events in Egypt provided.

[daddy]

Sorry to say it but it looks to me like Virginia has given up with 8 minutes still left on the clock. When you're down 20 I can't understand being lackadaisical in bringing the ball up the court.

[Clarice Feldman]

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/byron-york-how-pundits-got-key-part-of-trump-russia-story-all-wrong/article/2617802#.WM3sJzbr2Lg.twitter

Nytol--traveling tomorrow. Behave.

[narciso]

Except the oil for food program outlined a system of bribes that tied France Germany Russia it al to the tikriti mob, that ran Iraq, underneath that iceberg was a whole network of salafi baathists officials who later became the core of the Islamic state.

With quaddaffi he had indeed opposed islamist like belhaj and his Libyan fighting group back in the mid 90s according to mi 5 whisleblower shayler. They had even been retained to assassinate al muammar, using the future anas al libi, from whence the Manchester manual was derived (eichenwald suggested that was a manual relating to Egyptian islamist but that theory is all wet) quradawi had issued a fatwa against quaddaffi just as he had done against sadat, that istambouli ultimately fulfilled

[Thomas Collins]

Northwestern was involved in controversial plays in both of its games, but I don't think those plays necessarily made the difference in either game. Fouling a good free throw shooter with a one point lead and about 15 seconds left is a mistake, but it hardly was the key. Northwestern might have held for the last shot and hit it in any event. Vandy had time for a winning shot but couldn't get it off. As far as the blown call and technical goes, it hurt, but the Zags are too good to have allowed Northwestern to have continued on a 20-5 pace. Although Chris Collins needs to do his running on the treadmill and not on the court while the ball is in play, it was a fine season for Northwestern.

[jimmyk]

Although Chris Collins needs to do his running on the treadmill

In the Collins tradition of a 3-piece suit?

[narciso]

It would be charitable to say they got anything in this case:
https://pjmedia.com/instapundit/260124/

[Another Bob]

You're an amazing guy narc. Would you take the SOS gig if offered?

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

I will accept daddy's word at 9:03 that the person pictured is one Cindy Abbot but I would be surprised if there are six degrees of separation between her and Kevin Bacon.
Spittin image.

[Thomas Collins]

Absolutely, jimmyk!

[Captain Hate]

but the Zags are too good to have allowed Northwestern to have continued on a 20-5 pace.

Really? I don't think they're good at all, playing in a tinker toy league noted for producing underachievers at the pro level like Adam Morrison and Jimmer Fredette. They're a middle of the road team in a power conference no matter what the NCAA geniuses say.

[asw]

POTUS does know everyone. ;)
https://twitter.com/ed_hooley/status/843263342919794688

[GUS]

I just recieved the most MOST AWESOME NEWS.

My Niece has been accepted at the UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY.

oH, and Wisconsin beat Villanova.

[daddy]

Iggy,

Momma had been following the race on the Official Iditarod page and from the image posted there she thought her name should be "Pat" from old SNL fame:

[narciso]

Words fail:

https://mic.com/articles/171428/why-i-m-giving-mass-effect-andromeda-a-hard-pass-it-s-more-of-the-same-colonialism#.aZQyLykV9

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Sound off;
U S

Sound off;
Air Force

Bring it on down;
U
S
Air
Force

US...AIR FORCE!

That'll only make sense to flyboys and lost planet airmen.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Ok, that view is a lot less bacony, daddy.