North Korea launches missle

[Matthias]

That's true, but the nuke scare is a recent phenom, whereas the people of North Korea have been living in abject poverty for decades, often without basic necessities. Their living conditions are abysmal, especially when compared to South Korea. And, as with most communist regimes, no one is allowed to leave (what was it JFK said about democracy not being perfect, but at least we don't build walls to keep our pepole in).

Sure, but most Communist nations lived in pretty abject poverty. I visited West Germany shortly after the Wall came down and even after they had been integrated, the West Germans harbored a prejudice against their Eastern brethren because their factories and cars were cheap and polluted heavily. I had a friend who grew up in Poland who revealed to me once that Spam was a Polish delicacy growing up because they made it there, but it was all for export. So Spam was a purely black-market item and hence, highly desired. It made me want to apologize then and there for Western society.

[stomperrob]

That's true, but the nuke scare is a recent phenom, whereas the people of North Korea have been living in abject poverty for decades, often without basic necessities. Their living conditions are abysmal, especially when compared to South Korea. And, as with most communist regimes, no one is allowed to leave (what was it JFK said about democracy not being perfect, but at least we don't build walls to keep our pepole in).

Sure, but most Communist nations lived in pretty abject poverty. I visited West Germany shortly after the Wall came down and even after they had been integrated, the West Germans harbored a prejudice against their Eastern brethren because their factories and cars were cheap and polluted heavily. I had a friend who grew up in Poland who revealed to me once that Spam was a Polish delicacy growing up because they made it there, but it was all for export. So Spam was a purely black-market item and hence, highly desired. It made me want to apologize then and there for Western society.

Exactly, communism is a sham - as you point out, look at the difference between East Germany and West Germany in how they rebuilt after WWII. Same applies to N & S Korea and how they developed after the country was divided.

[knapplc]

So Spam was a purely black-market item and hence, highly desired. It made me want to apologize then and there for Western society.

I'm not following this. Spam makes you want to apologize for Western society? ¿Qué?

[Matthias]

So Spam was a purely black-market item and hence, highly desired. It made me want to apologize then and there for Western society.

I'm not following this. Spam makes you want to apologize for Western society? ¿Qué?

Basically, the Eastern Bloc nations spent a large part of their GDP trying to keep up militarily with the West. So, in a sense, the West bankrupted the East (and that's the story you get from all the Reagan supporters). So I just felt sorry that we had driven a nation to such straits that Spam was a delicacy. According to her, it was a huge deal if you managed to score some for your family for dinner. Spam.... yish.

[knapplc]

So Spam was a purely black-market item and hence, highly desired. It made me want to apologize then and there for Western society.

I'm not following this. Spam makes you want to apologize for Western society? ¿Qué?

Basically, the Eastern Bloc nations spent a large part of their GDP trying to keep up militarily with the West. So, in a sense, the West bankrupted the East (and that's the story you get from all the Reagan supporters). So I just felt sorry that we had driven a nation to such straits that Spam was a delicacy. According to her, it was a huge deal if you managed to score some for your family for dinner. Spam.... yish.

You do realize that Spam is extremely popular in Hawaii, right? By choice, they love it and have Spam festivals and share recipes, etc. It's a big deal over there.

[Matthias]

I'm not following this. Spam makes you want to apologize for Western society? ¿Qué?

Basically, the Eastern Bloc nations spent a large part of their GDP trying to keep up militarily with the West. So, in a sense, the West bankrupted the East (and that's the story you get from all the Reagan supporters). So I just felt sorry that we had driven a nation to such straits that Spam was a delicacy. According to her, it was a huge deal if you managed to score some for your family for dinner. Spam.... yish.

You do realize that Spam is extremely popular in Hawaii, right? By choice, they love it and have Spam festivals and share recipes, etc. It's a big deal over there.

Sure, but the best that anyone can understand it is that either/and popular because it is similar to the salty pork diet used in Asian cooking and Hawaii has basically no extra land to raise animals (and transportation from the main land of fresh meat is costly). In any case, when something is considered pretty disgusting (and I grew up eating it now and again in Minnesota) by 49 states and favored by 1, I'm going with the majority opinion.

The best thing that can be said to come out of SPAM is the MIT SPAM Haiku page.

My favorites:
Take, Eat, think of me.
Canned transubstantiation.
Porcine Eucharist.

Sweating, quivering
A pig in its own jelly
The can is mother