Did anybody read Christopher Hitchens' piece in Slate (of course not)where he snots off about how healthy they look and how of course the North Koreans were going to release them eventually anyway. He bitches they don't look thin enough.
Next Vanity Fair stunt, Hitch: the North Korean prison diet.
A Daily Mail article has claimed that Euna Lee "reportedly held the video camera as Laura [Ling] 'danced around' on the North Korean side of the border," as well as making other claims that, if true, would take the gloss off of Ling's and Lee's journalistic efforts. Are there any witnesses/colleagues who can clear this up?
dailymail.co.uk: "In peril in Pyongyang? How jailed female journalists were in greater danger sharing a plane with Bill Clinton"
In the meantime, this story published by National Geographic describes the truly harrowing realities of North Koreans who risk torture and death to escape the Juche Kingdom.
nationalgeographic.com: "Escape from North Korea"
[Apologies for lack of hyperlinks--IE at work incompatible with new Gawker tech.]
@The Lone Scout: That Daily Mail article seems kind of ridiculous in its harsh treatment of these women. It makes statements like Ling is being disingenuous in calling herself a Chinese-American because she was raised as an upper-class Valley girl. And they cite to no source for their "dancing on the border" quote. Of course, this is also the same website/paper that has an article about the love life of a 110 year-old tortoise on its front page. I didn't read that article so I can't say whether or not they got a quote from the turtle.
@Atilla the Bun: I agree that the Daily Mail is a dodgy source. (For example, despite their previously reliable coverage of Lady Gaga's exploits, they have so far neglected to address the recent flap over her nether bits.)
Seriously, though, weren't some of these doubts about Ling and Lee raised in a previous Gawker post? I'm just interested in their behavior in a disputed border region with well-known risks.
@The Lone Scout: I think there have been previous discussions as to whether the N. Korean government FALSELY accused these women of crossing the border or whether they actually did. I find it hard to believe if they did cross the border, they did so in the laissez-faire way described by the article. This article is anything but objective and seems to have a weird agenda to paint these women as privileged, stupid and greedy. And maybe they are. I just don't think this article is a very good source for making that point.
@Atilla the Bun: Agreed about the Daily Mail's bone-headed attitude towards these journalists (for example, by referring to them by their first names, as if they are children). I also agree that it's probable that North Korean border guards abducted them in Chinese territory or in a disputed area. Perhaps I simply misread Hamilton's satire as an invitation to question what happened.
Don't be black, suddenly the media won't find the time to give you press between segments of "TOWNHALL MEETING RESULTS IN ANGER" and "PASSENGERS TRAPPED ON TARMAC FOR 4 HOURS!!!"
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Next Vanity Fair stunt, Hitch: the North Korean prison diet.
08/11/09
dailymail.co.uk: "In peril in Pyongyang? How jailed female journalists were in greater danger sharing a plane with Bill Clinton"
In the meantime, this story published by National Geographic describes the truly harrowing realities of North Koreans who risk torture and death to escape the Juche Kingdom.
nationalgeographic.com: "Escape from North Korea"
[Apologies for lack of hyperlinks--IE at work incompatible with new Gawker tech.]
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08/11/09
Seriously, though, weren't some of these doubts about Ling and Lee raised in a previous Gawker post? I'm just interested in their behavior in a disputed border region with well-known risks.
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