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The Daily Dose/October 3, 2007
By Gaylon Kent
The Writer's Shack
Diving right into the heart of the matter...
ON THIS DATE: In 1990, East Germany and West Germany reunited, after 45 years of division.
SPEAKING OF A DIVIDED COUNTRY: South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il concluded three days of talks in Pyongyang Thursday. It was just the second meeting between the leaders of the two countries since the cease-fire to the Korean War in 1953, which isn't officially over because neither country has bothered to sign a peace treaty, but they're not shooting at each other any more, and M*A*S*H ended in 1983, so we'll take it.
Reunite Now! Official Writer's Shack policy, which is more or less in agreement with the basic Human Contract, sees no reason why one culture should be divided into two countries. The Koreans weren't entirely thrilled with this plan when it was brokered by the United States and the Soviet Union at the end of World War II, which ended 35-years of Japanese occupation of Korea, and they aren't entirely thrilled with it now and both countries are on record as favoring reunification.
Can We Get The Dakotas Back Together While We're At It?: The Korea's have taken small steps towards reunifying. Since 1991 they've marched under a single, unofficial flag at international sporting events, though they usually compete as separate countries. The flag shows one Korea, though if one squints the western outline of the country looks sort of like the profile of a craggy old man.
South Korea also provides significant amounts of economic aid, significant for North Korea because even in years when there is an abundant crop they are unable to feed everyone in their country, though in pictures from this week's summit, Kim Jong-il certainly looked well fed.
A Comparison: While German unification didn't cause the precession of the axis to reverse itself, reuniting the Koreas economically could be problematic. In terms of income per capita ratio, the Koreas ratio of 13:1 (South to North) is significantly worse than the German's 3:1 ratio was in 1990. And it should be noted the German economy is still feeling the effects of reunification, including high unemployment and a more or less stagnant economy.
Mandatory US Involvement: It was also announced this week that negotiations involving both Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States produced an agreement with North Korea to disable its main nuclear reactor and release complete details of its nuclear program by the end of the year. This was the second phase of an agreement reached in July where North Korea agreed to shut down its main reactor and other related facilities and allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors into the country. As a bribe, North Korea was given 100,000 metric tons of heavy fuel oil.
There's More Where That Came From: Upon North Korea actually disabling their nuclear facilities, a further 900,000 metric tons of heavy fuel oil will be given to them.
Fly In The Ointment: Japan announced it, for one, will not resume sending aid to North Korea, still testy over a lack of progress over a dispute about the alleged kidnapping of Japanese citizens by Pyongyang.
What The Hell's Heavy Fuel Oil?: We looked into it here at the Writer's Shack, and, honestly, if you need to ask, don't worry about it. It's not worth getting worked up over. It's a residual fuel oil, as opposed to a distilled fuel oil. That should be enough to win you a bar bet.
GREAT MOMENTS IN JURISPRUDENCE: On this date in 1995 OJ Simpson was found not guilty of murdering his ex-wife Nicole and her friend Ronald Goldman.
Great Moments In Vegas: On this date in 2003 a tiger attacked magician Roy Horn during a performance of the Siegfried and Roy Show at the Mirage Hotel. Horn can walk now, for short distances, without assistance, but no longer appears professionally.
Great Moments In Jurisprudence and Vegas: The preliminary hearing in O.J. Simpson's Sept. 13 robbery case was set for November 8 and 9.
THE LATEST FROM THE ALL GRAYS: We meant All Blacks, of course, our personal faves in the current Rugby World Cup going on in France, which is taking the week off prior to the quarterfinals getting underway Saturday.
The New Zealander's, however, did lose a coin flip to France and will be obliged to wear their gray jersey's - known as strips in rugby - while France pretends to be manly in their new dark bleu strips.
Do The Haka: Whether they're wearing black, gray or lime green, our All Blacks, of course, will do their traditional haka (a dance of Polynesians indigenous to New Zealand) before the match amid rumors the French will attempt to something native to their country immediately before the match, namely holding hands and running off to the loo.
FYI: For those of you who have never seen a haka - and who hasn't, frankly - it is deserving of a look. It's an interesting combination of self-mutilation, air guitaring and something that resembles what you might think Rev. Jim Jones had his followers do before passing out the Kool-Aid in Guyana, though our All Blacks, as you might expect, do it with precision and reverence. Something similar in America would be the New York Yankees doing The Chicken before a playoff game.
The Last Time: Not counting the 2003 World Cup, where our All Blacks smacked around the French for third place, the All Blacks lost to France in their last real World Cup meeting, 43-31 in the 1999 semi-finals. To top off the motivation factor, the All Blacks haven't won the World Cup in what is their national sport since winning the first World Cup in 1987. To make this analogous to our American readers, picture the US not qualifying for the Olympics in baseball or not winning the most recent Olympics or World Championships in basketball. Oh wait, we don't have to picture it, because those things really have happened. So we can relate.
Who The Hell's Responsible For This?: I know we're responsible for answering your questions here at Daily Dose, but we would like to know who was responsible for the France, the host country, playing their semi-final in Wales?
TRIVIA QUESTION ANSWER: There are actually two correct answers to the last trivia, because we were too dumb to include the phrase "in a non-strike year".
So the 1994 Montreal Expos, 74 wins, were the last team to lead the NL in victories with a total of less than 90 wins. Congratulations go out to Dennis Dockins of Cincinnati for having the first correct answer.
The 1959 Brooklyn Dodgers were the last team in a non-strike year to lead the NL in victories with a total less than 90. Congratulations go out to Eric Patt of Chicago, more or less, for sending the other correct answer first! - Go in peace, both of you, serve the Writer's Shack!
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