Blood & Treasure wouldn't be Blood & Treasure if we didnt link to an hour long hagiography of Kim Jong-un. He rides horses! He shoots guns! He offers field guidance! He explains computers to his elders!
The whole thing's in Korean, so I've linked to it at Adam Cathcart's great new Sino-NK blog, which provides an English language guide to the highlights. But play it anyway. Ri Chun-hee really brings it on the soundtrack.
Many thanks for this - I lasted 9 minutes, and could have been good for many more. What a spectacular flying start to 2012 at B&T...
Quick question for you B&T polymaths -
When, anywhere, ever in history, did a more gormless, brattish-looking kid ever inherit a throne?
Posted by: Strategist | January 11, 2012 at 12:22 AM
Even if you're the morning-star general, Caesar Augustus decrees you must return to your native town to fix your parents' computer.
Posted by: Alex | January 11, 2012 at 12:31 AM
Baby Doc?
Posted by: Chris Williams | January 11, 2012 at 11:07 AM
Yeah, here we go. He's even inadvertently flipping the Vs, which I accept might not look as foolish in Haiti as it does to me:
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/haiti/article/760383---baby-doc-stings-haiti-for-4-6m
Posted by: Chris Williams | January 11, 2012 at 11:10 AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_II_of_Spain
Charles II is the best candidate I can think of. Poor lad got the Habsburg lip bad.
Posted by: Richard J | January 11, 2012 at 11:12 AM
George W. Bush?
Posted by: Barry Freed | January 11, 2012 at 03:29 PM
Henry VI?
Posted by: ajay | January 11, 2012 at 03:35 PM
I can't be the only one who sees it.
Posted by: BenSix | January 11, 2012 at 05:22 PM
Henry VI was a bit young to be Brattish, wasn't he? Maybe colicky. I'm going with Baby Doc. Kim Young 'un even looks like him.
Posted by: chris y | January 11, 2012 at 05:32 PM
Great stuff guys, as Bogbrush would say.
But Dubya, of course. I say Barry wins the thread!
Posted by: Strategist | January 11, 2012 at 11:17 PM
Thanks Strategist, but there's something about that baby fat and double chin that grabs me; I'll give it up for Chris Williams.
Posted by: Barry Freed | January 12, 2012 at 01:55 AM
You're absolutely right - the resemblance is uncanny.
Sorry Chris, I failed to follow your link first time round.
Christ, what a choice: where would you rather live - the Kims' N Korea or the Duvaliers' Haiti?
Posted by: Strategist | January 13, 2012 at 12:10 AM
Teodorin Obiang looks like he might have promise in the gormless-brattish-heir stakes.
Posted by: dsquared | January 13, 2012 at 08:13 AM
Christ, what a choice: where would you rather live - the Kims' N Korea or the Duvaliers' Haiti?
It'd probably be easier to get out of Haiti, so I'd go for that...
Posted by: ajay | January 13, 2012 at 12:15 PM
I think there may have been more food in Haiti.
Regarding Obiang, at least he picked a marginally less dull celebrity girlfriend, until she found out about his dad being a cannibal and all.
Posted by: Alex | January 13, 2012 at 01:26 PM
It'd probably be easier to get out of Haiti, so I'd go for that...
Funny how that goes, I was thinking along the exact same line.
Posted by: Barry Freed | January 13, 2012 at 02:25 PM
Off topic trivia question (derived from recent reading):
Only two national leaders in history have ever authorised the use of nuclear weapons in war. Name them.
Posted by: ajay | January 13, 2012 at 02:48 PM
Eis'n'Hower?
(Sorry, I just wanted to get it out of my head.)
Posted by: Phil | January 13, 2012 at 03:03 PM
Tony Blair?
Posted by: ejh | January 13, 2012 at 04:00 PM
Winston Churchill, as under the Hyde Park agreement, interallied consent was required before using or testing the Bomb. To be specific, Sir John Anderson of (appropriate) shelter fame actually signed the note.
Posted by: Alex | January 13, 2012 at 04:16 PM
And, of course, the other is FDR.
Posted by: Alex | January 13, 2012 at 04:17 PM
US history never was my strong point (although I knew it wasn't Truman).
Posted by: Phil | January 13, 2012 at 04:19 PM
Alex is right...
Posted by: ajay | January 13, 2012 at 05:04 PM
A must-see prequel: The Full Kim Experience II: Clash of the Titans, on how a warm welcome would look in classless society.
Posted by: alle | January 16, 2012 at 11:53 AM
The Harry S Truman library, which might be expected to know, says that "After Japanese leaders flatly rejected the Potsdam Declaration, President Truman authorized use of the atomic bomb anytime after August 3, 1945".
Posted by: john b | January 16, 2012 at 11:26 PM