dont you think its really sad that a whole nation can be brainwashed into becoming state robots? I cant think of living in constant fear like they do.

Ah, I remember the days when the Indie was a half-decent paper.

Mind you, there was an article by Norman Lamont in last week's [iNew Statesman[/i.
I guess it's all in the interests of "balance".
i.e. In among items from those who can think or write or both, you slip in a an article by someone who can do neither.

For the most part it still is a half-decent paper and one of the few that does still offer a range of opinions, from the likes of diverse commentators such as: Dominic Lawson, Brute Anderson, Rober Fisk etc. Quite why they allow Christina Patterson to stray from her comfort zone of poetry is totally beyond me

Was that deliberate?
Since .......

Ask tb

I now believe that this guy really was a demigod, as the BBc has passed on the following from korean media:

Even nature is mourning, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported on Thursday. A snowstorm hit as Mr Kim died and ice on the volcanic Chon lake near his reported birthplace at Mount Paektu cracked, it said:

"so loud, it seemed to shake the Heavens and the Earth", and a mysterious glow was seen on a revered mountain top:

"Following the storm's sudden end at dawn on Tuesday, a message carved in rock - "Mount Paektu, holy mountain of revolution. Kim Jong-il" - glowed brightly, it said. It remained there until sunset."

So that must be right. Certainly has removed all my doubts. I mean, how else would that glowing message have appeared if not from the man himself? Eh? Ask yourself that.