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    fujimotoAndy Cush
    8/16/16 6:14pm

    So it’s smarmy to point out that North Korea isn’t just the cartoonish version of dread and misery you have in your mind? Wow, okay.

    I guess diversity of viewpoints is only welcome if it’s mandated political correctness matching up to ad buyer requests.

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      Unbelizeablefujimoto
      8/16/16 6:19pm

      That’s why every time someone rags on Hitler (war monger, dictator, genocidal maniac, vegetarian, etc) we need someone to point out that the trains ran on time, right? Because that’s really important for “context”, right?

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      MarksMakerfujimoto
      8/16/16 6:19pm

      What the actual fuck are you talking about? North Korea is, by many objective accounts, a place of dread and misery. There’s nothing politically correct about stating a fact.

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    TheEvilAttorneyAndy Cush
    8/16/16 6:18pm

    How long until these posts will all be in Spanish?

    Univision is buying Gawker Media for $135 million

    http://www.recode.net/2016/8/16/1250…

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      The Noble RenardTheEvilAttorney
      8/16/16 6:21pm

      Oh damn.

      Well, they also own The Onion and The Root, so... hmm..

      Not the worst?

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      fujimotoTheEvilAttorney
      8/16/16 6:26pm

      $135 million? Overvalued by at least 50%

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    NefertittiesAndy Cush
    8/16/16 6:28pm

    And at about 1.8 million YouTube subscribers, his audience is not insignificant.

    It’s like one of those modern art installations of papier-mached garbage next to an old telephone that’s supposed to mean something but you’re just left wondering how it made it into your favorite museum. All this while some dumb fuck with a face that makes you want to hack off his culturally appropriated hair and stuff it into his mouth until he promises to stop being a “youtuber”.

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      TheDogIsStillBarkingNefertitties
      8/16/16 6:35pm

      A true youtuber has no choice but to continue being a youtuber. Like medicine and teaching, it’s a calling. The most inconsequential calling possible, to be sure, but a calling nonetheless. The hair is the terminal degree of the field.

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      blameitonthecroutons goodbye tourNefertitties
      8/16/16 7:14pm

      I’d imagine his culture is “guy trying to look like a yoga instructor/the guy in the hostel who labels all his food in the fridge because he’s a vegan”

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    ReburnsABurningReturnsAndy Cush
    8/16/16 6:18pm

    Rather than focusing on the state’s constant surveillance, arbitrary arrests, and murders of its own citizens, Cole is focusing on the positive aspects of the North Korean experience, such as the water parks.

    Meh, the problem starts with him getting permission to go there in the first place.

    My assumption is that if he doesn’t agree to paint the State in a good light, he doesn’t get to travel to North Korea. And if while he’s there he decides to go all “ethics in Youtube Travel Video-ism”, Cole doesn’t get to travel from North Korea.

    People probably shouldn’t try to travel to North Korea unless somehow the North Korean regime agrees to let them say what they want to say, or unless they are willing to risk life in prison to smuggle out video that they will give less flattering commentary to after they leave the country.

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      GoLikeHellMachineReburnsABurningReturns
      8/16/16 6:21pm

      People probably shouldn’t try to travel to North Korea unless somehow the North Korean regime agrees to let them say what they want to say, or unless they are willing to risk life in prison to smuggle out video that they will give less flattering commentary to after they leave the country.

      Minor correction

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      TheDogIsStillBarkingReburnsABurningReturns
      8/16/16 6:31pm

      Yeah, that’s what I kept thinking. Isn’t there a possibility that he’s being pressured to portray everything in a positive way? It certainly seems he could have just not gone to North Korea, but once you’re there, I’m guessing you don’t have much opportunity to express free will.

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    HarlotOScaraAndy Cush
    8/16/16 6:14pm

    So you want the guy in the police state to make a bunch of negative Youtube videos while still in the country and with his minder watching? I’ll tell you what, I will pay for your trip to North Korea if you are willing to make a series of videos critical of the country and its leadership while you are there. I will however not pay for you to be rescued from the gulag or pay for your funeral.

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      UnbelizeableHarlotOScara
      8/16/16 6:21pm

      Or maybe the youtuber shouldn’t go to North Korean if his only option for doing so is by making state propaganda that dismisses the country’s completely horrid and evil crimes against humanity. Like actual human rights violations, not the board game.

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      ReburnsABurningReturnsUnbelizeable
      8/16/16 6:33pm

      This is the much better point to make about this.

      Unfortunately, Andy did not make it in the article.

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    DisagreeWithMeAndy Cush
    8/16/16 6:34pm

    “Rather than focusing on the state’s constant surveillance, arbitrary arrests, and murders of its own citizens”

    Because none of this happens in America. NSA, unlawful arrests, police killing unarmed citizens...we still manage to focus on the positive aspects of our country.

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      jezbannedDisagreeWithMe
      8/16/16 8:18pm

      Yeah. And if someone came here, they could make any video they wanted about any of that shit without having to sneak in and risk imprisonment, torture, or assassination.

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      KaidogDisagreeWithMe
      8/16/16 8:58pm

      Well, you know, your vision of America might be reality if Donald Trump is elected - but for now, WE ARE NOTHING LIKE NORTH KOREA.

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    KoolDude420Andy Cush
    8/16/16 6:27pm

    I think we should send all white dudes with dreads to North Korea.

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      ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ : Riot GRRR is RUNNING WILDKoolDude420
      8/17/16 10:27am

      The overwhelming influx of cannabis would finally bring chill to the Regime of No Chill, and finally topple the government once and for all.

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    ummagummibearAndy Cush
    8/16/16 6:17pm

    Just enjoy the moral high ground while you still can, Andy. Tomorrow you might have to blog about how Yahoo is really still the best search engine out there.

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      blameitonthecroutons goodbye tourummagummibear
      8/16/16 6:32pm

      10 Things We Are Just Loving About Marissa Mayer’s Business Savvy

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      Charitybummagummibear
      8/16/16 6:51pm

      Don’t gloat, in November some of us are going to become a Russian federal oblast and all of our news media will sound like these YouTube videos.

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    Harkin BanksAndy Cush
    8/16/16 10:39pm

    Rather than focusing on the state’s constant surveillance, arbitrary arrests, and murders of its own citizens...

    I’m sorry—was this an article about the USA?

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      Pikapoo87Harkin Banks
      8/17/16 1:05am

      Insulting frankly. Do some research. NK has concentration camps that rival the Nazi ones.

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      NoOnesPostHarkin Banks
      8/17/16 12:47pm

      Nice take mate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    brodluoAndy Cush
    8/16/16 6:48pm

    My understanding of North Korea is if you are a foreign visitor that does the least bit to try and look beyond the artificial reality presented to you, and you get caught they sentence you to hard labor for life. So if you are not a dedicated journalist willing to take that risk, it seems like keeping an upbeat demeanor and appearing to be genuinely accepting of the party line is the only safe thing to do before entering and during your stay in the country. I would wait until he finishes posting his videos of North Korea until dismissing him. He might come out with a video explaining his true feelings on the subject. But to suggest he should have done so before/or during his stay in North Korea is absurd.

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      Yttriumbrodluo
      8/16/16 7:03pm

      Precisely. Given the history of the DPRNK, it would not be so outlandish to think that all of his footage was checked and anything removed before he was allowed to leave. I would not be surprised if he had to edit all the videos and have them approved before he left.

      It is the DPRNK why do people act so shocked at anything that comes out of that country? Everyone knows, it is all a well-produced spectacle.

      Everyone has their own thoughts on the country, but how many will ever get to travel there (yes, yes, ‘we could if there were not so restrictive’) and see so much of the country. For how much it is all planned out, in the end, the world now gets to see into the DPRNK for roughly a week, even if it is produced ‘goodness’.

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      NoOnesPostbrodluo
      8/17/16 12:44pm

      No one forced him to visit the country.

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