NewsyType » Entertainment http://www.newsytype.com Hot Topic News and Commentary Mon, 12 Mar 2012 23:47:22 +0000 en-US hourly 1 California requires cancer warning on sodas that use caramel color http://www.newsytype.com/14897-california-bans-caramel-color/ http://www.newsytype.com/14897-california-bans-caramel-color/#comments Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:47:52 +0000 bryanh http://www.newsytype.com/?p=14897 4-MI or 4-MEI and cancer That distinctive brown color found in sodas like Coca-Cola and Pepsi is the product of the caramel color that contains levels of 4-MI (alternatively, 4-MEI). The State of California has decided that based upon tests with lab rats, the amount of 4-MI present in the caramel color merits the inclusion of a cancer warning on every can of soda sold in the state. Last year, the Center for Science in the Public Interest reportedly petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ban all 4-methylimidazole caramel color agents. After samples of 4-MI were recently found again in Coke and Pepsi, the CSPI repeated its request to the FDA.

'Outrageous scare tactics'

This is something the soft drink industry is not prepared to take lying down.
"This is nothing more than CSPI scare tactics, and their claims are outrageous," said the American Beverage Association in a written media statement. "The science simply does not show that 4-MEI foods or beverages is a threat to human health."

The FDA concurs

FDA spokesman Douglas Karas responded to the most recent CSPI petition with a media statement that acknowledged that California's decision seems hasty.
"It is important to understand that a consumer would have to consume well over a thousand cans of soda a day to reach the doses administered in the studies that have shown links to cancer in rodents," said Karas in his reply to critics of the use of 4-MEI.

Giving in

California law is not dependent upon the position of the beverage industry or the FDA. As such, Coca-Cola has already decided that it will meet the requirements of the state's law and switch to a caramel color that uses a much smaller amount of 4-MI. If it didn't do that, Coca-Cola would be forced to print a cancer warning label on all its cans and bottles, which would create a public relations nightmare that would undoubtedly cut into sales. Various reports indicate that Coca-Cola has already begun the process of changing the caramel color formula it uses.
"The company did make the decision to ask its caramel suppliers to make the necessary manufacturing process modifications to meet the requirement of the State of California," said Coca-Cola spokeswoman Diana Garza Ciarlante via email.

Not admitting fault

Ciarlante went on in the same email to the press corps to emphasize that the caramel color in all Coca-Cola products is safe, citing the fact that no regulatory agency outside California has come to a similar conclusion on 4-MI as a human carcinogen – yet.
"The fact is that the body of science about 4-MEI in foods or beverages does not support the erroneous allegations that CSPI would like the public to believe," she writes.

'Safe and harmless'

Ted Nixon, CEO of caramel color supplier D.D. Williamson, did not hesitate to extol the perceived safety of his product.
"Caramel color is now — and has always been — safe and harmless,” he said in a statement. "We did have to change these various inputs of temperature, pressure and the various ingredients we're using in order to change [4-MI concentrations].”

Is caramel color cancer causing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdnNse-CFCs

Sources

Democratic Underground Huffington Post NPR.org]]> http://www.newsytype.com/14897-california-bans-caramel-color/feed/ 0 Iran tells Bart Simpson to ‘eat my shorts’ http://www.newsytype.com/14667-iran-bans-simpsons/ http://www.newsytype.com/14667-iran-bans-simpsons/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:55:01 +0000 bryanh http://www.newsytype.com/?p=14667 Promoters of Western culture The Iranian independent newspaper Shargh reported the ban on Monday. Mohammad Hossein Farjoo, secretary of policy-making at the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, said of the Simpsons merchandise:
"The Simpsons dolls are merchandise from an animated series, of which some episodes are even banned in Europe and America ... We don't want to promote this cartoon by importing the toys. These dolls are promoters of Western culture."
Farjoo did not go into details about which episodes were banned in America. This reporter could find no such reference.

Superheroes are allowed in Iran

According to the Associated Press, Iran does still allow the figures of Western superheroes like Superman and Spider-Man to be sold. Farjoo explained the difference: "Although they are dolls and characters in American films, they help oppressed people and they have a positive stance." Toys that play Western-style music or songs and toy kitchen sets containing glasses that the agency deemed as being used for the consumption of alcohol were also banned.

Barbie dolls were being sold

The move comes after several Tehran toy stores were closed down in January for selling Barbie dolls. The iconic American fashion doll was specifically banned in the 1990s. Barbie is seen as decadent for her fashionable wardrobe that contains miniskirts and bikinis, but no burqa.

A losing war against Western culture

Islamic Iran has waged a war on Western pop culture's steady creep into the nation since 1979, when the Islamic Revolution overthrew the Shah. However, a quarter of the nation is under 15 years old, and many are avid enthusiasts of Western music and culture. Illegal pop contraband is commonly traded in a thriving black market. Iran imported $57 million worth of toys from other nations in 2011. Iranian officials estimate that an additional $20 million worth is smuggled in on an annual basis.

Growing tensions of Iranian nukes

The ban comes at a time of growing tension between Iran and Western nations. Rumors of the Middle Eastern nation's proximity to nuclear capabilities continue to flourish, escalating the tension.

Sources

Daily mail   Los Angeles Times MSNBC]]> http://www.newsytype.com/14667-iran-bans-simpsons/feed/ 0 Lawsuit filed against Newt Gingrich for using Eye of the Tiger http://www.newsytype.com/14629-newt-gingrich-eye-of-the-tiger/ http://www.newsytype.com/14629-newt-gingrich-eye-of-the-tiger/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:09:54 +0000 bryanh http://www.newsytype.com/?p=14629 Watching them all with the eye of the lawyer Republicans are on the campaign trail, trying to secure the nomination of their party. Among them, Newt Gingrich is appearing at debates and rallies, trying to rise up to the challenge of his rivals. He's been using the song “Eye of the Tiger,” according to Time magazine, as his entry music but unfortunately for him, one of the song's writers has been watching with the eye of his lawyer. The song was written for use in the third “Rocky” film and was the band's single biggest hit. Frank Sullivan, also called Frankie Sullivan, who co-wrote the song with bandmate Jim Peterik in 1982, has filed a lawsuit in federal court against Gingrich. The suit seeks, according to Rolling Stone, an injunction against Gingrich using the song at any of his rallies or speeches, as Sullivan doesn't want anyone to get the impression that he endorses Gingrich as a candidate.

Second suit against Gingrich in days

Gingrich has also, according to Rolling Stone, been similarly sued by the band The Heavy, as Gingrich has been using their song “How Do You Like Me Now?” at events as well, which does not please the band. The Heavy, through their publishing company Third Side Music, have issued Gingrich a cease and desist letter, ordering him to discontinue use of the song. Sullivan and his publishing company Rude Music have lodged the suit for copyright infringement, asking for damages as well as the injunction against unauthorized use, according to The Guardian.

Every campaign year

Plenty of artists have found politicians using their songs and unleashed the lawyers to compel them to knock it off. Michelle Bachmann, according to Rolling Stone, was sued by Tom Petty for unauthorized use of his song “American Girl,” and also by Katrina and the Waves, for using their song “Walking on Sunshine.” Tom Petty also sued George W. Bush for using his song “I Won't Back Down,” according to the Daily Mail. John McCain was sued by Jackson Browne in 2008 for using his song “Running on Empty,” and asked by John Mellencamp to stop using two of his songs. Sarah Palin used the song “Barracuda” by the band Heart, who stated their opposition to her use in the press. Barack Obama was told by R&B legend Sam Moore to stop using “Hold On, I'm Coming” at campaign events. Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany, was also issued a cease and desist by the Rolling Stones, after she used their song “Angie” during campaign events, according to The Guardian.

Sources

Time The Guardian Rolling Stone The Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2094151/Newt-Gingrich-sued-stealing-Eye-Tiger-song-political-events.html Rolling Stone: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/newt-gingrich-ordered-to-stop-using-how-you-like-me-now-20120128]]> http://www.newsytype.com/14629-newt-gingrich-eye-of-the-tiger/feed/ 0 Stephen Colbert runs in S.C. primary as Herman Cain http://www.newsytype.com/14537-stephen-colbert-in-s-c-primary/ http://www.newsytype.com/14537-stephen-colbert-in-s-c-primary/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:33:20 +0000 bryanh http://www.newsytype.com/?p=14537 'The Rock Me Like a Herman Cain' rally Colbert, a South Carolina native and the host of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report," has said he would like to explore the possibility of a bid for the Republican presidential nomination. However, he was too late to get on the ballot in South Carolina. Friday at 1 p.m. -- one day before the primary begins -- Colbert will stage the "The Rock Me Like a Herman Cain" rally at the College of Charleston. At the rally, he and Cain himself will be urging voters that a vote for Cain is a clear sign that there is a “hunger for a Stephen Colbert campaign.” Colbert said:
“How much more of an outsider can you be? He’s not even running.”

'Hunger' for Colbert?

A Marist poll on Thursday showed there is some "hunger" for a Colbert campaign in South Carolina. About 18 percent of potential Republican primary voters said they were somewhat likely to vote for Colbert. More than half also said there was no possibility they would vote for him.

Cain in on the joke

Herman Cain, however, seems to be laughing along. He told Fox News:
“On Stephen Colbert’s endorsement of himself as Herman Cain, I find it very clever and humorous, as it should be. Anyone who finds what Mr. Colbert is doing offensive, should simply lighten up. ... To be perfectly clear, I will not be assuming Stephen Colbert’s identity. We are very different when it comes to the color of our – hair.”

(Fund) Raising Cain

The poll, and several South Carolina television ads, were sponsored by the Super PAC Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow group. One of the TV spots urges viewers to vote for Cain but shows the image of Colbert instead.

Campaign financing spotlighted

Colbert started his Super PAC in June and handed the reins over to fellow Comedy Central host John Stewart last week. Both Colbert's show and Stewart's "The Daily Show" have gotten considerable mileage out of the Super PAC, using it as a springboard to parody and bring attention to new campaign financing laws. The comedians are suggesting that the new laws allow Super PACs to raise unlimited funds and disperse them with very little disclosure. Mark Tompkins, an associate political science professor at the University of South Carolina, said:
“On the one hand he’s just having a good time, but on the other he’s engaged in pretty serious satire of the state of campaign finance. It’s more than just fun.”

Sources

Huffington Post ABC Washington Post ]]> http://www.newsytype.com/14537-stephen-colbert-in-s-c-primary/feed/ 0 Paula Deen diabetes controversy starts TV chef war http://www.newsytype.com/14472-paula-deen-diabetes-bourdain/ http://www.newsytype.com/14472-paula-deen-diabetes-bourdain/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:23:29 +0000 bryanh http://www.newsytype.com/?p=14472 Understanding type 2 diabetes Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Either the body fails to produce enough insulin or the cells of the body begin to ignore the insulin that is present. Insulin is necessary for the human body to properly utilize glucose for energy. It helps transport the sugar from the blood and into the cells. If blood sugar is not regulated by insulin in this way, a variety of complications can occur.

Paula Deen's diabetes uproar

Tuesday, Paula Deen admitted publicly that she had been diagnosed in 2008 with type 2 diabetes. She has partnered with drugmaker Novo Nordisk in a diabetes awareness campaign. However, she continues to extol heavy foods on her Food Network program, adding only a small disclaimer that she supports moderation when it comes to the consumption of gut-busting delights. Critics have accused Deen of a callous nonchalance when it comes to the consequences of such a diet. Her recent contribution to the February 2012 issue of O: The Oprah Magazine's collections of celebrity mottoes isn't troubling on its own, but her position as a public spokeswoman for food and her type 2 diabetes make the pronouncement "might as well eat a cookie" troubling to some.

'Might as well eat a cookie'

Slinging butter and consuming doughnut bacon cheeseburgers with fried egg are tasty, but these behaviors don't support Deen's stated goal of proposing “simple ways” to manage diabetes, notes People.
"I was determined to share my positive approach and not let diabetes stand in the way of enjoying my life," Deen said. "I'm excited to team up with Novo Nordisk on this initiative to show others that managing diabetes does not have to stop you from enjoying the things you love."
Television chef, world traveler and raconteur Anthony Bourdain reportedly “takes no pleasure” in Paula Deen's illness, but he isn't backing down from his statement that she is “the worst, most dangerous person in America.”
“When you've been cheerfully selling this stuff knowing all along that you've got type 2 diabetes ... it's in bad taste if nothing else,” he said. “How long has she known? I suspect a very long time."

Deen fires back

In an interview for TV Guide, Paula Deen remarked that unlike Bourdain, she and her colleagues give “time and money to help the food-deprived, sick children and abandoned animals.” The implication is that Bourdain is an elitist who has lost touch with the average consumer.
"You know, not everybody can afford to pay $58 for prime rib or $650 for a bottle of wine," she said.
However, as Christian Science Monitor notes, many “food elitists” simply want to make healthy choices.
"It’s better food," said food journalist Joel Salatin. "It tastes better. It handles better. And it’s safer. Anyone buying chemicalized, drug-infused food is engaging in risky behavior."

Paula Deen on diabetes, critics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2p9oEjOkoU

Sources

America Diabetes Association: http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/type-2/ Christian Science Monitor Huffington Post Newser O: The Oprah Magazine: http://bit.ly/wRDFPE]]> http://www.newsytype.com/14472-paula-deen-diabetes-bourdain/feed/ 0 Journalist and public intellectual Christopher Hitchens, 62, dies http://www.newsytype.com/14019-christopher-hitchens-dead/ http://www.newsytype.com/14019-christopher-hitchens-dead/#comments Fri, 16 Dec 2011 20:21:27 +0000 bryanh http://www.newsytype.com/?p=14019 Cancer discovered in 2010 Christopher Hitchens received the diagnosis that he had Stage 4 esophageal cancer in June 2010. The treatment regimen forced Hitchens to curtail his public speaking appearances, but his output of essays, book reviews and columns for such publications as Vanity Fair, Slate and The Atlantic did not waver.
"I'm not going to quit until I absolutely have to," Hitchens told a cheering crowd gathered at one of his last public speaking engagements.

Nurturing the flame of curiosity and defiance

Hitchens' writing continued to run the gamut of American and global politics, with periodic references to his own sense of mortality. A Vanity Fair piece that published days before he died reaffirmed that he hoped to be awake and aware as he passed away, “in order to 'do' death in the active and not the passive sense.”
"I do, still, try to nurture that little flame of curiosity and defiance: willing to play out the string to the end and wishing to be spared nothing that properly belongs to a life span," he wrote.

From Socialism to the war on terror

Born in Portsmouth, England, in 1949, Hitchens studied at Oxford University before becoming a journalism during the 1970s. An early interest in Socialism and Marxism informed his early writing. In the early 1980s, Hitchens emigrated to the U.S. and became a regular with The Nation magazine for 20 years. He left the liberal publication due to its editors' stance on the Iraq war. By 2007, Christopher Hitchens won a National Magazine Award for his commentary, and he also gained U.S. citizenship. Named one of the 25 most important liberals by Forbes in 2009, Hitchens still managed to surprise many liberals in his support of President George W. Bush's “war on terror.”

Best-selling author and critic of religion

Perhaps the most recognized portion of Christopher Hitchens' literary output were his nearly 20 books, including the best-seller “God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything” and “Hitch-22: A Memoir.” Hitchens' stance on public figures in politics and religion like Henry Kissinger, Bill Clinton, Mother Theresa and Jerry Falwell was pointedly outspoken, as was his view of organized religion in general. In an August 2010 interview with The Atlantic colleague Jeffrey Goldberg, Hitchens made it clear that even if he somehow came to denounce atheism while on his deathbed – in much the same way as famous historical figures like the astronomer Galileo Galilei – it would be a “hollow gesture”:
"The entity making such a remark might be a raving, terrified person whose cancer has spread to the brain," he said. "I can't guarantee that such an entity wouldn't make such a ridiculous remark. But no one recognizable as myself would ever make such a ridiculous remark."

Christopher Hitchens denies the US is a 'Christian nation'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ISylK4g6UM

Sources

The Atlantic: http://bit.ly/vGQzZt Christopher Hitchens Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Hitchens Slate: http://slate.me/uMjKTR Vanity Fair: http://vnty.fr/u2dtUU]]> http://www.newsytype.com/14019-christopher-hitchens-dead/feed/ 0 Red Cross agrees to not charge video gamers with war crimes http://www.newsytype.com/13905-video-game-war-crimes/ http://www.newsytype.com/13905-video-game-war-crimes/#comments Fri, 09 Dec 2011 23:36:46 +0000 bryanh http://www.newsytype.com/?p=13905 Red Cross concerns At their 31st annual conference, delegates of the International Red Cross discussed the implications of International Humanitarian Law on video games.
“Exactly how video games influence individuals is a hotly debated topic, but for the first time, Movement partners discussed our role and responsibility to take action against violations of IHL in video games,”
The Conference has the rights, under the United Nations, to enforce the Geneva convention, which the Conference claims is violated by many video games.

Concern about inspiration

The ICRC's biggest concern about many of these video games is that the virtual war crimes could be inspiring actual war crimes. Many video game producers also produce war simulations that are used in training soldiers and special forces. In short, the use of video games to train troops or by individuals that may later go into war could be inspiring war crimes and acts of violence that violate human rights.

No prosecution for gamers

When the media began reporting that the ICRC was going to be prosecuting individuals for war crimes, the committee came out strongly against it. The statement released sets the record straight by saying "serious violations of the laws of war can only be committed in real-life situations." The ICRC only wants to work with video game developers to bring video games more into line with the Geneva convention on human rights.

A link to aggression

According to the American Psychological Association, there is a link between violent video games and violent actions. Extended exposure to video game violence, including cartoonish or unrealistic violence, is correlated with increased aggression and violent actions. The correlation between longitudinal studies of video game violence and real-life violence is not strong, but it does exist.

Sources

News.com.au: http://www.news.com.au/technology/gaming/six-hundred-million-gamers-could-be-war-criminals-red-cross-says/story-e6frfrt9-1226216184190 Big Hollywood: http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/hollywoodland/2011/12/09/red-cross-meddles-in-video-games-claims-virtual-war-crimes-may-inspire-real-thing/ MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45613620/ns/technology_and_science-games/#.TuKMMXore_0 APA: http://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2003/10/anderson.aspx]]> http://www.newsytype.com/13905-video-game-war-crimes/feed/ 0 Mythbusters misfire causes damage in California neighborhood http://www.newsytype.com/13857-mythbusters-cause-damage/ http://www.newsytype.com/13857-mythbusters-cause-damage/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:18:58 +0000 bryanh http://www.newsytype.com/?p=13857 Runaway cannonball It was a close call. A cannon built by the show's cast was fired at the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department bomb range. The cannonball's intended target was several water-filled barrels. But the ball bounced off a berm, missed its target and punched through a concrete wall surrounding the range. The cannonball whizzed through a nearby home, flying over the bed of sleeping occupants and out the far wall. The cannonball then bounced off another home and ended up smashing a parked minivan. Jasper Gill, the owner of the minivan, told the Contra Costa Times:
"It's scary. I was in the van five minutes before this happened."
Gill also told the newspaper that he wants the show's producers to pay for his minivan.

Cannon a seasoned veteran of the show

Alameda County Sheriff's Deputy J.D. Nelson, a consultant on the show, said that the cannon had been fired more than 50 times before without incident. This time, however, he said the cannonball “took an unforeseen bounce from a safety berm.”

'Confirmed' or 'Busted'

"Mythbusters" is a popular program on The Discovery Channel on which hosts Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage use scientific methods to "bust" or "confirm" myths, urban legends, popularly held beliefs and movie scenes. This particular stunt was to determine whether other objects fired from a cannon were just as effective as cannonballs. The incident occurred when a real cannonball was fired as a control to judge the other objects against.

Tweet delete

Prior to the incident, one of the show's cast members, Grant Imahara, tweeted: "Today we’re working with heavy artillery." The tweet was deleted shortly after the cannonball incident.

Producers and authorities assess damage

Nobody was injured in the incident, though much property damage was incurred. Beyond Productions, the show's production company, said it is “currently assessing the situation and working with those whose property was affected.” The bomb range and the program have been shut down, pending an investigation by authorities.

Sources

Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2070977/Mythbusters-crew-shoots-cannonball-HOUSE-van-stunt-goes-terribly-wrong.html New York Times: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/07/mythbusters-turns-into-house-buster-with-wayward-cannonball/ MSNBC: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/06/9259533-mythbusters-cannonball-goes-through-nearby-house

Video: Local ABC coverage of 'Mythbusters' incident

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj-CErr0VOY&feature=share]]> http://www.newsytype.com/13857-mythbusters-cause-damage/feed/ 0 Experts call for FDA regulation of arsenic levels in rice http://www.newsytype.com/13846-arsenic-levels-in-rice/ http://www.newsytype.com/13846-arsenic-levels-in-rice/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:17:09 +0000 bryanh http://www.newsytype.com/?p=13846 Study of arsenic in food Scientists in the United States were originally hoping to study the exposure to arsenic present in well water. A small group of pregnant women in New Hampshire were asked to record the seafood, rice and water they took in over two days before a urine test. The theory was that the water would lead to very high arsenic levels because well water is not usually tested or regulated by the EPA. The researchers, however, discovered that consuming rice leads to high levels of arsenic.

Arsenic levels in rice

According to the researchers, women who ate half a cup of rice two days in a row showed very high levels of arsenic. Reportedly, these women showed the same levels of inorganic arsenic as women who drank a liter of tap water that has the maximum allowable amount of arsenic. Most arsenic found in nature is in soil and is not taken up by food. Rice, however, is grown in flooded fields, where the water makes the arsenic soluble and is absorbed by the growing rice. The researchers estimated that each gram of rice consumed will raise body levels of arsenic by 1 percent.

The dangers of arsenic

The toxicity of arsenic is both global and cumulative. The risks of consuming arsenic-laced rice are very low for most people. Average rice consumption in the United States is about two to three cups per person, per week. Researchers are using this study not to make dietary restrictions, but do encourage the EPA or FDA to regulate the amount of arsenic in food in general. Only pregnant or nursing women who  consume very high amounts of rice or rice milk should discuss an arsenic test with their doctors.

Sources

Jezebel http://jezebel.com/5865579/add-rice-to-the-list-of-foods-that-will-kill-you USA Today http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/safety/story/2011-12-05/Researchers-call-for-monitoring-of-arsenic-levels-in-rice/51657062/1 Sun-Times http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/health/9285695-423/scientists-warn-of-arsenic-in-rice.html]]> http://www.newsytype.com/13846-arsenic-levels-in-rice/feed/ 0 North Korea encourages foreign tourism, with provisos http://www.newsytype.com/13541-north-korea-tourism/ http://www.newsytype.com/13541-north-korea-tourism/#comments Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:47:21 +0000 bryanh http://www.newsytype.com/?p=13541 A glossy backdrop Mountains, rivers, waterfalls and pine forests abound, according to reports. In the capital city of Pyongyang, for instance, there are 70 green parks, a clean drinking water supply, wide streets monitored by attractive traffic policewomen and numerous stone monuments dedicated to various figures from North Korea's history, including Kim Jong Il. Tourists interested in enjoying these things must understand that there's a catch. No cellphones, emails, public strolls, conversations or pictures of strangers are allowed. This is North Korea's tourism experiment, notes the Post. Tour groups will be allowed in to view non-restricted areas of the country, and tourists will be allowed to spend their money on NPR Korea's hospitality.

U.N. and U.S. sanctions lead hospitality

Reports indicate that tourism is a concession on the part of North Korea's government, as U.N. and U.S. economic sanctions imposed due to North Korea's pursuit of a nuclear weapons program have made things more difficult than usual. Food shortages are among the more severe problems, and tourism may serve as at least a partial economic solution. The goal of the NPRK's tourism program is to draw investors, primarily from neighboring China, into such areas as the Mount Kumgang tourist resort in the eastern demilitarized zone. Beautiful parks, Buddhist temples, hiking trails and crystal-clear rivers are advertized.

Visitors allowed earlier this month

A group of 70 Chinese tourists from the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin were allowed entry into North Korea. The bulk of the tourists, who work for travel agencies, were impressed by what they saw. The fact that cellphones and MP3 players were not allowed in failed to put a damper on their fact-finding vacation. A Washington Post correspondent and interpreter who was allowed to join the group noted that on the first night, the group was instructed to remain insider their high-rise hotel on an island in Taedong River. No photographs were allowed, for fear they'd be used for anti-NPRK propaganda purposes. None of the subsequent tour locations were in view of common North Korean street life, noted the correspondent. Only foreign tourists were visible, and no activities were allowed outside areas pre-designated safe by the government-appointed tour guide.

Come back to Mount Kumgang

Before the 2008 shooting of a South Korean tourist at Mount Kumgang, as many as a quarter-million South Korean tourists visited the resort annually, resulting in what experts estimate as millions of dollars per year in tourism dollars. Since re-opening in October 2010, that number was considerably lower, closer to 10,000 tourists. Kim Gwang Yun, the North Korean official in charge of the Mount Kumgang, noted that added freedom will turn things around in time.
“In the near future, it will be possible to come into this zone without visas, and with access to the Internet,” Kim said. “The main goal is to give more international tourists more freedom and convenience.”

North Korean tourism: Bringing the funk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HK3Ttb43OI

Sources

Democratic People's Republic of Korea: http://www.korea-dpr.com/travel.htm North Korea Wikitravel: http://wikitravel.org/en/North_Korea Washington Post: http://wapo.st/tS5gRV]]> http://www.newsytype.com/13541-north-korea-tourism/feed/ 0