Tag Archives: North Korean Economy Watch

Things I Learned this Week

Among the things I learned this week:
* In the late 19th century, women wore posy holders. There was a lot of variety, but the ornate ones are beautiful and many had ring attachments so they could dangle. (Courtesy: Smithsonian Gardens)

* The joy and amusement of watching people who have never played Pac-Man before trumps my desire to play. (Courtesy: Smithsonian American Art Museum)

* GMail searches don’t auto-stem. I’m shocked and appalled (that I just learned this). (Courtesy: Personal experience)

* 1982 Bordeaux wines are historically important for the evolution of the wine market. (Courtesy: The New York Times)

* General Ulysses S. Grant’s relationship with Jews, including General Orders No. 11, which expelled them from areas under his control during the Civil War, and his, later, assistance in eastern Europe. (Courtesy: The New Republic)

* Pyongyang’s subway system is more extensive than I expected, although it does not appear to be expanding. Plus, it has significance in the context of world subway systems (other sites with good information or photos: Unofficial Pyongyang Metro). (Courtesy: North Korean Economy Watch)

Things I Learned this Week

Among the things I learned this week:

* A significant number of music videos from Russian artists have Soviet- or tsarist-era imagery and symbolism. (Courtesy: Music Box)

* I live as well (better, really) as Kim Jong Il, based on the brands of “luxury” goods he has imported. (Courtesy: North Korean Economy Watch)

* Jazz, or at least open jazz clubs, do not exist in Athens during the summer. (Courtesy: Athens)

* Pigeon houses (for more, see this description and this photo) are a serious deal in Tinos and directly connected to its arts/sculpture tradition. (Courtesy: Tinos)

* Bootlegging in the US is often dominated by immigrant populations. I suspect this is because of the high capital costs of creating a legal distillery and emigres’ limited access to capital and credit. (Courtesy: NYT)