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If potentially being arrested and sentenced to years of hard labor wasn't a sufficient deterrent to visiting North Korea, now you have another reason not to go:
If an event is branded as annual but it only happens once, can it still be called annual? This is the case for Pyongyang's "annual" Taedonggang Beer Festival, the second of which was slated to take place during the month of August.
China-based tour company Koryo Tours, which is among the go-to tour groups organizing trips into North Korea, writes on its blog that it was "informed" North Korean organizers have canceled the event.
[...] According to Koryo, last year's event was a good opportunity to try some local brews and mingle with locals. A menu from the 2016 fest shows several types of draft beers, fried chicken and mutton on a stick available for purchase. North Korean alcohol is a curiosity for many connoisseurs around the globe, especially given its announcement last year that its scientists have invented "hangover-free booze."
North Korea has recently launched a ballistic missile thought by some to be capable of reaching Alaska, Hawaii, and possibly the west coast. Otto Warmbier, an American student who was arrested while on tour in North Korea, died on June 19th after being released on humanitarian grounds. The U.S. Congress will impose new sanctions on North Korea and the U.S. State Department has authorized a Geographical Travel Restriction will forbid Americans from visiting North Korea. The travel ban will go into effect in late August.
The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff has said that the use of military force against North Korea is "not unimaginable" and hinted that it could happen within a few months.
Hawaii's Emergency Management Agency has released a guide on how to respond to a nuclear attack.
(Score: 2) by MrGuy on Tuesday July 25 2017, @06:05PM (7 children)
I see what you did there.
(Score: 3, Funny) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday July 25 2017, @06:12PM (4 children)
Yes, very punny.
I just hope it doesn't go to his head!
(Score: 3, Touché) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday July 25 2017, @06:14PM (3 children)
Hopefully they're draughting a peace treaty as we speak.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 25 2017, @06:16PM (1 child)
Don't forget to wipe down the phone receivers before you leave for the day.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 25 2017, @07:22PM
Beer goggles make any N.K. woman look goooood.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 25 2017, @06:20PM
Right, wouldn't want this to spill over into international affairs. (I know, it's weak...maybe they only make 3.2 beer?)
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 25 2017, @06:57PM (1 child)
I hope all news reports warning of an impending nuclear attack use such clever wordplay from here out.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 26 2017, @07:55PM
I'm sure the editors will hop to it.
(Score: 3, Informative) by MrGuy on Tuesday July 25 2017, @06:15PM (5 children)
Being serious this time. TFA and the headline imply a linkage between two facts:
* There is very high tension between North Korea and the rest of the world right now, and
* North Korea just decided to cancel a beer festival.
The implication is the former is the reason for the latter.
I'd like to call [citation needed] on that implication.
From what I read elsewhere, a major contributor to the decision is not politics but weather. North Korea is currently in the middle a drought, and so celebrating using grain and water for a more "recreational" purpose sends the wrong message to the workers.
While there is a quote from a tour company, it's not obvious that this event was primarily targeted to/dependent on foreign tourism to succeed - my understanding this was a "by NK for NK" event.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday July 25 2017, @08:59PM (1 child)
It does not imply a linkage.
"As Tensions Brew, No More North Korean Beer Festival"
"As X is happening, Y is no longer happening" does not say X caused Y.
It is also convenient to roll in more than one story since it's all happening right now and it gives you more to discuss.
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(Score: 3, Insightful) by MrGuy on Tuesday July 25 2017, @09:44PM
I agree that the formulation doesn't directly state a linkage. I'd argue it heavily implies one.
Consider the following:
* Amid a growing obesity epidemic, soft drink makers experiment with alternative sweeteners
* Without their leader on the field, team rallies to win game
* As tax day looms, post offices around the country brace scramble for extra help
None of these formulations technically state that the action is directly caused by the conditional. But most readers would (in my opinion) reasonably expect that the author suggests a link between them. Or, at a minimum, a discussion of one should naturally involve a discussion of the other.
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Tuesday July 25 2017, @09:32PM
One could argue that the lack of beer may be what's increasing tension *within* North Korea...except I kind of doubt any of the common folk are getting to consume the beer.
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 2) by RamiK on Wednesday July 26 2017, @02:35AM
Clearly, experimentation with hangover-free beer has mutated all their yeast into freedom-hating, botulism inducing WMDs.
compiling...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 26 2017, @04:35PM
So no drought beer?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 25 2017, @06:50PM (18 children)
SoylentNews is apparently trying really hard for comment-bait titles and bullshit stories. The community has had issues for a long time, and there have been quite a few stories of questionable value coming from garbage outlets, but this one is special.
No where in the article do they mention the missile tests. This is just a seriously bullshit summary, further cementing me along with the raging troll who thinks everyone is out to get em'.
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday July 25 2017, @06:58PM (3 children)
Aww....everyone leave North Korea alone you bullies!
It's not like they threatened to nuke us or anything...
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 25 2017, @07:18PM (2 children)
Mhmm, stunning response. Stellar. Here, have a rotten banana since you're a fan of death.
Here we see the birth of #fakenews, when people draw parallels for their own purposes. Again, nothing correlating their military threats with their beer festival. Nothing.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 25 2017, @08:37PM (1 child)
While we're at it, let's also pretend the beer festival is happening.
Here's a question...Between the stories:
a) North Korea has canceled a beer festival, and
b) North Korea has developed and stated intent to launch a (albeit crappy, probably overrated) ICBM at the US,
which one is so-called "fake news"?
(Of course, one might argue that since there's nothing *I* can do about it, they're both "fake news". But then nearly everything would be "fake news".)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 25 2017, @08:57PM
Trying to draw parallels between unrelated things is what got the fake news tag. The threats are real, but are not tied to this event. Trying to do so makes SN look stupid.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Phoenix666 on Tuesday July 25 2017, @07:26PM (10 children)
People submit stories from a media who are all about clickbait titles and bullshit stories, so it's rather hard not to. But that has been true for a very long time, since the ancient before-time of Slashdot. My personal take on it is it gives everyone an opportunity to spoof on the clickbait title or journalists who get things so laughably wrong.
Ragging on Soylent for clickbait and bullshit stories is off-base, though. It's a community site. Nobody is trying to drive traffic or maximize revenue or make stories pop or any other media/PR/MBA nonsense. If you have better stories with better titles, submit them. It's very easy. Grab the title, a representative paragraph or two, include a link to the original, and you're done. 2-3 minutes of your time, tops. Doing it in the summer is a really good time to do it, too, because lots of people are on vacation and the story submission queue gets low; you're pretty sure to get your story accepted and posted to the front page.
Be the solution you're looking for.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 25 2017, @09:01PM (9 children)
Calling out people's bullshit is the only thing that can be done to try and get them to stop. I have submitted quite a few stories, but that has no bearing in this one. The submitter tied two separate concepts together that were not even a part of the linked story, that is atrocious. I would appreciate if people stuck to adding in their personal commentary as an aside, not in a manner that fabricates falsehoods.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday July 25 2017, @09:09PM (6 children)
You are fake news. The headline does not say that tensions caused the cancellation, despite your failure to comprehend it. The summary does not say it. Putting details of what is going on with North Korea is legitimate, which is why there are multiple links in the summary, not just the NPR link. My commentary is not false in any way. Somebody has been arrested and sentenced to hard labor, leading to their recent death. And everything after the blockquote is just... what's it called again? Fake news? Nope, it's facts.
What's atrocious is that in your quest to nitpick and whine, you have gotten everything wrong. I'd love to receive legitimate criticism, but you have none on tap.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 25 2017, @09:50PM (5 children)
No, what is atrocious is combining stories to form your own narrative. Its bullshit from major news outlets, and its bullshit on a small indie site like this. Sorry you can't handle your own bullshit sir, next time I will be more of a gentleman to accommodate your delicate sensitivities.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday July 25 2017, @11:04PM (1 child)
Correct the record!
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 25 2017, @11:42PM
See now you're getting it! /s
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 26 2017, @12:53AM (2 children)
Combining stories is what editors do. They're like a DJ mixing songs. Another brilliant mashup: UK Election Results; Fired FBI Director's Testimony on Trump; Trump Nominates New FBI Director [soylentnews.org].
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday July 26 2017, @02:17AM (1 child)
Putting multiple North Korea stories in one submission is not the same thing, and you know it.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 26 2017, @06:43PM
My bad, combining stories in a submission is different from combining submissions.
(Score: 2) by MrGuy on Tuesday July 25 2017, @09:31PM (1 child)
For someone* who claims to dislike rhetorical tricks, "false choice" and "framing" seem like the kind of thing you'd usually avoid. No, the way you're going about this is NOT the only way to effect change. And it's generally counterproductive.
I agree with your conclusion but not your "scorched earth" tactics by using words like "bullshit," "garbage," "atrocious," "falsehoods," and "fake news" to describe a story you don't like.
It's somewhat ironic that you started this thread below the one I started to point out the same thing (I share your view that these stories don't share a linkage). I was hoping to point out the gap and have a discussion about it (takyon, the submitter, explained his point of view there - I remain unconvinced but appreciate his response).
You decided to tee off on the submitter (and, by extension, the editor who published it and the soylent news recent stories in general). Your anger rings louder than mine. I'm not sure you're winning any hearts and minds.
You have the right to your opinion and to disagree, of course.
*This is my inference- I can't know for sure you're the same AC who's the thread parent/grandparent of this post. If you're someone else, I apologize for attributing someone else's words to you.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 25 2017, @10:34PM
You're totally correct, although I wouldn't consider my language "scorched earth" and just rather abrasive.
I have lost pretty much all my patience for discussions on this site and definitely went overboard here, but Takyon won't see any reason between your comment or mine. There is only so much gentle nudging that birds will do before they just push their hatchlings off the nest, and every user that posts here has had their own share of critical feedback. People can change, it just requires some amount of effort and desire. Being nice and respectful generally does not cause anyone to self-reflect, at best they see your point and then forget about it as they continue on with their lives.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday July 25 2017, @08:56PM (2 children)
I guess you missed this part of the article:
The headline only implies that things are happening simultaneously, not that tensions caused the cancellation.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 25 2017, @09:48PM
Ah yes, the best kind of manipulation, the "somewhat true so its very hard to mount opposition" tactic. *golf clap*
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 26 2017, @12:39AM
I see the connection now. Warmbier dies -> travel ban -> (warm) beer festival is canceled
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 25 2017, @07:08PM (2 children)
North Korea, proof positive that letting shit fester only makes it worse.
(Score: 1) by bswarm on Tuesday July 25 2017, @07:24PM
You found their secret beer recipe!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 25 2017, @08:37PM
Don't worry. North Korea never had a successful launch with an armed warhead, though I suppose it's possible that in the bedlam the morning of N-day, they could have launched one. There would be no way to know. Presumably, Pyongyang is irradiated rubble, same way every other major city has been since 2025.
Unless
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Phoenix666 on Tuesday July 25 2017, @07:29PM (3 children)
I am really surprised NK had a beer festival at all, given that soju is really more of the authentic Korean drink. I'm further surprised that they'd have enough grain to ferment for beer, given the constant reports of famine there.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 26 2017, @12:42AM (2 children)
Maybe they got the recipe for Miller Lite.
(Score: 2) by Pslytely Psycho on Wednesday July 26 2017, @01:46AM (1 child)
"Maybe they got the recipe for Coors."
FTFY!
Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 26 2017, @07:23AM
Coors Light is made of water, barley malt, corn, yeast and hops. Miller Lite, however, is made of water, barley malt, corn, yeast and hops [thebeerbabe.com] (very different!). Corn is a grain. So is barley.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 26 2017, @03:02PM (1 child)
North Korea bought the old Ushers brewery from Wiltshire in England. There was some concern initially that they might use it to brew chemical weapons, but apparently the beer it produces now is a light lager type beer rather than the "traditional" bitter it used to produce in the UK.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 26 2017, @04:41PM
OP is not [independent.co.uk] a joke. [wiltshiretimes.co.uk]