Sifting Through The Reports

Overnight several news outlets started reporting on the details of the execution of Jang Song-thaek, formerly a powerful military figure and uncle to North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un.  Both NBC News and Daily Mirror reported that Jang Song-thaek was "stripped naked, thrown into a cage, and eaten alive by a pack of ravenous dogs".  The reports of the execution are of a shocking nature, and are therefore open to scrutiny.

First, the NBC News report, as well as reports elsewhere, site two sources for the story.  One is a story in The Straits Times, a daily newspaper based out of Singapore.  The other is a story in Wen Wei Po, a daily newspaper based out of Hong Kong.  The Daily Mirror report does not specifically site either newspaper as it's source, but many of the details in their story match the ones reported by NBC News and The Straits Times.  While the report given in The Straits Times is in English, that story sites the Wen Wei Po story as it's source, saying that Wen Wei Po is "its official mouthpiece".  Given North Korea's history propaganda and false history, anything claiming to be an "official" source from North Korea is seen as suspect.  There's also the admission in the NBC News report that "The report could not be independently confirmed by NBC News on Friday."  Also, the US State Department has yet to release a statement on this report, although the State Department may be distracted by the currently deteriorating situation going on in South Sudan.

Untill such time as more information comes out about this story, either verifying or refuting the reports already out there, people should see the reports of the execution of Jang Song-thaek as suspect.  Although, given the secretive nature of North Korea, no verifiable reports may be coming.  That is, at least untill Dennis Rodman goes to visit Kim Jong-un again.  An exhibition basketball game between a North Korean team trained by Rodman and a team of former NBA players is scheduled for January 10th.

Ebony And Incompotence

Government incompotence seems to be rearing it's ugly head once again.  On Monday, the Denver Post, as well several environmental websites, reported on the federal government's intent to destroy six tons of ivory in it's pursuit of crushing the illegal ivory trade.  This was seen as a positive move in protecting many species of elephant, most of whom are on the endangered species list.  However a technical snafu may prevent the destruction of that ivory from taking place.  While the order to crush the ivory appears to be intended for the purpose of crushing authentic ivory and products made from authentic ivory, the actual language of the order calls for the destruction of six tons of copies of the 1982 pop hit Ebony and Ivory by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder.

This error appears to have been overlooked despite multiple people from the US State Department as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service going over the language of the order with great care looking for errors.  Spokesperson for the State Department Victoria Nuland could not be reached for comment due to the ongoing situation in Syria.  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special-agent-in-charge of this operation Steve Oberholtzer was reached for comment, but, due to the high amount of expletives in the comment, we have chosen not to print it.

It is unknown what will not happen with the large amount of ivory and ivory products currently at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge in Commerce City, Colorado.  Another order is currently being worked on to destroy the seized items housed at this facility, but, with the speed we've come to expect from our federal government, such an order may continue to be worked on for far longer than the normal lifespan of an African Elephant.