Iran: Politics vs Science
The Iranian parliament has rejected yet another nominee of President Rouhani for Science Minister. This latest one, Mahmoud Nili-Ahmadabadi, apart from being pro-education and pro-gravity, also caused a stir when he shamelessly sided with the heliocentric theory of our planetary system. The last straw was when he casually mentioned the world "evolution" and he wasn't even joking or delivering some punch line. (Although even if that was the case, a sense of humor in government
Subculture in North Korea
Subculture is apparently severely disapproved in North Korea, especially for government and army officials. There you are, watching your favorite soap through a home-made satellite dish and next thing you know, you are facing the firing squad. Could have been worse though; if you were caught watching Real Housewives of Seoul for example, you'd first we waterboarded, made to watch non-stop all the episodes of "Keeping up with the Kardashians" in slow motion and then executed;
North Korea: Guilty Pleasures
The reported execution of high ranking officials in North Korea for watching soaps (as reported by Yonhap News via Businessweek.com) has turned our popular daytime dramas into the pièce de résistance in the cultural arsenal against authoritarianism the world over.
Russia: Supporting Democracy Everywhere (Except in Russia)
Russia, always at the forefront of spreading democracy around the world by supporting regional elections, starting with those areas contiguous to its borders (which overwhelmingly vote in favor of secession & integration into Russia) and moving outwards.
