Avatar photoNorth Korea's banking trouble

In addition to focusing on the nuclear, the US has been pressuring financial institutions to crack down on NK for drug trafficking and counterfeiting. In yesterday’s Financial Times, Anna Fifield and Guy Dinmore write: North Korea’s leadership is under severe economic pressure. Financial sanctions imposed by the US in September last year appear to have …

Avatar photoMore North Korea Nuclear Testing Rumors

Pick a test site. Any test site. From the Korea Herald The Seoul government is now working closely with U.S. intelligence agencies on identifying the North’s possible test site. [snip] However, all acquired intelligence has been dependent on statements by North Korean defectors without satisfactory verification. Some analysts said North Korea may conduct nuclear tests …

Avatar photoShameless Other-Promotion

My friend and former co-worker Chris McIntosh has earned a slot at TNR’s post-season baseball-blog Deep in the Count. The blog has some very good writing, although it’s premised on the inane assumption that baseball is not boring. Here’s his bio: Chris McIntosh is a diehard Atlanta Braves fan by birth (yes, we do exist), …

Avatar photoOnly you can prevent forest fires

And also, naturally, terrorist use of shipping containers to transport dirty bombs into the U.S. U.S. Customs and Border Control needs your help. From the Container Security Initiative website: If you have information concerning possible terrorist use of shipping containers to smuggle weapons or other items, you may be entitled to a reward for the …