# Off-Topic >  North Korea missile launch - GIF

## Jon

A classic GIF remix of a North Korea missile launch.



If you're curious about North Korea, and bored with the garbage on the news, check out 38North.org - a blog from The US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). The articles are written by academics who specialize in North Korea. They have lots of good analysis with surveillance photos, and, best part - they're constantly sticking it to the media for the terrible job they're doing.

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Altair (Mar 9, 2019),

Frank S (Sep 3, 2017)

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## Frank S

Jon one of the alluring aspects of HMT.org is its almost total lack of political banter.
There is none of the constant bickering back and forth between members. I believe most contributors here are of the mind that tools or hobbies and projects are nonpolitical. Therefore politics are not worth the effort to argue. This is also not to say that many, myself included do not care about such matters as the North Korean. Iranian, global and domestic terrorist organisations, clashing of deep rooted religious beliefs, world economic balance, trade fairness practices, natural and man made disasters, and more.Nor do we feel they are not a very important aspect effecting our everyday lives.
It is through links such as the one you provided above where we can if we choose to do so read and form our own opinions of what is really going on in the world around us without entering into an arm chair debate which is possibly loaded with information taken out of context. 
I have my opinions of how the NK issue could be handled which arguably might ultimately prove to be the most humane solution although initially and possibly for years to come would be condemned by the world at large as being heinous. Also the repercussions of my solution could turn out to be the very spark which would lead to global Armageddon 
For that reason I will keep my opinion and my preferred solution out of print because the world has moved on in 72 years 
Again thank you for providing the link it was a very interesting read, backed up with extensive research.

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## mklotz

Arguing about politics (and religion) is, to mangle Martin Mull's famous quote, like dancing about architecture. Much motion and entropy is generated but, in the end, no alteration of reality is observed.

Most good fora strictly forbid posts on either of those topics and it's well that they do.

In the days before the web, the source for metalworking information was the RecCraftsMetalworking channel on Usenet. I watched it turn into absolute crap as a few members made it their personal soapboxes for their (often schizoid and maniacal) political trash.

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Frank S (Sep 3, 2017)

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## Jon

Discussion of politics or religion is actually allowed here, as long as it's in this Off Topic subforum. People rarely bother  :Smile: 

Usenet  :Frown:  From what we understand about online communities, I think some of it has to do with when an online community is classified as a healthy Community of practice, but then the loudest voices dominate. The productive members leave, there's a brain drain, and it breaks down into just a Community of interest.

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