Haeju and Amateur Art Group in a North Korean Magazine from 1977

Top Caption Text:
Amateur art group members congratulate innovators in labour

Circle Picture Caption Text:
Workers hem knitwears with a high sense of responsibility

Bottom Caption Text:
Consultation held to increase the variety of goods

Top left caption:
The diverging point of the 3rd and 4th channel, the Pyongnam Irrigation

Center caption:
Bountiful maize crop in the terraced fields

Bottom caption:
Sprinkling irrigation

Bottom Right:
KOREAN STAMPS
END TEXT

Where are these fields and what do they look like now? Are there more contemporary photos of this dam? The center photo has a mountain formation in the background that might be recognizable too. Walter Corbiere, iii

Gaga song--Commonly misunderstood lyrics

"Tastes like whiskey when you kiss me. Aww!
I'd do anything again to be your babydoll."

This does not mean "I'd do anything to be your babydoll again."

It means that I would do anything to be your babydoll, just the way I did anything to be your babydoll last time, or perhaps many many times in the past.

In combination with the other lyrics, it sounds like she did pretty much anything back when she was his(?) babydoll--not just to become it, but every day and night thereafter.

One can only speculate what "anything" is, considering it's already Lady Gaga singing the line.

I think she tricked us on purpose here, making it sound like a normal phrase until we pay close attention.

Is that giving her too much credit?

Well, it's been a pretty rough day. But at least we're in Newark now

--Liz Lemon on 30 Rock
Walter Corbiere, III Sent from my iPhone

Chinese writing through the ages

A chart for Chinese calligraphers Walter Corbiere, III

After baby's bath...

She prefers soothies after her bath. I wish spell check would give up changing that word to "smoothies" Walter F. Corbiere, III

Christian Bale steps up for women's reproductive rights in China

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/16/world/asia/christian-bale-attacked-by-chinese-guards.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=chrisian%20bale&st=cse

He's in a movie about how the Japanese military abused Chinese women in Nanjing.
Now he's in a video about how the Chinese Communist Party abuses Chinese women in Shandong.
Awkward.

First four pages of Lenin's essay, New Economic Developments in Peasant Life

(On V.Y. Postnikov's "Peasant Farming in South Russia)
Written in the spring of 1893
First published in 1923 Walter Corbiere, III

Xu Weixin's work

A poster from a recent exhibition at Harvard by Xu Weixin from Urumqi
Walter Corbiere, III

DPRK Magazine from 1977--"Farm Labourer's Daughter Grows as Heroine" second page of story

Text continued from previous page(Farm Labourer’s Daughter Grows as Heroine):

… the fatherly leader and worked her fields with all heart. And now she was coming to the General with gifts as a token of gratitude.

Busy as he was with the guidance of a new nation-building the respected and beloved leader took time to meet her. When the visitor entered his room, the great leader warmly greeted her, clasping her rough hands. She hesitated about how to respond to him.

“Dear General!”, she said presently. “I’m here with some of wheat and potato I reaped from my land that you had given me. Here are some for you. Please take it for my best wishes. I had been servant until the year before last. But now I’m leading a worthy life with my own home and farm land. I owe it to you General….”

Lumps in her throat prevented her remarks. The great leader put kindly her into a chair, taking her hands, and asked her informally about how things were going with farming.

He learned from her talk that there was not a middle school yet in her place. He said:

“I appreciate your grain offering, yet I think it would have been better if you had it donated for school building in your village…. All peasants must do farming hard but at the same time, they should join efforts to build a fine school and give a good education to the younger generation.”

Told that she could not read and write Korean the respected and beloved leader said to her with a tender smile:

“Each and every Korean must become capable of reading our language. For this, they must learn. You, too. Not too late as yet.

… Only when one learns, one will find one’s life worth living and can do a good service to one’s country.” He was emphatic.

The former servant listened to the fatherly leader, her head hung and fingering the edge of her coat. She raised her head and said: “Dear General, I’ll try as you have advised.”

At this,  the fatherly leader was very pleased. “Well,” he added, “give me your promise that you will learn reading and writing within three months and write me a letter yourself about the result. Could you?”

“Yes, I will do as you have told me, General.”


The great leader encouraged the visitor further, saying that she should not only wipe up her ignorance but also arouse all people in the anti-illiteracy campaign. “Do you understand me?”
“Yes,” her voice sounded powerfully, “I will do, I’ll keep my promise.”

Back to her village, she studied hard, mindful of the respected and beloved leader’s teachings.
In late October, three months since she had pledged before the fatherly leader, Li Gye San wrote carefully three sheets of a letter to the fatherly leader, sitting up several nights. It read:

…Dear General Kim Il Sung! I have just finished my letter to you today. Bearing in mind your words about sending it in three months, I have studied hard, awake or asleep. I can read newspaper a little. My life is daily becoming interested, dear General! Rice, millet, bean and red bean have grown well in paddy and non-paddy fields I got thanks to you. I bought a cow for the first time. I am also raising pigs. Cow and pig raising is quite interesting. We have also built a new school ….

Dear General, I can read and my life is turning for the better. Really, I find my life worth living…..
Following your teaching, I will study and work harder.

On the day of her addressing to the great leader, a peasants’ meeting was held in Pyongyang County, appealing an anti-illiteracy campaign to the whole land.

Soon later, the literate woman had the honour of receiving the personal reply from the fatherly leader.
It expressed his pleasure at the fulfillment of her promise that she had cleared off her illiteracy in three months and sent a letter about her success. It stimulated her to work and study harder for greater success in the future.

Afterwards, she gave herself heart and soul into the work for her village and farming.
The fatherly leader’s care for her was constant and profound, and with this Li Gye San has become a college graduate, deputy to the Supreme People’s Assembly, Labour Heroine of the Republic and chairman of the cooperative farm management board.

She is rendering her wholehearted service to the revolution under the great leader.

Lower Left Caption:

A letter to the fatherly leader, which Li Gye San wrote after she got rid of illiteracy

Lower Right Caption:

Li Gye San (second from left) is full of the desire to gladden the fatherly leader with bumper harvest

End of Text

Walter Corbiere

DPRK Magazine from 1977, Page 8

Text of top caption:

The respected and beloved leader Comrade Kim Il Sung talks with Li Gye San and other deputies to the Supreme People’s Assembly

Text of title:

Always Among the People

Farm Labourer’s Daughter Grows As Heroine

Text of body:

Women in Korea had been subjected to double and treble oppression during the dark period of Japanese Imperialist rule. They worked all lives as farm labourers or kitchen-maids. They could not so much as write their own names.

After liberation these farm servants and their daughters were taken to the heart of the great leader who recovered their lost country and grown up as heroines and revolutionaries. Of course their illiteracy was shaken off.

Here is a story of Li Gye San, Honorary Chairman of the Pokgye Cooperative Farm Management Board in Pyongyang County, Kangwon Province.

One day in August 1947, a farm woman came to Pyongyang, carrying two sacks of well-ripe wheat and one sack of potato packed up neatly.

She had experienced a tearful life of farm labourer in Pyongyang County, Kangwon Province, under Japanese Imperialist occupation.

After she had lost her husband forced into the “Patriotic Labour Corps” Li had lived with her two children in total poverty. Then liberation came, the woman was given land thanks to

….text continued on next page.

Page numbered 8

Walter F. Corbiere, III

Good Web Site With Maya Glyphs and Maps

Good website for perusing Mayan glyphs and maps

http://www.tulane.edu/~danny/maya.html

Plate 9 from a Morley article for the Bureau of American Ethnology

Stela 11, Yaxchilan
Altar in front of Structure 44, Yaxchilan
Walter Corbiere, III

DPRK Magazine Performing Arts Group

Text of top caption:

The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung poses with the artistes of the Abrasevic Art Troupe of Belgrade

Text of center title:

The Great Leader Comrade KIM IL SUNG Receives the Staff Members and Artistes of the Yugoslav Abrasevic Art Troupe of Belgrade

Text of lower left caption:

Folk dance “Voivodina” acclaimed by the spectators

Text of lower right caption:

Yugoslav artistes visit historic Mangyongdae

End Text

There must be documentation from the performers about this trip

DPRK Magazine from 1977 -State visit

First Caption Text:

The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung receives Mme. Lucette Cabral, wife of the President of the Council of State of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau

Main Center Title Text:
Mme. Lucette Cabral, Wife of the President of the Council of State of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Visits Korea


Bottom caption 1:
Mme. Lucette Cabral looks around the Pyongyang Textile Combine

Bottom caption 2:
Mme. Lucette Cabral at Panmunjom

End text

Walter Corbiere

Germany around 1865

From an 1865 Johnson's New Illustrated Family Atlas of the World with Descriptions.

Statue in Hunt's Valley, MD

There's a butterfly on top of the tower of lily pads. This girl looks like Alice in Wonderland but, if she is, I don't get the lily pad reference.

Maya glyphs, Copan

Stela 6, Copan
Stela 9, Copan

Cover Page

Vladimir Lenin in 1890 or 1891

Placed before some of Lenin's early writings in Volume 1 of "Collected Works"
I think Lenin kind of looks like Leonardo DiCaprio here. ;) next historical epic? More fun than Hoover or Hughes even.

Arhats

Vanavasin
Kalika
Vajriputra

Walter Corbiere, iii

Preface to Volume 1 of Lenin's "Collected Works"

Please give general comments on Lenin, his early life and thinking, his work ethic.
How does a person change when he first encounters industrialization?

The Farmhouse Philosopher

I have asked the Farmhouse Philosopher to spend some time discussing issues surrounding Vladimir Lenin and his writings.
The Farmhouse Philosopher might not always answer. He is a guru. He needn't. Others should feel free to weigh in as well with comments, of course.
I recently discovered an English translation of Lenin's "Collected Works" published in 1963. The original Russian edition was prepared by the Institute of Marxism-Leninism, Central Committee of the C.P.S.U.
I will be basing my questions to the Farmhouse Philosopher on these "Collected Works."He will be giving his answers based on whatever he wants . . . :)

Mayan Stelae

Stela B and Stela A, Copan

Walter Corbiere, iii

DPRK Magazine from 1977, references to visit by President Arthur Chung

Begin Column text:

His Excellency Arthur Chung, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, paid a state visit to our country. April 30-May 4, at the invitation of the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung, President of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The great leader, together with his wife, warmly welcomed His Excellency President and his wife at the airport.

On April 30, the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung, together with his wife, met again His Excellency President Arthur Chung and his wife at the guest house.

The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung had a talk with His Excellency President Arthur Chung in a cordial and friendly atmosphere.

On April 30, the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung arranged a grand banquet at the People’s Palace of Culture in honour of His Excellency President Arthur Chung and his wife.

During his stay, His Excellency President Arthur Chung visited Mangyongdae, the cradle of the revolution and enjoyed the revolutionary opera “The Song of Kumgang-san Mountain” staged in welcome of him and his wife.

He also appreciated the mass gymnastic display “The Song of Korea” and inspected the Kumsong Tractor Plant, Chongsan Cooperative Farm and various places in Pyongyang.

On the day of their departure the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung, together with his wife, was out to the airport and gave them a hearty send-off.

His Excellency President Arthur Chung’s visit to Korea was of great significance in developing the relations of friendship between the two peoples.

End Column Text

Four captions sit above four photos. Clockwise from left:

His Excellency Arthur Chung visits historic Mangyongdae
His Excellency President Arthur Chung inspects the Pyongyang Students and Children’s Palace
His Excellency President Arthur Chung comes to the Chongsan Cooperative Farm
His Excellency President Arthur Chung at the Kumsong Tractor Plant

End Caption Text


1. What do these banners say?
2. What did Arthur Chung have to say about this trip?
Walter Corbiere

Arthur Chung visits North Korea in 1977--DPRK Magazine Account

Begin Column text:

His Excellency Arthur Chung, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, paid a state visit to our country. April 30-May 4, at the invitation of the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung, President of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The great leader, together with his wife, warmly welcomed His Excellency President and his wife at the airport.

On April 30, the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung, together with his wife, met again His Excellency President Arthur Chung and his wife at the guest house.

The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung had a talk with His Excellency President Arthur Chung in a cordial and friendly atmosphere.

On April 30, the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung arranged a grand banquet at the People’s Palace of Culture in honour of His Excellency President Arthur Chung and his wife.

During his stay, His Excellency President Arthur Chung visited Mangyongdae, the cradle of the revolution and enjoyed the revolutionary opera “The Song of Kumgang-san Mountain” staged in welcome of him and his wife.

He also appreciated the mass gymnastic display “The Song of Korea” and inspected the Kumsong Tractor Plant, Chongsan Cooperative Farm and various places in Pyongyang.

On the day of their departure the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung, together with his wife, was out to the airport and gave them a hearty send-off.

His Excellency President Arthur Chung’s visit to Korea was of great significance in developing the relations of friendship between the two peoples.

End Column Text

Four captions sit above four photos. Clockwise from left:

His Excellency Arthur Chung visits historic Mangyongdae
His Excellency President Arthur Chung inspects the Pyongyang Students and Children’s Palace
His Excellency President Arthur Chung comes to the Chongsan Cooperative Farm
His Excellency President Arthur Chung at the Kumsong Tractor Plant

End Caption Text


1. What do these banners say?

2. What did Arthur Chung have to say about this trip?

Walter Corbiere

1. These convertibles look American. Are they?

2. Was this a standard route for dignitaries who visited? How long did this kind of parade usually take?

3. Related to number 2—How much time did it take to mobilize all of these people from their jobs to greet foreign delegations and leaders like Arthur Chung? How quickly could they go back to work?

Walter Corbiere

Begin full text:

Together with the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung, His Excellency President Arthur Chung answers the warm welcome of the crowd at the airport

PRESIDENT OF THE COOPERATIVE REPUBLIC OF GUYANA VISITS KOREA

Hundreds of thousands of working people along the roads in Pyongyang warmly welcome the goodwill envoy of the Guyanese people

End of full text

Text of first paper page:

DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA
No. 8 (251) 1977
ILLUSTRATED MONTHLY
PUBLISHED IN KOREAN, ENGLISH, RUSSIAN, CHINESE, JAPANESE, FRENCH AND SPANISH
The great Comrade Kim Il Sung firmly shakes hands with His Excellency President El Hadj Omar Bongo

GOODWILL MISSION OF THE GABONESE PEOPLE

End of Text

1. Who is this president?
2. Who are these people in the background?
3. Is this the airport in Pyongyang? Where are they?
4. When exactly was this photo taken?
5. Does Gabon have official records of this trip?

Please post anything you might know. :)

Walter Corbiere

Inside Cover of the DPRK-published English Magazine from 1977

Text of inside cover:

The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung had made a farsighted plan for bridging the gap between town and country and between regions and raising equally the living standards of all the working people. For this Changsong County had been taken as a model.

The great leader who had long pushed preparations for rapid improvement in the livelihood of the mountain peasants, studied deeply the state of affairs in this part of the country, and through his several on-the-spot guidances, paved the shortest cut to establish a socialist paradise.

In August 1962, in order to spread the example of Changsong across the land he convened the historic Changsong Joint Conference of Local Party and Economic Functionaries. There he put forward a new policy and overall ways and means to enhance the role of the county and develop local industry and agriculture, so as to improve radically the people’s living conditions.

In 1974, our people erected in Changsong the historic monument to the on-the-spot guidance of the respected and beloved leader Comrade Kim Il Sung, out of their wish to retell throughout generations the profound care of the fatherly leader who had shown the bright future of mountain villages and transformed that area into a people’s paradise fine to live in.

FRONT COVER: Part of the dam of Lake Sohung-ho   Photo: O Dong Jun

End of Text inside front cover

On this page only the the mention of the dam is in bold. Later other things are in bold.
Some questions
1. What does this monument say?

2. Where is documentation of the August 1962 Changsong Joint Conference of Local Party and Economic Functionaries? Maybe Soviet documentation?
Walter Corbiere

Front Cover of a 1977 Democratic People's Republic of Korea glossy magazine. English Edition

THE BANNER OF STRUGGLE FOR CONTINUOUS ADVANCE OF THE KOREAN REVOLUTION, A DPRK magazine article

Caption Text: The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung makes a speech at a meeting of officers and men of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army (August 1933)

End Text
Walter Corbiere, iii

Title:

THE BANNER OF STRUGGLE FOR CONTINUOUS ADVANCE OF THE KOREAN REVOLUTION

In August 1937, 40 years ago, the great revolutionary leader Comrade Kim Il Sung called a meeting of officers and men of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army and there made a historic speech. The following month witnessed the adoption of an appeal he sent to the Korean people in connection with the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War.

At that time, the Japanese imperialists who launched a full-scale war of agression against China were desperate to make Korea a “solid rear” for the war.

The prevailing situation urgently needed a new strategic and tactical policy for keeping the Korean revolution in continuous upswing and precipitating the defeat of Japanese imperialism.
The way to meet this crucial need was found promptly in the great leader’s speech made at the said meeting and September appeal to the Korean people.

In that speech and appeal, the great leader first scientifically clarified the Japanese imperialists’ objective in the Sino-Japanese War and their policy of aggression.

The great leader also correctly analysed the prevailing situation and the balance of forces between friend and foe and scientifically expounded the inevitability of the defeat of Japanese imperialism and the triumph of the revolution.

The great revolutionary leader Comrade Kim Il Sung advanced at the meeting new tasks of struggle to cope with the situation—militant task to extend the KPRA’s armed struggle behind enemy lines and thereby to deal with the Japanese imperialists heavier political and military blows.
Another task put forward by the respected and beloved leader was that of sending increasing numbers of political workers to major Japanese imperialists’ military bases and industrial districts and multiplying the forms of struggle including mass strike and slowdowns against their aggressive war.
In the appeal, the respected and beloved leader Comrade Kim Il Sung pointed out:

“We must send well-trained political workers to the key military bases in Korea—Hungnam, Hamhung, Wonsan, and other areas. they must establish contact with the comrades already working there and set about enlarging and reinforcing their organizations. Besides, it is particularly important and urgent to create shock troops made up of workers, whose mission should be to become the vanguard in carrying out armed rebellion and subversive activities in the rear.”

The policy of struggle set out by the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung in his speech at the meeting of the KPRA officers and men in August 1937 and in his September appeal to the Korean people was a positive, inspiring policy of struggle. It made it possible to further increase the Korean people’s internal revolutionary force, turn the difficult and complicated situation in favour of the Korean revolution and make a continuous advance of the revolution, facilitating national liberation.

End text

Here, Kim Il Sung’s statements are written in bold, the way bibles quote Jesus in bold or red. —Walter F. Corbiere, III