Who\’s more petulant?

Hey hey!  I\’m back after an extended break.  I\’m sure you missed me as much I as missed you.  No, I love you more.  No, I love you more.  No, I *smack*…

Anyway, my new favorite news story can be found here.

That\’s right, as a way to punish Kim Jong-Il personally, the US is banning certain luxury items from being sent to North Korea.  No iPods, HDTVs, cognac, Rolex watches, cigarettes, art, sports cars, Harley Davidsons, or Jet Skis. 

I can just picture Kim throwing a tantrum like a child.  Rolling around on the floor screaming and kicking.  That\’ll show him!

Not only is this ridiculous, it will be less than effective considering North Korea can easily get these items from China or the black market.

In all fairness to the Decider, this is a non-military way to get under Kim\’s skin.  However, the proposed ban to sports equipment makes no sense.  If Kim Jong-Il wants a basketball to shoot some hoops, he\’s going to get a basketball.  Why punish the rest of North Korea who actually might want a baseketball. 

But the best part of the article is the response from the Personal Watercraft Industry Association.  They took offense at the notion that personal watercraft (e.g. Jet Skis) are luxury items and responded by saying, and I quote: \”The thousands of Americans and Canadians who build, ship and sell personal watercraft are patriots first,\” said Maureen Healey, head of the trade group.

That\’s fantastic.  Don\’t forget those poor Canadians as well!  We\’re hurting the Canadian economy with our reckless policies against personal watercraft!  And by the way, unless you are a lifeguard on a large body of water, or commuting across water on your Jet Ski, I think it\’s a solid argument that personal watercraft are luxury items. 

At any rate, the moral of the story is next time you are planning a trip to the Far East for some cheap shopping, skip Pyongyang, and stick with Hong Kong.