The title of a recently released Yahoo! article is "US journalists' trial begins in NKorea this week" which is a rather bland way to start things off.

The first sentence of this article is "As global powers decide how to punish North Korea for its nuclear DEFIANCE, two American journalists seized nearly three months ago face a trial this week in Pyongyang that could land them in one of the country's NOTORIOUS labor camps". We know about North Korea's nuclear belligerence. The key word in this statement is obviously "notorious". OK, so now we have to admit that North Korea's human rights record is worse than China's even though China's human rights record is horrific.

Specifically, "Pyongyang accused the Americans of engaging in "hostile acts" and crossing into communist North Korea illegally and announced two weeks ago (that) the women will stand trial on June 4 in the nation's top court". The fact that Ling and Lee will stand trial on June 4 is EXTREMELY significant because June 4 was the date of the brutal crackdown on human rights demonstrators back in 1989, so perhaps the aggressive DPRK regime is hoping to send a similar statement on June 4, 2009, exactly 20 years after the brutal crackdown in Beijing by CHINA, North Korea's closest neighbor/ally.

Furthermore, "Legal experts say conviction say conviction for "hostility" or espionage could mean five to 10 years in a labor camp" and in these labor camps there are many instances of human rights violations but unfortunately, for people who are unjustifiably detained, this doesn't apply to Communist regimes, because in Communist countries, THE AUTHORITIES ARE ALWAYS RIGHT.

On top of all this, "Analysts warned (that) North Korea could use the trial of the Americans TO BETTER ITS HAND in the weeks before Obama and South Korea's Lee Myung-bak hold a White House summit June 16". The key phrase in this sentence is obviously "to better its hand". So this is a political move? If North Korea hopes to somehow become popular by detaining people for no reason, they are kidding themselves and asking for more condemnation, AS IF THEY AREN'T DEALING WITH ENOUGH CONDEMNATION NOW WITH THEIR AGGRESSIVE NUCLEAR BUILDUP. One other thing to note is that Lee is anti-American (i.e. he was elected on an anti-American platform) and surely, the DPRK is very aware of this.

Specifically, according to Yoon Deok-min, a professor at South Korea's state-run Institute of Foreign Affairs, "Having two journalists detained in the North LEAVES THE US WITH VERY LITTLE MANEUVERING ROOM SINCE WASHINGTON NOW MUST TAKE THE WOMEN'S SAFETY INTO ACCOUNT" and we can rest assured that North Korea is fully aware of this and is ready to take full advantage of the fact that the US now has few options.

Analyst Paik Hay-soon said that the reclusive North Korean wanted to put "maximum pressure" on the Obama administration for direct dialogue regarding its nuclear program. Again,Kim Jong-il, ARRESTING PEOPLE ARBITRARILY WILL NOT HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS/AIMS. This will only bring more resentment by other countries which means that you will only become more isolated.

Things get even more complicated. According to Yahoo!, "New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, WHO HAS GONE TWICE TO PYONGYANG TO SUCCESSFULLY NEGOTIATE THE RELEASE OF DETAINED AMERICANS, told MSNBC last week (that) he believes North Korea wants to use Lee and Ling as BARGAINING CHIPS". OK, this is now a VERY SERIOUS issue, because Lee and Ling are now essentially hostages and 1 wrong step could lead to their deaths because in some countries spying is an act of treason and treason is punishable by death/execution. So, the US has to be very careful now. Richardson was "hopeful" that Ling and Lee would be released soon after their trial. However, whether or not this will happen is anyone's guess.

Two weeks ago, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, speaking to Barnard College students, slammed the DPRK's accusations/charges against Ling and Lee as "baseless". Specifically, she said that "We have two young women journalists right now in prison in North Korea and you can get busy on the internet AND LET THE NORTH KOREANS KNOW THAT WE FIND THAT ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE". In addition to the obvious ramifications concerning the DPRK, perhaps Secretary Clinton is now suggesting that women are perceived as weak vulnerable and in need of protection which is in sharp contrast to the way in which she ran her White House bid against political heavyweights such as Obama (her current boss) and John Edwards, starting back in 2007 when she gave us a perception of a feisty former first lady. We probably wouldn't be reading this headline and accompanying news story if two MEN were in prison in North Korea. As far as the Secretary's appeal/request/plea for people to get busy online in an effort to get Ling and Lee released, many people should be doing that now.

Meanwhile, families of the two kidnapped journalists were clearly on edge. According to Laura Ling's sister, Lisa Ling, a journalist who reported extensively from the DPRK in 2005 and regularly appears on shows such as The View and Hollywood Squares, "To say that this has been stressful would be to GROSSLY UNDERSTATE how hard this (ordeal) has been. Our families have been very quiet because of the extreme sensitivity of the situation, but given the fact that OUR GIRLS are in the middle of a nuclear standoff, we (simply) cannot wait any longer". The critical phrase in Lisa Ling's statement are obviously "grossly understate". They surely have a right to be nervous if their loved ones are being held in a country with nuclear weapons. The other words that we should notice are "our girls" which suggests that Lisa Ling is older than Laura Ling.

Ling's husband, Iain Clayton said on "Larry King Live" that he writes to her every day and sends her "things she loves, especially dried squid and beef jerky". This may sound trivial, but at least, it's helping Ling and Lee get through this horrific ordeal that they are in right now.

Finally, according to a letter written by Ling, which was read by her cousin Angie Wang at a New York vigil back on May 21, "Now, I cry less. I TRY VERY HARD TO THINK ABOUT POSITIVE THINGS, but sometimes it's hard too. I breathe deeply and think about positive things that happened in (i.e. during) the day. For example, I'M LUCKY I MADE IT THROUGH ANOTHER DAY. I'm lucky my family is working so hard to get me released. Knowing that I'm thinking of you and dreaming about being reunited with you all again". Lisa and Euna, we are thinking about you and the government will do everything it can to secure your release so that you can get back to your families and your entertainment careers which we know are the top two priorities in your lives.

OK, having read and reported on this, we have to wonder: did these two daytime hosts and goodwill ambassadors HAVE TO go to North Korea and risk their lives to achieve what they wanted to achieve?