A secret message in a Colombian song gave hostages hope
bbc.com
bbc.com
The section of the song with the morse code almost sounds like there is interference. Maybe when played on the radio in the jungle it would be less obviously "odd" than when in a high def digital format.
I think we may oftentimes underestimate the chasm of difference between proper training and the lack thereof. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine brought that into focus for me, and probably a lot of people, that you can dress the part, talk the part, and still be complete garbage.
It might be very easy to miss the signals when you’re focused on all the things that real warfighters have committed to muscle memory.
"Bucher was psychologically tortured such as being put through a mock firing squad in an effort to make him confess. Eventually, the Koreans threatened to execute his men in front of him, and Bucher relented and agreed to 'confess to his and the crew's transgression.' Bucher wrote the confession since a 'confession' by definition needed to be written by the confessor himself. They verified the meaning of what he wrote, but failed to catch the pun when he said "We paean the North Korean state. We paean their great leader Kim Il Sung" ("We paean" sounds almost identical to "we pee on").[4]"
Your third-world paramilitary is lucky to know how to use their iron sights in those days.
Still, I guess not ridding the world of polio was a small price to pay for Obama's re-election (https://www.wired.com/2012/08/bin-laden-book/) at least when compared to what it took to get Bush re-elected.
“19 people rescued. You're next. Don't lose hope.”
More info:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Days_(Natalia_Gutierrez...
When code was required for US ham radio licenses, it took passing a 20 wpm test to get the top license (Amateur Extra). Commercial Radiotelegraph Licenses used to require 20 wpm for a second class license and 25 wpm for a first class license.
Unless someone was in the equivalent of the Signal Corps, I'd be surprised if they could copy the message.
It wasn't necessary for everyone to be able to decode it themselves:
> one rescued hostage spoke of hearing the Morse code message in his psychological evaluation and had passed on its meaning to his fellow captives.
Among hams, this was not all that strenuous to decode, particularly if the song is repeated.
Many hams, particularly in Europe, work contests at speeds at or over 40 wpm.
I'm one of the ones that got the Extra class license at 20 wpm. My peak speed was about 40 wpm. One of the teachers not far from where I grew up, W7QYA, Flo, was usually found at 60 wpm.
There is a weekly operating activity called CWT from CWops where the speeds are often on the order of 40 wpm.
It sounds like their basic training covered Morse Code. I know that pilots used to be required to know the code.
Some time ago, the requirement for Merchant Marine operators to know code was dropped. Nowadays, it is pretty much ham radio operators that have facility in morse code operation.
The message was embedded as morse code into the chorus.
And then the Morse code is in the instrumental break right after that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfXpQUVc8dc&ab_channel=Zeusd...
Was there also rescuing going on during the development of the song?
Was my first thought. Second thought for anybody that found this interesting: https://crooked.com/podcast-series/wind-of-change/ explores the idea that the CIA was responsible for the writing of the Scorpions hit Wind of Change.
And as always, only part of the story is told. Who were the guerrilla? who where the hostages? not defending them, but in the countryside is common that the guerilla defends the farmers, and the hostages are corrupt politicans.
I’m not Colombian, so I can’t be certain, but my impression is that 99% of them hate the FARC.
There's no angels in this conflict and support is definitely divided.
A close family member of mine was kidnapped in the early 90's and I can assure you that he was neither a politician or a corrupt one at that. First thing he did after paying his ransom was to send his children abroad where they remain to this very day.
Aren't you aware that Colombia has the highest number of internally displaced people in the world at 8 million! Guerrillas aren't solely responsible for this, but the paramilitary groups which are equally responsible emerged as a desperate response to counter their growing power and influence throughout large regions in the country.
Aren't you aware that guerrilla groups such as FARC recruited over 18,000 minors in the countryside against their will. Poor peasant children some as young as 12 forced to take up arms and fight for a cause which long ago lost any credibility among the general public.
Would you mind pointing me to the media that you consume which has allowed you to have such an enlightened perspective which seems to elude those of us living in Colombia?