The nation reported launching a satellite into orbit for the “soul” purpose of broadcasting patriotic songs from space. This, of course, to make North Korea’s rice grow faster and feed an increasingly angry population. All those who believe in the beneficial effect of revolutionary songs on rice growth hailed the launch as a great success and considered it money well spent. Those on the other side of the fence were hardly exhilarated and much less able to conceptualise its merits and expressed their dismay over the selection of songs that made it into orbit: they were looking for something rather more upbeat.

Dang–these be interesting times for sure…