In a development that we really would have preferred not to have happened at all, psycho loner nation North Korea has launched a big missile. A big, crazy missile. Oh shit.

North Korea defied the United States, its allies and a series of U.N. resolutions by launching a rocket on Sunday that it said propelled a satellite into space but that much of the world viewed as an effort to prove it is edging toward the capability to shoot a nuclear warhead on a longer-range missile.

Boy, this simply could not come at a better time! The world's craziest nation edges closer to full nuclear capability. Isn't that something. What's that? You harbor doubts about North Korea's craziness? Well then:

North Korea claimed that its Kwangmyongsong-2, or "Lodestar-2," named after the propaganda nickname of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il, was in an orbit anywhere from 490 to 1,426 kilometers, or 304 to 886 miles, from the earth, circling once every 104 minutes. KCNA said the satellite was broadcasting "immortal revolutionary songs" about Mr. Kim and his late father, President Kim Il-sung.

North Korea is now fully capable of striking the airwaves halfway across the world with tuneless zombie songs. Feel the fear, America. A new war could be just what we need to bring this economy back! [NYT; Pic via]