North Korea Tests ICBM Engine; Could Reach California

Ronery ... and still dangerous:

TOKYO, Sept. 16 -- North Korea has tested the engine mechanism for an intercontinental missile that might be able to hit major cities on the U.S. West Coast, according to an account published Tuesday in the South Korean press.

A previously unknown missile launch site on the west coast of North Korea was identified last week by Jane's Defense Weekly, which cited commercial satellite images. The facility has a mobile launch pad and a 10-story tower that would support the North's largest ballistic missiles, Jane's reported.

An "improved version" of the Taepodong missile might have a range of more than 6,200 miles, the Chosun Ilbo reported, putting Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles within reach. A previous version had a range of about 4,150 miles, which could reach Alaska.

Meanwhile:

UPDATE: Welcome, Protein Wisdom and HotAir.

Comments

[Curmudegon]

OK, I can't resist...another man who may save California is...Kim Jong-il.

How so? Consider the electoral maps. California is NOT as hopeless if you look at county by county voting (and precinct by precinct voting if you can find those maps). And the real political messes are concentrated in rather compact areas of the state.

Two atomic bombs--detonated in San Francisco and that creep Maxine Water's district in South Central LA--would change the state for the better.

Four atomic bombs--SF, South Central LA, The Oakland-Berkeley area, and West Hollywood (Waxman's district)--would permanently realign the state.

Then again, Oakland / Berkeley might be fine with "the holy fallout" from an SF bomb, given prevailing westerly winds. (Remember "Beneath the Planet of the Apes"?)

Enclaves of insanity like downtown Sacramento, Davis, Marin or Humboldt would remain, but they would be insignificant on the larger California political scene, quaint museums to a quasi-Soviet hippie era past. They could even become nostalgic tourist traps for leftists throughout the USA, even the world. "Turning rebellion into money," as the song goes.

Ideally, this would happen on some mass demonstration weekend in San Francisco or West Hollywood, with all the working people out of the downtown SF and Wilshire Boulevard financial districts. The last weekend in June (Gay Pride) would be ideal. Note: It's not the sexuality as much as it it the insane politics. If they were all like J. Edgar Hoover or Roy Cohn (America's first gay patriots?), they would be just fine as far as I am concerned!

OK, I know this is bad joke hyperbole, but are you up to it, you pudgy pygmy, Krazy Kim?

[S. Weasel]

Dude. Hotairolanche. Nice.

[Ike]

I am sure Bush and the Right will all scare us to death with this and MAKE us vote Republican.

Obama told me there is nothing to fear and everything will be great with some change. I am sure Kim Jong Il would never actually use that silly stuff. Especially when Obama the Healer of Worlds is in Office. He is gonna ask him not to, but it will be worded REALLY well. It will be super eloquent AND he is not a cowboy, so all the mean ol tyrants will be nice now.

[adamthemad]

Curm,

Let's try it without the nuclear fantasy scenario, mmm'k?

[Snoop-Diggity-DANG-Dawg]

"I am sure Kim Jong Il would never actually use that silly stuff."
Doesn't matter. It's a piece of crapp-o-la they couldn't get off the ground to save their lives. It's reverse-engineered from seriously flawed 1950's technology. MUCH more dangerous to the North Korean missile techs than it is to us.

[mark]

Just put in my order for my "OBAMA'S a LOSER" tshirt. Wooohooooo! That, and my bullseye shirt for Pelosi.

[marybel]

Curmudgeon,
I am a conservative, registered Republican who fully supports McCain/Palin. While I am sure you are kidding, sort of, I am offended by your bomb scenario of Los Angeles and San Francisco. While your political demographics are accurate, I am surprised to see such a low-life comment anywhere but Kos or DU. I have friends and loved ones living there.

[Cuffy Meigs]

Right on, marybel. I know Curmudgeon was trying to be funny ... try harder, bud.

My job is to shoot these things down, not fantasize about the electoral consequences of the jokey-ha-ha deaths of millions of Americans.

[Elaine]

Yes, same here... I'm voting McCain/Palin as well, and I would rather that the Dems won the election than have that nightmare bomb scenario play out.

However, I wouldn't mind if the celebrities all moved to France.

[Curmudgeon]

Sorry gang, just angry. A once Golden State is turning into excrement in my lifetime, and it makes me a little sad. Pardon the gallows humor.

[Elaine]

I understand the anger. And the depression. And I really do wish we could foist these people off on France.

[marybel]

Thanks, Curmudgeon. I lived in SoCal for over 30 years, and you are right that a once great state is going to hades in a handbasket.

This was my first time here at Perfunction. Your last comment convinced me it's a site I will visit again.

[geoff]

I lived in SoCal for over 30 years, and you are right that a once great state is going to hades in a handbasket.

Ayup. I left after 18 years in SoCal, and I can't believe how far it's declined in the 8 intervening years. Very sad.

[2Hotel9]

With this test, and the claim of the restart of DPRNK's reactor, it is hightime to pop their cherry and hit Yongbyon and their 2 primary missile sites.