I'm going to be really annoyed...

[Ed]

...if I wake up tomorrow to find a North Korean intercontinental ballistic nuclear missile in my back garden. I can just about put up with the occasional pile of cat shit in my vegetable patch, but the line has to be drawn somewhere

[Woody]

.

[Caz]

Look on the bright side, Ed. At least you won't have to mow the lawn again for at least..well ever.

[Ed]

True, there's always a bright side, trouble is in this instance it's so bright it'll vaporise anybody in a ten mile radius 

Ideal for taking your mind off those cashflow worries, though 

[Pharosian]

...if I wake up tomorrow to find a North Korean intercontinental ballistic nuclear missile in my back garden. I can just about put up with the occasional pile of cat shit in my vegetable patch, but the line has to be drawn somewhere

I wouldn't worry about it too much. The distance from North Korea (Pyongyang) to England (London) is 5400 miles. The range of North Korea's Taepodong-2 missiles--assuming they could deploy them successfully--is 3000-4000km, or less than half that distance.

[delph_ambi]

Yes, but... in this morning's newspaper:

"Listeners to a national radio station were shocked to learn that the normally peaceful county of North Yorkshire had launched a programme of illegal underground nuclear tests.

The newsreader's slip of the tongue was broadcast on Monday, during a bulletin on BBC Radio Five Live.

The top story was  a report about the worldwide disapproval of North Korea's recent test.

The female newsreader, whose identity is not known, said: "There has been widespread condemnation of North Yorkshire's decision to carry out an underground nuclear test..."

[delboy]

I still recall reading I-Abomination's story about that North Korean prisoner who escapes to the south; and then reading up on some of the research resources I-Abom' posted. It gave me a whole new insight to the terror and evilness of North Korea. It's pretty scary to think they've got the bomb and have decided to abandon the truce with South Korea. Same with Iran, and all their rhetoric about wanting to destroy Israel whilst developing nuclear capabilities. Sometimes it feels like it's only a matter of time before we get a world leader crazy enough, desperate enough, or plainly misguided enough to launch one of these things. With the Cold War at least there was a balance of power that needed to be maintained, and MAD was so, well, mad that it kept everyone in check. Now it feels like instead of a simple set of scales that we're fighting to keep balanced, it's more like an intricate construction of levers and rods and balls and weights and wheels... it's going to happen...

But, despite all of that, I always smile to myself when the countries that already have the bomb, already have massive military strength, lay down the law to other nations insisting they don't try and rise above their station. It reminds me of school yard bullying and gangs. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we have the muscle and the intention to protect the world this way. I'm glad I'm in one of the strong gangs. But, the writer in me always tries to imagine what the other players would be feeling, and I can't help thinking that the little guys will be getting even more riled by this, even more determined to have a go some way or another.

But, yes, I'd be really annoyed to find an ICBM pointing my way, too. Though ever since I was a kid at school we were always told if there was a nuclear war we'd never know anything about it as GCHQ is just five miles down the road and that place would be the first to be hit.

Best I finish those novels...

Del

[Ed]

  Ey-oop, lad - how'd thous nuclear testin going, down't mill? When I were a lad, all we 'ad were old rook scarers... you lot don't know you're born, these days.

Del - I'm of the mind it's only a matter of time as well, sadly. The proliferation is likely to get worse, too, as new nuclear powers share their technology and build their own network of allies.

The most worrying thing about North Korea is that their old leader is coming to the end of his life, meaning there's likely to be a power vacuum at the top, soon. Unless he's groomed somebody ready for the position, which is unlikely in the case of an absolute dictator, there will probably be at least three or four generals vying for position after he dies, and that could turn into a Korea's Got Talent contest to find the most evil psychopath for the top spot

[Ed]

...if I wake up tomorrow to find a North Korean intercontinental ballistic nuclear missile in my back garden. I can just about put up with the occasional pile of cat shit in my vegetable patch, but the line has to be drawn somewhere

I wouldn't worry about it too much. The distance from North Korea (Pyongyang) to England (London) is 5400 miles. The range of North Korea's Taepodong-2 missiles--assuming they could deploy them successfully--is 3000-4000km, or less than half that distance.

Only a matter of time as well, sadly. I assume the Chinese have longer range ICBMs, so I think it's possible that technology could leak across the border in the same way their current missile technology probably did.

[delboy]

Korea's Got Talent contest to find the most evil psychopath for the top spot

In a few thousand years time some hyper intelligent alien archeologist will work his way backwards through our final days and discover that the cause of earth's destruction was a Korean tap-dancing dog that inadvertantly laid his paw on the red button whilst dancing on the table for the amusement of a visiting Chinese dignatory and his light entertainment loving wife.