Dear, respected young'un

"Has anyone imagined this loss even in a dream?" the state-run Korean Central News Agency laments today. "We will defend with our lives the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea headed by the dear respected Kim Jong Un in any storm and stress."

Well, it doesn't quite have the bite of "Damn the torpedoes!" or even "Fifty-four Forty or Fight!" but perhaps something was lost in translation. Blue skies! -- Dan Ford