Artificial News

Rumours are afoot among the Heathen Chinee about plans to illuminate the city of Chengdu at night by means of an artificial satellite rather than conventional streetlights. The speculation appears to be newsworthy mainly on the grounds that the potential satellite is being compared to the moon, which is, as we know, American property. While the plans' feasibility and progress remain as yet unclear, the rumours are at least cogent enough to be patronised in Britain's leading liberal newspaper, whose correspondent apparently believes that artificial and fake are synonyms (cf. fake light, fake fibres, etc.), but does know how to trawl an archive for precedents: a frequently elusive skill in leading liberal journalists when it comes to wars, massacres and other colour stuff.