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Growing Up Nuclear: A Meditation From Ground Zero
Sunday, July 30, 2000
Rambling commentary on cold war culture, nukes and the southwestern United States:
"Rockets are aimed at us from Moscow and Alma Ata and perhaps Urumqi, but they no longer seem real; Pax Coca Cola reigns over the world; and India and Pakistan are so far away. But for those of us who grew up in its frightening, long shadow, the Cold War will go on forever, like a desert highway. It endures. It is built into the landscape of the desert, and into our minds: Ground Zero, like the kingdom of heaven, will be forever within us."
Stalinist gulag is recreated as theme park
Sunday, July 30, 2000
'Stalin's World' theme park to open in Lithuania:
"Visitors will be deported right to our information centre," he (the owner, Viliumas Malinauskas) beamed. "It is great to have a vision of something our relatives experienced. "They will see the real facts as they were 50 years ago. Visitors will pass through all the stations which their relatives last saw on their way to Siberia all those years ago."
Call me crazy, but that doesn't sound like much fun to me!
(Link courtesy of Unknown News).
Mossad advertises for spies
Sunday, July 30, 2000
The Mossad (Israel's Secret Service) is launching a public drive for new secret agents. Send in your resumes now!
Shadow Conventions 2000
Sunday, July 30, 2000
"Now more than ever, the two major party conventions are in thrall to an ever more privatized political process and the short-term smugness of the moment. Rather than continue their once proud tradition of fostering political debate, they are presenting the country with pre-programmed live infomercials, what is known in the public relations trade as 'event marketing.' We are countering the conventional, intervening in a sagging political process by staging shadow conventions to parallel the Republicans and the Democrats. We will take advantage of the massive media presence at these events to put the spotlight on three critical unaddressed issues--the corrupting influence of money in politics, poverty and the growing inequalities, and the failed drug war."
Nuclear nightmare revealed
Saturday, July 29, 2000
Nuclear testing still causing devastation among the population of Kazakhstan:
"We were told there was nothing to worry about. In fact, we were ordered out of school in order to watch the mushroom clouds."
The U.S. is just as gulty as the former Soviet Union.
Worst Car of the Millenium
Saturday, July 29, 2000
Would you believe my family had not one but two of these cars?
We had a white Dodge Aspen wagon (#7) that would emit a smell from the bowels of Hades every time you turned the ignition. My dad's office car at one time was a Chevy Vega (#2). I can still remember it stalling out in the middle of Independence Boulevard in Charlotte and thinking we'd be splattered at any second. I was six years old at the time and I can still remember it to this day in crystal clear detail! I guess we should be thankful that it didn't break in half going over some railroad tracks!
(Link courtesy of Pop Culture Junk Mail)
The oracle of Delphi - high on ethylene?
Saturday, July 29, 2000
Did the Delphic oracles get their visions from inhaling halucinogenic fumes released from underneath the earth?
Scientists dream of parallel worlds
Saturday, July 29, 2000
Are parallel universes stacked together like God's own pastrami on rye with mustard? Could be!
Fowl Play
Saturday, July 29, 2000
'Missing link' fossil between birds and dinosaurs turns out to be a crude hoax, even though several scientists proclaimed it authentic.
Chronicler of Local Art Scene Ponders Loss, Options
Saturday, July 29, 2000
Most of us who follow our artistic instincts for a living are doomed to a life of madness, poverty and despair (ask the ghosts of Poe or Van Gogh), but gentrification makes it that much more difficult. It's disturbing to live in a society that places little to no value on the creation of beauty, as opposed to the creation of wealth. I hope this is just a problem in California, but I suspect it is not.
Here's another article covering the same problem.
Zombified Spider Serves Invading Parasite's Will
Saturday, July 29, 2000
Parasitic wasp reprograms spider to weave a safe home for its larva. The natural world is such a strange and wonderous place it never fails to blow my mind!
The Forgotten People
Tuesday, July 25, 2000
Tracking down the identity of San Francisco's indigent dead.
War! On a Bloodthirsty Bug
Tuesday, July 25, 2000
Scientists are trying to stop mosquitos carrying potentially fatal West Nile encephalitis. Since migratory birds carry the virus, containment will be next to impossible. This is something that concerns me since I can't set foot outdoors for more than five minutes without getting multiple mosquito bites. Why they find my blood so tasty is a mystery to me.
Is this elegant proof that the insect form is superior to our own? How's that for irony?
Update: Mosquito concerns close Central Park overnight.
Teen Creates Car Fuel From Canola Oil
Thursday, July 20, 2000
But will the petroleum conglomerates allow this to get to market?
Supersonic Submarines?
Thursday, July 20, 2000
The principle of supercavitation might make them possible.
'Chew Chew' the Flesh Eating Robot
Thursday, July 20, 2000
A new 'gastrobot' can break meat down and convert it into electrical energy using a fuel cell that contains E. coli bacteria.
Guess what's coming to have you for dinner!
The Medieval Centre Experimental Museum
Wednesday, July 19, 2000
This museum reconstructs and tests equipment and technology from the Middle Ages including firearms, seige engines, diving dress and even a model of Da Vinci's Ornithopter flying machine.
Official Steely Dan - Lyrics
Tuesday, July 18, 2000
No marigolds in the promised land
There's a hole in the ground
Where they used to grow
Any man left on the Rio Grande
Is the king of the world
As far as I know
taima.org
Tuesday, July 18, 2000
Japanese cannabis culture.
Informed Citizens Increasingly Rare in Information Age
Monday, July 17, 2000
Americans are ignorant about just about everything. I didn't need a National Science Foundation report to tell me that! This is a deadly threat to our very survival as a species, but I don't think that people care. Besides, if we didn't have a ignorant populace then the whole economic and political system would collapse. It's time to just kick back, drink some beer and enjoy the countdown to extinction!
When the world is running down
You make the best of what's still around
Run with the Devil
Monday, July 17, 2000
A nice travel piece on the New Jersey Pine Barrens and the Jersey Devil legend.
"In a world of cellphones and genetic engineering, in a time when information overload and
time deprivation are driving people completely nuts, it is extremely reassuring to me to think that there might be a dragon loose in the heart of New Jersey. It gives me a sense of continuity, a direct link to a time of fairies and more colorful horrors than corporate predators and serial killers."
Amen to that.
Protect and Survive
Monday, July 17, 2000
United Kingdom civil defence material, i.e. 'What to do in case of nuclear attack'. Not quite as hilarious as 1950's 'duck and cover' nonsense, but close. Of course it fails to mention how 'we'll be eating our own babies for breakfast' (to quote Harlan Ellison) in a post nuclear holocaust.
Fifteen Proven Techniques to Depression and Misery
Sunday, July 16, 2000
I'm an expert at #1-7 and #10-13. The keystones to my life are #3, #5 and #6. Did I forget to mention that I'm a completely miserable bastard?
(Link courtesy of Yet Another Web Log)
The Unofficial Robotech Reference Guide
Saturday, July 15, 2000
A Veritech Cyclone would greatly ease my commuting woes.
The Psychedelic Library
Friday, July 14, 2000
An excellent collection of psychedelic texts.
The Search for the Manchurian Candidate is very interesting.
(Link courtesy of Abuddhas Memes)
The Official Cthulhu Mythos FAQ
Thursday, July 13, 2000
Azathoth and Cthulhu and Nyarlathotep, oh my!
(Link courtesy of Weblogging Considered Harmful)
Running red lights kills 800 annually
Thursday, July 13, 2000
Begin Rant:
But how many a year do these people kill?
SUV driving suburbanite morons?
Old people that are too decrepit and brain dead to cross the street by themselves, let alone drive?
People who eat, play with their fancy stereos, jabber on cell phones or slap their kids while driving?
Insecure, aggressive, rap thumpin', NASCAR wannabe jerks in their cheesy boy racer cars who think they're racin'?
Imbeciles who refuse to use their turn signals or even to stay in their own lanes?
Idiots that tint their windows so darkly that they can't see out of them?
Are you seeing a pattern here? A vast number of Americans have no business being behind the handlebars of a tricycle, let alone driving a multi-ton vehicle. I would only consider them a mere annoyance if not for the fact that they kill innocent people. This is what you get when a nation lets any damn fool get a driver's license and law enforcement officers can't be bothered to enforce traffic laws. If you must drive, please pay attention to what you are doing! The life you will save will no doubt be my own.
End Rant
State Offers Schools Cash To Improve
Thursday, July 13, 2000
The California Board of Education has approved a payola scheme (or scam?) for schools that raise their students' academic scores.
Teachers in low-scoring schools that make great leaps forward could earn as much as $25,000 each as a reward for their classroom miracles. Even janitors can win big in California's new 'if you pay them, they will learn' system. They, along with school secretaries and every other school employee, could receive at least some financial bonus if schools make the grade."
Yikes! Why not just pay the students directly for getting good grades? Eliminate the middleman!
Cancer Study Downplays Role of Genes
Thursday, July 13, 2000
Study proves that environrnmental and behavioral factors cause most cancers, not inherited genes:
"On average, environmental factors caused about twice as many cancers as inborn genetic factors. The study did not identify what exactly in the environment put people at risk for specific types of cancer, but researchers said cigarettes, poor diet, lack of exercise, radiation and pollution were among the prime culprits."
Don't put all of your faith in the current Human Genome Project hype. It's not going to cure most diseases. It's time for us to clean up our act, both in the environment and within our physical selves.
Frustrated Mom Unloads Troubled 10-Year-Old Via the Net
Thursday, July 13, 2000
Be a good kid or your mom might just ship you out to live with some strangers she met over the internet!
Mysterious 'skunk ape' caught on video
Thursday, July 13, 2000
The real thing or just another hoax? Decide for yourself. IMHO, this one falls under that old Project Blue Book classification: 'insufficient data'.
Star Wars: Technical Commentaries
Thursday, July 13, 2000
Very detailed technical discussion of the Star Wars universe. This reminds me of stuff I pondered before dropping out of E-school at UVA.
Who Mutilated Dominic Marion?
Thursday, July 13, 2000
This is a bizarre true story of a medical crime that remains unsolved to this day. I'll leave out the gruesome details, but you still might not want to read this if you have a weak stomach.
ACLU: Law Needs 'Carnivore' Fix
Wednesday, July 12, 2000
Is the 'Carnivore' FBI electronic surveillance system more of a privacy threat than the overhyped 'Echelon'? I think so. This has a much more direct effect on the average U.S. citizen. Concerned? Encrypt and then encrypt some more.
The Davy Crockett and the W54 Warhead
Wednesday, July 12, 2000
A recoiless rifle with a nuclear warhead is a dangerous thing, but I could see lots of consumer uses. Clear those annoying suburban traffic jams! Dig a really big pool in your back yard! Get rid of those weenie neighbors blasting their obnoxious 'Eminiem' CDs once and for all!
Just why was this weapon called 'Davy Crockett' anyway?
The Grand List of Overused Science Fiction Clichés
Wednesday, July 12, 2000
I was led to this page by watching Babylon 5: Thirdspace today. I loved it when our intrepid hero Sheridan blows up the gigantic super advanced alien mothership by placing and detonating a tiny tactical nuclear device at its center (Silly Science Cliché #18). Those stupid aliens always have to have that pesky vulnerable spot don't they?
Hiker Fights Bigfoot denial
Monday, July 10, 2000
Oregon psychologist stands by his claim to have seen Bigfoot on the first of July. This guy's got a lot of courage. If I was a professional and had seen such a thing, I probably wouldn't have the courage to go public for fear of damaging my career! How much weird stuff doesn't get reported because of fear of ridicule?
Do We Really Have a Need For Speed?
Monday, July 10, 2000
"Is speed-based innovation really the key to a more productive and happier existence? Does going faster bring any meaning to our lives?"
The answer of course is 'no'. No cellphones and PDAs, two hour commutes and twelve hour workdays for me, thanks! It's nothing but a form of self enslavement.
Nicholas Roerich Museum
Sunday, July 9, 2000
Nicholas Roerich was a painter, adventurer, poet, mystic and visionary. I find the use of light and color in his paintings inspiring.
Another exhibition of Roerich's work can be found here.
Death and Photography in Nineteenth Century America
Sunday, July 9, 2000
From the introduction:
"The subject of this essay is an imagery of death characteristic of another time and place: nineteenth century America. Although the nineteenth century is much closer to our own era, these photographs and other images represent a concept of death that is in many ways as different from ours as that of the Europe of the Middle Ages."
Nato creates computer virus that reveals its secrets
Saturday, July 8, 2000
If you're going to engage in cyberwarfare, you better know what you're doing. NATO doesn't, apparently.
(Link courtesy of The Null Device)
Portugal legalises drug use
Saturday, July 8, 2000
The Portuguese Government has voted to decriminalise the consumption of illegal drugs such as cannabis and heroin. I'm glad that some nations seem to be coming to their senses about throwing their citizens in jail for mere drug possession.
Did Einstein cheat?
Saturday, July 8, 2000
The theories of Albert Einstein are under attack by a variety of anti-relativity proponents. I'd have to agree that most of these people are kooks, but don't forget last month's link about physicists possibly breaking the speed of light. Scientific theories are often modified over time or are proven to be incorrect. Science can be just as dogmatic as religion.
Aliens: The sequel
Saturday, July 8, 2000
Interview with Joe Firmage, founder of sucessful internet company USWeb and who also claims to have been visited by aliens. He's starting a new learning project to promote knowledge of science:
"I want to return to the public the sense of open-minded discovery that rests at the very heart of science. These days, we often find science so foreign to us as everyday citizens, because it often seems to be off in the mists of academics."
Sounds like a good idea. Hey Joe, don't worry about people calling you a kook. You're still rich and money can always buy credibility!
Firmage's home page is here.
Captain, My Captain
Saturday, July 8, 2000
Just a story of a guy living on one of the most polluted waterways in the U.S. Nice to see some recognition of the dreamers, restless wanderers and free spirits of the world. They don't get the respect they deserve in our culture.
Note to readers: I overcame my design apathy and decided to try a new color scheme. Will pretty colors get me more links from fashion conscious webloggers? I sure hope so! Do you like it?
Ravenous
Friday, July 7, 2000
I caught this movie on HBO last night and it's one of the most interesting I've seen in the past couple of years. Though it's advertised as a black comedy about cannibalism, it's really more about a man coming to grips with his cowardice. The solid cast, funky soundtrack and excellent cinematography all add to the experience. I think this one will end up as a cult classic.
The corruption of Col. James Hiett
Thursday, July 6, 2000
The former commander of U.S. anti-drug advisors in Columbia will soon be sentenced for covering up his wife's drug smuggling. Yet the federal government is still throwing away billions of taxpayer dollars in anti-drug 'aid'.
"This, then, is what Congress is buying with its $1 billion entry into Colombia's drug-drenched civil war: the Hiett enterprise on a massive scale, with the Pentagon as major stockholder. Diplomatic pouches and military planes as drug pipelines; pilots, drivers and returning officers as couriers; and an American partnership with a Colombian military already profoundly mired in drug trafficking, paramilitary violence and human-rights abuses."
If the anti-drug forces are just as corrupt as the drug dealers, than what's the point of fighting a war than can't possibly be won? Is it just typical government stupidity or is there a deeper conspiracy?
Yes, it's Vietnam all over again.
(Original link courtesy of Robot Wisdom)
British sparrows commiting suicide?
Wednesday, July 5, 2000
Respected British ornithologist Max Nicholson proposes that the rapid decline of the House Sparrow in Great Britain may be due to a psychological crisis which causes the birds to commit suicide.
We are not so far removed from the animals as we'd like to think.
Japan mayor orders break from computers
Wednesday, July 5, 2000
The mayor of Hirata, Japan is introducing a weekly computer free day in government offices:
"Every Friday, all official documents and correspondence at Hirata town hall will have to be hand-written, according to reports. Hirata Mayor Mitsuyasu Ota says staff should see how important it is to be able to do one's work without becoming reliant on computers.."
I bet his popularity just took a nosedive! He makes a good point but computers are here to stay, like it or not.
Shanghai sinking
Wednesday, July 5, 2000
Shanghai, China is sinking into the sea at the rate of one centimeter per year. Seems irrelevant to me since global warming will doom most coastal cities anyway over the coming decades.
The Flag Burning Page
Tuesday, July 4, 2000
I threw in this link strictly because I thought it might annoy those of you who would like to take away our right to free speech and free expression. After all, the Fourth of July is a celebration of freedom, isn't it? I'm happy to live where free speech is guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.
For the record, I've never burned a flag nor do I plan to burn any in the future. I'm just trying to make a point about tolerating the views of others, especially those views we don't agree with or like.
Gallery of U.S. Nuclear Tests
Tuesday, July 4, 2000
Since the Fourth of July is traditionally celebrated with fireworks, why not look at the greatest firework show in history, U.S. nuclear weapons testing.
"You were there when your planet did the big firework!"
The Dirty Little Secret about Rock's Teen Idols
Monday, July 3, 2000
Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, N'Sync, etc. are pure eeeeevil!
(Link courtesy of The Wonder Box)
Wireless Porn ... Of Course
Monday, July 3, 2000
Online pornographers are setting their sights on the mobile phone market. Hooray! How long until the first accident caused by someone trying to drive, stare at a tiny screen and masturbate all at the same time? It's bound to happen.
SF-references-in-music List
Sunday, July 2, 2000
An exhaustive index of science fiction references in music (mostly of the rock genre). Well worth a look.
Estonia's clean sweep at wife-carrying
Sunday, July 2, 2000
An Estonian man has won the Fifth Wife Carrying World Championships in Finland. Prizes include the wife's weight in beer. Cool!
You still have a chance to see the North American championships in Bethel, Maine on July 15.
Sympathy For the Devil
Sunday, July 2, 2000
Article on the Process Church of the Final Judgement, a bizarre 60's cult that went from 'peace and love' hippydom to apocalyptic Satanism (which may have influenced Charlie Manson) and back again.
Freaky Deaky Space Chicks
Saturday, July 1, 2000
A collection of mutant Barbies including my personal favorite: Warhol Barbie. Jo also created a version of my favorite superhero The Flesh from Kablam! (He's super strong and super naked!) and X-men for toddlers.
Scandinavia bridges age-old gap
Saturday, July 1, 2000
The longest combined road and rail bridge now connects Sweeden and Denmark. I guess this means that the two nations will become more alike despite some prejudice:
"'We think the Swedes are very stiff and formal, and humourless,' said one middle-aged Dane on the ferry from Elsinore. 'And they think we drink too much and are too informal. They call us the Italians of Scandinavia, while they are the Germans.'"
As connections increase, be they mental or physical, we increase our knowledge of others. That's a good thing because it forces us to examine our own silly prejudices and makes it easier for us to work together towards common goals.
Missing Manners
Saturday, July 1, 2000
Is common courtesy dead? This article refers to the Bay Area (from personal experience, I can say that San Franciscans make New Yorkers look bend over backwards friendly by comparison) but this is a nationwide epidemic. Why have we lost our daily sense of human decency? I blame it on many factors:
The news media: I think the horrors of the the evening news makes us all think that we will be assaulted for daring to talk to a stranger.
Poor parenting: I see small children get away with astonishing rudeness that would have drawn a slap when I was their age (and for good reason). If kids aren't taught to respect others, they're certainly not going to do so as adults.
Total self absorption: We all think we're too busy and we don't want to risk looking foolish. So, we just ignore others instead of helping them.
I say dare to be polite! Confront the ill mannered boors on their rude behavior. Don't be resigned to behaving like everyone else. It's good karma and You'll know you did the right thing. Maybe others will even learn from your example.
(Link courtesy of Vavatch Orbital)
Setting Sail for the Stars
Saturday, July 1, 2000
NASA wants to launch a solar sail powered Interstellar Probe by 2010. Please put me on the first slowboat to Alpha Centauri.
Note to readers: Archived June entries are here, older archives are here. Most links should still be good.
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