Speaking of nuclear weapons, it was Jerry Halstead that put together the Blaster Mapper for the PBS Race for the Superbomb. Wow, when I first starting reading his weblog, all his talk about mapping applications reminded me of the Mapper. I'm glad that there was a connection!
U.S. Works Up Plan for Using Nuclear Arms: "The secret report, which was provided to Congress on Jan. 8, says the Pentagon needs to be prepared to use nuclear weapons against China, Russia, Iraq, North Korea, Iran, Libya and Syria. It says the weapons could be used in three types of situations: against targets able to withstand nonnuclear attack; in retaliation for attack with nuclear, biological or chemical weapons; or "in the event of surprising military developments... The report says the Pentagon should be prepared to use nuclear weapons in an Arab-Israeli conflict, in a war between China and Taiwan, or in an attack from North Korea on the south. They might also become necessary in an attack by Iraq on Israel or another neighbor, it said."
ABC digitally altered James Bond film: "Diamonds are Forever" Saturday night (3/2) with a rather curious digital alteration, TSG has discovered. In scenes featuring Bond girl Plenty O'Toole, the ABC version magically added a black bra on the body of actress Lana Wood where one had not previously existed in the 1971 film. It's unclear why the digital addition was done, since Wood's character shows nothing that would have even jeopardized the flick's original PG rating. The ABC version also included a little colorization as well-Wood's skimpy panties changed from tan to black to match her new brassiere.
Scotland's drug minister declares the war on drugs over: "Dr Richard Simpson, the deputy justice minister, said: 'The only time you will hear me use terms such as 'War On Drugs' and 'Just Say No' is to denigrate them.'"
How to Act on the Urge to Conserve: "Across the Northeastern states, water levels are low. The message is clear: Conserve. State officials, including those in New York who monitor stream flows and reservoir and groundwater levels, have been concerned about the freshwater supply in the region for several months... For a few dollars and some hand tightening, you can install water-saving aerators and showerheads that will increase water pressure and save money."
Why The Simpsons Are Still Alive and Well: "Marge, cartoons don't have any deep meaning," Homer Simpson tells his wife. "They're just stupid drawings that give you a cheap laugh," he explains, his rear end exposed above his pants.
Uchronia: "The Alternate History List is an annotated bibliography of novels, stories, essays and other material involving the "what ifs" of history. Such texts may also be called as alternate histories, alternative histories, allohistories, uchronia, counterfeit worlds, counterfactuals, negative histories, etc."
"Competition is a by-product of productive work, not its goal. A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others." --Ayn Rand
The world's flags given letter grades: "Some time ago, browsing through my friend's atlas, I realised that there are significant differences in quality between the flags of different countries. Some are good, some are bad. Some countries have clearly taken care in the choice of colours, layout, and design. Others have been lazy, stolen the flags of their neighbours, or just designed flags that are clearly supposed to cause pain to those who look at them."