![Any excuse to post this, in the years to come.]()
I recently discovered the adsorbing Restricted Data: The Nuclear Secrecy Blog. Its author, an academic, invented various incarnations of a NukeMap, in which you can use Google maps (or Google Earth, for those not saddled with a Chromebook) to see the effects of various atomic bombs — from Hiroshima to the full, unused iteration of the Tsar Bomba — on various cities.- The author also wrote a “Why Nagasaki” post yesterday, which is soft on the whole thing, but is enlightening as to the debated motivations of those involved in nuking the shit out of that bonus city.
- The Onion said it best on Nagaski.
- I am reminded of the time a few months back where I asked my would-be engineer friend to explain why nuclear stuff is measured by half-life. Drunk friend fluctuated between condescending over-explanation to poor, sweet liberal arts majors, and baffling science attacks (to poor, sweet liberal arts majors). Somehow it eventually made sense, but God knows I couldn’t explain it.
- Once-classified US government footage of rebuilding Hiroshima.
- Matt Novak’s sweet Paleofuture blog seems to have wandered over to Gizmodo.
- Cato’s Julian Sanchez was deliciously sassy on Chris Hayes on Friday, talking NSA and Obama press conferences. And The Guardian‘s Spencer Ackerman was himself, and was therefore great. And Robert Gibbs said the word debate so. many. times. and it was terrible.
Five non-link tweets I have recently favorited, for your enjoyment:
Some ppl confuse–others intentionally conflate–secret ops & secret laws. Secret ops are compatible w/ a free society; secret laws are not.
— Justin Amash (@repjustinamash) August 10, 2013
nothing’s more hilarious than liberals freaking out abt libertarians. it’s even funnier than conservatives freaking out abt libertarians.
— Andy Levy (@andylevy) August 10, 2013
@LucyStag Google translate gives me 'overseer' for Steiger. I'm guessing your ancestors kept the woodland critters in line with a firm lash.
— Joshua Trujillo (@yeshuatrujillo) August 11, 2013
Another episode of Fresh Prince, another instance in which Uncle Phil is *not* amused by Will's antics.
— Andrew Blake (@apblake) August 10, 2013
.@LucyStag ANARCHO-MONARCHISM FTW
— Alammus Drenim (@grannywithAIDS) August 11, 2013
- A disturbingly long list of signs you might be a terrorist.
- Reminder that Harry Browne was the best.
- Cracked writer gets fucked with by police, writes pretty good piece about it.
- Radley Balko, like all good libertarians, is thinking about incentives. Why not start a whistleblower’s prize? I suggest the first prize of Not Jail be given to Bradley Manning. Second prize can be Gets to Come Back to America Ever for Edward Snowden.
- Duh, prosecutors! Sometimes they get the money, too!
- I seriously appreciate that Fox often acknowledges that libertarians have a place at the table in debates. If they didn’t John Stossel, Andrew Napolitano, and numerous employees of Reason wouldn’t have such a strong presence on the networks. On the other hand, sometimes I wonder how far they can go — at least if they’re constantly on Fox.
- Heroic Lavabit declines to help government spy on us all. Silent Circle shuts down in case of such a request. How we gonna be secret now, y’all?
- Just kidding, asking that makes you a terrorist.
- “On this date in 1916, 19-year-old Durham Private William Nelson was shot for desertion by the British military.” So, boo to that.
- Jesse Walker is on Book TV on Sunday at 1:15 pm, so that is definitely worth checking out.
Today’s video(s):
Willie Watson, the lamented and departed member of Old Crow Medicine Show, singing “High Dice Blues/Shooting High Dice” with guitar that sounds exactly like the Mississippi Sheiks version of the song. Check ‘em both out:
I love the Mississipi Sheiks so much. But you would know that if you have been listening to my radio show, now tragically nearing its end.