Return to Tunguska

The mysterious event in 1908 has been mysterious for a hundred years. There was some apparent impact, burned trees, and other strangeness. But now, a new lead:

In late June of 1908, a fireball exploded above the remote Russian forests of Tunguska, Siberia, flattening more than 800 square miles of trees. Researchers think a meteor was responsible for the devastation, but neither its fragments nor any impact craters have been discovered.

Astronomers have been left to guess whether the object was an asteroid or a comet, and figuring out what it was would allow better modeling of potential future calamities.

Italian researchers now think they've found a smoking gun: The 164-foot-deep Lake Cheko, located just 5 miles northwest of the epicenter of destruction.

The Tunguska Event has intrigued me for a long time. I never bought the ideas that it was a UFO crash, or a miniature black hole, or a small bit of antimatter, but none of the less esoteric explanations really seemed to explain everything. I'm looking forward to further reports.

Blogging Will Be Light(er)

My vacation starts on Wednesday. I have a lot to do before then, I won't be using any computer much during, and I'll have a lot to do after-- so there won't be much going on here for a while.

Just, you know, FYI.

Open thread, if anyone wants one.

Big Trouble in Red China

Via Sachi at Big Lizards:

Recently, we have started to hear one disturbing story after another coming out of China:
Poisonous pet food;
Toxic toothpaste;
Dangerous toys, and so on.
All of a sudden, we started to notice that one of our largest trading partners was not living up to the standard we demand. But in fact, China’s sloppy business practice has been noticed by many businessmen all over the world who have dealt with them over the years. Only recently, however -- when their products started to kill us (and especially our pets!) -- have we started to pay attention.

China's a big deal. Between these problems, their enormous population, their increasing military spending, and their support of Iran and North Korea, they may not be a global superpower, but we need to be careful. (I guess I'd label them a regional superpower.) As Sachi says, they're a major trading partner, so Sino-American relationships are... Complex. And I didn't mention Taiwan, which squares that complexity.

Read the whole post-- China's got a a lot of enviomental problems that it doesn't need to have. I wish the American Left would try to help clean China up as much as it tries to clean up America, but for some reason, The People's Republic gets a pass. It shouldn't.

Forget the cats- bring in the robots.

Funny stuff here.

Probably older than Time Itself, but new to me and funny.

(And, yes, that's an Optimus Prime Mr. Potato Head on June 19th. In stores now.)

Robots. Lol. Yeah.

New Element: Moronblogroll

I'm compiling a list of Official Ace of Spades Moronbloggers, so that we can all harass each other on all our blogs.

I'm sure I've only scratched the surface, but I'll be adding more as I see them and are suggested to me.

Other questions and comments? Um, comment.

Tag, I'm It; No Tagbacks

Since Nice Deb (whose blog is much better than mine; go read it), tagged me, apparently Internet Honor requires me to answer some questions forsooth. (And I guess I get to change them and add my own, right?)

Yay, verily:

1) What book(s) is/are you reading now?

I'm currently reading Mickey Spillane's Micke Hammer novels. They're fun, see?

2) Favorite historical event (domestic)?

I'm going to go with the War of 1812. The Limeys wanted a rematch, but got pwn3d!

3) Favorite historical event (International)?

It's always amused me how Prussia doesn't exist anymore.

4) You’re giving a Hollywood pitch (25 words or less) about your Blog — GO

It's not updated enough, it's not very good, but it's free.

5) Other than where you live now, what city do you like?

Anywhere, as long as some friends are there. Seriously.

6) Favorite TV series:

Babylon 5. It was intelligent science fiction drama, with good special effects and better writing. (And there's a new DVD due out next month!)

7) Are you a Wilsonian Idealist or Nixonian Realist in foreign policy?

I dunno, man. I'm more of a Reagan Interventionist or Jeffersonian Jihad-Killer. (It's not that I want the U.S. to police the world, it's that for our own safety, the world needs policing. And since there's no international Batman or someone, it falls to us.)

8) Favorite B- movie?

Oh, man, this is a toughie. I think Teenagers From Outer Space has a lot of charm. I mean, yeah, Plan 9 is hilarious, but Teenagers From Outer Space is pretty neat.

9) Chain restaurants and franchises: spawn of the Devil, or necessary for modern life?

The latter. Dave Barry once said that people just want to go to a place where they know the food is mediocre. In my case, it's the familiarity and knowing what you're going to get. Also, there are soem chains that have foods I love love love.

10) What upcoming movie are you most looking forward to?

Transformers. They're- get this- more than meets they eye, right? I mean, they're *robots*. In disguise.

I'll update this later with links. Also, I'll think on who I should be a-taggin'.

Update: Negatory on that last bit- I tag everyone who reads this post, has a blog, hasn't been tagged, and wants to. Change whatever; my blog authority is roughly nil. (Links still be come.)

To Do List

By, uh, Monday?:

Hit counter.

Actual blogroll.

Longer posts about stuff.

Links to things I found myself that aren't on every blog I read or should read.

Other suggestions, Dear Theoretical Reader?

Funniest thing I've read in a while.

I don't know how I've missed it, but Iowahawk is hilarious. The most recent is a noir spoof about Dan Rather, in a continuing series.

Um.

So I kind of forgot my password.

Not that I was goingn to post much, but some.

Me am smart.