Some people worry about weapons of mass destruction, but at work today I was going through books on equally deadly nuclear scenarios; reactor screw-ups (books on Chernobyl) and nuclear tests (books on the USAs HUNDREDS of nuclear tests and how they gave people in Nevada and Utah thyroid cancer and birth defects). I looked for some statistics online, about just how stupid the USA has been in this regard, and I found the following 1999 figures for your approval:
NUCLEAR TESTING INDEX: August 6, 1999
1,030: Total number of United States nuclear weapons test explosions.
2,051: Total number of nuclear weapons test explosions.
19,744: Days since the start of the nuclear weapons age.
9.62 days: Average time between nuclear blasts.
7,104: Total number of nuclear weapons at the time of the first nuclear test ban negotiations (1958).
38,000: Total number of nuclear weapons at the conclusion of nuclear test ban negotiations (1996).
2: Number of nuclear tests conducted in Pakistan.
2: Number of nuclear tests conducted in Mississippi.
50: Number of days between the signature of the 1963 Limited Test Ban Treaty and its ratification.
1,056: Number of days since U.S. signed the CTBT.
682: Number of days since the transmittal of the CTBT to the Senate for its advice and consent for ratification.
682: Number of days that Senator Helms (R-NC) has refused to hold Senate hearings on the CTBT.
152: Number of countries that have signed the CTBT.
80%: Percentage of countries worldwide that have signed CTBT.
44: Number of states listed in Article XIV of the CTBT that must ratify for Treaty entry into force.
41: Number of countries that have ratified the CTBT.
21: Number of states listed in Article XIV that have ratified so far.
15/19: Portion of NATO allies which have ratified.
4: Number of nuclear tests since the CTBT was sent to the Senate for its advice and consent.
179 megatons: Estimated total yield released by United States nuclear weapons test explosions.
427.9 megatons: Estimated total yield of all nuclear weapons test explosions.
114: Number of U.S. underground nuclear tests that released radioactive material into the atmosphere.
10,000: Additional cases of thyroid cancer that will occur as a result of fallout from 90 U.S. nuclear tests.
--------------------------------------------------------------
I posted about Quiz Show in Morgans journal. I got to thinking at work about how people LIKE to be lied to. They rarely take it well when Im straight about not knowing something, for instance; as if librarians are capable of knowing where EVERYTHING in the world is, from memory, no matter how obscure. Would they prefer I BS them? I think so, most of the time. It reminded me of when I worked at the video store, and people would ask me how Quiz Show was (this is in 1995) and Id say Its slow but good, and they wouldnt rent it. The good didnt matter; it was just the kiss of death to admit that it was slow. Its a fascinating morality tale, with great economical direction by Redford and KILLER performances by Ralph Fiennes, Rob Morrow, John Turturro, and David Paymer (a character actor, plays a sleazy TV exec). And ironically enough, the movie is about people being fooled, how much they wanted to be fooled, and to fool themselves.
-------------------------------------------
My new dreamy band is still under construction. Too much build-up and hype? Well, I guess thats the other kiss of death. I can promise this band will NOT be slow, though. But I do have a Question Of The Day:
If you could host a mini-series-type show about a nonfiction topic, which would you choose? Feel free to choose one occurrence or an entire era, anything political, sociological, scientific, entertainment, whatever
NUCLEAR TESTING INDEX: August 6, 1999
1,030: Total number of United States nuclear weapons test explosions.
2,051: Total number of nuclear weapons test explosions.
19,744: Days since the start of the nuclear weapons age.
9.62 days: Average time between nuclear blasts.
7,104: Total number of nuclear weapons at the time of the first nuclear test ban negotiations (1958).
38,000: Total number of nuclear weapons at the conclusion of nuclear test ban negotiations (1996).
2: Number of nuclear tests conducted in Pakistan.
2: Number of nuclear tests conducted in Mississippi.
50: Number of days between the signature of the 1963 Limited Test Ban Treaty and its ratification.
1,056: Number of days since U.S. signed the CTBT.
682: Number of days since the transmittal of the CTBT to the Senate for its advice and consent for ratification.
682: Number of days that Senator Helms (R-NC) has refused to hold Senate hearings on the CTBT.
152: Number of countries that have signed the CTBT.
80%: Percentage of countries worldwide that have signed CTBT.
44: Number of states listed in Article XIV of the CTBT that must ratify for Treaty entry into force.
41: Number of countries that have ratified the CTBT.
21: Number of states listed in Article XIV that have ratified so far.
15/19: Portion of NATO allies which have ratified.
4: Number of nuclear tests since the CTBT was sent to the Senate for its advice and consent.
179 megatons: Estimated total yield released by United States nuclear weapons test explosions.
427.9 megatons: Estimated total yield of all nuclear weapons test explosions.
114: Number of U.S. underground nuclear tests that released radioactive material into the atmosphere.
10,000: Additional cases of thyroid cancer that will occur as a result of fallout from 90 U.S. nuclear tests.
--------------------------------------------------------------
I posted about Quiz Show in Morgans journal. I got to thinking at work about how people LIKE to be lied to. They rarely take it well when Im straight about not knowing something, for instance; as if librarians are capable of knowing where EVERYTHING in the world is, from memory, no matter how obscure. Would they prefer I BS them? I think so, most of the time. It reminded me of when I worked at the video store, and people would ask me how Quiz Show was (this is in 1995) and Id say Its slow but good, and they wouldnt rent it. The good didnt matter; it was just the kiss of death to admit that it was slow. Its a fascinating morality tale, with great economical direction by Redford and KILLER performances by Ralph Fiennes, Rob Morrow, John Turturro, and David Paymer (a character actor, plays a sleazy TV exec). And ironically enough, the movie is about people being fooled, how much they wanted to be fooled, and to fool themselves.
-------------------------------------------
My new dreamy band is still under construction. Too much build-up and hype? Well, I guess thats the other kiss of death. I can promise this band will NOT be slow, though. But I do have a Question Of The Day:
If you could host a mini-series-type show about a nonfiction topic, which would you choose? Feel free to choose one occurrence or an entire era, anything political, sociological, scientific, entertainment, whatever
VIEW 15 of 15 COMMENTS
Most guys are weird. Some guys are very weird. And then there are the precious few, who are omniscient librarians.
Every time I ask people aa question, I come here and find out that you have asked a question of the day, as well, and have done so before me. So I always look like I'm copying you! Alas...I suppose I should just get accustomed to you being cooler than me...
Anyhoo, to answer your question...I dunno. There are so many things I'd like to see mini-series on (I'm assuming of course that you mean the narrated, documentary-style, Ken Burns' Jazz -kinda mini-series).
I would love to see one on Punk music, one on the 30's decade, one on the Black Dahlia Murders, one on the life of Kaufka (and many other brilliant and completely crazy artists), ...a whole bunch. But I guess I would start with the one on Punk music, cuz that would be cool...