–World presses Sudan
Still going on? Obiviously. Unless it’s into a fine mushy paste I doubt it will do much good.

–Shakespeare
All the Shakespeare that you shake a stick at and then some. And then some more. Then there’s some other stuff, Shakespeare or no? Hmm.

–Rumors, rumors, Knights of the Old Republic 3?
He says look here, sounds like heresay, but it’s possible. Who are these people anyway?

– Fruit flies may help on long space missions
I think that one is for everyone who always wondered why our space missions continually study insects in low gravity.

–Department of Homeland Stupidity?
It’ really beginning to look like it (BugMeNot). These people are supposed to protect us. I guess it’s okay as long as the terror alert level never leaves code yellow.

–If you didn’t see The Daily Show lambaste the Berkeley Pit. Watch it now.
This place is no joke. And it’s not pretty. PitWatch, the organization featured in the clip are dedicated to cleaning up. The gift shop shows a Montanan love for the pit though. It looks like, despite the gift shop, it will be cleaned up, sometime. Regardless, no choice in the matter, it’s filling up.

–Senate oks stem cell funding
But it doesn’t really matter. A veto is forthcoming. In fact Bush’s first veto. I am continually amazed by the scoring system our society has for human life. In this instance, an embroyonic stem cell must be protected, in others it’s unborn fetuses. Either way there’s the death penalty and war, both cause death, what life is more valuable? Are Israelis more valuable than Lebanese? Ideally no, realistically, well, “Israel has a right to defend herself.”

–Newt Gingrich wants to attack North Korea
He wants to invoke the Bush Doctrine to its utmost. The worst part is, he’s considering a presidential run. Polticos, of course, are already speculating about 2008, you can see some polling in a few places around the web. Newt seems to run fourth in the Republican primaries, with 8 percent.

There are any number of reasons why attacking North Korea would be a bad idea. I’m not the only one who thinks so.

–Australians annoyed by loud Manilow music
I can see why. This is the backlash from an attempt to frighten away “car hoons” (drag racers) and late night revellers in a Sydney park. Looks like Barry isn’t that happy about it either. Who listens to this guy?

–I’ll round it out with Mario Brothers: The Flash Series.
A flash drama, set in 8-bit Mario style, follow him as he tries to save the Mushroom Kingdom and Princess Toadstool. The music is what does it and some of it is indeed powerful, having found it’s way into a couple of feature films. “It does for Mario:The Flash Series” what the Terminator Theme (audio warning) did for The Terminator.

Always stumbling across cool stuff on the web. Really.

The U.S. Geological Survey has a couple of web clearinghouses for information on earthquakes. The Earthquake Hazards Program and its offshoot in Northern California, which is especially user friendly. Included are real time maps of seismological activity in the U.S and throughout the world.

Not to be counted out is the USGS volcanological presence on the web.

The Volcano Hazards Program provides links to each of the USGS volcano observatories including those in Hawaii, Yellowstone and famously infamously, the Cascades, near Mt. St. Helens .

The program itself provides loads of information via their web site on broad topics such as risk reduction, volcano hazards and weekly activity reports.

Volcanos abound. The U.S. Forest Service, not to be outdone, operates the Johnston Ridge Observatory. This observatory is just one part of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, which, in turn is part of the Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

By far, the best web feature at Johnston Ridge is the Volcanocam, poised on Mt. St. Helens, still waiting for another big one (or, maybe not).

Really, though, if we’re going to talk about natural disasters how can we not talk about tsunamis. Umm. We can’t. We must address them.

Here in the U.S. we have the reliable (hopefully) Center for Tsunami Research. These folks are working out the details of the science art of tsunami forecasting. Of course, the NOAA has other tsunami activites in those places most at risk for a colossal disaster. In the Pacific (outside of the West Coast and Alaska) the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center serves U.S. interests in Hawaii and various other U.S territories. People on the West Coast and up north need not worry though, the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center‘s got your back.

It seems the NOAA has thus far ignored any risk posed to the Atlantic seaboard save some announced intentions (PDF warning), at least based on a cursory web glance. Though, scientists have openly speculated about the possiblity. (and it’s not exaclty implausible, if you know thy history).

All the warning systems in the world won’t save you if they don’t work.

–Fire at Rhode Island port.
Bad luck, I guess.

–Cruise ship rolls
One thousand rich people simultaneously screaming.

–Tsunami hits Indonesia
If this was me I would immediately flee Indonesia.

–Ground troops enter Lebanon
Yes, and fighting is just days away from ending, I’m sure(Right)..

–More carnage in Iraq
With the whatnot in Lebanon this kind of stuff hasn’t been in the headlines but it’s still going on, trust me.

–Bush blocked warrantless wiretap program review
Okay, so maybe that’s not so crazy.

–Bob Dylan name-drops Alicia Keyes
Sometimes, the drugs just can’t be left behind.

A hiatus diversion from my other blog and something else to do.