Some of it whacky

I have a problem with charlatans who steal defense dollars, who are draining the integrity of science and the credibility of our national defense. The linked article:

Pentagon Spends $78 Billion a Year on Weapons and Space Research, Some of it Whacky,

says that about 10 billion (of 78 billion) a year goes to fringe science like "gay bombs" and psychic teleportation.

In her book "Imaginary Weapons," military expert Sharon Weinberger writes that the federal government is spending taxpayer money on war technology at a pace of about $50,000 per second. -- abc news

So the tab for charlatanism is about $6,000 per second! You can buy a lot of bulletproof vests with that.

Mr. Wizard RIP

Back in the day, I could count the people I knew who had teevees on one hand. I always tried to visit when Mr. Wizard was on.

Read Marty Kaplan's remembrance.

kf mini-review: Longitude

I suppose the reason Longitude had a relatively low RT% is because it was an A&E miniseries (4 hours long), never a theatre release. Nevertheless, it is hard to imagine any population of reviewers where 1 in 5 would not approve of this work. So I just chalk it up as an aberation of low numbers (5 reviews).

This tells the story of John Harrison and his invention of a reliable way to measure longitude -- before that time navigation was pretty much a question not of if you were going to wreck but when you were going to wreck.

Michael Gambon and Brian Cox are magnificent adversaries, science against power (not unlike today in the usa).

This is the better of the 2 greatest (non-pay-TV) miniseries, Lonesome Dove being the other. Roots was good as well but has not as yet made my list. For quality, intensity, and acting Longitude is in step with The Sopranos and Deadwood.