Clarion Content

Hey fearless readers, here is the latest batch of interesting, noteworthy and follow-up links.

This first one is kind of a bummer, because it is more evidence of just how lax American nuclear security has gotten. You might recall the Clarion highlighted this worry a few weeks back, when we discussed the unauthorized, accidental, flight of six nuclear weapons over the Continental United States in August. We continue to be amazed that this issue hasn't gotten more play. Now here is another incident. In this ugly case the commander of one of America's nuclear submarines had to removed. He and his crew hadn't been performing proper safety checks on their submarine's nuclear reactor for more than a month. And they had been falsifying records to cover it up. Great. The Clarion would hate to have to make "loose nukes" a subject tag. (Blogger calls them labels.)

Here is another link that is a follow-up, this one on the crummy job of covering sports ESPN is doing these days. The link is to a story by their own media ombudsman, who chronicles how ESPN over-hypes and under researches their stories. The Clarion completely agrees. ESPN is the Access Hollywood of sports. Everything is a scandal. There is a tabloid mentality. We haven't watched any of it, but word is their coverage of Philadelphia Eagles coach, Andy Reid's family's story has been woeful. Admittedly, these days, ESPN radio is no worse than many others who have imitated their model. Every day's coverage is based on how can they generate hype within the 24 hour cycle. In this mode, the sports media have aped an awful habit of the mainstream news media, tabloidization.

The Clarion has three musical links for you brought to the mill via differing threads.

The first link is a thoughtfully and artfully mixed up take on Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

The second link is a live acoustic performance by beautiful, Brazilian musician, Seu Jorge. Slap on the headphones. The sound quality is terrific and the man's voice is transcendentally rich. Perfect at moderate volume before work, or for that matter, after. The Clarion was introduced to Jorge through a co-worker and the movie The Life Aquatic. Jorge has an album due out this year.

The final musical link is courtesy of the Japanese anime Rurouni Kenshin. The link is to a performance by the funky Japanese pop band, Judy and Mary, who did among other things the theme song to the Rurouni Kenshin series. It is gloriously groovy with a deeper edge. If this clip doesn't make you want to see a live show...hint you must watch to the end. Unfortunately, occupational hazard, we missed out, the window slammed shut when the band broke up in 2001. Thankfully there is youtube. The Clarion was alerted to this link by an anime afficiando in our area.

Finally, we offer two environmentally fascinating links for your reading pleasure.

The first link is about a newly formed canyon in Texas. Or more accurately, a newly reappeared canyon, and even newly is a relative term here. Back in 2002, an overflowing reservoir in Texas scraped clean a limestone canyon hidden under thousands of years of sediment. The surge of water exposed in just three days of flooding a previously hidden canyon up to eighty feet deep in some places. Because of the amazing finds ranging from six, three-toed dinosaur footprints to hundreds of other fossils dating back over 110 million years the canyon has so far only been open to scientists. A few weeks ago it opened to the public as Canyon Lake George, ostensibly with very limited visits and careful scrutiny to limit the potentially averse environmental impacts of tourism. (Is this more worrisome in Texas?)



The final environmental link and the final link period for what has become a lengthy post, is about a previously dormant volcano coming back to life a few weeks ago in Indonesia. The volcano's name, Anak Krakatau, means Child of Krakatau. It formed in the Sunda Strait after Krakatau's legendary volcanic eruption felt worldwide in 1883. Anak Krakatau is spewing, shooting flaming rock hundreds of meters in the air. Fortunately, because of its isolated location within the Indonesian archipelago it poses no danger to the public.

Labels: ecology, ESPN, interesting links, Politics, technology, television