I read a really interesting history paper a few years ago on the Cuban Missile Crisis saying that there was one Russian sailor who is directly responsible for saving the world from Mutually Assured Destruction. Apparently when Cuba was being quarantined by the US Navy, the navy dropped a few depth charges near a Russian missile sub to try and force it to rise so they could contact it/board it/ ect. The Russians thought they were under attack and standing orders for being under attack was for the missile sub to launch all their warheads at their targets. Apparently this needs authorisation by 3 of the commanding officers. 2 of them authorised the launch, and 1 of them didn't.
That's a scary thought.
*Cue X Files music*
As for global warming, I'm always shocked at people's reluctance to build nuclear power stations (in Australia at least). There are reasonably large protests evry couple of years to try and shut down the one research reactor that we have here! Nuclear power might not be the solution, but it is at worst better than coal or oil for a majority of the world's first world nations.
Also I just realised that I don't think I have a single post about Marathon at these boards. So whoo go Marathon! Hooray!
Hooray!
