Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Father Of All Bombs


Tsar Bomba, nicknamed 'Big Ivan' by its makers, was the largest nuclear bomb ever built. With a yield of 50 megatons, it was 4000 times more powerful then the bomb that devastated Hiroshima.

This video shows various important aspects of the bomb, including its development at Arzamas-16, the secret Soviet nuclear weapons research facility and its transportation to the Tu-95 bomber, which was painted white for the test to reflect the heat of the blast. Several different views of the explosion are also shown, including several filmed from the air and ground alike. The last few shots are of the ground zero several days after the test.

Video source: www.atomicforum.org

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Iraqi - Pressure - Vault

From a geographic standpoint, Iraq is caught between a rock and a hard place. Its neighbors offer either pressure or non-support. Syria creates pressure by encouraging insurgent elements to freely enter western Iraq. From the east, Iran inflicts pressure on Iraq’s political institutions by funding Shiite militias. Friendly support from Iraq’s northern border has been limited by clashes between the Turkish forces and Kurdish nationalistic groups, which create a hostile environment for the two neighbors. Saudi Arabia, disappointed from what it views as a Shiite-dominated Iraq, offers no substantial help to solve Iraq’s southern issues.

The result is a ‘pressure vault’ in which a combination of pressure and non-support from Iraq’s neighbors threatens to implode the stability of the country.

Signs - of - Occupation

Before / after satellite photos of Saddam's palace in Baghdad, Iraq. Note the new parking lots, modular housing, restoration of the waterworks, and other interesting markings of new tenants in the emperor's crib.

Shiite - vs - Sunni

September, 2006. There now exists an 'arc' of domination by Shiite militias in the north of Baghdad. Sunni militias have carved out a few enclaves in Baghdad's south, and are now expanding into nearby areas. The pieces of the puzzle are slowly aligning themselves as Iraq's sectarian divide widens.

Predictions for the near future:

(1) Azamiyah is being surrounded and will eventually fall into Shiite control.

(2) The Sunnis are pursuing territorial ambitions to consolidate their control in the southern areas of Sadiyah, Dora, and Muradiyah. This will lead to a new 'river war' between the Sunni and the Shiite militias on the opposite sides of the Tigris.

(3) The growth of these 'neighborhood coalitions' will marginalize the influence of the soldiers and politicians in the Green Zone.
Baghdad Violence

History - of - Religion

How has the geography of religion evolved over the centuries, and where has it sparked wars? Our map gives us a brief history of the world's most well-known religions: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism. Selected periods of inter-religious bloodshed are also highlighted. Want to see 5,000 years of religion in 90 seconds? Ready, Set, Go!