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POPSFrench Atomic Bomb Test Photos from 1968 Never-before-seen 40-year-old pictures of French atomic bomb tests have surfaced on the internet and they are simultaneously beautiful and terrifying. The epitome of historical human achievement and wanton destruction combined in one split-second. These are four scanned pictures of hardcopies I possess of the French nuclear test codenamed Canopus, which was fired on 24th August 1968 in the Fangataufa Atoll. The French army had those pictures taken on site. Full-size links: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 .
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POPSCaral: The first city in the New World A brief article on a stunning archaeological discovery in South America. About six years ago, Peruvian/American archaeologist Ruth Shady , introduced the "oldest city in America" to the world. It was Caral; an ancient city on the Pacific coast of Peru, with trade centers, temples and a pyramid complex not less impressive than its counterparts in Mexico and Guatemala. The most exciting thing about Caral was its age: The city was carbon dated to ca. 3000 BCE, which strongly suggested a radical change in history textbooks. All evidence show Caral was not an exception in the region and there are many more ancient towns, waiting to be discovered. Another interesting thing about Caral is, its surprisingly peaceful social order. Archaeologists found no city walls, no forts, no signs of an army and even not a single weapon in Caral. Once again, thanks to Ruth Shady for this fantastic discovery.
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POPSBush lies again Bremer said the letters prove that in May 2003 he told Bush in advance of a plan to “dissolve Saddam’s military and intelligence structures." Mr. Bremer then told Mr. Bush that he would “parallel this step with an even more robust measure” to dismantle the Iraq military. Bush wrote Bremer back a short thank you letter. “Your leadership is apparent,” the president wrote. “You have quickly made a positive and significant impact. You have my full support and confidence". Damn George, after all this time. Facts and letters and proof that you lied. Don't you just hate that? Don't they know that you are "the decider" and answerable to no one?
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POPSUS Teen: We're here. We're sexual. GET USED TO IT. So it's not just their minds that is to be ignorant? The delusion of abstinence to produce dumb breeding machines and army fodder? Do you remember how difficult it is to keep 'bad' thoughts out of your mind? The harder you try the harder it gets. I've an image of the Christian youth on his knees, blessing himself with one hand while wanking with the other. One of the most important intellectual realizations that I had was knowing that a church's god and my sex were incompatible. I've never regretted my decision. I'm just a human. Let others be mini gods.
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POPSZen Story - "Maybe"
I think this is such an important message to maintain throughout the apparent highs and lows of life. There are more Zen stories at the source.
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POPSGrand Illusion!!! The Mystery Crash
courtesy of Luxman, Luxenbourg. Hunt the Boeing! And test your perceptions! As everyone knows, on 11 September, less than an hour after the attack on the World Trade Centre, an airplane collided with the Pentagon. The Associated Press first reported that a booby-trapped truck had caused the explosion. The Pentagon quickly denied this. The official US government version of events still holds. Here's a little game for you: Take a look at these photographs and try to find evidence to corroborate the official version. It's up to you to Hunt the Boeing! Did you find the Boeing? Can you still defend the official version of events? > Well done! Remember to get in touch with master of illusion, David Copperfield. He'll be glad to hear from you! You found the official version lacking in something (like a Boeing, for example): > If you begin to question whether a Boeing really did crash on the Pentagon then, no doubt, you'll be wondering what happened to the aircraft that disappeared
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POPSPostcards from Auschwitz These photos teach us an important historical lesson: that there is no line separating humans from monsters, a single being can be both, simultaneously. Contrary to the common presumption, you do not lose your humanity simply because you dehumanize others. Even our worst enemies and the most hideous criminals are startlingly normal people. If there is a difference between the good and the bad, it must be that truly good people do not think themselves above being capable of true evil. When we lose sight of that, when we begin to presume our own righteousness, declare those who differ with us irredeemably mad or evil, and excuse our own transgressions on account of our own faultlessness, who is to say that we are any different from these people?
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POPSFunny Quotes Why is it that people never listen to what you say until it's called a quote? Enjoy.
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POPSTreating wounded soldiers like $#%$% I'm as much to blame as anyone, but i really am disappointed that the American people site by so idly while the Bush administration screws people so badly. It's great that we "disapprove" of them in polls, but when push comes to shove, we are allowing them to do whatever they want...and the results are truly sickening.
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POPSLiar? RAPED Female officer Treated 'Like A Criminal' by Army.
(CBS) Few problems have been more persistent or produced more bad news for the military than the issue of rape within its own ranks. Allegations that not enough is being done to help victims or prosecute offenders have been raised from the service academies to the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan -- where hundreds of cases of sexual assault have been reported by women in uniform. It was that revelation, plus pressure from Congress, that’s forced the Pentagon to once again examine sexual misconduct in the military – which has been done 18 times in the last 16 years. The result has been more recommendations and sweeping policy changes. "They’ve done nothing but lie to me and treat me like a criminal," says Dyer. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld says that he will have zero tolerance when it comes to sexual assault in the military. To that, Dyer says, "I don’t believe it. Zero tolerance would mean that I would not have been treated the way I’ve been treated."
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POPSVery Sobering Images of the World Today Do not look at these if you are upset real easily, because they are awful, but they are real of what's going on round the world today. Still absolutely shocking though, it should't be going on anymore! Their is enough money in the world to stop this!
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POPSThe Stick Figure Guide to Winning in Iraq As described in the article, the creator of this humorous, optimistic cartoon, a young Captain Travis Patriquin, was killed by an improvised explosive device in Iraq just last Wednesday. His creation has been circulating among the troops and, lately, across the internet. PDF version of the presentation .
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POPSIraq: From One Dictator to Another? "Over a thousand Iraqis got killed and more than that number wounded just for a game of chess between warlords," Mohammad Alwan, a lawyer in Baghdad, told IPS. "All of them call for dissolving militias while they keep militias of their own. Most of those in power in the government are militia leaders."