Red Sea Wreck

It sunk in 1889. Located in the Red Sea (if you couldn't tell by the title).

My Religion

Look at this picture. You can see clouds and above them, the moon. Then above that, you can see Jupiter. It may be hard to see, but this picture represents pretty much my entire religious beliefs.

First, the reason you can see this picture in the first place is because of the color film it was taken with. The silver halide are incredibly light-sensitive. Then for the light (which passes through the glass lens). The light is made in a star, from Hydrogen fusion. It takes hundreds of thousands of years just to leave the star, then minutes to reach the Earth, Moon and Jupiter. The reason we can see those is because they reflect the light. And then there's the atmospheric diffraction that causes us to see the different colors of light in the sunset. Then you have the atmosphere, composed of Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Carbon Dioxide, and throw in a bit of water to create the clouds and the other stuff.

And then, why is the moon there? Gravity and motion, physics, chemistry, biology. The whole universe is a system of balances and imbalances, spinning into the future. And then what is the future? What is time? What is space-time?

What is this existence and what is this universe?

That question is my religion. I look at the world around me and I am amazed by all the things that I see. I am amazed that silver halide crystals react to light, I am amazed that plants go through photosynthesis, I am amazed that Jupiter and our star are both giant balls of gas, I am amazed that rocks fall when you throw them in the air, I am amazed that I myself have the power to ponder these things. This universe is full of amazing things.........................

...............................And so many more amazing things waiting to be discovered.


That is my religion.

Last of its Kind

Lancia 037, the last 2WD car to be used in Group B rally. It had a short stint of success in 1983, but it got beat out by 4WD Audi's.

But I seriously doubt Audi could ever make a car that looked this good.

Neat Military Technology Photos

Britain's earliest and newest tanks.

Post WW1. A stripped tank and an airship.

Hummel self-propelled gun.

Czech Sa.24 SMG chambered in 7.62x25mm. It used a wrap-around bolt which was copied by the Israelis to build the UZI.

Up Hill

1981 San Rémo Rally
Porsche 911 SC Eminence Alméras
Shot by Walter Röhrl

The Problem with Progress

This is the Czech ZK-383. It was produced in the late 1930s. It uses 9x19mm (9mm Para/Luger), so it's technically a sub-machine gun. However, it's built more like a squad support weapon, featuring a bi-pod and rifle-style adjustable sights. Its magazine is mounted on the left side of the gun, canted slightly downward. The gun is built more like an automatic carbine or rifle than anything else. It features quite a bit of rolled steel and machined construction, as well as a high quality stock. It was one of the best sub-machine guns of the 1930s in my opinion. Well built (although it didn't see many sales; however it did serve in the Bulgarian army until 1966 and in several South American nations).

And then we have this. This stamped-out, cheaply made thing is the post-war version of the ZK-383. It features all stamped sheet metal construction with rather cheap wood furniture. The only redeeming factor is the magazine has been moved to the bottom (better balance) and the magazine well can be rotated for easy carrying. Other than that, it's a cheaply made gun that faded into total obscurity.

This is the problem with progress in manufacturing. The cheaper you can make it the better it is for the economy, but it's not always the best decision.

On Top of the World

Any day that we go farther into space is a good day.

Virgin Galactic's Space Ship Two fired off its rocket for the first time today.