Various Bits

Latest National Geographic (it has Zebras on the cover) has a haunting article that you should read. It's about slavery. Modern slavery. According to the contents page: "There are more slaves today then were seized from Africa in four centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade." And don't think that it's happening only in third-world countries: "According to Kevin Bales, there are between 100,000 and 150,000 slaves in the U.S. today." Read it, and maybe wonder how people can do this to one another.

On to less painful things. The same issue of National Geographic reports that New York is phasing out subway tokens, and they'll be gone by the end of the year. Ack! I won't be able to get any for my coin collection, as there is no chance of me visiting New York before then. Oh well.

Also in that issue of National Geographic is a great article on living underwater, complete with photos of two divers operating on fish on an underwater operating table. It was right out of an Aquaman comic, let me tell you...

For a time I was showing as a "Flippery Fish" on The Truth Laid Bear Ecosystem. Very appropriate.

Mark Evanier continues to go deeper into his own little delusional world on his blog. I think I'll stop commenting on it, but go visit to see for yourself. It is really quite cool.

More good follow-up on the Blackouts in New York at Amy Langfield's New York Notebook