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Many Astronomers Converged on Cairns for the Eclipse

Posted by JC Holbrook on February 13, 2013 at 12:27am

I'm editing Black Sun this morning while the fog is rolling in. I'm putting together a section on all the astronomers we met in Cairns. They are the high end eclipse chasers! They know more about the mechanics of the eclipse and what science can be done during the eclipse than everyone else. At the same time, many were not there to do science they were there to simply enjoy the eclipse! If you ever have a chance to view a total solar eclipse, make it happen. The next eclipse is this November in Africa. Photo: Jarita Holbrook & Kelvin Phillips Co-Directors in Cairns, Australia.

Deer in the Headlights.

Posted by Barry K. Nelson on February 12, 2013 at 8:13pm

It was a rainy night drive for Doctor James Morton. He used caution as he steered his red Sunfire down the wet state road 885. The heavy downpour created a chorus of distracting thumps as it came down onto his car. His eyes caught the intense flash of light in his rear view mirror. He looked into the mirror and saw the reflection of his own youthful face with his dark complexion. The flash of light was from a car that had driven up behind him with their high beams on. Almost blinding him.“Idiot,” Morton grumbled. He raised his mirror up so that the lights would not shine into his eyes. He looked to the right at the small clock built into the car’s radio. The glowing red numbers displayed the time. 12:15 A.M. Any other time Morton would not be out at this hour, driving in this rain. But tonight he had a special mission that required him to be out here at this time. A mission that was both unethical and illegal. But would earn him great rewards if he succeeded.Morton worked as a research assistant for a small company called Guardian Technologies. They were dedicated to the goal of bringing modern medicine into the 21st Century. Guardian had a staff of twelve brilliant scientific minds that were working on creating cures for the many afflictions that mankind has suffered with beyond the past century. Guardian’s star player was Doctor Albert Hanson. The brilliant head of research that Morton worked under. He was also a man that Morton disliked and envied. Hanson was working on completing the grand project that had the company’s full attention. Bacteria based nano machines that could steer the world into the field of nano medicine. Such an application would present unlimited medical benefits for mankind, as Morton knew. Hanson’s nano virus, named NV368, was the subject of Morton’s mission on this dark and rainy night. His goal was to steal a sample of it.Morton’s car approached the familiar sight of the black iron fence at the right that surrounded the Pleasant Hills Cemetery. Driving a few feet further Morton came to the road on the left, along with the large, blue sign that read, Guardian Technologies. Research and Development, in white letters. He turned left and drove a few feet down the road until he came to a small parking area at the right. It was a black surface with faded yellow lines at the left and right that formed parking spaces. Past the parking area was a eight foot high chain link fence that surrounded the one story brick building that housed the laboratory. In the daylight working hours the front and rear parking lots would be filled. At this late hour the only vehicle that Morton expected to see was the blue Ford truck that was parked at the right side of the lot. It was owned by Willie Slate, the security guard who worked the night shift.Morton parked next to Willie’s truck and got out of his car. The heavy rain soaked his black coat and grey pants. Running on this wet surface with his black shoes and their smooth, flat soles Morton almost slipped and fell before he reached the guard’s station at the right side of the fence. The small, white wooden booth with a window on it’s three sides and a door at the rear. It had just enough room to seat one person. The light from inside made the booth stand out like a lighthouse on a seashore. Sitting inside the booth was Willie Slate. The stereo typical security guard, in Morton’s view. A chubby old man past the age of sixty with glasses, thinning white hair and a white moustache. He was dressed in a black uniform with a silver badge pinned on the right side of his coat. Morton theorized that the inscription on Willie’s badge read, Senile Old Fool.Willie slid the front window open as Morton drew near. “Doctor Morton. What brings you out here? Working late?”Morton had to create an excuse to satisfy Willie’s curiosity. “I forgot my cell phone. I have to make some important calls tomorrow. Can you let me in? I‘ll be in and out.”Willie smiled. “Sure thing, Doc. The gate‘s unlocked.” He walked out from the booth and went to the gate. He pulled it open wide enough to admit Morton. Eager to get out of the rain Morton ran across another slippery, paved surface to reach the lab. He came to a grey metal door with a small window. It was locked, as Morton expected. But he was fortunate to have his own key. Morton entered the building, grateful to be out of the rain. He walked down a dark corridor with grey brick walls. The first two rooms that he passed on his left and right were administrative offices. Moving further he passed the door to a room at his left that was used for storage. At his right was the door to the bathroom. The dim light at the end of the corridor was the area of Morton’s interest. The large room that contained the laboratory and the sample of Hanson’s NV368.The room was furnished with six black counters lined into two rows. They held a variety of liquid filled beakers and test tubes held in their plastic racks. Microscopes, large box shaped electronic apparatus, and computer keyboards sitting in front of flat screen monitors. Standing against the left and right walls were metal shelves holding cardboard boxes and jars of chemicals. Morton’s destination was the table in the far right corner of the room. It held several beakers and test tubes filled with different colored chemicals. A computer keyboard and monitor. There was also a small sealed jar that contained what appeared to be a cluster of metallic blue barnacles that gave off faint white glows at their centers. Next to the jar was a small shiny metal case with a yellow light glowing through it’s glass door. Inside the case was a small glass vial filled with a green liquid. This was the object that Morton was here to obtain. NV368.Morton noticed that the computer monitor was on, displaying the image of Albert Einstein’s face. It was the screen saver that Hanson used. What idiot left this on? he wondered. He reached into his coat pocket and brought out a small vial of his own. All he needed was to take a small sample of the nano virus and a copy of it’s formula, then he would be home free.There was a ringing sound coming from his right coat pocket. He reached in and brought out his black cell phone. He looked on it’s glowing face to see who would have the nerve to call him at this time. He saw the name, Jack McCord. The head of Baxter Corporation. The man that Morton was stealing NV368 for. He pressed the talk button and spoke into the phone.“Hello? Mister McCord?”“Hello, Morton,” McCord’s cheerful voice responded. “I thought I’d call you and see how things are coming with the acquisition.”It’s coming along, sir. I’ve got everything that we need and I’m just heading out now. I should be in your office within the hour.”“Great. My lab boys are looking forward to getting their hands on this virus. We’ve got big things planned. Especially for you as my new head of research. Not to mention the bonus that we agreed upon for delivery of the goods.”“You’re too generous, Mister McCord. I want to thank you again for your offer.”“My pleasure. See you in a few.”McCord hung up. Morton put his phone back into his pocket. Then he felt the sudden touch of a hand on his left shoulder. He cried out and jumped. He turned, startled at the sight of his boss. A thin, middle aged black man with thinning grey and black hair and round glasses. He wore black loafers and pants, and a white lab coat over his grey sweater. There was a beaker with steaming hot water in his hand. This was Doctor Albert Hanson. The last person that Morton expected to see at this time.“Doctor Hanson. What are you doing here?” asked Morton. His body shaking.“I got here a minute ago and had to use the bathroom.”“I didn’t see your car parked outside.”“I’m parked in the back lot like I always do. I wanted to do a little more work on the NV368,” Hanson replied, looking to the case on the table. “I wanted to try a new approach to altering it’s molecular sequence so that we can have a better control over how it reproduces. It’s too unstable. And like a virus it spreads like wildfire in lower temperatures. That’s why we end up with these barnacles.”Hanson opened the jar containing the metal barnacles and poured the water from the beaker into it. A second later the lights shining from the barnacles faded out.Hanson placed the beaker on the table. “Just like a virus a little heat kills it. I also want to address our problem with the bioluminescence. Having our test subjects glowing is a distraction. But the healing properties are still amazing. Have you looked in at Stinky the Rat?”“No, sir.”“Go take a look. It’s amazing,“ said Hanson, pointing to the counter behind him at his left. There was a small glass case lined with a grassy bedding. Scurrying about the case was a white lab rat. A row of tiny white lights glowed along it’s back. “His spinal cord damage that we induced has completely healed. And practically overnight. His partial paralysis is gone. He’s up and about stronger than before. Just think of it, Morton. With a little more work we could actually regenerate nervous tissue and repair damaged limbs. Even repair severed limbs. All we need to do is to make the nanites more stable. But that’s enough about NV368. Let’s talk about you. What are you doing here at this hour?”Morton recycled the same excuse that he used on Willie. “I forgot my cell phone.”“You were just talking on your cell phone. You were talking to a McCord. That name sounds familiar.”“My girlfriend.”Hanson’s eyes narrowed. “Your call your girlfriend Mister?”“Only when she's in a bad mood.”Hanson raised a finger to Morton. “Wait. McCord. I know that name. McCord. Not Jack McCord of Baxter Corp, on the North Side. Were you talking to him?”Morton scratched his head. “No.”“What do you mean no?” Hanson snapped. “I heard you.”Morton gave a loud sigh. The hell with it. He’s got me. “Ok. I was talking to Jack McCord. Happy now?”“Why were you talking to him?”“Here’s the story. I made a deal with him. He wants NV368.”Hanson’s jaw dropped when he heard this detail. “He wants NV368? And you’re here to do what?”“What do you think? I’m here to get it for him?” Morton’s impatient reply.“What?”“And the formula too. That would help.”Morton leaned down to the computer keyboard and typed in the command to summon the page for the work files on NV368. The monitor turned black with a small white box in the center that asked for a password. This was no problem for Morton, since he had memorized the password after working so close to Hanson over the past few weeks. He used the mouse to click on the blank space on the box. Then he typed in the password, Resurrection. He clicked on enter. A reply came up on the box. Password invalid.“What the hell is this?” Morton asked.“I changed the password,” Hanson explained. “I thought that it would be a good idea to increase security. It appears that I made the right decision.”Morton threw his hand up in the air. “Did you get a dog too? Look, I need the password to get to the formula.”Hanson laughed. “Are you insane? Just give you my life’s work so that you can hand it over to McCord? His company makes bio weapons. NV368 was designed for medical purposes.”Morton nodded. “Yeah. I know. Bullets or bandages. But bullets pays more. Look, play ball with me and maybe McCord will make a deal with you too. You won’t believe the money that he’s willing to pay for this. I’ll put in a good word for you. So are you going to give me the password?”Defiant, Hanson put his hands on his hips. “You’ve got to be insane. Hell no!”“Ok then,” said Morton. He raised his right arm and threw a solid fist into Hanson’s face. Hanson staggered back onto a counter. Knocking over several beakers and test tubes. The sound of breaking glass filled the lab as they hit the floor.Morton rushed over and grabbed Hanson by his neck and spun him around to shove him into the wall near the table. “Give me the password!” Morton shouted.Hanson, with his face turning pale and his eyes wide with fear, let out a gasp. Then gave his reply. “Morton. You’re fired!”Morton grinned. “Like that’s going to make a difference.”He spun Hanson around and threw him back onto the counter. More glassware fell and broke. Along with the computer monitor. Hanson also fell to the floor. Screaming in a loud voice. “Help! Help! Somebody help!”“Who do you think’s going to save you?” asked a grinning Morton.The sound of a familiar voice rang through the lab. “Hello! What’s going on?”Oh damn! Willie! Morton thought. “Be right back,” Morton told Hanson. He ran over to the hallway and was met by Willie, who was holding a flashlight.“Doc. What’s going on?” Willie asked. “I heard Doctor Hanson.”“He’s ok,” Morton replied. Smiling. “He just slipped and bumped his head.”“Willie! He tried to kill me!” Hanson’s voice called out.“What?” asked Willie. Stepping back from Morton.The hell with it, thought Morton. He reached into his left coat pocket and brought out a gun. A Glock 9MM. He took a quick aim at Willie’s chest and pulled the trigger. The sound of a loud crack filled Morton’s ears. The odor of gunpowder caught his nose. Willie let out a grunt when the bullet hit him. He dropped the flashlight. Then his body fell forward and landed on top of it.Hanson’s voice cried out from behind Morton. “Willie! What’s going on?”Morton was frozen as he watched a pool of blood grow out from under Willie’s body. He had just killed the man. Morton came prepared for this possibility when he brought the gun. But earlier on the notion of killing to help achieve his goal was just an idea. Now the reality of having used the gun left him shocked. But too much was at stake. The money and the job that McCord offered him. Willie was not going to stand in his way. And neither was Hanson.Morton went back into the lab. He saw Hanson standing in front of the table. His hand was on his throat. Morton raised the gun. “What the hell were you doing?”Hanson gagged. Then leaned his head back and swallowed.“What’s your problem?” Morton inquired. He looked at the table, noticing that the cabinet was open. The vial with NV368 was gone.Morton grabbed Hanson’s collar and held the gun to his face. “Where’s the vial?”Hanson coughed. “I swallowed it,” he replied in a hoarse voice. “I need water.”“What?” Morton looked to the ceiling and screamed in a rage. He jammed the gun against Hanson’s nose. What do I do now? he asked himself. This little prick has me screwed. And I’ve got a body to get rid of. Morton thought of his options, which were few. Then an idea came to his mind. The cemetery. An ideal place to move dead bodies. Starting with Hanson’s.Morton pulled Hanson along by his collar and took him out of the building. It was still raining when they stepped out onto the parking lot and walked down the road, then crossed the road, 885 to reach the cemetery gates.“Move your ass,” Morton snapped at the lagging Hanson. He pulled the gate open and dragged Hanson into the cemetery. They stepped cover three graves before Morton threw Hanson to the wet ground. The cold rain soaked Morton’s face and flowed into his eyes as he looked about. To his right he saw a wooden shed. There were tools leaning against it’s side. A shovel, a pitchfork, an ax, and a scythe. Morton selected the ax. He walked over and put his foot on Hanson’s back. He raised the ax.“I want the password,” he shouted over the sound of the rain.Laying in a wide puddle Hanson looked up. “Kiss my ass, Morton!”“Last Chance!” said Morton. “I want the password.”“Go to hell!”Morton stepped back and stomped his foot on Hanson’s left hand. He raised the ax and brought it down. Severing Hanson’s forearm in one neat stroke. Hanson’s pained scream was louder that anything Morton had ever heard. Then he heard the sound of his cell phone ringing. He saw that it was McCord calling again.“Hello Mister McCord, sir.”“Morton. Where are you? We’re waiting here and you still haven’t shown up.”Morton needed a viable excuse. “I’m on my way, sir. But I’m stuck on the parkway. There’s construction going on. Traffic is backed up. It‘s a mess out here.”There was another scream from Hanson.“Morton. What the hell was that?”“I hit a deer sir.” Morton cursed himself for being such a bad liar.“A deer? screaming like that?”“It was a buck. They’re noisier. Look, traffic is finally moving. I have to go. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”Morton turned off his phone with the knowledge that his meeting with McCord would be much longer if Hanson did not surrender the computer’s password so that he could at least give McCord the NV368 formula. He looked down at Hanson. It was too dark for him to see the blood from Hanson’s stump flowing out to mix with the rain water. He kicked away Hanson’s severed limb and walked over to his right arm. He stood on Hanson’s fingers and raised the ax.“I want the password!” Morton shouted down at Hanson. “I‘m not playing around! There‘s too much at stake! This is your last chance!”Hanson looked up at Morton. He gnashed his teeth and growled. Then he gave Morton his final answer. “I told you to go to hell once, Morton. You go burn in hell. And I’ll be there to shovel charcoal into your mouth!”Morton looked up to the rainy sky. Then looked down at Hanson and heaved a sigh. “Ok then. Suit yourself.”Hanson screamed as Morton swung the ax down. The blade sliced through and severed his right forearm. Hanson’s next scream was even louder. Morton stepped back and kicked Hanson over onto his back. He threw the ax aside and aimed the gun. “I’m fired? No! You’re fired!”Morton squeezed off a shot, striking Hanson in the heart. A second shot hit just below the first. Hanson lay still. And to Morton’s relief quiet at last. Morton weighed the results of this night so far. He had two bodies to dispose of, then had to find some way to get into the computer and get the NV368 formula so that he can deliver it to McCord. He reached down and grabbed Hanson’s ankle. He dragged the body across the wet ground over two graves and came to a spot near the fence. Trying to ignore the chill that he felt with his rain drenched clothes, he went back to the shed and got the shovel. Morton made a quick effort to dig a hole that would be big enough to contain both Hanson and Willie. After several minutes Morton stopped digging and inspected his work. He estimated that the oblong hole was five feet deep. It had to be deep enough for two bodies because he had no more time and energy to continue.Morton dragged Hanson over and kicked him into the hole. He then ran back to the lab to drag Willie out so that he could share the grave with Hanson. Now came the tiresome chore of filling in the hole with shovels of mud and cover them up with the hope that they would never be discovered.Once Morton returned to the lab his entire body was shivering under his cold, wet clothes. But there was nothing that he could do about that now. His priority was to find a way to crack the password problem with the computer and get the NV368 formula. Morton sat down at the computer and typed in any word that he thought Hanson would use. He went through a wide mental list of possible passwords. All of which were failures. Hanson sat and typed. And continued to get failure after failure. He checked his watch. An hour passed since he started. He typed in one more word. Hansonsucks. He pressed enter. The result was the same. Password invalid.Morton threw his hands up in the air in a rage of frustration. He let out a scream. Then he aimed the gun at the monitor. I’ll threaten it. Morton told himself. Then he reconsidered. Like that will work. Morton turned and threw the gun across the room. Then he jumped as he was surprised by the sound of three loud knocks at the main door. Who the hell is that? he asked himself. Morton walked to the corridor. He stopped and his heart pounded fast and heavy when he saw twin lights shining through the window. To his mind that meant only one thing. The police!There were three knocks on the door again. Morton panicked. The police at the door. With flashlights. What are they here for? Then Morton looked to the floor at the pool of Willie’s blood. And the long red smear across the floor that he created when he dragged Willie’s body outside. Oh shit! He had meant to clean that up after he got into the computer. Then Morton heard his cell phone ringing in his pocket. He took it out and saw that it was another incoming call from McCord. He knew what McCord wanted. There were three more knocks to the door. Frantic, Morton spun around. Trying to think of what to do. Ignoring the police was not an option. They knew he was here. Running was also a bad idea. He had to confront them and try to come up with a story that they might believe. Even though Morton was still a bad liar.Ignoring his ringing cell phone, Morton went up to the door. He took a deep breath and composed himself. Then he smiled and opened the door. “Hello officers.”Morton was not greeted by two police officers wielding flashlights. Instead he opened the door to the sight of Doctor Hanson. He stood at the doorway with his face and clothes covered by mud. His lips were parted and his teeth were clenched in a cheerless grin. Spots across Hanson’s forehead and cheeks that were not covered by mud revealed patches of the same small metallic barnacles that Morton saw inside the jar on the table. They were giving off the same tiny lights, but not as strong as the lights that shined from Hanson’s eyes. Bright beams of light that shined from what seemed to be hollow eye sockets. But the most striking feature about Hanson were his arms. Morton had chopped his Human arms off. Now his right arm was replaced by a three foot long wooden pole that ended with the blade of a scythe. His left arm was replaced by a wooden pole with a pitchfork at it’s end. Both pitchfork and scythe poles were encrusted by thick globules of the small, glowing metal barnacles.Hanson did not come alone. There were other inhuman things standing behind him. Willie was here. His exposed teeth gnashing. Patches across his cheeks were covered with the barnacles. His eyes glowed like a car’s headlights. Next to him was a thing that was once a female. Dressed in a long, ragged gown that was a mix of white, marred with grey and black stains. Her skull face and glowing eyes were obscured by a tattered veil. Behind her was a man who’s decomposed skeletal form was dressed in a black suit caked with mud. Patches of withered skin across his face hung down to reveal bulging lumps of the barnacles.Morton was so filled with fear that he was speechless. Unable to even breathe. He backed away as Hanson took slow steps towards him. His muddy feet hitting the floor with heavy thumps. Morton turned to run, then he slipped and fell to the floor. Landing on his face. Morton held his nose as pain stabbed through his head. His cell phone was still ringing in his pocket. It was starting to annoy him. He looked back to see that he had slipped on the pool of Willies’ blood that he neglected to clean up. He was about to rise when Hanson raised his scythe arm and brought the blade down onto his right ankle. Morton cried out as the blade penetrated his sock, flesh and bone with a moist crunch.Hanson used the blade to pull the struggling Morton back. He pulled the blade out from Morton’s ankle and brought it down again on his right thigh. Morton screamed again. Thoughts of death flashed through his mind. He had to escape this walking dead thing and it’s companions. Hanson pulled the blade out of Morton’s thigh. That was when Morton made a frantic effort to crawl forward. With his right leg burning with pain he managed to climb to his feet and limp back into the lab. He kept moving until he reached the other side of the room. He turned and looked back at the corridor. He heard the thump sounds of the creatures slow footsteps and saw the multiple beams of light from their eyes. They were coming for him.Morton panicked as he wondered what he could do. He received little comfort when his cell phone stopped ringing. He leaned against the wall as the pain from his bleeding wounds made his right leg feel weaker. He could feel his shoe filling with blood. The gun! he thought. If only he had not thrown it away. There was no time to look for it now. He turned to his left, remembering the emergency exit. Holding onto the wall he limped forward to the far corner and came to the grey door with the word, Exit, painted in red letters. Morton pushed the door open and limped down a dark corridor for a few feet until he reached another door.Morton stepped outside and was greeted by a downpour of cold rain in his face. He looked about to see that he stumbled from one trap to another. He was closed in by the tall fence that surrounded the property. His only avenue of escape was the front gate. Then to his car. Morton turned and stumbled forward while hoping that Hanson and the other zombies did not cut him off. As he passed the main door to the building he could see the lights from their eyes glowing through the window. They’re coming! he thought.Almost dragging his right leg behind him, Morton pushed himself to move faster until he passed through the main gate and headed for his car. He opened the driver’s side door and sat down. He struggled to pull his keys out of his pocket. Then he received a shock when he saw that the ignition and lower part of the steering column was covered by a thick layer of the glowing metal barnacles.“Dammit!” Morton cried. He clawed at the barnacles with his hand but they were as solid as a sheet of steel. With the ignition sealed up using the car and driving off was no longer an option. This has to be Hanson’s doing, Morton told himself. His only chance now was to get out of the car and keep running. He crossed the parking lot and limped down the road. He looked back to see the groups of lights from the zombie’s eyes. They were still after him. Morton kept moving. He crossed the road and entered the cemetery. That was when he stopped and thought, Coming here is a really bad idea. Chased by zombies and you run to a cemetery? Then he wondered what to do next. He looked to the fence several feet away and noticed a gate. A way out. He looked back and could still see the lights pursuing him. Morton had to move.With his leg still aching Morton charged forward and reached the gate. He opened it and kept going, moving across a field of tall grass. In the distance he saw two houses. His salvation was there. He could seek refuge in one of them. They were only a few yards away. He hoped that he would not bleed to death before he reached them. As Morton approached the first house he stumbled and fell on his face. For a minute he lay on the cold ground, gasping for air while inhaling drops of rainwater with each breath. Then he blacked out. When he regained consciousness he rose and looked up at the house. That was when his jaw dropped. The dark, three story house, with it’s broken out windows was abandoned. Looking at it’s right the second house was in the same condition. Morton’s hope of refuge and rescue were now dead.Morton heard a squishing sound come from behind him. Like wet footprints. He turned and saw Hanson and the other zombies advancing upon him. They were only six feet away. Hanson raised his scythe arm, ready to strike. Morton scrambled to his feet and bolted for the house. He ran up onto the creaking boards of it’s wooden porch and was at least grateful to see that the front door was ajar. He ran into the house, finding himself in a large empty room with brown, dead leaves littered across it’s floor. There was a staircase at the left. Morton ran up the stairs and found himself on the second floor. He was in a short hallway. At the far left was the open door to a bathroom. He could see the edge of a white bathtub. At the right of the bathroom was the door to a room. There was the doorway to an empty room in front of him. And one at the far right of the hallway. Morton headed to the right, desperate to find a place to hide. The third door that he came upon was to another empty room. But behind him on the opposite side of the hallway was another door. Morton pulled it open and found a dark stairway. Then he heard a noise coming from down stairs. The heavy thump of footsteps on the front porch. He knew who that was. With nowhere else to go Morton dashed up the stairs.On the third floor of the house Morton found himself in a dark room that had very little light shining through the broken out window near the stairs, and at the wall on the right side of the room. In the center of the wall up ahead was a door. Morton limped forward and pushed the door open. He entered a dark, empty room with a closed window on the wall at the other side. He turned to the right corner of the room and saw a door. He limped to the door and opened it. It saw a small closet with two wire clothes hangers hooked to a wooden pole at his eye level. Morton heard a noise coming from downstairs. Then the faint sounds of footsteps. Several footsteps. Moving slow but growing louder as they drew near. Morton panicked. He gagged, swallowing a mouthful of saliva that went down his trachea by accident. He limped over to the door to this small room. His shaking hands pushed the door shut. Then he darted into the only hiding place available. The closet.Morton kneeled down under the pole. He mentally scolded himself. This is so damn stupid. This is stupid. I’m trapped here. Where the hell was I going to go? This is stupid. He shut the door as he listened to the thump of footsteps making their slow climb up the staircase below. Morton’s entire body was shivering. Not from the cold, but from fear. Maybe Hanson won’t find me. Maybe he’ll get tired of looking and give up. Maybe he’ll go away and go look for some teenagers to eat. That’s how these things work in the movies. Morton listened to the sound of the footsteps. They stopped on the second floor. Then they resumed. They grew louder. Closer. Their sound was now at the door to the third floor stairs.They’re not going away! Morton’s frantic mind told him. They’re not going away! Maybe Hanson isn’t that pissed at me. Maybe I can talk to him. Maybe I can apologize. The thump of the footsteps grew louder.I’m sorry that I cut off your arms. I’m sorry that I shot you twice. Yeah. Just tell him that you’re sorry.Morton wondered how all this could have happened. Then he thought back to when Hanson had swallowed the vial that contained the nano virus, NV368. Was it possible that when he shot Hanson a bullet shattered the vial and released NV368? And did Morton spread the nano virus when he dragged Hanson’s bleeding, dead body across the graves in the cemetery, then burying Hanson with Willie? And would he have avoided all this trouble by simply staying home tonight?The thump of the footsteps had now reached the third floor.Morton’s thoughts grew incoherent through fear. Maybe I can apologize to Willie too. Sorry that I shot you, Willie. But I let you off easy compared to Hanson. Sorry, Willie. But what about the others? I don’t know them. What did I do to get them pissed? What the hell do I say? Sorry I didn’t come to your funerals?Then Morton listened as the footsteps came to the room’s door. He stopped thinking. Even stopped breathing when he heard a faint creak of the door’s hinges as it opened. The footsteps were louder now as they approached the closet door. There was the sound of the doorknob turning. The trembling Morton sat and stared at the darkness before him. He did not want to face what was about to open the closet door. But there was no escape. He felt like a deer caught in the headlights of a truck. Several trucks that were about to run him down in the middle of the road. One after the other.

Way of the Bluegrass...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on February 12, 2013 at 3:29pm

Brian Carter knows how important it is for his son, Adante, to get a good education. Half of Kentucky’s African American males score below the basic level in math, and he doesn’t want Adante to be one of those. To provide a challenging environment and prepare Adante for a rewarding career later in life, Brian enrolled him in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Academy.

United Way of the Bluegrass partnered with First Bracktown Inc., University of Kentucky, Fayette County Public Schools and the JP Morgan Chase Foundation to create the STEM Academy. Adante and 39 other middle school males attend weekly out-of-school programming with STEM focused activities.

And, it’s working. Seventy percent of STEM Academy students have improved their overall grades. These amazing results prove all children can succeed in school.

“Any program that supports the future of our children is important,” says Brian. “Having a program like this is beneficial to both the kids and society as a whole.”

"These first years set the stage not just for school, but for life."

Site: STEM Academy | United Way of the Bluegrass

By George...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on February 12, 2013 at 3:26pm

Scientific American: Why Hasn't the Whole Universe Collapsed into an Enormous Black Hole?

Women and STEM...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on February 11, 2013 at 8:29am

Sixty-five African-American middle-school girls from the Dallas Independent School District will visit the UT Dallas campus this Saturday to walk on a liquid and solve a “whodunit” using fingerprint analysis.

The activities are part of a STEM academy called “Passport to STEM,” a half-day workshop aimed at fostering girls’ interests in science, engineering, technology and math (STEM).

Held at UT Dallas and sponsored by the Dallas Chapter of The Links Inc., the STEM academy session includes an experiment using a mixture of cornstarch and water, which forms a so-called “non-Newtonian” fluid. It pours like a liquid, but behaves like a solid when force acts upon it, such as stepping on it. The girls also will meet with professional women in STEM-related careers, as well as network with female graduate students who are pursuing STEM degrees.

“This is a great opportunity for these girls to gain exposure to both academic and professional opportunities in STEM fields,” said Felecia Pittman, professional development associate with UT Dallas’ Center for STEM Education and Research. The center is partnering with The Links and coordinating the curriculum for the event.

“We hope that the girls will develop connections with some of our female students who could serve as mentors or role models,” she said.

Photo: A STEM academy session allows girls to meet with professional women in STEM-related careers, as well as female graduate students who are pursuing STEM degrees.

UT Dallas: Middle-School Girls to Get Taste of Science at STEM Academy

Rex in Effect...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on February 11, 2013 at 8:24am

With working organs and a realistic face, the world’s most high-tech humanoid made his debut in London yesterday and will be a one-man show at the city’s London Science Museum starting tomorrow.

The robot goes by Rex (short for robotic exoskeleton) or Million-Dollar Man (because that’s how much it cost to build him). Rex looks somewhat lifelike in that he has prosthetic hands, feet and a face modeled after a real man. That man is Swiss social psychologist Bertolt Meyer, who himself has a prosthetic hand. Such technology is now becoming more widely available to the general public.

But where Rex really breaks new ground is his suite of working organs. The team of roboticists, called Shadow, that created Rex incorporated various individual body parts built in labs all over the globe. He acts as a sort of showcase to demonstrate the human organs that are currently being built in the lab and what they can do.

Rex has a heart that beats with the help of a battery, and eyes that actually kind of see: Rex’s glasses send images to a microchip is his retina, which in turn sends electrical pulses to the brain, forming shapes and patterns. But the roboticists didn’t even try to tackle the complexity of the human brain this time.

Rex’s fist-sized dialysis unit works like a real kidney, and his mock spleen can filter infections from his “blood.” This filtering function could eventually be extremely helpful in a human, but Rex’s mock-circulatory system pumps a synthetic blood that is immune to infection.

Rex’s creators say he is the most complete bionic man to date.

Discovery Magazine: Bionic Man Has Fully Functional Mechanical Organs

Afro-Futuristic Vision #33 - Say Goodbye to Miss Laura – Django Unchained

Posted by Djadja N Medjay on February 10, 2013 at 4:18pm

Afro-Futuristic Vision #33 - Say Goodbye to Miss Laura – Django Unchained

Why do I always do things after all the hoopla and hype has everyone plugged in when they should be giving all their energy to early day physical exercises and spiritual work. I don’t know. Could be that when anyone jumps on a trend I look to go the opposite direction.

DJANGO UNCHAINED – SHANGO UNCHAINED

Quentin Tarratino’s film style has always been interesting to me, a homage to the old 42^nd Street Movie theatres that showed 3-4 Kung-Fu Features and Street Vigilante Flicks while thick billowy clouds of Marijuana entered the lungs of the old and young. Who can say, if most attendees actually enjoyed these flicks or were just zoning in another world.

Quentin always had an interesting way of casting unsuspecting individuals who eventually take the lead in the course of the movie. Django was no different.

You can tell that he would eventually go the Western route since his cameo appearance in Sukiyaki Western Django, which was directed by Takashi Miike. Quentin played Piringo who ‘edifies a group of bandits about an old rivalry between two bitter Japanese clans, before dispatching the bandits in a brief, but violent shootout.’ http://www.metacafe.com/watch/mv-nvyQc/sukiyaki_western_django_piringos_story/

My review of Django will be based solely on my perspective as an Afro-Futurist (who is somewhat reclusive) and views the world from a dynamic of Tao and Nubian principles of energy progression. Keeping in mind, that Tarratino can only produce films from his own point of view on life and cannot be held responsible to give a full accurate perspective of our world. Although, I thought Django was very close to my AF standards.
While a majority of movie-goers were outraged with the racial slurs and epithets within the movie, there was not a surge of abandoning any form of current activity which may reflect what Europeans have labeled as slavery. Folks still went to Whole-Foods, Mickey D’s, Duane Reade, called themselves Vegan or Vegetarian, used I-Phones, voted, downloaded on Kindle, watched YouTube and more importantly watch the modern form of Mandigo Fighting (Football, Basketball and so forth). There was no dramatic drop in sports gambling, purchase of merchandise/ paraphernalia and tailgate parties.

No one abandoned the American Way of Life over the 100x Nigger was called out in Django, which would have been a bigger testament to opposing the use of the word. Nor was there a sudden increase in sales and downloads of Spike Lee’s Movies since he was the one that really bought it to our attention.

But hey, External Science is a helluva drug….

Now we got that out the way, Django…

Opening images of men in bondage walking on a chain-gang through all manner of weather. Powerful image. Since most of the world is genetically mixing in with each other physically and language-wise. We are currently in an age where that time in the Life-Story of Europeans and respectively Afrikans/Nubians, has been wiped out with elections and over-the-top episodes of Family Guy. But for me, the image of Django and the men walking in bondage, caused me to recognize that we never went through Slavery. At least not according to our own words. We were and still are used to refine mental and physical commodities by a group of individuals whose spiritual maturity is lacking. And somewhere along the line we believed and adapted the word, slavery, that was used by these individuals to describe our experience. SLAVERY IS THEIR TERMINOLOGY.

I don’t know how you watch a film, but I always watch a film as it relates to me as DjaDja, my culture and my place in this universe. I do not look for politics, economics, pop-culture or any of the other things that fill this Life-Bubble with random expressions of bottled repressed energy.

At this point, watching the film became an experience of my senses and AF reasoning plugged into the experience of Django. Most of the dialogue at this point was at a minimum and when we did here a voice, it was from one of the ‘slavers’, and his energy immediately opened the theme for others characters who shared his views…that energy being ignorance. It allowed us to see into the mentality of those certain people at that time period. At this point, it would appear that the men in captivity were surrounded by alien beings who knew little to nothing about the spirit of the land around them and less about the function of language and its overall energy. With the exception of Dr. Schultz, every time a European in this movie spoke, it came from the space of a very warlike energy; regardless if the manner of speech was with eloquent words and mannerism.

When Django was given the opportunity for mercenary work, he accepted as a way out of his current plight. Mercenary work is an age-old career, however, it may have been under different names dependant on the culture, the underlying energy of it is still the same. Django’s ‘freedom’ was accomplished by barter and trade hastened by the blood splattering of horse and man alike.Django tosses off the clothes of what the Europeans called Slavery; almost naked true to his essence for a split second. The most real and connected a man can be. Once the paperwork was accomplished, Django took the clothes of one of the men who held him in bondage since that man’s contract with this world was rapidly expired by Dr. Shultz’ gun. Taking of the clothes can be seen as taking on the identity in rouse while remaining true to oneself. It you noticed, the wind special-effect chimed in when Django removed his rags, the wind representing Shango…this was the time of Django’s transformation within the night-air, receiving Shango.

Throughout the movie, all 2 hours and 45 minutes of it, we are given over to unsanitary conditions, not so much in dealing with the Nubians in bondage, but more so within the world of Europeans living in this area of the world. Although dressed with frou frou material possessions, we get an undercurrent feeling of stench and uncleanliness.

I will not speak for others, nor force my opinions on them, but for me, clearly two worlds were running parallel, one of European Slavery Concept and the other of Django view of being thrust into a world of treachery, greed and lust. Too often, a film is based on the views of a Euro-centric nature when dealing with African-Americans (Afrikan/Nubian Descendents/Ascendents) storylines, although this was no exception…it was. In my opinion, saying that we were slaves is taking on the European view to explain our condition, rather than just using the Euro-Verb ‘Enslavement’ the actual action and not the word ‘Slave’ which is the identity.

As things progressed, it was apparent that the true savages were those who used the word Nigger like a second breath, or maybe that was the point…to be like the Nigger they could never be…

It is interesting that even German, Dr. King Schultz, was offended by his slack-jawed country backward cousins. Possibly his role represents the Europeans looking to remove themselves from that mentality or maybe they are just playing along…

I can go on and on about all the metaphysical symbolism and the cast of spells throughout the film but I won’t...

I will however, point out the areas that were of particular interest to me.

Clothing – Django’s clothing constantly evolved through the course of film. From rags to the powder blue satin colonial Mason suit to the rugged western land baron suit. Not only did the material change but it also reflected his attitude. While remaining true to his mission and his essence, the uniform changed in order to infiltrate and be taken seriously (in the context of how one expresses oneself for clarity as well as maintaining one’s camouflage—not for the purpose of changing someone’s mind so that they will respect you). At the end, his attire was well-managed and orderly, this reflected his ability to master the language of the people in this land as well as their mannerisms and customs...still remaining true to himself.
Finally at the end of the film, we see Django dressed in the colors of Shango and his mannerism enhanced by the spirit that dwells within him. “I didn’t know Burgundy was my color.”

Whipping – By far, the whipping scene was so realistic to me. If you are going to submit your torturer to the same hostility he imposed on you and there is no one with a sutra or Buddha chant around…by all means…make sure to put your whole body into it and get out all your frustration…purify your liver and toss the whip like a mic at the end of it. Make sure to spread your fingers of your free hand for balance and supreme cocking mechanism. Do not think of Indy at all. Do it right next to the tree that your brethren were whipped on and change the course of energy for that area. This scene reminded me of the Nasuwt (Ruler) Narmer from Kemet (Egypt) when he took the heads of the Hyksos/Haribus. Also, the scene seemed to symbolize the taking back of sacred teachings that’s been coveted by certain groups…the reclaiming of self from self. Dressed in a colonial suit and whipping on the colonizer shows a role reversal. One can only be a servant by giving yourself over. Towards the end of this scene we clearly see the Ka position (which is the position of the spiritual self and the utilization of space for creativity) held by Django when he and Dr. Shultz hold their hands up. This happens once more towards the end when Django gives up and throws off his coat (once again the wind special effect follows in; showing the exit of Shango’s spirit) then places his hands in the Ka position. Although it can be seen as surrender, actually it was Django manipulating the space and shedding a role of Shango in order to throw off his enemies. Now that they seen no threat because of the absence of Shango they lowered their guards.

StoryTime – In the scene where Dr. Shultz explains the explaination of Broomhilde’s name, we see Django sitting holding his knees listening and curious about the tale the way a child would be. This same position is down throughout the world during storyteller time and is also a meditative posture to enter the unconscious. This was another way for Django to build the energy within himself to commit to his mission. Another way to bring forth the Shango essence as well Heru consciousness.

It takes place again when Django sat in the akimbo posture and explained to his transporters from Le Quint about a bounty they could partake in exchange for his freedom. He uses the gift of speech to lull them into lowering their guard. Then they ‘cut-him-loose’ (Django Unchained). And gave him a firearm…iron. Once that happened, Shango (related to metal weaponry) was re-kindled and it was on. Bringing thundering sound from the pistols and explosive Dynamite, Django appears from out a cloud dc%20DC%20Comics%20Shango of smoke, cleans himself with water (a conduit to the spirit world) and is about his way. At the appearance of Metal…Django became Shango.

Visions of BroohHilde as Orishas – Throughout the film, Broomhilde appears as a many different Orishas before Django got to her. One time between within the woods as Oshun dressed in all Yellow. And another time as Yemaya (Orisha of Sea and Rivers) djangokerrywashington when Django was bathing, this was another initiation into the spirit world and preparation for battle.

More importantly, this is one of the only movies where a Nubian couple were re-united and supported one another. Where a Nubian Man held a woman in his arms. This was a film about remembering our internal technology and how that ability works with the unification of man and woman. They destroyed the house that symbolized control and left out the Pylons never to return. Pylon or gateways in front of buildings hold the program of the residence.

Django proceeded to draw a new sphere of life with his horse and then walked slowly out its shell, symbolizing new life…it you see it this way…otherwise…this was a period slavery film to those that accept slavery is the correct way to explain that condition.

“NOW ALL YOU BLACK FOLKS, I SUGGEST THAT YOU GET AWAY FROM ALL THESE WHITE FOLKS.”

Meaning move back into your own perspective of thought.

“BYE MISS LAURA.”

Say GoodBye to your trained way of thinking which breeds the imaginary view of dichotomy.

And as we know from Dr. Shultz…Bye is Bye….not see you later….

Return to Internal Technology….

Rise in Excellence,

DjaDja N Medjay

Built In Africa...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on February 10, 2013 at 7:22am

African physicists build the first laser with a beam that can be controlled and shaped digitally

TECHNOLOGY REVIEW: Lasers are one of the emblematic technologies of the modern world. The chances are that most readers will be less than a metre away from a laser of some kind as they read this. Lasers fill our world.

In principle, they are simple devices. They consist of a couple of mirrors, a source of energy, usually light, and a lasing cavity in which the light can bounce back and forth.

The trick is to fill the lasing cavity with a material known as a gain medium which amplifies at a specific frequency when stimulated by light of another frequency. When this amplified light is directed out of the cavity, using a half-mirror, it forms a narrow beam of coherent light of a single specific frequency–a laser beam.

For many applications, the shape of this beam– the way the light intensity varies across the beam–is important.

But because these devices are essentially bolted on to the front of a laser, they all require expensive custom optics that have to be calibrated each time they are changed.

Today, however, Sandile Ngcobo at the University of KwaZulu–Natal in South Africa and few buddies, say they’ve worked out a way round this. And they've designed and built a device to test their idea.

The solution is simple. Instead of putting a spatial light modulator in front of the laser, they’ve built one in to the device, where it acts as the mirror at one end of the cavity. In this way, the spatial light modulator shapes the beam as it is being amplified.

Physics arXiv: The digital laser

Young, Gifted, the Future...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on February 10, 2013 at 7:00am

(The Root) -- At The Root, we believe that Black History Month is not just a time to reflect on the past; it's also a time to look forward. There's no better way to honor our ancestors than to highlight the success their hard work has wrought -- embodied in the accomplishments of our young people.

That's why every year, The Root embarks on a nationwide search for 25 of the brightest African-American innovators between the ages of 16 and 22 for our annual Young Futurists list. We look for students and recent graduates who are making waves in the fields of business, green innovation, social activism, science and the arts and who use their talents to make the world a better place.

The Root: Bright Future: 25 Young Black Innovators

Ghost Town.

Posted by Barry K. Nelson on February 9, 2013 at 9:48pm

(If you've seen and wasted your money on the movie, Cherynobol Diaries, here's how I would have played it out.)Police officer Yuri Ivanovitch held a firm grip on the steering wheel as he drove his car down the dark road deep within the rural areas of the Ukraine. His car’s head lights cut through the darkness to reveal the yellow painted line in the middle of the road and the black police car driving in front of his own. There was also endless rows of tall weeds and trees along both sides of the road. For a quick moment he took his left hand off the steering wheel to lift the front of his black visor hat and scratch an itch on the top of his head. He felt his skin overheating under his black uniform. He then reached over and rolled down the driver’s side window a few inches to let some cool air into the hot stuffy car.He looked over at his partner, Alexi Stravinski. A thin bodied, spectacled man in his late thirties. Alexi was sound asleep with his arms folded against his chest and his head leaning against the passenger’s side window. Alexi went to sleep at the start of the three hour drive from their precinct at Kriosk Yuri and Alexi were summoned in the middle of their night shift, along with two other officers, to drive to a most unique location. The long abandoned city of Prypiat.Driving along this stretch of road Yuri and his escort encountered no other vehicles. The road to Prypiat was restricted to most traffic. Prypiat neighbored the also abandoned city of Chernobyl. The home of the infamous nuclear reactor disaster that took place on the 26th of April, 1986. When a series of explosions ruptured the nuclear vessel within the reactor and released a massive plume of radioactive gas that spread across most of Central Europe. After the accident Prypiat’s entire population of 48,000 were evacuated. Leaving the deserted city to decay as it stood frozen in time. Nature began to reclaim the land. Tall weeds grew up from the cracked pavement and sidewalks. The long neglected buildings are now weather worn and crumbling. And yet, after the huge disaster that took place twenty four years ago Yuri was amazed to learn that some idiots from a misguided American company was trying to organize guided tours into parts of Prypiat.The silliest thing that I’ve ever heard of, was Yuri’s opinion of the whole idea. It would be considered one of the biggest jokes in the Ukraine if it were not for the fact that all contact with the guards stationed at the south road checkpoint, and the two representatives of the American company went dead two days ago. That was the reason why Yuri and the other officers were dispatched to the area. Their mission was to find out why there was no reply from the guards.I know why there’s no reply from those idiots. They all got bored so they’re either asleep or boozing it up someplace, Yuri theorized. He was not thrilled about having to make a three hour drive just to roust some drunken fools from their sleep. But orders were orders.The lead car slowed down in front of an eight foot tall chain link fence that was erected across the road. At the left side of the road the fence stood tall. But on the right side it was reduced to twisted and torn segments laying across the ground. Also, at the right side of the road near a group of trees was the remains of the small white guard house where the officers ate and slept. It was now a pile of flattened lumber scattered across the ground.What the hell happened here? Yuri asked himself. He now began to think that the situation was more serious than checking up on a few drunken slackers.The two cars drove over the fallen fence and into the city. They now traveled across a road that had cracked, uneven pavement and was infested with tall sprouting weeds. And there seemed to be dozens of large, circular depressions scattered everywhere. The cars weaved left and right to try and avoid them. As they passed a group of decaying two story houses at both sides of the road Yuri noticed several tall trees standing among them. Some that he could see were at least twenty five feet tall. Many were taller. With massive trunks that had multiple branches sticking out like rigid arms and ending in sharp, jagged points. The ground near the trees was torn up as if explosions had taken place. But the most striking feature about these trees were their leaves. They were all larger than normal. Many appearing to be at least four feet wide.Yuri was so amazed at this sight that he had to share it with Alexi. He reached over and shook Alexi’s shoulder. “Wake up. Wake the hell up. We’re here. You have to see this.”Alexi groaned as he began to stir. “What the hell do you want?” he grumbled. His eyes still closed.“Look at the trees. The leaves.”Alexi opened his eyes. Gazing back at Yuri. “Leaves? You woke me up for that? You never saw leaves on a tree before?”“Not like this. These are as big as bed sheets.”“What do you expect? The trees were soaked in radiation,” Alexi explained as he sat up. “I’ve seen photos of trees with these giant leaves taken after the American Three Mile Island disaster.”Yuri pondered this detail. But was still amazed. “So if radiation can do that to trees then what else can it do.”Alexi laughed. “You’ve been watching too many of those American TV shows.”The police cars passed by several other cars that were parked at the side of the road. They were rusted hulks coated with dirt and surrounded by tall weeds. Then both cars stopped in the middle of an intersection. The lead car parked in front of a police car that bore heavy damage. All of it’s tires were flat. Every window was broken out. The bar lights on top of the car were shattered. Large holes were ripped into the driver’s side door.As Yuri stopped to park the shape of a large black animal charged out from the other side of the damaged police car and headed for the left, across the intersection. Yuri jumped in his seat at the sight of this creature. “Was that a bear?”“Sure as hell was,” replied Alexi.Yuri turned the key to shut off the engine. He was apprehensive about getting out of the car with the knowledge that there might be more bears lurking about. Coming prepared to search dark empty buildings he and Alexi took out the flashlights that they had brought from the glove compartment, then got out of their car. The two other officers in the lead car also got out. Both shining flashlights. From the passenger’s side was Boris Zovanoff. A six foot tall man in his late twenties. He had a thick, black moustache. Carrying his hat in his hand allowed him to display his shaved head. From the driver’s side emerged the officer in charge of this mission. As well as Boris’ close friend. Sergeant Ivan Brintznev. Another tall man in his twenties. He had uncombed, bushy black hair. The prominent white sergeant’s stripes stood out on the upper sleeves of his black uniform jacket. He and Boris put their hats on and walked over to the wrecked police car.Yuri knew Ivan quite well. And hated him. A young officer just two years on the job. Not even out of his twenties and he’s promoted to sergeant. Of course it was no secret that Ivan’s uncle, Captain Brintznev, helped him along. Yuri had worked at the precinct for six years and expected to be promoted to Sergeant. Only to loose the position to this young newcomer. That did not sit well with Yuri.Ivan and Boris walked along the side of the wrecked car. Then they looked about the surroundings. “Holy hell. Looks like this whole area went through a soccer riot,” said Ivan.Yuri and Alexi approached the car. Yuri looked about. “Looks like a battle took place here. The way the ground is torn up. The damage to this car. And the guard house back there.”“Something serious went down here,” said Ivan. “At first I was thinking that there might have been a problem with illegal squatters or looters. But this damage goes beyond that.”“So what now?” asked Yuri.“That’s obvious. We conduct our investigation and find out what happened to the missing guards.”“Good thing we came prepared with the heavier weapons,” said Boris.Ivan walked over to the back of his car. He took his keys out of his pocket and opened the trunk, then reached in and brought out one of the heavier weapons that Boris mentioned. A fully automatic AK-47 assault rifle. Ivan handed one to Boris as he approached. Yuri walked over and was next to take one. After surveying this battle damage he felt more secure wielding a weapon more powerful than the 9 MM pistol holstered at his side.Ivan stepped away from the car and issued his orders to Yuri and Alexi. “You two take a look around. Try not to get eaten by bears. Boris and I are going to take a look at the guard house. Or what’s left of it.”Lead by the beam of their flashlights, Boris and Ivan headed down the street. Yuri looked around at the rows of abandoned houses and buildings to his left, right, and forward. All shrouded in an ominous darkness.“So now we search. Which way?” asked Alexi.Yuri pointed his gun barrel straight ahead. “North.”Yuri and Alexi made their slow trek down the middle of the deserted road while shining their flashlights left and right. Yuri received an eerie feeling as he passed by the rusting, dust covered cars that were left at both sides of the street. And beyond the cars were the houses. All surrounded by waist high vegetation. A few of them had broken out windows and doors left wide open. All of them left empty for the past twenty four years.Yuri turned his flashlight to a tree that stood in a front yard. It was taller than the two story house behind it. He walked over to take a closer look, stepping over large chunks of dirt as the ground at the tree’s roots was torn apart. At the left and right of the tree were more of the large holes. What did this? he thought. Somebody fighting with grenades? Dynamite? He moved his flashlight’s beam up along the tree’s thick trunk. There were long streams of dried sap running down along it’s trunk. Yuri poked his finger onto the sap. It was sticky. He brought his finger to his nose and sniffed. The sap had a faint aroma resembling honey. Yuri looked up to the tree’s long, multiple branches. All decorated with the huge leaves that looked as though they were large enough to cover a table. These branches also ended in sharp jagged points.Alexi walked over to Yuri. “Are you on a nature study?”“I still can’t get over how big these leaves are,” Yuri told him.“So then grab a few and take them home with you,” replied Alexi. Tugging on Yuri’s arm. “Let’s go before Ivan comes back and starts bitching about us slacking off.”Yuri and Alexi continued walking down the road in their search for the unknown enemy that might be hiding and peering at them from behind the dirty windows of the many houses that they were passing.Alexi stopped. “Hold up. I have to go to the bathroom.”Yuri looked back at Alexi in disbelief. “Now? We’re in the middle of a search.”“I’ve been sitting in that damn car for three hours. What do you expect?” Alexi looked around at the row of houses at his right. He walked towards a house that had large sections of it’s white paint chipped away from it’s wooden frame. The front door, in between two broken windows was wide open.“Where the hell are you going?” Yuri asked. “You can’t go here?”“I’d rather have a little privacy,” Alexi’s testy reply. He headed for the door.“This is stupid. We should stay together,” Yuri pleaded to Alexi. Only to be ignored.Alexi entered the house.“This is stupid,” Yuri grumbled to himself. “This whole town might be crawling with armed terrorists and he wants to use some dusty bathroom because he’s touchy about a little privacy.”Yuri turned away from the house. His flashlight’s beam moved across the row of houses across the street. Then he heard a noise. The faint sound of clanking tin cans. Yuri trained his light on the houses as he took a step closer. He heard the noise again. It came from between two houses straight ahead.“Who’s there?” Yuri cried out. Holding his machine gun ready he moved in closer.Walking in between the two houses Yuri dismissed the source of the noise as a small animal foraging about in a trash bin. But he had to be sure. The weeds in between the houses were knee high. But in spite of this, Yuri was able to spot something strange laying on the ground. With caution, Yuri stepped closer. He let out a surprised gasp as he discovered that the object was a human skeleton. He could make out the skull laying next to it’s arm. Both had a brownish tint. The rest of the skeleton was covered by a sheet of brown material that reminded Yuri of a spider’s web.A spider’s web? Yuri thought as fear flooded his mind. He touched his foot against part of the web and found that it was indeed sticky. He conjured images of the American science fiction movies that he once saw. The ones that featured giant mutant insects created by radiation. He conjured the fresh images of the wrecked police car and the guard house. Then he conjured images of himself hanging upside down in a giant spider’s web as the hairy monster creeps closer. Ready to sink it’s sharp fangs into his flesh.Then Yuri’s flashlight went out. Being stuck in the dark he panicked. Dammit! Lousy cheap thing! He shook the flashlight hard to try to get it working again. Then up ahead he heard the clanking sound again. Yuri followed his next instinct, turn and run.Yuri put the flashlight in his back pocket, then ran back to the front of the house that Alexi went into. In the darkness the house was looking far more ominous. From the open front door he saw no beam from Alexi‘s flashlight. “Alexi!” Yuri shouted. “There’s something out here! I found something! Alexi!”Yuri watched and waited. There was no reply.“Alexi!”With no desire to venture into the dark house, Yuri’s options were few. His only course of action now was to return to the intersection and try to locate Ivan and Boris. Taking heavy breaths, Yuri ran through the darkness. As he neared the intersection he noticed a beam of light pointing towards the sky. As he drew closer he could see a person standing in front of Ivan and Boris’ car. It was Boris. Standing still while holding his hands up.“Boris!” Yuri cried out. He stopped a few feet away. Becoming suspicious. “Boris. What’s going on?”Boris said nothing. Then Yuri was startled by a man wearing a dark coat who sprang up from behind Boris while aiming an AK-47. “Don’t move!” he shouted.Yuri’s hands began to tremble as they held onto his weapon. Which was pointed at the ground. This gunman had the drop on him.“Drop the gun,” the man ordered in an angry tone.Yuri threw his gun to the ground.“Now step back.”Yuri took two steps back from the car. Standing to the left of Boris the man also stepped back until he was far enough to keep both men in his sights for two easy kills.“Give me your keys,” was the man’s next order.“What?” asked Yuri.“Your car keys!” the man shouted. “Give me your keys!”Boris broke his silence. “You’re not going to get away with this.”“Shut up!” the man snapped at Boris. “I’m taking your car. I’ll kill you both to take what I need to get out of this town. Now give me your keys.”“Ok,” said Yuri in compliance. He reached into his pocket.“Slowly!” the man warned him.Then several feet away a person in dark clothes charged up behind the man. It was Alexi. He trained his machine gun and flashlight beam at the man’s head. “Don’t move! Drop the gun!” Alexi shouted.Yuri now received a better look at the man in the beam of Alexi’s flashlight. He was a middle aged man with black, uncombed shoulder length hair and a long beard. The black coat that he wore was buttoned up to his neck. The right leg of his grey trousers was torn off, revealing a bloodstained white rag that was wrapped around his leg from his ankle to above his knee. He wore black shoes that were covered by clumps of dirt.Then another person came charging up at the man’s right. It was Ivan. He was holding the back of his head with his right hand. “Shoot the bastard!” he screamed at Alexi.Alexi repeated his command, while ignoring Ivan‘s. ”I said drop the gun! Right now!”The man dropped the machine gun onto the ground. Then raised his hands up over his head.Boris turned to his left and took a few steps. Then he reached to the ground and picked up his machine gun. He pointed the gun and his flashlight at the man.Ivan stepped closer to the man. “Shoot that son of a bitch! He tried to break my head open with a brick! Then he took my gun!”Ivan stepped into the beam of Boris’ flashlight. Yuri could see a stream of blood flowing down Ivan’s face. His fingers were bloodied as he held the back of his head.The man looked about at his captors. “Take it easy. I don’t mean any harm,” he said in a shaking voice.“Oh, now that’s a relief!” Ivan bellowed at the man. “You bust my head open, hold a gun to my men, and you don’t mean any harm! I’ll sleep better knowing that!”The man explained, “You don’t understand. I was desperate. I’ve been trapped here for two days. I saw your car and I needed to get out of here. We’re all in danger.”“We’re in danger?” asked Yuri. “From who?”“Monsters. This town is crawling with them.”“Monsters?” Yuri asked in disbelief. Then his memory went back to the skeleton that he found. Covered by a sheet of webbing.“Monsters?” Ivan snapped at the man.“Yes, monsters!” the man shouted back at Ivan. “They have us surrounded you fool! We have to get out of here while it’s still dark!”“Why?” Yuri asked.“Because they sleep at night!” the man cried out with a rising tone.“Yeah. That makes sense. They’re all in bed where I should be,” said Alexi with clear sarcasm.The man continued his story,” But when the sun comes up that’s when they wake up. Then all hell breaks loose. Please. We have to leave while it’s still dark.”“What’s your name?” Yuri asked.“Alyosha.”“Ok then, Alyosha. If this town is so dangerous then why are you still here?”“Because of my leg you jackass!” Alyosha spat out while pointing down. “They almost ripped my whole leg off. I can hardly move it. I tried to leave. Traveling at night on the road to reach the nearest town. But it’s too damn far with my leg the way it is. Then the sun comes up and you’re stuck out there with them. So I had no choice but to come back and hide in a manhole where they can’t find me. Did you ever sleep in a sewer for two days?”“Yeah! After a bachelor party,” Ivan replied. He charged over to Alyosha. Standing inches away from his face. “I’ve heard enough of this nonsense. I’ll tell you what really happened. A group looters like yourself came here, attacked the guard detail, and probably killed them all. Now we’re supposed to be your next targets.”Alyosha shook his head. “No. It’s not like that. You have to understand. We…”Ivan hurled a fist into Alyosha’s face to cut off his next word. Alyosha fell back to the ground. “This is for that brick to my head!” he shouted down to the helpless man as be began to kick him in the face and chest.Yuri rushed over and grabbed Ivan’s left arm to hold him back. “Stop. We need to listen to him. I found a skeleton back there.”Ivan shoved Yuri back. “Of course you found a skeleton, you idiot!” he yelled. “The reactor explosion. The radiation. You forgot about that? It’s probably some looter who was sleeping in the hot zone and died of radiation sickness. Who the hell cares?” Ivan ended his tirade by giving Alyosha a final stomp to his face. Alyosha’s nose was bleeding as he lay still on the ground.Boris lowered his gun. “Now what?”Ivan looked back at Boris. Then he looked around at the dark streets of the intersection. “Hell. I don’t know. We finish our search I guess.” He turned his eyes to Yuri. “Ivanovitch. Where’s your flashlight?”“It’s not working.”“And I lost mine back there when that son of a dog hit me from behind.” Ivan took his hand off the back of his head and inspected his bloodied palm. “Dammit! We’re down to two flashlights in this darkness. That puts us at a disadvantage with any more of these dogs that might be hiding out there. And my damn head is throbbing. We’ll finish our search in the morning.”“In the morning?” Yuri asked in disbelief. “But what about that skeleton I found? I think we should go take a look at it.”Ivan stormed towards Yuri. Stopping a foot away from his face. “Are you in charge here or me?” Ivan shouted. “I said we’re camping down here for the night!”Boris raised his flashlight beam to Yuri’s Face. Yuri squinted and turned his head away from the light. “And you get to serve watch,” Boris told Yuri.Yuri became angered at both Boris’ light shining in his face, and the pretense that he was in command. “I don’t take orders from you. Just because you’re friends with the Captain’s nephew doesn’t put you in charge.”Ivan approached Yuri. “What was that? he demanded, and gave Yuri a shove back. “Do you have a problem because I’m in charge here and not you? Maybe I’m in charge because I’ve got more brains than you and the rest of the grunts on the force.”Yuri looked back at Ivan and said nothing. But his anger was simmering.“Since you don’t seem to understand orders I’ll make it a little clearer for you. The Captain’s nephew is ordering you to stand watch. You have a problem with that?”Having to comply with Ivan’s order was a bitter lump of bile for Yuri to swallow. But he had no choice. “No sir. No problem here.”“Good,” Ivan’s crisp reply. He issued another order as he started to walk back to his car. “And put that stinking looter in handcuffs and lock him in the trunk.”“In the trunk? How’s he supposed to breathe?”Ivan turned back to Yuri, flailing his arms through the air. “He can breathe through the keyhole! Who gives a damn? Just do it!” he screamed.Boris turned and walked behind Ivan. “Don’t fall asleep, Ivanovitch,” was his parting shot to Yuri.Alexi walked over and stood next to Yuri as he looked down at the unconscious Alyosha. “I’ll help you with this idiot,” He said to Yuri.Yuri was reluctant to touch Alyosha as he reached for the man’s arms to restrain him with the handcuffs that he took from his equipment belt. Being this close Yuri’s nose picked up a fowl odor. Good God. This pig really was sleeping in a sewer. Yuri told himself.After Alexi helped Yuri stuff the limp Alyosha into the trunk of their car he sat in the driver’s seat to rest. As Yuri stood guard next to the cars, with both hands clutching his gun, his eyes scanned over the houses sitting in the dark background. His mind went back to the sight of the skeleton that was wrapped up in the sheet of spider’s webbing. And the noises that he heard in the dark. He wondered if Alyosha’s tale of monsters could be the ranting of a drug crazed vagrant, or a warning that they were all risking their lives to ignore.Yuri awoke to the sounds of loud, high pitched squawking and screeching filling the air. As he opened his groggy eyes he became alert as he was shocked by a painful impact striking his right arm. Yuri‘s body jerked. His eyes were now wide open. Holy crap. I’m still in the car, was his panicking thought. He grew tired standing guard in the chilly night and sat down in the car to rest for a moment and gain some warmth. He could not remember when he fell asleep, but the moment lasted until daybreak. Now he was being kicked awake by an angry Ivan while Boris was holding the car door open.“Ivanovitch! You were asleep!” Ivan shouted as he kicked at Yuri’s right leg. “Asleep on guard duty! You‘re useless!”Yuri jumped out of the car. Clutching his gun against his chest he stood with his head lowered as he was admonished by Ivan. He could not argue against Ivan’s harsh words. Yuri had make a mistake that could have cost all their lives. A humble, “Sorry,” was the only word that he was able to utter.Ivan moved a foot away from Yuri’s face. “You’re sorry? Is that it? Sorry is worth a hell of a lot after some looters slit all our throats while you were sleeping!” he spat out in a loud rage over the squawking sounds in the air. He turned and walked to the back of the car. “I’ll deal with you later. Right now I want to see if our guest is ready to talk. Bring him out.”Yuri walked to the back of the car. Alexi, who was awakened by Ivan’s yelling, got out of the car. With machine gun in hand he joined Yuri as he opened the trunk. While Alyosha struggled to climb out of the trunk Yuri’s attention was caught by the commotion that was taking place in the air above his head. It was the screeching and squawking of birds. Lots of birds. Yuri turned around and looked up at three large trees that were standing across the street in front of a house. As well as the large group of trees on the opposite side of the street. He could see flocks of black birds flying back and forth among the swaying branches. In the background, past the thick tree trunks he could see the orange glow of the sunrise.“What the hell’s going on up there?” Yuri asked Alexi.Alexi looked up to the trees. “Looks like crows. They’re worked up about something.”“They’re certainly noisy as hell,” replied Yuri. But he had no time to dwell on them now.Alyosha rose to his feet while his hands were restrained behind his back. He looked about in a confused state and blinked his eyes. “Where are we?”Ivan stepped towards Alyosha while keeping the gun aimed at him. “Where the hell do you think we are? We’re still in Prypiat.”Alyosha’s eyes were now wide. His mouth gaped open. He looked up to the sky. Then back at Ivan. “Prypiat? No. We can’t still be here. We have to leave. Please. we have to get out of here.”Ivan thrust his foot into Alyosha’s lower abdomen, forcing Alyosha to stagger back and fall. “Oh, we’ll leave, alright. Right after you tell me about your terrorist looter friends and what they did to the guard detail that was here.”Yuri’s attention was again distracted by the swarms of crows that were flying about the trees. Looking past the trees again he noticed that the sun was rising higher.Alyosha coughed. With difficulty he struggled to his knees. Ivan continued his interrogation. “Your friends. How many are they? Where are they? What did they do to the guards and two Americans that were here? It will a lot easier for you if you tell us.”Grunting in pain Alyosha rose back to his feet. “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, you fool. The sun’s coming up. We have to get out of here.”“Are you still holding on to this nonsense about monsters in the woods?” Ivan shouted.Alyosha staggered towards Ivan. “You jackass. There are no monsters in the woods.”“Then you admit that you’re lying?” Ivan bellowed. he swung the but of his machine gun across Alyosha’s forehead. Alyosha fell onto his back once more.Yuri looked up higher at one of the huge trees. All the way up to it’s top. There he noticed an array of long sharp rods protruding out like a bouquet of spears. Standing out from these spears were two long, black appendages. They were like long antenna with large feather-like objects at their ends.Gritting his teeth in pain Alyosha struggled back to his feet. A stream of blood from a fresh cut ran down from his forehead and across his face. He shouted back at Ivan, “You idiot! You don’t understand! The woods aren’t full of monsters!”Yuri watched as a huge flock of crows rose into the air like a black cloud and flew from the area.“The woods are the monsters!”Yuri watched as the branches of the trees began to sway left and right with an increasing force. But there was no wind to produce these movements. The crow’s squawking was replaced by the loud crack of bending wood. Looking up to the tree tops he saw the long antenna on the trees begin to wave back and forth. Then they bent down towards Yuri and the other men.Yuri felt vibrations at his feet. The ground began to shake. Then he was shocked as he watched the trees lift themselves up from the ground by long, thick roots with joints bending as they moved in a slow spider-like fashion. Making a loud thud with each step as they advanced towards Yuri and the other men. This explains why the ground near the trees was torn up. And those depressions, Yuri thought. Long tendrils began to uncoil from around their branches as they swung back and forth.Yuri was frozen with fear, as were Alexi, Boris, and Ivan. As the three large trees were stomping forward several smaller trees moved from behind them. Their sizes ranging from six to twelve feet tall. All of them walking while their waving antenna pointed towards the men.A tree leading the group, towering twenty feet in height, approached a rusting car parked at the side of the road. The tree swung one of it’s long, lower branches at the car. The tendrils on the branch wrapped themselves around the car and lifted it off the ground in a single swipe. As the branch hoist the car into the air it’s tendrils tightened themselves around the vehicle’s rusted body and crushed it with a swift effort.As the tree’s branch raised into the air, Yuri and the others were treated to the disturbing sight of what was hidden beneath those bed sheet sized leaves. Dozens of skeletons and carcasses that were entwined by the tendrils and covered by the same sheets of brown webbing that shrouded the skeleton that Yuri found in between the two houses. This explains the crows, Yuri thought. They were picking at the carcasses. Many of the carcasses were of deer and bears. And Yuri saw two Human bodies up there as well. Both wearing black police uniforms. And now these strange trees were marching forward to add Yuri and the other men to their collections.Alyosha began to panic. “You fools! I tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t listen! Now it’s too late! We’re all going to die!”Alyosha tried to run down the road leading out of town. The best that he could manage to do was to drag his bandaged right leg along as he moved. Two stomping trees on both sides of the road moved in to converge and block his path. One tree swung a branch down at the screaming Alyosha. Dozens of serpentine tendrils wrapped themselves around his body and scooped him off his feet. Tendrils tightened around his neck with a constriction that caused his head to twist around twice.Now panic began to spread among the four men. Boris and Ivan opened fire on the advancing trees. Yuri and Alexi turned to their left and right and saw trees approaching from both sides. They both opened fire with rapid bursts of bullets that caused a few of the smaller trees to stagger back, but failed to slow the stride of the larger ones.“Let’s get the hell out of here!” Alexi shouted. He bolted for Ivan’s car. Pulling the door open and jumping into the drivers seat. Yuri continued shooting over the car at the advancing trees while Alexi clawed his fingers at the steering column. “Keys! Keys! Where the hell are the keys?”Ivan and Boris moved back as the trees drew closer. Yuri watched the trees approach the car. He yelled a warning. “Alexi, get the hell out of there!”One large tree was close enough to the car where it was able to thrust a pointed branch down at the windshield. The branch penetrated the glass and Alexi in the process. The tree withdrew it’s branch, pulling Alexi’s impaled body through the broken windshield. It lifted Alexi into the air while a several of it’s tendrils wrapped themselves around his unmoving corpse.Yuri stopped firing at the tree for fear of hitting Alexi. But he soon realized that his friend was dead. And that the tree wanted him next. He turned left. Further down the road into the town he saw no trees. He turned and ran just as two trees lifted up both police cars with their tendril ridden branches and crushed them into useless hulks.Ivan and Boris were right behind Yuri as he ran down the road. Yuri listened to the constant heavy thud sounds of the pursuing trees. Yuri now saw that he was wrong about the road being safe. Several yards up ahead he saw more trees approaching from roads at the left and right. Alyosha was right. These monsters really do have us surrounded. he thought.Yuri ran for a house at his left. He was about to head for it’s open doorway when he saw three, ten foot tall trees marching in from the side of the house. Their pointed branches thrusting out towards him. Leading the way Yuri ran further down the road. At his right he passed a house that had two large trees plowing into it from behind. Swinging their long branches and ripping away large sections of it‘s roof. With Ivan and Boris still behind him Yuri passed a grey brick building with the darkened bronze sign above it’s door that read, Post Office. Yuri headed for the door and pulled on it’s metal handle. Locked! he spied the tall red brick building next to it. It looked like an apartment building. He saw an open door.The three men charged through the door. They headed up a flight of stairs that took them to a long, dark corridor. At the end of the corridor several feet away a beam of sunlight was shining through a window. A long row of constant dripping water from the ceiling rained down on the soggy, warped floorboards. At the left and right of the corridor were the dark doors to different apartments.Yuri ran up to the first door on the right. Locked! he told himself as he grabbed the doorknob and pushed on the door. He stormed down the corridor to the next door at the right. This one was also locked. He ran to the third door and was tempted to burst out in a fit of triumphant laughter as it opened.They entered a small living room that was inundated with a strong odor of mildew. Sunlight came in through a large, dirty window at the other side of the room. Their feet squished against a brown carpeting that was soaking wet from four separate steady drips that came from large holes in the ceiling where the plaster had fallen. The four walls were discolored by a covering of black mold. Sitting against the right wall was a small sofa that was also covered with mold. On the floor in front of the sofa was a small pile of discarded clothes that were soaking wet. Near the pile of clothes were two overturned wooden chairs. Fragments of fallen plaster from the ceiling were littering the floor. In the middle of the left wall was an open doorway to another room.The sounds of Yuri, Ivan, and Boris’ heavy breathing joined the noise of the dripping water in the room. From beyond the window the loud thuds of the mobile trees could be heard. As well as several booms and the crack of breaking lumber. Sounds like they’re tearing through the houses to find us, Yuri told himself.Ivan inhaled twice to catch his breath. “Trees,” he gasped. “We’re running from frigging trees.”“Trees don’t chase you down and try to strangle you,” said Boris.Yuri breathed deep and exhaled. “Looks like Alyosha was right. Too bad we didn’t listen to him. What do we do now?”“You’re asking me?” said Ivan. Taking a quick breath. “You brought us here. Don’t you have a plan?”“No. I just ran to escape. This brick building might hold up against them better than those rotting houses out there.”“Then we’re trapped,” Ivan snapped at Yuri. Punching the door in anger. “How long do you think it will take for them to have this place surrounded?”“We wouldn’t be trapped here if you had have listened to Alyosha like I said.”“Like you said?” Ivan shrieked out. “Are you forgetting who’s in charge here, you stupid Cossack.”“What did you say? Boy.” asked Yuri. Holding up a fist.“Who the hell are you calling boy? I’m your Sergeant,” said Ivan. Stepping forward to shove Yuri back.“Knock it off you two!” shouted Boris.Yuri ignored Boris and retaliated by giving Ivan a strong shove that slammed him back against the door. Ivan let out an enraged scream and lunged at Yuri. Thrown off balance, with Ivan on top of him, Yuri fell back on one of the chairs and shattered it. Grunting and hurling curses, the two men wrestled across the soggy carpet. Both men dropping their weapons among the wet clothes.“Stop it, you idiots!” Boris yelled at them. “The fight’s outside! Stop it!”Then a long tree branch burst through the window. Glass fragments showering Yuri and Ivan. The sharp point of the branch stabbing forward to reach any victim while several of it’s tendrils were lashing out across the room. Yuri screamed at the appendage reaching over him. He released Ivan and rolled over to the left. Seeing his gun on the floor he reached over to grab it. Ivan grabbed his gun and crawled over to the right near the sofa. They both opened fire, as did Boris. The rapid fire of bullets chipped multiple fragments of wood away from the branch. A bright green liquid shot out and spattered against the walls. Then a six foot section of the branch broke off and dropped to the floor. The remaining part withdrew from the window. The three men stopped shooting at the plant thing on the floor. Faint clicks came from their weapons.“I’m out!” Yuri cried. He began to breathe heavy again. His body shaking.“Me too,” said Ivan.Boris stood before the section of branch on the floor. It twitched, but it’s tendrils were still. At the left and right of the branch were several long, thin stakes ending in sharp points. The three men watched as these stakes grew even longer and began to sprout leaves. Still pointing his gun, Boris stepped closer.“Is it dead?” Yuri cried out.“Dead? It’s just a branch,” said Boris.The branch raised up. One of it’s long, pointed stakes reached out and stabbed into Boris foot. Penetrating his right shoe. Boris reared his head back and spat out a scream in pain. The stake pulled out from Boris’ shoe and began to stab deep into his lower right leg. Then stabbing up to his thigh with rapid thrusts. The tendrils now came to life and wrapped themselves around Boris body. Using it’s lower stakes like legs the branch reared up. Three of it’s upper stakes stabbed into Boris’ mouth and eyes. Tendrils wrapped themselves in a tight embrace around his head.Getting the hell out of here! was the thought that exploded from Yuri’s mind. He dropped his empty machine gun and bolted for the door, with Ivan right behind him. Yuri’s only thought now was to escape the building, so he ran back to the stairs. But then he stopped as he heard a thumping noise coming from up ahead. Yuri and Ivan both looked on in horror as the waving antenna of a tree ascending the stairs. Then the tree itself reached the top. It stood six feet tall. Propelling itself forward on a clumsy tripod of long roots. At it’s left side was a Human skeleton wrapped in a cocoon of webbing and tendrils. On it’s right side were three long, pointed branches bearing clusters of large leaves. With it’s antenna waving forward the tree quickened it pace towards Yuri and Ivan. Both men turned and ran back down the corridor. They passed the room that they were in and went to a door on the left. Yuri was grateful that this door opened. After he and Ivan barged into the small living room he slammed the door shut. This room also had the same brown carpeting. It was also soaking wet. In the middle of the room was a large pile of fallen plaster from the gaping hole in the ceiling where a steady stream of water was running. All the furnishings were gone. The smeary window at the other side of the room was still intact. There was a doorway to another room on the right. There were also the sounds of glass shattering. The thump and crack sounds of lumber breaking.“I don’t want to know what’s going on back there,” said Yuri as he leaned against the door next to Ivan.“These things are like mad dogs,” Ivan gasped. “I’ve got to get out of here.”“You have to get out?”Ivan corrected himself. “Ok. Bad choice of words. We have to get out.”There was a loud thump at the door. Then two more thumps. The tree outside was trying to get in.Ivan continued. “Look. I don’t like you. You don’t like me. But the only way we’re both going to get out of here is to work together.”“Can’t argue with that,” Yuri’s reply as more thumps came against the door.Ivan held out his hand. “Then shake on it. We work together.”The point of the tree’s branch penetrated the flimsy wood of the door.“This isn’t the best time for male bonding right now,” Yuri warned.“We need a way out,” said Ivan.Yuri looked around the rooms moldy walls. He charged to the left wall and gave it a strong kick with his foot. He put a large hole in the plaster. Soviet era construction and age would provide them with a makeshift escape route.Still braced against the door Ivan ducked down as the branch stabbed through it again. Making the hole bigger. “We need a way out of here.”“Working on it,” Yuri said. His foot made repeated thrusts onto the wall, kicking through the aged plaster and thin wooden planks with ease. With each kick the hole grew larger until it was wide enough for he and Ivan to pass through. “Let’s go,” he cried.Ivan bolted away from the door while the tree kept stabbing through the hole. He joined Yuri as they ducked down and passed through the hole and into an empty room in the next apartment. Yuri headed for the apartment door and out into the corridor. The tree was still attacking the door to the other apartment. looking past this monster Yuri saw three other trees heading down the corridor to join it.Yuri and Ivan both ran down the corridor towards the window. At the left there was an open doorway and stairs. Charging up the stairs Yuri and Ivan went through a door and found themselves on the roof of the building.“This isn’t getting any better,” was Yuri’s comment as he looked around. Several large trees were closing in to surround the building. Then he looked straight ahead. It appeared that this building and the one next to it were close. Close enough for them to leap from rooftop to rooftop. Yuri pointed forward. “The next roof. Let’s jump for it.”A sudden powerful impact shook the entire building. Yuri and Ivan were thrown off their feet. Then the huge form of a tree burst through the roof while a swarm of tendrils whipped out from the doorway and grabbed Ivan by his legs. Ivan screamed as the tendrils tightened their grip and began to drag him back down the stairs.“Yuri! Help me! Help me!”Yuri rose to his feet. He reached out to Ivan, then looked back at the next building. He pulled his hand back. And stepped back as well.“Yuri! Help me, you son of a bitch!”Yuri turned and began to run. The screaming Ivan was pulled back down the stairs.“Yuri! Come back! Yuri!”Sorry, kid, was Yuri’s thought. He ran for the edge of the building. Gaining momentum to jump. Yuri reached the edge of the roof and took a strong leap. As he was in mid air a large tree sprang up. Swinging up one of it’s branches and catching Yuri in it’s tendrils. Yuri cried out in pain as he felt the strength of the tendrils constricting around his legs and waist with a grip of steel. The tendrils squeezed tighter. Pulling him close to the branch. He felt his legs breaking.Now pressed against the tree and flanked by it’s huge leaves Yuri looked at his companions here. To his left was the body of Alyosha. His head leaning to one side while his lifeless eyes stared forward. To his right was the desiccated body of a black uniformed policeman. Both corpses were wrapped in the strange web material. Thin streams of the honey smelling sap now oozed out from the tree branch and began to cover Yuri. Now he began to understand what the web-like material was. It was dried sap from the tree. And at this point Yuri began to theorize that the sap was in fact digestive fluid. Yuri would soon find out as he would become the latest victim of the dark secret of the ghost city of Prypiat.

Repost And Add...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on February 9, 2013 at 8:19pm

I was actually looking for a video of him playing the saxophone in orbit and happened upon this history by ABCNEWS.com. Related to the previous post: his PhD was in Laser Physics from MIT.

"Education was the secular god of the black community" (a quote I remember, but have no sources for it).

"Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history.

"When you control a man's thinking you do not have to worry about his actions." Carter G. Woodson

NASA: Dr. Ronald E. McNair

ADDED: When I lived in Austin, Texas, I recalled meeting Dr. McNair when I was an undergraduate at North Carolina A&T State University. I was in AFROTC, marched in the parade in his honor after his first mission, and introduced him at the Army/Air Force ROTC joint banquet. It was a busy weekend.

"Whenever you're in Texas, you should give me a call."

So I did. Back then, I called information; asked for Ronald Ervin McNair in Houston, Texas. That was as close as "Googling it" as we got back then.

I got to speak to him for a good three hours. I found out some things:

5 weeks before his dissertation defense, someone purged his data (also known as sabotage). Without data, he'd essentially have failed to get his PhD. He said he stayed up for 3 weeks and re-accomplished 5 years of research. He slept for a week after that.
He was planning to leave NASA and go into academia. Challenger would be "his last mission." That was sadly true. It devastated me, and inspired some creative writing in his honor.
A lot of his determination he learned as a participant on the school karate team, which a the time (according to my Calculus instructor and his teammate Dr. Casterlow), you could get a disqualification for "unnecessary redness of the skin."

Recalling this makes me determined to stay in science, contribute, help when and if I can, and stand on the shoulder of this and other giants (he was actually only 5'6", but you get the idea).

“When getting an education is a revolutionary act & dreams are the province of men,” Stanley Tucci.

JSNN...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on February 9, 2013 at 8:13pm

The Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering is a collaborative project of North Carolina A&T State University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

JSNN’s mission is to train students to conduct basic and applied research in nanoscience and nanoengineering, and to work closely with the Piedmont Triad community to help enhance opportunities for economic and academic growth through its outreach and engagement activities.

Although Nanoscience and Nanoengineering deal with structures that are invisible to the human eye, their potential to improve daily life is quite substantial. For example as you are reading this, nanoscience and nanoengineering are providing new means of drug delivery, new dental adhesives, new cosmetics, new heat resistant coatings, and a range of other products that can make our lives safer and more productive. The advances in nanoscience and nanoengineering mean that more corporations are forming to design and produce nanoproducts. The financial implications of these new industries will be significant. According to Lux Research, the projected economic impact of nanotechnology on the global economy is $3.1 trillion by 2015. JSNN seeks to develop collaborations with the local and regional businesses that will raise the Triad’s Nanotechnology profile with the goal of attracting new industry and investment to the area and by doing so helping to stimulate the economic growth.¹

Federal funding of a prestigious research institute at N.C. A&T State University that is developing new kinds of biomaterials for use in regenerative medicine has been extended beyond its five-year term.

The extension will bring millions of additional dollars to A&T and give the school more time to develop technologies with commercial potential. It will also increase the possibility of lucrative partnerships with Triad nanotechnology and medical companies.

Officials with the Engineering Research Center for Revolutionizing Metallic Biomaterials said they have received the results of a critical review by the National Science Foundation. The NSF awarded N.C. A&T a research grant worth about $18.5 million over five years to establish the ERC in 2008.²

1. Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering
2. The Business Journal - N.C. A&T State gets key funding increase for research center

LEAP...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on February 8, 2013 at 8:45pm

The LEAP (Leadership, Education, and Partnership) Academy University Charter School is a kindergarten through 12th-grade (K-12) public charter school that serves Camden City with one core principle: all children and families deserve access to a quality public education.

Since 1997, LEAP has become a national model for urban education. It provides a high quality, holistic education for 1,000 urban learners and families, while guaranteeing every LEAP graduate an opportunity to earn a college degree.

LEAP Academy's three academic units—LEAP Lower School (K-6), LEAP Upper School (7-12) and a specialized STEM High School (9-12)—promote high expectations for students, personal development and successful college and career goals.

For more than 15 years this innovative approach has translated into tremendous success for students and families. Each year LEAP Academy graduates 100 percent of its senior class with all alumni admitted to college, where they are shaping their futures and the future of Camden City.

The Fabrication Lab (Fab Lab) at the STEM campus is a workshop where students can take their ideas through a complete process from conception to reality. One side of the Fab Lab holds computers with Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software where students draft their ideas. CAD software, Google SketchUp and Autodesk Inventor, allow students to create 3D digital prototypes. The other side of the lab houses machinery that brings students' 3D designs to life.

The CAD Software on the computers and the machinery in the Fab Lab work together enabling students to be creative, imaginative, and highly practical. The Fab Lab at LEAP Academy STEM is a place where students can identify needs and create real, working solutions for social problems in the community. For example, students can use the Fab Lab to design and create a home water filtration system to address the issue of clean water in Camden. Simultaneously, the Fab Lab encourages innovation and community engagement while teaching STEM skills and real world application.

More Information Contact
Dr. Alex Nieves, Director, Fabrication Lab
alex.nieves@camden.rutgers.edu | 856. 614.3292 | Extension 7320

Site: LEAP Academy - STEM Campus

Storing Photons...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on February 8, 2013 at 8:40pm

Physics World

Physicists in the UK have come up with a new way of storing a handful of photons in an ultracold atomic gas, in which strong interactions between neighbouring photons can be switched on and off using microwaves. The team believes that the technique could be used to create optical logic gates in which single photons could be processed one at a time. The method could also prove useful for connecting quantum-computing devices based on different technologies.

Optical photons make very good "flying" quantum bits (qubits) because they can travel hundreds of kilometres through fibres without losing their quantum information. However, it is very difficult to get such photons to interact either with each other or with "stationary" qubits such as those based on trapped ions or tiny pieces of superconductor. Exchanging quantum information between such devices can therefore be tricky.

What Charles Adams and colleagues at Durham University have now done is come up with a way of storing individual optical photons in highly excited states of an atomic gas. Once stored, the photons can be made to interact strongly, before being released again. An important feature of the technique is that it uses microwaves, which are also used to control some types of stationary qubit.

The Durham experiment involves holding up to 100 rubidium atoms in an optical trap created at the focus of a laser beam, before two pulses of light are fired at the trapped atoms. One pulse is "signal" light that is to be stored and the other is "control" light. The control light allows 10 or so neighbouring rubidium atoms to absorb a signal photon, creating a collective state called a "Rydberg polariton". Such a state is similar to that of a Rydberg atom, which has an electron in a highly excited state – in this case, with a principal quantum number of 60.

Physics World: Stored photons interact with atom cloud

L.I.A. #7 – Die-Hard Award Winners!!!

Posted by AL Bey on February 7, 2013 at 10:23pm

L.I.A. #7 – Die-Hard Award Winners!!!
http://www.myspace.com/drocksouljah/blog/546696891

Contents for L.I.A. #7

I. Past Super Bowl Winners

II. Films Previewing Intense Change Concerning Baltimore & S.F.

III. Award Rituals for the Super Bowl & the Oscars

IV. TMSP Products & Services Wrap-up

MAY THE REWARDS WE REAP DAILY PROVE TO MAKE THE MOST BENEFICIALLY LONG-TERM LIVING EFFECTS!!!

AL Bey

Author of Tainted Saint: The Autobiography of D-Rock SOUL-Jah

Owner, Tribal Metal Spear-it Publishing, LLC (TMSP)

http://www.taintedsaint-drocksj.com

Let The Children Lead...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on February 7, 2013 at 7:19am

January 29, 2013

Published: January 29, 2013

By Jodie Sovereign

Hi, my name is Jodie. I am eight years old. I am studying space. I like studying space because we will never know everything about it. When I watched Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking on Blu Ray, it answered a lot of my questions, like How did the universe start and may time travel be possible? Stephen Hawking says he is a physicist and a dreamer. In episode one, "Aliens," he asked the question, "Do aliens exist?" Stephen Hawking had some very creative ideas of what aliens might look like. He also said that they may just take what they need from us—or never think about us.

Regional Multicultural Magnet School

Jodie Sovereign is a 2nd grader at the Regional Multicultural Magnet School in New London, Connecticut. Besides science, she enjoys reading, playing with her stuffed animals, and soccer. She hopes to be a teacher when she grows up.

Physics Today: Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking: A review | Singularities

Table-Top Neutrons...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on February 7, 2013 at 7:15am

...almost like Moore's Law and particle physics.

A new compact high-flux source of energetic neutrons has been built by physicists in Germany and the US. The new laser-based device has the potential to be cheaper and more convenient than the large neutron facilities currently used by physicists and other scientists. The inventors say the source could be housed in university laboratories and might also be used to identify illicit nuclear material.

Neutrons are a valuable tool for scientists in many fields, allowing them to probe the structure and dynamics of a range of materials. Today, the main drawback of neutron science is that intense beams of neutrons must be produced in either nuclear reactors or dedicated accelerator facilities – making a laser-based table-top source very attractive.

Physics World: Neutrons on a lab bench

African American Animators- Facebook group

Posted by Robert Trujillo on February 6, 2013 at 11:16pm

Past and present animators

I thought this was pretty freaking cool when I saw it!

Robert Glasper feat. King- Some music inspiration to share:

Posted by Robert Trujillo on February 6, 2013 at 11:11pm

Robert Glasper Experiment on the instrumentals/ King on the vocals

Character 40 -Holangi

Posted by Robert Trujillo on February 6, 2013 at 11:07pm

Been working on my character design chops a bit. What do yall think?

Got a few more here: Character Design portfolio

BLOGS

All Posts (6487)

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Ghost Town.

Repost And Add...

JSNN...

LEAP...

Storing Photons...

L.I.A. #7 – Die-Hard Award Winners!!!

Let The Children Lead...

Table-Top Neutrons...

African American Animators- Facebook group

Robert Glasper feat. King- Some music inspiration to share:

Character 40 -Holangi

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