i b e c h i n g

Jan 24
Forty years ago a Japanese soldier was found in the jungles of Guam, having survived there for nearly three decades after the end of World War II. For most of the 28 years that Shoichi Yokoi, a lance corporal in the Japanese Army of World War II, was hiding in the jungles of Guam, he firmly believed his former comrades would one day return for him. And even when he was eventually discovered by local hunters on the Pacific island, on 24 January 1972, the 57-year-old former soldier still clung to the notion that his life was in danger. Startled by the sight of other humans after so many years on his own, Yokoi tried to grab one of the hunter’s rifles, but weakened by years of a diet consisting of venomous toads, river eels, and rats, he was no match for the local men. Yokoio feared they would take him as a prisoner of war, the greatest shame for a Japanese soldier and for his family back home. As they led him away through the jungle’s tall foxtail grass, Yokoi cried for them to kill him there and then. On his return to Japan he expressed embarrassment at having returned alive, rather than dying in the service of the emperor. He was given a hero’s welcome, but never quite felt at home in modern society. Japan had changed utterly during his three-decade absence—some found his stoicism and loyalty inspiring, others found it absurd. 

Forty years ago a Japanese soldier was found in the jungles of Guam, having survived there for nearly three decades after the end of World War II.

For most of the 28 years that Shoichi Yokoi, a lance corporal in the Japanese Army of World War II, was hiding in the jungles of Guam, he firmly believed his former comrades would one day return for him. And even when he was eventually discovered by local hunters on the Pacific island, on 24 January 1972, the 57-year-old former soldier still clung to the notion that his life was in danger.

Startled by the sight of other humans after so many years on his own, Yokoi tried to grab one of the hunter’s rifles, but weakened by years of a diet consisting of venomous toads, river eels, and rats, he was no match for the local men.

Yokoio feared they would take him as a prisoner of war, the greatest shame for a Japanese soldier and for his family back home. As they led him away through the jungle’s tall foxtail grass, Yokoi cried for them to kill him there and then.

On his return to Japan he expressed embarrassment at having returned alive, rather than dying in the service of the emperor. He was given a hero’s welcome, but never quite felt at home in modern society. Japan had changed utterly during his three-decade absence—some found his stoicism and loyalty inspiring, others found it absurd. 

meanwhile, in Alaska

meanwhile, in Alaska

First seen late last year, the above cloud formation in the northern hemisphere of Saturn started larger than the Earth and soon spread completely around the planet. Captured here in infrared, it is one of the largest storms ever recorded in our Solar System. 

First seen late last year, the above cloud formation in the northern hemisphere of Saturn started larger than the Earth and soon spread completely around the planet. Captured here in infrared, it is one of the largest storms ever recorded in our Solar System. 

The moons Titan and Dione, Saturn’s rings, and ring shadows on the gas giant itself align in this Cassini photograph. The spacecraft was nearly 2.3 million kilometers away from Titan at the time.

The moons Titan and Dione, Saturn’s rings, and ring shadows on the gas giant itself align in this Cassini photograph. The spacecraft was nearly 2.3 million kilometers away from Titan at the time.

Jan 23
Saturn’s moon Mimas peeks out from behind the night side of the larger moon Dione in this Cassini image captured during the spacecraft’s December flyby of Dione.

Saturn’s moon Mimas peeks out from behind the night side of the larger moon Dione in this Cassini image captured during the spacecraft’s December flyby of Dione.

In this animation of temperature data from 1880-2011, reds indicate temperatures higher than the average during a baseline period of 1951-1980, while blues indicate lower temperatures than the baseline average.

Global temperatures have warmed significantly since 1880, the beginning of what scientists call the “modern record.” At this time, the coverage provided by weather stations allowed for essentially global temperature data. As greenhouse gas emissions from energy production, industry, and vehicles have increased, temperatures have climbed, most notably since the late 1970s.

Jan 13
Gene Hackman has been airlifted to hospital after being hit by a car while riding his bike. get well soon…

Gene Hackman has been airlifted to hospital after being hit by a car while riding his bike.

get well soon…

Vladimir Putin is back, or almost assuredly will be back, as Russian president in 2012. Notwithstanding all his time as Russian president or as the stealthy power behind the presidency, Putin remains a shadowy and inaccessible figure. This is not by accident, given that he has invested extraordinary efforts into hiding his true identity. There are large discrepancies in his official narrative—not surprising, perhaps, for a former KGB case officer adept at masking his real self as well as, sometimes, his very existence. His KGB role, including his East German service in Dresden, remains a mystery. Little is known even of his activities as deputy mayor of St. Petersburg. So little, in fact, that there may be only one published photo of the man from this important period of his official career. This is a striking contrast to his more recent penchant for projecting his political persona widely through photographs. ________________________ from here art by Degraffill 

Vladimir Putin is back, or almost assuredly will be back, as Russian president in 2012. Notwithstanding all his time as Russian president or as the stealthy power behind the presidency, Putin remains a shadowy and inaccessible figure.

This is not by accident, given that he has invested extraordinary efforts into hiding his true identity. There are large discrepancies in his official narrative—not surprising, perhaps, for a former KGB case officer adept at masking his real self as well as, sometimes, his very existence. His KGB role, including his East German service in Dresden, remains a mystery. Little is known even of his activities as deputy mayor of St. Petersburg. So little, in fact, that there may be only one published photo of the man from this important period of his official career.

This is a striking contrast to his more recent penchant for projecting his political persona widely through photographs.

________________________

from here

art by Degraffill 

Jan 11
Today marks the 10-year anniversary of the opening of the Guantanamo Bay Prison. Accused of undermining its own human rights standards through indefinite extrajudicial detention and torture, the US has held nearly 800 “enemy combatants” at the facility. In April 2011, Wikileaks began publishing hundreds of secret files relating to prisoners in the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.

Today marks the 10-year anniversary of the opening of the Guantanamo Bay Prison.

Accused of undermining its own human rights standards through indefinite extrajudicial detention and torture, the US has held nearly 800 “enemy combatants” at the facility.

In April 2011, Wikileaks began publishing hundreds of secret files relating to prisoners in the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.

Jan 9
The Pentagon’s premiere research agency has chosen a former astronaut to lead a foundation that is designed to take humanity to the stars. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and NASA are sponsoring the project, known as the 100-Year Starship. Mae Jemison, the first black woman to go into space, was notified last week that she had won the leadership position. Since leaving NASA, Jemison has been involved in science education programs, and is known as a space travel enthusiast and long-time Star Trek fan. Her organization, the Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence, is partnered on the DARPA project with Icarus Interstellar, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to interstellar travel, and the Foundation for Enterprise Development. Since it was first announced last year, the 100-Year Starship project has been met with trepidation by some, and excitement by many. With NASA scaling back its manned space programs, the idea of a manned trip to the stars, which is well beyond any current technology, may sound audacious. But the goal is not to have the government fund the actual building of spacecraft destined for the stars, but rather to create a foundation that can last 100 years in order to help foster the research needed for interstellar travel. The money for the winning team, $500,000, is small, but is designed to help jumpstart the effort. According to a copy of the notification letter, Jemison’s proposal was titled: “An Inclusive Audacious Journey Transforms Life Here on Earth & Beyond.” _________________________ the ceaseless march to the stars…

The Pentagon’s premiere research agency has chosen a former astronaut to lead a foundation that is designed to take humanity to the stars.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and NASA are sponsoring the project, known as the 100-Year Starship.

Mae Jemison, the first black woman to go into space, was notified last week that she had won the leadership position. Since leaving NASA, Jemison has been involved in science education programs, and is known as a space travel enthusiast and long-time Star Trek fan.

Her organization, the Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence, is partnered on the DARPA project with Icarus Interstellar, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to interstellar travel, and the Foundation for Enterprise Development.

Since it was first announced last year, the 100-Year Starship project has been met with trepidation by some, and excitement by many.

With NASA scaling back its manned space programs, the idea of a manned trip to the stars, which is well beyond any current technology, may sound audacious.

But the goal is not to have the government fund the actual building of spacecraft destined for the stars, but rather to create a foundation that can last 100 years in order to help foster the research needed for interstellar travel.

The money for the winning team, $500,000, is small, but is designed to help jumpstart the effort. According to a copy of the notification letter, Jemison’s proposal was titled: “An Inclusive Audacious Journey Transforms Life Here on Earth & Beyond.”

_________________________

the ceaseless march to the stars…

Dec 29
The DPRK released a photograph from Kim Jong-il’s memorial service that appears to show a 9-foot-tall supersoldier of the Korean People’s Army.

The DPRK released a photograph from Kim Jong-il’s memorial service that appears to show a 9-foot-tall supersoldier of the Korean People’s Army.

Dec 28
Hundreds of women wearing bikinis form the word “happy” during a bikini contest spectacle in Guangzhou, in south China’s Guangdong Province.

Hundreds of women wearing bikinis form the word “happy” during a bikini contest spectacle in Guangzhou, in south China’s Guangdong Province.

Dec 27
A “Red Tourist” poses for a photo at a former Red Army settlement near the city of Qionghai on the southern Chinese island of Hainan, in April 2011. The Red Tours officially launched earlier this year amid a renewed nationwide interest in revolutionary ideals as the ruling Communist Party prepares to mark its 90th anniversary.

A “Red Tourist” poses for a photo at a former Red Army settlement near the city of Qionghai on the southern Chinese island of Hainan, in April 2011. The Red Tours officially launched earlier this year amid a renewed nationwide interest in revolutionary ideals as the ruling Communist Party prepares to mark its 90th anniversary.

In this combination picture taken in May, a 22-year-old woman in a wedding gown is grabbed by Guo Zhongfan, a local community officer, as she attempts to kill herself by jumping out of a seven-story residential building in Changchun, Jilin province, China. According to local media, the woman tried to commit suicide after her boyfriend of four years broke up with her, just as they were making plans to get married. The woman sustained no injuries during the incident.

In this combination picture taken in May, a 22-year-old woman in a wedding gown is grabbed by Guo Zhongfan, a local community officer, as she attempts to kill herself by jumping out of a seven-story residential building in Changchun, Jilin province, China.

According to local media, the woman tried to commit suicide after her boyfriend of four years broke up with her, just as they were making plans to get married. The woman sustained no injuries during the incident.

Employees clean the floor as a model poses next to a vehicle during the 14th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition in April.

Employees clean the floor as a model poses next to a vehicle during the 14th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition in April.

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