] Google Sightseeing takes you to the best tourist spots in
] the world via Google's satellite imagery.

Google Sightseeing

] The Peaceful Political Activists visitor program is the
] first of its kind for a national political convention.
] Visitors can take advantage of special offers by wearing
] a Peaceful Protester Welcome button that can be picked
] up at NYC's Official Visitor Information Center located
] at 810 Seventh Avenue between 52nd and 53rd streets.
] Additionally, you can receive discounts and special
] offers when you present the Peaceful Political Activists
] Savings Card.

nycvisit.com rolls out the red carpet. Special protester rates available for hotels, dining, attractions, and tours. Keyword is peaceful.

Almost surreal.

New York City Welcomes Peaceful Political Activists

] China is to build the world's biggest ferris wheel.
] Mickey Mouse and his Disneyland gang are coming to Hong
] Kong late next year. Singapore is planning a rival
] mammoth theme park.

File under "culture war".

Yahoo! News - Roaring fun ahead as amusement parks mushroom in Asia

] I am sorry to report that much of Elena's story is not
] true. She did not travel around the zone by herself on a
] motorcycle. Motorcycles are banned in the zone, as is
] wandering around alone, without an escort from the zone
] administration. She made one trip there with her husband
] and a friend. They traveled in a Chornobyl car that
] picked them up in Kyiv.
]
] She did, however, bring a motorcycle helmet. They
] organized their trip through a Kyiv travel agency and the
] administration of the Chornobyl zone (and not her
] father). They were given the same standard excursion that
] most Chernobyl tourists receive. When the Web site
] appeared, Zone Administration personnel were in an uproar
] over who approved a motorcycle trip in the zone. When it
] turned out that the motorcycle story was an invention,
] they were even less pleased about this fantasy Web site.
]
] Because of those problems, Elena and her husband have
] changed the Web site and the story considerably in the
] last few days. Earlier versions of the narrative lied
] more blatantly about Elena taking lone motorcycle trips
] in the zone. That has been changed to merely suggest that
] she does so, which is still misleading.

The photos were very cool. However, everything else you know is a lie force fed to you by the KGB.

Boing Boing: 'Girl Photoblogs Chernobyl on Motorcycle' thing a fraud

As previously meme'd, I destroyed my car for independent cinema last week.

I'm playing logistics bingo right now, trying to see which way of getting down there works best. Stealing a car remains the best option, second to hijacking a train. Only you can fight crime and/or terrorism by giving rattle a ride down to Atlanta.

Its the perfect way to celebrate Tax Day. Standard Deduction applies, I will be more then happy to chip in for gas.

It was more traumatic then fun. Thursday was good. Friday was hectic but enjoyable. Saturday was great, up until after the Troma party. On the way home, we got in a car wreck. One of the people in the car got a slash in their head and had to go to the hospital to get it "glued" shut. The entire front of my car was crushed in.

However, in the face of all this adversity we did managed to get back to NYC intact. Later tonight I'll likely type up a more descriptive recount of the events so I don't have to repeat it as much.

I need to catch up on some news. There is alot going on.

Sorry for the lack of memeage. I've been very busy.

I'm going to be in Cleveland this weekend. I'm helping out some friends from Troma with a few things related to a convention (or two) in the area. For those who are not familiar with Troma, its the oldest operational Independent movie studio in America. They are also all completely insane.

This weekend will either be fun, traumatic, or most likely both.

I've acquired a new mobile phone. I'm in number port limbo, so it may be a little tricky to get ahold me for the next few days. When I come out the other side, I should be able to Bluetooth myself some Internet whenever I need it. In the future, I should be a more connected when mobile.

More great pictures have been added

Photoblogging Chernobyl Site Updated

] If I tell someone that I am heading in "dead zone"... you
] know, what I hear.. In best case- "are you nuts?"

I'd like to see this place for so many reasons. I grew up in the shadow of a nuclear power plant. An area I just spoke a volume of love for is threatened by the same fate. Just by virtue of being there..

In terms of risk mechanics, this type of thing is something I see every reason to seek understanding of. These cities were frozen in time at the fall of the USSR planned economy. These cities are poisoned in a most fearsome way, that I fear enemies desire to unleash.

In terms of culture, I fear the reactions I would have exposing myself to this. I can't see being able too view anything and not be reminded of death, pain, fear, and despair.

In search of trade craft, I'd jump in with two feet, a radiation counter, logging gear, and whatever else required. The idea of exploring something like that is exactly the type of thing that completely terrifies me in all the right ways.

As this proves, both hatred and accidents can unleash such fates. Terrorists, entropy, and irresponsibility are all attack vectors. There are a number of episodes of history, that have always invoked really strong reactions from me. This is one of them.

Photoblogging Chernobyl

Current location, Laramie, Wyoming.

Fuck you very much Bank of America, I wound up marooned in Watts, Nevada and later Salt Lake City for most of yesterday night. So much for when they say checks are going to post, and when they do. Shesh1. Banks are just not respectful enough of people like me who live within an inch and a dollar of the edge. Or maybe I'm not respectful enough of the banks, or the edge. Shrug2.

My usual strategy is to catch a few hours of sleep during the peak of each day, when my car can easily be nice, warm, and hospitable, rather then a night meat locker. (For those taking notes, reverse in summer time.) This time around, due to BoA, I switched to a truckstop drivers lounge approach. Honestly, I would have rather handled it the other way. Less noise. And believe it or not, center console and all, my vehicle-o'-utility is still more comfortable.

Aside from that little blip, this trip has been going great. From the snow capped mounts of Nevada to the snow covered fields off Wyoming, I've been enjoying this much needed dose of Interstatia Americana. Potent stuff. I must admit, I'm a little worried about OD'ing on it, as I know all the possible options to vector I have ahead, and they are all both mildly familiar and boring as piss.

I've been very lucky in several respects. The morning fog was at its most hardcore during the entire point in time when the sun would have been directly in my face. Perhaps that was karma's reimbursement for the BoA yuck yucks.

Sorry for the lack of memeage. While the Wifi Gods may smile upon me, they are not always aptly placed or priced. Plus, the caffeine levels and mental state brought on by the road zone do not exactly conjure the spirits of Barlow and Kerouac, as much as Knievel and Earnhardt.

Update: Some WiFi Gods suck. I cannot send email from this particular shithole of a hotspot. Nor are any of my usual hackarounds working.