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The Elements

All matter in the Universe is made of atoms: tiny particles of different varieties that combine to form all the complicated materials in our bodies, the planet, and outer space.

The different types of atoms (there are 92) are called Elements, and are the subject of a regular column here at Hansisgreat. Many of the elements are familiar: oxygen, aluminum, silver and gold are known to us all. Some of the others are a bit more mysterious, or even virtually unknown.

Today we focus on three which are pretty obscure...

Zirconium:

Atomic Symbol: Zr

Atomic Number: 40

Zirconium is abundant in certain types of stars, called S-type stars. Meteorites contain zirconium, as do samples of rock brought back from the Moon.

Gems that contain zirconium were known in ancient times, and are mentioned in the Bible as hyacinth, jacinth, jargon, and zircon. The element was isolated in 1789 Berlin by Martin Heinrich Klaproth, who discovered uranium the same year. This coincidental link was echoed 150 years later, when both elements were used in the nuclear power industry.

Today it is used to make fake diamonds, often for somewhat gaudy jewelry. It is also used in ultra-strong ceramics. The US Army uses zirconium in tanks engines, not made of metal so they do not need lubrication or cooling systems.

Niobium:

Atomic Symbol: Nb

Atomic Number: 41

Originally named "columbium", after the poetic name for America and the ore from which it was extracted; it was rechristened niobium in 1844, although it is still called columbium in the engineering trade.

Small amounts of niobium impart greater strength to other metals, especially if it is to be welded or exposed to very low temperatures. An alloy with zirconium is particularly resistant to corrosive chemical attack. It is used in surgical implants, because it does not react with human tissue. Jewelry and sculptures made with niobium have a lustrous surface, shimmering with various iridescent colors.

Molybdenum:

Atomic Symbol: Mo

Atomic Number: 42

Although it is essential in trace amounts to all living things, larger does are extremely toxic. Experiments have shown that too much molybdenum causes fetal deformities.

The blades of certain Japanese samurai swords of the fourteenth century contained a surprising amount of molybdenum, giving them added strength and corrosion resistance; yet it was not recognized as a metal until the eighteenth century, and not widely used until the twentieth. Some anonymous Japanese blacksmith must have stumbled upon the benefits of adding molybdenum to iron, but kept the secret to himself so that it died with him.

For my posts on the previous 39 elements, click here.

There's a terrific book of reference on the subject, called Nature's Building Blocks: An A-Z Guide to the Elements, by John Emsley. It's a must read for any chemistry enthusiast.

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Encyclopedia of Snakes

The New Encyclopedia of Snakes, by Chris Mattison

$23.10 in the Hansisgreat Gift Shop

ISBN: 069113295x

I have a selection of coffee table books in my apartment, and have noticed that this is the one that seems to attract the most attention. Snakes are simply irresistible, and since most people find looking at photos of them more enjoyable than encountering them in real life, this book is a terrific choice.

There are almost 3,000 different varieties of snakes, which live on every continent except Antarctica. People have a deeply ingrained mistrust of snakes: drivers who would swerve to avoid hitting animals on the highway will often go out of their way to crush a snake, often reversing the car to back over it again, making sure that it's really dead.

This reaction is fueled by ignorance: most snakes are harmless and beautiful to look at. This book has over 200 breathtaking, full color photos which are a lot of fun to flip through. 

My favorites show snakes devouring their prey. There are some good ones of snakes eating frogs, bats, and small rodents. I didn't show these photos here, for fear of grossing my readers out. They're definitely worth checking out, though.

Because they have long, slender bodies, snakes are masters at hiding in tiny crevices. Whenever a house is demolished or boulders are excavated, thousands of snakes flee the scene. Hiding is usually their best defense, but they have a dazzling assortment of poisons and camouflages in case they're disturbed. Some of them, like the anacondas and pythons, are massive enough to be intimidating to almost any predator. 

My favorite, the King Cobra (shown left), can spit venom, causing blindness or paralysis. You don't want to mess with a creature like that.

Included is a good chapter on snake reproduction (seeing them give birth is really creepy), and another on what they like to eat. He's even included a lot of helpful information on keeping snakes as pets, for those who are interested. He doesn't mention every single species in the world, but the most common and interesting varieties are all here. 

Mattison is a very good writer. Usually books like this are a bit dry to read, but he's created a work of non-fiction that the most casual admirer can read and understand. There are a lot of "snippets", which are fascinating, completely self-contained, and can be enjoyed in under five minutes, making this the ideal book to idly flip through, almost like  magazine. It's a bit pricey, but the thorough research and shockingly beautiful photos make it worth the investment.

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Galaxy

There's a lot more matter in the Universe than just stars and planets. Space is filled with dust, which is the raw material from which everything else is formed.

The Milky Way is a spiral galaxy, and our planet is in the remote outskirts of the Orion Arm. If we were located closer to the densely populated center, the entire night sky would be lit up as brightly as the day.

Our galaxy is believed two contain four major arms, called: Perseus, Norma, Scutum Crux, and Carina. 

The Norma Arm has at least two spurs, including the Orion Spur, which contains our own Solar System.

From our perspective, it's impossible to see most of the other stars in our galaxy because vast clouds of space dust block their visible light from reaching Earth.

Other forms of light do reach us, however. The discovery of radio telescopes allowed us to observe distant stars by magnifying their electromagnetic radiation, which is not blocked by dust. This has allowed us to map the otherwise invisible parts of the heavens, and speculate about the shape of our galaxy.

For example, the Clouds of Magellan, only faintly visible with the naked eye, appear brilliantly illuminated through radio telescope images. These clouds appear to be pieces broken off from the Milky Way, but are actually two small galaxies very close to our own. They were first observed by the Persian astronomer Al Sufi in 964, but were named by the explorer Ferdinand Magellan during his crew's 1519-1522 circumnavigation of the globe.

The Magellanic Clouds are about 200,000 light years from Earth, and contain the brightest super nova ever discovered.

There are at least 100 billion galaxies in the observable Universe (the yellow lights in the picture to the left are not stars, but entire galaxies seen from a distance). The Milky Way is typical: it is 100,000 light years in diameter, and contains approximately 200 billion stars.

Most galaxies appear to have a massive black hole at their center, around which the stars and planets seem to revolve.

For some terrific photos from deep space, check out the European Space Agency. There's also some exciting new video footage from the surface of Mars.

An outstanding coffee table book about space exploration is Astronomy: A Visual Guide, by Mark A. Garlick.

For my previous posts on astronomy, click here.

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Lost On Planet China

Lost On Planet China, by J. Maarten Troost

$13.77 in the Hansisgreat Gift Shop

ISBN: 978-0-7679-2200-5

This is a new and outstanding travel memoir by the charming and handsome author of Getting Stoned With Savages. He spent several months visiting one of the largest and least understood countries in the world, and reported back the experience.

China is home to 1.3 billion people, one fifth of the entire human population on Earth..

For most of us in the western world, knowledge of Chinese culture ends with Chairman Mao, who emerged in 1949 as the last man standing after a long and bitter civil war. At the time, China was a 

land of farmers still recovering from decades of poverty, and yet Mao believed that his country should rule the world. This period is often referred to as the Great Leap Forward, and it was somewhat a mixed blessing. Roughly 70 million people are believed to have perished during his reign.

On the positive side, it does seem to have prepared China for its role as a superpower. Today business, finance, and manufacturing all revolve around China, and for the first time in its history, an average citizen has the 

opportunity to get rich. Prosperity finally seems to be coming to people who've suffered long and horribly.

So what's been happening since then? Troost didn't know much more than anyone else when he set off to find out. On the plane, we find him frantically reading Chinese for Dummies, unable to make much sense out of it. There are thirteen main languages and hundreds of dialects, so it's of little use in any case.

He visits the Great Wall, which he says is like a jagged stone snake, impervious to all obstacles. No one really know how long the Great Wall is. Some say as much as 4,500 miles, others a more modest 1,500 miles. They are still finding parts of it, in 2002 another 360 mile section was excavated.

There are a lot of places I'd love to visit after reading about them here: the sacred mountain of Tai Shan sounds lovely, an arduous but picturesque 6,600 step climb past hundreds of ancient temples and pagodas. The Forbidden City (shown above) has always tempted me.

There's an awful lot about the terrible pollution: power plants, hydroelectric dams, chimneys with billowing plumes of smoke. China burns more coal than the United States, Japan, and Europe combined. Troost says the air is so rank and dense with pollutants that even a Republican would be hollering for clean air.

Overall, it sounds like a fun trip in a fascinating and diverse country. Especially timely with the Olympics only two weeks away, Lost On Planet China is a truly enjoyable introduction to this great nation you may know almost nothing about. 

Stories about one's travels are always fun, full of lost luggage and insane taxi drivers. The writer is funny and informative, and the destination mysterious and exotic. Highest marks to a surefire winner.

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The History of Civilization

Chapter Fourteen: The Democratic Experiment

Athens rose to prominence after her leadership in the defense of Greece during the war with Persia; and because, when the war was over, Ionia was impoverished and Sparta disordered by demobilization, earthquakes, and slave insurrections. This growing influence created a kind of Athenian Empire, which witnessed the only democracy in human civilization until 1776.Themistocles persuaded the Greeks that the path to prosperity was not in war, but in trade. He negotiated a cease-fire with Persia, although fighting would continue intermittently for centuries to come.

When Themistocles died in 449 BC, leadership of the Greeks passed to Pericles, one of the outstanding political figures of ancient times.

Pericles realized that the rich aristocracy was out of step with the times, and so attached himself to the demos, or common people. His generation elected and re-elected him for almost thirty years between 467 and 428 BC. The reforms of Pericles substantially extended the authority of the people, creating work for the unemployed and spending the treasury on the beautification of Athens.

Every freeborn citizen was given the right to vote, and to serve in the General Assembly and on juries in the criminal courts. Legislation was no longer strictly under the control of the wealthy ruling class. Under his leadership, academies were founded to offer higher education to women.

The conservatives were shocked, denouncing Pericles for squandering public funds and leading Greeks into war against Sparta. Comics and playwrights, freed by his own legislation, mocked him publicly as a traitor to his class and an anarchist.

Since transportation is difficult in this region, only a small fraction of the eligible members ever voted in a single meeting. Additionally, all slaves, women, the deformed and disabled, and resident aliens were all excluded from the franchise. Citizens also had to be the son of two Athenian parents, so that only 43,000 citizens in a city of 315,000 were eligible to serve. It is estimated that only one person in seven qualified for citizenship, and most of these didn't participate in the democracy because they lived too far away to vote.

Legal cases were heard by an appointed arbitrator, and then tried by jury if the arbitrator was unable to resolve the conflict. Perjury was so frequent that many cases were decided despite explicit sworn evidence to the contrary. Testimony of women and children could only be used in murder trials, and that of slaves only when it was extracted from them by torture (it is taken for granted that without torture they would lie).

These are shortcomings of a system of law envied throughout Greece for its mildness and integrity, and dependable enough to give the orderly protection necessary to stimulate economic activity and moral growth.

The best judgement of Athenian law is the reverence that nearly every citizen felt for it, and the readiness with which other Greek cities adopted it. In spite of its shortcomings, the first democracy built the Parthenon, financed Greek dramas, presided over the great Golden Age philosophers, and made itself responsible for the welfare and development of common people.

To be continued...

For my previous posts on the History of Civilization, click here.

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The First American

The First American, by H.W. Brands

$11.56 in the Hansisgreat Gift Shop

ISBN: 9780385495400

There are a lot of biographies of Dr. Franklin out there, including one he wrote himself. This one reads like a novel, and was nominated for the prestigious Pulitzer Prize.

One can't help being amazed at how much this man achieved in so many different areas. We all know him as a statesman, critical to establishing American independence. He's also the noted inventor of the Franklin Stove, the lightning rod, bifocals, and a host of other clever creations.

Did you know he was also an outstanding philosopher. Some of his writings on ethics and religion are truly impressive, written when he was only 22 years old.

Here's something most people don't know about him: on his numerous Atlantic crossings, he conducted some amazing studies on sea life. He was one of the first to propose that dolphins and whales were mammals, not fish; and is widely credited with the discovery of the Gulf Stream, so influential on Atlantic climate and travel.

A marine biologist? Ben Franklin? It's true!

Most of all, he's famous for his cutting edge experiments with lightning and electricity. He was the first to prove that lightning was caused by static electricity when storm clouds rubbed up against each 

other.

Most of all, he was a father figure to democracy in the New World. His altruistic work in Philadelphia society impacts us in modern times. He founded our first hospital, library, fire company, university, stock exchange, philosophical society, and too many other institutions to number here.

He's also known for a fast-paced personal life. Beloved by the French, especially their women, his fame and charisma helped secure French funding for the American Revolution. If anyone singlehandedly won our freedom, it was Franklin, without whom victory over the British would have been impossible. This he accomplished, although he never fought in a single battle.

H.W. Brands is a thorough researcher and outstanding storyteller. The result is a rich and fascinating story, full of twists and turns. There's something to marvel at on virtually every page. This is no dusty, dry history tome.

It's hard to top Dr. Franklin as a role model, truly brilliant and heroic. This is an amazing book on an incredible historical figure, who's never seemed as lifelike, almost like someone you know personally. First class writing on a world class life.

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Sauropods

The sauropods were a group of large to extremely large plant-eating dinosaurs with small heads, long necks, bulky bodies, pillar-like legs, and long tails. They dominated the Earth during the Late Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods, and are among the most recognized and beloved of all the dinosaurs.

There were several varieties of sauropods, and each had its giant members. There are two main advantages to being so massive. One is self defense: having more size and weight to defend against predators. Even Tyrannosaurus Rex was less than one fifth the size of the weight of the great sauropods. 

The second is body temperature regulation. After absorbing the sun's warmth by day, a huge dinosaur would retain more heat in its core for use through the cool night.

Diplodocus is one of the most common sauropods, found frequently throughout North America. It is one of the longest dinosaurs known, stretching up to 27 meters (90 ft), with a whiplash tail that contained more than 70 vertebrae. Recent studies suggest that Diplodocus could not lift its head very high.

This dinosaur was highly unusual, and differed from its close relatives in several respects. The most important differences are found in the animal's teeth and jaws.

The teeth of Diplodocus were tall, thin, and pointed so that they were shaped like pencils. It only had teeth in the front of its mouth, none on the sides, and they formed a comb or rake type arrangement. This suggests that they were not used for chewing or cutting, but for straining weeds from ponds and leaves from low shrubs.

Scientists disagree about whether its jaw moved up and down as it ate, or side to side.

Apatosaurus means deceptive lizard. Indeed, this creature has deceived scientists in more ways than one. It was more sturdily built than Diplodocus, although not quite as long.

Noted paleontologist Othniel Marsh discovered Apatosaurus in 1877. Two years later, he found a second specimen, but assembled it with the wrong head, thinking it was a different species which he named Brontosaurus. Because Apatosaurus was the first name for this creature, it is now considered the "official" title.

Brachiosaurus was one of the largest dinosaurs, and is much heavier than any land animal alive today. Scientists estimate that it weighed 50 tons, as much as an entire herd of bull elephants.

Its arms were much longer than its hind limbs, which raised the chest and shoulders high above ground level. This may have helped with its high feeding strategy, but these long limbs were surprisingly slender, so that this creature could not run.

Pumping blood through its long neck to the brain must have required very high blood pressure. Giraffes solve this problem with muscular arteries that keep the blood flowing, and a network of capillaries in the brain to keep it from flooding when the animal's neck was lowered.

There are several mysteries concerning the sauropod family. Increased body mass means more bone and muscle are needed to support and move this weight. How these creatures satisfied what must have been a gargantuan need for food by eating through such tiny heads remains uncertain.

One thing is for sure: they'd have been a lot of fun to ride.

Books on dinosaurs belong in every home, and make a terrific gift. One of my favorites is National Geographic Dinosaurs, by Paul Barrett. Another good one is Dinosaurus: The Complete Guide to Dinosaurs, by Steve Parker.

For my previous posts on dinosaurs, click here.

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Hot Property

Hot Property, by Carly Phillips

$7.99 in the Hansisgreat Gift Shop

ISBN: 0373773331

Romance novels, like sci-fi and other genre fictions, are an enjoyable indulgence now and then, but shouldn't be read all the time. They generally follow the same, predictable format: if you've read one Nora Roberts book, you've read them all. I repeat, ladies: dime-store novels are fun, but there's more to life.

That being said, I really enjoyed Hot Property. When it comes to light romance, Carly Phillips can compete with the best of them.

Our heroine is Amy Stone. She's in twenty-five, and has just gotten a high-roller new job at a sports publicist agency. She's hard-working, 

ambitious, and desperately wants to avoid any obstacles on her fast track to success. All business.

She meets a guy. On the surface, he's a dream come true: an athlete who's outstandingly gorgeous, incredibly rich, and underwear model handsome besides. 

John Roper is a major league center fielder whose career seems to be on the decline. 

Widely blamed when his team loses a World Series, he turns to the Hot Zone sports agency for help reversing his momentum.

Roper (silly name, by the way. Try again, Carly) has a depth of character you don't usually find in romance novels. He's tied down by 

a loser brother and eccentric, aging movie star mother who absolutely steals the show.

Cassandra, the wicked mother, is a pathetic character who lives like a millionaire even though she hasn't earned any money in years. The author captures her as perfectly as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, reaching madness as her former glory drifts further and further away.

Further to the novel's credit, it strikes the perfect balance between sensuality and smut. There were parts that gave me a hard-on, but it 

was still something my great-grandmother might have enjoyed. Quite an achievement, I'd say.

There's no shortage of eight dollar paper backs suitable for a day at the beach or a long airplane ride. Hot Property is among the best written this year. It would be nice to see the author try her hand at a more serious novel, but in the meantime, this is one dollop of marshmallow fluff that's positively irresistible.

Highest marks for a first class treat!

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Canada

Canada is the second largest nation in the world, geographically. It's surprising, therefore, how little we in the United States seem to know about our neighbors to the north. We share with them the longest common border in the world of 8,891 Km (5,522 miles). They are also our largest trading partner, importing $230 billion of our merchandise each year.

Total Area: 3,851,794 sq. mil. (slightly larger than the United States including Alaska)

Population: 32,805,041

Languages: 59.3% English, 23.2% French

Capital: Ottawa

Prime Minister: Stephen Harper (since 2006)

The first humans came to Canada at the end of the last Ice Age, crossing a frozen land-bridge through what is now the Bering Strait. Gradually they spread over the continent, eventually reaching South America. They hunted, fished, and in warmer areas also farmed. Society was organized in small bands, and there were no cities.

Vikings were the first Europeans to live in Canada, discovering Newfoundland about AD 1000, but their settlements didn't last long. The French had more success. In the 1530s, explorer Jacques Cartier sailed up the St. Lawrence River, claiming the territory for France.

As the colony developed, it was caught up in the rivalries between England and France, which were locked in a struggle for worldwide imperial conquest. After disastrous losses during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763, called the French-Indian War in North America), French authority in the region waned and its Canadian provinces were captured by Great Britain.

After the successful rebellion of the 13 colonies, Canada sheltered thousands of Loyalist refugees, and remained subject to the British. In the War of 1812, most Canadians were convinced that the Americans were the aggressors, and their troops marched under the British flag.

During the American Civil War, Canadian colonists feared that a victorious North, angered by Britain's sympathy toward the South, might invade the British colonies. Out of these concerns came a movement for the unification of the British colonies of North America. The result was the Dominion of Canada, independent but minimally subject to the British Crown, declared on July 1, 1867.

Most of its territory is very sparsely settled, the vast majority of its people live in a narrow band along the border with the US. Language has continued to divide Canadians, both politically and ideologically. An aggressive movement for Quebecois nationalism has been causing unrest since the 1960s.

In spite of the problems that divide them, Canadians have created a uniquely cosmopolitan culture in North America. Its large cities are among the most beautiful in the world, and many consider Toronto (pictured) as inspiring as Paris.

Although unemployment has recently reached a distressing 6.2%, Canada ranks among the healthiest nations of the world, and the happiest. Notable Canadians include Keanu Reeves, Alanis Morisette, and the members of Sum41. 

For my previous posts on Nations of the World, click here.

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How Evan Broke His Head

How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets

by Garth Stein

$10.20 in the Hansisgreat Gift Shop

ISBN: 978-1-56947-498-3

The author has been in the media lately for his new bestseller, The Art of Racing In the Rain. Personally, I don't care for books about dogs, so I decided to review his previous novel instead.

The hero of our story is Evan, a thirty-one year rock star who had a hit single ten years ago and very little success since then. He lives alone in a small apartment and works part time in a guitar store to make ends meet. Additionally, he's an epileptic.

As a result of his disability, and because he's less financially successful than his brother and parents, his family tends to treat him as if he's damaged goods. Almost like he's retarded.

When Evan was in high school, he had a relationship with a young woman named Tracy. She became pregnant at seventeen, and told Evan that she was getting an abortion before disappearing from his life. Our story begins fourteen years later at Tracy's funeral. Evan pays his respects, when he discovers that Tracy didn't have that abortion after all. She had a son, Dean, now fourteen years old and missing his mother.

Evan is not really set up for a kid, and doesn't know the first thing about his son whom he's never met. At first the plan is for the two of them to spend a little 

time together before Evan returns to his bachelor pad and Dean to his grandparents. Of course, it doesn't play out that way. Dean's grandfather has a fondness for smacking the kid around, and Evan can't in good conscience return his son to an environment like that, although he's uncertain about how to handle it himself.

Dean is a likable boy, but after the untimely death of his mother he's obviously got some serious issues. The father he's never met feels ill-equipped to raise any kid, much less one with so many problems. Dean doesn't want to live with the man whom he feels has abandoned him and his mom, but neither does he want to return to his abusive grandfather.

A lot of the twists in the plot are derived from the characters' dishonesty; specifically, the lies they tell one another "for their own good". Tracy doesn't tell Evan he has a son, nor does she tell Dean who his father is. Evan's family lies to him to protect him, and naturally, everyone lies to the kid.

In spite of their faults, the entire cast is easy to relate to. Evan has a girlfriend who seems like a dream come true for a single man who suddenly becomes a parent, but their relationship is nuanced because neither of them wants things moving too fast. Offering Dean a ready-made, replacement mom is not what he needs right now.

Everyone who comes from a dysfunctional family will find this book  touching, and an exhilarating summer read with a surprise ending. Quiet and unassuming, How Evan Broke His Head is a diamond in the rough.

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Quotations

A person's true wealth is the good he or she does in the world.

Muhammad (c570 - 632)

Beauty endures only as long as it can be seen; goodness, beautiful today, will remain so tomorrow.

Sappho (610 BC - 580 BC)

If we would build on a sure foundation in friendship we must love our friends for their sake rather than our own.

Charlotte Bronte (1816 - 1855)

The fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose.

Hada Bejar (1640 - 1689)

To do anything truly worth doing, I must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in with gusto and scramble through as well as I can.

Og Mandino (1923 - 1996)

People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built.

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 - 1962)

If you do not wish to be prone to anger, do not feed the habit; give it nothing which may tend to its increase.

Epictetus (55 - 135)

God can be realized by all paths. All religions are true. The important thing is to reach the roof.

Ramakrishna (1836 - 1886)

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Pot Culture

Pot Culture: The A-Z Guide to Stoner Language and Life, by Shirley Halperin, Steve Bloom, and Tommy Chong

$10.60 in the Hansisgreat Gift Shop

ISBN: 0810994402

This hilarious and informative miscellany is a surefire winner for every marijuana enthusiast.

First, a word on the esteemed editors: Halperin is an editor at Entertainment Weekly, a magazine with a circulation of 1.8 million copies. Bloom is a former editor in chief at High Times, the magazine for pot smokers. Chong is a charismatic musician and actor, beloved for his role on Miami Vice, and in a slew of terrific stoner movies.

Contributors include Willie Nelson, Adam Levine, MTV's Steve-O, and many others.

The result is a decadently entertaining and informative book. If you're new to the game, there's a lot of basic instructions: how to roll a joint, selecting the right pipe or grinder. Included were some tips on cooking with pot, and recipes for brownies and a few other delicacies. Healthy choices for when you've got the munchies.

There is also a fine section on how to cultivate marijuana. While I certainly don't plan on following these particular instructions myself, learning a bit about the process was rewarding in its own way.

Much of the material relates to pop culture. 

There's a great section on famous movies involving marijuana, beginning with the 1936 classic propaganda film Reefer Madness. In this sensationalistic drama, a young man murders his high school sweetheart and nearly loses his mind to madness, all induced by his experimenting with marijuana. 

Usually the movies are lighter, more enjoyable comedies like Half Baked. There are also suggestions on good sci-fi films to watch while stoned.

We all know that good music is nearly impossible without marijuana. Naturally, the authors have included a few kind words about Pink Floyd and Bob Marley. Pot has also been highly influential in literature and the arts. 

Outstanding poets and authors, many of whom you'd never suspect, were committed stoners.

Interspersed are helpful bits of advice: tips for travelers, good hiding places for your stash. Even the most seasoned users will learn something useful and unexpected.

This is a book you could flip through for hours. Genuinely witty and urbane, Pot Culture is a treat for the rebel in all of us.

Just don't read it outside the police station.

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The Elements

For those of you who are new to Hansisgreat, I have a continuing series on the Periodic Table of Elements. From the widely known to the relatively obscure, here are a few facts about the atoms that compose our entire material world.

Modern Periodic Tables are divided into groups (vertical columns, atoms with the same number of electrons in the outer shell), and periods (horizontal rows, including atoms with the same number of shells). Today's elements are the first in the fifth period, atoms with five levels of electrons.

All three of these elements were discovered in modern times, and remain mostly obscure because they have few industrial uses and no biological roles to play. Strontium was included in an early Periodic Chart developed by John Dalton in 1804 (see above right). The other two were known for years before they were actually discovered in the natural world.

Rubidium:

Atomic Symbol: Rb

Atomic Number: 37

Rubidium is a soft, silvery metal that rusts so quickly from contact with water vapor in the air that it has to be stored in oil or grease. Contact with heat produces the brilliant purple flame seen left.

Little rubidium is produced commercially, because what it can do is done equally well by sodium, which is 5000 times cheaper; or even potassium, 300 times cheaper. Rubidium costs about $20,000/Kg, making it more expensive than gold or platinum. It is used for research purposes only. Its most notable use was that it was cooled to just a few billionths of a degree above absolute zero, verifying that 

-273.15^oC is the coldest temperature any material can have.

Strontium:

Atomic Symbol: Sr

Atomic Number: 38

This element quickly disappears from the body, with less than 0.3% of a dose remaining after one day. For this reason, it is often used in medical research. It is best known for the brilliant reds it produces when burned in fireworks or highway flares.

Although Strontium-90 is a dangerous radioactive isotope, it is a useful by-product of nuclear reactors used in television screens, space vehicles, and remote weather stations. It caused major worldwide pollution when it was released into the environment during nuclear weapons testing between 1945 and 1963. Its presence was detected in the bodies of newborn infants, showing how prevalent it had become.

Yttrium:

Atomic Symbol: Y

Atomic Number: 39

Pronounced it-ree-uhm, it is named after Ytterby, Sweden. Three new elements (yttrium, terbium, and erbium) were all discovered in the ore mined from this famous Swedish town.

Radioactive Yttrium-90 has been used in several types of medical research, generally for cancer (because it attaches itself to cancer cells).

Samples of material from the Moon, brought back from the six Apollo missions between 1969 and 1972, were found to have relatively high yttrium contents.

For my posts on the previous elements, numbered 1-36, are available here.

If you're interested in a terrific reference book on the Periodic Table, check out Nature's Building Blocks, by John Emsley.

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Soon I Will Be Invincible

Soon I Will Be Invincible, by Austin Grossman

$10.17 in the Hansisgreat Gift Shop

ISBN: 0375424865

Funny, exciting, and above all, incredibly weird; Soon I Will Be Invincible is a superhero story in non-comic book format. It's a terrific summer blockbuster that surprised me with the depth of its characters, and its unexpected twists and turns.

Doctor Impossible is an evil genius who has been imprisoned no less than twelve times for trying to take over the world. After his most recent jailbreak, he hatches one last scheme for world domination by knocking the Earth out of its orbit. He's a tragic, lonely character; past his prime and with a grudge against the entire world for not appreciating his brilliance.

Fatale is a young woman who was in a horrible accident she can't even remember. Threatened with spending the rest of her life in a vegetative state, she's offered a chance to be rebuilt as a cyborg under the condition that she join the superhero team, the Champions. She accepts the offer, but when the Champions' leader disappears, she's forced into a crash course in super-heroism that culminates in a showdown with Doctor Impossible himself.

The chapters alternate between the perspectives of Impossible and Fatale. Both seem reasonable to the reader, and at times it's hard to understand who are the villains and who the heroes.

Our villain is a pitiful and empathetic character: changing into his 

caped costume in the bushes outside a super-villain cabal, only to be laughed at and attacked by the people he was counting on for help. He even takes the Greyhound bus to the sites of his criminal schemes. Poor guy,should've become a hero.

Although the plot is filled with absurd, comic book style scenarios which stretch willing suspension of disbelief to its extreme, the story is fun and interesting, and the author has a knack for keeping it grounded in the real world. Superhero teams are a special division of the US Army, for example. Special security clearances, secret headquarters, the whole nine yards. It all seems strangely believable.

Doctor Impossible has an older, villainous mentor; and Fatale a superhero girlfriend with whom she watches movies over Ben & Jerry's ice cream. There's always a well developed person with feelings and insecurities underneath the costume.

There's an entire legion of supporting cast, heroes and villains with their own weaknesses and triumphs. Among them is Doctor Impossible's ex-girlfriend, now a member of the Champions, sworn to hunt him down. An appendix is included, in case you get them mixed up.

It's impossible to fault this book as leisure reading. It's highly recommended for comic book fans who like to read text novels now and then. The story is captivating from the first page, and comes with all the highs and lows you'd expect from a meta-human showdown.

First rate work from an outstanding new author.