Some of these spans are truly awe-inspiring; some just seem downright dangerous. Sign me up for the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge in Ireland. Which one seems the most fun?

Churchill and ET: a match made in the heavens?

According to Fox News, documents have recently surfaced in the UK detailing an event during World War II, in which a British figher was tailed by an unidentified flying object. Churchill took the event so seriously that he discussed classifying it for 50 years with US General Dwight Eisenhower because he feared it would cause “mass panic” and “destroy one’s belief in the church.”

Unrleated, in other events recently released in UK documents one man apparently put a little money on the line:

In one incident, a gambler approached the Defense Department for help after a local gambling parlor refused to pay out on his 100-1 bet that aliens would land on Earth before the end of the 20th century.

Looks like he should have read our article on Science Bookies and Wagers!

*Admittedly, there seems to be little evidence released that Churchill ordered a cover-up and saying he believed in aliens is a stretch I want to believe in. Then again, I doubt cover-ups typically leave a definite paper trail.

This list is comprehensive. What it lacks in lack of authorial diversity (several writers make the list multiple times; but if they wrote good articles, what can you say?) it makes up for in its breadth of time. Each decade from the 1960s to the present is well covered, but the list stretches as far as 1816.

David Foster Wallace has several articles in the Top 100

Included are many articles from noted editorialists, such as Norman Mailer, Hunter S. Thompson, Tom Wolfe, John Updike, Joan Didion, John Krakauer, and David Foster Wallace, as well as a plethora of other interesting articles.

Are there any absent articles you think merit a spot?

An article in Esquire magazine in 1971 extensively detailed the subculture and its goings-on at the time. It’s a fascinating and somewhat disturbing read. The nature of “phreaking” has morphed greatly since the 70s, thanks to the digitilization and computerization of the telecommunications systems, but this article is an excellent primer to the subject. While the technical aspects of the process are intriguing, the true insight of the article is into the members of the subculture. They are eccentric, intelligent, skilled, if slightly deranged. They speak about the “system” is if it’s a colony they hope to one day inhabit, with which they want to meld. Today, the “phreaking” subculture has largely linked with computer hacking, but the spirit of the movement is still alive and well.

An example of a “Blue Box” used to access phone systems in the 1970s

This world is one I had never previously imagined, but it certainly is not a mere afterthought to geekdom. Some widely known tech figures were former “phreaks,” including Steve Wozniak. The article is definitely worth the time to read.

The Economist has an article detailing a British betting firm’s odds on various scientific potenially-soon-to-be-discovered phenomena. The big mover right now is the superstar of the physics world: the Higgs Boson. Great stuff.

According to Wikipedia, one possible way the Higgs boson might be produced at the Large Hadron Collider.

Now if I can just figure out how to get in on this action. What odds will you give me on gravitational waves?

Thanks to Kenley Maddux for the link

Batman Begins and The Dark Knight were predictably action vehicles, but they injected thematic intelligence to the maximum. Inception falls closer to Nolan’s other films, where the intricate plotlines are front and center. All the reviews you’ve heard are true: Inception demands you pay attention. It won’t take an IQ of 150 to understand the film, but it’s not simply fireworks in the sky. And that’s a good thing. The thinking man’s Hollywood movie is an increasing rarity.
Since the plotline is such an integral part of a viewer’s enjoyment of the film, I won’t delve into analysis or recap. The themes of dreams versus reality, memory, regret, catharsis, and reconciliation are abundant (a recurrence for Nolan) and excellent.

Fret not, action junkie, Inception is not all thought experiment. Nolan adds plenty of suspense and adrenaline to the film, including the first “zero gravity” fight scene. In some ways, the film is a traditional heist flick. Further, the cinematography is brilliant, as Nolan and team blend elaborate landscapes and special effects to splendid effect. On top of it all is a strong cast with strong performances, headlined, of course, by Mr. Leonardo DiCaprio.

Perhaps the greatest part of the whole thing, though, is the ending. Nolan unpins a grenade, tosses it toward a keg of explosives, and finalizes in a way that will leave you thinking. After the credits roll, the final aspect of the story causes the viewer to immediately reevaluate the finer points of the story they discerned in the process, a la Memento and The Prestige.

The only negativity I have encountered regarding the film are the need for a more resolute resolution and some noise from those who simply don’t like films to make you think. To me, the former criticism is understandable, but I like the ending just as presented. To the latter, I say, go see Toy Story 3.

Few big-budget films are worth the price of admission these days. Inception is definitely one of them.

mith rating: 9.5

A freak carom off a teammate’s face from 30+ yards into your own goal? Stupefying. This goal happened during an Irish league match between Waterford United and Mervue United. Waterford went up 1-0 thanks to Mike Elwood, who might have been the best player on their team that day. Problem for Mike was that he plays for Mervue. Luckily, Waterford added two more goals to win 3-0. Still: ouch.

A contest has emerged for the first person to crack the code. The prize? A whopping shirt…

A company that manufactures medical equipment has created a pin-up calendar featuring x-ray images of models…

This thing would probably actually look pretty cool hanging on a wall.