Today’s Internet Weirdness brought to you by Fortean Times

Fortean Times28 March. In 1979 there was a serious accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, and although no meltdown occurred, public opinion began to turn against the whole American nuclear industry. In the film The China Syndrome, made before the incident, a character remarks that a cloud of waste could wreak death and destruction over 'an area the size of Pennsylvania.' Earlier in the year, a local magazine had run a fictional story called Meltdown at Three Mile Island, and they even got the date right, 28 March.

Googlewracking

Ladies and gentlemen, I have found it!

I feel like the Indiana Jones of the Internet. I, raincoaster, have at last, after a search of weeks, found the one true inet-cryptogasm. In defiance of my firm belief that there is nothing, no matter how awful, that does not have a fansite…

Jocelyne Wildenstein has no fansite.

Jocelyne Wildenstein

Imagine that! At least she's prettier than the Segway, and probably marginally more biodegradeable, too.

Oh, cautionary mentions abound, but where is the luv for this obviously (expensively) broken and reassembled woman?

It is a woman, right?

This is the closest thing to a fansite I could find on all the mighty internet:

http://www.celebritybattles.com/celeb/Jocelyn+Wildenstein

and it says:

Jocelyn Wildenstein does not currently have any other celebrity or celebrity pictures sites listed. Jocelyn Wildenstein does not currently have any other pictures.

and, most crushingly:

Battles in Which Jocelyne Wildenstein Competes:

Question: Which girl is hotter?

Ranking: 8395/8530

Me-yow!

Operation Global Media Domination: Business as Usual

TIABoy, I sure am glad i warned y'all I wouldn't be blogging much over the weekend. What was it, six nine entries? Yeah, sure am glad I let you know. We also achieved our fifth-highest hits ever, thanks to some Colorado 4x4ers who are into Gay Pirate Day bigtime. Welcome off-roaders: dare I assume you like it a bit rough?

Manifest Idiocy

Canada America Done Right

The Guardian has been doing a virtual world tour of literature, and recently they featured Canada. In fact, the blog comments, meant to be a roundup of readers' favorite Canadian books, featured James Sherrett's book Up in Ontario(over there in the blogroll), so kudos to him, whatever kudos are. I hope they're chewy and taste like peanut butter fudge dipped in chocolate, but probably it's just a euphemism for a boring plaque and an arrangement of silk flowers or something.

In any case, the editor in charge may have many good points. He/She/It may be a great humanitarian, kind to the elderly, charitable, hospitable, and good with children and animals.

I. Don't. Give. A. Rat's. Ass.

I want the editor disciplined. I want the editor publicly named and shamed. I want the editor to be forced to cover Groundhog Day from Wiarton next year. I want the editor to be compelled at hockeystick-point to read all of Pierre Berton's interminable late-career mumblings. Read through this and see if you can't spot the wee little problem I have with this clueless fucking foreigner:

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/culturevulture/archives/2006/03/21/whither_canada.html

Whither Canada
By Richard Lea/World literature tour

Thanks to you all, the world literature tour is going from strength to strength. After Finland and Poland came the Czech Republic, where alongside the Kundera and the Klima there were recommendations for Bohumil Hrabal, poems by Jaroslav Seifert, plays by Karel Capek and many, many more. There was even time for some strong words on the exclusion of Kafka
Richard was not alone in wanting to "take issue" with the decision,
complaining that we'd become confused between country and language.
Many thanks for all your contributions.

This month we can confidently predict there will be no
such confusion, as with one great leap the world literature tour
crosses the ocean and heads for Canada. Beating off strong challenges from India and Japan, we are heading for the frozen north. With suggestions ranging from Sweden to St Lucia the nominations took an increasingly personal note, with Babak voting for the country of "Tom Stoppard" and a number of anti-Atwood
protests. So much so that I'd like to declare an Atwood amnesty here
and now – any and all of your Atwood suggestions will be gratefully
received.

And don't forget to keep your nominations for next
month's destination coming – after a month up by the Arctic circle
would you all mind if I suggested a little sunshine? Unless there's
anyone else who feels like heading for Stoppard country out there …

Vermont Maple Leaves

Photograph: Toby Talbot/AP

caption: Sweet dreams…Maple leaves in Vermont

Spam: Shock and Awesome!

Iraqi money
From: sergeant_ivshawn@militaryemail.com
Reply-To: sergeant_ivshawn@militaryemail.com
To: raincoaster
Date: 25 Mar 2006 13:51:19 -0000
Subject: UNJUST WAR

Good day to you

My name is Irvin Shawn I am an American soldier, serving in the military with the 1st Armored Division in Iraq. I and my superior moved funds belonging to Saddam Hussein, the total is $25,000,000.00(Twenty Five million US dollars).

Click on this link to read about the events that took place here

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm

Basically since we are working for the government we cannot keep these funds, we have decided to look for someone to help us keep this funds this is why I have contacted you, so you can keep it for us in your safe account or an offshore account.

We will divide the total funds in three ways, since we are three involved in this. You will take 30%, and 30% will be for me, and my superior will take 30%. 10% will be kept aside for  expenses. This business is confidential, and it should not be discussed with anyone.

There is no risk involved whatsoever. If you are interested i will send you the full details, my job is to find a good partner that we can trust and that will assist us.

This will be risk free.

Please reply me via this email: sergeant_ivshawn@militaryemail.com

Respectfully submitted

Sgt. Irvin Shawn