Just like it says, Popcorn Shorts is about the kind of things we think are really interesting, but don’t really need a large article to explain them. From the sublime to the ridiculous, check in here for crunchy bits of info you’ll love to munch. By the way, much (but not all) of our delicious Popcorn comes from articles we’ve posted on our Facebook page. If you’re on Facebook, please stop by and “Like” us and we’ll keep a fairly-constant-but-not-frequent-enough-to-be-annoying stream of these coming to your virtual door!
Happy Anniversary, Fukushima!
On March 12, 2011 the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant suffered the largest nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. The fifth anniversary quietly passed recently, and we thought it might deserve more coverage than it got. This link is to Fukushima Update, the site aggregating all the Fukushima news, legitimate science, rumors, and TEPCO press releases since the disaster. One of the headlines focuses on a quote from a TEPCO employee… “The fuel rods melted through containment and nobody knows where they are now.” We thought it was worth your time.
Private Subs and Artificial Islands
In our December issue of Your Car Matters, we pointed out that exotic supercars and luxury yachts make great Christmas gifts for your local mechanic, but scratch that, we’ve found something better. An Austrian company is now making a series of “private submersible yachts”, but that’s not the best part… they also offer fully artificial islands! Yes, you too can “experience ultimate freedom and privacy, enjoy outstanding amenities or discover the deep sea wild life,” if you have a few spare billion to spend. There weren’t any prices on the website, but face it… if you have to ask, you can’t afford it.
How Dark Is Your Personality?
We tend to avoid “bad” personality traits like Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy, but many psychologists think these “dark” personality traits can be extremely useful (in moderation) in your everyday life. How “dark” is your personality? This questionnaire is a simplified version of the one psychologists use to measure psychopathology in clinical settings. Do you have enough “darkness” in your personality to be useful, so little that you’re a sheep ready for slaughter, or so much that you need to be carted off for everyone’s protection? Sharpen your pencil and find out.
The Scariest Bridges in the World
No one was more excited than we were when the new, improved Sellwood Bridge opened in February. We shared a lot of stuff about the Bridge on our Facebook page, but the most popular link (actually, one of the most popular links we’ve shared in quite a while) was a tour of bridges around the world. From rickety footbridges to inspiring suspension bridges, from the beautiful to the terrifying, here’s a gallery that will make you truly appreciate the bridges here in Portland!
