Cat and Shanmao's blog

I first heard about the book, Alas, Babylon, a few years ago after joining a newsgroup of the same name.

Published in 1959, the book explores the possibility of a nuclear war between the US and the USSR during the cold war. The publisher's note on the backcover gives an idea of the subtext of the novel

The day after the bomb dropped the thousands of years of "progress" that had covered the treacheries and weaknesses of ordinary man with a thin veneer of civilization were dissolved and melted like snow on the desert's dusty face.

I'm writing this short review partially to share what I found to be an interesting read but also to comment on our (America, Canada, the first world) view of war, weapons, and the balance of power.

When I was a highschool student there seemed to be some big issues that were sources of anxiety for the globally minded: nuclear weapons, AIDs, famine, poverty

I'm amazed at how quickly the perception of nuclear weapons as a danger has disappeared from public dialog. The danger is still with us though

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2004/11/17/russia-missiles-041117.html
Reports in Russian news media have suggested Russia is developing a nuclear missile that could carry up to 10 nuclear warheads weighing a total of four tonnes, and a mobile version of its Topol-M ballistic missile.

The Topol-M has a range of 10,000 kilometres, and have been deployed in silos since 1998. They reportedly can manoeuvre in ways that are difficult to detect.

Since taking office, Putin has often vowed to restore Russia's military power.

The Union of Concerned Scientists has moved the doomsday clock forward as recently as 2002.