Talk Of Bikini - And Henry Mancini

I Could Have Cheated -
 - and had Henry Mancini on a beach somewhere - anywhere! - and then said that he was holidaying on Bikini Atoll, which is the source of both the swimsuit and nuclear weapon explosion data.
     However, instead please have this:

See?  See?  Conrad not lying

      So it's not Mr Mancini in a bikini - which conjures up some alarming images - but the next best thing.  
     Although there is this:

A boy, a beach, a thermonuclear warhead test.
So romantic!

The "V" Festival
The delightful, delicious* and diligent Anna - who is still not getting a production credit no matter how many times she appears in these pages - set off on Friday afternoon rather resembling a snail, with an enormous backpack and tent, heading for the above festival with her fair sister Georgina.

The line-up, FYI.
Hmmm.  Kasabian, Courteeners, The Charlatans, yes.  Everyone else, no.

     As with most festivals in the UK, what you listen to is materially affected by the weather, the one thing about the UK that is completely unpredictable.  Last night, for instance, darkness arrived early with thunderstorms.  Today - blazing sunshine in the early morning.  I think Anna probably needed that tent.  Hopefully it's waterproof and lightning-resistant.
     Again For Your Information, Conrad is far too fond of his creature comforts to ever go sit in a muddy field in order to listen to five bands out of seventy that he likes.  Bit of a stick-in-the-mud, Conrad.

Like these two**!

 Today's Coincidence
I am indulging myself in that other fascination of mine, murder mysteries.  I know, I know, this makes me sound rather unsalubrious if taken with my obsession compulsion interest in military history and wargaming, but honestly, you can take me to parties and I won't kill anyone nor goose the hostess.  I will finish up all the leftovers, however -
     - anyway that's all rather tangential.  I am watching a series of "Hercule Poirot" films, two big budget all-star cast ones and just now "Thirteen At Dinner", adapted from "Lord Edgeware Dies" by Agatha Christie, all featuring the rather splendid Peter Ustinov as Poirot.

A splendid Sunday afternoon film

     But what's this?  Who is playing Inspector Japp?  Why, none other than David Suchet.
     This film was made in 1985.  Whom did David Suchet play from 1989 onwards?

M'sieur Poirot, of course

      Conrad strongly associates Mr Suchet with the role as he's seen lots of the television series, which might not encapsulate the rebel soul of rock 'n' roll but does make for entertaining Sunday afternoon viewing.

"On Thermonuclear War" By Herman Kahn
Fascinating reading, if a little complex when it comes to Systems Analysis.  Controversial at the time and still so today, Kahn puts forward a compelling argument about preparation for potential thermonuclear war, fighting it and surviving it.  The most interesting bit to date, and the most worrying, is the construction of a Doomsday Machine.  Any stable nation (America and the Soviet Union at the time, with a nod to the UK) would not construct one of these, he reasons, because they are not controllable.  The ultimate deterrent, yes, except that if the circumstances of the unthinkable become actual, Goodbye Human Race.
     Consider that Kahn was writing in 1960 and looking up to fifteen years into the future.  He mentions "train mobile Minuteman" missiles - putting your ICBM's onto trains in order to be able to shuttle them around the country.  A moving target is harder to hit, obviously.  He also mentioned "air defence fighters" armed with "kiloton weapons" - that is, weapons of the size that destroyed Hiroshima.

The Genie.  It even has light blue "eyes"

     Neither of these ideas came about.  Expense for the railway rocket system, I suppose.

Now it can be told: Thomas the Thermonuclear Terror Engine

  The air defence one would be a suicide weapon as the Electro Magnetic Pulse from a nuclear warhead going off in mid-air would destroy all electrical and electronic systems for dozens of miles around.  Destroy the incoming enemy bombers, yes, and your own aircraft, and a huge swathe of country around Ground Zero would also have their electronics fried.
     There is more to this but I can see your mind glazing over ...

"Illustrious"
Where does this word come from?  Latin, of course. It means "Respected" and is derived from "Illustris", meaning "Bright". 
     Here is HMS Illustrious, known as "Lusty" to her crew, and certainly worthy of respect - 

Somewhat misleadingly known as a "Light" aircraft carrier

      - as she was involved in the Falklands Unpleasantness.

Well now, the word limit is upon us.  Time to post this and have a second pot of tea***.


* I know this makes me sound like a cannibal, but don't worry, I'm not.  Honest.
** Do you see what I - O you do
*** A second GIANT pot of tea.  Just so we're clear.