Dancing On The Fringe

This tin foil hat dance just gets better and better! First, I found an MIT study showing that tinfoil hats actually amplify rather than block signals conspiracy theorists think they need to protect themselves from. Next, some tinfoil hat enthusiasts attacked me in the Comments section of my blog, accusing me of being narrow-minded about government and/or alien threats.

Through it all, I surmised in writing that other products would be forthcoming, and it turns out I am way behind the curve.


Michael Menkin, inventor of the Thought Screen Helmet, shares his expertise on how to Stop Alien Abductions. I found his website last night, and still haven’t decided if I just had too much to drink –- or not nearly enough.

A member of the Mutual UFO Network, he's taken it upon himself to compile lists of alien tendencies and weaknesses, as well as how they cannot read your thoughts if you always have your anti-telepathy helmet handy!

The thought screen helmet scrambles telepathic communication between aliens and humans. Aliens cannot immobilize people wearing thought screens, nor can they control their minds or communicate with them using telepathy. When aliens can't control humans to render them passive, they generally cease to abduct them.

The magic ingredient in the defensive strategy is Velostat, a substance imbued with carbon to make it conductive (often used for the protection of devices that are prone to damage from electrostatic discharge). Menkin provides helpful lists of velostat providers, necessary tools, and step-by-step instructions for making your own Thought Screen Helmet.


Michael Menken also offers tips for proper grounding and regular safe use, but nonetheless warns us to Prepare For A Fight:

Aliens will try to stop you from wearing the helmet both mentally and physically. Before you make one they may try to influence you that you don’t need one. Once you start wearing a helmet they may harass you or perhaps threaten to kill a pet in retaliation. They are good at manipulating your spouse to have a conflict with you about wearing the helmet. If you forget to wear it one time they may physically hurt you.

Well, we wouldn't want that.

See, if only he'd had his Thought Helmet...

I'm so happy I found this site before Christmas, because this has to be the ultimate space-buff arts & crafts idea.

So, thank you, Michael! Give our regards to Mulder & Scully.

I contacted the scientists at MIT who did the tinfoil study, and asked them to conduct a follow-up comparison study. Watch this space.

Trick or Treat

Calling all Samhain enthusiasts. Yes, its that's time again. Summer's end! Carve out your favorite inedible species of squash and set the young'uns loose to beg high fructose corn syrup off the neighbors.

But FIRST! Order now to dress accordingly:

What, no Gorn suit?

Last year, after a big Google fest in the name of costuming, I noticed more space suits everywhere...though mostly for little boys. It's not my imagination – the surge continues, and has now spread further into apparel for girls, babies, adults, even cats and dogs!

I've had a basic Trek dress for many years, though memory fails me as to where it was purchased. I only found 2 or 3 outlets and a few independent tailors in the Star Trek network who would create custom-fitted adult costumes. Oddly, at a time when there are no Trek shows on television at all, and no new movie slated until 2013, sci-fi costumes are more widely available than ever before.

Pretty sure this counts as a cult now

Star Wars fans have always been huge costume enthusiasts; the spectrum of costumes available across all six films (and now cartoons) has become quite incredible. This year, an entire business devoted to Lucas creations has been established at OfficialStarWarsCostumes.com!

From Jedi to Sith, from slave Leia to Amidala royal robes, from genuine stormtrooper armor to the tune of a thousand dollar investment, right down to Baby Ewoks for thirty bucks.

Jawas, Jabba the Hutt, the Fett family... and... a six foot Yoda?? Well, we don't love All Hallows Eve for its sense of accuracy. I'm partial to the inflatable taun-taun myself.

Now, where's the corresponding Firefly site??

One Month Left For Mars500

Today is day number #490 out of 520 mission days for the Mars500 crew, so they have now officially reached their final month! It has been an amazing trek to Mars and back, having broken the record for long-term space simulation.

It's been far more than a year since they were sealed into their "ship" -- and in that time, none of them have had a hot-water shower, breathed fresh air, seen the sun, or spent time with their family and friends. Quite a commitment! I often wonder if I could make it that long without going a little batty in isolation...

Boredom often produces beards

As I've read through my past 16 posts about Mars 500 since March of 2009, I've read through the old comments, and noted one reader who said, "As much as I want to be an astronaut some day, 520 days? I do not think its a valid test anyway. They already know from orbital missions that folks lose it in shorter time periods in more space... but not often publicized!"

I agree that overall validity remains to be judged in their published conclusions, but studies like these gain ground in ensuring people DO NOT "lose it" in space during a genuine mission. Some incidents have been publicized though; does anyone remember the "24-Hour Mutiny" aboard Skylab, or am I dating myself? ;)

"It's science fiction, man. We're in Star Trek."
(Sukrob is waaaay too excited about the camera!)

Astronaut Jake Garn holds the record for physical space sickness, but another man has the distinction for the most acute psychological sickness. In 1996, John Blaha deployed to the Mir space station for 128 days. Just before his four-month mark, he began to exhibit hostility toward other crew members, and occasionally complete withdrawal while he battled insomnia and depression.

Not long after, astronaut Jerry Linenger, another inhabitant of Mir (during a stressful accident resulting in a fire he claimed Russian authorities tried to cover up), had what was interpreted as a breakdown and eventually refused to respond to mission control on the ground.

We didn't know much about the effects of long-term spaceflight during the Mir era, so it's not surprising these incidents came to light at that time; it's also not hard to imagine that psychological problems on Mir and the ISS arose from cultural and political differences between Russian and American crews.

We clearly cannot afford this sort of schism on a 520-trek to a faraway celestial body, so I don't think it's an accident that three space agencies joined forces in this simulation, deliberately choosing crews across different countries. One of their ongoing goals is estimating working personality types. That will be an important component in a trip to Mars: screening the right mix of temperaments who are able to work together. And keeping them all BUSY.

Group effort produced Chocolate Martian Balls.
And that, my friends, is the height of civilization.

I want to stress that in reading the entire Mars500 website and blog for many months now, their projects encompass far more that the "isolation" or "collaboration" aspects. They are testing communications, conducting medical experiments, inventing and documenting procedures and even testing whether food grown in a self-sustaining greenhouse is feasible along the way to the red planet.

Many of their results will be published after they land on November 4th!

Lunar Lockout

Quite certainly the funniest 17 seconds I've seen this week... invest in the moment. Completely safe for work ;)