If You're Not Scared Enough -- You May Die!

Pageant was a magazine intended to appeal to the newly leisured middle class. Maybe to read back and forth on the subway. Maybe read in a doctor's office. The issue at hand included mild cheesecake, right alongside an article for the ladies on how to spot "an unfaithful male."

But what concerns us in this November 1956 issue is its coverage of the looming nuclear threat. Yes, pages 6 to 27 comprise a section called, "The New Invisible Death Around Us." -- that is, nuclear radiation. It features articles pro and con X-rays, how hereditary genetic mutation might occur, and other cheerful topics.

The final page is a brave summation of the section, basically saying that maybe the threat of nuclear destruction might scare the world into a one-world government that would solve our problems. Yeah, right!

Some might see the whole set of articles as disinformation by an "in-crowd" that tips its hand at the end when it mentions the need for a one-world government. I can certainly see how it might look that way!

PS -- no matter how much the cover girl looks to be Elizabeth Taylor, she's actually a model named Bunny Cooper.

What About "Anti-Nuclear" Madness?

Today's diversion is a 1978 book by Dr. Helen Caldicott. This is the 1980 paperback printing. The hardback went through four printings before the softbound version came out.

As you can see from the rear cover, Dr. Caldicott isn't worried about us blowing each other up, but about nuclear poisoning of the environment. You'll have to draw your own conclusions.

According to the pronouncements on the rear cover, made in 1980, by now we should all be "deformed or diseased" by now.

Of course, this might explain the popularity of "American Idol."

Malfunction! Malfunction!

Hey guys, I'll add a new post as soon as the Blogger gets fixed.

No, really! It won't let me add images. So when that is fixed, we'll be back with a few tales about nuclear scariness.