The new info on the Watchmen movie (see the post below this one) inspired me to look up the Wikipedia entry on the Doomsday Clock (the clock plays a big role in Watchmen's imagery). The Doomsday Clock is a symbolic representation of how close the world is to potential "catastrophic destruction," with midnight representing said catastrophe.

Right now we're at five minutes 'til midnight. The clock was pushed forward two minutes in 2007 due to North Korea and Iran's progress in their nuclear ambitions. The closest to midnight the clock has ever been was in 1984 at the height of the arms race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The furthest the clock has ever been from midnight (since it's creation in 1947) was in 1991 when the U.S. and the Soviets both signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, pushing the clock back to 11:43.

Things that officially have the potential to move the clock? Nuclear weapons, climate changing technology, new developments in the life sciences, and nanotechnology. Circumstances rumored to be able to move the clock? The Colonel not acting like an ass, James listening to good music, and Dirty not going to Shamrock's for a week.

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