Power

watching the Prestige tonight, i recalled an urban legend i heard once about nicola tesla. i will now pester you with it. for real information, go here

tesla is the inventor of (or contributor to) an astounding number of inventions. he was a contemporary and competitor of edison (the light bulb guy?) and well known for his work with light, electricity and magnetic energy.

according to the story, tesla claimed to have invented an honest-to-god ray gun. eager do try his new toy out, but fearful of the damage it might cause, he directed the weapon (which was some how designed to refract off of the earth's atmosphere) towards the frozen north.

contemporary news articles, which made no mention of tesla's invention, reported an unrelated event - an unexpected and severe earthquake in an uninhabited area of alaska.

the next day, the story says, tesla dismantled the machine and burned his notes.

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there's a part of me that almost wants to believe this story. i love the idea that someone was smart enough to craft something so powerful, wise enough to recognize its implications, and self-controlled enough to let it go.

that blows my mind.

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The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
Proverbs 15:4

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
James 1:26

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.
James 3:7-9

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence
1 John 3:17-19

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16

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funny, i can't seem to find anything about letting them hear my clever rhetoric or convincing arguments.