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| "I don't think the report is true, but these crises work for those who want to make fights between people." Kulam Dastagir, 28, a bird seller in Afghanistan
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| Topic: Current Events |
10:43 am EST, Nov 4, 2004 |
] At one level this election was about nothing. None of the
] real problems facing the nation were really discussed.
] But at another level, without warning, it actually became
] about everything.
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] We don't just disagree on what America should be doing;
] we disagree on what America is.
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] If the Democrats make a comeback, it
] must not be by default, because the country has lapsed
] into a total mess, but because they have nominated a
] candidate who can win with a positive message that
] connects with America's heartland. Hearing this sentiment a lot and it seems very hollow and dishonest. How can you say that Middle America is opposed to everything you believe in and then talk about how you want to create a positive message that connects with them? You don't want to connect with them! You want to play them! You want to connect with their votes! The Dems are going to be out for a long time if they can't be honest with themselves. Two Nations Under God |
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Cleveland's Political Circus |
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| Topic: Current Events |
9:56 am EST, Nov 1, 2004 |
We have been told repeatedly that "Ohio will decide the election!" and the responsibility is nerve-racking. At first I tried to be civic-minded, and worked constructively to register college students. But by late September I was regularly overdosing on blogs, frequently whipped into a froth of outraged ranting. I was not alone. "It's like being asked out on a date by someone who secretly thinks you're stupid and ugly." Cleveland's Political Circus |
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Freedom Is Not Just a Slogan |
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| Topic: Society |
12:35 am EDT, Oct 25, 2004 |
The essential element of a democratic society -- trust -- has been weakened, as secrecy, mendacity and intimidation have become the hallmarks of this administration. Rhetoric matters. Freedom Is Not Just a Slogan |
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What Derrida Really Meant |
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| Topic: Society |
2:23 pm EDT, Oct 17, 2004 |
As an Algerian Jew writing in France during the postwar years in the wake of totalitarianism on the right (fascism) as well as the left (Stalinism), Jacques Derrida understood all too well the danger of beliefs and ideologies that divide the world into diametrical opposites: right or left, red or blue, good or evil, for us or against us. He showed how these repressive structures, which grew directly out of the Western intellectual and cultural tradition, threatened to return with devastating consequences. By struggling to find ways to overcome patterns that exclude the differences that make life worth living, he developed a vision that is consistently ethical. Belief not tempered by doubt poses a mortal danger. As the process of globalization draws us ever closer in networks of communication and exchange, there is an understandable longing for simplicity, clarity and certainty. This desire is responsible, in large measure, for the rise of cultural conservatism and religious fundamentalism -- in this country and around the world. The alternative to blind belief is not simply unbelief but a different kind of belief -- one that embraces uncertainty and enables us to respect others whom we do not understand. In a complex world, wisdom is knowing what we don't know so that we can keep the future open. What Derrida Really Meant |
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'Oops. I Told the Truth.' |
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| Topic: Politics and Law |
2:12 pm EDT, Oct 17, 2004 |
The one thing that has gone totally missing, not only from this election, but from American politics, is national leaders who are actually ready to level with the public and even criticize their own constituencies. Good jobs are being outsourced to Indians and Chinese not simply because they'll work for less, but because they are better educated in the math and science skills required for 21st-century work. In China, Bill Gates is Britney Spears. In America, Britney Spears is Britney Spears. One-third of the Arab population is under the age of 15. 'Oops. I Told the Truth.' |
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Terror attacks influence driving behavior in Israel |
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| Topic: Science |
11:20 am EDT, Oct 2, 2004 |
Terror attacks in Israel produce a temporary lull in light accidents followed by a 35% spike in fatal accidents on Israeli roads 3 days after the attack. Our results are based on time-series analysis of Israeli traffic flows, accidents, and terror attacks from January 2001 through June 2002. Whereas prior studies have focused on subjective reports of posttraumatic stress, our study shows a population-level behavioral response to violent terror attacks. Subscription required for full text. Terror attacks influence driving behavior in Israel |
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MODIS Rapid Response System |
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| Topic: Science |
12:02 am EDT, Sep 17, 2004 |
The MODIS Land Rapid Response system has been developed to provide rapid access to MODIS data globally, with initial emphasis on 250m color composite imagery and active fire data. The experience gained during the Montana fires of 2000, when the MODIS team was asked to provide active fire information to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), has led to the improvement and automation of several of the steps involved in MODIS rapid data provision. Very close to what I'm looking for... MODIS Rapid Response System |
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| Topic: Politics and Law |
10:22 am EDT, Sep 14, 2004 |
There are two sorts of people in the information-age elite, spreadsheet people and paragraph people. This is cute, but not particularly rigorous. It's really a set-up for the letters that would surely follow -- and they did. As expected, the spreadsheet people rush in to nitpick the column, pointing out problems with the data, citing counterexamples, and more. By comparison, the paragraph people argue that the framework itself is flawed, or that blue is really red. Ruling Class War |
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| Topic: Society |
8:21 pm EDT, Sep 11, 2004 |
"We used to have the Orgasmatron out in front on the Esplanade, but the sheriff came around a few too many times, so we moved it out of sight. You know, it's not like it used to be around here." Kidsville has tripled in area and numbers over the last two years, and rebellious individualism -- along with the guns and heroin so prevalent in the early '90s -- has been replaced with something ever-so-much more admirable. Safer, more family-friendly, environmentally conscious and orderly, Black Rock City has evolved into a lovely place to live. Burning man is a family oriented event? McDonald's cannot be far behind. The Taming of the Burn |
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It's the Olympics, but Do You Really Care? |
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| Topic: Sports |
8:58 am EDT, Aug 18, 2004 |
I have nothing but admiration for the fortitude and grit of all Olympic competitors, especially in the more obscure events where there is no pecuniary reward. I also have nothing but respect for what scientists and doctors do. But that doesn't mean I want to watch them in action. Does anyone care? Even a little? Snippets of actual competition will be sandwiched by long, weepy infomercials that seek to humanize the athletes. No hint of adversity will go unexploited. Ultimately, I would be willing to overlook the Olympics' moral failings, as I do with sports that I like, if I were interested in the outcome. But I'm not. I didn't think so. It's the Olympics, but Do You Really Care? |
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