] DeMarse experimental "brain" interacts with an F-22
] fighter jet flight simulator through a specially designed
] plate called a multi-electrode array and a common desktop
] computer.
]
] "It's essentially a dish with 60 electrodes arranged in a
] grid at the bottom," DeMarse said. "Over that we put the
] living cortical neurons from rats, which rapidly begin to
] reconnect themselves, forming a living neural network
] - a brain."
]
] The brain and the simulator establish a two-way
] connection, similar to how neurons receive and interpret
] signals from each other to control our bodies.

Rat Brain cells in a silicon matrix can fly an airplane simulator. Seriously. What is the line between man and machine. What is the difference between a robot, a work animal, and a slave. These questions may eventually move out of the realm of science fiction.

'Brain' In A Dish Acts As Autopilot, Living Computer

] In recent days, a growing number of news organizations
] have posted eloquent endorsements for Kerry. Some of them
] are particularly suprising, because they come from such
] unlikely sources. We encourage you to read them, and
] consider their content.

A number of links to conservatives who support Kerry are provided here.

Boing Boing: BoingBoing endorses John Kerry for President

] There have been rumors about a possible invasion of
] Pakistan but this is the first time this strategy of the
] U.S. is exposed. This is a very dangerous plan which will
] have unimaginable severe consequences and will put the
] survival of the world at stake.
]
] "There is no doubt that the U.S. is the biggest enemy of
] Islam and the Muslims.

Courtesy of Elonka, this is an extremely preverse review of Friedman's new book, filled with factual inaccuracies and anti-american spin. I didn't really consider his book in terms of how pissed off islamists might interpret it.

MEMRI: A Saudi review of Friedman's America's Secret War

] While we are faced with many new challenges, Wikinews
] will adopt the key principles which have made Wikipedia
] and the other Wikimedia websites what they are today:
] neutrality, free content, and an open decision making
] process.
]
] We seek to promote the idea of the citizen journalist,
] because we believe that everyone can make a useful
] contribution to painting the big picture of what is
] happening in the world around us. The time has come to
] create a free news source, by the people and for the
] people. We invite you to join us in this effort which has
] the potential to change the world forever.

Wow, what an original concept! :) Wikipedia is more a community then a technology, and they have a lot of momentum. I think neutral POV articles that are community edited make sense, but there are some challenges:

1. Wikipedia articles about politically contentious issues tend to be volatile and poor.
2. There is an issue of timeliness. All of the arguing over the POV of the story must happen in a short period of time before the story becomes old news.

Regardless, I think wikipedia will produce something here thats valuable.

Wikinews - From Meta; discussion about Wikimedia projects

] Here are two new tracks from the forthcoming full length
] Negativland CD/book project, "NO BUSINESS."
]
] The "NO BUSINESS" project will come in a fancy shmancy
] die-cut sleeve package with a 14,000 word essay, a
] computer playable video, and 37 minutes of audio that are
] all about, and examples of, Negativland's current take on
] issues of file-sharing, downloading, appropriation, and
] the supposed collapse of the music business, circa 2004.

Unfortunately these tracks seem to take heavily from the CD that came with "The Letter U and the Numeral 2." Now, I think thats their best CD, but I'd like to hear more new material.

no business: Negativland

] Collage art pioneers Negativland first brought the idea
] to Creative Commons. With their guidance, and the pro
] bono legal advice of Cooley Godward and Wilson Sonsini
] Goodrich & Rosati, we wrote up the licenses that give you
] the freedom to interact with these tracks.
]
] Note: Return to this site after November 9, and you'll be
] able to download high quality versions of the songs. We
] will also debut our new mashup community site, where you
] can upload the new tunes you build from these tracks.

Wired's November issue comes with free CC licensed tracks.
Beastie Boys, Dan the Automator, Thievery Corporation, Chuck D, Danger Mouse, and others...

The WIRED CD: Rip. Sample. Mash. Share. | Creative Commons

] Violent crime in cities dropped 3.9 percent compared with
] 2002 and 3.7 percent in less metropolitan areas.

The funny part is this:

] Excluding traffic stops, law enforcement agencies made
] 13.6 million arrests in 2003, or about 4,695 arrests for
] every 100,000 Americans. In 2003, those agencies solved
] about 46 percent of violent crimes, including about 62
] percent of murders.

The funny thing is that they are arresting more people per 100,000 then there were crimes per 100,000. Given that criminals often commit more then one crime, the cops are busting way more people then there are criminals. And as they are only "solving" about half the cases.... you get the picture...

FBI says violent crime down 3% last year | ajc.com

] Comparing categories of crime in 2003 and 2002:
]
] Murders were up to 7.1 per 100,000 people, from 6.1.
]
] Rapes were up to 23.9 per 100,000, from 22.4.
]
] Robberies were up to 153.3 per 100,000, from 147.2.
]
] Property crimes - the category that includes
] burglaries, larcenies and car thefts - were up to
] 3,953.5 per 100,000, from 3,754.4.

Woohoo!!! Can I invest in this stuff?

] Georgia's shifts in crime are consistent with what's
] happening nationally, said Ryan King, an associate
] researcher with the Washington-based Sentencing Project,
] which monitors sentencing and the criminal justice
] system.

What? See next meme for more details.

Georgia continues to kick ass at crime!

] The roots of freedom of inquiry are in the european
] Enlightenment, which shaped the intellectual climate
] of the founding of the United States. The founders'
] ancestors had fled from countries where they were
] flogged, imprisoned, or killed for merely seeking to
] learn. For seeking to learn about a religion other
] than the official state religion, for example. For
] teaching such a religion to others. For inquiring
] into physics and then stating that the Earth revolved
] around the Sun. For believing in witchcraft or for
] seeking to teach how medicinal plants could be used
] to heal. For seeking to learn the truth about the
] King, when it was inconvenient for the King.
]
] It's clear that freedom of speech also includes freedom
] to listen.

The TSA is now requiring security threat assessments for
non-U.S. citizens seeking training at U.S. flight schools. John Gillmore's discussion of this question strikes at the heart of the things that Bill Joy was talking about in his essay about the control of ideas. Gold Star.

[IP] John Gillmore: Bill Joy is Wrong!

] Comedian Jon Stewart talks about the presidential
] candidates and the media in a discussion hosted by
] Syracuse University.

Fucking Hillarious

C-SPAN: More Jon Stewart Commentary