Harmer has a gifted eye for the small details that give human scale and resilience to the lyrics.

(Text from an Amazon review)

Sarah Harmer

Baum argues that the structure and nature of thought, meaning, sensation, and consciousness therefore arise naturally from the evolution of programs that exploit the compact structure of the world.

What Is Thought?

The presence of such a theoretical framework will provide a revolutionary way of enhancing the reader's understanding of the Internet's varied network processes.

Evolution and Structure of the Internet

If Acacia's patents are valid and as broad as the company thinks they are, thousands of companies -- including titans like Time Warner, Disney, Microsoft, and Sony -- and maybe even hundreds of millions of users will have to pay Acacia directly or indirectly. Cable, satellite, and Internet service providers, video-on-demand companies, music sites, the new Web radio enterprises -- almost anyone delivering digital video or audio across a network will be liable.

The Patent Profiteers

This special issue focuses on the technological side of DRM, including the state-of-the-art and potential future technologies, presenting papers of both practical and theoretical interest. The topics covered include encryption, digital watermarking, key management, and models and languages for future digital rights technologies. The proceedings contain comprehensive overviews of each respective field while providing expositions on cutting-edge research results.

Digital Rights Management | Proceedings of the IEEE

"The following discussion addresses the requirements of international law, as it pertains to the Armed Forces of the United States, as interpreted by the United States. As will be apparent in other sections of this analysis, other nations and international bodies may take a more restrictive view, which may affect our policy analysis and thus is considered elsewhere."

Defense Dept. Torture Memo

It's Bruce Sterling's "Distraction", realized. Look for labor unions to dig in, hard, against this technology, just as West Coast longshoremen went on strike to protest new technology at US ports.

It's the new offshoring.

By the end of 2005, robots will be able to construct a one-story, 2,000-square foot home on site in a single day.

Efforts to automate the building process are based on a technology known as Contour Crafting, a layered fabrication process controlled by computer.

In effect, this technology will enable homes and other structures to be "printed out" from computer design software, much as ink jet printers produce documents from word processing software.

Where's your wall?

'The Most Historic Wall Since the Great Wall of China'

This is a good study, and sharply revealing about the extent to which most people seek positive reinforcement and fail to question their views.

CNN and Fox are to news as MTV and VH1 are to music, on several levels.

In a country increasingly divided into red and blue states, the media are taking on a more partisan coloration as well -- at least in the eyes of those who read and watch.

Republicans have come to distrust the media in greater numbers since President Bush took office. Democratic views are mostly unchanged.

26 percent of Repulicans say CNN is credible. 45 percent of Democrats say CNN is credible.

CNN was quick to declare victory. "We're obviously pleased -- once again we've been voted the most trusted news organization in America."

CNN and Fox News should be deeply ashamed -- not pleased -- by these results. Instead they simply spin the numbers to reinforce their own self image, which is really a microcosm of the way most of the audience interacts with the media.

On eBay, when considering whether to bid on an item, you may be inclined to review the past performance of the seller, as measured by those who've conducted prior business.

If you found that 74% of previous buyers found the seller's claims about the product to be not credible, would you place a bid?

The Average American selling bric-a-brac on eBay is more credible than "America's most trusted news source." Hrm.

I know! -- how about an eBay for news? Like, a small-town swap meet instead of a Simon mall. Wait a minute ...

The survey also uncovers what might be called the Iraq effect, with 52 percent saying they track international news closely, not just when important developments occur, compared with 37 percent two years ago.

Tom, you're feeling the Iraq effect.

Trust Matters. MemeStreams Builds Trust. MemeStreams Matters.

Fewer Republicans Trust the News

They conclude that the ability to gather, fuse, and share information is important for overcoming nearly all operational problems associated with such contingencies.

MemeStreams is a weapons system.

Stretching the Network

Decius wrote:
] We know that we've
] been employing torture, not just at Abu Gharib, but all over
] the place. I'm reminded of that spook who testified in
] Congress that "It's very important that the American people
] understand this. After 9/11 the gloves came off."
]
] The gloves came off. This is what they mean.
]
] That's the discussion I think we really ought to be having.
] Should we torture people? Is it effective? Does it save lives?
] It's not a simple question.

His name is Cofer Black, and this is exactly what he meant.

I recommend the Mark Bowden article in Atlantic Monthly. I also recommend the second Seymour Hersh article after Abu Ghraib, about "COPPER GREEN". You can also read the last chapter of "Why America Slept." There is plenty of material out there to consider.

If, by "discussion", you mean a public discourse on the subject, good luck. Your government may not be particularly interested in your opinions on the matter.

RE: Talking Points Memo