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| compos mentis. Concision. Media. Clarity. Memes. Context. Melange. Confluence. Mishmash. Conflation. Mellifluous. Conviviality. Miscellany. Confelicity. Milieu. Cogent. Minty. Concoction. |
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| Topic: Humor |
9:28 am EST, Nov 25, 2003 |
Here's a "Best of SNL" video clip from one of the Herlihy Boy skits. This clip doesn't include the part about "let the boy be your dog", but it may help you remember, if you saw the skit at the time. Herlihy Boy |
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Giving Art of Cursive a New Slant |
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| Topic: Education |
9:17 am EST, Nov 25, 2003 |
In recent years, teachers and handwriting textbook companies have worked hard to find ways to make old-fashioned script seem relevant to students. The approach called "Handwriting Without Tears" encourages students to visualize -- and almost become -- cursive letters before committing them to paper. Some teachers and master penmen worry that the art of cursive as an expression of personal character is dying. "Now, people don't have the time to put that kind of time into penmanship. They want it to be legible, and we want it to be fast." Character is irrelevant. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. The clash of civilizations is really just a run-up to the final battle between the Arials and the Times New Romans. For some reason, the notion of "be the letter" reminds me of an SNL skit with Adam Sandler called the Herlihy boy, in which the viewer is implored to "let the boy be your dog." You might add "master penman" to the list of potential occupations for those (un)lucky enough to be "born rich." It sounds exciting, doesn't it? Much more compelling than the plebeian "master pencilman", to be sure. Giving Art of Cursive a New Slant |
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Tbilisi's 'Revolution of Roses' Mentored by Serbian Activists |
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| Topic: Politics and Law |
9:04 am EST, Nov 25, 2003 |
The bloodless "revolution of roses" that toppled Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze on Sunday might have transpired in the streets of Tbilisi, but in a way it was inspired in the streets of Belgrade. "Most important was the film. All the demonstrators knew the tactics of the revolution in Belgrade by heart because they showed ... the film on their revolution. Everyone knew what to do. This was a copy of that revolution, only louder." Demonstrating the practical value of serious films. Tbilisi's 'Revolution of Roses' Mentored by Serbian Activists |
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| Topic: Business |
1:58 am EST, Nov 25, 2003 |
Being part of such premier idea engines as MIT, Bell Labs, and Tiax has given me a rich perspective on the innovation landscape. What I see concerns me ... The lack of a strong connection between universities, research hospitals, and large corporate labs is partly responsible for today's innovation backlog. The IP policies of universities have become so complex and money-oriented that companies find it increasingly difficult to structure deals. We need a culture change. Our Innovation Backlog |
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| Topic: Documentary |
1:42 am EST, Nov 25, 2003 |
A documentary on children of the insanely rich. Directed by one of their own, Johnson & Johnson heir, Jamie Johnson. Worth the hour. Born Rich (2003) |
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| Topic: TV |
12:49 am EST, Nov 25, 2003 |
In a dark study, Leonard Nimoy sits at a desk that has a skull, a book and three lit candles on it. Behind him is a bookshelf. A spotlight fades in on him. "Hello. I'm Leonard Nimoy. The following tale of alien encounters is true. And by true, I mean false. It's all lies. But they're entertaining lies. And in the end, isn't that the real truth? The answer ... is No." Funny. The moral here, of course, is that escapism is bad for you. The Springfield Files |
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RE: How to Spread the Word When the Word Is 'Grim' |
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| Topic: Movies |
12:46 am EST, Nov 25, 2003 |
Decius wrote:
] People don't shove money at the film industry because
] it expands their understanding. I don't think the money (the cash, that is) has much of anything to do with it. It still would be hard to get people to see "21 Grams" and other films, even if they were giving away the tickets, handing out the DVDs, and posting it online. ] They don't want their understanding expanded. Precisely. ] ... We obviously want two hours of escapism ... I have two questions. 1) What's so wrong with the real world that makes everyone want to get away from it? 2) If everyone is so eager to "escape", who will ever fix the problems? Halfway through the first film, the Matrix trilogy could have been in the mind-expanding category, but it turned out to be just another escapist blur. RE: How to Spread the Word When the Word Is 'Grim' |
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The Revolution Will Not Be Televised |
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| Topic: Documentary |
11:44 pm EST, Nov 24, 2003 |
On April 12th 2002 the world awoke to the news that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez had been removed from office and had been replaced by a new interim government. What had in fact taken palce was the first Latin American coup of the 21st century, and the world's first media coup ... This is worth seeing if you have the opportunity. If nothing else, it should give you a sense of how our collective reliance on the "mass media" (which is an ironic misnomer) can distort our understanding and interpretation of world events. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised |
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Arms Trafficking and Colombia |
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| Topic: International Relations |
11:32 pm EST, Nov 24, 2003 |
Colombia has experienced significant political instability and violence over the past century due to a number of factors, including the proliferation of small-arms trafficking. The authors identify the sources and routes used by arms traffickers to acquire, buy, sell, receive, transfer, and ship weapons. They also examine the various groups and individuals who purchase and use these munitions. The authors examine Colombias political conflict through the lens of small-arms trafficking and conclude with policy implications for the United States. This report was prepared by Bruce Hoffman for the Defense Intelligence Agency. If you read my log, you may have seen a recent (November 3) Los Angeles Times op-ed by Hoffman regarding the global war on terror. When Bruce Schneier starts issuing reports like this one, I may be more interested in his analyses of various counter-terrorism strategies. Arms Trafficking and Colombia |
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Pan-Organizational Summit on the US Science and Engineering Workforce |
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| Topic: Science |
11:31 pm EST, Nov 24, 2003 |
For much of the past 10-15 years, it has been a commonplace in many academic and public advocacy settings to emphasize current or prospective "shortages" or "shortfalls" in the US science and engineering workforce. ... Only a few years later, it became apparent that the trend was in the opposite direction ... Labor market projections that go very far into the future are notoriously problematic. ... [Some experts] have expressed energetic concerns about the increasingly unattractive career experiences of newly minted scientists and engineers. The main message of this note is that the two apparently contradictory concerns above are in fact closely linked. Pan-Organizational Summit on the US Science and Engineering Workforce |
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