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| There are great benefits to connectedness, but we haven't wrapped our minds around the costs. |
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| Topic: Movies |
1:37 am EDT, Aug 18, 2004 |
American Airlines subjected its passengers to this movie on a recent coast-to-coast flight. It was easy enough to plug my headphones into my iPod and avoid the audio. It was considerably harder to keep my eyes open and get some real work done without having this fake-80's-hair Kurt Russell continually popping into my field of view. (Go to the Photos section and see for yourself.) Boeing and Airbus should incorporate electronic voting systems for the proper democratic selection of in-flight movies. Miracle (2004) |
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It's the Olympics, but Do You Really Care? |
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| Topic: Sports |
1:31 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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How Protest and Politics Threaten the Biotech Revolution |
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| Topic: Biotechnology |
1:05 am EDT, Aug 18, 2004 |
If DNA is just bits, then why do so many people flock without fear to "Finding Nemo" but shy away from Roundup Ready corn? (Any science book endorsed by Penn Jillette must be good!) How Protest and Politics Threaten the Biotech Revolution |
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High Oil Prices May Not Be Temporary |
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| Topic: Business |
9:44 am EDT, Aug 16, 2004 |
Most oil market commentary still makes it sound as if high prices are a passing phenomenon. But the markets are smelling something different. The problem is not a lack of oil in the world. The problem is getting the oil to refineries and then to market. Many arguments in Washington have been irrelevant. A shortage of oil is not the biggest problem. The reality is becoming clear because of Iraq, but Iraq was not the cause, and diplomacy will not make it go away. High Oil Prices May Not Be Temporary |
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| Topic: Politics and Law |
11:21 am EDT, Aug 15, 2004 |
The Republicans have made much of Kerry's record; his campaign is haunted by replays of the theme song from the old TV show "Flipper." Mr. Bush, however, has a far more dangerous pattern of behavior. On issues from tax cuts to foreign policy, the president tends to stick stubbornly to his original course even when changing events cry out for adaptation. His explanations seem to evolve every day, but his thinking never does. What we would like to hear from Mr. Kerry is how the events of the last year have changed his own thinking. How much does he think the addition of French and German soldiers would have improved things? About That Iraq Vote |
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Rolling Down the Highway, Looking Out for Flawed Elections |
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| Topic: Elections |
10:06 am EDT, Aug 8, 2004 |
Bev Harris's visit to Mohave County was part of a monthlong trip in which she and her deputy, Andy Stephenson, traveled to 10 states, investigating flaws in electronic voting and giving on-the-fly computer security tutorials. The trip started out in Ohio, where they knocked on the doors of employees of Diebold, one of the largest and most criticized voting machine companies. It ended in late July in Las Vegas at Defcon, a hackers' convention, where the consensus was that cracking a voting machine might not be so hard. Rolling Down the Highway, Looking Out for Flawed Elections |
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| Topic: Elections |
1:25 pm EDT, Aug 7, 2004 |
Consultants like campaigns that stress "themes" and "visions" because they test so well in focus groups. People used to complain that selling a president was like selling a bar of soap. But when you buy soap, at least you get the soap. In this campaign you just get two guys telling you that they really value cleanliness. Selling the Sizzle |
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| Topic: Miscellaneous |
9:48 am EDT, Aug 3, 2004 |
In short, the Bungle Affair dares me to explain it to you without resort to dime-store mysticisms, and I fear I may have shape-shifted by the digital moonlight one too many times to be quite up to the task. But I will do what I can, and can do no better than to lead with the facts. For if nothing else about Mr. Bungle's case is unambiguous, the facts at least are crystal clear. A Rape in Cyberspace |
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Has Michael Moore Re-Elected Bush? |
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| Topic: Elections |
12:56 am EDT, Aug 3, 2004 |
1. Farenheit 9/11 has a certain group of people thinking/saying, "I hate Bush and everything he stands for." 2. To avoid alienating these voters, Kerry has to act like he agrees with them. 3. Agreeing with the Moore fanatics alienates the critical swing voters, depriving Kerry of the win. 4. Bush is re-elected. Blame it on Michael Moore. |
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| Topic: War on Terrorism |
12:43 am EDT, Aug 3, 2004 |
The definition of victory in the war on terrorism is when nothing happens. It is not paranoia when they are out to get you. Suspicious Minds |
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