Decius wrote:
] I think there is some substance to the sweat of the brow
] argument, but the devil is in the details.
]
] But of course, thats not going to happen, because thats not
] really what these people are interested in.

In the same way that Metallica is concerned with the album format, this is all about protecting the ability to control the presentation of collections of facts. People get upset when they see someone else remixing their facts to paint a picture they did not themselves intend to present.

There seems to be this perception present in certain people, that when your work is remixed, something is destroyed in the process.

It can be seen as information control jealousy, but that leaves out much. There is massive value present in collections of disparate facts based on some yet non-existant measure of how hard it was to collect the facts and their scarcity.

RE: Wired News: Hands Off! That Fact Is Mine

Jeremy wrote:
] As big pharmaceutical companies have become even larger, they
] have concentrated on drugs with blockbuster potential
] rather than devote time to drugs with smaller markets.
]
] [Hmmm ... Where have I heard that story before?]

Much like their power broker brethren in the media business, they lack a feedback mechanism. They are making blockbuster drugs because they do not know what else to make.

Now, we can empower the people with tools. Let them track themselves. This may be a way help get the drug companies obtain real information about how people work. As the double edged sword usually goes, there are reasons this is a touchy subject.

People should have the freedom to make choices involving their health care. That includes its research and development process, even if only in the form of input. The development of drugs should not stop once they have hit the market. Its time to learn some more lessons from software.

RE: Is Biotechnology Losing Its Nerve?

^X^D -R

Er.. Whatever.

I've been more read then write since hitting the road. As I get my communication infrastructure in order, that will change. Right now, everything is a pain in the ass so I'm focusing more on taking information in and working on strategy.

I'm at locations undisclosed in the Jersey Shore. Its always good to be home. Home is everywhere I've ever been, I think. This place is special for an entirely different set of reasons. This is where I'm from.

As I've walked and driven around, taken sites in, and otherwise, I find myself in awe, of so many things. I'm disturbed by others. Everything feels friendly, more so then ever before. That's a nice change.

I have many emails that are waiting to be sent. I'm lacking an SMTP server that I can use right now. I have this well formed mental block in place against doing certain things, and I've been spending a little too much time depending on others for my communication infrastructure. Sound familiar?

Oh yes. Let it be known, my current mission is simply to assemble several networks. I'm looking for SysOps. Serious ones. Responsible ones. Ones with diverse skills. My definition of that word, is going to require something on the level of a social contract. So I'm not going to try to get into too much depth yet. We have some tools to build.

I've been very busy. This doesn't show any signs of stopping. Rock on.

Current location, Laramie, Wyoming.

Fuck you very much Bank of America, I wound up marooned in Watts, Nevada and later Salt Lake City for most of yesterday night. So much for when they say checks are going to post, and when they do. Shesh1. Banks are just not respectful enough of people like me who live within an inch and a dollar of the edge. Or maybe I'm not respectful enough of the banks, or the edge. Shrug2.

My usual strategy is to catch a few hours of sleep during the peak of each day, when my car can easily be nice, warm, and hospitable, rather then a night meat locker. (For those taking notes, reverse in summer time.) This time around, due to BoA, I switched to a truckstop drivers lounge approach. Honestly, I would have rather handled it the other way. Less noise. And believe it or not, center console and all, my vehicle-o'-utility is still more comfortable.

Aside from that little blip, this trip has been going great. From the snow capped mounts of Nevada to the snow covered fields off Wyoming, I've been enjoying this much needed dose of Interstatia Americana. Potent stuff. I must admit, I'm a little worried about OD'ing on it, as I know all the possible options to vector I have ahead, and they are all both mildly familiar and boring as piss.

I've been very lucky in several respects. The morning fog was at its most hardcore during the entire point in time when the sun would have been directly in my face. Perhaps that was karma's reimbursement for the BoA yuck yucks.

Sorry for the lack of memeage. While the Wifi Gods may smile upon me, they are not always aptly placed or priced. Plus, the caffeine levels and mental state brought on by the road zone do not exactly conjure the spirits of Barlow and Kerouac, as much as Knievel and Earnhardt.

Update: Some WiFi Gods suck. I cannot send email from this particular shithole of a hotspot. Nor are any of my usual hackarounds working.

I'm writing this parked in front of a Kinkos in Reno, listening to Johnny Cash.

I'm not going to attempt to explain right now why I left San Francisco, that would take too long. Maybe later. Lets just say, I was not exactly happy to go, nor would have I been happy to stay. Sometimes, one's journey requires making sudden snap decisions. On my way out, after a period of reflection staring at the ocean and a lengthy drive through various sections of the city, I stopped at Treasure Island, stared at the city, shed a tear, and yelped "I'll be back" before turning my back on her. I meant it.

I also did not say any goodbyes. I hope no one takes offense at that. I hate goodbyes. I prefer to just disappear and reappear, mysteriously.

So far, my trip is going smoothy. Donner had chain control in effect, but no treachery was present that the 4HI button could not regulate.

This spring, I will be mobile. Rattle could be coming to a town near you. Onward, America, roll beneath me with Godspeed.

I love road trips.

It is always difficult to decipher just what the often-opaque Fed chairman means.

The New York Times shares your confusion.

No quote or phrase as memorable as "Irrational Exuberance" has come out of Greenspan's most recent comments, but there is no doubt of a sharp edge that can be felt slowly cutting. I hope our parents enjoy their Social Security. Security related problems seem to be the forte of my generation. Not all of them are globalized in nature, most are very domestic, much like Social Security. I don't feel very secure. I don't feel like anyone is looking out for us, and at the same time expecting us to do all the hard work and take all the hard breaks.

Mr. Greenspan's Warning

] Now we're faced with a "Godzilla vs. Mothra" battle,
] where the Internet -- and its users -- will likely take
] the brunt of the collateral damage.

Best Quote on Verisign v. ICANN

] Your post advocates a
]
] ( ) technical ( ) legislative ( ) market-based ( ) vigilante
]
] approach to fighting spam. Your idea will not work.
] Here is why it won't work.

Well, personally I think that whitelists suck less then spam, so I would add two more checkboxes to this form:

( ) People's complete unwillingness to make even the smallest change to their established routine.
( ) People's general expectation that their problems should be solved by other people.

Standard form for responding to anti-spam proposals

] The dispute over who controls key portions of the
] Internet's address system erupted into open conflict
] today when VeriSign Inc., the world's largest addressing
] company, sued the Internet's most visible regulatory
] body, charging that it has been unfairly prevented from
] developing new services for Internet users.

VeriSign's power grab attempts continue.

Verisign Sues ICANN to reinstate Sitefinder!

... and many more!