April 30, 2003
Women and War
Photojournalist Jenny Matthews has been documenting the lives of women touched by conflict for over twenty years.
30 Apr 14:53 | Link | Category: Photography
Chinese government-approved reading list
The Chinese government has prepared a reading list for people staying at home after public entertainment venues were closed to stem the spread of SARS. "We think this is just the time to catch up on reading." Communist Party books, of course, top the list. Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings made the list, too. It makes me wonder what books would be on the lists of other countries.
30 Apr 14:52 | Link | Category: Misc. Tidbits
April 28, 2003
Need a place to crash?
CarLiving.com: The Survival Guide to Living in a Vehicle
28 Apr 1:34 | Link | Category: Misc. Tidbits
The New Cold War
In "The New Cold War," Bruce Sterling says India and China are picking up where the US and Soviet Union left off.
28 Apr 1:29 | Link | Category: Current Events
April 25, 2003
Thank you, Playstation
James Paul Gee laments that American children "aren't learning how to think anymore - they're learning how to memorize." (I agree, though I suggest the problem is not uniquely American.) "This might be an ideal recipe for future Babbitts of the world, but it won't produce the kind of agile, analytical minds that will lead the high tech global age." Fortunately, he says, we have video games. (Read the article before you laugh.)
25 Apr 20:01 | Link | Category: Misc. Tidbits, Technology & Computing
April 23, 2003
Parallel Universes
When you find yourself having one of those nights during which your brain won't shut off for the day and you're in the mood for something deep and bizarre, Scientific American has the perfect article: a lengthy, bafflingly amazing article about parallel universes.
(If your brain has shut off, just go watch that Star Trek where there's a parallel universe with an evil Spock -- you can tell by the scary goatee.)
23 Apr 1:42 | Link | Category: Science
Banished Words
Take a look at LSSU's 2003 Banished Words list. This year's list includes the confusing black ice ("ice is ice"), the "weasel word" challenges ("no one has problems anymore, they only face 'challenges'"), the redundant undisclosed, secret location ("if it's a secret, it's pretty undisclosed, and if it's undisclosed, it's a secret"), and __ in color ("as opposed to green in size?") which "lends an empty air of precision." One of my favorites is homeland security. "With billions of dollars at stake, perhaps 'national security' is just plain blasé. 'What happened to the Department of Defense?' asks Rick Miller of Champaign, Illinois."
23 Apr 1:27 | Link | Category: Misc. Tidbits
The Well Curve
Bell Curve not working for you? Try the well curve.
23 Apr 1:17 | Link | Category: Science
Iraq Iraq Iraq, part two
I just realized I've been silent for a while... first the obligatory assortment of Iraq links:
- Paul Pinto takes a look at the history of democracy in the Middle East.
- Examining what I think is one of the most pressing issues at present ("where are all the chem- and bio-weapons?"), David Corn asks Where Have All the WMD-Hunters Gone?. And Robert Scheer asks Did Bush Deceive Us in His Rush to War?
- The Washington Post reports U.S. Planners Surprised by Strength of Iraqi Shiites. Apparently many in the administration "were more focused on the overriding goal of defeating Hussein and paid little attention to the dynamics of religion and politics in the region." Brilliant (in a stupidly short-sighted way). Let's all hope Iraq doesn't fall to religious fundamentalists and other extremists.
- In History? What History? Robert Scheer (again... sorry, Mr. O'Reilly) writes that the "destruction of one of the world's significant collections of antiquities is a fit metaphor for current U.S. foreign policy, which causes more damage through carelessness than calculation."
23 Apr 1:07 | Link | Category: Current Events
April 15, 2003
Iraq, Iraq, Iraq
Charles Stith says: "I think that over the long term, economic engagement, not special ops, will be the most effective means of ending terrorism. We simply don't have the capacity to police the planet."
Two other articles of interest:
Wired: "Wacky Iraqi Minister a Web Star"
BBC: "Prized Iraqi annals 'lost in blaze'"
And a bedtime story. G'night.
15 Apr 23:23 | Link | Category: Current Events
A Short Blink in Time
My short vacation was nice... I hadn't expected a solo road trip to be enjoyable, but it was. I needed some thinking time. I visited some national parks, took a few hikes, ventured off-road in the Jeep to explore some BLM land, did a lot of driving, listened to many hours of music, and stood in four states simultaneously at Four Corners Monument (also known as The Official Middle of Nowhere).
There were a few odd twists, too. Like when I arrived in Moab at about 4:30 to a plume of smoke (and a million or so Jeeps... turned out to be this year's Safari). A fire had killed all electricity to the city. I figured they'd have it back on by dark, so I drove to Arches N.P. and hiked up to Delicate Arch to watch the sunset. I arrived back in Moab after dark, ready to eat and find lodging... but still no power. Ehhh.... I had very little gasoline, but finally found one station outside of town that had electricity (needless to say, it was packed). I fueled up and took the long drive to Monticello (I had planned on heading there anyway) where I found a great deal on a motel. So no need to sleep in the car. Also, I learned that melted PowerBars and warm water can make a pretty decent dinner if necessary...
I always enjoy time spent in S. Utah. I visit too rarely... one could honestly spend several lifetimes exploring everything. There are so many stunning places, both on and off the beaten path. It's awe-inspiring, quiet, adventuresome, spiritual. There's nothing like wandering among ancient geologic formations and ruins of cultures past to make one understand that we're just a short blink in time, a tiny part in a universe that is grander than we usually realize.
I took a bunch of photos. Many didn't turn out as I had hoped, but I put some of them in the photos section anyway.
15 Apr 12:00 | Link | Category: Site/Life News, Travel
April 3, 2003
A fully open society
Sheldon Pacotti asks: "Are We Doomed Yet?"
03 Apr 18:56 | Link | Category: Science, Technology & Computing