31 October 06 - 12:40
Just a reminder: Democrats are worthless and worse than useless. We need an alternative.sth - default - / No trackbacks - § ¶
31 October 06 - 06:43Helplessness and the "No Partner" problem
There's something I've been thinking about lately that I find really bothersome. From international diplomacy to domestic disputes, the inability to have a rational discourse or debate with any theoretical opponent continues to be the source of so many issues. It's extremely stifling and frustrating to realize that you're without many useful or palatable options when you're presented with this problem.What exactly can be done when you attempt to have a dialogue and your opponent states the following:
- I reject dialogue
- I reject rationality
- I reject logic
- I reject evidence that disagrees with my belief
- I reject the very idea that I could be wrong or that it's possible to prove as such
- I reject your right to talk or even exist
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28 October 06 - 17:49
Webb/Allen race too close to call. The fact that a race like that is too close to call is a perfect example of why politics in the US are so screwed up. A race like this should *NOT* be close. Allen should be getting absolutely destroyed. He should have a <1% approval rating. He should have people from all sides of the spectrum asking him to resign. Instead it's "too close to call". Illegal spying bills; torture; pointless, mismanaged wars; staggering government spending, deficits, and trade gap; erosion of the church/state wall and an attempt to turn this country into a theocracy - and yet it's still "too close to call". Too many people in this country were clearly born in the wrong country.sth - default - / No trackbacks - § ¶
25 October 06 - 19:37
New Jersey court recognizes right to same-sex unions. Social conservatives got served. Woop.sth - default - / No trackbacks - § ¶
22 October 06 - 03:23On Baghdad Streets, a Police Partnership Falters
'Seeking to win over the representatives, Colonel Ali took the floor. He declared boldly that he was not a Shiite or a Sunni but an Iraqi and would enforce the law in an evenhanded way. With so many men running around in uniforms and renegade militias running rife, one participant asked how the citizens could tell the good policemen from the ones that meant them harm.Colonel Ali offered advice that said a great deal about the long road ahead before Iraq's forces can assume the main burden of protecting the country. If an Iraqi policeman comes to your door, he advised, you should not open it unless he is accompanied by an American soldier.'
Don't forget about Dubya's 'As Iraqis Stand Up, We Will Stand Down'. Riiiiight. Full Story
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21 October 06 - 03:37Net deaths
There's something odd about reading recent blog/mailing list posts by people who have died. Taking part in discussions, especially technical ones, have this sense of connectedness, of being part of the living development of things in the modern world, of almost invincibility. Same for reading dead peoples' code. Especially when you want to email them about it.sth - default - / No trackbacks - § ¶
21 October 06 - 02:39Democrats in control: what a difference
Which of the following things are going to be dismantled or repealed if the Democrats get majorities in Congress, or even a President in 2008?- Patriot Act
- NSA surveillance program
- Guantanamo Bay prison
- DMCA
- Secret "black site" prisons
- Defense of marriage act
Answer: Probably none. There's a reason they're called "Republicrats". It's hilarious to hear the Republicans call the hopelessly centrist party "the left". Only in a country with such a laughable political makeup could these Democrats be called "the left". Compared to the current Neocon-Republicans, Reagan could have been on the left. Will the Democrats being in control be better? Sure. Hard to be worse than what we've got now; just don't call it good.
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21 October 06 - 01:44The End of Maliki?: Will a Coup Unravel Iraq?
'Whatever fantasies officials in Washington or Iraq may harbor, however, a coup d'etat in Baghdad would by no means be a silver bullet to end Iraq's anarchy. Quite the opposite, it might just add to the bloody unraveling of the country. The problem is, as one experienced Middle East hand told me, "In order to mount a coup, you have to have a state. And there is no state in Iraq."'"Iraq is utterly anarchic, a Mad Max world of clashing paramilitaries, gangs, warlords, sectarian fighters, death squads, criminal enterprises, government-backed mafias, and several hundred thousand Army men, police, Interior Ministry commandos, and special units like the Facilities Protection Service that are only loosely under the control of the central government. So how would a prospective coup-maker, even with Washington's fervent backing, impose his will on all that?"
"The answer is: He couldn't."
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20 October 06 - 17:06Is another Middle East war brewing?
Ahmadinejad's subtle threats, Olmert's not-so-subtle threats, and US military plans, with some more military plans against Iran. This could get ugly. Really ugly.sth - default - / No trackbacks - § ¶
20 October 06 - 05:20
Time to Go! Inside the Worst Congress Ever: sad, yet hilarious. Also, Like the Mafia, Only Dumber: a list of the recent scandals involving Republicans.sth - default - / No trackbacks - § ¶
17 October 06 - 00:35Virtual worlds: beyond the axioms
It's basically axiomatic at this point that some of the biggest reasons that virtual worlds are so appealing is that you can be someone else, something else, do things that you simply cannot do in meatspace, meet people who share your interest and not be limited by geography, and do all these things in worlds very often modeled after something like our own. These things are major, but there's another part that's not axiomatic: the ability to filter. Virtual worlds very often let you have your cake and eat it too; you can do all these amazing things, and avoid the things you don't like. Is there a person, a group, an organization you don't like? Filter them out. Just think about the logical conclusions here; when we move to sophisticated "full body virtual suits" which allow you to feel everything in the virtual world, and allows you to selectively filter things you don't want to feel. Don't like the cold? The feel of slime under your feet? Pain? Filter it out. You get exactly what you want without any of the downsides. The next logical step after this? Externalization of virtualization. Walk outside with your "real world virtual suit" and look like anything you want, wear whatever you want. No need to dress, no need to put on makeup or accessories - just load up your favorite preset. Make the suit able to convey everything to your brain that you'd be able to get with your own skin, be durable, and of course protect you from many forms of attack (including diseases) and you've got the next level of human freedom. Crime/ethics issues aside, it could be truly liberating. I can hear the "natural experience" luddites screaming now.sth - default - / No trackbacks - § ¶
11 October 06 - 17:0772nd/York plane crash
I listened to the sirens blare from my apartment for a little while, then I found out what happened and cabbed down there. The streets were completely backed up and emergency vehicles poured in. The air smelled like cement and kind of sulphurous, and the sky was a sullen black and grey. The streets around the area were absolutely packed with emergency personnel, the press, and gawkers. Pictures from the crash are here. Not sure what the deal is with the grey building, but it appeared to be missing 12 or so floors worth of external covering. It's not clear if it was a related to the crash, but it's possible that it was.sth - default - / 39 trackbacks - § ¶
11 October 06 - 12:49
How Guantanamo's prisoners were sold. How much could we get for Dubya and Cheney?sth - default - / one trackback - § ¶
11 October 06 - 04:50
'Meeting in Chicago at the end of September, a group of so-called "pro-life" advocates held a conference titled "Contraception Is Not the Answer" to launch a campaign against all "unnatural contraceptives.' Isn't there some kind of treatment available for these people?Plan B and Plan B
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08 October 06 - 03:18
Secular Laws Cede to Religious Exemptions: further erosion of the church/state wall. Bleh.sth - default - / three trackbacks - § ¶
08 October 06 - 01:53
Fascinating article on dealing with closed governments: Isolating Closed Regimes Like 'Threatening Drowning Man With Lifeboat'sth - default - / four trackbacks - § ¶
05 October 06 - 03:03Nuclear primacy: a continuing US policy goal?
See Nuclear Exchange: Does Washington Really Have (or Want) Nuclear Primacy? and US Nuclear Primacy Revisted.sth - default - / three trackbacks - § ¶
04 October 06 - 00:21
"That a reportedly sick man hiding in a cave in Waziristan has brought about the abolition of habeas corpus in America is the clearest verdict on who is winning the War on Terror." How Empires Die.sth - default - / two trackbacks - § ¶
03 October 06 - 13:21
Power Laws, Weblogs, and Inequality is quite interesting.sth - default - / three trackbacks - § ¶
03 October 06 - 00:21
20 Amazing Facts About Voting In The USAsth - default - / No trackbacks - § ¶
02 October 06 - 03:23How the US Government Planned America's Downfall
The New Face of Class War paints a mighty ugly picture of the efforts of US corporations and the acquiescence of the much of the media, free-market economists, and political Libertarians.sth - default - / No trackbacks - § ¶