|
|
3.2.2002 11:24 PM Dr. Anthony Barnett on memetics and human nature:
"Memetics: A Short Leap Forward?" Sean Hackbarth | 11:04 PM For a fast, yet illuminating science read, check out Paul Davies' How the Build a Time Machine. After a few hours, Davies convinces you that physics can't prove that time travel can't be accomplished. Starting with Einstein's theory of relativity (especially as it relates to time's relativity), you discover that traveling to the future is all dependant on space travel capabilities. Going back in time is a little trickier; that involves using wormholes. But it doesn't stop Davies from putting together a rough idea of how a wormhole factory would work. Through the explanations you catch brief glimpses of quantum mechanics, Newtonian physics, and the unified field theory. No mathematics is required to keep up with Davies. (He notes that the theory of relativity only uses high school-level mathematics.) All that's needed is physics learned in high school or from watching Nova. What gets the head spinning around is all the paradoxes that time travel provoke. While Davies claims many of them are actually internally consistent, their strangeness makes me suspect. The idea is fascinating. The prose is plain, yet sophisticated. Davies has written a real gem. "How to Build a Time Machine" "Time Loops" [NOTE: This looks to be an early draft of Davies' book.] Sean Hackbarth | 10:46 PM I haven't been a big fan of browser toolbars. I didn't get much use out of Yahoo's, and Google's didn't interest me either since I have a Google Search button on my browser. But Nutshell looks pretty good. The best part is I can type in a book title I discover while surfing the Net, go immediately to the Amazon.com page, and add it to my wish list. With the way I seek out interesting books, I know I'll be using this feature a lot. Nutshell Toolbar Sean Hackbarth | 3.1.2002 2:11 PM I'm sure I'm too young to reminisce, but when I was a kid, cartoons were funny. Most of what I watched were old Chuck Jones creations (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Road Runner and Coyote, etc.). Daniel Henninger blames our current drought of humor on political correctness. Maybe. Or maybe I'm just getting old. "Wascally Wabbit Made Us Laugh When It Was Legal" Sean Hackbarth | 2.28.2002 2:54 PM On the Google-weblogs union:
You'll also learn about the not-so-subtle art of "Google bombing." "Google [Loves] Blogs" [via blogdex] Sean Hackbarth | 2:23 PM John Madden runs off to "Monday Night Football." In his place, Fox will move baseball broadcaster Joe Buck up as their number one football announcer. Wrong! The trio of Dick Stockton, Troy Aikman (if he doesn't go and try getting another concussion playing), and Moose Johnston is the best play-by-play team Fox has. Stockton is solid as the typical announcer type, while Aikman and Johnston (both a little stiff but working into it) bring tactical insite to viewers. By pushing Joe Buck, Fox must think they have a future Bob Costas who can cover any sport. "Madden to Join 'Monday Night Football' Sean Hackbarth | 2:13 PM Research from an unreleased U.S. government study claims nuclear fallout from above-ground tests caused thousands of cancers. The study doesn't say particular individuals got cancer from fallout. Instead, based on computer simulations, it paints a picture of where fallout may have been concentrated. The USA Today story doesn't say if any tests of soil, air, or water were conducted to support the simulations. My guess is they weren't, and this analysis is completely based on CPU cycles and whiz-bang programming. This looks an awful lot like global warming hysteria, but at least climate scientists are taking daily weather readings. I'm pretty sure they're aren't Geiger counters scattered across the country. This fallout study will only breed unproven fear. Just wait until the first lawsuit against the U.S. government from some eager lawyer briefly reading this story. "Fallout Likely Caused 15,000 Deaths" Sean Hackbarth | 2.27.2002 11:05 PM Throughout their career, U2 always has held to Christian belief. Terry Mattingly writes,
"Mock the Devil" Sean Hackbarth | 9:46 PM  Central Asia could become the next Beirut. That's what Pat Buchanan fears about U.S. involvement in the area. Today, Buchanan was in the Milwaukee area promoting his book The Death of the West and stopped into the store I work at for a brief book signing. Despite his harsh rhetoric toward the Left and conservatives who, he claims, care more about economics than national sovereignty and Western culture, Pat is an affable man. He was pleasant to every customer and bookseller he spoke with. The short discussions stretched from Afghanistan to The West Wing (unlike the show, none of the offices are lined with windows) to Shakespeare. His wife, Shelly, is also very charming. We chatted about London and the weather. Did he win me over to his arguments? No, but I will read his latest tome, and give him a fair hearing. Like it or not, Buchanan echoes the feelings of many Americans. His ideas shouldn't be ignored for that reason alone. On John McLaughlin: "I gave him his job in the White House." On Eleanor Clift: "She's like the little sister you just love to tease." Sean Hackbarth | 1:49 AM Off-shore wind farms offer less local resistance. From watching the failed attempt to build a wind farm in my area, I can see avoiding backward-looking busybodies does have its benefits. "Blowing Out to Sea" [via Just One Thing] "Wind Farm too Small for Fight, Firm Says" Sean Hackbarth | 2.26.2002 3:31 AM The U.S. has ended its policy of not using nukes on non-nuclear states. This asinine policy was erected way back in the Carter administration. Any weapon in the U.S. arsenal must available. Superior force and powerful retaliation can be deterrents from future attack. I can already hear the screams from anti-American Europeans. It only takes a mild word flub from President Bush to get the scribblers at The Guardian all worked up. They're going to have fun with this story. "U.S. Drops Pledge on Nukes" Sean Hackbarth | 3:20 AM Some may think Sen. Paul Wellstone's (D-MN) announcement that he has MS is just like The West Wing. It's not even close. Wellstone only learned about his condition a month ago and has quickly told the world. President Bartlett knew he had the disease for years and (along with his doctor wife) deceived the public. One (real) man was honest about his condition, while another (fictional) man thought politically instead of ethically. Patrick thinks Aaron "Mr. Mushroom" Sorkin "misjudged political reality--again," but there's little comparison. "Sen. Wellstone Diagnosed With MS" Sean Hackbarth | 2:53 AM Paul Tully echoes the same concern I have for "designer children."
"Floodgates Open After Britain's 'Designer Baby' Decision" Sean Hackbarth | 2.24.2002 11:31 PM Last night, Condolezza Rice received the NAACP President?s Award. I was shocked, but pleased, when it was announced. Maybe this is a sign of political sophistication. Maybe the NAACP finally realizes that Black Americans aren't monolithically liberal (even though they vote Democrat). "Bush Advisor Gets NAACP Award" "National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice To Receive The Presidents Award" Sean Hackbarth | 9:36 PM Despite all the calls for new regulations and new oversight boards, the market seems to be finding a way to prevent future Enrons. Anytime there's a hint of an accounting irregularity, the stock market hammers the stock. Disney has said they won't allow accounting firms to perform audit and consulting, and the accounting industry looks to put some teeth into their self-reglulation. Let the politicians preen and pose for the cameras, but they should be very careful when trying to craft a one-size-fits-all fix to accounting practices. "Accounting's Role in Enron Crash Erases Years of Trust" Sean Hackbarth | |
ABOUT When I'm not pondering the fate of the universe, I'm reading, writing, or selling books. Here you'll find comments on politics, culture, books, and music. Not necessarily in that order. MAILBOX sean--at--theamericanmind.com  Support democracy and human rights in Iraq! 
My Bloginality is INTP!!! WEBRINGS « LibertyLoggers » < ? wiscoblogs # > WEBLOGS WIRES AP International AP National AP Politics AP Sports UPI COLUMNISTS Buckley Goldberg Kudlow Novak Horowitz Noonan Reynolds Sowell Will NEWSPAPERS Ha'aretz LA Times Milwaukee Journal Sentinel NY Times Washington Post Washington Times MAGAZINES The American Prowler The Atlantic City Journal Commentary Enter Stage Right First Things FrontPage IntellectualConservative.com In the National Interest National Review New York Times Magazine Opinion Journal Reason Spintech The Weekly Standard NEWS 1stHeadlines ABCNews BBC CNN Cybercast News Service Drudge FoxNews MEMRI MSNBC BOOKS All Consuming The New Republic New York Times Town Hall Book Club Washington Post Weblog BookWatch TECH News.com Wired News HUMOR Mallard Fillmore The Onion ARCHIVE 
Comments by: YACCS template by HELQUIN
|