Contrary Brin
Most popular
How dangerous is Republican manic-depressive disease? Both bipolar phases are destructive, but the manic ones kill.
== A weaponized narrative == Joel Garreau writes about how our latest
strategic worry – “ weaponized narrative ” -- seeks to undermine an
opponent’s civilization, identity, and will by generating complexity,
confusion, and political and social schisms. It can be used tactically,
as part of explicit military or geopolitical conflict; or strategically,
as a way to reduce, neutralize, and defeat a c
Is the system rigged?
Oh, how spectacularly right Donald Trump was, in his most-cogent
statement… that the election would be “rigged.” We all know it happened
in 2000 when George W. Bush's own brother -- Florida Governor Jeb Bush
-- "lost" 60,000 democratic voter registrations (later proved totally
valid) enabling (with a dozen other cheats) W to win Florida and the
White House by 167 votes. But this article - Was the
Don't Impeach! Plus appraising GOP proposed legislation -- and why is he really in Saudi Arabia?
I had prepped a missive appraising GOP legislative proposals... but it
seems we must always lead with the latest, daily crises. With some
Republicans already murmuring about impeachment and getting all
moony-eyed toward the notion of "President Pence," let me repeat what
I've said for a year now. "Impeach Trump" is a trap. Any day, Paul Ryan
will make his offer: "if you Democrats do the heavy lif
May 27
Chaos - and disturbances - in the Oval Office
The good news? Donald Trump is behaving so incoherently , unable to
parse sentences, claiming to have coined phrases like “pump-priming” and
announcing to the nation that “no one knew” that Abraham Lincoln had
been a Republican, and changing his story about firing the FBI director
within hours. You know I could go on and on with examples… any one of
which which have put DT’s supporters in a tizzy
May 25
On Voter Fraud, Immigration, and Economic Disparity
== The New “Voter Fraud” Commission == As usual, Democrats are right to
complain… and they are doing it all wrong. President Trump declared a
commission aimed at justifying his unfounded voter fraud claims.
(“Millions cast illegal ballots, giving Hillary Clinton her huge popular
vote margin.”) But in stead of appointing a blue-ribbon, bipartisan
committee of nationally respected sages, the commis
May 23
Science Fiction in the news: Nebulas, flicks and real-life Skynet!
Congratulations to the winners of SFWA's Nebula Award for best in
science fiction and fantasy for 2016. Charlie Jane Anders won Best Novel
for All the Birds in the Sky , Seanan McGuire won Best Novella for
Every Heart a Doorway , William Ledbetter won for Novelette, and Amal
El-Mohtar for Short Story . It's Space Opera Week! "Explore the Cosmos
in 10 Classic Space Opera Universes!" On the Tor sit
May 17
What's new in science & tech?
Okay, let's turn to the side of civilization that is doing best. Doing
spectacularly well in fact, despite a relentless campaign to undermine
science. Just today -- as I type this, in fact -- I am in a conference
call as a member of the advisory council of The Planetary Society,
hearing reports about how TPS - under Bill Nye's charismatic leadership -
has seen a turnaround, with increasing member
May 13
A world Cyber Collapse? And Jerry Brown: President in exile
Yes, the title of this posting is an odd juxtaposition. On Friday a
ferocious ransomware attack crippled thousands of computer networks
around the world, including Britain's National Health System. So, what
does this cyber-blitz -- long predicted in sci fi -- have to do with
California's spectacularly successful, popular and effective governor?
It's simple. There are matters - like cyber security
May 11
Will we continue an Enlightenment Civilization... or return to Feudalism?
Seventy years of Pax Americana and a rising enlightenment civilization,
based on science and fact and at least somewhat-mature argument, were
never easy to maintain. Another seventy and we'd likely stabilize into
something truly amazing and grownup -- perhaps able to solve the Fermi
Paradox, by heading out into the galaxy. But behind us lie 6000 years of
feudalism in which secretive cheaters and
May 09
Solving problems: Energy, Climate and Remaking the Planet
Here is another science posting, with lots of amazing news. But
nowadays, it is impossible to do this without politics foaming over the
rim. And so, to start off -- In honor of the French populace, and the
favor they just did us all, can we finally get rid of their worst curse
upon civilization? The insipidly misleading and lobotomizing "left-right
political axis"? Given that every metric of entr
May 07
More Than Human? And science roundup! First an announcement: Wednesday, May 10th I'll speak at the “ Digital Revolution ,” a free public forum that the Union-Tribune will hold at the University of San Diego’s Kroc Theater. It starts at 6:30 p.m. All you have to do is register online at uniontribune.com/future ." == More than we are? == Elon Musk
Dangerously Irrelevant | @mcleod
29K followers
1 story per month
29K followers
1 story per month
May 31
If I was teaching Social Studies today…
Some folks know that I started my education career as a middle school
Social Studies teacher in Charlotte, North Carolina. If I was still
doing that now, I would be incredibly excited because so many wonderful
resources would be available to my classroom. For instance, if I was
teaching Social Studies today… My students and I definitely would be
tapping into an incredible diversity of online reso
May 25
Privileging an ideology of individualism
Audrey Watters said: These new technologies, oriented towards consumers
and consumption, privilege an ideology of individualism. In education
technology, as in advertising, this is labeled “personalization.” The
flaw of traditional education systems, we are told, is that they focus
too much on the group, the class, the collective. So we see education
being reframed as a technologically-enhanced s
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment