Our Transhumanist Government. "A draft US Government report says we will alter human evolution within 20 years by combining what we know of nanotechnology, biotechnology, IT and cognitive sciences. The 405-page report from the US National Science Foundation and Commerce Department, Converging Technologies for Improving Human Performance", calls for a broad-based research program to improve human performance leading to telepathy, machine-to-human communication, amplified personal sensory devices, and enhanced intellectual capacity. People may download their consciousnesses into computers or into bodies on the other side of the solar system, or participate in a giant 'hive mind' -- a network of intelligences connected through ultra fast communications networks." Link Discuss [bOing bOing]

The futer will never be what we think it will be. It will be stranger and more prosaic;-)  9:25:42 AM    

DNA supplier warned Defense Department of terror potential. Nando Times Jul 20 2002 4:42PM ET [Moreover - moreover...]

The machines that MAKE the DNA fragments can be bought. SO terrorists could make their own sequences without having ANYONE know. Having the government vet any seuqnces that are reported will only inconvenience the average company and will have little effect on actual terrorists' ability to make the sequences. We should put more money in creating better defenses against the diseases. Huge amounts of money need to be put into infectious disease owrk, not in people to examine short DNA sequences.  9:22:23 AM    

Joshua Micah Marshall Says Go Read Chris Caldwell. Joshua Micha Marshall says go read Chris Caldwell's New York Press column, and then go read it again... Talking Points Memo: by Joshua Micah Marshall I didn't want to do any posts this weekend. But this article by Chris Caldwell in the New York Press merits an exception. It's simply devastating and the most apt statement of the White House's predicament I've yet read. Every word of it practically is worth reading and reading again. There's always an element of... [Semi-Daily Journal]

Caldwell's article is really interesting. Just as Clinton's legalistic view that he did not have sex with that woman hardly mattered to the perception of the average Aerican, Bush's claim that he did nothing illegal may not matter. Lawyers and bureaucrats are famous for doing unethical or immoral things that are not illegal. It is this disconnect that distresses so many people. What would Bush's numbers be if we were not at war?  9:19:18 AM    

Never Build the Manhattan Project Unless You Have To. "Never build the Manhattan Project unless you have to!" said the twelve-year-old from the backseat of the car. The remark was completely unrelated to any previous conversation. Indeed, there had been silence for about five minutes. He was running his mind back over his experience with a computer game: Civilization. In Civilization, if you--or anyone--builds the Manhattan Project, everyone rapidly acquires the ability to build nuclear weapons. Since in the world of Civilization many civilization leaders are unbalanced nationalist militarists... [Semi-Daily Journal]

I wonder what other subtle ideas of politics and government are being taught by simulations. We use these in military war games. I remember playing all sorts of simulations recreating D-Day or other WWII battles. I love the quote 'Never build the Manhattan Project unless you have to!' e other major decisions of our government could be as cogently stated.  9:06:16 AM    

Washington Post.  Andy Grove on a very reasonable approach to solving the current corporate governance problems.  A systemic separation of powers is the only to fix this correctly.  [John Robb's Radio Weblog]

Well, I put one dog up and now I can do something. This editorial from the man who made Intel what it is hits a lot of the right points. The heads of companies and the boards need to be separate, as the executive and legislative branches of our government are. Very nice points.  8:59:41 AM    

Now they both need to go out. They will just not rest if both are out. If I put them in their kennels, they go right to sleep.  8:32:16 AM