Sunday, January 19, 2003

"The old Rovian game of hide the ball" [Media Whores Online]: Rice, who rarely issues these kinds of public statements and, as far as we know, has never done so on a domestic issue, claimed she spent a lot of time arguing for Bush to oppose the Michigan affirmative action policy, on the grounds that it is a "quota" system. Only one problem: the Michigan policy is specifically NOT a "quota" system. The New York Times had pointed that out with unusual clarity. Actually, there's more than one problem.... Once again, things may not what they appear at the Bush White House. (Be sure to take the quiz at the end of item.) 7:33:14 PM    comment []  trackback []

Memo to the Democrats: Quit Being Losers! Tucker Carlson in today's New York Times Magazine: This fall, for the second time in a row, the Democratic Party lost an election it should have won. Democrats offered no rationale for why they should be running the country and no vision for how they would run it. The party got the drubbing it deserved.... I have some ideas for how Democrats can help their party be taken seriously again. Why should Democrats listen to advice from someone who represents the right on a television talk show? Partly because there are lessons worth learning from the many years Republicans spent as the minority party and partly because, why not? Nothing else seems to be working. The Dems seem to have lacked backbone and cojones for a long time. It was evident in the early 80s: "You're afraid to say what you really believe." Surely there are people out there with firm values, pragmatism and flexibility in implenting them, and a willingness to talk straight without poll-testing every phrase. Maybe even some who could articulate a new political agenda that transcends the ideological lock-in of both parties. You think? More to say on this in a little while... 12:03:42 PM    comment []  trackback []

Researchers translate DNA code as music. [Adam Curry: Adam Curry's Weblog] 11:49:24 AM    comment []  trackback []

What is NBIC Convergence?. from Zack Lynch's keen Neurotechnology and Society weblog: Conference: Converging Technologies to Enhance Human Performance. February 5-7, UCLA. This conference intends to explore what is currently being called Nano-bio-info-cogno convergence. This cross-disciplinary conference should prove to have some interesting discussions on how these different fields will play into the coming neurotechnology wave. I hope someone blogs and streams it. Zack keeps challenging my assumptions. The Emotional Revolution, where cognition can influence emotion. Medicalization of performance enhancement. Mental Health Expectancy. Neurotechology forecasting of sensoceuticals using the Pain Pleasure Principle. I can't wait for his book. [a klog apart][aka technology] 11:34:05 AM    comment []  trackback []