Atheism 2.0?
Alain de Botton: Atheism 2.0
http://is.gd/RaTI47 (link to a TED Talk)
basically this guy is saying, take the best parts of religion and co-opt them to a secular. I think he's just playing with symantecs, a moderate view will never get things done.
Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Hitchens—the incomparable critic, masterful rhetorician, fiery wit, and fearless bon vivant—died today at the age of 62. Hitchens was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in the spring of 2010, just after the publication of his memoir, Hitch-22, and began chemotherapy soon after. His matchless prose has appeared in Vanity Fair since 1992, when he was named contributing editor.
http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2011/12/In-Memoriam-Christopher-Hitchens-19492011
Terribly saddend by this mans death, making a subject that is not easy to tackle more understandable and bringing a level of intelegence to a debate that usually doesn't have.
Patrice O'Neal RIP
Patrice O'Neal dead at the age of 41, complications from a stroke. Such a funny man, devistating loss for comedy.
http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/29/comedian-patrice-oneal-dies/?hpt=hp_t2
Joe Frazier dies
(CNN) -- Former heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier died Monday, after he was diagnosed with liver cancer, his family said in a statement.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/07/sport/joe-frazier-obit/index.html?hpt=hp_c1
The tubes
The worst thing about the internet is that only a few people actually own/run the pipes. Oh sure you own your website or whatever online properties that you post to or haunt. But the means to get to the internet, cable/dsl/smart phone is only owned by a few. So the control of turning it off in the name of 'safety' is a real threat.
Privacy
Oddly, despite the recent rise of the libertarian-leaning Tea Party faction of the Republican Party, no Republican has decided publicly that privacy protection of Americans’ online communications is a winning issue. However, whether the bill would ultimately pass even with GOP support is unclear, and the White House maintains that warrants for such data are not required.
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/10/epic-reform-stalled/
So freedom is free, and is across the board. But Somehow repulicans want it for stuff they care about.
Steve Jobs, Apple founder, dies
(CNN) -- Steve Jobs, the visionary in the black turtleneck who co-founded Apple in a Silicon Valley garage, built it into the world's leading tech company and led a mobile-computing revolution with wildly popular devices such as the iPhone, died Wednesday. He was 56.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/05/us/obit-steve-jobs/index.html?iref=BN1&hpt=hp_t1
Very sad news in a realm that rarely gets rocked this way. He helped bring technology to more people, and made it eaiser.
Steve Jobs, Apple founder, dies
(CNN) -- Steve Jobs, the visionary in the black turtleneck who co-founded Apple in a Silicon Valley garage, built it into the world's leading tech company and led a mobile-computing revolution with wildly popular devices such as the iPhone, died Wednesday. He was 56.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/05/us/obit-steve-jobs/index.html?iref=BN1&hpt=hp_t1
Very sad tech news, in a realm that rarely gets rocked this way. He brought more people to technology, and made it eaiser.
Money
A coincidence, I imagine, but it sure is poetic. In mid-June, just before the Occupy Wall Street movement took shape, JPMorgan Chase donated what the financial organization itself described as "an unprecedented" $4.6 million to the New York City Police Foundation, part of which will be used to expand and fortify surveillance systems.
So you can buy a politician, but it also looks like you can buy NYPD.
Placebo
http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/well-it-worked-for-me/
the placebo effect is an amazing thing, the human brain is so mysterious.