On Social Power

Power is a corrupting force. And politics – a process in which power is acquired – is no exception. So when I see power being amassed, even for good, I wince. To me, politics should always be engaged with a … Continue reading

Posted in Philosophy | 5 Comments

LittleSis Launched

It’s official. LittleSis has launched. LittleSis is – what we’ve dubbed – the involuntary Facebook for powerful Americans. From the blog: By tracking the relationships of powerful Americans – everything from campaign contributions to family ties – LittleSis opens up … Continue reading

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Amazing Dream

I don’t have many reoccurring dreams, but there is one that stands out. The dream is of me running on all fours. I distinctly recall feeling the need to throw hands on the ground to gather speed and it somehow … Continue reading

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Is Our Insurance Model Immoral?

I am part of the problem: being self-employed, I haven’t had health insurance in years – opting to spend my money on other things of more consequence: like paying down my school debt, traveling and creating time to do things … Continue reading

Posted in Economics | 1 Comment

TimesPeople

I use the TimesPeople feature at the New York Times to stay in sync with friends in what we read. Anyone can subscribe to at my profile page. I also created this style, which you can enable with the Firefox … Continue reading

Posted in Technology | 1 Comment

Well-managed Dismemberment

The American auto industry epitomizes many of the issues I have with large institutions– they are wasteful and unresponsive, but worst of all, we depend on them. Few things are as unsettling as forced dependence. Yet, we are in the … Continue reading

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Thoughts About the Singularity

I will be attending the Convergence08 conference in a few weeks, so in the spirit of the topic I want to jot down a few notes concerning the Singularity. First of all, let me start by describing what I have … Continue reading

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The State of the Union is (of course) Strong

Orwell is too easily referenced, but this reassuring statement about the current financial crisis – made solely to avoid panic – is too glaring to pass over: And in comments to reporters at the White House, the Treasury secretary, Henry … Continue reading

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Re: Utilitarian Equilibriums

Aaron Swartz recently wrote: Utilitarians believe that people should work to maximize total happiness across the population. They believe that the only reason to do something or not to do something is because it will make people happier or unhappier … Continue reading

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In the latest issue of The Atlantic Mont…

In the latest issue of The Atlantic Monthly, Nicholas Carr wrote a piece titled “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” that raises interesting issues regarding the effects of Google on the way we read. Carr looks at history for significant technological … Continue reading

Posted in Philosophy | 6 Comments