| Thursday, January 1, 2004 |  |
| Concerted action |
Jon Husband on Wirearchy says:"Short of a really serious, all-stakes-on-the-table World War (which is not an option, nor thinkable, really) ... Hm, you're right. The self-serving rulers of the United States might cause economic or environmental collapse or world war. And one might help them along to their ends. But that wouldn't be very sensible, as it would be very painful one way or another. So the only real alternative is that sensible well-connected people get better organized and better informed. The only alternative is that the people figure out how to be The People, instead of being ruled by a few unsuited leaders who's main asset is their own tunnel vision of power. [ Politics | 2004-01-01 15:56 | 5 comments | PermaLink ] More > |
| Unexpected Revolutions |
 Article in NY Times about how history often will demonstrate huge consequences of initially very casual decisions. The countries in the middle east were created by arbitrary lines drawn on empty maps by bureaucrats trying to split up the former Ottoman Empire. Such lines being the cause of much strife in following decades. Or the world changing effects of little changes and improvements in material.We never know where change will take us. In a 1994 essay on military revolutions, "Cavalry to Computer," the historian Andrew F. Krepinevich described the advent of the six-foot yew longbow during the Hundred Years' War in the 1300's and 1400's. By substituting yew for heavier woods, an archer could carry a bow into battle that could pierce the armor of a cavalryman. Mr. Krepinevich warns that technology alone does not change the course of war; any advance must be coupled with changes in the structure and operation of a military unit. But the changes made possible by the yew longbow were a factor in a more powerful role for the infantry, and a competitive advantage for England in that conflict and beyond. Of course, if we actually try deliberately to transform the world, the question becomes which decisions and improvements we can fairly easily make today which will have the most beneficial effect on the future. What memes can we create that surprisingly turn into something hugely wonderful later on. Tim Berners-Lee just received a knighthood. The guy who invented the World Wide Web. Same thing there. It was 'just another program' he said. Yeah, but the right kind of program at the right time to change the world. [ Patterns | 2004-01-01 15:57 | 4 comments | PermaLink ] More > |
| Earth changes its spin |
 Apparently the Earth has unexpectedly speeded up a bit. Since 1955 when the atomic clock was invented, and time therefore could be measured more precisely, it became clear that each year doesn't have exactly the same length. Thus, in 1972 an extra "leap second" was added to each year, in order to make things fit. Because, presumably, the earth is slowly rotating slower and slower. It is just that, in the last five years, the earth is no longer rotating as slow as it was then, so the leap seconds don't seem to be needed. In other words, the earth speeded up a little bit, contrary to expecation. I'm glad she has a mind of her own.[ Science | 2004-01-01 16:06 | 2 comments | PermaLink ] More > |