Underlying all the finger-pointing about what went wrong and the nervous apprehension over how to fix the economy is a feeling that generations of us have never had--being unable to control our own future. The hopeless faces in those Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans photographs of the Great Depression are alien to 21st century Americans, but some of their dread is seeping … [Read more...] about Fear of Failing
Blago Blog
David Fitzsimmons, The Arizona Star … [Read more...] about Blago Blog
Recipes Online: Crowdsourced or From Top Chefs
Continuing in my food vein, I wish I'd done this before the holidays. Even though they've passed, we'll still be cooking... Foodista aims to be the Wikipedia for food: Each recipe can be collaboratively edited and improved. Scrumptious photos for each dish are pulled in from Flickr, and descriptions are pulled in from Wikipedia itself. You can add or remove ingredients, see … [Read more...] about Recipes Online: Crowdsourced or From Top Chefs
Pay for Play Fever Sweeps the Nation
The International Herald Tribune might be trying a bit too hard in the old watchdog department today as they "uncover" a connection between Hillary Clinton and one of the donors to Bill Clinton's foundation. This one takes place nearly in my back yard, so I've gotten to watch some of the history here. A developer in New York state donated $100,000 to former President Bill … [Read more...] about Pay for Play Fever Sweeps the Nation
Mark Bittman: Food Matters
Laura Miller on the anti-foodies' foodie: The essence of the Bittman approach is simplicity, ease and quality, but that means he has to walk a fine and constantly shifting line. Americans' attitudes toward what we eat are laden with class and cultural baggage. It's no coincidence that when the conservative Club for Growth PAC produced its famous 2004 television commercial … [Read more...] about Mark Bittman: Food Matters
Obama Inaugural: Of Prosaic Times & Poetry
In these prosaic times, Barack Obama seems to have decided to add a bit of flight of fancy. "This is only the fourth time in our history that a President has featured a poet at his inaugural. I hope that this portends well for the future of the arts in our everyday and civic life,” says Elizabeth Alexander, the Yale professor who has ben invited to deliver her poem after … [Read more...] about Obama Inaugural: Of Prosaic Times & Poetry
Sometimes An Early Notion
Is it tacky to start ruminating over the potential presidential run of someone whose name has only really just come up before the person who just got elected has even taken office? I don't know, but it's starting to happen. While Katheryn Jean Lopez might be right that Jeb Bush for President isn't the craziest idea out there, she also points out why flying the idea already … [Read more...] about Sometimes An Early Notion
Netflix Broadband TV Ushers In A New Era of Television
And a headache for cable and telephone companies. Reed Hastings, the CEO of Netflix: We want to watch what we want, when we want, where we want, and discover the content how we want. So how well are we doing in the areas of “where,” “when,” “what” and “discoverability”? We’re about 15 percent of the way to “what you want,” 100 percent at “when you want,” 15 percent towards … [Read more...] about Netflix Broadband TV Ushers In A New Era of Television
The Optics of Roland Burris
Watching Morning Joe today, Scarborough's guest came up with the perfect description of exactly how bad Roland Burris' arrival in Washington will be for Harry Reid and the United States Senate. No matter how many times Reid and his colleagues insist that this isn't about Burris, no matter how often they chatter on about how it is the process and the Governor that are the … [Read more...] about The Optics of Roland Burris
Quote of the Day
"Since ancient times, almanackers sought the future from the stars and from animal entrails, forecasting the weather, the tides and the phases of the moon. This was valuable work, of course, but really only useful to farmers and sailors and werewolves." John Hodgeman The Areas of My Expertise If you would like a fun, light read to start off your new year, pick up a copy … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day
Donors Rush To Save Wikipedia From Advertisements
Wikipedia's founder, Jimmy Wales's gambit has paid off. He made a direct appeal to the users of this free online encyclopaedia to help him raise $6m (£4.1m) to cover its running costs for 2009 or be prepared to see advertisements splashed all over this pioneering, innovative and valuable referral website. And, boy, what a response Wikipedia got from its … [Read more...] about Donors Rush To Save Wikipedia From Advertisements
The Journalist Who Lifted Iraq’s New Years Spirits: Iraqi News Agency
While it's true that some Iraqi journalists took umbrage at the behavior of their colleague, who recently threw his shoes at the president of the United States [Shoe Attack a Throwback to the Era of Saddam Hussein], it's clear that most Iraqis - including reporters - thought his act of defiance was quite a grand gesture. The pride of fellow Iraqi reporter Talat Shannaa, … [Read more...] about The Journalist Who Lifted Iraq’s New Years Spirits: Iraqi News Agency
Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges
As the Bush Presidency winds down, the debate raging among folks is if the President or his underlings should face prosecution for using torture. During the Christmas holiday, Mort Kondracke stated that for the sake of national unity, President-elect Obama should pass on prosecuting or investigating the Bush Administration for "war crimes" done in the name of the war on … [Read more...] about Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges
Deptartment of Obvious Predictions
Nostradamus, James Carville is not, 2009 will be a year in which the Republican Party will be confronted with a near catastrophic ideological rift. There is no obvious Republican leader on the horizon, and the party is caught between its Southern/talk-radio base and the rest of the country on whether they should oppose or cooperate with Obama's administration. The … [Read more...] about Deptartment of Obvious Predictions
In Defense of Friendships Formed With People We Meet Online
Friday in The Guardian Anna Pickard authored a stirring defense of making friends online: The friends I've made online – from blogging in particular, be they other bloggers or commenters on this or my own site – are the best friends I now have. And yet, when I say this to people, many times they'll look at me like I'm a social failure; and when surveys like this are reported, … [Read more...] about In Defense of Friendships Formed With People We Meet Online
Richardson’s Commerce Sec’y Withdrawal: Obama’s Stubbed Political Toe
The news that New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was withdrawing his name from consideration as Obama administration Commerce Secretary represents a painful political toe-stubbing by President Elect and his team, which had earned a reputation for almost superhuman precision during the primary and election campaigns. Imagery matters in politics, and no matter who is blamed for … [Read more...] about Richardson’s Commerce Sec’y Withdrawal: Obama’s Stubbed Political Toe
Obama Book “Yes We Can” Sells Out 1st 55,000 Printing (Guest Voice)
What is the depth of the good-will generally facing President Elect Barack Obama? One sign is the fact that he will be taking office with some of the strongest polling numbers a President Elect has had since Ronald Reagan. Another: a new book of comprehensive, behind-the-scenes photos of Obama, Power House Book's "Yes We Can" sold out its first 55,000 copy printing before … [Read more...] about Obama Book “Yes We Can” Sells Out 1st 55,000 Printing (Guest Voice)
Barack In Limbo (Guest Voice)
President Elect Barack Obama often notes that until he's sworn in there is only "one President at a time." But, in this Guest Voice Post, conservative talk show host Michael Reagan wonders whether that's the reality or an excuse. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. Barack in Limbo by Michael Reagan As he stands on the … [Read more...] about Barack In Limbo (Guest Voice)
The Money Hole
Reading the recent post by Robert made me think of this: In The Know: Should The Government Stop Dumping Money Into A Giant Hole? Fun fact: it's based off something Keynes actually wrote. This goes back to my previous post about what happens when you start treating models as reality itself. … [Read more...] about The Money Hole
When Models Are Confused As Reality, We Are Blind
My day job is to help analyze and model biological systems. My intellectual passion is to eventually use computers to help create knowledge that would be impossible to even comprehend otherwise. I'm pretty much as strong of a proponent of using mathematical and computer modeling to make real world decisions as you can find. But I try my hardest to remember that models are … [Read more...] about When Models Are Confused As Reality, We Are Blind