Links for 15-11-2006
Martian solar mirrors, economics of abundance, crap science journalism, Bezos blasts off, Catholics vs. pagans…
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“The extra sunlight would provide warmth and solar power for human explorers, but some experts say the mirrors may be hard to deploy.”
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“Most truly disruptive technologies disrupt because they take a scarcity assumption and, thanks to some technology that generates abundances, simply turn it on its head. Just think VOIP…”
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“…once this method is improved and the technology refined, would unobtrusive electrodes be able to pass microcurrents through our heads whenever we need enhanced memory during the day?”
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“Is the Second Life community offended by corporations coming into their world? Lately that’s been the question I’m most often posed, both by mainstream media outlets and corporate clients…” The answer seems to be a qualified ‘yes’.
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“Whilst collecting data on subjective well-being is not an exact science, the measures used are very reliable in predicting health and welfare outcomes.” Danish the happiest; UK outside the top 40!
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“Switching a large fraction of US energy to renewable sources by 2025 could involve no increase in cost, says an independent US think thank, as long as current price trends hold firm.” Interesting results, even factoring in the assumptions.
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“Where did our planet get the stuff from which life is made? The sources seem surprisingly diverse, and we’re learning more about how organic materials may have complemented each other in forming life four billion years ago.”
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“…what is dismaying is that a newspaper, which we trust to bring us a deeply-researched and impartial description of the situation, chooses to publish such an obviously biased, unscientific and worryingly-researched manifesto…”
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“Not only does the magnetic field preserve an unsullied lunar surface but it would partially protect any astronauts strolling beneath - the lunar fields are strong enough to deflect solar wind ions with energies of several kilo-electron-volts …”
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“The British government is set to fight off proposed European rules that would make it responsible for overseeing taste and decency in video clips on sites such as YouTube and MySpace.” Rare outbreak of common sense.
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“Russia’s defence minister says all security restrictions on the country’s GLONASS satellite navigation system will be lifted on 1 January.” Another kick in the teeth for the proprietary Galileo project.
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Interesting report on a social research project in Nepal, reflecting on cultural ideologies and their effects on the emotional development of children.
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“Non-dummies eventually realize that trading time for money is indeed extremely dumb and that there must be a better way. And of course there is a better way. The key is to de-couple your value from your time.” Via Lifehacker.
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“OpenStreetMap is a project aimed squarely at creating and providing free geographic data … to anyone who wants them. The project was started because most maps you think of as free actually have legal or technical restrictions on their use…”
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“See, I have a fairly strange love of odd and off-kilter street signs, which are just begging to be mocked. Some of the signs in the site are downright bizarre…” Thanks, OKfuture.
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A new webzine on the block, via SFBC (via Locus Online).
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17 - The Martians and Us“Did anyone else watch this? I have to say I was impressed, and there isn’t even an implied “for tv” in that statement.” Niall Harrison reports on BBC 4’s current ‘Science Fiction Britannia’ programme season.
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“They say you can find anything in New York City. This weekend, that included a room full of laughing, groaning, whooshing robots on a SoHo side street, going about their automaton business while oblivious tourists clogged nearby streets.”
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“The original idea was to create a mod that was inspired by a futuristic kind of ‘nuclear reactor’, and this gave rise to the name: Cold Fusion. As you might already have suspected, I’m a big fan of science fiction.” Very sexy piece of work.
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“Local pagans were pelted with salt and branded witches who “would burn in hell” during a procession organised by Youth 2000, a conservative Catholic lay group.” Ah, tolerance of the pious. Thank you, Warren Ellis.
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“…internet voting is considered heresy in security circles, where the concept has been repeatedly and violently pilloried since at least 2000. If American voters are not ready to trust Diebold, are they ready to vote for president using their Windows ma
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“The device, made from sophisticated plastics and metals, can withstand the corrosive gut acids and enzymes, and can be fed real food. It mimics both the physical and chemical reactions that take place during digestion - and can even vomit.”
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“The exact nature of the 6:30 a.m. launch or the type of spacecraft was not immediately known. A Houston-based spokesman for Blue Origin [...] did not immediately respond to a telephone inquiry from The Associated Press.”
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Tags: links
November 15th, 2006 at 12:05 pm
The greener we go the better, all ideas should be developed in order to reduce our dependence on oil.
November 16th, 2006 at 2:03 am
[...] Scratch the move to Burundi (thanks, Armchair Anarchist). I’d like to see where Iraq and Israel/Palestine fall on this list. and what about Iran, Pakistan, and North Korea? Looking at China, India, and Russia makes me wonder how these numbers correlate with the distribution of nuclear weapons. [...]