June 2, 2005
"A Possible Declining Trend for Worldwide Innovation,"
Review of "A Possible Declining Trend for Worldwide Innovation," by Jonathan Huebner, who says the rate of human innovation has been steadily declining since the industrial revolution, and is headed toward an "economic limit" of very low apparent innovation that will be reached circa 2038. As one potential explanation, we must consider the possibility that human-initiated innovation, like energy consumption and population growth, is a process that naturally saturates with rising global income levels and technological intelligence--as technological progress increasingly satisfies current human needs, individuals become less concerned with technological development and turn more toward personal growth. More articles from Acceleration Watch.
Amazing Atlas
Matthew White's Historical Atlas of the 20th Century. One of those amazing internet reference sites created by some guy (okay, Matthew White). Lots of fascinating, incredibly researched stuff: complete lists of all manmade megadeaths in the 20th century, the 100 most important works of art of the 20th century, maps showing changes in the types of government by decade, comments on Wikipedia, and much more. Also, some fun stuff, like what the US would look like if every secessionist movement succeeded. Previously posted in 2001, but much updated and worth a second look
No nickel required!
Won't someone please think of the Sherpas?
Let me show you my O face
Westnet - A brand new look, but the same old feel. (The third link appears to be safe for work, but I won't make any guarantees)
Erik Petersen
Erik Petersen. Danish newspaper photographer. Died in 1997. He took a number of pictures around WWII.
He never developed them.
Fortunately, sixty years later, someone else has.
Now they can be found in a book.
Here's a bit of bloggery as well.
Sy Hersh's Loose Relationship with the Literal Truth
Sy Hersh's Loose Relationship with the Literal Truth | Interesting article from NY Metro which seems to condem Hersh's squirrely handling of facts while admiring his accomplishments & tenacity: "In bending the truth, Hersh is, paradoxically enough, remarkably candid. When he supplies unconfirmed accounts of military assaults on Iraqi civilians, or changes certain important details from an episode inside Abu Ghraib (thus rendering the story unverifiable), Hersh argues that he’s protecting the identities of sources who could face grave repercussions for talking. 'I defend that totally,' Hersh says of the factual fudges he serves up in speeches and lectures."
Eat up your Beets
"This, as never before, is Beethoven for free - a gift to the world, just as he might have wished." From Sunday, the BBC will broadcast Beethoven's entire musical output over a six-day period, with all nine symphonies offered as free (and DRM-free) MP3 downloads. By doing so, critic Norman Lebrecht argues that the BBC Philharmonic's cycle may become 'the household version to computer-literate millions in China, India or Korea who have never heard of Karajan or Klemperer.' What that might mean for the struggling classical recording industry is anyone's guess.
NOOOOOOO!
VW Multivan
Secret Pictures of the VW Multivan Leaked. It's like a van, with a car on the side.
Oxytocin
The whiff of trust. "The possibility of reconciliation between individuals and the potential of healing rifts between political groups, even nations have arrived. " And the possible repercussions strain the imagination.
Say Yes or Die, Toots.
In the Future, Everyone Will Propose Via the Internet. Sluggy is running ad free today in order to allow some guy to propose. The New Geek Standard -- threaten your fiance-to-be with pistol packing mini-lops on your favorite website.
Livio De Marchi
Livio De Marchi is a contemporary Italian sculptor who has developed a remarkable style, combining great skill with wood and a good dose of whimsy. No plank will ever look the same!
Baitcar homevideo
Vancouver's Bait Car Program. Its not just for stopping crimes; it now also provides tons of funny videos, via the police's own blog.
Dutch Voters reject EU Constitution, have hilarious names
Is somebody taking the piss with this NYT reporter? [NYT, use bugmenot] Seriously, I thought it was a complete joke when I read this line:
"The Dutch people won against this crazy constitution," said Tiny Kox, a member of the small Socialist Party, which was pivotal in the "no" campaign.
That aside, I'm curious why all these EU member nations are rejecting this. First the French, now the Dutch, what is going ON here?
You call that a toilet?
Welcome to the Cynical Traveler, a webpage written by a cynic for cynics. "We hate foreigners, so you don't have to."
And I thought Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany's was bad
How are the San Francisco 49ers trained to handle the media? Apparently with a film involving naked lesbians, jokes about gay marriage, and offensive asian stereotypes (complete with buck teeth). The San Francisco Chronicle has the whole video online. The owners have apologized for the video (even though they could have put a stop to it when they saw it 5 months ago) , but the players are comparing it to Chapelle's Show.
No smoke, mirrors.
Sunlight is escaping many of our neighborhoods! The future home of Teardrop Park South, which will sit in building shadows almost year-round and seemed destined to be the darkest of ... no, wait ... Heliostats!
A sort of vagabonds, rascals, and runaways
xxx TLD
The proposed .xxx top level domain jumped an ICANN hurdle yesterday and could be available by the Fall. [This is good.] But at $60 a pop will price gouging keep amatuer porn from adopting the addresses?
Bike me!
In The Future, Everyone Will Be Hitler For 15 Minutes
Terror from the Inside
"If you don't like that, I'm sorry." Jon Bolton, Bush nominee for Ambassador to the UN, discusses the United Nations with humility and patriotic aplomb.
UBC Botanical Garden
News from the world of plants by way of the University of British Columbia Botanical Garden weblog. Beauty in science by way of the photo of the day.
His canvases get goosebumps!
Body Art. (NSFW) Martin Armand gives a whole new meaning to the term "anatomical art" with his airbrush paintings on bare skin. Five galleries of photos: the first page only links to a few larger images, but the rest of the galleries work fine. More bodypainting here (E-cards site, but very cool images), here (very nice "camouflage" body art), here (especially artistic) and via this previous MetaFilter thread. But remember; if you worky, no clicky the linky!
Gilbert & George
It's appalling! - and watching sports on TV will eat your brain. Gilbert & George on hoodies, chichimen and pubic lice. You'll have to do your own links, I gotta go.
Broderbund, we hardly knew ye
What is a portal doing in here?
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