Metahistory. A system of demystification of histories, historians, journalism, and journalists who claim to present things "as they are", while providing some brilliant methods for determining in what ways a given account lacks "complete objectivity" and how it can be seen as ultimately ideological.
posted by stbalbach
on Jan 15, 2005 -
57 comments
The Empty Cradle. Our everyday personal experiences with traffic, sprawl and other irritants of modern life tell us there are too many people in the world and the problem is getting worse. However in truth world population growth
peaked 40 years ago in 1963 and has been trending downward since. Demographers predict that absolute human population will peak at
9 billion by 2070 and then contract. Long before then, many
nations will shrink in absolute size and the
average age of the world's citizens will
shoot up dramatically, including the fastest aging part of the world:
developing countries, where for example Iraq is aging 2.5 times faster than the USA and Mexico 5 times as fast. Having averted the danger of overpopulation, the world now faces the opposite problem: an aging and declining population.
posted by stbalbach
on Jun 6, 2004 -
28 comments
A bunch of very beautiful
Old Japanese Maps has been put online. Java application Insight(tm) required to view and includes a nifty GIS application to overlay old maps on current maps with 3-D animated fly-throughs. State of the art in online map presentation "The digital images are even better than the originals because you can amplify them, rotate them to look at them from different angles," Mr. Zhou said. "In practical terms, this is a better way of using the material than actually coming here to see the pieces."
posted by stbalbach
on Apr 13, 2003 -
5 comments
Halliburton out of the running for the $600 billion contract to rebuild Iraqs infrastructure. Andrew Natsios, director of the USAID, which is handing out most of the postwar contracts, is keen to counter any allegations of favoritism or political influence. "If I got a phone call from anybody putting any political pressure on me, I would report it immediately". Halliburton is the company formerly run by Dick Cheney, VP of the United States.
posted by stbalbach
on Mar 28, 2003 -
19 comments
History of Iraq from the Denver Post. "President Bush speaks of the need to 'defend civilization'.. Then I point out the irony of defending civilization against the cradle of civilization".
posted by stbalbach
on Feb 2, 2003 -
31 comments
A Scranton, PA man is
auctioning 250,000 pieces of software mostly games from the 80s and early 90s
composed of around 20,000
unique titles (2MB Excel Spreadsheet) for $250,000. He says its the worlds biggest collection and many games are rare and in
demand. You will need trucks and warehouse. If anyone can afford to sit on these for a few decades untill the 80s generation gets old and nostalgic it could be the
Schoyen of early computer gameing software.
posted by stbalbach
on Sep 8, 2002 -
16 comments
According to
scientists who study sex we can toss some common misconceptions: there is no battle of the sexes; the Mars and Venus book is misleading; extreme body builders are not sexy; breast size isnt always sexy; men and women cheat equally; the notion of man "spreading his seed" is a cultural invention; thin is not sexy. All thanks to our caveman brain.
posted by stbalbach
on Aug 28, 2002 -
61 comments
A 63-year old Norwegian bus company owner has
amassed one of the worlds
largest collections of ancient manuscripts valued at over 110 million dollars. His story, how the collection is used and his plans for the sale proceeds are all first-class and an inspiration to private collectors of antiquities.
posted by stbalbach
on Aug 25, 2002 -
15 comments
Abu Nidal is Dead. The Bin Laden of the 70s and 80s. Having read his
biography years ago he makes Kyzer Soze childsplay...
possible suicide.. yeah, suicide Israeli style. The War On Terror heats up one more terrorist scum dead.
posted by stbalbach
on Aug 19, 2002 -
12 comments
Farmland for sale. $80-100 trillion. Russia's lower house of parliament on Wednesday passed a bill that would allow the sale of Russian farmland for the first time since the days of the czars, but would bar foreigners from buying it.. foreign companies could still purchase Russian land through subsidiaries that are majority Russian-owned.
posted by stbalbach
on Jun 26, 2002 -
3 comments
Most Dangerous Job..
Israeli bus driver. Not only at risk from normal driveing hazzards but being blown up by terrorists, a favorite target. Is there a memorial for the fallen comrades or do they "take care of their own" in a secret bus driver society. What other low profile low skill jobs go unrecognized for the ultimate sacrifice?
posted by stbalbach
on Dec 5, 2001 -
11 comments
Make love not war. Amoung humans closest relatives, these monkeys solve conflict by makeing love. A lot. Female dominate society they have no homicide and tensions in the group are non existent.
posted by stbalbach
on Jul 1, 2001 -
17 comments
GWB sure seems happy. Wonder what Greenspan is thinking. Warning: not suitable for under 18.
posted by stbalbach
on Dec 18, 2000 -
8 comments
