The Fount of Useless Information
Your place for useless information that just might possibly be interesting.
Should Voting Be Mandatory?
Voting is not optional in 23 countries. Here’s why the United States should become the 24th
http://ideas.time.com/2012/08/21/should-voting-be-mandatory/?iid=op-main-lede&hpt=hp_bn16
I am on record as saying it should be way more difficult to get the right to vote rather …
Not much chance to blog today. Partly work has intruded but mostly my job search has intruded. When I had breaks from that I worked on a document trying to elucidate my idea for the greatest good for the greatest …
Lots of ‘stuff’ today…
Penny-sized “microthrusters” could propel tiny satellites
http://io9.com/5936197/penny+sized-microthrusters-could-propel-tiny-satellites
One of the reasons this is so cool to me is that it seems it can partake of the power of the parallel production of integrated circuits. That would …
A camera that can see around corners
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/19/opinion/raskar-camera-corners/index.html?hpt=hp_bn7
Yes, this is quite likely useless as it is, but the techniques developed to accomplish such a useless thing are likely to be very useful indeed. I recall reading about the light-speed …
Meet the inflatable, ‘invisible’ bike helmet
http://whatsnext.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/17/meet-the-inflatable-invisible-bike-helmet/?hpt=hp_c2
I am not totally sure that having my neck swathed in an explosive is an adequate return for not wearing a helmet, no matter how uncool I look. In any case, the form …
I have been grabbed a number of times by articles today but by the time I set fingers to keyboard I have been released. Several times, after scrolling down to look at the comments (sometimes I learn some very interesting …
Impunity at Home, Rendition Abroad
How two administrations and both parties made illegality the American way of life.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/08/impunity-rendition-abroad-torture-bush-obama
Proof, as if it were needed to any discerning reader, that Obama is evil AND his evil is recognized by liberals …
The sham “terrorism expert” industry
A highly ideological, jingoistic clique masquerades as objective scholars, all to justify US militarism
http://www.salon.com/2012/08/15/the_sham_terrorism_expert_industry/
Because this is a long post and I suspect many of my reader(s) won’t take the time to go through …
Goldman Non-Prosecution: AG Eric Holder Has No Balls
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/ag-eric-holder-has-no-balls-20120815
I was hardly shocked either when I read about this before I got to Matt’s page. Indeed, I would have been shocked if it were otherwise.
…Holder’s non-decision on Goldman is
The Veil of Opulence
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/12/the-veil-of-opulence/
A very interesting article, one I am quite glad I came across. While I continue to have fantasies that I can claw my way into the top ranks of the wealthy, having spent time homeless …