politics

Interesting Mefi post on cellphones and development

mir — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:14:39 -0400

If information is power, then access is empowering

The way Mefi posts work is one smartypants takes a whole wack of links about a particular subject and makes a suitable short link essay. The idea in this link essay: That the bottom of the pyramid is where the next generation of tech development should be aimed as both a solution for poverty, and to open new markets. The rationale for this approach is the fascinating proliferation of cellular tech in developing countries, places where infrastructure-heavy technologies have not had such a profound effect. I find the argument fascinating, and not surprisingly problematic.

Art = boondoggle?

mir — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:39:07 -0400

Kory Teneycke, the Tory Communications Minister described the PromArt program as a boondoggle.

I decided to go look that one up, because last time I checked describing something as a 'boondoggle' was a rhetorical flourish and not an economic reality.

For the record Wikipedia says:

"More recently, the term boondoggle has come to refer to a government or corporate project involving large numbers of people and usually, heavy expenditure, where at some point the key operators have realized that the project is never going to work, but are reluctant to bring this to the attention of their superiors."

Alright so let's wander on over to the Prom-Arts page and see what the program promises, and apparently does not deliver. Well, they certainly aren't blowing a wad of cash on their web presence eh??" Seriously as far as I can tell based on this less-fugly infosheet Prom-Art does exactly what it is supposed to do: Give artists not very large amounts of money to go and try and get audiences abroad. That's what gov agencies are good at - arms length support for Canadian artists. I just don't understand why, whenever the Canadian government wants to tighten it's grip on artists and arts funding they go in for a full-nelson of moral outrage.

Shameless Repost: What Would you Pay for a Basic Human Right?

mir — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:25:21 -0400

What if you lived by the largest body of fresh water in the world but could no longer afford to use it?

In Liz Miller’s video documentary “The Waterfront” residents of Highland Park, a struggling community on the shores of Lake Michigan are shown looking with distress at water bills in amounts between 3 and 9000 dollars.

It's a Wonderful Life Redux

mir — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 10:06:20 -0400

Years ago, Ned made me watch "It's a Wonderful Life" with him. As a Jew I have to say my taste in Christmas movies ran more to the comedic than the sentimentalm, but I watched it to please him.

Well, turned out that "It's a Wonderful Life" isn't about Christianity at all, it's about the (Eisenhower era) American Dream. A struggling everyday kind of guy, makes good despite hardship. In the style of the era he doesn't just make himself a success. He improves the lives of his townsfolk, his family and the world in general. More to the point, the struggle in It's Wonderful Life, is not spiritual, it's economic.

The hero of the film, George Bailey makes the biggest contributions to his hometown by keeping a building and loan society afloat during the depression, and starting Bailey Park, an affordable housing projects for the towns residents that opposes his arch-nemesis Potter's plans to exploit the town. Baileys crisis of faith comes when he loses the Building society's principle and becomes suicidal. His redemption - excepting the presence of the angel Clarence, arrives in the form of an economic reprieve. The townspeople, still overwhelmed with gratitude for Bailey's communitarian efforts raise enough money to keep his building society and his housing project afloat.

So the banks are failing stateside and unlike "It's a Wonderful Life" it looks like no-one is going to pull together and help each other through this one. Well, unless one counts government and insurance agency bail-outs, which is not exactly what "It's A Wonderful Life" suggests is the way that communities grow and prosper.

Article: "The Next Bubble"

mir — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:27:27 -0400

Really I need to not read Metafilter as soon as I wake up, it takes an hour off my day easily. An hour I could spend at the gym instead of getting panicked by financial forecasting. Oh well, later when I have no money and have to eat those plastic wrapped old vegetables with brown spots that they sell for 50 cents I am sure I will look svelte and have nicely hollowed cheek-bones. Why am I worrying now, we're headed for a massive recession!

More than a decade of economic and financial-market chaos followed, as the dollar remained the international currency but traded without an absolute measure of value. Inflation rose not just in the United States but around the world, grinding down the worth of many securities and brokerage firms. The Federal Reserve pushed interest rates into double digits, setting off two global recessions, and new international standards and methods for measuring inflation and floating exchange rates were established to replace the gold standard. After 1975, the United States would never again post an annual merchandise trade surplus. Such high-value, finished-goods-producing industries as steel and automobiles were no longer dominant. The new economy belonged to finance, insurance, and real estate—FIRE.

It's a long complicated article but well worth the read.

Way Less Funny

mir — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 12:35:41 -0400

My friend sent me a link to the "two girls one cup" viral video a while back, I lasted literally 2 seconds before closing my browser window in a panic and firing off an angry - "Why in gods name did you want me to watch that?!" email.

We've been reading Heidegger this week, and while I do have problems with his writing style, he does offer some really cogent critiques of a mind-set towards technology which is not just dehumanizing, but takes what Heidegger refers to as "the essence" out of life.

Food Fight!

mir — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 19:26:55 -0500

This was on Boing-Boing so I am not doing anything exceptional posting it here, though I do want to mention that Lola watched the whole thing, it's the first time she's shown any interest in politics.

The Googs must be crazy

mir — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:44:12 -0500

Only because Simon had to send back another article in response to this Harpers Annotation (blueprints for Googles new data-farm next to the Dalles Dam on the Colombia River) I sent him:

Keyword: evil

The blueprints depicting Google’s data center at The Dalles,Oregon, are proof that the Web is no ethereal store of ideas, shimmering over our heads like the aurora borealis. It is a new heavy industry, an energy glutton that is only growing hungrier.

Oh god, the internets are never-ending

mir — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 13:52:05 -0500

This is actually very cool, and yes probably represents the loss of another 45 minutes worth of productivity.

All Voices

The goal of Allvoices.com is to create a global community that shares news, videos, images and opinions tied to events and people that have impact. Unlike a traditional news portal, our style of presentation creates new contexts in which stories are tied together in order to provide multiple points of view.

That's one sexy map you got there.. I am not sure how well it will work , but it's worth noting that the site is launching from Pakistan.

Excellent analysis of crisis situation in Africa

mir — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 11:26:46 -0500

For Coms and Neo-Colonialism class.

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