Connecting the Dots

In reading Frank Schirrnacher's piece on The Age of Information, I realized that I feel like the informavore of which he speaks, constantly gobbling up huge amounts of information through all of my senses, thanks in great part to the technological innovation that makes those transfers possible. Then, walking around the California Science Center I happened upon a quote of Albert Szent-Gyorgyi: "Discovery consists in seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought." I'm sure plenty of people have thought about discovery this way, but I see the pool of human information as the dots in the "connect the dots" books I loved when I was little. From a seemingly random scattering of dots a picture would emerge. I'm dissatisfied that there aren't more people connecting the dots. To be sure, many people see different pictures inside the vast page of dots we have before us, and many discover patterns of dots that greatly enhance our understanding of our world and environment. But as we explore the nascent information age, not enough emphasis is placed on the discovery of the coherence between all of the dots.

Financial Regulation Bill H.R. 4173

Text from email to my Congressional Representative regarding financial reform:


I am aware of the H.R. 4173 legislation's recent passage and am pleased that some regulatory reform is underway. It has been noted that the legislation has a substantial loophole regarding the derivatives. It also does little to curb the advantages achieved by too-big-to-fail institutions that can use the federal regulatory framework to get excepted from state laws that affect smaller banking institutions. Not too mention the moral hazard in large institutions with access to federal funds at low rates and the capacity to engage in speculative trading. In all, the casino culture of large banks may not be effectively curbed by the passed legislation.  

Medios reportan su fracaso

Reporteros  agobiados por un año en el cual siempre se vieron detrás de la bola, reportaron al final del año sobre su gran fracaso. Es la primera vez en todo el año que los medios afirmaron juntos lo que era obvio para todos. UN una conferencia de prensa, los 5 dueños de todos los medios de comunicación mundiales lamentaron la muerte de su industria. Explicaron que ellos trataron afanosamente de crear noticias sensacionales y de abarrotar al público con toda la información posible, pero sus esfuerzos no dieron resultado. Aparentemente, según Rupert Murdoch, personas insatisfechas con la información provista por los medios se tornaron a buscar información en el Internet, e inclusive a reportar noticias ellos mismos a la red informática, "robándonos nuestra importancia y lucro monetario."

Collective Action

Today in Copenhagen, President Obama said "I think our ability to take collective action is in doubt." He was, of course, referring to the inability of nations to agree on a global climate change strategy. However, it also captures a greater reality that is hindering the United States. Domestically, we are also failing at our efforts for collective action. We can't get good health or financial reforms passed, and we are equally unable to collectively solve the unemployment, foreclosure, and poverty crises.

The Filibuster

Obviously I'm dissatisfied with how the filibuster is misused by a minority to stifle the wishes of the majority. Robert Creamer highlights an alternative that would work nicely. Click here for the entire text.

Health Care Reform

The U.S. health care reform effort is just plain frustrating. It's obvious that fixing our system would benefit just about everyone (except perhaps insurance companies.) The profit margin for insurers is ridiculous and ludicrous. Without the extra cost of these administrative (and Wall Street investor) profits, we'd have a system that could serve more people at lesser cost. 

My New Hero

Matt Taibbi is my new hero (check out his Rolling Stone article here). With straightforward language his assessment of Obama's economic team is quite thorough. The President has alienated many supporters by not acting convincingly on the economic issues affecting the country, and acting almost completely in the bankers' interests.

A Truly Just War

I'm dissatisfied with what President Obama calls a "just war." I agree there is such a thing, but Afghanistan is not an example. The only war that is truly just is the war on poverty, unemployment, infant mortality, and ignorance and injustice. That is the war that deserves to be fought with all of the resources we dedicate to violent conflict, and weapon building. Let's wage a war on war with peace, good sense, and education, with the aim of curing the roots of fear and hatred: poverty, insecurity, and injustice.

I'm dissatisfied

I am dissatisfied. Really, very dissatisfied. I have what I need: food, shelter, technology, information, love, friends -- in short, almost everything I want. And yet, I'm dissatisfied. I'm dissatisfied with the world around me, that doesn't work as it should. With missed opportunities and lost potential. With predatory, evil people who reap satisfaction by sowing misery. With the uncaring, callous nature of modern times. With poverty, inequality, hatred, war, fear, excuses, apologies, and the list goes on.