neighbors

Ed Boyden: How to Think

In his Technology Review blog, Ed discusses a few thinking tips in his post subtitled: Managing brain resources in an age of complexity.

In summary:

1. Synthesize new ideas constantly.
2. Learn how to learn (rapidly).
3. Work backward from your goal.
4. Always have a long-term plan.
5. Make contingency maps.
6. Collaborate.
7. Make your mistakes quickly.
8. Write up best-practices protocols.
9. Document everything obsessively.
10. Keep it simple.

See Ed's post for details and other suggestions.

glaciers continue to retreat

See this post on CNN.com. Bottom line -

Haeberli said glaciers lost an average of about a foot of ice a year between 1980 and 1999. But since the turn of the millennium the average loss has increased to about 20 inches.

Glacial melting seems like a good example of possible climate change. Its probably useful to remember the distinction between climate and weather, and this NASA article is a good place to start: What's the Difference Between Weather and Climate?

UPDATE: more context from Universe Today on arctic ice.

inflammation

I've heard more than once that inflammation has a significant impact as we age. This article explains more. I'm a daily ibuprofen or aspirin guy myself.

sxsw 2008

Well, still didn't get to SXSW this year. Sigh. Maybe next year.

But they've made a bunch of the music available for download as individual MP3s, or via bittorrent, for example, here.

DownThemAll!

I've started using DownThemAll! to download (legally!) MP3s. I use it within Firefox and can recommend it highly. I even like the little notification chime that sounds when downloads complete.

Rep. Markey's net neutrality legislation

A post from Google Public Policy discusses new legislation from Markey on net neutrality.

Here is the money quote, as far as I'm concerned:

"Net neutrality is too often painted as just about particular companies' competing interests, but that's missing the point. Rather, net neutrality and broadband policy are -- and should be -- about what's ultimately best for people, in terms of economic growth as well as the social benefit of empowering individuals to speak, create, and engage one another online using the wide panoply of innovations available to them. In other words, broadband policy should come from the bottom up."

To my eye - the legislation sets a good course. It could be stronger with respect to ensuring the providers don't clip the Internet's wings while its still developing. For me, the fear is crystallizing the Internet/Web too soon - solidifying the existing framework so that the ISPs can introduce bottlenecks they can monetize. ISPs can exploit the conflict of interest they enjoy when they provide both content and access. My perhaps impractical ideal is to fully separate provision of broadband connectivity from provision of content.