dystopia is on the march

From the ever entertaining yet thought-provoking @FearDept

https://twitter.com/FearDept/status/341777394459365377

Another William Gibson Interview

Recently, Paul Holdengraber interviewed William Gibson via NYPL. This is one of the better interviews of the estimable author that I've encountered.  Thanks to Paul for a job well done, and to artforum for the image.

The interview (PDF):  http://www.nypl.org/sites/default/files/livetranscript.pdf

The artforum article: http://artforum.com/diary/id=40530

dock

Another beautiful day in the neighborhood.

Good Friends

Together with good friends, some old and some new.

Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Military Spending - Leading Nations

This is evocative.  Data from 2007. Would be interesting to see updated post-Great Recession data.

Thanks to Lindsey Bieda on Twitter: @lindseybieda, original: https://twitter.com/lindseybieda/status/312943374359478272

Long Life and Inequality

As healthy life extension becomes more prevalent, societal consequences are more visible.

Financial Planners have talked about longevity risk - where people outlive their retirement savings because life extension blew through the accounting parameters.  A new consequence is arising because healthy life extension is unevenly distributed, currently by income. Poorer people will pay into social security for benefits they may never receive because life extension is skewed towards the better off.  So, poorer people will pay to fund the retirements of the wealthy. The Economist explains: http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2013/03/wealth-inequality?fsrc=scn/tw/te/bl/yourmoneyyourlife



photo tnx to: http://www.voxxi.com/life-expectancy-70-new-30/

passports by state

This is telling.  Don't need Nate Silver to spot some of the correlations in this data.

Thanks to: http://www.cgpgrey.com/blog/how-many-americans-have-a-passport.html

via:

 http://exp.lore.com/post/44802179035/passport-ownership-in-america-by-state-lets

Sunol Regional Wilderness

Doesn't take long to get there from San Francisco, and some great walks, wildlife, and views. Recommended, not strenuous for day hikers for sure.

Welcome...

Little Yosemite

Path

What is Wealth Inequality in the United States?

Check the video on Mashable:  http://mashable.com/2013/03/02/wealth-inequality/

TLDR - more inequality than we imagine, or wish.