Building Museum in DC - exhibit

 

I visited the Building Museum in DC this past week, and I really enjoyed the Green House exhibit. You should check it out if you're there -- it runs until 6/3/2007 apparently, so you've got a year to make it there! 

  

Salon.com Technology | The perfect man

Salon.com Technology | The perfect man

Now for something different. This is an interesting little piece of science fiction offered by Salon. It's kind of a light but creepy picture of AI and love, sort of like OK Cupid merged with the Matrix. It's worth a read when you have a little time.

Richard Dawkins on the Problem of Evil

onegoodmove: Richard Dawkins on the Problem of Evil: "If a small fraction of the tax breaks handed out to churches, mosques and synagogues had been diverted into an early warning system, tens of thousands of people, now dead, would have been moved to safety."

I thought this was an interesting reflection by Richard Dawkins on science versus religion. It's worth a read.

My Way News - Prince Voted 'World's Sexiest Vegetarian'

My Way News - Prince Voted 'World's Sexiest Vegetarian': "He shares the honor with Kristen Bell, the 25-year-old star of 'Veronica Mars,' which is being carried over from UPN to the new CW network this fall."

Prince and Kristen Bell. PETA's funny. Apparently the rat electrocuter that my friend Sarah bought for her apartment is PETA-approved -- who would have thought. Although I've not been able to find evidence of this on google anywhere...

Salon.com Technology | The virtual moneylender

Salon.com Technology | The virtual moneylender: "If they succeed, 'person-to-person' lending sites like Prosper -- competitors are coming online soon -- could upend the credit industry, bringing transparency and fairness to a market not known for either."

This is a fascinating development online -- kind of a personalized internet microlending system for folks in the U.S.

Osito and Miela, Kinkajou Honeybears

Osito and Miela, Kinkajou Honeybears: "7 weeks: prehensile tail functional"

I want a kinkajou! Or at least to see some when visiting Costa Rica in June!

Historic F-line streetcars may extend to Fort Mason - Examiner.com

Historic F-line streetcars may extend to Fort Mason - Examiner.com: "The historic F-line streetcars that run along Market Street and the Embarcadero to Fisherman's Wharf may find their tracks extended out to Fort Mason under a proposal floated by the U.S. Park Service."

This would be very cool... The F Car is such a neat part of MUNI.

The samba and the sauna - How the World Works

How the World Works - Salon.com: "One can make an argument that both countries are at home in the realm of digital culture for unique historical and cultural reasons."

I think that Andrew Leonard's column in Salon is one of the best things it has. It's interesting, and I disagree with him a lot of the time but in a good way.

This piece is interesting, and it takes a look at the particularities of Finland and Brazil through the lens of information sharing.

In the stuff on Brazil, he links to musician Gilberto Gil's "phenomically articulate and poetic manifesto for the social value of copying and sampling and mixing cultural expression." I still need to read the piece, but I've got Two Many DJs playing in the background, and I have to say that they're a music manifesto in and of themselves. Their website includes a hilarious look at their efforts to gain permissions for all their songs. One of my best cd acquisitions in the last year.

The Least Affordable Place to Live? Try Salinas - New York Times

The Least Affordable Place to Live? Try Salinas - New York Times: "California has the distinction of having the 11 least-affordable metropolitan areas in the country."

I'm putting the blame squarely on Prop 13, which you can pretty much blame as a root cause of what's wrong with most anything in California.

Mirror.co.uk - News - VILLAGE IDIOT

Mirror.co.uk - News - VILLAGE IDIOT: "A BOOZED-up idiot swore and bellowed out Village People song YMCA at 30,000ft on a holiday jet. "

Not funny yet such a funny image...

Of all the things to note from the Harper's Review this week...

AlterNet: Warning: No-Groping Zone

AlterNet: Warning: No-Groping Zone: "But for now, they still race to fill the women-only cars at rush hour, grateful to have one less thing to worry about during the long commute home."

A weird little portrait of transit and gender dynamics in Brazil, coupled with questions about balancing principle and practical reality. I thought it was pretty interesting.

Also, Brazilians use Orkut? How bizarre...