Michael Crichton, Complexity, and the Environment

I was saddened by the death of Michael Crichton. Not only did the world lose an incredibly interesting storyteller, but an incredibly intelligent and objective man.

Here he writes about complex systems, and how they apply to the environment; He even throws little economics and sociology in there. Anybody interested in “saving” the environment should read this. In fact, any body the least bit interested in science, complexity theory, economics, should read this; as it is not only incredibly interesting but incredibly informative.

….who believes that the complex system of our atmosphere behaves in such a simple and predictable way that if we reduce one component, carbon dioxide, we will therefore reliably reduce temperature? CO2 is not like an accelerator on a car. It’s not linear (and by the way, neither is a car accelerator.) And furthermore, who believes that the climate can be stabilized when it has never been stable throughout the earth’s history? We can only entertain such an idea if we don’t really understand what a complex system is.

There are also lots of pictures. So please, read it. It really is very good. A great tribute to a mind that is no longer with us.

9

People have compared this upcoming film to the Secret of the Nymph, which I greatly respected for its mood and animation but not so much for its story.

9 is about the last ‘living’ creatures on earth, created by man before we destroyed ourselves (presumably through war.) It is based on an Academy award nominated short; and is being directed by Tim Burton.

Watch the trailer here.

And here is the original short it was based off of:



Now, I am a bit of an animation geek; and I simply love the fact that American animation seems to be maturing. With shows like Avatar: the last airbender and movie like Beowulf and the Incredibles; the entertainment industry is taking its first steps into a medium rife with opportunities.

It still has a long way to go, both in terms of quality and public acceptance; but the point is that it is going that way.

9 seems to be exploring moods and themes not common in the industry; and I respect the hell out if it for taking the risk, even if it turns out not to be successful.

So, enjoy the video above, and give 9 a chance.

Oh, and Merry Christmas.

Hell Yeah!

Getting to the Heart of It

Bad Movies

Over at Variety, a guy named Eric D. Snider has composed a fairly impressive list of really, really, really bad movies (and some mediocre ones for spice.)

I particularly like his review of Patch Adams.

The Real Thanksgiving

Benjamin Powell lays out the real story behind the famous Thanksgiving feast. Turns out a good deal of economics was involved.

Nunchuck Ping Pong

Just think about how coordinated a person would have to be to do this:



Bruce Lee was incredible. Pity it's fake.

Web 2.0

Final Countdown

These guys play a wicked cello:

DRE 700 for President

If Only:


Voting Machines Elect One Of Their Own As President

The Singularity is going to be scary.

RUSSELL ROBERTS: THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING: A PARABLE OF POSSIBILITY AND PROSPERITY

A Quick Liberty Quote

"Political tags-such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth-are never basic criteria. The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire."

- Robert A. Heinlein

Skyray 48 Takes Flight

Read the full article here.

P.S. – I just realized that a few too many of my posts come from a Forum I frequent; maybe I should just post a permanent link to there?

Monty Python Philosophy Football

First Direct Image of Multiple Exoplanets Orbiting a Star

This is another great development in science and technology:

For the first time, astronomers have taken a visual image of a
multiple-planet solar system beyond our own.

Using the Gemini North telescope and the W. M. Keck Observatory on Hawaii's Mauna Kea, researchers observed in infrared light three planets orbiting around a star about 130 light-years away from Earth, called HR 8799. The discovery,published today in Science Express, is a step forward in the hunt for planets, and life, beyond Earth.

The next logical step will be to look at the light spectrum coming off the planets, which well tell astronomers what type of gases are in the atmosphere.

If there is an abundance of oxygen, that is pretty strong indicator of organic life. That is something I would very much like to see.