Umbrellas: We Can Do Better

As I walked in the rain last night through the streets of NYC, I realized that umbrellas (apparently) are the best that solution to rain that humanity has come up with to this point. And yet somehow the lower half of my body was soaked; my umbrella had turned inside out in the wind; and at one point, I got hit in the head by my own umbrella shaft. Really? The umbrella is the culmination of our rain prevention efforts? I have faith in my fellow man - we can do better.

Stand Up to Not Believe

I watched the movie Religulous this weekend, which was a hilarious documentary Bill Maher put together roasting religion.

At the end of the movie, Maher calls agnostics and atheists to organize. He says that gun owners and Jewish people are both smaller percentages of the population than those who don't affiliate with religions; yet, the NRA and AIPAC are two of the largest lobbies in the US. If only everyone who didn't believe in religion would stand up, they could have some real influence on government policy.

But let's be honest, it's difficult to stand up passionately for not believing in something - especially when there are people who feel strongly the other way.

The reason the NRA is so successful is not because of the size of its membership but the passion with which its members love their guns. AIPAC isn't powerful because there are just so many Jews around to support Israel, but because those who are in support of Israel are passionate about it. I think it's difficult for people to feel passionately about not believing in religion.

For Maher to make his movement work, he'll need a cause to which people can rally. A "pro-choice" to religion's "pro-life," if you will.

Barack and Banning in the same Breath

People today have been hailing the election of Barack Obama as a mark of the times - an indicator that discrimination is on the decline. On this same day though, California voted "Yes" on Prop 8, banning gay marriage. They revoked civil rights from their fellow man and rewrote the California Constitution with the pen of discrimination.

If I live to be 106 years old, like the woman that Obama talked about in his acceptance speech, what will I see? I believe with little doubt that we will look back on this repression of homosexual rights with the same disdain that we look at the repression of black rights and women's rights.

How can I be so sure of this future? Because it was the youth vote - my generation - that voted 2:1 against Proposition 8, and with the mainstream media helping America become more comfortable with homosexuality, it's only a matter of time before gay marriage is legalized everywhere.

Here's a great clip from the West Wing, in which the President confronts a talk show host who holds homosexuality as an abomination:

Three Global Scenarios

Interesting BusinessWeek article says that there are three possible scenarios moving forward:

• U.S. government picks up in borrowing money where Wall Street left off, and it takes on another $400 B stimulus package. This would cushion the recession globally but it would take on a more risky amount of debt for the U.S.
  
• The U.S. cuts imports and moves manufacturing back home. This would hurt the global economy as our knowledge exports would be cut, and the US would have to pay a higher cost for goods.
  
• Some of our bets on innovation pay off, such as energy, nanotech, or biotech, on the order of semiconductors. This scenario creates the highest payoff for everyone both US and world wide.

Intuitively it would seem the first scenario seems most likely to occur in the short run, but by historical standards, the third scenario may actually be the most likely. I don't say that to be a polyanna, but the rate of historical innovation has been more of an exponential curve than a linear curve. I am curious about what that innovation curve looks like and the probability of another big breakthrough in the next four years. It's obviously not something we can count on, but the probability would be interesting to know.

It Couldn't-Shouldn't-Wouldn't, But It Did

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

--President-elect Barack Hussein Obama, Tuesday, November 4, 2008

I have heard since Iowa all the reasons Obama could not or would not be elected. Tonight we found that America is not as racist or conservative or easily fooled as we thought. It just needed a little inspiration. I stand a little prouder to be American.

Sudafed's All the Rage

I discovered that you can't pick up Sudafed without signing a government form. When I asked the woman behind the register why, not only did I get a bit of complimentary attitude, but I also found out that it's because people make crystal meth with Sudafed. Needless to say, I stocked up.

Netherland Babies and Day Light Savings

I am always amazed by how small changes in people's environment make big changes in behavior.

• Nine months after a blackout in the Netherlands, there was a miniature baby boom. People went to bed early to keep warm, which resulted in a 44% increase in babies.
• A Swedish study showed a 5% decrease in heart attacks the week after daylight savings because people get an extra hour of sleep. That means less stress and fewer blood clots.