Rational Thought » Technology

Reuters on “thoughtful conversation”

technologist — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 00:01:14 +0000

“Once you’ve reached a certain number of points, you become a recognized user. Congratulations: your comments will be published instantly from now on. Our editors will still review your comments after they’ve been published and will remove them if they don’t meet our standards. When that happens, you’ll lose points. Lose enough points and you’ll revert to new user status.” Or banned. I imagine they left that part out for a reason. What could it be? I recommend you read the whole post and match your distillation with mine.

http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/

So, correct thinking, from the moderator’s perspective, is rewarded and the inverse is punished. Neat.

“Sorry, but this account has been banned from posting comments”

Apparently I’ve been banned from posting on Reuters articles/blogs for reasons unknown and uncommunicated with no recourse. For context, I”ve participated actively online since 1986 and have never been banned/restricted in any forum. None.

One might conclude that “thoughtful conversation” represents speech that comports with a moderator’s worldview. If that’s the case, I’m proud not to have earned Reuters approbation.

Steve Jobs 1955-2011, requiescat in pace

technologist — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 04:59:00 +0000

iPad design and early adopters

technologist — Fri, 21 May 2010 03:21:07 +0000

Craig Hockenberry: ‘We’re the first ones standing in line at the Apple store, and the first ones to use all this cool new software. And we know all the things that apps ‘used to do’. And we want all sorts of other bells and whistles. And we’re wrong.’

(Via ranchero.com.)

US Health Care Reform

technologist — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:24:42 +0000

Sent via email to the Hon. Senators Landrieu, Lincoln and Nelson:

I strongly urge you not to support the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” for the following reasons:

1. Government has a very poor record of controlling real costs of goods and services. A review of projected verses actual Medicare costs is assuredly relevant.

2. A centrally planned rewrite of the entire Heath Care System that serves the majority of Americans well (supported by all polling data) is not the optimal approach to ensuring health care services for all.

3. It’s a budget buster and we all know it. One need look no further than my State of California to note how out of control government spending leads to a never ending miasma.

4. There is no Constitutional authority for the Federal Government to require the purchase of a good or service by individual citizens. It’s unprecedented and will no doubt be challenged in court.

5. Moderates should not have to pay at the election booth for the grandiose schemes of their party leaders.

I invite you to consider carefully and rationally what the unintended consequences of this legislation would be. Far better for Congress to consider incremental reform such as:

- Decoupling health insurance and tax benefits from employer provided plans.

- Allow deregulation of interstate insurance purchases to enhance competition.

- Malpractice tort reform to reduce practice of defensive medicine.

- Non-cancel clauses in insurance policies for utilization of contracted benefits.

- Guaranteed issue of catastrophic medical insurance coverage.

Thank you for your consideration of these points.

Respectfully,

Ron Bischof

Bill Gates on Steve Jobs

technologist — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:46:50 +0000

A gracious Bill Gates commenting on Steve Jobs tenure as Apple’s CEO.

Nicely done, Mr. Gates.

Microsoft Retail “Innovation”

technologist — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:08:40 +0000

Even been to an Apple Store? Watch this video of a grand opening of a Microsoft Store. “Innovation” indeed! http://bit.ly/1JOo0O Eerie, isn’t it?

P.J. O’Rourke = Fun & Logic

technologist — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:00:19 +0000

Leveraging Space & Medical Imaging Technology To Preserve Ancient Knowledge

technologist — Sat, 09 May 2009 18:57:47 +0000

“In a 21st-century version of the age of discovery, teams of computer scientists, conservationists and scholars are fanning out across the globe in a race to digitize crumbling literary treasures.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124173896716198603.html