Political Lies Don't Matter

A fascinating, if not somewhat depressing, piece regarding the effectiveness of outright lies on the campaign trail. Incredible. Explains a lot though....Enjoy. Beckmania.

Liar's Poker

Making Sense Of It All

Here is a good, easy to read, summary of the absolute insanity that has hit Wall Street in the past few weeks/months. Wowsers.

How Financial Madness Overtook Wall Street

Ambient Awareness

This is a long but fascinating piece on the phenomenon of 'ambient awareness' that tools like Twitter and Facebook's Status and News Feed features provide. At first blush, the thought of hearing about someone's daily minutiae seems inane, but many users attest to the fact that it provides an interesting way to stay up to date with many people in a very low touch way. It's a fascinating new possibility for expanding your 'Dunbar number', and expanding the potential of your weak ties, a well documented source of useful connections.....Enjoy! Beckmania.

Brave New World of Digital Intimacy

Russia Is Back

Ronald Steel suggests that Russia is back, and behaving no differently than the US as it uses its newfound wealth and control of natural resources to protect what it views as its 'sphere of influence'. Interesting times ahead....Enjoy. Beckmania

A Superpower Is Reborn

The Layperson Disconnect

There are always some things, say the economists, for which the opinion of the vast majority of experts and those of the lay people differ. It's pretty fascinating when experts pretty much unanimously agree on something (I know, I know, that's an exaggeration but it comes close to happening) , yet a general population thinks differently. Here is an article discussing this phenomenon in the context of energy independence. Ah those economists, always making so much utility maximizing sense.....Enjoy. Beckmania.

The Idiocy of Energy Independence

The Great Illusion

Fascinating big picture article from Paul Krugman. It made me think of the famous George Santayana quotation:" "Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it"....Is the level of global economic interconnectedness itself cyclical over a period of decades?? Enjoy. Beckmania.....

The Great Illusion

Harmony and the Dream

Here is an interesting piece from David Brooks - he suggests that some aspects of a collectivist (as opposed to individualistic) society are actually quite appealing and merit thought when thinking about ideal societies....this could spawn a thousand conversations....Enjoy! Beckmania

Harmony and the Dream