Theme of the week: Humanity

I just finished watching "The Corporation", an amazing film that traces the roots, rights, and wrongs of the corporate entity. It ties together politics, global issues, sustainability, psychology, and activism together in entertaining and powerful ways - Kev says two thumbs up.

A section of the film explores the need for corporations to be more democratic. How about introducing software that enables companies to make better group decisions? This isn't polling and it isn't just voting - it's technological infrastructure for giving organizations a more accurate and humane voice.

Never mind the latest tech fad of creating personal social networks - what continues to be needed is software that helps societies network and think smarter!

"Smarter Than the CEO"

Here's what Wired has to say about such software, group decision-making, and how it can actually be more profitable to organizations versus top-down bureaucratic methods:

What does the military have to say about humanity? Here's a booklet carried by Vietnam soldiers which they were told to keep at all times:

This has been popular, but I love the quote: "[Defense] firms are about to pitch "a frightening new breed of stun gun" to police in America and Europe that has left human rights groups appalled about the risk to bystanders and people in poor health":

"The Fight of Our Lives"

Bill Moyers is as mad as hell over the gap between the rich and the poor:

Could this be the first commercial Zeppelin of the 21st century?

A review of the coolest palmtop computer. Sorry, available in Japan only:

A breakthrough way to compress 3D models has been invented, meaning better video games, movies, CAD applications, and more:

Mentioned the other week as the key ingredient to self-cleaning windows, titanium dioxide is now being incorporated into clothing to make them self-cleaning:

Blogging goes mainstream with a big article in Time Magazine:

How to Argue Religion:

Photoshop challenge: depict "Americanization":

Wal-Mart's RFID-using suppliers exceed 100:

BusinessWeek reports that privacy battles are being won over RFID:

Japanese balloons and the importance of uncensored wartime news:

Gunner Palace - a civilian's take on the war in Iraq:

Alien species have caused the ecological collapse of the Great Lakes:

Some of my friends are interested in biodiesel - here's a recent primer:

"Genetically-modified virus explodes cancer cells":

Replace your old flashlight bulbs with brighter, longer-lasting LEDs:

A pre-wired, pre-plumbed, cheap 280 square- foot modern modular housing unit that looks decent:

CD Origami

Out of jewel cases? Here's how to make single and double CD holders out of a single sheet of 8.5" x 11" paper:

"Copy-blocked CD tops U.S. charts"

This is almost a non-news item - I got a pristine bootleg online the other day:

Independent music labels in Europe break negotiations with Apple over disagreements due to the length of their contract: