What I read in 2021, the comprehensive list. How to read this list: * = Recommend** = Really recommendNC = No comment (or, really, do not bother)RR = Re-readF = FictionNF = Non-fictionP = Plays No, I won't be posting purchase links, I suggest you purchase a copy of whatever sounds interesting from your favourite local second … Continue reading 2021 a Year in Books
Not with a bang, with a whimper, the world moves from objective rule of law, to subjective rule by law. There are more and more open-ended, multi-purpose "skeleton key" laws being passed in (supposedly) liberal democracies that can be used to punish, criminalise almost anyone at will. Of particular concern are any laws that criminalise … Continue reading Skeleton Key Laws
Minecraft users have been building a 1:1 replica of Earth to preserve a record of our planet and our current civilisation in event of its destruction (and goodness knows there are enough options for total world-ending destruction available these days) for some time now. As a sub-plot to that grand plan, Reporters Without Borders is … Continue reading The Uncensored New Library of Alexandra
At the end of last year, I was asked to write a few thoughts on the most important, most disruptive technological milestones for each year of the last decade that will continue to have an impact in the future of the decade to come. Here follows the original version of that article, before it was edited … Continue reading Trend retrospective, a decade in the rearview mirror
When fallible human priests fail to fill the void, and reveal themselves to be more human than divine; we turn to man-made synthetic deities. Japan's robot priest confirms that we are looking for new gods for our new age - made in our own image, yet perfectly, and programmable. (And not all that different from … Continue reading (A)I Am
I don't know about you, but I cannot live without a few secrets. Without secrets, without a private inner life, we lose our individuality and our sense of self. Today though, we are bombarded with messages telling us that privacy is worth sacrificing for the greater good; for the good of community security, for the … Continue reading Secrets and Lies
The below is a transcript of my recent Pecha Kucha (20 slides, 20 seconds each) talk on "Social Cooling" - a disturbing phenomenon I think everyone should be aware of. Personal data is said to be the new oil…not just because of the industry’s value, but because of its power. And, like big oil is blamed … Continue reading Social Cooling
Meet Langton's Ant. Here he is, making his first 200 moves according to the simple set of rules that run the entirety of his very simple little computer-programed world: He lives on an infinite grid of little squares which all start out whit If he steps on a white square, it turns black, he turns 90° … Continue reading Chaos Theory
Would you go vegan if you could do so without giving up meat - or dairy? (After all, come on, what is the point of life without a cheese-board and the odd chocolate croissant to look forward to?) Well, you can. The Faux Food industry is trending - and the produce being produced is not just … Continue reading Faux Food
Blood-suckers beware. If you get greedy with your profit margins, someone - some start up - leaner and hungrier will take your business. That means, lawyers, doctors, bankers watch out. Your margin is your competitors opportunity. Technology is the great democratiser of our age. If your business model extracts more value than you provide, you … Continue reading The race to zero
