perfidy

I haven't had time to post much lately, for which I abjectly apologize. But I have run across some interesting bits I'd like to call your attention to.

• Here's a nifty National Geographic piece on swarm behavior, or how while individual ants are staggeringly inept, ant colonies are not.
• While I certainly like the new iPhone more than Mapgirl, this guy is really down on the Jesus Phone.
• The Ministry has for some time now been trying to alert the public to the threat of robots. While humanity as a whole will certainly all experience the cold metal boot of robot domination, we probably won't all feel it at once. Among the first groups to feel the iron grip of robotic oppression might just be migrant workers. As if they didn't have enough to contend with.
• The New Yorker is occasionally interesting.
• The recent release of some old CIA documents has raised some eyebrows. And sent conspiracy types into overdrive. And it looks like we did after all try to get the mob to rub out Castro.
• Wired interviews Hans Reiser, linux guru and accused murderer.
• Times puff piece on cyberwar.
• Yes, it does.
• Mars or Bust! I think that terraforming Mars would be a fabulous idea. Of course, we need to get there first. One real advantage with Mars, is that we could use rather, uh, drastic methods in the period before we start setting the planet.

Enjoy, and I'll try to post something substantive real soon now.