http://www.arinmorf.com Brevity is the Soul of Wit Sun, 08 Feb 2009 02:46:29 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Religion is often a divisive topic, but there are certain beliefs that are shared so closely between faiths that they can unify people across all backgrounds. The Golden Rule is one such belief. Karen Armstrong Official Spiel: As she accepts her 2008 TED Prize, author and scholar Karen Armstrong talks about ... http://www.arinmorf.com/2008/04/26/the-golden-rule-in-practice/ Sometimes it seems the world is just stuffed with good men and women. Official Spiel: Accepting his 2008 TED Prize, physicist Neil Turok speaks out for talented young Africans starved of opportunity: by unlocking and nurturing the continent's creative potential, we can create a change in Africa's future. Turok asks the ... http://www.arinmorf.com/2008/04/02/neil-turok-2008-ted-prize-wish-an-african-einstein/ Ever wanted some "grim inspiration", or to hear from someone whose "optimism is based on cynicism"? Then this talk is for you. Official Spiel: Author Robert Wright explains "non-zero-sumness," a game-theory term describing how players with linked fortunes tend to cooperate for mutual benefit. This dynamic has guided our ... http://www.arinmorf.com/2008/03/30/non-zero-sum-games/ Every few days I read some newspaper article which says "in this age of senseless violence" or some such nonsense.  I always wonder what age in between the trenches of WWI and the race riots of the 60's they are comparing the present to.  Was there perhaps some period before industrialization I ... http://www.arinmorf.com/2008/03/30/the-myth-of-rising-violence/ LA does not have what you would call "seasons", but occasionally weather does wander through on its way somewhere else. These are two views from the street above my house. Note the snow on the mountain in the background left down from the night before. House with snow, and Flowers bloomed ... http://www.arinmorf.com/2008/03/26/los-angeles-photo-moment/ Safe for work. Count the passes the team in white makes. Very funny, good luck. http://www.arinmorf.com/2008/03/19/awareness-test/ I find passion absolutely fascinating. Dave Eggers: Once Upon a School Official Spiel: Accepting his 2008 TED Prize, author Dave Eggers asks the TED community to personally, creatively engage with local public schools. With spellbinding eagerness, he talks about how his 826 Valencia tutoring center inspired others around the world to ... http://www.arinmorf.com/2008/03/18/once-upon-a-school/ In a business there is always a balance to be struck between offering enough choices to your customers and overwhelming them.  There are two great TED talks that in their contrast describe the merits and dangers of choice.  First, in favor of more choice- Their spiel: In this witty monologue, Malcolm Gladwell follows ... http://www.arinmorf.com/2008/03/08/how-many-options-is-just-right/ This comic has been around forever, but I just ran into it recently. Anything that I've ever done or wanted to do is somewhere described in www.xkcd.com For instance, walking, messing with my engineering peers, enjoying the bliss of emacs, flying, sudo powers and holding a fan still just because I can. Probably ... http://www.arinmorf.com/2008/02/27/xkcd/ I just ran across http://conceptart.org for the first time, a site that exists for illustrators and artists to collaborate and encourage each other- very cool but what really got me was a contest they host called Last Man Standing, which is a no-prize-but-honor contest where artists from the site submit ... http://www.arinmorf.com/2008/02/26/last-man-standing/