tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33614212011-08-20T07:20:38.248-07:00Something is changing. If I could just put my finger on it...Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.comBlogger931100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1117583851087746242005-05-31T16:37:00.000-07:002005-05-31T16:57:31.103-07:00

Duh! Scientists once again chase the obvious. The 'civilized' nature of man in this generation is a far cry from what was considered 'civilized' in all prior generations. It was only in the 1970's that corporal punishment started loosing favor as the discipline of choice for children. Mass deprivation and killing were common, legitimate means of enforcing government rule in centuries past, and is

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1116033911521598922005-05-13T18:21:00.000-07:002005-05-13T18:25:11.536-07:00

This article at Science Blog is interesting because it says what we already know, but in a way that explains what we might not understand. With regard to being young; the word I recall most associated with youth is, "idealism".An idealist might be described as a person who absolutely, in no way, is capable of comprehending that there may be more than one viable answer.Sometimes I long for younger

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1115237622350609452005-05-04T12:25:00.000-07:002005-05-04T13:16:20.100-07:00

Words that every child knows, and every child fears. When we were children and we used those words we would march to a parent or adult with righteous indignation at the unfairness we'd been dealt, often the offender clinging and begging for mercy. When we heard those words because we had done something (wrong) we became the clinger and the beggar. But sometimes, if we thought "they" were weak

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1114889035373380992005-04-30T12:08:00.000-07:002005-04-30T12:23:55.373-07:00

We can't stop exploring the unknown. At least this time we're planning ahead. In centuries past the task of exploring and colonizing meant packing as much as you could carry and then, on faith alone, set out for places never seen with only a hope that anyone would survive. Abraham setting out from Haran; Columbus for the edge of the world; wagon trains into the west. How soon before there are

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1114537768655833752005-04-26T10:40:00.000-07:002005-04-26T10:49:28.656-07:00

This report from the Department of Justice shows that prison populations are rising. In terms of change what does this mean? I've also noticed that prison population numbers correlate to the rise in unemployment, rise in general population numbers, and the cost of living. So, is prison population climbing because American society is degenerating, or because there are more people to commit crimes?

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1114536318604576972005-04-26T10:22:00.000-07:002005-04-26T10:25:18.606-07:00

Tongue in cheek, humor intact, I officially dub this "The Blog Link that Changed the World."

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1114376324870928072005-04-24T13:56:00.000-07:002005-04-24T13:58:44.870-07:00

It just makes too much sense that faith and spirituality contribute to health and endurance. It's not so much about any religion as much as it's about faith. Those without it hope for nothing better, those with it know there is something better.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1114178466982350392005-04-22T07:01:00.000-07:002005-04-22T07:39:42.190-07:00

From the dawn of time man has made magic and myth of anything that does not have a simple explanation. And, it would seem that no matter how much we come to know about the world around us, the allure of myth, evil spells, curses, and spirits cannot be overcome.In this particular case it appears that the Iceman has it in for anyone that disturbed his icy slumber. If the curse is true, than

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1113852292861845302005-04-18T12:14:00.000-07:002005-04-18T12:24:52.863-07:00

Walk into just about any elementary school classroom in America and certain "things" are always there. Across the top of at least one wall is the alphabet. One wall is always given over to a collection of the latest papers and projects turned in by the students, somewhere a globe of the earth rests, and somewhere on a wall is the USDA nutritional pyramid chart. The charts is usually brightly

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1113621590787608112005-04-15T20:19:00.000-07:002005-04-15T20:34:15.370-07:00

For untold years dating beyond human memory the Indians of the Amazon rainforest have carved out an existence.... Separated by the wilderness that is their home from any and all other human beings.Then one day a 'government' declares their borders... And the people of the rainforest suddenly become a part of something they would have never wanted. How many times in history has this happened. One

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1113424940307269412005-04-13T13:42:00.000-07:002005-04-13T13:54:55.240-07:00

According to this article, Europeon scientists are on a quest to lay claim to property on Mars.Mars is a big place... and at some point mankind will live there. My bet is that a society on Mars will eventually chuck all off-planet authority to be in charge of their own destiny (sounds like a sci-fi tea party doesn't it?).It is so hard-wired into mankind to be 'in control' that when the time comes

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1113424541458901612005-04-13T13:28:00.000-07:002005-04-13T13:35:41.456-07:00

This article supports a sad truth of what we've always known; Looks count. The further back in history we look the more severe are the examples of appearance discrimination. There was a time when looking different might mean death. And not for color of skin, but for color of eyes, hair, facial features, body characteristics that did not match what was considered acceptable.Over time fortunately

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1113241794825858142005-04-11T10:14:00.000-07:002005-04-11T10:49:54.826-07:00

I love trees. I'm not sure but tree-loving might be a requirement in order to live in California. This article though at mezzoblue.com gave me pause. The author used Google's new satellite maps to show a wood/tree harvesting region in British Columbia in support of his argument against clearcutting. From me, two thoughts:One, by studying the photos I observe that the cut regions account for less

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1113176751643456852005-04-10T16:33:00.000-07:002005-04-10T20:08:34.273-07:00

As a recent convert to the world of non-smokers I've spent a lot of time investigating what works and what does not... This article over at MedicineNet.com is fairly typical of the many ways people are dreaming up new 'tricks' to overcome a bad habit.The answer for me came in the book on the left. Allen Carr's 'The Easy Way to Stop Smoking'. And just like he promised; It was easy. No tricks,

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1113083712098029612005-04-09T14:39:00.000-07:002005-04-09T14:58:26.766-07:00

Today's posts both span a great distance to illustrate change in our time. In 1519 Martin Luther printed several sections of the Bible, and against the wishes of the Church, made the Bible available to anyone that wanted to read it. Knowledge and access for all. No more middleman to beseech. In that time it was pretty powerful, mankind changing stuff.Now, in 2005, we are getting close to

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1113082545080322272005-04-09T14:15:00.000-07:002005-04-09T14:35:45.083-07:00

In 1526 King Henry VIII petitioned the Vatican to divorce his current wife in order to marry Ann Boleyn, a servant in his household. When the Vatican would not sway King Henry created the Church of England naming himself as its head and moral beacon.Now Britain's Prince Charles, after carrying on an affair for more than 30 years, including the years of his marriage to Princess Diana, has married

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1112909139817570062005-04-07T14:17:00.000-07:002005-04-07T14:25:39.816-07:00

This article over at New Scientist is interesting. They call it, "Life's top 10 greatest inventions," but I don't see it that way. Just about everything on the list was not 'invented', but instead, are naturally occuring processes that mankind has stumbled across and made useful in some way. Of course, if you are a Christian, then each of these are inventions. His.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1112793236354469362005-04-06T05:40:00.000-07:002005-04-06T06:13:56.356-07:00

Vernon Evans, Jr. killed two people, was sentenced to death in the State of Maryland and now lives on death row. Now Vernon has is being given a voice on the internet. Some people are pretty happy about it. I think their excitement is related to disagreement with death as a penalty for crime and the opportunity to humanize the inmates facing that fate.It feels wrong to popularize the thoughts of

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1112724238935203492005-04-05T10:49:00.000-07:002005-04-05T11:03:58.936-07:00

This article at Science Blog reports on a study that just makes good sense. For years researchers of psychiatric chemistry have been looking for the pill that makes everything OK for people in mental distress. Somehow, such a pill would have to change the history of the person taking it. It would have to erase their memories of trauma, terror, abuse, and reorder the neurons in their head to

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1112652383467170302005-04-04T14:53:00.000-07:002005-04-04T15:06:23.466-07:00

In the aftermath of the death of Pope JPII the media is jumping on the opportunity to prognosticate what changes are needed or will happen in religion, 'according to the people.' Examples are here and here. Questions around marriage, sex, preaching, lifestyles, etc., which of course, people answer with views leaning toward more leniency and broader acceptance of all things.Just a thought on my

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1112572708549200482005-04-03T16:56:00.000-07:002005-04-03T16:58:28.550-07:00

I watched 'Platoon' this afternoon. I am changed by all that that time in history was. I am thankful to be living and learning still.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1112483625389535412005-04-02T15:13:00.000-08:002005-04-02T15:37:04.286-08:00

Darkness in the middle of the day. It has only been understood by mankind for a few hundred years. Before that myths, legends, and rituals was the defense of choice against what appeared to be the impending end of the world. I'm certain nothing could look better than 'saving the world' on the resume of a shaman or wizard. Even though we know what it is now, when it happens, it's still sort of

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1112285132762195432005-03-31T07:37:00.000-08:002005-03-31T08:06:33.073-08:00

This opinion expressed over at BuzzMachine is confusing. The author is upset because several religious leaders got together to actively stand up for their faith. The author (with an opposing set of beliefs), wants these leaders to feel shame. It's not like this is a new principle the leaders came up with on a whim. Their position has been in black and white for centuries. Apparently, according to

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1112235044036333922005-03-30T18:10:00.000-08:002005-03-30T18:19:44.866-08:00

I have driven down so many streets lined for miles with all of these little tiny businesses stacked one on top of another and wondered to myself how all of these folks manage to stay in business. WHERE are all of their customers coming from? How can all of these businesses have enough people walking through their doors that they can hang on day after day, year after year. It is beyond

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1112108298250409852005-03-29T06:44:00.000-08:002005-03-29T06:58:18.253-08:00

The Schiavo predicament is heartbreaking to say the least. It is a decision that has troubled most of mankind since the beginning of human history. How many countless times has a loved one hung in the balance at the hand another when choices need to be made. In recent years this choice has been made by an ever increasing number of people... now that the ability to 'pull the plug' has arrived.This

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1111937091538860232005-03-27T07:17:00.000-08:002005-03-27T07:24:51.540-08:00

I am happy to link to a writer that steps outside of his own opinion to ponder, within the parameters of his faith, the struggle of the victim trapped in limbo. We cannot speak for God nor can we judge what His exact choices will be in all things. But we can know that all of our ranting, yelling, accusing, arguing, pleading and crying is not a consideration in His conversation with Terri.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1111892386038731982005-03-26T18:53:00.000-08:002005-03-26T18:59:46.040-08:00

Several years ago I had a heart attack. It came early in the morning, which my doctor explained was the most common time of day for heart attacks. It seems that the most stressful moment in every day for our hearts is when we wake up (full rest to fully awake). When I read this report my first thought was, "DUH!" No kidding. Was there a doctor out there that didn't get the memo? I'm pretty sure

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1111764894142039172005-03-25T06:50:00.000-08:002005-03-25T07:34:54.146-08:00

Research out of the University of Texas states that the social and intellectual development of children 0-3 years is not effected if their mothers spend less time with them (working moms). OK... they can say that, but that doesn't make it sound right. Yes, I'm a guy, so what could I know about such things. Maybe nothing at all. But I did pause when noticing the research was done by working

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1111640491436406392005-03-23T20:59:00.000-08:002005-03-23T21:01:31.436-08:00

I think cartoonists can sometimes be the most insightful about what is changing in the world we live in. This blog says alot.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1111443130061471952005-03-21T13:47:00.000-08:002005-03-21T14:12:28.100-08:00

The good folks over at Wired took a look at the current state of social networking. You can read their story here. In the last several months I have 'invitations' from people that signed up for the service, started adding their contact list, which in turn generated an email to me inviting me to update my bio and contact information.What has happened over time is that I am getting requests from

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1111441360418818932005-03-21T13:39:00.000-08:002005-03-21T13:42:40.420-08:00

This article in the NY Times is a good example how some folk's believe it's OK to meddle in the choices of others. Or, maybe it's a story created by a paper that can't stand happy beginnings, middles, or ends.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1111189122897363882005-03-18T14:50:00.000-08:002005-03-18T15:38:42.900-08:00

I read through a lot of information every day; News from mainstream, opinion columns, press releases, industry news, and blogs (with opinions on all of it). And while reading what the blogs are reporting on I have felt an less than positive undercurrent I couldn't quite put my finger on... until now. The undercurrent I have been feeling is the aura of entitlement in the words and opinion of too

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1111002610423624362005-03-16T11:47:00.000-08:002005-03-16T11:50:10.426-08:00

Stopping cancer in its tracks would create a lot of change. Maybe researchers are finally catching up to it.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1110915353984487672005-03-15T11:18:00.000-08:002005-03-15T11:40:56.093-08:00

This article over at Science Blog reports that a water crisis awaits Nepal, India and China in 20 years when the Himalayan glaciers have receded beyond a certain level. And the reason the crisis exists is of course, global warming.Last year a study was released demonstrating that the recent increases in glacial retreat has a starting point far earlier than the capability for mankind to have

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1110819085840089732005-03-14T08:32:00.000-08:002005-03-14T08:52:01.503-08:00

This story out of Milwaukee is heartbreaking and tragic. A bent and distraught man steps into his church, starts gunning people down, and then finishes his rampage on himself. As I read deeper into the story it occured to me that something was feeding the mind of this man, and sadly it may have been the teachings of the church he terrorized. He was a member of a church that is focused on the end

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1110680461808890312005-03-12T18:05:00.000-08:002005-03-12T18:21:01.810-08:00

I drove through a fairly high-rent area of Southern California this afternoon, and with activists waving signs from all four corners of an particular intersection a drive-by protest was in progress. The activists were people of that area. Students of privilege, parents of means, people that obviously have experienced more opportunity than others waving their signs and demanding attention to their

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1110574732501472702005-03-11T12:22:00.000-08:002005-03-11T12:58:52.506-08:00

Jeremy Leggett is chief executive of Solarcentury, the UK's largest independent solar electric company, a member of the UK government's Renewables Advisory Board, and apparently Jeremy Leggett is just a bit full of himself.Over at NewScientist.com he's decided that Michael Crichton's latest work of fiction, State of Fear, is a real-time manifesto aimed at derailing the global warming movement. I

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1110568265782539032005-03-11T10:44:00.000-08:002005-03-11T11:11:05.783-08:00

I love timelines... and Parthenon Graphics has posted a bunch. From ancient civilizations and religions to Mary Kay and Harley Davidson, you can get lost for days wondering the paths of time.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1110495886593902252005-03-10T14:42:00.000-08:002005-03-12T08:20:28.203-08:00

Pointing fingers is as old and embedded in mankind as is the nature of man to act without moral. You can witness this in the current story on Iraq prison abuses playing itself out in media.Something really bad happened. A bunch of soldiers, barely beyond their parents grasp in years, were given responsibilities far beyond their moral maturity, and through innuendo and the calamity of the moment

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1110402442732954572005-03-09T12:35:00.000-08:002005-03-09T13:10:25.166-08:00

The news that Boeing released Harry Stonecipher, its CEO, after it was revealed he was having an affair with another executive is an interesting story because it departs from the path of indifference that people have been traveling. So often we are told that a persons shortcomings in one area should not be held against them in another... what someone does in their home should not be factored into

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1110225179275004262005-03-07T11:52:00.000-08:002005-03-07T12:14:45.180-08:00

Over at CSM Ben Shapiro writes a solid opinion about changes in art expression over the years. It's a must read.One particular statement he makes is worth thinking about: "Over the past century, traditional morality has been discarded in favor of personal morality. Subjectivism in art means the death of art; subjectivism in morality means the death of a functioning society. Amorality - the lack

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1110145062724791322005-03-06T13:37:00.000-08:002005-03-06T13:53:39.646-08:00

Until the last few centuries families and commerce traveled with an army while it was at war. Information about battles, being able to witness the action and knowing the outcomes was immediate. Then it became the practice of the military to isolate itself from the civilian and dependent population as the path to war started to span across continents and oceans.So far removed we became dependent

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1110141901823261912005-03-06T12:45:00.000-08:002005-03-06T13:06:58.376-08:00

For some parents this report on the just released study by BMC Pediatrics may be as unbelievable as hearing that smoking has health benefits. Sometimes, having our outlook changed on "the way things have always been" to something different feels unrealistic.Video games stand accused of all sorts of bad things. They promote violence, they curtail the physical growth of our youth, they turn people

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1109809388279108312005-03-02T16:21:00.000-08:002005-03-02T16:23:08.280-08:00

As Seth Godin so aptly reminds us, "Change" is not a destination we arrive at. It is a destination we choose to depart for.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1109793579405122442005-03-02T11:53:00.000-08:002005-03-02T12:01:43.390-08:00

Paranoia in control once again. This just in: “The Department of Homeland Security is experimenting with a controversial new method to keep better track of immigrants who are applying to remain in the United States. It is requiring aliens in eight cities to wear electronic monitors 24 hours a day.”The big question that comes to mind is: Why is it wrong for people to go where people want to go?If

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1109772583111678962005-03-02T05:36:00.000-08:002005-03-02T06:09:43.116-08:00

Could it be argued that without 'free will' our society becomes dogmatic, predictable, and joyless? I believe that would be the case.At Caltech researchers are studying the effects of marketing on the human brain and along the way are getting "a glimpse at how the brain assembles belief." In application, this sort of understanding could create significant and long lasting change in our world. And

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1109208533301426862005-02-23T16:48:00.000-08:002005-02-23T17:28:53.303-08:00

This story in the Washington Post this morning reports on the findings that the quality of life for girls and boys is about equal according to the researchers at Duke University. What is not surprising is how quickly the study drew adamant criticism from both sides of the "this gender has it worst" crowd.It is this exact kind of debate that manipulates change to suit a few and not the many. Both

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1109205884780634252005-02-23T16:43:00.000-08:002005-02-23T16:44:44.793-08:00

Read this story in The Village Voice and make up your own mind.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1109021008979117572005-02-21T13:23:00.000-08:002005-02-21T13:26:37.983-08:00

Jim Holt at the New York Times penned an opinion that rants about the imperfections of life (at least according to Jim Holt) and, like many with a disdain for what they do not understand, made certain to point his finger at who is to blame (at least according to Jim Holt). I gather from his ranting that he does not believe in "intelligent design" and resents others that differ with his belief.I

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1108862800892623152005-02-19T17:09:00.000-08:002005-02-19T17:26:40.893-08:00

Over at TalkLeft they have been following a story of a judge who is reported to have told a rape victim to, "get over it." Meanwhile, the Standard-Times in New Bedford, MA (home of the judge and victim) is running a parallel story stating that no such exchange took place and the judge had been quite compassionate. Eventually this business will works itself out... No help from outsiders thank

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1108830895211249652005-02-19T08:31:00.000-08:002005-02-19T08:34:55.213-08:00

This just in... NASA officially separates themselves from claims of "proof of life" on Mars. My thoughts for NASA; Thank you.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1108765632216975092005-02-18T14:27:00.000-08:002005-02-18T21:51:26.046-08:00

Guardian Unlimited ran a column today on the human cost of bad science and singled out Rachel Carson's research on DDTs. What is worth noting about her research, how she reported the findings, and the subsequent sweeping changes that were made based on her findings is a case study in the complexity of hoping to know what changes may come.I do not believe scientists in general have any desire for

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1108707100487700132005-02-17T22:11:00.000-08:002005-02-17T22:16:05.846-08:00

Joseph Cooper at Christian Science Monitor pens a great column that challenges our measurment of self-worth. To quote Joseph, "... Still, each of us, in our own way, carves out a bit of history that should be set down - for our own edification, and for each of our families and a few friends." His words are worth the read. (link)

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1108682322059057262005-02-17T14:57:00.000-08:002005-02-17T15:18:42.060-08:00

Numbers between 1 and about 100 million I can comprehend. 6.5 billion (as reported over at Science Blog) is a entirely new ballpark. Living in Southern California (home to 17 million people in a five county area) I have grown accustomed to knowing there are a lot of folks around and not nearly enough land to hold us all. But economies of scale to accommodate 6.5 billion seems staggering and

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1108508531599679292005-02-15T14:29:00.000-08:002005-02-15T15:02:11.600-08:00

Geek News Central reports that a national ID card may be just around the corner following the approval of the Real ID Act by the US House of Representatives.As I have previously commented and evidenced, fear creates change. This is a good example of just such a case. The argument is that a national identification system will provide an additional layer of security and safety for our citizens with

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1108506540143109852005-02-15T14:26:00.000-08:002005-02-15T14:29:00.143-08:00

Guardian Unlimited released this interview piece that asked the question, 'Where will the next scientific revolution take us?"

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1108409582057293422005-02-14T11:31:00.000-08:002005-02-14T11:33:02.060-08:00

Over at Ripples this morning David St Lawrence wrote that blogging offers us a voice within our communities; a place to speak up, be heard, engage in conversation and form new relationships based on ideas and interest. I so much agree with David and while thinking about his words I wondered if blogging is creating change or stopping a change that was in progress. I think blogging will stop a

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1108315040254769722005-02-13T09:09:00.000-08:002005-02-13T09:17:20.256-08:00

This column by Nicholas Kristof at the NewYork Times takes the position that DNA may predispose humans toward religious faith. I'm wondering... wouldn't it make perfect sense for God to design our DNA so that we are predisposed to Him?

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1108314058376292502005-02-13T08:49:00.000-08:002005-02-13T09:04:24.786-08:00

For some, the fear of not knowing what tomorrow will bring is stronger than their fear of what is. And now some of these folks want to build machines to predict the future. In the aftermath of catastrophic events it feels pretty normal to wring our hands and frustrate over why we didn't see "it" coming. But, unless you're seated to the right or left of God I cannot conceive how it is possible to

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1108262111234306742005-02-12T18:23:00.000-08:002005-02-12T18:35:11.236-08:00

I look for change on a big scale; the things that will have far-reaching effects on life it total. Today I read this article and was reminded of how huge change can be at a personal level for a person when their world does not include any of the rest of us.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1108082071598867182005-02-10T16:08:00.000-08:002005-02-10T16:34:31.596-08:00

Zack Lynch over at Brain Waves posted a report on the Cyberonics Neurodevice targeted at treating depression. Imagine that, implant a piece of electronics in just the right place and a disease that has haunted mankind since the dawn of time might be put out of business. In the course of history, "depression" has had a long and destructive reign. Many great leaders and thinkers have been

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1108008148744176792005-02-09T20:02:00.000-08:002005-02-09T20:07:55.916-08:00

The article on the race to create life from non-life as reported by NewScientist creates more questions than answers starting with, "What?" The researchers that argue about such things have determined that the criteria for deciding if life is created is the ability of the "creation" to self-replicate and evolve independently. I do not doubt the capacity of humankind to pursue, and maybe even

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1107891206895876422005-02-08T11:30:00.000-08:002005-02-08T11:33:26.896-08:00

It may be a delivery that last more than a few hours... actually it will be millions of years before the delivery is complete, but scientists are pretty certain they've found a solar system in the making. Pretty cool stuff.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1107869551744408032005-02-08T05:00:00.000-08:002005-02-08T05:32:31.746-08:00

Corporate society observer and pundit David St Lawrence shares his views and the thoughts of his readers about our ability to entrap ourselves in the name of "progress". In every revolution of human advancement we eventually overuse our discoveries to the point of revolt. The real change society reaps in any "revolution" comes when we discover our ability to retake control from the things we

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1107797340128675812005-02-07T09:18:00.000-08:002005-02-07T09:29:48.223-08:00

A question posted on "ask Yahoo" asks, "Is the Bible copyrighted?" There is just too much material in that one question! It does beg this most obvious question. If I say something and someone else writes it down, do they now own my words? Better yet, if I say something and include in my statement that I want everyone to have free access to everything I've said, can someone else still wrestle

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1107561020137287712005-02-04T15:50:00.000-08:002005-02-04T16:25:30.890-08:00

Change has its own energy within us. When we hear things we can't conceive often it leaves a little tic-tic of fear because, though we can't conceive of the idea, we must settle it within ourselves by imagining it in terms we can relate to. What? Let me explain. Every time a scientist shouts that they have the answer to some question six others come up with something different, and the rest of

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1107495229402215472005-02-03T21:32:00.000-08:002005-02-03T21:33:49.403-08:00

Will we use technology to invade our privacy or will we use technology to spread the fear of technology.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1107387047644155302005-02-02T15:30:00.000-08:002005-02-02T16:03:12.083-08:00

I was reading the first few paragraphs of an article at New Scientist that makes the statement, "Psychologists and psychiatrists persist in treating us as if we were helpless victims of our biochemistry." The author even brought God into the argument (which I thought was a positive and open-minded approach). But it does get you to thinking.... Is there any social choice or defect of character

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1107327865613014752005-02-01T22:57:00.000-08:002005-02-01T23:05:03.726-08:00

It will never change #1: The insatiable desire of researchers to prove (yet again) that hamburgers are loaded with all of the bad things we should never eat. It will never change #2: Hamburgers taste really, really good!

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1107204820016779022005-01-31T13:31:00.000-08:002005-01-31T12:58:13.080-08:00

Evidence of change can always be witnessed in the shared fears of a society. TalkLeft offers up discussion on US Representative James Sensenbrenner's (Rep/Wisconsin) bill to require a national ID system. I believe the bill is reflective of how the world is getting "smaller" and the village getting "larger". Small is equal to the distance between me and every other person in the world. Between

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1107195898099009422005-01-31T10:06:00.000-08:002005-01-31T10:24:58.100-08:00

Wired News released an article on Albert Einstein marking the 100th anniversary of the release of some of his most influential work. In the bigger picture Albert Einstein was a true catalyst of change. It could be argued that all things will be discovered by someone at some point and that Albert Einstein was merely a random bridge to between what we did not know and what we would eventually know.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1106963325703452972005-01-28T17:07:00.000-08:002005-01-28T17:49:42.633-08:00

Are we at the end of the "information age?" Writer Daniel Pink at Wired takes a look at how we are changing and why we are moving toward a new "age".

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1106840721712797862005-01-27T07:34:00.000-08:002005-01-27T07:46:27.463-08:00

Will we create our own means of extinction through social change? After reviewing several recent studies on population trends that is the view put forth by Pavel Kohout over at Tech Central Station.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1106775928565253302005-01-26T13:40:00.000-08:002005-01-27T07:46:39.570-08:00

Thomas Freidman takes a crack at imagining what we might see in hindsight from the year 2020. If only we could know now what we will know then...

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1106698529443419782005-01-25T16:15:00.000-08:002005-01-25T16:50:00.363-08:00

I've often wondered how I came to be the way I am... or better yet, what about that guy over there!? Phew! Are we changing for the better or the worse? According to some scientists our future is narrowing. Through diligent work and with the help of a few thousand rats that volunteered to have their genes spliced, scientists have determined that if my ancestors had enjoyed a larger choice of

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1106628846024076792005-01-24T20:41:00.000-08:002005-01-24T20:54:06.026-08:00

Just a few days ago I commented that "an entire generation.../... has grown up using technology as a toy." My commentary correlated the waning of Internet Explorer as the browser of choice to a rise in the number of users that have been immersed in technology since birth. Today I ran across this great article at the shifted librarian that includes this wonderful quote, " 'We've got an entire

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1106609133181420262005-01-24T14:43:00.000-08:002005-01-24T15:26:59.773-08:00

Headline: Scientists Warn Of Global Dumbing Sometimes even the "smart" folks say dumb things. The implication that the people of the world are getting dumber, like we've hit a tipping point of some kind, is dumbness in itself. My thought is that the people overall (that's me and you too) are not any dumber now than at any other time. What has changed is our ability to know the vastness of dumb.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1106525518553088322005-01-23T15:45:00.000-08:002005-01-23T16:11:58.553-08:00

There are people that become part of the fabric of the world around us. For each of us the people and pattern is different, yet there are certain individuals a large number of us include in our fabric. These are people that touch us time and time again. They're always there and feel like part of what makes everything around us OK. Johnny Carson passed away today. I grew up watching The Late Show

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1106518519670646512005-01-23T14:01:00.000-08:002005-01-23T14:15:59.906-08:00

I came across this great commentary by Clay Sharky on the changes he's observing in the "software ecosystem." In his words: "I teach at NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP), where the student population is about evenly divided between technologists who care about aesthetics and artists who aren't afraid of machines, which makes it a pretty good place to see the future. Part of the

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1106434689553567942005-01-22T14:10:00.000-08:002005-01-22T15:47:34.506-08:00

The current buzz around the decline of Internet Explorer is a wonderful example of a larger change in society. It's the change that happens whenever "what we know" exceeds "what we're told". In this case the change is happening in technology; The catalyst is an immersed generation of technology users. When I was introduced to computers (remember Ohio State-Compuserve and MAC 512?) there were

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1106343489435060762005-01-21T13:14:00.000-08:002005-01-21T13:38:09.436-08:00

I recently started looking for a new job; It's time for a new challenge. And as an "older" worker (I'm not 50 yet but I can see the corner...) I need to consider the perceptions of decision makers when they interview an "experienced" worker. One of the jobs I was just passed over for informed me that I was "too set in my ways", which I interpreted as, "there is a right way, a wrong way, and our

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1106172357418871272005-01-19T13:55:00.000-08:002005-01-19T14:05:57.420-08:00

I seems like I am on a robotic roll here... but the news just falls in place. Emotive Alert, designed by Zeynep Inanoglu and Ron Caneel of the Media Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will analyze voice messages and label those that are urgent, happy, calm, etc., according to the caller's tone of voice to help people identify which messages are the most urgent. Just a thought;

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1106070899150739882005-01-18T09:51:00.000-08:002005-01-18T09:54:59.150-08:00

Aubrey de Grey is convinced that he has formulated the theoretical means by which human beings might live thousands of years—indefinitely, in fact. Perhaps theoretical is too small a word. De Grey has mapped out his proposed course in such detail that he believes it may be possible for his objective to be achieved within as short a period as 25 years. (Read more)

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1106066122631981122005-01-18T08:35:00.000-08:002005-01-18T09:12:19.850-08:00

The TNIV (Today's New International Version) of the Bible arrives in stores in mid-February stuffed full of new words to replace "archaic" words. A committee of collaborating scholar's were tasked with making the scripture more understandable for modern readers. At least, that is what the publisher set out to accomplish. It is true that words and connotations have changed over time. As I read

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1106001802609537532005-01-17T14:40:00.000-08:002005-01-17T14:51:54.426-08:00

How clearly change becomes visible when we listen to children as witnessed by Christine Hurt at Conglomerate.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1105978626298145502005-01-17T08:17:00.000-08:002005-01-17T08:56:08.820-08:00

Robotics keeps ticking away in the background.... An entire sub-culture of technology brains are churning away at creating machines that become independent within their purpose. Of course, you can say we already interact with "robots" daily through machines that accomplish complex tasks with minimal human input. We've already written billions of lines of code to allow these machines to make

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1105974079126834772005-01-17T06:57:00.000-08:002005-01-17T07:01:19.126-08:00

Found this article on political change linked to disaster. I also liked the quote within the article that stated, "Some natural disasters are triggers for change; others are catalysts for change already under way."

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1105893820699981822005-01-16T08:29:00.000-08:002005-01-16T08:44:45.456-08:00

Over time all things move to the center... including opinions and moral choices. I'll use "killing" for my example. The Bible specifically states that "killing" is a sin. Period. Then there are those among us who believe they should have the "right" to decide the fate of another life. This is not a discussion of capital punishment or war, but of all other instances. Now the Vatican, bowing to the

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1105799025653951052005-01-15T06:18:00.000-08:002005-01-15T06:25:01.206-08:00

Speaking of hindsight and being able to watch change as the script unfolded... Google has fully integrated the past 20 years of Usenet archives into Google Groups, which now offers access to more than 800 million messages dating back to 1981 including this classic from 1981, the TCP/IP Digest #1.

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1105591620686494972005-01-12T20:45:00.000-08:002005-01-12T20:47:48.883-08:00

I love lists! This one is soooo interesting just because hindsight is always a great topic. If we had only known....

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1105588898900946762005-01-12T19:48:00.000-08:002005-01-12T20:01:38.900-08:00

In peace it's easy to lean liberal. In times of war our domestic population becomes infiltrated with returning veterans. The result: A more conservative generation with regard to family, politics, career choices, etc. As a veteran (Vietnam) myself I can relate to seeing and feeling the difference between who I was as I entered the Marines, and who I was when it was over. Veterans of war (my

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1105445661819604182005-01-11T03:40:00.000-08:002005-01-11T04:14:21.820-08:00

What is a "Catalyst Moment?" Over a billion people have been directly and traumatically effected by the post-Christmas Tsunami of 2004. Beyond the "right now" is a billion people that will live in a decidedly different way. They will think and feel differently. They'll work differently. They'll love differently. They will treat their world and our world differently. They're already shifting

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3361421.post-1103931086824356812004-12-20T15:31:00.000-08:002005-01-11T03:18:32.000-08:00

Where better to watch change than from a home that never stands still? Use the title link to visit me at marketingcatalyst.blogspot

Bruce Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01559445381717837216noreply@blogger.com0