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Social Design Notes

Design for Democracy

AMAZON.COM MENU SERVICE!!!!!111

Best Buy’s now has the “Geek Squad“. Amazing!

More about it from SFGate

The Jewish Divide on Israel

“The divide is not only political but existential. AIPAC, the ADL and the Conference of Presidents see Palestinian suicide bombs as part of a global attack on Jews that includes everything from the murder of Daniel Pearl to the spike in anti-Jewish attacks in France; in their view, Palestinian attacks on Israelis are fueled by hatred of Jews. The peace groups believe that Israel, with one of the world’s most powerful militaries, can’t claim its existence is at risk, and they see in Israel’s occupation, separation wall and collective punishment a moral challenge to the Jewish soul.”

I think, as a Jew (among other things), that AIPAC is full of shit, and that Jews, more than ANY OTHER RELIGIOUS GROUP IN THE WORLD should be pressing for peace.

After all, when you think about it, building walls to surround Palestinians and blowing up houses sounds a lot like some things that happened to the Jews for a long time. It shouldn’t be a case of turnabout is fair play now - we should be seeking peace and helping others now that we can, not demeaning them and destroying them.

Peace Now.

Just the Numbers {PDF}

Total number of coalition military deaths between the start of war and June 16, 2004: 952 (836 U.S.)

Of those 952, the number killed after President George W. Bush declared ?an end to major combat operations? on May 1, 2003: 693

Number of U.S. troops wounded in combat since the war began: 5,134 (Number ill or injured in ?non-combat? incidents estimated to be over 11,000)

Number of U.S. troops wounded in combat since President George W. Bush declared ?an end to major combat operations? on May 1, 2003: 4,593

Number of civilian contractors, missionaries, and civilian workers killed: 50-90

Number of international media workers killed: 30

Iraqi civilians killed: 9,436 to 11,317

Iraqi civilians injured: 40,000 (est.)

Iraqi soldiers and insurgents killed prior to May 1, 2003: 4,895 to 6,370

The bill so far: $126.1 billion

Additional amount to cover operations through 2004: $25 billion

What $151 billion could have paid for in the U.S.:

Housing vouchers: 23 million

Health care for uninsured Americans: 27 mil.

Salaries for elementary school teachers: 3 mil.

New fire engines: 678,200

Head Start slots: 20 million

Estimated long-term cost of war to every U.S. household: $3,415

Amount contractor Halliburton is alleged to have charged for meals never served to troops and for cost overruns on fuel deliveries: $221 million

Kickbacks received by Halliburton employees from subcontractors: $6 million

Percentage of Americans who now feel that ?the situation in Iraq was not worth going to war over.?: 54

Percentage of Iraqis who said they would feel safer if U.S. and other foreign troops left the country immediately: 55

Percentage of U.S. soldiers in Iraq reporting low morale: 52

Percentage of soldiers who said they would not re-enlist: 50

Percentage of wounded unable to return to duty: 64

Number of soldiers whose tours of duty have been extended by the Army: 20,000

Percentage of reserve troops who earn lower salaries while on deployment: 30-40

Fraction of National Guard troops among U.S. force now in Iraq: 1/3

Percentage of U.S. police departments missing officers due to Iraq deployments: 44

Effect on al Qaeda of the Iraq war, according to International Institute for Strategic Studies: ?Accelerated recruitment?

Estimated number of al Qaeda terrorists as of May 2004: 18,000 with 1,000 active in Iraq

Percentage of Iraqis expressing ?no confidence? in U.S. civilian authorities or coalition forces: 80

Iraq?s oil production in 2002: 2.04 mil. barrels/day

Iraq?s oil production in 2003: 1.33 mil. barrels/day

Price of a gallon of gasoline in the U.S. in May 2004: more than $2

So very tired…

Funfurde: big. brother. lamp.

I would like this lamp.

1. Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you’re a
conservative radio host. Then it’s an illness and you need our prayers
for your recovery

2. The United States should get out of the United Nations, and our
highest national priority is enforcing U.N. resolutions against Iraq.

3. Government should relax regulation of Big Business and Big Money but
crack down on individuals who use marijuana to relieve the pain of illness.

4. “Standing Tall for America”; means firing your workers and moving
their jobs to India.

5. A woman can’t be trusted with decisions about her own body, but
multi-national corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind
without regulation.

6. Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary
Clinton.

7. The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in
speeches while slashing veterans’ benefits and combat pay.

8. Group sex and drug use are degenerate sins unless you someday run for governor of California as a Republican.

9. If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won’t have sex.

10. A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle our long-time allies,
then demand their cooperation and money.

11. HMOs and insurance companies have the interest of the public at heart.

12. Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy. Providing
health care to all Americans is socialism.

13. Global warming and tobacco’s link to cancer are junk science, but
creationism should be taught in schools.

14. Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush’s
daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him and
a bad guy when Bush needed a “we can’t find Bin Laden” diversion.

15. A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable
offense. A president lying to enlist support for a war in which
thousands die is solid defense policy.

16. Government should limit itself to the powers named in the
Constitution, which include banning gay marriages and censoring the
Internet.

17. The public has a right to know about Hillary’s cattle trades, but
George Bush’s driving record is none of our business.

18. You support states’ rights, which means Attorney General John
Ashcroft can tell states what local voter initiatives they have a right
to adopt.

19. What Bill Clinton did in the 1960s is of vital national interest,
but what Bush did in the ’80s is irrelevant.

20. Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.

The Uncanny Valley: “Though originally intended to provide an insight into human psychological reaction to robotic design, the concept expressed by this phrase is equally applicable to interactions with nearly any nonhuman entity. Stated simply, the idea is that if one were to plot emotional response against similarity to human appearance and movement, the curve is not a sure, steady upward trend. Instead, there is a peak shortly before one reaches a completely human ?look? . . . but then a deep chasm plunges below neutrality into a strongly negative response before rebounding to a second peak where resemblance to humanity is complete.”

From General J.C. Christian, Patriot:

“I’ve kept a list of American values vs. evildoer values for years. I like to take it out from time to time so that I can reflect on what makes this country great. Tonight, when I pulled it out of my sock drawer, I realized that it was outdated–it doesn’t reflect the new and improved values Our Leader has given us–so I revised it.”