Sunday, June 15, 2003

hoder on New hopes for change from inside Iran: After the surprising and frankly written open letter that 130+ MPs wrote to the leader, Khamenei, the political atmosphere in Iran has changed a little bit. If a chalice of poison should be swallowed, it should be done (now) before the whole establishment and the country's independence and territorial integrity is jeopardized they wrote. Another statement by one of the most prominent students groups followed the letter, demanding Khamenei either to choose democracy or end of the regime. Although I think monarchy-backed exile satelite stations that are based in California, have exaggerated and interfered with the honest recent protests in Tehran, the political atmosphere in Iran is shifting to a more radical approach to reform, which does't limit itself to current framework. They never accepted that the problem is with the constitution and the unlimited power of the leader based on it. Now some of them are saying that every possible solution to reform the system is blocked by unelected power institutions and they have no choice other than demanding a big change in the constituion. Some traditional parts of the reformist movement such as Rohaniun Mobarez, in which Parliament's speaker and the President Khatami Despite are major members, have disagreed with going further than the initial framework. But the majority of reformists, headed by younger Jebheye Mosharekat members, are gradually speaking up about this matter. (Sorry, I coudn't find English resources for many of the mentioned issues.) He also notes that Babak Payami, Iranian film director was arrested and released after two days. Never mind Bush, never mind monarchist exiles. Know that plenty of ordinary American people are hoping for Good Things for the people of Iran, for real freedoms and real peace and real prosperity. 8:49:08 PM    comment []

Permalinks and Why They Matter. Tom Coates: On Permalinks and Paradigms... There are some things that become so ubiquitous and familiar to us - so... [Dan Gillmor's eJournal] 8:31:09 PM    comment []

Ambient Orb: Calm Technology. Ambient Orb is a new gadget that runs wirelessly and unobtrusively reflects changes in market trends or the weather — an example of what John Seely Brown and Mark Weiser (father of Ubicomp), once called "calm technology." (Thanks, Alison!) [Smart Mobs] 8:30:28 PM    comment []

What happens when you take a really cheap, really light digital camera and stick it on your lapel? Here are a dozen pictures, selected randomly each time you load the page, from the camera in San Francisco. The Amazing Lapel Cam. (thanks, voidmstr!) 9:24:10 AM    comment []

'Isaac Newton': Do Sit Under the Apple Tree. James Gleick's life of Isaac Newton, which is now the biography of choice for the interested layman, reveals the eccentricities of genius. By Owen Gingerich. [New York Times: Science] 8:50:04 AM    comment []

'The Bug': The Postmodern Prometheus. Ellen Ullman reinvents the story of Frankenstein and his sentient beast as an allegory for the birth of the computer. By Benjamin Anastas. [New York Times: Technology] 8:48:33 AM    comment []

R.I.P., Bernard Williams. Chris is cataloging obits. Guardian Times Telegraph 8:46:04 AM    comment []

Learning a Little Discipline, by Jeanne S. Zaino, in The Chronicle of Higher Education. One of the first things I learned this year as a newcomer to the tenure track is that most students do not take advantage of my office hours during the semester. A few drop by on a regular basis to ask questions or just chat, but they are a distinct minority. During final exams, however, the reverse is true, and even the most recalcitrant seem to find their way up the steep flight of stairs to my little office. They come to seek help on papers and exams, to check on their grade, or to request extra credit -- at least that is what they say they want. What they are actually seeking, I think, is something more. They ask about the substance of the material or the mechanics of the course, but what they really want to know is how they are going to manage the enormous workload on top of their other responsibilities -- whether it be jobs, extracurricular activities, clubs, organizations, sports, family, or friends. It is no surprise that during exam week many students feel swamped, isolated, and overwhelmed. I can relate. Not only was I a student not so long ago, but as a new faculty member -- and one who gave birth to a baby during my first year on the tenure track -- I have struggled with the same feelings much of this academic year. 3:42:39 AM    comment []