Sunday, December 21, 2003

Networks Find Reality Has Become a Part of Life. In a startlingly quick reversal of strategy, executives at the broadcast networks are disavowing their previous disavowals of reality programming. By Bill Carter. [New York Times: Business] 10:57:07 PM    comment []

The Rewards of Persistence. Why do some people keep to a plan for only a few minutes while others follow through on their goals and zoom to the top? By Abby Ellin. [New York Times: Business] 8:21:16 PM    comment []

Are RFID Dangers Vastly Overhyped?. In "RFID security scares ignore facts," META Group analysts write that we all should understand RFID technology before debating whether or not its usage is putting our privacy in danger. In a nutshell, these analysts say that the range of these tags is only a few feet at most, and they do not contain any personally identifiable information. And they add that while a tag costs only pennies, the total cost of deployment by a retailer will hit millions of dollars. This summary will help you answer the question: Is RFID technology potentially dangerous for our privacy or not? [Smart Mobs] 8:19:36 PM    comment []

Andrew sarcasms Security Alert HIGH! RUN AWAY! AUGH!. 5:31:08 PM    comment []

Adrift With the Trick, the Tapes and the Passage of Time. At the National Archives annex, the reruns of the Nixon White House tapes still play as the ultimate political reality show. By Francis X. Clines. [New York Times: Opinion] 10:05:36 AM    comment []

Fascinating entry from philg, titled Godforsaken Sea, inspired by Derek Lundy's Godforsaken Sea, a book about a solo non-stop sailboat race from France through some of the world's roughest waters and back. In about half the cases you don't make it back at all, leaving your capsized boat to sink while you bob about in a liferaft waiting for the Australian military to pick you up, says philg. And therein lies the inspiration for ruminating about things like optimal amounts and intervals for sleep and tolerance for risk that are reflected in the post. He also cites Antoine De Saint-Exupery's Wind, Sand and Stars, "Condoms and seat belts: the parallels and the lessons", (Richens J, Imrie J, Copas A, Lancet, 2000 Jan 29;355(9201):400-3), and Redefining Airmanship. Check it out. 10:02:21 AM    comment []

SUNDAY COMICS [Begging To Differ] 9:54:21 AM    comment []