Ethos, The Weblog
Tuesday, December 30, 2003
Austin City Planning
To view the results of the ongoing study of land use in the West University Neighborhood Planning area, just visit the site below. You can provide feedback thorough the online survey or by attending the open house on January 10th (info provided on page)
For other information on zoning or other areas of Austin, visit the second link below.
City of Austin - West University Neighborhood Planning Area
City of Austin - Zoning
Sunday, December 21, 2003
About the Author
I recently started reading Bobos in Paradise, a book by David Brooks - the new conservative writer for The Times. I first got to know him as a commentator on Newshour and now I try to read his columns when I get a chance. I can easily say that he is an enjoyable conservative, or as this article says "he's every liberal's idea of a sane conservative." I just about cracked up after reading what he was told upon starting work at a thinktank: "They give you an office and they say, 'There's coffee and cookies every day at 3:30, now go think!'"
Brooks: Bubeleh in Paradise: "' "
Effects of Campaign innovations - Very Interesting
With less reliance on the political machines of the Democratic and Republican parties, presidential (and other) hopefuls can now establish their own organizations and dissemination methods. This Post article takes a very interesting economic view of the changing methods for political campaigns with analysis of information costs(Ronald Coase's theory that smaller information-gathering costs mean smaller organizations. "That's why the Internet has made it easier for small folks, whether small firms or dark-horse candidates such as Howard Dean, to take on the big ones.") as well as transaction costs.
Q: What will happen when a national political machine can fit on a laptop? A: See below (washingtonpost.com)
The Changing Times of Christmas Lighting
Virginia Postrel, the author of the beforementioned book The Substance of Style, comments on how a changing economy affects the annual aesthetic lighting displays we see around our neighborhoods. Now, lights are cheaper and much better made, affording larger and better designs. Companies have been started for the sole purpose of contracting your lighting setup, and landscaping companies now expand their services in the winter for such contracts. Why, "the pleasure of twinkling Christmas lights offers real value."
Reason
Saturday, December 20, 2003
A Story of Hair
I've never been so intrigued by the idea of human hair. The Economist takes a socliological and biological look at why we have hair, why we aren't completely hairy, and why we have a fascination with shaving it.
Economist.com | Human hair
Sunday, December 14, 2003
Voter Registration
Take some time before or during the holidays to register to vote if you have not already or to change your address for your current residence. (Thanks Romain!)
Travis County Voter Registration
Uncovering Archimedes
This article will provide a good respite from the news of the day. New analysis of an ancient Archimedes manuscript provides further insight on something previously dismissed as a kid's game. Instead, scholars now see the Stomachion as a study of combinatorics, a field that really didn't start until recent times.
In Archimedes’ Puzzle, a New Eureka Moment
Saturday, December 13, 2003
Historical yet Predictive Future of Education
I ran across this Fall 2000 Atlantic Monthly interview with policy analyst and education historian Dianne Ravitch (definitely read her Left Back if you have a chance). I feel that she has a wonderful understanding of the past course of American education and addresses some very pertinent issues such as standards testing, Head Start, and use of the SAT. While her views aren't expressed in-depth through the interview, just reading older thoughts on current issues is quite interesting.
An interesting note: Ms. Ravitch was an educational policy advisor to the Bush campaign but is also a fellow at the Brookings Institution, normally seen as democratic leaning.
Interview - 2000.11.01
Friday, December 12, 2003
A Report on Global Information Technology Policy
openDemocracy reports on the global UN summit organized by the International Telecommunications Union. The conference plans to address issues of the global digital divide, internet governance, data security, and general issues dealing with tech policy. Of course, countries have already started disagreeing, such as China's objections to free speech rights through digital media.
The WSIS: whose freedom, whose information? Solana Larsen - openDemocracy
Thursday, December 11, 2003
Opinionated and Original
So would my posting this article be conforming to other's ideas?
Telegraph | Arts | Opinionated and proud to admit it
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Dramatic Move in School Financing
New York state will soon see a new system of school finance, one that will surely be noticed across the country. The system's regents have decided to work from a zero-based budget analysis, meaning that the next budget will have no basis on old budgets. They have been conducting an in-depth analysis of that a "good education" should cost based on well performing districts, and the new budgets will be based upon those figures.
For those of you who may not know, Texas will be instituting a new system of school finance this spring during a legislative special session (the previous Robin Hood plan is to be scrapped by 2005).
New York Regents to Propose Overhaul in School Financing
Summer College Programs...A Requirement?
Summer programs at top universities are becoming more popular for high schoolers with Ivy aspirations. I think that such opportunities can show an individual's academic abilities and interests, but I fear that these programs that help with admissions may simply replicate the student's social class. With the tuition in the thousands, I doubt that many lower or middle class families can afford the opportunity, much less give up that minimum wage job that a lot of teens take up. Also, I would guess that the students of such programs come from well-educated parents who know of such opportunities and their importance.
Advanced Resume Enhancement (washingtonpost.com)
Thursday, December 04, 2003
Back in the USA
I've returned after my brief trip and I'll start posting again soon. I'm especially interested in all of the articles I've read recently on the raising costs of higher education, something more of a national epidemic than I expected.
