Decentralized power can be expressed through a distributed economic infrastructure. There are many benefits to this, and it can help strengthen communities as well as stabilize a national economy. With the rise of the network as a model of organization, there is a new approach to fulfilling economic needs.

 
Here is a new project for observing asteroids in space. The sheer numbers and the required manpower means that new organizational methods must be used. The same process for computing radio signals from outer space can be applied in this endeavor.

 
Here is an interesting online application. It mixes the form of one established website with the content of another. It provides an interesting display of how a message is shaped by presentation as well as its writing.

 
Even though it is weeks after Christmas, here is an interesting article that looks at the symbolism of Santa Claus. Specifically, it demonstrates how the figure of this character can be related to shamans of ancient Northern Europe who collected psychoactive mushrooms.

 
On the eve of the Iowa caucus, there is a four-way tie with Dean, Kerry, Edwards, and Gephardt. This means that Dennis Kucinich has a good chance of being in fifth place, which signifies that his progressive campaign still has a chance to survive the primary season. It is vital that this message continues in order to revive the progressive base that the Democrats need in order to win the general election.

 
Diplomatic matters require the resolution of international disputes. It can be a precarious endeavor, but here is a proposition that argues for a mathematical quantification of civil wars. It is a method that allows for the possibility of treaties and peace between warring factions in a fair and reasonable way.

 
In the increasing flow of information, there is the formation of a type of control based on content and a standardized narrative. The response to such a situation is tactical media that creates some sort of autonomy in this age of total information control. It is the taking apart of the system to create alternative realities as a method of liberation.

 
One of the unfortunate side-effects of modern development is urban sprawl. It requires a dependence on cars and results in the decay of the urban center. There is alternatives to the current situation, and they place an emphasis on mixed use environments and everything in walking distance. These are solutions to the alienating aspects of the modern city and suburbs.

 
Here is an interesting source of input from other countries on the 2004 election. The argument is that since the United States is the sole superpower, the next election affects other nations to such a large degree that their opinion matters.

 
The Oscars are coming up earlier this year, so here is my predictions for the nomiantions:

Best Picture:
The Last Samurai
The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King
Mystic River
American Splendor
Elephant

Best Actor:
Ken Watanabe, "The Last Samurai"
Sean Penn, "Mystic River"
Anthony Hopkins, "The Human Stain"
Bill Murray, "Lost In Translation"
Ben Kingsley, "House Of Sand And Fog"

Best Actress:
Nicole Kidman, "Cold Mountain"
Charlize Theron, "Monster"
Gwyneth Paltrow, "Sylvia"

Best Supporting Actor:
Tim Robbins, "Mystic River"
Eugene Levy, "A Mighty Wind"
Albert Finney, "Big Fish"

Best Supporting Actress:
Patricia Clarkson, "Pieces of April"

Best Director:
Clint Eastwood, "Mystic River"
Christopher Guest, "A Mighty Wind"
Gus Van Sant, "Elephant"
Tim Burton, "Big Fish"
Peter Jackson, "The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King"

Best Foreign Movie:
The Barbarian Invasions

 
The installment of many dictators in the 20th century was due in part to the United States and its suspicion of anything resembling communism. Here is a visual aid in examining the "friendly" oppressive regimes in the world as a side effect of the Cold War and other foreign policy issues.