Too Good

To Pass Up...
“I think we have a very good constructive theory of that these days,” Dr. Wolynes said. “Many people tell me this is very contentious. I disagree violently with them.” He Says Here, speaking of glass, of all things!

Or, as we might say "I strongly contend that this is not contentious..."
I think the good professor is having a little fun with us here. It's certainly nice to see this sort of thing in the normally brittle scientific community.

Once

Upon A Time -

the Telephone was used to communicate with people. Then in the '60's the network began to be used by computers. Eventually, the people and the computers began conversing - in a sort of a way.
Today, however, is, as they say, a whole new ballgame. Or maybe it's a brave new world. Nothing seems certain to me anymore. Today's telephone is much much more!

A must-have, I bring you the iPhone! Here's what's happening in this new, okay, I feel like it's time to say it, paradigm: Trying To Connect.
Why do people flock to this painful experience? One is inclined to suspect that it is somehow related to "status". Buyer Number One gets to be Geek-For-A-Day. After which, he becomes a sucker, just like the rest of the herd. In the so very special case of the iPhone, however, the possessors seem to be pretty much like the owners of the iconic



Hummer - willing to spare no expense to put themselves to great inconvenience.
Then there's the great new feature, shared by newer model phones and cars, alike: the GPS. Also known as the "Please Stalk Me" device. Now your friends, your enemies, even your government, can find you wherever you are.
Brave New World, indeed!

Sometimes...

It's good to actually apply some actual facts...
Suicides accounted for 55 percent of the nation's nearly 31,000 firearm deaths in 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
There was nothing unique about that year — gun-related suicides have outnumbered firearm homicides and accidents for 20 of the last 25 years. In 2005, homicides accounted for 40 percent of gun deaths. Accidents accounted for 3 percent. The remaining 2 percent included legal killings, such as when police do the shooting, and cases that involve undetermined intent. (MIKE STOBBE, AP, 30 June)
Two per cent included legal killings!
That's good to know.