Category: News
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Remember: a criminal conviction is not justice
When I found out that George Zimmerman had been acquitted of all charges in the death of Trayvon Martin, I had the feeling of having someone reach in and pull my stomach out of my body. Then I realized something was wrong. I couldn’t believe that I was the person hoping that Zimmerman would be…
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Yes, this is like Minority Report, but not like you think
How awful to use the phrase, “cannibal cop” but if you’re in NYC, odds are you know what I’m talking about: Gilberto Valle, convicted this week for conspiracy to commit kidnapping. I can’t comment on any of the specifics of the case, although it is true that the phrase “ugly thoughts” doesn’t begin to describe…
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No one Should Kill or Die for my Smartphone
Even though I have a fair amount of gadgets (MacBook Pro, G1 smartphone, Lumix camera, Flip, the list goes on…), I have not done a great job tracking the impact of buying and using them. Well, it’s time for me to make sure that my enjoyment of these things doesn’t cost other people their lives.…
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I Almost Bought the Story of Stuff at Powell’s Last Night
What a treat to see Annie Leonard at Powell’s last night talking about the new The Story of Stuff book. Powell’s ran out of copies for sale, so I left empty-handed even though I was all set to buy it. I’ll have to trot down there later for a copy. Leonard’s approach to engaging people…
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Portland in Solidarity with People of Iran
I made it to the candlelight vigil in solidarity with the people of Iran at PSU last night. There were over 300 people there to show their support, and people observed a moment of silence for those who had been killed by “security forces” in Tehran. I got my “We are all Iranians” button and…
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A Sad Day for this Trekkie
I finally went and saw the new Star Trek movie, and enjoyed it… and that’s the problem. Great visuals, cool gadgets, beautiful faces, a driving plot that kept my eyes riveted to the screen… but Gene Roddenberry’s gift for holding out a hopeful vision of the future? Gone, baby. And two of the most important…
