Didactic Synapse

Deviant SynCast #52: Resist Cynicism, Believe in the Transcendent!

The new show is (finally) up! Sorry for the delay — Diane’s on Spring Break this week, and for some reason I feel extra silly talking into a mic by myself.

(I don’t mind doing the VeteranGamers podcast when she’s around, but I’m very self-conscious when it’s just me and the mic.)

I start out with Kony, because everyone’s talking about it (and more than a few people are asking me about it). I have a lot more to say about it, so I keep it short — but I promise to write a post here about all of it soon. Thank you for your patience!

Please send feedback to esp (at) fbesp.org or leave comments here (or post in the new chatbox). Here are the links for this week:

Kony 2012

• The original video (in case you — somehow — haven’t seen it)
• Amnesty International on Kony
• Take action to end the use of child soldiers

Iran and Weapons Inspections

• Military officials urge Obama not to go to war with Iran
• FAIR: Spying in Iraq, from Fact to Allegation
• Boston Herald on CIA Pakistan fake-vaccination scheme (archived)
• Full article in the Guardian on CIA fake vaccines

Economics: High-Frequency Trading

• The Economist on HFT (note call for regulation at the end!)
• Wikipedia: 2010 Flash Crash
• WSJ: Mini ‘Crashes’ Hit Commodity Trade
• Senators Kaufman and Levin: Preventing the Next Flash Crash
• BusinessWeek: Chilton calls for regulation of HFT
• NYT: Why I Am Leaving Goldman Sachs

Pop Culture, Killer Robots, etc.

• Did Banksy rip off Sean Tejaratchi?
• FoxNews: Robot cheetah sets new speed record
• Richard Thieme: My Last Talk with Gary Webb