Hilarious elevator fun. I'm assuming that this experiment was conducted by an old TV show called "Candid Camera." The results remind me of Soloman Asch's social psych experiments from the mid 50's. Actually you'll see and feel the social pressures of riding an elevator most days, as people typically become silent during the ride.
Bradley Manning will be tried by the U.S. government, and there will not be open media access to the proceedings. This might suggest to a reasonable person that the U.S. government has something to hide. That's what the U.S. government would say about some other country that is not giving the media easy access to the proceedings. Kevin Gosztola of FDL explains:
A challenge against secrecy in court martial proceedings for Pfc. Bradley Manning, who is accused of releasing classified information to WikiLeaks, was filed in the Army Court of Criminal Appeals (ACCA) on Thursday. The challenge—a petition for extraordinary relief—is being submitted to order the judge to grant the press and the public access to court filings, such as government motions, court orders and transcripts of proceedings. . . . While I have concerns about the constitutional implications posed by a government intent to convict Manning in secret, I find that my experience as a credentialed media reporter, who has been attending Manning’s legal proceedings since December of last year, gives me the authority and obligation to oppose the ridiculousness that is the judge’s decision to dismiss concerns from the press about lack of access to court filings. And so, I support this challenge as a member of the press whose job has been complicated unnecessarily by the government’s penchant for secrecy in the Manning proceedings. . . . Secrecy makes it likely Manning’s trial will be improper and unfair. As a soldier who is accused of one of the biggest leaks or security breaches in history, Manning deserves a trial that is much more open.
How can I be more efficient, both at work and elsewhere? How can I focus my efforts to be one of those people who gives annoying cliche, "110% effort?" I was recently reminded of a book that provides a metaphor for my personal quest to be efficient, but it also provides a powerful lesson on the topic of artificial boundaries. First, a bit of background. About 12 years ago, I had the opportunity to audit several graduate-level seminars taught by philosopher Andy Clark while he was on the faculty at Washington University in St. Louis. Andy often stressed that cognition should not be conceptualized as merely the firing of neurons within a human skull. This idea is central to his writings. In a book Andy wrote in 1997, Being There: Putting Brain, Body, and World Together Again, he tells a fish story. It is the scientific story of the astounding swimming efficiency of fish, and it is also a caveat that we humans are so utterly interconnected with our environments that we need to stop characterizing those things outside of our bodies and brains as obstacles to our accomplishments. The following excerpt is from page 219-220, the beginning of the chapter titled "Minds, Brains, and Tuna: a Summary and Brine."
In this TED talk by Chris Anderson, you'll hear many questions, but you'll hear no answers:
Memorial Day Question: Why do we need to honor 6,440 U.S. soldiers who died in Afghanistan and Iraq?
Answer: Because they were asked to go there.
To put this day into perspective, I've re-published this image by "ARG" at Pixwit (with permission of the artist):
Additional note from the artist:
Chicken Heart Winner (Five-deferment Dick) November 17, 2005: As Vice President Dick Cheney attacks the Democrats for questioning the honesty of the president's warmaking, Congressman John Murtha, himself a decorated Korean War and Vietnam War combat veteran and a staunch warhawk, announces it's time to bring the troops home. Concerning Mr. Cheney's ranting, Murtha resorted to uncharacteristic sarcasm: "I like guys who got five deferments and have never been there and send people to war and then don't like to hear suggestions about what needs to be done." Concerning Cheney's lack of military service, he's on record: "I had other priorities in the '60s than military service."