Thales to Thatcher, Anaximander to Bush

Thales to Thatcher, Anaximander to Bush – A draft history of philosophy from Miles Hodges [via Jorn]. Rich summary of early stuff, getting a bit thin on content towards the modern day, but with interesting headings and links. In fact this is a review of the western world view contrasted with more oriental cultures – though Islam seems to be brushed aside ?

So it’s true – Google Buys Blogger

So it’s true – Google Buys Blogger. Dan Gillmor reporting at SiliconValley.com [via Jorn][via Slashdot]. As Jorn asks, why Blogger – the pioneers – as opposed to RadioUserland or MoveableType, the more sophisticated. Still, can’t complain – Google’s fine by me.

No coincidence ? Evhead goes offline [via Robb]

The Empire That Dare Not Speak Its Name

Rudyard Kipling – The White Man’s Burden. Interesting to see the final part of Empire by Niall Ferguson on UK’s Channel 4 and its characterisation of US dominance arising out of the fall of the British Empire. Britain “doing the right thing” in opposing two other evil empires at the cost of its own and a huge debt and reliance on the US, foreseen by Kipling. The Mahdi uprising in Iraq in 1880’s and parallels with Al Qaeda. US global brand domination, speed of light comms and speed of sound gunships – US Empire by any other name. Some thought provoking stuff to follow-up.

The 80/20 Rule in Blogging Communities

The 80/20 Rule in Blogging Communities. This piece from Clay Shirky has been bouncing around the blogosphere for some days – but I hadn’t spotted its significance until today. Most people are referring to “Power Law” from its title Power Law, Weblogs and Community. Part of the thesis, from my original manifesto is that Power Law distribtions (80/20 Rule) are in some way a natural part of all human endeavours. This paper includes statistical evidence and other research demonstrating this behaviour in clustering of hits around given sites in particular blogging communities, and concluding that it is natural and predictable, and further more the wider and freer the choice / access the more pronounced is the effect. Democracy creates inequality if you will – it’s natural, it’s human nature.

Sifry’s blog on this subject is interesting in suggesting that it is possible to hold this conclusion as both true and false, depending on the “scale” at which you view the situation, since there are levels of clustering within the overall statistical average view. Fractality at play here.