be the change you want to see in the world

I am increasingly frustrated by the structure of discourse on the Internet. I’m not talking about grammar or rhetoric or anything like that. I’m talking about how exchanges that happen between the various people involved in a “thread” are displayed onscreen. There are lots of ways to represent a thread. None of them are any good. Time for a new one that gives the reader an ability to contextualize by reference backward in a manner whereby everything stays on the screen.

Right now we tend to display threads in vertical space only. We have dynamic nesting, but that is still just a collapse of verticality. Why not a combination of vertical and horizontal? Kind of like the Mac Finder file view that shows directories side-by-side and files listed vertically. Eventually one would scroll off the screen horizontally if a thread went deep enough. but I think it would be gain for online discussions if an original post or posts occupied the first vertical column, responses the second, responses to responses the third, etc. All these columns can scroll vertically so the referent comment is always on screen. Also, like the Mac finder view, the last column is always refering back to a single comment in the column previous. Narrow columns are not a problem since it is proven we read better that way (think newspapers).

I’ll conclude by saying I don’t know how to do this. Some trick of javascript and CSS positioning might do. One would need to be able to load and change the contents of a single page dynamically. I’ve seen an ability to do this on DKOS, for exmaple.

Any ideas anyone?

A new book by James Lovelock tells us that - well - we’re screwed.

The world has already passed the point of no return for climate change, and civilisation as we know it is now unlikely to survive, according to James Lovelock, the scientist and green guru who conceived the idea of Gaia - the Earth which keeps itself fit for life.

In a profoundly pessimistic new assessment, published in today’s Independent, Professor Lovelock suggests that efforts to counter global warming cannot succeed, and that, in effect, it is already too late.

Other research supports the idea that there will be a feedback loop that amplifies the effects in our lifetimes - indeed over the next decade. The effects may be a cataclysm. Doomsday. The final act of the human race.

In the United States we have an administration that still won’t recognize climate change at all. Let’s hope its the last one to make that grave error on behalf of contributors in the Energy sector.

We hear our older statemen say - “Oh, we don’t really know what’s going on. Could be anything that’s causing this.” And yet, an ever growing chorus of thousands of world class scientists continue to sound the alarm bells. Something IS happening. Ignore it at all our peril.

All our silly debates about cuts to the GST make not one iota of difference when Earth becomes inhospitable to human life. We may still have a chance to fix this. Even if we don’t, what choice do we have but to make emmissions reduction the number one political issue of our lifetimes. It is a struggle we cannot afford to lose. Not for ourselves, or for our children. My ten week old daughter deserves my best effort. What about you and yours?

If you were ever deluded enough to think the Republican Party actually puts people (i.e. soldiers in this case) ahead of big business, think again. Just in from John Kerry:

In the very early hours this morning, Republican Senators, in a desperate legislative maneuver, have attached an arctic drilling proposal to the defense bill. They’re putting oil companies ahead of our troops. Senator McCain got it right when he called this maneuver “disgusting.”

If you agree, call your Senator now and help us get this special interest giveaway off the bill that is supposed to be helping our troops.

Call your Senators and tell them to stand up against this Republican abuse of power

The Military Officer’s Association of America predicted this tactic last week: “We’re concerned that insertion of any divisive, non-defense related issues at the last minute could further delay enactment of this crucial legislation. Both defense bills are urgently needed to support our military efforts. Congress is already three months late passing them, and needs to get off the dime.”

Yesterday, a group of five high-profile generals sent a letter to Senator Frist that said: “It is not helpful to attach such a controversial non-defense legislative issue to a defense appropriations bill. It only invites delay for our troops as Congress debates an important but controversial non-defense issue on a vital bill providing critical funding for our nation’s security.”

Republican leaders know that drilling in the Arctic Refuge has nothing to do with this critical defense legislation. They know that just weeks ago, the arctic drilling proposal didn’t have the votes to pass in the light of day because it’s wrong for America. Now, the Republicans know where our generals stand on this matter. Will you join us in making them listen to our military?

My new daughter, Verity Ella Naomi.