Classes have started at Columbia. I'm taking a class in emerging technologies with Jack McGourty, a dean at the school of engineering. I foretell no boredom. My team is starting to think about a failed technology to study (the more recent the better) (can I just say "Blu-Ray" already?) and an emerging technology to study. The team's interests include privacy, energy, literature/film, and financial systems; suggestions are welcome.

I've been trying to get out of the habit of mindlessly polishing off my RSS feeds in the morning. It keeps me from getting to work on time, it scrambles the brain, and it's better as a relaxing activity at night. But this morning I couldn't sleep and woke up way early and found some stuff you might like.

Hal's the dungeon master for the Dungeons & Dragons game I'm in. If you're into literary quotes, hoo boy is his blog for you. A few days ago he mused on his experiences with society, friends, and moral standards. A grain of salt is in the comments.

Today's Achewood comic strip includes a golden put-down for the strategically disinclined.

Hugo Schwyzer's "Another post on marriage, social policy, choice and necessity" articulates:

How great and glorious it would be, the right fantasizes, if we could transfer the social costs of caring for the vulnerable away from the public and back on to the shoulders of wives and mothers!

In the ensuing discussion, different people differ strongly in answering the question: Which is more coercive, the family or the government?

Yay, an Indian-American making a stand for due process! Yes, I give a special little cheer when I see members of my clubs (Indian-Americans, women, Americans, geeks, etc.) Doing The Right Thing.

I often post one-off links in the del.icio.us feed that Leonard and I share and always tag them sumana, in case that interests you. That feed is more tech.