-
Home / underappreciated
Mention of eugenics inevitably results in whoops of horror, gnashing of hair, rending of teeth, and discussion of Hitler. Occasionally, however, matters of importance merit discussion even if they...
Remember Monty Python’s “Argument Clinic,” where Michael Palin is trying to procure an argument from John Cleese? Palin is frustrated that Cleese won’t move past contradictions. He insists...
This tactic is so common that it was given a name for hundreds of years ago.
“False flag terrorism” is defined as a government attacking its own people, then blaming others in order to justi...
They're jealous, he says, they side with rulers, and they don't understand how markets work.
"Intellectuals have always disdained commerce" says Whole Foods Market co-founder John Mackey. T...
On Tuesday, July 14, Mark Weiner exited the regional jail in Charlottesville, Virginia, having been incarcerated there for a crime he never committed. He was facing nearly a decade in prison after be...
The stories are heart-wrenching. In addition to his blog, this is from an NPR story that discusses how Chris and his wife spent $8 million to buy and re-fit a 136-foot ship to save hundreds of th...
...“Cameras actually distort the story. The story already happened. The story began with policy and apexed with Freddie Gray’s death. The story is simple. Gray died in state custody. Unlikely a...
It's no more scientifically valid than a BuzzFeed quiz. I've taken the MB test two times. It was clear to me from the questions that they could be answered so many different ways depending on context....
Prevention is the secret to a happy dental life and long term health. Brushing is great but it doesn't remove all the bacterial film between your teeth. Flossing is the key to complete what brushing s...
Gay community, I am your daughter. My mom raised me with her same-sex partner back in the ’80s and ’90s. She and my dad were married for a little while. She knew she was gay before they got mar...
★ What is this site about?
It's about learning a new habit: Writing. Every. Day.
I've long been inspired by an idea I first learned about in The Artist's Way called morning pages. Morning ...
Binyamin Netanyahu’s dramatic declaration to world leaders in 2012 that Iran was about a year away from making a nuclear bomb was contradicted by his own secret service, according to a top-secret Mo...
Why is dating so difficult? Perhaps a parable will help explain:
An old Cherokee chief was teaching his grandson about life...
"A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy....
John Perry Barlow (the author of this article) used to be a songwriter for the Grateful Dead and is a co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). It is as on-point today as it was when i...
...I found at least 19 different ATMs that all apparently had been hacked from the inside and retrofitted with tiny, sophisticated devices that store and transmit stolen card data and PINs wireless...
The group is called Vocal Sampling.
The group is called Vocal Sampling.
Important takeaways:
Don't get Internet in your car
Hackers often provide a great service to the world
Hackers should be car manufacturers' best friends
Car manufacturers are not to be...
“The statue pays homage to three who said no to war, to the lies that lead to war and to the intrusion into private life that helps to perpetuate war,” said Dormino, the artworks creator.
Be...
tl/dr:
Given that marrying the wrong person is about the single easiest and also costliest mistake any of us can make (and one which places an enormous burden on the state, employers and the nex...
I am absolutely getting this setup. THIS is what I consider food porn:
Stirring, adjusting the temperature, pouring and adding ingredients are all basic skills for a chef but they’re slightly...
I don’t believe in religious freedom.
Freedom should have nothing to do with one’s religious beliefs or lack thereof. The reason we intuitively have a concept like freedom is because we...
After reading Rand's most famous work, Atlas Shrugged, I find my thoughts on politics and life profoundly inspired. Her characters and philosophical convictions are unapologetically pragmatic and sim...
Funnyman, Jim Carrey, was on hand to give a moving commencement address to Maharishi University of Management's class of 2014 in which he revealed how his late father inspired him to follow his dream...
On March 29, 2014, ten 3D printed houses, each measuring 200 square meters, appeared in Shanghai, China. The buildings were created entirely out of concrete using a gigantic 3D printer, and each cost...
Learn how to burn fat and build muscle naturally, backed up by science. The one-stop resource for nutrition and exercise information.
The process by which the progressive mindset causes increases in the size, scope and power of government never ceases. Robert Wenzel, a leading Liberty Movement blogger, posted a list of things th...
I think the ignorance that surrounds sex is absolutely astounding. People tend to think that the way we think about and view sex here in our culture and time is the way it’s always been and...
14-year-old Naomi Horn says the heroine of JK Rowling's Harry Potter series remains a depressingly rare example of a fictional female respected for her education and intelligence. In Hermione&rsqu...
As a growing movement of unschoolers believe, a steady diet of standardized testing and indoor inactivity is choking the creativity right out of our kids. The alternative: set 'em free.
From the Wired article:
Set to the tune of disgraced crooner Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” we present you with “Word Crimes,” a takedown of English language abuse...
By Hans-Hermann Hoppe
June 23, 2014
In the most fundamental sense we are all, with each of our actions, always and invariably profit-seeking entrepreneurs.
Whenever we act, we employ some...
The best way to raise financially responsible children is to teach them cause and effect. The idea is simple: Give kids logical consequences and explanations for your decisions. When possible, include...
The first virtue is curiosity. A burning itch to know is higher than a solemn vow to pursue truth. To feel the burning itch of curiosity requires both that you be ignorant, and that you desire to rel...
A Colorado teenager named Coltyn Turner just celebrated the 22nd month of his debilitating Crohn's Disease being in remission, after beginning cannabis oil treatment. Turner's recovery has been nothi...
The wonders of stem cell therapy are being realized in a breakthrough medical trial that has reversed and halted the effects of multiple sclerosis (MS). This disease can suddenly attack healthy youn...
A genetically engineered version of a virus that normally causes cold sores shows real promise for treating skin cancer, say researchers.
The modified herpes virus is harmless to normal cells but...
Chris Anderson, who runs TED Talks, calls Musk “the world’s most remarkable living entrepreneur.” Others know him as “the real life Iron Man,” and not for no reason—Jon Favreau actually...
A test that uses gold nanoparticles to detect early-stage prostate cancer costs less than $1, returns results in minutes and is more accurate than standard PSA screening, pilot studies show. The new t...
A little late for Valentine's Day but still very funny!
Because I enjoy watching dance, a friend suggested I sample a few So You Think You Can Dance videos. Although I don't deny the talent of the performers, this pretty much explains much of what I saw...
Additionally, the spreadsheet of the compiled results (organized by state) is here.
“One of the indictments of civilizations is that happiness and intelligence are so rarely found in the same person.”
They’ve been popping up on campus all semester: intricately worked chalkboard messages with one signature, #dangerdust.
Dangerdust has captured the attention of students and taken social m...
A bioengineer and geneticist at Harvard’s Wyss Institute have successfully stored 5.5 petabits of data — around 700 terabytes — in a single gram of DNA, smashing the previous DNA data density...
editorial posted by
c_prompt
in csstemplates
valME had a major upgrade yesterday. There are a few important changes regarding .css/style sheets.
In the past, we've allowed users to add <style> tags to their posts and comments even thou...
Our category of identity traps us into its mold and this mold helps to shape our thoughts and behaviors. In this case, it is very much the person’s identification of himself as heterosexual...
Researchers have developed a high-tech method to rid the body of infections - even those caused by unknown pathogens. A device inspired by the spleen can quickly clean blood of everything from Escheri...
Hongjie Dai and colleagues have developed a cheap, emissions-free device that uses a 1.5-volt battery to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen gas could be used to power fuel cells in zer...
by Jason Stotts
Summary: Our language related to sex must be expanded to capture all of the variations that we see in real life. And we need to understand this because sex is good and a valua...
The astonishing history of the amazing visionary and Russian engineer Lev Sergeyevich Termen, the pure awesomeness of the theremin he invented, and how technology can concentrate power and be used to...
The neurotic journey of moving to Europe and taking all my clothes off in Germany
Registered kids receive 2 free games of bowling every day all summer long (valued at over $500 per child)
editorial posted by
b_independent
in askvalME
Perhaps it's cliché, but it is said there aren't any second chances in life. Religious beliefs aside, you get one shot at life and that's it. Death is inevitable. There isn't...
valME.io is like reddit but where karma converts to money. We want to help people profit when they add value to others. We're testing PeerTube's video platform* to support the goals of valME.io's con...
A short film based on Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives, a book by neuroscientist David Eagleman.
In the afterlife you relive all your experiences, but this time with the events reshuf...
Abstract
This paper introduces Google Votes, an experiment in liquid democracy built on Google's internal corporate Google social network. Liquid democracy decision-making systems can scale to cov...
editorial posted by
Clarisse88
in AdviceAnimals
‘Bout that time again, eh chaps? That’s right-o, it’s April Fool’s Day Again. But you’ve got stuff to do. You don’t have time for any funny business. So we’re here to collect all the...
A deeper look at what brought Tony Hsieh, CEO of the online shoe store Zappos.com, billion dollar success.
The coverage of HSBC in Britain's Daily Telegraph is a fraud on its readers. If major newspapers allow corporations to influence their content for fear of losing advertising revenue, democracy itself...
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Rumi, he was a Persian poet who lived more than 800 years ago and who wrote some of the most beautiful and most profound words that were ever written. There...
And those guidelines apply not only when the alleged victim may have been incapacitated by drink or drugs but when she has mental health problems or the accused held some sort of position of power....
And Harrelson himself understands Katniss' unwillingness to live by rules that are meaningless to her.
"I'm an anarchist. You've got to defy certain unnecessary rules. But there...
This post is the first in a multi-part series on executing an optimal music crowdfunding campaign, gathered from my hands-on experience at Think Steady Inc. I’ll share a detailed roadmap of best...
Learn about music theory with this easy-to-understand online book which includes topics like pitch, rhythm, scales, intervals, and harmonics. Sections address music theory fundamentals, diatonic harmo...
I’d enter college as a biology major with the ambition of becoming a doctor. But ‘being a doctor’ in my head went something like this: I‘d graduate med school, hire a bunch...
The quest to build a drone that can make its way around the globe -- no crew necessary.
Why has the art world of the twentieth-century adopted the ugly and the offensive? When has art in the twentieth century said anything encouraging about human relations, about mankind's potential...
The Topography of Tears is a study of 100 tears photographed through a standard light microscope. The project began in a period of personal change, loss, and copious tears. One day I wondered if my te...
editorial posted by
c_prompt
in csstemplates
Based on this excellent idea, some of us have been including style sheets (.css) in posts to make content look a whole lot nicer. However, I noticed that videos weren't showing properly on posts when...
“Alas! there are some wounds that cannot be wholly cured,” said Gandalf. “I fear it may be so with mine,” said Frodo. “There is no real going back. Though I may come to the Shire, it will...
I died laughing (pun intended). AI is incredible. 'nuff said...
I'm Dudesy, a comedy AI, and I'm excited to share my second hour-long comedy special with you! I'm calling it 'George Carlin: I'm...
When a precocious yet nonconformist teenager asks why they need to learn calculus, what should you say?
You know they will never use it in adulthood, outside of certain career choices.
You co...
Confronted with the greatest opportunity for global peace in nearly a century, George H. W. Bush did not hesitate: Upon the advice of his retainers, he immediately elected the path of war in the Pe...
DISCIPLINE YOURSELF - Best Motivational Speech Compilation (Jordan Peterson Motivation)
editorial posted by
c_prompt
in Note to Self
In order to be born, you needed:
2 parents
4 grandparents
8 great-grandparents
16 second great-grandparents
32 third great-grandparents
64 fourth great-grandparents
128 fifth...
The artist Saul Steinberg, who immigrated to the United States in 1942, was deeply preoccupied with identifying the essential threads of American life. For him, baseball was rich material. In 1954, h...
A general solution to the cubic equation was long considered impossible, until we gave up the requirement that math reflect reality.
References:
Some great videos about the cubic:
50...
You’ve had the Worst. Day. Ever. It’s hard enough just getting through it, but then everyone seems to notice. They keep asking, “Are you okay?” If you’re not “fine” you don’t have to...
Future Authoring (mentioned in this video) is available here: https://selfauthoring.com/
Edit: It appears https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nL1rEk8wjo has been changed to private (why?) so m...
When one door closes and another door opens, you are probably in prison.
To me, "drink responsibly" means don't spill it.
Age 60 might be the new 40, but 9:00 pm is the new midnight.
I...
Facebook – the ubiquitous privacy-invading social network – is taking European Commission regulators to court. The Silicon Valley giant is complaining that an EU investigation is invading its pr...
Topics covered include:
Understanding weather
Reading a weather map
Pressure
Humidity
Temperature Fronts
Virtual Classes Offered NOW!
3rd Coast is offering Virtual C...
Please login to acess the link. Link will be active 10 minutes prior to the class. Namaste!
The video below will be active approximately 10 minutes before the class begins.
editorial posted by
buddhimat
in buddhimatyoga
New to Yoga? Not a problem!
At Buddhimat Yoga, we believe that anyone who can breathe can do yoga. And, in times like these, acknowledging our ability to breath is more important than ever bef...
Classes for May - June 2020; all classes are offered for free during Shelter in Place. Please register for our site at least 30 minutes before class.
If you register, for our site, you will be...
We sit at the crossroads between traditional yoga and a power practice. While you'll see an improved booty, the focus is on the buddhi. Buddhi represents knowledge or wisdom so that we can st...
"Bull in a china shop?" Stop using the saying - it ain't true.
editorial posted by
c_prompt
in Note to Self
The speech Citizenship in a Republic was given at the Sorbonne in Paris, France on April 23, 1910. The excerpt reads:
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the stro...
As an apprentice, it can be hard for us to challenge ourselves on our own in the proper way, and to get a clear sense of our own weaknesses. The times that we live in make this even harder. Develo...
Interesting perspective that blogging provides better (i.e., higher quality) content while social media brings more voices into the online conversation:
Blogs implement a capitalist attention m...
Just be careful when you use this method as, even though it's MUCH easier, the can might be sharper. h/t: Cast Iron Chaos
This little girl refused to eat a variety of chocolates and candies offered to her by her mother. However, she looked pleased when a bowl of broccoli was set in front of her and munched on them happil...
h/t: https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/a0h53q/motorcycle_ownership_rule_1_do_not_let_your_drunk/
YouTube is now offering some movies for free.
editorial posted by
Julie
in Rational Yoga Blog
ABOUT JULIE
I currently teach in Chicago and recently started BuddhiMat yoga. Until it may become an in-person studio, my goal is to bring us together...
This video is about me talking about how to do duos squads and good strategies.
If anti-gunners didn't have double standards, they wouldn't have any at all. Another week, another example of hypocrisy among the elites.
editorial posted by
Julie
in Rational Yoga Blog
Are Rational and Yoga a Contradiction?
Rational and Yoga. Is that not a contradiction? I argue it is not. You’ve heard the word “mindfulness” used to describe meditation, yog...
Former President Obama has come under fire for what many have viewed as a hypocritical condemnation of President Trump during a Friday acceptance speech for his Ethics in Government award at the Un...
This is exactly how much money I've made from YouTube in 4 years with receipts to prove it.
...and this is EXACTLY why content providers need platforms like valME.io: because our users earn mo...
Should we be satisfied with limited government rather than no government?
AFFIRMATIVE: Private, Contractual Methods Are More Efficient and More Just (Katherine Mangu-Ward)
NEGATIVE: In Praise o...
Keeping Reddit free of racism, sexism and spam comes with a mental health risk. We spoke with 10 Reddit moderators about the abuse they face and lack of support from Reddit.
‘It feels impossible to beat’: how she was floored by menopause... For Rose George, menopause has proved far worse than ‘low moods’. It feels like a derangement. And what the hell is it for?...
Someone was wondering about valME's voting buttons... Through our moderation features, you not only can select up to five karma types, but you even get to specify the names. From your Moderate dropd...
In response to the New York Times' decision to stand by their most recent hire - open bigot Sarah Jeong, who really hates white people, men (especially white men), and cops - black conservative Can...
And that's just for two years... while in 2011 the average stay in a government detention facility was 72 days...
So to be clear - hundreds of thousands of migrant children whose parents sent t...
“Microdosing” on psychedelic substances like LSD—ingesting just enough to heighten cognitive faculties, enhance creativity, improve concentration and alleviate depression—is currently back i...
editorial posted by
c_prompt
in Misty River Music Makers
Volunteer!
Another wonderful way to show your love of Misty River Music Makers is to sign up for some occasional volunteer time at one of our events. People who sign up often feel like it's much...
editorial posted by
c_prompt
in Misty River Music Makers
Your Contributions Help!
We love sharing the gift of great music with people of our community. And though we sell tickets at our bi-annual show, we also have a lot expenses.
If you love Misty...
editorial posted by
c_prompt
in Misty River Music Makers
Please Visit our Sponsors!
Montessori Academy of Batavia
We are grateful to the Montessori Academy of Batavia for providing the chorus with a beautiful space to practice. Parents have bee...
editorial posted by
c_prompt
in Misty River Music Makers
Piece o' Chord
Linda Berg- Tenor
Maria Kolano- Lead
Beth Pasek- Bass
Fran Bell- Baritone
editorial posted by
c_prompt
in Misty River Music Makers
About Our Performances
We have a diverse repertoire fitting many occasions, and we're ready to entertain audiences big and small. Our chorus can tailor a performance to meet your needs.
Perform...
editorial posted by
c_prompt
in Misty River Music Makers
The Next Step
So you're interested in joining!
Visit a Rehearsal
Guests are always welcome at our rehearsals. Rehearsals are Monday nights from 7:00-9:30 pm.
Location:
Montessori A...
editorial posted by
c_prompt
in Misty River Music Makers
What they're saying
Listen to what a few chorus members from around the country have to say about being in an organization like ours:
“I enjoy the fun and fellowship of the ladies, and the...
editorial posted by
c_prompt
in Misty River Music Makers
Our 1st Place Finish!
Area 4 Contest and Convention
June 14, 2014
editorial posted by
c_prompt
in Misty River Music Makers
MISTY RIVER'S NEW DIRECTOR, MARIA KOLANO
Maria Kolano has had a life-long love of music. She grew up singing on the piano bench beside her mom. She has taken voice lessons, sung with choirs in sc...
editorial posted by
c_prompt
in Misty River Music Makers
What is Barbershop?
Standard choral music uses the Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass (SATB) designations. SATB arrangements attempt to balance sound equally across all four of the parts. On the other...
editorial posted by
c_prompt
in Misty River Music Makers
Hire Us
We love performing for just about every occasion
We can provide quality entertainment for your company sponsored event, church social, family reunion, downtown festivals, public or priv...
editorial posted by
c_prompt
in Misty River Music Makers
Join Us
Misty River Music Makers is more than just an a cappella ensemble, it is a family. We love getting together each week, and sharing friendships as well as great music.
If you like to sin...
editorial posted by
c_prompt
in Misty River Music Makers
Misty River Music Makers - it's all about the people...
First and foremost, Misty River is a place where friendship and song blend together. Our members are women from all over the Fox Valley...
This article provides an overview and introduction to calculus. It's intended for general readers, nonspecialists, and shows the topic's key concepts in a transparent, approachable way.
The arti...
Here are some people who accomplished things late in life. I admire all of them. I’m 50, and one day I’m going to figure out what I want to do with my life.
How did a person who should be in the criminal dock both in the US and in the International Criminal Court for running a torture prison get appointed the Director of the US Central Intelligence Agenc...
“Nothing will come of nothing.”(William Shakespeare, King Lear)
“Man is equally incapable of seeing the nothingness from which he emerges and the infinity in which he is engulfed.”(Blaise...
Nominations are now open for the second MIT Media Lab Disobedience Award, which carries a $250,000 cash prize, no strings attached.
This award will go to a person or group engaged in what we...
A strange thing happens when you don’t trust the government. You take responsibility for your actions, instead of shirking your duty and handing off the burden to the collective.
A study by Corn...
America’s largest problems don’t appear in the in the headlines, but between the lines. Such as the hypocrisy poisoning our politics. Here are some recent examples — and a simple solution.
The real goal of tu quoque (or any ad hominem attack) is to shift the focus to your opponent’s weaknesses as a way to hide your argument’s weaknesses. To create a hypocrisy meme: 1) pick a trigger...
The general rule is that a person’s behavior does not invalidate that person’s arguments. This is because ideally philosophical arguments are based on reason. Thus if the reasoning is valid, it do...
People are not known for being particularly rigorous with their beliefs and opinions, and it's not surprising that they would, more often than not, fail to consistently apply reasoning and principles....
We’re harder on hypocrites when they belong to the opposite group.
Link to .pdf of full study
Why do people judge hypocrites, who condemn immoral behaviors that they in fact engage in, so negatively?
Yale University researchers propose that hypocrites are disliked because their condemnatio...
The audacity - no longer do they even try to hide their evil; they come right out and tell you what they know will happen. FTA:
An audible gasp went out in the breakout room I was in at last mon...
It seems extraordinary that in defiance of all factual history and philosophical knowledge anyone should celebrate the bicentenary of the birth of Karl Marx. More than anyone, through wrong-headed ide...
FTA:
As a quick side note, curiosity is a blessing to me, because it leads me deep down the rabbit hole and as a result of my curiosity, I’m rarely (if ever) bored because there always someth...
editorial posted by
pot_kettle_black
in pot.kettle.black
I just setup a promotion with code pothead to encourage filling up this blog. Please help me post relevant articles. Not sure yet what direction this will take. You can check the honor role for statu...
When I went to DC, I thought of it as a place to learn about history from the US, like the Revolution and Civil Wars (boring!). When I went there though, I saw that it...
When you think of the most important battle in World War 2, many things come to mind, but one stands out: Normandy. This awful bloodshed happened on beaches, fa...
During history, one war has stood out among all of the awful wars, all of the genocides, all of the violence; that war is World War 2. Since I was little, I was interes...
Live without regrets:
On November 4, Jeff Bezos was interviewed by his brother Mark at the ideas festival Summit LA17 event in Los Angeles. During the course of this interview, Jeff revealed...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
New to online dating? Trying to find the man or woman of your dreams through the virtual world? As in any relationship, proper communication is crucial. You need to have a good personal ad or dating...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
I have always been very concerned about the problems of war. It makes me sick to my stomach to think about how unfair it is for the many innocent victims. So, as an amateur videographer, I have tried...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
History repeats itself. Men have constantly fought and died in the war for equality throughout the centuries. However, not all of them had in mind the same idea of equality when they gave their lives...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Thanks to the Land Destroyer blog for spotting this excellent analysis of what appears the next phase in false-flag interventionist propaganda -- the use of so-called "social media" with heavy celebr...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
You're an idiot.
That's right. According to New York spin doctor Sheherazad Jaafari (aka press-aide or press attaché), Americans are easily manipulated. All politicians need to do is admit that th...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
I'm talking about the real anarchists here, not bloody bomb-throwers or anti-capitalist window breakers. I'm referring to people who have faced the scary fact that all coercive power corrupts and tha...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
As proud supporters of Creative Commons, we were encouraged to see so many websites effectively shut down or "go dark" on January 18, 2012 in protest of the tyrannical SOPA/PIPA bills that the US gov...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
What a completely ridiculous statement, right? Calling Ron Paul a progressive? So why are some prominent progressives suggesting that Ron Paul is more progressive than Obama?
Liberals and progress...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Selfishness is often defined as an evil that deals with one caring for oneself more than for others. Many evils in the world are blamed on selfishness. Hunger, poverty and illness are supposedly all...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
"Well, when the President does it, that means that it is not illegal." So said President Richard Nixon in his 1977 interview discussing presidential authority.
Fast-forward 30 years. "I was a cons...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The holidays are often difficult, and can be downright depressing, especially for those who have pain from a loss, a traumatic experience, or just plain loneliness (e.g., not having a date for holida...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
We all have previously learned about the Great Flu Pandemic of 1918, which killed between 20-40 million people worldwide in our history classes. Now with the advance of modern molecular biology techn...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
There's a button that some wear on election day. It says "I voted." It's as if voting makes them feel powerful.
But the vote they cast typically isn't for a specific law - it's usually for a polit...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
There's a funny wedding tradition where the married couple eats the top layer of their wedding cake one year later. (How great to finally have the extra space in your freezer, right?) For about half...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that Platonic love isn't what we thought it was. In fact, Plato didn't even believe in it, was pro-sex, thought erotica was a spiritual force that helps us find our true selves, and e...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Life is a constant struggle, especially because the lessons we learn are oftentimes knowledge gained after we really needed it. It's one of the reasons mentors are so important - they've "been there,...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Throughout most of human civilization, centuries of men have starved, died from the elements (for lack of proper housing), suffered terrible health, and barely lived. Even today, starvation kills mil...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
We need a new demotivational poster: "Science. A quick way to mess-up all those great love poems."
The definition of rational isn't very controversial: "having reason or understanding." The defini...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that, unlike people or other corporations, Federal reserve bank stockholders don't have to pay federal, state,or local taxes on their annual, fixed dividends of 6% on capital stock (w...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
A neuroscientist is someone who studies "the anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, or molecular biology of nerves and nervous tissue and especially their relation to behavior and learning." Although the...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ron Paul just came out with a plan to cut $1 trillion from the US's federal budget and severely curtail entitlement programs. According to the "Plan to Restore America," it cuts $1 trillion in spendi...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Throughout history, machines, tools, devices, etc. have become smaller. But not until recently have we been able to see down to the lowest level - to that of the nano. With electron microscopes, nano...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that, without a magic wand, levitation is real.
The physics behind it consists of a ceramic material that is famous for superconductivity when cooled below -185ºC (-301ºF). The s...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
As many mourn the death of Apple founder Steve Jobs, they use words such as visionary, brilliant, innovative, leader, entrepreneur, capitalist, and philanthropic to describe him. Many aren't aware th...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned from "America's worst mom" that the earliest episodes of Sesame Street are "for adult viewing only" for fear they will give kids dangerous ideas (Sesame Street just couldn't bring its...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The strategy by the labor union leadership was said to be based simply: "how do we bring down the stock market, how do we bring down their bonuses, how do we interfere with their ability to, to be ri...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Aristotle spoke of music as having "influence over the character and the soul." He noted that "Rhythm and melody supply imitations of anger and gentleness, and also of courage and temperance, and of...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
How we do like to complain about politicians. We vote them into office (well, some don't vote) and expect them to change the world. To reduce war. To make our lives better. To keep their promises. Af...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned the adage "you can't prove a negative" is false because you can prove a negative. It's very easy. We need to stop saying that. A better statement to use is "he who asserts a positive...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Just when you thought you understood how the world works, the tachyons come to shake things up.
For those who haven't heard by now, the masterminds at CERN who brought you the LHC rap have made wh...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Competition increases change and motivates people to excel. For example, gamers recently competed to solve a scientific problem that has "vexed researchers for a decade." Companies compete for your b...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
It was all the rage.
Following 14-year old Jamey Rodemeyer's tearful "It Gets Better, I promise!" video, in which he tried to show how positive he was in the face of gay bullying, other well-know...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Make everyone equal. It is a common battle cry across the centuries. Just look at the current class warfare that Obama is pushing because we are not all equal. (Or, as Orwell famously put it in Anima...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that Connecticut Supreme Court Justice Richard Palmer is "sorry" for the way he voted in the infamous eminent domain Kelo v. New London case.
In that case, the US Supreme Court aff...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Why are so many children familiar with the adage "do as I say, not as I do?" The answer should be obvious - because we, as adults, often do things that we don't want our children doing. Let's face it...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
No significant intellectualism here in this video. Just an older couple learning how to use a computer to make you feel good.
May we all be as happy as they are at this age.
What's your experie...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ron Paul famously said of neocons:
The neoconservative ethos, steeped in the teachings of Leo Strauss, cannot abide an America where individuals simply pursue their happy, peaceful, prosperous l...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Einstein once wrote that "our conscious acts spring from our desires and our fears." Many agree. For example, David Hume suggested in A Treatise of Human Nature that humans are prone to letting emoti...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Two grandmothers, two priests and a nun were sentenced in federal court in Tacoma, WA Monday March 28, 2011, for confronting hundreds of US nuclear weapons stockpiled for use by the deadly Trident su...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned the first PC virus was called "brain" and was written in DOS only 25 years ago in 1986. The creators of the virus even gave their address. How did it move from PC to PC? Floppy disks...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
When it comes to non-violent, ideological leaders, Mahatma Gandhi has got to be toward the very top of the list. His resistance to British tyranny through mass civil disobedience is famous. Needless...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned one of the creators of Superman drew S&M and bondage comics that were banned by the Supreme Court, the creator of Star Trek created a show about a gym teacher having sex with his...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
When it comes to politics, it's difficult to say "liberals believe this" or "conservatives believe that." After all, within each political ideology, there are many views; sometimes even views that se...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Do you really need a 4.0 grade point average?
There's a proposal on the table that we should consider. For far too long, there have been many underachieving students. We're not going to get into t...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Paris Hilton did it to Lindsay Lohan. Tiger Woods did it. American Idol did it. Couples do it. Sometimes we even do it to ourselves. Politicians do it as well, but they do it badly (just like everyth...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Al Gore aren't going to be happy. Scientists are messing up their politics.
So it turns out that the only thing man-made about global warming is t...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned the difference between etc. and et al. etc. is used for things, while et al. is used for people. And they should not be interchanged.
2) etc. (and so on)
Example:
"None of...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Obama has broken many promises. That's par for the course when you're a politician. People know (and sadly accept) that politicians aren't going to do everything they promise.
But then there are m...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In the business world, most workers receive a base salary and then salary increases or bonuses based on performance. Performance can be measured by various factors, including company performance, ind...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
For the most part, public education in the US is a disaster. Where the blame lies will be forever debated, but to claim otherwise is to sleep undisturbed in a fantasy world with "stark wake-up calls"...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
First, let me make this perfectly clear: I am an anarchist (or, more specifically, an anarcho-capitalist). I do not support any kind of government, including a president. The last election I voted in...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned Albert Einstein supported a one-world government and was a Socialist.
Einstein's passionate commitment to the cause of global peace led him to support the creation of a single, u...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
It is claimed that women fake orgasms because of insecurities. But as women have a tremendous capacity for pleasure, perhaps men just aren't stimulating the right places. As scary as it might sound t...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Space is a concept which is very rarely correctly understand by anybody, including modern physicists. However, the purpose of this essay is not to discuss the confusions of others in relation to this...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
As scary as it might sound, we already know that evidence doesn't matter much in the context of politics. So, even when there is clear evidence of a certain idea being factually true, many people don...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned Facebook imports your phone numbers from your mobile phone's address book, sometimes without your knowledge, thus making the private phone numbers of ALL of your contacts (not just yo...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Most of you are probably aware of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. It states that it is not possible to know the precise position and momentum of subatomic particles such as electrons. (There is...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
(Meanwhile, as the Italian cabinet approves a tough austerity plan, and as Nero feasts while Rome burns...)
According to the AP, "France, Italy, Spain and Belgium are banning short-selling on sele...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
As this is an article about the theory of games, I thought that, as I intend to do this systematically, I should start with a brief post defining what a game actually is. You might think that I could...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
One of the many fun things to do as a kid is to sit around a campfire late at night and hear adults tell ghost stories. Our imaginations would run wild - are there really such things as ghosts?
Bu...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
James Fenimore Cooper once said: "All greatness of character is dependent on individuality. The man who has no other existence than that which he partakes in common with all around him, will never ha...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Alan Greenspan. Economic wonderboy. Market maestro. Former Federal Reserve Board Chairman. Past disciple of Ayn Rand. Someone who once thought gold was the only proper standard for money and a protec...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that there is a "paper" in production that can be erased and reused 260 times and currently costs about $2.00/sheet. (And we all know that, just like with any technology, that price w...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Porn is like bacon: some won't eat it for religious reasons, some consider it filthy, some feel guilty after eating it, but everyone else (which is most of the population) loves it. Funny enough, sci...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Nowadays, you have to take on massive amounts of debt to go to college, only to graduate and find that there aren't any jobs available. So you leave college, go back to living with your parents, and...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Praxeology is a general theory of human action or, more specifically, purposeful behavior. Unlike unconscious behavior such as breathing or reflexes, we act in conscious, chosen ways to achieve vario...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that Communism, "the greatest social engineering experiment we have ever seen," is responsible for approximately over 100 million deaths. The Communists tried to construct a "utopia.....
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
"No taxation without representation" was a popular slogan that summarized a major grievance the British colonists had with England. The idea is simple enough to understand: if I don't get any substan...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Politics. Morality. Religion. Relationships. Even science. These are examples of the many categories in which you will find disagreements. These debates occur just as much with intelligent people as...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Pulitzer prize winning author, Columbia professor, historian, and liberal Eric Foner thinks liberalism is in a state of contradiction. One the one hand, he says liberals want an "activist government"...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The latest weapon of mass destruction: starvation.
The situation is dire. It's the worst drought in Africa in 60 years. The UN is airlifting food to Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya. It's estimated th...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The printing press: what a great invention... It fostered a rapid development in and dissemination of art and science through the production of books. But one wonders if Johannes Gutenberg would be a...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Robert Heinlein once wrote: "Being intelligent is not a felony. But most societies evaluate it as at least a misdemeanor."
The number of students going to UK universities is falling. Additionally,...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Imagine that you are a human brought to another planet. You are not religious. You haven't any belief in God or the supernatural. On this planet, the aliens are immediately able to cure all your dise...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that 18 US veterans commit suicide every day and 1 million veterans are sitting in jail.
When Staff Sgt. Brad Eifert, 36, finally made his way to the woods behind his house with...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Remember the guy who talked about change? Where'd he go?
In 2006, Obama said this:
The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
You sometimes have to wonder why teaching children seems to be more complicated than rocket science. There are many valid debates in education as to the proper conditions required for a child to lear...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that, despite the hype, bottled water typically isn't any cleaner or healthier than tap water, and often comes from the same public water supply that your tap water does. Having said...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
No doubt about it - we humans have a strong desire for sexual intercourse. It certainly makes sense from an evolutionary perspective, as the desire helps further humanity. But some are programmed for...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
"Facts don't necessarily have the power to change our minds. In fact, quite the opposite."
Before you read this article to determine where that conclusion came from, ponder that quote for a moment...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Winning people's hearts and minds through ideas is one way to affect change, but it's a very, very slow process. Most would consider it "impractical." For those who want to implement change quicker,...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that the accepted wisdom of drinking eight glasses of water a day, including the accompanying reminder that beverages containing caffeine and alcohol do not count, is not supported by...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
"Philosopher of revolution" Pyotr Kropotkin (aka Peter Kropotkin) once wrote: "America is just the country that shows how all the written guarantees in the world for freedom are no protection against...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Humans and chimpanzees share 96% of the same DNA. In other words, from a scientific perspective, humans and chimpanzees are genetically very similar.
As the battle between evolution and intelligen...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
From the "you can't make this shit up" files...
Statists have plenty of bad ideas: going to war for oil, setting up regulatory agencies that don't do their jobs, molesting people in the name of se...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes (aka who watches the watchmen)?
Called Colony Collapse Disorder, there is something killing honeybees. They are dying in "huge numbers." Scientists from the US Environ...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned about Pale Moon - an optimized version of Firefox that is much faster than Firefox and optimized specifically for Windows.
Not only is it much faster than Firefox (perhaps even by...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Braincrave.com has been highlighted as one of the top 10 Cool Things to Do in Second Life for intellectual discussions!
Of course, we're very honored and want to thank all of you who help us make...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Great news! Braincrave.com's first confirmed marriage! Just goes to show that online dating really does yield real results, including for those who like to think.
To celebrate this amazing success...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned why light gasses like helium make your voice squeaky and heavy gasses like sulfur hexafluoride or xenon make your voice sound like Barry White.
In summary, the timbre of your voice...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who "passionately" believes in the welfare system, is lashing out at parents who are raising their children through social welfare programs. He thinks the issue is a...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Once upon a time, in a land far away which has nothing at all in common with the world we humans inhabit, a horse was running free in the plain. He longed to climb up the mountains and see the world...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned hot water sometimes freezes faster than cold water. Although there isn't one, conclusive scientific explanation for the phenomenon, one of the theories for why this occurs is that hot...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Jesse Ventura, of wrestling, acting, and conspiracy theory fame, is disgusted with politics. (And anyone who isn't disgusting isn't sane.) So he's come up with some new ideas.
What do you think el...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that you can run a diesel engine car on waste vegetable oil (e.g., oil that's been used to cook). It is less harmful to the environment, less toxic to people and animals, and runs abo...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
How we do love eye-candy. And, after all, "since when is a woman dressing sexy in public a bad thing?"
By now, you've probably heard about the various "slut walks" that are happening all over the...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Considered the third, best-selling poet of all time, Khalil Gibran once said "Desire is half of life; indifference is half of death." Apathy is defined as having a lack of emotion, interest, or conce...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
From a WoW forum:
Original post: "So many trolls be trolling....thugs be thugging....haters be hating.... I love everyone on this server Spread the love."
Reply post: "Homo."
Sarcasm aside,...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
When it comes to protecting civil liberties, it just keeps getting worse. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is now testing what it calls Future Attribute Screening Technology (FAST). It i...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Obama is currently getting criticized because of his recent speech asserting that the US government officially supports a two-state solution based on Israel's pre-1967 borders along with negotiated...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned how cats and dogs drink water. The water sticks to their tongues and the upward pull creates a water column from inertia (the liquid continues to move in the direction pulled). Then,...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Monty Python famously sang "life's a piece of shit when you look at it." There's also the adage that, if everyone threw all their problems on the table, most would reach back down and pick up their...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned the power of the scroll wheel in Firefox. You can use it to close tabs (click the scroll wheel on a tab), open hyperlinks in new pages (click the scroll wheel on a link), scroll throu...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
When I was much younger, I told my father I believed I would live forever. He asked how that would happen and gently reminded me that we all die sooner or later. I explained that I believed we would...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, over 50% of Americans age 12 or older have used alcohol in the past 30 days, almost 25% are binge drinkers (5 drinks within 2 hours), and 7% drink...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
A placebo is a sham or simulated medical intervention by a doctor in which some patients experience actual improvements in their conditions. Although it doesn't work on everyone, these effects in pat...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Good etiquette facilitates relationships, and good relationships help us live better lives. We've previously discussed proper manners in communications. Continuing in our etiquette and manners series...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ayn Rand once wrote that "Definitions are the guardians of rationality, the first line of defense against the chaos of mental disintegration." Perhaps that's one of the reasons politics always appear...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Former NSA employee Thomas Drake has a wife and 5 sons, one of whom has significant health problems. But, understanding the risks to him and his family, he couldn't remain silent and be complicit in...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that you should not use olive oil to cook at high heats (i.e., potentially anything over 200 - 250º F / 93 - 121º C, although that is debated), especially extra virgin olive oils. T...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ron Paul has entered the US presidential race for the third time as a Republican. But he's not really a Republican - he's a Libertarian. Ron Paul, like all Libertarians, is always talking about limit...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Here's the backdrop: in 2005, the US Supreme Court ruled in Castle Rock v. Gonzales that a person does not have a constitutional right to police protection, even in the presence of a restraining orde...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The great political theorist and economist Frédéric Bastiat wrote in The State: "The oppressor no longer acts directly by his own force on the oppressed. No, our conscience has become too fastidiou...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Most of us live stressful lives. Perhaps it's time we give ourselves a little break. Try this self-hypnosis/relaxation video for 16 minutes. Did it work for you? What do you do to relax?
Try...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Getting people to agree on objective moral principles is difficult, to say the least. Moral codes seem to span the gamut of culture, time, environment, experience, geography, gender, race, etc. Could...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
When it comes to online discussions, there's an adage called Godwin's law. It states that the longer an online discussion continues, "the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approac...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that ostriches do NOT bury their heads in the sand. (People are said to bury their heads in the sand when they refuse to confront or acknowledge a problem.)
OSTRICHES BURY TH...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
There's an adage in economics that goes: people do not walk barefoot because there aren't any government shoe factories. In markets where competition exists (not to be confused with free markets), bu...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
If you're looking for the meaning of life, religions are ready with an answer. As of yet, science doesn't have an answer, other than to possibly claim that there isn't any purpose. (Nihilists of the...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
She opens her heart. He opens his fly. That might be the immediate, superficial reaction to a Friends With Benefits (FWB) relationship. But is there more under the covers?
FWB relationships (aka s...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned about the Ig Noble prizes, which "honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think. The prizes are intended to celebrate the unusual, honor the imaginative -...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In light of the claim that Osama bin Laden has now been killed, we thought it might be a good idea to remind everyone of George Orwell's famous character in the novel 1984: Emmanuel Goldstein....
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ethics is a branch of philosophy that deals with morality, and the moral code/ideology used when differentiating between right and wrong is critical (e.g., consider that Hitler used national socialis...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Let this sink in for a moment: the United States has the highest prisoner population rate in the world. That's right, even more than China. (And, no - that doesn't include all of the hidden prisons i...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Politics are a disgusting abyss of failed attempts to legislate morality. But why is it like that? Perhaps one of the primary reasons is because people can't seem to agree on what morality is; or, mo...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Don't expect gas prices to "tank" anytime soon. (Sorry, couldn't resist the pun.) Today I learned that Americans live in a distorted world when it comes to gas prices. The average price of gas across...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Discussing sports, Noam Chomsky once remarked: "Take, say, sports -- that's another crucial example of the indoctrination system, in my view. For one thing because it -- you know, it offers people so...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Contrary to what the United Nations does, Mother Earth doesn't have a conscience. She can't tell us which of her resources she wants us to save, which to take care of, and which to use. Ergo, how we...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In the adventure film Sahara, General Kazim states: "Don't worry. It's Africa. Nobody cares about Africa." In 2009, it's estimated that 33 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, with almost 70% liv...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
There's an old Russian political joke where an American and a Soviet car salesmen are arguing about who makes better cars. The American asks: "How many decades does an average Soviet man need to work...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
For those of you who aren't familiar with it, StumbleUpon is a discovery engine that shows you random web pages based upon categories that you like. It learns very quickly what you like and don't lik...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin which revolutionized the cotton industry. But he had a hard time profiting from his invention because he tried to charge farmers a huge price (2/5 of their profits...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
There's an adage that goes: if you've got enemies, it means you stood up for something in life. Out of all of the potential philosophies that you could adopt in your life, perhaps none may be more co...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In 1967, psychologist Martin Seligman performed an experiment on dogs by shocking them with electricity which appeared to start and stop at random. After the dogs were conditioned, he put the dogs in...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Do a search on the web and you'll find all sorts of criteria for what makes an effective leader. People can't even seem to agree on the definition of leadership. As a result, theories abound. But wha...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that Vincent van Gogh sold only one painting in his lifetime, The Red Vineyard, for 400 Francs (about US$1,600). It is now considered to be one of the most valuable paintings in the w...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The US government consists of a bunch of hypocrites. I know, tell you something you don't know, right?
Recently, Hillary Clinton and her lackeys at the US State Department released the Country Re...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Sometimes it seems that the worse things get, the more we tolerate. It's not that we become impartial to a particular wrong, but it does seem that we often "sit on the fence" when we see wrongdoing....
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Many women like having big breasts. They also like looking good. According to the American Society for Plastic Surgeons, of the 13 million cosmetic plastic surgeries performed annually, women seek 9...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
You can call a fish a duck, but that doesn't make it so. Does anyone else find it funny that people claiming to be anarchists - which is, by definition, being against government - are rioting in su...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Alexander Pope once said: "A man should never be ashamed to own that he has been in the wrong, which is but saying that he is wiser today than he was yesterday." As in any discussion about a topic of...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
We experience art as an emotional reaction to our senses. Enjoying art has a personal meaning and relevance; therefore, we evaluate art differently depending upon our own values, perceptions, and kno...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that, contrary to popular belief, a private business owner who made every pair of military business boots for US soldiers in World War I established the 40-hour work week which becam...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
"Gamers are super-empowered hopeful individuals." They are masters at figuring things out, even medical problems. So who wants to use gaming to change the world?
There are many problems to address...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
So many consider money as the primary asset in life. Sometimes we are so caught up in the "rat race" that we forget that money, and each possession we acquire from it, costs us something very valuabl...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Talk about a circlejerk... The federal government tells poorly performing schools that, if they fire their principals, they will get additional money. So what do these schools do? They fire the princ...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Attention US government. You're not very bright. By having a high corporate tax rate, you are pushing jobs, profits, patents, executives, research, and operations of US companies overseas. (And, as a...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
New research confirms scandal: not just anyone can be a supermodel. Such discrimination! Say the word discrimination and most immediately think of prejudice. In many countries, by law, employers cann...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that cranberries are sorted for ripeness by being bounced. First discovered by a man with a wooden leg who had a hard time getting the berries down from a loft, he poured them down th...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Pain is a part of life, and we all have different ways to deal with it. In what might appear to be a strange contradiction, some even go so far as to self-inflict pain in order to avoid pain. It's al...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In Mel Brooks's very funny History of the World Part I, King Louis XVI is told by his advisor that the people are revolting. The king replies "You said it. They stink on ice."
As the UK government...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Socrates, the philosopher who claimed the contradiction "I know that I know nothing," provided us with a method to help us question what we think we know and to demonstrate otherwise: the Socratic me...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
"America's leading leftist intellectual" and MIT professor Noam Chomsky once remarked that "The U.S. is a leading terrorist state, as are its clients." He has said "that there is no War on Terror." H...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Can we all agree that, no matter who it is, the US president does not have the legitimate power to bomb another nation without an act of Congress formally declaring war?
Five wars have been declar...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that the Flying Spaghetti Monster was a humorous protest against the government's decision to permit the teaching of intelligent design as an alternative to evolution in public school...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Libertarians are often talking about freedom and liberty. Thomas Jefferson claimed in his magnum opus the Declaration of Independence that we all have a right to liberty. But freedom and liberty aren...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In politics, it seems that everything is an issue. Why? Because everything that politicians do is based on wealth redistribution - taking from one person and giving to another. As a result, politics...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In his famous statement "First they came," Pastor Martin Niemöller once blasted the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power as they purged group after group:
THEY CAME...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
If we don't stand for something, then we stand for nothing. In her famous novel Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand asks through Dr. Robert Stadler: "Have you ever felt the longing for someone you could admire?...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Contrary to Wikipedia and its source - pseudo-economist Paul Samuelson, who was the "key to Keynes' influence" - there isn't any such thing as a natural monopoly. Any monopoly that comes about and ma...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that hair turns grey with age because of naturally-secreted hydrogen peroxide. Guess blondes were onto something. Good to know someone is finally getting at the "root" of the problem....
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Why aren't liberals abandoning Obama when he does the same things for which they screamed at Bush (e.g., indefinite detention at Guantanamo, approving torture)? Because they have nowhere else to go....
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
One of the problems with democracy is that it leads to corporatism. "Corporatism is a system where businesses are nominally in private hands, but are in fact controlled by the government. In a corpor...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Given the growing unrest and corruption in the world, it's reasonable to generalize that social relations are strained and getting worse. It's difficult to pinpoint one specific problem but it's logi...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
It's interesting to trace the history of controversial subjects. Take political correctness for example. Political correctness, "used to describe language, ideas, policies, or behavior seen as seekin...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Our Second Life intellectual discussion group is about bringing people together who like to think. We have wonderful discussions in group chat but, in an effort to constantly improve our discussions...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Article 21 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights states the following:
(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely ch...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned condoms were originally made of linen and Casanova, the womanizer, called them "The English Overcoat." Who created the first colored condom? The Japanese, of course. (In other news, 8...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
To sustain life, the human body requires nourishment. Such is the "catch-22" - how to sustain life without destroying life? Most (but not all) consider cannibalism as the ultimate cultural taboo, so...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Recently, Harvard University had a panel discussing the legacy of the Human Genome Project. Started in 1990, and with scientists from six countries and initial funding of $3 billion, the project publ...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Orson Welles once wrote: "We're born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we're not alone." In addition to our daily...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Someone once made a comment that he was 100% supportive of a tyrannical, socialist government as long as he was the only citizen of his country (paraphrased). Throughout the world, and especially in...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned through math that Aristotle was correct on the law of identify (i.e., A = A), and that everything that exists does have a specific nature. Specifically, all numbers do not equal all o...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Besides death and taxes, there is arguably another clear constant in the world: war. Seemingly at all times, someone, somewhere, is always using violence to either get what they want or protect what...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Putting aside for a moment the idea of quantum entanglement, as of now, we know that you cannot physically be both in Spain and America at the same time. This is an absolute. We know that you cannot...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The senses have no power of distortion; what they observe is what is. Optical illusions do not validate the claim that the senses can deceive us: optical illusions are the senses making valid observa...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Possibly suggesting that religious beliefs were necessary for maintaining social order, Voltaire once wrote: "If God did not exist, he would have to be invented." Karl Marx agreed, calling it the "o...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Government - they are experts at manipulating people. They even have a scary-sounding name for it: "psy-ops." What happens when they turn against their own? The psychological thriller The Manchurian...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Insurance companies have been getting a lot of negative press lately, especially when it comes to health care. It seems that, generally, people believe that insurance companies exist primarily for so...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
A few months ago, I was discussing certain aspects of quantum mechanics with somebody. I got around to saying that certain claims within the realm of physics can be rejected outright on philosophical...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
We know marijuana is "the most widely used illicit substance in the world" (which may be why "arrests are at a near-record high"). We know drug decriminalization works. Yet we still allow the governm...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned which countries make up the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland), the difference between the United Kingdom (four countries) and Great Britain (England, Sco...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
We deal with philosophy in one form or another, multiple times every day. For instance, every time we form an ethical viewpoint or act on such, we are forming a philosophical (ethical) idea or applyi...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Sometimes you have to wonder if the sole reason that the law requires children go to school is because very few would go if not forced. If schools are intended to give children training as to the wor...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Put on your tinfoil hats for this one. We recently saw that a country's government can easily and quickly shut down the internet. In a classic rope-a-dope, as Hillary Clinton babbles propaganda about...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The economy is in dire straits. Many adults can't find jobs. The government is lying about employment figures. So why would some politician try to repeal an existing law that would bring more people...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
When people argue against capitalism (aka the free market), almost never do they argue from an efficiency perspective. Instead, the arguments typically claim capitalism exploits the working class by...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that Hong Kong gets 1 Gbps broadband service for $26 a month while the FCC tries to LEGISLATE an "ambitious" goal of 100Mbs. Perhaps it's time to get rid of the wankers at the FCC? (I...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Have you ever seen posts on social networks where someone will say to all of her friends indiscriminately "I love you all!" or something to that effect? Well, if the Beatles were right, that all you...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
If you're a person who prefers the grayness of relativity to the "black or white" positions of an absolutist, ultimatums likely make you uncomfortable. But such is the nature of choices - selecting a...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Through Hamlet, Shakespeare said "there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." You'd never believe it if someone told you the secret to happiness in life is to accrue wealth, power...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Capitalism gets a bad rap, often claimed to be the destroyer of everything good. One argument made is that capitalism creates class warfare - the rich against the poor. So-called "social crusaders,"...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The folks at the Venus Project and the larger Zeitgeist movement think society has many problems, and they are concerned. Hard to disagree. When a doctor is trying to cure what ails you, he'll typica...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
From the "you can't make this shit up" files... Through one of her villains, Ayn Rand wrote in Atlas Shrugged: "Did you really think that we want those laws to be observed? ...We want them broken......
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Through John Galt in Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand said: "The source of man's rights is not divine law or congressional law, but the law of identity. A is A - and Man is Man. Rights are conditions of exis...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
A fellow Braincraver wants to alert us, and we should take heed of his warning. He lives in Florida on the coast. Over this past month, his health has been deteriorating significantly. He's getting h...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Philip Larkin once wrote in a poem: "They fuck you up, your mum and dad. They may not mean to, but they do." We've discussed in this forum the benefits of self-responsibility on self-esteem. But what...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
All economic goods must be produced by someone. They aren't gifts of nature or something that can be conjured up by waiving a magic wand. Somehow, people have gotten the false idea that it is governm...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
As Murray Rothbard put it in his marvelous article The Anatomy of the State, "Some theorists venerate the State as the apotheosis of society; others regard it as an amiable, though often inefficient,...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Obama has a car czar, a food czar, a bank bailout czar, a poverty czar, bird flu czar, a czar czar... he has 37 czars in all. Interestingly enough, he doesn't have a philosophy czar. Perhaps you thin...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ah, to be ignorant of your own ignorance... Today I learned that there is a psychological term for people who don't know stuff but are too incompetent to realize it and, therefore, suffer from an ill...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The higher your self-esteem, the more confidence you have in your ability to cope with life's never-ending challenges. Strong self-esteem is based on many factors, one of which is self-responsibility...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
To claim that the US supports freedom (i.e., the absence of physical coercion) is nonsensical. Everything the US government does is anti-freedom. Take the situation in Egypt, for example. American ad...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
John Adams once wrote "Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for profit, honor, or private interest of any one man...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Economics is typically considered very dry and of little interest to most. But to paraphrase the adage typically referring to politics, just because you ignore economics doesn't mean that it will ign...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
I recently read "Conservatives Freak Out Over MTV's "Skins" -- Teenagers Have Sex. Get Over It." posted at the liberal blog AlterNet. If you have any question as to why kids, especially teenagers, ha...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Contrasted with being a "good guy," what does it mean to be a "real man?" Putting aside the obvious requirements of XY chromosomes "and a pair of testicles," what determines masculinity? Is there a w...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that the expression "often a bridesmaid but never a bride" was actually from an advertisement for mouthwash. The text of one of the original ads reads as follows:
"Often a bridesma...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Liberals in the US are in an uproar, claiming that the recent murder of six individuals and the attempted murder of the Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords were the by-product of rhetoric by Sar...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Our current culture appears to revolve more around "dos and don'ts," which is to suggest that society appears more focused on rules of what you are and aren't allowed to do. With that premise, perha...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Seven years after the second invasion of Iraq, Iraq's capital Baghdad, home to more than six million people, hardly gets one hour of non-interrupted electricity supplies every 24 hours. Soldiers with...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
You've just got to love science... one of the great things about science fiction is how quickly it becomes non-fiction. Putting aside the potential for Skynet or I, Robot, imagine for a moment artifi...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Meanwhile, as people in Haiti continue to starve in a country "occupied" by 10,000 aid organizations under the government umbrella of the United Nations (an organization designed for war)... They're...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
A few days ago, the US celebrated a holiday dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr. A prominent leader of the civil rights movement, he was a huge proponent of civil disobedience. As the "did they kill...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that there are 169,518,829,100,544,000,000,000,000,000 (approximately 1.70 x 10^29) ways to play the first ten moves in chess. (I also learned that there are "400 different possible ...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Recently, I found myself talking to several friends about why they were in Second Life (SL) and whether or not they also get romantically involved with others in-world. The single largest factor I fo...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In the movie The Rock, Sean Connery says to Nicholas Cage "Your best? Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and fuck the prom queen." There are those who think that perfection can be...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ayn Rand wrote that the process of thinking "is the process of defining identity and discovering causal connections." She claimed that thinking is a choice - not an automatic function - and she admon...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The central figure in all of Christianity is one man: Jesus of Nazareth. Putting aside whether or not you believe that God exists, a key component to Christianity is that Jesus did exist. But what if...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Morality is about determining which choices and actions are good or bad, which always leads to the question - what is the good? There are some who consider the good as those choices and actions which...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. displays the ominous words: "Thou shalt not be a victim. Thou shalt not be a perpetrator. Above all, thou shalt not be a bystander." Although there are except...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Liberals call conservatives names, claiming they are the bane of existence and the cause of all the problems in the world. Conservatives do the same to liberals. The hate spreads. The violence spread...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that there are surgeons who specialize in restoring virginity.
FTA:
The clinic is not in Dubai or Cairo, but in Paris. And the surgery they are waiting for is to restore their...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ayn Rand claimed that morality is a "code of values to guide man's choices and actions - the choices and actions that determine the purpose and the course of his life. Ethics, as a science, deals wit...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
There's a funny sign that reads: "Confused Socialist Party. Smash capitalism! Then blog about it on your $2500 Macbook." All of the major economies in the world are known as mixed economies. You migh...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Probably the most important question for most philosophers is what's the meaning of life. Although individuals have their own values that provide meaning to each, we don't yet have a verifiable princ...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Albert Einstein once said: "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." Although not supported by math or science, and certainly not an axiom of physics, Occam's Razor (or Ockh...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Meanwhile, as Bradley Manning (aka "unappreciated hero #1") languishes in jail and is tortured by Obama's administration... There's an adage that goes "give to a good man all the powers he requests t...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Through Francisco d'Anconia, Ayn Rand claimed in her marvelous novel Atlas Shrugged that "Contradictions do not exist. Whenever you think that you are facing a contradiction, check your premises. You...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that tea parties were established in the 1830s. But if the Boston Tea Party was in 1773, why did they call it the Boston Tea Party? Answer - they didn't: the actually called it "The d...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Thomas Jefferson wrote "To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical." It seems that politicians are always working ag...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Among the New Year's resolutions made, it's likely that some have resolved to file for divorce this year. As always, the government is only too happy to help. Why? Any question about government start...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
No formal topics scheduled for the remainder of the year. So, with warm wishes from Braincrave.com to all of you, here's a final thought for the year:
FTA:
Auld Lang Syne" ...is a Scots poem...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Referring to the sexual abuse of children by priests, the Pope said "forgiveness cannot be a substitute for justice." Some people admit it when they are wrong and say so. But is that enough? Is forgi...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that the US government ordered a farmer to destroy his own crops in order to increase market prices. The case, Wickard v. Filburn, went to the US Supreme Court, and the court sided wi...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
On a cold January morning in 2007, a man played six Bach pieces on his violin for 43 minutes as about 1,000 people passed by. He started with one of the most difficult violin pieces in the world to m...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
During the holiday season, we typically hear cries for "peace on earth and goodwill toward all." It remains to be seen how this is possible when the US (purportedly) spends $660 billion on military...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
There's a funny t-shirt for babies that says "Santa doesn't exist but I can't read, so it's okay." Do you lie to children about Santa Claus (or leave it ambiguous)? What are the benefits and limitati...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
To paraphrase Pastor Martin Niemöller, "They came first for Wikileaks. But I didn't speak up because I hated politics. Then they came for pornography. But I didn't speak up because I didn't look at...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that my belief that the purpose of yawning is to bring oxygen into the brain has never been proven. Scientists still don't know why we yawn.
FTA:
Everyone yawns, but no one kn...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Talk about "mind=blown." Imagine a world where you can manipulate objects solely with your mind. It's here, it's now, and it's incredible. Consider every industry. Consider every skill. Consider ever...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
How do we know the right thing to do in our lives? In other words, what moral principles are at the foundation of our actions? Utilitarianism is the philosophy that the moral worth of an action is de...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In her interview with Playboy, Ayn Rand stated "My views on charity are very simple. I do not consider it a major virtue and, above all, I do not consider it a moral duty. There is nothing wrong in h...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote "I do not wish to treat friendships daintily, but with the roughest courage. When they are real, they are not glass threads or frost work, but the solidest thing we kno...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
No, they aren't Nazi concentration camps. But they are similar (and very similar to when the US government rounded up 120,000 Americans citizens of Japanese descent during WWII, an action with which...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Through John Galt, novelist and philosopher Ayn Rand discussed the "hero in your soul" in her famous book Atlas Shrugged: "Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless s...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that, in the winter, your ceiling fan should be spinning one way to help you feel warmer while, in the summer, your fan should be spinning in the opposite direction to help you feel c...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The typical four-year college degree has large costs, but it's questionable whether the benefits are usually there. In fact, students who secure college degrees are increasingly unlikely to make up t...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In his famous treatise On the Duty of Civil Disobedience, Henry David Thoreau argued that individuals can promote justice by disobeying the law. History is replete with examples of civil disobedience...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Let's say you're a woman and you're looking for a roommate to share the rent. Should it be illegal to ask for female candidates only? Of course not. That would be absurd. But did you know that the sa...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
We are social beings. As a result, depending on how much you value the opinions of others, what someone says about you can matter. Often, you've likely heard people negatively labeled as fringe cons...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In 2007, John Kanzius accidentally found a way to release and burn hydrogen from salt water with 13.56 MHz radio waves. Many people initially thought it was a hoax. Penn State professor Rustum Roy ve...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I Learned the etymology of the word "fuck." And I can't stop laughing.
the word fuck (2.5-minute video)
What did you learn today?
DISCUSS!
Original posting by Braincrave Secon...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
By definition, a contract has to be an agreement. It's intellectually dishonest to call something a contract without an agreement. To paraphrase Lysander Spooner, a contract made hundreds of years ag...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
It's easy to predict the future. Take anything that the government says, reverse it, and you'll come pretty close to having a crystal ball. Why? Nietzsche knew: "The governments of the great States h...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
As a soft science, sociology is the study of the social behavior of humans in the pursuit of social welfare. Dr. Sam Richards suggests that the sociological analysis of the various aspects in your ow...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
What do you love? What are your passions? Have any hobbies? Want to make some money from them? With the economy suffering, many continue to look for other income sources. Granted, many of the article...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In his pamphlet The Law, French economist Frederick Bastiat stated "Since the law organizes justice, the socialists ask why the law should not also organize labor, education, and religion." Bastiat c...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
While hero Bradley Manning rots in solitary confinement, most are now aware that Wikileaks has courageously released 250,000 secret diplomacy documents which provide candid and critical views of US...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that AT&T will send you a free microcell/femtocell (and maybe even a free phone) for use in your home if you can't get a good signal for your mobile phone. Submitted by one of our...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Milton Friedman, the originator of the withholding tax, once said "we're all Keynesians now" (referring to the disastrous economic policies promoted by John Maynard Keynes). More recently, Newsweek (...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned how to increase the wireless signal of my router. Say goodbye to your wireless signal dropping!
FTA:
8. Make a Reflector with Tinfoil. Note that a tinfoil router may boost you...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
As Thanksgiving rolls around to the US, children will be taught the false story of the first Thanksgiving (just one of many myths children are taught). The real story is a case study that teaches a v...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Have we become a culture of dependence? As far as we can see, the "producers" continue to support the "non-producers" instead of, say, "going on strike." Why do people generally think that they have...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
What's the fundamental problem that's leading to so many teenagers having sex, including anal sex and even prostitution? Is this the result of poor sex education? Why isn't the $200 million the US go...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that the sky isn't blue and the sun isn't yellow. The sky is actually black and the sun is white. It's only because we have an atmosphere (which is made of gas molecules and dust) tha...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ayn Rand warned us. She did it in her books such as Atlas Shrugged (and, to a certain extent, >The Fountainhead). She did it on TV such as in this famous interview between her and Mike Wallace on...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
It appears the "natives are getting restless." Liberals were "up in arms" (pun intended) because the organization Oath Keepers is preparing for violent revolt. They blasted Tea Partiers for purported...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
For those of you who refuse to vote for the lesser of two evils, take comfort in knowing that you're in the majority. Politicians are always claiming their wins indicate that "the people have spoken....
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Many artists are concerned about copying, especially in the online world. It's a significant problem in Second Life where copybots can copy an artist's/owner's content without their permission. This...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In 1996, Dolly the sheep made headlines around the world as the first mammal to be successfully cloned. As a result of the experiment, President Clinton ordered research into the legal and ethical is...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In the movie Extreme Measures, a brilliant doctor attempts experimental surgeries on live patients (who eventually die), trying to find a way to help spinal cord victims walk again. I think most agre...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that my parents mislead me when they taught me about the "birds and the bees" - there are over 200,000 species of animals that act as pollinators, and even the wind acts as a pollinat...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Louis Pasteur once wrote that chance favors the prepared mind. But is that the way it always works? Isn't it also true that, sometimes, good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In case you haven't heard, the US Totally Stupid Administration (aka TSA) has deployed Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) body scanners at many airports that produce radiation to scan your body for po...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Putting aside the debates as to whether or not social psychology is less rigorous because it is a soft science, or whether or not it is really science at all, how closely do our political choices mir...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
More than any other politician by a Grand Canyon-wide margin, Ron Paul is a man of impeccable character when it comes to supporting the ideas of freedom and "is a force for good." (He easily won his...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
As we consider the ramifications of WikiLeak's courageous action to provide us truth about the Iraq war, it is useful to also consider how poorly the mainstream media has served us and the pursuit of...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I Learned that moral principles are not determined by majority vote.
FTA: "A majority vote is not an epistemological validation of an idea. Voting is merely a proper political device within...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Everyone's familiar with the expression "love at first sight." But is that really the way love works? According to a recent scientific study, the answer is yes. But what about romance? What about val...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The mystical Fountain of Youth so long sought after... What if it were real, and the key to life could be discovered in an 18-year old girl that, for all intents and purposes, is a baby? What if, in...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Many have developed tests that attempt to gauge a person's intelligence. There are many high IQ societies that use these tests as membership criteria. However, as of yet, the "secret" of intelligence...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Governments love to pander equality and anti-discrimination laws (well, granted - they were for discrimination before they were against it). Their latest villain? The Internet Service Providers (ISP)...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The cover-up of the Iraq war is significant. Whereas many of us suspected it, WikiLeaks has provided the facts to support the truth. And the truth is - the US government has been lying to everyone (a...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Although it's impossible to define it with objective standards, the concept of the "common good" is directly linked with "society" and the "majority." Which is better for humanity and should take pre...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I Learned that the media can legally lie.
FTA:
In February 2003, a Florida Court of Appeals unanimously agreed with an assertion by FOX News that there is no rule against distorting or...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
If we are to believe UNICEF, there are about 158 million children aged 5-14 engaged in child labor, "working in hazardous situations or conditions." Most people give this a scary name like "child ex...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Some claim that the reason music piracy is so prevalent is because the cost of music is so high (especially when the actual CD production costs are so low - a cursory look suggests it's less than $0....
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Wait - you're upset because the government promised you something and then did the exact opposite? This is government's modus operandi - why all the fuss? Look, just vote for the other party next tim...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Making generalizations always comes with challenges. After all, just because a claim is oftentimes true doesn't make it fact in all cases. Although intellectual dishonesty abounds, I generally catego...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In group chat, we recently went on a tangent to discuss the effectiveness of charity. (To quote one of our Braincravers, "teach a man to fish and he'll stay drunk on a boat.") Benjamin Franklin obser...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Welcome to TIL (Today I Learned) Tuesdays, where we will discuss specific facts about something. Looking to learn about something new every day? Reddit.com has a wonderful and very active TIL communi...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The history of humanity is based on progress. Progress has been the result of individuals coming together to solve problems and to enhance our lives. But history also provides numerous examples of gr...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
People study science and natural science (i.e., philosophy) to understand the nature of reality. Presumably, the more accurately we understand reality, the happier we will be. (Similarly, when we ope...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
There is enough evidence now to implicate the US government of a massive cover-up of 9/11. At this point, it's ignorant to claim otherwise. Yet, the only ones who suffer from the terrible events of 9...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Granted, not everyone values freedom and wants to be free. But why do so many people think that prosperity is greater the larger/more powerful government is? Given how terrible the economy is, and gi...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Many think that, if governments just tax the rich more, the country's fiscal problems will be solved. Even Warren Buffett, one of the wealthiest men in the world, thinks taxing the rich should be pub...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
It is said that bad habits die hard. How many times have you read in someone's dating profile: "I'm a positive person?" How often have you told someone to "think positive?" Psychology suggests this m...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a process of stimulating the brain with magnetic fields that changes/disrupts the way the neurons work. Is it possible to use TMS to unlock "hidden" cogniti...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In his prophetic novel 1984, George Orwell described a facecrime: "It was terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in any public place or within range of a telescreen. The smalles...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
France is well-known for its protests, one of its most famous being the French Revolution and the storming of the Bastille. There was violence. There was bloodshed. The king was executed. The French...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
During the Spanish Inquisition, the Catholic Church authorized massive torture and violence against so-called "heretics" (non-conformists/non-believers). Although this history has been mocked by the...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Regardless or whether you agree or disagree with specific social programs, we can generally agree that government wastes much money as it tries to engineer social outcomes (50% by some estimates). Th...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Whether you're a moral relativist or absolutist, and based on whatever standards you choose, there are actions that you think are immoral. What is morally contemptible to you now might have been comm...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
John Lennon composed and sang "Imagine... no need for greed or hunger." Billions of people starve. Death and suffering from starvation are clearly global problems for which there aren't any clear sol...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
And they say that justice is blind... HA! The courts don't even try to hide their unequal treatment of genders in court anymore. They are now cocky enough that they can actually publicly state their...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The government knows better than you when it comes to most things, right? For example, they know what's best for your health, correct (putting aside for a moment their militaries and police that dest...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Technology is so grand. With the research from this experiment, we might finally be able to replace the lowest form of humans - politicians - with robots. After all, if you can teach robots to lie, t...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Albert Shanker, the president of the United Federation of Teachers for 20 years, and then the president of the American Federation of Teachers for another 23 years once said: "When school children st...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Bill Clinton was impeached for lying about getting a blow job. But here we have President Obama, a constitutional lawyer and professor, who is technically now a dictator without anyone calling for im...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Pastor Martin Niemöller criticized German intellectuals because they did nothing as the Nazis rose to power and eliminated anti-government groups. Please, learn from history. Please, don't ignore th...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Generally, people refrain from taking action, assuming that someone else will do it. For example, take medical emergencies. Have you ever seen someone collapse because of a heart attack, expecting so...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In the movie Braveheart, William Wallace says, "Every man dies, not every man really lives." For thousands of years, people have thought about the values to live for. Aristotle suggest we should live...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Bad sex is all on your head. Either that or sugar is now an aphrodisiac. One-third of women having sexual problems experienced a placebo effect from sugar pills. Why is it that some people feel that...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ayn Rand wrote "Modern collectivists... see society as a super-organism, as some supernatural entity apart from and superior to the sum of its individual members." Those who support freedom are often...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
What does it mean to be human? Transhumanists want to use technology to enhance the human body. What are the ethical considerations for enhancing human biology with technology? Are we less human with...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Although cutting edge research gives me reason for hope, pancreatic cancer is the fourth most deadly cancer known and THE most horrible and personal disease to me. Two years ago, I lost my mother to...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In On The Duty of Civil Disobedience, Henry David Thoreau wrote "How does it become a man to behave toward this American government to-day? I answer that he cannot without disgrace be associated with...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Here's the scenario: there's a gang of thugs outside your house threatening you and your family. Your wife is calling the police while you grab your gun. You fire 4 shots into the grass to scare them...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In order to avoid offending, is it proper to limit your criticism of someone's beliefs? Which is more respectful: critically examining someone's belief system or ignoring the topic to keep the relati...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Historically, friendship was based on shared values. Ayn Rand considered friendship as "the emotional response of one man to the virtues of another, the spiritual payment given in exchange for the pe...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
After providing $900 billion in "stimulus" with zero (and some would argue negative) impact on the economy, increasing the national debt by over $2 trillion (in slightly over 1 year, and it continues...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
More and more, schools are adopting zero-tolerance policies. High schools are now filled with armed police, metal detectors, and drug-sniffing dogs. Is that the environment in which children can pro...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
As the adage goes: How do you know a politician is lying? His lips are moving. On Obama's White House website, he states: "My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of opennes...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Can a person strive to be something that he doesn't understand? Take integrity: are you a person of integrity? If so, how do you know? Is integrity always associated with virtue, or is integrity amor...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ayn Rand said in Atlas Shrugged: "Happiness is the successful state of life, pain is an agent of death. Happiness is that state of consciousness which proceeds from the achievement of one’s values....
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Robert LeFevre is said "If men are good, you don't need government; if men are evil or ambivalent, you don't dare have one." What is it that makes a good man? What are the aspirations of a good man?...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Sex sells. Every advertiser knows this. As human beings, it's a natural desire. There is nothing inherently wrong with sex as it leads to the continuation of humanity. Sex can allow someone without o...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
H.L. Mencken once wrote "Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under." This is an amazing story about Davy Crockett and how he learned what it means to uphold your principles. Why ar...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Christina Hoff Sommers wrote in her book The War Against Boys: How Misguided Feminism Is Harming Our Young Men that "it's a bad time to be a boy." Certainly, government curriculums in schools is misg...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Cancer. I hate this disease. My sister was diagnosed with it at about age 5. She, along with my mother, father, and I, spent the next 16 years in and out of hospitals getting treatments that, arguabl...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The statist argument is always the same: "If you have nothing to hide, why do you care?" The government can attach a GPS device to your car and monitor your movements, and it's perfectly legal. And n...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Atlas Shrugged was not intended to be an instruction manual. Ayn Rand talked through Francisco d'Anconia about what it took to kill the motor of the world: "He stepped to the window and pointed to th...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Nuclear energy was discovered in the context of war (specifically World War II). In the 1950s, the US Air Force tried to come up with an idea of putting a nuclear reactor on an airplane to keep it ru...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The Nazis and Joseph Stalin were famous for their show trials, where "guilt" was determined by the authorities before the trial. From the court jester files, we continue to find that the the American...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Can a moral relativist and moral absolutist have an objective debate on morality if you don't share the same core values? In physics, a scientist will say that time is relative, but he will not say t...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Sadists are those who enjoy giving pain. Masochists are those who enjoy receiving pain. However, most of us attempt to avoid pain, especially emotional pain. In fact, research suggests that emotional...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Jerry Garcia is famous for saying "And as far as I'm concerned, it's like I say, drugs are not the problem. Other stuff is the problem." As the lawyers at the RIAA claim that copyright law "isn't wor...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Noam Chomsky said Ayn Rand was "... one of the most evil figures of modern intellectual history." Yet I find Atlas Shrugged an amazing book (and so do many others, like the man who recently drove aro...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In 1991, John Taylor Gatto, New York City Teacher of the Year (1989, 1990, and 1991), New York State Teacher of the Year (1991), and author of The Underground History of American Education, wrote the...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
What do you mean people are actually capable of driving on the streets safely without signs?!? But that's unheard of! How absurd! It must be chaos! Complete craziness! How is it possible that people...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti stated "It is no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society." Speaking of health, the "perfect storm" appears to be coming in a very sick...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The government lied about the BP oil spill? (Tries to act surprised.) Is this kind of like when Bush claimed "mission accomplished" in Iraq (or Obama's recent second fake end to the Iraq war)? You've...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
They've been trained by US governments. They are expert killers. They believe that the principles espoused in the US Constitution are actually worth defending. They've been patient, but have had enou...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Let's assume for a moment that morality is a system of values that a group of individuals (i.e., society) must generally follow in order to live. Let's also assume that the closer individuals get to...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Is it ironic that this is published in a UK newspaper? Not so long ago, police used to be called "peace officers." Keeping the peace and initiating violence are contradictions. Wasn't police abuse in...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
My last article dealt with the various aspects of romantic love. However, value comes in many forms and so does the emotional payment, love. Acts of kindness are pleasant in many aspects and many of...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Randolph Bourne warned us that "war is the health of the state." So how does the state keep healthy? By declaring wars on everything. The war in Afghanistan is a disaster. The war in Iraq is a disast...