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Dating online? Watch that ad!

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...

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The solution to the war problem

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...

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The Great Hoax of Equality

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...

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Kony 2012: Pro-AFRICOM Propaganda by the Regime Change Machine?

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...

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Manipulating Americans is easy

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...

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Oh No! Science Supports... The Anarchists!!

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...

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Then they came for the internet but, by that time...

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...

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The choice between two progressives - Obama and Ron Paul?

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...

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Irrational self-interest

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...

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It isn't illegal if the President does it

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...

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Dealing with pain during the holidays

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...

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Killer viruses - should we make them?

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...

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The last line of defense when the law is wrong

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...

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Modern marriage - a 2-year commitment with an option to renew

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...

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TIL Plato didn't believe in Platonic love and supported erotica

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...

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What really matters in life - it should be our first lecture

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,...

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The revolution for individual freedom and the principles of cooperation

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...

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Madly in love - is there a rational basis to love?

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...

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TIL Federal Reserve Bank stockholders don't pay taxes

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...

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An interview with David Eagleman, neuroscientist

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...

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Ron Paul didn't go far enough - unleash the retirement accounts

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...

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The age of nanotechnology

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...

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TIL real-life levitation does exist

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...

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The rationality of alternative medicine

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...

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TIL what used to be considered healthy and happy is now considered dangerous

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...

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Getting mad as hell - it's about time

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...

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Imagine... what a wonderful world it would be

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...

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What happened to the "we" in "yes we can?"

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...

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TIL you CAN prove a negative

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...

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Breaking the laws of physics - will philosophy become more important?

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...

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The ethics of competition and our obligations to each other

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...

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It doesn't always get better, so stop faking what's real

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...

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Listen to my music - the philosophy of The Trees

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...

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• ayn rand,
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TIL a Kelo v. New London judge regrets his decision

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...

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The examples adults set for children

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...

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How to teach computers to old people

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...

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The enemy to slay in a constant state of emergency

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...

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How to get decent people to do terrible things - put them in positions of power

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...

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Two Grandmothers, Two Priests and a Nun go to Prison for Peace

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...

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TIL the first PC virus was called "brain" and the hackers were not anonymous

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...

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The seven blunders of the world that lead to violence

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...

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TIL Superman, Star Trek, and Archie creators promoted sex

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...

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Taxation is a fight between individualism and collectivism - which side are you on?

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...

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Excessive grades are discriminatory - let's redistribute them

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...

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The makings of a good apology - act like a changed person

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...

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Guilt begone - it was the sun all along

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...

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TIL the difference between etc. and et al.

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...

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How stupid are we? Ask Obama

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...

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Politicians causing problems in politics? Put them on pay-for-performance

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...

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One nation, under God, and undereducated

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"...

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If I voted, Ron Paul is the man I would vote for

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...

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TIL Einstein supported a one-world government and was a Socialist

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...

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Science helps explain why men are confused about female orgasms

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...

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Space and "empty space": Much ado about nothing, or is it?

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...

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Three cheers for capitalism - not two

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...

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TIL Facebook makes your private phone numbers available

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...

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• privacy,
• social media

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The Davies Certainty Principle (Two-Minute Case Against The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle)

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...

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Short-selling - the protected companies

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...

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Gaming theory - why it matters and a definition

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...

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• gaming

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Superstitions - finding an impenetrable prophylactic against ignorant beliefs

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...

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College conspiracy - a worthless piece of paper called a college degree

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...

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Who has more economic savvy? Alan Greenspan, Paul Krugman, or Ron Paul?

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...

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TIL of paper that can be erased and reused 260 times

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...

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Does porn hurt relationships? Science says no

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...

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Selling organs for education

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...

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How to understand people - look at their actions

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...

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TIL Communism is responsible for over 100 million deaths

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.....

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Old enough to fight, old enough to vote, but no influence

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...

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The courage of convictions - rational people don't agree to disagree

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...

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Liberalism - a contradiction in ideals?

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"...

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The poor don't want charity - they want justice

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• politics,
• economics,
• charity,
• poverty

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Ron Paul was right, and the Fed audit proves it

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...

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The legitimacy of higher education - do we need more scientists and engineers?

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,...

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The savages among us

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...

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TIL 18 US veterans commit suicide every day and 1 million are in jail

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...

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• military,
• health care,
• crime,
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Let's raise the debt ceiling to $1 quadrillion

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...

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Have you no shame, and whose fault is that?

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...

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• parenting,
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TIL bottled water often comes from tap water and isn't typically cleaner or healthier

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...

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• food,
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Tough love - the philosophy of BDSM

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...

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Scary - facts don't change our minds

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...

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The courage to resist

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,...

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TIL drinking eight glasses of water a day is bunk

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...

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• health care,
• biology,
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The spirit of revolution

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...

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• philosophy,
• politics,
• anarchism,
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Well I'll be a monkey's uncle - evolution is not a matter of faith

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...

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• animals,
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Nationalize email to the US Postal Service - are you fucking kidding me?

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...

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• economics,
• business,
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Toxins in our food supply are killing bees

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...

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• politics,
• food

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TIL about Pale Moon - a faster version of Firefox for Windows

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...

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• internet,
• open source,
• software

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Top 10 Cool Things to Do in Second Life - Braincrave intellectual discussions

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...

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• intellectualism,
• relationships,
• second life

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Braincrave's first confirmed marriage!

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...

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TIL why helium makes your voice squeaky

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...

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• biology

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The morality of helping the poor family - where does it end?

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...

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• philosophy,
• economics,
• culture,
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The Horse in the Plain

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...

• 1 comment
• philosophy,
• psychology,
• fiction

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TIL hot water freezes faster than cold water (and be careful with reigning paradigms)

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...

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Abolish political parties and add none of the above

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...

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• philosophy,
• conspiracy

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TIL you can run a diesel engine car on used vegetable oil

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...

• No comments
• cars,
• environment,
• science,
• technology,
• energy

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Slut walks, rape, and hypocrisy - what's eye candy got to do with it?

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...

• No comments
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• philosophy,
• sex,
• fashion,
• feminism

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Apathy - ignorance going through the motions

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...

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• psychology,
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Why is there so much hate and anger in the world?

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,...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• psychology,
• emotions,
• self-improvement,
• technology

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Are safety and freedom opposites?

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...

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• politics,
• police state,
• totalitarianism,
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Mine! The never-ending fight over Palestine

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...

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TIL how cats and dogs drink water

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,...

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• animals,
• science

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O Me! O Life! and being thankful for what you have

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...

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• philosophy,
• jobs,
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TIL the power of the scroll wheel in Firefox

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...

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Ray Kurzweil - bringing my dreams to real life in a virtual world

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...

• 1 comment
• technology,
• transhumanism,
• philosophy,
• psychology,
• second life

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Getting off the sauce - do we choose to drink?

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...

• No comments
• health care,
• psychology,
• self-improvement,
• religion,
• disease,
• addiction

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The ethics of the placebo effect

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...

• No comments
• health care,
• medicine,
• psychology,
• pharmaceuticals,
• philosophy,
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Good form - etiquette and manners for politeness

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• self-improvement,
• psychology

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The essence of political definitions: what does it mean to be a liberal?

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...

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• philosophy,
• politics,
• ayn rand,
• objectivism,
• economics

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I spy, and you cannot hide

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• privacy,
• totalitarianism,
• police state,
• surveillance

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TIL don't use olive oil for cooking at high temperatures

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...

• No comments
• food,
• science

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Other people are not your property

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• politics,
• economics,
• libertarians

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The right to health care

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...

• No comments
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• health care,
• philosophy

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Would you, personally, force someone to give charity?

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• politics,
• taxes,
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Learning to relax through hypnosis

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...

• No comments
• psychology,
• self-improvement

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Is neurobiology making us morally ill?

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• science,
• disease,
• cancer,
• health care,
• medicine,
• psychology

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Godwin's law - if the shoe fits, wear it

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...

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• history,
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TIL ostriches do NOT bury their head in the sand

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...

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• animals

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Government-run supermarkets and education

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...

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The cosmic conflict of religion and science

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...

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• science,
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Friends with benefits - can sex ever be casual?

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...

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• psychology,
• sex,
• relationships,
• culture

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TIL about the Ig Noble prize

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 -...

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• humor,
• science,
• medicine,
• technology

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Osama bin Laden is dead - long live Emmanuel Goldstein

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....

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The ethics of capitalism

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...

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• philosophy,
• economics,
• politics,
• business,
• education

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US has highest prison population - why?

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...

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• politics,
• philosophy,
• police state,
• totalitarianism,
• crime

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Legislating morality and homosexuality

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...

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• philosophy,
• sex,
• homosexuality,
• politics,
• religion,
• objectivism,
• ayn rand

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TIL that gas prices in Europe are double those in the US

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...

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• economics,
• energy,
• business,
• politics

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Sports socialism

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...

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• sports,
• entertainment,
• politics,
• economics,
• philosophy

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Environmental suicide

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...

• No comments
• environment,
• philosophy,
• politics,
• science,
• objectivism

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Reducing HIV/AIDS by eliminating IP laws

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...

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• politics,
• philosophy,
• business,
• pharmaceuticals,
• economics,
• health care,
• medicine,
• disease

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Government's taunt: "I know you are but what am I?"

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...

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• politics,
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• totalitarianism,
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TIL about StumbleUpon toolbar options

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...

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• entertainment,
• technology,
• internet

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Copyright trolling

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...

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• politics,
• philosophy,
• economics,
• business,
• copyright

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Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand's vision and warning

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...

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• ayn rand,
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Learned helplessness

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...

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• psychology,
• philosophy,
• parenting,
• children

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If women ruled the world

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...

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TIL van Gogh sold only one painting in his lifetime

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...

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• art,
• history

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People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones

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...

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• philosophy,
• military,
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Pronouncing moral judgment

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....

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• politics,
• philosophy,
• whistleblower

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Beauty and the eyes of the beholder

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...

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• philosophy,
• fashion,
• business,
• advertising

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When what you're doing in economics doesn't work, just do more of it

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...

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• economics,
• politics,
• philosophy

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The value of "no"

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...

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• entrepreneur,
• philosophy,
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Any monkey can be an artist

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...

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• art,
• psychology,
• philosophy

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TIL the 40-hour work week did not originate from unions

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...

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• politics,
• jobs

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Epic win - making a better world with video games

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...

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• gaming,
• technology,
• science,
• philosophy,
• economics,
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What's an hour of your life worth?

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...

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• philosophy,
• economics

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Meet the new [education] boss, same as the old boss

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...

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• education,
• politics

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America is very hostile to many businesses, believe it or not

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...

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• politics,
• economics,
• business,
• taxes,
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OMG! There's Discrimination in the Modeling Industry!

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...

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• economics,
• philosophy,
• business,
• fashion

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TIL cranberries are sorted by bouncing

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...

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• food

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Administering justice through self-injury

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...

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• psychology,
• religion,
• philosophy

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I want it, but can't afford it

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...

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• politics,
• economics

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Better ideas - the Socratic method

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...

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America's leading leftist intellectual is angry

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...

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• intellectualism,
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War powers and rebranded neoconservativism

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...

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• politics,
• philosophy,
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TIL about the Flying Spaghetti Monster

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...

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• politics,
• religion,
• science

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Society and the meaning of individual actions

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...

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• politics,
• philosophy,
• economics,
• individualism,
• psychology

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Politics - a zero-sum game

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• philosophy,
• economics

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When it comes to "I told ya' so," it's too late

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• torture,
• totalitarianism,
• whistleblower,
• police state

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Japanese inspiration

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?...

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• philosophy,
• energy,
• heroism,
• psychology

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Drug monopolies courtesy of government

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• health care,
• medicine,
• business,
• pharmaceuticals,
• economics,
• pregnancy

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TIL why hair turns grey

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....

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• health care,
• medicine,
• biology,
• science

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Intellectual bankruptcy

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....

• No comments
• philosophy,
• ayn rand,
• objectivism,
• politics

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Eliminate all corporations

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• philosophy,
• business,
• economics,
• banking

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Honestly, why bother?

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...

• No comments
• philosophy

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Political correctness, sticks, and stones

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...

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• politics,
• culture,
• philosophy,
• history

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Rules for intelligent discussion

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• intellectualism

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Democracy - FAIL

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• philosophy

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TIL condoms were made of linen

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...

• No comments
• sex,
• history,
• health care

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Initiating force against tasty animals

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• animals,
• food

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Engineering the perfect human

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• science,
• technology,
• biology,
• transhumanism,
• health care,
• medicine,
• genetics

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Opening the lives of the lonely

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...

• No comments
• relationships,
• psychology,
• friendship

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The failure of unions and socialism

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...

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• economics,
• philosophy

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TIL all numbers do not equal all other numbers

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• math

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War - can't we all just get along?

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...

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• philosophy,
• politics,
• military

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Which is better - absolutism or relativism?

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...

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• philosophy

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Optical Illusions - Proof That The Senses Are Valid

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• science,
• biology

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For God's sake

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...

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• religion,
• military,
• politics,
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Military manipulation

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• military,
• psychology,
• conspiracy,
• police state,
• totalitarianism

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Private security forces

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...

• No comments
• business,
• politics,
• philosophy,
• economics,
• insurance

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Why Philosophy Precedes Physics

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...

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• philosophy,
• science,
• physics,
• ayn rand,
• objectivism

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Drug prohibition doesn't work

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• drugs,
• crime,
• police state

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TIL which countries make up the UK

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...

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• education,
• geography,
• politics,
• history

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Philosophy - Everybody Needs It

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...

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Education - a race to the bottom

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...

• No comments
• education,
• politics,
• whistleblower

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Taking down the internet

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• technology,
• internet,
• conspiracy,
• hacking

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Putting kids to work

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• economics,
• jobs,
• children,
• parenting,
• teenagers

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Ethics in the marketplace

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...

• No comments
• economics,
• philosophy,
• politics

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TIL Hong Kong gets 1 Gbps internet for $26/month

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...

• No comments
• technology,
• internet

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Standards of love

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• love,
• objectivism,
• relationships

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Relationship ultimatums

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...

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• relationships,
• philosophy

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Synthesizing happiness

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...

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• philosophy,
• happiness,
• psychology,
• science

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The myths of income equality

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,"...

• No comments
• economics,
• philosophy,
• politics

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Zeitgeist - robots will fix everything

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• politics,
• economics,
• intellectualism,
• technology

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Crime makes a comeback

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......

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• politics,
• police state,
• totalitarianism,
• crime

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Giving away something you don't have

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• philosophy,
• economics

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The BP oil spill - it's sickening

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...

• No comments
• environment,
• politics,
• health care

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Get tough and improve a child's self-esteem

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...

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• parenting,
• children,
• philosophy,
• psychology

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Desires are not rights

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...

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• philosophy,
• politics,
• history,
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The goals of mankind: the state vs. anarchy

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,...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• politics,
• anarchism

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Politics and philosophy - like water and oil

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...

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• philosophy,
• politics

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TIL ignorance begets confidence

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...

• No comments
• psychology,
• science

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Bearing responsibility for your own existence

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• psychology,
• self-improvement,
• objectivism,
• individualism

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Mind your own business

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• military,
• torture,
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Political regression and the meaning of words

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• politics,
• objectivism,
• ayn rand

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Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic economy

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• economics

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Skins - I'm over it

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...

• 1 comment
• philosophy,
• parenting,
• children,
• entertainment,
• education,
• teenagers

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Step-up and be a man

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• science,
• psychology,
• sports

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TIL "often a bridesmaid but never a bride" was to sell mouthwash

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...

• No comments
• advertising,
• business

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The contradiction of limiting free speech

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• police state

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Rules vs. principles

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• objectivism,
• ayn rand

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Iraq - the 20-year war (and counting)

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• police state,
• military

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Quadrotor robots

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...

• No comments
• technology,
• science,
• robots

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Feeding the homeless banned

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• philosophy,
• charity,
• poverty

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Disobeying an unjust law

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• philosophy,
• police state,
• religion

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TIL there are 100+ octillion moves in chess

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 ...

• No comments
• games,
• chess,
• math,
• intellectualism

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Romance and Love in Second Life

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...

• No comments
• second life,
• love,
• romance,
• dating

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Perfectionism - doing better than your best

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...

• No comments
• psychology,
• philosophy,
• happiness,
• self-improvement

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Critical thinking

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• intellectualism,
• individualism,
• self-improvement

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Is Jesus Christ a myth?

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...

• No comments
• religion,
• history,
• science

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Hedonistic self-gratification

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• ayn rand,
• objectivism,
• happiness,
• sex

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Stop being a bystander

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...

• No comments
• psychology,
• science,
• philosophy

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Political prejudices

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• education,
• children,
• discrimination,
• psychology

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TIL there are surgeons who restore virginity

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...

• No comments
• health care,
• medicine,
• religion,
• politics,
• sex

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Do we need morality?

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...

• No comments
• philosophy

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Mixed economy fundamentals

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...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• ayn rand,
• objectivism,
• economics

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The meaning of life

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...

• No comments
• philosophy

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The simpler, the better?

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...

• No comments
• science,
• philosophy

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Be afraid - be very, very afraid

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• torture,
• police state,
• totalitarianism

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Philosophical Health Check

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...

• No comments
• philosophy

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TIL tea parties were actually established after the Boston Tea Party

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• history

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Paying politicians to NOT work

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...

• No comments

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Divorce - follow the money

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...

• No comments
• politics,
• marriage,
• economics,
• discrimination

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Auld Lang Syne - for old time's sake

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...

• No comments
• holidays,
• New Year's

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I am sorry - now what?

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...

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TIL that the government destroys food to increase prices

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...

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• politics,
• economics,
• food

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Slow down and smell the flowers

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...

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• music,
• entertainment

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The repeal of peace and goodwill

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...

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• politics,
• military,
• homosexuality

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Truth as a Christmas present

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...

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• philosophy,
• holidays,
• Christmas,
• children,
• parenting,
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The farcical war on porn

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...

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• politics,
• sex,
• police state,
• totalitarianism

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