-
Home / braincrave / Comments
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
New to online dating? Trying to find the man or woman of your dreams through the virtual world? As in any relationship, proper communication is crucial. You need to have a good personal ad or dating...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
I have always been very concerned about the problems of war. It makes me sick to my stomach to think about how unfair it is for the many innocent victims. So, as an amateur videographer, I have tried...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
History repeats itself. Men have constantly fought and died in the war for equality throughout the centuries. However, not all of them had in mind the same idea of equality when they gave their lives...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Thanks to the Land Destroyer blog for spotting this excellent analysis of what appears the next phase in false-flag interventionist propaganda -- the use of so-called "social media" with heavy celebr...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
You're an idiot.
That's right. According to New York spin doctor Sheherazad Jaafari (aka press-aide or press attaché), Americans are easily manipulated. All politicians need to do is admit that th...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
I'm talking about the real anarchists here, not bloody bomb-throwers or anti-capitalist window breakers. I'm referring to people who have faced the scary fact that all coercive power corrupts and tha...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
As proud supporters of Creative Commons, we were encouraged to see so many websites effectively shut down or "go dark" on January 18, 2012 in protest of the tyrannical SOPA/PIPA bills that the US gov...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
What a completely ridiculous statement, right? Calling Ron Paul a progressive? So why are some prominent progressives suggesting that Ron Paul is more progressive than Obama?
Liberals and progress...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Selfishness is often defined as an evil that deals with one caring for oneself more than for others. Many evils in the world are blamed on selfishness. Hunger, poverty and illness are supposedly all...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
"Well, when the President does it, that means that it is not illegal." So said President Richard Nixon in his 1977 interview discussing presidential authority.
Fast-forward 30 years. "I was a cons...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The holidays are often difficult, and can be downright depressing, especially for those who have pain from a loss, a traumatic experience, or just plain loneliness (e.g., not having a date for holida...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
We all have previously learned about the Great Flu Pandemic of 1918, which killed between 20-40 million people worldwide in our history classes. Now with the advance of modern molecular biology techn...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
There's a button that some wear on election day. It says "I voted." It's as if voting makes them feel powerful.
But the vote they cast typically isn't for a specific law - it's usually for a polit...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
There's a funny wedding tradition where the married couple eats the top layer of their wedding cake one year later. (How great to finally have the extra space in your freezer, right?) For about half...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that Platonic love isn't what we thought it was. In fact, Plato didn't even believe in it, was pro-sex, thought erotica was a spiritual force that helps us find our true selves, and e...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Life is a constant struggle, especially because the lessons we learn are oftentimes knowledge gained after we really needed it. It's one of the reasons mentors are so important - they've "been there,...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Throughout most of human civilization, centuries of men have starved, died from the elements (for lack of proper housing), suffered terrible health, and barely lived. Even today, starvation kills mil...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
We need a new demotivational poster: "Science. A quick way to mess-up all those great love poems."
The definition of rational isn't very controversial: "having reason or understanding." The defini...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that, unlike people or other corporations, Federal reserve bank stockholders don't have to pay federal, state,or local taxes on their annual, fixed dividends of 6% on capital stock (w...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
A neuroscientist is someone who studies "the anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, or molecular biology of nerves and nervous tissue and especially their relation to behavior and learning." Although the...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ron Paul just came out with a plan to cut $1 trillion from the US's federal budget and severely curtail entitlement programs. According to the "Plan to Restore America," it cuts $1 trillion in spendi...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Throughout history, machines, tools, devices, etc. have become smaller. But not until recently have we been able to see down to the lowest level - to that of the nano. With electron microscopes, nano...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that, without a magic wand, levitation is real.
The physics behind it consists of a ceramic material that is famous for superconductivity when cooled below -185ºC (-301ºF). The s...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
As many mourn the death of Apple founder Steve Jobs, they use words such as visionary, brilliant, innovative, leader, entrepreneur, capitalist, and philanthropic to describe him. Many aren't aware th...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned from "America's worst mom" that the earliest episodes of Sesame Street are "for adult viewing only" for fear they will give kids dangerous ideas (Sesame Street just couldn't bring its...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The strategy by the labor union leadership was said to be based simply: "how do we bring down the stock market, how do we bring down their bonuses, how do we interfere with their ability to, to be ri...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Aristotle spoke of music as having "influence over the character and the soul." He noted that "Rhythm and melody supply imitations of anger and gentleness, and also of courage and temperance, and of...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
How we do like to complain about politicians. We vote them into office (well, some don't vote) and expect them to change the world. To reduce war. To make our lives better. To keep their promises. Af...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned the adage "you can't prove a negative" is false because you can prove a negative. It's very easy. We need to stop saying that. A better statement to use is "he who asserts a positive...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Just when you thought you understood how the world works, the tachyons come to shake things up.
For those who haven't heard by now, the masterminds at CERN who brought you the LHC rap have made wh...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Competition increases change and motivates people to excel. For example, gamers recently competed to solve a scientific problem that has "vexed researchers for a decade." Companies compete for your b...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
It was all the rage.
Following 14-year old Jamey Rodemeyer's tearful "It Gets Better, I promise!" video, in which he tried to show how positive he was in the face of gay bullying, other well-know...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Make everyone equal. It is a common battle cry across the centuries. Just look at the current class warfare that Obama is pushing because we are not all equal. (Or, as Orwell famously put it in Anima...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that Connecticut Supreme Court Justice Richard Palmer is "sorry" for the way he voted in the infamous eminent domain Kelo v. New London case.
In that case, the US Supreme Court aff...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Why are so many children familiar with the adage "do as I say, not as I do?" The answer should be obvious - because we, as adults, often do things that we don't want our children doing. Let's face it...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
No significant intellectualism here in this video. Just an older couple learning how to use a computer to make you feel good.
May we all be as happy as they are at this age.
What's your experie...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Ron Paul famously said of neocons:
The neoconservative ethos, steeped in the teachings of Leo Strauss, cannot abide an America where individuals simply pursue their happy, peaceful, prosperous l...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Einstein once wrote that "our conscious acts spring from our desires and our fears." Many agree. For example, David Hume suggested in A Treatise of Human Nature that humans are prone to letting emoti...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Two grandmothers, two priests and a nun were sentenced in federal court in Tacoma, WA Monday March 28, 2011, for confronting hundreds of US nuclear weapons stockpiled for use by the deadly Trident su...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned the first PC virus was called "brain" and was written in DOS only 25 years ago in 1986. The creators of the virus even gave their address. How did it move from PC to PC? Floppy disks...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
When it comes to non-violent, ideological leaders, Mahatma Gandhi has got to be toward the very top of the list. His resistance to British tyranny through mass civil disobedience is famous. Needless...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned one of the creators of Superman drew S&M and bondage comics that were banned by the Supreme Court, the creator of Star Trek created a show about a gym teacher having sex with his...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
When it comes to politics, it's difficult to say "liberals believe this" or "conservatives believe that." After all, within each political ideology, there are many views; sometimes even views that se...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Do you really need a 4.0 grade point average?
There's a proposal on the table that we should consider. For far too long, there have been many underachieving students. We're not going to get into t...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Paris Hilton did it to Lindsay Lohan. Tiger Woods did it. American Idol did it. Couples do it. Sometimes we even do it to ourselves. Politicians do it as well, but they do it badly (just like everyth...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Al Gore aren't going to be happy. Scientists are messing up their politics.
So it turns out that the only thing man-made about global warming is t...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned the difference between etc. and et al. etc. is used for things, while et al. is used for people. And they should not be interchanged.
2) etc. (and so on)
Example:
"None of...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Obama has broken many promises. That's par for the course when you're a politician. People know (and sadly accept) that politicians aren't going to do everything they promise.
But then there are m...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
In the business world, most workers receive a base salary and then salary increases or bonuses based on performance. Performance can be measured by various factors, including company performance, ind...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
For the most part, public education in the US is a disaster. Where the blame lies will be forever debated, but to claim otherwise is to sleep undisturbed in a fantasy world with "stark wake-up calls"...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
First, let me make this perfectly clear: I am an anarchist (or, more specifically, an anarcho-capitalist). I do not support any kind of government, including a president. The last election I voted in...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned Albert Einstein supported a one-world government and was a Socialist.
Einstein's passionate commitment to the cause of global peace led him to support the creation of a single, u...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
It is claimed that women fake orgasms because of insecurities. But as women have a tremendous capacity for pleasure, perhaps men just aren't stimulating the right places. As scary as it might sound t...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Space is a concept which is very rarely correctly understand by anybody, including modern physicists. However, the purpose of this essay is not to discuss the confusions of others in relation to this...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
As scary as it might sound, we already know that evidence doesn't matter much in the context of politics. So, even when there is clear evidence of a certain idea being factually true, many people don...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned Facebook imports your phone numbers from your mobile phone's address book, sometimes without your knowledge, thus making the private phone numbers of ALL of your contacts (not just yo...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Most of you are probably aware of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. It states that it is not possible to know the precise position and momentum of subatomic particles such as electrons. (There is...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
(Meanwhile, as the Italian cabinet approves a tough austerity plan, and as Nero feasts while Rome burns...)
According to the AP, "France, Italy, Spain and Belgium are banning short-selling on sele...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
As this is an article about the theory of games, I thought that, as I intend to do this systematically, I should start with a brief post defining what a game actually is. You might think that I could...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
One of the many fun things to do as a kid is to sit around a campfire late at night and hear adults tell ghost stories. Our imaginations would run wild - are there really such things as ghosts?
Bu...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
James Fenimore Cooper once said: "All greatness of character is dependent on individuality. The man who has no other existence than that which he partakes in common with all around him, will never ha...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Alan Greenspan. Economic wonderboy. Market maestro. Former Federal Reserve Board Chairman. Past disciple of Ayn Rand. Someone who once thought gold was the only proper standard for money and a protec...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that there is a "paper" in production that can be erased and reused 260 times and currently costs about $2.00/sheet. (And we all know that, just like with any technology, that price w...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Porn is like bacon: some won't eat it for religious reasons, some consider it filthy, some feel guilty after eating it, but everyone else (which is most of the population) loves it. Funny enough, sci...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Nowadays, you have to take on massive amounts of debt to go to college, only to graduate and find that there aren't any jobs available. So you leave college, go back to living with your parents, and...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Praxeology is a general theory of human action or, more specifically, purposeful behavior. Unlike unconscious behavior such as breathing or reflexes, we act in conscious, chosen ways to achieve vario...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that Communism, "the greatest social engineering experiment we have ever seen," is responsible for approximately over 100 million deaths. The Communists tried to construct a "utopia.....
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
"No taxation without representation" was a popular slogan that summarized a major grievance the British colonists had with England. The idea is simple enough to understand: if I don't get any substan...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Politics. Morality. Religion. Relationships. Even science. These are examples of the many categories in which you will find disagreements. These debates occur just as much with intelligent people as...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Pulitzer prize winning author, Columbia professor, historian, and liberal Eric Foner thinks liberalism is in a state of contradiction. One the one hand, he says liberals want an "activist government"...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The latest weapon of mass destruction: starvation.
The situation is dire. It's the worst drought in Africa in 60 years. The UN is airlifting food to Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya. It's estimated th...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
The printing press: what a great invention... It fostered a rapid development in and dissemination of art and science through the production of books. But one wonders if Johannes Gutenberg would be a...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Robert Heinlein once wrote: "Being intelligent is not a felony. But most societies evaluate it as at least a misdemeanor."
The number of students going to UK universities is falling. Additionally,...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Imagine that you are a human brought to another planet. You are not religious. You haven't any belief in God or the supernatural. On this planet, the aliens are immediately able to cure all your dise...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that 18 US veterans commit suicide every day and 1 million veterans are sitting in jail.
When Staff Sgt. Brad Eifert, 36, finally made his way to the woods behind his house with...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Remember the guy who talked about change? Where'd he go?
In 2006, Obama said this:
The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
You sometimes have to wonder why teaching children seems to be more complicated than rocket science. There are many valid debates in education as to the proper conditions required for a child to lear...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that, despite the hype, bottled water typically isn't any cleaner or healthier than tap water, and often comes from the same public water supply that your tap water does. Having said...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
No doubt about it - we humans have a strong desire for sexual intercourse. It certainly makes sense from an evolutionary perspective, as the desire helps further humanity. But some are programmed for...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
"Facts don't necessarily have the power to change our minds. In fact, quite the opposite."
Before you read this article to determine where that conclusion came from, ponder that quote for a moment...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Winning people's hearts and minds through ideas is one way to affect change, but it's a very, very slow process. Most would consider it "impractical." For those who want to implement change quicker,...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that the accepted wisdom of drinking eight glasses of water a day, including the accompanying reminder that beverages containing caffeine and alcohol do not count, is not supported by...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
"Philosopher of revolution" Pyotr Kropotkin (aka Peter Kropotkin) once wrote: "America is just the country that shows how all the written guarantees in the world for freedom are no protection against...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Humans and chimpanzees share 96% of the same DNA. In other words, from a scientific perspective, humans and chimpanzees are genetically very similar.
As the battle between evolution and intelligen...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
From the "you can't make this shit up" files...
Statists have plenty of bad ideas: going to war for oil, setting up regulatory agencies that don't do their jobs, molesting people in the name of se...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes (aka who watches the watchmen)?
Called Colony Collapse Disorder, there is something killing honeybees. They are dying in "huge numbers." Scientists from the US Environ...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned about Pale Moon - an optimized version of Firefox that is much faster than Firefox and optimized specifically for Windows.
Not only is it much faster than Firefox (perhaps even by...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Braincrave.com has been highlighted as one of the top 10 Cool Things to Do in Second Life for intellectual discussions!
Of course, we're very honored and want to thank all of you who help us make...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Great news! Braincrave.com's first confirmed marriage! Just goes to show that online dating really does yield real results, including for those who like to think.
To celebrate this amazing success...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned why light gasses like helium make your voice squeaky and heavy gasses like sulfur hexafluoride or xenon make your voice sound like Barry White.
In summary, the timbre of your voice...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who "passionately" believes in the welfare system, is lashing out at parents who are raising their children through social welfare programs. He thinks the issue is a...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Once upon a time, in a land far away which has nothing at all in common with the world we humans inhabit, a horse was running free in the plain. He longed to climb up the mountains and see the world...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned hot water sometimes freezes faster than cold water. Although there isn't one, conclusive scientific explanation for the phenomenon, one of the theories for why this occurs is that hot...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Jesse Ventura, of wrestling, acting, and conspiracy theory fame, is disgusted with politics. (And anyone who isn't disgusting isn't sane.) So he's come up with some new ideas.
What do you think el...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
Today I learned that you can run a diesel engine car on waste vegetable oil (e.g., oil that's been used to cook). It is less harmful to the environment, less toxic to people and animals, and runs abo...
editorial posted by
braincrave
in braincrave
How we do love eye-candy. And, after all, "since when is a woman dressing sexy in public a bad thing?"
By now, you've probably heard about the various "slut walks" that are happening all over the...