Image of The irony of political agreement
The irony of political agreement
editorial posted by in braincrave
It appears the "natives are getting restless." Liberals were "up in arms" (pun intended) because the organization Oath Keepers is preparing for violent revolt. They blasted Tea Partiers for purported...
Image of The ethics of capitalism
The ethics of capitalism
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Ron Paul in charge of Federal Reserve?
Ron Paul in charge of Federal Reserve?
editorial posted by in braincrave
More than any other politician by a Grand Canyon-wide margin, Ron Paul is a man of impeccable character when it comes to supporting the ideas of freedom and "is a force for good." (He easily won his...
Image of The morality of animal testing
The morality of animal testing
editorial posted by in braincrave
In the movie Extreme Measures, a brilliant doctor attempts experimental surgeries on live patients (who eventually die), trying to find a way to help spinal cord victims walk again. I think most agre...
Image of TIL: AT&T microcells rule, especially when they're free
TIL: AT&T microcells rule, especially when they're free
editorial posted by in braincrave
Today I learned that AT&T will send you a free microcell/femtocell (and maybe even a free phone) for use in your home if you can't get a good signal for your mobile phone. Submitted by one of our...
Image of JFK, the press, and WikiLeaks
JFK, the press, and WikiLeaks
editorial posted by in braincrave
As we consider the ramifications of WikiLeak's courageous action to provide us truth about the Iraq war, it is useful to also consider how poorly the mainstream media has served us and the pursuit of...
Image of Net neutrality regulation and liberty
Net neutrality regulation and liberty
editorial posted by in braincrave
Governments love to pander equality and anti-discrimination laws (well, granted - they were for discrimination before they were against it). Their latest villain? The Internet Service Providers (ISP)...
Image of Skins - I'm over it
Skins - I'm over it
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Paying people not to work
Paying people not to work
editorial posted by in braincrave
From Reader's Digest... Why do the lobbyists always win? Why does the political system even allow lobbyists to exist? Why are farm subsidies even allowed? Does this occur in other countries? FTA:...
Image of Bearing responsibility for your own existence
Bearing responsibility for your own existence
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Feeding the homeless banned
Feeding the homeless banned
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Selling politicians
Selling politicians
editorial posted by in braincrave
When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first thing to be bought and sold are legislators. - P.J. O'Rourke DISCUSS! Original posting by Braincrave Second Life staff on Mar 4,...
Image of Getting mad as hell - it's about time
Getting mad as hell - it's about time
editorial posted by 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...
Image of The Beauty of Kindness
The Beauty of Kindness
editorial posted by in braincrave
My last article dealt with the various aspects of romantic love. However, value comes in many forms and so does the emotional payment, love. Acts of kindness are pleasant in many aspects and many of...
Image of Starving cancer with food
Starving cancer with food
editorial posted by in braincrave
Cancer. I hate this disease. My sister was diagnosed with it at about age 5. She, along with my mother, father, and I, spent the next 16 years in and out of hospitals getting treatments that, arguabl...
Image of Starving Artists - Making Money from your Creativity
Starving Artists - Making Money from your Creativity
editorial posted by in braincrave
There are different forms of intelligence. Creativity and artistic abilities are excellent indicators of intelligence. But earning a living as an artist is difficult, especially given today's economi...
Image of Oh No! Science Supports... The Anarchists!!
Oh No! Science Supports... The Anarchists!!
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Madly in love - is there a rational basis to love?
Madly in love - is there a rational basis to love?
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Teach a man to fish
Teach a man to fish
editorial posted by in braincrave
In group chat, we recently went on a tangent to discuss the effectiveness of charity. (To quote one of our Braincravers, "teach a man to fish and he'll stay drunk on a boat.") Benjamin Franklin obser...
Image of Social contract hypocrisy
Social contract hypocrisy
editorial posted by in braincrave
Ayn Rand wrote "Modern collectivists... see society as a super-organism, as some supernatural entity apart from and superior to the sum of its individual members." Those who support freedom are often...
Image of The farcical war on porn
The farcical war on porn
editorial posted by 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...
Ron Paul was right, and the Fed audit proves it
editorial posted by 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...
Image of One nation, under God, and undereducated
One nation, under God, and undereducated
editorial posted by 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"...
Image of TIL about StumbleUpon toolbar options
TIL about StumbleUpon toolbar options
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Sci-Fi Fantasies
Sci-Fi Fantasies
editorial posted by in braincrave
Come explore the geek in me. I've been a lifelong artist and these days, most of my work is inspired by roleplay characters, sci-fi or fantasy novels and films, and my love of Star Wars. M...
Image of TIL van Gogh sold only one painting in his lifetime
TIL van Gogh sold only one painting in his lifetime
editorial posted by 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...
Image of TIL that the government destroys food to increase prices
TIL that the government destroys food to increase prices
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Desires are not rights
Desires are not rights
editorial posted by 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...
Image of What soldiers do
What soldiers do
editorial posted by in braincrave
OK, many of you know I don't support the military, though I know there are many here who do (and I also know we have at least one person who's in the military). I told you I that I don't like soldier...
Image of TIL cranberries are sorted by bouncing
TIL cranberries are sorted by bouncing
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Flying cars outside of Second Life
Flying cars outside of Second Life
editorial posted by in braincrave
Is this a brilliant idea that will make the world a better place to live, or a disaster waiting to happen? Can someone loan me $200,000? Come on - you know you want one! Everyone sing with me! Chitty...
Political methodologies
editorial posted by in braincrave
Is there a proper methodology to discuss politics with? DISCUSS! Original posting by Braincrave Second Life staff on Dec 13, 2009 at http://www.braincrave.com/viewblog.php?id=54
Image of Licensed to kill
Licensed to kill
editorial posted by in braincrave
Bill Clinton was impeached for lying about getting a blow job. But here we have President Obama, a constitutional lawyer and professor, who is technically now a dictator without anyone calling for im...
Image of Elementary Dating
Elementary Dating
editorial posted by in braincrave
Ah, the first date. Men seem to go to a first date with a mattress strapped to their backs. But I don't move a relationship to a first date often, so this is a real treat for me. An opportunity for f...
Violent mother gets full custody
editorial posted by in braincrave
FTA: "A MOTHER found by the Family Court to be violent, untruthful, lacking moral values and responsible for the psychological and emotional abuse of her children has been given custody of them. The...
Image of Are you a bystander?
Are you a bystander?
editorial posted by in braincrave
Thou shalt not be a victim. Thou shalt not be a perpetrator. Above all, thou shalt not be a bystander. - Holocaust Museum DISCUSS! Original posting by Braincrave Second Life staff on Mar 21, 20...
Thieves free - victim jailed
editorial posted by in braincrave
A week ago, we discussed a court ignoring the proven innocence of a convicted man because he missed a filing deadline. Here we have a case where a victim attempts to protect himself and his property....
Image of Why is there so much hate and anger in the world?
Why is there so much hate and anger in the world?
editorial posted by 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,...
Image of Ordered currency devaluation
Ordered currency devaluation
editorial posted by in braincrave
Previously, Anna Victoria, who lives under the terror of socialist Hugo Chavez, facilitated a great discussion on demagoguery back on Nov 30 (http://www.braincrave.com/viewblog.php?id=17). Look now w...
Image of Thinking about thinking
Thinking about thinking
editorial posted by in braincrave
Thomas Jefferson warned that "Ignorance is preferable to error, and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing than he who believes what is wrong." A high I.Q. does not necessarily transla...
Image of Initiating force against tasty animals
Initiating force against tasty animals
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Sticking out your tongue ruled illegal
Sticking out your tongue ruled illegal
editorial posted by in braincrave
From the "all governments are stupid" files, Italy brings us this: Sticking out your tongue ruled illegal ROME, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Italy's highest court of appeal affirmed the illegality of insu...
Image of We're all torturers now
We're all torturers now
editorial posted by in braincrave
Milton Friedman, the originator of the withholding tax, once said "we're all Keynesians now" (referring to the disastrous economic policies promoted by John Maynard Keynes). More recently, Newsweek (...
Image of The right to deprive liberty
The right to deprive liberty
editorial posted by in braincrave
Is it ironic that this is published in a UK newspaper? Not so long ago, police used to be called "peace officers." Keeping the peace and initiating violence are contradictions. Wasn't police abuse in...
Image of How to understand people - look at their actions
How to understand people - look at their actions
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Epic win - making a better world with video games
Epic win - making a better world with video games
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Third-life
Third-life
editorial posted by in braincrave
Do you think a virtual reality, or 'Matrix' is possible? Obviously the Matrix in the movie to replicate real world physics and a universe is far to complicated but something like a 'Third Life' kind...
Ron Paul didn't go far enough - unleash the retirement accounts
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Five-year old saves dad's life
Five-year old saves dad's life
editorial posted by in braincrave
Pause the music you're listening to for 5 minutes and listen to the cutest 911 emergency call you've ever heard. I'm not sure if being a father has anything to do with it, but this brought tears to m...
Image of Corporate destruction
Corporate destruction
editorial posted by in braincrave
The history of humanity is based on progress. Progress has been the result of individuals coming together to solve problems and to enhance our lives. But history also provides numerous examples of gr...
Image of The morality of helping the poor family - where does it end?
The morality of helping the poor family - where does it end?
editorial posted by 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...
Our biggest regrets
editorial posted by in braincrave
Forgetting to Live for Myself (http://www.mybiggestregretever.com/) My biggest regret ever is forgetting to live for myself. I've been selling myself out for the people I want to love me. My whole...
Image of Terrorizing the IRS
Terrorizing the IRS
editorial posted by in braincrave
Today, a man committed suicide by flying his plane into an IRS office. I think this is only the beginning of more to come. The IRS has been terrorizing people illegally for decades. The courts and mi...
Image of Morality and the trolley problem
Morality and the trolley problem
editorial posted by in braincrave
Remember that the socialist/collectivist mantra is that the NEEDS of the many outweigh the RIGHTS of the few? As I think we've established that socialists/collectivists have no problem with stealing,...
Image of Signs
Signs
editorial posted by in braincrave
The spoken word isn't everything. I saw this video and really enjoyed it. All sorts of words popped into my head as I watched (e.g., loneliness, flirting, fun, risk-taking, anxiety, patien...
Image of Soldiers discover morality
Soldiers discover morality
editorial posted by in braincrave
Amazing Speech by Iraq War Veteran (about 6 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B9V2tbnxk0 DISCUSS! Original posting by Braincrave Second Life staff on Apr 15, 2010 at http://www.b...
Image of Government charity and welfare
Government charity and welfare
editorial posted by in braincrave
H.L. Mencken once wrote "Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under." This is an amazing story about Davy Crockett and how he learned what it means to uphold your principles. Why ar...
Image of The largest street gang in America
The largest street gang in America
editorial posted by in braincrave
In my favorite book, Atlas Shrugged (a book about philosophy), there is the following statement:  'Thinking is man's only basic virtue, from which all the others proceed. And his basic vice, the sou...
Image of The simpler, the better?
The simpler, the better?
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Ideology trumps truth
Ideology trumps truth
editorial posted by in braincrave
Faced with a system that makes their practice unprofitable, doctors are getting out of the business of taking Medicare patients. After stupid laws that ignore economics have finished destroying the h...
Image of The contradiction of limiting free speech
The contradiction of limiting free speech
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Obama protects Cheney from war crimes
Obama protects Cheney from war crimes
editorial posted by in braincrave
The so-called rule of law in the US is a big joke. You really need more proof? Dick Cheney, former vice president to George Bush, went on TV on Feb 14 to assert he is "a big supporter of waterboardin...
Image of The Fountainhead Howard Roark speech
The Fountainhead Howard Roark speech
editorial posted by in braincrave
Men have been taught that the highest virtue is not to achieve, but to give. Yet one cannot give that which has not been created. Creation comes before distribution - or there will be nothing to dist...
Image of Do avatar looks matter?
Do avatar looks matter?
editorial posted by in braincrave
I haven't been in Second Life that long (about 8 months). During that time, I've had multiple people comment to me that the way an avatar looks is important (e.g., animation overrides (AO), skin, clo...
Image of Civil disobedience against the censors
Civil disobedience against the censors
editorial posted by in braincrave
In his famous treatise On the Duty of Civil Disobedience, Henry David Thoreau argued that individuals can promote justice by disobeying the law. History is replete with examples of civil disobedience...
Image of Welcome back to failing school
Welcome back to failing school
editorial posted by in braincrave
Albert Shanker, the president of the United Federation of Teachers for 20 years, and then the president of the American Federation of Teachers for another 23 years once said: "When school children st...
Image of Gaming theory - why it matters and a definition
Gaming theory - why it matters and a definition
editorial posted by 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...
Image of US torture program
US torture program
editorial posted by in braincrave
Get out your barf bags for this one. FTA: "This points to a massive conspiracy to deprive innocent people of their rights by the U.S. on a scale not seen since the U.S. interned its own Japanese-Amer...
Image of Why Philosophy Precedes Physics
Why Philosophy Precedes Physics
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Cloning - playing God
Cloning - playing God
editorial posted by in braincrave
In 1996, Dolly the sheep made headlines around the world as the first mammal to be successfully cloned. As a result of the experiment, President Clinton ordered research into the legal and ethical is...
Kiss your retirement goodbye
editorial posted by in braincrave
The government is coming for your retirement accounts, 401Ks, and pension plan. After all, they want to make sure you have enough for retirement of course... It's all about your safety and well-being...
Image of Ethical double-standards
Ethical double-standards
editorial posted by in braincrave
What's the difference between being a slave and a serf? When slavery was common hundreds of years ago, your master kept 100% of what you earned. Now they take about 50%. Masters used to keep you in l...
Image of Nuclear expansion is nuclear disarmament
Nuclear expansion is nuclear disarmament
editorial posted by in braincrave
War is Peace Ignorance is Strength Freedom is Slavery Nuclear Expansion is Nuclear Disarmament FTA: "In a move he insists is somehow consistent with his call for disarmament, President Ob...
Image of Science and morality
Science and morality
editorial posted by in braincrave
Are human values detached from science? Many, such as moral relativists, argue that morality has little, if anything, to do with reality. Science attempts to prove what reality is through an objectiv...
Image of Other people are not your property
Other people are not your property
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Racism - just stop talking about it
Racism - just stop talking about it
editorial posted by in braincrave
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout says to Jem: ’Naw, Jem, I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks.’ With that in mind, has Morgan Freeman discovered the way to get rid of all racism...
Image of Public mood is changing
Public mood is changing
editorial posted by in braincrave
Is your "mood" changing about government largess? Do you believe the government works for you, or is it the other way around? In the poor economy, are government workers becoming scapegoats or is ang...
Image of Is being a Libertarian hypocritical
Is being a Libertarian hypocritical
editorial posted by in braincrave
Libertarians and others who don't like government (e.g., anarchists) are always talking about limiting and shutting down government programs. Yet they continue to use the benefits of these programs....
Image of Police are hypocritical
Police are hypocritical
editorial posted by in braincrave
WTF? In California, an off-duty police officer hit another car. He fled the scene, so it was a hit and run. When confronted, he first lied and claimed his wife was driving, but finally admitted to it...
Image of Love is good for you
Love is good for you
editorial posted by in braincrave
Everyone's familiar with the expression "love at first sight." But is that really the way love works? According to a recent scientific study, the answer is yes. But what about romance? What about val...
Image of The goals of mankind: the state vs. anarchy
The goals of mankind: the state vs. anarchy
editorial posted by 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,...
Image of Democracy - FAIL
Democracy - FAIL
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Racism
Racism
editorial posted by in braincrave
Recently, past Ku Klux Klan member and the US's longest-acting Senator Robert Byrd died. In 1944 (2 years before he went to work for the government), he wrote "I shall never fight in the armed forces...
Image of Taking down the internet
Taking down the internet
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Pursuing the common good
Pursuing the common good
editorial posted by in braincrave
Although it's impossible to define it with objective standards, the concept of the "common good" is directly linked with "society" and the "majority." Which is better for humanity and should take pre...
Image of Living your dreams
Living your dreams
editorial posted by in braincrave
As I get closer to formally launching the real-life dating website braincrave.com, I've spent a lot of time reading about how to advertise. Not having any real experience, I first turned to the maste...
Image of Sex and intelligence
Sex and intelligence
editorial posted by in braincrave
People who practice BDSM are mostly educated, successful people coming from emotional stable families according to a large professional survey (BDSM/Fetish Demographics Survey). Even students at an a...
Image of Drug prohibition doesn't work
Drug prohibition doesn't work
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Book club - The Fountainhead
Book club - The Fountainhead
editorial posted by in braincrave
BrainCrave.com Book Club starting now. We will attempt to do this in group chat unless there is significant lag. If so, we'll switch to local. Please join us at Within Ten Years http://www.braincr...
Image of Teaching kids about big brother
Teaching kids about big brother
editorial posted by in braincrave
More and more, schools are adopting zero-tolerance policies. High schools are now filled with armed police, metal detectors, and drug-sniffing dogs. Is that the environment in which children can pro...
Image of Mixed economy fundamentals
Mixed economy fundamentals
editorial posted by 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...
Image of TIL you CAN prove a negative
TIL you CAN prove a negative
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Prosecute Bush for murder
Prosecute Bush for murder
editorial posted by in braincrave
All he needs is a grand jury in one small town in America... who's going to step-up? Watch the trailer for The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder (10 minutes, but worth every second)....
Image of The true story of Thanksgiving
The true story of Thanksgiving
editorial posted by in braincrave
As those of you in the US enjoy the holiday, thought you might want to learn about the true story of thanksgiving - this might make some interesting conversation around the dinner table... it's calle...
Image of None of the above
None of the above
editorial posted by in braincrave
In On The Duty of Civil Disobedience, Henry David Thoreau wrote "How does it become a man to behave toward this American government to-day? I answer that he cannot without disgrace be associated with...
Image of In Defense of Joe Stack
In Defense of Joe Stack
editorial posted by in braincrave
Which do you consider more delusional: flying a plane into a government building in retaliation of government abuse or believing that the government exists to protect your individual rights? If yo...
Image of No way to rule innocent men
No way to rule innocent men
editorial posted by in braincrave
In Atlas Shrugged, Dr. Floyd Ferris states: "Did you really think that we want those laws to be observed? ...We want them broken... We're after power and we mean it... There's no way to rule innocent...