Image of Consensual sex is rape
Consensual sex is rape
editorial posted by in braincrave
As if Duke University's reputation for discrimination wasn't tarnished enough... if you go to school at Duke, don't expect to learn common sense. Is the following a result of the Duke lacrosse non...
Image of Drug monopolies courtesy of government
Drug monopolies courtesy of government
editorial posted by 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...
Image of TIL hot water freezes faster than cold water (and be careful with reigning paradigms)
TIL hot water freezes faster than cold water (and be careful with reigning paradigms)
editorial posted by 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...
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 Paying politicians to NOT work
Paying politicians to NOT work
editorial posted by 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...
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 The age of nanotechnology
The age of nanotechnology
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Tough love - the philosophy of BDSM
Tough love - the philosophy of BDSM
editorial posted by 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...
Image of TIL Plato didn't believe in Platonic love and supported erotica
TIL Plato didn't believe in Platonic love and supported erotica
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Top 10 Cool Things to Do in Second Life - Braincrave intellectual discussions
Top 10 Cool Things to Do in Second Life - Braincrave intellectual discussions
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Economics 101: Moral hazard
Economics 101: Moral hazard
editorial posted by in braincrave
Have you ever heard the term moral hazard? Here's a good 3-minute video called Economics 101: Moral Hazard that discusses one of the biggest issues with ALL government policies which touch on busines...
Image of Learned helplessness
Learned helplessness
editorial posted by in braincrave
FTA: "Why do good men do nothing in the face of evil, especially when evil aggressively invades their lives? ...Some people are paralyzed by fear; some by denial. But many others are immobilized by a...
Image of Japanese inspiration
Japanese inspiration
editorial posted by 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?...
Image of Iraq - the 20-year war (and counting)
Iraq - the 20-year war (and counting)
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Getting off the sauce - do we choose to drink?
Getting off the sauce - do we choose to drink?
editorial posted by 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...
Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic economy
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Mine! The never-ending fight over Palestine
Mine! The never-ending fight over Palestine
editorial posted by 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...
Image of TIL 18 US veterans commit suicide every day and 1 million are in jail
TIL 18 US veterans commit suicide every day and 1 million are in jail
editorial posted by 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...
Image of US parallels to Nazi Germany
US parallels to Nazi Germany
editorial posted by in braincrave
They say that history repeats itself. Maybe that's the reason I'm never able to watch Schindler's List without bawling my eyes out. You don't have to be prescient to see the similarities already and...
Image of Irrational self-interest
Irrational self-interest
editorial posted by 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...
Image of BDSM in Second Life
BDSM in Second Life
editorial posted by in braincrave
When I first joined Second Life (SL), I was like most noobies and started searching different places using the search tool within the browser. I stated finding things that were more than dance clubs...
Image of Mind boggling
Mind boggling
editorial posted by in braincrave
Talk about "mind=blown." Imagine a world where you can manipulate objects solely with your mind. It's here, it's now, and it's incredible. Consider every industry. Consider every skill. Consider ever...
Image of Private security forces
Private security forces
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Sex, politics, religion, and IQ
Sex, politics, religion, and IQ
editorial posted by in braincrave
Liberalism, atheism, male sexual exclusivity linked to IQ Ha! Let the flame wars begin. DISCUSS! Original posting by Braincrave Second Life staff on Feb 27, 2010 at http://www.braincrave.com...
Image of Dissent is criminal
Dissent is criminal
editorial posted by in braincrave
It's now official: subversives who think government is corrupt and should be controlled by the people face 10 years in prison and a $25,000 dollar fine if they fail to register with authorities in So...
Image of Good will among men
Good will among men
editorial posted by in braincrave
In her interview with Playboy, Ayn Rand stated "My views on charity are very simple. I do not consider it a major virtue and, above all, I do not consider it a moral duty. There is nothing wrong in h...
Image of The involved father - pathological, pain-in-the-ass
The involved father - pathological, pain-in-the-ass
editorial posted by in braincrave
You have never seen a bigger pain in the ass than the father who wants to get involved; he can be repulsive. He wants to meet the kid at three o'clock, take the kid out to dinner during the week, hav...
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 seven blunders of the world that lead to violence
The seven blunders of the world that lead to violence
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Society and the meaning of individual actions
Society and the meaning of individual actions
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Eviscerating global warming
Eviscerating global warming
editorial posted by in braincrave
You don't say? Hey Al Gore, what do you think? FTA: "A cross examination of global warming science conducted by the University of Pennsylvania’s Institute for Law and Economics has concluded tha...
Image of Extrasensory perception of universal energy
Extrasensory perception of universal energy
editorial posted by in braincrave
A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception (ESP). I've read about many examples of purported psychics who tur...
Image of Conformity and your lying eyes
Conformity and your lying eyes
editorial posted by in braincrave
Mark Twain once said "Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect." What does it mean to think for ourselves? How often do we base our choices and actions...
Image of Socialism 101- Fs for everyone
Socialism 101- Fs for everyone
editorial posted by in braincrave
An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before but had once failed an entire class. That class had insisted that socialism worked and that...
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 For God's sake
For God's sake
editorial posted by 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...
Image of About us
About us
editorial posted by in braincrave
We did. It's not every day that you meet people who encourage you to think deeply. You work so hard. You're running so fast. There is so much to do. And yet, you have more to offer. But wh...
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 Passing with lower standards
Passing with lower standards
editorial posted by in braincrave
In NY state, the exam to determine whether kids get to move to the next grade has been dumbed down by giving partial credit for very wrong answers. Go figure (pun intended). FTA: "A kid who answer...
Image of Easy on the women
Easy on the women
editorial posted by in braincrave
And they say that justice is blind... HA! The courts don't even try to hide their unequal treatment of genders in court anymore. They are now cocky enough that they can actually publicly state their...
Image of Effects of automation on the future
Effects of automation on the future
editorial posted by in braincrave
People continue to be laid-off from their jobs. Automation is increasing. Things made by hand are decreasing. The costs to produce (copy) some items is very close to zero (e.g., music and books)....
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 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 Ethics in the marketplace
Ethics in the marketplace
editorial posted by 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...
Image of FAIL: War on drugs
FAIL: War on drugs
editorial posted by in braincrave
OK everyone... try to look surprised. FTA: "After 40 years, the United States' war on drugs has cost $1 trillion and hundreds of thousands of lives, and for what? Drug use is rampant and violence eve...
Image of Better ideas - the Socratic method
Better ideas - the Socratic method
editorial posted by 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...
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 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 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 When it comes to "I told ya' so," it's too late
When it comes to "I told ya' so," it's too late
editorial posted by 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...
Image of I like guns
I like guns
editorial posted by in braincrave
Steve Lee says he never set out to be an Internet hit. He just loves guns - and thought he would write a song about it. He says he is as shocked as anyone that his YouTube clip I Like Guns has been v...
Image of Superstitions - finding an impenetrable prophylactic against ignorant beliefs
Superstitions - finding an impenetrable prophylactic against ignorant beliefs
editorial posted by 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...
Image of American concentration camps - greasing the skids for martial law
American concentration camps - greasing the skids for martial law
editorial posted by in braincrave
No, they aren't Nazi concentration camps. But they are similar (and very similar to when the US government rounded up 120,000 Americans citizens of Japanese descent during WWII, an action with which...
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 Ayn Rand vs. Mike Wallace - liberty vs. collectivism
Ayn Rand vs. Mike Wallace - liberty vs. collectivism
editorial posted by in braincrave
Ayn Rand warned us. She did it in her books such as Atlas Shrugged (and, to a certain extent, >The Fountainhead). She did it on TV such as in this famous interview between her and Mike Wallace on...
Image of Braincrave's first confirmed marriage!
Braincrave's first confirmed marriage!
editorial posted by 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...
Image of TIL the difference between etc. and et al.
TIL the difference between etc. and et al.
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Big Brother is watching you
Big Brother is watching you
editorial posted by in braincrave
The statist argument is always the same: "If you have nothing to hide, why do you care?" The government can attach a GPS device to your car and monitor your movements, and it's perfectly legal. And n...
Image of Peaceful vs. violent revolution
Peaceful vs. violent revolution
editorial posted by in braincrave
Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable. - John F. Kennedy DISCUSS! Original posting by Braincrave Second Life staff on Mar 8, 2010 at http://www.brain...
Image of Sabotage of ideas
Sabotage of ideas
editorial posted by in braincrave
Some people have problems understanding new ideas with which they are unfamiliar and so unintentionally misrepresent or summarize those ideas. Perhaps these are innocent errors. However, there are ot...
Image of Teenager responsibility
Teenager responsibility
editorial posted by in braincrave
There's so much talk about how irresponsible teenagers are. However, there are some teenagers who might even give some adults a "run for their money" when it comes to responsibility. Is Abby Sutherla...
Image of Eliminate all corporations
Eliminate all corporations
editorial posted by 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...
Image of TIL you can run a diesel engine car on used vegetable oil
TIL you can run a diesel engine car on used vegetable oil
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Hitler's legacy - US politicians
Hitler's legacy - US politicians
editorial posted by in braincrave
Hitler once said "Our strategy is to destroy the enemy from within, to conquer him through himself." US politicians, laws, and regulations are destroying people who live in America like a cancer. Her...
Image of Reliable workers banned as discriminatory
Reliable workers banned as discriminatory
editorial posted by in braincrave
Advert for 'reliable workers' banned as discrimination by Jobcentre Plus The boss of a recruitment firm said she was told she could not place an advert for "reliable workers" because it discrimina...
Image of School-sanctioned privacy intrusion
School-sanctioned privacy intrusion
editorial posted by in braincrave
School used student laptop webcams to spy on them at school and home School-sanctioned privacy intrusion? "Schools are only interested in a child's best interests" claim those who ignore knowledge...
Image of Any monkey can be an artist
Any monkey can be an artist
editorial posted by 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...
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...
Generating income in SL
editorial posted by in braincrave
BrainCrave member Half Short runs her lovely Insperion Gardens SIM with passion. Recently, she sent out the below note looking for ideas to add value to people's lives which will financially support...
Image of Machiavellianism
Machiavellianism
editorial posted by in braincrave
"For government [of conquered people] consists in nothing else but so controlling subjects that they shall neither be able to, nor have cause to, do you harm; which may be done either by making quite...
Image of Forcing those with disabilities
Forcing those with disabilities
editorial posted by in braincrave
Should lawyers, doctors, and politicians have the right to physically force a patient to receive medical treatment? Is it morally proper for someone else to force a decision upon you that they think...
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 The dangers of transhumanism
The dangers of transhumanism
editorial posted by in braincrave
What does it mean to be human? Transhumanists want to use technology to enhance the human body. What are the ethical considerations for enhancing human biology with technology? Are we less human with...
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...
Image of Romance and Love in Second Life
Romance and Love in Second Life
editorial posted by 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...
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 Politicians lie (yawn)
Politicians lie (yawn)
editorial posted by in braincrave
As the adage goes: How do you know a politician is lying? His lips are moving. On Obama's White House website, he states: "My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of opennes...
Image of Do you want to live forever?
Do you want to live forever?
editorial posted by in braincrave
The mystical Fountain of Youth so long sought after... What if it were real, and the key to life could be discovered in an 18-year old girl that, for all intents and purposes, is a baby? What if, in...
Image of Political prejudices
Political prejudices
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Apathy - ignorance going through the motions
Apathy - ignorance going through the motions
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Things that are downright impossible to say when drunk
Things that are downright impossible to say when drunk
editorial posted by in braincrave
1. Thanks, but I don’t want to have sex. 2. Nope, no more booze for me! 3. Sorry, but you’re not really my type. 4. Taco Bell? No thanks, I’m not hungry. 5. Good evening, officer. I...
Image of TIL drinking eight glasses of water a day is bunk
TIL drinking eight glasses of water a day is bunk
editorial posted by 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...
Image of Galilei vs. Carlin
Galilei vs. Carlin
editorial posted by in braincrave
"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." - Galileo Galilei (aka the founder of the scientific meth...
Image of Short-selling - the protected companies
Short-selling - the protected companies
editorial posted by 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...
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...
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...
Image of To criticize or not to criticize
To criticize or not to criticize
editorial posted by in braincrave
In order to avoid offending, is it proper to limit your criticism of someone's beliefs? Which is more respectful: critically examining someone's belief system or ignoring the topic to keep the relati...
UK parking - dumb and dumber
editorial posted by in braincrave
London councils sue themselves for parking offences. Critics say the practise "illustrates everything that is wrong with unaccountable parking enforcement in the UK." London councils sue themselve...
Image of Wikileaks makes good on Obama's promise of transparency
Wikileaks makes good on Obama's promise of transparency
editorial posted by in braincrave
While hero Bradley Manning rots in solitary confinement, most are now aware that Wikileaks has courageously released 250,000 secret diplomacy documents which provide candid and critical views of US...
Image of Arrested for shooting grass
Arrested for shooting grass
editorial posted by in braincrave
Here's the scenario: there's a gang of thugs outside your house threatening you and your family. Your wife is calling the police while you grab your gun. You fire 4 shots into the grass to scare them...
Image of The case against marriage
The case against marriage
editorial posted by in braincrave
Are men and women happier in marriage? Are children better off when parents are married? Do young people want their parent's marriage? Do the benefits of marriage outweigh the risks (i.e., the destru...
Image of Philosophy - Everybody Needs It
Philosophy - Everybody Needs It
editorial posted by 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...
Learning how to work
editorial posted by in braincrave
FTA: "U.S. colleges and universities, like their counterparts in other Western countries, are doing a poor job of preparing graduates for today's workplace. The biggest weakness in the postsecondary-...
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 Putting kids to work
Putting kids to work
editorial posted by 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...
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...
Teaching others
editorial posted by in braincrave
A teacher can present information, but there can be no transfer of learning... learners must "act" upon the information to learn it. Can anyone teach something to someone else? DISCUSS! Origina...