I've said before that I wished for a universal method for objectively measuring how to deal with any creature:

We should be prepared for that eventuality by creating a trans-species codification of legal "Rights", explaining how we should approach any kind of life that we meet, what is permitted and what is never to be tolerated. Rules that a " ( Read more... )

Whether the occasion of life is heaven or hell for you probably depends on which social strata you inhabit. Not to fret, though, because you always have God on your side to help you in your struggle (to climb up, or to keep others down).

As it turns out, God likes and dislikes the same people that you do. Interesting coincidence, eh? Researchers ( Read more... )

( Read more... )

Some special kinds of stupidity deserve lots of attention as an example of how NOT to behave.


( Read more... )

Some people trust either government or industry (but not the other) to manage tremendously complex situations.  I trust/distrust both in equal measure.  Progressive complexity, however, will still continue.

It's not like the U.S. government has the tools to fix the Deepwater Horizon problem.  Supposedly, even nuclear submarines can't go deep enough ( Read more... )

Hormonal compulsions drive much of our behavior, even those activities that we like to delude ourselves into believing is entirely rational.

In spite of the many obstacles that we face in life because of limited resources, we continue to compete as much against each other as we do against the harsh universe.  While competing against each other, we ( Read more... )

Evolutionary psychology is a fascinating branch of science. It strikes me as something akin to astrology. There is surely a real science hidden somewhere deep inside it (astronomy, to explain the metaphor), yet it seldom produces hard results fit for more than amusing discussions at coffee klatch.

Case in point:

Male and female shopping ( Read more... )

What if the human-created world has already changed? What if government can no longer exist as a force meant to spur efficient growth in the production of wealth? What if, from now on, the only reasonable government is one that is meant to inhibit growth at every level of human endeavor?

"The Problem of Denial" by sociologist William R. Catton, ( Read more... )

A Christian pastor says on a radio interview that gay people should be killed (because the Bible tells him so) and other things.  He's a professional pain in the ass, though, as he also spends his time giving grief to border patrol.  I want to try to understand the point that these scary people are making, but I try to listen and end up just ( Read more... )

It's not bigotry if it's true.

I learned Friday morning about a new term. It's a term that apparently has some autistic self-advocates in quite an impressive twist. Some are rather shrill in calling it a sham and a bogus disorder, while others are more cautious and simply call it counterproductive to call attention to this disorder because it ( Read more... )