tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14291124982616428652024-02-19T05:07:19.205-08:00Zeno's ArrowChange Requires Movement. Movement Requires Change.Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-62282165375299322162011-08-28T01:22:00.000-07:002011-08-28T01:22:19.560-07:00More Magic Bands -part 1Like the hydra, if you cut off one arm, two shall takes it's place. This is the case for the Power Balance bracelets. They've been forced to admit to <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5723577/powerbalance-admits-their-wristbands-are-a-scam">committing fraud in Australia</a>, have been discredited on national television and their tactics have been<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd0Gb9EgkHA"> exposed by numerous groups</a>, including <a href="http://revision3.com/scamschool/placebobands">this great video</a> by Brian Brushwood.<br />
<br />
Power Balance bands "blend the powers of Eastern Philosophy and Western Science". Their website no longer makes any actual claims to how this is done. Instead, they only talk about the athletes and teams that use them. A VERY weak argument from popularity to say the least. Feel free to check out their <a href="http://www.powerbalance.com/">website</a> and let me know if you find any actual "Western Science" on it.<br />
<br />
This is what they used to claim.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtj_H30O9pcKhsXIns_EBsk4aNXiaRZF4hzHr0EK8McIEOQD_RV2bOTtrdzAf4RVMqyt2Mu6eFR8o_nIIXo9_g5bXoiJLkVohLixyMjdfvwIpYGZPQIvJW9TOXKpFEcIDaXGjIM15_1qw/s1600/Power+Balance+Claim.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtj_H30O9pcKhsXIns_EBsk4aNXiaRZF4hzHr0EK8McIEOQD_RV2bOTtrdzAf4RVMqyt2Mu6eFR8o_nIIXo9_g5bXoiJLkVohLixyMjdfvwIpYGZPQIvJW9TOXKpFEcIDaXGjIM15_1qw/s320/Power+Balance+Claim.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
So. Now that Power Balance bands are now selling for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Power-Balance-Silicone-Wristband-Bracelet/dp/B003WOORH8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314470067&sr=8-1">a fraction of their original cost on amazon</a> you'd think that would be the end of the nonsense.<br />
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Wrong. As I stated above, when one scam fails, others will swoop into the void to grab the remaining suckers.<br />
<br />
Enter, <a href="http://www.fusionbandz.com/">Fusion Power Bandz</a> and <a href="http://www.superbandz.net/technology.html">SuperBandz</a>. I found these companies while visiting the expo for the 2011 Chicago Triathlon. They both had modest boothes staffed by friendly sales people looking to help the athletes inprove their performance.<br />
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I visited the SuperBandz booth first. one of the friendly representatives, "Jane", asked if I would like to see a demonstration of their product. I said yes and she proceeded to use the exact same techniques that Brian Brushwood used in his Scam School video. She also explained that the SuperBandz worked by replacing the bad positive ions in my body with good negative ions. We get the positive ions from cell phones, microwaves and tv and radio signals in our day to day lives.<br />
I told her that I didn't believe the claims she was making (better balance, sleep, endurance, speed, strength, etc.). I asked for any proof in terms of studies and research. At this point "John" stepped in and sited a 1984 study done on autistic children. I asked if this study was available and he said I could google it. He added it was a "double blind study, the best kind of study you can do." All very sciency sounding huh?<br />
Problem is, the only reference to the study was in another study from 1987 stating that the 1984 study was poorly done and had no merit.<br />
Most interestingly, The top google search was from the <a href="http://www.hoofcareclinic.com/hoof-care-clinic-negative-ions-and-their-effects-on-autism/">Hoof Care Clinic Facebook site!</a><br />
<br />
We ended our conversation when he said I should test it out for myself by purchasing one of the bandz. I declined.<br />
<br />
Next up, Fusion Power Bandz.<br />
<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=48037a98-9adc-4c8c-b106-d596275d1156" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-52321704903860535022011-03-03T16:40:00.000-08:002011-03-03T16:40:31.991-08:00Curt Linderman Sr. Called Me a Jackass. :-(<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQA380Cs2-yzWB2hK0FG2mxTbCq79PLPe6gcivqjNn1nCTVdx7TJPoesmoL8oUqKwcEn9NxELKihhb_5Brj_sEJ29Ivw8KFQBIHz1XriuqRmLeSO1YVY4KqSEeyxjLZ872-G6F3sMi4Uo/s1600/Curt+Linderman+Facebook+Post-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQA380Cs2-yzWB2hK0FG2mxTbCq79PLPe6gcivqjNn1nCTVdx7TJPoesmoL8oUqKwcEn9NxELKihhb_5Brj_sEJ29Ivw8KFQBIHz1XriuqRmLeSO1YVY4KqSEeyxjLZ872-G6F3sMi4Uo/s320/Curt+Linderman+Facebook+Post-01.jpg" /></a></div>On his open to the public Facebook page, Curt Linderman Sr. called me a jackass for talking to someone's husband at an anti-vaccination rally.<br />
<br />
This makes me sad because I thought I had a nice, pleasant conversation with him. All I did was ask him why he was there and why he thought vaccines were unsafe. <br />
Perhaps I'm a Jackass because I wanted to keep it friendly and not tell him I didn't agree with his point of view?<br />
<br />
His daughter was handing out the flyers and seemed a little shy so I asked her for a flyer to make it easier. She seemed very happy when I took one. <br />
<br />
Oh well, I've been called worse by better people.<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=8ffeec99-00db-43fd-80d7-bff306a683da" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-88745310813496102392011-01-05T18:14:00.000-08:002011-03-03T16:38:27.868-08:00Wakefield Accused of "Deliberate Fraud"Something critical thinkers have known for years.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.c5347">BMJ Article</a><br />
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I'd be smiling from ear to ear but his "research" has been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of children and the making of millions if not billions by con artists selling parents worthless treatments.<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=2d7f84db-689c-445f-98d5-d53f0360d338" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-29180298458805118992010-08-06T10:02:00.000-07:002011-03-03T16:39:30.386-08:00New Woo in Sports - Power BalanceRecently, my wife and I completed the Elvis is Alive 5K run as part of her training for the Paris Marathon. At the finish line were the usual collection of fitness and nutrition products to sample and gyms offering memberships. While I was sampling a post-race drink, I noticed a product demonstration at the adjoining tent.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.powerbalance.com/">Power Balance</a> rep pulled someone from the crowd and had them hold their arms out in a cross position. He pushed down on the subjects right arm until it failed. He then placed a Power Balance bracelet on the runner's left shoulder and repeated the test on the right arm. He had to struggle to push the arm down this time. AMAZING!<br />
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He then explained that the hologram in the bracelet "balanced the life energy that flows through all living things" making the runner stronger. The bracelet also "dispelled negative energy that builds up during a workout." He repeated the test on another runner, this time putting the Bracelet on top of her hat, informing us that the holograms didn't need to be in contact with the skin to work. It only has to be within your energy field. The subjects being test didn't seem to buying what he was trying to sell them.<br />
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I snickered. My wife saw what was coming and took off. "J", the rep eagerly turned to me to remove my skepticism with his sales pitch. He again stated that we all have a life energy, "Chi" flowing through us. This energy can be blocked by injury and disease. "This product is based on Ancient Eastern Philosophy" he explained, sort of like acupressure but with a high tech twist. The hologram in the silicone bracelet is embedded with information (burned in like a CD or DVD) that resonates with your natural energy.<br />
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I had a few questions. He said he was happy to answer them all.<br />
<br />
Q. How was this developed? Who found out you could use a hologram to balance your energy?<br />
A. It was developed by athletes.<br />
<br />
Q. No one has ever been able to detect/measure "Chi" in a scientific lab. How did Power Balance find the right frequency to embed into the hologram?<br />
A. I don't know.<br />
<br />
Q. Was scientific research done to test the efficacy of the hologram?<br />
A. Yes, but we feel that personal testimonials are better evidence that the product works. Just ask anyone who wears one.<br />
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Q. Who did the research and what were the results?<br />
A. We used research from universities including Brown, Yale. To tell you the truth, the test were inconclusive.<br />
<br />
He then asked me to buy a bracelet and try it for two weeks. If I didn't like it I would get a refund. I declined, saying that I was already prejudiced against the product and I would dismiss any perceived effect. J decided to give one to me free and asked if my wife would wear it for 14 days. I said I would ask her to do so (she declined).<br />
<br />
I think J and the other people selling this product are naive and only looking to make some money. He was friendly and enthusiastic but not very well informed.<br />
<br />
You can check out the website at <a href="http://www.powerbalance.com/">www.powerbalance.com</a>. I couldn't find one piece of information about how this product works (other then the vague ancient eastern philosophy angle) or who invented it.<br />
<br />
In my PERSONAL OPINION, this is a ineffective product being marketed to the dubious public. If the people at Power Balance have a problem with that statement, they can show me the research that proves their claims.<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=d9fcffe0-0b5a-4de1-a15b-20665baee9a4" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-18243641866319513062010-05-27T16:10:00.000-07:002010-05-27T16:14:06.488-07:00Vaccine GestapoI offer up this video with no comment.<br />
<a href="http://www.vimeo.com/12094389">Vaccine Gestapo Live</a>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-78239521807209498842010-05-27T07:11:00.000-07:002011-03-03T16:42:17.511-08:00Andrew Wakefield Speaks at Anti-Vax in ChicagoHere is Andrew Wakefield's speech at yesterday's anti-vax rally in Chicago. He played the Martyr role very well. Oh... and he just happens to have a book for sale.<br />
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/12079650">Wakefield Presentaion at anti-vax rally in Chicago</a><br />
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I attended the rally with several other area skeptics and will be posting my thoughts and additional video later today.<br />
<br />
You can read Jamie's account over at <a href="http://friendlyatheist.com/2010/05/27/my-day-at-an-anti-vaccination-rally/">The Friendly Atheist</a>.<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=46884a5d-8e48-4c4e-a2ef-e48a30a81e43" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-24062976525700341582010-04-21T06:18:00.000-07:002011-03-03T16:49:55.467-08:00I Support a National Month of Prayer.A friend of mine recently linked to a page on Facebook promoting the defense of the National Day of Prayer (NDP). The page was created in response to a Wisconsin judges ruling that the NDP violates the laws our founding fathers made when they formed this county we call the USA. Now, what did they say? Oh yes it's right here in the FIRST Amendment;<br />
<div><br />
</div><div><i>"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."</i></div><div><br />
</div><div>I think we can all agree on one thing. That statement is pretty open to interpretation. God-fearing folks see it as an obvious endorsement of religion and the God-less interpret it as "the Government should mind it's own business and not dabble in anything religious."</div><div><br />
</div><div>As a godless, spineless liberal, I tend to lean to the second interruption. But, in an effort to bring a lasting peace to this nation, I propose that we not only have day of prayer but an entire month of it.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I truly believe that we as a nation we would benefit from praying together in classrooms, boardrooms and courtrooms.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Of course not everyone will like this.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Why? Because my month of prayer would require everyone to learn and participate in the beliefs of ALL religions.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Week Zero would be spent learning the prayers of the four major faiths (Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Hindu).</div><div>On the first week, everyone would be called to Muslim prayer and recite Salah. Non Muslims will only need to pray once in the morning. Practicing Muslims will of course continue to pray at the prescribed times.</div><div>The second week would change to Hindu, the third Jewish, and the final week Christian.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Since this nation is predominately Christian, regional differences will have to taken into account. I think we should eliminate Snake handling as an option but you may disagree. The use of the King James version of the Bible with be strictly enforced! ;-)</div><div><br />
</div><div>A 30 minute open discussion will follow the prayer. Comparisons will be made to other religions.</div><div><br />
</div><div>What will the result of this Month of Prayer have?</div><div>At best (for me) it will show this country that the humans on planet Earth are very diverse in their beliefs and a close examination of those beliefs will show many similarities as well as allowing people the opportunity to question their own belief system.</div><div>At worst (and most likely scenario unfortunately) it will cause a larger rift between people who are unwilling to acknowledge the views and beliefs of others. </div><div><br />
</div><div>What are your thoughts? What am I missing (besides the smaller, less followed beliefs)? What did I get TOTALLY wrong?</div><div><br />
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</div><div></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=be842f43-1ca9-45af-aa03-17a77de6fc60" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-69249933330319967562010-03-10T14:08:00.000-08:002011-03-03T16:50:25.588-08:00Powerless to PowerfulIt's the little steps you take that allow you to cover a great distance. It's the small interactions that can make a big difference in a life.<br />
<div><br />
<div>Long story short... I was producing a meeting for a large food corporation. As a guest speaker, they invited the president of a sister company to talk and take questions from the audience. let's call him Al.</div><div>He is an engaging speaker and spoke very personally about the recent passing of his mother. He also spoke of the joy of seeing his daughter dance in competitions. Because my job requires me to sit in these corporate gatherings, I've seen a thousand speakers and usually tune out because they all say the same things. "Shifting the paradigm to think outside the box will allow our team to add value to shareholders!" I was paying attention to him.</div><div>But then it turned south and the winds were sucked out of my sail (recently filled by SkepChiCamp). He started talking about Quantum Mechanics and this amazing video he had seen.</div><div><br />
</div><div>What he had just seen was a video about science called <i>What the Bleep Do We Know</i>. I won't link to it. For me, that would be like someone at the Holocaust Museum linking to a Neo-Nazi site. The video is actually well produced and "stars" Marlee Matlin. What it doesn't have is one ounce of scientific credibility.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Short story long, he started talking about people being able to walk thru walls because "atoms are mostly empty space" and "You can change the molecular structure of water by thinking positive or negative thoughts near it." Seriously.</div><div><br />
</div><div>All I could do is sit there quietly as he talked on and on about this nonsense. I was waiting for him to bring up <i>The Secret</i>. I wanted to stand up and yell to the crowd "He's feeding you bullshit! Soylent Green is made from people!!!"</div><div><br />
</div><div>I felt absolutely weak and helpless. Until I decided not to be weak and helpless.</div><div><br />
</div><div>When "Al" finished, he sat at a table next to mine. It was time for a break and I knew he had to leave quickly to catch a plane. My plan was to quickly introduce myself, let him know I enjoyed MOST of his talk but that I had an issue with the last part. I would ask if I could send him an email with some links that may offer a rebuttal to the video he had seen. The worst thing that could happen is he takes offense and has me shot.</div><div><br />
</div><div>As the break was called, I walked up to him and was immediately cut off by someone else who wanted to talk business. fuck. For a moment I thought of turning around and not pursuing it but I shook off that idea quickly. Finally, they finished and he acknowledged my presence.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I introduced myself, we shook hands and I followed my game plan to the letter. And then something weird happened. He was interested and started asking questions. He admitted that he thought most of the video was crap. He wanted to know what parts of the video I had an issue with (ALL OF IT!) . We talked for several minutes before he excused himself to catch his flight but gave me his business card so I could send him the debunking links.</div><div><br />
</div><div>VICTORY IS MINE!!!</div><div><br />
</div><div>I spent the rest of the day in the boring meeting but I had a big smile on my face knowing I was able to shine my little flashlight into the dark abyss and help someone climb out.</div><div><br />
</div><div>So anyway, that's what happened.</div><div><br />
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</div></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=1b7936fb-2071-4548-bad8-440c6cc6b1e8" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-48939890817689322342010-03-09T07:37:00.000-08:002011-03-03T16:51:18.834-08:00What Makes Me Happy? - Skepchicamp 2010Last Saturday, March 6th, I was proud to be part of the greatest gathering of brains I've ever experienced.<br />
<div><div><a href="http://ohioskeptic.com/skepchicamp/">Skepchicamp</a> 2010, created by Chicago Skepchick Elyse with the help of a great planning committee, was a day-long gathering of skeptics and critical thinkers.</div><div>Held at the Brehon Pub in Chicago, the event was a whirlwind of talks ranging from the debunking of a water-softening product to the science behind martial arts demonstrations. </div><div>The day started and ended with panel discussions featuring several <a href="http://skepchick.org/">Skepchicks</a>, including Rebecca Watson skyping in from London. We also heard from Dr. Jen, who talked to us about how she communicates with her patients while promoting science-based medicine. Several teachers spoke about education and getting kids interested in science, and Don spoke of his experiences with a martial arts cult called Warrior School. Hemant Mehta, <a href="http://friendlyatheist.com/">the Friendly Atheist</a>, gave a great talk on being attacked by the right wing.</div><div>As the afternoon continued, we learned about opera myths and superstitions, pet food regulation (or the lack thereof), that there is a <a href="http://www.bolingbrookbabbler.com/">large UFO base in Bolingbrook</a>, and Jamie told us we're all stupid.</div><div>During breaks, the <a href="http://www.myspace.com/tensekids">Tense Kids</a> rocked us with their smart, witty and catchy music. They even played a Mountain Goats cover just for me! I've had their latest CD "Oh, Idaho" on constant repeat on my iPod for the last three days. Check them out!</div><div>In the back, books and magazines were available and "Surly" Amy sold <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/surly">her jewelry</a>.</div><div>But as much as I enjoyed the talks, the best thing about the day was meeting and interacting with 80 like-minded folks who have a passion for skepticism and critical thinking. As anyone who knows me can tell you, I'm not much of a social butterfly, but in this environment I was bouncing from person to person, trying to soak up knowledge from people way smarter then I. I was more than happy to be the dumbest guy in the room. I think everyone there felt the same way I did.</div><div>This is the true beauty of Skepchicamp.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Elyse, next year "you're gonna need a bigger boat" -- and for this, I congratulate you!</div><div><br />
</div></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=672e8bd2-47d8-4ceb-8511-89739af338c5" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-35774210363757259682009-01-15T07:40:00.000-08:002011-03-03T16:52:38.652-08:00I Can't Chase My Dinner on the Savanna Right Now Because My Brakelight's OutI'm proud to say that I just changed the rear right breaklight on my SUV.<br />
And that's really sad.<br />
When I bought my first car (1977 Le Car) back when I was 19 for $300, I wold regularly change the oil, give it a tune up (gapping the plugs and timing the points!) and change the tires (often because they were permanently out of alignment). I even installed a makeshift switch to turn on the fan to cool the radiator when that crapped out.<br />
But then I graduated from collage and started making "good money". I bought a nicer car, a Nissan 200sx) and decided that Midas, CarX and Firestone could do the work for me. It was worth the money not to get dirty and frustrated.<br />
When I moved into my first place with a lawn, I bought a top-of-the line lawnmower that mulched and bagged in one easy step. The next year I payed a guy $40 a month to take care of my small lawn.<br />
And now we live in a condo were we do nothing except house cleaning, which we <span style="font-style: italic;">COULD</span> pay someone else to do.<br />
The bottom line is that I'm very happy to spend money to let someone else do the dirty work that isn't really that dirty or difficult.<br />
I guess I'm living the American Dream!<br />
The downside of course is that if/when society collapses, I'm screwed.<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=564008b0-3340-4a92-b89c-ac04aac516fd" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-78927711586133725572008-12-24T07:09:00.000-08:002011-03-03T16:58:18.403-08:00Debunking Can be CoolLooking for a fun but educational diversion on the intertubes during your holiday downtime? Try:<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=CaptainDisillusion&view=videos">http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=CaptainDisillusion&view=videos</a><br />
<br />
Captain Disillusion does a fantastic job of making critical thinking look cool (which it is by the way) and he's very funny in doing so. His videos also have the highest production values I've ever seen on YouTube. Penguin Slap Debunk is a great place to start.<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=1e8ddd8e-82dd-4cfc-8854-f115bfc881ba" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-48206584905021958222008-12-21T19:56:00.000-08:002008-12-24T11:03:16.261-08:00Why Only Christmas?I recently did a holiday quiz for the Skeptic group I belong to. While researching myths associated with this time of year, I came across an interesting curiosity. It seems that while the Christian holidays have a pages dedicated to seasonal myths, the Jewish and Muslim faiths have, as far as I can tell, none.<br /><br />Why? Is it because their belief system is so rigid that it doesn't allow for any questioning of the doctrine? Could it be that most Christians are more open-minded and accept adding on non-theist, or more accurately, Pagan traditions to their celebrations? I would bet that if you took a worldwide survey on people's first impressions of Christmas and Easter, Santa (or Father Christmas in his various incarnations) and the Easter Bunny (or Easter Bell in Italy), would be the first thing most people associate with the holidays, and not the birth and resurrection of Jesus.<br /><br />But that brings up the question; What is a myth? According to the dictionary it's:<br />"A traditional, typically ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that serves as a fundamental type in the worldview of a people, as by explaining aspects of the natural world or delineating the psychology, customs, or ideals of society."<br /><br />With this definition, isn't all religion mythology? Every religion practiced today would fall under this definition. Why is the Jewish Torah anymore believable than the secret texts of Scientology? The one thing they all have in common is that they can not be proven to be true. There is no factual evidence on which these beliefs are based, many actually contradict historical documents.<br /><br />It all comes down to "Faith" and that is a topic for another day!Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-75014699336584013102008-12-20T16:27:00.000-08:002011-11-20T19:59:47.439-08:00He Shall be Known as the King of Kings<strike>UPDATE: A great overview of December 25th Deities can be found at <a href="http://edwinkagin.blogspot.com/2008/12/deities-born-on-december-25th-from.html">http://edwinkagin.blogspot.com/2008/12/deities-born-on-december-25th-from.html</a></strike><br />
<br />
In the olden days, virgin births evidently weren't that rare. The gods seemed more then happy to knock up a young, trusting teenager.<br />
The gods seemed to know what they were doing though. Take a look at the resulting offspring.<br />
<ul>
<li>Attis was a son of the virgin Nana. His birth was celebrated on Dec 25. He was sacrificed as an adult in order to bring salvation to mankind. He died around March 5, after being crucified on a tree, and descended for three days into the underworld. On Sunday, he arose, as the solar deity for the new season. His followers tied an image of Attis to a tree on "Black Friday," and carried him in a procession to the temple. His body was symbolically eaten by his followers in the form of bread. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Mut-em-ua: The virgin Queen of Egypt, supposedly gave birth to Pharaoh Amenkept III through a god holding a cross to her mouth. Isis gave Virgin birth to Horus. Virginal birth, or women being impregnated by gods was a common theme in Egyptian Mythology.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) On the night Siddhartha was conceived, Queen Maya dreamt that a white elephant with six white tusks entered her right side, and ten lunar months later Siddhartha was born. The Buddha broke from the traditional religion of his people and spoke of peace, love and understanding.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Egyptian, Osiris is a savior-god who had been worshiped as far back as Neolithic times. "He was called Lord of Lords, King of Kings, God of Gods...the Resurrection and the Life, the Good shepherd...the god who 'made men and women be born again'" Three wise men announced his birth. His followers ate cakes of wheat which symbolized his body.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>And Last but not least, Jesus of Nazerath. Born of the Virgin Mary, he would be the spiritual leader for billions... I think most of you know his career stats. ;-)</li>
</ul>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-24198486892829358242008-12-18T07:51:00.000-08:002011-03-03T16:56:15.639-08:00What Would You Like the Data to Say?Lies, damn lies and statistics.<br />
- Mark Twain<br />
<br />
My Uncle sent me an e-mail today that had a break down of this years presidential election.<br />
Here it is:<br />
<dl><dd></dd><dd><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 130%;">Some interesting statistics</span> </dd><dd></dd><dd><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; font-size: 130%;">Some unreported stats about the 2008 election</span></dd></dl><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCM01r8xUiUHiRYVtRyBP2-gjaCI8Sm9odeaUNWxujAWSR4PN5frve-j2KxDBOo7qqxUAwDLvzEXJCCgRj25pdJoEI4uIAh8lFypWwWK-7YL5i1alucmBn3oaqA1WTTOselxImY6HP_Ks/s1600-h/2008+Election+Results.001.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281183863602460098" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCM01r8xUiUHiRYVtRyBP2-gjaCI8Sm9odeaUNWxujAWSR4PN5frve-j2KxDBOo7qqxUAwDLvzEXJCCgRj25pdJoEI4uIAh8lFypWwWK-7YL5i1alucmBn3oaqA1WTTOselxImY6HP_Ks/s320/2008+Election+Results.001.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 306px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 410px;" /></a><br />
<dl><dd></dd><dd><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; font-size: 130%;">Professor Joseph Olson of Hemline University School of Law, St. Paul , Minnesota ,</span> </dd><dd><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; font-size: 130%;">points out some interesting facts concerning the 2008 Presidential election</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times; font-size: 130%;"> :</span> </dd><dd></dd><dd><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;"> -Number of States won by: Democrats: </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;">20</span>; Republicans: <span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;">30</span> </dd><dd>-Square miles of land won by: Democrats: <span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;">580,000</span>; Republicans: <span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;">2,427,000</span> </dd><dd>-Population of counties won by: Democrats: <span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;">127 million</span>; Republicans: <span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;">143 million</span> </dd><dd>-Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by: Democrats: <span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;">13.2</span>; Republicans: <span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;">2.1</span> </dd><dd></dd><dd><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;">Professor Olson adds: "In aggregate, the map of the territory </span><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;">Republican </span>won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens. <span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;">Democrat </span>territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in rented or government-owned tenements and living off various forms of government welfare..." </dd><dd></dd><dd><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times;">Olson believes the United States is now somewhere between the "complacency and apathy" phase of Professor Tyler's definition of democracy, with some forty percent of the nation's population already having reached the "governmental dependency" phase. </span></dd>
<dt><br />
</dt>
</dl><br />
Statistics are second only to the Bible in justifying a belief system. And before you think I'm pointing a finger at my Uncle, we ALL fall into the Stats Trap. Except me of course ;-)<br />
<br />
Let me throw a little light on these "Interesting Facts".<br />
The voting map is also a great representation of population density (except for Wisconsin oddly enough). The land 'won' associated with each party demonstrates this quite well.<br />
I can also infer from these stats that;<br />
1. Republicans are apathetic. If they had a 143 to 127 million majority, they should have won the popular vote. Democrats won by 10 million.<br />
2. The murder rate correlates to population density as expected. I would suspect that our tax dollars spent on social services would follow a similar trend.<br />
3. Again, population density explains land ownership versus renting (throwing in government welfare and public housing is a red herring argument used only to reinforce a current belief system. "Look at this! Our money is going to support those Democrat free-loaders!"<br />
4. The last bit of information also IMPLIES that democrats are dependent on welfare and government hand-outs.<br />
<br />
This is all well and good but the favorite thing I learned from this is that Professor Joseph Olson of Hemline University didn't write this!!! It's made up!<br />
<br />
I was looking for the source of this article and came across his bio page: <a href="http://law.hamline.edu/node/784">http://law.hamline.edu/node/784</a><br />
Read the disclaimer. The map and stats don't even jibe with this years election.<br />
A Snopes article also can be found at <a href="http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/tyler.asp">http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/tyler.asp</a><br />
<br />
Bottom line... don't take anything at face value. Especially if it has an agenda. Research and question sources. When you do a search on Google or any other search engine, look at the credibility of the sites.<br />
I recently looked up topics like Rikki Healing and Colon Cleansing. The majority of the top website returns were from sites selling books, training and products. They have an agenda. they want to make money off of the believers so they will tell you what you want to hear.<br />
<br />
People always ask "Well then ,why should I believe you?" The answer is you shouldn't. Do what I do, look it up. Get information from multiple sources and check out those sources. Ten minutes of your time in front of a computer will get you closer to the truth and save you from passing along bad information.<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=d9fcdeb6-9471-4872-8975-a63fc6d636e9" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-40489803598946200012008-12-16T08:47:00.000-08:002011-03-03T16:53:48.097-08:00These are a Few of My Favorite Things'Tis the season for giving. So, I'm going to give you a list of my favorite holiday things.<br />
As far as movies go, everyone puts "It's a Wonderful Life" as their favorite Christmas movie. It a classic and I love watching it, but I find "A Christmas Story" far more enjoyable. Perhaps it's because I haven't seen it a thousand times and I can't recite the dialog with the actors (yet).<br />
Television has only one entry. "Merry Christmas Mr. Bean". If you don't laugh until you cry when Bean rescues Baby Jesus or 'puts the turkey on' then you are a soulless robot (Not that that's a bad thing).<br />
As far as reading material is concerned, David Sedaris rules the holidays. His book "Holidays on Ice" is a brilliant collection of Christmas related stories. For classic Sedaris, checkout www.youtube.com for his live reading of "Six to Eight Black Men" set to photos and video.<br />
Audio-wise, the only other thing I can think of is "Chiron Beta Prime" by Jonathan Coulton. A festive Christmas song with a twist. All of his stuff can be found at http://www.jonathancoulton.com/songs/<br />
As far a musical theater goes... Well it's musical theater so it's all crap!<br />
What do you have to offer? Leave a comment and have a great secular holiday season.<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=9cb51660-c8f8-4a49-94f9-36d67284d5be" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-66966086342230397102008-11-25T19:38:00.000-08:002011-03-03T16:57:29.458-08:00Comedy in a Box. Or Not.These are just a few comics I found surfing the tubes tonight.<br />
The first person to figure out the theme get's a ball filled with catnip!<br />
A bonus pot of cat grass to the first one who can tell me which ones are wrong and which ones are correct.<br />
As always, click to embiggen and thanks to original artists/posters.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhswitMfmLcyrMH2jtDYHPXJKA6l12mtnUKXDnXU1bV9dBIX-N6-NnV_UqEUhYbggUeaOsxZHb5vyckn6_E6Mv4IjFgHuvO9ZbEibej0fJXwMaOanRFPCsiabIClpQhgUgSSCgiKif1P8/s1600-h/Schrodinger's+Cat.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272807709074393474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhswitMfmLcyrMH2jtDYHPXJKA6l12mtnUKXDnXU1bV9dBIX-N6-NnV_UqEUhYbggUeaOsxZHb5vyckn6_E6Mv4IjFgHuvO9ZbEibej0fJXwMaOanRFPCsiabIClpQhgUgSSCgiKif1P8/s320/Schrodinger's+Cat.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 229px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKgKQA4MJ-LjpCd5ysb6qQG8FUF-0HLviHNtk6Wh2k2H2ZP2MaYmEgzgT_gOzpIbc781mfvdFXRl0oos4Vh_9opf9qlnWpEbrjgRoPx3niiE9pr0-qdy-WIPbf9PslphQJSgN6EDQv1DY/s1600-h/schrodingers-lolcat.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272807708149240626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKgKQA4MJ-LjpCd5ysb6qQG8FUF-0HLviHNtk6Wh2k2H2ZP2MaYmEgzgT_gOzpIbc781mfvdFXRl0oos4Vh_9opf9qlnWpEbrjgRoPx3niiE9pr0-qdy-WIPbf9PslphQJSgN6EDQv1DY/s320/schrodingers-lolcat.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 320px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83M0fDsSJg8rXTiXTRO4eIwZebarxu0cCr5aHqxboMc5nP1aA-44dfNfJF6QraAfXpeZWVhw16NhTjuvLMBzJKIbNnnh-HpkwHW3HNUq1tON0g7KoVe-2KKB0Xn84AxDpp2ObrlCKCxU/s1600-h/Schrodinger's+Fridge.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272807705213631586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83M0fDsSJg8rXTiXTRO4eIwZebarxu0cCr5aHqxboMc5nP1aA-44dfNfJF6QraAfXpeZWVhw16NhTjuvLMBzJKIbNnnh-HpkwHW3HNUq1tON0g7KoVe-2KKB0Xn84AxDpp2ObrlCKCxU/s320/Schrodinger's+Fridge.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 172px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-j5ROvDXf2-8opJj2hBH2Bzxh_nQRfInfj8T3KqiJN9Puv01H1lD-mav2mnZNh2YwlVOjS5DhE4ZNhddUTRmLefIUtLQFH79xKJSaLixSCevhdvXrVdHtOo5_u3Kk3lPwQV1hWhJea5w/s1600-h/Schrodinger+LOLCat+2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272806872425905746" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-j5ROvDXf2-8opJj2hBH2Bzxh_nQRfInfj8T3KqiJN9Puv01H1lD-mav2mnZNh2YwlVOjS5DhE4ZNhddUTRmLefIUtLQFH79xKJSaLixSCevhdvXrVdHtOo5_u3Kk3lPwQV1hWhJea5w/s320/Schrodinger+LOLCat+2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 240px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMHdyUhj0nj2BYkC6Oh2uJVuYpKw161fMtVAlJmPY3QeYT7mDAscgK_X-9D76ZMcg2DV2QbUByx1FyQ7lWbcuwqunN8JbyaWnGZSRmOBzoduU48xXMjdJIctDRNj0AmaI0r8Ftp1OXrU/s1600-h/SC-04.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272806867358074562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMHdyUhj0nj2BYkC6Oh2uJVuYpKw161fMtVAlJmPY3QeYT7mDAscgK_X-9D76ZMcg2DV2QbUByx1FyQ7lWbcuwqunN8JbyaWnGZSRmOBzoduU48xXMjdJIctDRNj0AmaI0r8Ftp1OXrU/s320/SC-04.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 320px; width: 260px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6PCe0KxkgYAtcv_UkzhHhYF90D-TVVZ2mSdN1FjmMF7zqS3IQnm0PxkXEzoPyjR295_pvSIPzE4s3DvlkYupVXDnYrzYworK-_qUadAfI7Vo-v20YKmIHx0YgEr6Icb9TWtzcqxWYl4/s1600-h/SC-02.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272806863855154706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6PCe0KxkgYAtcv_UkzhHhYF90D-TVVZ2mSdN1FjmMF7zqS3IQnm0PxkXEzoPyjR295_pvSIPzE4s3DvlkYupVXDnYrzYworK-_qUadAfI7Vo-v20YKmIHx0YgEr6Icb9TWtzcqxWYl4/s320/SC-02.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 320px; width: 249px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlyOU-mPdxUFyWPRPTI_FH1Lfxk6NuGdyTIg-YTYS_8UrVJOQCmtWB3WSE-G16VWQSuJ0YRzoEzuwWrE-wUeXUUL1MuI8jG5IIH9_Brwjlb98UYazx4lVeB-3iy41k3gxxEOoHdIA3u-o/s1600-h/SC-01.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272806859755101298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlyOU-mPdxUFyWPRPTI_FH1Lfxk6NuGdyTIg-YTYS_8UrVJOQCmtWB3WSE-G16VWQSuJ0YRzoEzuwWrE-wUeXUUL1MuI8jG5IIH9_Brwjlb98UYazx4lVeB-3iy41k3gxxEOoHdIA3u-o/s320/SC-01.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 263px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVFu61NPs7VQU1PWA9d5ia1KLjuLt__13FOkqGau6vaD_acSE_NTSOD56-5K2pDz3RWiizKSJ7JdQynLDc6UUVJm0i-J6qx8T9R7Nj19JPppFZpV4ChA5GP5CxKBscsNlvVNt0T6mOAk/s1600-h/Josie+Schrodinger.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272806859384947970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVFu61NPs7VQU1PWA9d5ia1KLjuLt__13FOkqGau6vaD_acSE_NTSOD56-5K2pDz3RWiizKSJ7JdQynLDc6UUVJm0i-J6qx8T9R7Nj19JPppFZpV4ChA5GP5CxKBscsNlvVNt0T6mOAk/s320/Josie+Schrodinger.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 247px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
<br />
All images are posted under the fair use doctrine. ;-)<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=cf9b2de4-2336-4499-81f2-e4af0d52d3ab" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-18691544438161373522008-11-20T19:48:00.000-08:002011-03-03T16:55:39.782-08:00Critical Thinking PrimerWhen you have 30 minutes to spare, please visit <a href="http://herebedragonsmovie.com/">www.herebedragonsmovie.com</a><br />
Brian Dunning of <a href="http://www.skeptoid.com/">www.skeptoid.com</a> has put together a great video as an introduction to critical thinking.<br />
I believe people's inability to look at things with a critical eye is a big reason for America's standing in the world today.<br />
When Oprah and Larry King are considered valid information outlets, our collective intelligence suffers.<br />
My world travels may be fairly limited, but when I've watched TV in France, Germany, Holland and England, there are actual round-table discussions about current events (that don't include shouting and name calling). A station out of Paris has a weekly show that discusses books that airs in prime time.<br />
A recent study shows that most commercial television stations in America only air the minimum amount of educational programing per week and then, even the content is of questionable value.<br />
So what do we do? Well, start by watching <span style="font-style: italic;">There Be Dragons</span> and if you feel it's worthwhile, tell someone else about it. If you're an educator, show it to your students.<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=520153d5-561d-4811-8c52-370371fc24e3" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-42262744704111285802008-11-11T14:22:00.000-08:002008-12-24T11:00:00.052-08:00What's Next on the List?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHtoJP7DlYQiCc1Fijo326npHrOMTaeu_VNVFEm2QzUdrDQEEsj7t_0v8GEg_Yc09ZADGhxLRy0FvJke83xbW-J_6gImBvhKBS3yar4mEA7vBWR-P8rkupLIKHRd7Y1zAI4SLKRK84uY/s1600-h/Slide1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHtoJP7DlYQiCc1Fijo326npHrOMTaeu_VNVFEm2QzUdrDQEEsj7t_0v8GEg_Yc09ZADGhxLRy0FvJke83xbW-J_6gImBvhKBS3yar4mEA7vBWR-P8rkupLIKHRd7Y1zAI4SLKRK84uY/s320/Slide1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270990487008052066" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">They're just following orders.<br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Click to embiggen.</span>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-55552599821781065512008-11-11T10:27:00.001-08:002008-12-18T12:50:36.253-08:00Neo-Con Nightmares - Part 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnynlg5R2AF3uOBNNVjSnp3PX-RYWDj6z_bPebjQZeFHEDYikZyPJRJ6wbS2ftom8eQyQ1SDpS_nc1sy69xFVOfrtwt7wnVGu4GwHYE2zsX1U72RUc5x6wBPZ5LpEYmU0rF8az_Dr-ww/s1600-h/Slide2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnynlg5R2AF3uOBNNVjSnp3PX-RYWDj6z_bPebjQZeFHEDYikZyPJRJ6wbS2ftom8eQyQ1SDpS_nc1sy69xFVOfrtwt7wnVGu4GwHYE2zsX1U72RUc5x6wBPZ5LpEYmU0rF8az_Dr-ww/s320/Slide2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267468676402249282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Click image to embiggen.</span>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-1788076585974354802008-11-09T06:27:00.000-08:002011-03-03T16:54:22.237-08:00Obama Makes Me SickGreat.<br />
As soon as I get motivated to start this thing I get sick.<br />
Until I feel better, please enjoy <a href="http://cuteoverload.com/">cuteoverload.com</a><br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=8740cd12-73ed-4b1a-a69e-dc2078ba8c0b" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1429112498261642865.post-16344877843039357482008-11-05T07:17:00.000-08:002008-12-18T12:46:33.478-08:00The World Changed Last NightWe've woken up in a different country this morning. Barriers have been broken. There is a renewed sense of hope. The future looks just a little brighter. We've thrown our hat over JFK's wall and have reclaimed it by daring to climb over.<br />Electing Barack Obama to be our 44<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> President, hopefully, will be the tipping point for this country. With a fresh face, fresh perspective and fresh ideas leading America, we may yet reclaim the greatness that we once had and took for granted. We may <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">achieve</span> the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">enlightenment</span> (A word the Conservatives have used in a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">derogatory</span> manner) that Europe enjoys today.<br />But like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Obama's</span> catchy campaign slogan "Yes We Can", these are just words and thoughts to rally behind. Nothing will change without us caring about what is happening to this world, both physically and politically. We have to start holding our leaders (the people working FOR US) accountable for their actions again. And we have to hold Barack Obama to a higher standard and expect more from him then we've ever have with previous leaders because that is the only way change will happen.<br />Looking back on the eight years, I realise that I've bitched and moaned about the state of things and have done nothing more. I should have been marching down Michigan Avenue in Chicago protesting the unjust war with my Mother-in-Law Mary. She's in her 70's with artificial hips and she marched and shouted and risked arrest while I sat on my couch and watched in on TV. As I type this I am <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">genuinely</span> ashamed of my inaction.<br />These feelings are fresh and strong now and we should celebrate but they will fade as time moves forward. That's the way we are.<br />On November 4, 2009 will we still feel the same way about President Barack Obama?<br />I hope so.Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08310824690509335801noreply@blogger.com6