Both paint a picture of human intellect or reason fighting forces within us that lead us astray. These unconscious agents distort our perception of "reality" and hide our true motivations. But there has always been an optimism about overcoming these influences through self-awareness and discipline.
[,,,]
The experiencing self is the "you" in the moment who lives through the event. The remembering self is the "you" that writes the history. It is also the remembering self that is consulted when planning the future. Choices are made based on the remembering self's construction of what happened in the past. Now here's the problem. The experiencing self and the remembering self don't agree on what happened. In fact, Kahneman has shown that certain discrepancies are hard-wired,,,
[,,,]
This has profound implications. For instance, should a doctor attempt to minimize a patient's memory of pain or experience of it? A procedure's duration and anesthesia level would be addressed differently depending on the priority.
Paul Spector, M.D.: Our Two Selves: Experiencing and Remembering
Thursday, August 30, 2012
‘Pregnancy Begins 2 Weeks Before Conception’ Now The Law In Arizona | The New Civil Rights Movement
While it becomes the seventh state to pass such legislation in the past two years, many Arizonans believe theirs is the most restrictive and sinister because of the degree to which it will legislate health care, thwart evidence-based medicine, and shame women.
‘Pregnancy Begins 2 Weeks Before Conception’ Now The Law In Arizona | The New Civil Rights Movement
‘Pregnancy Begins 2 Weeks Before Conception’ Now The Law In Arizona | The New Civil Rights Movement
The 3 Paradoxes of Psychiatric Drug Treatments | World of Psychology
The first paradox is that the drugs are not “curative”. They reduce symptoms while someone is taking them, but the symptoms often return after the person stops. Second, most of the reasons the drugs actually work for mental disorders are not understood. Third, and perhaps most importantly, is that the newer drugs are not any more effective than the older ones. They are less toxic, but their effectiveness is essentially the same.
[,,,]
I think this offers an opportunity to people studying and practicing psychotherapy. With the landscape of medications likely staying constant for awhile, this is a great time for innovation, as well as communication about how effective psychotherapy can be, when practiced well.
The 3 Paradoxes of Psychiatric Drug Treatments | World of Psychology
[,,,]
I think this offers an opportunity to people studying and practicing psychotherapy. With the landscape of medications likely staying constant for awhile, this is a great time for innovation, as well as communication about how effective psychotherapy can be, when practiced well.
The 3 Paradoxes of Psychiatric Drug Treatments | World of Psychology
NEURONS V FREE WILL | More Intelligent Life
I have always been drawn to the notion of freewill,,,partly due to the idea that I do not believe we have such,,,it is something that I am still attempting to get a grasp on,,,
Every age finds a fresh reason to doubt the reality of human freedom. The ancient Greeks worried about Ananke, the primeval force of necessity or compulsion, and her children, the Fates, who steered human lives. Some scientifically minded Greeks, such as Leucippus in the fifth century BC, regarded the motion of atoms as controlled by Ananke, so that “everything happens…by necessity.” Medieval theologians developed a different worry: they struggled to reconcile human freedom with God’s presumed foreknowledge of all actions. And in the wake of the scientific revolution of the 17th century, philosophers grappled with the notion of a universe that was subject to invariable laws of nature. This spectre of “determinism” was a reprise of the old Greek worry about necessity, only this time with experimental and mathematical evidence to back it up.
[,,,]
And then along came neuroscience, which is often thought to paint an even bleaker picture. The more we find out about the workings of the brain, the less room there seems to be in it for any kind of autonomous, rational self. Where, in the chain of events leading up to an action, could such a thing be found? Investigations of the brain show that conscious will is an “illusion”, according to the title of an influential book by a Harvard psychologist, Daniel Wegner, in 2002—a conclusion that has been echoed by many researchers since. In 2011, Sam Harris, an American writer on neuroscience and religion, wrote that free will “could not be squared with an understanding of the physical world”, and that all our behaviour “can be traced to biological events about which we have no conscious knowledge”.
[,,,]
But there is a growing realisation among some neuroscientists that looking at flickers of activity inside our heads can be a misleading way to see how our minds work. This is because many of the distinctively human things that people do take place over time and outside their craniums. Perhaps the brain is the wrong place to look if you want to find free will.
[,,,]
Stepping back from investigations of the brain, and looking at our actions in the broader context of everyday life—considering our interactions with others, for example—does not in itself provide the knock-down demonstration of free will that Dr Johnson would have liked. But it is at least a good beginning on’t.
NEURONS V FREE WILL | More Intelligent Life
Every age finds a fresh reason to doubt the reality of human freedom. The ancient Greeks worried about Ananke, the primeval force of necessity or compulsion, and her children, the Fates, who steered human lives. Some scientifically minded Greeks, such as Leucippus in the fifth century BC, regarded the motion of atoms as controlled by Ananke, so that “everything happens…by necessity.” Medieval theologians developed a different worry: they struggled to reconcile human freedom with God’s presumed foreknowledge of all actions. And in the wake of the scientific revolution of the 17th century, philosophers grappled with the notion of a universe that was subject to invariable laws of nature. This spectre of “determinism” was a reprise of the old Greek worry about necessity, only this time with experimental and mathematical evidence to back it up.
[,,,]
And then along came neuroscience, which is often thought to paint an even bleaker picture. The more we find out about the workings of the brain, the less room there seems to be in it for any kind of autonomous, rational self. Where, in the chain of events leading up to an action, could such a thing be found? Investigations of the brain show that conscious will is an “illusion”, according to the title of an influential book by a Harvard psychologist, Daniel Wegner, in 2002—a conclusion that has been echoed by many researchers since. In 2011, Sam Harris, an American writer on neuroscience and religion, wrote that free will “could not be squared with an understanding of the physical world”, and that all our behaviour “can be traced to biological events about which we have no conscious knowledge”.
[,,,]
But there is a growing realisation among some neuroscientists that looking at flickers of activity inside our heads can be a misleading way to see how our minds work. This is because many of the distinctively human things that people do take place over time and outside their craniums. Perhaps the brain is the wrong place to look if you want to find free will.
[,,,]
Stepping back from investigations of the brain, and looking at our actions in the broader context of everyday life—considering our interactions with others, for example—does not in itself provide the knock-down demonstration of free will that Dr Johnson would have liked. But it is at least a good beginning on’t.
NEURONS V FREE WILL | More Intelligent Life
The Occult Roots of Scientology: Exploring the Influence of Aleister Crowley on L.Ron Hubbard | The Vigilant Citizen
A new study published in the academic journal Nova Religio explores the link between the O.T.O and Hubbard’s Dianetics, the doctrine of Scientology. According to the study’s author professor Hugh Urban, L. Ron Hubbard’s Dianetics was highly influenced by Crowley’s occult teachings – many of its concepts were simply recycled and renamed for the purpose of Scientology. Scientology and Crowley’s Thelema are however far from equivalent but, as the study reveals, Hubbard was a firm believe of Crowley’s occult theories and used them to grant his wishes and to propel his own cult.
The Occult Roots of Scientology: Exploring the Influence of Aleister Crowley on L.Ron Hubbard | The Vigilant Citizen
The Occult Roots of Scientology: Exploring the Influence of Aleister Crowley on L.Ron Hubbard | The Vigilant Citizen
Right Wing Finally Unites Behind Romney With Anti-Obama Hate-Fest in Tampa | Alternet
Very long but a good overview of the hate and intolerance being touted as good for our country,,,
Right Wing Finally Unites Behind Romney With Anti-Obama Hate-Fest in Tampa | Alternet
Right Wing Finally Unites Behind Romney With Anti-Obama Hate-Fest in Tampa | Alternet
Beard-Cutting Case Tests Limits of Hate Crime Law : NPR
I am very curious as to how this case will play out,,,is humiliation within the confines of religion a hate crime?? Is this a possible "misuse" of the Shepard-Byrd Hate Crimes Act?? In other words are they overstepping the nature of the law as it was originally laid out??
[,,,]
"Having a beard is a sign of adulthood, it's a sign of maturity and it's a sign of marital status. So it's a sign of a man being a man. So, to cut the beard is a kind of humiliation,"
[,,,]
"This is a disciplinarian that was just trying to impose shame upon the perceived wayward members. You can't do that. You have to have shame come from within," Lange says. "But, that's a cultural mistake. It's not a crime, and least of all, not a hate crime."
Beard-Cutting Case Tests Limits of Hate Crime Law : NPR
[,,,]
"Having a beard is a sign of adulthood, it's a sign of maturity and it's a sign of marital status. So it's a sign of a man being a man. So, to cut the beard is a kind of humiliation,"
[,,,]
"This is a disciplinarian that was just trying to impose shame upon the perceived wayward members. You can't do that. You have to have shame come from within," Lange says. "But, that's a cultural mistake. It's not a crime, and least of all, not a hate crime."
Beard-Cutting Case Tests Limits of Hate Crime Law : NPR
In India, 100-Year-Old Lunch Delivery Service Goes Modern : The Salt : NPR
For decades, Indian workers have had their lunches delivered, but usually from home kitchens. The prices were cheap and the food was traditional Indian fare. But that's changing.
[,,,]
"It's a new trend that's been started. ... It's a traditional dabba wallah but at a premium kind of a thing, where the customer is conscious about what he's eating, he's not bothered about what price he's paying," Shetty says. "So, the delivery chain remains the same, but the food, where it is coming from has changed."
[,,,]
Right on time, Kishan Palvar arrives for the pickup from Calorie Care. He's one of 5,000 dabba wallah deliverymen who ferry some 200,000 lunches to offices across the city. It works a lot like Takeout Taxi. The couriers make 500 rupees, or about $10, per person for a month of deliveries.
In India, 100-Year-Old Lunch Delivery Service Goes Modern : The Salt : NPR
[,,,]
"It's a new trend that's been started. ... It's a traditional dabba wallah but at a premium kind of a thing, where the customer is conscious about what he's eating, he's not bothered about what price he's paying," Shetty says. "So, the delivery chain remains the same, but the food, where it is coming from has changed."
[,,,]
Right on time, Kishan Palvar arrives for the pickup from Calorie Care. He's one of 5,000 dabba wallah deliverymen who ferry some 200,000 lunches to offices across the city. It works a lot like Takeout Taxi. The couriers make 500 rupees, or about $10, per person for a month of deliveries.
In India, 100-Year-Old Lunch Delivery Service Goes Modern : The Salt : NPR
Coming of Age on Zoloft: How Antidepressants Cheered Us Up, Let Us Down, and Changed Who We Are | Psych Central
In the same spirit, Sharpe describes the experience of a new second generation of SSRI users in her “Coming of Age on Zoloft.” She tells the story of those who were put on the medication in their teens. In Sharpe’s words, “This is a book about what it’s like to grow up on antidepressants.”
[,,,]
The author states that her hope is that the book will be useful to antidepressant users and their families as well as contributing to the ongoing debate about Zoloft and the “medicalization” of society to the extent that ordinary feelings of sadness and anxiety are treated as symptoms.
[,,,]
The portions of the book where Sharpe’s offers the big perspective are very strong. Having covered some of the same material that she did, I can say that she captured almost all of the main points of the SSRI revolution. She does an especially good job on the rickety theoretical foundation that underlies the antidepressants. She points out how backwards the theory is in that “the cure” was found first and then the condition of depression was fleshed out. In her words, “Antidepressants were invented by accident — twice — and scientists drew conclusions about the nature of the illness by investigating the action of the drugs.”
[,,,]
She touches broader issues, such as the “medicalization” of negative feelings and the incestuous relationship between big Pharma and psychiatry. Sharpe discusses the economics of contemporary psychiatric practice, where she points that a psychiatrist out can bill four patients an hour for med checks rather than seeing one patient for an hour of psychotherapy. She also mentions that the antidepressants have made psychiatry less of the ugly stepchild of medicine.
Coming of Age on Zoloft: How Antidepressants Cheered Us Up, Let Us Down, and Changed Who We Are | Psych Central
[,,,]
The author states that her hope is that the book will be useful to antidepressant users and their families as well as contributing to the ongoing debate about Zoloft and the “medicalization” of society to the extent that ordinary feelings of sadness and anxiety are treated as symptoms.
[,,,]
The portions of the book where Sharpe’s offers the big perspective are very strong. Having covered some of the same material that she did, I can say that she captured almost all of the main points of the SSRI revolution. She does an especially good job on the rickety theoretical foundation that underlies the antidepressants. She points out how backwards the theory is in that “the cure” was found first and then the condition of depression was fleshed out. In her words, “Antidepressants were invented by accident — twice — and scientists drew conclusions about the nature of the illness by investigating the action of the drugs.”
[,,,]
She touches broader issues, such as the “medicalization” of negative feelings and the incestuous relationship between big Pharma and psychiatry. Sharpe discusses the economics of contemporary psychiatric practice, where she points that a psychiatrist out can bill four patients an hour for med checks rather than seeing one patient for an hour of psychotherapy. She also mentions that the antidepressants have made psychiatry less of the ugly stepchild of medicine.
Coming of Age on Zoloft: How Antidepressants Cheered Us Up, Let Us Down, and Changed Who We Are | Psych Central
The Revolt Begins – Texas Delegation Turns On Party Leadership At Convention | Addicting Info
Is this phase 2 of the end of the GOP,,,,Barton has been discredited,,, and now Romney could theoretically lose the nomination,,,just a thought!!
The Revolt Begins – Texas Delegation Turns On Party Leadership At Convention | Addicting Info
The Revolt Begins – Texas Delegation Turns On Party Leadership At Convention | Addicting Info
Better Nutrition Magazine :: Supplements, Nutrition, Recipes, Personal Care :: Features :: Feature Articles
“The number of people who have taken a position against GMOs is greater than ever,” says Jeffrey Smith, the author of Genetic Roulette, who has been crisscrossing the United States speaking about the dangers of GMOs since 2003. “Their commi
Better Nutrition Magazine :: Supplements, Nutrition, Recipes, Personal Care :: Features :: Feature Articles
tment to that position is greater than ever, and I would say that millions of people, in my judgment, are actively seeking to reduce the amount of GMOs that they eat.”
[,,,]
Why the protest against GMOs? Unlike food that has been grown from seeds that have been handed down through generations, genetically modified foods are created in a laboratory. Genetic engineers artificially insert genes from bacteria, viruses, animals, or humans into the DNA of a food crop or animal to create an organism that would never occur in nature.
[,,,]
The FDA’s own scientists actually warned that these never-before-seen foods could create new toxins and new allergens and needed to be more thoroughly tested, but their concerns were largely ignored. Instead, the US government took the official position that GM foods were “substantially equivalent” to conventional foods and didn’t require safety testing or labeling-
[,,,]
The most important thing to know about GM foods is that they benefit only the chemical companies that produce them, says Kimbrell. “[The biotech companies] have yet to produce anything that benefits the consumer. There’s no better taste, no better nutrition, no lower price. That’s the dirty little secret that’s hardly ever reported. That’s why those companies don’t want GM foods labeled. They don’t want the consumer to be able to have the choice to say, ‘I want the same price, less risky version.’”
[,,,]
Smith has estimated that if as little as 5 percent of the population starts consciously avoiding genetically modified foods, it can create a tipping point—a moment when major food companies realize that using GMOs is a liability and start pulling such ingredients from their products. Many recent signs—the amount of Internet traffic, attention by social media sites, coverage by mainstream media, and the increase in sales of non-GMO products—”all suggest that we’re on the doorstep of that tipping point,” says Smith.
[,,,]
Why the protest against GMOs? Unlike food that has been grown from seeds that have been handed down through generations, genetically modified foods are created in a laboratory. Genetic engineers artificially insert genes from bacteria, viruses, animals, or humans into the DNA of a food crop or animal to create an organism that would never occur in nature.
[,,,]
The FDA’s own scientists actually warned that these never-before-seen foods could create new toxins and new allergens and needed to be more thoroughly tested, but their concerns were largely ignored. Instead, the US government took the official position that GM foods were “substantially equivalent” to conventional foods and didn’t require safety testing or labeling-
[,,,]
The most important thing to know about GM foods is that they benefit only the chemical companies that produce them, says Kimbrell. “[The biotech companies] have yet to produce anything that benefits the consumer. There’s no better taste, no better nutrition, no lower price. That’s the dirty little secret that’s hardly ever reported. That’s why those companies don’t want GM foods labeled. They don’t want the consumer to be able to have the choice to say, ‘I want the same price, less risky version.’”
[,,,]
Smith has estimated that if as little as 5 percent of the population starts consciously avoiding genetically modified foods, it can create a tipping point—a moment when major food companies realize that using GMOs is a liability and start pulling such ingredients from their products. Many recent signs—the amount of Internet traffic, attention by social media sites, coverage by mainstream media, and the increase in sales of non-GMO products—”all suggest that we’re on the doorstep of that tipping point,” says Smith.
Better Nutrition Magazine :: Supplements, Nutrition, Recipes, Personal Care :: Features :: Feature Articles
Writers Beware: Why You Shouldn't Pay For Book Reviews
I'm sharing this for 2 reasons,,,one it's a friends blog and I support the work she does and two,,,this is important folks,,,if you are a self published author or considering that route for your writing this is something to be on the look out for and avoid,,,Google the dudes name and many more articles concerning this will come up,,,
Writers Beware: Why You Shouldn't Pay For Book Reviews
Writers Beware: Why You Shouldn't Pay For Book Reviews
Optimistic or Delusional? Why Gay Republicans Stand By Their Party’s Bigoted Platform | Alternet
This piece follows a similar vane of another article,,,the "new" GOP, what we have seen over the last 8-12 years, could give a rat's ass what public opinion has to say,,,it doesn't fit with their dominionist ideology,,,as much as I applaud their attempts for change from within, IMHO it's going to take a mass revolt and leaving the party to make any changes,,,instead of following the party line,,,
Optimistic or Delusional? Why Gay Republicans Stand By Their Party’s Bigoted Platform | Alternet
Talking to people at the reception made me wonder at the fine, fuzzy line dividing optimism from delusion.“This is our party..,” LCR’s Clarke Cooper insists. “We are here to make it stronger and more inclusive.”
[,,,]
,,,the kind of resistance to LGBT equality that is reflected in this year’s platform is a generational issue -- "the last gasp of the conservatives," he calls it -- and boldly predicts that this is the last year in which the platform will contain such language. When I suggest that if Ralph Reed’s turnout operation among conservative evangelicals does as much for the Republicans in November as Reed hopes, the party is not likely to turn its backs on the anti-gay religious right base, Kolbe shrugs and says both parties appeal to their bases for turnout. “We will have the victory,” he says.
[,,,]
If 2004 was a turning point, she says, 2012 could be a “tipping point,” at which shifting public opinion makes overt anti-gay politicking unfeasible. “You can’t demagogue gay people forever.” Perkins, however, may have a different opinion on that -- and no small measure of power in the G.O.P.
[,,,]
,,, Rep. John Tierney, is openly gay, pro-choice and pro-marriage equality, but none of these issues appear on his campaign’s issues page, which pushes standard right-wing talking points on “Obamacare,” Medicare, the economy, education, and the Middle East. Of course, that doesn’t phase the Log Cabin Republicans,,,
[,,,]
,,,the kind of resistance to LGBT equality that is reflected in this year’s platform is a generational issue -- "the last gasp of the conservatives," he calls it -- and boldly predicts that this is the last year in which the platform will contain such language. When I suggest that if Ralph Reed’s turnout operation among conservative evangelicals does as much for the Republicans in November as Reed hopes, the party is not likely to turn its backs on the anti-gay religious right base, Kolbe shrugs and says both parties appeal to their bases for turnout. “We will have the victory,” he says.
[,,,]
If 2004 was a turning point, she says, 2012 could be a “tipping point,” at which shifting public opinion makes overt anti-gay politicking unfeasible. “You can’t demagogue gay people forever.” Perkins, however, may have a different opinion on that -- and no small measure of power in the G.O.P.
[,,,]
,,, Rep. John Tierney, is openly gay, pro-choice and pro-marriage equality, but none of these issues appear on his campaign’s issues page, which pushes standard right-wing talking points on “Obamacare,” Medicare, the economy, education, and the Middle East. Of course, that doesn’t phase the Log Cabin Republicans,,,
Optimistic or Delusional? Why Gay Republicans Stand By Their Party’s Bigoted Platform | Alternet
Eerie Bible coincidence for Hurricane Isaac?
Normally I would not comment on drivel from the WND,,,and the fact that pulpits are beginning the "punishment from God" crap again does not surprise me,,,what struck me was that a few days ago I was re-reading some stuff I wrote many years ago one of which what my attempt to define God,,,
At the time of my deconversion I was troubled by this one point,,,
Isee that not much has changed in 7 years,,,
The arrival of Hurricane Isaac exactly seven years after Hurricane Katrina blasted New Orleans has some people wondering if there’s more to it than random chance, and suggesting the popular homosexual festival Southern Decadence may be part of a judgment from God.
[,,,]
The timing of Isaac in relation to Katrina has caught the attention of some Christian pastors, including John McTernan of the Defend and Proclaim the Faith website:
“Katrina was the greatest natural disaster ever to hit America. Now seven years later, to the day, another hurricane is heading towards this city. The fact the events are seven years apart is very significant as this number is biblically important. It is the number of completion: God created the universe in seven days. The church, city and nation have not repented and the homosexual agenda is far worse than it was in 2005.
[,,,]
“America has been moving away from God,” said Alabama Sen. Hank Erwin, R-Montevallo. “The Lord is sending appeals to us. As harsh as it may sound, those hurricanes do say that God is real, and we have to realize sin has consequences.”
Eerie Bible coincidence for Hurricane Isaac?
At the time of my deconversion I was troubled by this one point,,,
What type of God would call himself our father and then if disobeyed, thrust us in to a lake of fire? Is this the point of our lives? To avoid punishment at the hands of a being more powerful than us? Is that not coercion? To threaten someone and say - Do as I say. or I will punish you severely - is cruel and unbecoming of an allegedly merciful being.
Isee that not much has changed in 7 years,,,
The arrival of Hurricane Isaac exactly seven years after Hurricane Katrina blasted New Orleans has some people wondering if there’s more to it than random chance, and suggesting the popular homosexual festival Southern Decadence may be part of a judgment from God.
[,,,]
The timing of Isaac in relation to Katrina has caught the attention of some Christian pastors, including John McTernan of the Defend and Proclaim the Faith website:
“Katrina was the greatest natural disaster ever to hit America. Now seven years later, to the day, another hurricane is heading towards this city. The fact the events are seven years apart is very significant as this number is biblically important. It is the number of completion: God created the universe in seven days. The church, city and nation have not repented and the homosexual agenda is far worse than it was in 2005.
[,,,]
“America has been moving away from God,” said Alabama Sen. Hank Erwin, R-Montevallo. “The Lord is sending appeals to us. As harsh as it may sound, those hurricanes do say that God is real, and we have to realize sin has consequences.”
Eerie Bible coincidence for Hurricane Isaac?
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
14 Wacky "Facts" Kids Will Learn in Louisiana's Voucher Schools | Mother Jones
Scary!!
14 Wacky "Facts" Kids Will Learn in Louisiana's Voucher Schools | Mother Jones
Thanks to a new law privatizing public education in Louisiana, Bible-based curriculum can now indoctrinate young, pliant minds with the good news of the Lord—all on the state taxpayers' dime.
Under Gov. Bobby Jindal's voucher program, considered the most sweeping in the country, Louisiana is poised to spend tens of millions of dollars to help poor and middle-class students from the state's notoriously terrible public schools receive a private education. While the governor's plan sounds great in the glittery parlance of the state's PR machine, the program is rife with accountability problems that actually haven't been solved by the new standards the Louisiana Department of Education adopted two weeks ago.
14 Wacky "Facts" Kids Will Learn in Louisiana's Voucher Schools | Mother Jones
The Most Influential Evangelist You've Never Heard Of : NPR
We looked up every citation Barton said was from the Bible, but not one of them checked out. Moreover, the Constitution as written in 1787 has no mention of God or religion except to prohibit a religious test for office. The First Amendment does address religion.
John Fea, chairman of the history department at evangelical Messiah College, doubts that. He says that Barton is peddling a distorted history that appeals to conservative believers.
The Most Influential Evangelist You've Never Heard Of : NPR
Publisher Pulls Controversial Thomas Jefferson Book, Citing Loss Of Confidence : The Two-Way : NPR
Hopefully this is the beginning of the end,,,
Publisher Pulls Controversial Thomas Jefferson Book, Citing Loss Of Confidence : The Two-Way : NPR
Citing a loss of confidence in the book's details, Christian publisher Thomas Nelson is ending the publication and distribution of the bestseller, The Jefferson Lies: Exposing the Myths You've Always Believed About Thomas Jefferson.
The controversial book was written by Texas evangelical David Barton, who NPR's Barbara Bradley Hagerty profiled on All Things Considered Wednesday. The publishing company says it's ceasing publication because it found that "basic truths just were not there."
Publisher Pulls Controversial Thomas Jefferson Book, Citing Loss Of Confidence : The Two-Way : NPR
No, I Don't Want to Go to Your Church! | Alternet
As adults, we have the right to choose to join whichever faith or religious/non-religious path we feel called to. Just as I am comfortable being affiliated with my Christian denomination, I know friends who are just as relaxed in being agnostics and non-believers. No adult needs to be shown any “light”. The thing with faith is that its so subjective that a person cannot be forced to feel what they simply cannot. If I find that I find it uncomfortable trying to worship God in a church or within a faith that doesn’t match my views or standards, it is not a criticism on the person who invited me to their church or the church/denomination itself. This feeling is mine, and mine alone, and I am free and entitled to experience it.
No, I Don't Want to Go to Your Church! | Alternet
The Filthy Little Atheist … Founding Father | Disinformation
I've read age of reason so many times I'm on my fourth copy,,,rofl,,,
The Filthy Little Atheist … Founding Father | Disinformation
What exactly was it about The Age of Reason that transformed Paine into a ghost among the founding fathers? Why did he turn overnight from popular hero into a hated villain? It’s because the man took on organized religion with a furor, in an age when doing so was neither fashionable nor conducive to good health.
As he wrote, “I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church. All national institutions of churches … appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.”
The Filthy Little Atheist … Founding Father | Disinformation
Doped-Up Nation: How America Became a Country of Addicts | Alternet
[,,,]
the fact is that it's increasingly rare that Americans turn to internal or interpersonal resources to establish equilibrium. Instead, our first impulse is to seek out a quick and external source, which becomes both the cause of our problems, and the solution.
[,,,]
While we may admire the American impulse to applaud hard work, innovation, and daring, the rewards of these labors aren't immediate. We’re an impatient nation; we seek more immediate gratification. We’ve come to accept an approach of “why wait?”, so we grab ahold of whatever it takes to feel better, to keep feeling better, to make it through the day.
[,,,]
How is it that we’ve wrapped ourselves in the fuzzy dopamine blanket of substance misuse, prescription medication, compulsive eating, celebrity worship, compulsive shopping, internet addiction, video gaming, and compulsive sexual behavior?
[,,,]
The root issue is that direct, undiluted, authentic engagement with the world and others is a challenge, and the strategy of occasional mood alteration that many employ to "take the edge off" can slide into something more dangerous.
[,,,]
Turn on the TV, and the prevailing wisdom says there’s no reason to suffer discomfort. Moreover, we’re being instructed that continuous synthetic “adjustment” is the norm - in other words, there’s a pill for whatever ails you,,,
Doped-Up Nation: How America Became a Country of Addicts | Alternet
the fact is that it's increasingly rare that Americans turn to internal or interpersonal resources to establish equilibrium. Instead, our first impulse is to seek out a quick and external source, which becomes both the cause of our problems, and the solution.
[,,,]
While we may admire the American impulse to applaud hard work, innovation, and daring, the rewards of these labors aren't immediate. We’re an impatient nation; we seek more immediate gratification. We’ve come to accept an approach of “why wait?”, so we grab ahold of whatever it takes to feel better, to keep feeling better, to make it through the day.
[,,,]
How is it that we’ve wrapped ourselves in the fuzzy dopamine blanket of substance misuse, prescription medication, compulsive eating, celebrity worship, compulsive shopping, internet addiction, video gaming, and compulsive sexual behavior?
[,,,]
The root issue is that direct, undiluted, authentic engagement with the world and others is a challenge, and the strategy of occasional mood alteration that many employ to "take the edge off" can slide into something more dangerous.
[,,,]
Turn on the TV, and the prevailing wisdom says there’s no reason to suffer discomfort. Moreover, we’re being instructed that continuous synthetic “adjustment” is the norm - in other words, there’s a pill for whatever ails you,,,
Doped-Up Nation: How America Became a Country of Addicts | Alternet
The Science and Politics of Mind-Altering Drugs | Disinformation
Nutt makes some valid arguments especially in regards as to the limitations of research with class a drugs (new findings show that LSD may offer hope to those with PTSD, other drugs for depression etc)
The Science and Politics of Mind-Altering Drugs | Disinformation
Altho UK based I would guess the laws regarding research are similar which makes any research almost impossible without jumping thro some major hoops,,,,another point he makes is a comparison of the active compounds in their natural state versus the derived pure compounds (cocoa leaves vs cocaine),,,"I'm not a liberal, I'm being rational" in regards as to why he wants to see some changes made in how drugs are classified (once a drug is classified as a Class A, research is all but cut off due to laws,,,if you got an hour a good listen
The Science and Politics of Mind-Altering Drugs | Disinformation
David Barton and Bryan Fischer Get All Three-Year Old on Their Critics
And the ad hominid attacks begin,,,
David Barton and Bryan Fischer Get All Three-Year Old on Their Critics
David Barton and Bryan Fischer Get All Three-Year Old on Their Critics
House Majority Speaker Boehner Blames President Obama For The Drought. | Addicting Info
Not to make light of a serious subject, but the gaffes continue,,,doesn't anyone proof read these days,,,,
House Majority Speaker Boehner Blames President Obama For The Drought. | Addicting Info
According to Talking Points Memo, a website posting and email press release from Boehner’s office on Monday says that the president, “continues to blame anyone and everyone for the drought but himself.”
House Majority Speaker Boehner Blames President Obama For The Drought. | Addicting Info
Paul Spector, M.D.: Our Two Selves: Experiencing and Remembering
Both paint a picture of human intellect or reason fighting forces within us that lead us astray. These unconscious agents distort our perception of "reality" and hide our true motivations. But there has always been an optimism about overcoming these influences through self-awareness and discipline.
[,,,]
The experiencing self is the "you" in the moment who lives through the event. The remembering self is the "you" that writes the history. It is also the remembering self that is consulted when planning the future. Choices are made based on the remembering self's construction of what happened in the past. Now here's the problem. The experiencing self and the remembering self don't agree on what happened. In fact, Kahneman has shown that certain discrepancies are hard-wired,,,
[,,,]
This has profound implications. For instance, should a doctor attempt to minimize a patient's memory of pain or experience of it? A procedure's duration and anesthesia level would be addressed differently depending on the priority.
Paul Spector, M.D.: Our Two Selves: Experiencing and Remembering
[,,,]
The experiencing self is the "you" in the moment who lives through the event. The remembering self is the "you" that writes the history. It is also the remembering self that is consulted when planning the future. Choices are made based on the remembering self's construction of what happened in the past. Now here's the problem. The experiencing self and the remembering self don't agree on what happened. In fact, Kahneman has shown that certain discrepancies are hard-wired,,,
[,,,]
This has profound implications. For instance, should a doctor attempt to minimize a patient's memory of pain or experience of it? A procedure's duration and anesthesia level would be addressed differently depending on the priority.
Paul Spector, M.D.: Our Two Selves: Experiencing and Remembering
Pat Robertson: Don’t adopt sexually abused children that could grow up ‘weird’ | The Raw Story
Excuse my language,,,but ,,,oh my FUCKING GOD,,,he did not just say this,,,what the fuck,,,how dare this pathetic piece of shit think this is being a so called fucking christian,,,as an adoptee I am beyond offended,,,any asshole who aligns himself with this jack wad need to have their fucking head examined
Pat Robertson: Don’t adopt sexually abused children that could grow up ‘weird’ | The Raw Story
Pat Robertson: Don’t adopt sexually abused children that could grow up ‘weird’ | The Raw Story
Physics Vs. Philosophy: Really? : 13.7: Cosmos And Culture : NPR
Creation myths, being pre-scientific explanations of reality, suppose the existence of entities that could transcend it, gods that function beyond the limits of space and time and the laws of nature. That essentially takes care of the problem, if you are satisfied with a supernatural explanation for the world.
Science, of course, is not. The central dogma of science is that nature is intelligible: with the diligent application of reason we can construct explanations of natural phenomena that can be tested and falsified. Within this framework, no explanation can be deemed final: as concepts and measuring tools evolve, so do our explanations of the world.
Physics Vs. Philosophy: Really? : 13.7: Cosmos And Culture : NPR
Santorum claims that saying ‘y’all’ is divisive | The Raw Story
HUH?? WTF dude,,,and the most scary thing y'all,,,he be from PA,,,sigh,,,I been saying y'all my whole life and I'm a yankee,,,so go figure,,,,oh was that divisive?? my saying "yankee",,,,
Santorum claims that saying ‘y’all’ is divisive | The Raw Story
Y’all?” Santorum exclaimed. “Y’all is y’all. And in
a group — you know, I’ve been in groups like that and, you know, it’s very easy when you’re in a group of people that, you know, when you’re in the South, when you’re up in different areas of the country with different groups of people, you develop an affinity with the groups you’re speaking in front of. That’s what Vice President [Biden] was doing. He was trying to develop that affinity. And he did so in a very horrendous way, and he should apologize for it.”
Santorum claims that saying ‘y’all’ is divisive | The Raw Story
Todd Akin (R-MO) Says Rape Victims Can 'Shut Down' Pregnancies | Crooks and Liars
Really bizarre,,,wondering if this is the end result of getting your science from a 2000 year old "text" book,,,
Todd Akin (R-MO) Says Rape Victims Can 'Shut Down' Pregnancies | Crooks and Liars
Todd Akin (R-MO) Says Rape Victims Can 'Shut Down' Pregnancies | Crooks and Liars
Paul Ryan Cites War Votes as Foreign Policy Experience | Video Cafe
May the stars help us,,,he has spent too much time around Sarah Palin it seems,,,she is wearing off on people,,,
what a dumbass,,,
Paul Ryan Cites War Votes as Foreign Policy Experience | Video Cafe
“I voted to send people to war,” he added.
what a dumbass,,,
Paul Ryan Cites War Votes as Foreign Policy Experience | Video Cafe
Akin's Spiritual Mentor: Women Occasionally Invite Rape, Victims Are 'Hysterical' | ThinkProgress
Scary shit that his rhetoric comes from the pulpit,,,
Akin's Spiritual Mentor: Women Occasionally Invite Rape, Victims Are 'Hysterical' | ThinkProgress
Akin's Spiritual Mentor: Women Occasionally Invite Rape, Victims Are 'Hysterical' | ThinkProgress
Romney calls Akin’s rape comment ‘insulting’ and ‘inexcusable’ | The Ticket - Yahoo! News
I applaud Romney on his public stance,,,now he needs to lead the charge to remove the idiot from office permanently,,,
Romney calls Akin’s rape comment ‘insulting’ and ‘inexcusable’ | The Ticket - Yahoo! News
Romney calls Akin’s rape comment ‘insulting’ and ‘inexcusable’ | The Ticket - Yahoo! News
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