David Sloan Wilson: Atheism as a Stealth Religion - Politics on The Huffington Post
A sort of counterpoint to the “new atheists.”
I just got back from seeing The Golden Compass. I thought it mostly very good, though I can see how it would be really hard to follow for someone who is completely new to Pullman’s universe.
Last week Mitt Romney, in a speech on religion, said that “Freedom requires religion, just as religion requires freedom.” Or, as I like to put it, “Religion iff Freedom.” This bothered me more than a little bit, until I realized that I could turn it into an empirical question. Or a least a question where I could make a plot!
The link goes to “a plot of importance of religion in people’s lives versus their political freedom for a 39 countries.”
Level5 Japan: Amazing offices are amazing
The Japanese Level5 Web page features a “Company Navigator,” which is basically a slideshow of the Level5 offices. I’ve seen some pretty amazing offices in my day, but Level5’s choice of high style decor with otaku-ish accents really hits home. I know that the forthcoming Destructoid Tower and Housing Complex will eventually make all other offices pale in comparison, but we have a bit of a wait for that.
You’re guided to various hallways and meeting rooms, and eventually into offices and development areas. From the ping pong tables to the Rozen Maiden figure and the Dragon Quest slime plushie, this place is a nerdy delight.
Beyond Monopoly: Great Board Game Gifts for Geeks
While there’s no doubt that videogames dominate the geekish gaming scene, there’s still room for low-tech pleasures that involve sitting around a table with your friends, face to face, and trying to crush them like earthworms on the sidewalk next to an elementary school.
Many of the best board games fall into a category often labeled “designer games” or “Eurogames.” It’s a pity they have trouble finding a place at most U.S. toy stores next to Hanna Montana Girl Talk and dozens of themed Monopoly sets, but your friendly local game store, or one of many online shops, will be happy to take up the slack.
The following aren’t all Eurogames, but they’re mostly a bit off the beaten path for board games. Any of them would make an excellent gift for the gamer in your life.
Neurophilosophy : Hearing voices (of advertisers)
Here’s an article about a sophisticated type of advertising which uses hypersonic sound:
New Yorker Alison Wilson was walking down Prince Street in SoHo last week when she heard a woman’s voice right in her ear asking, “Who’s there? Who’s there?” She looked around to find no one in her immediate surroundings. Then the voice said, “It’s not your imagination.”
Indeed it isn’t. It’s an ad for “Paranormal State,” a ghost-themed series premiering on A&E this week. The billboard uses technology manufactured by Holosonic that transmits an “audio spotlight” from a rooftop speaker so that the sound is contained within your cranium.
Hypersonic sound technology is discussed by Jonathan Moreno in his book Mind Wars (which I reviewed back in January). It uses sound waves that have been compressed into narrow beams which can then be projected to a specified location. The sound thus carried is audible only to the person or people within the targeted area, but not to anyone else.
The projected sound is “contained within your cranium”, as the article says, because the beam actually consists of two separate sound waves, which merge when they hit an object, so that the pressure of the air surrounding the object (i.e. a person) to reproduce the sound.
A call for a presidential debate on science and technology.
Given the many urgent scientific and technological challenges facing America and the rest of the world, the increasing need for accurate scientific information in political decision making, and the vital role scientific innovation plays in spurring economic growth and competitiveness, we call for a public debate in which the U.S. presidential candidates share their views on the issues of The Environment, Health and Medicine, and Science and Technology Policy.
Drinking Across America: A Look at the 25 Best Microbreweries in the Country
If you think Bud Light is the best beer in America, prepare to have your world rocked by these purveyors of high quality beer. In our collection of microbreweries, you’ll find people that truly love the craft of beer making. They place a high value on beer that offers flavor, complexity, and perhaps most importantly, a strong character and independent spirit. A visit to any of these breweries, from the ultra-micro to the larger craft brewers, is sure to please the accomplished beer drinker and newbie alike.
1. Anchor Brewing Company: San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing Company offers a beer experience that you just don’t see often these days. It’s made in a gorgeous brewery modeled after traditional, historic brewhouses. Because of this, each brew is “virtually handmade,” a quality that beer lovers are sure to appreciate. Their most famous beer is Anchor Steam, which has a uniquely rich flavor. Make a reservation to tour their brewery and see how beer is made in this brewery that embraces the brewhouses of old.
2. Full Sail Brewing Company: The “specialists in the liquid refreshment arts” at Full Sail are “stoked to brew,” and it shows through their beers. This employee owned brewery in Oregon is home to award-winning beers like the Full Sail Amber, IPA, LTD and Wassail, which all picked up a gold medal at this year’s World Beer Championships. Even better, the brewery is located (and open for tours) in Hood River Oregon, a gorgeous little surf town that’s a favorite of windsurfers and skiiers alike.
Team Fortress 2 Stats
Valve is watching everything you do on TF2. Pretty cool, but also slightly creepy. I’m surprised at how little time gets clocked as a Medic. I really enjoy the medic.
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