So here I am, at 2:50 am, reading me some internets because I can't sleep, when I stumble across this new Abstruse Goose. The implications are pretty frightening, and have left me feeling like a prisoner inside my own head.
Now I'll never get to sleep.
In other news, I recently discovered that Allie Bosch, the brilliant author and cartoonist behind Hyperbole and a Half, is EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE. I have been struck in the face by a speeding train of ineluctable joy.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Infamy
10 and 70 years ago, terror rained down on from the skies, and both times, we fought back. From Guadalcanal to Kabul, heroes were made as we confronted evil head on. But from California internment camps to Guantanamo Bay, we sometimes infamously took out our fear and our anger on the wrong people, abandoning the very fundamental ideals we strove to project. Here's to the men and women doing their best to navigate the murky field of battle between good and evil.
Friday, November 18, 2011
How I feel about religion today
Today, I was inspired by this, which sums up a substantial portion of my hopes, fears, beliefs, and ambitions. But I need to refine the last point.
If by "religion" you mean a sense of purpose that transcends the mundane, that instills in you a compelling desire to alleviate the suffering of your fellow man, and that binds you to your communities and families, then I support you.
If by "religion" you mean a rigid adherence to principles that have no foundation in reality, a dogma you use to justify the expression of your prejudices and fears, and a conduit for your thanatic impulses, then I do not support you.
We have the incredible gift of perception: we have senses that teach us the wonders of the universe, and brains that let us begin to make sense of the dizzying mystery of it all. I say we have these things, but perhaps we have been given them. If that's the case, then to shut our eyes and close our minds is the worst kind of ingratitude.
If by "religion" you mean a sense of purpose that transcends the mundane, that instills in you a compelling desire to alleviate the suffering of your fellow man, and that binds you to your communities and families, then I support you.
If by "religion" you mean a rigid adherence to principles that have no foundation in reality, a dogma you use to justify the expression of your prejudices and fears, and a conduit for your thanatic impulses, then I do not support you.
We have the incredible gift of perception: we have senses that teach us the wonders of the universe, and brains that let us begin to make sense of the dizzying mystery of it all. I say we have these things, but perhaps we have been given them. If that's the case, then to shut our eyes and close our minds is the worst kind of ingratitude.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
YES A THOUSAND TIMES YES
http://imgur.com/1rzgs
There is too much awesome in this picture to be absorbed at once by my feeble brain.
There is too much awesome in this picture to be absorbed at once by my feeble brain.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Flood relief for Thailand: Give2Asia
As you may have heard, Thailand is experiencing the worst floods it has seen in 50 years (article, images). Hundreds of people have died, and the country has sustained billions of dollars in damage. As we speak, floodwaters are inundating Bangkok, and the city's main river is expected to overflow soon.
There's an organization called Give2Asia that is facilitating donations towards relief efforts. I checked it out, and based on my limited understanding of such things, the organization seems legitimate. Last year, they made $21 million, only $400K of which went to the company's board and employees. Feel free to check my detective work (2010 financials, all financial documents).
If you'd like to, DONATE HERE.
There's an organization called Give2Asia that is facilitating donations towards relief efforts. I checked it out, and based on my limited understanding of such things, the organization seems legitimate. Last year, they made $21 million, only $400K of which went to the company's board and employees. Feel free to check my detective work (2010 financials, all financial documents).
If you'd like to, DONATE HERE.
Belgian "coma" patient was misdiagnosed: actually paralyzed and fully awake
Article
I know this is old news, but read what the patient said about his experience! Horrifying.
When he woke up after the accident he had lost control of his body, "I screamed, but there was nothing to hear," he says.
I know this is old news, but read what the patient said about his experience! Horrifying.
When he woke up after the accident he had lost control of his body, "I screamed, but there was nothing to hear," he says.
"I became a witness to my own suffering as doctors and nurses tried to speak with me until they gave up all hope.
"I shall never forget the day when they discovered what was truly wrong with me – it was my second birth. All that time I just literally dreamed of a better life. Frustration is too small a word to describe what I felt."
Protester badly wounded by Oakland police
By all accounts I've heard, the Oakland protests are largely peaceful. The exception I've heard of is - I'm not making this up - protesters have "thrown paint" and police. Spread the word - this can't be tolerated.
Image
More images
Article
Image
More images
Article
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Hilarity of the day
If you're over 40 and don't get the reference click here
If you're under 40 and don't get the reference click here
Friday, October 7, 2011
Essential Answers
I thought it would be interesting to start a series of posts I'm going to call "essential answers" - the things that everybody should be able to prove off the tops of their heads, but maybe they can't. That is, the established facts that remain controversial because of pervasive ignorance. I'll post a topic, along with the clearest evidence I've found, and then maybe other people can help me out by giving their perspectives? Also, I'm pretty sure I have a readership of about four, so this might not work. We'll see.
Some topics I'm considering:
Some topics I'm considering:
- Climate change is happening, it's a threat to our way of life, and it's our fault.
- Species evolve according to Darwinian principles of natural selection.
- The Earth is billions of years old.
- Most religious texts are self-contradictory.
- Humans have walked on the moon.
Monday, September 19, 2011
The emotional cost of mind-wandering
Article here
A Harvard study came to the shocking, almost paradoxical conclusion that we spend about half of our time elsewhere.
It's been known for about ten years that a particular set of brain regions is more active when you're not paying attention to the world around you. This network, called the default mode network, consists mostly of areas along the brain's midline, and is utilized when a person is mind-wandering, ruminating about the past, or thinking about themselves.
The Harvard study, led by Matthew A. Killingsworth and Daniel T. Gilbert, also found that when in this state, people tend to be less happy. This is hardly a surprise, since self-reflection has been shown to be associated with negative emotion, and default mode network activity is associated with troubled, distracted states of mind such as worrying about the future and ruminating on the past.
The flip side of mind-wandering is more likely to produce positive emotions. Buddhists call it mindfulness; we call it paying attention. When our mental faculties are directed toweards processing sensory information and interacting with the world around us, we seem to be at our cognitive best. What activity, according to this article, is most likely to recruit people's full attention while they are engaged in it? You guessed it.
I just can't believe that participants were actually willing to answer the phone.
A Harvard study came to the shocking, almost paradoxical conclusion that we spend about half of our time elsewhere.
It's been known for about ten years that a particular set of brain regions is more active when you're not paying attention to the world around you. This network, called the default mode network, consists mostly of areas along the brain's midline, and is utilized when a person is mind-wandering, ruminating about the past, or thinking about themselves.
The Harvard study, led by Matthew A. Killingsworth and Daniel T. Gilbert, also found that when in this state, people tend to be less happy. This is hardly a surprise, since self-reflection has been shown to be associated with negative emotion, and default mode network activity is associated with troubled, distracted states of mind such as worrying about the future and ruminating on the past.
The flip side of mind-wandering is more likely to produce positive emotions. Buddhists call it mindfulness; we call it paying attention. When our mental faculties are directed toweards processing sensory information and interacting with the world around us, we seem to be at our cognitive best. What activity, according to this article, is most likely to recruit people's full attention while they are engaged in it? You guessed it.
I just can't believe that participants were actually willing to answer the phone.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
Ahhhhhh
http://noquedanblogs.com/arte/the-art-of-clean-up-el-arte-de-ordenar/
...that feels better (for the obsessive-compulsive in all of us)
...that feels better (for the obsessive-compulsive in all of us)
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Self-recognition in the rhesus macaque?
Rhesus macaques routinely fail the mirror self-recognition task, the time-honored but beleaguered gold standard of self-consciousness. A new study claims to show that the rhesus is aware of its agency; that is, it recognizes its own actions as belonging to it.
I didn't read the study, mostly because it's not published yet (see J. J. Couchman in the July 2011 issue of Biology Letters), but the article about it makes some pretty bold claims about rhesus metacognition that seem a little premature - all the monkeys seem to be doing is forming an association between efferent motor signals and afferent visual input.
Of course, that association probably helps form the foundation for self-awareness in the first place. But even full-blown agency isn't sufficient for self-awareness. In fact, it might not even be necessary.
I didn't read the study, mostly because it's not published yet (see J. J. Couchman in the July 2011 issue of Biology Letters), but the article about it makes some pretty bold claims about rhesus metacognition that seem a little premature - all the monkeys seem to be doing is forming an association between efferent motor signals and afferent visual input.
Of course, that association probably helps form the foundation for self-awareness in the first place. But even full-blown agency isn't sufficient for self-awareness. In fact, it might not even be necessary.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Human echolocation
I know, that's what I said. WHAT?
But apparently it's real. There are documented cases of blind people using echolocation, much like dolphins and bats would, to navigate their worlds. These people make clicking sounds with their mouths, and are able to decode the sound of the reverberations to determine the spatial locations of objects. Interestingly, they seem to be using the visually oriented parts of the brain to accomplish this distinctly auditory feat.
Here's a journal article on the subject.
But apparently it's real. There are documented cases of blind people using echolocation, much like dolphins and bats would, to navigate their worlds. These people make clicking sounds with their mouths, and are able to decode the sound of the reverberations to determine the spatial locations of objects. Interestingly, they seem to be using the visually oriented parts of the brain to accomplish this distinctly auditory feat.
Here's a journal article on the subject.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
POSH as hell - 05/08/2011
I'm about to drink port wine on the left side of an airplane. No one is here to appreciate this with me.
Whiteout - 05/08/2011
Hudson Bay, it turns out, is frozen. All of the water for a while now has been icy. The progression north through Canada has shown the emergence of Cold as a salient presence. Where it was, at first, largely implied, it is now ineluctable fact. The world is whited out: heaven and earth are difficult to distinguish, as though G-d's second proclamation was not heard here. It's no surprise: there's no one up here to hear it.
We humans like to congratulate ourselves on our ability to adapt to any circumstance. Whereas the other creatures fill their ecological niches, we are unbound by the laws of survival. It's true, but in our case it's not survival that keeps us out of northern Canada. I surmise, from my warm perch at 40k, that the region has nothing to offer the human intellect. Even Thoreau would be bored with the monotony. It would take another Byrd, intrepid for the sake of primacy, to prove him, and me, wrong.
We humans like to congratulate ourselves on our ability to adapt to any circumstance. Whereas the other creatures fill their ecological niches, we are unbound by the laws of survival. It's true, but in our case it's not survival that keeps us out of northern Canada. I surmise, from my warm perch at 40k, that the region has nothing to offer the human intellect. Even Thoreau would be bored with the monotony. It would take another Byrd, intrepid for the sake of primacy, to prove him, and me, wrong.
Google Earth - 05/08/2011
I have an interactive map of the world to my right, and THE WORLD to my left. I am living Google Earth.
GeoNerd - 05/08/2011
By the way, dear diary, the screen informs me that we'll be flying over Point Barrow. YESSSS.
Edit: here's a picture of Point Barrow, the northernmost point in the US. I took it from the plane!
Edit: here's a picture of Point Barrow, the northernmost point in the US. I took it from the plane!
Edit 2: On this flight, I set a new personal record for the furthest north I'd ever been (right around here), and the furthest west and east (the international date line). On the next flight, I went further south than I'd ever been: Bangkok. Crazy.
Epiphany - 05/08/2011
I've recently come to realize that there's no such thing as an epiphany. Wisdom isn't attained in an instant; I'm convinced Gautama's 40 days were really 40 years. Acceptance comes with time, not the insistence of an impatient mind. So, I'm not going to find myself on a bus from Surat Thani. But maybe I'll come back to Atlanta, Georgia a bit more at peace with the life I've half chosen, half drifted into; my relationship with a girl I find more amazing daily; and, of course, with myself, from whom there is no escape.
A Single Step - 05/08/2011
We finally made it! In business class no less - we're flying in style. As I sipped my mimosa I realized that I couldn't reach the seat in front of me with my toes outstretched; the same mimosa I ended up having to pound entirely too quickly as the plane, a 747 (The Whale, to those in the business) left the gate. The flight attendant politely asked if she could take my half-full (!) cup. I looked at her, nonplussed. I looked at my cup, heartbroken. I looked back at her, resolute. I drained my glass, choked, and have been coughing throughout the taxi. This bodes well for Koh Phangan.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Our silly alarmist mindset
rabble rabble Republican fearmongering rabble TSA rabble rabble rabble THE TERRORISTS HAVE WON.
You know the spiel. Fortunately for you, I have a presentation tomorrow I need to prepare for, so I'll spare you the rehash.
You know the spiel. Fortunately for you, I have a presentation tomorrow I need to prepare for, so I'll spare you the rehash.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Easter eggs redubbed "spring spheres"
While the school administration's solution is clearly ridiculous, they're right at a very simple and fundamental level: religious ritual has no place in public schools. As innocuous as it might seem to the 25 Christian kids in the class, little Avi and little Ibrahim are going to feel pretty out of place in the corner, wondering silently to themselves what's wrong with them.
Anthony Kiedes shoots down gLee
Anthony Kiedis, frontman for Red Hot Chili Peppers, is refusing to let Glee sterilize RHCP songs with their antiseptic pantomime of real art. Kiedis says "It just seems emotionally displaced".
Integrity.
Integrity.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
When real life is so awesome, it looks fake
A rocket breaks the sound barrier in a cloud of ice crystals. Fast-forward to 1:50 if you're impatient.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
Read this article in his voice
Morgan Freeman opposes the idea of Black History Month. He "notes there is no 'white history month', and says the only way to get rid of racism is to 'stop talking about it'"
He also flies planes, if that wasn't cool enough.
He also flies planes, if that wasn't cool enough.
Random Thoughts I
I've found that if a person is prone to accusing others of X, then that person is probably guilty of X on a regular basis.
Of course, by that logic, I've just proven myself a hypocrite*. Which is true!
QED
*and also bad at logic
Of course, by that logic, I've just proven myself a hypocrite*. Which is true!
QED
*and also bad at logic
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Order and Chaos
If you've ever heard me spouting off excitedly about fractals, this is what I was talking about! Besides the beautiful image, make sure you read the caption.
Cognitive neuroscience and the wrong perspective
The position of cognitive neuroscience today is to watch this video and conclude that the school of fish has a mechanism for drawing circles around sharks.
Saying that the brain has evolved a mechanism for performing some particular cognitive function is missing the same point: such functions emerge from the interactions of millions of tiny interacting elements. These functions persist, phylogenetically speaking, because they serve an adaptive purpose. Cognitive neuroscience has fallen into the bad habit of starting with macroscopic function and seeking the mechanism, when we should be starting with the microscopic mechanisms and seeing what they can do on a global scale.
Edit: I just read about what John Dewey (1894) called the psychologist's fallacy: "to confuse the standpoint of the observer and explainer with that of the fact observed". Couldn't have said it better myself.
Powerful Piece on Senseless Murder
PZ Myers' latest post is an immensely powerful invective against senseless murder. It's an uncompromising condemnation of last week's attack at a UN compound in Afghanistan, and of murder in general. Be forewarned, this is harrowing material - it will alter your mood and make you want to write, or just think.
I don't fully agree with his black and white stance on taking human life (see the 2nd-to-last paragraph of the essay), but to his credit, Myers acknowledges his position at the far left of this particular moral spectrum.
Incidentally, this is a good blog that I read regularly (and occasionally reblog here). His posts are full of vitriol, usually against religious institutions causing more harm than good in this country and around the world. I don't share his staunch hatred for religion (my problem is more with the institutions that propagate it, but that's a topic for another day), nor his contempt for the pious. Still, he usually comes down on the right side of an issue, and what he lacks in tact he makes up for with a powerful command of the language.
I don't fully agree with his black and white stance on taking human life (see the 2nd-to-last paragraph of the essay), but to his credit, Myers acknowledges his position at the far left of this particular moral spectrum.
Incidentally, this is a good blog that I read regularly (and occasionally reblog here). His posts are full of vitriol, usually against religious institutions causing more harm than good in this country and around the world. I don't share his staunch hatred for religion (my problem is more with the institutions that propagate it, but that's a topic for another day), nor his contempt for the pious. Still, he usually comes down on the right side of an issue, and what he lacks in tact he makes up for with a powerful command of the language.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Daily Hate V: Special GOP Edition
Today's Daily Hate is dedicated to recent concerted efforts by the Grand Old Party to undermine scientific thinking, destroy the economy, and undermine the quality of life for disabled citizens.
- A Tennessee bill to protect teachers who question established scientific facts - the bill specifically mentions global warming and evolutionary theory - has passed the Tennessee House Education Committee and will now go before the House itself. Although the bill, as worded, sounds like a good idea (who wouldn't want to promote critical thinking?), it's pretty clear how it would be used - to protect individual teachers pushing dangerous agendas. Otherwise, it wouldn't be necessary.
- A proposed Constitutional amendment, limiting government spending to 18% of the GDP, seems too irresponsible to be true.
- Florida Governor Rick Scott (you know, the one who defrauded the government out of millions as CEO of a chain of for-profit hospitals) has cut the spending power of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities by 15%. The agency helps some 30,000 Floridians survive with such debilitating conditions as cerebral palsy.
Friday, April 1, 2011
The effect of fear on beliefs
A new study in PLoS ONE shows that irrational beliefs are susceptible to clever manipulations of one's existential fears. The results are very cool, but sure to be controversial (if anyone notices).
Abstract:
The present research examined the psychological motives underlying widespread support for intelligent design theory (IDT), a purportedly scientific theory that lacks any scientific evidence; and antagonism toward evolutionary theory (ET), a theory supported by a large body of scientific evidence. We tested whether these attitudes are influenced by IDT's provision of an explanation of life's origins that better addresses existential concerns than ET. In four studies, existential threat (induced via reminders of participants' own mortality) increased acceptance of IDT and/or rejection of ET, regardless of participants' religion, religiosity, educational background, or preexisting attitude toward evolution. Effects were reversed by teaching participants that naturalism can be a source of existential meaning (Study 4), and among natural-science students for whom ET may already provide existential meaning (Study 5). These reversals suggest that the effect of heightened mortality awareness on attitudes toward ET and IDT is due to a desire to find greater meaning and purpose in science when existential threats are activated.
Death and Science: The Existential Underpinnings of Belief in Intelligent Design and Discomfort with Evolution
Citation: Tracy JL, Hart J, Martens JP (2011) Death and Science: The Existential Underpinnings of Belief in Intelligent Design and Discomfort with Evolution. PLoS ONE 6(3): e17349. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0017349
Abstract:
The present research examined the psychological motives underlying widespread support for intelligent design theory (IDT), a purportedly scientific theory that lacks any scientific evidence; and antagonism toward evolutionary theory (ET), a theory supported by a large body of scientific evidence. We tested whether these attitudes are influenced by IDT's provision of an explanation of life's origins that better addresses existential concerns than ET. In four studies, existential threat (induced via reminders of participants' own mortality) increased acceptance of IDT and/or rejection of ET, regardless of participants' religion, religiosity, educational background, or preexisting attitude toward evolution. Effects were reversed by teaching participants that naturalism can be a source of existential meaning (Study 4), and among natural-science students for whom ET may already provide existential meaning (Study 5). These reversals suggest that the effect of heightened mortality awareness on attitudes toward ET and IDT is due to a desire to find greater meaning and purpose in science when existential threats are activated.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
My Feet Knew the Way
I used to be frustrated by the inevitability of waves. I would hurl myself against them with all my strength, body slapping broad-side into the ambling hill of water, trying with all my might to make an example, set a precedent, assert my sentient dominance over the senseless redundancy of nature. It was a battle of wills and I, being blessed with Will, was the clear favorite.
Naturally, I lost every time. Each wave was followed inexorably by another, and red-chested and infuriated by the ocean’s indifference to my presence, I would gather myself for another offensive.
Tiring of this, I would alter my strategy and resign myself to building sandcastles with moats carefully situated just at the limit of the obliging tide; or constructing palaces for sojourning crabs, nomadic despots who would signal their gratitude for my hospitality with clumsy sideways curtsies. Or something like that.
I was jealous of the older boys on their jet skis, their casual indifference to the forces that stymied me, skimming the surface like sleek cars on an undulating pavement, surgically slicing its skin, as unimpressed with their medium of travel as it was with me, their artificial waves trailing them, spreading out like a slow Japanese fan, criss-crossing at odd angles to their larger, slower cousins.
* * * * *
It’s been decades since I’ve been to the ocean, I realize as I leave the hospital in the cobalt light of the pre-dawn, but my feet remember the way. With a nod to the stoic palms on Cass Street I turn left, and sand supplants cement. I can’t feel its texture through my leather soles but it gives way deferentially under my weight. I don’t break stride, even as the tiny waves make a play for my kneecaps. When the water is deep enough I squat, submerging myself to the neck.
I am weightless. I am a buoy. The ocean cycles around me and through me and I am utterly unobtrusive. It rocks me like a baby, lovingly indifferent to my will. Tonight, I will dream of its momentum.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Word of the moment: Demonym
Demonym: the word you use to refer to somebody from someplace (eg., "American")
Monetizing this blog
Because it's really easy, I just added ads to my blog. I doubt that enough people read me for it to make a difference, but in case I end up making significant bank, here's what I'm going to do - at the end of each calendar year, I'll come up with a list of charities I think are worthwhile. I'll put it up to a vote, and donate 100% to that charity.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Disgusting example of theocratic misogyny
Don't let the opulence fool you - the UAE's legal system is as backwards as Pakistan's or Saudi Arabia's. Regime change is scary business, but that particular region of the world is in desperate need of a liberal movement. We can only hope that when the dust settles in Egypt, Libya, Syria, Bahrain, Yemen, Tunisia, and throughout the Mideast and Northern Africa, the paradigm will have shifted a few miles to the left.
EDIT: I just read this story about a Bengladeshi girl who, by decree of a local imam, and under the auspices of Sharia, was beaten to death at the age of 14. The crime, for which she received the capital punishment, was being raped by her married uncle. Yes, I phrased that correctly - she was murdered for being raped.
According to the article, such practices are illegal in Bangladesh, an ostensibly moderate Muslim nation. In light of my earlier post, I should stress that the ultimate source of this and related problems is an endemic perversion of values, as opposed to any particular governmental policy. The sweeping changes so desperately needed must therefore come from the ground up: it's a matter of attitude adjustment, not regime change.
EDIT: I just read this story about a Bengladeshi girl who, by decree of a local imam, and under the auspices of Sharia, was beaten to death at the age of 14. The crime, for which she received the capital punishment, was being raped by her married uncle. Yes, I phrased that correctly - she was murdered for being raped.
According to the article, such practices are illegal in Bangladesh, an ostensibly moderate Muslim nation. In light of my earlier post, I should stress that the ultimate source of this and related problems is an endemic perversion of values, as opposed to any particular governmental policy. The sweeping changes so desperately needed must therefore come from the ground up: it's a matter of attitude adjustment, not regime change.
Another reason to hate the TSA
Read this story about a woman fired by the TSA for her religious beliefs. Carole Smith was terminated at the end of a long chain of events set off by coworker Mary Bagnoli's report that "she was afraid of Smith because she was a witch who practiced witchcraft. She accused Smith of following her on the highway one snowy evening after work and casting a spell on the heater of her car, causing it not to work"
Which employee would you sack?
My favorite quotation, from the Wiccan (former) security agent herself: "We don't cast spells. That's not witchcraft. That's Black Magic or Voodoo or something else. to put a spell on the heater of a car, if I had that kind of power, I wouldn't be working for TSA. I would go buy lottery tickets and put a spell on the balls".
Which employee would you sack?
My favorite quotation, from the Wiccan (former) security agent herself: "We don't cast spells. That's not witchcraft. That's Black Magic or Voodoo or something else. to put a spell on the heater of a car, if I had that kind of power, I wouldn't be working for TSA. I would go buy lottery tickets and put a spell on the balls".
Monday, March 28, 2011
Donald Trump's surprisingly good idea
Even if it is a touch idealistic, I'm now going to pay attention to the man. As always, I respect stones.
Via Reddit: http://articles.cnn.com/1999-11-09/politics/trump.rich_1_donald-trump-trump-said-trump-trump-said-the?_s=PM:ALLPOLITICS
"It is a winwin for the American people, an idea no conventional politician would have the guts to put forward" - DT
Via Reddit: http://articles.cnn.com/1999-11-09/politics/trump.rich_1_donald-trump-trump-said-trump-trump-said-the?_s=PM:ALLPOLITICS
"It is a winwin for the American people, an idea no conventional politician would have the guts to put forward" - DT
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Minimalist mental disorder posters
Promoting awareness of mental disorders? Or exploiting them by making light of them?
Either way, some of these are rather poignant.
Either way, some of these are rather poignant.
Is it just me...
...or is this article criminally idiotic? Please read it and decide for yourself, and if I've made a mistake here, let me know. The pervasive error seems to be a confusion between the proportion of funds allocated to a particular cause with the absolute amount of funding made available. Maybe our hearts would do better to bleed in underdeveloped nations plagued by preventable hunger and curable disease, but how can Salmon claim that donated money does more harm than good?
Salmon also states that "Japan is a wealthy country which is responding to the disaster, among other things, by printing hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of new money. Money is not the bottleneck here: if money is needed, Japan can raise it."
Again, despite my heritage, I'm no expert in economics, but wouldn't an influx of money form outside the country be more helpful than the government printing more? Hasn't the Japanese government's decision to print more money (called "quantitative easing" when that money is then put into foreign bonds and the like, I just learned) in the last few weeks contributed, along with a beleaguered Nikkei, to the steadily falling Yen? Like I said before, someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
Salmon also states that "Japan is a wealthy country which is responding to the disaster, among other things, by printing hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of new money. Money is not the bottleneck here: if money is needed, Japan can raise it."
Again, despite my heritage, I'm no expert in economics, but wouldn't an influx of money form outside the country be more helpful than the government printing more? Hasn't the Japanese government's decision to print more money (called "quantitative easing" when that money is then put into foreign bonds and the like, I just learned) in the last few weeks contributed, along with a beleaguered Nikkei, to the steadily falling Yen? Like I said before, someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Clever Conceptual Photo Manipulations That Tell a Story
This is a reblog.... not my work and not my writing! - JHD
Clever Conceptual Photo Manipulations That Tell a Story: "
Conceptual photo manipulations are all about depicting an idea, message, or story that a digital artist wants to convey to their viewers. In a conceptual photo manipulation the idea is the primary motive for the piece, not the materials, tools, or techniques that were used during its creation. These works are truly inspirational and tell a story through the characters, landscape, emotions, or through political or social commentary. In this collection you will find a mixed bag of clever conceptual photo manipulations, some of which include a bit of fantasy, surrealism, or humor.
E-mail and texting have made communication instantaneous and easy. But a hand-written letter has a personal touch to it. There is something about ink and paper that an email will simply never replace. This print advertisement for the Australia Post successfully conveys that message.
An excellent example depicting the metaphorical concept of liquid fire. It shows how fire would look if it was made of water.
This print advertisement by Olympus has a great concept and visual. It uses the frozen ice to symbolize that the action has been frozen in time by the camera.
This amusing print advertisement cleverly uses Photoshop to convey its USP.
Have you ever been so tired while reading that you felt the words are falling from the book? Here is a cool visual example of the same.
Creating My Own World in an impressive artistic concept. The ink represents the fluidity of imagination and creativity through which the artist creates fish, birds, butterflies and the world of his own. It has beautiful color, texture and a poetic touch.
It’s hard not to like this cool coffee mug. It is made from the lens of a camera that has been fashioned into a mug. I think the image is the Photoshopped prototype (of the initial concept) of Canon mugs.
The King has an interesting and thought provoking concept drawing parallel between king and pawn. The artist philosophically states that when the game is over, the king and the pawn go into the same box.
Skinbonsai is a well executed but creepy photo manipulation of bonsai created from body parts.
Poor grapes are looking really scared! This fantastic photo manipulation is humorous and heartwarming at the same time. The attention to the detail is mindboggling and the concept is skillfully executed.
Go Your Own Road has a great concept. It advises you to follow your heart.
It would be cool if you could shake hands with your friend in another country without a long journey or jetlag. International Handshake is an awesome example of an Out of Bounds photo manipulation concept.
This advertisement for Polident Denture Care uses fruit as an object of focus. It shows fruits like apple, pear, sugarcane each with unexpectedly soft interiors. Here it refers to the softness of kiwi fruit when you bite an apple wearing their dentures.
Human emotions are complex. Love is the best/worst feeling to ever have, it can be so diverse at times that you can never be sure that you know all. Though I wonder if you could learn all about love or intricacies of human feelings from books. Simplicity, colors and subject of this photo manipulation is eye-catching.
What would you call them? Eggheads? And are you ready to eat them! It has the wonderful humorous concept. The expression on each of the face and eyes can surely make you laugh.
Choose Your Face has a novel concept and the attention to the details is beyond words, it almost looks real.
This print advertisement for Toyo tires cleverly uses octopus to go with their slogan "Griping Performance".
Sometimes you might have the wrong perception about yourself and that might stress you out. This is a great example that shows how you can use perfectly ordinary objects to make a powerful message.
A fascinating photo manipulation where the woman’s flowing hairs are shown as horses. The peace and calmness on woman’s face and the running wild horses on the other hand symbolizes the constant thought process going on in our mind. Although outwardly we might seem to be calm and relaxed. A very original idea..
An unusual concept showing hands morphed into a mouth and ear. It depicts that everyone wants an ear to voice their opinion.
Lion Show is a print advertisement for Zoo Safari. It has an outstanding concept backed by wonderfully executed visuals to match its slogan "blend in".
An excellent photo manipulation of an artist hand drawing himself.
This is an amazing idea personifying the milk into spirit.
A similar concept as the one shown above but with the positive message. In this print advertisement the milk is personified to symbolize that it helps to support your heart and body.
This powerful Public Interest advertisement campaign successfully illustrates how verbal abuse can be just as horrific as physical violence. It raises awareness of issue of vicious domestic verbal abuse.
This is really a sad love story. It is amazing how you can tell a story with just one object. The old and faded effect gives it an interesting feel. The idea of using fruit to make something that seems so simple and yet universally recognizable is very clever.
A delightful and detailed imagination of city built from a cigarette’s ashes.
Another witty and brilliant piece of conceptual photo manipulation. It says something so philosophical in such a minimal and simple way.
Time Goes By has creative concept of depicting fleeting time.
A public interest advertisement by FEMA for Disaster Management and taking timely actions to reduce the effects of disaster. The concept is very clear and the brick typography is exceptional.
The Monster In The Mirror symbolizes the hidden fear within us. The beautiful girl and the pastel colors makes the artwork more attractive.
This is how a tongue would look if it had a life of it’s own. A creepy and funny concept that can make you chuckle.
An excellent campaign for the Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung with visuals depicting political figures and characters. The general idea is that the newspaper digs down through the layers to bring the news and the image accurately brings forth the concept.
An amazing Photoshop work showing woman dressed in fire and solidified lava. The concept is beautifully executed with great attention to details like the clouds, the lava, the debris etc. The color scheme and the firey glow which reflects on the model’s body makes it an outstanding piece of work.
A great piece depicting the harmful health effects of smoking cigarettes and tobacco. It is simple and powerful which makes the message very clear.
An amazing poster illustrating plastic surgery and botox that goes behind a beautiful model’s face.
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Clever Conceptual Photo Manipulations That Tell a Story: "
Conceptual photo manipulations are all about depicting an idea, message, or story that a digital artist wants to convey to their viewers. In a conceptual photo manipulation the idea is the primary motive for the piece, not the materials, tools, or techniques that were used during its creation. These works are truly inspirational and tell a story through the characters, landscape, emotions, or through political or social commentary. In this collection you will find a mixed bag of clever conceptual photo manipulations, some of which include a bit of fantasy, surrealism, or humor.
Australia Post: Hug
E-mail and texting have made communication instantaneous and easy. But a hand-written letter has a personal touch to it. There is something about ink and paper that an email will simply never replace. This print advertisement for the Australia Post successfully conveys that message.
Liquid Fire
An excellent example depicting the metaphorical concept of liquid fire. It shows how fire would look if it was made of water.
Olympus: Eagle
This print advertisement by Olympus has a great concept and visual. It uses the frozen ice to symbolize that the action has been frozen in time by the camera.
Wakes You up With Every Bite
This amusing print advertisement cleverly uses Photoshop to convey its USP.
Falling Letters
Have you ever been so tired while reading that you felt the words are falling from the book? Here is a cool visual example of the same.
Creating My Own World
Creating My Own World in an impressive artistic concept. The ink represents the fluidity of imagination and creativity through which the artist creates fish, birds, butterflies and the world of his own. It has beautiful color, texture and a poetic touch.
Lens Coffee Mug
It’s hard not to like this cool coffee mug. It is made from the lens of a camera that has been fashioned into a mug. I think the image is the Photoshopped prototype (of the initial concept) of Canon mugs.
The King
The King has an interesting and thought provoking concept drawing parallel between king and pawn. The artist philosophically states that when the game is over, the king and the pawn go into the same box.
Skinbonsai
Skinbonsai is a well executed but creepy photo manipulation of bonsai created from body parts.
Help
Poor grapes are looking really scared! This fantastic photo manipulation is humorous and heartwarming at the same time. The attention to the detail is mindboggling and the concept is skillfully executed.
Go Your Own Road
Go Your Own Road has a great concept. It advises you to follow your heart.
International Handshake
It would be cool if you could shake hands with your friend in another country without a long journey or jetlag. International Handshake is an awesome example of an Out of Bounds photo manipulation concept.
Apple or Kiwifruit
This advertisement for Polident Denture Care uses fruit as an object of focus. It shows fruits like apple, pear, sugarcane each with unexpectedly soft interiors. Here it refers to the softness of kiwi fruit when you bite an apple wearing their dentures.
Love is a Learning Process
Human emotions are complex. Love is the best/worst feeling to ever have, it can be so diverse at times that you can never be sure that you know all. Though I wonder if you could learn all about love or intricacies of human feelings from books. Simplicity, colors and subject of this photo manipulation is eye-catching.
Eat Me!
What would you call them? Eggheads? And are you ready to eat them! It has the wonderful humorous concept. The expression on each of the face and eyes can surely make you laugh.
Choose Your Face
Choose Your Face has a novel concept and the attention to the details is beyond words, it almost looks real.
Toyo Tires: Octopus
This print advertisement for Toyo tires cleverly uses octopus to go with their slogan "Griping Performance".
Perception
Sometimes you might have the wrong perception about yourself and that might stress you out. This is a great example that shows how you can use perfectly ordinary objects to make a powerful message.
Wild Horses
A fascinating photo manipulation where the woman’s flowing hairs are shown as horses. The peace and calmness on woman’s face and the running wild horses on the other hand symbolizes the constant thought process going on in our mind. Although outwardly we might seem to be calm and relaxed. A very original idea..
Listen
An unusual concept showing hands morphed into a mouth and ear. It depicts that everyone wants an ear to voice their opinion.
Lion show
Lion Show is a print advertisement for Zoo Safari. It has an outstanding concept backed by wonderfully executed visuals to match its slogan "blend in".
Don’t Get Drawn In
An excellent photo manipulation of an artist hand drawing himself.
Spiritual Milk
This is an amazing idea personifying the milk into spirit.
Strength in Every Pour
A similar concept as the one shown above but with the positive message. In this print advertisement the milk is personified to symbolize that it helps to support your heart and body.
Verbal Abuse
This powerful Public Interest advertisement campaign successfully illustrates how verbal abuse can be just as horrific as physical violence. It raises awareness of issue of vicious domestic verbal abuse.
Love Story
This is really a sad love story. It is amazing how you can tell a story with just one object. The old and faded effect gives it an interesting feel. The idea of using fruit to make something that seems so simple and yet universally recognizable is very clever.
Cigar City
A delightful and detailed imagination of city built from a cigarette’s ashes.
Life is Heavy
Another witty and brilliant piece of conceptual photo manipulation. It says something so philosophical in such a minimal and simple way.
Time Goes By
Time Goes By has creative concept of depicting fleeting time.
Reduce the Effects of A Disaster
A public interest advertisement by FEMA for Disaster Management and taking timely actions to reduce the effects of disaster. The concept is very clear and the brick typography is exceptional.
The Monster In The Mirror
The Monster In The Mirror symbolizes the hidden fear within us. The beautiful girl and the pastel colors makes the artwork more attractive.
How does This Make Your Tongue Feel?
This is how a tongue would look if it had a life of it’s own. A creepy and funny concept that can make you chuckle.
The Insight Story
An excellent campaign for the Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung with visuals depicting political figures and characters. The general idea is that the newspaper digs down through the layers to bring the news and the image accurately brings forth the concept.
Elements – Fire
An amazing Photoshop work showing woman dressed in fire and solidified lava. The concept is beautifully executed with great attention to details like the clouds, the lava, the debris etc. The color scheme and the firey glow which reflects on the model’s body makes it an outstanding piece of work.
The Poisoned Smoke
A great piece depicting the harmful health effects of smoking cigarettes and tobacco. It is simple and powerful which makes the message very clear.
Surgeon Changes
An amazing poster illustrating plastic surgery and botox that goes behind a beautiful model’s face.
What More Can I Say
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