The Fount of Useless Information
Your place for useless information that just might possibly be interesting.
Are we over-diagnosing mental illness?
http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/16/health/mental-illness-overdiagnosis/index.html?hpt=hp_bn13
‘Normal’ is continually redefined by society. However, society’s mental illness is now being defined by for-profit organizations who stand to make billions of dollars by having ‘normal’ defined in such a way that the …
So I happen across this article:
Scientists Publish Controversial Paper About Extra-Terrestrial Life on Meteorites
http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/scientists-publish-controversial-paper-about-extra-terrestrial-life-meteorites
and think to myself, “that is quite interesting that there should be such ‘definitive’ evidence of extraterrestrial life and I am only finding out …
Management/Success/Leadership: Mostly Bullshit
http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/managementsuccessleadership_mostly_bullshit/
Scott Adams sometimes has very thought provoking things to say. Sometimes it is just bla bla bla (I am quite guilty of the same), but, as is said, the broken clock is right twice a day, …
Global warming is epic, long-term study says
http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/08/world/world-climate-change/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
Something is really funky on my web server these last couple of days. I am not sure what the problem is, but my provider has cleverly made it nearly impossible to get …
Space-mad businessman announces manned trip to Mars
http://www.tgdaily.com/space-brief/69814-space-mad-businessman-announces-manned-trip-to-mars
I complain about what I feel are idiotic efforts to do space exploration (for example) because I feel it does a gross disservice to those who are seriously interested. When …
Can Tough Competition Hinder Academic Performance?
http://ideas.time.com/2013/02/22/can-tough-competition-hinder-academic-performance/?hpt=hp_bn18
This is a really interesting idea to me. I have noted myself that the company you keep has a huge influence on the path you take (from as simple as which line you …
Or de-motivator; something to think about…
The Unhappiness Motivator
http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/the_unhappiness_motivator/
I think Scott is on to something here. I have commented several times that I became a life-long learner in spite of my educational experience rather than because of it. …
Precognition software used to predict which prisoners will murder
Minority Report style systems might seem creepy, but they’re no more flawed than human parole officers
http://www.salon.com/2013/01/11/precognition_software_used_to_predict_which_prisoners_will_murder/
Kinda interesting, but I agree with the author that the alternative (letting parole officers …
I read this over the holiday and was tempted to comment then, but instead went off to stuff my face yet again (I have no doubt I put on at least 10 lbs in the last several weeks). I came …
Newtown kids v. Yemenis and Pakistanis: what explains the disparate reactions?
Numerous commentators have rightly lamented the difference in how these childrens’ deaths are perceived. What explains it?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/19/newtown-drones-children-deaths
I commented earlier a bit on the Newtown tragedy where I …