A significant difference between humans and most other animals is that we have the innate ability to abstract ideas. That is, we can manipulate symbols as though they were things. We do this so well that most people are unaware that the symbols aren't actually the things they represent. If…
Those who have followed discussions concerning religious belief & non-belief know that it's never safe to say you've seen it all. Surprising and worthwhile new positions come along at predictably unpredictable intervals. Biologist Lewis Wolpert has now entered the fray with a new book, Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast, reviewed…
As reported by Newsweek, on May 11 Barack Obama told Detroit that it could do much better. This scolding came at a time that American automakers "lost more than $16 billion last year, while Toyota earned a record $14 billion and surpassed GM as the world's largest automaker." Obama castigated…
I listen extra closely whenever an organization dedicated to skeptical inquiry investigates a claim that is characterized as bogus by a loud minority. A new detailed report on global warming was published in the May/June issue of Skeptical Inquirer Magazine. Here's the primary conclusion: This paper will offer compelling evidence from…
Check out Sony’s 1975 promo for Betamax. More specifically, this is a seven-minute vintage promotional video for the Sony Trinitron/Betamax console You probably know at least part of the Betamax story: Betamax, a superior video product, was beat out by VHS. I am sharing this video because it serves quite well as a…