Things I Think Are Kinda Cool

BRAIN:  I’m exhausted.

YOU:  Been reading all your high-brow fancy-schmancy articles again, huh?  What’s that you’re reading now?

BRAIN:  Nothing.

YOU:  It’s obviously something.  What is it?

BRAIN:  …schmuss breechley…

YOU:  Huh?

BRAIN:  …frush kreakly…

YOU:  WHAT?

BRAIN:  Fine…US WEEKLY!  Happy now?!?  Are you KIDDING me, Jesse James?  That’s America’s Sweetheart, Acadamy Award winner Sandra Bullock!  We’re already on Mistress #4, and who knows when th-

YOU:  SHUT THE HELL UP!

BRAIN: —

YOU:  First you were obsessed with Tiger Woods, now this dude?  Put down the damn magazine and read these articles…NOW.

BRAIN:  thanks……i need help.

———————————–

* The honeymoon is over.  Digital media and the internet are creating some fascinating (and some would argue, negative) side-effects:  our ‘mash-up’ culture is challenging concepts of ownership, our political discourse is becoming even more intensely polarized, mediocrity is winning the battle against expertise, and the list goes on.  This article is chocked-full of compelling ideas. – NY Times

* Fun-fact:  By 2025, China will build TEN New York-sized cities.  Not-so-fun-fact:  China executes three times as many people as the rest of the world COMBINED.  Those are just 2 of 15 facts about China that will literally blow your mind. – Business Insider

* Have snarky movie review blogs killed legitimate film criticism, or are they simply adding more accessible ideas to ‘establishment’ opinions?  The evolution of film criticism has been long and winding, from it’s birth at the beginning of the 20th century, to it’s debatable death today. – The Chronicle

* Researchers studied 150 Hollywood films and recorded the length of every shot.  They then calculated the average frequency between shots, called “Pink Noise”.  Now here’s the trippy part – the specific characteristic of “Pink Noise” that they discovered is found all over our everyday life:  the beating of our heart, the ups and downs of the stock market, traffic patterns, how we focus/re-focus our attention, and so much more…woah.  – NY Times

* Apparently male mice are romantic little devils – they actually sing ultrasonic love songs to impress the ladies.  (Rats do this too, but no one wants to think about them). – MSNBC

YOU:  Hey Brain, what’s up?

BRAIN:  TigerElinTigerElinTigerElinTigerElinTigerElin

YOU:  Huh?

BRAIN:  TigerElinTigerSexTigerElinTigerElinTigerElin

YOU:  Woah…I’ve never seen you like this before.

BRAIN:  TigerElinTigerElinTigerApologyElinTigerElin

YOU:  Um…I’ll turn off the TV – you read these articles asap…you’ll be OK.

—

* You wake up from a nap in Seat 23B (ugh, middle seat) and find yourself free-falling through the air from 35,000 feet above ground.  Let’s be honest…you’re probably gonna die.  But, if you play your proverbial cards right, there’s a SLIM chance that you can survive – here’s a step-by-step guide explaining how. - Popular Mechanics

* Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi continues his stellar work shining a spotlight on outrageous political and economic scams happening around us in plain sight.  His latest must-read article explains how Goldman Sachs and friends are using taxpayer money to create identical situations that will most likely lead to another horrific crash. - Rolling Stone

* A simple, easy-to-understand, and factual guide for explaining to your Tea Party relatives why the February SNOWmageddon of 2010 doesn’t disprove global warming…there’s actually evidence that the crazy snow is because of the higher average temps. – Time

* Roger Ebert, one-half of the trademarked “Two-Thumbs-Up”, has been fighting thyroid cancer for several years.  His lower jaw was recently removed, robbing him of the ability to speak and eat.  This powerful profile shows how Ebert’s editorial and poetic voice has been awakened and is now louder than ever. – Esquire

* People who kill their families are called “Family Annihilators”, and frighteningly, the number of these cases are increasing each year.  Psychologists have begun to paint a picture explaining what drives them to commit such heinous crimes.  - Newsweek

YOU: I can’t believe that 2010 is almost here…the start of a new decade.

BRAIN: I know – what will happen next year…so many questions. Will Iran get any closer to a nuclear weapon? Will our health care system improve? Will Apple finally release a tablet computer?

YOU: Yeah, sure, whatever. Will Brangelina finally self-destruct? How many more babies will Michelle Duggar pop out? What’s next for Snooki!?!

BRAIN: Who?

YOU: Never mind. I guess you’re gonna make me read a bunch of ‘interesting’ articles now, right?

BRAIN: Wait…seriously.  Who’s Snooki?

——

* If you’ve been paying attention over the past few years, you might think our government has been an abysmal failure – the economic crisis, failed levees, broken Congress, terrorists slipping through the cracks. So the real question is, why do these people still have jobs? – Salon

* Kidnapping and hostage-taking has become an extremely lucrative business in Nigeria. Explore the intricate ins and outs of this thriving industry, and find out why negotiating a ransom can be considered an art form. – NY Times

* When a good actor becomes a fully developed character on stage or screen, what physiological changes are going on in his brain? For the first time ever, scientists observe the brain activity of British thespian Fiona Shaw while she’s acting, and the results are very interesting. – BBC

* Elizabeth Warren, the Chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel, is one of the few trustworthy voices talking about the economic crisis. She talks about the potential of an America without a middle class – it’s not as unbelievable as you might think. – Huff Po

* Fregoli Delusion is the name of an odd mental condition where a patient thinks that different people are actually the same person wearing a variety of disguises. Presque vu is the sensation that you’re about to have an amazing epiphany, although it never actually happens. Find out more about these and other strange conditions of the human mind. – Mind Cafe

* The Soviets failed miserably in Afghanistan 30 years ago…if we want a more successful outcome, what can the US learn from their mistakes? – Daily Beast

YOU: Ugh…we really ate and drank a ton yesterday – I’m still full.

BRAIN: I guess that’s what Thanksgiving is all about.

YOU: I can’t move…let’s just zone out in front of the TV and watch crappy movies and reality TV marathons on VH1.

BRAIN: Maybe we should read some interesting articles instead.

YOU: Ugh…I’m too tired to argue with you.  You know what, I’m thankful for you, Brain.

BRAIN: Wow – that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me…you must still be drunk.

—

*  Sociologists have used urban subways as experimental real-life petri dishes for decades.   How is it possible that we’re all slaves to the same unwritten social rules?  And what happens when we dare to violate those rules?  The results are surprising.  - Slate

* Time Magazine’s cover story calls the ’00s the ‘Decade From Hell’.  Pour yourself a stiff drink and relive some of the hellish memories. – Time

* Everyone knows that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed will be convicted after a long and messy trial – but it’s the appeal process that will REALLY screw up our criminal justice system and cause some long-term negative consequences - Slate

* Britain recently passed a new internet law called the “Digital Economy Bill”…and apparently it’s a disaster.  Let’s just hope the US government doesn’t try to imitate some of these lame and counter-productive regulations. – BBC (and also check out Boing Boing‘s analysis)

* Gun rights have nothing to do with the current health care debate, right?  Then why is the gun lobby fighting furiously against the proposed health care bills?  - Slate

BRAIN: Can you believe it’s already been a year since Obama was elected? Time really flies.

YOU: Yup. Just think about a year ago…

BRAIN: I am – it was a galvanizing time of hope, togetherness, and positive energy.

YOU: It was HORRIBLE – it was a world without Susan Boyle, ‘Cougar Town’, Hailey Glassman, Balloon Boy, Carrie Prej—

BRAIN: SHUT UP!!! — Sorry…I didn’t mean to yell. Just do me a favor and read these articles.

YOU: OK, Mr. Sensitive…jeeez…

—

* Arianna Huffington profiles David Ploufe’s new book “The Audacity to Win”, and urges Obama and his team to be loyal to the themes of the grassroots movement which got him elected. What happened to the promises of sweeping change that got millions of new voters off their couches and into voting booths a year ago? – Huffington Post

* A new interview with Al Gore touches on a wide range of topics, including: his guarded optimism about the climate crisis, his frustration towards the growing influence of lobbyists in Washington, and his candid thoughts about Obama’s ubiquitous media exposure – Salon

* You can learn a lot about our collective consciousness by typing in a few letters in the Google search bar and seeing the most common searches pop-up thanks to “Google Suggest”. Slate digs deeper and points out some interesting (and hilarious) trends. – Slate

* To say that Obama has his hands full with precarious foreign policy situations would be the understatement of the century – Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran…Leslie Helb gives a brutally honest and eye-opening status report, as well as some tough-love advice – Daily Beast

* Why are kids fascinated with magic tricks, and why are they so eager to figure out the secrets behind them? An MIT professor of cognitive science explains how kids are hooked once their expectations about the physical world aren’t met. -Slate

* Melissa Harris-Lacewell explores the deepening racial divide among Obama supporters. If his black supporters continue to become even more supportive, while at the same time more pessimistic about the country, how will this affect his presidency? – The Nation

BRAIN: Uggghh…Oooohhh…Aaaggghh…

YOU: What’s wrong?  Are you sick?

BRAIN: I’m so full…yet so empty…I can’t believe you forced me to do it.

YOU: What?

BRAIN: You made me watch the entire “America’s Next Top Model” marathon – yesterday and today.  Cycle 6 and Cycle 7.  I can’t believe Danielle won.  And, ugh, that Melrose was so obnoxious.  And remember Jade?  Thailand…Barcelona…HELP.

YOU: OK…this isn’t good.  I’m so sorry.  Here…let’s read these articles:

—-

* A revealing yet light-hearted look at how public radio stations convince readers to donate cash through guilt-trips, begging, flattery and more.  Those annoying fundraising drives are psychologically deeper than you might think. – Slate

* In what will hopefully be the final Balloon Boy analysis, Frank Rich paints a vivid picture of the current American landscape of fame, opportunity, and desperation by drawing parallels to fame-hungry Americans in the Great Depression. - NY Times

* You’ve heard “don’t judge a book by it’s cover” your whole life.  But maybe it’s not true.  Is it possible to determine if a person is dangerous just by looking at his/her face?  Psychologists weigh in and give their professional opinion based on some startling research. – Slate

* Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich shines a light on what’s been happening on Wall Street over the past few months since the public has shifted attention to Health Care, Letterman, and Balloon Boy.  In a nutshell, the much-needed regulation never happened and the situation is looking extremely precarious…again. - Salon

* People with Asberger’s syndrome have a hard time dealing with social situations and usually lack empathy towards others.  Some lawyers for criminals with Asbergers claim that locking them up in prison would be cruel and unusual punishment because of the stressful social situations they would face.  Should they be treated differently? – Slate

BRAIN: WAKE UP!

YOU: Huh?  Oh, sorry.  I actually wasn’t sleeping – I was thinking.

BRAIN: About what?  The fact that we could have used the economic bailout money to cure several deadly diseases worldwide?  Or were you considering what a nuclear-armed Iran would mean for the rest of the Middle East?

YOU: Not exactly.

BRAIN: So…what then?

YOU: Um…which one of the new playmates on “The Girls Next Door” I like best.

BRAIN:  Ugh.  Read these articles NOW.

—

* The financial bailout will cost us lucky taxpayers over $4 trillion.  Did you know for less than $300 million we wiped Smallpox off the planet?  And for $5 billion we put a significant dent in Polio?  Imagine what we could do with $4 trillion (after we paid out the AIG bonuses, of course).  - Salon

* The Obama administration is starting to give subtle signs that they won’t be able to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.  So, how will this actually reshape the Middle East?  Hint:  it doesn’t look good.  - Slate

* Some schools in France are experimenting with the idea of paying students for attending class.  It worked for a few schools in the US…will it work abroad, or does it conflict too severely with France’s egalitarian ideals? – Time

* Sure, humans fight, cheat, and destroy each other…but it might actually be true that we’re biologically and evolutionarily hardwired to be empathetic, kind, and full of warm fuzzies.  - Slate

*  Cristina Nehring writes an incredibly thought-provoking article about what she calls the “New Erotic Fundamentalism”, and argues convincingly that we’ve all been a bit too hard on hopeless romantic Mark Sanford.  - Truthdig

BRAIN: “Big week in the news, wasn’t it?”

YOU: “Woah, it sure was. Jon Gosselin was kicked off “Jon + Kate”, James Franco is guest starring on “General Hospital”, Khloe Kardashian’s wedding was a sham, and Justin Timberlake & Jessica Biel split up!!!”

BRAIN: “SHUT UP! That wasn’t what I was talking about…read these articles and posts…NOW”.

YOU: “Ugh. OK. Can I watch Melrose again this week?”

BRAIN: “Fine…but only because Jane Mancini is back.”

—

* An interesting piece about the delicate subject of preventative terror arrests. Are the deadly stakes in terrorism high enough to shift the balance of power away from public liberty towards police power? What rights, if any, are we willing to give up to fight terrorism? – NY Times

* The relationship between poverty and obesity has never been more prominent, thanks to the vigorous health care debate going on in this country. Does poverty make people fat, or is it the other way around? – Slate

* Art Historian Henry Adams claims Jackson Pollock hid his name in large, bold letters in the breakthrough masterpiece Mural. Take a look at his argument and judge for yourself. – Smithsonian Magazine

* Legal medical marijuana hasn’t been the smoky disaster that critics once claimed it would be. Instead, it may be the biggest argument for legalizing marijuana across the board. – Fortune

* Chill out, liberals. Rush, Glenn, and Bill-O aren’t nearly as powerful or influential as they’d like you to believe. David Brooks likens them to Wizards of Oz…puny men behind conservative curtains. – NY Times

BRAIN:  ”Help!  Feed me!”

YOU:  ”But I wanna zone out with more weird and crazy videos.”

BRAIN:  ”Please?  I’ll let you watch Melrose Place on Tuesday night…”

YOU:  ”I heard Amanda Woodward is coming back…it’s a deal!”

* Ever wonder why commercials on TV are annoyingly SO much louder than regular shows?  It’s more complicated (and interesting) than you think - Live Science

* Paul Krugman breaks down the true cost of being energy efficient, and reveals that it’s far less expensive than conservative critics are claiming – NY Times

* Explore some of the hidden meanings and motivations behind L. Frank Baum’s classic “Oz” books.  They’re about much more than just a girl from Kansas and her dog – Slate

* Find out how the Japanese government is actually PAYING people to have babies (insert obligatory Octomom joke here) – Global Post

* Glenn Greenwald explains why we should slow down with the newly-heated Iran rhetoric, and instead use some of the important lessons we learned in the Iraq debacle – Slate

It’s not always about cocktails, crazy vids, and cute animals…these are the most insightful articles and blog posts I’ve read this week. Come on, you know your brain wants some:

* Filmmaker Mitchell Bard makes an urgent plea to Democrats to grow some balls and stop getting their butts kicked by Republicans in the health care debate – Huff Po

* A fascinating look at Mohamed Atta’s (the architect of 9/11) thesis paper in urban planning, and how it might have influenced his role in the attacks – Slate

* What does it mean that a Harvard Business School study on social networks shows that two-thirds of all Facebook page views are of photos on women’s profiles? (Hint: we’re all creepy voyeurs) – Double X

* Evan Handler (Charlotte’s SATC husband) gives a refreshingly honest and raw reaction to what’s going on right now in the trenches of America – Huff Po

* A detailed and enthusiastic profile of the new Kandinsky retrospective at the Guggenhem – NY Times

* Melissa Harris-Lacewell (my new favorite commentator) shines a light on the long and painful history of racism in America and challenges us to remember the rallying cry, “Yes we can” – The Nation