tagged w/ remanns recommends
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Astronomers based at Jodrell Bank Observatory have discovered a giant bridge of methyl alcohol, spanning approximately 288 billion miles, wrapped around a stellar nursery. The gas cloud could help our understanding of how the most massive stars in our galaxy are formed.
Read more at: http://phys.org/news63346824.html#jCpAstronomers based at Jodrell Bank Observatory have discovered a giant bridge of methyl... more
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The stoners in Dazed and Confused had one thing right: colonial Americans, including Virginians Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, did raise hemp (though for practical, not party-at-the-Moontower, purposes).
This 1729 page from Benjamin Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette, held at the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, shows that hemp production was a topic of concern among northern farmers as well.
Since copyright laws were notoriously weak in the eighteenth century, the Gazette, like other publications of its time, often reprinted passages from encyclopedias and literature when news was scarce. This front page features an excerpt from the Universal Dictionary (published by Englishman Ephraim Chambers) on the subject of hemp—included, according to an editorial note, “at the Desire of some of our Country Subscribers.”
Chambers lauded the plant as “of great Use in the Arts and Manufactories,” and outlined its qualities, giving the reader a quick history of its production and role in agriculture during the classical era.
He suggested a couple of medical applications for the crop: “the Seed is said to have the Faculty of abating Venereal Desires; and its Decoction in Milk, is recommended against the Jaundice.” The “Juice” of the plant could help “Deafness.”
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_vault/2013/01/04/benjamin_franklin_his_newspaper_advised_readers_on_the_growth_and_use_of.htmlThe stoners in Dazed and Confused had one thing right: colonial Americans, including... more
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Ginormous posters of women's lovelies have been causing a stur in Slovenia as men are somewhat confused by the enticing advertisements.
The image shows a picture of a pair of breasts all soaped up.
So you may very rightly think that this poster may be advertising Shower Gel or even breast enlargements but no, it's actually an advert for the 28th Biennial of Graphic Arts in Ljubljana (what ever the hell that is).
Is a pair of giant boobs a bit to much when your just minding your own business walking down the street? What do you think?Ginormous posters of women's lovelies have been causing a stur in Slovenia as men... more
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Reading, in particular printed books, aids in the development of concentration and the ability to focus.
By Nathan Hollier | 3 January 2013, 8.03am AEST
There is an old saying that anxiety is the enemy of concentration.
One of the best pieces of sports journalism I ever read was by Gene Tunney, world heavyweight champion of the 1920s, writing about how reading books helped him stay calm and focused in the lead-up to his most famous fight against former champion Jack Dempsey. While members of Dempsey’s camp ridiculed Tunney for his bookishness,
Tunney kept calm, and went on to win.
Most of us would feel stressed at the prospect of stepping into the boxing ring, but stress-related illnesses, especially depression and forms of anxiety and attention disorder, are becoming increasingly prevalent, especially in wealthy societies.
According to a major 2006 projection of global mortality by Mathers and Loncar, by 2030, unipolar depression will be almost 40% more likely to cause death or disability than heart disease in wealthy societies.
Stress can of course have many causes, but in the most general sense, it spreads from factors that impact negatively on focus and concentration. We fear interruption or a surplus of tasks, responsibilities or options to choose, leading to heightened stress levels.
The digital age is an age of distraction; and distraction causes stress and weakens concentration. Concentration, as the philosopher William James argued in his classic 1890 work Principles of Psychology, is the most fundamental element of intellectual development. He wrote:
“The faculty of voluntarily bringing back a wandering attention over and over again, is the very root of judgement, character, and will … An education which should improve this faculty would be the education par excellence.”
Concentration is equally important emotionally, as is being increasingly revealed by new research into “mindfulness” and meditation. The inability to focus is associated with depression and anxiety and, amongst other things, an underdeveloped sociability and human empathy. Tests have revealed that people report greater happiness from being effectively focused on what they are doing than from daydreaming on even pleasant topics.
How many memoirs include stories of the author surreptitiously reading books by torchlight underneath the blankets, with parents fearful of the child reading too much? (In my case I was reading The Hardy Boys so my mother’s objections were probably justified.)
As James Carroll has argued, at its core, reading is “the occasion of the encounter with the self”. In other words, the ultimate object of reading is not to take on information but to absorb and reflect upon it and, in the process, hopefully, form a more developed version of one’s own identity or being.
It seems likely that the concentration required and encouraged by books is extremely valuable. Reading books is good for you. And this seems especially so in the case of print books, where a reader is most completely free from distraction.
Ebooks, and more pertinently perhaps, the digital reading environment, are unquestionably transformative in the opportunities and experiences they offer to readers. Great oceans of knowledge otherwise only obtainable through tracking down print books or physical archives and records, have become available and, much more easily searchable. Hyperlinks mean readers no longer have to read in a straight line, as it were, but can follow innumerable paths of interest.
Web2 technologies enable “talking back” to publishers and media, the formation of groups of readers with common interests, easy (sometimes too easy) sharing of files and other information. Stories can be enriched by animated graphics and interactivity.
And so on.
No-one in their right mind would imagine that the e-reading environment can or should somehow be wound back.
Nonetheless, by their nature e-reading devices facilitate and encourage the constant, inevitably distracting consideration of other reading options, more or less instantly attainable. This is probably their main selling point. Maryanne Wolf has even asked:
“if the assumption that ‘more’ and ‘faster’ are necessarily better (will) have consequences that radically affect the quality of attention that can transform a word into a thought and a thought into a world of unimagined possibility?”
It is interesting to consider, in light of this possibility that the greatest benefit of reading may come from its capacity to assist in the development of focus and concentration, that the print book may not actually have been superseded or, indeed, be supersede-able.
This, I think, is what the novelist, critic, philosopher and communications historian Umberto Eco means when he argues: “The book is like the spoon, scissors, the hammer, the wheel. Once invented, it cannot be improved.”Reading, in particular printed books, aids in the development of concentration and the... more
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Melting glaciers, and rubber ducks, explained by a real live scientist.
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3 X = the charm ! c u r r e n t ON !
That's 2012 -the "whose WHO" at " c u r r e n t " for YOU newbies !
starting with a review of LAST YEAR(s) -
. . . .and moving on to a collection of THIS YEARS well known ( or not ) names
in the c u r r e n t community .
2011 LINK - - -
http://current.com/entertainment/comedy/93596788_c-u-r-r-e-n-t-new-years-tally-2-huzzah.htm
2010 LINK - - -
http://current.com/188st4c
LET THE NAMING BEGIN !
p.s. - - -FEEL FREE to add a "c u r r e n t" community members stats, or
request that I post em' HUZZAH !
p.p.s. - I am TRYING to post fresh folks in regards to the ol' TALLY, at least to begin with,
but if I am being redundant by mistake -my apologies in advance.3 X = the charm ! c u r r e n t ON !
That's 2012 -the "whose WHO"... more
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So I’m sentimental this New Year. I’m just glad I maintained my sanity for yet another year of total insanity.
There are many people I’d like to thank for making my Current experience so rewarding.
How can I start without Jan? Girlfriend, you are enormously appreciated!
Of course The Deniers will vote this down big time. ;)
Seriously, we love you.So I’m sentimental this New Year. I’m just glad I maintained my sanity for... more
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From the YouTube description (Video uploaded on Nov. 2009): When thinking about the mass extermination camps of a holocaust’, think…
The key to freedom is to be able to have the ability to defend yourself and if you don’t have the tools to do that, then you’re going to be at the mercy of whomever wants to put you away.
Guns are deeply rooted within Swiss culture – but the gun crime rate is so low that statistics are not even kept.
The country has a population of six million, but there are estimated to be at least two million publicly-owned firearms, including about 600,000 automatic rifles and 500,000 pistols.
This is in a very large part due to Switzerland’s unique system of national defense, developed over the centuries.
Instead of a standing, full-time army, the country requires every man to undergo some form of military training for a few days or weeks a year throughout most of their lives.
Between the ages of 21 and 32 men serve as frontline troops. They are given an M-57 assault rifle and 24 rounds of ammunition which they are required to keep at home.
Once discharged, men serve in the Swiss equivalent of the US National Guard, but still have to train occasionally and are given bolt rifles. Women do not have to own firearms, but are encouraged to.
http://libertycrier.com/world-news/why-switzerland-has-the-lowest-crime-rate-in-the-world/?utm_source=The+Liberty+Crier&utm_campaign=018aabe380-The_Liberty_Crier_Daily_News_12_24_2012&utm_medium=emailFrom the YouTube description (Video uploaded on Nov. 2009): When thinking about the... more
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If it was big, if it was sad, if it was meaningful, you used Google to search for it.
The search engine compiled all of the biggest things people looked up in 2012 in their annual Zeitgeist video and there are some moments for everyone.
Whether it was the amazing feat of Austrian Felix Baumgartner breaking the sound barrier with his jump from space, the obsession everyone had with everyone’s favorite America hater K-Pop rapper, PSY or the sad passing of Whitney Houston, you’re sure to have some kind of emotion with this powerful clip.
Also released was the top 10 searches from America and around the world, which shouldn’t be a surprise – the death of Whitney tops both lists.
Check out the year in retrospect video above… and click on after the jump for both lists of the top 10 Google searches in the States and around the world.
Worldwide:
1. Whitney Houston
2. Gangnam Style
3. Hurricane Sandy
4. iPad 3
5. Diablo 3
6. Kate Middleton
7. Olympics 2012
8. Amanda Todd
9. Michael Clarke Duncan
10. BBB12
United States:
1. Whitney Houston
2. Hurricane Sandy
3. Election 2012
4. Hunger Games
5. Jeremy Lin
6. Olympics 2012
7. Amanda Todd
8. Gangnam Style
9. Michael Clarke Duncan
10. KONY 2012
http://www.tabloidprodigy.com/2012/12/12/2012-in-google-review/If it was big, if it was sad, if it was meaningful, you used Google to search for it.... more
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This is a Pro Cannabis Animtion
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Some people feel that The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” is the best Christmas song ever, and not just one of the best, but a gorgeous song no matter why or how you observe Christmas. “Fairytale of New York” isn’t exactly the epitome of restraint, with Shane MacGowan and the sadly departed Kirsty MacColl singing all over each other, slurring words and tossing all kinds of insults at each other.
The song starts out tenderly, with MacGowan recounting Christmas Eve spent in a Bowery drunk tank, but also his recent gambling win and dreams for the future. MacColl lets us know, as the tempo picks up, that they met on a Christmas Eve, and after some light banter they really get into it, blaming each other for anything they can get their hands on, MacColl ending with “Happy Christmas your arse / I pray God it’s our last.”
But then they sing the chorus again, and a string section that actually sounds like it belongs in a Christmas song begins to take over. And it all feels, in spite of itself, grand and sweeping and even a little touching. They squabble a little more, the same as every Christmas, but they’re losing steam; finally MacColl accuses MacGowan of stealing her dreams when they met. This is a terribly poetic way to depict the deadening of expectations in terrible lives. But MacGowan’s voice turns gentle, even though it’s still rough, and he responds: “I kept them with me babe, I put them with my own, Can’t make it all alone, I’ve built my dreams around you.”
It’s a tough old life, and “Fairytale of New York” practically oozes with the gritty spirit of urban decay, poverty, alcoholism and general dysfunction. But as the sounds of those strings float off and out of sight, it doesn’t seem to matter. Not to them and not to us, because it’s the day to sigh and give in to our better inclinations and hold each other and admit there’s still something there. Christmas is the arbitrary day of the year that purely through willpower and tradition we’ve turned into the day where we all try just a little bit harder at being better than we thought we could be.
Includes beautiful photographs, a photo-gallery and the music video, “Fairytale of New York.”
http://disembedded.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/down-on-the-bowery-a-fairytale-of-new-york/Some people feel that The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” is the... more
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Research may identify why the Maya believe the world will end on December 21, 2012. Mayan astrology may have a larger impact on our society than we previously thought. The Maya had a complex and detailed dedication of...Research may identify why the Maya believe the world will end on December 21, 2012.... more
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After a week marred by gun violence across the country, the issue of gun control once again has risen to the public consciousness. But while there have been many calls for general action - including more than 160,000 signatures on a White House petition to act - there hasn't been much in the way of specifics.
If you had the power to enact gun legislation, what would you do?
What gun control laws would you enact if you could?
After a week marred by gun violence across the country, the issue of gun control... more
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A couple of years ago a young person sent me a friend request over facebook. I noted her sharp sense of humor and curiosity about what I was doing. I had been advocating overseas music artists. Her profile said that she liked singing and I thought that was real cute, so I remembered her.
Astadewi Ismadara posted her first audio recording on SoundCloud recently, and not having heard her sing before I was curious. Maybe I am a bit biased here, but I was stunned. So, I'm sharing it here.
The picture is Astadewi in one of her own fashions. I've posted the music below in the comments.A couple of years ago a young person sent me a friend request over facebook. I noted... more
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Join me as I follow this little white rabbit.
What is consciousness ? The word is easy to define , partly because we use it to cover a variety of meanings . One might state an awake person has consciousness , but someone that is sleeping doesn't . Or someone wrapped up in their thoughts may have little consciousness of the world around them . What of the political, social , or ecological consciousness ?
The faculty of consciousness is not limited to human beings . A dog may not be aware of all things we are aware of . It doesn't think or reason as 'we' do and it probably doesn't have the same level of self-awareness but that doesn't mean that a dog does not have thier own inner world of experience .
All animals are not devoid of inner experience , however different their experiences may be , they all share the same faculty of consciousness . The same would apply to lesser forms of life , for I see no reason an ant would also have some level of inner experience .
Where do I draw the line ? People assume that a certain type of brain or nervous system is necessary before consciousness can come into being . A materialist metaparadigmn is a reasonable assumption . If consciousness arises from processes in the material world then those processes need to occur somewhere and the obvious candidate is the nervous system .
Then we get to the heart of the matter , whether considering the human brain with its tens of billions of cells or a nematode worm with a hundred or so neurons ....How can any purely material process ever give rise to consciousness?
http://youtu.be/gwdL_Zn5nCEJoin me as I follow this little white rabbit.
What is consciousness ? The word is... more
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Fetish photography is a subculture all it's own.
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Elvis; an Atlanta photographer organized this all day photo shoot in Atlanta with a fetish theme for models and photographers from all walks of life and experience levels to learn, network and build portfolios.
Many of the photographers and models at this shoot were fetish life stylers and take part in fetish photo shoots on a regular basis.
A unique element of fetish photography is that fetish modeling for the models is often about building self esteem. Often fetish models do not meet the standards set for glamour models, but with fetish modeling, they are worshiped and admired.
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Music by:
www.nomadixtribe.com -
- Thanks to:
Ace Talkingwolf,
Aimee M. Henson,
ScarLit,
Aria,
Ashley Knight,
Audrey,
Carrie ,
Christina,
Dwen Stuart,
Elvis Thompson,
Glenna,
Jamie,
Jim,
Jonee,
Julie,
Kendra,
Marisa,
Michael,
Rayne,
Reece,
Renee,
Sky,
Susan,
& www.schoolofkink.net
Fetish photography is a subculture all it's own.
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Elvis; an Atlanta... more
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This is some new things really cool people are making.
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