If you haven't already heard about this, MIT has a new initiative call MITOpenCourseWare. Through this initiative, anyone can get access to MIT courses for free. It includes lecture notes, reading assigmnets, lab assignments, exams, tools, lecture notes and now, for some course, complete video lectures and this is All For Free!
http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/courses/courses/index.htm
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Friday, July 13, 2007
Food for Thought
What I eat has a dramatic affect on my mood and motivation. I need to start eating healthier.
WTF
We have split the atom, sent men to the Moon and probes to Mars and beyond, created the microchip, unraveled the Gene, developed the Theory of Relativity and the Theory of Evolution. We have looked at galaxies from the beginning of time and particles from seconds after the big bang.
So, why the hell can't I go out and buy an electric car today?
So, why the hell can't I go out and buy an electric car today?
Thursday, July 12, 2007
The Brain
Have you ever been in a conversation, say at a party, and not been able to make out what someone just said, only to figure it out just as you asked them what they just said? I just found out what the mechanism for this is.
The brain (your brain) has the ability to playback things that just happened. It can literally replay the sensory impulses a second time, so that it can be better comprehended.
I just thought this was amazing. It explains a lot, for me at least.
The brain (your brain) has the ability to playback things that just happened. It can literally replay the sensory impulses a second time, so that it can be better comprehended.
I just thought this was amazing. It explains a lot, for me at least.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Self Audit
I'm feeling a strong urge to create something, in the arts or sciences, but I find myself increasingly getting caught up in the daily routine. I need to figure out someway of breaking the habits that I am developing and find some outlet for my ambition. So far, I've been wasting the most productive years of my life on useless and meaningless pursuits in an attempt to satisfy my ego with superficial activities.
I feel, that if I don't reach out, if I don't start taking a real interest in things, if I don't start taking risks, if I continue to isolate myself, if I keep on this path of short term gains, that I will end up in a job that doesn't challenge me, in a life that doesn't interest me and with a feeling of lost opportunities.
I need to dive head first, run full speed, to be complete engrossed by something or I will self-destruct.
I feel, that if I don't reach out, if I don't start taking a real interest in things, if I don't start taking risks, if I continue to isolate myself, if I keep on this path of short term gains, that I will end up in a job that doesn't challenge me, in a life that doesn't interest me and with a feeling of lost opportunities.
I need to dive head first, run full speed, to be complete engrossed by something or I will self-destruct.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Humans are Naturally Polygamous
(I just thought this was interesting)
The history of western civilization aside, humans are naturally polygamous. Polyandry (a marriage of one woman to many men) is very rare, but polygyny (the marriage of one man to many women) is widely practiced in human societies, even though Judeo-Christian traditions hold that monogamy is the only natural form of marriage. We know that humans have been polygynous throughout most of history because men are taller than women.
Among primate and nonprimate species, the degree of polygyny highly correlates with the degree to which males of a species are larger than females. The more polygynous the species, the greater the size disparity between the sexes. Typically, human males are 10 percent taller and 20 percent heavier than females. This suggests that, throughout history, humans have been mildly polygynous.
Relative to monogamy, polygyny creates greater fitness variance (the distance between the "winners" and the "losers" in the reproductive game) among males than among females because it allows a few males to monopolize all the females in the group. The greater fitness variance among males creates greater pressure for men to compete with each other for mates. Only big and tall males can win mating opportunities. Among pair-bonding species like humans, in which males and females stay together to raise their children, females also prefer to mate with big and tall males because they can provide better physical protection against predators and other males.
In societies where rich men are much richer than poor men, women (and their children) are better off sharing the few wealthy men; one-half, one-quarter, or even one-tenth of a wealthy man is still better than an entire poor man. As George Bernard Shaw puts it, "The maternal instinct leads a woman to prefer a tenth share in a first-rate man to the exclusive possession of a third-rate one." Despite the fact that humans are naturally polygynous, most industrial societies are monogamous because men tend to be more or less equal in their resources compared with their ancestors in medieval times. (Inequality tends to increase as society advances in complexity from hunter-gatherer to advanced agrarian societies. Industrialization tends to decrease the level of inequality.)
The history of western civilization aside, humans are naturally polygamous. Polyandry (a marriage of one woman to many men) is very rare, but polygyny (the marriage of one man to many women) is widely practiced in human societies, even though Judeo-Christian traditions hold that monogamy is the only natural form of marriage. We know that humans have been polygynous throughout most of history because men are taller than women.
Among primate and nonprimate species, the degree of polygyny highly correlates with the degree to which males of a species are larger than females. The more polygynous the species, the greater the size disparity between the sexes. Typically, human males are 10 percent taller and 20 percent heavier than females. This suggests that, throughout history, humans have been mildly polygynous.
Relative to monogamy, polygyny creates greater fitness variance (the distance between the "winners" and the "losers" in the reproductive game) among males than among females because it allows a few males to monopolize all the females in the group. The greater fitness variance among males creates greater pressure for men to compete with each other for mates. Only big and tall males can win mating opportunities. Among pair-bonding species like humans, in which males and females stay together to raise their children, females also prefer to mate with big and tall males because they can provide better physical protection against predators and other males.
In societies where rich men are much richer than poor men, women (and their children) are better off sharing the few wealthy men; one-half, one-quarter, or even one-tenth of a wealthy man is still better than an entire poor man. As George Bernard Shaw puts it, "The maternal instinct leads a woman to prefer a tenth share in a first-rate man to the exclusive possession of a third-rate one." Despite the fact that humans are naturally polygynous, most industrial societies are monogamous because men tend to be more or less equal in their resources compared with their ancestors in medieval times. (Inequality tends to increase as society advances in complexity from hunter-gatherer to advanced agrarian societies. Industrialization tends to decrease the level of inequality.)
The Root of the Problem
In a recent article in 'Psychology Today', Alan S. Miller, PHD, discusses ten evolutionary theories that do a lot to explain human behavior, but is also very politically incorrect.
In the seventh theory, she discusses what Bill Gates and Paul McCartney have in common with criminals. The main point is that men peak in creativity, drive and expression in their early adult hood, usually around age 26. This is attributed to the time in which men need to work the hardest in order to obtain enough status and materials in order to attract a mate and have children. Shortly after this, their productivity drops off.
"Paul McCartney has not written a hit song in years, and now spends much of his time painting. Bill Gates is now a respectable businessman and philanthropist, and is no longer a computer whiz kid. J.D. Salinger now lives as a total recluse and has not published anything in more than three decades. Orson Welles was a mere 26 when he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in Citizen Kane."
Although, this is very interesting, he goes on to make this point,
"The similarity between Bill Gates, Paul McCartney, and criminals—in fact, among all men throughout evolutionary history—points to an important concept in evolutionary biology: female choice."
"Women often say no to men. Men have had to conquer foreign lands, win battles and wars, compose symphonies, author books, write sonnets, paint cathedral ceilings, make scientific discoveries, play in rock bands, and write new computer software in order to impress women so that they will agree to have sex with them. Men have built (and destroyed) civilization in order to impress women, so that they might say yes."
There it is ladies. Stop asking for so much from men and settle for less and you can stop all that is evil in the world.
In the seventh theory, she discusses what Bill Gates and Paul McCartney have in common with criminals. The main point is that men peak in creativity, drive and expression in their early adult hood, usually around age 26. This is attributed to the time in which men need to work the hardest in order to obtain enough status and materials in order to attract a mate and have children. Shortly after this, their productivity drops off.
"Paul McCartney has not written a hit song in years, and now spends much of his time painting. Bill Gates is now a respectable businessman and philanthropist, and is no longer a computer whiz kid. J.D. Salinger now lives as a total recluse and has not published anything in more than three decades. Orson Welles was a mere 26 when he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in Citizen Kane."
Although, this is very interesting, he goes on to make this point,
"The similarity between Bill Gates, Paul McCartney, and criminals—in fact, among all men throughout evolutionary history—points to an important concept in evolutionary biology: female choice."
"Women often say no to men. Men have had to conquer foreign lands, win battles and wars, compose symphonies, author books, write sonnets, paint cathedral ceilings, make scientific discoveries, play in rock bands, and write new computer software in order to impress women so that they will agree to have sex with them. Men have built (and destroyed) civilization in order to impress women, so that they might say yes."
There it is ladies. Stop asking for so much from men and settle for less and you can stop all that is evil in the world.
Friday, July 06, 2007
RSS Feed
Do you use an RSS Feeder? Do you use iGoogle? If you answered, "Yes!" to either of these questions than I have some exciting news for you!
Now, for a limited time, you can subscribe to the 'Joyride' RSS feed, the blog written and maintained by me, Joshua Carlson!
Be kept up to date with the latest and most interesting stories on the web!
Follow the exciting life of one of Americas rising stars!
Be one of the lucky few that can say that they are part of something truly great!
So 'Click Here' and be part of the rEvolution!
JoyrideTM is a trademark of Joshua Carlson and Joshocar Enterprises. Joshua Carlson retains all the rights and privileges associated with the 'Joyride' trademark and Joshocar Enterprises. Any use or reproduction of information presented must have explicit consent from Joshua Carlson or Joshocar Enterprises. All Rights Reserved.
Now, for a limited time, you can subscribe to the 'Joyride' RSS feed, the blog written and maintained by me, Joshua Carlson!
Be kept up to date with the latest and most interesting stories on the web!
Follow the exciting life of one of Americas rising stars!
Be one of the lucky few that can say that they are part of something truly great!
So 'Click Here' and be part of the rEvolution!
JoyrideTM is a trademark of Joshua Carlson and Joshocar Enterprises. Joshua Carlson retains all the rights and privileges associated with the 'Joyride' trademark and Joshocar Enterprises. Any use or reproduction of information presented must have explicit consent from Joshua Carlson or Joshocar Enterprises. All Rights Reserved.
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