SEX, SEX, AND SEX

SEX. Arnold Schwarzenegger made news when it was revealed that ten years ago, before he became governor of California, he fathered a child with a female staff member, and has been financially supporting the child ever since. It wasn't until a week ago that the governator came clean with his wife of 25 years, Maria Shriver (see image above). She told him to move out. He refused. So she did, taking up residence in a hotel, tactfully characterizing the split as "little more than a couple coming apart after many years." According to sources, Arnold was able to keep things secret for so long because "They always had separate bank accounts. They did not co-mingle their money, and the reason for this was that Maria felt strongly that if she had her own money, she could always walk out the door if something happened. But when you have separate bank accounts it's very easy to keep secrets from each other."

A quirky question -- are Republicans still trying to one-up Democrats? We had the spectacle of Bill Clinton spanking the monkey with Monica Lewinsky in the White House. Did Arnold feel that he had to father a child to go Bill one better? Just a thought.

SEX. In Brazil, a judge has ruled that a 36-year old female accountant can legally masturbate at work and watch porn on her work computer. The woman "suffers from a chemical imbalance that triggers severe anxiety and hypersexuality .... Her work situation began to suffer because the only way she can relieve her anxiety is by masturbating frequently, up to 47 times a day .... Her doctor has also given her a medical cocktail of tranquilizers that has reduced her need to masturbate to about 18 times a day."

An accountant. Who knew they endure so much stress? Click on the link for the full story, including a video discussion of whether or not masturbation carries negative side effects. I'm heroically resisting the tsunami of puns and wisecracks possible here.

AND SEX. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, an influential economist and possible candidate for the presidency of France has been arrested in New York City and charged with "sexual assault, forcible confinement, and attempted rape of a maid who was cleaning his hotel room." The gentleman nearly made his escape -- he was on board a jetliner ready to depart for an economic summit in Europe, when police boarded the plane and took him into custody (see image below).

As Jon Steward wryly observed (click on the link to see the video), "You know you're in bad shape when your sex scandal comes out the same weekend as Osama bin Laden's, and you're the one that looks like the real a**hole." I mean, rank has its privileges, but come on, D.

WEALTH & HAPPINESS / LASER

WEALTH & HAPPINESS. Does having enough money really buy happiness? There are proponents and opponents to the supposition, but not much scientific research. Until now. If you are a child growing up in poverty, the stakes are dire. Studies reveal a "link between lower socioeconomic status and lower hippocampal gray matter density [the hippocampus is that part of the human brain which is crucial to memory]." The graph below (click to enlarge) reveals the correlation between the percentage of children with serious mental or behavioral difficulties, and poverty level, broken down by age groups. Within each age group the trend is clear -- the more impoverished you are as a child, the more you struggle with cognitive and social performance. This is, of course, not the child's fault, nor in most cases the fault of the parents. We as a society are responsible for the health, education, and well-being of ALL our members. To the extent that poverty exists and hinders our children, to that extent is our society a failure.






As adults, the connection between wealth and happiness is less clear. Yes, having money makes life undeniably easier. But it also can substitute one set of worries for another. Daniel Kahneman suggests that just as education is only one component in achieving higher income, so higher income is only one component in people's satisfaction in their lives. He refers to our preoccupation with money as a "focusing delusion" -- "Nothing is as important as you think it is, while you are thinking about it." Thus it is that middle income and even poor people, while they undeniably contend with life struggles the wealthy don't face, can achieve a state of contentment simply by focusing on what is good in their lives, and appreciating the love and personal achievements already present. As with so much else in our lives, happiness is largely a result of what we choose to notice and to value.
LASER. On this day in 1960, American physicist Theodore Maiman operated the first working laser at the Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California. The word "laser" is an acronym for "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation". The emitted laser light possesses high spatial and temporal coherence -- that is, it exhibits very little diffusion or scatter over distance and time. Imagine a flashlight beam -- the light spreads very quickly in a conical shape, becoming weaker and illuminating less with distance. Now imagine a laser beam -- the light maintains its pencil-thin diameter over great distances -- so great that lasers are used to measure the distance from the earth to the moon, with accuracy measured in millimeters.
In the half century since the first lasers, they have become as ubiquitous as Velcro. Their uses include (but are not limited to) bloodless surgery and eye treatement in medicine, cutting and welding in industry, marking targets and acting as heat/light weapons in the military, latent fingerprint detection in law enforcement, spectroscopy and interferometry in scientific research, printing and optical disks (CDs and DVDs) in consumer goods, light displays, and cosmetic skin treatment. A more precise and versatile tool is hard to imagine. Check out the Wikipedia article for a comprehensive description of the history, design, modes of operation, and types of lasers in use today.










BONUS. Two of my favorite creatures are black cats and barn owls. Imagine my delight when I discovered this video showing a barn owl and a black cat who are best friends. I'd wager that both were very young when they first discovered each other, and perhaps were even raised together. How else to account for the apparent short-circuiting of each predator's hunting instincts in favor of play? Whatever the explanation, I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.

RON PAUL'S RACISM / MUSLIM PORN

RON PAUL'S RACISM. One of the declared contenders for the Republican nomination for President in 2012, Texas Representative Ron Paul, has put his foot in his mouth again. During an interview on MSNBC, Paul frankly stated that he is against provisions in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed major forms of discrimination against blacks and women, including racial segregation. Paul said he would "vote against the law because it imposed unfair rules on what private business owners can and can't do on their own property. Essentially, they should be free to discriminate if they wish, however distasteful that may be."

By the same line of reasoning, business owners should be free to commit theft, rape, assault or murder on their property, because refraining from doing so would impose "unfair rules". Paul's position favoring business over individual civil rights is typical of conservative ethics (or ethical bankruptcy). His laissez-faire stance is at odds with every freedom guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, documents which Republicans conveniently ignore when it suits their selfish interests. How sad, and how repulsive, that 47 years after the law was passed, women and racial minorities are still struggling to achieve parity with white males. The good ol' boy mentality is alive and well among us, and needs to be bitch-slapped into oblivion.

MUSLIM PORN. It is not news that when you prohibit hedonistic activities like the consumption of alcohol or marijuana, people will find ways to achieve their pleasures anyway, even if it means breaking unrealistic laws. Just so with sexual activities, including pornography. Far better to legalize and regulate such pasttimes, than to try to stop an unstoppable force.

In her article Osama's Dirty Mind, Asra Q. Omani reveals that "the smut in bin Laden's compound reveals the Muslim world's dirty secret: porn is rife, everyone looks at it -- and the U.S. finds it in militants' hideouts all the time .... Called fuhsha in Arabic, pornography is considered haram, or illegal, according to most interpretations of Islam, because it publicly exposes a person's awrah, the Arabic word for the zones forbidden from public eye. The debate over pornography, masturbation, and the line between the erotic and the pornographic is a serious one in the Muslim community. Muslims today are negotiating these issues much like the West started doing decades ago .... [the presence of pornography] speaks to the contradictions that permeate Muslim society."

Or for that matter, the contradictions that permeate any repressive society. While Islam, with its archaic laws and subjegation of women, makes an easy target for ridicule, most nations and cultures don't have to look much further than the mirror to find equally egregious ideas. I wonder when we, as a species, will ever grow up?

WIKILEAKS

WIKILEAKS. The international human rights organization Amnesty International (see logo above) praises the watchdog website WikiLeaks as a force for positive change around the world. A press release appearing in the U.K.'s Guardian states that "The world faces a watershed moment in human rights with tyrants and despots coming under increasing pressure from the internet, social networking sites, and the activites of WikiLeaks, Amnesty International says in its annual roundup. The rights group singles out WikiLeaks and the newspapers that pored over previously confidential government files as a catalyst for uprisings against repressive regimes."

Adds AI's secretary general, "[2010 is] the year when repressive governments faced the real possibility that their days are numbered .... But there is a serious fightback from the forces of repression. The international community must seize the opportunity for change and ensure that 2011 is not a false dawn for human rights. .... Not since the end of the Cold War have so many repressive governments faced such a challenge to their stranglehold on power. The demand for political and economic rights spreading across the Middle East and North Africa is dramatic proof that all rights are equally important and a universal demand.

"In the 50 years since Amnesty International was born to protect the rights of people detained for their peaceful opinions, there has been a human rights revolution. The call for justice, freedom, and dignity has evolved into a global demand that grows stronger every day. The genie is out of the bottle and the forces of repression cannot put it back."

I've long been a supporter of the work of Amnesty International. The group is consistently non-biased, and just as willing to shine the light of day on misdoings among the world's democracies (including the U.S.) as on misdoings among petty tyrants or Communist/Fascist oppressors. That consistency earns my respect. I also recognize the need for watchdog groups like WikiLeaks in any society, including our nominally democratic republic which in reality is run by Wall Street. To some degree secrecy is necessary, but ANY military or political entity will inevitably carry secrecy to extremes which violate our rights and threaten our founding principles. Investigative reporting is crucial to an informed citizenry. The 1971 publication of the Pentagon Papers is a case in point -- we learned, past the strenuous and sometimes violent objections of our own government, that the government had "systematically lied, not only to the public but also to Congress, about a matter of transcendent national interest and significance", i.e. the genesis and conduct of the Vietnam War.

The nation's founders recognized the necessity of a dynamic balance not only by establishing a balance of powers among the three branches of the federal government, but also by protecting freedom of the press in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Increasingly, as corporate and governmental ties become more intricate, more secret and more intractable, and as the economic chasm widens between the few wealthy and the many impoverished, organizations like Amnesty International and WikiLeaks (see logo below) serve to inform and protect "we, the people".

LBJ / PULITZER / PENDULUM WAVES

LBJ. The 36th President of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson, was an influential legislator and a controversial president. His signature interests -- the civil rights movement, immigration reform, and the Great Society -- would have provided a legacy of greatness, had he not inherited the Vietnam War, a hopeless quagmire with which his name and reputation became somewhat unfairly identified. Johnson became so despondent over the struggle that on March 31, 1968, he shocked the nation by announcing that he would not seek nor accept his party's nomination for the presidency in that election year.

The perspective of intervening years have helped to undemonize Johnson, and to humanize him. Clues to his character can be found in the rich treasure trove of wit and wisdom he shared. To sample a bit of Johnson's rough-hewn Texas charm, here is a partial collection of LBJ quotes. Enjoy.

PULITZER. The eponymous Pulitzer Prize, established in 1917, is named after Jewish-American publisher Joseph Pulitzer, who sought to encourage and nurture excellence in journalism, literature and music. To be awarded a Pulitzer is lofty recognition, something to which most journalists, writers, and musicians aspire (whether they admit it or not). And the name itself is something of an enigma, in that one hears it pronounced in either of two ways -- as PULL-it-zer, or as PEW-lit-zer. I'm here to set the record straight. Just as the word n-u-c-l-e-a-r is pronounced NEW-clee-ur (not NEW-cue-lar), the prize founder's name is pronounced PULL-it-zer. So there.

PENDULUM WAVES. This is very cool. Click here to view a very brief but seriously amazing video demonstrating "Fifteen uncoupled simple pendulums of monotonically increasing lengths dancing together to produce visual traveling waves standing waves, beating, and (seemingly) random motion." I love science !!

OBI-WAN / ILLUSION / SENIORLAND 2050

OBI-WAN. If you are able to read the following simply in the context of the Star Wars film franchise, it will come across as brilliant satire. If you read the following through the lens of recent events, it will also come across as brilliant satire, a poke at American imperialism. Here is a teaser -- "'Obi-Wan Kenobi, the mastermind of some of the most devastating attacks on the Galactic Empire and the most hunted man in the galaxy, was killed in a firefight with Imperial forces near Alderaan,' Darth Vader announced on Sunday. In a late-night appearance in the East Room of the Imperial Palace, Lord Vader declared that 'justice has been done,' as he disclosed that agents of the Imperial Army and Stormtroopers of the 501st Legion had finally cornered Kenobi, one of the leaders of the Jedi rebellion, who had eluded the Empire for nearly two decades. Imperial officials said Kenobi resisted, and was cut down by Lord Vader's own lightsaber. He was later dumped out an airlock.

" .... Obi-Wan Kenobi's demise is a defining moment in the Stormtrooper-led fight against terrorism, a symbolic stroke affirming the relentlessness of the pursuit of those who turned against the Empire at the end of the Clone Wars. What remains to be seen, however, is whether it galvanizes Kenobi's followers by turning him into a martyr, or serves as a turning of the page in the war against the Rebel Alliance and gives further impetus to Emporer Palpatine to step up Stormtrooper recruitment.

"In an earlier statement issued to the press, Kenobi boasted that striking him down would make him 'more powerful than you can possibly imagine.'

For further details, read Obi-Wan Kenobi Is Dead. But don't believe all that you read.

ILLUSION. A mysterious illusion that illustrates how motion can render color changes invisible won the "Best Illusion of 2010", and it also taught researchers something they didn't know. Click on the link to view the 14-second video, and learn more about how your mind is processing what your eyes see. It's quite stunning.

SENIORLAND 2050. As recently as 1960, people over 65 accounted for under 10 percent of the U.S. population, and the average age at the time of death was just under 70. Since then, advances in medicine and increasingly widespread health-consciousness have caused these numbers to rise precipitously. Demographers predict that by 2030, average life expectancy will have climbed past 80, and people over 65 will account for more than 20 percent of the country's population. Old age in the future -- particularly if you're looking at 2050 or later -- promises to bear little resemblance to old age as it is experienced in 2011. If you're 30 now, and would like a glimpse at what to expect at age 80, learn more in The Future of Old. It's an issue of special interest to those whose families, like mine, already tend to live well into their 80s. The prospect of old age being less limiting and more fulfilling is appealing indeed.

DISENFRANCHISED / EVA / JUSTIFIED

DISENFRANCHISED. Are there no limits to the depths to which conservatives and the Tea Party fringe will sink? My jaw dropped when I read the following:

"In a move contrary to the most cherished of American values, a band of ultraconservative activists is targeting the U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants -- and others -- to score political points. Their stated objective is to overturn a bedrock constitutional right: the right to citizenship by birth on American soil.

"Such efforts are unlikely to succeed, but they must be challenged because they strike at the core of what makes citizenship in this nation so unique, special, and coveted. Rooted in the post-Civil War reforms to reverse the infamous Dred Scott decision and to establish birthright citizenship as a right of the then-recently emancipated black slaves, the 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, guarantees that 'All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and the State wherein they reside.'

"For all practical and legal purposes, the law is clear and settled. For more than a century, our nation's courts have affirmed that the 14th Amendment means what it says -- the fundamental measure of citizenship in the United States is rooted in the soil on which an American is born. It stands in direct opposition to notions that America is some sort of country club, a place where the vagaries of politics, prejudices, or popularity may recognize some and exclude others. Birthright citizenship is a profound American value."

The authors go on to describe in vivid detail the financial, legal, and moral costs and consequences of conservatives' proposed redefinition of citizenship -- both to the populations that would be marginalized, and to the population of current citizens. Bottom line, if you are born in this country, whether or not your parents are citizens, you are a citizen. If you are born in another country to parents who are American citizens, you are a citizen. "America is not a country club. We have always welcomed and accomodated individuals, especially immigrants from foreign lands, who wish to contribute to our experiment in self-governing democracy .... Children born on our soil are citizens with the full set of legal rights, which are rooted in the highest moral and legal traditions of our nation."

You will find the entire text, which examines the motives of neocon conspirators and the many sides of this issue, here.

EVA. A friend sent me a link to one of the songs performed by Eva Cassidy, whose ethereal voice delighted listeners with original interpretations of jazz, blues, folk, gospel, country, and pop classics. She was virtually unknown outside the Washington, DC, area when she died of melanoma at age 33, in 1996. Posthumously, Eva achieved recognition first in Britain, then in Europe and the United States. The song which launched her worldwide appeal was Somewhere Over the Rainbow, which you can hear in its original version here. I love the fact that even lifelong musicians and music lovers hear a fresh, delicate, and sweetly unpredictable performance of the Judy Garland classic.

JUSTIFIED. Yesterday I finished watching on DVD the first season of the FX series Justified. The crime drama is based on the fictional life of U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, a character created by novelist Elmore Leonard, who has gifted us with a prolific series of westerns, crime and suspense novels, and screenplays since 1953. Givens is played by one of my favorite actors, Timothy Olyphant, whose film and television credits include the HBO series Deadwood. In Justified, Olyphant comes into his own in an understated, complex portrayal of Givens, an old West Marshall in the 21st century -- soft-spoken, direct, observant, quietly sexy, with eyes that can project humor and danger in one glance. Givens plays no games. He straight out tells any criminal he's pursuing, "I'd prefer this didn't go sideways, but if I have to draw my weapon, I'll shoot to kill." Leaving the choice up to the man (or men) he's addressing. The effect is electric.

There's one other nice touch to this cowboy-hat-and-boot wearing Marshal -- his weapon of choice is identical to my own, a Glock .45 semi-auto. He even favors the same leather paddle holster that I do. All I'm missing is the badge. And the youth. And the training. And ..... oh well. Here is the series website, where you can watch or purchase episodes. You can also simply rent them on Netflix. (See the DVD cover below, click to enlarge.)

WE SUPERHEROES / RAILROAD / AIRFARES

WE SUPERHEROES. In his blog Oscillatory Thoughts (a brilliant title), neuroscientist Bradley Voyter submits a startling thought -- We Are All Inattentive Superheroes. In the realm of sensory perception, we experience the world around us in detail that is infinitely more minute and fine-tuned than we'd previously thought possible. Our eyesight may not be as acute as that of a prairie falcon, our hearing may not be as sensitive as that of a bat, our sense of smell may not be as fabled as that of a dog. Or are they?

Voyter's entertaining and somewhat jaw-dropping research has revealed that "humans can, in fact, detect as few as 2 photons entering the retina. Two. As in, one-plus-one. It is often said that under ideal conditions, a young healthy person can see a candle flame from 30 miles away .... Similarly, it appears that the threshold of our hearing may actually be Brownian motion. That means that we can almost hear the random movements of atoms. We can also smell as few as 30 molecules of certain substances.

" .... These facts suggest that we all have some level of what we'd normally think of as 'super human' sensory abilities already .... [Those abilities are merely masked by] attention .... We're trying to reduce certain sources of noise [unessential sensory information] to maximize the amount of attention we pay to the task at hand. The sounds of the radio capture your attention, making it harder to visually search for the address numbers on the house you're trying to find. Visual distractions in our surroundings may prevent us from maximally focusing our attention internally when trying to do math problems in our heads."

In short, we filter out much of the information our sense organs provide to us, precisely because our abundantly large brains have other things to focus on. Yet on a subconscious level, we do notice sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and sensations of touch which may be signals of danger. A movement out of the corner of our eye may save us from a traffic accident. The sudden silence in a forest clearing warns us that something is amiss. An apparent premonition is usually a subtle sensory warning -- heat from a stove top, the smell of milk gone bad.

We're all familiar with the observation that if a person loses the use of one sense, the other senses become heightened. There is evidence showing that the area of the brain formerly devoted to the lost sense, compensates by becoming active in the functioning of the remaining senses. It all makes sense. Check out the Inattentive Superheroes link for more information, and also to view several videos demonstrating how our senses function, and how they adapt to changing conditions.

Now all that remains is to choose a classy superhero name and costume!

RAILROAD. On this date in 1869, the last spike was driven linking the westward- and eastward-construction halves of the nation's first transcontinental railroad. The event was significant on several levels. For the first time, the east and west coasts of the U.S. were connected by a relatively swift and reliable passenger and freight system, quickly rendering obsolete transport by horseback, wagon, or the torturous six-month voyage around the tip of South America. The burgeoning railroad system also opened up vast new areas of the heartland for settlement, sounding a death knell for millions of square miles of native habitat, native wild species, the seasonal migrations of bison, and the established way of life for Indian tribes who were here first. Every event of "progress" has its price. Sometimes the consequences are so far-reaching and unpredictable that if we had it to do over, one wonders whether we might choose a different course.

AIRFARES. As part of the NYTimes series "Acts of Mild Subversion", Nate Silver offers timely advice on How to Beat High Airfares. Given the skyrocketing cost of air travel, the ever-shrinking volume of space allotted to each passenger seat, delays and intrusive searches imposed by TSA, and airline surcharges for services (meals, checked baggage, use of the bathroom) which were formerly free, it pays to understand how to (legally) use the system to your own advantage. Click on the link for a concise description of "hidden-city ticketing", and advice on how best to utilize this little-known tactic. You could end up saving a bundle on your next flight within the U.S.

IT GETS BETTER / CLASSISM / KERMIT

IT GETS BETTER. The It Gets Better Project is an online video website whose goal is to "prevent suicide among LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) youth by having gay adults convey the message that these teens' lives will improve." Most if not all gays have experienced harrassment, intimidation, and assault. Some have been tortured or murdered. In recent years the suicide rate among gay teens has risen (or perhaps we are simply more aware of the numbers). I would submit that as important as it is for gay adults to reach out, it is equally important for straight adults to reach out. I have a number of gay and lesbian friends, and they know that I'm as closely allied to them as I am allied to any minority, any other cause of social justice. Our children are our children, period.

President Obama lent his voice to the movement in a video release on October 21, 2010, in which he said, "We've got to dispel this myth that bullying is just a normal rite of passage, that it's just some inevitable part of growing up. It's not. We have an obligation to ensure that our schools are safe for all of our kids. And for every young person out there, you need to know that if you're in trouble, there are caring adults who can help."

Here is the website for the It Gets Better Project. Take a look at the videos, and consider adding your voice to the call for humane treatment of all people, regardless of sexual orientation.

CLASSISM. Imagine this -- the profits of the Fortune 500 companies rose 81 percent between 2010 and 2011. Income inequality in America is higher than at any other time since the Great Depression. Taxes on the wealthy are at their lowest level in decades. And those corporate profits? -- they do not trickle down to produce more jobs. As union membership decreases, middle class income shrinks. Meanwhile, the average salary of any given CEO in this country was $11 million last year, while teachers and Navy SEALs are lucky to eke out $55,000 a year.

Tax reform on the wealthy and on corporations would erase our national debt, balance our budget, and return us to being a nation of the people, by the people, for the people. Is it likely to happen? Not while Wall Street controls government, and not while 5 percent of the population controls 80 percent of the nation's wealth. All of you who consider yourselves to be "middle class" need to realize that the middle class is fast becoming a myth. If you hesitate, view this video showing graphs and figures which leave no room for doubt.

KERMIT. On this day in 1955 (the same year my younger brother was born), everyone's favorite frog made his first public appearance. Puppeteer Jim Henson's most famous muppet, Kermit the Frog, went on to host The Muppet Show, and to appear many times on Sesame Street. He was the Grand Marshall in the Tournament of Roses parade in 1996, the same year he was awarded an honorary doctorate in Amphibious Letters at Southampton College, NY. The cheerful and modest Kermit even has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Happy birthday, Kermit -- may you cheer us, young and old, for many years to come.

CLINTON / CHOMSKY / CHOULES

CLINTON. This is rich. Former President Bill Clinton, as eloquent as ever, takes on Faux News over the network's conservative-biased twisting of news events. The video lists no date, but the interview clearly took place before last week's assassination of Osama bin Laden. It does my heart good to see the neocons, who delight in personal attacks and disinformation, have their feet held to the fire with FACTS. Clinton has taken some well-deserved heat over his sexual activities while president, but on national and international issues he remains as well-informed, clear-minded, and persuasive as he was while in office. The hunted becomes the hunter.

CHOMSKY. In a short piece in Guernica, philosopher, linguist and social activist Noam Chomsky raises several of the same questions I did in a previous post, regarding the assassination of Osama bin Laden -- in Chomsky's Reaction to Osama bin Laden's Death, he correctly points out that this was a planned assassination, not an attempt to capture a terrorist in order to try him for his crimes. "We might ask ourselves how we would react if Iraqi commandos landed at George W. Bush's compound, assassinated him, and dumped his body in the Atlantic Ocean. Uncontroversially, his crimes vastly exceed bin Laden's ... " A fair point, made more compelling by the operation taking place within the borders of a purported U.S. ally, Pakistan. I have no qualms with bringing bin Laden or any other terrorist to justice. I do take serious issue with lowering the standards of our behavior to the level of the terrorists we oppose. It is gratifying to see that in asking questions, I am in esteemed company.

CHOULES. Last Thursday, Australian Claude Stanley Choules passed away. He was the last surviving military veteran of World War I (1914-1918), and was 110 years old at the time of his death. In a time when the veterans of World War II and the Korean War are passing from our midst by the thousands, and the veterans of the Vietnam War are entering old age, it is far too easy to forget that earlier global conflict, the second deadliest in Western history.

Mr. Choules was also the last veteran to have served in both world wars, the third oldest verified military veteran in the world, and the seventh-oldest living man in the world. Rest in peace.

HUMAN DIASPORA / NIGHT SKY

HUMAN DIASPORA. The geographic origin and dispersal of our species is generally interpreted in one of two ways within paleoanthropology. The Recent African Origin is the most prevalent model, corroborated by the study of mitochondrial DNA (normally inherited from the mother), and by fossil evidence which indicate that "archaic Homo Sapiens evolved to anatomically modern humans solely in Africa, between 200,000 and 150,000 years ago, that members of one branch of Homo Sapiens left Africa between 125,000 and 60,000 years ago, and that over time these humans replaced earlier human populations such as Neandrathals and Homo erectus without interbreeding with them. (see map above, click to enlarge.)

"The major competing hypothesis is the multiregional origin of modern humans, which envisions a wave of Homo Sapiens migrating from Africa and interbreeding with local Neandrathal populations in multiple regions of the globe. Most multiregionalists still view Africa as a major wellspring of human genetic diversity, but allow a much greater role for hybridization."

Whichever theory one finds more credible, the question remains .... why migrate at all? It happens that around 70,000 years ago, human population had reached a bottleneck of approximately 1 million. Whether propelled by competition for increasingly scarce resources, by disease, by famine, or some other cause, during a population bottleneck survival odds are random, and may result in recovery or extinction. Migration to other, more fertile lands is one obvious response which would enhance survival. But how would our ancestors have begun to conceive of such a strategy?

It turns out that they may have had a little genetic assistance. A study published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology proposes that Novelty-seeking DRD4 polymorphisms are associated with human migration distance out of Africa. The authors propose that "this rapid migration into new habitats selected for individuals with low reactivity to novel stressors. Certain dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) polymorphisms are associated with exploratory behavior, novelty seeking, and risk taking." In short, a genetic predisposition to curiosity which overrides perceived dangers.

It's one thing to suggest that we are a curious species. It's another to discover the possible biological mechanism. When I was in high school, back during the Punic Wars, our science teacher told us that (at that time) human knowledge doubles every ten years. Given the quantum leaps in computer technology and our own resourcefulness, I have a hunch that our knowledge doubles much more frequently now. If only we could set aside our political and cultural differences (perhaps even celebrate them!), and focus instead on refining our understanding of the sciences, the arts, the planet, and how we ourselves function, wouldn't that make for a better world? I know, hopelessly naive and idealistic. Still.

In a small step toward that end, check out Nerd Flashcards -- 26 alphabet cards and 12 number cards, illustrated to describe an appropriate science or math concept. I suspect that the intended "all ages" might include a fair number of adults in our science-and-math-illiterate society. Just remember -- nerd is the new sexy.

NIGHT SKY. Once again my Chicago friend Bill has provided a breathtaking resource, this one a 360 degree panorama of the night sky created by a 28-year old, first-time astrophotographer from 37,000 images. "The genesis of this was to educate and enlighten people about the natural beauty that is hidden, but surrounds us." Who says that science and art, knowledge and beauty, must be mutually exclusive? Again, click on the image to enlarge.

REVENGE / POP-UPS

REVENGE. The assassination of Osama bin Laden has provided the impetus for a fascinating round of questions and soul-searching regarding justice vs. vengence within the context of our response to (or participation in) terrorism. Without doubt, bin Laden had to be stopped. The question rises, could we have neutralized him without a bullet to his head? Could we have captured him, brought him to trial at the International Court of Justice in the Hague (as we did with Saddam Hussein, who was found guilty of crimes against humanity and executed) .... and in the interim, could we have interrogated bin Laden regarding the al-Qaeda network and his past and future crimes? We'll never know. Perhaps, as some suggest, he was a rabid dog who had to be put down in order to save lives. I make no judgment in asking questions about the operation, but I do ask questions.

Of relevance to our thinking on this is our evolving understanding about the human impulse toward revenge. Katherine Harmon, in Does Revenge Serve an Evolutionary Purpose?, explores the distinction between justice and revenge, and the relevance of each to the death of bin Laden. Here is a teaser quote from her Scientific American piece --

"Spontaneous patriotic chants and flag-waving crowds were sparked by word that Osama bin Laden had been killed earlier this week. Despite the man's loathed reputation as the mastermind of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the jubilation over bin Laden's death raises the question: why the celebration? Was it relief, a sense of justice, or the simple pleasure of revenge?

"As draconian as lethal retribution might seem, science has shown that the human brain can take pleasure in certain kinds of revenge. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans have revealed that thinking about revenge activates the reward center -- where the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine is lodged -- in much the same way that sweet foods or even drugs can.

"But the news also brought out some more jumbled sentiments, including sadness for the reminder of the past tragedy and ambivalence about the intentional killing of another person. With all of this gray area -- colored in this instance by politics, history, and the sheer scale of the international stage -- is there a way to understand revenge in a basic, biological way?"

Harmon goes on to answer that very question, in a psychological inquiry that is fascinating and accessible to any reader. I recommend the discussion highly.

In a more moral vein, there is a quote attributed to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. which has gone viral on the Internet. It reads, "I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that."

What an eloquent, moving reminder of our better natures. Dr. King was no stranger to threats, to violence, to imprisonment, to the systematic injustice, torture and death inflicted on blacks in America. Yet he stood by the philosophy of non-violent change, right up to the moment of his own assassination. The quote has been attacked as being fake. Penn Jillette investigated, inquiring with the staff at Stanford's Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute, and found that although not a literal exerpt from a King speech, the quote is, in its essence, legitimate. You can read more about the controversy here.

POP-UPS. Special thanks to my friend Bill in Chicago for sending me the link to Six Amazing Pop-up Paper Sculptures. I cannot begin to imagine the planning and meticulous creation of these astonishing constructs -- they make origami look like finger-painting. But that's probably not a fair comparison. Like prose and poetry, each has its own virtues and strengths. What a wondrous, creative world we inhabit -- when we aren't killing each other.

BULLYING / RAPE / EMPATHY

BULLYING. There is a lively conversation thread building on therapist and science writer Andrea Kuszewski's Facebook page. The genesis was an article titled Jean Decety says bullies' brains might work differently. The gist of the study is (a) "empathy is connected to a part of the brain that processes a first-hand experience of pain", and that (b) children with aggressive conduct disorder (bullies) "can recognize negative emotion, but they process it in a positive way .... seeing others in distress activated the regions of their brains associated with reward." In short, sociopaths get off on the suffering of others, so much so that they go out of their way to inflict suffering. Or, as Kuszewski points out in her conversation thread, "Lack of empathy is described as being incapable of seeing and understanding what the other person is feeling. [In reality] they understand it, they just don't care."

So how does one deal with children or adults who bully others? Obviously by first interrupting the behavior, but then what? How does one reach the mind of someone who processes information and emotions like a photographic negative? Infliction of the same kind of pain on the perpetrator (revenge)? Isolation from society (punishment)? Being required to tend to the needs of victims and their families (sensitization)? Where does justice lie? I suspect that there is no single easy answer. Our response may vary with the individual and the circumstance. In my working life, I've known criminals who were capable of reform, and criminals who were not. Either way, it is helpful to understand why seemingly inexplicable aberrations of behavior happen. Decety's study is a step in the right direction.

RAPE. There is a brief and disturbing video making the rounds on YouTube. It is called What Is Rape Culture?, and features a series of facts which should have any member of society wondering whether we have descended to barbarity, or whether we've been there all along and just didn't hear much about it. Facts like these --

~ 61 percent of homeless women are fleeing rape at home.

~ 1 out of 4 girls are raped before the age of 18.

~ Rape is used as a hate crime against the gay community.

~ Infant rape is on the rise.

~ Men get raped too.

~ Marriage is not a license for rape.

~ Rape does not discriminate against age.

~ Stranger rapes are rare. Most survivors know their attackers.

~ 1 out of 6 boys are raped before the age of 18.

~ Imagine our daughters celebrating a world without rape culture.

~ Creating a world without rape culture starts with you.

If you doubt that rape culture exists, a strong case can be made for its being not only condoned, but institutionalized. Consider the retrogressive legislation (H.R. 3) passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, which, among other provisions, narrows the definition of rape to "forcible rape" -- eliminating situations in which women say no but do not physically fight off an assailant, women who are drugged or verbally threatened and raped, and minors impregnated by adults. The vote in favor of this foolishness was 251 to 175, the majority including 16 anti-choice Democrats. 59 percent of those voting, publicly declared their cavalier attitude toward rape. In the context of the discussion on empathy, would it be fair to say that 59 percent of our legislators are sociopaths? They work for us. We pay for their generous salaries and healthcare. This is gratitude? This is civilized behavior? One can only hope that the Senate, or ultimately the President, will reject this loathsome legislation.

EMPATHY. Let's cultivate it in our lives, and encourage it in others. Please.

BIN LADEN COUNTERPOINT / MAY THE 4TH

BIN LADEN COUNTERPOINT. By now anyone not living under a rock knows that earlier this week, a team of U.S. Navy SEALs, acting on carefully assembled intelligence and upon the order of President Obama, conducted a dark ops raid into Pakistan and assassinated al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The death of the mastermind (and the bankroll) behind numerous terrorist attacks over the past 20 years was a cause for celebration in many countries, and a cause of outrage among his followers. Most leaders, public figures, and citizens of the free world deemed the operation a success, and congratulated Obama for his decision.

Alas, a number of sour grapes conservatives in the U.S. couldn't muster the grace or the character to give Obama his due, especially when their darling, George W. Bush, was unable to (indeed, at times disinterested in) accomplish neutralizing bin Laden. In their resentment and denial, luminaries like Sarah Palin actually congratulated Bush, ignoring Obama in their responses to the news. Right wing politicians and pundits variously exhort us not to politicize terrorism, caution us that perhaps bin Laden isn't really dead, insult our intelligence by suggesting that Obama and bin Laden were "brothers", suggest that Obama deserves no credit for his decision, and even assert that Obama was merely following Bush's lead. By way of response to such pathetic claims, here are 5 Responses to Right Wing Bitterness over Obama Gettin' Osama. The author summarizes: "The capture of Osama was a victory for both U.S. intelligence and military intelligence implemented by Navy SEALs and CIA paramilitary forces, all coordinated by a rather genius President. You will note that this was not exactly the procedure advocated by the former President, but then, as soon as I wrote intelligence, I assumed you knew that."

On a whole 'nother level, Matthew Rothschild raises several questions of conscience in Bin Laden's Crimes, and Ours. For generations, Americans have assumed that we can do no wrong. Vietnam was among the first in a series of reality checks that, hmm, maybe we need to rethink that. Rothschild points out that like bin Laden, American Presidents have not hesitated to use violence, or wantonly sacrifice the lives of innocent people, or commit mass murder, to advance their own purposes. He provides a list of specific examples which, I must admit, give one pause to look in the mirror. See what you think.

MAY THE 4th. That would be today. That would also be Star Wars Day, during which you may hear "May the fourth be with you", an intentional play on the line "May the Force be with you". Incredible to think that the first episode in the movie franchise was released on May 25, 1977, the same year my son was born. Here are a few Star Wars-related articles of interest from Scientific American. And here is a teaser announcement from LucasFilm, regarding an upcoming re-release of the Star Wars films. May the fourth ... be with you all. (Click on the image to enlarge.)

CREATIVITY

We all recognize it when we see it, yet our perception of creativity can be heavily influenced by cultural context, by the intelligence of the observer, or by one's awareness (or ignorance) of whether or not an idea or product is truly original, or whether it has already appeared in the past. We value creativity in art, in literature, in music, in cinema, in cooking, in consumer products, in abstract thinking, in technology, in a score of measures. The value of a creative act is highly subjective, yet nearly everyone agrees that originality, aesthetics, and utility are all part of the mix.

Just for fun, I'm going to toss out several resources for you to explore. The first is How Sci-Fi Makes Us More Open to Strange Forms of Sex and Sexuality. You don't have to be an avid reader of science fiction to take the author's point that a strong appeal to the imagination of the reader will keep those pages turning -- we are freed from "the cultural and social baggage" that each of us carries. A good writer can ease us into this more open mindset by "breaking assumptions, by destabilizing what we presume are the foundations" of the subject matter, in this case gender and sexuality. Sex is particularly fertile ground (as it were) as a vehicle for broadening our horizons, since we are so fascinated by it. And why not?

An essential component of creativity is learning, both by the creator and by his/her audience. The setting does not have to be formal. In Kids Learn Better When You Bring Science Home, Peggy Ashbrook celebrates the things we learn from our parents -- and can teach our children -- simply by being involved and becoming a role model for curiosity. A parent does not have to have specialized knowledge in science to pass on a lively interest in the world around us. Ashbrook notes that "You actually will be behaving as a scientist when you say, 'That's a question I don't know the answer to. Let's make some more observations and see what we can figure out.' By example, adults can show children how to ask questions and investigate -- and then try to find out more by making focused observations, asking others, or reading a book. Research has shown that 'when parents play an active role, their children achieve greater success as learners, regardless of socioeconomic status, ethnic/racial background, or the parents' own level of education.' " A curious mind is predisposed to become a creative mind.

In a more formal setting, Vivienne Perry offers ideas for hooking a reader's interest in one's writing in her brief essay You Want to Know More, I Know You Do. Good science writing has much in common with good writing in fiction, biography, or history. Composition and vocabulary aside, it's always good to have a hook -- "some utterly delicious factoid or piece of information so counterintuitive it hauls you up short and forces you to read it a second time." Tantalizing the reader, establishing context, explaining terms, seasoning with emotion and humor .... all are part of the best writing in any genre.

And then there is the medium itself, in this case the printed word. More particularly, the font (the characters in the typeface one chooses). The website which hosts this blog only offers eight fonts, none of them particularly exotic or arresting, which is fine for legibility, not so much for visual creativity. Thousands of fonts exist, some of them pretty outre. A few examples are contained in America's Most Fonted: The 7 Worst Fonts, a collection that is both humorous and highly subjective. I for one find the Papyrus font quite appealing visually, and hey, Brad Pitt apparently agrees. Who knew?

Whether one considers examples of creativity, or the creative process itself (how did Mozart manage to compose so much intricate beauty in such a short lifespan?), the exploration itself is a challenge, a joy, and yet another example of .... you guessed it, creativity.

COMBAT STRESS / BIN LADEN

COMBAT STRESS. For anyone who has ever been to war, and for anyone who never has, there are few windows onto the experience as moving and genuine as Rx for Combat Stress: Comradeship, written by Michael M. Phillips in the Wall Street Journal. His account of a Marine patrol in Afghanistan is sensitively written, and rings true. On the other hand, almost any military veteran who has served in a war zone would tell you the same thing -- that amid the violence, terror, dehumanization, and carnage of war, it isn't patriotism or the flag or democracy or the orders of superior officers that motivates you to remain engaged, to survive. It is precisely the love and respect of your peers, those with whom you face danger or death from minute to minute.

The Beast is an ugly, unpredictable, and voracious creature, one of our own creation. Thousands of books, movies, academic papers, and news analyses seek to examine both particular wars, and the concept of war. Many of those books, movies, et al., are excellent, and many are mediocre. For another window into the experience of contemporary experience of Marines on the ground, I highly recommend the HBO series Generation Kill. Carefully-selected actors portray actual reconaissance Marines who spearheaded the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The events in the series are factual, taken from Evan Wright's eponymous book, which is also compelling. But the visual impact of the HBO series places the viewer more vividly inside the events and the emotions of those who were way out on the slippery edge of reality.

BIN LADEN. By now most of the world knows what was formally announced late last night -- that the tactical mastermind and financier of al-Qaeda and numerous terrorist attacks, Osama bin Laden, is dead. Here is a transcript of President Obama's announcement, and here is a more thorough background on bin Laden's life and crimes against humanity.

The man who planned and directed events ranging from two separate attacks on New York City's World Trade Center (in 1993 and 2001), the bombing of two U.S. embassies in Africa, the attack on the USS Cole, and a long list of heinous murders and attempted murders (not only directed against Western peoples, but also against his own Muslim brethren), was finally brought down in just the manner I have been advocating for years -- a surgical strike by U.S. special forces, acting on intelligence provided by the CIA, under the President's order. Conventional warfare has no chance of success against guerrillas, and certainly no chance against their leader. Small teams of Army Special Forces, Navy Seals, Marine Force Recon, or Delta Force, combined with local counterinsurgent operators, are the only effective way to fight terrorism on its home soil.

A word of caution -- it should be noted that even though bin Laden is dead, the world is not necessarily a safer place. For one thing, we do not yet know whether al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups will see this as a crippling blow, or whether they will now celebrate bin Laden as a martyr, and view his death as an occasion for reprisals against the U.S. Further, as The Angry Black Woman's post notes, it serves no real purpose to revel in the streets chanting "USA! USA!", when our own vulnerability to attack remains high, and will for a long time. As she said, " .... his death isn't magically going to restore our civil liberties, end our wars, end people dying because of his actions, or make terrorism go away. When all of that happens, then I will stand in the street and chant. I feel that I may never get that chance in my lifetime."

It is, in sum, a strange and confusing day, made more surreal by the truly bizarre comments of some lunatic fringe elements. Witness 40 Incredibly Stupid Facebook Reactions to Osama bin Laden's Death. I find it deeply unsettling that these people live all around each of us. After a deep sigh, though, one is still left with the small satisfaction of knowing that the world is a step closer to being a better place, now that bin Laden's is dead. Not the most charitable thought I've ever had, but unavoidably true.

POLITICAL ROAST / ATHEISTS REDEFINED

POLITICAL ROAST. At the annual White House Correspondents Dinner, those in the public eye are fair game as both the sharpshooters and the targets of biting satire, and this year was no exception. President Barack Obama displayed his share of wit, joking about the "birther" controversy, Republicans, NPR and Donald Trump. You can see the full video of Obama's remarks here. Comedian Seth Myers also took shots at Joe Biden and at The Donald (who apparently couldn't take the heat and left early). My favorite Myers moment -- "Donald Trump has been saying he will run for president as a Republican, which is surprising, because I just assumed that he was running as a joke." Here is the video of Myers' jokes.

On a far less humorous note, it was revealed two days ago that Donald Trump lied about why he never served in Vietnam. For years he claimed that he was not called to serve simply because he had a high draft number. Selective Service records indicate a different story -- Trump was granted student deferments during his college years, and after graduating was deemed (mysteriously) to be physically unfit for the military. In short, he skated free, while others with less wealth and influence fought and died.

I find this deeply troubling on several levels. First, do we want a liar in the White House, regardless of political affiliation? Yes, I know politics is all about half-truths and compromise, but to tell an outright lie about a matter of public record, rather than simply owning up to the truth, is repugnant. Second, I am a Vietnam War veteran who came to recognize the illegitimacy of that conflict firsthand, and subsequently became a member of the antiwar movement. Even so, I honor those who had no choice but to serve (the military has become all-volunteer since then), and I find Trump's weaseling out of service and then lying about his reasons to be a black insult to all veterans. Third, Trump falls into the same fetid swamp of unqualified pretenders as Sarah Palin and George W. Bush -- people who must use smoke and mirrors to mask their true pasts. Fourth, if Trump and his ilk were half the patriots they claim to be, rather than hiding behind deferments or money or fleeing to Canada or deliberately flunking military aptitude tests, they would seek out alternative national service (which should be universally manditory in any case, for both genders) -- the Peace Corps, VISTA, Habitat For Humanity and other worthy, non-military causes all chronically need volunteers.

Sorry, but I have zero respect for either Donald Trump or his politics.

ATHEISTS REDEFINED. Here is a truly fascinating article from the Washington Post: Why Do Americans Still Dislike Atheists? An exerpt from the essay says it best -- "Long after blacks and Jews have made great strides, and even as homosexuals gain respect, acceptance and new rights, there is still a group that lots of Americans just don't like much: atheists. Those who don't believe in God are widely considered to be immoral, wicked, and angry. They can't join the Boy Scouts. Atheist soldiers are rated potentially deficient when they do not score as sufficiently 'spiritual' in military psychological evaluations. Surveys find that most Americans refuse or are reluctant to marry or vote for nontheists; in other words, non-believers are one minority still commonly denied in practical terms the right to assume office despite the constitutional ban on religious tests.

"Rarely denounced by the mainstream, this stunning anti-atheist discrimination is egged on by Christian conservatives who stridently -- and uncivilly -- declare that the lack of godly faith is detrimental to society, rendering nonbelievers instrinsically suspect and second-class citizens. Is this knee-jerk dislike of atheists warranted? Not even close.

"A growing body of social science research reveals that atheists, and non-religious people in general, are far from the unsavory beings many assume them to be. On basic questions of morality and human decency -- issues such as government use of torture, the death penalty, punitive hitting of children, racism, sexism, homophobia, anti-Semitism, environmental degradation or human rights -- the irreligious tend to be more ethical than their religious peers, particularly compared with those who describe themselves as very religious.

" .... As individuals, atheists tend to score high on measures of intelligence, especially verbal ability and scientific literacy. They tend to raise their children to solve problems rationally, to make up their own minds when it comes to existential questions and to obey the golden rule. They are more likely to practice safe sex than the strongly religious are, and are less likely to be nationalistic or ethnocentric. They value freedom of thought.

" .... On numerous respected measures of societal success -- rates of poverty, teenage pregnancy, abortion, sexually transmitted diseases, obesity, drug use and crime, as well as economics -- high levels of secularity are consistently correlated with positive outcomes in first-world nations. None of the secular advanced democracies suffers from the combined social ills seen here in Christian America.

" .... As with other national minority groups, atheism is enjoying rapid growth. Despite the bigotry, the number of American nontheists has tripled as a proportion of the general population since the 1960s. Younger generations' tolerance for the endless disputes of religion is waning fast .... as many as 60 million Americans -- a fifth of the population -- are not believers. Our nonreligious compatriots should be accorded the same respect as other minorities."

I've been an atheist for all of my adult life. My rejection of a belief in a supernatural god came from within -- I realized that there were too many internal inconsistences in religious dogma, and that science has been leading the way in furthering our understanding of life and the universe, while religion has constantly and reluctantly had to revise its tenets in order to keep up. Bottom line, there is no need for a superstition-based god to explain life's questions. The principle of parsimony obtains -- the simplest explanation is usually the most accurate one. And believe in a god is decidedly a complex, unwieldy explanation for much of anything.

I find the last statistic in the article (please click on the link to view the entire essay, including further links to the studies which back its content) to be of particular interest -- that in the U.S., one in five people is a non-believer. Imagine, all you deists out there, one out of every five people you know is an atheist. Quelle horreur! Similarly, roughly one in ten people you know is gay, and one in ten people you know is feminist. Isn't it time for Americans to emerge from the Dark Ages and embrace the full diversity and beauty of humanity?