How People Think

Go figure. Well, I knew this already but people act first then rationalize later. Why the heck is that? I think this world would be a much better place if people actually thought FIRST and really thought then thought some more and then took a course of action.

How Voters Think (or not think)
Excuses, excuses

As a note on the second article I remember running in the frigid temperature in Syracuse when it was just me, the snow, my iPod (which froze because it was so cold outside), and the below zero temperatures. Quite an invigorating experience actually. I would recommend it.

Various Topics

I've got several interesting articles to report today:

1) Race and Gender in the Presidential Race: Read a viewpoint from both DN! and the NYTimes.
2) Americans Cut Back on Consumption: Hopefully the trend will continue.
3) Unfair Advantage?: Do you think that if those prosthetics were made available to people who do in fact have both of their original legs would encourage people to walk places more than take a car?

The Moral Instinct

A really long article but definitely worth the read if you have the time:

The Moral Instinct

Do we really need a study?

Sometimes I wonder why some studies are conducted...

Video games not as good as exercise

Check It Out

Got some great links for you today:

The Story of Stuff

Idealist.org

Frontline

The Decline of Morals

No more prevalent than at American NFL games. It really is a shame. Deplorable behavior:

No Game for a Family

Jets Fans

Be Smart

Interested in how kids learn? How you learned when you were younger? Thinking of how to teach and raise children? How about guiding supervisees? Here's a few articles for you:

1) Want to raise smart, successful kids? Research suggests focusing on effort instead of intelligence or ability leads to success:
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=the-secret-to-raising-smart-kids&print=true

2) Gladwell has a New Yorker article on IQ tests and the conclusions that can be drawn about the people taking them:
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2007/12/17/071217crbo_books_gladwell

3) For the first time since inception, girls had a clean sweep of the Siemens Math, Science and Technology competition:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/04/nyregion/04siemens.html

Want to get married? Plant some trees. Want to get divorced? Plant some more

A really interesting concept that I like a lot. Think it'll ever happen in the U.S.? Yeah, me either but there's always hope...

Christian Persecution...

...In Iraq. It was not surprising for me to hear the gentleman being interviewed say that Christians in Iraq were better off before the U.S.-led occupation began.

The other interesting story in the CBS 60 Minutes broadcast was the One Laptop Per Child effort. I really like this idea. I did a research report on Negroponte's organization in grad school. I do agree however with one of the men interviewed in the segment that children will need to be taught how to use the laptop and probably cannot learn to effectively utilize the laptop themselves without some sort of instruction.

Guiliani

From today's DN! broadcast:

Back in the United States, Republican Presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani is facing new questions over hundreds of thousands of dollars in questionable billing expenses during his time as mayor of New York City. The Politico newspaper is reporting Giuliani billed several obscure agencies for costs related to his visits to the Hamptons where he began his affair with future wife Judith Nathan. Hotel, gas and other expenses were charged to city agencies tasked with aiding the disabled, providing public defenders and regulating loft apartments. Giuliani’s campaign denies he tried to hide the expenses.

I like how the issue that was brought up was whether he denied trying to hide the expenses rather than the fact that he actually had an affair...