The Idea Shop

Determinism and Descartes

2010-03-31T20:17:00.005-05:00

Determinism was a progressive belief, approximately during Newton's time, that rationalized the world with respect to the physical world. As classical mechanics was gradually unfolding it was becoming more and more apparent that there were invariable universal laws that governed physical bodies. Thus, based upon a few initial parameters, one could determine the projected motion of a moving body.

Two Brain Teasers

2010-02-21T22:54:00.003-06:00

I think they're hard and haven't read the answers so please think about it with me:Brain Teaser #1: The King and His Coins (Difficulty Level: Easy) The king of the land has 12 districts that he rules over. At the end of each month, each district is responsible for paying taxes. Taxes are 100 gold pieces - each weighing one once. Lately, there has been rumblings in the kingdom and the

Thrasymachus's Argument

2010-02-02T16:09:00.003-06:00

I've been taking an intro to philosophy course, so I admittedly I'm a complete knoob when it comes this stuff. However, we've been learning about Socrates's quest for defining what justice is. For Socrates, the truth was out there but it is something that could not be found. With that said, it is better to know that you do not know rather than to be ignorant that you do not know.In the Republic,

My Dream

2009-12-02T13:55:00.003-06:00

In my dream I had a great idea. Since in my physical chemistry class we were studying thermodynamics, I had dreamt of taking an endothermic reaction that would proceed spontaneously and creating a instant cold pack. So I was hired by some chemical company to find out which reactions were endothermic while proceeding spontaneously.When I woke up, I immediately started to think of any such

Gone is the parking ticket and enforcement officer

2009-09-03T09:11:00.006-05:00

I'm so tired of getting parking tickets. And those ticket enforcement guys...Let's get rid of them!Okay, so came up with this idea that not only helps us the sufferers, but also the parking system; it can potentially reduce the cost to operate & maintain significantly. Remember those restaurant pagers? They kinda dissappeared because restaurants are no longer flooded with people. Anyway, using

It's been a while. Here's a short story.

2009-08-10T15:24:00.004-05:00

A long time ago, when the oceans still teemed with fish and the sky was more blue than it is now, there lived a man on an island.He was a happy man. In the mornings he watched the sun rise above the glittering waves. During the day he explored the island and picked fruits to eat. Before the onset of evening he would wander back to the shore and cast himself on the soft sands. And then,

Most important advancement in engineering in the next 25 years

2009-06-30T20:19:00.002-05:00

So for this scholarship I'm applying for there is an essay question asking that we discuss what we feel will be the most important advancement in engineering in the next 25 years. The essay will be judged on whether they agree, your insight into the subject, and the understanding of the widespread application of ideas.So, thus far I have compiled a few ideas as to what I think may happen in the

A New Look on English

2009-05-13T14:57:00.002-05:00

I don't know about anybody else, but I always thought English was just showing you could make complex sentences with "appropriate" words. Essentially, you write about nothing (at most answer a simple question) and make it like a piece of art as much (as a high-schooler is able to do). I always got good grades in high-school english, but coming to college, I saw my grades tank to "average" (

New Invention

2009-04-09T00:39:00.004-05:00

Hey Girls,I have this awesome idea. I figured it wouldn't really appeal to guys very much because we don't care much for our hair - though this might have been applicable to Wei back in the day.So basically I've thought of a brush that you use for your hair, but in the handle you can pour Shampoo or Conditioner!!! Then you can dispense either or by pressing a button. The shampoo gel will dispense

Islam off the google discussion....

2009-02-10T10:51:00.002-06:00

It was mentioned in the google discussion that the "islam is" was possibly removed to avoid angering people. Even if that is not the case, we've seen often in current events moments of self censorship on the topic of Islam (for example, the book the Jewel of Medina or the Dutch Muhammod cartoons). What is the significance of this?

Google's Take on Different Religions

2009-02-09T00:07:00.001-06:00

"If you want people to behave as Christians advocate, you should tell them that God does not exist."

2009-01-19T13:06:00.007-06:00

LegendA = AustraliaC = CanadaD = DenmarkE = Great BritainF = FranceG = GermanyH = HollandI = IrelandJ = JapanL = SwitzerlandN = NorwayP = PortugalR = AustriaS = SpainT = ItalyU = United StatesW = SwedenZ = New ZealandHey guys check out this interesting article: http://humaniststudies.org/enews/index.html?id=219&article=7The gist of the article is that secular (non-religious) societies have much

New Invention- Snow Tunnel

2009-01-17T19:31:00.002-06:00

Brrrr...it's cold in the winter time. And woooo it's windy...sucks living in chicago sometimes, especially if you're a college student walking around in this antarctic weather. What also is no fun is slave labor, shoveling your driveway just because you're the offspring of the owners of the house. Don't worry though, I have come up with an invention that will make walking in wintertime like

Readings of Interest

2009-01-14T21:01:00.003-06:00

Well it seems like everyone disappeared during break. I don't blame you ... i totally went super lazy, too. Well getting back into the whole school scene with classes and etc., I was never an avid reader. Heck... I pretty much don't read books unless the school assigns it. Because I'm not too fond of reading, I have never been to great at reading comprehension and things of the sort. In light of

Science News: Pain Hurts More If Person Hurting You Means It

2008-12-21T12:39:00.002-06:00

Researchers at Harvard University have discovered that our experience of pain depends on whether we think someone caused the pain intentionally. In their study, participants who believed they were getting an electrical shock from another person on purpose, rather than accidentally, rated the very same shock as more painful. Participants seemed to get used to shocks that were delivered

Paying for Tuition

2008-12-15T22:48:00.002-06:00

I am trying to pay for my own way through college. Does anyone have advice on how I can do this as cheaply and easily as possible? I know a lot of people here are probably taking out loans or have government aid. Since I'm past 18, if I wish to support my own way through college although my parents have the means of helping me, is it possible for me to qualify for financial aid? Thanks very

Amazing Article

2008-12-12T00:09:00.001-06:00

Scientists are partially able to now read people's minds. Is that cool or what?http://www.pinktentacle.com/2008/12/scientists-extract-images-directly-from-brain/

Obama... Monumental?

2008-12-10T00:37:00.002-06:00

Well... this all spurred with my roommate telling me the school is offering rides to the Inauguration. And I said that it'll prolly be boring... who would want to go.He was absolutely dumbfounded. Telling me how I don't get it and that i'm being absolutely ignorant to how monumental the new president is. (He is white btw... from a majority white small town in Pennsylvania... dunno if that'll

New study tracks the transmissibility of happiness

2008-12-07T16:17:00.001-06:00

How happy you are may depend on how happy your friends' friends' friends are, even if you don't know them at all.And a cheery next-door neighbor has more effect on your happiness than your spouse's mood.So says a new study that followed a large group of people for 20 years - happiness is more contagious than previously thought."Your happiness depends not just on your choices and actions, but also

The brain is....

2008-12-06T18:18:00.000-06:00

The brain is like a computer with cell processor. You got like a 100TB Hard drive.The stuff you learned are the software you installed. Your senses are the input devices screaming at the brain about this and that. The opposite sex is a virus that will always try to infect your system. Anything you do is obsolete since anti-virus/firewall never works, but you should be fine as long as you don't

Hey you, some guy, it's me, some girl!

2008-12-05T02:32:00.002-06:00

Why does it seem like life is so typical nowadays, and so boring? Where have our dreams and aspirations gone?

2 Views on Christmas Cheer!

2008-12-05T01:54:00.003-06:00

Well, Christmas is nearly upon us and for me at least, it feels like ole saint Nick has accidentally come a few weeks in advance. But this is the season that is so often dominated by two mentalities: one of giving/receiving and one just of love/caring/compassion.Love/Care/Compassion:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/2460299/

Wow! Hilarious comic!

2008-12-03T22:08:00.000-06:00

Love?

2008-12-01T17:50:00.009-06:00

"One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life:That word is love."-SophoclesI think love is a religious concept. I'm not referring to the generic pleasure kind of love, but the selfless, unconditional love. The willingness to sacrifice everything, the complete faith and trust, the utter acceptance and support. .. these concepts are not humanly possible no matter how hard we try. We are

Bill Maher vs. Mike Huckabee on Religion

2008-12-01T03:59:00.011-06:00

Really cool YouTube video!

1st Impression Service

2008-11-25T10:02:00.003-06:00

Ever wonder what people's first impression of you is? What if there were a service that could tell you exactly what the impression/image that you give off is and where it comes from? For example, you walk into the service, you look the "interviewer" in the eye and smile and offer a handshake. This might exude confidence in your mind, but a trained interviewer might see other things. He sees

NCAA a Monopsony?

2008-11-24T21:19:00.002-06:00

Interesting class in intermediate microecon today where after singing along to a 60's song and dressing up in school colors for chocolate, the class talked about monopsonies (yes, not monopolies who control output, but monopsonies, who control input). Everybody hates monopolies, not just because of the income/luxury tax associated with it and not being able to pass Go, but also because it is

Regenerating a Mammoth

2008-11-23T10:01:00.003-06:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/science/20mammoth.html?scp=2&sq=mammoth&st=cseThat's right folks. We can do it, we have the technology. Well, almost. If you were too lazy to read the article, basically the idea is that pretty soon (hopefully) they will be able to recreate a a legit wooly mammoth egg and bring it to term in an elephant.That's pretty cool. But, if they can do that, that means

A Disturbing Question

2008-11-21T10:00:00.003-06:00

So imagine you were involved in a car crash and you were severely injured and now you're at the hospital. To what extent could you consider yourself the same person you were before the accident?Let me give you some situations.You lost a leg, and now you're replacing the leg with a prosthetic terminator-like limb. Yes, most would consider you the same person. The only thing that's missing is a

Blog Improvement

2008-11-21T01:22:00.000-06:00

Obviously someone hated the new layout so much that he voted 10 times...I did not make the changes to go against your will, just trying to make some improvements for the common good. If you have any suggestion for the new blog layout, please let me know and I will try to accommodate your request.Don't hide your hatred inside, it's not good for you :POverall, what do you like or dislike about the

2 Crazy New Inventions

2008-11-20T21:11:00.003-06:00

Oook, calling all venture capitalists, investment banks and kids with big piggy banks'! Two more ideas for you. *'s denote something that has to be thought out practically in more detail1.) A big live map of available parking spaces!So, each parking space (we'll start with a campus first) at Northwestern, including street parking, will have *cheap sensors* that will know when there is a car in

A Modern Addiction

2008-11-18T23:56:00.008-06:00

This is an article that I wrote a while back. It got published in the Palatine Countryside newsletter that goes out to the whole city of Palatine, Illinois. Tell me what you think!What are the modern dangers that, if left uncontrolled, threaten todestroy our society? Nuclear weapon proliferation, AIDS, poverty,global warming, and the impending fuel crisis are commonly knownthreats to society.

Baseball Off-Season Thoughts

2008-11-17T19:02:00.005-06:00

Here's a list of my thoughts now that free agency has started.After rumors that the closer market would be bare, there are many quality arms available. With many teams balking at the price of Francisco Rodriguez and Brian Fuentes, the demand for Trevor Hoffman and Kerry Wood will be high. Speaking of Wood, I am still disappointed with the way that ended. I really believe that the failure of Zell

6 Sex Myths as Explained By Science

2008-11-17T18:11:00.004-06:00

post deleted.

When someone throws a grenade into the friend zone...

2008-11-17T15:57:00.003-06:00

(Guys, Jake wasn't lying when he said that this post wasn't written by him haha! It was actually written by me. Since I'm actually becoming a part of the community, I figured I would repost this as myself. I'm excited to join the Idea Shop and look forward to contributing and reading insightful articles from other posters. :] )We all have had this experience. You’re just minding your own business

[Guys] A topic I'm sure we all wonder about...

2008-11-16T18:19:00.018-06:00

Putting the spotlight on just the girls wouldn't be fair...soo, guys this is your chance to prove that you don't just look for hmmm... looks. What traits do you find most attractive (and yes looks can be in there) in a girl? These traits...prbbly like the girls' won't be the same as what our parents' generation was looking for. No longer is the story of the princess and the frog a story for

[Girls] A topic I'm sure we all wonder about...

2008-11-16T18:15:00.017-06:00

So, for the guys out there, ever wonder what girls are looking for in a guy? Well here's your chance to find out...if the girls will step up =P.Why don't we shoot for a top-10 list of what girls are looking for the most in their "prince of shining armor" or maybe their looking for just a Matt Damon...who knows...If you have a suggestion (and you're a girl...please just go right ahead and add

W3 Schools

2008-11-13T10:48:00.003-06:00

Awesome Web Developer's Portal!

Philosophy: Justifying Economic Inequalities

2008-11-12T22:06:00.004-06:00

So, as many of you know, America (as well as many other nations) has a wide range between the very rich and the very poor. Much of the wealth is held within a very small percentage of the population. Here's how John Locke justifies it:Back in the good ole days when cavemen and dinosaurs roamed the earth, probably back in the Roosevelt administration or early 70's for you non-history majors...,

When is it OK to Kill?

2008-11-12T22:01:00.005-06:00

We've already discussed when it's OK to commit suicide, and I think most people agreed that suicide is morally OK when your suicide saves the lives of those around you, i.e. jumping on a grenade. People reasoned it out with different philosophies, but I think most everyone can agree that jumping on a grenade to save the lives of your friends is a brave and noble deed.Here's a twist on that

Blog Set-Up

2008-11-11T19:52:00.007-06:00

Hey everybody,1.) The results are in!What do people think of the blog?Bad: 7%Mediocre: 12%Above Average: 12%Great: 69%Looks like we're doing a good job! (According to ourselves mostly hehe...!)2.) We've also been trying to get a good mix of funny and serious articles on here, something for every mood... and it seems like we're just right...just need one more person to think it's too serious for

Is Orson Scott Card a Jerk?

2008-11-11T13:41:00.004-06:00

Orson Scott Card writes:"Regardless of law, marriage has only one definition, and any government that attempts to change it is my mortal enemy. I will act to destroy that government and bring it down, so it can be replaced with a government that will respect and support marriage, and help me raise my children in a society where they will expect to marry in their turn. Only when the marriage of

Suicide

2008-11-08T03:32:00.002-06:00

This is by all means not a suicide note or I am not an emo kid. I should prolly give you some background before I present my questions.This past weekend, my hallmate from my freshmen year killed himself in a cemetary. He lit himself on fire and took his own life. He was a christian, an athlete, high school valedictorian, and etc.I didn't know him on a very deep level but I have talked to him

Baking Your Own Bread

2008-11-07T23:43:00.005-06:00

Hello everyone!Last night Ann Pan invited me to join this blog (This is John Li) so here I am!I am really impressed by the level of collaboration and activity present on this blog.Now that I should actually post some content:Over the summer, while learning how to cook for myself, I stumbled upon a bunch of interesting recipes for various dishes. The one that I have loved the most is The Simple

Judaism

2008-11-07T08:54:00.002-06:00

JudaismBefore I start, I want to give a little disclaimer. We have a saying in Judaism that goes: "Two Jews, three opinions". What I mean is, whenever anyone tells you "Judaism believes this", its not usually the only take (of course, you should believe everything I say...). I try to give the Jewish view of itself, mixing in a little objectivity, which you probably won't notice unless you are

Atheism

2008-11-07T01:31:00.008-06:00

Since I was tasked to represent atheism, I will do my best to help you all understand us. To start us off, here are two cool videos.Funny video about Christians (from an secularist point of view), and a catchy upbeat song! I guarantee that you'll like it.Here is short and entertaining video of Richard Dawkins.Here's a funny Monty Python video that parodies ChristianityHere are the tenets of

1 dollar 1 dollar, who wants cheap stuff!!!!

2008-11-06T18:20:00.006-06:00

The holiday season is approaching, my last exam before the Thanksgiving break is tomorrow. As an authoritative figure in getting the most return for your dollar I am asking readers "What items do you want for Christmas!" I will use my superior art of bargain hunting to find a deal for you. If you have an amazing deal that is not posted, please leave a comment and I'll update the post.Post will

A neat gadget for those of us who spend a little too much time on our laptops...(me? guilty as charged)

2008-11-05T13:24:00.004-06:00

Windows users rejoice! SlifeLabs is finally sharing the love with their windows version of Slife, a productivity manager. Their website description: "Designed around a set of intuitive visualizations, Slife 2.0 helps you stay on top of your activities and productivity automatically. Create activity groups, set goals and discover how you spend your time."I for one have been looking for a desktop

A Look into the Future

2008-11-04T22:52:00.007-06:00

Now that the election is over (go Obama!), we expect revolutionary changes perhaps in the near future...Many believe that in 50 years we will no longer be using laptops, plasma TV, and many other high techs that we are lusting after today. So which direction is technology headed?Futurama seems reasonable to me. Agree?

Chinese Classical Thought & Buddhism

2008-11-04T07:31:00.002-06:00

It's interesting that I'm discussing this topic under the religion section, because neither Chinese classical thought nor Buddhism were originally intended to be religious. Either way, what I'm about to talk about should still be relevant to the discussion on religion and belief systems.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Here are some

Hinduism

2008-11-03T18:36:00.007-06:00

Due to poor documentation and the abstract nature of the religion itself, there are several interpretations (and misinterpretations) of this religion. The core idea, like in all religions, is to somehow relate the self to the divine. Hinduism tries to offer different paths to this goal (every individual can pick the path that's right for him/her) and argues that they are essentially

War on Religion

2008-11-03T11:09:00.007-06:00

Speaking of different religious belief, it has become a rationale for terrorism, a way of justifying what is "right" and "wrong".In the past 200 years, we have gone through 4 waves of terrorism and modelski. we started out with terrorism due to anarchists from 1880-1914, then moved on to nationalist and ideologists from 1920-1960 and 1960-1990 respectively. Finally, religious terrorism initiated

Mini Reminder

2008-11-03T00:29:00.004-06:00

Hey everybody, I'm glad to see that we have so many new authors for the blog, as well as visitors who just drop in. I'd like to just say welcome to the new authors, and it would be great if you guys could briefly introduce yourself, either in a post or on the post called "Introduce yourselves" lol. I'd also like to encourage readers who feel like they have things to say, but are not sure if

A Call for Religious View Points

2008-11-02T12:08:00.014-06:00

Heaven-hi!Joey wanted us to form a religious discussion (not necessarily a debate) allowing us to share our view points. I guess Kevin went ahead and posted an article concerning the FSM, although Kevin is an atheist, so I wasn't sure how serious he was about FSM...Before I bring this challenge to you, I would like you to watch this random youtube clip:I thought this clip really demonstrates how

An Explanation of my Religion

2008-11-02T01:29:00.006-05:00

Joey asked me to write a little about my religious beliefs, and so I've decided that I will write about that.I am a worshiper of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM). I have chosen this religion for many reasons. One of the reasons is because it is obviously more logical and reasonable than all other religions, in one of its major strengths is that it is the only religion that

President

2008-11-01T22:56:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone,I haven't really been on here in a while, so I hope I didn't miss this, but who are you voting for for President and why?Also, what do you think of the electoral college? Is it time to do away with it?I have my ideas, but I want to here what you guys think first......

speech recognition

2008-11-01T12:36:00.003-05:00

hey all, so i've been thinking about this for a while. say you're in a crowd of a hundred people, the human mind can channel out 99 others and "listen" to just one. To mimic this, they have directional microphones. An interesting problem is to come up with some algorithm that can channel out (and actually recognize the speech, to some level of accuracy) a hundred speakers with a single

Second Chance

2008-11-01T01:11:00.003-05:00

A powerful song for you to enjoy.

Movies

2008-10-31T11:11:00.002-05:00

This has been a topic that has been bugging me lately. There really hasn't been any good movies out lately (haven't seen Dark Knight yet). They're either some sort of sequel (Saw 5??? umm they're still going on??) or some sort of comedy that can't be really considered a GOOD movie. Because of this, I feel like I should try to create my own, creative storyline and submit it to like... I dunno

New Member

2008-10-31T11:06:00.002-05:00

Hmm... Well my name Andrew Kim. All you need to know about me is... I know Mike Choe. I think that's a good enough introduction. Cuz he's freaking Mike Choe.-a.kim

Entrepreneuring

2008-10-29T18:18:00.004-05:00

Hey everybody, on a more serious note than the $20 auction, does anybody have any ideas for entrepeneurship? There is something on the 15th at Northwestern University called Entrepreneur Idol where winner gets a 25k 10% investment to start up their idea...at UofI. So, if you come up with one, you will definitely be included in the project although possibly not in the presentation/pitch of the

$20 Auction

2008-10-29T12:35:00.001-05:00

Ok, for all of you smarties out there, I'm gonna auction off $20. Rules are:Bids have to go up by 50 cents at least...so no $1 and then $1.25If after 12 hours no new bid has been placed, you win.If you are the second highest bidder after the end of the bidding, you must pay me your bid.This is for real! Please post bids in the comments.Those at Duke will be paid by Kevin TaoEnjoy! (even those

Social Experiment

2008-10-29T12:23:00.001-05:00

I heard an interesting thing in Economics a few days ago that when polled, 80-90% of the population think that they're "above average" drivers. Same results for looks. Supposedly, they look around and say hmm, "well i know i'm no brad pitt or sarah pallin"...but I'm pretty decent. Obviously 80% of people can't be above average. Odd that our confidence levels seem to be so high according to

Use your brain!

2008-10-27T10:59:00.000-05:00

Imagine now you're a runner at a competition. you run so hard and now just behind the second runner.........here's the question: when you overpass the second runner, your rank become...?the way you might think:1. because I outstripped the second, I became the first.2. because I outstripped the second, then I replace the ranking of the second, I became the second runnerClearly, we all know n0.2

Transformasphere- Prize involved

2008-10-26T23:09:00.000-05:00

I am not sure how many people read the previous article. But if you haven't i encourage you to read the previous one before visiting this website. Norton's letter also exemplifies the message.However, many people believe that humanitarian efforts are a world apart from our careers. They see it as building homes in louisiana, wells in Africa and everything in between. In all honesty, I haven't

Where we are....Truly

2008-10-26T12:13:00.000-05:00

Our generation looks up to the few titans that seemingly moved the world with their abilities and contributions to the world. For technology we have: Bill Gates with Microsoft, Steve Wozniak of Apple, Larry Page and Sergey Brin of Google. Science: Our very own Leon Lederman, whose discovery of the muon neutrino and bottom quark leaves a mark in every physics textbook, Stephen Hawkings, for

watch out X-rays......from a tape

2008-10-26T02:34:00.000-05:00

We all use tapes to stick stuffs, how about take an X-ray picture!http://www.nature.com/news/2008/081022/full/news.2008.1185.htmlMaybe next time we can use a home-made X-ray machine, saving our time from going to hospital....but still you have to buy the film.......haha =)

(Fun Invention 2) New Backpacks

2008-10-25T01:50:00.000-05:00

So here's the post that will make choe's seem like shakespeare... I was driving today and saw a kid pulling one of those rolly-backpacks...you know the ones that don't look very cool, often gets turned on its side when you go too fast, is highly annoying up stairs and makes you feel like if you carried ur books in a garbage-bag you'd be cooler. But, it's supposedly good for your shoulders...

Fun Chemistry!

2008-10-24T01:06:00.000-05:00

So when you're sitting in chem lectures, your mind will often wander off into space. Not that chemistry is particularly boring...As my attention span dwindled for the duration of the lecture, my eyes spotted the periodic table of contents, and then I realized...hmmm wouldn't it be nice to spell words with the elements? Yah, I know...stupid idea...but I gave it a try and I thought it was kinda of

Some Right Side Spin

2008-10-23T13:47:00.000-05:00

So yeah, the media is definitely biased. Unbiased news is difficult to find. We all know that, right?It seems to me, though, that there's more left-side spin then there is right-side. If you agree with me, then here's an interesting bit: http://www.ldsmag.com/ideas/081017light.htmlSee? Conservative journalists and lay down the bias too!

Help Louisville and Matt Norton

2008-10-21T17:10:00.000-05:00

Hey everybody, many of you know or know of Matt Norton. He was one of 3 great roommates of mine back in highschool and is an extraordinary influence on everybody around him. For most, college is a time where selfishness reigns supreme: some people choose to just have fun and enjoy these college years while others study hard so that they might get themselves a good job in the future. Norton

Interesting Outlook on Life

2008-10-21T17:08:00.000-05:00

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/martin_seligman_on_the_state_of_psychology.htmlIt's a 20 minute talk, but I think it will be time well spent. The talk itself invokes stimulating thinking and forces you to analyze where your life is heading. Which path can we take that combines all three sorts of happiness?

65 US Nobel Laureates in Science Endorse Obama

2008-10-21T03:23:00.000-05:00

Hope this is not old news...Last week while running about the world wild web I ran across this. An Open Letter to the American PeopleThis year's presidential election is among the most significant in our nation's history. The countryurgently needs a visionary leader who can ensure the future of our traditional strengths in scienceand technology and who can harness those strengths to address many

Ultimate Baby

2008-10-20T20:03:00.000-05:00

So imagine the year is 2337, 1000 years after l337. We shall call this time period...the future. The world has not changed in a long time, since the world entered a big depression after 2008; the same year students around the world stopped studying, instead wondering how Northwestern's football team was 6-1. John McCain is still alive and is president. Now, in this perfect world, it turns out

Crunch time....break

2008-10-15T22:12:00.001-05:00

Yup it's that time again, midterm season when students try extra hard to be good students and write long lists of what they want answered to teachers. Then, since we're so excited, we stay up all of test day eve, and in the mornings... there are the tests! One for each of us, and if we're lucky, two!Well for those of you who are also celebrating test-mas hopefully this will bring a lil cheer to

A Treatise on Sexism and Dress Codes

2008-10-06T21:25:00.000-05:00

by Mark A. MinitTo my devoted readers: It has been far too long since I last penned an essay dealing with the social troubles of our time. I must apologize for the lack of correspondence. I will endeavor to appease my readers’ massive hunger for intellectually stimulating discourse with a topic close to my heart: that of sexism. I began contemplating this issue when

Ant commits suicide preemptively to protect colony - first observed case of this behavior

2008-09-30T18:44:00.001-05:00

http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2008/923/1?rss=1Really cool article, and it definitely has some implications for the study of the evolution of altruism.

World Betrayed by US politicians?

2008-09-30T11:24:00.000-05:00

The world is currently in shock over the rejection of the bail-out plan by Congress. Most people were confident of the passage of the bill and indeed, the world markets were poised on Monday in the anticipation that the bill would be passed. Yet, when the news broke on Monday, the result was heavily disappointing. Congress had elected to reject the $700 bn bail out plan for the financial

In case you missed last night's debate...

2008-09-27T11:34:00.000-05:00

A look into what may have been's Obama's best moment in yesterday's debate, brought to you by dailykos.comhttp://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/9/27/03557/0386/140/612112Cheers,zexi

For all you Apple-lovers...

2008-09-12T18:20:00.000-05:00

The company that you love so much is a malice-filled corporate jerk.http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=536

Virtual is No Refuge From the Real

2008-09-07T22:42:00.000-05:00

This article takes an interesting angle on how our society and culture is developing.Virtual is No Refuge From the Real For children, no escape from America's car-dependent, cheap-oil fiesta By James Howard Kunstler Elm Street Writers Group One of the extremely painful lessons of our time, I'm convinced, will be that the virtual is not an adequate substitute for

Useful Websites/Software!

2008-09-06T23:52:00.001-05:00

Hello, hello, and welcome to me nerd-ing off. If techy stuff turns you on, get ready to be seriously aroused.There's a ton of really useful stuff out there. I'm writing this post very selfishly because some of the coolest programs aren't useful unless your friends also use them. There's some others I want to touch briefly on too, but let's start with things I want YOU to start using.Group

Obama or...

2008-09-03T19:00:00.000-05:00

McCain?Just wondering what the political attitudes are in this little blog group. I'll let you know my pick later.

for those Crytography geeks out there

2008-09-03T14:26:00.001-05:00

A challenge! I was fooling around, and I came up with this relatively simple cipher. It may or may not be frustrating to decipher. There are two parts that when used together, form the answer.Part 1:K5P66 X5EDF &H5JY 85C7E N4079E5P8E 6N0MN 064Q7 XMIC7 Y0^9&51JQ7 MJ61E =518? &,514 4Q=HHNQ0MN S0DV5 7XE7P 6A7Q8 ^7E7&6^164 06^3U &

Would you be interested in reading...

2008-09-02T23:40:00.001-05:00

a post by me about my favorite software that I'm guessing you don't know about?My apologies if you weren't interested in reading a post by me asking what you'd be interested in reading (^_^)

Universe vs. Multiverses

2008-09-02T02:15:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rg3uNrI8tEAn interview with a famous physicist.

Introducing Yourself!

2008-09-01T01:50:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone, since there are a lot of smart, intellectuals =P from all over the world on here, why don't we introduce ourselves?

"The Moment of Truth"

2008-08-29T21:47:00.000-05:00

For those of you who are like me and don't watch much TV anymore, there is a FOX gameshow now that has a new twist how contestants can make money and how to get people to spill their darkest secrets on national television (which inevitably draws viewer attention). So the idea is that half a million dollars can easily be achieved since all of the gameshow's questions...are about you! Essentially

Puzzle

2008-08-27T21:44:00.000-05:00

Read this somewhere and dunno the answer...How do you have a fair coin toss over the phone?Don't read comments till you've tried!!! Also try using anything...not just coins. Maybe guessing the number in your head, or which of your hands has a stone, who's going to hang up first...

Response to "Qwerty Keyboard" Part 1

2008-08-27T21:06:00.001-05:00

I thought that Tim "GnawMit" did a great job writing that reflection. I definitely can't match his way with words and being an econ major...using more words often leads to diminishing returns =P. But the way Tim went about it reminded me a lot about "The Giver", something that most of us read in middle school. That book, too, paints the "condensing" of our past: history, literature, grammer,

1 Corinthians 13:1-7, 13

2008-08-26T19:58:00.000-05:00

This prefaces George Orwell's novel Keep the Aspidistra Flying. However, it is not the verse that people know. It is instead adapted to his novel, so it's been changed.I thought it was hilarious."Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not money, I am become as a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and

Tell me what you think about my website

2008-08-25T12:56:00.000-05:00

Check out www.TheDukeEntrepreneur.com and tell me what you think! I made the website!

Starcraft and Information Warfare

2008-08-25T12:25:00.000-05:00

As most of you all remember, in the 1930s and 1940s the menace of Hitler and Japanese Imperialism was threatening the safety of the world. Although much credit is given to our troops on the ground and in the air, I feel like not enough credit is given to our geniuses and their chalkboards. Thanks to the ingenuity of America's smart people, we were able to crack the codes of both the Germans and

StarCraft

2008-08-25T11:51:00.000-05:00

Okay, before I start out with this article. I am not a nerd.Start:I remember the Golden Days of IMSA, where all our fellow brethren would gather up their computers have enjoy a compelling game of StarCraft. The game was played just for kicks but I thought it really offered B-Wing bonding time; and as bad as it may have seemed, discussing StarCraft over the dinner table was a lot of fun. Note: I

Qwerty Keyboard

2008-08-24T19:17:00.001-05:00