Why isn’t there more recognition for the potential of co-ops as a better form of economic system? Their goal is the well-being of their members (the communities they serve) instead of ever-increasing profit (even though they can be very profitable). Isn’t that a more rational goal? I keep reading about many examples of well-operated coops, which outperform traditional business structures (though I imagi ... continue reading

Digital preservation must receive ongoing care from a person or people. The author of this post,  Roy Tennant, proposes a neat idea: a commitment marketplace. Although there is probably a unique requirement for this in long-term digital preservation, I could imagine it being useful in other scenarios. The Only Preservation Strategy is Commitment – The Digital Shift ... continue reading

Bad, commercial “research” journals that accept hoaxes and would publish things as though it was solid science. Blinded by scientific gobbledygook ... continue reading

#Psilocybin (and related #entheogens) are getting increasingly recognized for their value to self-understanding as well as their medical safety. The end of this article includes the quote: “At the hospital they gave me Xanax for anxiety,” he said. “Xanax doesn’t get rid of your anxiety. Xanax tells you not to feel it for awhile until it stops working and you take the next pill. The beauty of ... continue reading

How strange that seeds must be released under a license the allows freedom. This is the natural position. It’s only because our weird society has allowed perverse practices to occur (companies engineering seeds for distribution under restrictive licenses) that we need open source seeds. In any case, I’m glad to see people counter-acting restrictive seed licensing through open source techniques! Plant ... continue reading

It’s Charlie Chaplin’s birthday. Here are some links to see his great work! http://www.openculture.com/2011/12/free_charlie_chaplin_films_on_the_web.html The Kid : Charlie Chaplin : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive ... continue reading

This brings out the horror of solitary confinement. The author, Lisa Guenther, pulls in phenomenology explaining how “Meaning… emerges through an ever-changing relation between the act of thinking and the objects of thought.” and then she makes everything more poignant, using Heidegger and examples of prisoners to show how solitary confinement annihilates you. Why solitary confinement degrades us ... continue reading

Some old philosophical questions in demonstration. This article also describes a few behavioral things that are quite clear and yet I bet they’re really easy to never consider. Raising a Moral Child ... continue reading

Yesterday’s drugs are tomorrow’s medicines –“ Benjamin Breen –“ Aeon ... continue reading

The Mental Life of Plants and Worms, Among Others by Oliver Sacks ... continue reading

Une exposition sur les «sons» de la Première Guerre mondiale ... continue reading

Essay from Caspar Henderson stands out for some great appreciation on wonder. It reminded me of a good friend that once, in our early 20s, told me he was afraid of losing his sense of wonder. I made it a point after that always remember that comment. It’s important. Wondering About Wonder ... continue reading