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ikonick's Comments
Re: A Libertarian Gallop Through US History
Unlike the media, academia attempts to police itself. While some scholars may write off the way papers or even follow mainstream trends, legitimacy in academia requires publication in peer reviewed journals meaning those with other viewpoints also look at and analyze the merit of the piece. No, no writing is without bias but unlike the news academia usually weeds out the off the wall stories and ideas. The greatest threat to academia today though is the internet. On the internet all viewpoints seem to be given equal relevance and validity. Anyone can put anything up online; Wikipedia is a great example of such a happening. It’s becoming harder and harder to find legitimate online sources of both media and scholarship. Even the media is having trouble, hence the Iran Twitter reporting by the major news networks. So should we trust this lecturer’s fact...not off had but they can inspire us to research and see for ourselves what he’s talking about. However it may prove difficult to navigate the internet to discern fact from fiction. Just a thought.
By: ikonick
Re: Sex in Japan
I think the interesting point here is that while Pornography and the naked body is generally accepted in Japan most Japanese don't have a lot of sex. Partially because of the drive for success in business school and other things. While it is true that the Japanese may have sex at a young age they are less like to have sex as much as westerners do. Yes you can get all you want in Tokyo but not everyone lives there. I enjoyed the BBC series Japanarama's take on Sex in Japan.
By: ikonick
Re: Edward Current: Godless Scientists Are Ignorant!
"Religion is as true now as before us Christians even discovered the United States."
Best quote ever :P
Best quote ever :P
By: ikonick
Re: Japanese Biwa Player
Fantastic! These snippets of Japanese culture are enjoyable and educational.
Here's to more Real Japanese Culture.
Here's to more Real Japanese Culture.
By: ikonick
Re: World's Worst Dating Videos - Randy
Well I hope that he found someone. It's a strange idea to go on a Dating video thing to try and win back your ex. Almost sounds like an episode of some sitcom. Of course in the sitcom his tape would be charming but not succeed in getting him Janet but some other girl who would stick around for a couple of episodes before she left him for the same reason Janet did.
However this was very fun all though careful about the three fourths of the way through it scared my coworkers when he started yelling.
However this was very fun all though careful about the three fourths of the way through it scared my coworkers when he started yelling.
By: ikonick
Re: Modern Day Slavery: Racism in the Drug War
I'm not sure the war on drugs is really working the way it should.
Obviously we're arresting drug dealers, traffickers, and even users which as the video points out are filling up our prisons
However this does not seem to be solving the problem.
NPR had radio program last week talking about the drug trade in America and the gun trade in Mexico and their connection. While the points were interesting the general message was that some how the Gun Trade in Mexico was the fault of America and our Drug Addiction. In someways I would agree.
The problem isn't that Columbia is growing cocaine. It's that we keep on buying it despite the efforts of War on Drugs.
Perhaps if the consequences were more severe for the user this could be solved. I would argue that it should be just as severe for all not just the lower class. There shouldn't be a go to rehab for a week clause for celebrities or white people it should be equal consequences for all.
So if we want to stop the drug trade we need to do it here in our country. As demand is reduced so to will the trade.
Just thoughts
Obviously we're arresting drug dealers, traffickers, and even users which as the video points out are filling up our prisons
However this does not seem to be solving the problem.
NPR had radio program last week talking about the drug trade in America and the gun trade in Mexico and their connection. While the points were interesting the general message was that some how the Gun Trade in Mexico was the fault of America and our Drug Addiction. In someways I would agree.
The problem isn't that Columbia is growing cocaine. It's that we keep on buying it despite the efforts of War on Drugs.
Perhaps if the consequences were more severe for the user this could be solved. I would argue that it should be just as severe for all not just the lower class. There shouldn't be a go to rehab for a week clause for celebrities or white people it should be equal consequences for all.
So if we want to stop the drug trade we need to do it here in our country. As demand is reduced so to will the trade.
Just thoughts
By: ikonick
Re: Creationist Quote Mine Collapse
I enjoyed this discussion however I do disagree on the point of Authority. Science does rely on authority. Once of the hosts even mentioned that scientific journals have a criteria to be published. Now while this does vary from publisher to publisher there are general guidelines which establish who can be published and who cannot. Authority in the scientific community is bestowed via study both in university and independently. Greater authority is then ascribed as the community chooses to accept or reject the work of the scholar. In some cases the work is embraced by the larger community as a whole as is the case of Darwins work in other cases it is rejected by the majority of the community(see hollow earth theory). This democratic giving of authority to a work is what gives science it relevance. It is true that not all scientist accept the same levels of authority however there are works in the scientific community that are authoritarian and just as the religiously devout may call a leaders words authoritarian many scientist consider the words of Steven Hawking, Albert Einstien, and others to be authoritarian in the realms of physics. However this does not mean that these scientist consider all words spoken by Einstien to be canonical but they do accept that when speaking in the realm of his authority that his words and thoughts hold greater weight than that of a laymen to science.
So in summation of the thought Authority does exist in Science it is produced by democratically giving it to those whose works suitably impress the scientific community.
However isn't this how all authority is given to ideas and the men behind them. Indeed authority rests with the masses even though at time they choose not to recognize that.
So in summation of the thought Authority does exist in Science it is produced by democratically giving it to those whose works suitably impress the scientific community.
However isn't this how all authority is given to ideas and the men behind them. Indeed authority rests with the masses even though at time they choose not to recognize that.
By: ikonick
Re: Glass Trombone.
You know this is great because you can see your spit once it's inside of the trombone.
By: ikonick
Re: "Green" Stadium named ExxonMobil Ballpark?
Exxon may produce the oil and the gas but it is we who use it. We cannot blame big oil for our own overuse of petrochemicals. They will keep on drilling until we stop buying. So the question becomes who is producing the worlds Carbon emissions and what are they going to do about it.
We need to take responsibility for our own consumption it is the only way to reduce the production.
We need to take responsibility for our own consumption it is the only way to reduce the production.
By: ikonick
Re: The Compressed Air Engine and Air Car
This is an excellent gasoline replacement option as gas station everywhere already have air compressors.
Now if we can find a technology that can produce the long ranges without using petrol.
Now if we can find a technology that can produce the long ranges without using petrol.
By: ikonick
Re: Vertical Algae biofuel Growing
This has potential as Algae is very plentiful.
Still though 1/10 of New Mexico 12,166.5 square miles for the United States Alone that's about the size of Massachusetts and Rhode Island Combine.
We need to reduce our consumption of energy
Still though 1/10 of New Mexico 12,166.5 square miles for the United States Alone that's about the size of Massachusetts and Rhode Island Combine.
We need to reduce our consumption of energy
By: ikonick
Re: Neverending Story: The Lost Music Video
Wow...
I'm not sure what to say but obviously this leans heavily on the David Bowey School of Fantasy Costumes.
Work must have really really sucked that day if this was the only way to escape.
I'm not sure what to say but obviously this leans heavily on the David Bowey School of Fantasy Costumes.
Work must have really really sucked that day if this was the only way to escape.
By: ikonick
Re: Electric Powered VW Beetle
It is a valid question. Why aren't we driving on sunlight or using electric cars?
In some cases the electric car would be perfect for short commutes to work but many people live over 20 miles from their work as they seek to escape the urban sprawl and live in the suburbs. In this case I would comment that we need better mass transit systems that potentially could be electrically powered(In fact at one time were if you remember cable cars).
In general though the answer is to reduce the amount of energy we consume.
The World population uses approximately 500 Exajoules (= 5 x 10 to the 20th Joules) of energy in a year(2005 Statistics(Wikipedia) World energy resources and consumption)That is a huge number that I cannot even comprehend.
This represents 0.02% of the amount of Solar energy that falls earth each year. So yes it is possible to collect that much energy from the Sun. However this would require that 0.02% of the Earths surface be converted for collecting energy from the sun.
The Earths surface is 510,065,600 square kilometers times that by 0.02 and you get 10,201,312 square kilometers. That is slightly larger than the Area of the United States of America 9,629,091 Square Kilometers.
So it is possible to collect sufficient energy for the needs of the world. However the price is very steep, landwise and a logistical nightmare.
In short we need to reduce the amount of energy we as a world are using. This way we can use renewable energy sources as opposed to carbon emitting fuels.
However there is no way to change the world all at once we must do it one by one. Reduce the energy you're using and encourage others to do the same consumer ended environmental movements are the only effective way to decrease the demand for energy.
(I realize the math may be bad. Numbers and Sources from Wikipedia.)
In some cases the electric car would be perfect for short commutes to work but many people live over 20 miles from their work as they seek to escape the urban sprawl and live in the suburbs. In this case I would comment that we need better mass transit systems that potentially could be electrically powered(In fact at one time were if you remember cable cars).
In general though the answer is to reduce the amount of energy we consume.
The World population uses approximately 500 Exajoules (= 5 x 10 to the 20th Joules) of energy in a year(2005 Statistics(Wikipedia) World energy resources and consumption)That is a huge number that I cannot even comprehend.
This represents 0.02% of the amount of Solar energy that falls earth each year. So yes it is possible to collect that much energy from the Sun. However this would require that 0.02% of the Earths surface be converted for collecting energy from the sun.
The Earths surface is 510,065,600 square kilometers times that by 0.02 and you get 10,201,312 square kilometers. That is slightly larger than the Area of the United States of America 9,629,091 Square Kilometers.
So it is possible to collect sufficient energy for the needs of the world. However the price is very steep, landwise and a logistical nightmare.
In short we need to reduce the amount of energy we as a world are using. This way we can use renewable energy sources as opposed to carbon emitting fuels.
However there is no way to change the world all at once we must do it one by one. Reduce the energy you're using and encourage others to do the same consumer ended environmental movements are the only effective way to decrease the demand for energy.
(I realize the math may be bad. Numbers and Sources from Wikipedia.)
By: ikonick
