24
November
2009
Being “on the same wavelength” has just gone from a dated cliché to the cutting edge of brain science. For the first time, neuroscientists have identified specific energy waves emitted during thought processing, as well as a “switch” that lets brains select which waves to focus on and which to filter out. Think of it like a biological radio tuner to which others can be attuned. So can (and should) the world be put on the same wavelength?
oneworldmanypeaces 
Culture, Critical Theory, Current Events, Peace, Science 
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5
November
2009
When an insect only seven people have ever seen goes extinct in a place you need a government grant to get to, more than just environmentalists feel a part of our world has gone forever. Understandably so. But what about when a language once used by thousands is down to its last speaker, and the universe of relations and ideas that language conveys will not survive them? Who protests, who runs worldwide campaigns or passes legislation against hazardous, toxic notions like “official languages” and “world languages” that creep onto and kill ways of understanding what it means to be human? A group of fifty linguists meeting at the first-ever Endangered Languages Information and Infrastructure Workshop, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, realize the tragedy but aren’t superheroes…
oneworldmanypeaces Culture, Critical Theory, Current Events, History, International, Middle East, Asia, Environment, Europe, Africa, Multilingualism, Science, U.S., Americas 2 Comments » |
3
November
2009
“Loss” is a word commonly heard when someone dies, as in “a loss to us” or “the world’s loss.” But what about what we and the world have gained because someone has lived? This may be the more inspiring and pragmatic question to ask of everyone, but especially in noting the passing of two of the great 20th century intellectuals today as centenarians: Claude Levis-Strauss at 100, the French anthropologist and a founder of the widely influential structuralist school of critical analysis; and Ayala at 103, the paradigmatic anti-fascists sociologist and novelist. The following is less of a tribute than a well-deserved acknowledgment…
oneworldmanypeaces Culture, Critical Theory, Current Events, History, International, Art, Books, Europe, Science, Americas Comments (0) » |
30
October
2009
Improving your social life and gaining immunity from Swine Flu at the same time? This sounds too good to be true because it is, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the CM (common sense). Believe it or not, people around the U.S. have been hosting– and attending– what the CDC calls “Swine Flu Parties.” A CDC document I received from the human resources department at a college where I teach this week had, mixed in with a lot of scare tactics and practical information, the following strange passage that Halloween party and zombie movie aficionados should keep in mind…
oneworldmanypeaces Culture, Critical Theory, Current Events, Science, U.S., Americas Comments (0) » |
29
September
2009
Warning: the following is not for the weak at heart or those easily excitable by all things military. Chinese annual military expenditures have increased 230% since 1998 (guess how this compares to the U.S.), among other freaky facts about national military expenditures around the world…
oneworldmanypeaces Culture, Business, Current Events, Economics, International, Peace, War, Asia, Europe, Africa, Science, U.S., Web/Tech, Americas Comments (0) » |
6
August
2009
An email from Democratic National Committee Executive Director Jen O’Malley Dillon makes clear the imminent danger mobocracy in America presents to the burgeoning experiments in participatory democracy. The “five facts about the anti-reform mobs” she presents are shocking…
oneworldmanypeaces Business, Current Events, Economics, Obama, Politics, Law, Religion, Science, U.S. Comments (0) » |
2
July
2009
This is not science fiction: an ant megacolony originally from Argentina has spread (with human help) around the globe, making it the most widespread species on earth after ours. One evolutionary advantage they have over us is that they will not harm one of their own, no matter where they’re from…
oneworldmanypeaces Current Events, International, Peace, Environment, Science Comments (0) » |
25
June
2009
‘Green race’ must now be added to the notions of ’space race’ and ‘arms race’: global competition between nations and their associations for supremacy in environmentally sound technology. China, Japan and Korea will unite in a pledge to cooperate to become worldwide leaders in green tech next month, opening possibilities for other kinds of beneficial ‘races’ to come…
oneworldmanypeaces Culture, Business, Current Events, Economics, International, Peace, War, Asia, Environment, Europe, Science, U.S., Web/Tech Comments (0) » |
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