Archive for the 'Ruminations' Category
Atheism, Liberals, Monogamists…oh my!
So, it appears that a study has been performed by Satoshi Kanazawa, an evolutionary psychologist at the London School of Economics and Political Science, that states that “statistically significantly more likely to exhibit social values and religious and political preferences that are novel to the human species in evolutionary history”. Basically, people who veer away from evolutionary/social norms is more likely to be a more intelligent person.
People who always fall back on God as an answer to everything will not seek out an answer to the problem. Kanazawa stated that “humans are evolutionarily designed to be paranoid, and they believe in God because they are paranoid.” Teenagers ratioed 103/97 in IQ scores for no God/God believers.
Past social norms was to worry about one’s self and family first, but a lot more people now have been leaning towards helping others. The latter has shown to have a higher ratio of IQ scores as well…106/95 to be exact.
And men used to have multiple mates, although women generally kept the same mate. So, men who now keep just one mate have shown higher intellect.
So, according to this report, if you are a monogamous, liberal, atheist male, you should be brilliant! Well, I guess I’m getting there…
Retrieved from -Science Daily-
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More fun with tilt-shift photography
…this time in timelapse photography at a Monster Truck rally. I haven’t been to one of those in a long time, and this really makes me want to go!
Metal Heart from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.
Retrieved from -OhGizmo!-
No commentsAn incredible invention made under such duress
…could normally only mean failure, but for Curt Herzstark, it was an engineering masterpiece.
The story goes that Curt had begun designing his portable calculator before World War II started. He was captured and then placed in a concentration camp where to keep his mind occupied, he started back working on his invention. The Nazis found out what he was creating and decided to keep him alive so that he could complete his work. His calculator would be a gift to Hitler when the war was over. Well, we all know how that went, so instead, when Curt was released, he finished developing the calculator and manufactured it until the 1970s.
If you are bored, someone has even created a simulator of this engineering marvel.
No commentsWe’ve all heard of man-bags, now introducing the ultimate man-purse
…straight from e-Volve to the gunless wannabe cops.
How often have you as a guy found yourself wanting to not have that phone in your pocket or hanging on your belt clip because it’s in your way? Or needed to have that pen and paper waiting right beside you so you could jot down the phone number of that girl you just met at the bar. That’s right, she couldn’t take her eyes off of you because of that huge, discreetly hidden holster by your side. She thought you were possibly an undercover cop, you know, since women can’t resist a man in uniform. But wait, then she realized that holster actually held a pen and paper….and your phone. Crap, too late to take back the number she just read off to you. Now she’ll just spend the next week trying to avoid any unknown phone calls…but at least you with your phone holster will be able to pick up the next girl in the meantime!
Product Info -eVolve-
Retrieved from -Engadget-
Do you remember all the fuss made over pencils used on ScanTron tests
…well, maybe the true reason isn’t that the machine won’t recognize the pencil lead, but that it could cause a catastrophic explosion as seen in XKCD‘s comic.
Everytime I took a ScanTron test, the teachers harped incessantly about using a #2 pencil. I mean, what would happen if you didn’t? You would fail if you didn’t have one because the reader couldn’t see the graphite? The paper would disintegrate due to the sheer amounts of pressure applied under a harder lead? The tectonic plates would shift causing the big earthquake that’s due any day in Charleston? The world economy would collapse? Oh wait, that last one is in the process…Anyway, quite a funny take on the subject in the comic.
Retrieved from -XKCD-
No commentsThe best food utensil for small kids
…at least for construction professionals.
Over at “I Want One of Those“, they have an eating untensil set for chidren 3+ years old. And being that I deal with construction workers (I am a designer people, not a constructer), these have to be some of the most awesome ones around. The set has three pieces…a crane fork, a front end loader spoon and then my absolute favorite, a bulldozer utensil to push food around (like getting that last bit off the plate).
Not the easiest price to digest at about $25, but still cool.
Product Info -I Want One of Those-
Retrieved from -Coolest Gadgets-
Hardcore baby workout
…or hardcore video editing?
I have the toughest time believing this can really not be fake. But if it is, it is the best ragdoll physics I have ever seen on a video. If it isn’t fake, dang, how did that not rip the arms out of that baby’s sockets? Holy crap. Like I said, I have a tough time believing it, and it’s hard to dupe me.
1 commentNow this truly is a world record gutbuster if you ask me
…because if I didn’t win tons o’ cash eating 20.2lbs of hamburger, I had better have a heart attack before the embarrassment hits.
Brad Sciullo, 21, of Pennsylvania conquered the “Beer Bareel Belly Bruiser” at Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub. This massive hamburger included 15 pounds of meat, and about 7.2 pounds of toppings and bug, and was devoured in only 4 hours and 39 minutes. All in all, he won $400, a certificate of accomplishment and commemorative T-shirts. Personally, I think he deserved more, but hey, it was his call. I wonder how fast the great Takeru Kobayashi could have done it in?
What I really would have liked to see is how his stomach looked AFTER he finished. Man, you had to be able to see that.
Retrieved from -G4 TV-
No commentsEnjoy this comic from Commissioned Comic
Speaking of not imagining putting two things together
…this looks somewhat tasty, yet very disgusting at the same time.
My wife and I visited the new “Just Fresh” restaurant last night and I had to indulge in a burger. It’s been awhile since I had a burger, so I had to try one of their combination burgers…pimiento cheese and burger. Dang, that had to be one good burger!
Now, the folks at G4 dared people to make the burger shown above so aptly named “The Fatty Melt”. This heart attack causing monstrosity is basically a burger surrounded by two grilled cheese sandwiches. Yum!
Retrieved from -G4TV-
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