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Just as Mitt Romney appears to be wrapping up the Republican nomination for the presidency, congressional Republicans are taking steps to set up their own political framework for the 2012 […]
Plenty of websites help you hook up but why are there so few for people who need to move past their ex? Here are some digital ways to keep you from going crazy over your past love.
Becoming a digital pirate must be the least profitable theft crime ever. Using your technical know-how, not to mention buying and setting up servers to not sell anything. Why do people do it?
The New York Giants won the Super Bowl and now they will get their parade down New York City’s Canyon of Heroes. And yet, according to Paul Rieckhoff, there’s another parade […]
It is commonplace to talk about the democratizing effects of social media but how exactly did Twitter enable the Arab Spring revolutions? Was it a one-time event or will it happen again?
Facebook’s IPO has innovation and entrepreneurship in the news. And the face of Facebook is Mark Zuckerberg. The 27-year old Zuckerberg reinforces the image that many, if not most people, […]
According to an article in today’s Irish Examiner, Martin Callinan the Garda Commissioner of Ireland aims to wipe out online bullying with a new safety campaign. A survey conducted by […]
Internet searches offer quick answers to easy questions or narrative responses to more complex ones. But Wolfram Alpha is about to emphasize the importance of processed data.
Facebook is seeking to raise $5 billion in cash by becoming a publicly traded company. But that money would not exist without your personal data. So do you deserve a cut?
My pals over at Bleeding Heart Libertarians are having an interesting conversation about the best justificatory foundation for their brand of classical liberalism. Kevin Vallier argues, correctly in my view, […]
What drives an artist to destroy something they spent their time and energy on to create? Hatred? Self-disgust? Embarassment? Fear of how it might be interpreted or misinterpreted? German artist […]
Welcome to Action In Action, a new column on Big Think that seeks to investigate and clarify the underlying structural causes of America’s economic, political, and social problems. Some background on […]
Jason Silva says he is trying to share his techno-optimistic views in ways that inspire people with awe and wonder, and spark conversation within the greater “marketplace of ideas”.
It’s easy to see why we’re stuck in such a cynical rut these days. However, a new book argues the accelerating rate of technological change will “put an end to what ails us” within 25 years with “noticeable change possible within the next decade.”
While the US will likely rebound from its current economic crisis, we will cease to rule the world. This century calls for a cleverer brand of American engagement abroad, not denial.
Russia, China and even Germany invest a lot of state money into particular companies to help them succeed. That sort of favoritism does not play well in the States, but should it?
There were a lot of thoughtful comments on my observations last week about the ethics of denying that climate change is real. Many felt that I was arrogant, since […]
The utopia of instant, effortless DIY success for writers remains a pipe dream. Still, digital distribution and online networking are calling into question the established paths to artistic fame and fortune. Into this vacuum steps Storiad, an intriguing new approach to empowering writers and connecting them with the right buyers for their work.
Once in a great while, I write something that’s too long to fit comfortably in a blog post. This week one of those pieces, an essay on the notorious and […]
Move over, David Beckham, Matthew Broderick, Jerry Seinfeld and Donald Trump. The Super Bowl commercial that caught our attention was a Best Buy spot called “Phone Innovators” featuring none other than […]
By 2030, the world’s population will require 50 percent more food, 45 percent more energy and 30 percent more water. We need sustainable development not in spite of the crisis but because of it.
I have always thought that the fable that best describes the modern world is that of the Emperor’s New Clothes. You know the one in which the ruler struts around […]
The Chinese have been vocal about using their vast currency reserves to give financial supported to an indebted Europe. Their aim is to protect their own commercial interests.
The young revolutionaries who inspired and organized political protests during the Arab Spring took a backseat to Islamic political parties in the ensuing elections. Is that a bad thing?
Like doctors, artists should obey one rule above all, “To do no harm.” When you’re Christo and you specialize in “environmental art,” that rule takes on an even greater importance. […]
I’m distorting, of course, the lengendary admonition of the evil Dean Wormer to the (seemingly) fat loser Delta pledge Flounder in the classic film Animal House. I had to add “smoking” […]
The human brain’s ability to recall the past, plan for the future, reason abstractly and navigate complex social relationships makes it far superior to other species’. But how did that happen?
As I’ve often mentioned, religion has a set of cognitive tricks – unconscious ideas, prejudices and habits of thought it tries to instill in believers – which shield their minds […]
I have been wondering all week what to write about the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s move against Planned Parenthood, but Linda Burger, a 56-year-old breast cancer survivor who resides in Las […]