Spin the Wheel My Blog is organized by time, my webzine, “Reconnaissance” is organized by category, and this page is a fun-sized snack-pack of delicious, crunchy random posts. Every time you reload the page (Hit F5) you’ll be served six random posts. A feature, not a bugI have a theory that the reason that many different neurological types maintain consistent percentages per capita year after year is that somehow it’s useful for constructing human communities. As an incomplete example, I’m talking about: High functioning sociopaths (cold-hearted leader/organizer types) 4% Bipolar disorder (frequently leaders or very creative) ~2.6% Autism Spectrum (technological and scientific innovation) […] To Be and to HaveHe has Parkinson’s She has epilepsy He’s schizophrenic She’s autistic No, it’s not the setup for this year’s wackiest RomCom. It seems one might possess Parkinson’s like a teacup chihuahua or a classic mustang whereas autism is who you are. You could make the case that autism or schizophrenia dramatically shape your personality in a […] Neophobia & NeophiliaMean exactly what they sound like: Fear of the new and Love of the new. They aren’t cute made-up words, they are technical terms from biology. Animal ethologists (they study behavior) coined them because they needed to describe a common trait variation. Within a species, there are individuals who exhibit an openness to novelty. They […] Telescope Time“[We] cannot find out the use of steam engines, until comes steam-engine-time. ” Charles Fort Charles Fort was an extraordinary thinker and a witty if challenging writer. Born into the heart of the steam-driven industrial revolution, He was nonplussed to learn about the Aeolipile, an ancient Roman steam engine. It was a very simple device […] Living on the Edge“The Brain tunes itself to criticality, maximizing information processing” Our brains are clearly amazing at processing the “blooming, buzzing1” world around us. A recent experiment supports the theory that when neurons work together they actively cooperate to achieve their maximum processing capacity. They seek the urgent, intense edge of their ability. Picture them as the […] The Donald’s Dictionary(With acknowledgments to Ambrose Bierce and his Devil’s Dictionary) America: “When you’re a star they let you do it, you can do anything.” Believe me: Subliminal command Chaos: The old Razzle-dazzle. Octopus ink for the suckers. Democracy: This time it’s personal Everybody: Fuck them. Fuck: Everybody. God: A really terrific guy, one of my earliest […]
