Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Spain – The New Greece (and we’re next)
Spanish trade unions are holding a general strike across the country today to protest new labor reforms, and by all accounts it has been a largely peaceful protest. While for the most part conditions on the ground are relatively normal, photos from Madrid, Barcelona, and Pamplona indicated that some young protestors are escalating the angst,…
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Starbucks’ Bugs … Ya, Bugs!
Bet’cha didn’t know: Starbucks is getting backlash from the vegan community after changing how it colors its Strawberry Frappuccino, reports Bruce Horovitz at USA Today. It’s using ground up cochineal beetles. Gross, right? Perhaps, but the type of food coloring is government-approved and widely used throughout the food industry. via Business Insider. To see a…
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Kuryente: Ya, I Never Heard of it Either
One Tagalog word for which no exact translation in English exists is “kuryente.” It literally means “electric current,” but the word can be applied to the practice of spreading sensational but faked news in order to produce a media jolt. One newspaper translates “kuryente” as “a bum steer”; others have rendered it as “actually but…
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Trayvon Martin’ death vs. 16 Others… Every Day
A lot of energy is being focused on the death of Trayvon Martin as a sign of racism in our society. Yet I find myself deeply troubled by the very selective upset of civil rights leaders. In 2010, 6470 blacks were murdered in the United States, more than 17 per day. Examining the single offender/victim…
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Meat Glue
Anyone ever heard of this? [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXXrB3rz-xU] Thoroughly disgusting.
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Tea Party = Peace
The Senate was about to pass a bi-partisan bill imposing tough sanctions on Iran through “unanimous consent” – that means no floor debate or discussion. But Rand Paul, Kentucky’s ‘Tea Party’ senator, objected, which immediately prevents the easy passage. According to a notice from his office, Paul wants insert an amendment, “that would ensure that…
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Countries Move to Isolate the U.S.
Are other countries planning for a U.S. demise? “I was in Australia earlier this month and there, as elsewhere on my recent travels, the consensus among the politicians I met (at least in private) was that Washington lacked the will for meaningful course correction, and that, therefore, the trick was to ensure that, when the…
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Black Male Code – Good for Whites Too!
AP writer Jesse Washington recently wrote about having to tell his 12 y/o son about the Black Male Code as a result of the Trayvon Martin fiasco. As I explained it, the Code goes like this: Always pay close attention to your surroundings, son, especially if you are in an affluent neighborhood where black folks…
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U2’s Bono on Band’s Tax Dodging
U2 singer Bono is known for his antipoverty activism, which includes calls on most world governments to spend more on foreign aid. Yet when it comes to the finances of Bono’s own company, he’s apparently a bit more of a Scrooge. Moreover, he’s loath to admit it, as an interview with author Jason Mattera caught…
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Chicago Man, 80, Charged After Shooting Burglar
Neighbors say they’re “outraged” that an 80-year-old owner of a local tavern has been charged after shooting a burglar who broke into his home in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side. “What does it say to me and other senior citizens that we will be arrested if we defend ourselves?” asked Anita Dominique, head…
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