therandomtexan
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Cyberfacism Bulletin, See you in September Edition
Everything within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state –Benito Mussolini Whether the State seizes Industry, or Industry seizes the State, the result is the same: fascism. –The Random Texan Big Gov Big Money Big Media Big Media meets Big Brother Big Ed Big Energy The Counter-Revolution Read more
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An Etiology of Cursing
Karen Swallow Prior has some interesting thoughts in The Real Problem with 4-Letter Words. She has one interesting warning Research has also shown that swearing can actually lessen physical pain, which is why it can be so easily triggered involuntarily by sudden pain or fear. Yet overusing taboo words diminishes that effect. In other words, Read more
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Science Continues to be Unsettled
Local geology doesn’t yield such a sight, so Frank went back a few weeks later and crawled inside. It was a single shaft, about 15 feet long; at its end, while on his back, he found what looked like claw marks all over the ceiling. Unable to identify any natural geological explanation for the cave’s… Read more
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Disaster Prevention Parks
Over 50 public parks in Tokyo have cleverly-designed amenities that can be quickly converted into kitchens, shelters, and toilet facilities in the event of a widespread disaster. Read more
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The Anti-Frequentist Baby
It’s possible to educate Bayesian statisticians from infancy. Eric-Jan Wagenmakers, of JASP fame, shows us how with his new book, Bayesian Thinking for Toddlers. Read more
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Take a look at Atkinson Hyperlegible
Enter the Braille Institute’s contribution, the Atkinson Hyperlegible computer font, especially designed for those of us with blurry vision. Follow the link to download your free copy, ready to install on a Mac or Windows PC. I gave it a spin yesterday with Microsoft Word, and it works like a charm, much more readable than… Read more
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Name your poison, pardner
So I was glancing at the American Council on Science and Health article The Environmental Defense Fund’s Silly Food Chemical Claim, and came across an unfamiliar term, the threshold of toxicological concern (TTC). A bit of link-chasing landed me in the midst of a delightfully geeky set of toxicology tutorials at the ChemSafetyPro website. Probably Read more
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They’re not prisons, they’re bunkers
Writing in arch daily, Ann Sussman and Katie Chen explain why 20th century architecture is so ghastly. Synopsis: the “greats” of 20th century architecture were perceptually and socially impaired. We live in a world designed by whackos. Tip from the Wrath of Gnon. Read more
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Good news for windmill operators
Good news from a long-term experiment in Norway: painting a single blade of a power-generating windmill may reduce fatal birdstrikes by as much as 70%. This is certainly an experiment that bears replication, especially at facilities that (1) keep careful records of birdstrikes and (2) care enough to make the effort. It’s pretty sad that Read more
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This guy is a total failure at being a jerk
Hey, Kid! Whadda doin’, playin’ in my driveway? Huh? Read more
The Random Texan 