Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Jesus, À la Carte

  Is that Jesus looking into a mirror? A recent study shows that Christian conservatives and liberals reflect themselves upon the image of Jesus, and it's not an ordinary mirror.
Below is an excerpt from their Abstract:
The present study explores the dramatic projection of one's own views onto those of Jesus among conservative and liberal American Christians. In a large-scale survey, the relevant views that each group attributed to a contemporary Jesus differed almost as much as their own views. Despite such dissonance-reducing projection, however, conservatives acknowledged the relevant discrepancy with regard to "fellowship" issues (e.g., taxation to reduce economic inequality and treatment of immigrants) and liberals acknowledged the relevant discrepancy with regard to "morality" issues (e.g., abortion and gay marriage). However, conservatives also claimed that a contemporary Jesus would be even more conservative than themselves on the former issues whereas liberals claimed that Jesus would be even more liberal than themselves on the latter issues. Further reducing potential dissonance, liberal and conservative Christians differed markedly in the types of issues they claimed to be more central to their faith. A concluding discussion considers the relationship between individual motivational processes and more social processes that may underlie the present findings, as well as implications for contemporary social and political conflict.
And from Science's Editor's Choice:
Conservatives rated Jesus as being more in favor of higher taxes on the wealthy and more opposed to gay marriage than they themselves were, with an opposite pattern for liberals. By placing more weight on issues on which they projected Jesus as being more extreme than themselves, individuals on both sides of the spectrum were able to reduce dissonance, which might be better characterized as social rather than cognitive, owing to the collective nature of religion.
Those posturing with rock solid religious beliefs never seem to be bothered with inconsistencies between their own views and that of their religion. Based upon such a study, this could be because they pick and choose whatever fits best. Jesus, à la carte.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Ben Kweller - Go Fly A Kite (2012) [MP3]

Ben Kweller – Go Fly A Kite (2012) [MP3]

Tracklist:
01. Mean to Me
02. Out the Door
03. Jealous Girl
04. Gossip
05. Free
06. Full Circle
07. The Rainbow
08. Justify Me
09. Time Will Save The Day
10. I Miss You
11. You Can Count On Me

I think everyone should get the chance to listen to this great album;)


Friday, February 24, 2012

Camaro SS going Euro

Chevrolet 's hot-selling Camaro SS is now bound for Europe, complete with a handful of changes that have made some Americans a bit jealous of what the global Camaro is getting that they will not.

For starters, the European Camaro SS will sport new, LED taillamps that give the car a very distinct and premium look. The folks at Carscoop reached out to GM to ask them if said taillamps, among other changes, would migrate back to the Camaro's homeland, but the answer wasn't good: it was "no."

Chevrolet 's PR representative apparently told the Euro car site that the changes were made largely for European market compliance, and that there were no plans to bring the changes back to the States. The rep also coughed up a list outlining the specific changes between the American-market Camaro and the European cars:

All models will be SS trim, meaning 6.2-liter V8 engines only *All models come with leather standard *All models come with Euro beam HID headlamps with auto-levelers and washers *LED rear lamps *Up-sized folding exterior mirrors with built-in turn signals *Front and rear tow hooks *Unique emissions calibrations *Re-tuned suspension on the convertible *Market-specific speedometer *Unique license plate brackets

In the United Kingdom the coupe will start from £34,995, while the drop-top will begin at £39,995. There will also be a limited run 45th anniversary edition (as there was in the U.S.), with a unique Carbon Flash Black paint job with bespoke red and silver anniversary stripes, dark silver 20-inch alloys, unique 45th anniversary leather interior with red, white and blue stitching and a one-off white-backed instrument panel. That model will be priced from £36,495 for the coupe or £41,495 for the convertible.

The Chevrolet Camaro is set to hit European dealer lots in "late Spring."

Can Better Graphical Representation Of Data Help Beer?

Can Better Graphical Representation Of Data Help Beer?:



OK, one is about beer and one is an alien attack... but which is which?

Boak and Bailey got me thinking with this graphical representation of data. In this case it was a five point illustration of a variety of imperial stouts. You will immediately see a most interesting point being asserted. Tsar Top and Sam Smith have beers that overlap less than 50% in this diagram. Yet both are suggested and likely marketed to be of a kind. So, either the graph is miscalibrated or, more likely, kind and class are fools' errands when considering continuums like good beer, so much of which can now be considered of that one "international style."

Graphs are great. So much more useful that words. Ethan referenced the Beeriodic Table, dubbed by Martyn as fatally flawed. Even so, it is a useful analogy and one that conveys the seriousness and authority of chemistry even if good beer has no such scientific solidity. There must be different diagrams, however, that are more familiar to us that better represent the themes, interconnections and wandering ways of the results of brewers' work. The most obvious that comes to my mind is the famous London Underground map. The ordered, stylized, schematic diagram of Harry Beck's, first dating from 1933, replacing something more realistically organic. With its maze of interconnections, the expanding reach of the system out into new territories overtime as well as the familial patterns expressed in colour and location it is a great model upon which the full expression of all good beer could be overlaid.

Now, just if I could find the time to do it...

Friday, February 17, 2012

Curren$y - Muscle Car Chronicles


 This is my overview of the album, I think he tried a little to hard to bring a little rock in the concept of the whole album meanwhile the same nice original jazz influenced beats are almost cut out in the background. It is different then all his albums no doubt and I like that. Here is a comparison.. it is not like Carter 2 or 3 then all of a sudden to Rebirth american star bullshit. I actually like the whole album in its entirety it comes together very nicely and hey can it be that bad? It is Curren$y.

-Tim Dickson

Muscle Car Chronicles is the seventh studio album by American rapper Curren$y. It is produced by Sean O'Connell and contains features of Mikey Rocksof The Cool Kids and Tabi Bonney. A movie for this album has been produced. It is going to be released along with the album. It is Curren$y's final album released through DD172 and Def Jam; he is now signed to Warner Bros. Muscle Car Chronicles was released on February 14, 2012.*

1. "Soundbombin'"   1:28 2. "N.O. Shit"   1:39 3. "Frosty"   2:01 4. "Razors & Chopsticks"   1:53 5. "Not So Much"   1:47 6. "Fly Out (Part Deux)"   3:10 7. "Bout It 2011"   2:56 8. "The Strangest Life"   1:25 9. "Fly Out (Part Tres)" (featuring Sir Michael Rocks and Tabi Bonney) 3:04

Monday, February 6, 2012