1. Here’s a blog post that makes a very good point about Google Glass: The key experiential question of Google Glass isn’t what it’s like to wear them, it’s what it’s like to be around someone else who’s wearing them. I’ll give an easy example. Your one-on-one conversation with someone wearing Google Glass is likely […]
Ethics
Posted inEthics
White History Month: Why Not a Totino’s Pizza* History Month?!?
For those who are still unconvinced by Ian Karmel’s argument that white people really don’t need a “white history month,” here’s ModPrimate who also makes an extremely valid case about this unnecessary month for honkies, and how “equality” still isn’t all that equal. *I was paid 25 cents to include the words “Totino’s Pizza” somewhere […]
Posted inEthics
A Golden Moment: How I Saved One Invasive Animal From Another
Chinese Golden Pheasant In Portland. First came the sound: the loud thumping of a soft body plummeting into hard glass. Then the sight: colorful plumage knocked silly by the cunning entrancement of the ersatz sky, that perfect illusion afforded by a window reflecting the sunlight in just the right way. “Holy Shit!” I yelled to […]
Posted inFood and Drink
Apparently the Words “Press Event” Mean Different Things to Different People
Food Dude over at Portland Food and Drink got his lobster bib in a knot over our Chris Onstad’s blog review of Quartet—posted soon after the restaurant’s press event dinner. Here’s the nut of Food Dude’s post titled, “Is It Fair for a Journalist to Review a Press Preview Dinner?” (Spoiler alert: Apparently IT IS […]
Posted inEthics
North Portland Gay Bar Cancels Drag Queen’s Black Face Act
So the Eagle, a gay bar in North Portland, booked comedian Shirley Q. Liquor—a drag queen who performs in black face. Comedians constantly push social mores and the less politically correct often the more famous the comedian. And as Dave Chappelle highlighted, when done right, poking at racial stereotypes can be hilarious. That was until […]
Posted inEthics
Would You Shut Down a Robot That Begged You for Mercy?
The New Inquiry brought this experiment to my attention. At the end of the game, whether the robot was smart or dumb, nice or mean, a scientist authority figure modeled on Milgram’s would make clear that the human needed to turn the cat robot off, and it was also made clear to them what the […]
Posted inEthics
The Big Question: Does Violence In Media Cause Violence In Real Life?
http://deadwildroses.wordpress.com [Alex periodically uses his BA in philosophy to help answer major ethical questions. That’s how smart he is, he doesn’t need to do it very often to be great at it. -Ed (just some guy named Ed, not an editor or anything)] Violence in media ABSOLUTELY causes people to be more violent. No question. […]
Posted inEthics
Is it Okay to Make Fun of Dreadlocks?
In last week’s Sexual Politics column about how a guy choking his girlfriend with his dreadlocks shouldn’t be a punchline, I made this flippant joke: “It’s tempting to laugh at this news because, of course, dreadlocks are disgusting and everyone who decides to grow dreadlocks should be publicly mocked.” This sparked a couple thoughtful responses […]
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The Big Question: Is Immortality Worth It?
NY TImes Magazine [Fake editor’s note: Alex is required by law to philosophize at least once a month or he’ll have his bachelor of arts taken away. In this series, he thinks about something just enough to meet that requirement and get the commenters mad. -Still just Alex, but in italics so it seems important] […]
Posted inMovies & TV
I Am Morally Obligated to Make Sure Everyone Has Access to This Image of Werner Herzog as the Villainous Character Named “The Zec” in Jack Reacher
Our review of Jack Reacher—which will be written by my father, who is an expert in all things related to Jack Reacher—will be posted later this week. Good day.
Posted inEthics
The Big Question: How Should We Treat Anti-Geniuses?
[Fake editor’s note: Alex has a B.A. in philosophy which qualifies him to be a couple things: a Subway sandwich Artist and pedantic. In this series, he uses the latter power to ponder some of today’s most troubling moral questions. -Nobody] Haters are right about this one. Every story about a genius involves disproving doubters. […]
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Spanking Kids: Apparently This is STILL a Thing
So I was listening to 95.5 today on my way to work—I KNOW, I KNOW, but I have this weird fascination/revulsion thing going on with Taylor Swift’s new song—and the morning show hosts “Cabana Boy and Nikki” (I KNOW, I KNOW) were asking listeners to sound off on how they felt about spanking children… WHICH […]