With Both Hands

Sign in Subscribe

History

Creativity in Science and Engineering, Part 1

Recently, my project manager attended a seminar on Systematic Innovation. It was interesting he said, but he wasn't too sure of the ultimate value of it. It mostly seemed like a really fancy kind of brainstorming, to try and help you address a greater proportion of the probabilities.

James Burke: Connections

One of my favorite shows on PBS was Connections, by James Burke. Burke had a breezy, familiar style that truly annoys some people. Since he was making a science popularization, he tends to skip over things that don't fit the narrative neatly, but the gist of it is

Is the rate of intellectual discovery slowing?

Is the rate of intellectual discovery slowing?

Earlier this month on Jerry Pournelle's website, I saw some discussion about whether the rate of technological progress is slowing. This is something that I had heard before, so I thought it might be interesting to look into the subject a little further. The discussion on Chaos Manor

Concealed Carry in Establishments that Serve Alcohol

I had been thinking about this topic since it came up in July after Gov. Brewer signed the bills. Since the laws take effect tomorrow, it gives me the excuse to think about it again. If anyone had asked my opinion, which they did not, I would have agreed with

History of Beer

The history of beer, an important subject. h/t Gates of Vienna

A strange old tool

A strange old tool

The Dangers of Averages: Life Expectancy

Courtesy of Satoshi Kanazawa in Psychology Today, an illustration of the dangers of averages. The human lifespan is now pretty much what it has always been, around 70-80 years. I have heard it said many, many times that "in [insert era here] you were old when you were 40!