Can Mental Health Clinicians Prevent Violence?

5/30/14. Six experts reply:


http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/05/29/can-therapists-prevent-violence

A New Entry in the Annals of Academic Cravenness

5/28/14.  Joseph Epstein:


..."Trigger warnings logically follow from the recent history of American academic life. This is a history in which demographic diversity has triumphed over intellectual standards and the display of virtue over the search for truth."...




http://m.us.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052702304479704579580393435059548-lMyQjAxMTA0MDIwODEyNDgyWj?mobile=y

A Clash of Religions

5/28/14. A silent debate.




One Pope, in the Dark Ages, decreed that all Jews had to leave Rome. The Jews did not want to leave, and so the Pope challenged them to a disputation to prove that they could remain. No one, however, wanted the responsibility... until the synagogue janitor, Moishe, volunteered.
As there was nobody else who wanted to go, Moishe was given the task. But because he knew only Hebrew, a silent debate was agreed. The day of the debate came, and they went to St. Peter's Square to sort out the decision. First the Pope waved his hand around his head. Moishe pointed firmly at the ground.



The Pope, in some surprise, held up three fingers. In response, Moishe gave him the middle finger.
The crowd started to complain, but the Pope thoughtfully waved them to be quiet. He took out a bottle of wine and a wafer, holding them up. Moishe took out an apple, and held it up.
The Pope, to the people’s surprise, said, "I concede. This man is too good. The Jews can stay."



Later, the Pope was asked what the debate had meant. He explained, "First, I showed him the Heavens, to show that God is everywhere. He pointed at the ground to signify that God is right here with us. I showed him three fingers, for the Trinity. He reminded me that there is One God common to both our religions. I showed him wine and a wafer, for God's forgiveness. With an apple, he showed me original sin. The man was a master of silent debate."



In the Jewish corner, Moishe had the same question put to him, and answered, "It was all nonsense, really. First, he told me that this whole town would be free of Jews. I told him, Go to Hell! We’re staying right here! Then, he told me we had three days to get out. I told him just what I thought of that proposal." An older woman asked, "But what about the part at the end?" "That?" said Moishe with a shrug, "Well, I saw him take out his lunch, so I took out mine."

Gerald M. Edelman RIP

5/23/14.


http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/23/science/gerald-m-edelman-nobel-laureate-and-neural-darwinist-dies-at-84.html?hpw&rref=obituaries&_r=0

Pun-Off World Championship

5/23/14. To pun or not to pun?


http://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2014/05/20/without-compunction/

Healthy Aging: 5 Keys to a Long, Healthy Life

5/21/14. When you are alive ---- live.


http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2014/06/healthy-aging-into-your-80s-and-beyond/index.htm?loginMethod=auto

Book Review on the Life of Duke Ellington

5/20/14. Take the A Train.


http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/take-e-train_792843.html?nopager=1

Is Divorce Bad for Children?

5/14/14. One mother's experience:


http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2014/05/14/is_divorce_bad_for_children_332237.html


And the experts say:


http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-divorce-bad-for-children/

The Closing of the Collegiate Mind

5/12/14. Young, restless, and close-minded.




http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303701304579550340222538088?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702303701304579550340222538088.html




Kirsten Powers calls it like it is:




http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/05/14/liberal-thought-police-lagarde-hgtv-benham-free-speech-column/9098133/


Daniel Henninger:  Bonfire of the Humanities


http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304547704579562101291725062?mod=djemMER_h&mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702304547704579562101291725062.html%3Fmod%3DdjemMER_h

How to Trick the Guilty and the Gullible into Revealing Themselves

5/10/14. The "Freakonomics" duo.


http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303647204579546293797700508

Interview with Steven Pinker, Ph.D.

5/9/14. Author of "The Blank Slate," et al.


http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2014/05/what-could-be-more-interesting-than-how-the-mind-works/

Gary Becker RIP

5/5/14. A social science genius who applied economics to everyday life -- and won a Nobel prize.


http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/05/05/business/economy/gary-s-becker-83-nobel-winner-who-applied-economics-to-everyday-life-dies.html?_r=0&referrer

Book Review: "A Troublesome Inheritance" by Nicholas Wade

5/4/14. Charles Murray reviews this book documenting a scientific revolution - upending one of our reigning orthodoxies.

Murray:

"As the story (of genetics, race, ethnic groups) is untangled, it will also become obvious how inappropriate it is to talk in terms of the "inferiority" or "superiority" of groups.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303380004579521482247869874?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702303380004579521482247869874.html




An opposing view:


http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/busting-myths-about-human-nature/201405/things-know-when-talking-about-race-and-genetics

On Joseph Epstein

5/2/14. A remarkable man.


http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/On-Joseph-Epstein-7888

What killed my sister?

5/1/14. Is there a connection between mental illness and creativity?


http://theamericanscholar.org/what-killed-my-sister/#.U2KhyGBOWie

the beauty of metaphor

5/1/14. His teeth were like stars - they come out at night.


http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/from-milton-to-mcewan-the-beauty-of-metaphor-1.1771023