TOPICS
The Cubs Win the Penant: I guess it’s news when a baseball team that hasn’t won in a century wins again. Many people said it predicted bad things to come, like Trump winning. [1] Although I claim baseball is “dying”, it’s true that their numbers are up. Still, is it actually any better? [2] For that matter, does the next generation want to play and populate it?
The De-Colonization of Science: This is the problem when people think that “narratives” define reality. It’s nothing more than a new wave religion that aims to de-legitimize the actual work people do to understand the world. If you can stomach this sort of thing, what this video.[4] It may have something to do with low graduation rates and poor passing grade there, I’m not sure. [5]
The Pumpkin Papers: It’s strange how sometimes the whole world can be change by one crazy nutball. In this case, it was Wittaker Chambers[6]. He claimed that Alger Hiss (a brilliant lawyer who helped create the U.N.) was a communist spy, and this would later cause both the rise of Nixon, and the start of the McCarthy hearings. [7][8]
The Ancient Rules of Etiquette: Ever wonder why we consider the french to be the height of class and sophistication? It might have something to do with the codification of manners. If you don’t think these are important, you are fooling yourselves.[9]
The Bitcoin Ledger: If you want to try and understand exactly how bitcoin works, then I suggest you try this article and see if your head doesn’t explode on the first try.[10]
Donald Trump’s Russian Connection: Another early prediction of his future presidency, but even then it was a nail biter. But I challenge anyone to my legacy as the next Nostradamus.
How Charity Can Hurt People: Hard to believe it, but good intentions don’t solve long term problems, they can actually create more of them. [11]
Christian Science: Mary’s background was a really stern religious father, and his Calvinist teaching caused her to have faith issues. Her own medical issues and suffering made her question the glorification of pain in Christianity.His father detested her intelligence, so he refused to let her go to school, but she managed to teach herself to read. If you want to know more, watch this documentary on Mary Baker Eddy:[12]
Retraction: The religious revival wasn’t started in 1875, but really throughout the period beginning in 1840’s with George Miller’s prediction about the end of the world.[13]
– Mormonism
– Millerites (who later became 7th day Adventists and Jehovah witnesses)
– Shakers establish first major communal farm in NY
– Onida society (believe in polygamous or group marriges before disbanding and reforming into a company
Major difference between Christianity: belief that reality is an illusion, power of mind and prayer over all ailments. Very opposed to Calvinist teachings of pre-destination, and does not believe in eternal torture.[14]
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_National_League_Championship_Series
[2] http://www.rollingstone.com/sports/features/major-league-baseball-is-back-and-maybe-worse-than-ever-20160404
[3] https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-baseball-is-losing-children-1432136172
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9SiRNibD14
[5] http://newobserveronline.com/south-africa-85-university-failure-rate/
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whittaker_Chambers
[7] http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/hiss/pumpkinp.html
[8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alger_Hiss
[9] http://etiquipedia.blogspot.ca/2014/03/the-earliest-books-written-of-etiquette.html
[10] http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/12427/can-someone-explain-how-the-bitcoin-blockchain-works
[11] https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-curse-of-charity-in-haiti-1476653140
[12] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXfqFzqaciw
[13] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burned-over_district
[14] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Science