Lili's rational thought for the day

How are you going to celebrate World Humanist Day? Aussies could mark the day by reading RSA Daily or by letting the Abbott Government know what you think of their aspiration to cut funds to just about everything except religious chaplains in government schools. What humanist, rationalist or atheist organizations operate in your neck of the woods? 

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Lili's bright idea for the day

If I played Mozart night and day outside my house, would the bogans in the neighbourhood up and leave? How about the Elizabethan Serenade? Would that do the trick?

Lili's thought for the day

If you've raised a daughter to adulthood and she still doesn't know what her star sign is, congratulate yourself on a job well done. 

Monday, June 09, 2014

Lili's tip for the day

When planning a visit to a scientific, artistic or museum-based exhibition which includes moving or accessible elements, you might wish to visit sooner rather than later, because unfortunately there will always be that element of humanity that loves to steal or damage or interfere with displays, and moving parts often malfunction in time and may need to be removed or disabled. 

Tuesday, June 03, 2014

Lili's next thought for the day

One could question why females were excluded from Baron-Cohen's latest study of autism.
http://www.nature.com/mp/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/mp201448a.html

Lili's astounded thought for the day

Is this paper science based on sound foundations? Listed in the references you can find Daniel Tammet’s first book, both of the 2007 studies of Tammet by the Baron-Cohen team and this paper's author’s own paper about Jason Padgett, a neurological case who has been viewed as similar to Tammet, and a magazine article co-authored by this paper's author about Derek Amato, another supposed case of acquired synaesthesia with acquired savantism. "Quicksand" and "Ouroboros" are two words that come to mind. 

Lili's next thought for the day

In the red corner we have the Right to be Forgotten and in the blue corner we have the Streisand Effect.....

Lili's provocative question for the day

Does Rolf Harris have the "right to be forgotten"?

Lili's considered thought of the day

I'd be 100% behind this petition, but I'm not convinced that school chaplains full of religious zeal are that much worse than mental health professionals or social workers. Mental health professionals generally advocate questionable prescription drugs and look upon social issues as psychiatric issues, and social workers are often pretty clueless and very patronizing. I'm sure there are unqualified but educated and wise parents out there who could be better school chaplains than the above. One thing I'm sure of; religion isn't the answer, especially in regard to youths facing obstacles and questions about gender and sexuality. I'm 78.9% behind this petition. 
https://www.allout.org/en/actions/australia-budget

Monday, June 02, 2014

Lili's rhetorical question for the day

Why does the Australian government still allow inadequate labeling of ingredients of food products?
http://www.orangutan.org.au/palmoil/label-palm-oil

Sunday, June 01, 2014

Lewton movie on Aussie TV

Tomorrow night or more correctly very early on Tuesday morning at 3.00am ABC1 is scheduled to broadcast the 1943 horror movie The Leopard Man, director Jacques Tourneur, producer Val Lewton. 

I'm hoping this means another series of Lewton movies might be broadcast by the ABC. Why are people still watching the work of a 1940s Hollywood producer? Because his movies are special in a way that is hard to pin down. Why was Lewton the one to produce and often write the screenplays for movies that still mean something to audiences over seventy years after they were commercially successful on first release? I think his talent had something to do with his synaesthete mind and his extraordinary and precocious memory and enthusiasm for narratives. A few years ago I had the great pleasure of being apparently the first person to discover and understand evidence that Lewton was a synaesthete, and I put some of my ideas about Lewton and other interesting and creative famous individuals into one of my ebooks, but what does that matter? Just enjoy the movies.