War is bad

Newsflash! There was a US election and whole lot of Republicans, the party to which the Command and Chief belongs, got summarily ousted. Theories fly as to why this happened, but the prevailing feeling is that war is not a good thing and everyone finally noticed.

I have to take a moment to say, war had almost nothing to do with my vote. Really, very little

Why do I think the current head of state should be rendered as ineffectual as politically possible? Freedom. We've lost it. A whole lot of it. The Patriot Act was a tragedy, it's renewal was reprehensible. Privacy has been crippled, due process dismantled, basic freedoms available in this country for centuries wiped away in an anti-terrorist frenzy.

So, for just a moment, I'd like to point out that War is a political tool. Sure, it's simple when it's defense or acquisition of territory. However, it's often used in a curiously subtle way; diversion.

Hitler, Mussolini, and, ironically, Osama, all used war to focus nationalistic fervor. And while the eyes of their people are affixed on the ugliness of someone else, they are free to act with impunity. A war can allow a leader to do anything, as long as the action can be seen as furthering the necessary, righteous campaign.

The War our leaders are currently being vilified for is nothing compared to what they've managed to do while we were distracted by the horror of their creation.

That is all. I hate politics. I'll try to make the next post goofy.

Is that your final answer?

This one needed to be shared. Not quite goofy... ok, maybe a little.

It's rare that a cognitive scientist get's to show off their research to anyone who doesn't read mind numbing papers. Or maybe the odd self help book. I found this game show travelogue quite entertaining.

Who Wants to Be a Cognitive Neuroscientist Millionaire?