Guest Thinkers — December 21, 2010

The Forum Shell Game

Last year on the eve of September 11 the al-Ikhlas forum was taken off-line. I have yet to see a good explanation for its absence although I have heard plenty of conspiracy theories many of which could form the kernel of a good novel. It was a bit disappointing for the students who were about to view “al-Qaeda’s website,” but they got over it and went about their day. This year the same thing may be happening to al-Faloja, as it has been off-line for the past two days. (I’m glad I downloaded the Battle of Marib late at night when it came out instead of waiting for the next day).

But just as al-Faloja goes down al-Ikhlas comes back, or at least something purporting to be al-Ikhlas which comes to us as a Ramadan gift from Usama bin Ladin. (Many thanks to Thomas Hegghammer for pointing this out to me this morning. Jihadica also has a very good post on the same subject.)

a computer generated image of a human brain.

Thinking

The great free will debate featuring Michio Kaku and Steven Pinker

Who — or what — really controls your mind?

Building destroyed by the Halifax Explosion. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

The Past

The largest accidental explosion of all time

More than a century ago, Halifax suffered an accidental blast one-fifth the size of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

a collage of photos of a man with a hat and a book.

High Culture

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a group of five matches on a pink background.

The Well

Signs you’re burned out — and how to bounce back

If you don’t feel better after the weekend, the “burnout paradox” could explain why.

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7 min

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with

Laurie Santos

Starts With A Bang

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If you can identify a foreground star, the spike patterns are a dead giveaway as to whether it's a JWST image or any other observatory.

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