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Francis Interview: “My Instinct and the Holy Spirit Guide Me” He did nothing else but to continue the work of Benedict XVI, Francis said in a hagiographic interview with AdnKronos.com (October 30). Benedict is for Francis “a father and a brother” and “holiness in person,” Francis visits him often, “There are no problems between us.” He disclaims reports claiming that the two had been fighting over the same tomb. For Francis, corruption is an old problem in the Church, “but the vast majority of the Church persues the right path.” He believes that the Lord called him to do what...

Hillary Clinton will beat pneumonia. But she won't beat a condition far more fatal: untrustworthiness.

As the hunt for the perpetrators of the attacks in Paris continue, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Monday that he is uniquely qualified to be commander-in-chief because he has an "instinct" for sensing threats. "In my book I predicted terrorism. Because I can feel it," said Trump, speaking to thousands of supporters packed into Tennessee's Knoxville Convention Center. "I can feel it like I feel a good location."

The only thing cuter than a litter of puppies may be a little monkey going gaga over a bunch of newborn pups. A video of a capuchin monkey after its introduced to a gaggle of black and white puppies that have yet to even open their eyes proves it. Like any human pet lover, the monkey immediately goes in for a big hug. He then pets the pups just like a kid who's just gotten his first dog. Minus a brief moment where the monkey appears to search one of the dog's fur for parasites, its reaction is indiscernible from...

Hello all, I need some advice on purchasing a handgun. I live in the People’s Republic of MD and the new gun control laws are about to take effect (Oct 1st). I am in the market for a .45. I was looking at cheaper than dirt at several models and would appreciate any hints you can give regarding a purchase. Have you dealt with buying guns from cheaper than dirt? Do you have a better source/way to do this? What is the proper procedure for completing this purchase from an on-line retailer? I would also like recommendations for handguns in...

As early as 373 B.C. when historians recorded that residents saw various animals from rats, snakes and weasels, deserting the Greek city of Helice in droves just days before a quake devastated the place. Accounts of similar animal anticipation of earthquakes have surfaced across the centuries since. Catfish moving violently, chickens that stop laying eggs and bees leaving their hive in a panic have been reported. Countless pet owners claimed to have witnessed their cats and dogs acting strangely before the ground shook—barking or whining for no apparent reason, or showing signs of nervousness and restlessness. All these and...

Nobel prizewinner took short cuts to show that the way gulls feed is instinctive. Herring gull chicks instinctively peck at red spots on their parents' bills to beg for food.Imagebroker / Alamy One of the most famous experiments in biology isn't the solid piece of work it's usually portrayed as, say Dutch researchers who have replicated the study. Instead, it's more like an anecdote that became slightly more legendary each time its author retold the story.The work in question was done in 1947 by the Dutch researcher Niko Tinbergen on the begging behaviour of herring-gull chicks. At the time, the...

A recent issue of the New York Times Magazine carried a long piece by cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker called “The Moral Instinct.” Pinker's article is part of the Darwinian Cleanup Project. This project is an attempt to plug the holes in Darwinism which has a very hard time accounting for-- a) the origin of life, b) consciousness and c) morality. Pinker begins with an interesting comparison between Mother Teresa, Bill Gates and Norman Borlaug (the father of the Green Revolution in agriculture). Pinker argues that while Mother Teresa may have had the noblest intentions, Gates and Borlaug probably did more...

Close window Published online: 16 February 2006; | doi:10.1038/news060213-9 Why you should go with your gutStudy says unconscious consideration yields most satisfying decisions.Helen Pearson Which would you choose? Studies say you should list the pros and cons, then sleep on it.© Punchstock The best way to make a tough decision is to put your feet up and think about something else. So says an investigation of people shopping for cars, clothes and furniture. Many people assume that the best way to tackle a difficult choice is to list the pros and cons and ponder them deeply. Others believe we...

When your gut instinct rules (Filed: 03/01/2006) Logic is the loser in uncertain situations, says Roger Highfield Investing money, changing jobs, getting married: all big decisions that can mark a leap into the unknown. Now, a new brain-imaging study finds that the higher the level of uncertainty, the more likely it is that emotion and gut insinct, not logic, will rule. This insight into what goes on in the brain when decisions are made in the face of missing information sheds light on how people save for retirement, how companies price insurance and how countries evaluate risks, ranging from climate...

In the months after her son took his own life in 2001, Rhunette Long began attending meetings of a self-help group for suicide survivors. At each session, attendees retold the specifics of their loved ones' deaths. Some had been coming and doing this for years. "They were sobbing, and they kept saying they were angry at the person who died," says Ms. Long, a 62-year-old retiree in Gilbert, S.C. Group members told Ms. Long that she'd need to go through her "anger phase," too. But she didn't feel angry at her son, and didn't believe that publicly reliving her loss...

This essay is the eighth in a series designed to dissect the totalitarian mentality portrayed in George Orwell's 1984 and to draw parallels to trends in modern academia and the socipolitical arena of today. The following is an index of previous portions of this commentary: 1. Collectivism: http://www.geocities.com/rationalargumentator/Collectivism.html 2. Antiprogressivism: http://www.geocities.com/rationalargumentator/Orwells_Warning.html 3. Relativism: http://www.geocities.com/rationalargumentator/Relativism.html 4. Doublethink: http://www.geocities.com/rationalargumentator/Doublethink.html 5. Popular Culture: http://www.geocities.com/rationalargumentator/Popular_Culture.html 6. Newspeak: http://www.geocities.com/rationalargumentator/Newspeak.html 7. Vaporization: http://www.geocities.com/rationalargumentator/Vaporization.html 8. The Origin of Tyranny - You are here. Read on to continue your analysis of this topic. The Party had first manifested itself in Oceania following a hypothetical massive armed conflict between...

The more I hear the World complaining, the more negative articles I read, the more supposed allies position themselves against us, the more convinced I become that what the President is doing is right. The list of reasons not to rely on French, German, Russian or UN judgment is long and distinguished. My Government's motives may or may not be entirely pure but at the end of the day I trust it long before these others. The list of reasons not to rely on the AP, UPI, REUTERS, New York Times, LA times, Washington Post, the networks or CNN's judgment...