The Thinking Blog ~ Knowledge Grows When Shared!

Don't forget that broccoli is one of the healthiest veggies out there.

"Broccoli is packed with anti-cancer antioxidants: vitamin C, beta carotene, lutein, glutathione and quercetin. It also tops all other foods for chromium content. Almost nobody gets enough chromium, a trace mineral that regulates insulin and helps to normalize blood sugar."

What can we do to give it a good taste? Hack it with a flavor enhancer: Garlic!

I learned the following recipe from a Chinese friend of mine and its easily done in less than 15 minutes.

INGREDIENTS: Bunch of broccoli, 1/3 cup butter (or olive oil), 3 cloves of garlic, water and salt.

1. Wash broccoli, cut into small florets and place them in a large pot.
2. Cover with boiling water until barely tender and still bright green for 5 to 7 minutes.
3. While broccoli is steaming, finely chop garlic and melt the butter in a pan over medium heat.
4. Drain broccoli and toss it in the pan along with garlic. Add salt according to taste.
5. Simmer over low heat until garlic is fragrant (about couple of minutes). Serve immediately.

In the absence of atmospheric pressure water will spontaneously convert into vapor, which would cause the moisture in a victim's mouth and eyes to quickly boil away. The same effect would cause water in the muscles and soft tissues of the body to evaporate, prompting some parts of the body to swell to twice their usual size after a few moments. This bloating may result in some superficial bruising due to broken capillaries, but it would not be sufficient to break the skin.

Within seconds the reduced pressure would cause the nitrogen which is dissolved in the blood to form gaseous bubbles, a painful condition known to divers as "the bends." Direct exposure to the sun's ultraviolet radiation would also cause a severe sunburn to any unprotected skin. Heat does not transfer out of the body very rapidly in the absence of a medium such as air or water, so freezing to death is not an immediate risk in outer space despite the extreme cold.

For about ten full seconds– a long time to be loitering in space without protection– an average human would be rather uncomfortable, but they would still have their wits about them. Depending on the nature of the decompression, this may give a victim sufficient time to take measures to save their own life. But this period of "useful consciousness" would wane as the effects of brain asphyxiation begin to set in. In the absence of air pressure the gas exchange of the lungs works in reverse, dumping oxygen out of the blood and accelerating the oxygen-starved state known as hypoxia. After about ten seconds a victim will experience loss of vision and impaired judgement, and the cooling effect of evaporation will lower the temperature in the victim's mouth and nose to near-freezing. Unconsciousness and convulsions would follow several seconds later, and a blue discoloration of the skin called cyanosis would become evident.

At this point the victim would be floating in a blue, bloated, unresponsive stupor, but their brain would remain undamaged and their heart would continue to beat. If pressurized oxygen is administered within about one and a half minutes, a person in such a state is likely make a complete recovery with only minor injuries, though the hypoxia-induced blindness may not pass for some time. Without intervention in those first ninety seconds, the blood pressure would fall sufficiently that the blood itself would begin to boil, and the heart would stop beating. There are no recorded instances of successful resuscitation beyond that threshold.

Though an unprotected human would not long survive in the clutches of outer space, it is remarkable that survival times can be measured in minutes rather than seconds, and that one could endure such an inhospitable environment for almost two minutes without suffering any irreversible damage. The human body is indeed a resilient machine.
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The combination of striking parade monumentalism, patriotic art decoration and traditional motifs has become one of the most vivid examples of the Soviet contribution to architecture. The ensemble that a Stalinist building will contain can be very broad, not only in the overall motif, but also in the technology that lies underneath the rich decorations.

In the Soviet policy of rationalisation of the country, all cities were built to a general development plan. Each was split into districts, with allotments drawn based on the city's geography. Projects would be drawn up for whole districts, visibly transforming a city's architectural image. It relied on labor-intensive and time-consuming masonry, and could not be scaled up to the needs of mass construction. When the time finally came to tackle the housing crisis, this inefficiency spelled the end of Stalinist architecture and a turn to mass construction while Stalin was still alive and active.


Moscow Master Plan (1935)

Moscow architecture undoubtedly occupies a central place in domestic construction of the socialist epoch. Among the far-reaching projections, the 1935 General plan for the reconstruction of Moscow overshadowed all others. According to this plan, Moscow was to become the showpiece capital of the world's first socialist state. The General plan envisaged the development of the city as a unified system of highways, squares and embankments with unique buildings, embodying the ideas and achievements of socialism. This plan contained a number of major flaws, especially in connection with the preservation of the historical heritage of the city.


People's Commissariat of Heavy Industry (1934)

A competition for the design of a building to house the People's Commissariat of Heavy Industry (Narkomtyazhprom) on Red Square was announced in 1934. The construction of this grandiose complex of 110,000 m3 on an area of 4 hectares would have resulted in a radical reconstruction of Red Square and adjacent streets. Twelve entries were submitted for the first stage of the competition. The impressive plans drawn up by the brothers A. and V. Vesnin - leaders of the constructivist (futuristic) movement - were not noted by the jury, along with a number of other entries.


Palace of Soviets (1934)

The Palace of Soviets was planned to be a supertall skyscraper. If built, it would have become the world's tallest structure. Its height was to reach 415 metres — higher than the tallest buildings of the time, the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building, The building was to be topped by a 100 metre statue of Lenin. The idea of constructing a building which could be a symbol of the "imminent triumph of communism" in the capital of the world's first state of workers and peasants was mooted in the 1920s. The chosen location was the site of the demolished Church of Christ the Saviour. The competition was launched in 1931 and carried out in stages. Overall, 160 entries were submitted, including 12 commissioned ones and 112 project proposals.


Hotel of the Moscow City Soviet (1931)

A closed competition for a 1000-room hotel was held in 1931, conforming to the highest criteria of the time. Of the six plans submitted, the best was judged to be the work of young architects L.Savelyev and 0.Stapran. Architectural publications carefully monitored all the stages of design from the point of view of urban planning. This building had immense significance since it was located at the intersection of the city's main thoroughfare, Gorky Street, with the projected new "Ilyich Avenue", an enormous street which would lead to the Palace of Soviets.


Palace of Technology (1933)

The project called for a complex of scientific and technical institutions, it was to be in the the capital city of a country which was being actively industrialised by a central administration called upon to "arm the masses with the achievements of Soviet industrial technology, agriculture, transport and communications." A site on the banks of the Moskva river was selected as the location for this Palace. The industrial resolution selected by A. Samoylov and B. Yefimovich was not a tribute to a constructivisim which was receding into the past, but rather an illustration of the "technocratic" character of the subject.


People's Defence Commissariat (1933)

Architect L.Rudnev's buildings are among the most noticeable in Moscow. For buildings of this profile the architect developed a specific style, conveying an impression of grim impregnability and crushing might to correspond to the official image of the Red Army. The project of a building on Arbat Square, which was only partly realised, reflects the architect's transition from the oppressive grandeur of the People's Defence Commissariat constructions of the 1930s to the buoyant pomposity which became a hallmark of the architecture of the 1940s and early 1950s.


The Aeroflot Building (1934)

In 1934 the crewmen of the ice-breaker Chelyuskin were adrift on an ice-floe after the ship went down in the Sea of Chukotsk. In the summer of the same year Moscow greeted the courageous survivors and the pilots who had rescued them, and who were the first to be granted the "Hero of the Soviet Union" award. The traditions of socialist life demanded the perpetuation of the memory of this outstanding feat in monumental form. The "Aeroflot" building was planned by architect D. Chechulin to the glory of Soviet aviation. Hence the sharp-silhouette, "aerodynamic" form of the tall building and the sculpted figures of the heroic airmen crowning seven openwork arches, perpendicular to the main facade and comprising a distinctive portal.


The House of Books (1934)

The plan of the House of Books is typical of early 1930s perceptions of a building. A trapezoid tall silhouette, simplified architectural forms and an abundance of sculptures on all parts of the building. Architect I.Golosov found interesting solutions in the spirit of the Soviet classicism. His work is distinguished by features which are designated "symbolic romanticism". He said that "the architect must not be bound by style in the old, historical sense of that word, he himself must be a creator of style... One must establish only absolute tenets, those which are inevitable, true and unchanging. There are many such, and these tenets, as vehicles of absolute values, are equally applicable to classical and contemporary architecture"


The Arch of Heroes (1942)

At the height of the Second World War, the newspaper "Literatura i Iskusstvo" (Literature and Art) wrote: "The competition for a monument to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War is drawing to a close. Some 90 projects have been submitted by Moscow sculptors and architects. Overall, more than 140 entries are expected". The demands of the competition included, inter alia, a monument "to the heroic defenders of Moscow." The choice of a putative location for the monument was left to the competitors. The designer of the Arch of Heroes, architect L. Pavlov, suggested erecting the monument on Red Square. The monument was, of course, never erected.



Legacy and Revival

In 1947, the Soviet government adopted a resolution concerning the construction of high-rise buildings in Moscow. By the early 1950s, tall buildings had been erected (see below). Albeit smaller than the projects above, nevertheless very impressive. Note the striking similarities between the style of architecture, especially the resemblance of current White House in Moscow to the Aeroflot Building project above.

Only the construction of a 32-floor administrative building in Zaryadye, which was envisaged as one of the salient features of the silhouette of the central city skyline, was not completed. Work on it was stopped after the 1955 resolution of the Central Committee, which condemned "excesses and over-ornamentation in architecture" and signalled a new era in Soviet architecture. The work which had been done was dismantled, and the hotel Rossiya was built on the foundations in 1967.

Zaryadye Skyscraper


Hotel Rossiya


Hotel Leningradskaya


Hotel Peking


Hotel Ukrania


Moscow State University


Ministry of Foreign Affairs


Ministry of Heavy Industry (Red Gates Building)


Academy of Sciences


Palace of Culture and Science


Palace of the Parliament


Triumph Palace


White House


Residential Buildings



Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

Take a look at these 5 posts that I think are a few of the original must-read articles and please comment here on how you see the change. Help me improve to be a better writer so I can create more thought provoking articles for you in the future!

1. 25 Open-Source Substitutes For Built-in Windows Software: Windows XP comes loaded with many useless built-in programs that you ended up dumping for a better alternative. Here is a list of a few programs (plus annoying features) that substitute for better and free (some open source) programs. These are applications that, once you start using them, you will notice you can't do without ever again!

2. How To Create PDF Without Software: If your aim is "to print a web page, word document, photo or pretty much anything else" and save it as a PDF file, you don't even need to download anything. There are two methods to create PDF files online, each method followed by a list of available free services. You can either upload a document from your computer or enter a URL (for websites) to download the PDF instantly.

3. The Legend of Power Women: This is the truly fascinating story of Queen Tomiris, who succeeded her dead husband - the former king of the Massagetae. It is said that she cut off her breast and rode into battle when her husband's head was brought back to her. It is said that she slayed Cyrus the Great (king of the Persians circa 5th century BC) by her own two hands. It is also said that she kept his head near her at all times until the day of her death!

4. Cult of Apple - Part 2: Steve Jobs is god? According to Apple fans, he is. Hilary Rosen from The Huffington Post once said "I know Steve Jobs is a god. Look, I bowed at his feet when the iPod and iTunes was created." Note that this is not a post against Apple products or the people who use them. This is about the evangelist marketing technique Apple uses and how it's similar to the way cults work.

5. The Cute Factor: Whatever needs pitching, cute can help. The human cuteness detector is set at such a low bar, researchers said, that it sweeps in. This is a major marketing tool in many cultures and great examples come from the West and Japan. Elmo, Furby, Precious Moments, and many other icons and products trade on their cuteness — not to mention the overwhelming international success of Japanese exports like Pokémon or Hello Kitty.

It's bad karma to break a meme so I tag the following people: Ashish Mohta, Francesco Mapelli, Liz Strauss, Greg Laden, and Nina Munteanu.

5. Fishy: Who would want to be called that? The story goes as the lingerie model Jessica Michibata is nicknamed "sakana chan" (fishy) because she drinks a lot of water to keep her complexion healthy. Great. Is that supposed to mean she drinks like a fish or smells like one? Mermaid perhaps? I'm confused. Either way, the tale of this mermaid doll sounds fishy - ARRR!!!

4. Piggie: Not a nickname you'd expect a model to have unless she was modeling a plus-size line. Though, there's nothing plus-size about Japanese idol gravure model Yuzuki Aikawa and she is nicknamed "Burin" (piggie) just because she likes collecting pig figurines - seems a trifle unfair. Then again, any guy who hears it and still wants to date her has a very pleasant surprise in store!

3. Oshirina: This Japanese nickname is a word coined from "oshiri" (butt) and "Rina", the first name of actress/model Rina Akiyama. Nice. She also has a slightly longer nickname (Bishiri no Jyoou) which translates to "Queen of the Beautiful Butt." Now that is Japanese honesty. They call a spade a spade and a butt a butt. Did I have to trawl through a trove of sleaze mags to find this out? Nope... got all I needed to know from the respected Mainichi Shimbun newspaper's online edition.

2. Wakapai: We're getting down to it now and I'll give you a hint why: the Japanese word for breasts is "oppai." The first name of this lovely Japanese girl is Waka. Put 'em together and you get... "Wakapai"! Yes, Waka Inoue, a serious career newswoman on Japan's Fuji TV network, is known as Waka Boobs. I'm sure she's thrilled; Then again, in Japan being busty is a career move - for women anyway. And busty she is: 36C, which is well above the norm for the nation's females.

1. Suikappu: There's this one Japanese celeb who puts all else in the shade. Our well-endowed number one, Eri Furuse: "suikappu." Possessed of an effusive 38" bust that no number of sweaters and cardigans can hide, Furuse tries to play up her journalistic merits as breast, er, best she can but to no avail. She was, is and always will be suikappu, a nickname combining the Japanese word for Watermelon (suika) and the Japlish word for cup, or "kappu". That makes "melon cup". Isn't Japan wonderf... um, different? Even Furuse's bosses at Japan's TBS network face the facts, quoting this spokesman who said "Furuse isn't the main anchorwoman, but the media have been reporting that the 'suikappu' will be on, so it's good PR, at least."

So there you have it. Japan is really a world unto itself!

This article was written by Steve Levenstein from InventorSpot. Steve writes about weird Japanese innovations and you can catch up on previous weirdness from his site. If you are interested in contributing to the thinking process and become a guest writer on The Thinking Blog, find out more information here and be my guest!

What is web-usability? In some contexts the meaning of web-usability is narrowed down to ergonomics for e-commerce websites (i.e. the efficiency in triggering sales and/or performing other business-like transactions). This probably historically derives from the renewed attention web usability received at the time many early 21st century web commerces started to fail. Where during the emergence of internet in the last decades of the 20th century fancy graphical design had been regarded as indispensable for a successful e-business application, web-usability protagonists said quite the reverse was true: the KISS principle, for example (from the end-user's viewpoint) had proven to be much more indispensable for such success.


What makes a website usable? Usability depends on a number of factors including:

• Learnability (e.g. intuitive navigation)
• Efficiency of use
• Memorability
• Few and non-catastrophic errors
• Subjective satisfaction

Why is usability important? Usability is becoming a competitive advantage. Usability provides important benefits in terms of cost, product quality, and user satisfaction. UsabilityFirst defines this as the following.

"From the user's perspective usability is important because it can make the difference between performing a task accurately and completely or not, and enjoying the process or being frustrated. From the developer's perspective usability is important because it can mean the difference between the success or failure of a system. From a management point of view, software with poor usability can reduce the productivity of the workforce to a level of performance worse than without the system. In all cases, lack of usability can cost time and effort, and can greatly determine the success or failure of a system. Given a choice, people will tend to buy systems that are more user-friendly."

Example in spotlight. Take a look at the following screenshot of EarnMyDegree or visit the website.




I don't know where to begin. Literally. There's just too much to take in and this is overwhelming for the user. First, I will highlight some specific points that stand out:

1. There are a lot of text and links that are almost the same size. It could use some hierarchy. Some stronger, more visual segregation of content devices, larger type and titles would help.

2. Duplicate content only creates clutter. Having two or three links to the same page doesn't help. There is no difference between "Online Degrees by Subject" and "Search by Degree Program" on the homepage of the site. Users will go for the place with more information and one that stands out. So, one has to go. I'd drop the whole left column and let the middle column flow into that area. Placing "Online Degrees by Level" in the middle column would be better as well.

3. The internal navigation structure is a nightmare. There is too much going on for a start. The top navigation bar doesn't directly take you to a place of interest so there is really no point in having that. The search bar and "Quick Degree Finder" can guide the user to the relevant information faster and should be more prominent on the homepage.

The next section includes more general usability considerations that can be applied to any website.


How to achieve a high level of usability? Testing. Usability testing generally involves measuring how well test subjects respond in four areas: time, accuracy, recall, and emotional response. The results of the first test can be treated as a baseline or control measurement; all subsequent tests can then be compared to the baseline to indicate improvement.

• Time on Task: How long does it take people to complete basic tasks? (For example, find something to buy, create a new account, and order the item.)
• Accuracy: How many mistakes did people make? (And were they fatal or recoverable with the right information?)
• Recall: How much does the person remember afterwards or after periods of non-use?
• Emotional Response: How does the person feel about the tasks completed? (Confident? Stressed? Would the user recommend this system to a friend?)

In the early 1990s Jakob Nielsen, also known as "the king of usability", popularized the concept of using numerous small usability tests - typically with only five test subjects each - at various stages of the development process. His argument is that, once it is found that two or three people are totally confused by the home page, little is gained by watching more people suffer through the same flawed design. "Elaborate usability tests are a waste of resources. The best results come from testing no more than 5 users and running as many small tests as you can afford."


Disclaimer: This is a sponsored review.

KFC is PETA's fourth fast food target for animal cruelty, after campaigns against McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's. KFC wants cheap meat so they can compete with all the burger places who are selling more and more patties for lower prices. PETA shot the following video footage at a slaughterhouse in Moorefield, West Virginia. Please allow PETA member Pamela Anderson to explain the situation:


Now, I'm not a vegetarian myself but we, as humans, do need to show proper treatment for animals. This is very important. However, at the end of the day they're just chickens and cooking them doesn't fall into "cruelty" category. You can still eat them as long as they are treated properly while they're alive.

More recently, PETA created the Mario Bros-style Super Chick (as in chickens) Sisters Game where you are off to rescue Pamela Anderson who has been kidnapped by KFC's Colonel. OK, so the controls and physics of the game are a tad off but what I like about this game is that it's one of the best flash Mario clones I've seen.


Oh and try to finish the 5-level game as soon as possible (or download it on your computer for PC or Mac) before Nintendo sues PETA for copyright infringement to the usage of Mario, Luigi and Wii in the cut scenes.

The challenge:

That's why I'm starting this really simple challenge. All I want you to do is find a funny animal picture (doesn't have to be a photo taken by you - for example, just google funny cat picture - also it doesn't have to be a cat either. Use your imagination), add a funny caption on it - a combination also known as Lolcat - and submit it on your blog with a mention of this challenge. Email the URL to me once it's live.

If you need some inspiration, take a look at these examples. If you are new to this phenomenon and don't know how to "leetspeak" then you can learn from Anil Dash or use the following chart (via) as a guide.




The prize:

In return, I will make a post with all the entries in 5 days (ends on Caturday 25th August 2007) with a link to your entry listed according to date published. That means the first entry will appear on top of the list and the earlier you submit it, the higher up your link will appear. This is your one time chance to earn an easy high quality linkback from one of the most popular blogs according to Technorati. So, I can has submissions now plz? kthxbai

Major concerns about nuclear Fission power


Potential for possibly severe radioactive contamination by accident. As we saw earlier accidents do happen and Chernobyl disaster was not the only nuclear accident in history. Another meltdown occured in the second reactor of the Three Mile Island power plant in 1979, being the most significant accident in the history of the America, and even though it resulted in no deaths or injuries to plant workers or members of the nearby community - there is no such thing as zero radioactivity in practice.

Nuclear proliferation and use of waste byproduct as a weapon. Nuclear proliferation is the spread of nuclear weapons and it's known that reactors could be used for weapons-development purposes — the first nuclear reactors were developed for exactly this reason — as the operation of a nuclear reactor converts U-238 into plutonium. An additional concern is that if the by-products of nuclear fission — the nuclear waste generated by the plant — were to be unprotected it could be used as a radiological weapon, colloquially known as a "dirty bomb."

Vulnerability of nuclear power plants to sabotage and attack. Nuclear power plants are designed to withstand threats deemed credible at the time of licensing. Land attacks are relatively difficult to achieve but an attack from the air is a more problematic concern. The most important barrier against the release of radioactivity in the event of an aircraft strike is the containment building and its missile shield. However, as weapons evolve it cannot be said unequivocably that within the 60 year life of a plant it will not become vulnerable. In addition, the future status of storage sites may be in doubt. Sabotage of nuclear power plants may be the greatest domestic vulnerability in the US today.

Differences of nuclear Fusion power


Accident potential and safety during abnormal operation. The likelihood of a catastrophic accident in a fusion reactor in which injury or loss of life occurs is much smaller than that of a fission reactor. The primary reason is that the fuel contained in the reaction chamber is only enough to sustain the reaction for about a minute, whereas a fission reactor contains about a year's supply of fuel. The density of the plasma is extremely low and the total amount of fusion fuel in the chamber is very small. If the fuel supply is closed, the reaction stops within seconds. Furthermore, fusion requires very extreme and precisely controlled conditions of temperature, pressure and magnetic field parameters. If the reactor were damaged, these would be disrupted and the reaction would rapidly extinguish.

Nuclear proliferation and waste management. Although fusion power uses nuclear technology, the overlap with nuclear weapons technology is very small. The half-life of the radioisotopes produced by fusion tend to be less than those from fission, so that the inventory decreases more rapidly. Furthermore, there are fewer unique species, and they tend to be non-volatile and biologically less active. Unlike fission reactors, whose waste remains dangerous for thousands of years, most of the radioactive material in a fusion reactor would be the reactor core itself, which would be dangerous for about 50 years, and low-level waste another 100. By 300 years the material would have the same radioactivity as coal ash.

Fusion power as a sustainable energy source. Large-scale reactors using neutronic fuels (e.g. ITER) and thermal power production (turbine based) are most comparable to fission power from an engineering and economics viewpoint. Both fission and fusion power plants involve a relatively compact heat source powering a conventional steam turbine-based power plant, while producing enough neutron radiation to make activation of the plant materials problematic. The main distinction is that fusion power produces no high-level radioactive waste (though activated plant materials still need to be disposed of). There are some power plant ideas which may significantly lower the cost or size of such plants; however, research in these areas is nowhere near as advanced as in a tokamak pictured below.

Source: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
Click this link to watch the best video documentary online about Chernobyl disaster and read the current debate on fission energy.

It's in the psycho-sexual realm that things really get weird. Lolita "Roricon" complexes, cosplay, mask fetish and extreme S&M are just the tip of the riceberg. Combine the three and you get something beyond weird, even for Japan: Kegadol. Loosely translated as "Injured Idol", Kegadol images feature pretty young women in casts, bandages, eyepatches... or all of the above (oh joy!).


It's not clear where this kinda creepy Kegadol trend began, though there does seem to be a longstanding erotic fringe that appreciates injured females. References to 1970s Penthouse Forum articles extolling "monopede mania" and primal primate protective programming are markers on a rough trail that few follow - but "few" is more than none. Here's how Peter Payne of JLIST explains the Japanese eyepatch fetish:

"Almost everyone has an eye infection or disease at some point [in Japan], and for that reason eyepatches are a common sight. Recently eye-patches have become a staple in anime culture as well, with eyepatch wearing characters appearing in such anime as Neon Genesis Evangelion, Battle Vixens, Lone Wolf and Cub, Fullmetal Alchemist, Bleach, D.Gray Man and others, where an eyepatch adds something mysterious and distinctive to the character."

Which is something Hello Kitty and Tarantino picked up:



Some say the modern Kegadol movement in Japan was set off by the injured action figure version of manga character Rei Ayanami (or Ryomou Shimei from Ikkitousen), who sports multiple bandages and a nifty eyepatch:




Others point to a more recognized fetish that venerate models in surgical masks:





Regardless of its origins, Kegadol has a small but devoted cabal of fans and it's not my place to judge their preferences even though the appeal of this particular fetish completely escapes me. Hey, as long as they aren't causing these injuries, all's well in my book! Naturally, the Internet has brought Kegadol to the attention of the wider world. Dedicated sites such as Gips (from the German word for "Gypsum", a material used in casts) invite the like-minded to view a varied cast of models (pardon the pun), idols and office girls with this Engrish come-on which manages to read as both ominous and endearing:

"Welcome! To the JAPANESE cast site

Here depends on the cast mania who loves/the cast and be the site for a cast mania.

The entrance of one is restricted of below 18 years old, because it is including the Adult image of part.

Are you over 18 years old and be interested in the cast?"

Here are some pictures to give you an idea of what's inside:




I think we have to thank Japan for making our world a little bit more interesting. Check back here often for more Japanese weirdness or subscribe to the RSS feed to receive them!


This article was written by Steve Levenstein from InventorSpot. Steve writes about weird Japanese innovations and you can catch up on previous weirdness from his site. If you are interested in contributing to the thinking process and become a guest writer on The Thinking Blog, find out more information here and be my guest!

1. Invest in your couch and your TV set. The more expensive the better, so that you feel compelled to use them many hours a day. They will be your lifelong loyal companions, and enable you to practice many of these tips in world-class style, away from more mentally stimulating habits that may accidentally exercise your brain.

2. Avoid positive thoughts like the pest. Make sure your thoughts are all negative and stressful. If positive ones arise, use sarcasm to go back to a negative state. Stress and anxiety, no matter whether induced by external events or our own thoughts, do wonders to kill neurons and prevent the creation of new ones. Practice.

3. Make a solemn commitment to never learn anything new. Declare a personal "War on Novelty" and mental challenge - they can both be hazardous for you. Repeating spiritual mantras like "I'm bad at math", "I will never be able to do Sudoku", "I hate change" will serve you well as preemptive attacks on any attempt to improve. Everyone knows the brain goes downhill from then on - so just enjoy the ride!

4. Don't ever travel. Especially to places full of snakes and strange diseases (i.e, all countries outside the US, except Canada). Traveling to new locations forces you to pay more attention to your environment, make new decisions, and use your brain to make decisions. Resist the temptation. (For the only exception to this rule, see Tip 5).

5. Find someone to outsource your brain to. Ideally someone in a position of authority. It can be a media personality-the louder he or she shouts, the better- or a dictator. If needed, move to a country with the dictator of your choice.

6. Walking is for apes, driving is for humans. Drive everywhere, including to the fridge to get that beer: buy a Golf cart to use indoors. If you wonder why this is important, remember that the brain is part of the body and things that exercise your body can also help sharpen your brain. Beware.

7. Eat fatty food. Enjoy McDonald's for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Did you know that the brain only weights 2% of body mass but consumes over 20% of oxygen and nutrients we intake? Make sure you stuff your brain with saturated fat. Once you can no longer follow the plot of a TV infomercial, shout, "Success!".

8. Make a point of having zero friends in all Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn. Good conversations are simply too stimulating. If someone wants to connect with you, ignore them.

Now, if for some reason you are interested in expanding your brain - click this link!

This article was written by Alvaro Fernandez from SharpBrains. Alvaro is the main writer at SharpBrains brain fitness and exercise website. If you are interested in contributing to the thinking process and become a guest writer on The Thinking Blog, find out more information here and be my guest!

Setting aside my personal views on abortion, lets look at this logically.

Firstly, If she didn't want this child, why is she keeping this child? There is such a thing as adoption, and there are many people who will pay the costs to adopt, and there are many people who want to adopt.

Secondly, Medicine is still called a "practice" rather than an art for a reason: It's imperfect.

Thirdly, when she found out she was in fact pregnant, why didn't she proceed with some action, such as having the abortion again (assuming Mass state law allows such late abortions--I know not, and it matters not here), or again, putting the poor child up for adoption?

Fourthly, abortions are known to fail on occasion, just like birth control, just like medical practice.

Fifthly, the doctor who (allegedly) failed to detect she was pregnant could have made an honest mistake (no medicine is without mistakes, nor are people--get over it), or he could have been incompetent. That doesn't mean he is to blame for her stupidity. Yes, stupidity, nothing short of it.

I might add the lady is either a) 'blessed' to know nothing about being pregnant (unlikely, and I say 'blessed' because she didn't want the child, so to her being barren must be a blessing) or b) blessed to have had a good pregnancy to not know she was pregnant at 7 months?

Leaving the above aside, who bears the blame for getting pregnant in the first place? Don't rip into me yet--there is no mention of rape, so she willingly allowed herself to do what naturally in the course of human history has often resulted in pregnancy--she had sex. Whether or not she had some sort of protection or not is irrelevant, as no protection is 100% guaranteed. Even using multiple forms of protection (costly, defeats the alternate purpose of sex--pleasure, and rather impractical) isn't 100% guaranteed!

Must be great for the child. Can't wait to hear about those therapy sessions when the child finds out what happened. Will mom say "Daughter, you were supposed to be dead, but I sued the doctors because you're alive" or "I didn't want you, but hey, look at all the money I made!"

Just when I thought I had seen a new low in stupidity. Oh, look! Here comes a new low. I hope the judge or panel has some common sense here. Does anyone else think this is absolutely insane?

This article was written by Justin Swatsenbarg from Tech and other things. Credit for the thumbnail image which has a great quote by Albert Einstein. If you are interested in contributing to the thinking process and become a guest writer on The Thinking Blog, find out more information here and be my guest!

David Lynch from USA Today says

"it would be easy to mock Chinese aspirations to climb the value ladder. But Americans of a certain age recall in the 1960s similar doubts about the label "Made in Japan." Considering the turmoil that enveloped China for most of the 20th century, the mystery isn't why Chinese factories are having some quality problems. China is in the midst of an enormous transformation from an isolated, centrally planned, mostly rural nation into a fiercely competitive economic dynamo. Since joining the World Trade Organization in 2001, the country has overhauled thousands of laws and regulations to bring itself into conformance with the global economy's dictates."

Not sure if it is only me but I'm some how getting convinced that quality has improved over the last few years with Chinese products. Here is an example from my experience. The other day I was roaming around the shops looking for a good quality headphones and I don't mean good quality from its looks but actually sounds good. I was looking for one with higher frequency response than average. They "respond" better to audio, portraying even more subtle layers of sound. In other words, they are high fidelity, enhancing the sound towards perfection. Most are between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz which is bad because they don't have good bass (low notes), nor good treble (high notes) for that matter. Keep in mind though, some marketed claims of having frequency response lower than 20 Hz can be overstatements.


Outside a shop I saw a collection of American, Japanese, and of course, Chinese goods. The moment I entered the shop, I was instantly attracted to Sony's DJ headphones (in flashy packaging) which had a frequency between 14 Hz and 22,000Hz. I later find out that it is actually the most expensive piece in the shop with a price tag of a whooping $220 . After looking around for a good 15 minutes, I find this brand called "Snopy" in pretty simple packaging. "Another generic Chinese brand" I thought at first and looked at its specs having no hope of finding something that is reasonably priced. To my surprise, this one had even better frequency than Sony: 8 Hz to 22,000 Hz. Like I mentioned before, this might not be an impressive feat and the figures could be inflated. However, I was impressed when I heard its price: only $6!

I had nothing to lose so I bought it without thinking twice but I was curious to find out how it sounded and how long it would last me. When I arrived home and connected it to my computer, it was simply amazing. Seriously! It was so good that I'm going to review it in this post. It's called "Snopy SN-822" and guess what; it's Made in China. Good luck trying to find the official page by googling it because I couldn't. Only a handful of Turkish e-shops appeared in the results leading me to think that the brand was created on-the-spot exclusively for Turkey. In any case, I think it has a good logo albeit it's made to fool people as a Sony. Could it be about Snoopy like in Peanuts?

Apart from the sound quality, I also liked how this headphone was designed with functionality in mind. The large ear pieces, which covers all of my ears, can be folded to save space when not in use. The height adjustment for the head seems to be strong since when I adjust it, it stays there (unlike some previous experiences with loose ones). What's more is that the 3 meter cable connecting the headphone to an audio jack is like a shoe-lacy material so that it doesn't get all mixed up. It is really annoying when you get on a bus just to spend the entire journey fixing the cable instead of listening to music. Oh and it has built-in volume controller (which is really handy) and a microphone that I didn't notice until I saw that there were two jacks at the end of the cable. Good thing it doesn't disturb me at all.

Verdict: I'm quite happy with this Chinese product. It's really good quality when considering its price. Moreover, I feel "safer" using one of these especially when such small electronic devices are expected to fail, break down or steped on anytime now. Even then, it has a two year limited warranty and I'm not worried if I ever do something to it that voids it. I could still buy 36 more of these "Made in China" Snopy headphones with the money I saved by not buying one original Sony headphone.

A country has an absolute advantage economically over another in a particular good when it can produce that good at a lower cost. Trade might not be mutually beneficial, but it's pure economics. I believe in free trade. May the best win!

Peopleized is a social networking thinking website which is based on a very simple yet genius idea; connecting people by encouraging them to make interviews with each other. This way users develop a better relationship than any other social networking sites. They ask each other any questions they want and share the interview with others.

After the interview is finished, it is published in Peopleized. All members have the right to vote on each interview. The most favored interviews are highlighted. Users are free to copy and paste the HTML code of the interviews they like and publish them in their blog. Similar to link exchange for SEO optimization, this is another way of exhanging links for both sides.

Top 10 Benefits of Using Peopleized:

• There is no star blogger in Peopleized. Every member is unique and has the same rights. Peopleized's motto is "todays small fishes are tomorrows whales."
• It is a real niche opportunity when compared to other social networking websites because it is based on developing relationship by making interviews and sharing them.
• The more you make interview, the better and more popular blogger you will become.
• Develop close relationship with bloggers all around the globe by promoting them. This is a great way of creating a win-win situation.
• Select remarkable and interesting characters to make an interview. Invite them to Peopleized and ask them great questions. Chances are you will then be listed in the "Most Favored" list drive a lot of visitors to your site.
• Accept interview requests. Be sincere and open when replying the questions. This will build trust with you and your audience.
• Copy and post the interview in your blog. Kindly ask the other side to do the same. This is the smartest way of exchanging links.
• Kindly invite your readers to sign up with Peopleized and ask you questions. This will spark good quality communication within your audience.
• Use this opportunity to build trust amongst your community.
• Play Truth or Dare?

Here is a selection of interesting interviews made in Peopleized:

• Ilker – The Thinking Blog
• New ways of teaching and learning
• An interview with a brave climate change fighter
• Go out and run a marathon
• An informative cool blogger from Australia
• Interview about Peopleized

This article was written by Mert Erkal from Let's meet where the continents meet!. Mert writes everything about Istanbul, "The Meeting Point of Two Continents", its importance on World Peace, Night Life, and History. If you are interested in contributing to the thinking process and become a guest writer on The Thinking Blog, find out more information here and be my guest!

Editor's Note: Peopleized logo and graphics are also designed by me!

Other forms link exchange systems are designed to allow individual websites to selectively exchange links with other relevant websites and are not considered a form of spamdexing. One way to get linked without manipulating the relevancy of resources indexed by a search engine, in a manner consistent with the purpose of the indexing system, is to get more "natural" links using the new Romlet widget.

1. What is it? Romlet is a blog widget that helps bloggers to easily display where their traffic is coming from. The widget shows favicon images for up to 20 top refering sources. These favicons are also links to the referring sites or pages.

2. How it works? Romlet encourages people to link to a blog with the widget in order to be listed as a top refering source. This is similar to the Top Commentators plugin. Both blog owners and blog readers can click also on the widget to thank refering sites or bloggers, or vote posts up on refering social networks.

3. Still is Beta? For now, Romlet is openly accepting beta users. Examples of Romlet on established blogs can be found on sites like Weburbanist, WallStreetFighter and Disassociated. As you can see from these sites, Romlet is highly customizable. The color, size and proportions of Romlet can be adapted to fit any blog.

Sign up to get your own widget now and enjoy a good look in the eyes of search engines.

Readability and legibility are also often confused. Readability is most often and more properly used to describe the ease with which written language is read and understood – it concerns the difficulty of the language itself, not its appearance. In contrast, legibility describes how easily or comfortably a typeset text can be read. It is not connected with content or language, but rather with the size and appearance of the printed or displayed text.

Studies of legibility have examined a wide range of factors including type size, type design (for example, comparing serif vs sans serif type, italic type vs roman type), line length, line spacing, colour contrast, the design of right-hand edge (for example, justification (straight right hand edge) vs ranged left, and whether hyphenated). Legibility research was published from the late nineteenth century on, but the overall finding has been that the reading process is remarkably robust, and that significant differences are hard to find.

What's even harder to find is how to use seriffed vs sans serif type and which combination over which is best (Serifs are the small cross-strokes at the end of letters in fonts such as Times; sans serif fonts, such as Arial, lack these cross strokes). I have to admit, I'm a fonts addict. I have over 4000 hand-picked fonts that I use for graphic design work and sometimes it could be daunting to choose the right mix of typfaces for a given project.

That is where type designer and lecturer Alessandro Segalini from Izmir University comes in. His excellent PDF cheat sheet on Mixing Typefaces can help you decide on which combination of typefaces to use. In this sheet, there are 22 typefaces that are cross-referenced with each other, and each combination is given a number to indicate their degree of incompatibility. These are:

1. Combine at will
2. Handle with caution
3. Should be avoided

Alessandro also adds a note at the end of his sheet noting that "there are no typographic absolute. There are, more than likely, several application and circumstances that would render two normally mixable just about as compatible as oil and water. Conversely, there are surely situations that would enable normally incompatible typefaces to be the best of friends."

Found his site via Inspiration Bit - both of which provide great resources and inspiration for type enthusiasts:

- Typographic Design Courses
- Typefaces With Turkish Influence
- Exceptional Typography Resources
- Most Effective Type Combinations

Under the appropriate hormonal stimulus, that nature provides to human females when they become pregnant and give birth, the mammary glands of human males can also produce milk. The volume of milk produced is low relative to that of a lactating female. Male lactation is most commonly caused by hormonal treatments given to men suffering from prostate cancer. Female hormones are used to slow the production of cancerous prostate tissue, but the same hormones also stimulate the mammary glands. Male-to-female transsexuals may also produce milk due to the hormones they take to reshape their bodies. It can occasionally be a side effect of antipsychotic medication. Marijuana use is also thought by some to be a possible cause; however, published data is contradictory.

Male lactation has, in some cases, commenced without hormonal treatments as well. Extreme stress combined with demanding physical activity and a shortage of food has also been known to cause male lactation. The phenomenon was first studied in survivors of the liberated Nazi concentration camps after World War II. Some American POWs returning from the Korean and Vietnam Wars also experienced male lactation. What's more, this article was published in The Mercury newspaper on October 30, 2002:

Sri Lankan widower breastfeeds his babies

COLOMBO: A 38-year-old Sri Lankan man, whose wife had died three months ago, appears to have the ability to breastfeed his two infant daughters, doctors said on Wednesday. The man, from the central town of Walapone, lost his wife during childbirth.

"My eldest daughter refused to be fed with powdered milk liquid in the feeding bottle. I was so moved one evening and to stop her crying I offered my breast. I then realised that I was capable of breastfeeding her," the man admitted.

Dr Kamal Jayasinghe, deputy director of a Sri Lankan government hospital, was quoted as saying it was possible for men to produce milk if the prolactine hormone became hyperactive.

It's definitely worth taking look at the following cinematic statement on male breastfeeding, a short documentary film entitled "Milk Men" directed by Peter Templeman, who was nominated for this year's Academy Awards (not exactly NSFW, but it might be weird to watch it at work).

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

The first extention to install is Gspace. It is one easy way to share files between your home, office and friends. It's like going around with a 3GB pendrive. The interface is like that of a FTP client and very intuitive to use. Gspace certainly proves very useful in many occasions and even allows for an iPod like functionality as we will find out how later.

Installing Gspace

Follow these three easy steps:

1. Go to www.getgspace.com and download the extension for your operating system (Linux, Windows, Mac).

2. If you have default security settings on your browser, you should be asked for a "permit" to use this extension. After adding this site to the list of Trusted sites, click Install Now.

3. Once successfully installed, you'll be asked to Restart Firefox.

Quick Configuration of Gspace

Few settings to make before we get started:

1. On the Bookmarks Toolbar, click on the Gspace icon (or on the Tools menu you'll find Gspace) to activate Gspace and go to Manage Account. Insert your Gmail ID and Password. Save, close and get into your account.

2. With Login you get into your account and can start uploading your files. This can be done easily by dragging & dropping files.

3. With the right-click, files can be canceled, renamed, copied and so on.

Music and Photos on Gspace

Using the integrated Gmail Audio Player to listen to our audio files on Gmail directly from our browser:

1. All you need to do is Login, then go to Inbox menu and select Player Mode.

2. You must be in the English version to listen to your music. Click on EN English to move to the English version.

3. Select your files My Gspace using the pointer and Add to the Playlist. After creating your Playlist, you can start listening to your MP3 files.

If we dedicate all the space on Gmail exclusively to music we can obtain about 500 songs, if an average song is considered to be 4MB.




To view all your photos without hassle, on the Inbox menu select Photo Mode. Try it out!




Firefox extensions are constantly updated but might not always do so automatically. To manually update Gspace, from the menu bar select:

Tools >> Add-ons >> Find Updates.

This article was written by Kanute from Kabatology. Kanute writes about news that go around the Open Source world. If you are interested in contributing to the thinking process and become a guest writer on The Thinking Blog, find out more information here and be my guest!

More recently, they also improved the search feature by including tags in the results. Now all these new features are nice and great but MBL is huge now. This makes it difficult to find relevant blogs we would be interested to read. Althought I could have made this suggestion on the Suggestion Board but I wanted to illustrate my idea and how it might work out.

Ever since MBL introduced the tags feature I thought tag clouds could be one way to lead the users to blogs they are looking for. They are already doing it on Top 50 communities on the community page but why not add it to members page as well. This feature would make tags more useful and examples from other sites could be given as an example. Take a look at the way Technorati uses tag clouds for posts:


Flickr does the same for tags on photos:


I'm sure other examples could be given from other websites but don't you think the following would be more useful on the members page instead of the current A to Z names directory?

1. Logo: I had some great crap ideas, major brainstorming sessions and some brainbusting sessions. Though most seemed like a good idea on paper, only few could actually be applied in practice and still make a good logo to define the blog. Among the ideas I had was "fork on a brain" - where the fork was just random fun (I thought about this while eating dinner one night). Another one was a power cord "powering" the brain (yeah, but it looks more like electrocution than anything else). So it was like brain, brain, brain until one day it struck me - another icon that associates with thinking was the light bulb. When I found a good way to use it as the logo it was a "Eureka" moment. Here is a more detailed look at the finished logo:


(The resolution is high enough to be used as a 1024x768 sized wallpaper)
Finally, there was light and The Thinking Blog now has a new identity along with a new tagline: Power Your Brain!

2. Pages: Many suggested that it wasn't too easy to find a way to contact me via email or that I didn't have an about page for the new visitors to look at and find out what the fudge this thing is all about. As you can see from the top navigation bar, there are four new pages added to the site. They are:

• Popular is where you can find the most popular posts (updated monthly) according to the number of comments,
• Endorse is where you can give back a little for the time and effort I’ve put into this site,
• About is where you can find more about The Thinking Blog and what's it about,
• Contact is where you could reach me for tips, bugs, ads and anything else.

Minor updates are still ongoing with some of these pages so please comment if you have any suggestions for improvement.

3. Code: The majority of the work done in this end was to create a faster page load time. This required eliminating unnecessary scripts, widgets and other items that were unlikely to be used as well as compressing the graphics of the design. Over the past months I have gathered quite some experience with what works and what doesn’t. Here is the comparison of file sizes that are loaded with the old design and the new one:

• Scripts - OLD: 149Kb, NEW: 12Kb, Difference: 137Kb.
• Images - OLD: 111Kb, NEW: 21Kb, Difference: 90Kb.
• Codes - OLD: 44Kb, NEW: 42Kb, Difference: 2Kb.

That is a total of 229 kilobytes saved but there is still room for more optimization. The site also has a cleaner, simple, and uncluttered look while still being intuitive to navigate.

The template works for almost all resolutions including the rare 800x600! I also wanted to improve compatibility with the different types of internet browsers out there. As far as I'm currently aware of, these are the browsers that are now compatible:

• Mozilla Firefox
• Internet Explorer 5.5, 6 and 7
• Opera

There seems to be a problem with the top navigation bar being displayed in Safari that needs a tweak before it could be added to the list of compatible. I've tried fixing it but I can't seem to locate the origin of the bug. If anyone could help me out with this one and also give me a heads-up on other bugs, I would be really grateful. Once I get the template to fully work in all the browsers that you most of you use then I will try to take on more of a perfectionist goal and validate it - I'm not sure what that really means since I'm not a coding ninja but I hope you do!

Last but not least, I would like to thank all my friends who provided feedback: Aysun, Pearl, AgentSully, Justin, Kurt, Bob, Liz, Ahmed, Francesco, Jeremy, Efendi, Michael, Benedikt, Phil, Brian, Brohans, Susan, Shankar, Kiltak, Jihan, Halil and Wayne Smallman from Octane Interactive.

Oh and I almost forgot to mention another good news: I'm back at delivering your daily dose of fuel power to keep thinking!

Without further due, here are the Top 5 most popular posts of The Thinking Blog by month:


October-November-December 2008

(29 thoughts) Top 10 Most Annoying English Phrases
(6 thoughts) Taking Advantage of Suicide Discount in Real Estate
(5 thoughts) The Cost of Open Source Software
(4 thoughts) Animals Gone Wild: Homosexuality In Animals!
(3 thoughts) Ignorance is Bliss?


June-July-August 2008

(75 thoughts) Guitar Hero Clones: Play Online (Flash) or Download for Free
(17 thoughts) Tomato: Fruit or Vegetable?
(8 thoughts) 2 Ghosts 1 Belt
(7 thoughts) Malware: The Difference Between Quarantine and Delete
(6 thoughts) Blurring the Boundaries of Reality: Photo Realistic CGI


April-May 2008

(28 thoughts) Extinct Human Species Smarter Than Us?
(15 thoughts) Polyandry: Marriage with More Than One Man
(12 thoughts) The Dual Mind: Which Part of Your Mind Dominates Your Brain?
(11 thoughts) Global Child Prostitution Crisis Surges: Demand Up, Ages Down
(9 thoughts) Pictures Worth A Thousand Words - Post 17


March 2008

(21 thoughts) The BIG Idea: Social Relations as a Business Model
(13 thoughts) One Idea CAN Change the World
(12 thoughts) How To Fix the Web With Greasemonkey in 3 Minutes
(11 thoughts) All the Air and Water in the World
(10 thoughts) Pictures Worth A Thousand Words - Post 16


February 2008

(28 thoughts) 20 Fascinating Facts About the Natural Healing Power of Bananas
(22 thoughts) In Pictures: The Biggest Swimming Pool on Earth
(12 thoughts) Orgasmic Childbirth: Video Evidence? (NSFW, Obviously and 18+)
(9 thoughts) 11 Cool Concept Cars That Should Be Mass Produced
(7 thoughts) Prostitution: Story of the Oldest Profession on Earth


January 2008

(25 thoughts) Siberian Weather Hits Europe, Lakes and Waterfalls Freeze
(19 thoughts) True Zero Emission Cars Run On Air
(18 thoughts) 9 Smashing Trivia Bits on Japan's Mount Fuji
(14 thoughts) Ambitiously Viral: Free eBooks Online
(10 thoughts) The Thinking Blog Goes Multi-Author!


December 2007

(39 thoughts) Centralia: Town On Fire Since 1962
(19 thoughts) Creativity in a Photo Booth
(18 thoughts) Orgasmic Childbirth?
(15 thoughts) 10 Crazy Ways to Cool Your Computer
(14 thoughts) Being a Pavlov Dog in Holiday Season Shopping Spree


November 2007

(50 thoughts) Big Giveaway, Real Prize: RuffBook Water Resistant Laptop!
(31 thoughts) The Five Faces of Women
(13 thoughts) Political Correctness Taken Too Far
(12 thoughts) Caligynephobia: The Fear of Beautiful Women
(11 thoughts) Please Do Not Feed Internet Trolls


October 2007

(30 thoughts) Wanted: Thinking Writers
(29 thoughts) Blog Tip: Do NOT Put Adsense on Your Blog
(20 thoughts) How Nice To See Stolen Work on Other Sites
(19 thoughts) STUDY: How To Be More Creative
(13 thoughts) 7 Tips to Deal with TMI (Too Much Information)


September 2007:

(31 thoughts) 13 Unfortunate Translations That Harmed Brand Reputations
(23 thoughts) Launched: Design Portfolio of Ilker Yoldas
(20 thoughts) Making An Exception to the No Politics Rule
(18 thoughts) Unveiled: World's First Turkish Sportscar
(10 thoughts) Green Burial: When Dust Really Returns to Dust *TIE!
(10 thoughts) How To Make Your Own Multi-Touch Pad for $2 *TIE!


August 2007:

(62 thoughts) The Thinking Blog Re-Designed!
(26 thoughts) Gothic Stalinist Soviet Skyscrapers
(19 thoughts) Chernobyl: Revisted After 20 Years After the Disaster
(18 thoughts) The Future of Power Generation: Nuclear Fusion *TIE!
(18 thoughts) How To Eat Vegetables We Don't Like *TIE!
(15 thoughts) Shrink Your Brain in 8 Easy Steps


July 2007:

(89 thoughts) Sharing Pownce Invites
(29 thoughts) Sharing Moola Invites
(26 thoughts) Meeting Your Virtual Friends
(24 thoughts) Self Mummified Monks of Japan
(13 thoughts) Getting Things Done With 5S Philosophy


June 2007:

(35 thoughts) The Design Process of a Great Logo
(26 thoughts) Kick Some Scientology Ass
(25 thoughts) Weirdest Named Places On Earth
(22 thoughts) Show Your support For Topless Women
(17 thoughts) Aurora Borealis: Nature Lights Up the Skies


May 2007:

(23 thoughts) Learning to Digg
(22 thoughts) Pictures Worth A Thousand Words - Post 6
(21 thoughts) Intelligence Can't Be Measured
(20 thoughts) The Linking Post
(18 thoughts) Scientology Exposed


April 2007:

(103 thoughts) Fave My Blog and I Fave Yours
(73 thoughts) Top 10 April Fool Pranks 2007
(30 thoughts) Guide to Blog Promotion
(29 thoughts) How To Make A Lunchbox from CD Spindle
(22 thoughts) Top 5 Most Addictive Games *TIE!
(22 thoughts) The Legend of Power Women *TIE!


March 2007:

(115 thoughts) Support Topless Women
(31 thoughts) What Do You Think? Review Contest
(30 thoughts) The Thinking Blog Dot Com
(26 thoughts) Superman in Hollywood, Bollywood and ..
(19 thoughts) How To Create PDF Without Software *TIE!
(19 thoughts) De-Activate the Bomb in 15 Minutes *TIE!


February 2007:

(92 thoughts) What Did You Get For Valentine's Day?
(42 thoughts) A Shy Blogger's Avatar and MySpamLog
(41 thoughts) Cult of Apple - Part 1
(21 thoughts) 5 Reasons Why I'm Thinking
(19 thoughts) Get A PC Ads


January 2007:

(37 thoughts) Project 2000 Bloggers
(14 thoughts) Blog with Honor
(13 thoughts) Show Some Love
(11 thoughts) Email Your Future Self
(10 thoughts) Borat Wins a Golden Globe *TIE!
(10 thoughts) Nature Calendar 2007 *TIE!


December 2006:

(15 thoughts) Guide to Blogging
(12 thoughts) Microsoft Substitutes
(7 thoughts) Web 2.0 - Another Dot Com Boom?
(6 thoughts) Evil Caffeine!
(5 thoughts) Electric Supercar *TIE!
(5 thoughts) Have Some Coke! *TIE!

The biggest support you can give is help me become a full-time blogger. So, I’ve decided to ask for your help to realize my dream. It’s a dream that I’ve had for a few months now, and I think that if I stick with what I’ve been doing for another year or two, it will likely come true. I'm hoping that with a combination of the ads I have on this site and the generous donations of you guys, I will be able to quit my day job (which pays very little now) and dedicate my time to creating the best content possible for this site.

I am not asking for payment for reading this site. It will always be free, and I will not create a "premium content" section either. Donations are simply donations, and I am only asking for a one-time donation (or at the most, once a year). Once again - you are under no obligation to donate. However, if you feel that this content is worth $25 a year donation, and you are able to do so, please click this link and make a donation (my suggested amount $25, but you can donate more or less — however much you are able to give me). Your generous contribution would be appreciated and I will thank you (silently), in my moment of gratitude, each morning.

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1. Have your product reviewed by The Thinking Blog. Paid content will be clearly marked as sponsored post according to our disclosure policy. For more information email this address: review@thethinkingblog.com
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For more information, offers and prices contact with this email address: ads@thethinkingblog.com

Guests: From time to time, I publish quality "thinking" posts written by you. For more information on how to become a guest blogger read this post.

Other: You can bug me with generic praise, unkind remarks, or anything else that doesn't fit in the category above with this email address: ilker@thethinkingblog.com

It is also a place where other thinkers come to share their knowledge and engage in "the thinking process" with the rest of us - a community in the purest sense. This is my vision! Here I write about many of the topics that make me think, in a world where most are too busy to stop and take some time out to reflect. I hope it will keep you thinking too.

"Knowledge grows when shared." - Bhartrihari (c 450-510)

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