Books

_The End of Days: Fundamentalism and the Struggle for the Temple Mount_, Gershom Gorenberg
_Predictably Irrational_, Dan Ariely

In general, people don't think logically; they think associatively and emotionally.

Correlation is not correlation, but if you lead a horse to water, he will probably drink.

Self-reinforcing belief structures (such as religions) don't collapse when an exterior force impacts them. They are compacted, made more dense, and become both stronger and stranger.

Everything anyone says can and probably will be misinterpreted. Not only is clear communication difficult, previous experiences in the listener can inspire them to hear hidden meanings that the speaker did not intend.

Speakers can also shape their words so that a significant proportion of their listeners will misinterpret their meaning in a particular way.

One of these books is about theories of people acting in non-rational ways, and the other is about the practical realities of people acting in non-rational ways.

Books

_The End of Days: Fundamentalism and the Struggle for the Temple Mount_, Gershom Gorenberg
_Predictably Irrational_, Dan Ariely

In general, people don't think logically; they think associatively and emotionally.

Correlation is not correlation, but if you lead a horse to water, he will probably drink.

Self-reinforcing belief structures (such as religions) don't collapse when an exterior force impacts them. They are compacted, made more dense, and become both stronger and stranger.

Everything anyone says can and probably will be misinterpreted. Not only is clear communication difficult, previous experiences in the listener can inspire them to hear hidden meanings that the speaker did not intend.

Speakers can also shape their words so that a significant proportion of their listeners will misinterpret their meaning in a particular way.

One of these books is about theories of people acting in non-rational ways, and the other is about the practical realities of people acting in non-rational ways.

Today's lunch

Isn't it aggravating when people blog about their lunch? I think so. Unless, of course, they're having something really fancy and they take photos. That makes it all better.

(Turkey and hummus with tomato and Sriracha sauce in a multigrain wrap. Quite tasty. I should use more Sriracha -- I only put on about a tablespoon, because I finished the bottle and didn't start a new one.)

I like capsaicin; your mileage may vary.

Today's lunch

Isn't it aggravating when people blog about their lunch? I think so. Unless, of course, they're having something really fancy and they take photos. That makes it all better.

(Turkey and hummus with tomato and Sriracha sauce in a multigrain wrap. Quite tasty. I should use more Sriracha -- I only put on about a tablespoon, because I finished the bottle and didn't start a new one.)

I like capsaicin; your mileage may vary.