Legal Law

Richard Dawkins Struggles to Explain Morality: His Answer ‘The Moral Zeitgeist’

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How do you describe the color gray, when black and white don’t exist? This is the heart of the problem Dawkins raises when considering morality and goodness. Having claimed to get rid of the idea that we do not base our morality on sacred texts, Dawkins is left with a void. It begs the question: where does our morality come from? Enter The Moral Zeitgeist.

Before embarking on his discussion of such a zeitgeist, Dawkins establishes a little preliminary work on the question of universal morality. He argues that there is a striking consensus between what we consider to be right and wrong, a consensus that has no obvious connection to religion, although he argues that it clearly extends to religious people. As an example, he includes a list he found on an atheist website:

• Do not do to others what you would not like them to do to you.
• In all things, live to do no harm.
• Treat your fellow human beings, living beings and the world in general with love, honesty, fidelity and respect.
• Do not overlook evil or avoid administering justice, but always be ready to forgive freely admitted and honestly regretted wrongdoing.
• Live life with joy and wonder.
• Always seek to learn something new.
• Proof of all things; Always compare your ideas with the facts and be ready to dismiss even a cherished belief if it doesn’t fit them.
• Never try to censor or isolate yourself from dissent; Always respect the right of others to disagree with you.
• Form independent opinions based on your own reason and experience; do not be blindly carried away by others.
• Question everything

Dawkins suggests adding:

• Enjoy your own sex life (as long as it does not harm anyone else) and let others enjoy yours in private, whatever your inclinations, which are none of your business.
• Do not discriminate or oppress on the basis of sex, race, or (to the extent possible) species.
• Don’t indoctrinate your children. Teach them how to think for themselves, how to evaluate the evidence, and how to disagree with you.
• Assess the future on a time scale longer than yours.

It’s hard to argue with Dawkins’ list as such, except to say that much of it is irrelevant to morality. For the most part it focuses on mutual pleasure and enjoyment. Don’t ruin my sex life and I won’t ruin yours, etc. It is not that there is something wrong with such a perspective in itself, simply that we must be clear that we are talking about mutual self-interest and not principles of what is right and what is wrong. Given that Dawkins argues that morality does not exist except as a psychological hoax, it is perhaps not surprising that his list approaches that way. However, a closer look at Dawkins’ principles for life encounters difficulties when it deviates into areas of morality. For example, statements like ‘don’t overlook evil’ require a clear definition and understanding of evil. In Dawkins’ world, where morality does not exist, neither can evil exist. In fact, one wonders why Dawkins cares about the question of moral standards of behavior. Presumably, the idea of ​​morality is a higher meme, replicating itself at the expense of lesser memes.

Dawkins ignores the question of how a value system can exist without an explicit understanding of right and wrong, but I would argue that such a value system is a path to tyranny. Consider Dawkins’s argument once more. Our sense of morality and goodness is derived from evolution by natural selection (via evolutionary psychology). Therefore, this moral sense is not a moral sense with reference to an external standard of good, but a strategy to promote the long-term interests of the species. As such, it is indisputably based on self-interest. It is this perspective that gives rise to what Dawkins calls utilitarianism and consequentialism (he tells us that he is consequentialist himself): according to the precepts of utilitarianism, law is defined as that which brings the greatest benefit to the majority of people. This is a dangerous philosophy. It validates the sacrifice of the individual to the interests of the group. According to this philosophy, when the world finds itself short of food, we will be executing and devouring the vulnerable minority to keep the majority alive. A closer examination of Dawkins’ “commandments” reveals the nature of this morality as it is. To consider:

“Do not discriminate or oppress on the basis of sex, race or (to the extent possible) species.”

The rating “as far as possible” reveals that this is nothing more than a matter of convenience.

Let’s move on. Having established this foundation, a kind of Moses and the Ten Commandments for the atheist stage, Dawkins expands his idea of ​​The Moral Zeitgeist. He argues that changing times reveal a changing morality; He cites slavery, women, and child abuse as examples. He argues that in any society there is a spirit of the age (zeitgeist) that is a “mysterious consensus” and that governs / reflects our morality. Examples cited include our attitudes towards women and racism, as well as the toll of wildlife and wartime casualties. This zeitgeist changes over time and this change is in spite of religion, not because of it. What’s more:

“The change is in a recognizable and consistent direction, what most of us would call an improvement.”

Dawkins asks the question; Where do these changes come from? But before we answer that question, we must examine the assumption Dawkins makes in the statement above, that most of us would call such a change an improvement. I think most of us would agree that this is the case, but before asking where from, we should ask why. Putting the fact of the matter aside for the moment, why should we consider it an improvement? Dawkins does not address the issue, but the obvious answer is that there is an external standard (of goodness or morality) in the world to which we are all connected, and that is separate from our own existence and that of the universe. Dawkins does not care about such difficulties. Instead, he concentrates on the question of where, and even here he has no clear answers other than “not religion.” (By the way, Christians argue that morality comes from God, not religion.) If pushed to advance a theory, he postulates the following approach:

• How is the change timed? By a change in the frequencies of memes in the group of memes: the propagation between the communities through an increasingly sophisticated interaction.
• What drives constant leadership? Individual leaders, education, and increased comprehension skills are cited as possible factors.

Readers should remember Chapter Five and the section “Be careful because you step on my memes” when evaluating the relevance and probable validity of such views. In my opinion, it makes no sense to talk about frequencies of memes and groups of memes, when no one has the slightest idea what constitutes a meme. Remember the words of Susan Blackmore:

“I’m just a story about me writing a book.”

And what about the definition of the moral zeitgeist as a “mysterious consensus”? Such vagueness only confirms the insufficiency of Dawkins’s explanation. He would never tolerate such carelessness in his adversaries, yet he freely indulges in it. Frankly, his explanations lack authority and he seems to acknowledge this aspect of his argument when he says:

“It is beyond my amateur psychology and sociology to go further to explain why the moral zeitgeist moves in its widely concerted form. For my purposes, it suffices that, as a matter of observed fact, it moves, and is not driven. “. by religion, and certainly not by scripture.

Without having said anything of any merit, except that he is not qualified to pass judgment, he finally concludes that:

“The manifest phenomenon of the Zeitgeist progression is more than enough to undermine the claim that we need God to be good or to decide what is good.”

Is this the anthropic approach to morality? Does the moral zeitgeist exist because it exists and progress because it progresses? Hardly irrefutable logic. Faith, possibly, rhetoric, certainly. Even from a purely logical point of view, your claim is wrong. The changing zeitgeist he analyzes has occurred with the present religion. Therefore, any conclusion drawn on an observable basis that excludes religion must be suspect. He has identified the change, but has failed to show that God had nothing to do with him. As he usually does, he concludes what he wants to conclude.

The truth is that this changing zeitgeist is not morality itself. Morality exists independently of this zeitgeist, which is simply a reflection of our understanding of this morality. We progress politically, socially, technologically and economically and we become more educated and more civilized. However, the fundamental nature of good and evil remains constant. And as far as the zeitgeist is in a recognizably consistent direction, this is not always the case: by Dawkins’ own admission, Hitler was just as evil as Caligula or Genghis Khan.

To appreciate the distinction between zeitgeist and morality, let’s consider Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

Self realisation
Esteem
Love / belonging
Safety
Physiological

Technological, social and political development moves us up this hierarchy of needs, particularly through education. The first civilizations would have been concerned with physiological needs and would not have been entirely concerned with concepts such as morality. Western civilizations of the 20th century, on the other hand, would have been implementing such concepts in their worldview. Indeed, we begin to implement more kindness in our lives. That said, of course, goodness itself has not changed or evolved. Witness the 20th century, one of humanity’s bloodiest times, two world wars, the dropping of the atomic bomb, the napalming of innocents, Stalinism, Nazism. (By the way, none of these atrocities were carried out in the name of religion.) Dawkins describes them as gruesome setbacks, but considers them temporary phenomena and consistent with a sawtooth improvement in the spirit of the moral age rather than a mild improvement. He says:

“It is important to separate the evil intentions of men like Hitler and Stalin from the vast power they wielded to achieve them.”

Important? Because it is important? History is littered with evil men wielding great power and committing atrocities as a result. The question remains, how are Stalin and Hitler different from those who committed such atrocities in the name of religion? Clearly there is no difference. Dawkins argues as if Hitler and Stalin were alone in their corruption and evil. The truth is that millions connived to some extent with both, and the truth is the same for atrocities committed in the name of religion. The responsibility lies in the nature of man, not in his belief or disbelief in God.

Improving the moral age spirit, therefore, is not a matter of evolving goodness, but a matter of deepening our understanding of morality. Simply put, improving our physical condition allows us to invest more in the physical manifestations of this goodness in our lives and less in the fight for survival. Dawkins’s argument, on the other hand, simply reflects an increase in the sophistication of our application of self-interest principles.

Lifestyle Fashion

Highly sensitive people: traits and characteristics

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One in twenty people is considered a very sensitive person (PAS). This means that you may be sensitive yourself or someone you know is. 42% of the population is not very sensitive, which means that most things do not bother them as they would with a PAS. All the rest fall somewhere in between, and a few are completely indifferent to anything. (By the way, 20% of the entire animal kingdom is also very sensitive.)

Who are the PAS and what are they like?

We are the thinkers, the cautious, the conservative; The ones that say “Hey, wait a minute. Let’s think about this before we do something rash.”

Every society needs very sensitive people, just as we need warriors, leaders who are willing to take risks. However, we are the ones who help moderate the not-so-sensitive types, the ones who may be bold, reckless, and impulsive and may not have thought about the consequences of their actions. Highly sensitive people are often the people who find themselves in the roles of advisors, counselors, and advocates for restraint.

Unfortunately, in western society, we have also been labeled as somewhat “flawed,” according to the way non-hsp view us. We are considered “too sensitive, too cautious, too shy, too shy, too introverted, too fearful.” The thing to keep in mind is that these are not “problems” that need to be corrected and solved with sensitive people. It is the labels that we adhere to that cause the problems. Many non-sensitive people are also shy, shy, introverted, and fearful, while there are many highly sensitive people who are outgoing, super-friendly, outgoing, and risky. We just tend to think things first and weigh all the factors that our senses pick up on before moving on.

Misinterpreted traits and characteristics

So what are some of the traits and characteristics of a highly sensitive person? Let’s look at some of the mythical facts and labels that have been attached to this special group.

Shyness

– You will probably find a higher proportion of shy people in the PAS group. That doesn’t mean that everyone is shy. That is a myth. Many non-sensitive people are also shy. Sometimes what is mistaken for shyness is actually an assessment of the situation and the people we just met. We are cautious. If our senses say that something is not right about the person, we will not be so open to them. First impressions count. It is not just the way the person is dressed, but all their demeanor, aura, attitude, and other little subtleties that we absorb with all of our senses. We process the thoughts, feelings and sensations that we receive in each new situation. This can make some of us look “shy” when we are not.

Introvert

– Something like a myth. You will find that many PAS can be outgoing, extroverted, and fun-loving. You will also find that many non-sensitive people are introverts. Don’t confuse deep thinking and inner reflection with introversion. We need a lot more time alone. This is because our nervous system can become overloaded in a situation that an insensitive person would find somewhat stimulating. If we become exhausted and overstimulated, we need to find a quiet place as soon as possible to sit down again. This is the reason why many PAS tend to stay home most of the time, instead of partying. It’s not that we don’t want to … we just know that our systems can’t handle overload for too long. If we cannot escape, we will go into ourselves, as a kind of protective shield, to try to reduce the noise, sights, sounds and smells that bombard us in order to calm ourselves.

Terror

– Unless you are completely indifferent and have a conscious lack of consideration towards others, who can say that they have never been afraid sometimes? This is not an exclusive trait of sensitive people. New experiences often cause butterflies, scary thoughts, and inner turmoil in most people. PAS just tend to feel those emotions more deeply.

Shyness

– Caution, careful assessment of the situation, the need to see the “big picture” and the possible consequences resulting from our actions is in our nature. If everyone carelessly rushed into everything, we would have even more chaos in our world than we have now.

Too sensitive

– Yes, this is our main feature. We assimilate everything that surrounds us at the same time. Lights, noises, smells, energetic vibrations, all are absorbed, processed and evaluated. Unfortunately, when there is too much activity and noise around us, we cannot stand it for a long time. For example, what may be a low to moderate level of music to an insensitive person might sound like the level of a rock concert to us. Emotionally, we are affected by much of the disharmony in the world. We feel the distress of another person, we are aware of the low levels of anger or resentment in a room, we empathize with other people’s problems, and we feel great sorrow for horrible tragedies.

What does this all mean?

A very sensitive person will detect subtleties in the environment that many non-sensitive people cannot see or feel. This can give us great advantages. It can save us in many situations where trouble is coming. Our skills can prevent us from making disastrous business or personal decisions, if we follow our instincts. And because of our deep sense of the environment around us, we are often the ones who make others aware of potential environmental issues that unscrupulous companies ignore for their own benefit. PAS are often the ones that push for reforms and changes in government laws for the good of all.

As with everything, it is good to know that you are not alone, that there are others who have to deal with the same kinds of situations and “labels” as you. It is true that it does not hurt less, but you know that there are similar types that you can look up and talk about … and they will understand. Yes, we tend to exhibit more of the above traits and characteristics than non-sensitive people, but we are not exclusive owners of them either. Sometimes, it is a misinterpretation of what is really going on in the mind of a PAS by non-PAS people. Only another very sensitive person could really understand it. The good news is that highly sensitive people have been around since man has walked the earth … and we will always be here, working to make the world a more understanding, considerate, and peaceful haven for all.

Real Estate

Northern Minnesota Vacation Rentals

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Each individual needs to take a break from the daily chore of normal life. Relaxation, rejuvenation and rest from daily work can only be achieved if you know where you want to go and if your stay will have the amenities and activities that will provide the kind of relaxation you need, as well as for Your family. If you are looking for a place that provides you with golf, fishing, swimming and other outdoor activities during the warm season, as well as skiing, hiking, ice fishing, snowmobiling and many more in the cold season, then the vacation rentals Northern Minnesota. is what you need to start looking for.

Vacation rentals in Northern Minnesota are the best choice for the winter and summer vacations you want to have to achieve the hassle-free vacation you want for yourself and your entire family. You can be provided with the location that will be applicable for the activities you planned to do. You can find Northern Minnesota vacation rentals from well-known real estate agents or online for areas like Grand Rapids, St. Paul, Minneapolis, and many other tourist destinations in Northern Minnesota.

Northern Minnesota can bring you the activity of golf in these places where you can be one with nature during your stay while still providing you with the comforts of home. Your choice of location can put you alongside the wildlife of the place and at the same time the availability of the golf course and fishing areas on the lake. No need to set up camp in hot summer weather and cold winter nights.

The rich aquatic environment of northern Minnesota can also be fully utilized for vacation spots without having to stay in camp through the many vacation rentals in the area. Fishing as a hobby and swimming during the hot season will be a great experience. If you go ahead in planning and find the vacation rental earlier, you can be sure to have that cozy place to sleep in a warm place during your winter stay and a cool shower or bath during the hot weather of the summer stay you receive. .

You will never go wrong when planning your Northern Minnesota vacation, especially with the great locations on offer for your vacation stay. Cooking and active life will not be a problem, unlike when you stay in a hostel or a hotel. For that free-spirited person and family, get the right Northern Minnesota rental vacation to make sure everyone in your family gets the needed relaxations. Take those kids to state parks, teens swimming, and old folks relaxing on the golf course or fishing spot.

Shopping Product Reviews

Pokemon go

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Pokemon Go is not new news. It has become one of the highest rated and most popular games in the world. What really is this madness and longing for Pokémon Go?

The popular Pokémon created by Nintendo that rose to fame in the late 90s, has revived the game world with its latest version of GO and is taking the world by storm.

The Pokémon Go is apparently one of the series’ biggest entries in mobile games. It can be obtained for free download on Android and iOS. The game’s fame at the moment is comparable to that of daily active Twitter users on Android.

Pokémon Go is a game that uses a person’s GPS and phone clock to detect where the player is in the game, and then conjures a Pokémon to “appear” around you on your phone screen. It is your mission to proceed to catch them. The Pokémon series and games take place in a world inhabited by surprisingly powerful monsters. These game monsters can appear as rats, dragons, snakes, birds, eggs, trees, dinosaurs, and even swords.

As you move through the game, various random Pokémon shapes and numbers will appear near your location and your phone’s time tracking. The main objective of the game is to inspire you to travel through the real world to catch a Pokémon while you are inside the game scene. By using your phone’s ability to track time and your location, Pokemon Go reflects what it would be like if monsters were actually wandering around. Monsters must be captured and collected.

The main entrance to the Pokémon games started with 151 creatures. However, the catalog has since evolved to over 720. With Pokémon Go, only the original 151 creatures are accessible.

Pokémon Go is now fulfilling the fantasies that Pokémon fans around the world have had since the game’s first release. It’s a popular game for adventurous game players, and it’s one of the free trending games currently available. Fans should play now if they haven’t already.

Beyond reaching childhood dreams, Pokémon Go is everyone’s introduction to a new kind of game that connects the real world with a virtual one, also known as Augmented Reality.

Why play this game? Since everyday activities can get boring, you can improve it if you spice them up with the newest trend, Pokémon Go!

Sports

Will Mayweather Vs Pacquiao ever happen?

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Floyd Mayweather, Jr. didn’t become the highest-paid American athlete in 2013 if he’s not a great salesperson. It could be one of the best, if not, in that sense.

Combine that with a cheeky and cocky personality with exceptional boxing skills and you have the ultimate villain. He’s the man fans would love to hate. Mayweather plays the “heel” role to perfection and therein lies the secret to his win: The crowd patronizes him, not because of his unassailable, but not fan-friendly, defense-first style, but simply because they want to see him lose. .

To Mayweather’s credit, some of the best underweight fighters (José Luis Castillo, Diego Corrales, Zab Judah) at the time have tried to put a stench on his record but to no avail. It’s far from a secret to the casual fan that for the better part of two decades, no one did, and maybe no one will.

The rise of Manny Pacquiao in the mid-2000s became a beacon of hope for Mayweather’s attackers.

There’s this nice guy from the Philippines with a literal history from poverty to riches, beating people from left to right on his way to being considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world for over 300 weeks.

At last, now there is someone who fans would see as a hero, the anti-Mayweather if you will.

The whole conversation about Pacquiao possibly defeating Mayweather is not just wishful thinking. The Philippine machine has lightning fast hands with real power behind them and most purists believe Pacman’s all-pressure, fast-paced style could pose problems for the defensive-minded wizard. Even the great Sugar Ray Leonard called him a “Tasmanian Devil” for the way he steps forward and punches in clusters.

By contrast, the game of Money is not so much about fast boxing as it is about not getting hit by any of the projectiles they call punches. But that made the possible meeting a hundred times more exciting. Styles make fights, they say.

It is a pairing that many thought was made in heaven. Or maybe not.

Years before, reports said that at least twice, the fight nearly advanced only to fall at the last minute. Drug tests Pacquiao doesn’t want to participate in, the $ 40 million guaranteed money he turned down, Bob Arum, etc.

Much has happened since then and Pacquiao, from being on top of the boxing world, plummeted to No. 5 on most charts and Mayweather has firmly positioned himself at that No. 1 spot.

Mayweather enjoyed the glory that his fight against Saúl ‘Canelo’ Álvarez was listed as the highest grossing pay-per-view fight of all time (2.2 million purchases) and reportedly generated $ 150 million. Pacquiao, on the other hand, won convincingly against Brandon Rios, but the pay-per-view numbers could only muster an anemic 550,000 buys, tops.

Now that would just mean that Pacquiao has lost much, if not all, of his influence in talks of a potential showdown and Mayweather, the master that he is, will not fail to remind Pacquiao of the latter’s now inferior status.

Recently, on a visit to Johannesburg, South Africa, Mayweather chose a few words for the struggling congressman and even pointed to Pacquiao’s two previous losses and recent fiscal woes.

“I offered the fight to Manny Pacquiao before,” Mayweather said. “We didn’t agree. Years later we came back and I try to make the fight happen again. I offer him $ 40 million. He said he wanted 50-50. So we didn’t make the fight. Happen.

“Suddenly he loses to Timothy Bradley, he loses to Marquez … now he’s got tax problems. So, two losses and tax problems later, now he suddenly wants to say, ‘You know what?’ I’d do anything to make the fight happen. ‘ , when he’s really saying, ‘Floyd, can you help me solve my fiscal problems, get me out of debt?’ “.

Pacquiao responded by invoking his inner villain, appealing to Mayweather’s manhood in a telephone interview in a Filipino newspaper.

“I am not desperate to fight him just for money or material things. It is not me who is looking for this fight; rather it is boxing fans all over the world. I am ready to take any kind of drug test.”

“Above all, I challenge you to include in our fight contract that neither of us will receive anything from this fight. We will donate all proceeds from the guaranteed prize for the fight, if any, entry receipts, viewing fees and endorsements. -to charities around the world. “

In addition to proposing a charity fight, Pacquiao added:

“Floyd, if you’re a real man, fight me. Let’s do it for the love of boxing and for the fans. Let’s do it not for the money. Let’s make the boxing fans happy.”

Of course, Mayweather’s allegations that Pacquiao is bankrupt are unfounded and almost ridiculous. Estimates have Pacquiao’s total earnings at more than $ 300 million and he is consistently on Forbes magazine’s list of highest paid athletes year after year.

Mayweather may have been at the top of that list for a couple of years, but Pacquiao is no easy prey. It’s also interesting to note that “Money” got all of his green exclusively from his fights and no endorsements of any kind.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, has a host of local and international sponsorships including Nike, Hennessy, San Miguel Corp., among others. The numbers may not add up to Mayweather’s totals, but you get what I mean. Even with Pacquiao’s problems with the BIR and the IRS, he would still have enough money for himself and his family for a lifetime.

But did Pacquiao do more harm than good by challenging Mayweather like that? Probably, but Mayweather isn’t the type to run out of jokes. He may be quiet for now, but expect a response in the next few weeks.

Contrary to what some fans would suggest, Mayweather is not really scared as in “scared chicken” of fighting the eight-division world champion. But the thing is, he’s so concerned with nothing more than maintaining his undefeated record and acknowledged that Pacquiao is as legitimate a threat as ever.

What will happen if they ever turn their back on you? And now if they take away that cloak of invincibility that he has treasured for so long? Will you have props to lean on or the face to stand up to the people and the media?

Floyd is a salesman, remember, and he may be a more classy businessman than a fighter.

I am one of the millions who wanted to see a clash between two of the best of our generation. Never mind records, door attendance, and PPV purchases; Regardless of W’s and L’s or Legacies, just watching Mayweather test his skills against Pacquiao and vice versa is enough to drive any fan crazy.

I, for one, believe that Mayweather will survive Pacquiao if it ever could happen. I have always favored defense over offense in any sport and this time it will be no different. But there are always what-ifs and game breaks, especially at big events, and that’s what made sports exciting.

But sadly, everyone has their own reasons and agenda for not making this fight happen. Manny had his when he was at the top and Floyd Jr. always has his despite his own limits, if there ever were any.

From the looks of it, Manny Pacquiao now doesn’t care if he wins or loses; He has lost before and if he falls one more time no one will be surprised. But I can’t say the same to Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

Maybe you’ve reflected on these things and decided that it will be too risky to fight a daredevil like Pacquiao. With that said, let’s let all the buzz to rest until the real talks begin and don’t keep your hopes up on a Mayweather vs Pacquiao.

But again, I would love to be proved wrong this time.

Tours Travel

Make Punta Cana your unique vacation destination for beaches, golf and diving

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For many who travel to the Dominican Republic, the main destinations have always been Puerto Plata and Santo Domingo … until now. Vacations to Punta Cana have exploded in recent years and there is no shortage of reasons why.

Located on the east coast of the island is the tourist area of ​​Punta Cana and is now the fastest growing tourist destination in the Caribbean. sugar white sand and turquoise waters that also make this the largest tourist destination in the Caribbean. Although it stands out mainly for its beautiful beaches, the area has several excursions for ecotourism and nature lovers. With an excursion to the Punta Cana Ecological Reserve you can take a tour through the jungle exploring the tropical flora of the island. Los Haitises National Park has caves with pre-Columbian petroglyphs and underground rivers. Go on a horseback riding tour of the area and discover more off the beaten path. For a true taste of the island’s greenery, head on a zip-line zipline adventure through the jungle for breathtaking views and incredible scenery.

If walking through the jungle is not your thing and you are more of a water person, there is some incredible diving throughout the area. Take a snorkeling trip to Catalina Island to dive top-notch with marine creatures like rays, turtles, sharks, and whales, or explore sunken ships that will take you back to the days of pirates. A trip to Dolphin Island to swim with the dolphins is always a crowd pleaser and a great outing to do with the whole family. Many resorts offer excellent snorkeling just steps away and it’s usually included. Since Punta Cana is primarily a beach destination, water sports are plentiful. From parasailing and jet-skiing, to kayaks and water skis, there is enough to keep you busy in the water all day.

If you are a golfer, there may be no other place in the Caribbean to play a few rounds. With courses ranging from par 3 to challenging courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Robert Trent Jones, to name a few. Nestled among spectacular scenery and with 12 courses, Punta Cana is fast becoming the go-to place in the Caribbean for golf enthusiasts.

So what if you just want to chill on the beach during the day because you’re more of a night person? Don’t worry, with the number of bars and nightclubs in the area, your selection from salsa and merengue to modern pop, rock, and hip-hop will have you dancing until the wee hours of the morning. If you get killed, try your luck at one of the many casinos. Almost all resorts have a casino and those that do not usually offer transportation to one of the many in the area.

Your best bet for shopping in Punta Cana is with the local markets. Here you can get local products like jewelry and other handmade crafts. It’s also the best way to get a good deal, as the salespeople are more willing to bargain than any store in the area.

Punta Cana also has some of the best hotel chains in the sector. Chains such as Bávaro, Iberostar, Dreams, Gran Bahía, Melia and Riu stand out for their hospitality, service and quality and complement this destination that has’ the same characteristics.

Arts Entertainments

What is the Mediaverse Meme?

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What is a mediaverse? A mediaverse is an immersive group of media platforms focused on a brand. The purpose is to continue expanding a popular idea / brand by diversifying with more platforms to further involve the user in the rabbit hole.

Ok, let’s see if we can clear that up with an example. One of the best examples of mediaverse cases is NBC’s Heroes brand. The world started with the TV show itself, but quickly after the launch reached the proof-of-concept metric, a variety of supporting platforms were launched. As the show progressed, the platform cluster has evolved, grown and become more interconnected. Here’s a dissection of the Heroes mediaverse:

Feel free to explore in Heroes | NBC

oThe main TV show of Heroes.

Obviously, this is the cornerstone of the entire cluster. All episodes are available online so that people who miss the show or are more web-oriented can be drawn into the gravity of the show. The great additional benefit of the ability to rewatch online is that

-gave fans a reason to visit the website

-Made the program be shared with friends

-Reinforced loading dock for all future rigs

– additional ad revenue channel provided

o Graphic novels: the website offers users free access to serialized graphic novels about the program. The novels began to bridge the gap between the weekly episodes. This gave eager viewers, eager to see what’s next, the ability to delve into the middle story lines and gain additional information about the characters. Again, this provided an additional revenue stream by having Nissan Versa sponsored ads across all downloadable content.

* Side note * Nissan in Season 1 was its own key player in the Heroes media verse and did a brilliant job of picking the right horse at the right time. The rented Nissan that Hiro uses on the show became an accepted product endorsement that was echoed on several of the channels in the Heroes mediaverse.

oBlogs and websites

This is really where the immersive factor of the Heroes world started to spread in more directions. The brand launched a number of related websites and blogs around the world. Many of the characters are represented just like influential companies. Here is a list:

Primatech’s role

Vote for Petrelli

Yamagato Scholarship

Activating Evolutions

Corithian Casino

Hana’s Blog

Primatech Video Surveillance

Claire’s Myspace

And I can’t find it now, but there was a Hiro blog.

The point here is that the mediaverse grew out of updating the fictional world. Also, they chose channels that were relevant and made logical sense. For example, the Vote Petrelli site was perfect both for this year’s media election climate and the fact that Nathan Petrelli would obviously have a political website. Like a myspace page for teenage superhero Claire, it fit the bill perfectly. The site’s collections provided more ways to deeply participate in the program.

Heroes Wiki

The Wiki was another well structured idea. A good chunk of superhero fans love learning about the show’s dark details, and the wiki provides a way for all of that information to be compiled. In addition, anyone who wants to obtain summaries and relevant production information can go in and acquire those details. And since the wiki platform is open source and free, comparatively few resources were needed to put this piece together.

* Note: Heroes Wiki is a fan-created site that is gaining enough popularity to be listed on the official NBC site. See the explanation in the comments of this article.

oWalkthroughs

The site offers a series of weekly tours of all seasons. The tutorials interconnect many of the other platforms and provide a place for users to comment and ask questions. This resource is great because it creates a timeline blog that lists the world’s top week-by-week events.

ohhistory

The Istory feature is an interactive storytelling platform for the brand that allows users to make decisions that affect the storytelling provided. This is a solid reworking of the classic turn-by-page books that used to be very popular. Everyone speculates during movies and shows about what they would do in a certain situation and now fans have that opportunity. All the characters are specific to Istory, so again, fans are given another means to engage more deeply with the brand and producers are given feedback on what kinds of things they would like to see happen.

oWebisodes

Yes, the platforms keep coming. Web episodes in their own right are becoming a marketing meme. I love this idea as web episodes are cheaper to produce and provide valuable testing and data collection opportunities to leverage concepts through other channels. Another example I know of that went from the web to television is the Sanctuary series on SciFi. In any case, the Heroes web episode re-creates another avenue for users to get involved. Even web episodes fade as users can access platform-related videos, photos, and wallpapers.

o Create your own hero

This platform directly pinged users to give their opinion on the character they would like to see in the world of Heroes. I love it, try and launch with the advantage of hooking the users who voted for the character in the first place with the option of attracting the finalists. It looks like the selected character will have their own spinoff show or web episode.

oMicroseries

Santiago, the winner of the platform Create your own hero, gets a microseries. I think by now you’re starting to see the pattern here of how one platform stimulates another and creates interconnection between other platforms in a self-supporting mechanism.

or interactive SMS

The SMS tricks that many brands have used generally don’t count towards building a mediaverse, but live, during broadcast polls, quizzes, and trivia they do. The $ 5000 giveaway is a good incentive and of course the brand acquires phone numbers and text messaging privileges for numerous fans.

OHeroes Magazine

This is a web-only edition, but since so much is happening in the world, it makes sense to have magazine angle coverage of all the interactions. The magazine also fills the void of getting cast interviews that are strangely lacking on all other platforms. I suppose this is because most platforms are working to create a fiction with reality effect and the cast interviews break the fictional dream, so to speak.

oGames

As if you didn’t see it coming … All kinds of games and quizzes to immerse yourself in. This has been done poorly by many brands, but games and superheroes certainly fit well into the world of Heroes.

o Message boards

Some of the above platforms provide the opportunity to interact with fans, but the message boards focus on this. The speculation and all the wonderful fan activity that happens on the message boards adds to the world. And again, you see the pattern. This is yet another platform to interact more deeply with the brand. And what are they talking about on the boards? All other platforms and elements of the Heroes mediaverse.

oTake It – Widgets and Icons

After all of the above, one would think that the mediaverse would be complete, but new platforms are constantly emerging. Countdown widgets, AIM icons, wallpapers, and ecards galore. This platform spreads the brand through the distribution of fans and has a small user space on several channels.

orShop

Okay, you get an idea with the store, I hope …

Phew! So by looking at the long list of platforms that are bundled together in the Heroes mediaverse, you can see how it helped stabilize the brand and provide consistent content in a medium that typically thrives on enthusiastic anticipation.

Okay, if you’ve made it this far, you may be wondering, how does this apply to more traditional brands? Can it work with anything other than TV and movies? Certainly the idea of ​​a mediaverse leans toward entertainment channels. It could also include books, like the massive Harry Potter franchise, which has spawned a world of its own.

I think we’ve seen a lot of attempts and poor execution in this area without having an overall strategy in place. The closest I’ve seen are some of the viral campaigns from movies like the latest Batman release.

So here is the challenge:

Choose a non-entertainment industry or brand (not movies, TV, or books) and explain your vision for a mediaverse brand or point out that it currently exists

My choice is Nikon. Nikon has taken advantage of photo-sharing technology like Flickr to tag images taken with a Nikon camera and launched its own site that displays user-created content. Photo contests have long been a good marketing arm of camera companies. I think I could extend this with deviant art-like sites to produce a lot of user-generated content from Nikon cameras. Plus, the exclusivity marketing would be huge, like buying key photography spots at events like celebrity awards or sporting events and only allowing Nikon cameras in the area. There are tons of mini blogging possibilities here for comic images or any other emotionally engaging topic. Just think how clever it would have been for Nikon to have released something as meme-inducing as Ihaschzburger or the like.

Let me know what you think.

Technology

Why do movie characters smoke?

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You may not have noticed, but more and more movies are being made in which the main characters smoke. That’s right, they light up more than ever. With the cost of making a movie rising to around $ 100 million, Hollywood is looking to outside finance to cover the bill. Who better than the big tobacco companies. So instead of an entertaining movie with social value, what you’re really getting is a big-budget cigarette commercial.

According to a recent report that stated: “Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that tobacco use remains roughly the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, causing 440,000 premature deaths each year and resulting in an annual cost of more than $ 75 billion in direct medical costs. ” What really bothers me the most is how Hollywood is hiding this agenda. What agenda is that? Drug distribution, of course. In fact, nicotine, the main ingredient in cigarettes, is one of the most widely used addictive drugs in the United States. Even more addictive than crack! It’s no secret then that Hollywood is becoming one of the world’s leading drug dealers! If what I’m saying sounds absurd, do your research. It just can’t be justified that one character in a movie lights up in every other scene. Rent The Ninth Gate from Johnny Depp and count how many times you light a cigarette. Or rent Matchstick Men by Nicolas Cage and you will see that practically every scene has him smoking a cigarette. It is well documented how movies can influence the subconscious mind. And the most powerful way to do it is by using subliminal images. In other words, cigarette ads disguised as major movies.

This is nothing new, as Hollywood has been pushing drug use for years. However, they have now redoubled their efforts because they need the money of the big tobacco companies to finance the ever-growing and uncontrolled budgets. And, of course, some well-known stars, but not all, agree with this clandestine operation. Think about it. If you’re in a $ 100 million movie, rest assured that your slice of that pie will be substantial. And if I told you that all you have to do is light up all the other scenes, you would have no problem. Never mind the fact that you are helping to promote and distribute a product that is killing millions of people around the world. This is where it stops being art and starts to turn into something more sinister. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough space to go over the actual subliminal techniques they use to get you addicted to cigarettes, but here are just a few:

1. Show close-ups of illuminated characters.

2. Use special puff sound effects to demonstrate how the character relaxes in tense situations.

3. Create heroic smoking characters to associate heroism with taking a fresh hit.

4. Make the character light up many times throughout the movie, which creates a hypnotic effect. Through repetition, your subconscious mind is programmed.

5. Use special lighting effects that make you hungry or want to smoke.

Now keep in mind that all of this is done without you being aware of what is happening. But please don’t take my word for it. Go out and do your homework. The next time you’re watching a movie, ask yourself if the character needs to smoke. Then count how many scenes and movies you have seen in which these characters are obsessively lit up. Understand that if you have to make a career out of acting, then this is a problem that you will surely face. Every artist must at some point choose between what they feel is right and what someone asks them to do for money. For me, as a filmmaker, the answer is clear. I am not a drug dealer. Here is just a short list of some movies showing the main characters who smoke: Poseidon, Sin City, X-Men 2, Matchstick Men, The Ninth Gate, Secret Window, Domino, The Core, JFK and many more.

One of the ways to stop this practice is for Hollywood to cut its film budgets. Right now they are out of control. The more these budgets increase, the better Hollywood will be to seek additional funding from advertisers and product placement. A good movie is about a story and not necessarily about special effects and big-name stars. Ultimately, it will be up to the audience members to make a statement with the purchase of their tickets. But if not, it will be up to the individual artists to take a stand against the machine. Organizations such as the RKA Cinema Society are dedicated to exhibiting these films and their practices. But not many in the industry want to speak on this topic. Only time will tell which of us has the health and best interests of our fans in mind.

Business

Control of meteorological trends

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As we watch the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season come to an end, Mother Nature has taught us another lesson. Take nothing for granted and now we are hearing loud and clear. In fact, such extreme weather has pushed scientists to develop better systems for predicting and monitoring the weather. In doing so, we have learned enough now to use this knowledge to control it.

Controlling weather patterns will require some skill, some talent, large compiled databases, supercomputer number processing, and a lot of trial and error. We will also have to put aside some of the current math that we use to track the weather in commerce for multiple-stacking equational computational analysis or a different kind of math based on a new kind of science. Which can lead us to the great unification we seek.

As scientists and researchers will learn, there will be places where the climate will be easily studied and relatively easy to control using very little energy and using actual wind currents with minor changes in certain situations, which are made possible by the terrain itself.

We’re so close to controlling the weather that, in fact, we may only have a major hurricane season or two to deal with, before figuring out how to stop these massive storms. Some are already discussing attacking them as they form or discovering ways to drive them to uninhabited or sparsely populated shores to ward off major catastrophes like super hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Think about this and the future of our civilization; A world safe from hurricanes.

Home Kitchen

DIY Wire Shelving – A DIY Space Saving Solution

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Closets can come in various sizes, but what they all have in common is that they are never big enough. We always seem to fill them to the brim; Move into a big new home, and in a few years you will be maxed out when it comes to space. In such cases, a DIY space-saving solution is ideal.

When rearranging existing items on your shelf isn’t enough, it may be time to create a new space-saving solution. As with most DIY projects, the materials should be inexpensive, easy to install, and effective in their ultimate purpose. Wire shelving is a great DIY space-saving solution, ideal for compact areas. The material is popular due to its price and multi-functionality.

Regardless of the scope and size of your shelving project, wire shelving can help you get it done. Extensive projects such as 3-wall walk-in closets or home garage storage can easily be set up with this material. Smaller projects, like small pantries or wire racks for your kitchen items, can be done in half the time.

No tools required

No tools are required when installing wire shelving. What sets this DIY project apart from others on the market is the fact that no tools are required for assembly. Everything you need comes in the box. The setup is simple, as the posts are bolted in, the levelers or wheels are bolted in, and the shelves are secured with tapered locks. It would be difficult to find an easier storage solution!

Benefits of wire shelving

The sturdy design allows you to load your storage space with items. The few slots provide easy access to items, good ventilation, and quick access to your favorite products. Even when the shelf is fully loaded, the wire shelf lets in a lot of light. This is ideal for tight areas and workspaces like restaurant kitchens.

You can always personalize your wire shelving with wire shelf liners, which are attached to the bottom of the wire shelves, keeping items from falling out. Dividers allow you to organize your articles with greater segmentation and finer levels of detail.

It feels good to maximize your space and know that your items are arranged in an organized manner. Wire shelving is a cost-effective and easy-to-install DIY solution. These products help you create a more efficient and stress-free home, saving you from having to search through your things for your favorite things.