Alexander Rauscher

Most people will say 6 Only the sharp ones will get the real answer🤣🤣🤣

The logical conclusion of optimizationmaxxing

A Saudi court has sentenced a Sri Lankan migrant worker to death over a Facebook comment that was deemed blasphemous, whatever that is. trib.al/41ReHEI

Today I received this intriguing short letter from a Skeptic reader worth sharing (with his permission): Greetings from a fan whose bookcase bends with the weight of his Skeptic magazines. When it comes to disbelief, I am a true believer.  With that in mind, I wanted to relay something that happened years ago. This event keeps my mind open to the paranormal, if only slightly.  The whole thing can likely be explained through the laws of probability, or some other rational means. But it’s very strange, nonetheless. It started with a dream. In this dream, I found myself in an old thrift store with sundry dust-covered antiques. Behind the counter were two action figures, the only toys in the whole place. They were Captain America and The Falcon. These toys were not the sleek, modern style. They were the older type from the 70’s, tall and shaped like Barbie Dolls. The next morning, I found myself walking by an old bookstore that I had passed a thousand times before. On a whim, I decided to go inside. The interior didn’t look exactly like the store in my dream, but the atmosphere was the same. Dusty books that outgrew the shelves were piled on the floor.  And there, behind the counter, were two toys…Captain America and The Falcon. And—just as in my dream—they were the older type from the 70’s, tall and shaped like Barbie Dolls. As I said, this was years ago, before the Marvel Avengers movies had come out. Everyone knew Captain America, of course. But the only people who knew the Falcon were comic book nerds (and other people who are afraid to talk to girls). So, it’s not as though my dream was about common items that would likely be found in any such environment. Furthermore, these were the only action figures in the store. Everything else was books and posters. I told this to people on a recent camping trip. These people are essentially anti-skeptics (good luck finding a monster they don’t believe in). When I told them that my dream could be explained through rational means, they gave me the same look I gave them when I heard their theories on Bigfoot jumping between dimensions. It truly felt as if my attempt at rational thought was as flimsy as their belief in the paranormal. Perhaps being a skeptic means that I must perpetually keep an open mind. And I should not fully dismiss even the craziest of ideas. One thought, however, remains. If I have truly been imbued with the power to see the future in my dreams, I’d rather see something more significant than a couple of toys left over from the 1970’s. Sincerely, Timothy Seaver

I can’t think of a single European product that I use daily Regulated themselves into irrelevance

✅"I respect the company's commitment to diversity and inclusion. My religious beliefs are personal, but I'm happy to discuss my ability to meet the role's requirements, working hours, and professional expectations. Is there a particular job-related requirement you'd like me to clarify?" This response is professional because it does three things simultaneously: protects your privacy, reassures HR about your ability to perform the job, and redirects the conversation toward your qualifications. 1. Why those three answers can be problematic The problem is not that Christianity, Islam, or Hinduism is something to conceal. The concern is disclosing sensitive personal information before understanding why an employer wants it. Answer ❌"I'm a Christian." May expose you to assumptions about your beliefs, practices, or availability. ❌ "I'm a Muslim." May lead to assumptions about prayer times, fasting, or scheduling requirements. ❌ "I'm Hindu." May lead to assumptions about religious observances, holidays, or cultural practices. None of these answers is inherently wrong. However, your religion generally does not establish whether you can perform a job successfully. Your qualifications should speak for you before your religious identity does. 2. What to say if HR insists The key is to avoid sounding defensive while maintaining a clear professional boundary.

Canada should consider joining the EU. @CanadianPM

That’s why being tough on migration won’t stop the AfD.

On September 11, experience the return of Oasis. Get tickets to see Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger in theatres and IMAX.

I am never leaving this app. @MariahCarey (I try to quote both Mariah Cary & Dr Curie fairly regularly-and sometimes in the same lecture.)

The Jason Arday scandal/fiasco/tragedy is a prime example of "pluralistic ignorance." No sapient being could believe his ziggurat of whoppers, but each may have privately thought that everyone else believed them. This happens when the expression of an idea is stigmatized or punished, as obviously happened here: anyone expressing common-sense incredulity was tarred as a racist, ableist, and abettor of suicide (not to mention threatened by a barracuda law firm and questioned by the police). For more on pluralistic ignorance and other extraordinary popular delusions, see When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows...: Common Knowledge and the Mysteries of Money, Power, and Everyday Life (preorder paperback here; out in a few weeks). amazon.com/When-Everyone-Kno… nytimes.com/2026/08/15/world…