Milemarker: Interesting Twitter Conversations, 8/3-9/30

Here are my favorite conversations from Twitter during August-September 2013. Thanks to all for making it so interesting!

Values, society, morality:

• "Rats and roaches live…under the laws of supply and demand; it is the privilege of human beings to live under the laws of justice and mercy." (@aghastjan @dougiepen @MeierMac) 9/17/13
• "'We exist in a bizarre combination of Stone Age emotions, medieval beliefs, and god-like technology.' — Edward O. Wilson" (@cantata21 @linaolight) 9/16/13
• "For most Americans, life expectancy continues to rise—but not for uneducated white women. No one knows why." (@SuSmithJosephy @dianefischler @keishadarling) 9/5/13
• "Something to think about this #LaborDay: Why a medieval peasant got more vacation time than you" (@Comanchegyrl @phunphunphun @nitpickette01 @MmedeSevigne @On_Point_Prg @wisermann @maddie273) 9/2/13 *
• "We seem to be developing a culture in which we are fascinated by people with zero self-respect. #twerk #RealityTV" (@rdHunter7 @BombeRouge @JulesAboutTown @bollbar @_NIKD_ @RDeanCutting) 8/29/13 *
• "These superb #maps detail the racial #segregation in America's cities" (@MatthewStuart20 @boris3324 @CleanHouse2014 @DariMD) 8/27/13
• "'I pity the man who wants a coat so cheap that the man or woman who produces the cloth will starve in the process.' —Benjamin Harrison" (@TheGistOf @AuntieMEK @shereedre10 @nyzap @Dena_K_ @ddsnorth @bicchinella @bettyaberlin @ConsiderThis1) 8/27/13 *
• "You cannot separate spirit from science, art from finance." (@mmdoty) 8/24/13
• "Consciousness is the ‘hard problem’, the mystery that confounds scientists and philosophers." (@cantata21 @jaglister) 8/22/13 *
• "Unbelievable that people like this still exist" (@CriminySTFU @fleurdelivres @picklestfc) 8/9/13
• "If I teach my daughter to be smart about how she dresses, not to go overboard with selfies, etc…am I encouraging a #VictimShaming attitude?" (@tinacapalbo @ShivaKap @AuntieMEK @mpanutsos @luckylindy31 @fleurdelivres @ElizabMcCormack @Bill_McL @picklestfc @cantata21) 8/7/13
• "Sad reality…and likely not the only place this is happening: Suicides rise by 40% as Italy's economy slumps" (@MiekeInc @cantata21 @AuntieMEK @jaglister @RandyAW @Comanchegyrl) 8/4/13

Politics:

• "Are Republicans afraid that heath care reform may prove popular? (Answer: Yes)" (@AuntieMEK @donthebear @Barr16Linda) 9/28/13
• "What can we do to speed this along? RT @GlenHess: Texas Official Is Preparing for Secession" (@GlenHess @_NIKD_ @Bdreamer7Helene @luckylindy31 @dhvibe @cantata21 @Editright @fabianaugustus @Joycecurrier2 @Iservedrinks) 9/14/13
• "If verified, I'm pissed: RT @SarahBurris: Staffer from Koch-backed group indicates @Yelp has become a corporate member of #ALEC." (@SarahBurris @ArtByAlida @BerinSzoka @KagroX @sowsearsoup) 8/13/13

Religion:

• "Celebrate the day of rest with this: One-Third of Americans Under 30 Have No #Religion. That's a bright future." (@homesweetyeg @McCarmee) 9/22/13
• "The stupid is strong: #OneMillionMoms (really not a million), is trying to distribute a new anti- #evolution video" (@Britonomics) 8/18/13

Psychology

• "I can't decide whether it's better to have goals or goats." (@bch11 @KSPbama @DincusMincus @vote_out_haters @LennyTheGoat @TheWanjiru @AdamOICU) 9/20/13
• "Having a moment of clarity: I don't doubt that I'll achieve my earthly goals within 10± years. So I wonder, are my aspirations high enough?" (@cantata21 @bombidil @fleurdelivres) 9/17/13
• "I'm 40 and don't rule the world yet, thus I'm a failure. #HowMyMindWorks" (@billraia @IronicHeathen @swirlOsquirrel) 9/7/13
• "The 'wisdom' of crowds and the fallacy of #CommonSense." (@fleurdelivres @docrocktex26) 9/7/13
• "My goal is to buy a #Porsche before I look like the creepy old guy driving a Porsche. #materialism" (@rwrabbit @billraia @fleurdelivres @Comanchegyrl @CrookedKitty) 8/20/13
• "OK, this is really, really interesting: 'Meaning Is Healthier Than Happiness'" (@picklestfc @ColdDimSum) 8/3/13

Arts & language:

• "File under: Strange musical instruments - MT @billraia: Guitar-harp from 1910." (@Resoguitar @billraia) 9/29/13
• "Wow, this is amazing: Secret Paintings in Early 19th Century Books" (@beebearninja @SingnPlay) 9/10/13
• "Wow, check out this old hulk of a steam locomotive" (@josephstokesbar @Renonys @Stanmatthias @DavidJCole1948 @ozigeekette @juniber) 9/3/13
• "As we continue to observe the death of the English language - Oxford dictionary adds 'twerk', 'derp', 'selfie', more" (@CriminySTFU @SimonRowe6 @JBucknoff @VegasJessie @Whatawhich) 8/28/13
• "Dumb-asses have killed English a little bit more: In the dictionary, 'literally' now also means 'figuratively'" (@OverQuill @Jeanine_OConnor @G_times) 8/26/13
• "Dolly Parton's original recording of 'Jolene' slowed down by 25% is surprisingly awesome" (@ArtByAlida @TobyMeadows @allovus @G_times @TaylorCarman @distributedcog @keith_wilson) 8/17/13
• "Beautiful: An abandoned fishing boat, Point Reyes, California" (@G_times @allovus @Stanmatthias @driver_bob) 8/16/13

Non sequitur:

• "I'm always surprised at the level of response to my midnight tweets. What the hell are you people doing up?" (@tinacapalbo @ArtByAlida @allovus @Pamduckling @fleurdelivres) 9/14/13
• "Mind-blowing how many people are in the world, each interesting in some way. Wish I was a god; wish I had the time to get to know each one." (@BrightEyedDyer @DeputyDriscoll @taminespr) 9/2/13
• "Just passing this along: Plastic surgeon falls in love with woman after performing designer vagina surgery on her" (@sailorboyj @liberalboxer @YEGlifer @RichHeelan @Pamduckling) 8/28/13
• "I'm surprised it took so long: The adult-sized #BigWheel" (@Renonys @mmwlawtaos) 8/6/13

Social Media:

• "The problem with #SocialMedia is it makes everyone believe that their every thought should be publicized." (@YEGlifer @Comanchegyrl @Resoguitar @MGBazemoreJr) 8/19/13
• "Unlike some people, I don't freak out when interlopers engage me on Twitter. Remember, everyone: This is PUBLIC!" (@albertaadvocate @oMG_ITS_HER2 @AlphaNano @ArtByAlida @MGBazemoreJr @allovus) 8/14/13
• "Sign me up, too - RT @ModernSauce: 'As soon as there's an interpretive dance version of Twitter I'll be ON it!'" (@theflutterbee @ModernSauce @oMG_ITS_HER2) 8/13/13
• "I wish all my friends on Twitter would change their avatars to their real faces…maybe just for a day. Why the anonymity?" (@ShivaKap @proudliberalmom @BrightEyedDyer @renshaw_emma @TaliaFarrow @Sasa2455) 8/13/13
• "I'm surprised at how many active Twitter users seem to have no VOICE; they just post links all day with little opinion or interaction." (@ModernSauce @Dianora_1 @kaneguindreamz @thecookiebatch @Steve_SR_ @tinacapalbo @Comanchegyrl @notcreative388 @homesweetyeg) 8/9/13

Hiromi Arrives!

Hiromi, whom we met five years ago in Japan, is staying with us for three months while she studies English at Case Western University. We are excited to host—looking forward to learning from her, and showing her our corner of the world!