The Sims 3: Getting Real

There’s a professor at Oxford University who makes a compelling argument that if humans survive long enough to create conscious computers, it’s likely that all of us, right now, are simply historical simulations the computers created for their amusement. After playing with The Sims 3 — the latest sequel in the mega-popular Sims franchise — I believe that prof. Ich bin ein Sim

Share

Can Iran’s Minorities Help Oust Ahmadinejad?

The presidential candidate was greeted last Monday at the airport by a jubilant throng, chanting “Azerbaijan is awake, and is supporting its son!” That slogan, shouted in the Azeri language, might sound a little discordant, given that Mir-Hossein Moussavi is running for President not of Azerbaijan, but of Iran.

Share

‘Crazy Turtle Woman’ transforms graveyard into maternity ward

With its white sand and clear, blue water, Trinidad’s Matura Beach looks like a postcard. It’s a far cry from its recent past, when leatherback sea turtle carcasses littered the ground and kept tourists away. “Twenty years ago, this was a graveyard,” Suzan Lakhan Baptiste said of the six-mile stretch of beach near her home

Share

Be aware of hidden household hazards

The death of boxing champion Mike Tyson’s 4-year-old daughter after a treadmill accident highlights the issue of hidden dangers in the home. While most parents know enough about covering outlets and keeping poisonous household cleaning products locked away from the reach of their small children, most homes still have less obvious safety hazards that can have disastrous results for curious tots.

Share

Sotomayor would be part of court’s Catholic shift

As Supreme Court hopeful Sonia Sotomayor breaks ground for Hispanics, she is poised to add an exclamation point to another historic demographic shift: the move to a Catholic court. Sotomayor was raised Catholic and if she is confirmed, six out of nine, or two-thirds of the justices on the court will be from the faith. Catholics make up about one-quarter of the U.S

Share