Critical Science

Adam Cain is a super Human, everyone's hero, the go-to guy when the galaxy needs saving. So why is he broke and looking to hire out his special talents just to keep his head above water? Don't misunderstand him; busting alien heads is what he does best. It's just that he thought those days were over after the evil Klin were wiped out. Not hardly. It seems his adventures are just beginning.

Many of our ideas about the world are based more on feelings than facts, sensibilities than science, and rage than reality. We gravitate toward ideas that make us feel comfortable in areas such as religion, politics, philosophy, social justice, love and sex, humanity, and morality. We avoid ideas that make us feel uncomfortable. This avoidance is a largely unconscious process that affects our judgment and gets in the way of our ability to reach rational and reasonable conclusions.

One battle. One man. One mission. The insurgents are dug in and ready for war. To them, it's about guns, guts, and glory. For Jack Bunker, freedom and the flag are paramount. He's prepared to fight, despite their overwhelming firepower. As the final confrontation nears, Bunker knows death comes with it.

When former New York Times journalist Dan Koeppel texted his cousin Robert Meyer, a 20-year veteran of the emergency room at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis in the United States, he expected to hear that things were hectic. On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being overwhelmed, where do you think you are? Koeppel asked. Meyer’s grave reply - 100 - was merely the cusp of the crisis that would soon touch every part of the globe.

In 1983, the reasoning of one unsung Russian narrowly averted nuclear war, proving that critical thinking can save the world. Today, facing unprecedented tides of disinformation, we’re frequently misled, to our detriment. The Irrational Ape explores the reasons why we get things so wrong, illustrated with incredible stories from the comical to the catastrophic.

The Restoration Initiative promised salvation, but beneath their pristine Safe Zones, they’re waging a war against humanity itself. For Dr. Geoffrey Belmont, a gifted surgeon forced into their deadly experiments, survival hinges on uncovering their darkest secrets—and keeping his own humanity intact. When Geoffrey is thrown into Site 5, a hospital twisted into a battlefield, he faces horrors beyond comprehension: the infected roam the halls, patients turned into mindless predators, and the Initiative's sinister T2 soldiers hiding in plain sight. To survive, he must form fragile ...

According to conventional wisdom, innovation is best left to the dynamic entrepreneurs of the private sector, and government should get out of the way. But what if all this was wrong? What if, from Silicon Valley to medical breakthroughs, the public sector has been the boldest and most valuable risk taker of all?

The stated goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs are often reasonable, if not noble—to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all. Yet, as more and more people are discovering, DEI as commonly practiced isn't a natural extension of past civil rights movements or an ethical framework for opposing discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, etc. Rather, it is inextricably connected with an illiberal and authoritarian ideology—Critical Social Justice—that demands adherence to its tenets and punishes any dissent from its dogma.

Lucien has always been able to spin a bad situation to his advantage. From his childhood on the dangerous streets of Shadycreek Run to his years living off the grid and learning blood magic from the Claret Orders, the charismatic blood hunter will find a way to get the upper hand. When Lucien is on a job in the frozen wastelands of Eiselcross with his fellow mercenaries, a rough-and-tumble crew called the Tombtakers, fate leads him to a mysterious journal in the ruins of an ancient city. The book speaks of the Somnovem, nine beings who can grant Lucien power beyond imagining.

When a covert communication is intercepted, Jack Bunker and the town leaders of Clearwater swing into action to uncover the secret behind its deadly intent. However, before their defenses can be fortified and the threat neutralized, a ruthless faction gains a foothold, turning to kidnapping and torture for control. As the body count rises, Bunker is forced to summon a part of himself he loathes in order to save everyone he cares about. But rescuing his friends won't be easy, not when he's captured.

After being forced to take over as commander, Summer Lane must now depend on other strong-willed members to help her lead. But she soon discovers traitors lurking in the shadows. No one is safe. No one can be trusted. Yet, her troubles have just begun.... A hidden peril reveals itself, threatening to take down the silo in a matter of days as another force closes in on their secret location. Is this the end? Or will they somehow beat overwhelming odds and survive once again?

Loneliness has become the defining condition of the 21st century. It is damaging our health, our wealth, and our happiness and even threatening our democracy. Never has it been more pervasive or more widespread, but never has there been more that we can do about it.

stonishingly irrational ideas are spreading. Covid denial persists in the face of overwhelming evidence. Anti-vaxxers compromise public health. Conspiracy thinking hijacks minds and incites mob violence. Toxic partisanship is cleaving nations, and climate denial has pushed our planet to the brink. Meanwhile, American Nazis march openly in the streets, and Flat Earth theory is back. What the heck is going on? Why is all this happening, and why now? More important, what can we do about it?

Missy Carter leads a rather boring, overworked life as a system analyst for the State Department, or rather that’s what she lets everyone believe. As a Shadow Agent with the Paranormal Security and Intelligence, she’s seen and done it all. Intelligence is her specialty; assassination is her hobby. She’s learned to handle anything life can throw at her. That is until the biggest paramilitary pain in her backside shows up again. Lucky for him, he’s good looking.

A fight for survival in an alien world. Revenge is planned against Unity. Denver, Charlie, and Layla are trapped in the middle of a galactic conflict that has spanned across many millennia. With no immediate allies on either side, they must use all of their skill and strength to stay alive and to find a way back to Earth - if there is one. An old enemy of Unity is intent on making them pay for his humiliating treatment. He's gathering forces to the south with vengeance in mind.

Does the number of children gunned down double each year? Does anorexia kill 150,000 young women annually? Do white males account for only a sixth of new workers? Startling statistics shape our thinking about social issues. But all too often, these numbers are wrong. This book is a lively guide to spotting bad statistics and learning to think critically about these influential numbers. Damned Lies and Statistics is essential listening for everyone who reads or listens to the news....

For as long as she can remember, Laudna has had a friend. A mentor. A little voice whispering in her cropped ear, promising that, no matter how monstrous she becomes or how far she wanders, there will always be someone to guide her. And so, Laudna is content. But the thought of more—of life, of love, of the magic stirring in her still veins—is unrelenting in its familiarity. More is the dream of a little girl trapped behind the bloodstained walls of Whitestone, and the nightmare of the woman who now stalks the woods outside them. More, Laudna’s little voice reminds her, is dangerous.

The choice is yours, and you'll have to live with the consequences for at least the rest of your life. Will you take the blue pill - skip this audiobook and go on thinking of The Matrix as just a movie? Or will you take the red pill - listen to this book, and find out just how far down the rabbit-hole goes?

Constitutional fundamentalists read the Constitution selectively and self-servingly. Fundamentalist interpretations of the Constitution elevate certain constitutional rights above all others, benefit the most powerful members of society, and undermine the integrity of the document as a whole. The conservative fetish for the Second Amendment (enforced by groups such as the NRA) provides an obvious example of constitutional fundamentalism; the liberal fetish for the First Amendment (enforced by groups such as the ACLU) is less obvious but no less influential.

Logical thinking is something everyone tries, but only some succeed. Do you think logically? You may be surprised by the answer. Perhaps you have come a long way; I am sure you have. But there is more to learn. There is more to explore and discover. So here is my suggestion, Einstein: I believe your brain has great potential, but only if you use it. My invitation is to use it by listening to this book. And I would be crazy if I wouldn’t reveal some of the specific topics you will be faced with.