Thorstein Veblen: A Marxist Starting Point

Thorstein Veblen and American Social Criticism

Peacocks, Porsches, and Thorstein Veblen: conspicuous consumption as a sexual signaling system.

Conspicuous consumption is a form of economic behavior in which self-presentational concerns override desires to obtain goods at bargain prices. Showy spending may be a social signal directed at potential mates. We investigated such signals by examining (a) which individuals send them, (b) which contexts trigger them, and (c) how observers interpret them. Three experiments demonstrated that con...

burnsurgery.org: a starting point for intensivists

Intensivists may provide initial management to patients with major burns, despite lacking extensive knowledge and experience. Burnsurgery.org is a free website " designed to provide comprehensive, up-to-date educational tools for burn care professionals throughout the world ". The site is operated by a nonprofit educational group, with editors from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA, US...

A New Starting Point for Atom Interferometry

Interferometers using atoms rather than light can measure acceleration and rotation to high precision. Because atoms are slower than light, atom interferometers have the potential to reach greater inertial sensitivity than their optical counterparts. However, one of the main limitations in atomic interferometry has been discriminating the different contributions to the interference signal. Brig...

Reiki: a starting point for integrative medicine.

Afamily physician meets a new patient, who complains of frequent headaches and back stiffness, and is now concerned about frequent episodes of colds and cough. The patient uses a variety of herbs, and has seen an acupuncturist, without much improvement. He is increasingly concerned by his symptoms, and wants to use his health insurance to cover any further treatment costs. Motivated by such pra...