Believed belief: science/religion versus Sukuma magic

status: publishe

The Migration Of Forms: Bullet Time As Microgenre

Rehak considers the ways in which the film The Matrix branded bullet time both as technical process and stylistic convention, and discusses bullet time\u27s ancestry in image experimentation of the 1980s and 1990s. In his analysis, Rehak uses the conceptual framework of the microgenre to explore the cultural lifespan of bullet time, treating it less as a singular special effect than a package of photographic and digital techniques whose fortunes were shaped by a complex interplay of technology, narrative and style. Rehak\u27s goal is to shed light not just on bullet time, but on the changing behavior of visual texts in contemporary media. He examines an overview of special effects scholarship to date, most notably the indication that the repetition of special effects dulls their effectiveness, in part due to the changing competencies of audiences. Rehak also looks at the struggle of the filmmakers of The Matrix to craft sequels that simultaneously preserved bullet time\u27s appeal while varying it enough to ensure another breakthrough

Not Just a Theory—The Utility of Mathematical Models in Evolutionary Biology

Models have made numerous contributions to evolutionary biology, but misunderstandings persist regarding their purpose. By formally testing the logic of verbal hypotheses, proof-of-concept models clarify thinking, uncover hidden assumptions, and spur new directions of study. thumbnail image credit: modified from the Biodiversity Heritage Librar

Religious Extremism: The Good, The Bad, and The Deadly

This paper challenges conventional views of violent religious extremism, particularly those that emphasize militant theology. We offer an alternative analysis that helps explain the persistent demand for religion, the different types of religious that naturally arise, and the special attributes of the %u201Csectarian%u201D type. Sects are adept at producing club goods both spiritual and material. Where governments and economies function poorly, sects often become major suppliers of social services, political action, and coercive force. Their success as providers is much more due to the advantages of their organizational structure than it is to their theology. Religious militancy is most effectively controlled through a combination of policies that raise the direct costs of violence, foster religious competition, improve social services, and encourage private enterprise.

Seconds-scale coherence in a tweezer-array optical clock

Optical clocks based on atoms and ions achieve exceptional precision and accuracy, with applications to relativistic geodesy, tests of relativity, and searches for dark matter. Achieving such performance requires balancing competing desirable features, including a high particle number, isolation of atoms from collisions, insensitivity to motional effects, and high duty-cycle operation. Here we demonstrate a new platform based on arrays of ultracold strontium atoms confined within optical tweezers that realizes a novel combination of these features by providing a scalable platform for isolated atoms that can be interrogated multiple times. With this tweezer-array clock, we achieve greater than 3 second coherence times and record duty cycles up to 96%, as well as stability commensurate with leading platforms. By using optical tweezer arrays --- a proven platform for the controlled creation of entanglement through microscopic control --- this work further promises a new path toward combining entanglement enhanced sensitivities with the most precise optical clock transitions

THE SIX SIGMA SYSTEM IN RELATION TO THE BUSINESS' STRATEGY AND PRIORITIES

Now more than ever, corporations the world over are scrambling to redefine the processes, techniques, and strategies they need to survive in an age of uncertainty. Businesses today seek an effective corporate performance measurement system to maximize the bottom line. With the advent of the Internet, ongoing globalization, and standardization in management systems, business leaders must focus on how to measure performance to monitor their continued viability and success. Many existing performance measurement systems were designed to support business practices and to monitor progress. With shrinking margins and competitive pressures, however, corporate performance measurement systems must do more than monitor. They must identify opportunities for optimizing profitability and growth, without pitting one against the other. The idea is to use performance measures to add value, instead of simply measuring for a formality. The Six Sigma method is not only a trendy "new solution", it is not a business whim linked to a single method or strategy - the study trying to draw attention to the fact that Six Sigma is a flexible system to improve the management and the performance of companies. The research paper seeks to demonstrate that the Six Sigma method refers to both the passion for customer service and a drive for new ideas, and to statistics and processing numbers, finding application in the fields of marketing, services, human resources, finance and sales, as well as in production and engineering.Six Sigma method, quality, performance measurement, profitability, growth