Boing Boing: The American Spirit

Posted by on under boing boing, cbs sunday morning, occult america, enlightenment philosophy, meaning of spirituality, radical statement, parade magazine, universal source, american spirit, horoscopes, new poll, poll results, inroads, outlooks, horowitz, gandhi, wrinkles, p |

Boing Boing guestblogger Mitch Horowitz is author of Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation and editor-in-chief of Tarcher/Penguin publishers. Parade magazine publishes a new poll tomorrow - with a piece on CBS Sunday Morning that I'm part of - which reveals the fluid and expanding meaning of spirituality in America. Fifty-nine percent Americans polled agree that "all religions have validity" and only twelve percent agree that "mine is the only true religion." To an extent, this reflects an attitude introduced into America by Enlightenment philosophy, Freemasonry, Transcendentalism, and, most recently, Theosophy in the late 19th century. Theosophy emphasized the principle that all religions emerge from a universal source. Likewise, the survey reflects the inroads of what might be considered occult or New Age outlooks in America: Seven percent of Americans believe in reincarnation (a concept that few Americans had heard of a generation ago); seventeen percent report having contact with the dead; forty-nine percent read horoscopes "for fun," whereas twelve percent are believers. The poll reveals many other wrinkles, which readers will find cause for cheer or depression, depending upon their outlook. But consider: Gandhi, whose 140th birthday fell yesterday, was making what was considered a radical statement when he declared that "all religions are true" (to which he also added, "all have some error in them"). Today, a majority of Americans agree. CBS Sunday Morning runs its piece tomorrow at 9 a.m. EST in which I will discuss "the history of the occult in the United States." What We Believe (CBS Sunday Morning) Spirituality Poll results (Parade magazine) Previously:Esoteric classics: a list of books - Boing Boing...


Tagi: boing boing, cbs sunday morning, occult america, enlightenment philosophy, meaning of spirituality, radical statement, parade magazine, universal source, american spirit, horoscopes, new poll, poll results, inroads, outlooks, horowitz, gandhi, wrinkles, p

Boing Boing: "Doping" in Cycling: Now with Motors

Posted by on under fabian cancellara, uci cycling, tour of flanders, giro d italia, bicycle racing, avvenire, video evidence, pro cycling, celibacy, roubaix, gruber, governing body, sws, scandals, cheater, asst, hail, bikes |

Professional cycling fans are far too accustomed to doping scandals. But while everyone is focused on the Floyd Landis confession, a far more unusual allegation first surfaced at this year's Giro d'Italia, when the media speculated that some riders riders may be practicing "motorized doping" -- or hiding motors on their bikes. Obviously, in bicycle racing, motor equals cheating. But doping? Calling this "motorized doping" is like calling sex "penetrative celibacy." In any case, the UCI (cycling's governing body) has dismissed the accusations, but the newspaper behind the speculation, L'Avvenire, gave one example of a motor the riders could be using. It is a Hungarian product called the "Gruber Assist," and it comes complete with heavily-accented promotional video (above). Not only that, but some now claim that Swiss cyclist Fabian Cancellara (one of the best riders in the world) has also used "motorized doping" this year to win two of the hardest races in pro cycling: the Tour of Flanders and Paris Roubaix. Here's the compelling (and poorly edited) video "evidence." All of this seems unlikely as the "whirring" sound alone would give the cheater away, but nobody likes conspiracy theories like pro cycling fans. Hopefully the riders will not take these accusations lying down. (H-Zontal video via All Hail the Black Market.)...


Tagi: fabian cancellara, uci cycling, tour of flanders, giro d italia, bicycle racing, avvenire, video evidence, pro cycling, celibacy, roubaix, gruber, governing body, sws, scandals, cheater, asst, hail, bikes