Nautilus tattoo I did earlier. #geraldfeliciano #geraldfelicianotattoo #tattoo #tattoos #nyctattoos #Eastsideink #leatherneckstattoo #art #artnouveau #artnouveautattoo #NYC #nyctattooartists @eastsideink @leatherneckstattoo #artnouveautattooartist #nautilus #nautilustattoo#blackwork #blackandgreynouveau #blxckink #blackworkerssubmission
Tentacles and Beaks of Cephalopods | December, 2015
Investigating the anatomical differences of cephalopod beaks and tentacles with regards to their diet.
D∆VID
It Was All My Fault.
I read so many exceptional books this past year that I just can’t help but share a few of the very best, hoping that some of you give them a shot. While we tend to have fewer mind-blowing experiences with literature as we get older, I was lucky enough to enjoy that familiar feeling several times in 2015. Below are some of the books that accomplished that task:
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt
This is by far the most important book I read this year. It gave me an entirely new perspective on moral psychology and political conflict. I cannot recommend this book enough.
The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature by Steven Pinker
I read most of this when I was in college, but decided to give it another go this year. I’m glad I did. This book assaults one of the worst ideas that managed to permeate much of the social sciences and a good segment of the population at large. If you are even remotely interested in human nature, you will find this book fascinating.
Trust Me I’m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator by Ryan Holiday
I actually finished this book at the end of last year, but it was close enough to 2015 that I’m including it. If you are curious about Internet media and find yourself wondering why so much bullshit spreads online these days, read this.
So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson
As many of you know, I have a keen interest in Internet outrage, and this book dives into some of the worst aspects of it. Ronson humanizes many of the people who found themselves the target of online hate mobs and takes aim at those who take joy in ruining the lives of others. Unfortunately, I don’t see this type of behavior going away anytime soon.
The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness by Sy Montgomery
I know most of you are rolling your eyes and thinking, “of course Don loved this book.” Whatever. It’s good. If you were ever curious about why I have a weird obsession with cephalopods, then give this a read. Montgomery does an excellent job of showing how absurdly interesting these creatures are and shares some great stories about octopuses (yes that is the correct plural) she knew IRL.
Notable mentions I’ve yet to finish:
Noble Savages by Napoleon Chagnon
Chagnon is one of my favorite anthropologists of all time. Throughout much of his career, he was forced to battle against ideological zealots in academia who tried to destroy his reputation. He goes dives into many of his experiences with the Yanomamo in South America, who are a truly fascinating people. I highly recommend this if you are interested in anthropology.
Wild Life by Robert Trivers
Trivers taught in the Rutgers evolutionary anthropology department when I was there and always struck me as one of the most interesting, brilliant and multifaceted characters I’ve ever met. He is well known for coming up with several groundbreaking theories in evolutionary biology, including reciprocal altruism and parental investment. He also famously worked with Huey Newton, former Chairman of the Black Panther Party, in a fascinating analysis of self-deception.
