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"Straw man arguments" are utilized in debates to undermine the opposition. If you want to take the high road–and debate more effectively in the process–utilize the "steel man" argument.

Contrary to some common misinterpretations, a straw man is employed when one side on an argument creates a false narrative and then argues with that, instead of the point a person actually made. "I think the iPhone is actually okay" turns into "Android sux" and discussion falls apart.

The "steel man" is the opposite approach. As writer Robin Sloan explains, the steel man requires a debater to find the best form of her opponent’s argument and then argue with this. Explain what you think your opponent means to them, ask them if they agree this is what they mean, and then argue with that. This is a tougher debate tactic because it allows for fewer shady arguments, but the result is a stance that holds up to scrutiny:

There are two debaters, Alice and Bob. Alice takes the podium, makes her argument. Then Bob takes her place, but before he can present his counter-argument, he must summarize Alice’s argument to her satisfaction — a demonstration of respect and good faith. Only when Alice agrees that Bob has got it right is he permitted to proceed with his own argument — and then, when he’s finished, Alice must summarize it to his satisfaction.

One could argue that this ultimately boils down to "listen to the other side," and one would be correct. You can’t effectively employ a steel man argument if you don’t understand the opposition. However, finding common ground first and offering counter information second may be more helpful in persuading your audience, if not your opponent directly.

The steel man of #GamerGate | Medium

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Utilize the “Steel Man” Tactic to Argue More Effectively

Legendary investor Warren Buffett is pretty open about his financial advice and recommendations. And because of his massive success, people pay attention. Business Insider went through years of his interviews and shareholder letters and rounded up some of his best book recommendations.

Some titles from their list include:

• "Business Adventures: Twelve Classic Tales from the World of Wall Street" by John Brooks: Said to be Buffett’s favorite book, it covers the principles for leading a successful business.
• "The Intelligent Investor" by Benjamin Graham: Buffett read this book at age 19 and it had a huge impact on him. It covers the psychology of investing.
• "Stress Test: Reflections on Financial Crises" by Tim Geithner: The former Treasury Secretary gives an insider’s account of the 2009 financial crisis.
• "The Outsiders" by William Thorndike, Jr.: It profiles a handful of "unconventional CEOs" who had radical ideas that made their companies successful.

For more of Buffett’s recommendations, check out Business Insider’s full post below.

9 Books Billionaire Warren Buffett Thinks Everyone Should Read | Business Insider

Photo by Brenda Clarke.

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Two Cents is a new blog from Lifehacker all about personal finance. Follow us on Twitter here.
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The Investing Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read

Google Glass can now detect when your stress levels are through the roof, which, let’s face it, is decidedly less creepy than having it detect someone else’s.

An Glass app called BioGlass, developed by researchers at Georgia Tech and MIT, uses the built-in accelerometer, gyroscope and front-facing camera on Google’s wearable device to measure your heart rate, breathing, and tiny movements.

It’s still at a rudimentary stage — it doesn’t do anything more than record data at the moment. But a future software update could presumably give you some kind of warning sign, play some soothing jazz, or tell you to calm down in Meryl Streep’s voice (I swear that does it for me).

To be fair, you don’t necessarily need Google Glass to do this. As Engadget points out, any device with the right sensors would work just fine. So just build it into the iWatch, will you, Apple? [Engadget]

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This Google Glass App Can Tell You How Stressed You Are

A judge’s ruling in the 2010 Gulf oil spill could have widespread consequences.
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Q&A: What Federal Ruling Against BP Means for Oil Drilling’s Future

If you’re like me, bugs creeping and crawling all over your home is a big no thank you. With some preventative procedures and DIY methods you can keep them out of your house without using any harsh chemicals.

As with most problems, prevention is key. This informative graphic from supplier Part Select covers the best steps toward bug prevention, natural bug killing sprays, natural repellents for specific insects, and even plants you can grow around your home that will detract creepy crawlies away. There are plenty of ways to take care of pest problems—whether it’s during the heat of summer time or the deep freeze of winter—so be sure to research what measures you should take for your specific bug nuisance.

D.I.Y. Pest Control | Part Select via Visual.ly

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Keep Your Home Bug Free with These DIY Pest Control Methods

If you want to display a range of data by region, you need a GeoMap. You may not have known this, but it’s quite easy to create your own in Google Sheets after entering your data.

Highlight the data and go to Insert > Charts. On the charts tab of the new window you can select maps and choose which type of map you want. On the customize tab you can choose the colors and select which region you want. I created a map for the U.S., but you can choose to create a map for the world instead, or a select number of other regions.

6 Powerful Google Drive Features You’re Probably Not Using | PC World

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Create Customizable GeoMaps with Google Sheets

Upgrading RAM is such an easy affair that most of us just do it on our own. Chances are, if you’re on a Mac, you’re also upgrading your RAM from third-party suppliers. MacIssues points out that if you’re adding RAM from someone other than Apple, it’s worth holding onto it for a bit.

The reasoning here is pretty simple: Apple’s warranty is horrible in regards to RAM:

Apple will only provide warranty service on systems with original Apple-provided RAM in them. Therefore, if your Mac is still under warranty and needs servicing, to get this done by Apple you will have to swap out the new RAM with the old RAM.

Which isn’t to say you should go out and pay the egregious prices for Apple’s RAM. It just means you should keep those old sticks around as long as your warranty is good for.

Keep receipts and old RAM when upgrading | MacIssues

Photo by Yutaka Tsutano.

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Keep Your Mac’s Old RAM After Upgrading

Cathryn Lavery, a New York City-based designer and founder of Calm the Ham, recently launched a Kickstarter for her latest design project, the Filmography of Guns. Previously, Lavery has designed posters depicting the Filmography of Cars and Aircraft, so researching iconic guns seemed like a natural next step. She says: This giant print illustrates a[…..]
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The Filmography of Guns Documents Iconic Guns in Popular Culture