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Ben Stein

2009-08-11T16:04:18Z

137.195.68.169: /* Writing career */

{{Infobox actor
|name = Ben Stein
|image = Bensteindol.jpg
|imagesize = 310px
|caption = Stein speaking at 2006 National Summit on Retirement Savings
|birthname = Benjamin Jeremy Stein
|birthdate = {{birth date and age|1944|11|25}}
|birthplace = [[Washington, D.C.]], [[United States]]
|deathdate =
|deathplace =
|occupation = Actor, writer, commentator, lawyer, teacher
|religion = [[Judaism]]
|othername =
|homepage = http://www.benstein.com
|academyawards =
|emmyawards = '''[[Daytime Emmy Awards|Daytime Emmy]] - Outstanding Game Show Host''' 1999 ''[[Win Ben Stein's Money]]'' with [[Jimmy Kimmel]]
|spouse = Alexandra Denman (1968 - 1974; 1977 - present)
|children = Tom (adopted)
}}
'''Benjamin Jeremy "Ben" Stein''' (born November 25, 1944) is an [[United States|American]] actor, writer, and commentator on political and economic issues. He attained early success as a speechwriter for American presidents [[Richard Nixon]] and [[Gerald Ford]]. Later he entered the entertainment field and became an actor, comedian, and [[Emmy Award]]-winning game show host. He is famous for his humorously monotonous voice in film and television roles.

Stein has frequently written commentaries on economic, political, and social issues, along with financial advice to individual investors. He is the son of noted economist and writer [[Herbert Stein]],<ref name=imdbbio>[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0825401/bio IMDB: Ben Stein bio]</ref> who worked at the [[White House]] under President Nixon. His sister, Rachel, is also a writer.

==Biography==
===Early years===
Stein was born in [[Washington, D.C.]], the son of Mildred ([[married and maiden names|née]] Fishman), a homemaker, and [[Herbert Stein]], a writer, economist, and presidential adviser.<ref name="filmr">{{cite web |title=Ben Stein Biography (1944-) |work=filmreference.com |publisher=NetIndustries, LLC |url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/41/Ben-Stein.html |accessdate=2008-04-22}}</ref> He is [[Jewish religion|Jewish]] and grew up in the Woodside Forest neighborhood of [[Silver Spring, Maryland]]. Stein graduated from [[Montgomery Blair High School]] in 1961 along with classmate [[journalist]] [[Carl Bernstein]]; actress [[Goldie Hawn]] (class of 1963) was two years behind. Actor [[Sylvester Stallone]] was a schoolmate at Montgomery Hills Junior High School.<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,35056,00.html Ben Stein Also Sings - ''Time'' magazine]</ref> He went on to major in [[economics]] at [[Columbia University|Columbia University's]] [[Columbia College of Columbia University|Columbia College]], where he was a member of [[Alpha Delta Phi]] society and the [[Philolexian Society]]. After graduating with honors from Columbia in 1966, Stein went to [[Yale Law School]], graduating in June 1970. He had stated that he did not have the highest grades in his class at Yale, but was voted valedictorian by the students because he was most popular.<ref>[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0805/02/gb.01.html CNN.com - Transcripts]</ref>

===Legal and academic career===
[[Image:Ben Stein.jpg|right|thumb|Stein speaking at [[Miami University]] in 2003]]
He was first a [[poverty]] lawyer in [[New Haven, Connecticut]], and [[Washington, D.C.]] before becoming a [[trial (law)|trial]] lawyer for the [[Federal Trade Commission]].<ref name=jdjournal>JD Journal: "[http://www.jdjournal.com/articles/jdjben-stein.php Winning Thoughts from Ben Stein]"</ref>

Stein's first teaching stint was as an adjunct [[professor]], teaching about the political and social content of mass culture at [[American University]] in Washington, D.C., and then at [[University of California, Santa Cruz]]. He also held classes on political and [[civil rights]] from the [[United States Constitution]] at [[UC Santa Cruz]]. At [[Pepperdine University]] in [[Southern California]], Stein taught [[libel]] law and [[United States securities law]] and its ethical aspects. He was a professor of law at [[Pepperdine University Law School]], from about 1990 to 1997.<ref name=bshome>Ben Stein's [http://www.benstein.com/bio.html official biography]</ref>

In addition, Stein is very interested in [[American Civil War]] history, and is a strong supporter of the [[Civil War Preservation Trust]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2009}}

Stein was the commencement speaker for the [[Liberty University]] 2009 graduation on Saturday, May 9, at Williams Stadium. <ref>[http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=18495&MID=6873]</ref> At this ceremony, the University awarded him an [[honorary degree]]. According to the school, Stein "delivered a message of creationism, patriotism and value for humanity to graduates and their families."<ref>https://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=18495&MID=8025</ref>

===Writing career===
Stein writes frequently on a variety of topics, including politics, investing and [[economics]]. He writes a regular column in the conservative magazine ''[[The American Spectator]]''. He has also written for numerous publications including ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', ''[[The New York Times]]'', ''[[New York Magazine]]'', ''[[Penthouse (magazine)|Penthouse]]'', ''Los Angeles Magazine'' and ''[[Barron's Magazine]]'', where his discussion of the [[Michael Milken]] [[Drexel Burnham Lambert]] [[junk bond]] situation, as well as the ethical dimensions of [[management buyouts]], attracted heavy US national attention in the 1980s and 1990s.{{Citation needed|date=May 2008}} He currently writes a regular column for ''Yahoo! Finance'' online. His bestselling books (with investment advisor Phil DeMuth) include ''Yes, You Can Retire Comfortably'', ''Can America Survive?'', and ''Yes, You Can Time the Market''. In 2009, he published a collection of essays, ''The Real Stars''.

Stein's stint as a Sunday Business columnist for ''The New York Times'' ended in August 2009 due to a policy forbidding writers from performing product endorsements or advertising. Stein had recently become an advertising spokesperson for credit information company FreeScore.com, and according to a ''Times'' statement, had assumed there would be no conflict provided that he did not discuss credit scoring in general or FreeScore.com itself in his column. However, the publication felt that it would be inappropriate for him to write for them while he was involved in advertising, and wished him well in the future.<ref>[http://gawker.com/5331835/pitchman-ben-stein-gets-economist-ben-stein-fired-at-the-new-york-times]</ref> Writing in ''The Spectator'', Stein states his belief that the real reasons for his firing were budget cuts at the ''Times'', his criticism of President Obama, and pressure from those critical of ''Expelled'', who "bamboozled some of the high pooh-bahs at the ''Times'' into thinking there was a conflict of interest".<ref>[http://spectator.org/archives/2009/08/10/expelled-from-the-new-york-tim/1]</ref>

===Political career===
Stein began his political career as a speechwriter and lawyer for President [[Richard Nixon]], and later for President [[Gerald Ford]]. On May 3, 1976, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine speculated on the possibility of Stein having actually been [[Deep Throat]]. Stein responded over the years by not only denying he was Deep Throat, but by going further and accusing journalist [[Bob Woodward]] of falsifying the famous secret source. In the May 14–21, 1998, edition of the ''[[Philadelphia City Paper]]'' Stein is quoted saying, "Oh, I don't think there was a Deep Throat. That was a fake. I think there were several different sources and some they just made up."<ref>Interview by Brian Howard: "[http://www.citypaper.net/articles/051498/20q.benstein.shtm 20 Questions: Ben Stein]" ''Philadelphia City Paper'' May, 1998</ref> After [[W. Mark Felt|Mark Felt]]'s identity as [[Deep Throat]] was revealed, Stein stated that [[Richard Nixon]] would have prevented the rise to power of the [[Khmer Rouge]] if he had not been forced to resign. For his actions leading to that resignation, Stein said: {{cquote|If there is such a thing as [[karma]], if there is such a thing as [[justice]] in this life or the next, [[Mark Felt]] has bought himself the worst future of any man on this earth. And [[Bob Woodward]] is right behind him, with [[Ben Bradlee]] bringing up the rear. Out of their smug arrogance and contempt, they hatched the worst nightmare imaginable: [[genocide]].<ref>Stein, Ben: "[http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=8242 Deep Throat and Genocide]", "The American Spectator", June 1, 2005</ref>}}

In 2005, Stein said in the ''[[American Spectator]]'':{{cquote|Can anyone even remember now what Nixon did that was so terrible? He ended the war in [[Vietnam]], brought home the POWs, ended the war in the Mideast, opened relations with China, started the first nuclear weapons reduction treaty, saved [[Eretz Israel|Eretz Israel's]] life, started the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|Environmental Protection Administration]]. Does anyone remember what he did that was bad?

Oh, now I remember. He lied. He was a politician who lied. How remarkable. He lied to protect his subordinates who were covering up a ridiculous burglary that no one to this date has any clue about its purpose. He lied so he could stay in office and keep his agenda of peace going. That was his crime. He was a [[peacemaker]] and he wanted to make a world where there was a generation of peace. And he succeeded.

That is his legacy. He was a peacemaker. He was a lying, conniving, covering up peacemaker. He was not a lying, conniving [[drug addict]] like [[John F. Kennedy|JFK]], a lying, conniving war starter like [[Lyndon B. Johnson|LBJ]], a lying, conniving [[seducer]] like [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]]—a lying, conniving peacemaker.<ref>http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=8242 Deep Throat and Genocide</ref>}}

On June 24, 2008, Stein received the Freedom of Expression Award at the Entertainment Merchants Association’s Home Entertainment Awards for "his outspoken economic and political beliefs."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.homemediaexpo.com/hmexpo/v42/press.cvn?id=11&p_id=23|title=This Time Ben Stein Wins!|last=Lee|first=Grace|date=June 10th, 2008|accessdate=2009-06-01}}</ref>

===Career in the media===
{{cquote2|I've said to my wife repeatedly, I just want on my gravestone, 'He loved dogs' and 'Bueller, Bueller.'|Stein on the impact of ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' on his life.<ref>Stein, Ben: "[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/09/AR2006010900642.html 'Bueller, Bueller' Edition Almost Saves 'Ferris']", "The Washington Post", January 10, 2006</ref>}}
Stein became a [[entertainment industry|Hollywood]] [[consultant]] before he moved into acting. His film career was launched by his performance as the monotonic [[economics]] teacher in the 1986 movie ''[[Ferris Bueller's Day Off]]''. In one scene, he gives an unscripted economics lecture, relying on his own experience in economics. The topics covered in his lecture are the [[Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act|Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930]] and the then-current debate over [[supply-side economics]].<ref>http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0104807/quotes</ref> Stein decided to just run with it when the director told him to speak about something he knows well. The only scripted lines are those in which he calls attendance, indelibly phrasing the oft-repeated monotone line: "Bueller?...Bueller?"

Stein played similarly bland and unemotional characters. He had a recurring role in the TV series ''[[The Wonder Years]]'' and played himself in ''[[Dave (film)|Dave]]''.

He also appeared in several [[television commercials]], most notably for Clear Eyes throughout the 1990s and 2000s ''("The difference is clear… Dry Eyes? Clear Eyes.")''—many ads spoof movies of the day, such as one where Stein is a painter (a play on ''[[The Da Vinci Code (movie)|The Da Vinci Code]]''). Stein's [[deadpan]], monotone deliveries stand in stark contrast to the more typical enthusiasm of commercial personalities. Before this, he appeared for a [[Godfather's Pizza]] ad in 1987 and as a bland science teacher in a 1990 ad for [[Keebler Company|Keebler]] Sprinkle Cookies.

In 1997 Stein was given his own [[game show]] by [[Comedy Central]] titled ''[[Win Ben Stein's Money]]'' along with co-host [[Jimmy Kimmel]] (replaced by [[Nancy Pimental]] and later by [[Sal Iacono]]). True to its name, the money that contestants won on the show was subtracted from the $5,000 Stein earned per episode (in addition to his salary). The show won five Daytime [[Emmy]] awards before ending its run in 2003.

In 1999, during the height of ''Win Ben Stein's Money'''s popularity, Comedy Central gave Stein another show, a [[talk show]] with celebrity guests entitled ''Turn Ben Stein On''. One of the mainstays of the show was Stein's dog, Puppy Wuppy, who had free run of the set.

Other movies and television shows in which Ben Stein has appeared include: ''[[Charles in Charge]]'', ''[[Seinfeld]]'', ''[[Full House]]'', ''[[Casper Meets Wendy]]'', ''[[The Mask (film)|The Mask]]'' and its sequel, ''[[Son of the Mask]]'' as well as the TV show, ''[[The Mask: The Animated Series]]'', ''[[Earthworm Jim (TV series)]]'', ''[[Star Search]]'', ''[[MacGyver]]'', ''[[Richie Rich]]'', ''[[Game Show Moments Gone Bananas]]'', ''[[Cavuto on Business]]'', ''[[The O'Reilly Factor]]'', ''[[CBS News Sunday Morning]]'', ''[[Planes, Trains and Automobiles]]'', ''[[Family Guy]]'', ''[[Fairly Odd Parents]]'', ''[[Duckman]]'', ''[[Married...With Children]]'', and the [[intelligent design]] vs. [[evolution]] documentary'' [[Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed]]''.<ref>[http://www.premisemedia.com/EXPELLED-PressRelease_08-22-07.pdf ''Expelled'' Press Release]</ref>

In addition, Stein's voice roles include [[The Pixies (The Fairly OddParents)|The Pixies]], magical creatures on the [[animated series]] ''[[The Fairly OddParents]]'', [[The Emperor's New School|Mr. Purutu]] on the animated Series ''[[The Emperor's New School]]'', Professor Wisenstein in ''[[Bruno the Kid]]'', the birthday party clown on "[[The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius]]" and [[Pip]] on ''[[Animaniacs]]''. Stein also voiced a psychiatrist, again named after himself, in the USA TV series [[Duckman]]; he once appeared in the sitcom [[Married with Children]] as a receptionist in the animal afterlife. He also made a [[cameo appearance]] in the [[comic book]] [[Young Justice]]; as Ali Ben Styn. Another [[cameo appearance]] was in the [[Family Guy]] episode ''[[When You Wish Upon a Weinstein]]''. Stein also voiced the character Sam Schmaltz in the 1996 computer adventure game ''[[Toonstruck]]''.

In addition, Stein has written for the television industry. He is noted for his outlines for the TV movie ''Murder in Mississippi'' and for the lengthy ABC miniseries ''[[Amerika (TV miniseries)|Amerika]]''. He has also contributed to the creation of the well-liked TV [[comedy]] ''[[Fernwood 2-Night]]''.

Ben Stein hosted a show on [[VH1]] called ''[[America's Most Smartest Model]]''.<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1055400/ "America's Most Smartest Model" (2007)]</ref> The show aimed to find the smartest among fourteen models through a series of challenges.<ref>[http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/archives/future_shows/2007_Jun_21_vh1_thursdays reality blurred + VH1 plans America's Most Smartest Model, The Salt-N-Pepa Show, Danny Bonaduce's Child Star, and Click!]</ref>

On May 14, 2006, during an appearance on the [[Fox News]] program [[Your World with Neil Cavuto]], Stein called for a tax increase of 3.5% for wealthy Americans, to be earmarked for soldiers and military initiatives. Indeed, Stein wrote an editorial for ''[[The New York Times]]'' critical of those who would rather make money in the world of finance than fight terrorism.<ref>Stein, Ben: "[http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/20/business/yourmoney/20every.html?ex=1313726400&en=59d2227ed9dfee59&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss Looking for the Will Beyond the Battlefield]", "New York Times", August 20, 2006</ref>

Ben Stein has also been a regular guest on Glenn Beck's daily show on CNN-HN to comment on various economic and social aspects of life in the United States. Recently Beck accused Ben Stein of being a closet liberal because of an article he wrote in the [[New York Times]] that advocated taxing the wealthy. Beck further accused him of having "inherited his wealth" a contention that Stein denied.

He is an occasional political and economics commentator on [[CNBC]]'s ''[[Kudlow & Company]]''.

Stein is noted for his investment advice. {{Citation needed|date=February 2009}} He is now a featured writer at Yahoo! Finance.<ref>[http://finance.yahoo.com/columnist/archives/headline/yourlife/2006/1 Ben Stein - Expert Financial Advice Columns on Yahoo! Personal Finance]</ref>

===Financial Advice Prior to 2008 Stock Market Crash===
On March 18, 2007, in a column for [[CBS]] [[CBS News|News]]' online version of [[CBS News Sunday Morning]], Stein famously proclaimed in the beginning of the [[subprime mortgage crisis]] that the foreclosure problem would "blow over and the people who buy now, in due time, will be glad they did," the economy was "still very strong," and the "smart money" was "now trying to buy — not sell — as much distressed merchandise" in mortgages as possible.<ref>Stein, Ben:"[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/03/18/sunday/main2581859.shtml Ben Stein Says Economy Is Fine, Says Don't Worry About Foreclosure Blues, The Mortgage Market Is Robust]","CBS News", March 18, 2007</ref>

On August 18, 2007, on [[Fox News Channel]]'s ''Cavuto on Business'', Stein appeared with other financial experts dismissing worries of a coming credit crunch<ref name=CAVUTO>"Fox News recap Aug. 18, 2007", http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,293819,00.html</ref>. The lone dissenter was [[Peter Schiff]], who predicted that the mortgage sector would create a crisis leading to massive recession, a view that produced laughter from the other experts. Stein strongly recommended investing in then-troubled financial institutions<ref name="CAVUTO"/>.

<blockquote>
'''Ben Stein:''' The credit crunch is way overblown. The [financial institutions] are being given away; they're so unbelievably cheap...The subprime problem is a problem, but it's a tiny problem in the context of this economy...It's a buying opportunity, especially for the financials, maybe like I've never seen before in my entire life.</blockquote>

<blockquote>[...]</blockquote>

<blockquote>'''Peter Schiff:''' This is just getting started. It's not just subprimes. This is a problem for the entire mortgage industry. It's not just people with bad credit that committed to mortgages they couldn't afford. It's not just people with bad credit who are going to see their home equity vanish... This is going to be an enormous credit crunch...</blockquote>

<blockquote>'''Neil Cavuto:''' You must be a laugh-riot at parties.</blockquote>

<blockquote>(LAUGHTER)</blockquote>

<blockquote>[...]</blockquote>

<blockquote>'''Ben Stein:''' ...subprime is tiny. Subprime is a tiny, tiny blip.</blockquote>

<blockquote>'''Peter Schiff:''' It's not tiny. And again, it's not just subprime. It's the entire mortgage market.</blockquote>

<blockquote>'''Ben Stein:''' You're simply wrong about that... Defaults for the whole mortgage market are tiny.</blockquote>

<blockquote>[...]</blockquote>

<blockquote>'''Ben Stein:''' I think stocks will be a heck of a lot higher a year from now than they are now.
</blockquote>

A year and a month later, in the [[Global financial crisis in September 2008|Global Financial Crisis of September 2008]], global stock markets crashed, [[Bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers|Lehman Brothers went bankrupt]], [[Federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac|Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were taken over by the US government]], [[American International Group#Federal_Reserve_Bailout|AIG was bailed out by the Federal Reserve]], [[Merrill Lynch]] was sold to [[Bank of America Corporation]], and [[Morgan Stanley]] and [[Goldman Sachs]] confirmed that they would become traditional bank holding companies.

===Explanation about how he mis-gauged Financial Crisis===
In finance.yahoo.com on October 17, 2008 Stein explained that his understanding of the debt obligations based on real estate loans was less than the "staggeringly large" amount of obligations that got created through trade in derviatives of those, and so why it wasn't as similar to collapse of junk bond empire in early 1990's as he'd thought it would be: "Where I missed the boat was not realizing how large were the CDS based on the junk mortgage bonds."<ref>http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/yourlife/115733</ref>

==Political views==
Stein is a [[pro-life]] activist and was given a Pro-Life Award in 2003 by the [[National Right to Life Committee|National Right to Life Educational Trust Fund]].<ref>Richard Kimble, "[http://www.nrlc.org/news/2003/NRL05/tenth_annual_proudly_pro.htm Tenth Annual Proudly Pro-Life Awards Dinner Provides a Powerful Testimony for Life]"</ref> In 2007, Stein chastised the police and the GOP leadership for their response to the [[Larry Craig]] [[Larry craig#2007 arrest and consequences|scandal]]. Stein said that Craig's sexuality should not be an issue: "A party that believes in individual rights should be rallying to his defense, not making him walk the plank."<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/02/sunday/main3228091.shtml Ben Stein Says Craig Was Lynched Twice] CBS News</ref>

Though often labeled as a political and economic [[conservative]], Stein has criticized the U.S. [[tax code]] for being too lenient on the wealthy. He has repeated the observation made by [[Warren Buffett]], one of the richest individuals in the world (who pays mostly [[capital gains tax]]), that Buffett pays a lower overall tax rate than his secretaries (who pay [[income tax]]es). Stein has advocated increasing taxation on the wealthy.<ref>Stein, Ben. [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/26/business/yourmoney/26every.html?_r=2&ref=business&oref=slogin&oref=slogin In Class Warfare, Guess Which Class Is Winning]. New York Times. November 26, 2006. </ref>

Stein drew fire for a 2008 interview with [[Glenn Beck]] in which Stein compared US President [[Barack Obama]]'s campaign rally at [[Invesco Field at Mile High|Invesco Field]] to [[Adolf Hitler]]'s [[Nazi Party|Nazi]] rallies at [[Nuremberg]].<ref>Media Matters, "[http://mediamatters.org/items/200807240001?f=h_latest Stein on Obama's convention speech]"</ref> ''The Economist'' called Stein's invocation of Nazism an intentional use of [[Reductio ad Hitlerum|logical fallacy]] to distract from the campaign. <ref name="TheEconomist">{{cite news|title=The truth|date=October 16, 2007|url= http://www.economist.com/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=9645274 |work=[[The Economist]]}}</ref> Quite notably Ben Stein endorsed Democrat [[Al Franken]] in the [[United States Senate election in Minnesota, 2008|2008 Minnesota Senate race]], calling him an "impressive guy". <ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/27/preston.mccain/index.html?iref=newssearch]</ref>

==Views on evolution and science==
Stein has publicly denounced the theory of [[evolution]], which he and other [[intelligent design]] advocates term "[[Darwinism#Other_uses|Darwinism]]," declaring it to be "a painful, bloody chapter in the history of ideologies," "the most compelling argument yet for [[Imperialism]]," and the inspiration for the [[Holocaust]].<ref>"Better Than We Deserve," American Spectator 2007 Dec.</ref><ref>{{cite news | first=John | last=Rennie | coauthors= | title=Ben Stein's Expelled: No Integrity Displayed | date= | publisher= | url =http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=ben-steins-expelled-review-john-rennie | work =Scientific American | pages = | accessdate = 2008-04-12 | language = }}</ref> Stein does not say belief in the theory of evolution alone leads to genocide, but that scientific materialism is a necessary component.<ref>"Ben Stein's Diary #60: From Boston To Berlin," American Spectator 2007 Sep., [https://www.spectator.org/digspec_mag_Sept07.asp]</ref> He co-wrote and stars in ''[[Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed]]'', a film that aims to persuade viewers that the theory of evolution was instrumental to the rise of the [[eugenics]] movement, [[Nazi Germany]], and the [[Holocaust]], and portrays advocates of intelligent design as victims of intellectual discrimination by the [[scientific community]], which has rejected intelligent design as [[creationism|creationist]] [[pseudoscience]].<ref name=USATODAY>"This is propaganda, a political rant disguised as a serious commentary on stifled freedom of inquiry." {{cite web |url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2008-04-17-also-opening_N.htm |title=Also opening: 'Bin Laden,' 'Intelligence,' 'Forbidden Kingdom'|author=Claudia Puig |date=April 18, 2008 |publisher=[[USA Today]].com |accessdate=2008-05-03}}</ref><ref name=NYTR/><ref name="sciam-shermer">{{cite web |url=http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=ben-steins-expelled-review-michael-shermer |title=Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed--Ben Stein Launches a Science-free Attack on Darwin |accessdate=2008-04-19 |last=Shermer |first=Michael |date=2008-04-09 |publisher=Scientific American}}</ref>

The general media response to the film has been largely unfavorable. It received a 10% meta-score from [[Rotten Tomatoes]]. Multiple reviews, including those of ''[[USA Today]]'' and ''[[Scientific American]]'', have described the film as [[propaganda]].<ref name="USATODAY"/><ref name=NYTR/><ref name="sciam-shermer"/> The ''[[Chicago Tribune|Chicago Tribune's]]'' rating was "1 star (poor),"<ref>{{cite news | first = Moore | last = Roger | title = 'Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed' (Ben Stein monkeys with evolution) | url = http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/chi-18-expelled-review,1,6127461.story | work = [[Chicago Tribune]] | date = | accessdate = 2007-04-24 }}</ref> while the ''[[New York Times]]'' described it as "a conspiracy-theory rant masquerading as investigative inquiry" and "an unprincipled propaganda piece that insults believers and nonbelievers alike."<ref name=NYTR>{{cite news | first = Jeannette | last = Catsoulis | title = Resentment Over Darwin Evolves Into a Documentary | url = http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/04/18/movies/18expe.html?ref=movies | work = [[New York Times]] | date = 2008-04-18 | accessdate = 2008-04-24}}</ref> One of the few positive reviews appeared in ''[[Christianity Today]]''.<ref name=CHRISTIANITYTODAY>{{cite web | url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/movies/reviews/2008/expelled.html | author=Mark Moring | date=2008-04-18 | title="Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed"|accessdate=2008-05-14 | publisher=Christianity Today}}</ref> Noted evolutionary biologist [[Richard Dawkins]] has strongly criticised Stein's film in an open letter on his website.<ref>[http://richarddawkins.net/article,2488,Open-Letter-to-a-victim-of-Ben-Steins-lying-propaganda,Richard-Dawkins Open Letter to a victim of Ben Stein's lying propaganda]</ref>

In a [[Trinity Broadcasting Network]] interview with [[Paul Crouch]] Jr. regarding Stein's movie,<ref>[http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NWRmOTU2YzZlN2RhMzhjNzEwNzQ3MzFiZDE2NjM3NWE= Science Equals Murder] (article at National Review Online)</ref> Stein made the following statement about science and religion:

<blockquote>'''Stein:''' When we just saw that man, I think it was [[PZ Myers|Mr. Myers]], talking about how great scientists were, I was thinking to myself the last time any of my relatives saw scientists telling them what to do they were telling them to go to the showers to get gassed … that was horrifying beyond words, and that’s where science — in my opinion, this is just an opinion — that’s where science leads you.</blockquote>
<blockquote>'''Crouch:''' That’s right.</blockquote>
<blockquote>'''Stein:''' …Love of God and compassion and empathy leads you to a very glorious place, and science leads you to killing people.</blockquote>
<blockquote>'''Crouch:''' Good word, good word.</blockquote>

Stein was criticized by the [[Anti-Defamation League]] for the use of the Holocaust to further an anti-evolution agenda.<ref name="ADLstatement">{{cite news | url=http://www.adl.org/PresRele/HolNa_52/5277_52.htm | title=Anti-Evolution Film Misappropriates the Holocaust | publisher=[[Anti-Defamation League]] |date= April 29, 2008 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-04-30}}</ref> Asked for a comment about this by ''[[Vancouver Sun]]'' writer Peter McKnight for a critical article about ''Expelled'', Stein replied, "It's none of their fucking business."<ref name="SunreviewCanada">{{cite news | url=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=f022096b-6832-4ec1-929d-92e8bc337364 | title=No intelligence allowed in Stein's film | publisher=[[Vancouver Sun]] |date= 21 June 2008 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-07-17}}</ref>

Due in part to the notoriety he received for a talk he gave on economics at the [[University of Vermont]], Stein was invited to be the commencement speaker at the graduation ceremony for the class of 2009. After the announcement, university president, Dan Fogel, notified Stein that a number of people had complained about Stein speaking at the commencement and receiving an [[honorary degree]] from the school, so that when he came he "would not be blindsided". The complaints were because his views of science were "affronts to the basic tenets of the academy." Due to the furor, Stein declined his commencement invitation.

==Personal life==
Stein is twice married to entertainment lawyer [[Alexandra Denman]], with whom he has an adopted son.<ref name=imdbbio /> He lives with Denman in [[Beverly Hills]] and [[Malibu, California|Malibu]], [[California]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=93744710 | title=Ben Stein | publisher=[[MySpace]] |date= 2008 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-05-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=8242 | title=Ben Stein | publisher=[[The American Spectator]] |date= 2005-06-01 | first=Ben | last=Stein | accessdate =2008-05-17}}</ref> Stein also has a summer home in [[Sandpoint, Idaho]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2008}}

===Bibliography===
Stein's book titles to date (7 fiction, 21 nonfiction) include:

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Publisher !! ISBN
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[1978 in literature|1978]]
|-
|''On the Brink: A Novel''
(Herbert Stein - Coauthor)
|Ballantine Books
|ISBN 0-345-27650-7
|-
|[[1978 in literature|1978]]
|''Dreemz''
(Hardcover: ''California Dreemz'')
|Ballantine Books
|ISBN 0-345-28156-X
|-
|[[1979 in literature|1979]]
|''The View from Sunset Boulevard: America as brought to you by the people who make television''
|
|
|-
|[[1982 in literature|1982]]
|''Ludes''
|
|
|-
|[[1985 in literature|1985]]
|''Financial Passages''
|
|
|-
|[[1986 in literature|1986]]
|''Her Only Sin''
|
|ISBN 0-312-90636-6
|-
|[[1988 in literature|1988]]
|''Hollywood Days, Hollywood Nights: the Diary of a Mad Screenwriter''
|
|
|-
|[[1992 in literature|1992]]
|''A License to Steal: the Untold Story of Michael Milken and the Conspiracy to Bilk the Nation''
|
|ISBN 0671742728
|-
|[[2002 in literature|2002]]
|''How to Ruin Your Life''
|
|ISBN 1-56170-974-3
|-
|[[2003 in literature|2003]]
|''How to Ruin Your Love Life''
|
|ISBN 1-4019-0240-5
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[2004 in literature|2004]]
|''How to Ruin Your Financial Life''
|
|ISBN 1-4019-0241-3
|-
|''Can America Survive? The Rage of the Left, the Truth, and What to Do About It''
|
|ISBN 1-4019-0333-9
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[2005 in literature|2005]]
|''Yes, You Can Be a Successful Income Investor: Reaching for Yield in Today's Market''
|
|ISBN 1-4019-0319-3
|-
|''Yes, You Can Still Retire Comfortably: The Baby-Boom Retirement Crisis and how to Beat It''
|
|ISBN 1-4019-0318-5
|-
|[[2006 in literature|2006]]
|''How Successful People Win: Using "Bunkhouse Logic" to Get What You Want in Life''
|
|ISBN 1-56170-975-1
|-
|[[2007 in literature|2007]]
|''The Real Stars: In Today's America, Who Are the True Heroes?''
| New Beginnings Press
|ISBN 1-40191-144-7
|-
|[[2008 in literature|2008]]
|''How to Ruin the United States of America''
|
|ISBN 1-40191-869-7
|}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commonscat}}
{{wikiquote}}
*{{imdb name|id=0825401|name=Ben Stein}}
*[http://www.benstein.com/ Ben Stein's Official Website]
*[http://www.nrlc.org/news/2003/NRL05/tenth_annual_proudly_pro.htm Ben Stein's remarks upon being awarded one of the NRLC's Proudly Pro-Life Awards]
*[http://expelledthemovie.com/ Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed movie starring Ben Stein], see also [[Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed]]
*[http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/archive/yourlife/ben-stein/1 Ben Stein's column on Yahoo! Finance]
*[http://www.richarddawkins.net/article,2400,Expelled-Overview,Josh-Timonen-RichardDawkinsnet Expelled Overview by Josh Timonen, RichardDawkins.net]
*[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2008/12/win_ben_steins_mind.html Roger Ebert blog review and discussion of "Expelled" movie]

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{{succession box |before = [[Pat Sajak]] |title = [[Daytime Emmy Awards|Daytime Emmy Award]] for Outstanding Game Show Host |years = 1999 with [[Jimmy Kimmel]] |after = [[Bob Barker]] and [[Tom Bergeron]]}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Stein, Ben}}
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:American comedians]]
[[Category:American film actors]]
[[Category:American game show hosts]]
[[Category:Washington, D.C. Republicans]]
[[Category:American pro-life activists]]
[[Category:American Jews]]
[[Category:American lawyers]]
[[Category:American speechwriters]]
[[Category:American television actors]]
[[Category:American television personalities]]
[[Category:American University faculty and staff]]
[[Category:Writers from California]]
[[Category:Columbia University alumni]]
[[Category:Connecticut lawyers]]
[[Category:Daytime Emmy Award winners]]
[[Category:Intelligent design advocates]]
[[Category:Jewish actors]]
[[Category:Jewish American writers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Writers from Maryland]]
[[Category:People from Beverly Hills, California]]
[[Category:People from Montgomery County, Maryland]]
[[Category:People from Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:University of California, Santa Cruz faculty]]
[[Category:Watergate figures]]
[[Category:Actors from Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:Washington, D.C. lawyers]]
[[Category:Writers from Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:Yale Law School alumni]]
[[Category:American Spectator people]]

[[fr:Ben Stein]]
[[ja:ベン・スタイン]]
[[simple:Ben Stein]]
[[sv:Ben Stein]]

Ben Stein

2009-08-07T12:09:48Z

137.195.68.169: /* Writing career */ A direct link to an NYT statement would be preferable as a reference, this one's not exactly neutral!

{{Infobox actor
|name = Ben Stein
|image = Bensteindol.jpg
|imagesize = 310px
|caption = Stein speaking at 2006 National Summit on Retirement Savings
|birthname = Benjamin Jeremy Stein
|birthdate = {{birth date and age|1944|11|25}}
|birthplace = [[Washington, D.C.]], [[United States]]
|deathdate =
|deathplace =
|occupation = Actor, writer, commentator, Teacher
|religion = [[Judaism]]
|othername =
|homepage = http://www.benstein.com
|academyawards =
|emmyawards = '''[[Daytime Emmy Awards|Daytime Emmy]] - Outstanding Game Show Host''' 1999 ''[[Win Ben Stein's Money]]'' with [[Jimmy Kimmel]]
|spouse = Alexandra Denman (1968 - 1974; 1977 - present)
|children = Tom (adopted)
}}
'''Benjamin Jeremy "Ben" Stein''' (born November 25, 1944) is an [[United States|American]] actor, writer, and commentator on political and economic issues. He attained early success as a speechwriter for American presidents [[Richard Nixon]] and [[Gerald Ford]]. Later he entered the entertainment field and became an actor, comedian, and [[Emmy Award]]-winning game show host. He is famous for his humorously monotonous voice in film and television roles.

Stein has frequently written commentaries on economic, political, and social issues, along with financial advice to individual investors. He is the son of noted economist and writer [[Herbert Stein]],<ref name=imdbbio>[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0825401/bio IMDB: Ben Stein bio]</ref> who worked at the [[White House]] under President Nixon. His sister, Rachel, is also a writer.

==Biography==
===Early years===
Stein was born in [[Washington, D.C.]], the son of Mildred ([[married and maiden names|née]] Fishman), a homemaker, and [[Herbert Stein]], a writer, economist, and presidential adviser.<ref name="filmr">{{cite web |title=Ben Stein Biography (1944-) |work=filmreference.com |publisher=NetIndustries, LLC |url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/41/Ben-Stein.html |accessdate=2008-04-22}}</ref> He is [[Jewish religion|Jewish]] and grew up in the Woodside Forest neighborhood of [[Silver Spring, Maryland]]. Stein graduated from [[Montgomery Blair High School]] in 1961 along with classmate [[journalist]] [[Carl Bernstein]]; actress [[Goldie Hawn]] (class of 1963) was two years behind. Actor [[Sylvester Stallone]] was a schoolmate at Montgomery Hills Junior High School.<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,35056,00.html Ben Stein Also Sings - ''Time'' magazine]</ref> He went on to major in [[economics]] at [[Columbia University|Columbia University's]] [[Columbia College of Columbia University|Columbia College]], where he was a member of [[Alpha Delta Phi]] society and the [[Philolexian Society]]. After graduating with honors from Columbia in 1966, Stein went to [[Yale Law School]], graduating in June 1970. He had stated that he did not have the highest grades in his class at Yale, but was voted valedictorian by the students because he was most popular.<ref>[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0805/02/gb.01.html CNN.com - Transcripts]</ref>

===Legal and academic career===
[[Image:Ben Stein.jpg|right|thumb|Stein speaking at [[Miami University]] in 2003]]
He was first a [[poverty]] lawyer in [[New Haven, Connecticut]], and [[Washington, D.C.]] before becoming a [[trial (law)|trial]] lawyer for the [[Federal Trade Commission]].<ref name=jdjournal>JD Journal: "[http://www.jdjournal.com/articles/jdjben-stein.php Winning Thoughts from Ben Stein]"</ref>

Stein's first teaching stint was as an adjunct [[professor]], teaching about the political and social content of mass culture at [[American University]] in Washington, D.C., and then at [[University of California, Santa Cruz]]. He also held classes on political and [[civil rights]] from the [[United States Constitution]] at [[UC Santa Cruz]]. At [[Pepperdine University]] in [[Southern California]], Stein taught [[libel]] law and [[United States securities law]] and its ethical aspects. He was a professor of law at [[Pepperdine University Law School]], from about 1990 to 1997.<ref name=bshome>Ben Stein's [http://www.benstein.com/bio.html official biography]</ref>

In addition, Stein is very interested in [[American Civil War]] history, and is a strong supporter of the [[Civil War Preservation Trust]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2009}}

Stein was the commencement speaker for the [[Liberty University]] 2009 graduation on Saturday, May 9, at Williams Stadium. <ref>[http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=18495&MID=6873]</ref> At this ceremony, the University awarded him an [[honorary degree]]. According to the school, Stein "delivered a message of creationism, patriotism and value for humanity to graduates and their families."<ref>https://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=18495&MID=8025</ref>

===Writing career===
Stein writes frequently on a variety of topics, including politics, investing and [[economics]]. He writes a regular column in the conservative magazine ''[[The American Spectator]]''. He has also written for numerous publications including ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', ''[[The New York Times]]'', ''[[New York Magazine]]'', ''[[Penthouse (magazine)|Penthouse]]'', ''Los Angeles Magazine'' and ''[[Barron's Magazine]]'', where his discussion of the [[Michael Milken]] [[Drexel Burnham Lambert]] [[junk bond]] situation, as well as the ethical dimensions of [[management buyouts]], attracted heavy US national attention in the 1980s and 1990s.{{Citation needed|date=May 2008}} He currently writes a regular column for the Sunday ''New York Times'' Business Section and for ''Yahoo! Finance'' online. His bestselling books (with investment advisor Phil DeMuth) include ''Yes, You Can Retire Comfortably'', ''Can America Survive?'', and ''Yes, You Can Time the Market''. In 2009, he published a collection of essays, ''The Real Stars''.

Stein's stint as a Sunday Business columnist for ''The New York Times'' ended in August 2009 due to a policy forbidding writers from performing product endorsements or advertising. Stein had recently become an advertising spokesperson for credit information company FreeScore, and according to a ''Times'' statement, had assumed there would be no conflict provided that he did not discuss credit scoring in general or FreeScore itself in his column. However the publication felt that it would be inappropriate for him to write for them while he was involved in advertising.[http://gawker.com/5331835/pitchman-ben-stein-gets-economist-ben-stein-fired-at-the-new-york-times]

===Political career===
Stein began his political career as a speechwriter and lawyer for President [[Richard Nixon]], and later for President [[Gerald Ford]]. On May 3, 1976, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine speculated on the possibility of Stein having actually been [[Deep Throat]]. Stein responded over the years by not only denying he was Deep Throat, but by going further and accusing journalist [[Bob Woodward]] of falsifying the famous secret source. In the May 14–21, 1998, edition of the ''[[Philadelphia City Paper]]'' Stein is quoted saying, "Oh, I don't think there was a Deep Throat. That was a fake. I think there were several different sources and some they just made up."<ref>Interview by Brian Howard: "[http://www.citypaper.net/articles/051498/20q.benstein.shtm 20 Questions: Ben Stein]" ''Philadelphia City Paper'' May, 1998</ref> After [[W. Mark Felt|Mark Felt]]'s identity as [[Deep Throat]] was revealed, Stein stated that [[Richard Nixon]] would have prevented the rise to power of the [[Khmer Rouge]] if he had not been forced to resign. For his actions leading to that resignation, Stein said: {{cquote|If there is such a thing as [[karma]], if there is such a thing as [[justice]] in this life or the next, [[Mark Felt]] has bought himself the worst future of any man on this earth. And [[Bob Woodward]] is right behind him, with [[Ben Bradlee]] bringing up the rear. Out of their smug arrogance and contempt, they hatched the worst nightmare imaginable: [[genocide]].<ref>Stein, Ben: "[http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=8242 Deep Throat and Genocide]", "The American Spectator", June 1, 2005</ref>}}

In 2005, Stein said in the ''[[American Spectator]]'':{{cquote|Can anyone even remember now what Nixon did that was so terrible? He ended the war in [[Vietnam]], brought home the POWs, ended the war in the Mideast, opened relations with China, started the first nuclear weapons reduction treaty, saved [[Eretz Israel|Eretz Israel's]] life, started the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|Environmental Protection Administration]]. Does anyone remember what he did that was bad?

Oh, now I remember. He lied. He was a politician who lied. How remarkable. He lied to protect his subordinates who were covering up a ridiculous burglary that no one to this date has any clue about its purpose. He lied so he could stay in office and keep his agenda of peace going. That was his crime. He was a [[peacemaker]] and he wanted to make a world where there was a generation of peace. And he succeeded.

That is his legacy. He was a peacemaker. He was a lying, conniving, covering up peacemaker. He was not a lying, conniving [[drug addict]] like [[John F. Kennedy|JFK]], a lying, conniving war starter like [[Lyndon B. Johnson|LBJ]], a lying, conniving [[seducer]] like [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]]—a lying, conniving peacemaker.<ref>http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=8242 Deep Throat and Genocide</ref>}}

On June 24, 2008, Stein received the Freedom of Expression Award at the Entertainment Merchants Association’s Home Entertainment Awards for "his outspoken economic and political beliefs."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.homemediaexpo.com/hmexpo/v42/press.cvn?id=11&p_id=23|title=This Time Ben Stein Wins!|last=Lee|first=Grace|date=June 10th, 2008|accessdate=2009-06-01}}</ref>

===Career in the media===
{{cquote2|I've said to my wife repeatedly, I just want on my gravestone, 'He loved dogs' and 'Bueller, Bueller.'|Stein on the impact of ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' on his life.<ref>Stein, Ben: "[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/09/AR2006010900642.html 'Bueller, Bueller' Edition Almost Saves 'Ferris']", "The Washington Post", January 10, 2006</ref>}}
Stein became a [[entertainment industry|Hollywood]] [[consultant]] before he moved into acting. His film career was launched by his performance as the monotonic [[economics]] teacher in the 1986 movie ''[[Ferris Bueller's Day Off]]''. In one scene, he gives an unscripted economics lecture, relying on his own experience in economics. The topics covered in his lecture are the [[Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act|Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930]] and the then-current debate over [[supply-side economics]].<ref>http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0104807/quotes</ref> Stein decided to just run with it when the director told him to speak about something he knows well. The only scripted lines are those in which he calls attendance, indelibly phrasing the oft-repeated monotone line: "Bueller?...Bueller?"

Stein played similarly bland and unemotional characters. He had a recurring role in the TV series ''[[The Wonder Years]]'' and played himself in ''[[Dave (film)|Dave]]''.

He also appeared in several [[television commercials]], most notably for Clear Eyes throughout the 1990s and 2000s ''("The difference is clear… Dry Eyes? Clear Eyes.")''—many ads spoof movies of the day, such as one where Stein is a painter (a play on ''[[The Da Vinci Code (movie)|The Da Vinci Code]]''). Stein's [[deadpan]], monotone deliveries stand in stark contrast to the more typical enthusiasm of commercial personalities. Before this, he appeared for a [[Godfather's Pizza]] ad in 1987 and as a bland science teacher in a 1990 ad for [[Keebler Company|Keebler]] Sprinkle Cookies.

In 1997 Stein was given his own [[game show]] by [[Comedy Central]] titled ''[[Win Ben Stein's Money]]'' along with co-host [[Jimmy Kimmel]] (replaced by [[Nancy Pimental]] and later by [[Sal Iacono]]). True to its name, the money that contestants won on the show was subtracted from the $5,000 Stein earned per episode (in addition to his salary). The show won five Daytime [[Emmy]] awards before ending its run in 2003.

In 1999, during the height of ''Win Ben Stein's Money'''s popularity, Comedy Central gave Stein another show, a [[talk show]] with celebrity guests entitled ''Turn Ben Stein On''. One of the mainstays of the show was Stein's dog, Puppy Wuppy, who had free run of the set.

Other movies and television shows in which Ben Stein has appeared include: ''[[Charles in Charge]]'', ''[[Seinfeld]]'', ''[[Full House]]'', ''[[Casper Meets Wendy]]'', ''[[The Mask (film)|The Mask]]'' and its sequel, ''[[Son of the Mask]]'' as well as the TV show, ''[[The Mask: The Animated Series]]'', ''[[Earthworm Jim (TV series)]]'', ''[[Star Search]]'', ''[[MacGyver]]'', ''[[Richie Rich]]'', ''[[Game Show Moments Gone Bananas]]'', ''[[Cavuto on Business]]'', ''[[The O'Reilly Factor]]'', ''[[CBS News Sunday Morning]]'', ''[[Planes, Trains and Automobiles]]'', ''[[Family Guy]]'', ''[[Fairly Odd Parents]]'', ''[[Duckman]]'', ''[[Married...With Children]]'', and the [[intelligent design]] vs. [[evolution]] documentary'' [[Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed]]''.<ref>[http://www.premisemedia.com/EXPELLED-PressRelease_08-22-07.pdf ''Expelled'' Press Release]</ref>

In addition, Stein's voice roles include [[The Pixies (The Fairly OddParents)|The Pixies]], magical creatures on the [[animated series]] ''[[The Fairly OddParents]]'', [[The Emperor's New School|Mr. Purutu]] on the animated Series ''[[The Emperor's New School]]'', Professor Wisenstein in ''[[Bruno the Kid]]'', the birthday party clown on "[[The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius]]" and [[Pip]] on ''[[Animaniacs]]''. Stein also voiced a psychiatrist, again named after himself, in the USA TV series [[Duckman]]; he once appeared in the sitcom [[Married with Children]] as a receptionist in the animal afterlife. He also made a [[cameo appearance]] in the [[comic book]] [[Young Justice]]; as Ali Ben Styn. Another [[cameo appearance]] was in the [[Family Guy]] episode ''[[When You Wish Upon a Weinstein]]''. Stein also voiced the character Sam Schmaltz in the 1996 computer adventure game ''[[Toonstruck]]''.

In addition, Stein has written for the television industry. He is noted for his outlines for the TV movie ''Murder in Mississippi'' and for the lengthy ABC miniseries ''[[Amerika (TV miniseries)|Amerika]]''. He has also contributed to the creation of the well-liked TV [[comedy]] ''[[Fernwood 2-Night]]''.

Ben Stein hosted a show on [[VH1]] called ''[[America's Most Smartest Model]]''.<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1055400/ "America's Most Smartest Model" (2007)]</ref> The show aimed to find the smartest among fourteen models through a series of challenges.<ref>[http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/archives/future_shows/2007_Jun_21_vh1_thursdays reality blurred + VH1 plans America's Most Smartest Model, The Salt-N-Pepa Show, Danny Bonaduce's Child Star, and Click!]</ref>

On May 14, 2006, during an appearance on the [[Fox News]] program [[Your World with Neil Cavuto]], Stein called for a tax increase of 3.5% for wealthy Americans, to be earmarked for soldiers and military initiatives. Indeed, Stein wrote an editorial for ''[[The New York Times]]'' critical of those who would rather make money in the world of finance than fight terrorism.<ref>Stein, Ben: "[http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/20/business/yourmoney/20every.html?ex=1313726400&en=59d2227ed9dfee59&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss Looking for the Will Beyond the Battlefield]", "New York Times", August 20, 2006</ref>

Ben Stein has also been a regular guest on Glenn Beck's daily show on CNN-HN to comment on various economic and social aspects of life in the United States. Recently Beck accused Ben Stein of being a closet liberal because of an article he wrote in the [[New York Times]] that advocated taxing the wealthy. Beck further accused him of having "inherited his wealth" a contention that Stein denied.

He is an occasional political and economics commentator on [[CNBC]]'s ''[[Kudlow & Company]]''.

Stein is noted for his investment advice. {{Citation needed|date=February 2009}} He is now a featured writer at Yahoo! Finance.<ref>[http://finance.yahoo.com/columnist/archives/headline/yourlife/2006/1 Ben Stein - Expert Financial Advice Columns on Yahoo! Personal Finance]</ref>

===Financial Advice Prior to 2008 Stock Market Crash===
On March 18, 2007, in a column for [[CBS]] [[CBS News|News]]' online version of [[CBS News Sunday Morning]], Stein famously proclaimed in the beginning of the [[subprime mortgage crisis]] that the foreclosure problem would "blow over and the people who buy now, in due time, will be glad they did," the economy was "still very strong," and the "smart money" was "now trying to buy — not sell — as much distressed merchandise" in mortgages as possible.<ref>Stein, Ben:"[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/03/18/sunday/main2581859.shtml Ben Stein Says Economy Is Fine, Says Don't Worry About Foreclosure Blues, The Mortgage Market Is Robust]","CBS News", March 18, 2007</ref>

On August 18, 2007, on [[Fox News Channel]]'s ''Cavuto on Business'', Stein appeared with other financial experts dismissing worries of a coming credit crunch<ref name=CAVUTO>"Fox News recap Aug. 18, 2007", http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,293819,00.html</ref>. The lone dissenter was [[Peter Schiff]], who predicted that the mortgage sector would create a crisis leading to massive recession, a view that produced laughter from the other experts. Stein strongly recommended investing in then-troubled financial institutions<ref name="CAVUTO"/>.

<blockquote>
'''Ben Stein:''' The credit crunch is way overblown. The [financial institutions] are being given away; they're so unbelievably cheap...The subprime problem is a problem, but it's a tiny problem in the context of this economy...It's a buying opportunity, especially for the financials, maybe like I've never seen before in my entire life.</blockquote>

<blockquote>[...]</blockquote>

<blockquote>'''Peter Schiff:''' This is just getting started. It's not just subprimes. This is a problem for the entire mortgage industry. It's not just people with bad credit that committed to mortgages they couldn't afford. It's not just people with bad credit who are going to see their home equity vanish... This is going to be an enormous credit crunch...</blockquote>

<blockquote>'''Neil Cavuto:''' You must be a laugh-riot at parties.</blockquote>

<blockquote>(LAUGHTER)</blockquote>

<blockquote>[...]</blockquote>

<blockquote>'''Ben Stein:''' ...subprime is tiny. Subprime is a tiny, tiny blip.</blockquote>

<blockquote>'''Peter Schiff:''' It's not tiny. And again, it's not just subprime. It's the entire mortgage market.</blockquote>

<blockquote>'''Ben Stein:''' You're simply wrong about that... Defaults for the whole mortgage market are tiny.</blockquote>

<blockquote>[...]</blockquote>

<blockquote>'''Ben Stein:''' I think stocks will be a heck of a lot higher a year from now than they are now.
</blockquote>

A year and a month later, in the [[Global financial crisis in September 2008|Global Financial Crisis of September 2008]], global stock markets crashed, [[Bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers|Lehman Brothers went bankrupt]], [[Federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac|Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were taken over by the US government]], [[American International Group#Federal_Reserve_Bailout|AIG was bailed out by the Federal Reserve]], [[Merrill Lynch]] was sold to [[Bank of America Corporation]], and [[Morgan Stanley]] and [[Goldman Sachs]] confirmed that they would become traditional bank holding companies.

===Explanation about how he mis-gauged Financial Crisis===
In finance.yahoo.com on October 17, 2008 Stein explained that his understanding of the debt obligations based on real estate loans was less than the "staggeringly large" amount of obligations that got created through trade in derviatives of those, and so why it wasn't as similar to collapse of junk bond empire in early 1990's as he'd thought it would be: "Where I missed the boat was not realizing how large were the CDS based on the junk mortgage bonds."<ref>http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/yourlife/115733</ref>

==Political views==
Stein is a [[pro-life]] activist and was given a Pro-Life Award in 2003 by the [[National Right to Life Committee|National Right to Life Educational Trust Fund]].<ref>Richard Kimble, "[http://www.nrlc.org/news/2003/NRL05/tenth_annual_proudly_pro.htm Tenth Annual Proudly Pro-Life Awards Dinner Provides a Powerful Testimony for Life]"</ref> In 2007, Stein chastised the police and the GOP leadership for their response to the [[Larry Craig]] [[Larry craig#2007 arrest and consequences|scandal]]. Stein said that Craig's sexuality should not be an issue: "A party that believes in individual rights should be rallying to his defense, not making him walk the plank."<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/02/sunday/main3228091.shtml Ben Stein Says Craig Was Lynched Twice] CBS News</ref>

Though often labeled as a political and economic [[conservative]], Stein has criticized the U.S. [[tax code]] for being too lenient on the wealthy. He has repeated the observation made by [[Warren Buffett]], one of the richest individuals in the world (who pays mostly [[capital gains tax]]), that Buffett pays a lower overall tax rate than his secretaries (who pay [[income tax]]es). Stein has advocated increasing taxation on the wealthy.<ref>Stein, Ben. [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/26/business/yourmoney/26every.html?_r=2&ref=business&oref=slogin&oref=slogin In Class Warfare, Guess Which Class Is Winning]. New York Times. November 26, 2006. </ref>

Stein drew fire for a 2008 interview with [[Glenn Beck]] in which Stein compared US President [[Barack Obama]]'s campaign rally at [[Invesco Field at Mile High|Invesco Field]] to [[Adolf Hitler]]'s [[Nazi Party|Nazi]] rallies at [[Nuremberg]].<ref>Media Matters, "[http://mediamatters.org/items/200807240001?f=h_latest Stein on Obama's convention speech]"</ref> ''The Economist'' called Stein's invocation of Nazism an intentional use of [[Reductio ad Hitlerum|logical fallacy]] to distract from the campaign. <ref name="TheEconomist">{{cite news|title=The truth|date=October 16, 2007|url= http://www.economist.com/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=9645274 |work=[[The Economist]]}}</ref> Quite notably Ben Stein endorsed Democrat [[Al Franken]] in the [[United States Senate election in Minnesota, 2008|2008 Minnesota Senate race]], calling him an "impressive guy". <ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/27/preston.mccain/index.html?iref=newssearch]</ref>

==Views on evolution and science==
Stein has publicly denounced the theory of [[evolution]], which he and other [[intelligent design]] advocates term "[[Darwinism#Other_uses|Darwinism]]," declaring it to be "a painful, bloody chapter in the history of ideologies," "the most compelling argument yet for [[Imperialism]]," and the inspiration for the [[Holocaust]].<ref>"Better Than We Deserve," American Spectator 2007 Dec.</ref><ref>{{cite news | first=John | last=Rennie | coauthors= | title=Ben Stein's Expelled: No Integrity Displayed | date= | publisher= | url =http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=ben-steins-expelled-review-john-rennie | work =Scientific American | pages = | accessdate = 2008-04-12 | language = }}</ref> Stein does not say belief in the theory of evolution alone leads to genocide, but that scientific materialism is a necessary component.<ref>"Ben Stein's Diary #60: From Boston To Berlin," American Spectator 2007 Sep., [https://www.spectator.org/digspec_mag_Sept07.asp]</ref> He co-wrote and stars in ''[[Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed]]'', a film that aims to persuade viewers that the theory of evolution was instrumental to the rise of the [[eugenics]] movement, [[Nazi Germany]], and the [[Holocaust]], and portrays advocates of intelligent design as victims of intellectual discrimination by the [[scientific community]], which has rejected intelligent design as [[creationism|creationist]] [[pseudoscience]].<ref name=USATODAY>"This is propaganda, a political rant disguised as a serious commentary on stifled freedom of inquiry." {{cite web |url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2008-04-17-also-opening_N.htm |title=Also opening: 'Bin Laden,' 'Intelligence,' 'Forbidden Kingdom'|author=Claudia Puig |date=April 18, 2008 |publisher=[[USA Today]].com |accessdate=2008-05-03}}</ref><ref name=NYTR/><ref name="sciam-shermer">{{cite web |url=http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=ben-steins-expelled-review-michael-shermer |title=Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed--Ben Stein Launches a Science-free Attack on Darwin |accessdate=2008-04-19 |last=Shermer |first=Michael |date=2008-04-09 |publisher=Scientific American}}</ref>

The general media response to the film has been largely unfavorable. It received a 10% meta-score from [[Rotten Tomatoes]]. Multiple reviews, including those of ''[[USA Today]]'' and ''[[Scientific American]]'', have described the film as [[propaganda]].<ref name="USATODAY"/><ref name=NYTR/><ref name="sciam-shermer"/> The ''[[Chicago Tribune|Chicago Tribune's]]'' rating was "1 star (poor),"<ref>{{cite news | first = Moore | last = Roger | title = 'Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed' (Ben Stein monkeys with evolution) | url = http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/chi-18-expelled-review,1,6127461.story | work = [[Chicago Tribune]] | date = | accessdate = 2007-04-24 }}</ref> while the ''[[New York Times]]'' described it as "a conspiracy-theory rant masquerading as investigative inquiry" and "an unprincipled propaganda piece that insults believers and nonbelievers alike."<ref name=NYTR>{{cite news | first = Jeannette | last = Catsoulis | title = Resentment Over Darwin Evolves Into a Documentary | url = http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/04/18/movies/18expe.html?ref=movies | work = [[New York Times]] | date = 2008-04-18 | accessdate = 2008-04-24}}</ref> One of the few positive reviews appeared in ''[[Christianity Today]]''.<ref name=CHRISTIANITYTODAY>{{cite web | url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/movies/reviews/2008/expelled.html | author=Mark Moring | date=2008-04-18 | title="Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed"|accessdate=2008-05-14 | publisher=Christianity Today}}</ref> Noted evolutionary biologist [[Richard Dawkins]] has strongly criticised Stein's film in an open letter on his website.<ref>[http://richarddawkins.net/article,2488,Open-Letter-to-a-victim-of-Ben-Steins-lying-propaganda,Richard-Dawkins Open Letter to a victim of Ben Stein's lying propaganda]</ref>

In a [[Trinity Broadcasting Network]] interview with [[Paul Crouch]] Jr. regarding Stein's movie,<ref>[http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NWRmOTU2YzZlN2RhMzhjNzEwNzQ3MzFiZDE2NjM3NWE= Science Equals Murder] (article at National Review Online)</ref> Stein made the following statement about science and religion:

<blockquote>'''Stein:''' When we just saw that man, I think it was [[PZ Myers|Mr. Myers]], talking about how great scientists were, I was thinking to myself the last time any of my relatives saw scientists telling them what to do they were telling them to go to the showers to get gassed … that was horrifying beyond words, and that’s where science — in my opinion, this is just an opinion — that’s where science leads you.</blockquote>
<blockquote>'''Crouch:''' That’s right.</blockquote>
<blockquote>'''Stein:''' …Love of God and compassion and empathy leads you to a very glorious place, and science leads you to killing people.</blockquote>
<blockquote>'''Crouch:''' Good word, good word.</blockquote>

Stein was criticized by the [[Anti-Defamation League]] for the use of the Holocaust to further an anti-evolution agenda.<ref name="ADLstatement">{{cite news | url=http://www.adl.org/PresRele/HolNa_52/5277_52.htm | title=Anti-Evolution Film Misappropriates the Holocaust | publisher=[[Anti-Defamation League]] |date= April 29, 2008 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-04-30}}</ref> Asked for a comment about this by ''[[Vancouver Sun]]'' writer Peter McKnight for a critical article about ''Expelled'', Stein replied, "It's none of their fucking business."<ref name="SunreviewCanada">{{cite news | url=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=f022096b-6832-4ec1-929d-92e8bc337364 | title=No intelligence allowed in Stein's film | publisher=[[Vancouver Sun]] |date= 21 June 2008 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-07-17}}</ref>

Due in part to the notoriety he received for a talk he gave on economics at the [[University of Vermont]], Stein was invited to be the commencement speaker at the graduation ceremony for the class of 2009. After the announcement, university president, Dan Fogel, notified Stein that a number of people had complained about Stein speaking at the commencement and receiving an [[honorary degree]] from the school, so that when he came he "would not be blindsided". The complaints were because his views of science were "affronts to the basic tenets of the academy." Due to the furor, Stein declined his commencement invitation.

==Personal life==
Stein is twice married to entertainment lawyer [[Alexandra Denman]], with whom he has an adopted son.<ref name=imdbbio /> He lives with Denman in [[Beverly Hills]] and [[Malibu, California|Malibu]], [[California]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=93744710 | title=Ben Stein | publisher=[[MySpace]] |date= 2008 | first= | last= | accessdate =2008-05-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=8242 | title=Ben Stein | publisher=[[The American Spectator]] |date= 2005-06-01 | first=Ben | last=Stein | accessdate =2008-05-17}}</ref> Stein also has a summer home in [[Sandpoint, Idaho]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2008}}

===Bibliography===
Stein's book titles to date (7 fiction, 21 nonfiction) include:

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Publisher !! ISBN
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[1978 in literature|1978]]
|-
|''On the Brink: A Novel''
(Herbert Stein - Coauthor)
|Ballantine Books
|ISBN 0-345-27650-7
|-
|[[1978 in literature|1978]]
|''Dreemz''
(Hardcover: ''California Dreemz'')
|Ballantine Books
|ISBN 0-345-28156-X
|-
|[[1979 in literature|1979]]
|''The View from Sunset Boulevard: America as brought to you by the people who make television''
|
|
|-
|[[1982 in literature|1982]]
|''Ludes''
|
|
|-
|[[1985 in literature|1985]]
|''Financial Passages''
|
|
|-
|[[1986 in literature|1986]]
|''Her Only Sin''
|
|ISBN 0-312-90636-6
|-
|[[1988 in literature|1988]]
|''Hollywood Days, Hollywood Nights: the Diary of a Mad Screenwriter''
|
|
|-
|[[1992 in literature|1992]]
|''A License to Steal: the Untold Story of Michael Milken and the Conspiracy to Bilk the Nation''
|
|ISBN 0671742728
|-
|[[2002 in literature|2002]]
|''How to Ruin Your Life''
|
|ISBN 1-56170-974-3
|-
|[[2003 in literature|2003]]
|''How to Ruin Your Love Life''
|
|ISBN 1-4019-0240-5
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[2004 in literature|2004]]
|''How to Ruin Your Financial Life''
|
|ISBN 1-4019-0241-3
|-
|''Can America Survive? The Rage of the Left, the Truth, and What to Do About It''
|
|ISBN 1-4019-0333-9
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[2005 in literature|2005]]
|''Yes, You Can Be a Successful Income Investor: Reaching for Yield in Today's Market''
|
|ISBN 1-4019-0319-3
|-
|''Yes, You Can Still Retire Comfortably: The Baby-Boom Retirement Crisis and how to Beat It''
|
|ISBN 1-4019-0318-5
|-
|[[2006 in literature|2006]]
|''How Successful People Win: Using "Bunkhouse Logic" to Get What You Want in Life''
|
|ISBN 1-56170-975-1
|-
|[[2007 in literature|2007]]
|''The Real Stars: In Today's America, Who Are the True Heroes?''
| New Beginnings Press
|ISBN 1-40191-144-7
|-
|[[2008 in literature|2008]]
|''How to Ruin the United States of America''
|
|ISBN 1-40191-869-7
|}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commonscat}}
{{wikiquote}}
*{{imdb name|id=0825401|name=Ben Stein}}
*[http://www.benstein.com/ Ben Stein's Official Website]
*[http://www.nrlc.org/news/2003/NRL05/tenth_annual_proudly_pro.htm Ben Stein's remarks upon being awarded one of the NRLC's Proudly Pro-Life Awards]
*[http://expelledthemovie.com/ Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed movie starring Ben Stein], see also [[Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed]]
*[http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/archive/yourlife/ben-stein/1 Ben Stein's column on Yahoo! Finance]
*[http://www.richarddawkins.net/article,2400,Expelled-Overview,Josh-Timonen-RichardDawkinsnet Expelled Overview by Josh Timonen, RichardDawkins.net]
*[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2008/12/win_ben_steins_mind.html Roger Ebert blog review and discussion of "Expelled" movie]

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{{succession box |before = [[Pat Sajak]] |title = [[Daytime Emmy Awards|Daytime Emmy Award]] for Outstanding Game Show Host |years = 1999 with [[Jimmy Kimmel]] |after = [[Bob Barker]] and [[Tom Bergeron]]}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Stein, Ben}}
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:American comedians]]
[[Category:American film actors]]
[[Category:American game show hosts]]
[[Category:Washington, D.C. Republicans]]
[[Category:American pro-life activists]]
[[Category:American Jews]]
[[Category:American lawyers]]
[[Category:American speechwriters]]
[[Category:American television actors]]
[[Category:American television personalities]]
[[Category:American University faculty and staff]]
[[Category:Writers from California]]
[[Category:Columbia University alumni]]
[[Category:Connecticut lawyers]]
[[Category:Daytime Emmy Award winners]]
[[Category:Intelligent design advocates]]
[[Category:Jewish actors]]
[[Category:Jewish American writers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Writers from Maryland]]
[[Category:People from Beverly Hills, California]]
[[Category:People from Montgomery County, Maryland]]
[[Category:People from Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:University of California, Santa Cruz faculty]]
[[Category:Watergate figures]]
[[Category:Actors from Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:Washington, D.C. lawyers]]
[[Category:Writers from Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:Yale Law School alumni]]
[[Category:American Spectator people]]

[[fr:Ben Stein]]
[[ja:ベン・スタイン]]
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[[sv:Ben Stein]]

Byford Dolphin

2008-12-02T18:09:44Z

137.195.68.169: /* Investigation */

{| style="margin: 0 0 0.5em 1em; border-collapse:collapse; float:right; clear:right;" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1"
|-
! align="center" colspan="2" style="background:#ffdead;" | Byford Dolphin

|-
|Operating deck load
|3025 Mt
|-
|Crew quarters
|102 persons
|-
|Operating water depth
|460 m (1500 feet) maximum
|-
|[[Derrick (lifting device)|Derrick]]
|49 m (160 foot) Shaffer Top Compensator
|-
|Mooring system
|12 point
|-
|Blow-out preventer
|Hydril 476 mm (18¾ inch), 10,000 kPa (15,000 [[Pound-force per square inch|PSI]])
|-
|Sub Sea Handling System
|Christmas tree
|-
|Deck cranes
|2 x 40 tons
|}
The '''Byford Dolphin''' is a semi-submersible [[Norway|Norwegian]] [[oil rig|oil exploration rig]] converted from a [[diving rig]]. It floats in the [[North Sea]] to find and drill [[petroleum|crude oil]] deposits. Built on the “Aker H-3” design, the rig is operated by [[Dolphin Drilling]], a [[Fred Olsen]] subsidiary. It is able to maneuver with its own [[engine]]s (to counter [[drift]] and ocean currents), but for long-distance relocation it must be moved by specialist [[tugboat]]s.

As a drilling rig, the Byford Dolphin is near the top of its class. It is equipped with advanced drilling equipment and has to meet very high levels of certification under Norwegian law. However, the rig has suffered some serious [[accident]]s, most notably an [[explosive decompression]] accident in 1983 known as the '''Byford Dolphin diving bell accident''' that killed five workers and badly injured one.

==Diving bell accident==
[[Image:Byford Dolphin Accident.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The compression chamber at the moment the accident occurred. D1 - D4 are divers; T1 and T2 are dive tenders.]]
At 4:00 a.m. on [[November 5]], [[1983]], four divers were in a decompression chamber system attached to a [[diving bell]] on the rig, being assisted by two dive tenders. One diver was about to close the door between the chamber system and the trunk when the chamber was [[explosive decompression|explosively decompressed]] from a pressure of nine [[Atmosphere (unit)|atmospheres]] to one in a fraction of a second. Five of the men were killed; the other was severely injured.

The situation just before this accident was as follows: Decompression chambers 1 and 2 were connected via a trunk to a diving bell. This connection was sealed by a clamp operated by two tenders, who were themselves experienced divers. A third chamber was connected to this system, but was not involved. On this day, divers D1 (35 years old) and D2 (38 years old) were resting in chamber 2 at a pressure of 9 atm. The diving bell with divers D3 (29 years old) and D4 (34 years old) had just been [[winch]]ed up after a dive and joined to the trunk. Leaving their wet gear in the trunk, the divers then climbed through the trunk into chamber 1.

The normal procedure would have been: (a) close the bell door, (b) the diving supervisor would then slightly increase the bell pressure to seal this door tightly, (c) close the door between the trunk and chamber 1, (d) slowly depressurize the trunk to 1 atmosphere, and (e) open the clamp to separate the bell from the chamber system.

The first two steps had been completed and D4 was about to carry out (c) when, for some reason, one of the tenders opened the clamp. This resulted in explosive decompression. A tremendous blast shot from the chambers through the trunk, pushing the bell away and hitting the two tenders. The tender who opened the clamp died, and the other was severely injured.

Diver D4 was shot out through the small jammed hatch door opening, and was ripped apart. Subsequent investigation by [[forensic pathology|forensic pathologists]] determined that D4, being exposed to the highest pressure gradient, [[explosion|violently exploded]] due to the rapid and massive expansion of internal gases. All of his [[chest|thoracic]] and [[human abdomen|abdominal]] [[organ (anatomy)|organs]], and even his [[vertebral column|thoracic spine]] were ejected, as were all of his [[Limb (anatomy)|limb]]s. Simultaneously, his remains were expelled through the narrow trunk opening left by the jammed chamber door, less than 60 [[centimeter]]s (24 [[inch]]es) in [[diameter]]. Fragments of his body were found scattered about the rig. One part was even found lying on the rig’s [[derrick]], 10 [[meter]]s (30 [[Foot (length)|feet]]) directly above the chambers. His death was most likely instantaneous and painless.

===Medical findings===
Medical investigations were carried out on the four divers’ remains. The most conspicuous finding of the [[autopsy]] was large amounts of fat in large [[artery|arteries]] and [[vein]]s and in the [[Heart|cardiac chambers]], as well as intravascular fat in organs, especially the [[liver]]. This fat was unlikely to be [[embolism|embolic]], but must have “dropped out” of the blood ''[[in situ]]''. It is suggested that the boiling of the blood denatured the [[lipoprotein]] complexes, rendering the [[lipid]]s insoluble.

The ''[[rigor mortis]]'' was unusually strong. The [[hypostasis|hypostases]] (accumulations of blood in internal organs) were light red, and in two cases, there were numerous [[hemorrhage]]s in the livers. All the organs showed large amounts of gas in the blood vessels, and scattered hemorrhages were found in soft tissues. One of the divers had a large [[conjunctiva|sub-conjunctival]] [[blister|bulla]] (a blister in the tissue of the eye).

===Investigation===

The committee investigating the accident concluded that it was due to human error on the part of the dive tender who opened the clamp. It is not clear whether the tender who opened the clamp before the trunk was depressurized by order of his supervisor or on his own initiative, due to miscommunication. At the time, the only communication the tenders on the outside of the chamber system had was through a [[bullhorn]] attached to the wall surface; with heavy noise from the rig and sea, it was hard to listen in on what was going on. Fatigue from many hard hours of work also took its toll amongst the divers, who often worked 16-hour shifts.

This incident was also an engineering failure, in that the system was not equipped with [[fail-safe]] hatches. Subsequently, a law was passed in Norway requiring such systems to have fail-safe seals that would close automatically.

Some individuals{{who}} have alleged that the investigation was a [[cover-up]], as the commission investigating the accident did not mention the irresponsible dispensations on vital equipment in their report, which had a large role in the accident's occurrence, and that the accident was due to a lack of proper equipment, including clamping mechanisms equipped with interlocking mechanism (which would be impossible to open while the chamber system was still under pressure), outboard pressure gauges and safe communication system, which had been held back due to dispensations done by the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate.

==Other incidents==
*In late November [[2001]], the rig was left adrift without control in a storm. Although 17 of the 71 workers were evacuated by helicopter, the company claimed there was no serious danger.
*On [[April 17]] [[2002]], a 44 year old Norwegian worker on the rig was struck on the head and killed in an [[industrial injury|industrial accident]]. The accident resulted in the Byford Dolphin losing an exploration contract with [[Statoil]], who expressed concerns with the rig’s operating procedures. The incident cost the company millions of dollars in lost income.

==See also==
*[[Decompression sickness]]
*[[Piper Alpha]] oil production platform

==References==
Giertsen, J.C. ''et al.'', "An Explosive Decompression Accident", ''The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology'', 9(2):91-101, 1988.
[[Category:Engineering failures]]
[[Category:Oil platforms]]

[[no:Byford Dolphin]]

Basissatz (Chemie)

2008-02-24T16:52:28Z

137.195.68.169: /* Introduction */

A '''basis set''' in [[chemistry]] is a set of functions used to create the [[molecular orbital]]s, which are expanded as a [[linear combination of atomic orbitals|linear combination]] of such functions with the weights or coefficients to be determined. Usually these functions are [[atomic orbital]]s, in that they are centered on atoms, but functions centered in bonds or lone pairs have been used as have pairs of functions centered in the two lobes of a p orbital. Additionally, basis sets composed of sets of [[plane wave]]s down to a cutoff wavelength are often used, especially in calculations involving systems with [[periodic boundary conditions]].

==Introduction==

In modern [[computational chemistry]], [[Quantum chemistry|quantum chemical]] calculations are typically performed within a finite set of [[basis function]]s. In these cases, the [[wavefunction]]s under consideration are all represented as [[vector (spatial)|vector]]s, the components of which correspond to coefficients in a linear combination of the basis functions in the basis set used. The [[operator (physics)|operators]] are then represented as [[matrix (mathematics)|matrices]], (rank two [[tensors]]), in this finite basis. In this article, ''basis function'' and ''atomic orbital'' are sometimes used interchangeably, although it should be noted that these basis functions are usually not actually the exact atomic orbitals, even for the corresponding hydrogen-like atoms, due to approximations and simplifications of their analytic formulas. If the finite basis is expanded towards an infinite complete set of functions, calculations using such a basis set are said to approach the basis set limit.

When molecular calculations are performed, it is common to use a basis composed of a finite number of [[atomic orbital]]s, centered at each atomic nucleus within the molecule ([[linear combination of atomic orbitals]] [[ansatz]]). Initially, these atomic orbitals were typically [[Slater orbitals]], which corresponded to a set of functions which decayed exponentially with distance from the nuclei. Later, it was realized by [[S. Francis Boys|Frank Boys]] that these Slater-type orbitals could in turn be approximated as linear combinations of [[Gaussian orbital]]s instead. Because it is easier to calculate overlap and other integrals with Gaussian basis functions, this led to huge computational savings (see [[John Pople]]).

Today, there are hundreds of basis sets composed of Gaussian-type orbitals (GTOs). The smallest of these are called ''minimal basis sets'', and they are typically composed of the minimum number of basis functions required to represent all of the electrons on each atom. The largest of these can contain literally dozens to hundreds of basis functions on each atom.

A minimum basis set is one in which, on each atom in the molecule, a single basis function is used for each orbital in a [[Hartree-Fock]] calculation on the free atom. However, for atoms such as lithium, basis functions of p type are added to the basis functions corresponding to the 1s and 2s orbitals of the free atom. For example, each atom in the first row of the periodic system (Li - Ne) would have a basis set of five functions (two s functions and three p functions).

The most common addition to minimal basis sets is probably the addition of '''polarization functions''', denoted (in the names of basis sets developed by Pople) by an asterisk, ''*''. Two asterisks, ''**'', indicate that polarization functions are also added to light atoms (hydrogen and helium). These are auxiliary functions with one additional node. For example, the only basis function located on a hydrogen atom in a minimal basis set would be a function approximating the 1s atomic orbital. When [[polarization]] is added to this basis set, a p-function is also added to the basis set. This adds some additional needed flexibility within the basis set, effectively allowing molecular orbitals involving the hydrogen atoms to be more asymmetric about the hydrogen nucleus. This is an important result when considering accurate representations of bonding between atoms, because the very presence of the bonded atom makes the energetic environment of the electrons spherically asymmetric. Similarly, d-type functions can be added to a basis set with valence p orbitals, and f-functions to a basis set with d-type orbitals, and so on. Another, more precise notation indicates exactly which and how many functions are added to the basis set, such as (p, d).

Another common addition to basis sets is the addition of '''diffuse functions''', denoted in Pople-type sets by a plus sign, ''+'', and in Dunning-type sets by "aug" (from "augmented"). Two plus signs indicate that diffuse functions are also added to light atoms (hydrogen and helium). These are very shallow Gaussian basis functions, which more accurately represent the "tail" portion of the atomic orbitals, which are distant from the atomic nuclei. These additional basis functions can be important when considering anions and other large, "soft" molecular systems.

== Minimal basis sets ==

The most common minimal basis set is [[STO-nG basis sets|STO-nG]], where n is an integer. This ''n'' value represents the number of Gaussian primitive functions comprising a single basis function. In these basis sets, the same number of Gaussian primitives comprise core and valence orbitals. Minimal basis sets typically give rough results that are insufficient for research-quality publication, but are much cheaper than their larger counterparts. Commonly used minimal basis sets of this type are:

* STO-3G
* STO-4G
* STO-6G
* STO-3G* - Polarized version of STO-3G

There are several other minimum basis sets that have been used such as the MidiX basis sets.

== Split-valence basis sets ==

During most molecular bonding, it is the valence electrons which principally take part in the bonding. In recognition of this fact, it is common to represent valence orbitals by more than one basis function, (each of which can in turn be composed of a fixed linear combination of primitive Gaussian functions). Basis sets in which there are multiple basis functions corresponding to each valence atomic orbital, are called valence double, triple, or quadruple-zeta basis sets. Since the different orbitals of the split have different spatial extents, the combination allows the electron density to adjust its spatial extent appropriate to the particular molecular environment. Minimum basis sets are fixed and are unable to adjust to different molecular environments. Basis sets in which there are multiple basis functions corresponding to each atomic orbital, including both valence orbitals and core orbitals are called double, triple, or quadruple-zeta basis sets.

=== Pople basis sets ===

The notation for the ''split-valence'' basis sets arising from the group of [[John Pople]] is typically ''X-YZg''. In this case, ''X'' represents the number of primitive Gaussians comprising each core atomic orbital basis function. The ''Y'' and ''Z'' indicate that the valence orbitals are composed of two basis functions each, the first one composed of a linear combination of ''Y'' primitive Gaussian functions, the other composed of a linear combination of ''Z'' primitive Gaussian functions. In this case, the presence of two numbers after the hyphens implies that this basis set is a ''split-valence double-zeta'' basis set. Split-valence triple- and quadruple-zeta basis sets are also used, denoted as ''X-YZWg'', ''X-YZWVg'', etc. Here is a list of commonly used split-valence basis sets of this type:

* 3-21g
* 3-21g* - Polarized
* 3-21+g - Diffuse functions
* 3-21+g* - With polarization ''and'' diffuse functions
* 6-31g
* 6-31g*
* 6-31+g*
* 6-31g(3df, 3pd)
* 6-311g
* 6-311g*
* 6-311+g*

=== Correlation consistent basis sets ===

Some of the most widely used basis sets are those developed by Dunning and coworkers, since they are designed to converge systematically to the complete basis set (CBS) limit using extrapolation techniques. For first- and second-row atoms, the basis sets are cc-pVNZ where N=D,T,Q,5,6,... (D=double, T=triples, etc.). The 'cc-p', stands for 'correlation consistent polarized' and the 'V' indicates they are valence only basis sets. They include successively larger shells of polarization (correlating) functions (d, f, g, etc.). More recently these 'correlation consistent polarized' basis sets have become widely used and are the current state of the art for correlated or [[post Hartree-Fock]] calculations. Examples of these are:

* cc-pVDZ - Double-zeta
* cc-pVTZ - Triple-zeta
* cc-pVQZ - Quadruple-zeta
* cc-pV5Z - Quintuple-zeta, etc.
* aug-cc-pVDZ, etc. - Augmented versions of the preceding basis sets with added diffuse functions

For third-row atoms, additional functions are necessary; these are the cc-pV(N+d)Z basis sets. Even large atoms require the cc-pVNZ-PP and cc-pVNZ-DK families of basis sets, where PP and DK stand for pseudopotential and Douglas-Kroll, respectively.

These basis sets can be augmented with core functions for geometric and nuclear property calculations, and with diffuse functions for electronic excited-state calculations, electric field property calculations, and long-range interactions, such as van der Waals forces. A recipe for constructing additional augmented functions exists; as many as five augmented functions have been used in second hyperpolarizability calculations in the literature. Because of the rigorous construction of these basis sets, extrapolation can be done for almost any property.

=== Other split valence basis sets ===

Other split valence basis sets often have rather generic names such as:-

* SV(P)
* SVP
* DZV
* TZV
* TZVPP - Valence triple-zeta plus polarisation
* QZVPP - Valence quadruple-zeta plus polarisation

== Plane wave basis sets ==

In addition to localized basis sets, [[plane wave]] basis sets can also be used in quantum chemical simulations. Typically, a finite number of plane wave functions are used, below a specific cutoff energy which is chosen for a certain calculation. These basis sets are popular in calculations involving [[periodic boundary conditions]]. Certain integrals and operations are much easier to code and carry out with plane wave basis functions, than with their localized counterparts. In practice, plane wave basis sets are often used in combination with an 'effective core potential' or [[pseudopotential]], so that the plane waves are only used to describe the valence charge density. This is because core electrons tend to be concentrated very close to the atomic nuclei, resulting in large wavefunction and density gradients near the nuclei which are not easily described by a plane wave basis set unless a very high energy cutoff, (and therefore small plane wavelength), is used. This combined method of a plane wave basis set with a core [[pseudopotential]] is often abbreviated as a ''PSPW'' calculation. Furthermore, as all functions in the basis are mutually orthogonal, plane wave basis sets do not exhibit [[basis set superposition error]]. However, they are less well suited to gas-phase calculations. Using Fast Fourier Transforms, one can work with plane wave basis sets in reciprocal space in which not only the aforementioned integrals, such as the kinetic energy, but also derivatives are computationally less demanding to be carried out. Another important advantage of a plane wave basis is that it is guaranteed to converge to the target wave function while there is no such guarantee for Gaussian type basis sets.

== See also ==

* [[Basis set superposition error]]

==References==

All the many basis sets discussed here along with others are discussed in the references below which themselves give references to the original journal articles:
*{{cite book
| last = Levine | first = Ira N.
| title = Quantum Chemistry
| publisher = Prentice Hall | date = 1991 | location = Englewood Cliffs, New jersey
| pages = 461 - 466 | isbn = 0-205-12770-3}}
*{{cite book
| last = Cramer | first = Christopher J.
| title = Essentials of Computational Chemistry
| publisher = John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. | date = 2002 | location = Chichester
| pages = 154 - 168 | isbn = 0-471-48552-7}}
*{{cite book
| last = Jensen
| first = Frank
| title = Introduction to Computational Chemistry
| publisher = John Wiley and Sons
| date = 1999
| pages = 150 - 176
| location = Chichester, England
| isbn = 0471984156}}
* {{cite book | last = Leach | first = Andrew R.
| title = Molecular Modelling: Principles and Applications
| publisher = Longman | date = 1996 | location = Singapore | pages = 68 - 77 | isbn = 0-582-23933-8 }}
* http://www.chem.swin.edu.au/modules/mod8/basis1.html
*{{cite journal
| last = Davidson | first = Ernest | coauthors = Feller, David
| authorlink = Ernest R. Davidson
| journal = Chemical Reviews
| title = Basis set selection for molecular calculations
| date = 1986
| volume = 86
| issue = 4
| pages = 681 - 696
| url = http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/chreay/1986/86/i04/pdf/cr00074a002.pdf
| accessdate = }}

== External links ==

* [http://www.shodor.org/chemviz/basis/index.html ChemViz - Basis Sets Lab Activity]
* [http://www.emsl.pnl.gov/forms/basisform.html EMSL - Extensible Computational Chemistry Environment Basis Set Database]
[[Category:Quantum chemistry|Basis set]]

[[fr:Base (chimie quantique)]]
[[id:Basis set (kimia)]]
[[pl:Baza funkcyjna]]
[[zh:量子化学中的基组]]

Sleep Paralysis

2008-02-08T16:13:29Z

137.195.68.169: /* Possible causes */ Medical claims sitting around uncited for a month is long enough

{{primarysources|date=February 2008}}
{{refimprove|date=February 2008}}
[[Image:Fuseli nightmare.jpg|thumb|280px|''The Nightmare'', by [[Henry Fuseli]] (1781) is thought to be one of the classic depictions of sleep paralysis perceived as a [[demon]]ic visitation.]]

'''Sleep paralysis''' is a condition characterized by temporary [[paralysis]] of the body shortly after waking up (known as [[hypnopompia|hypnopompic]] paralysis) or, less often, shortly before falling [[sleep|asleep]] (known as [[hypnagogia|hypnagogic]] paralysis).<ref> When considered a disease, isolated sleep paralysis is classified as: [[Diseases Database]] [http://www.diseasesdatabase.com/ddb12182.htm 12182], [[Medical Subject Headings|MeSH]] [http://www.nlm.nih.gov/cgi/mesh/2007/MB_cgi?field=uid&term=D020188 D020188]</ref>

Physiologically, it is closely related to the paralysis that occurs as a natural part of [[Rapid eye movement sleep|REM]] (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is known as [[REM atonia]]. Sleep paralysis occurs when the [[brain]] awakes from a REM state, but the bodily paralysis persists. This leaves the person fully aware, but unable to move. In addition, the state may be accompanied by [[hypnagogia|hypnagogic hallucinations]].

More often than not, sleep paralysis is believed by the person affected by it to be no more than a [[dream]] (although it is possible it is in fact a dream: i.e., a [[false awakening]]).{{Fact|date=September 2007}} This explains many dream recountings which describe the person lying frozen and unable to move. The [[hallucination|hallucinatory]] element to sleep paralysis makes it even more likely that someone will interpret the experience as a dream, since completely fanciful, or dream-like, objects may appear in the room alongside one's normal vision. Some scientists have proposed this condition as a theory for [[alien abduction]]s and [[ghost]]ly encounters.<ref name="pmid15881271">{{cite journal |author=McNally RJ, Clancy SA. |title=Sleep Paralysis, Sexual Abuse, and Space Alien Abduction |journal=Transcultural Psychiatry |volume=42 |issue=1 |pages=113-122 |year=2005|pmid=15881271}}</ref>

==Symptoms==
Symptoms of sleep paralysis can be either one of the following or a combination:

Paralysis: this occurs after waking up or shortly before falling asleep. the person cannot move any body part, cannot speak, and only has minimal control over blinking and breathing. This paralysis is the same paralysis that occurs when dreaming. The brain paralyzes the muscles to prevent possible injury during dreams, as some body parts may move during dreaming. If the person wakes up suddenly, the brain may still think that it is dreaming, and sustains the paralysis.

Hallucinations: Images or speaking that appear during the paralysis. The person may think that someone is standing beside them or they may hear strange sounds. These may be dreamlike, possibly causing the person to think that they are still dreaming. Often times it is reported as feeling a weight on one's chest, as if being underneath a person or heavy object.

These symptoms can last from mere seconds to several minutes and can be frightening to the person.

==Possible causes==

Sleep paralysis occurs during [[Rapid eye movement sleep|REM]] sleep, thus preventing the body from manifesting movements made in the subject's dreams. Very little is known about the physiology of sleep paralysis.{{Fact|date=January 2008}} However, some have suggested that it may be linked to post-[[synapse|synaptic]] inhibition of [[motor neuron]]s in the [[pons]] region of the [[brain]].{{Fact|date=January 2008}} In particular, low levels of [[melatonin]] may stop the [[depolarization]] current in the nerves, which prevents the stimulation of the muscles, to prevent the body from enacting the dream activity (e.g. preventing a sleeper from flailing his legs when dreaming about running).{{Fact|date=January 2008}}

Several studies have concluded that many or most people will experience sleep paralysis at least once or twice in their lives.{{Fact|date=December 2007}}

Many people who commonly enter sleep paralysis also suffer from [[narcolepsy]]. In [[African-American]]s, [[panic disorder]] occurs with sleep paralysis more frequently than in Caucasians.<ref>
Friedman, S. & Paradis, C. (2002). Panic disorder in African-Americans: Symptomatology and isolated sleep paralysis. Cult Med Psychiatry. 2002 Jun;26(2):179-98 PMID 12211324 </ref>
Some reports read that various factors increase the likelihood of both paralysis and hallucinations. These include:<ref>{{cite web| author= J. A. Cheyne | url=http://watarts.uwaterloo.ca/~acheyne/prevent.html | title= Preventing and Coping with Sleep Paralysis | accessmonthday=17 July | accessyear=2006}}</ref>
* Sleeping in an upwards [[supine position]]
* Irregular sleeping schedules; naps, sleeping in, [[sleep deprivation]]
* Increased stress
* Sudden environmental/lifestyle changes
* A [[lucid dream]] that immediately precedes the episode. Also conscious induction of sleep paralysis is a common technique to enter a state of lucid dreams, also known as [[wikibooks:Lucid Dreaming/Induction Techniques#WILD|WILD]] .

==Treatment==
[[Clonazepam]] is highly effective in the treatment of sleep paralysis.<ref>Wills L, Garcia J. (2002) ''Parasomnias: epidemiology and management''16(12):803-10.</ref> The initial dose is 0.5 mg at bedtime, while an increase to 1 mg per night might be necessary to maintain potency.

[[Ritalin]] has been used successfully as a daytime medication to promote structured sleep patterns and the prevention of sleep paralysis in ''some'' adults. Care should be taken to monitor blood pressure along with other appropriate tests. Dosage starts at 20mg per day (morning) increased weekly until episodes diminish.{{Fact|date=January 2008}}

==Cultural references==
Complete references to many cultures are given in [[Sleep paralysis#References|the References section]]


* In the Laotian culture, sleep paralysis is referred to as "pee umm." It describes an event where the person is sleeping and dreams that ghostly figure(s) are either holding him/her down or the ghosts can just be near. The person usually thinks that they are awake but is unable to move or make any noises. This is not to be confused with "pee khao" which refers to a ghost possession.
* In [[Hmong people|Hmong]] culture, sleep paralysis describes an experience called "dab tsog" or "crushing demon" from the compound phrase "dab" (demon) and "tsog" (crush). Often the sufferer claims to be able to see a tiny figure, no larger than a child, sitting on his or her chest. What is alarming is that a vast number of American Hmong, mainly males, have died in their sleep prompting the Centers for Disease Control to create the term "Sudden Unexpected Nocturnal Death Syndrome" or "SUNDS" for short.
* In Vietnamese culture, sleep paralysis is referred to as "ma de", meaning "held down by a ghost". Many people in this culture believe that a ghost has entered one's body, causing the paralyzed state.
* In [[China]], sleep paralysis is known as "鬼压身" ([[pinyin]]: guǐ yā shēn) or "鬼压床" ([[pinyin]]: guǐ yā chuáng), which literally translate into "body pressured by a ghost" or "bed pressured by a ghost."
* In [[Japanese language|Japanese]] culture, sleep paralysis is referred to as ''kanashibari'' ([http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%87%91%E7%B8%9B%E3%82%8A 金縛り], literally "bound or fastened in metal," from kane "metal" and shibaru" to bind, to tie, to fasten"). This term is occasionally used by English speaking authors to refer to the phenomenon both in academic papers and in [[popular psychology|pop psych]] literature.
* In [[Hungary|Hungarian]] folk culture sleep paralysis is called "lidércnyomás" ("lidérc pressing") and can be attributed to a number of supernatural entities like "lidérc" (wraith), "boszorkány" (witch), "tündér" (fairy) or "ördögszerető".<ref>[http://mek.oszk.hu/02100/02115/html/3-1332.html lidérc], Magyar Néprajzi Lexikon, Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest 1977, ISBN</ref> The word "boszorkány" itself stems from the Turkish root "bas-", meaning "to press".<ref>[http://mek.oszk.hu/02100/02115/html/1-925.html boszorkány], Magyar Néprajzi Lexikon, Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest 1977, ISBN</ref>
* In [[Iceland]] folk culture sleep paralysis is generally called having a "Mara". Mara is an old Icelandic word for a mare but has taken on the meaning for a sort of a devil that sits on ones chest at night, trying to suffocate the victim.
*Kurdish people call this phenomenon a "mottaka", they believe that some one, in a form of a ghost or perhaps an evil spirit, turns up on top the of the person in the middle of the night and suffocates him/her. Apparently this happens usually when some one has done something bad.
*In New Guinea, people refer to this phenomenon as "Suk Ninmyo", believed to originate from sacred trees that use human essence to sustain its life. The trees are said to feed on human essence during night as to not disturb the human's daily life, but sometimes people wake unnaturally during the feeding, resulting in the paralysis.
*In Turkey this is called "karabasan" ("The dark presser/assailer"). It is believed that it is a creature which attacks people in their sleep.
*In Mexico, it's believed that sleep paralysis is in fact the spirit of a dead person getting on the person and impeding movement, calling this "se me subió el muerto" (the dead person got on me).
*In many parts of the Southern United States, the phenomenon is known as a "hag", and the event is said to often be a sign of an approaching tragedy or accident.
*Ogun Oru is a traditional explanation for nocturnal disturbances among the Yoruba of Southwest Nigeria; ogun oru (nocturnal warefare) involves an acute night-time disturbance that is culturally attributed to demonic infiltration of the body and psyche during dreaming. Ogun oru is characterized by its occurrence, a female preponderance, the perception of an underlying feud between the sufferer's earthly spouse and a ;spiritual' spouse, and the event of bewitchment through eating while dreaming. The condition is believed to be treatable through Christian prayers or elaborate traditional rituals designed to exorcise the imbibed demonic elements.<ref name="pmid17379609">{{cite journal |author=Aina OF, Famuyiwa OO |title=Ogun Oru: a traditional explanation for nocturnal neuropsychiatric disturbances among the Yoruba of Southwest Nigeria |journal=Transcultural psychiatry |volume=44 |issue=1 |pages=44-54 |year=2007 |pmid=17379609 |doi=10.1177/1363461507074968}}</ref>

* In Zimbabwean Shona culture the word Madzikirira is used to refer something really pressing one down. This mostly refers to the spiritual world in which some spirit--especially an evil one--tries to use its victim for some evil purpose. The people believe that witches can only be people of close relations to be effective, and hence a witches often try to use one's spirit to bewitch one's relatives.

* In Ethiopian culture the word Dukak is used. Dukak is believed to be some form of evil spirit that possesses people during their sleep. This experience is also believed to be related to use of Khat. Most Khat users experience sleep paralysis when quitting after a long time of use.

*Several studies have shown that African-Americans may be predisposed to isolated sleep paralysis also known as "the witch is riding you," or "the haint is riding you."<ref name="pmid6737506">{{cite journal |author=Bell CC, Shakoor B, Thompson B, Dew D, Hughley E, Mays R, Shorter-Gooden K |title=Prevalence of isolated sleep paralysis in black subjects |journal=Journal of the National Medical Association |volume=76 |issue=5 |pages=501-508 |year=1984 |pmid=6737506}}</ref> In addition, other studies have shown that African-Americans who have frequent episodes of isolated sleep paralysis, i.e., reporting having one or more sleep paralysis episodes per month coined as "sleep paralysis disorder," were predisposed to having panic attacks.<ref name="pmid3746934">{{cite journal |author=Bell CC, Dixie-Bell DD, Thompson B |title=Further studies on the prevalence of isolated sleep paralysis in black subjects |journal=Journal of the National Medical Association |volume=78 |issue=7 |pages=649-659 |year=1986|pmid=3746934}}</ref> This finding has been replicated by other independent researchers<ref name="pmid15881272">{{cite journal |author=Paradis CM, Friedman S |title=Sleep Paralysis in African Americans with Panic Disorder |journal=Transcultural psychiatry |volume=43 |issue=4 |pages=692-694 |year=2006 |pmid=15881272 |DOI: 10.1177/1363461505050720}}</ref><ref name="pmid7982696">{{cite journal |author=Friedman S, Paradis CM, Hatch M |title=Characteristics of African-Americans and white patients with panic disorder and agoraphobia |journal=Hospital and Community Psychiatry |volume=45 |issue=8 |pages=798-803 |year=1994 |pmid=7982696}}</ref>

==Sleep paralysis in literature, art and music==

* (1605) [[Miguel de Cervantes]] makes mention of the phenomenon in ''[[Don Quixote]]'' when a tavern wench jumps into the bed of the soundly sleeping [[Sancho Panza]], who, ''started, and feeling a prodigious weight upon him, thought he was labouring under the nightmare.''

* (1851) There is a particularly fascinating account of sleep paralysis in [[Herman Melville|Herman Melville's]] novel ''[[Moby-Dick]]''. Chapter 4 (The Counterpane) is an account of [[Ishmael (Moby-Dick)|Ishmael]]'s meditation on an episode of sleep paralysis in the middle of which he could not distinguish the difference between [[Queequeg|Queequeg's]] arm and the quilt. Indeed, he could not even distinguish the difference between his own body and his surroundings. He then recalls an earlier episode of sleep paralysis from his childhood, which he determines was the precise moment he discovered the feeling of "otherness" of his own body with respect to his surroundings.

* (1936) An account can also be found in [[Ernest Hemingway]]'s ''[[The Snows of Kilimanjaro]]'', in which death approaches and sits upon the narrator's chest so that he cannot breathe.

* (1969) The main character in [[Kingsley Amis]]' novel ''[[The Green Man]]'' also suffers from the affliction.

* (1975) [[Maxine Hong Kingston]] recounts an episode in her book [[The Woman Warrior]] where her mother, [[Brave Orchid]], suffers a night of sleep paralysis in the "Haunted Room", in which she claims she battles a "Sitting Ghost".

* (2001) The progressive rock band [[Dredg]] explores the different aspects of sleep paralysis, on their album ''[[El Cielo]]''. The booklet with ''El Cielo'' contains letters written by sufferers of sleeping disorders with descriptions of various experiences with or relating to sleep paralysis. Singer Gavin Hayes incorporates and expands upon the material found in the booklet for the lyrics to the album; all of the songs on the album (except the instrumentals) contain snippets of the text in the booklet.

* (2006) Experimental band [[Fear Before the March of Flames]] talk about the struggles of dealing with constant sleep paralysis on their album "[[The Always Open Mouth]]". One of the songs is even called "[[Drowning the Old Hag]]".

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* Culhane-Pera, Kathie (2003). Healing by Heart: Clinical and Ethical Case Stories of Hmong Families and Western Providers. Vanderbilt University Press.
*Bower, Bruce (July 9, 2005). "[http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20050709/bob9.asp Night of the Crusher]." ''Science News''.
*Conesa, J. (2000). Geomagnetic, cross-cultural and occupational faces of sleep paralysis: An ecological perspective. ''Sleep and Hypnosis'', 2, (3), 105-111.
*Conesa, J. (2002). Isolated Sleep Paralysis and Lucid Dreaming: Ten-year longitudinal case study and related dream frequencies, types, and categories. ''Sleep and Hypnosis'', 4, (4), 132-143.
*Conesa, J. (2003). Sleep Paralysis Signaling (SPS) As A Natural Cueing Method for the Generation and Maintenance of Lucid Dreaming. Presented at The 83rd Annual Convention of the Western Psychological Association, May 1 - 4, 2003 in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
*Conesa-Sevilla, Jorge (2004). Wrestling With Ghosts: A Personal and Scientific Account of Sleep Paralysis. Pennsylvania: Xlibris/Randomhouse.
*Firestone K. The “Old Hag”: sleep paralysis in Newfoundland. ''The Journal of Psychoanalytic Anthropology'' 1985; 8:47-66.
*Fukuda K, Miyasita A, Inugami M, Ishihara K. High prevalence of isolated sleep paralysis: kanashibari phenomenon in Japan. ''Sleep'' 1987; 10:279-286.
*Hartmann E. The nightmare: the psychology and biology of terrifying dreams. New York:Basic,1984.
*Hufford D.J. The terror that comes in the night: an experience-centered study of supernatural assault traditions. Philadelphia:University of Pennsylvania Press, 1982
*Kettlewell, N; Lipscomb, S; Evans, E. (June, 1993). "Differences in neuropsychological correlates between normals and those experiencing "Old Hag Attacks'." ''Perceptual and Motor Skills''. 76 (3 Pt 1): 839-45; discussion 846. PMID 8321596
* Ness RC. “The Old Hag” phenomenon as sleep paralysis: a bicultural interpretation . Culture, ''Medicine and Psychiatry'' 1978; 2:15-39.
*Ohayon MM, Zulley J, Guilleminault C, Smirne, S. Prevalence and pathologic associations of sleep paralysis in the general population. ''Neurology'', 1999; 52:1194-1200.
*Sagan, Carl (1997). ''The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark''.
* Schneck JM. Sleep paralysis and microsomatognosia with special reference to hypnotherapy . The ''International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis'' 1977; XXV:72-77.
*Takeuchi T, Miyasita A, Sasaki Y, Inugami M, Fukuda K. Isolated sleep paralysis elicited by sleep interruption. ''American Sleep Disorders Association and Sleep Research Society'', 1992; 15: 217-225.

==External links==
{{external links}}
* [http://www.spis.org.uk Sleep Paralysis Information Service]
*[http://www.iacworld.org/English/Resources/Articles/SleepParalysisAndItsCauses.asp Projective Catalepsy: Out-of-Body Experience & Sleep Paralysis] by International Academy of Consciousness
* [http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/paralysis.html Sleep information and links] from Stanford University
* [http://www.arts.uwaterloo.ca/~acheyne/S_P.html Sleep Paralysis and Associated Hypnagogic and Hypnopompic Experiences] from University of Waterloo
* [http://wikihow.com/Cope-With-Sleep-Paralysis How to Cope with Sleep Paralysis]
* [http://www.csicop.org/doubtandabout/sleep/ Waking Up to Sleep Paralysis]

{{SleepSeries2}}

[[Category:Sleep physiology]]
[[Category:Sleep disorders]]
[[Category:Neuropsychology]]

[[da:Søvnparalyse]]
[[de:Bewegungsunfähigkeit im Schlaf]]
[[el:Παράλυση ύπνου]]
[[es:Parálisis del sueño]]
[[fr:Paralysie du sommeil]]
[[it:Paralisi nel sonno]]
[[he:שיתוק שינה]]
[[lt:Miego paralyžius]]
[[nl:Slaapverlamming]]
[[ja:金縛り]]
[[pl:Porażenie przysenne]]
[[pt:Catalepsia projetiva]]
[[ru:Сонный паралич]]
[[simple:Sleep paralysis]]
[[fi:Unihalvaus]]
[[sv:Sömnparalys]]
[[tr:Uyku felci]]
[[zh:睡眠瘫痪症]]

Binaurale Beats

2007-12-05T10:14:58Z

137.195.68.169: /* Other uses */ Note added to talk page

'''Binaural beats''' or [[binaural]] tones are [[auditory]] processing artifacts, that is apparent
sounds, the [[perception]] of which arises in the brain independent of physical [[stimulus (physiology)|stimuli]]. This effect was discovered in 1839 by [[Heinrich Wilhelm Dove]].

In nature, two sounds that are similar but slightly shifted in [[frequency]] will [[beat (acoustics)|beat]] to produce two new frequencies which are the [[average]] and the [[subtraction|difference]] of the original two sounds. For example, a 400 [[Hertz|Hz]] tone and a 410 Hz tone will form a ~405 Hz tone pulsating 10 times per second.

The brain produces a similar phenomenon internally, resulting in low-frequency pulsations in the [[loudness]] of a perceived sound when two tones at slightly different frequencies are presented separately, one to each of a subject's ears, using stereo [[headphones]].
A beating tone will be perceived, as if the two tones mixed naturally, out of the brain. The frequency of the tones must be below about 1,000 to 1,500 [[hertz]] for the beating to be heard. The difference between the two frequencies must be small (below about 30 Hz) for the effect to occur; otherwise the two tones will be heard separately and no beat will be perceived.

Interest in binaural beats can be classified into two categories. First, they are of interest to [[neurophysiologist]]s investigating the [[hearing (sense)|sense of hearing]]. Second, that binaural beats may influence the brain in more subtle ways through the [[Brainwave synchronization|entrainment]] of [[Electroencephalography|brainwaves]] <ref name="pmid4727697">{{cite journal |author=Oster G |title=Auditory beats in the brain |journal=Sci. Am. |volume=229 |issue=4 |pages=94–102 |year=1973 |pmid=4727697 |doi=}}</ref> <ref name="isbn0-688-04880-3">{{cite book |author=Hutchison, Michael M. |title=Megabrain: new tools and techniques for brain growth and mind expansion |publisher=W. Morrow |location=New York |year=1986 |pages= |isbn=0-688-04880-3 |oclc= |doi=}}</ref> and can be used to produce relaxation and other health benefits.

==History==
Heinrich Wilhelm Dove discovered binaural beats in 1839. While research about them continued after that, the subject basically remained a scientific curiosity until 134 years later, with the publishing of Gerald Oster's article "Auditory Beats in the Brain" (Scientific American, 1973). Oster's paper was landmark not so much for its own new laboratory findings, but rather that in the way in which it identified and tied together the isolated islands of relevant research done since Dove, in a way that gave the subject fresh insight and relevance to scientific research.

In particular, Oster saw binaural beats as a powerful tool for [[cognitive neuroscience|cognitive and neurological research]], addressing questions such as how animals [[sound localization|locate sounds]] in their three-dimensional environment, and also the remarkable ability of animals to pick-out and focus-on specific sounds in a sea of noise (what is known as the "[[cocktail party effect]]").

Oster also considered binaural beats to be a potentially useful medical [[diagnostic]] tool, not merely for finding and assessing auditory impairments, but also (because they involved different neurological pathways than ordinary auditory processing) for more general neurological conditions. For example, Oster found that a number of the subjects he worked with that were incapable of perceiving binaural beats suffered from [[Parkinson's disease]]. In one case, Oster was able to follow one such subject through a week-long treatment of Parkinson's disease; at the outset the patient couldn't perceive binaural beats, but by the end of the week of treatment, the patient could hear them again.

Oster also reported (in corroborating an earlier study) that there were gender differences in the perception of beats. Specifically, women seemed to experience two separate peaks in their ability to perceive binaural beats that seemed to correlate with specific points in the [[menstrual cycle]] (one at the onset of menstruation, one around 15 days later), which led Oster to wonder if binaural beats could be used as a tool for measuring relative levels of [[estrogen]]. <ref name="pmid4727697">{{cite journal |author=Oster G |title=Auditory beats in the brain |journal=Sci. Am. |volume=229 |issue=4 |pages=94–102 |year=1973 |pmid=4727697 |doi=}}</ref>

==Physiology==
{{Expand-section|date=January 2007}}
The sensation of binaural beats is believed to originate in the superior [[Olivary body#Olivary nuclei|olivary nucleus]], a part of the [[brain stem]]. They appear to be related to the brain's ability to locate the sources of sounds in three dimensions and to track moving sounds, which also involves inferior colliculus (IC) neurons. <ref name="pmid9862906">{{cite journal |author=Spitzer MW, Semple MN |title=Transformation of binaural response properties in the ascending auditory pathway: influence of time-varying interaural phase disparity |journal=J. Neurophysiol. |volume=80 |issue=6 |pages=3062–76 |year=1998 |pmid=9862906 |doi=}}</ref>
Regarding entrainment, the study of rhythmicity provides insights into the understanding of temporal information processing in the human brain. Auditory rhythms rapidly entrain motor responses into stable steady synchronization states below and above conscious perception thresholds. Activated regions include primary sensorimotor and cingulate areas, bilateral opercular premotor areas, bilateral SII, ventral prefrontal cortex, and, subcortically, anterior insula, putamen, and thalamus. Within the cerebellum, vermal regions and anterior hemispheres ipsilateral to the movement became significantly activated. Tracking temporal modulations additionally activated predominantly right prefrontal, anterior cingulate, and intraparietal regions as well as posterior cerebellar hemispheres.<ref name="pmid14681157">{{cite journal |author=Thaut MH |title=Neural basis of rhythmic timing networks in the human brain |journal=Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. |volume=999 |issue= |pages=364–73 |year=2003 |pmid=14681157 |doi=}}</ref>

== Hypothetical effects on brain function ==
{{details|brainwave synchronization}}

=== Overview ===
Binaural beats may influence functions of the brain besides those related to hearing. This phenomenon is called ''frequency following response''. The concept is that if one receives a stimulus with a frequency in the range of brain waves, the predominant brain wave frequency is said to be likely to move towards the frequency of the stimulus (a process called [[Brainwave synchronization|entrainment]]).<ref name="pmid46818">{{cite journal |author=Gerken GM, Moushegian G, Stillman RD, Rupert AL |title=Human frequency-following responses to monaural and binaural stimuli |journal=Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology |volume=38 |issue=4 |pages=379–86 |year=1975 |pmid=46818 |doi=}}</ref> In addition, binaural beats have been credibly documented to entrain brainwave rhythms, according to the frequency following response, at various sites in the brain.<ref name="pmid6158406">{{cite journal |author=Dobie RA, Norton SJ |title=Binaural interaction in human auditory evoked potentials |journal=Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology |volume=49 |issue=3-4 |pages=303–13 |year=1980 |pmid=6158406 |doi=}}</ref> <ref name="pmid84739">{{cite journal |author=Moushegian G, Rupert AL, Stillman RD |title=Evaluation of frequency-following potentials in man: masking and clinical studies |journal=Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology |volume=45 |issue=6 |pages=711–18 |year=1978 |pmid=84739 |doi=}}</ref> <ref name="pmid675250">{{cite journal |author=Smith JC, Marsh JT, Greenberg S, Brown WS |title=Human auditory frequency-following responses to a missing fundamental |journal=Science |volume=201 |issue=4356 |pages=639–41 |year=1978 |pmid=675250 |doi=}}</ref> <ref name="pmid52439">{{cite journal |author=Smith JC, Marsh JT, Brown WS |title=Far-field recorded frequency-following responses: evidence for the locus of brainstem sources |journal=Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology |volume=39 |issue=5 |pages=465–72 |year=1975 |pmid=52439 |doi=}}</ref> <ref name="pmid70337">{{cite journal |author=Yamada O, Yamane H, Kodera K |title=Simultaneous recordings of the brain stem response and the frequency-following response to low-frequency tone |journal=Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology |volume=43 |issue=3 |pages=362–70 |year=1977 |pmid=70337 |doi=}}</ref>

The stimulus does not have to be aural; it can also be visual<ref name="pmid17945633">{{cite journal |author=Cvetkovic D, Simpson D, Cosic I |title=Influence of sinusoidally modulated visual stimuli at extremely low frequency range on the human EEG activity |journal=Conference proceedings : ... Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Conference |volume=1 |issue= |pages=1311–4 |year=2006 |pmid=17945633 |doi=10.1109/IEMBS.2006.259565}}</ref> or a combination of aural and visual.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.actapress.com/Abstract.aspx?paperId=16352 |title=[Abstract] The Induced Rhythmic Oscillations of Neural Activity in the Human Brain |accessdate=2007-11-14 |format= |work=}}</ref> (One such example would be [[Dreamachine]].) However, using alpha frequencies with such stimuli can trigger [[photosensitive epilepsy]].

Direct use of an [[infrasound|infrasonic]] auditory stimulus is impossible, since the ears cannot hear sounds low enough to be useful for brain stimulation. Human hearing is limited to the range of frequencies from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, while the frequencies of human brain waves are below about 40 Hz. To account for this, binaural beat frequencies must be used. Beat frequencies of 40 Hz have been produced in the brain with binaural sound and measured experimentally.<ref name="pmid15721080">{{cite journal |author=Schwarz DW, Taylor P |title=Human auditory steady state responses to binaural and monaural beats |journal=Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology |volume=116 |issue=3 |pages=658–68 |year=2005 |pmid=15721080 |doi=10.1016/j.clinph.2004.09.014}}</ref>

When the perceived [[beat frequency]] corresponds to the [[delta wave|delta]], [[theta wave|theta]], [[alpha waves|alpha]], [[beta wave|beta]], or [[gamma wave|gamma]] range of [[Electroencephalography|brainwave]] frequencies, the brainwaves entrain to or move towards the beat frequency.<ref name="pmid-7300432">{{cite journal |author=Rogers LJ, Walter DO |title=Methods for finding single generators, with application to auditory driving of the human EEG by complex stimuli |journal=J. Neurosci. Methods |volume=4 |issue=3 |pages=257–65 |year=1981 |pmid=7300432 |doi=}}</ref> For example, if a 315 Hz sine wave is played into the right ear and a 325 Hz one into the left ear, the brain is entrained towards the beat frequency (10 Hz, in the alpha range). Since alpha range is associated with relaxation, this has a relaxing effect or if in the beta range, more alertness. An experiment with binaural sound stimulation using beat frequencies in the Beta range on some participants and Delta/Theta range in other participants, found better vigilance performance and mood in those on the awake alert state of Beta range stimulation.<ref name="pmid9423966">{{cite journal |author=Lane JD, Kasian SJ, Owens JE, Marsh GR |title=Binaural auditory beats affect vigilance performance and mood |journal=Physiol. Behav. |volume=63 |issue=2 |pages=249–52 |year=1998 |pmid=9423966 |doi=}}</ref><ref name="pmid4810845">{{cite journal |author=Beatty J, Greenberg A, Deibler WP, O'Hanlon JF |title=Operant control of occipital theta rhythm affects performance in a radar monitoring task |journal=Science |volume=183 |issue=127 |pages=871–3 |year=1974 |pmid=4810845 |doi=}}</ref>

Binaural beat stimulation has been used fairly extensively to induce a variety of states of consciousness, there has been some work done in regards to the effects of these stimuli on relaxation, focus, attention, and states of consciousness.<ref name="isbn-0-688-04880-3">{{cite book |author=Hutchison, Michael M. |title=Megabrain: new tools and techniques for brain growth and mind expansion |publisher=W. Morrow |location=New York |year=1986 |pages= |isbn=0-688-04880-3 |oclc= |doi=}}</ref> Studies have shown that with repeated training to close frequency sounds that a plastic reorganization of the brain occurs for the trained frequencies<ref name="pmid10757526">{{cite journal |author=Menning H, Roberts LE, Pantev C |title=Plastic changes in the auditory cortex induced by intensive frequency discrimination training |journal=Neuroreport |volume=11 |issue=4 |pages=817–22 |year=2000 |pmid=10757526 |doi=}}</ref> and is capable of asymmetric hemispheric balancing.<ref name="pmid15054131">{{cite journal |author=Gottselig JM, Brandeis D, Hofer-Tinguely G, Borbély AA, Achermann P |title=Human central auditory plasticity associated with tone sequence learning |journal=Learn. Mem. |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=162–71 |year=2004 |pmid=15054131 |doi=10.1101/lm.63304}}</ref>

===Brain waves===
{{main|Electroencephalography}}

{| align="center" class="wikitable"
!Frequency range
!Name
!Usually associated with:
|-
|align="center"|> 40 Hz
|Gamma waves
| Higher mental activity, including perception, problem solving, fear, and consciousness
|-
|align="center"|13–40 Hz
|Beta waves
|Active, busy or anxious thinking and active concentration, arousal, cognition
|-
|align="center"|7–13 Hz
|Alpha waves
|Relaxation (while awake), pre-sleep and pre-wake drowsiness
|-
|align="center"|4–7 Hz
|Theta waves
|[[Dream]]s, deep [[meditation]], REM sleep
|-
|align="center"|< 4 Hz
|Delta waves
|Deep dreamless [[sleep]], loss of body awareness
|}

(The precise boundaries between ranges vary among definitions, and there is no universally accepted standard.)

The dominant frequency determines your current state. For example, if in someone's brain alpha waves are dominating, they are in the alpha state (this happens when one is relaxed but awake). However, also other frequencies will be present, albeit with smaller amplitudes.

The brain entraining is more effective if the entraining frequency is close to the user's starting dominant frequency. Therefore, it is suggested to start with a frequency near to one's current dominant frequency (likely to be about 20 Hz or little less for a waking person), and then slowly decreasing it towards the desired frequency.

Some people find pure [[sine waves]] unpleasant, so a [[pink noise]] or another background (e.g. natural sounds such as river noises) can also be mixed with them. In addition to that, as long as the beat is audible, increasing the volume is supposed not to improve the effectiveness, therefore using a low volume is usually suggested. One theory is to reduce the volume so low that the beating should not even be clearly audible, but this does not seem to be the case (see the next paragraph).

=== Other uses ===
{{more references}}

In addition to lowering the brain frequency to relax the listener (or to raise it to help focusing), there are other controversial, alleged uses for binaural beats. For example, that by using specific frequencies an individual can stimulate certain [[gland]]s to produce desired [[hormone]]s. Beta-endorphin has been modulated in studies using alpha-theta brain wave training, <ref name="pmid2524976">{{cite journal |author=Peniston EG, Kulkosky PJ |title=Alpha-theta brainwave training and beta-endorphin levels in alcoholics |journal=Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=271–9 |year=1989 |pmid=2524976 |doi=}}</ref> and dopamine with binaural beats.<ref name="pmid17309374">{{cite journal |author=Wahbeh H, Calabrese C, Zwickey H |title=Binaural beat technology in humans: a pilot study to assess psychologic and physiologic effects |journal=Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) |volume=13 |issue=1 |pages=25–32 |year=2007 |pmid=17309374 |doi=10.1089/acm.2006.6196}}</ref> Among other alleged uses, there are reducing learning time and sleeping needs (theta waves are thought to improve learning, since children, who have stronger theta waves, and remain in this state for a longer period of time than adults, usually learn faster than adults{{citation needed}}; and some people find that half an hour in the theta state can reduce sleeping needs up to four hours{{citation needed}}; however, this is supposed to happen with ''any'' way to get into theta state, e.g. [[meditation]]{{citation needed}}); some use them for [[lucid dreaming]] and even for attempting [[out-of-body experience]]s, [[astral projection]], [[telepathy]] and [[psychokinesis]]. (Note that the scientific concensus is that telepathy and astral projection do not exist, and that out-of body experiences are purely internal mental phenomena. However, the role of alpha-wave activity in lucid dreaming is subject to ongoing research.<ref name="pmid7162915">{{cite journal |author=Ogilvie RD, Hunt HT, Tyson PD, Lucescu ML, Jeakins DB |title=Lucid dreaming and alpha activity: a preliminary report |journal=Perceptual and motor skills |volume=55 |issue=3 Pt 1 |pages=795–808 |year=1982 |pmid=7162915 |doi=}}</ref> <ref name="pmid11811128">{{cite journal |author=Korabel'nikova EA, Golubev VL |title=[Dreams and interhemispheric asymmetry] |language=Russian |journal=Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova / Ministerstvo zdravookhraneniia i meditsinskoĭ promyshlennosti Rossiĭskoĭ Federatsii, Vserossiĭskoe obshchestvo nevrologov Vserossiĭskoe obshchestvo psikhiatrov |volume=101 |issue=12 |pages=51–4 |year=2001 |pmid=11811128 |doi=}}</ref> <ref name="pmid17053341">{{cite journal |author=Spoormaker VI, van den Bout J |title=Lucid dreaming treatment for nightmares: a pilot study |journal=Psychotherapy and psychosomatics |volume=75 |issue=6 |pages=389–94 |year=2006 |pmid=17053341 |doi=10.1159/000095446}}</ref>.)
Alpha-theta brainwave training has also been used successfully for the treatment of [[addiction]]s, <ref name="pmid2524976">{{cite journal |author=Peniston EG, Kulkosky PJ |title=Alpha-theta brainwave training and beta-endorphin levels in alcoholics |journal=Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=271–9 |year=1989 |pmid=2524976 |doi=}}</ref> <ref name="pmid8801245">{{cite journal |author=Saxby E, Peniston EG |title=Alpha-theta brainwave neurofeedback training: an effective treatment for male and female alcoholics with depressive symptoms |journal=Journal of clinical psychology |volume=51 |issue=5 |pages=685–93 |year=1995 |pmid=8801245 |doi=}}</ref> <ref name="pmid690224">{{cite journal |author=Watson CG, Herder J, Passini FT |title=Alpha biofeedback therapy in alcoholics: an 18-month follow-up |journal=Journal of clinical psychology |volume=34 |issue=3 |pages=765–9 |year=1978 |pmid=690224 |doi=}}</ref> for the recovery of [[repressed memory|repressed memories]], but as with other techniques this can lead to [[false memories]]. <ref name="pmid17716079">{{cite journal |author=Loftus EF, Davis D |title=Recovered memories |journal=Annual review of clinical psychology |volume=2 |issue= |pages=469–98 |year=2006 |pmid=17716079 |doi=10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.2.022305.095315}}</ref>

A trial of Delta binaural beat technology over 60 days has shown positive effect on self-reported psychologic measures, especially anxiety. There was significant decrease in trait anxiety, an increase in quality of life, and a decrease in insulin-like growth factor-1 and dopamine <ref name="pmid17309374">{{cite journal |author=Wahbeh H, Calabrese C, Zwickey H |title=Binaural beat technology in humans: a pilot study to assess psychologic and physiologic effects |journal=Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) |volume=13 |issue=1 |pages=25–32 |year=2007 |pmid=17309374 |doi=10.1089/acm.2006.6196}}</ref> and has been successfully trialled to lessen hospital acute pre-operative anxiety. <ref name="pmid16115248">{{cite journal |author=Padmanabhan R, Hildreth AJ, Laws D |title=A prospective, randomised, controlled study examining binaural beat audio and pre-operative anxiety in patients undergoing general anaesthesia for day case surgery |journal=Anaesthesia |volume=60 |issue=9 |pages=874–7 |year=2005 |pmid=16115248 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2044.2005.04287.x}}</ref>

Another claimed effect for sound induced brain synchronization is enhanced learning ability. It was proposed in the 1970's that induced alpha brain waves enabled students to assimilate more information with greater long term retention. <ref name="isbn0-9721780-0-7">{{cite book |author=Harris, Bill |title=Thresholds of the Mind |publisher=Centerpointe Press |location= |year= |pages=Appendix 1, pp151-178 |isbn=0-9721780-0-7 |oclc= |doi=}}</ref> In more recent times has come more understanding of the role of theta brain waves in behavioural learning <ref name="pmid11726239">{{cite journal |author=Berry SD, Seager MA |title=Hippocampal theta oscillations and classical conditioning |journal=Neurobiol Learn Mem |volume=76 |issue=3 |pages=298–313 |year=2001 |pmid=11726239 |doi=10.1006/nlme.2001.4025}}</ref> The presence of theta patterns in the brain has been associated with increased receptivity for learning and decreased filtering by the left hemisphere.<ref name="isbn0-9721780-0-7">{{cite book |author=Harris, Bill |title=Thresholds of the Mind |publisher=Centerpointe Press |location= |year= |pages=Appendix 1, pp151-178 |isbn=0-9721780-0-7 |oclc= |doi=}}</ref> <ref name="pmid11818559">{{cite journal |author=Seager MA, Johnson LD, Chabot ES, Asaka Y, Berry SD |title=Oscillatory brain states and learning: Impact of hippocampal theta-contingent training |journal=Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. |volume=99 |issue=3 |pages=1616–20 |year=2002 |pmid=11818559 |doi=10.1073/pnas.032662099}}</ref> <ref name="pmid15113267">{{cite journal |author=Griffin AL, Asaka Y, Darling RD, Berry SD |title=Theta-contingent trial presentation accelerates learning rate and enhances hippocampal plasticity during trace eyeblink conditioning |journal=Behav. Neurosci. |volume=118 |issue=2 |pages=403–11 |year=2004 |pmid=15113267 |doi=10.1037/0735-7044.118.2.403}}</ref> Based on the association between theta activity (4-7 Hz) and working memory performance, biofeedback training suggests that normal healthy individuals can learn to increase a specific component of their EEG activity, and that such enhanced activity may facilitate a working memory task and to a lesser extent focused attention.<ref name="pmid12543448">{{cite journal |author=Vernon D, Egner T, Cooper N, ''et al'' |title=The effect of training distinct neurofeedback protocols on aspects of cognitive performance |journal=International journal of psychophysiology : official journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology |volume=47 |issue=1 |pages=75–85 |year=2003 |pmid=12543448 |doi=}}</ref>

==Example==
{{Listen|filename=Binbeat sample.ogg|title=Binbeat Sample|description=30 seconds of steady 10 Hz binaural beats with background [[pink noise]].|format=[[Ogg]]}}
{{Listen|filename=Binbeats2.ogg|title=Binbeat Sample 2|description=Frequency starts at 20 Hz, falls to 7.83 Hz in 10 minutes, stays constant for 15 minutes and rises back to 16 Hz in 5 minutes.|format=[[Ogg]]}}

Direct downloads of the above files:
[[Media:Binbeat sample.ogg]]
[[Media:Binbeats2.ogg]]

==See also==
* [[Hemi-Sync]]
* [[Holosync]]
* [[Brainwave synchronization]]
* [[Electroencephalography]]
* [[Neurofeedback]]
* [[Mind machine]]
* [[Human enhancement]]
* [[Intelligence amplification]]
* [[Neural oscillations]]
* [[Evoked potential]]
* [[Event-related potential]]
* [[Induced activity]]
* [[Ongoing brain activity]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.soundonmind.com/binauralbeats Explanation of binaural beats using examples]
*[http://www.lifesci.sussex.ac.uk/home/Chris_Darwin/Perception/Lecture_Notes/Hearing5/hearing5.html ''Hearing Lecture Notes (5): Binaural hearing and localization''] from University of Sussex
*[http://sica.stanford.edu/events/brainwaves/AuditoryDrivingRitualTech.pdf University thesis, reveiw of literature on brainwave entrainment; Chapter 4 binaural sound] Stanford
*[http://gnaural.sourceforge.net/ Gnaural] - GNU General Public License binaural beat generator for Win/Linux ([http://pantheon.yale.edu/~bbl2/GnauralJavaApplet_signed.html Java version])
*[http://uazu.net/sbagen/ SBaGen] - GNU General Public License binaural beat generator for Win/Mac/Linux

[[Category:Neurology]]

[[hr:Binauralni ritam]]
[[nl:Binaural beats]]