"...some people . . don't have maps..."

Well. There ya have it.



I guess the point is that, assuming that she's at least 18, of course, I'd do her.

NEXT!

I'd say "poor kid", but she'll probably be rich in no time.

{sigh}

Hmmm... I just thought of something else. Maybe I'm being optimistic (call little miss sunshine, eh) but, maybe this child will see herself being a complete and total freakin' stereotypical idiot, and decide to maybe take her self a little more seriously. I'd say her odds are 30-70 in favor.

{shakin'head}

cogito ergo. . uhm... What?

Der Doctor is in Da House! Or he was on this topic back in his school daze 'tany rate, at which time he chose to take to task teh Science, as well as its more (IMO) obfuscatory opposite in the arena of Explanations, Religion. It seems that the good Dr. Zaius has a bit of a problem with how both of them utilize the Unknown as a source of their surety.

Hmmm... Perhaps a wee example is in order.

95% of what is around you is unobservable by any form of scientific instrumentation, according to science. Our model of the universe only accounts for 5% of what we can observe with any instrument known to man.

It is not a matter of some unseen force might be possible in your mind or imagination - it is a matter of some unseen force must exist, or science itself is talking through its hat.

This substance could be anything; we don't know what it is. This would mean that it is entirely possible that a vast portion of the universe may be made of large quantities of invisible Cheez Whiz - Or to use a phrase that might have a bit more irony, according to the Big Bang Theory, it is possible that at this moment that we are surrounded by "invisible pink unicorns."

Well, say I in my atheistical indignation. Poppeycock! Balderdash!! Gibbering Ginormities!!! You're misapprehending what it means to be seen! Science can undoubtedly be utilized to observe the unobservable. It just needs, for soothe, to utilize that most imaginative of unimaginary artifacts of existence; Mathematics. With numbers, which can never lie (though paradoxes might they multiply,) one, or any, and eventually many, an otherwise unobservant assayer of the modes and forms of empirical reality (errm, toi et moi, et al who would for that matter) may decipher and discern at both the most microscopic and creatively cosmic of levels that which is both true and sound and inevitably to be found to be the whole, wide, vast and sure expanse of All Reality.

We just ain't gonna do it before Tea*

And yet, I am just a softy. {sigh} There's little, . . hell, who am I trying to kid? . . There's no chance of me using said tool on my own. When it comes to math, I'm quite illiteratively, all thumbs. None the, others can, have, and will do so further in the future, and folks such as I are generally able to follow along. At least we are when given respect for our intellectual limitations, rather than the abusive utilization of those same which the Religionists must employ in order to survive despite their delusional, though often sublimely beautiful, drivel. That's simply part of the nature of teh Science. It takes Training, and dedication, but not even a scintilla of teh Faith is required. (Though, for folks in need, such a thing has inarguably proven helpful in getting us through some rather tight spots. Again, at least IMO.)

Whilst scientists, like Shamans and Witches and Priests (oh my!), are merely human and, thus, subject to each their own quirks of personality in the exposition of what they've experienced relativistically as individuals, the by laws of Science have evolved in gross opposition to the essential elements of Religion.

Religion says that no knowledge is new. Well, if it is, then it supports (somehow, don't know. we'll work that out later) the previous Gospels (Edicts, Prophecies, What have yous) which were laid down and set forth in the Past. If it contradicts what has been established, then it is wrong. (Even if we change our minds later, and forget to tell you, but instead just act like we'd always known and had said this all along.)

Science says that knowledge is available, if we, or any sentient beings, can develop the methods and tools necessary to ascertain it.

The most fundamentally hallowed proposition of Religion is that Truth® has been revealed in the past.

The most elementally important tenet of Science is there is always more to know.

Ahhh, well. As I commented on the good Dr. Zaius' site, "There is no God. Science doesn't say so. I do... " The ellipsistical is, as I hope I've established in this rather manic** rant, essentially unimportant. But if you got a kick out of reading my rejoinder to the Doc's post, then I highly recommend clicking on over to read this post's impetus.

And, regardless of disagreements, whether well-writ or poorly, I do gladly say "Thanks Doc!" for giving me blog fodder for a drizzly Sunday afternoon.

* Eh, I think I've a British reader or two left "in da house". (Alright. Enough of that phrase. Promise.)

** I used to be fairly certain of it when I'd say that I'm not manic-depressive. Just madly so. Que sera, sera, eh. I've always heard that the manic phase was, despites its desperate after-effects, a state of high creativity. Maybe assuming such proportions to my situation will help to me gettin' my lazy arse to writing more stuff and more frequently. Please, don't to be counting on it. Hmmm, or ag'in it, for that matter.

{-;

S & T o I

It's Just The Normal Noises In Here

i'm spiraling down
and outta control
up's comin' the ground
oops
missed
hit a hole

so farther I sink
and longer I fall
reach out
grab a link
to try and forestall

these black dog days of august

I Keep Forgettin' . .

. . that I too have wings.


Especially when I get to feelin' as such.



Thanks to all y'all, my wings.

Enjoy!

sin scan

i wish i had a mirror
a projector
a still life juxtaposer

not unreal
faked in electrons
drawn on ether

reality
shining forth
from within my head

when in rome
why don't the romans notice
its not important
anyway

it's just what I wish
what i want

but we've already established
that
that means nothing

at least not
so far

Just sayin'

angular sensations
of ruby red pulsations
where love's gone dry

in over-rotten divets
of earthen sunken riv'lets
that once held hope

for sun to come and bathe one
but not in such a lingerin'
as that which seared the dream

only time
only freedom
only
only
only
everything

nothing comes of waiting
in void of fresher baiting
old hope peeks in

lost counting holding open
the class devolved not moping
for what can't be found

when blinding is the weather
of azure sky together
the blackest of the starless nights

only hope
only freedom
only
only
only
time to fade

to nothing
to see here
move along
move along


Well, maybe, maybe not, eh.

L8

Theftage for the Sincerity of the Thought

starting over . . again

down
trundling
lazy as she goes

two turns on the
big wheel
hang it all

as the river flows
so dies
the dream long passed chance

and, believe it or not, that's a Good Thing.

Not been in much of a bloggin' mood of late. No worries though. Is just cuz I'm sucked into a book's universe. I'll be back after - or more likely during - the sadness of its ending.

L8!

Opportunity Lost?

Walking such a jagged edge is a danger on its own. The risk of collapse would seem a fatal one for a vehicle with a life-span of a mere 90 days; especially when the wee mechabugger has already survived 10x that long in its explorations of the red planet.

As it turns out though, a less controllable, natural occurrence - one which has previously helped prolong the Mars Landers' mission - could well be the final Decider on this N.A.S.A mission's timetable. When the Martian winds rise, lifting dust to soar at sunlight blinding heights, the outer limits of Opportunity's ability to maintain its electrical functions may finally be reached.

Mars Rover Struggles to Weather Severe Dust Storm

By Marc Kaufman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, July 21, 2007; Page A02

The hardy Mars rover Opportunity is struggling to stay alive amid a severe and long-lasting Martian dust storm -- posing the greatest threat so far to the unexpectedly long-lived vehicle.

The series of dust storms has blocked 99 percent of the direct sunlight that the rover needs to generate power, and on Wednesday, the panels were generating only 148 watt hours -- barely enough to keep the vehicle functioning. Without power to warm its electronic instruments and computers, the rover would grind to a halt for good.

"We're rooting for our rovers to survive these storms, but they were never designed for conditions this intense," said Alan Stern, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

There's still a chance she'll make it through this storm, though the odds do finally seem against it. None the less, here's to a job well done, and hope for more to come.

Shrubbie's Choice

I rarely even bother arguing how much better he'd be if he'd just choose reality for a change. Dude, and too many others on The Hill, are so deep in denial as to the real problems with our "Democracy" that, as is the case with a whole lot of folk, my frustration levels have entered the nausea zone.

Will Impeachment, even of Cheney, take place?

I doubt it.

Will the next president, still most likely to be a Democrat, really work towards restoring balance to the interests which get served by Washington?

I really doubt it.

Will the average citizens, middle class folk who've got A LOT but could always use more, get sick enough of losing meaningful protections of their interests, rights and opportunities that they'll demand our politicians start putting them before the interests of those at the top of the economic food chain.

Not yet, is my guess.

I don't quite see us entering into a Matrix-esque world, or even any kind of 1984ish nightmare. I do see more wars, an ever-widening gap between Rich and Average (not to mention, poor!) and an influx of refugees from the results of power politics and global climate change which are Bound to overwhelm the resources of this once incredibly adaptive country.

THEN I think we'll see those other changes. You know; once it's nearly too late.

Classic(al) Paranoia

I clicked over to Tube central for something else, a little George Carlin medley, and accidentally ended up on this page.

Didn't think I was gonna like it. I mean, who could possibly have any reason to slam dear ol' Pacobel?

Enjoy. I definitely did.