It has been so long since I last went out to take pictures. Years in fact.
And I hate to admit it, my equipment is insufficient.
Shall I purchase a 40D?
=)
Monday, November 05, 2007
Seletar
It has been so long since I last went out to take pictures. Years in fact.
And I hate to admit it, my equipment is insufficient.
Shall I purchase a 40D?
=)
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Mika
This guy is fantastic!
Don't know why but he reminds me of Freddy Mercury.
Is definitely nothing to do with the piano playing.
Something else...
Grace Kelly
Love Today
Don't know why but he reminds me of Freddy Mercury.
Is definitely nothing to do with the piano playing.
Something else...
Grace Kelly
Love Today
Drive by Incubus
Sometimes I feel the fear of uncertainty stinging clear
And I cant help but ask myself how much I'll let
the fear take the wheel and steer
It's driven me before, it seems to have a vague
Haunting mass appeal
Lately I'm beginning to find that I should
be the one behind the wheel
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there
With open arms and open eyes yeah
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there, I'll be there
So if I decide to waiver my chance to be one of the hive
Will I choose water over wine and hold my own and drive, oh oh
It's driven me before, it seems to be the way
That everyone else get around
Lately, I'm beginning to find that when I
drive myself, my light is found
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there
With open arms and open eyes yeah
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there, I'll be there
Would you choose water over wine
Hold the wheel and drive
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there
With open arms and open eyes yeah
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there, I'll be there
Sky Wu
For the person who translated this.
Thank you.
Really.
courage was close to forming, but my heart was still weakest
when it was time to make a decision, my fear was still greatest
there are two mes, they constantly battle
walking along the two paths of reality and of dreams, i saw that dawn has broken
i shook hands with Strength/Determination, but clashed with Conflict
there is a future because of dreams
i want to chase the rainbow
yet i'm scared that my hope will be let down
i am touched, i cannot resist
i broke up with the Past, but clashed with Risk
because the earth does not stop turning
i dumbly gaze at your eyes
i foolishly stare at your smile
i am touched, i cannot resist
i am touched
you will be like me in the future, experience happiness and hurt
was crazy because of love, was hurt because of emotions
you will be like me in the future, have to make many choices
touched because of dreams, confused because of conflict
Thank you.
Really.
courage was close to forming, but my heart was still weakest
when it was time to make a decision, my fear was still greatest
there are two mes, they constantly battle
walking along the two paths of reality and of dreams, i saw that dawn has broken
i shook hands with Strength/Determination, but clashed with Conflict
there is a future because of dreams
i want to chase the rainbow
yet i'm scared that my hope will be let down
i am touched, i cannot resist
i broke up with the Past, but clashed with Risk
because the earth does not stop turning
i dumbly gaze at your eyes
i foolishly stare at your smile
i am touched, i cannot resist
i am touched
you will be like me in the future, experience happiness and hurt
was crazy because of love, was hurt because of emotions
you will be like me in the future, have to make many choices
touched because of dreams, confused because of conflict
Wanting Sumptuous Heaven - Robert Bly
No one grumbles among the oyster clans,
And lobsters play their bone guitars all summer.
Only we, with our opposable thumbs, want
Heaven to be, and God to come, again.
There is no end to our grumbling; we want
Comfortable earth and sumptuous Heaven.
But the heron standing on one leg in the bog
Drinks his dark rum all day, and is content
And lobsters play their bone guitars all summer.
Only we, with our opposable thumbs, want
Heaven to be, and God to come, again.
There is no end to our grumbling; we want
Comfortable earth and sumptuous Heaven.
But the heron standing on one leg in the bog
Drinks his dark rum all day, and is content
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Crops with bells and whistles
October 23, 2007
Can a Lack of Sleep Cause Psychiatric Disorders?
Study shows that sleep deprivation leads to a rewiring of the brain's emotional circuitry
http://www.sciam.com/print_version.cfm?articleID=CDEFA259-E7F2-99DF-311007C6099FD8A2
Artificial Chromosome Poised to Pump Up GM Crops with Extra Genes
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=CEB6FE7B-E7F2-99DF-36EF1615BE8893FE&ref=rss
Easier transfer of multigene "stacks" may help biofuel plants and other crops reach their potential
By JR Minkel
Can a Lack of Sleep Cause Psychiatric Disorders?
Study shows that sleep deprivation leads to a rewiring of the brain's emotional circuitry
http://www.sciam.com/print_version.cfm?articleID=CDEFA259-E7F2-99DF-311007C6099FD8A2
Artificial Chromosome Poised to Pump Up GM Crops with Extra Genes
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=CEB6FE7B-E7F2-99DF-36EF1615BE8893FE&ref=rss
Easier transfer of multigene "stacks" may help biofuel plants and other crops reach their potential
By JR Minkel
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Determinism - The Butterfly Effect
The Butterfly Effect
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_effect
The butterfly effect is a phrase that encapsulates the more technical notion of sensitive dependence on initial conditions in chaos theory. Small variations of the initial condition of a nonlinear dynamical system may produce large variations in the long term behavior of the system. So this is sometimes presented as esoteric behavior, but can be exhibited by very simple systems: for example, a ball placed at the crest of a hill might roll into any of several valleys depending on slight differences in initial position.
The phrase refers to the idea that a butterfly's wings might create tiny changes in the atmosphere that ultimately cause a tornado to appear (or prevent a tornado from appearing). The flapping wing represents a small change in the initial condition of the system, which causes a chain of events leading to large-scale phenomena. Had the butterfly not flapped its wings, the trajectory of the system might have been vastly different.
Recurrence, the approximate return of a system towards its initial conditions, together with sensitive dependence on initial conditions are the two main ingredients for chaotic motion. They have the practical consequence of making complex systems, such as the weather, difficult to predict past a certain time range (approximately a week in the case of weather).
The Butterfly Effect (Not entirely accurate)
Run Lola Run (Better)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_effect
The butterfly effect is a phrase that encapsulates the more technical notion of sensitive dependence on initial conditions in chaos theory. Small variations of the initial condition of a nonlinear dynamical system may produce large variations in the long term behavior of the system. So this is sometimes presented as esoteric behavior, but can be exhibited by very simple systems: for example, a ball placed at the crest of a hill might roll into any of several valleys depending on slight differences in initial position.
The phrase refers to the idea that a butterfly's wings might create tiny changes in the atmosphere that ultimately cause a tornado to appear (or prevent a tornado from appearing). The flapping wing represents a small change in the initial condition of the system, which causes a chain of events leading to large-scale phenomena. Had the butterfly not flapped its wings, the trajectory of the system might have been vastly different.
Recurrence, the approximate return of a system towards its initial conditions, together with sensitive dependence on initial conditions are the two main ingredients for chaotic motion. They have the practical consequence of making complex systems, such as the weather, difficult to predict past a certain time range (approximately a week in the case of weather).
The Butterfly Effect (Not entirely accurate)
Run Lola Run (Better)
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Determinism - Chaos Theory
Chaos Theory
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos_theory)
In mathematics and physics, chaos theory describes the behavior of certain nonlinear dynamical systems that under specific conditions exhibit dynamics that are sensitive to initial conditions (popularly referred to as the butterfly effect). As a result of this sensitivity, the behavior of chaotic systems appears to be random, because of an exponential growth of perturbations in the initial conditions. This happens even though these systems are deterministic in the sense that their future dynamics are well defined by their initial conditions, and with no random elements involved. This behavior is known as deterministic chaos, or simply chaos.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos_theory)
In mathematics and physics, chaos theory describes the behavior of certain nonlinear dynamical systems that under specific conditions exhibit dynamics that are sensitive to initial conditions (popularly referred to as the butterfly effect). As a result of this sensitivity, the behavior of chaotic systems appears to be random, because of an exponential growth of perturbations in the initial conditions. This happens even though these systems are deterministic in the sense that their future dynamics are well defined by their initial conditions, and with no random elements involved. This behavior is known as deterministic chaos, or simply chaos.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Foresight
What we lack sorely in, is foresight.
Granted wonderful leaders set directions 20 years into the future.
But ideas are 20 years behind.
Those on the ground are blind.
Is this foresight?
Foresight (futures studies)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Ten things you may not know about Wikipedia •
Jump to: navigation, search
In futures studies, especially in Europe, the term "foresight" has become common as of 2005, embracing activities of
* critical thinking concerning long-term developments,
* debate and effort to create wider participation in decisions,
* shaping the future, especially by influencing public policy and strategic decisions (European Commission Foresight Website 2005; FOREN project; FORERA [1]).
It is used for strategic activities in the public as well as the private sector, and underlines the need to link any future-oriented activity or project to action today in order to make an impact (“shaping the future”).
In the last decade, scenario methods, for example, have become widely used in some European countries in policy-making (van Steenbergen 2005). the FORSOCIETY network [2] brings together national Foresight teams from most European countries, and the European Foresight Monitoring Project [3] is collating material on Foresight activities around the world. In addition, foresight methods are being used more and more in regional planning and decision –making (“regional foresight”). At the same time, the use of foresight for companies (“corporate foresight”) is becoming more professional and widespread (Ratcliffe 2005, Neef/Daheim 2005). It is not only used in strategy development, but also increasingly in innovation development as well as marketing and generally in R&D.
Foresight differs from much futures research and strategic planning. It encompasses a range of approaches that combine the three components mentioned above, which may be recast as:
• futures (forecasting, forward thinking, prospectives),
• planning (strategic analysis, priority setting), and
• networking (participatory, dialogic) tools and orientations.
Much futures research has been rather ivory tower work, but Foresight programmes were designed to influence policy - often R&D policy. Much technology policy had been very elitist; Foresight attempts to go beyond the "usual suspects" and gather widely distributed intelligence. These three lines of work were already common in Francophone futures studies going by the name la prospective. But in the 1990s we began to see what became an explosion of systematic organisation of these methods in large scale TECHNOLOGY FORESIGHT programmes in Europe and more widely. Foresight thus draws on traditions of work in long-range planning and strategic planning, horizontal policymaking and democratic planning, and participatory futures studies - but was also highly influenced by systemic approaches to innovation studies, science and technology policy, and analysis of "critical technologies".
Many of the methods that are commonly associated with Foresight - Delphi surveys, scenario workshops, etc. - derive from the futures field. So does the fact that Foresight is concerned with:
• The longer-term - futures that are usually at least 10 years away(though there are some exceptions to this, especially in its use in private business). Since Foresight is action-oriented (the planning link) it will rarely be oriented to perspectives beyond a few decades out (though where decisions like aircraft design, power station construction or other major infrastructural decisions are concerned, then the planning horizon may well be half a century).
• Alternative futures: it is helpful to examine alternative paths of development, not just what is currently believed to be most likely or business as usual. Often Foresight will construct multiple scenarios. These may be an interim step on the way to creating what may be known as positive visions, success scenarios, aspirational futures. Sometimes alternative scenarios will be a major part of the output of Foresight work, with the decision about what fuure to build being left to other mechanisms.
Foresight[4] is also the name of a journal active in this field; and the term is used in the name of the International Journal of Foresight and Innovation Policy[5]. The latter journal has played a useful role in documenting activity in Foresight programmes that was previously recorded in a wide variety of locations.
Granted wonderful leaders set directions 20 years into the future.
But ideas are 20 years behind.
Those on the ground are blind.
Is this foresight?
Foresight (futures studies)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Ten things you may not know about Wikipedia •
Jump to: navigation, search
In futures studies, especially in Europe, the term "foresight" has become common as of 2005, embracing activities of
* critical thinking concerning long-term developments,
* debate and effort to create wider participation in decisions,
* shaping the future, especially by influencing public policy and strategic decisions (European Commission Foresight Website 2005; FOREN project; FORERA [1]).
It is used for strategic activities in the public as well as the private sector, and underlines the need to link any future-oriented activity or project to action today in order to make an impact (“shaping the future”).
In the last decade, scenario methods, for example, have become widely used in some European countries in policy-making (van Steenbergen 2005). the FORSOCIETY network [2] brings together national Foresight teams from most European countries, and the European Foresight Monitoring Project [3] is collating material on Foresight activities around the world. In addition, foresight methods are being used more and more in regional planning and decision –making (“regional foresight”). At the same time, the use of foresight for companies (“corporate foresight”) is becoming more professional and widespread (Ratcliffe 2005, Neef/Daheim 2005). It is not only used in strategy development, but also increasingly in innovation development as well as marketing and generally in R&D.
Foresight differs from much futures research and strategic planning. It encompasses a range of approaches that combine the three components mentioned above, which may be recast as:
• futures (forecasting, forward thinking, prospectives),
• planning (strategic analysis, priority setting), and
• networking (participatory, dialogic) tools and orientations.
Much futures research has been rather ivory tower work, but Foresight programmes were designed to influence policy - often R&D policy. Much technology policy had been very elitist; Foresight attempts to go beyond the "usual suspects" and gather widely distributed intelligence. These three lines of work were already common in Francophone futures studies going by the name la prospective. But in the 1990s we began to see what became an explosion of systematic organisation of these methods in large scale TECHNOLOGY FORESIGHT programmes in Europe and more widely. Foresight thus draws on traditions of work in long-range planning and strategic planning, horizontal policymaking and democratic planning, and participatory futures studies - but was also highly influenced by systemic approaches to innovation studies, science and technology policy, and analysis of "critical technologies".
Many of the methods that are commonly associated with Foresight - Delphi surveys, scenario workshops, etc. - derive from the futures field. So does the fact that Foresight is concerned with:
• The longer-term - futures that are usually at least 10 years away(though there are some exceptions to this, especially in its use in private business). Since Foresight is action-oriented (the planning link) it will rarely be oriented to perspectives beyond a few decades out (though where decisions like aircraft design, power station construction or other major infrastructural decisions are concerned, then the planning horizon may well be half a century).
• Alternative futures: it is helpful to examine alternative paths of development, not just what is currently believed to be most likely or business as usual. Often Foresight will construct multiple scenarios. These may be an interim step on the way to creating what may be known as positive visions, success scenarios, aspirational futures. Sometimes alternative scenarios will be a major part of the output of Foresight work, with the decision about what fuure to build being left to other mechanisms.
Foresight[4] is also the name of a journal active in this field; and the term is used in the name of the International Journal of Foresight and Innovation Policy[5]. The latter journal has played a useful role in documenting activity in Foresight programmes that was previously recorded in a wide variety of locations.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Determinism
Weeks ago a student asked an interesting question during one of my remedial lectures.
If only more would think beyond their immediate then I would be useful.
Concept of determinism.
Determinism is the philosophical proposition that every event, including human cognition and behavior, decision and action, is causally determined by an unbroken chain of prior occurrences. Determinism may also be defined as the thesis that there is at any instant exactly one physically possible future.[1] With numerous historical debates, many varieties and philosophical positions on the subject of determinism exist from traditions throughout the world.
If only more would think beyond their immediate then I would be useful.
Concept of determinism.
Determinism is the philosophical proposition that every event, including human cognition and behavior, decision and action, is causally determined by an unbroken chain of prior occurrences. Determinism may also be defined as the thesis that there is at any instant exactly one physically possible future.[1] With numerous historical debates, many varieties and philosophical positions on the subject of determinism exist from traditions throughout the world.
The Future
The Future (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future)
In a linear conception of time, the future is the portion of the time line that has yet to occur, i.e. the place in space-time where lie all events that still will or may occur. In this sense the future is opposed to the past (the set of moments and events that have already occurred) and the present (the set of events that are occurring now).
The future has always had a special place in philosophy and, in general, in the human mind. The future holds such a place because human beings want a forecast of events that will occur. The evolution of the human brain is in great part an evolution in cognitive abilities necessary to forecast the future, i.e. abstract imagination, logic and induction. Imagination permits us to “see” (i.e. predict) a plausible model of a given situation without observing it, therefore, allowing one to assess risks. Logical reasoning allows one to predict consequences of actions and situations and therefore gives useful information about future events. Induction permits the association of a cause with consequences, a fundamental notion for every forecast of the future.
In a linear conception of time, the future is the portion of the time line that has yet to occur, i.e. the place in space-time where lie all events that still will or may occur. In this sense the future is opposed to the past (the set of moments and events that have already occurred) and the present (the set of events that are occurring now).
The future has always had a special place in philosophy and, in general, in the human mind. The future holds such a place because human beings want a forecast of events that will occur. The evolution of the human brain is in great part an evolution in cognitive abilities necessary to forecast the future, i.e. abstract imagination, logic and induction. Imagination permits us to “see” (i.e. predict) a plausible model of a given situation without observing it, therefore, allowing one to assess risks. Logical reasoning allows one to predict consequences of actions and situations and therefore gives useful information about future events. Induction permits the association of a cause with consequences, a fundamental notion for every forecast of the future.
What the Future Holds
Amazing technology and ideas flood our world. Yet few appreciated and understand.
Our youth.... What interests them?
Imagine using nanoparticles that are able to lodge themselves into cancerous tissues, and then selectively heat up and destroy them without harming normal healthy cells. Or living in civilizations beyond the boundaries of crime and hate.
The Promise of Plasmonics
A technology that squeezes electromagnetic waves into minuscule structures may yield a new generation of superfast computer chips and ultrasensitive molecular detectors
By Harry A. Atwater
Nanoscale Drug Design and Delivery for Improved Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy
http://www.bme.fiu.edu/BME_Faculty_McGoron.htm
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US, exceeded only by heart disease. Early detection of small primary tumors is critical for successful therapy and improved survival rates. Chemotherapy is often the first choice for treating many cancers. It is critical that the chemical be sequestered only in the target tissue at toxic concentrations so that nontarget tissue exposure is minimized. However, it is often difficult to ensure that the chemotherapy targets only the cancer and further that the chemical is localizing in the target tissue. Cancer cells easily take up extremely small (nano-sized) particles. New technologies are being developed to allow for the creation of complex nanoscale materials as drug delivery vehicles and sensors. Combining therapy with imaging has the potential to enhance the efficacy of treatment by ensuring and verifying that the drug reaches the target tissue, while minimizing nontarget tissue uptake. Light in the near-infrared (NIR) wavelength can easily pass through tissue and therefore, NIR fluorescent tracers can be used for imaging. Dyes that absorb energy may also release heat following exposure to the appropriate wavelength light and kill cancer cells. With a light sensitive dye incorporated into the drug delivery vehicle, therapy can be targeted since the drug won’t be activated with a laser until the drug has reached its intended target. The long term objective of this study is to develop a methodology of improved diagnosis and treatment of cancer by combining therapy and imaging in the same drug. The study is a collaboration of engineers, chemists, biologists, and clinicians with expertise in drug design, drug delivery modeling, and experimental models of cancer.
Future by Design
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&colID=1&articleID=5BED2E76-E7F2-99DF-3A1C740338CE5666
Our youth.... What interests them?
Imagine using nanoparticles that are able to lodge themselves into cancerous tissues, and then selectively heat up and destroy them without harming normal healthy cells. Or living in civilizations beyond the boundaries of crime and hate.
The Promise of Plasmonics
A technology that squeezes electromagnetic waves into minuscule structures may yield a new generation of superfast computer chips and ultrasensitive molecular detectors
By Harry A. Atwater
Nanoscale Drug Design and Delivery for Improved Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy
http://www.bme.fiu.edu/BME_Faculty_McGoron.htm
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US, exceeded only by heart disease. Early detection of small primary tumors is critical for successful therapy and improved survival rates. Chemotherapy is often the first choice for treating many cancers. It is critical that the chemical be sequestered only in the target tissue at toxic concentrations so that nontarget tissue exposure is minimized. However, it is often difficult to ensure that the chemotherapy targets only the cancer and further that the chemical is localizing in the target tissue. Cancer cells easily take up extremely small (nano-sized) particles. New technologies are being developed to allow for the creation of complex nanoscale materials as drug delivery vehicles and sensors. Combining therapy with imaging has the potential to enhance the efficacy of treatment by ensuring and verifying that the drug reaches the target tissue, while minimizing nontarget tissue uptake. Light in the near-infrared (NIR) wavelength can easily pass through tissue and therefore, NIR fluorescent tracers can be used for imaging. Dyes that absorb energy may also release heat following exposure to the appropriate wavelength light and kill cancer cells. With a light sensitive dye incorporated into the drug delivery vehicle, therapy can be targeted since the drug won’t be activated with a laser until the drug has reached its intended target. The long term objective of this study is to develop a methodology of improved diagnosis and treatment of cancer by combining therapy and imaging in the same drug. The study is a collaboration of engineers, chemists, biologists, and clinicians with expertise in drug design, drug delivery modeling, and experimental models of cancer.
Future by Design
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&colID=1&articleID=5BED2E76-E7F2-99DF-3A1C740338CE5666
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
First heard this version in 50 First Dates.
The ending scene where this song came on blew me away.
A yacht.
Far away from it all.
One day...
Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
And the dreams that you dreamed of
Once in a lullaby ii ii iii
Somewhere over the rainbow
Blue birds fly
And the dreams that you dreamed of
Dreams really do come true ooh ooooh
Someday I'll wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me ee ee eeh
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney tops thats where you'll find me oh
Somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly
And the dream that you dare to,why, oh why can't I? i iiii
Well I see trees of green and
Red roses too,
I'll watch them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Well I see skies of blue and I see clouds of white
And the brightness of day
I like the dark and I think to myself
What a wonderful world
The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people passing by
I see friends shaking hands
Saying, "How do you do?"
They're really saying, I...I love you
I hear babies cry and I watch them grow,
They'll learn much more
Than we'll know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world (w)oohoorld
Someday I'll wish upon a star,
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney top that's where you'll find me
Oh, Somewhere over the rainbow way up high
And the dream that you dare to, why, oh why can't I? I hiii ?
The ending scene where this song came on blew me away.
A yacht.
Far away from it all.
One day...
Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
And the dreams that you dreamed of
Once in a lullaby ii ii iii
Somewhere over the rainbow
Blue birds fly
And the dreams that you dreamed of
Dreams really do come true ooh ooooh
Someday I'll wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me ee ee eeh
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney tops thats where you'll find me oh
Somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly
And the dream that you dare to,why, oh why can't I? i iiii
Well I see trees of green and
Red roses too,
I'll watch them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Well I see skies of blue and I see clouds of white
And the brightness of day
I like the dark and I think to myself
What a wonderful world
The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people passing by
I see friends shaking hands
Saying, "How do you do?"
They're really saying, I...I love you
I hear babies cry and I watch them grow,
They'll learn much more
Than we'll know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world (w)oohoorld
Someday I'll wish upon a star,
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney top that's where you'll find me
Oh, Somewhere over the rainbow way up high
And the dream that you dare to, why, oh why can't I? I hiii ?
Sunday, September 30, 2007
SPDC and V
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Law_and_Order_Restoration_Council
C'mon people of Burma!
Hang in there.
Stay together.
and fireworks may happen.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_for_Vendetta
What wonderful fireworks!
C'mon people of Burma!
Hang in there.
Stay together.
and fireworks may happen.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_for_Vendetta
What wonderful fireworks!
Citizen Cope - Let the Drummer Kick
"Let The Drummer Kick"
Let the drummer kick
Let the drummer kick that
[repeat]
Relations
Creation
Incarceration
Determination
Equation
Humiliation
Reincarnation
Situation
Elation
Identification
Retaliation
Education
Inspiration
No substitution
Solution
Conclusion
Let the drummer kick
Let the drummer kick that
[repeat]
Relations (Apollo had to break 'em)
Creation (It's a gift, a blessing)
Incarceration (What keeps you down)
Determination (What gets you out)
Equation (When they said you could make it)
Humiliation (What you feel when they say it)
Reincarnation (N-A-V)
Situation (Why we've got to sing)
Elation (So many in need)
Identification (Gives you the right to shoot)
Retaliation (What would it do)
Education (Gives you the right to do)
Inspiration (What pulls you through)
No substitution (No substitute)
Non-inclusion (Just got to bust through)
Drug infusion (For the chosen few)
Mass confusion (When they say that they died for you)
Delusion (Say that the dreams don't come true)
Solution (It can take a hold of you)
Conclusion
Inspiration (Is what pulls you through)
Let the drummer kick (Inspiration)
Let the drummer kick that (Inspiration)
[repeat]
You don't even have to wait
You don't even have to wait
Let the drummer kick
Let the drummer kick that
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
Non-Apology Apology Vs Remorse
"Don't say sorry you fool!"
"I just don't want any trouble."
In remorse or a non-apology apology? Reflection is needed
(Thanks to Wiki again and again and again and again and again and again)
An apology is a justification or defense of an act or idea, from the Greek apologia (απολογία). An apology can also be an expression of contrition and remorse for something done wrong. An example would be: "I apologize for accusing you of stealing my carrots, please forgive me!"
Non-Apology Apology
A non-apology apology is a statement in the apparent form of an apology that is actually nothing of the sort. Non-apology apologies are a common gambit in politics and public relations.
An example of a non-apology apology is to say "I'm sorry if you were offended by my remarks", to someone who has been offended. This not only does not admit that there was anything wrong with the remarks made, it also subtly insinuates that the person taking offense was excessively thin-skinned or irrational in taking offense in the remarks in the first place.Because there is no admission of guilt or responsibility, non-apology apologists are frequently motivated by the desire to avoid litigation. Many states have passed legislation that prevents a plaintiff from using an apology as evidence of liability. For example, medical doctors may apologize to a patient for a bad outcome knowing the apology cannot be used against them at trial as evidence of negligence. Frequently, these statutes are misunderstood to mean that one is relieved of liability because they have apologized. For example, it has been asserted that the California State Legislature passed a bill in July 2000 relieving people of liability if they express sympathy to someone who was injured in an accident in which they themselves were involved, in the event that such an apology be misconstrued in court as an admission of guilt.[1] Misunderstandings of this law are common.
Remorse
Remorse is an emotional expression of personal regret - that is, the emotion felt by the injurer after he or she has injured. Remorse is closely allied to guilt and self directed resentment. Eg. The boy felt much remorse after hitting the old lady. The idea of remorse is used in restorative justice.
One incapable of feeling remorse is often labelled a sociopath or psychopath - formerly a DSM III condition. Some researchers have lately suggested that this lack is more characteristic of the INTJ personality, a highly rational temperament that relies very little on emotion, but the scientific worth and psychological accuracy of the Myers-Briggs Indication Test have been strongly questioned. In general, a person needs to be unable to feel fear, as well as remorse in order to develop psychopathic traits.
"Buyer's remorse" is the concept of regretting a purchase after the fact of buying it.
Regretting one's earlier action or failure to act may be because of remorse or to various other consequences, including being punished for it.
Sorry
In fact I know why.
Cowards masks the truth to avoid suffering. Those who seek growth(spiritual/religious) accepts or associates it as a form of contrition.
" I'm sorry for all your sufferings. "
Sorry can mean:
* "Sorrow" (see Contrition), an expression of contrition
* "Sorrow" (see Suffering), an expression of sympathy for another's suffering
Contrition
Contrition (from the Latin contritus 'ground to pieces, i.e. crushed by guilt) is sincere and complete remorse (i.e. regret with a sense of guilt) for sins one has committed. The remorseful person is said to be contrite.
It is a key concept to many Christians, especially Catholics, who can then seek divine forgiveness through the sacrament of Confession, nowadays rather called Penance or the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is often regarded as a prerequisite to divine forgiveness.
Exhortations to the value and necessity for repentance are quite common: "I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live" (Ezechiel: 33, 11); "Except you do penance you shall all likewise perish" (Gospel of Luke 8:5; cf. Gospel of Matthew 12:41). At times this repentance includes exterior acts of satisfaction (Psalms 6:7 sqq.); it always implies a recognition of wrong done to God, a detestation of the evil wrought, and a desire to turn from evil and do good. This is clearly expressed in Psalm 51 (5-14): "Have mercy upon me oh God, according to they loving kindness, according to the multitude of they tender mercies, blot out my transgresson. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, & cleanse me from my sin, for I acknowledge my transgression, & my sin is ever before me. Against thee, & thee only, have I sinned, & done this evil in thy sight. That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, & be clear when thou judgest, behold, I was shapen in iniquity, & in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts, & in the hidden part thou shall make me to know wisdow. Purge me with hyssop, & I shall be clean, wash me & I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy, & gladness that the bones which thou has broken may rejoice, hide thy face from my sins, & blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, oh God, & renew a right spirit within me.", etc. More clearly does this appear in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican (Luke, xviii, 13), and more clearly still in the story of the prodigal (Luke, xv, 11-32): "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee: I am not worthy to be called thy son".
Suffering
Suffering, or pain in this sense,[1] is a basic affective experience of unpleasantness and aversion associated with harm or threat of harm in an individual. It constitutes the negative basis of affective states (emotions, feelings, moods, sentiments), while pleasure or happiness constitutes the positive basis.
Cowards masks the truth to avoid suffering. Those who seek growth(spiritual/religious) accepts or associates it as a form of contrition.
" I'm sorry for all your sufferings. "
Sorry can mean:
* "Sorrow" (see Contrition), an expression of contrition
* "Sorrow" (see Suffering), an expression of sympathy for another's suffering
Contrition
Contrition (from the Latin contritus 'ground to pieces, i.e. crushed by guilt) is sincere and complete remorse (i.e. regret with a sense of guilt) for sins one has committed. The remorseful person is said to be contrite.
It is a key concept to many Christians, especially Catholics, who can then seek divine forgiveness through the sacrament of Confession, nowadays rather called Penance or the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is often regarded as a prerequisite to divine forgiveness.
Exhortations to the value and necessity for repentance are quite common: "I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live" (Ezechiel: 33, 11); "Except you do penance you shall all likewise perish" (Gospel of Luke 8:5; cf. Gospel of Matthew 12:41). At times this repentance includes exterior acts of satisfaction (Psalms 6:7 sqq.); it always implies a recognition of wrong done to God, a detestation of the evil wrought, and a desire to turn from evil and do good. This is clearly expressed in Psalm 51 (5-14): "Have mercy upon me oh God, according to they loving kindness, according to the multitude of they tender mercies, blot out my transgresson. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, & cleanse me from my sin, for I acknowledge my transgression, & my sin is ever before me. Against thee, & thee only, have I sinned, & done this evil in thy sight. That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, & be clear when thou judgest, behold, I was shapen in iniquity, & in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts, & in the hidden part thou shall make me to know wisdow. Purge me with hyssop, & I shall be clean, wash me & I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy, & gladness that the bones which thou has broken may rejoice, hide thy face from my sins, & blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, oh God, & renew a right spirit within me.", etc. More clearly does this appear in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican (Luke, xviii, 13), and more clearly still in the story of the prodigal (Luke, xv, 11-32): "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee: I am not worthy to be called thy son".
Suffering
Suffering, or pain in this sense,[1] is a basic affective experience of unpleasantness and aversion associated with harm or threat of harm in an individual. It constitutes the negative basis of affective states (emotions, feelings, moods, sentiments), while pleasure or happiness constitutes the positive basis.
- Suffering may be called physical or mental, depending on whether it is linked primarily to a body process or a mind process. Examples of physical suffering are pain (as a sensation), nausea, breathlessness, and itching.[2] Examples of mental suffering are anxiety, grief, hatred, and boredom.[3]
- The intensity of suffering comes in all degrees, from the triflingly mild to the unspeakably insufferable. Factors of duration and frequency of occurrence are often considered along with that of intensity.
- People's attitudes toward a suffering may vary hugely according to how much they deem it as light or severe, avoidable or unavoidable, useful or useless, of little or of great consequence, deserved or undeserved, chosen or unwanted, acceptable or unacceptable.
- The words pain and suffering can be confusing and may require careful handling. (1) Sometimes they are synonyms and interchangeable. (2) Sometimes they are used in contradistinction to one another: e.g. "pain is inevitable, suffering is optional", or "pain is physical, suffering is mental". (3) Sometimes one word refers to a variety of that to which the other refers: e.g. "pain is physical suffering", or "suffering is severe physical or mental pain". (4) Sometimes yet, people use them in another fashion.
All sentient beings suffer during their lives, in diverse manners, and often dramatically. No field of human activity deals with the whole subject of suffering, but many are concerned with its nature and processes, its origin and causes, its meaning and significance, its related personal, social, and cultural behaviors, its remedies, management, and uses.
Responsibility
And why do I time after time accept it, without fighting back for what is right and true?
Is it cowardice or for personal growth?
From Wiki once again. I love Wiki!
Responsibility Assumption
Responsibility assumption is a doctrine in the spirituality and personal growth fields holding that each individual has substantial or total responsibility for the events and circumstances that befall them in their life. While there is little that is notable about the notion that each person has at least some role in shaping their experience, the doctrine of responsibility assumption posits that the individual's mental contribution to his or her own experience is substantially greater than is normally thought. "I must have wanted this" is the type of catchphrase used by adherents of this doctrine when encountering situations, pleasant or unpleasant, to remind them that their own desires and choices led to the present outcome.
The term responsibility assumption thus has a specialized meaning beyond the general concept of taking responsibility for something, and is not to be confused with the general notion of making an assumption that a concept such as "responsibility" exists.
Diffusion of Responsibility
Diffusion of responsibility is a social phenomenon which tends to occur in groups of people above a certain critical size when responsibility is not explicitly assigned.
Diffusion of responsibility can manifest itself:
* in a group of peers who, through action or inaction, allow events to occur which they would never allow if alone (action is typically referred to as groupthink; inaction is typically referred to as the bystander effect) or
* in hierarchical organizations as when, for example, underlings claim that they were following orders and supervisors claim that they were just issuing directives and not doing anything per se.
This mindset can be seen in the phrase "No one raindrop thinks it caused the flood".
Is it cowardice or for personal growth?
From Wiki once again. I love Wiki!
Responsibility Assumption
Responsibility assumption is a doctrine in the spirituality and personal growth fields holding that each individual has substantial or total responsibility for the events and circumstances that befall them in their life. While there is little that is notable about the notion that each person has at least some role in shaping their experience, the doctrine of responsibility assumption posits that the individual's mental contribution to his or her own experience is substantially greater than is normally thought. "I must have wanted this" is the type of catchphrase used by adherents of this doctrine when encountering situations, pleasant or unpleasant, to remind them that their own desires and choices led to the present outcome.
The term responsibility assumption thus has a specialized meaning beyond the general concept of taking responsibility for something, and is not to be confused with the general notion of making an assumption that a concept such as "responsibility" exists.
Diffusion of Responsibility
Diffusion of responsibility is a social phenomenon which tends to occur in groups of people above a certain critical size when responsibility is not explicitly assigned.
Diffusion of responsibility can manifest itself:
* in a group of peers who, through action or inaction, allow events to occur which they would never allow if alone (action is typically referred to as groupthink; inaction is typically referred to as the bystander effect) or
* in hierarchical organizations as when, for example, underlings claim that they were following orders and supervisors claim that they were just issuing directives and not doing anything per se.
This mindset can be seen in the phrase "No one raindrop thinks it caused the flood".
Politics - Blame
Why do we live our lives, so dependent on others?
Why do we base failures on others, yet heap success on self?
Blame - from Wikipedia
To blame is to hold another person or group responsible for perceived faults, be those faults real, imagined, or merely invented for pejorative purposes. Blame is an act of censure, reproach, and often cases outright condemnation. Blame is used to place responsibility and accountability for faults on the blamed person or group.
Psychology of blame
Blame seems basic to hominid behaviour, as the cat did it incident with Koko the gorilla demonstrated very vividly.
Blaming is nearly universally observed in children. It seems to be an essential part of human development. When language skills develop, one of the first practical things that can be done with them is to apply them to blame others for one's own misdeeds, and get them sanctioned or punished while one simply continues to engage in more of same.
Blame in organizations
Some systems theorists and management consultants, such as Gerald Weinberg, held that the flow of blame in an organization was itself one of the most important indicators of that organization's robustness and integrity. Blame flowing upwards in a hierarchy, he argued, proved that superiors were willing to take full responsibility for their orders to their inferiors and supplying them with the resources required to do their jobs. But blame flowing downwards, from management to staff, or laterally between professionals, were signs of organizational failure.
Organizations can apply censure and demotion to managers and leaders who do not take full responsibility for their actions - in effect, to blame them for deflecting blame, rather than admit and redress it. These measures are quite common in government and diplomacy, in situations where no punishment can be applied, e.g. due to diplomatic immunity.
Why do we base failures on others, yet heap success on self?
Blame - from Wikipedia
To blame is to hold another person or group responsible for perceived faults, be those faults real, imagined, or merely invented for pejorative purposes. Blame is an act of censure, reproach, and often cases outright condemnation. Blame is used to place responsibility and accountability for faults on the blamed person or group.
Psychology of blame
Blame seems basic to hominid behaviour, as the cat did it incident with Koko the gorilla demonstrated very vividly.
Blaming is nearly universally observed in children. It seems to be an essential part of human development. When language skills develop, one of the first practical things that can be done with them is to apply them to blame others for one's own misdeeds, and get them sanctioned or punished while one simply continues to engage in more of same.
Blame in organizations
Some systems theorists and management consultants, such as Gerald Weinberg, held that the flow of blame in an organization was itself one of the most important indicators of that organization's robustness and integrity. Blame flowing upwards in a hierarchy, he argued, proved that superiors were willing to take full responsibility for their orders to their inferiors and supplying them with the resources required to do their jobs. But blame flowing downwards, from management to staff, or laterally between professionals, were signs of organizational failure.
Organizations can apply censure and demotion to managers and leaders who do not take full responsibility for their actions - in effect, to blame them for deflecting blame, rather than admit and redress it. These measures are quite common in government and diplomacy, in situations where no punishment can be applied, e.g. due to diplomatic immunity.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Brainiac
The most amazing show on Telly.
Blasted Britons.
Bloody Brilliant.
http://www.g4tv.com/brainiac/index.html
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=brainiac&search=Search
Blasted Britons.
Bloody Brilliant.
http://www.g4tv.com/brainiac/index.html
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=brainiac&search=Search
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Dreaming is a private thing
BY Isaac Asimov.
Sherman Hilary, at the age of 31, could have been identified as a dreamer by anyone. His eyes, unspectacled, had nonetheless the misty look of one who either needs glasses or rarely focuses on anything mundane.
Weill said heartily, ‘ Sherman, my boy, you look fine. What’s the, matter? A dream is cooking only so-so at home? You’re worried about it?… Sit down, sit down…’
The dreamer did, sitting at the edge of the chair and holding his thighs stiffly together as though to be ready for instant obedience to a possible order to stand up once more.
He said, ‘ I’ve come to tell you, Mr Weill, I’m quitting.’
‘ Quitting”?”
‘I don’t want to dream anymore, Mr Weill.’
Weill’s old face looked older now than at any time in the day. ‘ Why, Sherman?’
The dreamers lips twisted. He blurted out, ‘ Because I’m not living, Mr Weill. Everything passes me by. It wasn’t so bad at first. It was even relaxing. I’d dream evenings, weekends when I felt like, or at any other time. And when I felt like I wouldn’t. But now, I’m an old pro. You tell me I’m one of the best in the business and the industry looks to me to think up new subtleties and new changes on the old reliables like the flying reveries, and the worm-tuning skits.
Weill said, ‘ And is anyone better than you, Sherman? Your little sequence on leading an orchestra is selling steadily after ten years.’
‘ All right, Mr Weill. I’ve done my part. Its gotten so I don’t go out anymore. I neglect my wide. My little girl doesn’t know me. Last week, we went to a dinner party – Sarah says I was sitting on the couch all evening just staring at nothing and humming. She said everyone kept looking at me, She cried all night, I’m tired of things like that Mr Weill. I want to be a normal person and live in this world. I promised her I’d quit and I will, so it’s goodbye, Mr Weill.’ Hillary stood up and held out his hand awkwardly.
‘ I want to explain something. Do you know what a dreamer is, Sherman? DO you know what he means to ordinary people? Do you know what it is to be like me, like your wide Sarah? To have crippled minds that can’t imagine that can’t build up thoughts? People like myself, ordinary people, would like to escape just once in a while this life of ours. We can’t, We need help.
‘ In olden times it was books, plays, radio, movies, television. They gave us make believe, but that wasn’t important. What was important was that for a little while our own imaginations were stimulated, We could think of handsome lovers and beautiful princesses. We could be beautiful, witty, strong, capable, everything we weren’t.’
‘But always, the passing of the dream from dreamer to absorber was not perfect. It had to be translated into words in one way or another. The best dreamer in the world might not be able to get any of it into words. And the best writer in the world could only put the smallest part of his dreams into words. You understand?’
‘But now, with dream recording, any man can dream. You, Sherman, and a handful to men like you, supply those dreams directly and exactly. It’s straight from your head into ours, full strength. You dream for a thousand million people every time you dream. You dream a thousand million dreams at once. This is a great thing, my boy. You give all those people a glimpse of something they could not have by themselves.’
Hillary mumbled ‘, I’ve done my share.’ He rose desperately to his feet. I’m through. I don’t care what you say. And if you want to sue me for breaking our contract, go ahead and sue. I don’t care.’
Weill stood up, too. ‘ Would I sue you?… Ruth,’ he spoke into the intercom, ‘ bring in our copy of Mr Hillary’s contract.’
His secretary brought in the contract. Weill took in, showed its face to Hillary and said, ‘ Sherman my boy, unless you want to be with me, its not right to make you stay.’
Then, before Belanger could make more than the beginning of a horrified gesture to stop him, he tore the contract into 4 pieces and tossed them down the waste chute. ‘That’s all.’
Hillary’s hand shot out to seized Weill’s. ‘Thanks Mr Weill,’ he said earnestly, his voice husky. ‘You’ve always treated me very well, and I’m grateful. I’m sorry it had to be like this’
‘Its alright, my boy. Its all right.’
Half in tears, still muttering thanks, Sherman Hillary left.
‘ Why did you let him go boss?’ demanded Belanger distractedly. ‘Don’t you see the game? He’ll be going straight to Luster-Think. They’ve bought him off.’
Weill brought his hand. ‘You’re wrong. You’ve quite wrong. I know the boy and this would not be his style. Meanwhile what a fine day I’ve had to argue with a father to give me a chance at new talent, with a government official to avoid censorship, with you to keep from adopting fatal policies and now with my best dreamer to keep him from leaving. But about Sherman Hillary at least, there is no question. The dreamer will be back.’
‘How do you know?’
Weill smiled at Belanger and crinkled his cheeks into network of fine lines. ‘ Belanger my boy, you know how to edit dreamies so you think you know all the tools and machines of the trade. But let me tell you something. The most important tool in the dreamie business is the dreamer himself. He is the one you have to understand most of all, and I understand them.’
‘ Listen. When I was youngster – there were no dreamies then – I knew a fellow who wrote television scripts. He would complain to me bitterly that when someone met him for the first time and found out who he was, they would say: Where do you get those crazy ideas?’
‘ They honestly don’t know. To them it was an impossibility to even think of one of them. So what could my friend say? He used to talk to me about it and tell me. Could I say, I don’t know? When I go to bed, I can’t sleep for ideas dancing in my head. When I shave, I cut myself; when I drive, I take my life in my hands. And always because ideas, situations, dialogues are spinning and twisting in my mind, I can’t tell you where I get my ideas. Can you tell me maybe, your trick of not getting ideas, so I, too, can have a little peace?’
‘ You see Belanger, how it is. You can stop work here any time, So can I. This is our job, not our life. But not Sherman Hillary. Wherever he goes, whatever he does, he’ll dream. While he lives, he must think; while he thinks, he must dream. We don’t hold him prisoner, our contract isn’t an iron wall for him. His own skull is his own prisoner. So he’ll back. What can he do?’
Belanger shrugged. ‘ If what you say is right, I’m sort of sorry for the guy.’
Weill nodded sadly. ‘ I’m sorry for all of them. Through the years, I’ve found out one thing, It’s their business; making people happy. Other people.’
Sherman Hilary, at the age of 31, could have been identified as a dreamer by anyone. His eyes, unspectacled, had nonetheless the misty look of one who either needs glasses or rarely focuses on anything mundane.
Weill said heartily, ‘ Sherman, my boy, you look fine. What’s the, matter? A dream is cooking only so-so at home? You’re worried about it?… Sit down, sit down…’
The dreamer did, sitting at the edge of the chair and holding his thighs stiffly together as though to be ready for instant obedience to a possible order to stand up once more.
He said, ‘ I’ve come to tell you, Mr Weill, I’m quitting.’
‘ Quitting”?”
‘I don’t want to dream anymore, Mr Weill.’
Weill’s old face looked older now than at any time in the day. ‘ Why, Sherman?’
The dreamers lips twisted. He blurted out, ‘ Because I’m not living, Mr Weill. Everything passes me by. It wasn’t so bad at first. It was even relaxing. I’d dream evenings, weekends when I felt like, or at any other time. And when I felt like I wouldn’t. But now, I’m an old pro. You tell me I’m one of the best in the business and the industry looks to me to think up new subtleties and new changes on the old reliables like the flying reveries, and the worm-tuning skits.
Weill said, ‘ And is anyone better than you, Sherman? Your little sequence on leading an orchestra is selling steadily after ten years.’
‘ All right, Mr Weill. I’ve done my part. Its gotten so I don’t go out anymore. I neglect my wide. My little girl doesn’t know me. Last week, we went to a dinner party – Sarah says I was sitting on the couch all evening just staring at nothing and humming. She said everyone kept looking at me, She cried all night, I’m tired of things like that Mr Weill. I want to be a normal person and live in this world. I promised her I’d quit and I will, so it’s goodbye, Mr Weill.’ Hillary stood up and held out his hand awkwardly.
‘ I want to explain something. Do you know what a dreamer is, Sherman? DO you know what he means to ordinary people? Do you know what it is to be like me, like your wide Sarah? To have crippled minds that can’t imagine that can’t build up thoughts? People like myself, ordinary people, would like to escape just once in a while this life of ours. We can’t, We need help.
‘ In olden times it was books, plays, radio, movies, television. They gave us make believe, but that wasn’t important. What was important was that for a little while our own imaginations were stimulated, We could think of handsome lovers and beautiful princesses. We could be beautiful, witty, strong, capable, everything we weren’t.’
‘But always, the passing of the dream from dreamer to absorber was not perfect. It had to be translated into words in one way or another. The best dreamer in the world might not be able to get any of it into words. And the best writer in the world could only put the smallest part of his dreams into words. You understand?’
‘But now, with dream recording, any man can dream. You, Sherman, and a handful to men like you, supply those dreams directly and exactly. It’s straight from your head into ours, full strength. You dream for a thousand million people every time you dream. You dream a thousand million dreams at once. This is a great thing, my boy. You give all those people a glimpse of something they could not have by themselves.’
Hillary mumbled ‘, I’ve done my share.’ He rose desperately to his feet. I’m through. I don’t care what you say. And if you want to sue me for breaking our contract, go ahead and sue. I don’t care.’
Weill stood up, too. ‘ Would I sue you?… Ruth,’ he spoke into the intercom, ‘ bring in our copy of Mr Hillary’s contract.’
His secretary brought in the contract. Weill took in, showed its face to Hillary and said, ‘ Sherman my boy, unless you want to be with me, its not right to make you stay.’
Then, before Belanger could make more than the beginning of a horrified gesture to stop him, he tore the contract into 4 pieces and tossed them down the waste chute. ‘That’s all.’
Hillary’s hand shot out to seized Weill’s. ‘Thanks Mr Weill,’ he said earnestly, his voice husky. ‘You’ve always treated me very well, and I’m grateful. I’m sorry it had to be like this’
‘Its alright, my boy. Its all right.’
Half in tears, still muttering thanks, Sherman Hillary left.
‘ Why did you let him go boss?’ demanded Belanger distractedly. ‘Don’t you see the game? He’ll be going straight to Luster-Think. They’ve bought him off.’
Weill brought his hand. ‘You’re wrong. You’ve quite wrong. I know the boy and this would not be his style. Meanwhile what a fine day I’ve had to argue with a father to give me a chance at new talent, with a government official to avoid censorship, with you to keep from adopting fatal policies and now with my best dreamer to keep him from leaving. But about Sherman Hillary at least, there is no question. The dreamer will be back.’
‘How do you know?’
Weill smiled at Belanger and crinkled his cheeks into network of fine lines. ‘ Belanger my boy, you know how to edit dreamies so you think you know all the tools and machines of the trade. But let me tell you something. The most important tool in the dreamie business is the dreamer himself. He is the one you have to understand most of all, and I understand them.’
‘ Listen. When I was youngster – there were no dreamies then – I knew a fellow who wrote television scripts. He would complain to me bitterly that when someone met him for the first time and found out who he was, they would say: Where do you get those crazy ideas?’
‘ They honestly don’t know. To them it was an impossibility to even think of one of them. So what could my friend say? He used to talk to me about it and tell me. Could I say, I don’t know? When I go to bed, I can’t sleep for ideas dancing in my head. When I shave, I cut myself; when I drive, I take my life in my hands. And always because ideas, situations, dialogues are spinning and twisting in my mind, I can’t tell you where I get my ideas. Can you tell me maybe, your trick of not getting ideas, so I, too, can have a little peace?’
‘ You see Belanger, how it is. You can stop work here any time, So can I. This is our job, not our life. But not Sherman Hillary. Wherever he goes, whatever he does, he’ll dream. While he lives, he must think; while he thinks, he must dream. We don’t hold him prisoner, our contract isn’t an iron wall for him. His own skull is his own prisoner. So he’ll back. What can he do?’
Belanger shrugged. ‘ If what you say is right, I’m sort of sorry for the guy.’
Weill nodded sadly. ‘ I’m sorry for all of them. Through the years, I’ve found out one thing, It’s their business; making people happy. Other people.’
Time
Had wanted to post so many entries over the past month.
But Time waits for no Man.
One of the main reasons why I kept a blog in the first place was to put my thoughts, feelings and experiences down somewhere so that it will serve as a journal, a diary, that i can look back and remind myself of all the many things that make up my life.
But little did I expect that too many events, emotions and ideas just fills my head at almost every single day.
Every single moment of the day.
It is flooding.
It is bursting.
Yet Everything is so clear.
and simple.
Am I sanguine?
Am I choleric?
Am I melancholic?
Am I Phlegmatic?
I am all yet I am none.
Identity andTime
.
It's Time for Dreaming.
But Time waits for no Man.
One of the main reasons why I kept a blog in the first place was to put my thoughts, feelings and experiences down somewhere so that it will serve as a journal, a diary, that i can look back and remind myself of all the many things that make up my life.
But little did I expect that too many events, emotions and ideas just fills my head at almost every single day.
Every single moment of the day.
It is flooding.
It is bursting.
Yet Everything is so clear.
and simple.
Am I sanguine?
Am I choleric?
Am I melancholic?
Am I Phlegmatic?
I am all yet I am none.
Identity andTime
.
It's Time for Dreaming.
Time
Had wanted to post so many entries over the past month.
But Time waits for no Man.
One of the main reasons why I kept a blog in the first place was to put my thoughts, feelings and experiences down somewhere so that it will serve as a journal, a diary, that i can look back and remind myself of all the many things that make up my life.
But little did I expect that too many events, emotions and ideas just fills my head at almost every single day.
Every single moment of the day.
It is flooding.
It is bursting.
Yet Everything is so clear.
and simple.
Am I sanguine?
Am I choleric?
Am I melancholic?
Am I Phlegmatic?
I am all yet I am none.
It's Time for Dreaming.
But Time waits for no Man.
One of the main reasons why I kept a blog in the first place was to put my thoughts, feelings and experiences down somewhere so that it will serve as a journal, a diary, that i can look back and remind myself of all the many things that make up my life.
But little did I expect that too many events, emotions and ideas just fills my head at almost every single day.
Every single moment of the day.
It is flooding.
It is bursting.
Yet Everything is so clear.
and simple.
Am I sanguine?
Am I choleric?
Am I melancholic?
Am I Phlegmatic?
I am all yet I am none.
It's Time for Dreaming.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Ingrate
I've plenty of wonderful people around me.
Thankfulness and gratefulness.
I don't care enough about others.
I'm not a good teacher.
I'm imperfect.
Too much I.
Lost track of what's important anymore.
A break is much needed!
Thankfulness and gratefulness.
I don't care enough about others.
I'm not a good teacher.
I'm imperfect.
Too much I.
Lost track of what's important anymore.
A break is much needed!
On the Side of Me by Corrinne May
I’m not the easiest person to love
I’m often the one who lets things go unresolved
Yet you choose to be
On the side of me
On the side of me
Yeah you choose to be on the side of me
On the side of me
I’m not too proud of some things
I’ve done in my life
The skeletons in my closet
Are too big for me to hide
Yet you choose to be
On the side of me
On the side of me
Blessed charity
You’re on the side of me
On the side of me
Everyone needs a friend to hold
When it’s cold outside
And there’s no place to go
Everyone needs a friend to hold
All alone I cried
There was no place to go
I remember when nobody cared
But you
I’m not the easiest person to love
But you, you’ve opened your heart to show me what I’m worth
‘Cause you choose to be
on the side of me
on the side of me
What a mystery
You’re on the side of me
On the side of me
I remember when nobody cared
I remember when nobody cared
Nobody cared
But you.
I’m often the one who lets things go unresolved
Yet you choose to be
On the side of me
On the side of me
Yeah you choose to be on the side of me
On the side of me
I’m not too proud of some things
I’ve done in my life
The skeletons in my closet
Are too big for me to hide
Yet you choose to be
On the side of me
On the side of me
Blessed charity
You’re on the side of me
On the side of me
Everyone needs a friend to hold
When it’s cold outside
And there’s no place to go
Everyone needs a friend to hold
All alone I cried
There was no place to go
I remember when nobody cared
But you
I’m not the easiest person to love
But you, you’ve opened your heart to show me what I’m worth
‘Cause you choose to be
on the side of me
on the side of me
What a mystery
You’re on the side of me
On the side of me
I remember when nobody cared
I remember when nobody cared
Nobody cared
But you.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
On Spartan Honor and Doing what is right
A strong emphasis was placed on honour and carrying out acts because it was the 'right thing to do.' Xenophon wrote about the Spartans as he observed them during an Olympic game:
An elderly man was trying to find a place to sit and observe the Olympic Games, as he went to each section. All the other Greeks laughed as he tried to make his way through. Some ignored him. Upon entering the Spartan section all the Spartans stood and offered the elderly man their seats. Suddenly the entire stadium applauded. All the Greeks knew what was the right thing to do, but the Spartans were the only ones who did it.
- Wikipedia
An elderly man was trying to find a place to sit and observe the Olympic Games, as he went to each section. All the other Greeks laughed as he tried to make his way through. Some ignored him. Upon entering the Spartan section all the Spartans stood and offered the elderly man their seats. Suddenly the entire stadium applauded. All the Greeks knew what was the right thing to do, but the Spartans were the only ones who did it.
- Wikipedia
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Daffodils
By William Wordsworth
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Decadence
Decadence refers to a personal trait and, much more commonly, to a state of society. In a person, or used to describe a person's lifestyle, it describes a lack of moral and intellectual discipline. In a society, it describes corrosive decline due to a perceived erosion of necessary moral traditions. (A society that discards unnecessary and outmoded values would not be considered decadent.) Due to the subjective nature of morality, whether a society is decadent or not is a matter of debate, though certain historical societies (such as ancient Rome near its end) are generally held to have been decadent, as decadence may lead to objective decline.
Decadent societies are often prosperous but usually have severe social and economic inequality, to such a degree that the upper class becomes either complacent or greedy, while the lower classes become hopeless and apathetic. The middle class may exhibit either or both patterns, or it may vanish entirely. Poor leadership is generally held to be both a cause and a symptom of decadence, as the lifestyle of a decadent individual is usually considered to be incompatible with responsibility. Applied to the arts, decadence implies an elevation of self-indulgence and pretension over effort and talent; when applied to science and the professions, it describes an erosion of professional ethics. Individual or collective greed is generally disliked in societies with strong moral beliefs, and for this reason, societies that nurture it are sometimes accused of decadence.
ORA- teachers and RJC and RI boys -
Army
OM competition
306.
What we all need is hope.
Hope for what?
What for, hope?
That's exactly what we need.
Hope.
Decadent societies are often prosperous but usually have severe social and economic inequality, to such a degree that the upper class becomes either complacent or greedy, while the lower classes become hopeless and apathetic. The middle class may exhibit either or both patterns, or it may vanish entirely. Poor leadership is generally held to be both a cause and a symptom of decadence, as the lifestyle of a decadent individual is usually considered to be incompatible with responsibility. Applied to the arts, decadence implies an elevation of self-indulgence and pretension over effort and talent; when applied to science and the professions, it describes an erosion of professional ethics. Individual or collective greed is generally disliked in societies with strong moral beliefs, and for this reason, societies that nurture it are sometimes accused of decadence.
ORA- teachers and RJC and RI boys -
Army
OM competition
306.
What we all need is hope.
Hope for what?
What for, hope?
That's exactly what we need.
Hope.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
3 Job
Book of Job, Chapter 1 : http://etext.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/RsvBJob.html
1: There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God, and turned away from evil.
2: There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
3: He had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and very many servants; so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east.
4: His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each on his day; and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
5: And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.
6: Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.
7: The LORD said to Satan, "Whence have you come?" Satan answered the LORD, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it."
8: And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?"
9: Then Satan answered the LORD, "Does Job fear God for nought?
10: Hast thou not put a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
11: But put forth thy hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse thee to thy face."
12: And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only upon himself do not put forth your hand." So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
13: Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house;
14: and there came a messenger to Job, and said, "The oxen were plowing and the asses feeding beside them;
15: and the Sabe'ans fell upon them and took them, and slew the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you."
16: While he was yet speaking, there came another, and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you."
17: While he was yet speaking, there came another, and said, "The Chalde'ans formed three companies, and made a raid upon the camels and took them, and slew the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you."
18: While he was yet speaking, there came another, and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house;
19: and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you."
20: Then Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell upon the ground, and worshiped.
21: And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return; the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
22: In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Job
The Book of Job (איוב) is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. Job is a didactic poem set in a prose framing device.
According to the Testament of Job, another name for Job is Jobab. Genesis 36:33 identifies a Jobab, as a descendant of Esau, a king of Edom.
The Book of Job has been called the most difficult book of the Bible. The numerous exegeses of the Book of Job are classic attempts to reconcile the co-existence of evil and God and address the problem of evil. Scholars are divided as to the origin, intent, and meaning of the book.
1: There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God, and turned away from evil.
2: There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
3: He had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and very many servants; so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east.
4: His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each on his day; and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
5: And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.
6: Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.
7: The LORD said to Satan, "Whence have you come?" Satan answered the LORD, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it."
8: And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?"
9: Then Satan answered the LORD, "Does Job fear God for nought?
10: Hast thou not put a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
11: But put forth thy hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse thee to thy face."
12: And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only upon himself do not put forth your hand." So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
13: Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house;
14: and there came a messenger to Job, and said, "The oxen were plowing and the asses feeding beside them;
15: and the Sabe'ans fell upon them and took them, and slew the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you."
16: While he was yet speaking, there came another, and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you."
17: While he was yet speaking, there came another, and said, "The Chalde'ans formed three companies, and made a raid upon the camels and took them, and slew the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you."
18: While he was yet speaking, there came another, and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house;
19: and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you."
20: Then Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell upon the ground, and worshiped.
21: And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return; the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
22: In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Job
The Book of Job (איוב) is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. Job is a didactic poem set in a prose framing device.
According to the Testament of Job, another name for Job is Jobab. Genesis 36:33 identifies a Jobab, as a descendant of Esau, a king of Edom.
The Book of Job has been called the most difficult book of the Bible. The numerous exegeses of the Book of Job are classic attempts to reconcile the co-existence of evil and God and address the problem of evil. Scholars are divided as to the origin, intent, and meaning of the book.
2 Paradoxes and Conflicts
Spiderman 3.
Conflict and coexistance.
Good in evil, evil in good.
Commentary on Auguries of Innocence. http://plagiarist.com/poetry/5804/comments/
Conflict and coexistance.
Good in evil, evil in good.
Commentary on Auguries of Innocence. http://plagiarist.com/poetry/5804/comments/
Sunday, May 06, 2007
1 Auguries of Innocence
- William Blake
To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.
A robin redbreast in a cage
Puts all heaven in a rage.
A dove-house fill'd with doves and pigeons
Shudders hell thro' all its regions.
A dog starv'd at his master's gate
Predicts the ruin of the state.
A horse misused upon the road
Calls to heaven for human blood.
Each outcry of the hunted hare
A fibre from the brain does tear.
A skylark wounded in the wing,
A cherubim does cease to sing.
The game-cock clipt and arm'd for fight
Does the rising sun affright.
Every wolf's and lion's howl
Raises from hell a human soul.
The wild deer, wand'ring here and there,
Keeps the human soul from care.
The lamb misus'd breeds public strife,
And yet forgives the butcher's knife.
The bat that flits at close of eve
Has left the brain that won't believe.
The owl that calls upon the night
Speaks the unbeliever's fright.
He who shall hurt the little wren
Shall never be belov'd by men.
He who the ox to wrath has mov'd
Shall never be by woman lov'd.
The wanton boy that kills the fly
Shall feel the spider's enmity.
He who torments the chafer's sprite
Weaves a bower in endless night.
The caterpillar on the leaf
Repeats to thee thy mother's grief.
Kill not the moth nor butterfly,
For the last judgement draweth nigh.
He who shall train the horse to war
Shall never pass the polar bar.
The beggar's dog and widow's cat,
Feed them and thou wilt grow fat.
The gnat that sings his summer's song
Poison gets from slander's tongue.
The poison of the snake and newt
Is the sweat of envy's foot.
The poison of the honey bee
Is the artist's jealousy.
The prince's robes and beggar's rags
Are toadstools on the miser's bags.
A truth that's told with bad intent
Beats all the lies you can invent.
It is right it should be so;
Man was made for joy and woe;
And when this we rightly know,
Thro' the world we safely go.
Joy and woe are woven fine,
A clothing for the soul divine.
Under every grief and pine
Runs a joy with silken twine.
The babe is more than swaddling bands;
Every farmer understands.
Every tear from every eye
Becomes a babe in eternity;
This is caught by females bright,
And return'd to its own delight.
The bleat, the bark, bellow, and roar,
Are waves that beat on heaven's shore.
The babe that weeps the rod beneath
Writes revenge in realms of death.
The beggar's rags, fluttering in air,
Does to rags the heavens tear.
The soldier, arm'd with sword and gun,
Palsied strikes the summer's sun.
The poor man's farthing is worth more
Than all the gold on Afric's shore.
One mite wrung from the lab'rer's hands
Shall buy and sell the miser's lands;
Or, if protected from on high,
Does that whole nation sell and buy.
He who mocks the infant's faith
Shall be mock'd in age and death.
He who shall teach the child to doubt
The rotting grave shall ne'er get out.
He who respects the infant's faith
Triumphs over hell and death.
The child's toys and the old man's reasons
Are the fruits of the two seasons.
The questioner, who sits so sly,
Shall never know how to reply.
He who replies to words of doubt
Doth put the light of knowledge out.
The strongest poison ever known
Came from Caesar's laurel crown.
Nought can deform the human race
Like to the armour's iron brace.
When gold and gems adorn the plow,
To peaceful arts shall envy bow.
A riddle, or the cricket's cry,
Is to doubt a fit reply.
The emmet's inch and eagle's mile
Make lame philosophy to smile.
He who doubts from what he sees
Will ne'er believe, do what you please.
If the sun and moon should doubt,
They'd immediately go out.
To be in a passion you good may do,
But no good if a passion is in you.
The whore and gambler, by the state
Licensed, build that nation's fate.
The harlot's cry from street to street
Shall weave old England's winding-sheet.
The winner's shout, the loser's curse,
Dance before dead England's hearse.
Every night and every morn
Some to misery are born,
Every morn and every night
Some are born to sweet delight.
Some are born to sweet delight,
Some are born to endless night.
We are led to believe a lie
When we see not thro' the eye,
Which was born in a night to perish in a night,
When the soul slept in beams of light.
God appears, and God is light,
To those poor souls who dwell in night;
But does a human form display
To those who dwell in realms of day.
To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.
A robin redbreast in a cage
Puts all heaven in a rage.
A dove-house fill'd with doves and pigeons
Shudders hell thro' all its regions.
A dog starv'd at his master's gate
Predicts the ruin of the state.
A horse misused upon the road
Calls to heaven for human blood.
Each outcry of the hunted hare
A fibre from the brain does tear.
A skylark wounded in the wing,
A cherubim does cease to sing.
The game-cock clipt and arm'd for fight
Does the rising sun affright.
Every wolf's and lion's howl
Raises from hell a human soul.
The wild deer, wand'ring here and there,
Keeps the human soul from care.
The lamb misus'd breeds public strife,
And yet forgives the butcher's knife.
The bat that flits at close of eve
Has left the brain that won't believe.
The owl that calls upon the night
Speaks the unbeliever's fright.
He who shall hurt the little wren
Shall never be belov'd by men.
He who the ox to wrath has mov'd
Shall never be by woman lov'd.
The wanton boy that kills the fly
Shall feel the spider's enmity.
He who torments the chafer's sprite
Weaves a bower in endless night.
The caterpillar on the leaf
Repeats to thee thy mother's grief.
Kill not the moth nor butterfly,
For the last judgement draweth nigh.
He who shall train the horse to war
Shall never pass the polar bar.
The beggar's dog and widow's cat,
Feed them and thou wilt grow fat.
The gnat that sings his summer's song
Poison gets from slander's tongue.
The poison of the snake and newt
Is the sweat of envy's foot.
The poison of the honey bee
Is the artist's jealousy.
The prince's robes and beggar's rags
Are toadstools on the miser's bags.
A truth that's told with bad intent
Beats all the lies you can invent.
It is right it should be so;
Man was made for joy and woe;
And when this we rightly know,
Thro' the world we safely go.
Joy and woe are woven fine,
A clothing for the soul divine.
Under every grief and pine
Runs a joy with silken twine.
The babe is more than swaddling bands;
Every farmer understands.
Every tear from every eye
Becomes a babe in eternity;
This is caught by females bright,
And return'd to its own delight.
The bleat, the bark, bellow, and roar,
Are waves that beat on heaven's shore.
The babe that weeps the rod beneath
Writes revenge in realms of death.
The beggar's rags, fluttering in air,
Does to rags the heavens tear.
The soldier, arm'd with sword and gun,
Palsied strikes the summer's sun.
The poor man's farthing is worth more
Than all the gold on Afric's shore.
One mite wrung from the lab'rer's hands
Shall buy and sell the miser's lands;
Or, if protected from on high,
Does that whole nation sell and buy.
He who mocks the infant's faith
Shall be mock'd in age and death.
He who shall teach the child to doubt
The rotting grave shall ne'er get out.
He who respects the infant's faith
Triumphs over hell and death.
The child's toys and the old man's reasons
Are the fruits of the two seasons.
The questioner, who sits so sly,
Shall never know how to reply.
He who replies to words of doubt
Doth put the light of knowledge out.
The strongest poison ever known
Came from Caesar's laurel crown.
Nought can deform the human race
Like to the armour's iron brace.
When gold and gems adorn the plow,
To peaceful arts shall envy bow.
A riddle, or the cricket's cry,
Is to doubt a fit reply.
The emmet's inch and eagle's mile
Make lame philosophy to smile.
He who doubts from what he sees
Will ne'er believe, do what you please.
If the sun and moon should doubt,
They'd immediately go out.
To be in a passion you good may do,
But no good if a passion is in you.
The whore and gambler, by the state
Licensed, build that nation's fate.
The harlot's cry from street to street
Shall weave old England's winding-sheet.
The winner's shout, the loser's curse,
Dance before dead England's hearse.
Every night and every morn
Some to misery are born,
Every morn and every night
Some are born to sweet delight.
Some are born to sweet delight,
Some are born to endless night.
We are led to believe a lie
When we see not thro' the eye,
Which was born in a night to perish in a night,
When the soul slept in beams of light.
God appears, and God is light,
To those poor souls who dwell in night;
But does a human form display
To those who dwell in realms of day.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Freakily Accurate!?!
From Beakface to me.
http://www.paulsadowski.com/Numbers.asp
There are 17 letters in your name.
Those 17 letters total to 83
There are 8 vowels and 9 consonants in your name.
Your number is: 11
The characteristics of #11 are: High spiritual plane, intuitive, illumination, idealist, a dreamer.
The expression or destiny for #11:
Your Expression number is 11. The number 11 is the first of the master numbers. It is associated with idealistic concepts and rather spiritual issues. Accordingly, it is a number with potentials that are somewhat more difficult to live up to. You have the capacity to be inspirational, and the ability to lead merely by your own example. An inborn inner strength and awareness can make you an excellent teacher, social worker, philosopher, or advisor. No matter what area of work you pursue, you are very aware and sensitive to the highest sense of your environment. Your intuition is very strong; in fact, many psychic people and those involved in occult studies have the number 11 expression. You possess a good mind with keen analytical ability. Because of this you can probably succeed in most lines of work, however, you will do better and be happier outside of the business world. Oddly enough, even here you generally succeed, owing to your often original and unusual approach. Nonetheless, you are more content working with your ideals, rather than dollars and cents.
The positive aspect of the number 11 expression is an always idealistic attitude. Your thinking is long term, and you are able to grasp the far-reaching effects of actions and plans. You are disappointed by the shortsighted views of many of your contemporaries. You are deeply concerned and supportive of art, music, or of beauty in any form.
The negative attitudes associated with the number 11 expression include a continuous sense of nervous tension; you may be too sensitive and temperamental. You tend to dream a lot and may be more of a dreamer than a doer. Fantasy and reality sometimes become intermingled and you are sometimes very impractical. You tend to want to spread the illumination of your knowledge to others irrespective of their desire or need.
Your Soul Urge number is: 6
A Soul Urge number of 6 means:
With a number 6 Soul Urge, you would like to be appreciated for your ability to handle responsibility. Your home and family are likely to be a strong focus for you, perhaps the strongest focus of your life. Friendship, love, and affection are high on your list of priorities for a happy life. You have a lot of diplomatic tendencies in your makeup, as you a able to rectify and balance situations with an innate skill. You like working with people rather than by yourself. It is extremely important for you to have harmony in your environment at all times.
The positive side of the 6 Soul Urge produces a huge capacity for responsibility; you are always there and ready to assume more than your share of the load. If you possess positive 6 Soul Urges and express them, you are known for your generosity, understanding and deep sympathetic attitude. Strong 6 energy is very giving of love, affection, and emotional support. You may have the inclination to teach or serve your community in other idealistic ways. You have natural abilities to help people. You are also likely to have artistic and creative leanings.
If you have an over-supply of 6 energy in your makeup, you may express some of the negative traits common to this number. With such a strong sympathetic attitude, it is easy to become too emotional. Sometimes the desires to render help can be over done, and it can become interfering and an attitude that is too protective, rather than helpful. The person with too much 6 energy often finds that people tend to take advantage of this very giving spirit. You may tend to repress your own needs so that you can cater to the demands from others. At times, there may be a tendency in this, for becoming over-loaded with such demands, and as a result become resentful.
Your Inner Dream number is: 5
An Inner Dream number of 5 means:
You dream of being totally free and unrestrained by responsibility. You see yourself conversing and mingling with the natives in many nations, living for adventure and life experiences. You imagine what you might accomplished.
http://www.paulsadowski.com/Numbers.asp
There are 17 letters in your name.
Those 17 letters total to 83
There are 8 vowels and 9 consonants in your name.
Your number is: 11
The characteristics of #11 are: High spiritual plane, intuitive, illumination, idealist, a dreamer.
The expression or destiny for #11:
Your Expression number is 11. The number 11 is the first of the master numbers. It is associated with idealistic concepts and rather spiritual issues. Accordingly, it is a number with potentials that are somewhat more difficult to live up to. You have the capacity to be inspirational, and the ability to lead merely by your own example. An inborn inner strength and awareness can make you an excellent teacher, social worker, philosopher, or advisor. No matter what area of work you pursue, you are very aware and sensitive to the highest sense of your environment. Your intuition is very strong; in fact, many psychic people and those involved in occult studies have the number 11 expression. You possess a good mind with keen analytical ability. Because of this you can probably succeed in most lines of work, however, you will do better and be happier outside of the business world. Oddly enough, even here you generally succeed, owing to your often original and unusual approach. Nonetheless, you are more content working with your ideals, rather than dollars and cents.
The positive aspect of the number 11 expression is an always idealistic attitude. Your thinking is long term, and you are able to grasp the far-reaching effects of actions and plans. You are disappointed by the shortsighted views of many of your contemporaries. You are deeply concerned and supportive of art, music, or of beauty in any form.
The negative attitudes associated with the number 11 expression include a continuous sense of nervous tension; you may be too sensitive and temperamental. You tend to dream a lot and may be more of a dreamer than a doer. Fantasy and reality sometimes become intermingled and you are sometimes very impractical. You tend to want to spread the illumination of your knowledge to others irrespective of their desire or need.
Your Soul Urge number is: 6
A Soul Urge number of 6 means:
With a number 6 Soul Urge, you would like to be appreciated for your ability to handle responsibility. Your home and family are likely to be a strong focus for you, perhaps the strongest focus of your life. Friendship, love, and affection are high on your list of priorities for a happy life. You have a lot of diplomatic tendencies in your makeup, as you a able to rectify and balance situations with an innate skill. You like working with people rather than by yourself. It is extremely important for you to have harmony in your environment at all times.
The positive side of the 6 Soul Urge produces a huge capacity for responsibility; you are always there and ready to assume more than your share of the load. If you possess positive 6 Soul Urges and express them, you are known for your generosity, understanding and deep sympathetic attitude. Strong 6 energy is very giving of love, affection, and emotional support. You may have the inclination to teach or serve your community in other idealistic ways. You have natural abilities to help people. You are also likely to have artistic and creative leanings.
If you have an over-supply of 6 energy in your makeup, you may express some of the negative traits common to this number. With such a strong sympathetic attitude, it is easy to become too emotional. Sometimes the desires to render help can be over done, and it can become interfering and an attitude that is too protective, rather than helpful. The person with too much 6 energy often finds that people tend to take advantage of this very giving spirit. You may tend to repress your own needs so that you can cater to the demands from others. At times, there may be a tendency in this, for becoming over-loaded with such demands, and as a result become resentful.
Your Inner Dream number is: 5
An Inner Dream number of 5 means:
You dream of being totally free and unrestrained by responsibility. You see yourself conversing and mingling with the natives in many nations, living for adventure and life experiences. You imagine what you might accomplished.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Ha another song for Earth Day!
Big Yellow Taxi by Counting Crows
They paved paradise and put up a parkin' lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parkin' lot
They took all the trees, and put em in a tree museum
And they charged the people a dollar and a half to see them
No, no, no, don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got till it's gone
They paved paradise, and put up a parkin' lot
Hey farmer, farmer, put away your DDT
I don't care about spots on my apples,
Leave me the birds and the bees - please
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
Hey now, they've paved paradise to put up a parking lot
Why not?
Listen, late last night, I heard the screen door swing,
And a big yellow taxi took my girl away
Now don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
Hey now now, don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got till it's gone
They paved paradise to put up a parking lot
Why not, they paved paradise
They put up a parking lot
Hey hey hey, paved paradise and put up a parking lot
I don't wanna give it
Why you wanna give it
Why you wanna givin it all away
Hey, hey, hey
Now you wanna give it
I should wanna give it
Cuz you're givin it all away, no no
I don't wanna give it
Why you wanna give it
Why you wanna givin it all away
Cuz you're givin it all givin it all away yeah yeah
Cuz You're givin it all away hey, hey, hey
Hey, paved paradise, to put up a parking lot
la,la, la, la, la, la, la ,la ,la ,la ,la
Paved paradise, and put up a parking lot
They paved paradise and put up a parkin' lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parkin' lot
They took all the trees, and put em in a tree museum
And they charged the people a dollar and a half to see them
No, no, no, don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got till it's gone
They paved paradise, and put up a parkin' lot
Hey farmer, farmer, put away your DDT
I don't care about spots on my apples,
Leave me the birds and the bees - please
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
Hey now, they've paved paradise to put up a parking lot
Why not?
Listen, late last night, I heard the screen door swing,
And a big yellow taxi took my girl away
Now don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
Hey now now, don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got till it's gone
They paved paradise to put up a parking lot
Why not, they paved paradise
They put up a parking lot
Hey hey hey, paved paradise and put up a parking lot
I don't wanna give it
Why you wanna give it
Why you wanna givin it all away
Hey, hey, hey
Now you wanna give it
I should wanna give it
Cuz you're givin it all away, no no
I don't wanna give it
Why you wanna give it
Why you wanna givin it all away
Cuz you're givin it all givin it all away yeah yeah
Cuz You're givin it all away hey, hey, hey
Hey, paved paradise, to put up a parking lot
la,la, la, la, la, la, la ,la ,la ,la ,la
Paved paradise, and put up a parking lot
Saltwater by Julian Lennon
We are a rock revolving
Around a golden sun
We are a billion children
Rolled into one
So when I hear about
The hole in the sky
Saltwater wells in my eyes
We climb the highest mountain
We'll make the desert bloom
We're so ingenious
We can walk on the moon
But when I hear of how
The forests have died
Saltwater wells in my eyes
I have lived for love
But now thats not enough
For the world I love is dying
(and now Im crying)
And time is not a friend
(no friend of mine)
As friends were out of time
And its slowly passing by
Right before our eyes
We light the deepest ocean
Send photographs of mars
We're so enchanted by
How clever we are
Why should one baby
Feel so hungry she cries
Saltwater wells in my eyes
I have lived for love
But now thats not enough
For the world I love is dying
(and now Im crying)
And time is not a friend
(no friend of mine)
As friends were out of time
And its slowly passing by
Right before our eyes
We are a rock revolving
Around a golden sun
We are a billion children
Rolled into one
What will I think of me
The day that I die
Saltwater wells in my eyes
Saltwater wells in my eyes
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
For One More Day...
For all the pursuit of worldly things, why don't we ever pursue life?
My uncle recommended me a book by Mitch Albom, For One More Day.
I don't have to read it to know what it contains.
Yes reading it will provide a reminder about what is important in life.
But I know it too well.
Everyday it is such a pain to bear.
My eyes are set on the goal, the destination.
Let them stay focused.
For one more day I must resist the callings of the world around me.
yet pay attention to the universe that surrounds me.
Be still and be glad.
For there are many things can make you sad.
Open your eyes, let them see...
At the vastness of the blue of the sea.
Just like the heavens beyond the sky above,
There are far greater things, such as nature, beauty and love
As too are our passions in art music and rhyme
and much more, beyond this immediate space and time.
My uncle recommended me a book by Mitch Albom, For One More Day.
I don't have to read it to know what it contains.
Yes reading it will provide a reminder about what is important in life.
But I know it too well.
Everyday it is such a pain to bear.
My eyes are set on the goal, the destination.
Let them stay focused.
For one more day I must resist the callings of the world around me.
yet pay attention to the universe that surrounds me.
Be still and be glad.
For there are many things can make you sad.
Open your eyes, let them see...
At the vastness of the blue of the sea.
Just like the heavens beyond the sky above,
There are far greater things, such as nature, beauty and love
As too are our passions in art music and rhyme
and much more, beyond this immediate space and time.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Phantom
One of the things I must do before I die, can now be crossed.
Thank you thank you thank you!
Brilliant.
Yet....
The cast. Day in night out.
Performance after performance.
The standing ovations are staged.
The original art form is just an industry.
But still.
Marvelous.
Will Farrel can sing!
Phantom of the Opry - Julie and Carol!
Nightwish - opera-metal
The ORIGINAL Phantom of the Opera - Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford (my fav version!)
Thank you thank you thank you!
Brilliant.
Yet....
The cast. Day in night out.
Performance after performance.
The standing ovations are staged.
The original art form is just an industry.
But still.
Marvelous.
Will Farrel can sing!
Phantom of the Opry - Julie and Carol!
Nightwish - opera-metal
The ORIGINAL Phantom of the Opera - Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford (my fav version!)
Desiderata
Desiderata
Les Crane
- Reached #8 in 1971
Desiderata. Desiderata. Desiderata.
Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender,
Be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly, and listen to others -
Even the dull and ignorant, they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons - they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter,
For always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career -
However humble, it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is.
Many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially do not feign affection, neither be cynical about love.
For in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
It is as perenial as the grass.
Take kindly the council of the years,
Gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune,
But do not distress yourself with imaginings -
Many fears are borne of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe.
No less than the trees and the stars, you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
No doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
Keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be careful. Strive to be happy.
Friday, April 06, 2007
The Mexican Fisherman
It is a trying week. And it will only get worse.
I am biting off more than I can chew.
But at the end of the day....
What really matters?
It is all so simple.
Why can't we see it?
Why can I?
It's really so simple....
Sigh.
“The Mexican Fisherman”
Author Unknown
The American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked.
Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The Mexican replied, "Only a little while."
The American then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?"
The Mexican said, "With this I have more than enough to support my family's needs."
The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"
The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life."
The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing; and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat: With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the
processor; eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles and eventually New York where you will run your ever-expanding enterprise."
The Mexican fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"
To which the American replied, "15 to 20 years."
"But what then?" asked the Mexican.
The American laughed and said that's the best part. "When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."
"Millions?...Then what?"
The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."
I am biting off more than I can chew.
But at the end of the day....
What really matters?
It is all so simple.
Why can't we see it?
Why can I?
It's really so simple....
Sigh.
“The Mexican Fisherman”
Author Unknown
The American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked.
Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The Mexican replied, "Only a little while."
The American then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?"
The Mexican said, "With this I have more than enough to support my family's needs."
The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"
The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life."
The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing; and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat: With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the
processor; eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles and eventually New York where you will run your ever-expanding enterprise."
The Mexican fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"
To which the American replied, "15 to 20 years."
"But what then?" asked the Mexican.
The American laughed and said that's the best part. "When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."
"Millions?...Then what?"
The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Astronomical Questions
Doppler Shift: http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/doppler.htm
Red Shift: http://www.dustbunny.com/afk/skywonders/redshift/
Metric Expansion of space: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_expansion_of_space
Color in Astronomy: http://cas.sdss.org/dr5/en/proj/advanced/color/
Color of stars Vs Colors of Galaxies: http://cas.sdss.org/dr5/en/proj/advanced/color/other.asp
Astronomical Resources: http://cas.sdss.org/dr5/en/proj/advanced/color/
Red Shift: http://www.dustbunny.com/afk/skywonders/redshift/
Metric Expansion of space: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_expansion_of_space
Color in Astronomy: http://cas.sdss.org/dr5/en/proj/advanced/color/
Color of stars Vs Colors of Galaxies: http://cas.sdss.org/dr5/en/proj/advanced/color/other.asp
Astronomical Resources: http://cas.sdss.org/dr5/en/proj/advanced/color/
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Some Useful Software (WINDOWS!)
Copernic Search Engine: http://www.copernic.com/
UltraVNC Remote Control Software: http://www.uvnc.com/index.html
Rawshooter Essentials RAW Converter: http://www.photo-freeware.net/raw-shooter-essentials.php
ProShow Online Classroom: http://www.photodex.com/training/
UltraVNC Remote Control Software: http://www.uvnc.com/index.html
Rawshooter Essentials RAW Converter: http://www.photo-freeware.net/raw-shooter-essentials.php
ProShow Online Classroom: http://www.photodex.com/training/
Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom
We are all obsessed with 'knowing'.
At least I am.
I think I am.
Therefore.....
http://www.systems-thinking.org/dikw/dikw.htm
by Gene Bellinger, Durval Castro, Anthony Mills
At least I am.
I think I am.
Therefore.....
http://www.systems-thinking.org/dikw/dikw.htm
Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom
There is probably no segment of activity in the world attracting as much attention at present as that of knowledge management. Yet as I entered this arena of activity I quickly found there didn't seem to be a wealth of sources that seemed to make sense in terms of defining what knowledge actually was, and how was it differentiated from data, information, and wisdom. What follows is the current level of understanding I have been able to piece together regarding data, information, knowledge, and wisdom. I figured to understand one of them I had to understand all of them.
According to Russell Ackoff, a systems theorist and professor of organizational change, the content of the human mind can be classified into five categories:
- Data: symbols
- Information: data that are processed to be useful; provides answers to "who", "what", "where", and "when" questions
- Knowledge: application of data and information; answers "how" questions
- Understanding: appreciation of "why"
- Wisdom: evaluated understanding.
Ackoff indicates that the first four categories relate to the past; they deal with what has been or what is known. Only the fifth category, wisdom, deals with the future because it incorporates vision and design. With wisdom, people can create the future rather than just grasp the present and past. But achieving wisdom isn't easy; people must move successively through the other categories.
A further elaboration of Ackoff's definitions follows:
Data... data is raw. It simply exists and has no significance beyond its existence (in and of itself). It can exist in any form, usable or not. It does not have meaning of itself. In computer parlance, a spreadsheet generally starts out by holding data.
Information... information is data that has been given meaning by way of relational connection. This "meaning" can be useful, but does not have to be. In computer parlance, a relational database makes information from the data stored within it.
Knowledge... knowledge is the appropriate collection of information, such that it's intent is to be useful. Knowledge is a deterministic process. When someone "memorizes" information (as less-aspiring test-bound students often do), then they have amassed knowledge. This knowledge has useful meaning to them, but it does not provide for, in and of itself, an integration such as would infer further knowledge. For example, elementary school children memorize, or amass knowledge of, the "times table". They can tell you that "2 x 2 = 4" because they have amassed that knowledge (it being included in the times table). But when asked what is "1267 x 300", they can not respond correctly because that entry is not in their times table. To correctly answer such a question requires a true cognitive and analytical ability that is only encompassed in the next level... understanding. In computer parlance, most of the applications we use (modeling, simulation, etc.) exercise some type of stored knowledge.
Understanding... understanding is an interpolative and probabilistic process. It is cognitive and analytical. It is the process by which I can take knowledge and synthesize new knowledge from the previously held knowledge. The difference between understanding and knowledge is the difference between "learning" and "memorizing". People who have understanding can undertake useful actions because they can synthesize new knowledge, or in some cases, at least new information, from what is previously known (and understood). That is, understanding can build upon currently held information, knowledge and understanding itself. In computer parlance, AI systems possess understanding in the sense that they are able to synthesize new knowledge from previously stored information and knowledge.
Wisdom... wisdom is an extrapolative and non-deterministic, non-probabilistic process. It calls upon all the previous levels of consciousness, and specifically upon special types of human programming (moral, ethical codes, etc.). It beckons to give us understanding about which there has previously been no understanding, and in doing so, goes far beyond understanding itself. It is the essence of philosophical probing. Unlike the previous four levels, it asks questions to which there is no (easily-achievable) answer, and in some cases, to which there can be no humanly-known answer period. Wisdom is therefore, the process by which we also discern, or judge, between right and wrong, good and bad. I personally believe that computers do not have, and will never have the ability to posses wisdom. Wisdom is a uniquely human state, or as I see it, wisdom requires one to have a soul, for it resides as much in the heart as in the mind. And a soul is something machines will never possess (or perhaps I should reword that to say, a soul is something that, in general, will never possess a machine).
Personally I contend that the sequence is a bit less involved than described by Ackoff. The following diagram represents the transitions from data, to information, to knowledge, and finally to wisdom, and it is understanding that support the transition from each stage to the next. Understanding is not a separate level of its own.
 |
Data represents a fact or statement of event without relation to other things.
Ex: It is raining.
Information embodies the understanding of a relationship of some sort, possibly cause and effect.
Ex: The temperature dropped 15 degrees and then it started raining.
Knowledge represents a pattern that connects and generally provides a high level of predictability as to what is described or what will happen next.
Ex: If the humidity is very high and the temperature drops substantially the atmospheres is often unlikely to be able to hold the moisture so it rains.
Wisdom embodies more of an understanding of fundamental principles embodied within the knowledge that are essentially the basis for the knowledge being what it is. Wisdom is essentially systemic.
Ex: It rains because it rains. And this encompasses an understanding of all the interactions that happen between raining, evaporation, air currents, temperature gradients, changes, and raining.
Yet, there is still a question regarding when is a pattern knowledge and when is it noise. Consider the following:
- Abugt dbesbt regtc uatn s uitrzt.
- ubtxte pstye ysote anet sser extess
- ibxtedstes bet3 ibtes otesb tapbesct ehracts
It is quite likely this sequence represents 100% novelty, which means it's equivalent to noise. There is no foundation for you to connect with the pattern, yet to me the statements are quite meaningful as I understand the translation with reveals they are in fact Newton's 3 laws of motion. Is something knowledge if you can't understand it?
Now consider the following:
- I have a box.
- The box is 3' wide, 3' deep, and 6' high.
- The box is very heavy.
- The box has a door on the front of it.
- When I open the box it has food in it.
- It is colder inside the box than it is outside.
- You usually find the box in the kitchen.
- There is a smaller compartment inside the box with ice in it.
- When you open the door the light comes on.
- When you move this box you usually find lots of dirt underneath it.
- Junk has a real habit of collecting on top of this box.
What is it?
A refrigerator. You knew that, right? At some point in the sequence you connected with the pattern and understood it was a description of a refrigerator. From that point on each statement only added confirmation to your understanding.
If you lived in a society that had never seen a refrigerator you might still be scratching your head as to what the sequence of statements referred to.
Also, realize that I could have provided you with the above statements in any order and still at some point the pattern would have connected. When the pattern connected the sequence of statements represented knowledge to you. To me all the statements convey nothing as they are simply 100% confirmation of what I already knew as I knew what I was describing even before I started.
References:
- Ackoff, R. L., "From Data to Wisdom", Journal of Applies Systems Analysis, Volume 16, 1989 p 3-9.
- Gadomski, Adam Maria, Information, Preferences and Knowledge, An Interesting Evolution in Thought
- Sharma, Nikhil, The Origin of the Data Information Knowledge Wisdom Hierarchy
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