| Writer's Block: Fashion Forward |
[Jul. 8th, 2009|11:56 am] |
I must admit. My answer will be influenced by ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) amberdulen 's here.
As far as "mass society", I have no way of guessing. After all, fashions have changed somewhat since I was in high school. And, who knows what today's toddlers are going to wear when they get to college? (My guess: sweat pants and t-shirts - but that's mostly to 8AM classes.)
As far as my generation, I think amberdulen is dead on. In 20 years, we'll basically wear what we wear now. Currently, when at work or church, I wear dress shirts, dress pants (or khakis), and a tie (sometimes a bow, sometimes not) - sometimes a vest, too (for the Brits, that's a "waistcoat"). Very occasionally, I wear a suit. I suspect that when I'm 46, I'll be wearing the same thing when I go to work. Perhaps even the exact same suits and almost definitely the same ties. I have, after all, been wearing some of the ties for over ten years as it is.
So, Intel, "Sponsors of Tomorrow", I doubt that I'll be wearing suits made of microchips. However, I would not be opposed to wearing a suit that kept me cool, never needed cleaned, and was powered by my own movement. Just be sure you make it cheap enough - and, you know, make it look like a nice suit. Also, no AI. I refuse to put something on that has AI capabilities.
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| Writer's Block: Firsts |
[Jul. 7th, 2009|07:17 am] |
"Hi!"
The entry declared that I was coming over from Diaryland, and that I was going to be moving all my DL stuff over to LJ, but this time with commentary!
Yeah, I didn't actually do that. I think I made it through a half dozen entries or so before I stopped doing it. |
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| On getting things wrong... |
[Jul. 2nd, 2009|10:54 pm] |
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So, I was watching Big Brother UK, when this exchange happened between two of the housemates...
D: It reminds me of them things off Dr. Who. Them ge..."congestors"... "congetals"..."conmasters"..."Philippines" What are they called?
K: Philippines?
D: Them little thi... robot things. Je... Jeti?
K: Jedis?
D: Jedis.
K: How'd you say Philippines and Jedis? How'd you get them muddled up?
D: I was gettin there with the P.
K: *chuckles*
D: Philippines... Jetine...
K: Philippines is with an F.
D: Is it?
K: Yeah.
D: Hm.
I don't think there's anything that could have gone more wrong here.
Also, "D" here is the same person who claimed that German and English are grammatically similar because of Germany bombing London during World War 2, AND also believed that carrots grew on trees. I kid you not.
[For those that don't know, "D" was talking about DALEKS, and was comparing the cameras in the house to them - which is actually not a bad comparison. Unfortunately, K convinced her that she meant... well... Yoda.] |
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| Two Good Things |
[Jun. 28th, 2009|12:48 am] |
(1) In the last couple weeks I discovered an error in one of my programs. This is a good thing, because it was a VERY easy problem to fix. It was also a good thing because my program wasn't converging on a solution before - despite the fact that it had been running for MONTHS. Now, it is converging on a solution. Or, at the very least, it's not slowly approaching infinity. So, this counts as a "very good thing".
(2) My wife and I played Empire Builder tonight. We enjoyed ourselves. I ended up winning, but not by very much - and we both agreed that the Event Cards hated my wife. Out of the 5 or 6 we had, ALL of them hurt my wife except one. Also, NONE of them impacted me (at least not much). Very fun game. Definitely recommended. You know, assuming you want to spend a few hours playing a game. (The two of us played for about 3 hours - though they were very fast hours I must say.) |
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| A Personal Whine About Copyright |
[Jun. 27th, 2009|08:02 pm] |
Just to whine a little bit...
I'm a fan of Big Brother, and, starting last year, got interested in Big Brother UK - which I could find on YouTube. Well, I started watching this year on a YouTube channel called "BigBrotherCatchup".
Now, just so we're perfectly clear on what this channel would do: They would take video that Channel 4 puts up for free on their own website, and then put that video on YouTube.
Why do this? Well, the reason is simple - and has little to do with avoiding advertisements. The problem is that Channel 4's videos are not viewable outside of the UK and Ireland.
Last year, Channel 4 (or perhaps YouTube) tolerated what was being done. After all, what does it hurt? Most of the money being made from the show is on advertising that's on the actual Channel 4. They will, in all likelihood, never release DVDs, etc. in the US. After all, doing that with reality shows would be... unusual at the least.
This year, Channel 4 and YouTube are cracking down. So, first BigBrotherCatchup's account got suspended very shortly into the season. So, I had to rely on mickatcol's very limited updates and some other - more questionable - means of getting other episodes. mickatcol didn't offer much, but they did have eviction shows up. Today, their account was suspended.
FA Hayek was an economist who supported copyright and patent as he thought they encouraged innovation and creativity. However, later in his life, he noted that he may have been wrong - as he was observing that, more often than not, copyright and patent were simply being used to PREVENT innovation and creativity, as they were suppressing rather than encouraging competition along these lines.
Though it's far from a perfect analogy, this is a clear case where copyright, rather than being used to increase the availability of entertainment (by making it profitable to produce), is being used purely to withhold entertainment. After all, I would happily watch BB10UK on the Channel 4 website - with advertisements - if I were allowed. But, I'm not. So, I'm faced with a choice: either just don't watch it, or watch it through "questionable means". Now, if I thought I were actually preventing Channel 4 from making money by watching the show through the less-than-legal means I use, I might - almost - feel bad about it. But, I'm not, so I don't feel bad about it. Instead, I'm just annoyed that they're making me go to so much trouble to use a slow, unreliable source rather than providing a faster, more reliable source - at a profit to themselves. |
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| "They just took out 'Jesus' and put in 'baby'." |
[Jun. 27th, 2009|05:07 pm] |
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If you haven't seen it... there was an episode of The Simpsons in which Ned Flanders is talking to a Christian singer whose band has gone secular. He declares that it must have been a hard transition. She says "Not really, they just took out 'Jesus' and put in 'baby'." - or something to that effect.
For me, this created a natural test. The "girlfriend test". Basically, how easy is it for the song to be about the singer's girlfriend (or boyfriend) rather than about the Son of God? Now, it doesn't mean anything in itself. But, it is interesting to pay attention to. For example, consider the following song: I want to know You
I want to hear Your voice
I want to know You more
I want to touch You
I want to see Your face
I want to know You more
Verse 1
In the secret in the quiet place
In the stillness You are there
In the secret in the quiet hour
I wait only for You
'Cause I want to know You more
Verse 2
I am reaching for the highest goal
That I might receive the prize
Pressing onward
Pushing every hindrance aside
Out of my way
'Cause I want to know You more
Christians familiar with contemporary music will immediately recognize this as "In the Secret" - a song that's been around for about 15 years. Many of us like the song quite a bit. I remember in high school it was actually one of my favorites.
Those who are not familiar with the song will notice two things: (1) It's not obvious who the song is about. In fact, the only thing that implies that it's about God/Jesus is the rather vague allusion to Scripture in the beginning of Verse 2. Definitely does not pass the girlfriend test. (2) The singer sounds like a stalker. Seriously: "In the secret in the quiet hour I wait only for You"? Creepy.
Anyway, why do I bring it up? Well, I've been reading John Wesley (still!), and there's an interesting passage about Isaac Watts (who is known by some as the "Father of English Hymnody" - and who wrote the words to Joy to the World!, Jesus shall reign where'er the sun, O God Our Help In Ages Past, and When I Survey The Wondrous Cross). Here's what it says:
"a person of deep piety as well as judgment was occasionally remarking that some of the hymns in Horae Lyricae, dedicated to Divine Love, were (as he phrased it) 'too amorous, and fitter to be addresed by a lover to his fellow-mortal, than by a sinner to the most high God.'"
So, it appears that even Isaac Watts wrote words that failed the girlfriend test - AND that the girlfriend test was already being applied in the late 18th century. Interesting. |
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| Huh... Why didn't I think of this one earlier? |
[Jun. 22nd, 2009|08:52 pm] |
Okay, okay, okay.
Anyway, the whole "cutting $200 million in library funding" thing is part of a $3.2 billion plan to fix a budget shortfall.
Another part of that plan is to raise $700 million or so by putting video slot machines at the 6 race tracks in Ohio.
Which raises an obvious answer to the library funding problem.
Put slot machines in the libraries.
Problem solved. |
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| On the other hand... |
[Jun. 22nd, 2009|05:59 pm] |
I just got an e-mail from Gordon Gee telling us that the tuition freeze is still in effect because the State is going to continue funding OSU as necessary for that to be the case.
Which, of course, proves that the whole thing is political - as usual. On the one hand, library funding gets slashed. On the other hand, University funding stays high enough that tuition doesn't have to increase.
Why? Well, because University funding is considered spending on "education" while libraries are not considered that way.
Also, let's remember - most librarians wouldn't vote Republican even if Gov. Strickland adopted a policy of shooting librarians at random. So, they're a safe demographic to screw. On the other hand, OSU students are a mixed bag and jacking up their tuitions might actually change votes. |
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| Some solutions... |
[Jun. 22nd, 2009|01:37 pm] |
So, my wife works for the library, and Ohio's Governor has recommended a budget that cuts her library's funding significantly. Based on the numbers I've heard, it amounts to a decrease of 10% in the budget for the system for 2 years. Naturally, the library staff are not thrilled by this possibility.
So, the question I pose here is: how can Columbus Metropolitan Library deal with this situation - assuming that the cut does happen?
First, to quantify things: CML has an annual budget of a bit over $50 million a year. The cut is a total of $11 million over the next two years - so $5.5 million a year, roughtly.
So, how can CML adjust to that cut? A few possibilities:
(1) Rent items out. Wikipedia claims that CML had 15 million items checked out last year. Simply charging $0.50 per item checked out would make up the difference and then some. Of course, I'm erroneously assuming that people's behavior won't change in response to that price increase. This charge is very small, and as such is unlikely to create any financial burdens. Also, there's no reason that people couldn't continue to use the internet for free, and look at books and magazines for free.
(2) Subscription fees. CML has about 500,000 patrons - using a conservative estimate. A $10/year subscription fee would almost cover the loss. Once again, assuming that no one decides to just let their card expire.
(3) Double fines and service fees (for things like copies, printing, etc.). Right now, CML takes in $3 million in fines, fees, and charges for services. Doubling those fines and fees would cover much of the gap caused by the budget cut. (Once again, assuming blah blah blah blah)
(4) Cut back on purchases. Right now, about $5 million a year goes to purchasing library materials - books and the like. While it sounds silly to say it: "If the library stopped buying books, this budget cut would be no problem." Obviously, I'm not recommending that the library stop buying books. However, cutting back on buying books/magazines/etc. could obviously solve part - or, in the extreme, all - of the problem. Add to this: there are another $10 million in "purchased services". Exactly what these services are is not clear in the budget. But, I'd guess that at least some of these can be cut.
(5) Tax levy. CML's plan was to not ask voters for another tax levy until 2010. I think it's rather obvious that that plan didn't account for these extreme cuts in State funding. Right now, CML brings in about $25 million in local property taxes. So, increasing the CML tax levy by 1/5 would make up for any lost funding from the State. Naturally, this rests on the ability of CML to get the levy passed, which is not always easy - though CML does appear to have a very good track record.
Just for a few possibilities. Naturally, some of them are radical. And all of them are unlikely - except maybe #5. Either way, they are definitely all possibilities... |
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| Cool site |
[Jun. 18th, 2009|11:01 am] |
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So, for some reason, I got into ciphers today, and came across this site: http://www.cipher.maths.soton.ac.uk/
Apparently, they have a contest every year for students in the UK where they have a number of challenges throughout the school year, and you have to crack ciphered messages. Apparently, the ciphers range in difficulty from simple substitution ciphers to things that are much more complex... I really need to try to not get sucked into doing these things... If I were to be in an intelligence agency, the job I'd want is cracking ciphers. Now, I wouldn't get it, because I'm not that good at it. (My mind doesn't think that way.) But, that's the job I'd want... |
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| First Scholarly Publication! |
[Jun. 16th, 2009|05:08 pm] |
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Accepted!
Yes, that was an extremely fast turnaround. So fast that the contact person at the Journal said "I wish all submissions came to such a speedy resolution." So, yippee!
Now, to update my CV... |
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| First Submission... |
[Jun. 16th, 2009|11:37 am] |
So, I have my first submission to a scholarly journal in...
It's just a 4 page comment on an article that they just published, but it is my first submission. So, you know, that's something.
Anyway, we'll see how it goes. |
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| More John Wesley |
[Jun. 14th, 2009|10:51 pm] |
So, I'm continuing to read John Wesley's Sermons. Actually, I'm finally in the last volume of that... then I just have all the volumes of his letters, addresses, essays, hymns, and grammars for various languages (I'll probably skip those, actually...).
Anyway, I'm finding Wesley to be very challenging. Mostly because he's pretty hardcore about practice. For example, in the most recent chapter I read, he declared that men shouldn't sleep more than 6 or 7 hours a night. Now, I admit that I usually DON'T. But, he declared it as a matter of principle. Or, as another, he declared that Christians should only eat food that is "cheap and wholesome". (Most of my food is cheap - but FAR from wholesome.)
So, Wesley is making me think a lot about how much waste I have in my life. In particular: wasted time and wasted money. For example: can I really say that spending $25 on Nerd jellybeans (Note: I've not actually spent this much - yet - on Nerd jellybeans.) is a better use than handing that $25 to Kiva.org for a microloan? Probably not.
So, it's making me think about the need for redeeming my time and resources for better use. Which is, of course, a great challenge, as habit is comfortable. And, more powerfully, habit doesn't require thought.
And, to be honest, I really like Nerd jellybeans. |
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| Book Meme from Funnel101 |
[Jun. 14th, 2009|08:14 pm] |
Don’t take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you’ve read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in 15 minutes. Copy the instructions into your own note.
Not in any particular order:
1. The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien
2. The Bible
3. Capitalism and Freedom, by Milton Friedman
4. Democracy: the God that Failed, by Hans-Herman Hoppe
5. Apology for the True Christian Divinity, by Robert Barclay
6. Sherlock Holmes (the full set), by Arthur Conan Doyle
7. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by CS Lewis
8. A New Kind of Christian, by Brian McLaren
9. Cry, the Beloved Country, by Alan Patton
10. The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Lawrence
11. Mere Christianity, by CS Lewis
12. Confessions, by St. Augustine
13. Socialism, by Ludwig von Mises
14. Egalitarianism as a Revolt Against Nature (and other essays), by Murray N. Rothbard
15. The Intelligent Investor, by Benjamin Graham
( My commentary...because I can't help myself. ) |
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| So, apparently, the UK education system has gaps, too... |
[Jun. 10th, 2009|05:18 pm] |
It's well known that the US's education system has certain... gaps, shall we say... compared to much of the world.
Well, I was watching Big Brother UK on YouTube, and one of the housemates was talking about linguistics.
She declared "English and German are actually very similar. In part, it's because - the War - and the Nazi and stuff came to Britain. That's why German and English are so similar."
Because, you know, up until 1940, German and English had totally different syntax. It wasn't until the Nazi's bombed London that they decided to start using the same syntax as is used in English. Definitely nothing to do with the Anglo-Saxons moving from West Germany to Southern England in the 5th and 6th centuries.
*sigh*
Of course, that's not to say that the average American would do any better. The average American probably doesn't realize that English and German are closely related... (Though I'd bet that the average member of my Friends List DOES know that.) |
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| The Little Things... |
[Jun. 10th, 2009|01:28 pm] |
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As you know, I like to keep up on Economic Data.
Well, today the US Treasury released it's monthly "budget" for April of this year. But, that's not the point.
The point is: the monthly budget gives 3 numbers. Revenue, Outlays, and Deficit or Surplus.
The telling point: Deficits are listed as a POSITIVE number while surpluses are listed as NEGATIVE.
Welcome to Opposite Land. |
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| A Tautology... |
[Jun. 10th, 2009|12:47 pm] |
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As I do far too often, I walked over to Panda Express to get lunch today.
My fortune: "You have an ability to sense and know higher truth."
Which is probably a tautology. At the very least, I don't think I can deny it without running into a contradiction.
Unless, of course, fortune cookie fortunes don't count as "higher truth".
Darn. |
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| See? The Bailout won't cost taxpayers anything! |
[Jun. 9th, 2009|11:06 am] |
Remember the $700Billion bailout?
Well, it appears that some banks are paying the money back.
In particular, 10 unnamed banks are paying back about $68billion. So, only $632 billion to go!
An odd statement in the article: "Some worry the repayments could widen the gap between healthy and weak banks."
Out of curiosity, why is this a problem? In a capitalist profit-and-loss system, we WANT there to be wide gaps between healthy and weak businesses. That makes it very obvious which banks should be shut down, and which should remain open. If we're going to have a general contraction in banking (and I think we have had and are still having such a contraction), it is most definitely helpful to know WHO should do the contracting, so a wide gap between the healthy and weak is very helpful.
Imagine that someone has cancer. Do you want the cancer cells and the healthy cells to look similar? OF COURSE NOT. In fact, the more different they are, the better, as it increases your chances of developing a treatment that can target just the cancer cells. (Actually, my understanding is that part of the reason cancer is so nasty is because cancer cells are so much like normal cells - making it very difficult to come up with treatments that kill the cancer but not the healthy cells.) In many ways, the banking system is similar at the moment. It's obvious that there's cancer in it, and that that cancer has threatened to bring the system crashing down (in some sense, it DID bring the system crashing down). It seems obvious that if we can isolate where the cancer is, we should have a much more successful (less invasive) treatment, and a much speedier recovery.
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