Thoughts

While I write this letter, I have a pistol in one hand and a sword in the other. -- Sir Boyle Roche

Failed Blog

Here are the posts I made to my failed attempt at a blog. I thought it would be a waste not to transfer my postings over to this new site.

You Talkin to Me? You Talkin to Me?

Posted: 23 June 2002
On April 1st, 1990, RFC 1149 was introduced. For those that don't know, Internet communication standards are based on documentation called Request For Comments (RFCs) that call for comments from the Internet community on proposed standards. You wouldn't be reading this web page right now without a colony[?] of RFCs.

RFC 1149, entitled "Standard for the Transmission of IP Datagrams on Avian Carriers", describes how data can be sent between two computers via carrier pigeons. Finally after 11 years, a group of folks have implemented this protocol.

If you are still saying, "Huh?", just look at the colorful pictures of the little birdies. Btw, I found these links via GeekIssues.

Rate My Kitten

Posted: 18 June 2002
Wil Wheaton pointed to a website based off the Hot or Not site called Rate My Kitten. Being a cat owner, I decided to participate and rate a few kittens. Some of the kittens were just not worthy, so I decided to start posting a few photos of Cloe and Damien. If you decide to rate them, be honest. I have some cuter pictures I'll post later on, so they'll need the high scores. :)

Seems Kinda Ferric to Me

Posted: 22 May 2002
I rather enjoyed seeing these signs on a door in the building in which I work.

If You Blog, They Will Come

Posted: 6 April 2002
I should blog more, even if it is non-thoughtful stuff. So... When you fart and your friend laughs, do you ever think about cavemen farting? They probably laughed too, at least, until one of them got too close to the campfire.

Sign of the Times

Posted: 1 April 2002
So, today's April 1st, aka April Fool's Day. I knew this before starting my day, yet I was fooled by Fark.com with its article about Osama bin Laden arrested at Delhi railway station. Half-way through reading the article, I began to wonder why this site had the scoop, so I went to ABCNews.com and saw nothing there in the headlines. I went back to the Osama article and skimmed to the bottom where I was informed that the article was a joke. Sure, I could have saved myself the embarrassment by not telling anyone, but I thought I'd share.

The Outer Limits

Posted: 28 March 2002
The American government is split into three branches: executive, judicial, and legislative. Those three branches should have equal power, and each branch has mechanisms (checks and balances) to overrule the other two in case one branch gets too much power. What this creates is a system where each branch inherently does not want to cooperate with the other two. It becomes an adversarial system. Each branch will grab as much power as it can, knowing that for a little while it is on top before the other branches knock it down.

What I'm getting at is that Congress is passing laws that are slowly taking away citizens' rights, especially when it pertains to technology. Congress takes those rights and magically transforms them into power for corporations to yield. Corporations, backed by law, are now controlling consumers. For example, the recording industry is giving us music to listen to and telling us how to listen to it. Slashdot linked to article by Michael Fraase called When Elephants Dance. It's an interesting read and pretty much sums up the recent Congressional atrocities in regards to the entertainment industry and copyright laws.

Synergy

Posted: 28 March 2002
What happens when you take a lot of little things and connect them together with physical contact or with communication? With any luck, you'll end up with something greater than its parts. This concept is called synergy. Though this term is often used as a business buzzword, it has other applications, which I will discuss here.

A basic example would be of a symbiosis. Bees help pollenate flowers, and flowers help bees create honey. Individually, they could not do this well, or at all, on their own. They benefit from each other's presence. Instead of having just a flower, you have a flower that can spread its pollen easily. Instead of having just a bee, you have a bee that can produce honey.

We owe our self-awareness to synergy. Have you ever thought about the fact that you're alive? Have you thought about the nothingness that could have been? Have you thought about how billions of cells could somehow agree to form a consciousness? Most who wonder these questions believe the little extra thing we call consciousness is due to some outside force or it's a gift from some superior being. We end up belittling ourselves.

We have examples of synergy all around us, and most choose to ignore the fact that humans could be the supreme example. Why can't our cells, specifically our brain cells, form something greater? What would prevent our brains from being able to understand what they sense and be able to predict the rewards or consequences? What would prevent our brains from imagining the future and thinking abstractly? What could prevent our brains from developing communication so well, that you understand what I am writing right now?

Would it be impossible for other lifeforms on Earth to develop a consciousness, even if it is simpler than ours? Would it be impossible for other lifeforms on other planets to do the same?

And So It Begins

Posted: 27 March 2002
I'm not much of a writer, but I think a lot. Thinking really doesn't do much good if you don't share your thoughts. I have created this blog in an effort to release some of my ideas, gripes, and wild perspectives.

I don't expect a huge readership, and I really don't care if I have an audience or not. I can talk to myself as easily as others; in fact, I do talk to myself whenever I'm alone.

To explain a little bit about my personality... I don't go along with the crowd if something doesn't make sense. I'm kinda wacky at times, mostly for comic effect. I watch and observe a lot and try to look at everything from a new angle and my own life in third person. I am fairly introverted and prefer to listen to other people talk. I will speak my mind if someone heads down the wrong path or if I feel that principles are being ignored or violated.

Hmm... I believe that's enough for the first post on my blog. Me go sleepy now.

Content updated: 16 Oct 2003

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