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Links of Possible Relevance, Part 15

Authors Respond to Brexit on Twitter – I am shocked—shocked—that rich elitists would sympathize with soulless bureaucracies. Fit for a King singer faces backlash for comments on race – AKA: People are oversensitive sissies. Aristotle’s 2400 Year Old Tomb Found at Stagira – Found next to Plato’s Cave. Anyone? Yes? No? I’ll see myself out… Links of Possible Relevance, Part 15

There Is No Hippo

Azure Ides-Grey posted a video about the hippopotamus dilemma. I commented: A philosophy professor of mine came up with a similar dilemma. His solution, which I liked, was to demonstrate that 100% of the room’s capacity was taken up with non-hippopotamus objects: in this video’s case, it would be mostly air, with some books, shelves, There Is No Hippo

STEMwiches

Someone at the the excellent resource EffectiveUI wonders if two unrelated things are related to each other: Does being out in tech matter? This is a question I asked myself last week when I was preparing to be on a panel at the Google offices in Boulder, Colorado to speak to LGBTQ youth about careers STEMwiches

Discover the Monoculture

This commercial is a prime target for diversity bed-wetters—the actress is blonde and blue-eyed, even. Why hasn’t this been nailed to the wall?

Addendum to Epistemology Post

There were a few extra things I had written for Ed’s Radix Fidem project that I edited out because it seemed to veer a little too much off course. It was regarding the ineffectiveness of the two logics when used outside of their scope. Have you ever seen network systems diagram, or mobile application workflow, Addendum to Epistemology Post

The Epistemology of Belief

I made a contribution to Ed’s Radix Fidem project, and he published it as a guest post. You can read it all here, but a sample is below. There was a lot of back and forth and deleting while I was writing it. It’s a slippery topic. Honestly, with English as my first language—hence, the The Epistemology of Belief

The Asian Squat

After hearing so much about the Asian squat lately online, by happenstance, I tried it. I was partially able to hold it, but it was right after a workout, so I’m using that as an excuse. I’m able to do pistol squats well, so I thought the Squat would be easy to do. I guess The Asian Squat

Was the jQuery Blog Hacked?

Below are some screens from a post on the jQuery blog, that I received in my RSS reader. Looks like they were hacked, but the post has been taken down. Interesting. EDIT: Google search results for “jquery hacked” lists the hacked blog post as the fifth search result (yours truly comes in as the ninth Was the jQuery Blog Hacked?

There Will Always Be Divisions

Ed points out tribalism within the church: When you get mainstream any Christian leader to read this same passage and he starts talking about how we need to end sectarianism. But what he really mean is that everyone should dissolve their clubs and join his. “Well, isn’t it obvious? Our way is the right one!” There Will Always Be Divisions

A Wonderful Movie Review

I caught bits and pieces of Bloodsport the other night. I don’t know much about martial arts movies but it seems to be the quintessential 80’s Western “kung fu” movie—its ubiquity is inescapable, and we have very, very basic cable. Browsing the reviews of the movie on imdb.com revealed this wonderful gem. I want to A Wonderful Movie Review

Everything Has to Really Be Something Else

Gillian Anderson is cool with being a James Bond incarnation, because the Internet brought it up: Anderson is on Tumblr under the name Chewie’s Girlfriend (a reference to Chewbacca from Star Wars). She recently answered a series of questions on the platform, one of which was “What’s the best rumour you’ve ever heard about yourself?” Everything Has to Really Be Something Else

Links of Possible Relevance, Part 14

The Fall of Venezuela. Prepare Yourself Accordingly. – Surprise! A socialist nation turns into a sick, broke, starving, boiling-hot dystopia. What Are the Dreams of Blind People Like? FDA Claims the Power to Define Words What the Hell? – “The language you speak is the language you think, and the language can seriously hold you Links of Possible Relevance, Part 14

Every 20th Century War Novel

“Say, I really like Thing X,” said the private, who was Jewish or from a southern state. “That’s dumb. You’re dumb,” said the other private, who was the opposite ethnicity of the first private. “You’re such a racial epithet.” Later, after tossing around more ethnic slurs, they searched for food or booze, fooled around with Every 20th Century War Novel

Goodreads Giveaway for Pale Blue Scratch

The Goodreads giveaway for Pale Blue Scratch is now a go. Look to the right, or down below if you’re on mobile, so read about it and enter, or just click here to enter. Go for it! Giveaway is over, and the winners have been selected. Thanks for checking it out.

Movie: Millennium Actress

I posted the full movie a few years ago, but YouTube had taken it down, most likely because it was an upload from a random user without the copywright. However, the Paramount Vault channel recently uploaded it in full, so it looks like it’s here to say. Enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqq0nVu29g8

The SFWA Has a Gender Problem

The 2015 Nebula Awards were announced today. Glaring inequality abounds* inside the sci-fi and fantasy world, and it’s not okay: Earlier tonight, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America handed out the Nebula Award in Chicago, and this year women have swept one of science fiction’s biggest awards. This year’s Nebula Award Banquet toastmaster The SFWA Has a Gender Problem

Photo: Bicycle with Built-In Cup Holder

I was getting a pinch flat fixed over the weekend, and I saw this beauty. I don’t know if this a “commuter bike” proper, but I’d think a cup holder of this kind is a prerequisite.

A Playlist of Possible Interest

Thought I’d share my (mostly) video game music playlist. It’s good for background music for reading or quiet working, though if you really like some of the songs the experience can be interrupting. Youtube has a 200 video limit for embeded playlists, looks like, so go here to the actual playlist page for all the A Playlist of Possible Interest

The Electric Universe

I came across a lot of alt-physics theories when writing Pale Blue Scratch, since technology played a large role in the plot, and the Tesla/Edison period was a good fit for the time period and history. I recently rediscovered one of the first sites I had explored to get a feel for all of this: The Electric Universe

Vladimir Martynov’s The Beatitudes

You don’t understand, but perhaps you do. This song kills me. Kills me. There’s an all-string version, which seems more popular, by the Kronos Quartet that was in the movie La Grande Bellezza. That one is also good, but there’s something special about it being performed a capella.

The Ideal State

Jill asked me in a comment to describe my ideal state. I obliged: You know, I don’t think anyone has asked me that directly. I don’t know what the ideal state is, but it probably isn’t a state. I can’t really decide for other people under what rulership they should be living–deciding for other people The Ideal State

A Partial Review of Pale Blue Scratch

I received this review of Pale Blue Scratch via email (beware…partial spoilers ahoy): So far enjoying this mysterious, exotic journey and love the relationship between the two main characters. REALLY appreciate the fact that you chose to make the main protagonist a strong, smart, independent woman… the equivalent of an undercover female ninja warrior/secret agent, A Partial Review of Pale Blue Scratch

Planned Economies

Another good one from Cafe Hayek: “No. Just No.” Second and even more importantly here: “national productivity strategies” are, practically speaking, strategies or plans imposed by the state. They are schemes pressed down from on high by politicians and bureaucrats each of whom not only is motivated chiefly by political goals (and, thus, likely to Planned Economies

The Shell Game

Donald Boudreaux elaborates on a reader’s letter regarding minimum wage: Although the economic outcome of minimum wages would be unchanged if the enforcement were imposed directly on workers rather than on employers, the true nature of minimum wages would be made clearer if enforcement were imposed directly on workers. The reason is that the minimum The Shell Game

My First Hackathon

I typed away at my first hackathon ever a few weeks ago: PNC’s APIFest. My team and I stayed up all night, eating any kind of computer geek food they threw at us and plugging away. Our idea was very UI-heavy, so I had plenty of work to do. I got maybe 20 total minutes My First Hackathon

Natural and Supernatural Co-Location

Ed talks about where here is in relation to the supernatural domain: With rare exception, all of the Christians I’ve ever met ascribe to some version “Heaven” as somewhere different from here and now. But it seems most of the time a mere idea. It’s not part of their calculus of life. They act as Natural and Supernatural Co-Location

Multiculturalism Doesn’t Exist

I mean, multiculturalism does exist, and has always existed. The earth has many cultures. This is self-evident. Yet, multiculturalism doesn’t exist in the way some may think it does. A story from my Facebook days. Friend Y posted about their job at X. One night, a Muslim man and his wife came in. The man Multiculturalism Doesn’t Exist

Mia Kim Got Scratched!

This is Mia Kim’s thumb and new copy of Pale Blue Scratch. Send in a photo of you with a copy of the book (paperback or ebook version), and I’ll post it here and link back to your site/blog/Twitter/Facebook/Geocities page.

Teach Your Kids Not to be Dicks

TED Talks are the pinnacle of bourgeois cheesepuff and self-back-pattery—a ‘roided up NPR with visuals. As a prole, I’m supposed to be floored by the priesthood coming out from behind the Veil of the Holy of Holies to radiate their revelations to me. Their videos are mildly interesting at best, but this one I couldn’t Teach Your Kids Not to be Dicks

Photo: That’s Great

From page 415 of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods (10th Anniversary edition, Author’s Preferred Text).

Stabbing People’s Money

I knew Aaron was deep in economic knowledge, so I’m glad he posted some definitive armchair analysis of the funny business of large-scale, central planning of economies (emphasis his): And about 20 years ago, I did precisely that. Arguably one of my best charts I ever compiled proved me correct – government spending as a Stabbing People’s Money

Rey Skywalker Is Not A Mary Sue

Going to backtrack a statement I made in an old Star Wars: The Force Awakens post. Rey Skywalker is definitely not a Mary Sue: 7. She cobbled together a computer from crashed ships and found a data chip with a functioning flight simulator program. She used the program in her spare time, like when she Rey Skywalker Is Not A Mary Sue

Happy Easter, 2016

Happy Easter! Please enjoy my favorite Easter song. If it’s not your first choice in music (understandable), at least read the lyrics, posted below the video. Crucifixion upon the cross Dying for sins, fulfilling prophecy Beaten for His faith Praying for enemies upon sacrifice Forsaken in the eyes of God Sins of man, to Him Happy Easter, 2016

Buying Coffee Without Money

Interesting idea from Meinl Coffee, if you can write and like coffee (the two usually go hand in hand): On March 21st, World Poetry Day, we let our imagination wonder. We dream of a place where money is replaced by emotions. A better world. For one day, we’re changing the currency in coffeehouses around the Buying Coffee Without Money

Bug Cleaning

From Neil Gaiman’s American Gods: A sad cockroach lay on its back in the middle of the tiled floor. Shadow took a towel and cleaned off the inside of the tub with it, then ran the water. Besides being in the same paragraph, there’s nothing syntactically linking the cockroach to the “it” in the second Bug Cleaning

Links of Possible Relevance, Part 12

Pitt Students Completely Melt Down After Visit From Conservative Writer – Behold, the next generation of industry leaders and politicians. There’s lots of stories like these, but this is in my own backyard—I can see the Cathedral of Learning if I look behind me at work. Phobialist doesn’t list “an irrational fear of a different Links of Possible Relevance, Part 12

You Keep Saying “User Experience” But I Don’t Think You Know What It Means

I usually like Aaron’s thoughts, especially on economic stuff, but he’s off here. UX (user experience) isn’t testing, though it involves that (and, by the way, application testing is a dedicated position). The biggest task for UX designers is logically organizing information, the user action path, and general interface, particularly on large-scale applications and websites. You Keep Saying “User Experience” But I Don’t Think You Know What It Means

Analogies Are Not Arguments

As always, I don’t bother much with the political aspect (although at times it’s entertaining), but Scott Adams has some interesting “duh” insight in “Let’s Talk About Hitler”: As I have explained in this blog before, analogies are not part of reason. Sometimes things just remind you of other things. That’s the beginning and end Analogies Are Not Arguments

Facebook Deleted, and a Poll

I deleted my Facebook account. I remembered I had a GitHub account that I did little with—deleted that one, too. I had planned on doing that some time ago when they started getting infested with SJWs, but it fell off my radar. So, an informal poll. I have the Links of Possible Relevance posts that Facebook Deleted, and a Poll

The Meaning of “Need”

There was a survey-type of form at work I was filling out, and one of the questions was if I “needed” resource X. The few questions preceding this one had to do with resource X, and it was something I already had. Depending on how I regarded the question, it could require two different answers. The Meaning of “Need”

God and Evidence

I made a drive-by comment on a recent Stefan Molyneux video, which caused an avalanche of responses, most of which I didn’t read. I did make one more comment that clarified/reworded the original. I don’t know if it helped. It probably didn’t. In reading the video’s description, the philosophical assumptions are apparent: Question: “I consider God and Evidence

God’s Nose Wiggles

If you didn’t hear, scientists discovered some unusual gravitational waves emanating from two black holes. It’s a big deal since it strongly bolsters Einstein’s space-time theories. Mike Duran quoted astrophysicist Hugh Ross on Facebook: “The existence of gravity waves is an important prediction of Einstein’s theory of general relativity. Einstein’s theory of general relativity is God’s Nose Wiggles

Umberto Eco Just Died

RIP, Eco. I haven’t read The Name of the Rose, his most well-known book, but it’s currently in the “to read” stack. I did see the movie version, with Sean Connery and Christian Slater, but I was too young to really appreciate it. I’ve only read Foucault’s Pendulum (free PDF here). I liked it so Umberto Eco Just Died

Three Apologetics Videos

Please excuse the lack of substantive posts lately. I’ve been busy doing clean up work in the aftermath of Pale Blue Scratch’s release. Things will be back to normal soon…whatever that means. My friend Ben Smith did a series of talks/lectures on philosophy and basic apologetics. I haven’t listened these all the way through, but Three Apologetics Videos

Pale Blue Scratch Is Now Available

A quick note. If you hadn’t noticed the new navigation link or the book cover images on the sidebar, Pale Blue Scratch is now available. Go here for all the buying options.

A Politician Says Stuff About Boobs

How did I miss this? I ignore the news, but every now and then a breastfeeding story comes up, usually because of some uppity Victorian-types making lots of noise. If the Victorian-type is a politician, all the lefty sites will be all over it. Why wouldn’t they? It’s outrage red meat. New Hampshire State Rep. A Politician Says Stuff About Boobs

Links of Possible Relevance, Part 11

When Philosophy Lost Its Way – “Philosophy should never have been purified.” The Akrasia Effect: Why We Don’t Follow Through on What We Set Out to Do (And What to Do About It) – Throw away your clothes. No food is healthy. Not even kale. – AKA: Everything causes cancer, everything prevents cancer. How the Links of Possible Relevance, Part 11

Dancing Mechas

While doing research for Pale Blue Scratch, on ballet and dancing in general, I came upon this video while following rabbit trails on Google. It’s the intro for a series I had watched a few years ago on Netflix, before one of their anime purges. I have no reason for posting it, other than I Dancing Mechas

Lyrics: Rush’s Losing It

One of the best songs, lyrically, on dealing with a tragedy. Most popular music lyrics that tackle depressing a subject focus on three certain kinds: unrequited love, death, or whatever the mental pathology du jour is popular. I don’t think I’ve heard a song deal with vocational or occupational tragedy before. Contrast this with the Lyrics: Rush’s Losing It

Math Is Not Science

At least, I don’t think it is. From the clickbaity “According To Science, This Is The Perfect And Best Road Trip You Can Possibly Take.” WITH THE HELP OF A SOPHISTICATED ALGORITHM, THIS ROAD TRIP ALLOWS YOU TO START IN ANY STATE. JUST HOP ON AT THE POINT THAT RUNS THROUGH YOUR STATE AND KEEP Math Is Not Science

The Jay Test

Facebook friend Mike Duran posted about the Bechdel Test on his wall recently. I had never heard of it, but I’m happy to report any conversation between women appearing in Pale Blue Scratch fails the test. Well, not exactly happy; I’m really indifferent toward it. However, I don’t play the gender culture war and I The Jay Test

Dishonored Completed

I just finished playing Dishonored. Good game! It was my first stealth FPS, so I had adjustment issues after gorging on Halo installments for so long. Dishonored has high art direction value, taking a lot of aesthetics from Industrial age British fashion. That, and the dystopian decay plot point lends itself well to the alternative Dishonored Completed

Kylo Ren’s Bowcaster Injury

GeekxGirls posted on Kylo Ren’s lightsaber battles, and they have similar thoughts to what I’ve been gassing on about. From “Kylo vs Finn and Rey – You’re Missing the Damn Point!”, regarding his injury from Chewbacca’s bowcaster: So…after being shown the pure unadulterated hell that spews forth from this hand-held death cannon in a deluge Kylo Ren’s Bowcaster Injury

Kickstarter – Post Game Analysis

The Kickstater campaign for the new book was rather successful. I didn’t know how it would turn out, honestly, but I had expectations that it wouldn’t make it. The bulk of the contributions came from family and friends who wanted to help out, especially the first half of the pledges. Near the end, after it Kickstarter – Post Game Analysis

Make 2016 A Heavy Metal Year

Below is a postcard I designed for Seth at Skulltoaster. I think it printed well, but in retrospect I should have made the blue colorized Seth in the background a little brighter, and emphasized his “2016” glasses a little more. Photography by Molly Hudelson.

Addendum to Previous Star Was Post

See the original post. As if I need to add even more online commentary about this movie… I rewatched it the other night, and I paid special attention to the lightsaber fight between Kylo Ren and Rae, and I probably should revise my original thoughts. When they start out, it’s basically Rae trying to get Addendum to Previous Star Was Post

Links of Possible Relevance, Part 10

Buon Natale! You Barely Make a Difference and It’s a Good Thing – Stop trying to fix the world Also, you are not advancing the kingdom – “There is no social agenda that has any relationship with the Kingdom of God.” The Metalhead Kids Are All Right How Progressives Stole Christian History – Progressivism is Links of Possible Relevance, Part 10

Eat More Fat

An interesting excerpt from an article last year, from the Daily Beast: “The Heart Association’s Junk Science Diet“: In fact, most people who have heart attacks don’t have elevations in bad cholesterol. They are much more likely to have metabolic syndrome—a condition that puts you at high risk for diabetes and heart disease. Metabolic syndrome Eat More Fat

Commas Are Still Useful

Make me a sandwich, bitch,” is a semi-literal phrase used less as a command and more as a denigration, for obvious reasons. I came across a screenshot of someone on Twitter tweeting it, so I did some searches on the phrase, both with and without the comma. Nearly all usages I’ve seen online do no Commas Are Still Useful

Directing One’s Passions

If a man has to set his passions on a subject, let it be an inconsequential thing: sports, music, food. The worst thing, if his affections for the subject become too engaged and inflamed, is a barroom brawl, an insult hurled online at a different band’s fan, or food thrown across the restaurant table. Even Directing One’s Passions

Further Thoughts On Prometheus

With the news of Ridley Scott planning to direct a trilogy of films as Prometheus sequels, I intentionally fell into reading more explanations and speculations about Prometheus. I came up with two and a half more unexplained elements from the film that will hopefully be addressed. 1. This one is minor, so I’ll get it Further Thoughts On Prometheus

Personal Fitness Note

I just started a membership at the local Planet Fitness. Nothing truly groundbreaking, but it’s a huge personal switch from me after exercising for years in the ol’ basement for many years. Since I’ve posted here before, though rarely, on fitness, I thought I’d share a few observations. 1. Working out in public requires a Personal Fitness Note

Why Should God Fix Anything?

Perhaps you’ve read this article regarding the recent San Bernardino shooting, or at least seen an image of the cover with the bold quote. America—as the pinnacle of Western civ, with all its attendant belief systems—as a nation, has nothing to do with God, so I don’t see a reason why God should bother helping Why Should God Fix Anything?

Links of Possible Relevance, Part 9

The Real Reason We Need to Stop Trying to Protect Everyone’s Feelings Sic et Non, Souls and Pre-existence – I’m in the middle of reading Plato’s Phaedo, and the soul’s pre-existence was forefront. Instead of bumbling through a post about it, JT’s writing is much better. A classic formula for pi has been discovered hidden Links of Possible Relevance, Part 9

That Julia Price Story is Suspect

I don’t normally comment on these “dawww that’s cute” type of stories, but I’ve been seeing this too much to ignore it. Story here, original Facebook post here. I was about to write it off as another useless social media story with a gratuitous selfie of Julia for maximum attention generation, until I read that That Julia Price Story is Suspect

Random Thoughts on the Syrian Diaspora Issue

1. “Refugee,” much like “slave,” used in this modern context, may be wildly different than mentions of “refugee” in some translations of the Bible. X doesn’t always mean x, especially when there’s a good few thousand years worth of linguistic, cultural, and technological differences. 2. Universal moral imperatives, especially for something so complex as this Random Thoughts on the Syrian Diaspora Issue

Links of Possible Relevance, Part 8

It’s been a while since I did one of these! The Medieval Mind and the Modernist Error – You might be dumber than a 12th century French peasant who makes $2 a year. Academia’s Rejection of Diversity – AKA: A moral imperative for us, not for them. The Latest Evidence That Helmet Laws Don’t Help Links of Possible Relevance, Part 8

Another Site Design Update

I changed a few things on the site, to make things a little wonky. The biggest change were the drawer dropdowns I used for the navigation. The plugin seemed to take up a lot of the load time, and the experience wasn’t ideal on mobile, so I ditched it. There’s only one navigable page—the “About” Another Site Design Update

Rocky and Mutual Male Touching

I remember watching the Rocky movies countless times when I was younger, and I never thought the semi-iconic scene in Rocky III where Rocky finally out-sprints Apollo Creed was implicitly homosexual. Watching it now, one has to wonder how much attitudes have changed, such that the filmmakers back then (1982) never thought twice that this Rocky and Mutual Male Touching

How to Play Xbox Games on an XBox 360

Consider this a public service announcement post, since I had some issues with getting my copy of Halo 2 to work, even after doing research online. I have an Xbox 360 E, and they require an internal drive to make original Xbox games compatible. However, the internal drive must be an official Microsoft hard drive, How to Play Xbox Games on an XBox 360

Mozilla’s Manifesto Is Eh

After upgrading to Windows 10, I saw that the Mozilla Manifesto was directly linked from the Firefox’s default “new tab” screen (for the record, I’m a Chrome guy). With Mozilla’s recent dalliances with progressive politics, I wanted to see if it infected their official statement of purpose. It mostly didn’t, thankfully, but it is rather Mozilla’s Manifesto Is Eh

Orson Scott Card’s Myth-Language

The quote below is from Children of the Mind (free pdf here), the last book in the The Ender Quartet series, Chapter 7, page 101. This is part of a chapter of the book that stuck with me, since it describes a material and technological phenomenon in mythical language. “Myth” has been transformed into a Orson Scott Card’s Myth-Language

The Diversity Issue

After a some comments I made on one of Mike Duran’s post, “Does Christian Fiction Have a Race Problem?”, I was set to write a lot of about the politicized nature of the modern diversity concept. Stefan Molyneux beat me and saved me some writing time, so I’d advise you to watch the video below. The Diversity Issue

What You Really Love

The comments on my last post reminded me of how much scientific “stuff” we really don’t know, epistemologically, so this is just a quick reminder. Since we don’t do experiments ourselves and only learn about them after they’ve gone through many hands and eyes, and through a massive popularization filter (looking at you, I Fucking What You Really Love

Mad Max(imally)

From a letter to William Lane Craig, Craig’s response (bold mine): Your envisioned scenario is quite similar to the objection of the late philosopher J. Howard Sobel. Sobel invites us to conceive of something which, if it is possible, is a dragon in whichever world is the actual world. This is just like your “phoenix Mad Max(imally)

The Staycation Dad Chronicles

A cut and paste post while I’m busy finishing up Pale Blue Scratch. I recently finished a staycation and was busy annoying everyone on Facebook with my humdrum, activities in the dense suburbs of Pittsburgh. Here they are, serialized for your pleasure—because what’s more entertaining than what an average white American male does in his The Staycation Dad Chronicles

The Euthyphro Dumb-lemma

See here and here for reference. 1. Inference (2): “If (i) morally good acts are willed by God because they are morally good, then they are morally good independent of God’s will.” – Possibly true, but irrelevant, since there’s other things besides God’s will that morality could rest upon: i.e., God’s power or omniscience. 2. The Euthyphro Dumb-lemma