I can win an argument on any topic, against any opponent. People know this, and steer clear of me at parties. Often, as a sign of their great respect, they don't even invite me.
-- Dave Barry
Saturday, August 14, 2010
A bit busy
I may be "git bloggin' less than usual this weekend, I have a lot of boring admin work I have to finish.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Origami collection
It's funny, I keep running into art made from paper, I don't know why. I have not even posted all of them.
Here's a page which has apparently real origami, meaning the sheet has been folded, but not cut.
Here's a page which has apparently real origami, meaning the sheet has been folded, but not cut.
Libraries
When I step into this library, I cannot understand why I ever step out of it.
-- Marie de Sevigne
Yep.
After Amazon appeared, I always have more than I can read, but back in the day, man, I used libraries so much. It's like a big, free gold mine for the mind.
Update:
TTL said:
Public library is a socialist concept. Like all public sector programs, public libraries are funded by force, using the threat of violence.
I don't like violence.
What we should have instead are book crossing centers. Places where people can leave books they own but no longer need, and where others can pick them up without an obligation to return.
In fact, there is a mini version of this inside a shopping center near where I live. It works marvelously well. So far, I have dropped maybe 100 books there, all of which have found a new owner on the same day. I plan to donate much more.
Eolake:
Yes, that's an excellent idea.
Last time I got rid of a lot of books, I put them in a box in the stair well with a sign that they were free, and they were all gone after a few days.
Earlier, sometimes I have given them to charity shops.
But I'd love to have a book crossing center.
-- Marie de Sevigne
Yep.
After Amazon appeared, I always have more than I can read, but back in the day, man, I used libraries so much. It's like a big, free gold mine for the mind.
Update:
TTL said:
Public library is a socialist concept. Like all public sector programs, public libraries are funded by force, using the threat of violence.
I don't like violence.
What we should have instead are book crossing centers. Places where people can leave books they own but no longer need, and where others can pick them up without an obligation to return.
In fact, there is a mini version of this inside a shopping center near where I live. It works marvelously well. So far, I have dropped maybe 100 books there, all of which have found a new owner on the same day. I plan to donate much more.
Eolake:
Yes, that's an excellent idea.
Last time I got rid of a lot of books, I put them in a box in the stair well with a sign that they were free, and they were all gone after a few days.
Earlier, sometimes I have given them to charity shops.
But I'd love to have a book crossing center.
How to prolong lithium-based batteries
[Thanks to Bruce]
How to prolong lithium-based batteries, article. I've been promoting occasional full discharges to keep the "elasticity" of your gadget's battery. But it seems the advice is different when we're talking about a lithium-based battery, which are becoming common. They prefer partial discharges rather than full ones.
But still:
Although lithium-ion is memory-free in terms of performance deterioration, batteries with fuel gauges exhibit what engineers refer to as "digital memory". Here is the reason: Short discharges with subsequent recharges do not provide the periodic calibration needed to synchronize the fuel gauge with the battery's state-of-charge. A deliberate full discharge and recharge every 30 charges corrects this problem.
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"Going West" paper animation
Joe found this impressive animation.
I think it's a promotion for books in general, for some reason.
I think it's a promotion for books in general, for some reason.
Birdman Shows Off His $2.1 Million Bugatti
Birdman Shows Off His $2.1 Million Bugatti, article and video.
The car is pretty but a tad over-powered:
It seems that when Bryan "Birdman" Williams talks, about every third word is a swear word. And when being filmed demoing his Bugatti, the world's most expensive road car, he walks around in a Adidas track suit with the pants hanging way down on his behind. I wonder if big money and good taste ever went together?
By the way, I am told from a usually reliable source that a common problem for young urban men is hip-displacement due to the way they have to walk to keep their pants from sliding all the way down. That is either weird, or funny, or sad, I'm not sure.
The car is pretty but a tad over-powered:
Top Gear estimate the Bugatti would run out of fuel in about 12 minutes at its top speed. Not that you'd want to keep going past 12 minutes, anyway -- Top Gear also says the Bugatti's specialty tires would begin to disintegrate after about 15 minutes.
It seems that when Bryan "Birdman" Williams talks, about every third word is a swear word. And when being filmed demoing his Bugatti, the world's most expensive road car, he walks around in a Adidas track suit with the pants hanging way down on his behind. I wonder if big money and good taste ever went together?
By the way, I am told from a usually reliable source that a common problem for young urban men is hip-displacement due to the way they have to walk to keep their pants from sliding all the way down. That is either weird, or funny, or sad, I'm not sure.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Friction or momentum
I would not waste my life in friction when it could be turned into momentum.
-- Frances Willard
This relates nicely to a thought in a P Graham article I linked to recently. About how most conflicts are not just unpleasant and unnecessary, but also occupies your thoughts to an unhealthy degree, robbing you of productive thoughts.
Conflict is seductive, it draws you in. But with time and discipline, one can go beyond it.
-- Frances Willard
This relates nicely to a thought in a P Graham article I linked to recently. About how most conflicts are not just unpleasant and unnecessary, but also occupies your thoughts to an unhealthy degree, robbing you of productive thoughts.
Conflict is seductive, it draws you in. But with time and discipline, one can go beyond it.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
You are beautiful
I actually at one point considered making such cards to give to honeys, although the "pass it on" bit didn't occur to me.
I found the card on YouAreBeautiful.
Doesn't the word "beautiful" have an awful spelling, though? I always stumble over it.
I found the card on YouAreBeautiful.
Doesn't the word "beautiful" have an awful spelling, though? I always stumble over it.
Doing Nothing to Enhance Creativity
Doing Nothing to Enhance Creativity, article. Another one from S. Shapiro.
I've noticed this in myself to a high degree in recent years. I have a hyper-active mind which I find nigh impossible to quiet down, sometimes irritatingly. One of the exceptions is when I am really, really relaxing, in the dark or at least darkened room, on or in my bed.
And not the least of it happens, as the article talks about, when I am halfway between awake and asleep. I've had many amazing mental experiences and developments in this state.
Action is counter-productive to deep thought, and deep thought is counter-productive to action. I think it's a good thing to make time, separate times, for both in life.
Update: here's another vote for relaxing, it seems that an afternoon nap markedly boosts the brain's learning capacity.
I've noticed this in myself to a high degree in recent years. I have a hyper-active mind which I find nigh impossible to quiet down, sometimes irritatingly. One of the exceptions is when I am really, really relaxing, in the dark or at least darkened room, on or in my bed.
And not the least of it happens, as the article talks about, when I am halfway between awake and asleep. I've had many amazing mental experiences and developments in this state.
Action is counter-productive to deep thought, and deep thought is counter-productive to action. I think it's a good thing to make time, separate times, for both in life.
Update: here's another vote for relaxing, it seems that an afternoon nap markedly boosts the brain's learning capacity.
Achievements
"Some people find oil, some don't."
- John Paul Getty, explaining success
Well, that is witty. But as I get older, I'm getting more convinced that it's also an important truth. I think we have far less control over our lives that we like to believe. (Or perhaps far more, from a Higher Self viewpoint.)
As a younger man, I was very goal-oriented. To the degree that when I first heard the phrase "goal-oriented", I thought: "What do you mean? Is there any other way to live?" Seriously.
But as some point out, goals, even when reached, seldom succeed in making us happier. I think there's a reason so many top-list actors and sportspeople have a drug problem. They are not happy despite having reached the top, and now they are stressed as well, trying to remain there.
When I see a huge mansion in a film, I think "wow, that's cool". Sure it is. But is getting one, and paying the enormous taxes and upkeep, really worth all the heart-ache of struggling to get rich enough? I no longer think so. (Of course if you're already a billionaire, knock yourself out.)
And I think a major components of many goals is akin to domination. By becoming the Number One Whatever in the world, you show everybody that you are better than them. It can be a rush, but I think it gets old.
I found the video via Stephen Shapiro's blog. I found Stephen a few years ago when I was working out some of these goal issues for myself, and I wanted to register "goalaholics.com", but I found that he had already registered it! I had written a little funny "thing" about it then.
- John Paul Getty, explaining success
Well, that is witty. But as I get older, I'm getting more convinced that it's also an important truth. I think we have far less control over our lives that we like to believe. (Or perhaps far more, from a Higher Self viewpoint.)
As a younger man, I was very goal-oriented. To the degree that when I first heard the phrase "goal-oriented", I thought: "What do you mean? Is there any other way to live?" Seriously.
But as some point out, goals, even when reached, seldom succeed in making us happier. I think there's a reason so many top-list actors and sportspeople have a drug problem. They are not happy despite having reached the top, and now they are stressed as well, trying to remain there.
When I see a huge mansion in a film, I think "wow, that's cool". Sure it is. But is getting one, and paying the enormous taxes and upkeep, really worth all the heart-ache of struggling to get rich enough? I no longer think so. (Of course if you're already a billionaire, knock yourself out.)
And I think a major components of many goals is akin to domination. By becoming the Number One Whatever in the world, you show everybody that you are better than them. It can be a rush, but I think it gets old.
I found the video via Stephen Shapiro's blog. I found Stephen a few years ago when I was working out some of these goal issues for myself, and I wanted to register "goalaholics.com", but I found that he had already registered it! I had written a little funny "thing" about it then.
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