Michael Blume's Journal
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Michael Blume's LiveJournal:
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| Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 | | 7:01 pm |
| | Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 | | 9:46 pm |
"There's an old trick for combating dukkha where you make a list of things you're grateful for, like a roof over your head. So why not make a list of abilities you have that would be amazingly cool if they were magic, or if only a few chosen individuals had them? For example, suppose that instead of one eye, you possessed a magical second eye embedded in your forehead. And this second eye enabled you to see into the third dimension - so that you could somehow tell how far away things were - where an ordinary eye would see only a two-dimensional shadow of the true world. Only the possessors of this ability can accurately aim the legendary distance-weapons that kill at ranges far beyond a sword, or use to their fullest potential the shells of ultrafast machinery called "cars". "Binocular vision" would be too light a term for this ability. We'll only appreciate it once it has a properly impressive name, like Mystic Eyes of Depth Perception. So here's a list of some of my favorite magical powers:" Mundane Magic | | Sunday, July 5th, 2009 | | 5:29 am |
OMFG
So. Much. Happiness.  (I guess I'll find out soon whether we make decent AI researchers/advocates/skynet-preventers. ..) | | 5:26 am |
I am a bad bad shameless flirt ^^ Absolutely nothing came of it, and I doubt anything will, but holy crap that was so much fun =) | | Saturday, July 4th, 2009 | | 3:36 pm |
Real Magic
"I'm writing a book on magic," I explain, and I'm asked, "Real magic?" By real magic people mean miracles, thaumaturgical acts, and supernatural powers. "No," I answer. "Conjuring tricks, not real magic." Real magic, in other words, refers to the magic that is not real, while the magic that is real, that can actually be done, is not real magic. -from Net of Magic, by Lee Siegel | | Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009 | | 1:48 pm |
Self-printing program
//Paste this code into a C++ compiler, run the resulting program, and the output will be this code =) ( Read more... ) Current Music: Loose Balloon - The Presidents Of The United States Of America, These Are The Go | | Monday, June 22nd, 2009 | | 9:58 am |
| | Friday, June 19th, 2009 | | 12:22 am |
Hmm...
There's buses and trains that'll get us to San Francisco. I think I just might shoot for a date at the Exploratorium on Saturday. Which means I'll be asking tomorrow. Wish me luck =). Current Music: Confessions - Tim Minchin, Ready For This | | Tuesday, June 16th, 2009 | | 10:21 pm |
There is no better feeling for a man than cold air hitting your arms because a pretty girl's wearing your jacket. I don't think I've an especially good chance here (way too many guys around, for starters), but I certainly intend to try ^^ | | Monday, June 15th, 2009 | | 12:25 am |
| | Saturday, June 13th, 2009 | | 2:30 am |
Cleaning out my office computer's hard drive. Found an old chat log from early september. Went outside for a good cry. Remembered after sobbing against the rail for a while that my office is on the fifth floor. ...probably not the best idea. Back inside now. So much packing. Woo. | | Friday, June 12th, 2009 | | 2:23 pm |
overdue for a life update, but here's a silly meme first
1. You can ONLY answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. 2. You are NOT ALLOWED to explain ANYTHING unless someone comments you and asks—and, believe me, the temptation to explain some of these will be overwhelming. Nothing is exactly as it seems. (and yes, one of these answers will be extremely misleading to anyone who knows me) Kissed any one of your LiveJournal friends? — yes Been arrested? — no Kissed someone you didn’t like? — no Slept in until 5 PM? — yes Fallen asleep at work/school? — yes Held a snake? — yes Ran a red light? — yes Been suspended from school? — no Experienced love at first sight? — yes Totaled your car in an accident? — no Been fired from a job? — yes Fired somebody? — no Sung karaoke? — yes Pointed a gun at someone? — no Did something you told yourself you wouldn’t? — yes Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? — yes Caught a snowflake on your tongue? — yes Kissed in the rain? — yes Had a close brush with death (your own)? — yes Saw someone die? — no Played Spin-the-Bottle? — no Smoked a cigar? — no Sat on a rooftop? — no Smuggled something into another country? — no Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes? — no Broken a bone? — no Skipped school? — yes Eaten a bug? — yes Sleepwalked? — no Walked on a moonlit beach? — yes Ridden a motorcycle? — no Dumped someone? — no Been dumped? - yes Forgotten your anniversary? — no Lied to avoid a ticket? — yes Ridden in a helicopter? — no Shaved your head? — no Blacked out from drinking? — no Played a prank on someone? — yes Hit a home run? — no Felt like killing someone? — yes Cross-dressed? — yes Been falling-down drunk? — yes Made your girlfriend/boyfriend cry? — yes Eaten snake? — no Marched/Protested? — yes Had Mexican jumping beans for pets? — no Puked on an amusement ride? — yes Seriously & intentionally boycotted something? — yes Knitted? — no Been on TV? — yes Shot a gun? — yes Skinny-dipped? — no Given someone stitches? — no Eaten a whole habenero pepper? — no Ridden a surfboard? — no Drunk straight from a liquor bottle? — no Had surgery? — yes Streaked? — no Been taken by ambulance to a hospital? — yes Tripped on mushrooms? — no Passed out when NOT drinking? — no Peed on a bush? — yes Donated Blood? — yes Grabbed electric fence? — no Eaten alligator meat? -- no Eaten cheesecake? — yes Killed an animal when not hunting? — no Peed your pants in public? — yes Snuck into a movie without paying? -- no Written graffiti? — no Still love someone you shouldn’t? — yes Think about the future? — yes Been in handcuffs? — yes Believe in love? — yes Sleep on a certain side of the bed? — yes | | Thursday, June 11th, 2009 | | 5:15 pm |
| | Sunday, June 7th, 2009 | | 3:10 am |
Go!
Teaching myself Go -- hit me up if you want a game. | | Thursday, June 4th, 2009 | | 1:36 pm |
Simon Singh is a journalist in the UK; he writes for the Guardian. Moreover, he’s a science journalist, and a good one who, like so many of us, prefers reality the way it is.
The British Chiropractic Association, however, prefers reality to bend to their will. They’ve been making some outrageous claims lately about the efficacy of their "treatment", things that are clearly wrong. Simon wrote about this in a column, saying,
The British Chiropractic Association claims that their members can help treat children with colic, sleeping and feeding problems, frequent ear infections, asthma and prolonged crying, even though there is not a jot of evidence. This organisation is the respectable face of the chiropractic profession and yet it happily promotes bogus treatments.
Unsurprisingly, the BCA took a dim view of this. So of course they produced copious variable-controlled double blind studies with statistically significant testing procedures to back up their claim.
HAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahahaha! No, that would be silly! Of course they didn’t do that. They sued him instead.
In the US that would be a dumb thing to do, as our libel laws put the burden of proof on the claimant (in this case, the BCA), as things should be. However, the UK is very different: when party A sues party B for libel, it’s up to party B to prove their innocence. Singh the BluesPlease sign this statement in support of Simon Singh | | 12:04 am |
Disgusting, Homophobic Chick Tract!
Wooo!I think what I like best about this little piece of filth is how its retelling of the Sodom and Gomorra story *completely* leaves out all the most interesting parts. I'm not even going to tell this myself - you won't believe me. This is straight out of King James: 5And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
6And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,
7And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
8Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. That's right, Lot offered to let the mob rape his virgin daughters to protect a couple of angels who could've teleported out of there whenever they wanted to. Not sure if Lot knew this or not, but they did, and I don't see them stopping him. And then, after they fled the city, and God randomly murders Lot's wife, well, there's a dude, and his two daughters, and no one else around, which is, y'know, not normally a biologically tenable state of affairs. Fortunately (sorta), Lot's daughters were clever: 31And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:
32Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
33And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
34And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
35And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
36Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. | | Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 | | 3:03 pm |
Biblical Marriage
Prop 8's supporters are very keen to protect 'Biblical Marriage'. But just what is biblical marriage, exactly? Betty Bowers, America's Best Christian, explains. ( link) | | 2:16 pm |
Tiller, a former Navy flight surgeon, hadn't planned to be an abortion doctor. He hoped to become a dermatologist.
But when his father, also a doctor, died in a plane crash (his mother, sister and brother-in-law also were killed), he took over the family practice. He soon learned the elder Tiller had performed abortions.
"In reading through some of his records, he realized his father had done abortions when they were illegal," says Bowman, his former spokeswoman. "At first, he was really shocked. Then in going through those charts, he totally began to understand the importance of this service."Slain Abortion Doctor: 'They Need Me'I really hope that someone will read these, apply to med school, buy a kevlar vest, and take Dr. Tiller's place. There are times I'm tempted myself. | | Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009 | | 1:47 pm |
Each case was a tragedy -- a much anticipated child discovered to have only a partially formed head, a baby that was dying in the womb and had to be delivered, a child with medical problems so profound as to be unimaginable, a diagnosis that meant a child's life outside its mother's body would be both brief and brutal.
Tiller's clients often included couples who had been hoping to become parents but had their hearts broken late in pregnancy when they received horrifying medical news about their much-wanted babies.
These people got no mercy from Operation Rescue.
They were hounded and harassed, shoved and shouted at on the most heart-breaking day of their lives. In order for patients to make it to their appointments, clinic supporters had to coordinate each woman's arrival with walkie-talkies. They shielded the patient by forming a flying wedge of bodies that rushed through the crowd to escort her into the building.
I watched one woman sobbing as she and her husband were helped into the clinic. Her tears went unnoticed by the hundreds of protestors surrounding her who shrieked and wailed and tried to trip the people escorting her to the door.
It was horrible.
And now, finally, after all the heavy breathing about heaven and God, evil and innocence, Operation Rescue by all appearances has goaded someone into killing George Tiller.No Mercy | | 12:43 am |
Please, Please Read
If any good can come of the murder of Dr. George Tiller, one of the very few providers of late-term abortions in the U.S., perhaps it's the opportunity to have a conversation about the reality of termination in the second and third trimesters. Anti-choice activists often cast late-term abortions as the murder of a viable baby at the whim of a woman who doesn't wish to be inconvenienced, carried out by a doctor who looks at her and sees only cartoon dollar signs. They're egged on by relatively mainstream figures like Bill O'Reilly, who declared that Dr. Tiller "destroys fetuses for just about any reason right up until the birth date for $5,000." Such misinformation and outright lies about procedures that are in fact rare and only performed when medically necessary are what led anti-choice activists to call Tiller "America's Doctor of Death," and accuse him of running a "murder mill." The reality of what Dr. Tiller did, however -- helping women in absolutely desperate circumstances, when almost no one else would -- is what led one woman who had to terminate a wanted pregnancy because of a terrible late-term diagnosis to call the doctor and staff at his Women's Health Center "our heaven when we were living in hell."Where Will Women Go Now? |
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