chuck kottke

If Einstein said that "God does not play dice with the Universe", and let's assume for arguments sake he's right, then what is probability? Randomness? I've pondered this, but what do you think?? (my best guess is that perhaps a phenomenon like Entropy drives the universe, and adding more states (possibilities) to things propels the process onward.. and what we see as "random" is merely greater numbers of states that have some formula, being of ever increasing complexity..)

If the universe is composed of strings, then is time merely gravity plucking on those strings?:P What other universes might be possible with different constants? Test at 1:30. Correct answers will be awarded a prize in Stockholm from Alfred Nobel's Trust.

:laugh3:I have to laugh, because I have a friend who's related to John Adams and John Quincy Adams.. He's funny - keeps looking for ghosts in houses; still watches Scooby Doo.. He owes us money, and can't have his chair back till' he pays up.;) (It's like the infinite pawn shop - I think that's how long it could take!)

Sleep Well into the night, Anna!:)

Glad you could join we, the coldplay zanies !! #############################:jester: #############################:smart: #############################:) #############################:sunny: And now a brief quiz: (1) how do we restructure the global economy to include deep externalities? (2) how do we shift the mindset of those who are taken by the drums of war? (3) roots are the hardest part of the tree of life to see; how do you get them higher visibility?

Map of my head?? Hmm.. maybe too much high speed then, eh?;) Take it slow then - true, too much of our world today is like a bunch of bananas..speedy bananas! A move even-keeled approach, then it will be. 'Reason' is the motive; the purpose for the action. 'Cause' can be larger - The cause to help the homeless, for example. Lest that's the way I see it - but I like that part!! Fresh and new - not treasured memories.. Well, OK - whaddaya want then?:P Blueberries? Modern Rumble.. at the low end is a rumble, barely perceptible.. to the auditory limits of the inner ear.. and yet it's there, most every time of the year.. why it drives me nuts, perhaps just the knowledge that it never was there before.. perhaps just the knowledge that I can't pinpoint it; I can't ignore it. Is it a truck? Is it a mixer? Is it a motor? Is it a speaker? Is it a volcano? Is it that cement plant on the hill? Someone please tell me what it is! A rumble in the jungle where once there was peace. Makes the animals restless for the sound that no cease.

YEA!!:cool::) Thanks!

^^Hang over cure??^^:P I have put wood on the fire.. (nice and toasty down here now..!!)

Can I post here, if my grandparents were from Czechoslovakia??:)

SSounds GGood!:wink::) Last thing in my mouth would be.. Melted Dark Chocolate on a whole-grain pancake!:pleased:

Bravo Rachel! Well Done!!:):):) Go north by northwest run south by southeast proceed up the flight of stairs and tap the glass ceiling 9 times. come down, take a breather, and dive deeper for life is an experience not to be missed and one worth all the bliss.

<Per Forlackofabettertitle> Wisely utilizes the Gypsy Network of Global Sofas!!:)

Twinkle Twinkle .. Has anyone taken a look at the Earth from Space view at night recently? The "modern" areas of the world look like a super-bright camera flash going constantly.. It makes one wonder if a few home lights will have much impact, though I suppose it would be a percentage of the total... Most of the electricity is wasted in conversion and transmission of the power from the plant to the place of use. I recall something like 80-90% is lost, but that includes thermal efficiency in the turbines, combustion, etc. Home lighting is a significant part of the home use, but my motto is the Energy Fair motto: "We want Cold Beer and Warm Pizza!":P Save the austerity for the puritans. So, rather than turning off all the lights left on in the home (which helps for awareness, but on a practical level is not easily made routine, and can cause one to stub thy toe in the dark..), maybe switch to all compact fluorescents or LED lights, and install a few sun tubes/ skylights where practical. Best compromise I've found is to leave a few low-low wattage compact fluorescents on in the table lamps, and then the home is still pleasant when you're tucked away in some room, cellar, or secret undisclosed location.;) But the biggest electricity gobblers are typically the heating and cooling system(s), and the refrigerators and freezers. Strange but true - insulation does save electricity! Less times the furnace or air-conditioner kicks on, the less electricity used.. And getting high-efficiency freezers and refrigerators is worth it - just unplugging one that's seldom used (the beer fridge, for instance), saved me $11 / month alone on the utility bill! (I was out of beer for the season..) Incidentally, the blackout we had a year or two ago - the one that left half the US in the dark for quite a while - that was caused by a squirrel.:laugh3: (well, a squirrel, and little money put into upgrades of the system..) A Part of Canada was affected too, as I recall.. Anyhow, just grist for the mill..

Congratulations on your 3008th entry (Mo is it?? Hmm??? Be honest now. This is for posterity's sake..). May the year 3008 be your banner year!:)

:laugh3:Details, details!^^ It's 9:30 PM, and I'm exhausted! A day of furniture staining, firewood gathering, and metal smelting..:builder2:

Thomas Paine: "All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit." "appreciatively acknowledging that Jesus Christ was a "virtuous and an amiable man" and that the "morality that he preached and practised was of the most benevolent kind," Paine portrayed Jesus "the person," as a preacher of the "equality of man" and a "reformer and revolutionist." So, better to see the examples set, and understand underlying principles that benefit society, as well as the individual sacrifice. Paine titled his work The Age of Reason, and dedicated it to the American people. Paine was in the best sense, a citizen of the world, and a member of the enlightenment.

If it's not harming anyone else, it's a personal choice. This is a free country, dammit all, and if you read the works of Thomas Paine, you'll see he was on the right track - even as he faced the guillotine! ...follow your mind, and forget the wizard's smoke and mirrors! Pull back the curtain, and see the light of enlightenment!! Yes, the bible does condemn those who "would not take a wife, and lived together" somewhere in that story. But it never says "gay".:laugh3: (the world hadn't invented the word yet).. And you know, it's amazing - the whole two cities were completely 'bad', excepting one family (I forget - they were offered "safe passage"). And then God rained burning sulfur down on the cities. How thoughtful. Sheesh, since when is everyone excepting a handful of people "all bad" in any large city! Yikes, this bible looks like a book written by vengeful absolutists, bent on controlling the masses by frightening them into submission! (sounds like a particular President of ours..) "you're either "with us", or you're with the "enemy".. Lord help us if anyone else got killed there who wasn't "wicked" by their definition. Word of god, my ass. It's a damn book, written by power-hungry men in the tribe, and inspired by their particular tribal beliefs and codes of conduct. Some of it makes sense, and other parts look like angry rhetoric, designed to vindicate some horrific act, or allow the ruling few to control the masses. Free yourselves, and get over it! Let common sense and your clear conscience of cause and effect direct your mind to a better path. It's as simple as "honor truth", following The Golden Rule, and "walking a mile in the shoes of another".. Inside out - cause and effect in society, and the wisdom of the ages. Let the spirit of enlightenment light the lamp that show the way..

Cheery music is what this globe needs. X&Y was a little cherrier than AROBTTHead, but I'm hoping for lots on mindless, inane pop songs with little deep meaning.:P

They record in large culverts..:P Or, Chris uses fun-house mirrors for distortion.. (oh wait - sound, not optics).. Umm.. Reverb some, but do they use distortion? It's probably all synth stuff - midi.

Well, maybe it was lamp oil - oh, I forget! Oh heck, olive oil sounds better. Let's create a new version, since they're all rewrites anyhow - half of the stuff is made up, and the other half is embellished to make it larger than life..:laugh3:

I like the parable of the 7 virgins and the olive oil the best..:P:o:rolleyes::P

Three Dog Night: "No, I've never been to heaven... but I kinda like the music..":P "Now If you ever get to Spain (du du du), I've heard the ladies are all insane there.. they won't refuse it; never gonna loose it; they won't abuse it.:laugh3:"du du du..

Hmm..:thinking: Let's see - the piano part is three crescendos, but each is slightly lower than the last; and each is a bit richer in overtones and bass component..:wideeyed::bulb2:

:hat:

The Question is "what time is it, and what are you doing?" A: besides this, I'm Jamming to Fleetwood Mac "Don't Stop" (Live), and getting inspired by the keyboard part! (hey, it improves my playing - something about the 'synergy' of hearing great music...:drummer::smash::dance::guitarist::sunny::happy::lock::hat::thumbsup::whip::smash: