I kind of find blogging to be very weird sort of thing, in it’s traditional incarnation it is like that person at your work who never shuts up about their dream or gives way to detailed descriptions of things. (So this Saturday I went to a BBQ at three, I remember because I looked at my watch when I bought gas, since I time how long it takes to get each gallon so I can go to the fastest pump... and I had a hotdog that was just a little burnt with the fancy Dijon mustard you know the one with the wine and cracked seeds..., I also had chips you know the ones with the ridges, oh there was chicken but I didn’t like the sauce...) and yet since we are voyeurs (reality TV proves this) we eat it up. While I try to be different sometimes it seems like I am just the digital version of the crazy person on the street corner who preaches his manifesto on why blue cars should be banned and how the CIA is using the bus ads to hypnotize people, but if you hold foil under your armpits you are safe. (Sadly I just thought that up, but I can be comforted by the fact that at least I would be an entertaining street corner “preacher”.)
I wish this was a two way form of communication, since then people could debate me or just tell me what they think so I could improve. My goal is to share what little insight I have in a blunt but entertaining fashion, and perhaps gd willing help someone. Oh sure a poll or a message board would be a good start but to really improve, I think I will need portable lie detectors (remember they detect your physiological state with the theory being that lying is a stressor and your body will betray you, they in fact are much better at detecting laughing or positive emotions since you don’t try to suppress those) and an EEG. Perhaps I could write a grant and have my little site read by people in a PET scanner. Nothing like measuring the brain’s oxygen consumption by region (using anti-matter no less) to determine whether I have written worth while content and how it is perceived. In the mean time perhaps I should write spyware that monitors the microscopic movements of the mouse in the reader’s hand to measure how they respond to the content. (And you thought your privacy couldn’t be invaded more!) (I just came up with the mouse idea, damn its been a good day of inventing!) I am kidding about writing the spyware, but it is a damn good idea, however please hold you head near the monitor after you read each post from now on so you can be accurately scanned. ;)
Since I already have a precedent for speaking to people who might read this site beyond those I expect to. I would like to say hello to the nice people at Echelon and the NSA, to the CIA I was kidding about the bus thing, (but it could actually be a good form of semi-subliminal advertising if you did it right, however it is better suited for the DOD). To all the three letter acronym government organizations who might like me to explain my little spyware idea to I’m sure you know where too find me, lets do lunch, Thursdays are best. I have lots of great stuff like that. (Foreign powers need not apply.)
Saturday, August 27, 2005
To be an inventor. An essay by me
Discounting the theological arguments, I think inventor is the most noble of professions, (pun not intended, but nice anyways) and I have aspired to that goal since I was little. My first success came when I was 7 and “invented” funnel that would filter the material, and the way I design the holes classified the material. Since then I have worked ceaselessly on achieving my goal, when I was 9 my parents took away my chemistry set after they figured out I read the instructions and since that stuff was “already done”, began “alternative research”. By 12, I was taking summer engineering camps and learning the principles of metallurgical, electronic, computer, mechanical, and structural engineering. I had my first lab job in 7th grade, when I was lab manager for the chemistry teacher at my school so I could again pursue independent research on how environment and solvent effected crystallization. I placed first in science fair from 8-11 grades with a chromatographic study of UV fluorescing flower pigments, and the implications that had for pollination, etc. However, I never got the grand prize because no one believed I actually did it alone, and I assume the “cheek” of a 15 year old discussing/arguing biological significance of the selection of anthocyanins and other pigment moieties in conjunction with the shape of the flower and location of the coloration on the flower with full professors from the local university, might have also contributed. (I still think I am right and that inflorescence is a selected trait and so flowers that attract and direct the pollinator to the pollen using UV pigments effectively have a selective advantage!) In High school I took Ag classes so I could learn what was before the computer age the central skill of the inventor’s craft: machine work. (I also got to learn animal husbandry, horticulture, construction and in 1994 I was 1st in the county and 5th in the State in Range and Pasture Management.) The nature of inventing has changed, inventors are no longer people in their garage with a lathe, and a dream, inventors are now called scientists and they have labs and budgets. However, not every inventor has forgotten this and the lab I joined has a machine shop!
The greatest axiom of the inventor’s craft to me is “You must push over the leading edge of the wave” This is a metaphor for supersonic flight, but it means: It is easy to invent things that you were unaware of but already exist, but to actually invent something new requires going beyond the state of the art into an area where no one else has gone. To do this is difficult since seeing the “wave” is difficult. However, as in all things I am non-traditional (I am not an iconoclast since that has negative connotations; I am a maverick or a pioneer ;) so you can skip this whole step. The easiest way to invent something is to repurpose/modify something that already exists, since if (please hold I have to invent something, ok got it (for maximum effect please stop reading for 45 seconds)) the computer industry invents a new video compression technology and you use it for self monitoring video security since any increase in the transfer rate signals an intrusion, you still invented something. (In case that already exists I have a system to set the threshold of detection at a certain object size and a way to prevent it from being defeat by moving very slowly too.) I have enjoyed a lot of my successes from this method of inventing, but the most powerful trick is to use your ignorance to your advantage. This works best in the oldest fields, since the established “thought” will often prevent people from thinking outside the “box”, but if you are unaware the box even exists, you are free to think. I enjoy these problems the most. My examples of this are the NP complete problems and the protein folding problem. These are problems that people try to solve with brute force, but in this case I cracked the NP completes in about 20 minutes, and the protein folding problem over lunch and I used finesse. Now I have to admit since the rules of these problems actually specify you must use brute force, I broke the rules, and therefore didn’t actually “solve” the problems but if I get the right answer who cares? By thinking how would Mother Nature solve this, most problems can be solved easily. Ma’ Nature abhors waste and brute force is waste, so biology is very efficient. (Anywhere you find biology being inefficient or wasteful is just an area that is not well understood…)
Now this is all well and good but I have spent 28 misspent years working towards essentially a single goal. How can some else get into this and still have had a life? Well there is the obvious, get into a field, pay your dues and when you are old and grey you might contribute. That is the easy one, the other options are much harder, but better suited to the born innovator. I would suggest start by finding a young field and diving right in, since you will bring something new to the party you have a way better chance to contribute and most importantly learn. Once you have had a taste, and you are sure this is your thing, look at where your field is going, then pick a place you think it should go and do it. This is less and more difficult that it sounds since your prior experience prepares you for this step, but now you are on your own with only the past and your wits as your guide. After that when you have some real inventions under your belt, and some credibility to your name, it is time for the big step. You know the one, that project you have been thinking about for years, that idea so revolutionary that even though you have planned it for years no one has even come close. Sadly I am not there yet, so I really can’t tell you how to do it, but paying your “dues” will pay off here. You might be thinking “well that sux I don’t want to pay my dues”, to which I reply tough! It took me a long time to accept this, but my solace is that by doing it the hard way I will be less old and grey when I contribute. ;)
It is a common myth that the inventor is an “island”. I have learned that, that is pure tripe; the inventor is more often than not only the creative force and an effective leader with a small army following him. Even more important is a small group of the people who comprise the inner circle. The inventor should look inwards and figure out where they are lacking and find a person or people to fill their weakness. Please read all the stuff I have written about marriage to better understand my theories on this. Why? Keep in mind they are called partners for a reason, and the parallels are not accidential. What is the point? The inventor is part of the team, so while you are paying your dues, build your team. Since these people will decide if you succeed or fail when you do that big project, so you can’t just hire them, they must have been with you through thick and thin. To me the most important positions to fill with loyal souls are a partner, a business/admin person, and at least two technicians, since that is the core of a company. Why do I think this? When it comes time they will have almost nothing to go on but your vision and a belief in you, so faith is critical to success, and having faithful people down the ranks will help keep moral high in those who don’t have faith. The comparisons to the military are apt if you think about it.
Enough preaching.
Sadly I can’t teach you to be creative since it seems to be inherent in some people, but you can dabble in this by simply taking an idea and going on the internet and following the idea out and out till you reach the end then follow the branch points back into their original concepts. I like to do this as training, pick a cool idea, then on Pubmed go back to first principles, then out in all directions till I figure out where no one else is gone. (It helps to read really fast.) Also, try inventing on demand, think of it like a game. (Right now I am trying to figure out if there is better way to package breakfast cereal to keep it from going stale, that is cheap and that even young children could use. I think the obvious accordion style package was done. The best I have come up with is a zipper top bag and a check valve on the package so it can be sealed and then smushed to vent the trapped air. I will work on it.) (Update, 30 minutes later! I cracked it, have the zip top bag, the valve, and use plastic that is stretched when the bag is filled, that way as the cereal is emptied the bag with contract slowly with the valve releasing the air, so that in long term storage the bag will reform to the size of the cereal.)
In regards to an old post I think you should also better understand why I don’t think I will ever win a Nobel besides the huge amount of politics since my best ideas, are BASF ideas. You remember the BASF commercials, “We don’t make anything, we make it better”, and I don’t think they give Nobel Prizes for that sort of thing. However, that kind of ingenuity is very necessary and doesn’t go unrewarded, at least I hope it doesn’t. Anyways if I want a Nobel Medal, I know foundry and casting methods so I can just make one. Although, I just looked at the medal to see if it would have to be wax cast and on examination I actually think that a Nickel scaled up to the same size would look better. ;)
I think that is enough for now, however if a potential employer should find this remember I am a team player, and a strong inventor with years of experience and years of dues paying left. I am also very adaptable so I can be inventive within the goals of the company and I work well if given a goal a budget and told to “do it” with in a time frame. So if you need anything from biomarkers for why your phase II drug failed (or biomarkers that show how to save the drug or make a new drug), to a new way market a product I am your guy! Even better I am willing to prove myself too, so send me your problem and an NDA, and give me a chance...
The greatest axiom of the inventor’s craft to me is “You must push over the leading edge of the wave” This is a metaphor for supersonic flight, but it means: It is easy to invent things that you were unaware of but already exist, but to actually invent something new requires going beyond the state of the art into an area where no one else has gone. To do this is difficult since seeing the “wave” is difficult. However, as in all things I am non-traditional (I am not an iconoclast since that has negative connotations; I am a maverick or a pioneer ;) so you can skip this whole step. The easiest way to invent something is to repurpose/modify something that already exists, since if (please hold I have to invent something, ok got it (for maximum effect please stop reading for 45 seconds)) the computer industry invents a new video compression technology and you use it for self monitoring video security since any increase in the transfer rate signals an intrusion, you still invented something. (In case that already exists I have a system to set the threshold of detection at a certain object size and a way to prevent it from being defeat by moving very slowly too.) I have enjoyed a lot of my successes from this method of inventing, but the most powerful trick is to use your ignorance to your advantage. This works best in the oldest fields, since the established “thought” will often prevent people from thinking outside the “box”, but if you are unaware the box even exists, you are free to think. I enjoy these problems the most. My examples of this are the NP complete problems and the protein folding problem. These are problems that people try to solve with brute force, but in this case I cracked the NP completes in about 20 minutes, and the protein folding problem over lunch and I used finesse. Now I have to admit since the rules of these problems actually specify you must use brute force, I broke the rules, and therefore didn’t actually “solve” the problems but if I get the right answer who cares? By thinking how would Mother Nature solve this, most problems can be solved easily. Ma’ Nature abhors waste and brute force is waste, so biology is very efficient. (Anywhere you find biology being inefficient or wasteful is just an area that is not well understood…)
Now this is all well and good but I have spent 28 misspent years working towards essentially a single goal. How can some else get into this and still have had a life? Well there is the obvious, get into a field, pay your dues and when you are old and grey you might contribute. That is the easy one, the other options are much harder, but better suited to the born innovator. I would suggest start by finding a young field and diving right in, since you will bring something new to the party you have a way better chance to contribute and most importantly learn. Once you have had a taste, and you are sure this is your thing, look at where your field is going, then pick a place you think it should go and do it. This is less and more difficult that it sounds since your prior experience prepares you for this step, but now you are on your own with only the past and your wits as your guide. After that when you have some real inventions under your belt, and some credibility to your name, it is time for the big step. You know the one, that project you have been thinking about for years, that idea so revolutionary that even though you have planned it for years no one has even come close. Sadly I am not there yet, so I really can’t tell you how to do it, but paying your “dues” will pay off here. You might be thinking “well that sux I don’t want to pay my dues”, to which I reply tough! It took me a long time to accept this, but my solace is that by doing it the hard way I will be less old and grey when I contribute. ;)
It is a common myth that the inventor is an “island”. I have learned that, that is pure tripe; the inventor is more often than not only the creative force and an effective leader with a small army following him. Even more important is a small group of the people who comprise the inner circle. The inventor should look inwards and figure out where they are lacking and find a person or people to fill their weakness. Please read all the stuff I have written about marriage to better understand my theories on this. Why? Keep in mind they are called partners for a reason, and the parallels are not accidential. What is the point? The inventor is part of the team, so while you are paying your dues, build your team. Since these people will decide if you succeed or fail when you do that big project, so you can’t just hire them, they must have been with you through thick and thin. To me the most important positions to fill with loyal souls are a partner, a business/admin person, and at least two technicians, since that is the core of a company. Why do I think this? When it comes time they will have almost nothing to go on but your vision and a belief in you, so faith is critical to success, and having faithful people down the ranks will help keep moral high in those who don’t have faith. The comparisons to the military are apt if you think about it.
Enough preaching.
Sadly I can’t teach you to be creative since it seems to be inherent in some people, but you can dabble in this by simply taking an idea and going on the internet and following the idea out and out till you reach the end then follow the branch points back into their original concepts. I like to do this as training, pick a cool idea, then on Pubmed go back to first principles, then out in all directions till I figure out where no one else is gone. (It helps to read really fast.) Also, try inventing on demand, think of it like a game. (Right now I am trying to figure out if there is better way to package breakfast cereal to keep it from going stale, that is cheap and that even young children could use. I think the obvious accordion style package was done. The best I have come up with is a zipper top bag and a check valve on the package so it can be sealed and then smushed to vent the trapped air. I will work on it.) (Update, 30 minutes later! I cracked it, have the zip top bag, the valve, and use plastic that is stretched when the bag is filled, that way as the cereal is emptied the bag with contract slowly with the valve releasing the air, so that in long term storage the bag will reform to the size of the cereal.)
In regards to an old post I think you should also better understand why I don’t think I will ever win a Nobel besides the huge amount of politics since my best ideas, are BASF ideas. You remember the BASF commercials, “We don’t make anything, we make it better”, and I don’t think they give Nobel Prizes for that sort of thing. However, that kind of ingenuity is very necessary and doesn’t go unrewarded, at least I hope it doesn’t. Anyways if I want a Nobel Medal, I know foundry and casting methods so I can just make one. Although, I just looked at the medal to see if it would have to be wax cast and on examination I actually think that a Nickel scaled up to the same size would look better. ;)
I think that is enough for now, however if a potential employer should find this remember I am a team player, and a strong inventor with years of experience and years of dues paying left. I am also very adaptable so I can be inventive within the goals of the company and I work well if given a goal a budget and told to “do it” with in a time frame. So if you need anything from biomarkers for why your phase II drug failed (or biomarkers that show how to save the drug or make a new drug), to a new way market a product I am your guy! Even better I am willing to prove myself too, so send me your problem and an NDA, and give me a chance...
Friday, August 26, 2005
Enough is enough! or is it?
A question that plagues those of my field:
Q:
The question is how to decide enough is enough when you feel alone, and change is hard.
A:
My first thought is always if you have to ask then the answer is what you believe it to be. That is generally my rule, since asking is just a way to validating the obvious choice. However, that kind of logic only works if the reasons for the decision are good. If you are unsure then stop and examine the reasons. Self doubt is not a good reason for a change, think about it are you making the change because it is easier than seeing something through? Before we move on let’s take a moment to consider something else, is the reason for the failure because you screwed up or because it can’t work. The most common reason for doubting a decision besides fear of change is knowing that you haven’t exhausted every avenue, so consider: will a fresh approach work? (Like instead of trying to get it work despite strong evidence it will never work, trashing everything and designing something from the beginning that takes into account the lessons learned.) Perhaps that will fix the underlying problem, and make the whole decision process irrelevant.? I have kinda lost my head of steam cause I got side tracked so I think I will wrap this up, but no one is as alone as they think they are. Find a sympathetic person and talk to them, don’t be shy and don’t go through something alone when you have friends. Or perhaps this is one of those times when I should just keep my mouth shut.
Q:
The question is how to decide enough is enough when you feel alone, and change is hard.
A:
My first thought is always if you have to ask then the answer is what you believe it to be. That is generally my rule, since asking is just a way to validating the obvious choice. However, that kind of logic only works if the reasons for the decision are good. If you are unsure then stop and examine the reasons. Self doubt is not a good reason for a change, think about it are you making the change because it is easier than seeing something through? Before we move on let’s take a moment to consider something else, is the reason for the failure because you screwed up or because it can’t work. The most common reason for doubting a decision besides fear of change is knowing that you haven’t exhausted every avenue, so consider: will a fresh approach work? (Like instead of trying to get it work despite strong evidence it will never work, trashing everything and designing something from the beginning that takes into account the lessons learned.) Perhaps that will fix the underlying problem, and make the whole decision process irrelevant.? I have kinda lost my head of steam cause I got side tracked so I think I will wrap this up, but no one is as alone as they think they are. Find a sympathetic person and talk to them, don’t be shy and don’t go through something alone when you have friends. Or perhaps this is one of those times when I should just keep my mouth shut.
I told you so!
See life has a funny way. I have gotten two very strong “I told you so’s” today. The first was work related, and was very sweet since someone who told me I didn’t know what I was talking about, despite my 8 plus years of experience and the fact that I literately wrote the book (actually it was a paper) on the subject, had to admit he was “naïve”. Sadly others suffered because of his naiveté, so that takes some of the sweetness. The other is personal so it won’t be as much fun, but is still nice.
Intelligence and arrogance
Some of the people who read this or just know me in real life as me questions like why aren’t you rich yet?, or why hadn’t you won the Nobel Prize? I assume they are half joking but I will address this anyways.
First off I will never win the Nobel Prize cause most of my ideas aren’t Noble Prize material, and the ones that are I’m not the one who proves it. I stand a better chance of winning a Cable Ace award, than a Noble. Sure 5 years ago I gave a very nice talk, that made a strong circumstantial case for Alzheimer’s being a prion disease, and the experiments needed to prove it. Unfortunately this went against current thinking and it was a class project, but after much debate they decided not to fail me. It would take 3 more years before I was proven right, but they wouldn’t even give me an A. My friends have discouraged me from being an iconoclast, cause it makes me seem like a big ass. However, I have a history of ideas that are ahead of their time and being right. My qual exam in grad school, was basically the same as a project that in 2 years would be funded as the NCI-60, but mine had cool informatics. That time I almost failed again, but in the end I squeaked by, after heavy derision for my foolish ideas.
I wore a shirt the other day that said “I make stuff up”, which a colleague thought was tremendously funny, that I would admit this. However, a quick reminder that I know I make stuff up on the spot, and a challenge to name the last time I was wrong silenced him. So at least it's getting better ;)
Why am I posting this? Not for the reasons you think, my ego is fine at its current diameter. I was reminded of a very humbling story yesterday. A few years ago I took an online IQ test (I don’t really believe them much either but stay with me) it was 75+ questions and I finished it in less than 5 minutes and maxed out on the score (no I won’t say.) I was very very full of myself since the test allots more than hour, and was unable to measure my IQ, even though the average was <120. This made me very puffed up, but the next day when I was scrubbing my bathroom I realized what being that smart got me. It is very hard to be full of yourself when the highest praise you can find for yourself is you are the smartest person to ever clean this toilet. It is amazing how life can remind you of your place, call it karma or whatever if you aren’t so far gone that you believe your own hype, life can always knock you down a few pegs. Yesterday I was again scrubbing my bathroom and while comparatively I wasn’t very full of myself, I was reminded that given my current situation a preventative lesson in humility was in order.
Where am I going with this?
I am really not sure since there are two conflicting messages. My advice: Never hid how smart you are, despite how unpopular it will make you, but never believe you are as smart as you think you are, cause you are probably wrong. I have yet to find that balance since on one side I get Nobel Prize questions, on the other jeers derision and accusations of arrogance. If I was reading this as an outsider I would think the writer was arrogant and pretentious. For what it’s worth, I assure you I am not, or at least not very much. How can I say that without proving the accusation? I am aware of my own ignorance, and admit to it, and life has taught me that what I don’t know is far greater than what I do know.
I will end with a couple of quotes that I think summarize my case very well “It ain’t bragging, if you can back it up.”, and ““I don’t know”, is an acceptable answer.”
First off I will never win the Nobel Prize cause most of my ideas aren’t Noble Prize material, and the ones that are I’m not the one who proves it. I stand a better chance of winning a Cable Ace award, than a Noble. Sure 5 years ago I gave a very nice talk, that made a strong circumstantial case for Alzheimer’s being a prion disease, and the experiments needed to prove it. Unfortunately this went against current thinking and it was a class project, but after much debate they decided not to fail me. It would take 3 more years before I was proven right, but they wouldn’t even give me an A. My friends have discouraged me from being an iconoclast, cause it makes me seem like a big ass. However, I have a history of ideas that are ahead of their time and being right. My qual exam in grad school, was basically the same as a project that in 2 years would be funded as the NCI-60, but mine had cool informatics. That time I almost failed again, but in the end I squeaked by, after heavy derision for my foolish ideas.
I wore a shirt the other day that said “I make stuff up”, which a colleague thought was tremendously funny, that I would admit this. However, a quick reminder that I know I make stuff up on the spot, and a challenge to name the last time I was wrong silenced him. So at least it's getting better ;)
Why am I posting this? Not for the reasons you think, my ego is fine at its current diameter. I was reminded of a very humbling story yesterday. A few years ago I took an online IQ test (I don’t really believe them much either but stay with me) it was 75+ questions and I finished it in less than 5 minutes and maxed out on the score (no I won’t say.) I was very very full of myself since the test allots more than hour, and was unable to measure my IQ, even though the average was <120. This made me very puffed up, but the next day when I was scrubbing my bathroom I realized what being that smart got me. It is very hard to be full of yourself when the highest praise you can find for yourself is you are the smartest person to ever clean this toilet. It is amazing how life can remind you of your place, call it karma or whatever if you aren’t so far gone that you believe your own hype, life can always knock you down a few pegs. Yesterday I was again scrubbing my bathroom and while comparatively I wasn’t very full of myself, I was reminded that given my current situation a preventative lesson in humility was in order.
Where am I going with this?
I am really not sure since there are two conflicting messages. My advice: Never hid how smart you are, despite how unpopular it will make you, but never believe you are as smart as you think you are, cause you are probably wrong. I have yet to find that balance since on one side I get Nobel Prize questions, on the other jeers derision and accusations of arrogance. If I was reading this as an outsider I would think the writer was arrogant and pretentious. For what it’s worth, I assure you I am not, or at least not very much. How can I say that without proving the accusation? I am aware of my own ignorance, and admit to it, and life has taught me that what I don’t know is far greater than what I do know.
I will end with a couple of quotes that I think summarize my case very well “It ain’t bragging, if you can back it up.”, and ““I don’t know”, is an acceptable answer.”
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Blog spam and opportunity
I was so happy that yesterday as I read through this site to see someone I didn’t know had posted a comment about the “Life” post. Then I read it, and it was blog spam, about some penny stock scam with a Timber company. At first I was annoyed since my first user feed back, was gone. But as time pasted I thought it was brilliant, a completely untapped spam/Ad market.
While I dislike spam since I don’t need drugs to alter my mind or my body, and even though that African princess seems to only want my help I am just not sure. It is a totally untapped market, have spiders “read” blogs, usenet posts and other places where people post and read. Then use the same kind of content search/Ad relevance engine Google’s GMail uses to place discrete Ads about things that people might actually want or think is a good idea. While my blog isn’t typical since I almost never post anything about myself other Blogs are like a web diary so GM could slip ads about how comfortable their cars are into blogs entries about how much traffic sux. Sure most people would see it as an annoyance, but you make it so they are not so annoyed they report it, and the occasional person you get more than pays for the whole ad campaign. This type of marketing would have to be run by third party companies so that reputable companies could have plausible deniability, just like spyware ads.
BTW If you are reading this take a minute and leave me a post, just to say Hi.
While I dislike spam since I don’t need drugs to alter my mind or my body, and even though that African princess seems to only want my help I am just not sure. It is a totally untapped market, have spiders “read” blogs, usenet posts and other places where people post and read. Then use the same kind of content search/Ad relevance engine Google’s GMail uses to place discrete Ads about things that people might actually want or think is a good idea. While my blog isn’t typical since I almost never post anything about myself other Blogs are like a web diary so GM could slip ads about how comfortable their cars are into blogs entries about how much traffic sux. Sure most people would see it as an annoyance, but you make it so they are not so annoyed they report it, and the occasional person you get more than pays for the whole ad campaign. This type of marketing would have to be run by third party companies so that reputable companies could have plausible deniability, just like spyware ads.
BTW If you are reading this take a minute and leave me a post, just to say Hi.
Dreams and interpretation
I don’t dream. At least I don’t dream like normal people, I have never even had a nightmare, nothing and I am told that is not normal. The only time I dream is when I take melatonin, since besides making you sleepy, melatonin increases the communication between neurons, via increased traffic through the tight junctions. That is not actually relevant, but it is why I dream.
Anyways, this Friday and Saturday I took Melatonin to help me sleep, even though I had lots on my mind. While won’t describe the dreams, since they don’t make sense because of how the information was conveyed, the reason they are worth mentioning is what I learned from them. Basically the message was get over some stuff, and do what you need to do, and it was critical factor in some fundamental changes that only now seem to sticking despite the fact I have known for months this was the only choice.
Why do you care? Because people often have dreams that they want interpreted. However, I think if other’s dreams are like mine, there is no need for an advanced degree in Symbology, if your mind wants to tell you something you will know. Dreams are the parsing of information into your memory, and the distribution of new information since the conscious and subconscious speak. So if you are having to dissect the meaning of the orange Porsche or whatever and you have to ask other then that is not critical piece of info.
Entheogens are often used to generate a dream like state where the parts of the mind that contain the information become connected and you have a vision. Now the use of peyote is frowned on, but if you let you mind work you can achieve a similar state of clarity especially when you need to. These dreams are the ones that count, and you probably won’t even understand them in a waking state, but the message will remain.
Now I am told that others have dreams that hang over them like a dark cloud, since the dream leaves them depressed or full of doubt. Remember, everyone has demons, things you can’t or don’t want to face that hid in your mind. Well guess who is in charge of those kind of dreams? The demons want to feed on your psychy and since they are actively supressed most of the time, the best way to get fed is to move themselves into the fore front of your mind as dreams that weaken your defense mechanisms, then once you can’t hold them back they can consume you. How do you deal with this, the best way to face the demons on your own terms when you are awake. If you can’t do that, then you need to remember that you control your dreams. Before I stopped dreaming, I learned that by keeping a small part of my mind under my control when I slept I could prevent dreams like that, since I could just change the dream. Eventually, I learned to do a lot of my memory maintance without dreaming, or if you have been in a quiet place with me even without sleeping. Now that does leave me lots of free cycles to think about things like vacuum energy and gravity (the last post) or magnetic confinment schemes for fusion reactors or any of the other weird crap I think up, it also costs me access to parts of my mind that might have something to say if I would let them speak.
Anyways, this Friday and Saturday I took Melatonin to help me sleep, even though I had lots on my mind. While won’t describe the dreams, since they don’t make sense because of how the information was conveyed, the reason they are worth mentioning is what I learned from them. Basically the message was get over some stuff, and do what you need to do, and it was critical factor in some fundamental changes that only now seem to sticking despite the fact I have known for months this was the only choice.
Why do you care? Because people often have dreams that they want interpreted. However, I think if other’s dreams are like mine, there is no need for an advanced degree in Symbology, if your mind wants to tell you something you will know. Dreams are the parsing of information into your memory, and the distribution of new information since the conscious and subconscious speak. So if you are having to dissect the meaning of the orange Porsche or whatever and you have to ask other then that is not critical piece of info.
Entheogens are often used to generate a dream like state where the parts of the mind that contain the information become connected and you have a vision. Now the use of peyote is frowned on, but if you let you mind work you can achieve a similar state of clarity especially when you need to. These dreams are the ones that count, and you probably won’t even understand them in a waking state, but the message will remain.
Now I am told that others have dreams that hang over them like a dark cloud, since the dream leaves them depressed or full of doubt. Remember, everyone has demons, things you can’t or don’t want to face that hid in your mind. Well guess who is in charge of those kind of dreams? The demons want to feed on your psychy and since they are actively supressed most of the time, the best way to get fed is to move themselves into the fore front of your mind as dreams that weaken your defense mechanisms, then once you can’t hold them back they can consume you. How do you deal with this, the best way to face the demons on your own terms when you are awake. If you can’t do that, then you need to remember that you control your dreams. Before I stopped dreaming, I learned that by keeping a small part of my mind under my control when I slept I could prevent dreams like that, since I could just change the dream. Eventually, I learned to do a lot of my memory maintance without dreaming, or if you have been in a quiet place with me even without sleeping. Now that does leave me lots of free cycles to think about things like vacuum energy and gravity (the last post) or magnetic confinment schemes for fusion reactors or any of the other weird crap I think up, it also costs me access to parts of my mind that might have something to say if I would let them speak.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Vacuum energy, gravity and the universe
I have been watching a lot of SciFi shows that depend on the concept of vacuum energy. As I understand it vacuum energy is the theory that even in a vacuum a sea of particles are made from the inherent energy of the universe, before destroying themselves almost instantly. It is the holy grail of the infinite energy people to prove vacuum energy is real.
Since I don’t sleep a lot I was pondering this and this is what I came up with:
First to use VE would require a fundamental change in how we use energy since it is not like you can run a wire to it and plug stuff in. Hell even fusion reactors use the neutron flux, to boil water, to make steam, to turn a turbine, etc (yes we are still in the age of steam.)
Second, ignoring that facts we can’t use VE and have no idea to how to break symmetry to keep some of the particles, it seems kind of dangerous to tap into the inherent energy of the universe and disrupt the matter/energy balance. Which if I recall is kind of important to keeping the laws of physics uniform across the entire region of the universe.
So, I propose it would actually be much safer and simpler to find a way to reverse this reaction and convert matter directly back to energy. It would be necessary to disrupt the strong force and have atoms convert themselves to quarks or other elementary particles which we can use to extract energy or make new matter.
Reaching abit (like I haven’t already) we are the proof that the VE is real, most of the matter was annihilated by antimatter when the universe was young, so if the system is closed the universe must still contain this energy. The matter that is left is simply a bias in symmetry since with all the energy the universe even the tiniest bias to making more matter that antimatter would have over time created vast amounts of matter. Since this a one way trip for the energy we can consider matter as waste or slightly nicer a side product. Gravity is a possible way to reverse the side reaction, since matter constantly emits gravitons the energy must be derived from a matter to energy conversion. Unless gravitons have mass, the universe is getting lighter, as the matter is slowly bleed off as energy. If gravitons do have mass then they must represent a significant amount of the mass in universe. Either way atoms are getting lighter as time goes by since without the input of new energy (from the VE) the lost of mass as gravitons will make them lighter. Assuming that the impact of a graviton on an atom imparts the energy/mass to the atom, the decrease in mass will be reduced but unless the system is 100% some is always lost, and lots is in transit at any one time. In a weird way this explains how gravity works. So without someone showing me proof that gravity works totally differently than I think it does, the universe is getting lighter which does sort of explain how it can seem to accelerate since a=f/m if f is constant and m is decreasing then a increases.
I wonder is gravity the decay of matter at a quantum level?
On the off chance this is some else theory I came up with this last night, in case this is total nonsense, I also remind you I came up with this last night in the wee hours when sense and nonsense blend. So while this might be worthy of the pages of Infinite Energy it is not my life’s work is it hardly a couple of hours of work and hasn’t been checked at all against the fuzzy reality of cosmology.
Since I don’t sleep a lot I was pondering this and this is what I came up with:
First to use VE would require a fundamental change in how we use energy since it is not like you can run a wire to it and plug stuff in. Hell even fusion reactors use the neutron flux, to boil water, to make steam, to turn a turbine, etc (yes we are still in the age of steam.)
Second, ignoring that facts we can’t use VE and have no idea to how to break symmetry to keep some of the particles, it seems kind of dangerous to tap into the inherent energy of the universe and disrupt the matter/energy balance. Which if I recall is kind of important to keeping the laws of physics uniform across the entire region of the universe.
So, I propose it would actually be much safer and simpler to find a way to reverse this reaction and convert matter directly back to energy. It would be necessary to disrupt the strong force and have atoms convert themselves to quarks or other elementary particles which we can use to extract energy or make new matter.
Reaching abit (like I haven’t already) we are the proof that the VE is real, most of the matter was annihilated by antimatter when the universe was young, so if the system is closed the universe must still contain this energy. The matter that is left is simply a bias in symmetry since with all the energy the universe even the tiniest bias to making more matter that antimatter would have over time created vast amounts of matter. Since this a one way trip for the energy we can consider matter as waste or slightly nicer a side product. Gravity is a possible way to reverse the side reaction, since matter constantly emits gravitons the energy must be derived from a matter to energy conversion. Unless gravitons have mass, the universe is getting lighter, as the matter is slowly bleed off as energy. If gravitons do have mass then they must represent a significant amount of the mass in universe. Either way atoms are getting lighter as time goes by since without the input of new energy (from the VE) the lost of mass as gravitons will make them lighter. Assuming that the impact of a graviton on an atom imparts the energy/mass to the atom, the decrease in mass will be reduced but unless the system is 100% some is always lost, and lots is in transit at any one time. In a weird way this explains how gravity works. So without someone showing me proof that gravity works totally differently than I think it does, the universe is getting lighter which does sort of explain how it can seem to accelerate since a=f/m if f is constant and m is decreasing then a increases.
I wonder is gravity the decay of matter at a quantum level?
On the off chance this is some else theory I came up with this last night, in case this is total nonsense, I also remind you I came up with this last night in the wee hours when sense and nonsense blend. So while this might be worthy of the pages of Infinite Energy it is not my life’s work is it hardly a couple of hours of work and hasn’t been checked at all against the fuzzy reality of cosmology.
Romance and romantic notions
Well while I realize that I talk a lot about women and how they are different than men, and about what I think I know about women, it is because relationships and money are the two biggest subjects for the advice giver and well waxing poetic about money isn’t all that interesting without subject.
So here is advice for men about women.
Be romantic, well duh. The secret to being romantic is surprise. Men are creatures of habit, and because of this most men hate surprises. Women love good surprises, so buy her flowers for no reason other than you saw them and thought of her. For maximum effect don’t let her read this, and don’t do or have done anything stupid for at least three days either side of getting the flowers, for to optimize the credit you recieve the reason for the gift must be “just because”. If flowers don’t strike your fancy you can achieve much the same effect with a small gift of something thoughtful, sorry I can’t tell you want, but if you have known her for awhile you should know what the little things she buys to make herself happy.
Another secret is think small and often. If you save your romantic moments up for the big gestures then you are up the creek. First big gestures can fail and second they are too few and most likely too far between for maximum effect. You can be sweet just by doing something she wants to do, but you hate to do. Women notice little things so if normally you complaint while she watches her show or you leave the room during the show, but this time you sit and watch with her, and touch her hand during the parts that are emotional, she will notice. While this isn’t a dozen roses and a carriage ride romantic this still counts in their eyes and is perceived as you caring which is a good thing.
Ok for the women, all of this seems pretty obvious, but some men must be told. Romance isn’t dead it is just misunderstood. So, while some men don’t understand it’s the little things that count, most women don’t count some of the little things we do.
So here is advice for understanding some less obvious male gestures of concern.
Men often show their feelings ways that are meaningful to us, which is actions with useful results. If your man notices your car’s out of tune and he can, he will fix it without having to be asked. To men especially men who aren’t very good with words, action is the most obvious way of showing he cares. It is a gesture akin to writing a delicate love poem only we express ourselves in ways that involve getting greasing. It is our way, and if women appreciated that I think many women would find their man cares far more about them than they know. This is most true if you aren’t married to him since these things aren’t expected of him. So, if you come home to find all the light bulbs in your really high ceiling have been changed out the garage door rollers and bearing are repaired, the pothole in the drive way is repaired, he is chain sawing the old dead tree in the backyard, and you see new rotors and pads for your car on the kitchen table. This is not a sign he believes you are not capable of performing these tasks on your own; he just wants to do things for you. So, take this for how he means it, “I care about you, to a level in direct proportion to the danger and difficulty of the tasks I am undertaking for you, but I have difficultly expressing myself in ways you find meaningful.” Now some men can’t work a chain saw or even a wrench so despite their woeful shortfalls as men to them pumping gas especially during less than prefect weather is how they show they care. Often in the area of romance and relationships it is what the female considers is right is what goes, this however is bad for the relationship if a man has to be told what to do by someone like me the romantic gestures will always seem kind of fake. However, if the gestures he makes of his own accord are counted and she translates his machining a custom weathervane for her out of solid copper then acid ages it, before making custom stainless steel bearings and a new lighting rod with a electrolytic soil treatments for the grounding system, into something she understands she will see how much he loves her.
Here are the details: The creation of a weather vane while decorate is difficult since it must be free to move so it has to be well balanced, and the acid aging will give it patina instantly. You need stainless steel bearings even though stainless is expensive and hard to work since the copper doesn’t make a good bearing surface, and the use of a pillow bearing isn’t appropriate given the direction and weight of the load. The design and implementation of grounding system is both difficult and expensive but if you are putting a big lump of metal on the roof a must and shows lots of thought. The treatment of the soil means a low resistance path to ground, is maintained even if you forget to keep the area around the grounding rod moist, a commonly over-looked task. I would translate this job to a weekend in the country at a B&B level of caring.
So here is advice for men about women.
Be romantic, well duh. The secret to being romantic is surprise. Men are creatures of habit, and because of this most men hate surprises. Women love good surprises, so buy her flowers for no reason other than you saw them and thought of her. For maximum effect don’t let her read this, and don’t do or have done anything stupid for at least three days either side of getting the flowers, for to optimize the credit you recieve the reason for the gift must be “just because”. If flowers don’t strike your fancy you can achieve much the same effect with a small gift of something thoughtful, sorry I can’t tell you want, but if you have known her for awhile you should know what the little things she buys to make herself happy.
Another secret is think small and often. If you save your romantic moments up for the big gestures then you are up the creek. First big gestures can fail and second they are too few and most likely too far between for maximum effect. You can be sweet just by doing something she wants to do, but you hate to do. Women notice little things so if normally you complaint while she watches her show or you leave the room during the show, but this time you sit and watch with her, and touch her hand during the parts that are emotional, she will notice. While this isn’t a dozen roses and a carriage ride romantic this still counts in their eyes and is perceived as you caring which is a good thing.
Ok for the women, all of this seems pretty obvious, but some men must be told. Romance isn’t dead it is just misunderstood. So, while some men don’t understand it’s the little things that count, most women don’t count some of the little things we do.
So here is advice for understanding some less obvious male gestures of concern.
Men often show their feelings ways that are meaningful to us, which is actions with useful results. If your man notices your car’s out of tune and he can, he will fix it without having to be asked. To men especially men who aren’t very good with words, action is the most obvious way of showing he cares. It is a gesture akin to writing a delicate love poem only we express ourselves in ways that involve getting greasing. It is our way, and if women appreciated that I think many women would find their man cares far more about them than they know. This is most true if you aren’t married to him since these things aren’t expected of him. So, if you come home to find all the light bulbs in your really high ceiling have been changed out the garage door rollers and bearing are repaired, the pothole in the drive way is repaired, he is chain sawing the old dead tree in the backyard, and you see new rotors and pads for your car on the kitchen table. This is not a sign he believes you are not capable of performing these tasks on your own; he just wants to do things for you. So, take this for how he means it, “I care about you, to a level in direct proportion to the danger and difficulty of the tasks I am undertaking for you, but I have difficultly expressing myself in ways you find meaningful.” Now some men can’t work a chain saw or even a wrench so despite their woeful shortfalls as men to them pumping gas especially during less than prefect weather is how they show they care. Often in the area of romance and relationships it is what the female considers is right is what goes, this however is bad for the relationship if a man has to be told what to do by someone like me the romantic gestures will always seem kind of fake. However, if the gestures he makes of his own accord are counted and she translates his machining a custom weathervane for her out of solid copper then acid ages it, before making custom stainless steel bearings and a new lighting rod with a electrolytic soil treatments for the grounding system, into something she understands she will see how much he loves her.
Here are the details: The creation of a weather vane while decorate is difficult since it must be free to move so it has to be well balanced, and the acid aging will give it patina instantly. You need stainless steel bearings even though stainless is expensive and hard to work since the copper doesn’t make a good bearing surface, and the use of a pillow bearing isn’t appropriate given the direction and weight of the load. The design and implementation of grounding system is both difficult and expensive but if you are putting a big lump of metal on the roof a must and shows lots of thought. The treatment of the soil means a low resistance path to ground, is maintained even if you forget to keep the area around the grounding rod moist, a commonly over-looked task. I would translate this job to a weekend in the country at a B&B level of caring.
Pulp romance
I have often wondered:
Men have porn, Hooters and strip clubs, but seemingly women have no equivalent. This is clearly not true, but I only know of one strip join that features male dancers, that not enough the service all of the DFW. I was at the bookstore tonight when I figured it out, and I must admire how crafty women are. I was standing by the romance section of my local B&N when I said “those books are stupid women are just fooling themselves”. That’s when it hit me, those books are the female equivalents of porn and strip clubs, and better still men are as a group unaware of that fact. Men are visual, our fantasies must have a visual component to work, and they work best when nothing is left to the imagination. But woman aren’t visual, and based on what little I know about woman they quite prefer certain things be left to the imagination since they can much more aptly fill in the lurid details. In fact women might not even totally need the lurid, just the suggestively erotic, ie Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, or the seductive Vampire in Anne Rice books. Women want the fantasy to build; skipping to the “good part” doesn’t seem to be their thing. This is totally brilliant! Women can buy and openly read novels that using the male/female erotic currency exchange are the equivalent of Hustler or worse, and men don’t blink an eye. Men just shake their heads and think “how can they read that trash?” Ladies here’s to you, for putting this over on us for so long. It brings a wicked smile to my face to think of all men who think their wives are so good and pure, but in reality she’s going through two or three of these books a week. What makes me grin from ear to ear is that church books sales sell these novels by the sack. If men where smart enough to figure out that women aren’t men with breasts, and that what we think is erotic isn’t the only definition… Well nevermind we aren’t.
Here is the setup:
Imagine me returning home a hero of Her Majesties Armies, my uniform stained, my shirt in tatters, a bandage around my head. You are the servant girl who is charged with the care of my estate library, while I was off to fight the heathens to save the colonies and the Empire from falling into ruin.
Let’s begin:
Relief spreads through your body as the sound of hoof beats on the road tell you your prayers have been answered, I have returned. Running to the window you see me gallop up the road on a fiery black steed to show all those in the village their master has returned and the war is over. But from our secret exchange of letters you know the injuries I have suffered including a poison dart in the shoulder have left me weak, and that only through you loving nursing shall I recover. You run from the house in you night clothes to meet me, a flicker of a smile on my face at seeing you reminds you that I am still the man you wept for when duty called. But I have returned. Easing myself from the saddle in my weakened condition I am unable to stand, falling against you our bodies press into each other, my smell fills you mind, making you weak. The warmth of my body, the beating of my heart against you, dulls your reality, you long for the embrace to never end. Alas, as the stable boy lifts me off you, and the maid starts screaming for a doctor, the spell is broken and reality returns with a crash.
Now fill in the rest however you want. Hope I capture the spirit of both trashy and smutty. ;)
Men have porn, Hooters and strip clubs, but seemingly women have no equivalent. This is clearly not true, but I only know of one strip join that features male dancers, that not enough the service all of the DFW. I was at the bookstore tonight when I figured it out, and I must admire how crafty women are. I was standing by the romance section of my local B&N when I said “those books are stupid women are just fooling themselves”. That’s when it hit me, those books are the female equivalents of porn and strip clubs, and better still men are as a group unaware of that fact. Men are visual, our fantasies must have a visual component to work, and they work best when nothing is left to the imagination. But woman aren’t visual, and based on what little I know about woman they quite prefer certain things be left to the imagination since they can much more aptly fill in the lurid details. In fact women might not even totally need the lurid, just the suggestively erotic, ie Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, or the seductive Vampire in Anne Rice books. Women want the fantasy to build; skipping to the “good part” doesn’t seem to be their thing. This is totally brilliant! Women can buy and openly read novels that using the male/female erotic currency exchange are the equivalent of Hustler or worse, and men don’t blink an eye. Men just shake their heads and think “how can they read that trash?” Ladies here’s to you, for putting this over on us for so long. It brings a wicked smile to my face to think of all men who think their wives are so good and pure, but in reality she’s going through two or three of these books a week. What makes me grin from ear to ear is that church books sales sell these novels by the sack. If men where smart enough to figure out that women aren’t men with breasts, and that what we think is erotic isn’t the only definition… Well nevermind we aren’t.
Here is the setup:
Imagine me returning home a hero of Her Majesties Armies, my uniform stained, my shirt in tatters, a bandage around my head. You are the servant girl who is charged with the care of my estate library, while I was off to fight the heathens to save the colonies and the Empire from falling into ruin.
Let’s begin:
Relief spreads through your body as the sound of hoof beats on the road tell you your prayers have been answered, I have returned. Running to the window you see me gallop up the road on a fiery black steed to show all those in the village their master has returned and the war is over. But from our secret exchange of letters you know the injuries I have suffered including a poison dart in the shoulder have left me weak, and that only through you loving nursing shall I recover. You run from the house in you night clothes to meet me, a flicker of a smile on my face at seeing you reminds you that I am still the man you wept for when duty called. But I have returned. Easing myself from the saddle in my weakened condition I am unable to stand, falling against you our bodies press into each other, my smell fills you mind, making you weak. The warmth of my body, the beating of my heart against you, dulls your reality, you long for the embrace to never end. Alas, as the stable boy lifts me off you, and the maid starts screaming for a doctor, the spell is broken and reality returns with a crash.
Now fill in the rest however you want. Hope I capture the spirit of both trashy and smutty. ;)
Monday, August 22, 2005
A return to free advice!
Q:
My friend borrowed my truck, and while off roading really beat the hell out of it. Being irresponsible, broke, and on-the-outs anyway, he doesn't care and refuses to pay. Now I am stuck with a $4500 repair bill. What do I do, how do I make him pay?
A:
$4500 is serious. You will have to sue him, the devious part is you threaten to sue, reminding him that if gets a judgment against him, you can ask for more money including your legal fees, and if he can't or won't pay you can get liens against whatever he has of value to secure the debt. So, now he is looking at $6,000+ easy, plus the hit against his credit, better since it was a motor vehicle you can call his insurance company and file a claim so they will find out too. Hopefully then he will see the wisdom of settling out of court. However, this is not a bluff, the minimum is getting one of the sue someone kits from an office supply store, I doubt that will be enough since I have a feeling he isn't a "do the right thing" kind of guy, but once he is served or at least is told there is potential for a court date he will sweat. Remember don’t take a partial payment (unless that is all the money you want), the reason he is giving in is fear of the legal consequences, his fear will diminish over time, and the rest of the money will be harder to get. You are playing hard ball, so do it right and you get your money and to watch him twist in the wind. Good times!
My friend borrowed my truck, and while off roading really beat the hell out of it. Being irresponsible, broke, and on-the-outs anyway, he doesn't care and refuses to pay. Now I am stuck with a $4500 repair bill. What do I do, how do I make him pay?
A:
$4500 is serious. You will have to sue him, the devious part is you threaten to sue, reminding him that if gets a judgment against him, you can ask for more money including your legal fees, and if he can't or won't pay you can get liens against whatever he has of value to secure the debt. So, now he is looking at $6,000+ easy, plus the hit against his credit, better since it was a motor vehicle you can call his insurance company and file a claim so they will find out too. Hopefully then he will see the wisdom of settling out of court. However, this is not a bluff, the minimum is getting one of the sue someone kits from an office supply store, I doubt that will be enough since I have a feeling he isn't a "do the right thing" kind of guy, but once he is served or at least is told there is potential for a court date he will sweat. Remember don’t take a partial payment (unless that is all the money you want), the reason he is giving in is fear of the legal consequences, his fear will diminish over time, and the rest of the money will be harder to get. You are playing hard ball, so do it right and you get your money and to watch him twist in the wind. Good times!
Friday, August 19, 2005
Life
Despite urging by others to write about my life on here I won’t. Why? Because only people I know read this, and so it seems unwise. I will say one thing, to all those who have and hopefully will continue to support me thank you. I am something of an ass, and I am defiantly a dark cloud sometimes, so I don’t say thanks enough, so thank you! (You know who you are.)
I write this because I can already tell that over the next few months I will become a different person. Notice I did not say better person. I am already becoming more volatile, and the process has just started. When I look from inside out I see the changes and while I am proud of them I can’t stop them either and it seems to be getting worse. For those who have defended their dissertations I am hopeful that they will understand that these are not permanent changes, for those who haven’t I hope they understand as well. I ask forgiveness for all the things I will say and do over the next few months.
It would be great if the last stages of getting a PhD were like a butterfly. I would spend a few months in a cocoon peacefully sleeping off the last 6 years then I would pop Dr. Butterfly or in my case Dr. Moth. However, as near as I can tell the process is actually best describe by the Phoenix, assuming the Phoenix is still alive when it is consumed before rising from its own ashes. While I have been on the pyre for awhile now, I can see that this is only the beginning, and oh it is going to get soooo much worse before it gets better. If this turns out to be one of my last moments of lucidity for awhile, thanks again for being there and I am sorry for what I will say and do in the coming weeks.
I must admit right now I really really want to write about my life and what happened today on here but can’t especially since I need to mellow out a bit. I will say that sometimes “help” hurts a lot, but you have to remember the intent.
I write this because I can already tell that over the next few months I will become a different person. Notice I did not say better person. I am already becoming more volatile, and the process has just started. When I look from inside out I see the changes and while I am proud of them I can’t stop them either and it seems to be getting worse. For those who have defended their dissertations I am hopeful that they will understand that these are not permanent changes, for those who haven’t I hope they understand as well. I ask forgiveness for all the things I will say and do over the next few months.
It would be great if the last stages of getting a PhD were like a butterfly. I would spend a few months in a cocoon peacefully sleeping off the last 6 years then I would pop Dr. Butterfly or in my case Dr. Moth. However, as near as I can tell the process is actually best describe by the Phoenix, assuming the Phoenix is still alive when it is consumed before rising from its own ashes. While I have been on the pyre for awhile now, I can see that this is only the beginning, and oh it is going to get soooo much worse before it gets better. If this turns out to be one of my last moments of lucidity for awhile, thanks again for being there and I am sorry for what I will say and do in the coming weeks.
I must admit right now I really really want to write about my life and what happened today on here but can’t especially since I need to mellow out a bit. I will say that sometimes “help” hurts a lot, but you have to remember the intent.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Creating a successful resume.
This is not the stuff they put in books, so it requires a light touch...
First never ever ever lie on a resume, it is just stupid!
The key in my mind is highlighting you positives and minimizing the negatives in the readers mind. Yes I know duh! But what I mean is that the designer of the resume must laid out the document in such a way that good things are first, and presented in a way that encourages memory retention. Again duh! The real trick is to arrange the negatives in such a way that they become accidentally lost in a sea of text. This can be as simple as putting clearer formatting and bold words in good areas and more unbroken text within areas you want skipped. A simple trick to that is having bracketed abbreviations in areas you want to highlight three letter abbreviations (TLA). See how the inclusion of the acronym draws your eye, as you scan the text and engages your mind to really think and search for the meaning of acronym? Bolding certain words can help too, but is more likely to get you caught. The trick for hiding bad stuff is as I said to ensure it is in a sea of text, use proper but dull language for this part, since people skip long runs of boring text, more often than other areas. Nothing will get past a careful read but most people skip around looking for the important parts, so putting them together can get you a half to a whole page that only glanced at. Again format the lesser subjects well so the reader believes a glance is all they require, don’t make them look for the obvious information. Here is an example scan it.
Education:
Harvard University
Physics and Philosophy (P&P) double major
Advanced class work: Quantum Basket Weaving, Theoretical Particle Philosophy, Pixel Engineering
Et harumd und lookum, dereud facilis est er expedit distinct. Nam liber te conscient to factor tum poen legum odioque civiuda. Et tam neque pecun modut est neque nonor et imper ned libidig met, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed ut labore et dolore magna aliquam. Bis nostrud exercitation ullam mmodo consequet. Duis aute in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Left school after incident with sheep at frat party. At vver eos et accusam dignissum qui blandit est praesent luptatum delenit aigue excepteur sint occae. Et harumd dereud facilis est er expedit distinct.
Great Outdoors Day School
Finger painting major
More text here
See if you just scanned that you see:
Education:
Harvard University
Physics and Philosophy (P&P) double major
Advanced class work: Quantum Basket Weaving, Theoretical Particle Philosophy, Pixel Engineering
Et harumd und lookum, dereud facilis est er expedit distinct. Blah blah blah next!
Great Outdoors Day School
Finger painting major
More text here
Notice you missed that no degree was mentioned and you missed the part about the sheep, so the reader assumes for you and the bad stuff is covered up.
See how well that works!
The last tip is to write a resume that is generic then really job hunt, look at the desriptions of the jobs you want and remember the words that stand out. Keep a mental track of the keywords and build them in to field specific resume, since the nice folks in HR use machines similar to spam filters to prescreen resumes, your use of keywords saves you. However, since this is common knowledge so applicants use spammer tricks to fool the machine, but a person will trash you in a second if you have lists of keywords. So, do it like it was a MadLib, and use the keywords in a generic story. So instead of “I know JAVA, GUI design, SQL, OO programing, database design, PERL and Cobal”. Write “I implemented a customer interface using a Java driven GUI in a SQL wrapped Object Oriented PERL parser built on a legacy Cobal database.” The machine still sees keywords, the uneducated prescreener in HR also sees the keywords but strung together in an impressive manner, and the actual screener can see what you actually did with that knowledge. To close again I remind you don’t lie, don’t embelish, spin! Spin is an alternative interpreation of a set of facts, it is a lie someone tells themselves.
First never ever ever lie on a resume, it is just stupid!
The key in my mind is highlighting you positives and minimizing the negatives in the readers mind. Yes I know duh! But what I mean is that the designer of the resume must laid out the document in such a way that good things are first, and presented in a way that encourages memory retention. Again duh! The real trick is to arrange the negatives in such a way that they become accidentally lost in a sea of text. This can be as simple as putting clearer formatting and bold words in good areas and more unbroken text within areas you want skipped. A simple trick to that is having bracketed abbreviations in areas you want to highlight three letter abbreviations (TLA). See how the inclusion of the acronym draws your eye, as you scan the text and engages your mind to really think and search for the meaning of acronym? Bolding certain words can help too, but is more likely to get you caught. The trick for hiding bad stuff is as I said to ensure it is in a sea of text, use proper but dull language for this part, since people skip long runs of boring text, more often than other areas. Nothing will get past a careful read but most people skip around looking for the important parts, so putting them together can get you a half to a whole page that only glanced at. Again format the lesser subjects well so the reader believes a glance is all they require, don’t make them look for the obvious information. Here is an example scan it.
Education:
Harvard University
Physics and Philosophy (P&P) double major
Advanced class work: Quantum Basket Weaving, Theoretical Particle Philosophy, Pixel Engineering
Et harumd und lookum, dereud facilis est er expedit distinct. Nam liber te conscient to factor tum poen legum odioque civiuda. Et tam neque pecun modut est neque nonor et imper ned libidig met, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed ut labore et dolore magna aliquam. Bis nostrud exercitation ullam mmodo consequet. Duis aute in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Left school after incident with sheep at frat party. At vver eos et accusam dignissum qui blandit est praesent luptatum delenit aigue excepteur sint occae. Et harumd dereud facilis est er expedit distinct.
Great Outdoors Day School
Finger painting major
More text here
See if you just scanned that you see:
Education:
Harvard University
Physics and Philosophy (P&P) double major
Advanced class work: Quantum Basket Weaving, Theoretical Particle Philosophy, Pixel Engineering
Et harumd und lookum, dereud facilis est er expedit distinct. Blah blah blah next!
Great Outdoors Day School
Finger painting major
More text here
Notice you missed that no degree was mentioned and you missed the part about the sheep, so the reader assumes for you and the bad stuff is covered up.
See how well that works!
The last tip is to write a resume that is generic then really job hunt, look at the desriptions of the jobs you want and remember the words that stand out. Keep a mental track of the keywords and build them in to field specific resume, since the nice folks in HR use machines similar to spam filters to prescreen resumes, your use of keywords saves you. However, since this is common knowledge so applicants use spammer tricks to fool the machine, but a person will trash you in a second if you have lists of keywords. So, do it like it was a MadLib, and use the keywords in a generic story. So instead of “I know JAVA, GUI design, SQL, OO programing, database design, PERL and Cobal”. Write “I implemented a customer interface using a Java driven GUI in a SQL wrapped Object Oriented PERL parser built on a legacy Cobal database.” The machine still sees keywords, the uneducated prescreener in HR also sees the keywords but strung together in an impressive manner, and the actual screener can see what you actually did with that knowledge. To close again I remind you don’t lie, don’t embelish, spin! Spin is an alternative interpreation of a set of facts, it is a lie someone tells themselves.
Coming soon! Version 2.6
Yes, blogging has turned me into a big attention whore! Like anyone wants to read my inane (un-proof read) thoughts.
But, if I am not random, who will be?
So, on the off chance anyone does want to hear what I have to say, and doesn’t think I am an idiot, this is what to expect in the nearish future:
-Base load, nuclear power, Yucca Mountain and arrogance.
(Hint, why are we building storage to last >1,000,000 years when in less than 50 we will know better, and think how misguided we were? Hell, now we keep the fuel rods in big pools and have for ~50 years, so why the big hurry? Design it to last 200+ years to buy us time and get back to work on the problem. Wouldn’t it be easier to build a “consumer reactor” that uses supercritical fuel to neutron bombard the waste or at least some of the more dangerous isotopes and convert them to other elements preferably Pb and Fe? Remember the most dangerous stuff is I, K, St, Ce, Ca, Rd, etc short lived and bioavailable, U isotopes have multimillion year half lives, in fact the front armor of the Abrams tank is made out of a depleted U, and it and Pu are so safe you can handle them without gloves.)
-Drug design, bad drugs and the media
(Hint, first COX2 inhibitors, next will be Statins, and in the near future maybe colloidal/nano- materials (esp TiO2) (which if that happens will make the tobacco lawsuits look like pocket change) Why the media? Cause the media made the COX2 story (3% increase in deaths in already very sick people, not the greatest danger facing mankind today), will make the Statin story (increased risk of blindness, metabolic problems, liver and kidney damage… wait for it, it's coming) and if they figure out that an ultra common white pigment causes even a small number of cancers, will give them and the lawyers the greatest news day since… ever.)
-Analog vs Digital computing, BioSPICE/biomodeling, and a new generation of vacuum tubes and solid state hybrids.
(Hint, Analog wins since analog computers if they can be built as modules will factor numbers and solve other problems that are intractable in hours or days, which doesn’t seem like that long compared to the geological time required for digital computers. If someone has a spare Genetic or Electrical engineer lying around I can teacher them how to build a modular analog computer.)
-Perhaps even a lesson on how to get your way with sales people, and still have them like you. (Hint, let them think they are in charge…, and never lie, let them lie to themselves.)
Plus, so much more, as we journey through my mind, as I journey through this world.
Why the hints? Why give it away? Cause I might change my mind and not write about that stuff, so at least the hint gives a glimpse of what the message would be.
Oh and in case you didn't notice I have given up my dream of helping people en masse, so the move to my website is on permanent hold, but as long as one person reads this, I will keep writing. Perhaps if the whole science thing doesn’t pan out, I will pick up on the blunt Dear Abby. Till then enjoy all the weird stuff I think up, and if you happen to learn something then great! So, start at the bottom and work your way up!
But, if I am not random, who will be?
So, on the off chance anyone does want to hear what I have to say, and doesn’t think I am an idiot, this is what to expect in the nearish future:
-Base load, nuclear power, Yucca Mountain and arrogance.
(Hint, why are we building storage to last >1,000,000 years when in less than 50 we will know better, and think how misguided we were? Hell, now we keep the fuel rods in big pools and have for ~50 years, so why the big hurry? Design it to last 200+ years to buy us time and get back to work on the problem. Wouldn’t it be easier to build a “consumer reactor” that uses supercritical fuel to neutron bombard the waste or at least some of the more dangerous isotopes and convert them to other elements preferably Pb and Fe? Remember the most dangerous stuff is I, K, St, Ce, Ca, Rd, etc short lived and bioavailable, U isotopes have multimillion year half lives, in fact the front armor of the Abrams tank is made out of a depleted U, and it and Pu are so safe you can handle them without gloves.)
-Drug design, bad drugs and the media
(Hint, first COX2 inhibitors, next will be Statins, and in the near future maybe colloidal/nano- materials (esp TiO2) (which if that happens will make the tobacco lawsuits look like pocket change) Why the media? Cause the media made the COX2 story (3% increase in deaths in already very sick people, not the greatest danger facing mankind today), will make the Statin story (increased risk of blindness, metabolic problems, liver and kidney damage… wait for it, it's coming) and if they figure out that an ultra common white pigment causes even a small number of cancers, will give them and the lawyers the greatest news day since… ever.)
-Analog vs Digital computing, BioSPICE/biomodeling, and a new generation of vacuum tubes and solid state hybrids.
(Hint, Analog wins since analog computers if they can be built as modules will factor numbers and solve other problems that are intractable in hours or days, which doesn’t seem like that long compared to the geological time required for digital computers. If someone has a spare Genetic or Electrical engineer lying around I can teacher them how to build a modular analog computer.)
-Perhaps even a lesson on how to get your way with sales people, and still have them like you. (Hint, let them think they are in charge…, and never lie, let them lie to themselves.)
Plus, so much more, as we journey through my mind, as I journey through this world.
Why the hints? Why give it away? Cause I might change my mind and not write about that stuff, so at least the hint gives a glimpse of what the message would be.
Oh and in case you didn't notice I have given up my dream of helping people en masse, so the move to my website is on permanent hold, but as long as one person reads this, I will keep writing. Perhaps if the whole science thing doesn’t pan out, I will pick up on the blunt Dear Abby. Till then enjoy all the weird stuff I think up, and if you happen to learn something then great! So, start at the bottom and work your way up!
A question and answer
“Describe your experiences at completing tasks in situations that had tight deadlines and/or multiple priorities or in which there were individuals who had difficulties interacting to reach agreement.”
"... Prevention is a far better method for dealing with the problems mentioned in the question, than any other method. It is always better to settle the differences among the individuals and reach a consensus, before getting too deep into a project. The consensus is created and maintained during the project by allowing the "strong personalities" an outlet for their concerns, and being flexible enough to respond when needed, but not allowing team members to lose sight of the goal. While issues of time, budget or priority are often more the concern of the team leader than team member, by making the members aware of the issues in a controlled fashion the leader can use adversity to unify the team instead of demoralizing it. Additionally, cross training individuals in other jobs reduces the strong personality problem, and fosters innovation, but must be tempered by ensuring the each person’s tasks are well defined, and they are motivated." The point of all this is that most people are followers and even the “difficult people” if deprived of an audience will fall into line, and if they fail to, then their coworkers will absorb most of whining…
"... Prevention is a far better method for dealing with the problems mentioned in the question, than any other method. It is always better to settle the differences among the individuals and reach a consensus, before getting too deep into a project. The consensus is created and maintained during the project by allowing the "strong personalities" an outlet for their concerns, and being flexible enough to respond when needed, but not allowing team members to lose sight of the goal. While issues of time, budget or priority are often more the concern of the team leader than team member, by making the members aware of the issues in a controlled fashion the leader can use adversity to unify the team instead of demoralizing it. Additionally, cross training individuals in other jobs reduces the strong personality problem, and fosters innovation, but must be tempered by ensuring the each person’s tasks are well defined, and they are motivated." The point of all this is that most people are followers and even the “difficult people” if deprived of an audience will fall into line, and if they fail to, then their coworkers will absorb most of whining…
On business
I saw the new Army recruiting TV spots. I must say they are truly brilliant; they are some of the best ads I have ever seen. I mean like I wanted to go join up good. To the Army people if you read this, kudos on an excellent ad campaign!
New topic:
I was at the post office and I saw a wanted poster for a guy who looks like a guy I work with, and that made me think. Why are wanted posters for people in the Northeast put up in Coppell? It seems like with a little thought someone could put together a computer program that would analyze a series of variables about the person and historical data on where that type of person hides out and then target those areas. Seriously, a white supremacist on the run after a lone wolf killing isn’t likely to hide out in a small Black or Hispanic community and if he is seen there will stick out anyways. It is a matter of targeting resources; if you can put info in the right people’s hands then you are more likely to get results. The same is true for kidnapped children, if we can make it harder for criminals to hide by targeting the obvious places they might go then only the smart ones, who can break the pattern will be successful in hiding, but we will at least make it more difficult by forcing them to stay on their toes.
New topic:
Another idea is to put dumb GPS units in people’s cars, and then tracked them anonymously, like Neilson cars. Give them free satellite radio or OnStar service, (actually come to think of it OnStar cars already have the unit in them, hmmm) to encourage people to join up. The real money is from selling real time traffic info to people and companies. Imagine if you were driving along and your NAV system warned you that all the cars that were monitored up head were only going 10 mph when the speed limit was 70 mph then suggested an alternate route. It could work for cities too, they would pay good money to have this kind of traffic info, imagine if the DoT people knew that traffic had doubled on a surface road because of an unknown problem on a freeway, assistance could be dispatched and traffic light patterns altered to keep the traffic moving.
I have lots of ideas for improving traffic flow (and as a side project the economic state of a region/company) based on a hybrid of the field of behavior analysis designed for the fishing industry to reduce by-catch, computational fluid dynamics and anthropology. Those ideas are duh grade so if you have a NDA or a check, I will be happy to talk about them. (If you don’t know why duh grade is good, it is an idea that when you hear, you go "duh, why didn’t I think of that" like peanut butter and chocolate.)
New topic:
I was at the post office and I saw a wanted poster for a guy who looks like a guy I work with, and that made me think. Why are wanted posters for people in the Northeast put up in Coppell? It seems like with a little thought someone could put together a computer program that would analyze a series of variables about the person and historical data on where that type of person hides out and then target those areas. Seriously, a white supremacist on the run after a lone wolf killing isn’t likely to hide out in a small Black or Hispanic community and if he is seen there will stick out anyways. It is a matter of targeting resources; if you can put info in the right people’s hands then you are more likely to get results. The same is true for kidnapped children, if we can make it harder for criminals to hide by targeting the obvious places they might go then only the smart ones, who can break the pattern will be successful in hiding, but we will at least make it more difficult by forcing them to stay on their toes.
New topic:
Another idea is to put dumb GPS units in people’s cars, and then tracked them anonymously, like Neilson cars. Give them free satellite radio or OnStar service, (actually come to think of it OnStar cars already have the unit in them, hmmm) to encourage people to join up. The real money is from selling real time traffic info to people and companies. Imagine if you were driving along and your NAV system warned you that all the cars that were monitored up head were only going 10 mph when the speed limit was 70 mph then suggested an alternate route. It could work for cities too, they would pay good money to have this kind of traffic info, imagine if the DoT people knew that traffic had doubled on a surface road because of an unknown problem on a freeway, assistance could be dispatched and traffic light patterns altered to keep the traffic moving.
I have lots of ideas for improving traffic flow (and as a side project the economic state of a region/company) based on a hybrid of the field of behavior analysis designed for the fishing industry to reduce by-catch, computational fluid dynamics and anthropology. Those ideas are duh grade so if you have a NDA or a check, I will be happy to talk about them. (If you don’t know why duh grade is good, it is an idea that when you hear, you go "duh, why didn’t I think of that" like peanut butter and chocolate.)
Saturday, August 13, 2005
More on relationships
A girl once told me that they thought wearing a wedding ring would cut down on the men who approach them. While this is true, it would completely and totally back fire. The reason that men approach her is that she gives off signals that tell them she is looking and is an easy mark. A wedding band would only discourage the men who she should meet. The total walking dirty bags would be undeterred, if not encouraged by the fact she was unavailable for a relationship, so they could just go for the sex and not worry about “feelings”. If she really wants to scare of the dirt bags she should get a new ring and wear it on a different finger. This ring is the kind of ring a man buys are a present for a woman, and she should play with it or use as a prop to scare of the dirt by talking about what a sweet friend he is (really go on and on, be drippy), this place a man’s claim on her but allows her to be single when she needs to. Dirt is interested in prey, women beyond the watch of a man, by being semi-attached the dirt knows she might have a male friend who will blow his cover. Good men will not have this hang up and so semi-attached is not a reason to move on.
What will solve a lot of the problems women have, is the banning and burning of every copy of the movie Pretty Woman. Why? False hope for women. Sure 1 in a billion women find that guy. The rest women get treated like sex objects and wait and wait for salvation. Here is a simple fact, men are with few exceptions sleaze (you decide for yourself about me) and if you are willing to skip the relationship part and go straight to the physical then that is type of men you will get. I truly believe that the women who believe the Pretty Woman myth should be rounded up en masse and in a similar fashion to A Clock Work Orange forced to watch You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle till the belief that a white knight (or whatever) will come and save them is purged from their mind, and the belief that a relationship is a partnership and that if they wait for it, love will find them, takes its place. These women date the same sleaze bag over and over and never know that the man they seek is the one that the opposite of their “type”. If you are a woman and find yourself giving and giving of yourself but the other person either is never filled or never returns it, then guess what he is NOT the man you are seeking and NEVER will be. To get philosophical your heart isn’t self filling, the love you crave to fill your heart must be given, so if it is empty despite your best efforts, move on. Find a man who you aren’t afraid will run off when he hears about your baggage, and will hold you while you cry. That will yield the happiness you seek, the rest is just disappointment and wanting. It WILL be difficult to make these changes, you will need a new attitude, and almost certainly a new peer group, but it is worth it. Meet men at the grocery store, not a bar, or on the internet.
Try this, the next time you see a decent looking guy that does something simple, like holds the door for you, (if you can) engage him in conversation, don’t be coy. If how you flirt has only gotten you sleaze them try something new. The signals you give off get you the men you don’t want, so don’t use signals to get his attention, say "hi", say "how much appreciate a guy with manners", just say enough to get him talking. If he is interested then he will take over the maintenance of the early, "getting to know you chatting". If you must get a "man project" remember physical fixer uppers and more tractable than emotional fixer uppers.
What will solve a lot of the problems women have, is the banning and burning of every copy of the movie Pretty Woman. Why? False hope for women. Sure 1 in a billion women find that guy. The rest women get treated like sex objects and wait and wait for salvation. Here is a simple fact, men are with few exceptions sleaze (you decide for yourself about me) and if you are willing to skip the relationship part and go straight to the physical then that is type of men you will get. I truly believe that the women who believe the Pretty Woman myth should be rounded up en masse and in a similar fashion to A Clock Work Orange forced to watch You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle till the belief that a white knight (or whatever) will come and save them is purged from their mind, and the belief that a relationship is a partnership and that if they wait for it, love will find them, takes its place. These women date the same sleaze bag over and over and never know that the man they seek is the one that the opposite of their “type”. If you are a woman and find yourself giving and giving of yourself but the other person either is never filled or never returns it, then guess what he is NOT the man you are seeking and NEVER will be. To get philosophical your heart isn’t self filling, the love you crave to fill your heart must be given, so if it is empty despite your best efforts, move on. Find a man who you aren’t afraid will run off when he hears about your baggage, and will hold you while you cry. That will yield the happiness you seek, the rest is just disappointment and wanting. It WILL be difficult to make these changes, you will need a new attitude, and almost certainly a new peer group, but it is worth it. Meet men at the grocery store, not a bar, or on the internet.
Try this, the next time you see a decent looking guy that does something simple, like holds the door for you, (if you can) engage him in conversation, don’t be coy. If how you flirt has only gotten you sleaze them try something new. The signals you give off get you the men you don’t want, so don’t use signals to get his attention, say "hi", say "how much appreciate a guy with manners", just say enough to get him talking. If he is interested then he will take over the maintenance of the early, "getting to know you chatting". If you must get a "man project" remember physical fixer uppers and more tractable than emotional fixer uppers.
A quote and my thoughts
An interesting follow up to the last post is an interesting quote I heard:
“The man is the head of the family, but the woman is the neck and can turn the head at will”
I really like this quote!
I had an argument awhile ago about if women were in charge that the world would be a better place. I think that is BS, the feminists will come after me for this but hear me out. I think men should remain the leaders, but only if they have a strong wife and even better a family. Most of the great mad men had no strong female support (Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin). Imagine a world where Pol Pot’s wife gave him a stern look when he announced his plans for mass murder at the dinner table, then berated him till he changed his mind, and suggested nice re-education camps.
The balance of the forces is best, since occasionally war mongering and aggression is necessary (let’s face it that is what men are best at) so in those times a man is necessary, but most of the time the woman will prevail and restraint will win the day. My case for why it can’t work the other way is that women have their extremes too, but men are less efficient at controlling women, so the converse, of a strong husband just doesn’t work. It is a gender culture issue, plain and simple, eons of time have taught women to control men, but not the other way around.
Oh sure some women crave and deserve power of their own, but short of massive changes to our system they will always face nearly insurmountable obstacles. The crafty women find a man, helps get him into power, and then wields that power (and more) from the safety of the “innocent woman” defense.
I use to think that being a secretary was demeaning, ‘cause if I had to do it I would be miserable. However, it is the same thing, a woman who actually exercises the power of her boss. She has by proxy the power of his position, plus control over what he sees and hears, and the force of her own authority. I am not talking about the “pretty young thing” who does her boss ‘cause she is drunk on his power, I am talking about the woman wants the power for herself, you know the ones. While she has a smaller desk, she is given great power to run the “empire’s” day to day affairs, all while keeping the mantle of safety tightly over her, but since no one dare challenge her, it is largely unnecessary.
If you stop and think most traditionally female jobs, and think that. Nurses and teachers, exercise the authority of a traditionally male job (doctor, principal).
Perhaps I am a practical feminist but women wield a huge amount of power already but are often shielded from the consequences. So, just because every little girl in America can’t go up to be president she can be first lady or an aide. Which technically means that there are more women in power than men, so think about that for a bit.
A side note on sexuality, men and power:
Just remember the path to achieving true lasting power via a man (if you aren't married to him) shouldn't involve sleeping with him, sure you get his attention but it weakens your position in all ways, and is grounds for both or most likely you to be gotten rid of. If you are married the “powerful man”, don't use sex as a weapon, it is just a bad call. Remember men respond better to positive enforcement than negative. I think I need not finish the thought... However, if your man is in power remember there are lots of other women who are interested in his power and are willing to do “very interesting things” to gain short term power (see above). So, plan accordingly and think long term. I don’t mean to diminish the role of love in marriage since I am not that cynical yet, but love is for when he is snuggled against you at night and you are warm and safe, during daylight you must be on guard. Remember, other women want power too, and are actively plotting against you. Seriously, think back to HS, what do you think those girls grew up into… Here is a hint the more sex a man gets at home, the less likely he is to even notice other women. For real, after puberty men have only a fixed libido, but if you can’t use it, it accumulates and sooner or later builds to the point we can’t help it, since it controls us…. and we want to cheat or go to Hooter’s. However, if its not in control most men are so oblivious that short of a woman jumping us, we don’t notice the “signals”. How to best keep us from the Hooter’s-stage is a different topic for another day.
New side note:
Men are use to taking orders, but you have to know how to give them. Nag or annoy us and we are also very resistant. Speaking of taking orders (it will be clear in a minute). Men are very willing to kill or die for their family, and when it is necessary march off in droves to do so. Nationalism is important but in the end each man does it for a woman of some kind, wife/girlfriend are the obvious but sister/mom are the others. He goes on a one way trip knowing that they will be safe for his sacrifice and that his family will carry on to the next generation. When little girls are learning whatever they learn or playing house, little boy’s learn the basic skills to survive and gain the will to make this sacrifice if they are called to. I am not sure that women understand want it means to be willing to kill or die for their family but it is way all this works. Men bond to women, and let women control them (yes, I said let, we are slow but not unaware), we need women to balance us. The point of this is that we (men) know about the shadowy world women live in, and since we can’t go there we send our women into it armed with the power to see the common will done.
End side notes, and I now return you to the regular rambling
I am not saying there isn’t discrimination (in fact I mentioned it earlier) and that we don’t have a lot of work to do, (men are as a group total sleaze and I am often shocked by some of the crap my gender does) but a lot of women content with “safe/demur” power. Women have made huge strides in America to achieve “visual equality” but from where I stand real equality would cost women massive amounts of status in the shadowy realm of the exercise of power. If I am right women who want to play with the “boys” will always face resistance from the “boys”, and from the female establishment as well. So, to all little girls (and women) out there who feel opportunity has past them by I say don’t feel cheated, playing with the boys isn’t as great as you think, go make Machiavelli proud. PS his wife was named Marietta, and if you look, he really didn’t do anything of note till after he married her. Hmmmm.
I have some what watered down my message, but I think that women will still understand. However, men will miss the message and remain blissfully unaware…
“The man is the head of the family, but the woman is the neck and can turn the head at will”
I really like this quote!
I had an argument awhile ago about if women were in charge that the world would be a better place. I think that is BS, the feminists will come after me for this but hear me out. I think men should remain the leaders, but only if they have a strong wife and even better a family. Most of the great mad men had no strong female support (Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin). Imagine a world where Pol Pot’s wife gave him a stern look when he announced his plans for mass murder at the dinner table, then berated him till he changed his mind, and suggested nice re-education camps.
The balance of the forces is best, since occasionally war mongering and aggression is necessary (let’s face it that is what men are best at) so in those times a man is necessary, but most of the time the woman will prevail and restraint will win the day. My case for why it can’t work the other way is that women have their extremes too, but men are less efficient at controlling women, so the converse, of a strong husband just doesn’t work. It is a gender culture issue, plain and simple, eons of time have taught women to control men, but not the other way around.
Oh sure some women crave and deserve power of their own, but short of massive changes to our system they will always face nearly insurmountable obstacles. The crafty women find a man, helps get him into power, and then wields that power (and more) from the safety of the “innocent woman” defense.
I use to think that being a secretary was demeaning, ‘cause if I had to do it I would be miserable. However, it is the same thing, a woman who actually exercises the power of her boss. She has by proxy the power of his position, plus control over what he sees and hears, and the force of her own authority. I am not talking about the “pretty young thing” who does her boss ‘cause she is drunk on his power, I am talking about the woman wants the power for herself, you know the ones. While she has a smaller desk, she is given great power to run the “empire’s” day to day affairs, all while keeping the mantle of safety tightly over her, but since no one dare challenge her, it is largely unnecessary.
If you stop and think most traditionally female jobs, and think that. Nurses and teachers, exercise the authority of a traditionally male job (doctor, principal).
Perhaps I am a practical feminist but women wield a huge amount of power already but are often shielded from the consequences. So, just because every little girl in America can’t go up to be president she can be first lady or an aide. Which technically means that there are more women in power than men, so think about that for a bit.
A side note on sexuality, men and power:
Just remember the path to achieving true lasting power via a man (if you aren't married to him) shouldn't involve sleeping with him, sure you get his attention but it weakens your position in all ways, and is grounds for both or most likely you to be gotten rid of. If you are married the “powerful man”, don't use sex as a weapon, it is just a bad call. Remember men respond better to positive enforcement than negative. I think I need not finish the thought... However, if your man is in power remember there are lots of other women who are interested in his power and are willing to do “very interesting things” to gain short term power (see above). So, plan accordingly and think long term. I don’t mean to diminish the role of love in marriage since I am not that cynical yet, but love is for when he is snuggled against you at night and you are warm and safe, during daylight you must be on guard. Remember, other women want power too, and are actively plotting against you. Seriously, think back to HS, what do you think those girls grew up into… Here is a hint the more sex a man gets at home, the less likely he is to even notice other women. For real, after puberty men have only a fixed libido, but if you can’t use it, it accumulates and sooner or later builds to the point we can’t help it, since it controls us…. and we want to cheat or go to Hooter’s. However, if its not in control most men are so oblivious that short of a woman jumping us, we don’t notice the “signals”. How to best keep us from the Hooter’s-stage is a different topic for another day.
New side note:
Men are use to taking orders, but you have to know how to give them. Nag or annoy us and we are also very resistant. Speaking of taking orders (it will be clear in a minute). Men are very willing to kill or die for their family, and when it is necessary march off in droves to do so. Nationalism is important but in the end each man does it for a woman of some kind, wife/girlfriend are the obvious but sister/mom are the others. He goes on a one way trip knowing that they will be safe for his sacrifice and that his family will carry on to the next generation. When little girls are learning whatever they learn or playing house, little boy’s learn the basic skills to survive and gain the will to make this sacrifice if they are called to. I am not sure that women understand want it means to be willing to kill or die for their family but it is way all this works. Men bond to women, and let women control them (yes, I said let, we are slow but not unaware), we need women to balance us. The point of this is that we (men) know about the shadowy world women live in, and since we can’t go there we send our women into it armed with the power to see the common will done.
End side notes, and I now return you to the regular rambling
I am not saying there isn’t discrimination (in fact I mentioned it earlier) and that we don’t have a lot of work to do, (men are as a group total sleaze and I am often shocked by some of the crap my gender does) but a lot of women content with “safe/demur” power. Women have made huge strides in America to achieve “visual equality” but from where I stand real equality would cost women massive amounts of status in the shadowy realm of the exercise of power. If I am right women who want to play with the “boys” will always face resistance from the “boys”, and from the female establishment as well. So, to all little girls (and women) out there who feel opportunity has past them by I say don’t feel cheated, playing with the boys isn’t as great as you think, go make Machiavelli proud. PS his wife was named Marietta, and if you look, he really didn’t do anything of note till after he married her. Hmmmm.
I have some what watered down my message, but I think that women will still understand. However, men will miss the message and remain blissfully unaware…
The self absorbed
The one and only person who reads this pointed out that I haven’t posted in awhile:
So a few things:
First the more self absorbed a person is the less sure about themselves they are. The reason they are like that is that they are so wildly unsure of themselves that they require the constant input of hearing others agree with their self opinion (even if it is not agreeing not disagreeing is the same thing.) They will surround themselves with people who will stroke their ego, and do things to feed it. The things will escalate since it becomes harder to keep up the façade, especially if something happens to weaken it. They will also have a person in their life (generally of the opposite sex) who’s job is the careful and round the clock cultivation of their ego and the handling of day to day affairs, since real work or dealing with the little details does not further their cause. Remember being self absorbed (or anything else where you have to keep up a massive front to hide the walls) is a 24/7 job since the ego is a fragile thing, and it is hard to lie to yourself, so at night or when you are alone the “demons” that live inside can’t be kept in control and you will consume a bit more of you. That is way the self absorbed and other “front” personalities are lonely people.
So back to the point.
How to deal with the self absorbed:
Never ever ever, say nasty or hurtful things to them, that is like backing a wild animal into a corner, and very dangerous. It is just as hurtful to deny them the complements they are fishing for, but it is a must. Remember this people have self image problems so if you “buy into” their front, you lose their respect and therefore any control you have over them. So, don’t fall for their fishing, but occasionally give them a complement. The complements they ask for are like ego soda, a quick sugar rush that doesn’t last and complements that are unsolicited are like a super nutritious smoothie, and really last. Once they feel good about themselves, they will like you since you “see their brilliance” but they can still respect you, it is simple if you think about it.
How to feed them info:
You must hide the info in amongst the things you say about them, and keep in nice small morsels. Often the best way is to talk the “ego care taker” since that person will usually be giddy to have attention paid to them, and if convinced can see that the info is passed along in the most expedient way to their charge.
So a few things:
First the more self absorbed a person is the less sure about themselves they are. The reason they are like that is that they are so wildly unsure of themselves that they require the constant input of hearing others agree with their self opinion (even if it is not agreeing not disagreeing is the same thing.) They will surround themselves with people who will stroke their ego, and do things to feed it. The things will escalate since it becomes harder to keep up the façade, especially if something happens to weaken it. They will also have a person in their life (generally of the opposite sex) who’s job is the careful and round the clock cultivation of their ego and the handling of day to day affairs, since real work or dealing with the little details does not further their cause. Remember being self absorbed (or anything else where you have to keep up a massive front to hide the walls) is a 24/7 job since the ego is a fragile thing, and it is hard to lie to yourself, so at night or when you are alone the “demons” that live inside can’t be kept in control and you will consume a bit more of you. That is way the self absorbed and other “front” personalities are lonely people.
So back to the point.
How to deal with the self absorbed:
Never ever ever, say nasty or hurtful things to them, that is like backing a wild animal into a corner, and very dangerous. It is just as hurtful to deny them the complements they are fishing for, but it is a must. Remember this people have self image problems so if you “buy into” their front, you lose their respect and therefore any control you have over them. So, don’t fall for their fishing, but occasionally give them a complement. The complements they ask for are like ego soda, a quick sugar rush that doesn’t last and complements that are unsolicited are like a super nutritious smoothie, and really last. Once they feel good about themselves, they will like you since you “see their brilliance” but they can still respect you, it is simple if you think about it.
How to feed them info:
You must hide the info in amongst the things you say about them, and keep in nice small morsels. Often the best way is to talk the “ego care taker” since that person will usually be giddy to have attention paid to them, and if convinced can see that the info is passed along in the most expedient way to their charge.
Friday, August 12, 2005
My old blog
Well since I am not keeping up with either blog I figure I will just combine them, so here is entire contents of Ryan's Random Science Thoughts:
Sad isn't it...
Just poping in
Since no one reads this the pressure is really off.
I think I will go more the direction of having random thoughts and perhaps I will through in a science thought now and again.
Off topic:
The world has a new pope. I am not pleased with the choice but it is really not my concern. I give him 10 years tops, but I would say that 3-5 is more likely. I fear the look in his eyes, there is fire and hate in them.
On topic:
I am job hunting and on one hand I will have no problem finding a job, on the other are they jobs I want?
I have been pondering game design with some people I know, I would also enjoy a think-tank (or intelligence) format, since I enjoy complex thought exercises.
posted by Ryan at 12:52 AM | 0 comments
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Well hmm
It seems due to patent law that this was kind of a bad idea.
I will have to ponder whether or not I will continue my blog or if I need to let it die.
posted by Ryan at 11:13 AM | 0 comments
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Intro
It has been suggested by someone whose opinion counts that I create a blog in order to wax poetic on various and sundry topics. The common theme will be ideas I come up with or things I wish to whine about otherwise it will be fairly random. While I have doubts that anyone will read this ever I will for a variety of reasons not put my best ideas on here.
Now then I am not just another nut who posts crazy ideas to the internet. I have a BS in Microbiology, and am a month (more or less) away from a PhD in Molecular Biophysics. I have a great number of papers and while I can’t talk about parts of it have contributed significantly to microarray technology, and data analysis. Well all that proved is that I am educated not that I am not a nut, so for that you will have to take my word for it.
Now back to the introduction:
I am a lover of circle reasoning, oh sure people claim circle logic is flawed, but they just use it wrong. Think of it this way if something is true then it should be possible to take the answer and the assumptions that were made and regenerate the question. If the answer is right and the assumptions fill all the free variables this will work, if either it fails then either the answer or an assumption are wrong. I will grant you that not all problems can be double checked this way, but the ones that can’t just aren’t modeled well enough, or contain a black box that hides part of the network.
If you can’t tell already I like think outside the box. Actually I don’t think outside the box most if the time I am unaware the box exists. As I say ignorance is my greatest ally, since on several occasions I have solved impossible problems easily, because I didn’t realize they were unsolvable. (This includes the either NP complete set of problems, which if I run low on new ideas I will post the scheme.)
I think I will quit for now.
Sad isn't it...
Just poping in
Since no one reads this the pressure is really off.
I think I will go more the direction of having random thoughts and perhaps I will through in a science thought now and again.
Off topic:
The world has a new pope. I am not pleased with the choice but it is really not my concern. I give him 10 years tops, but I would say that 3-5 is more likely. I fear the look in his eyes, there is fire and hate in them.
On topic:
I am job hunting and on one hand I will have no problem finding a job, on the other are they jobs I want?
I have been pondering game design with some people I know, I would also enjoy a think-tank (or intelligence) format, since I enjoy complex thought exercises.
posted by Ryan at 12:52 AM | 0 comments
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Well hmm
It seems due to patent law that this was kind of a bad idea.
I will have to ponder whether or not I will continue my blog or if I need to let it die.
posted by Ryan at 11:13 AM | 0 comments
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Intro
It has been suggested by someone whose opinion counts that I create a blog in order to wax poetic on various and sundry topics. The common theme will be ideas I come up with or things I wish to whine about otherwise it will be fairly random. While I have doubts that anyone will read this ever I will for a variety of reasons not put my best ideas on here.
Now then I am not just another nut who posts crazy ideas to the internet. I have a BS in Microbiology, and am a month (more or less) away from a PhD in Molecular Biophysics. I have a great number of papers and while I can’t talk about parts of it have contributed significantly to microarray technology, and data analysis. Well all that proved is that I am educated not that I am not a nut, so for that you will have to take my word for it.
Now back to the introduction:
I am a lover of circle reasoning, oh sure people claim circle logic is flawed, but they just use it wrong. Think of it this way if something is true then it should be possible to take the answer and the assumptions that were made and regenerate the question. If the answer is right and the assumptions fill all the free variables this will work, if either it fails then either the answer or an assumption are wrong. I will grant you that not all problems can be double checked this way, but the ones that can’t just aren’t modeled well enough, or contain a black box that hides part of the network.
If you can’t tell already I like think outside the box. Actually I don’t think outside the box most if the time I am unaware the box exists. As I say ignorance is my greatest ally, since on several occasions I have solved impossible problems easily, because I didn’t realize they were unsolvable. (This includes the either NP complete set of problems, which if I run low on new ideas I will post the scheme.)
I think I will quit for now.
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