Chrono Compendium
Zenan Plains - Site Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Lord J Esq on May 31, 2007, 05:02:27 am
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Serious questions only.
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Why did you become an aerospace engineer, and how skilled are you at the job, exactly?
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Why did you become an aerospace engineer, and how skilled are you at the job, exactly?
I've always had a liking for science and engineering, much like our purple-haired Lucca. But it was Scotty, from the Starship Enterprise, who provided me with the specific mental image to express that liking. There's a video out there on YouTube where the late James Doohan talks about his amazement at how many people he influenced to become engineers just by being down there in the engine room of the Enterprise.
As an optimist, futurist, and technophile--if I must be made to label myself--I see engineering as one of the two main ways to advance humanity in a meaningful way (the other being the arts), and so not surprisingly I spend most of my engaged time in the pursuit of either, or both.
As for the skill, who is to say? Engineering isn't actually what I do for a living right now, and so much of that aerospace jazz is hands-on, project-specific. I could spit math at you until you're blue in the face, and I know all about statics and fluid mechanics and all sorts of fancy things that, in a god-designed universe, would not be so fraggingly number-intense to master...but could I build a rocket that flies? Heh.
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Heh. Nice to know. Sorry if that question was a bit too personal.
Lesse...hmm...what got you interested in Chrono Trigger, and why do you admin the site even now, given that most of the people here are somewhat younger than you? (Unless I have seriously overestimated your age and you're actually around my age, in which case I must apologize profusely. Also--and I should have said this before--all of these questions come from honest curiosity, with no malice behind them, lest I accidentely phrase one in a way that creates that impression, as I will occasional due, much to my dismay.)
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Heh. Nice to know. Sorry if that question was a bit too personal.
Lesse...hmm...what got you interested in Chrono Trigger, and why do you admin the site even now, given that most of the people here are somewhat younger than you? (Unless I have seriously overestimated your age and you're actually around my age, in which case I must apologize profusely. Also--and I should have said this before--all of these questions come from honest curiosity, with no malice behind them, lest I accidentely phrase one in a way that creates that impression, as I will occasional due, much to my dismay.)
Chrono Trigger itself got me interested in Chrono Trigger. Or, if you must, The Secret of Mana got me interested in Chrono Trigger. I played SoM years ago and loved it. In college I found a website dedicated to preserving the memory of SoM and SoM II--preservation which included the roms for those games. And, due to the site owner's personal preferences, Chrono Trigger was also there and was highly recommended. The rest is history.
Why do I "still" admin the site? Who knows? I didn't ask to be made an admin; Ramsus just gave it to me as a birthday present a while back. I didn't complain. The Compendium itself is a great resource, and we all owe ZeaLitY a debt of gratitude. If I could help out, then so much the better. Nevertheless, forum conversation quality has declined over the years and nowadays I mostly limit myself to this board--although even General has suffered from the departure of some of the former regulars who made this place intellectually rich. So that's where your comment about my age would come in. I'm 24, and while I don't believe that hanging out at message forums is only for kids any more than video games themselves are only for kids, I do admit to feeling slightly out of place here at this particular forum. I spend most of my board time at other communities, well removed from the Chrono world. The reason I still hang out here at all is mostly because the Chrono series is just that awesome.
P.S. No question is too personal. I'm procrastinating from doing some work, and this is a great distraction. If I don't want to answer something, I won't answer it.
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You're only twenty-four? Huh. Here I was thinking you were around thirty or so, due to the aerospace engineer stuff. Guess I was way off on my guess about how much college education that takes...
Anyway...I think that's about--
No, I've got one more question: what first interested you in writing, and have you ever released any writing on, say, some large fiction-publishing website, or in a magazine or published novel or what have you? And what genre do you prefer to write for? Are there any genres you won't?
...well...I guess that's four questions. Meh.
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No, I've got one more question: what first interested you in writing, and have you ever released any writing on, say, some large fiction-publishing website, or in a magazine or published novel or what have you? And what genre do you prefer to write for? Are there any genres you won't?
...well...I guess that's four questions. Meh.
I've liked to write ever since before I was literate. I had a hyperactive imagination as a kid, and I would daydream and make-believe all the time. As I grew up, writing became one of my key means of expressing all that gushing creativity. The actual skill of writing came to me not through instruction, but experience. My parents read to me a great deal when I was very little, and I read on my own endlessly throughout childhood. I also watched a lot of television and movies. All of this input taught me how to write.
As for my published work, there is actually quite a lot of it, but none of it is of the big-deal, "find it in a bookstore" type that you are probably talking about. But, yes, I have been published. My biggest print publication success was several years with my university's student newspaper, where I had a long-running opinion column. Online, my most widely-read work has been at the political blog Daily Kos, by virtue of that website's huge audience. There have been other outlets too, too many to recount. For instance, back when I was GMing online RPGs, I had a website of my own. Sadly, none of this (except the newspaper gig) has earned me any direct dollars.
What genre do I prefer to write in? No surprise, science fiction and fantasy--although I could talk at great length about my sentiments on those genres and their status in this day and age. In addition to science fiction and fantasy, I am comfortable in nearly any genre--and most media. By "media" I'm talking about forms other than straight prose. To name just a few examples: Back in my fanfiction days, I wrote teleplays for The Simpsons. Back in high school, I wrote, directed, and acted in a stage play. Nowadays I keep an online journal, I write letters, and of course I hop around the message boards. I write formal essays, and, more frequently, informal ones. I have even undertaken an epic poem--notwithstanding any complaints raised by Daniel Krispin on grounds of what constitutes an epic poem.
Which brings me to your final question: The only genre that I absolutely would rule out is romance. I used to say that of mystery too, but now I am ambivalent about that genre, and in any case I haven't worked in it. In addition to my ban on romance, I have very little interest in genres such as horror, thriller, western, romantic comedy, mystery, and probably a few others I can't recall. I wouldn't not work in these, but, to date, I have not yet done so.
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Neat stuff to know. You sound like me, only successful...and I'd probably be more successful if I quit harping at myself about my own failings and actually try to do something.
In any case, thank you for the answering the questions, and you're welcome for the distraction. That is, unfortunately, the last of the questions I really have for you.
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Then I shall simply have to keep myself busy by eating this bowl of delicious strawberries. Thanks for the diversion, Ky.
P.S. Becoming a good writer doesn't happen overnight. Like I said, I've been writing for...what...twenty years now?
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Then I shall simply have to keep myself busy by eating this bowl of delicious strawberries. Thanks for the diversion, Ky.
Glad to help.
P.S. Becoming a good writer doesn't happen overnight. Like I said, I've been writing for...what...twenty years now?
True at that. True at that...and, of course, it would help if I practiced more often. Maybe next time you write up one of those story-threads, I'll participate without acting like a whiny bitch.
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No question too personal eh? Ok, when did you first, if ever, have sex? And, what is your view on the current state of the CC Forums?
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What the fuck?
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I'd like to advance my own interests by asking about your position on the death penalty, American imperialism, and eugenics.
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Me wanna ask too!!11!
1st: You sometimes dropped that you have a girlfriend. Are you still together? How have you meet?(a bit romance, please :) because I love real life stories like that)
2nd: What do you think about Germany?(Wooo, what a lame one) And please, don't say we have no humor...it's not funny anymore when Americans and Brittains explain every joke towards us because they don#t think we understand them...because it's fun...and we have one...
I know this is a wide question, so just write about what comes into you mind first
(and for info, but I'm sure you already know: Nazis don't exist anymore, nowhere, because I'm sick of hearing how we are all Nazis, even though they don't exist any more...some ex-Nazis are still living thou)
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Can you explain the event when an electron "splits", I guess is the right word, during super positioning?
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If you know this.
P.S. nice to meet you Lord J esq
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No question too personal eh? Ok, when did you first, if ever, have sex? And, what is your view on the current state of the CC Forums?
I'll let you come to your own conclusions on the first one. As for your second question, I think I've already touched on that subject in this thread.
I'd like to advance my own interests by asking about your position on the death penalty, American imperialism, and eugenics.
While I think it should be applied more sparingly than it is, and with an even greater burden of proof in every case, I am in favor of the death penalty. Actually, what I'm not in favor of is life in prison without the possibility of parole. To me that seems the crueler fate.
American imperialism is a buzz phrase of the left. I don't buy it. I'd buy hegemonic, though. In previous years I thought it was a good thing that America led the world, but more recently I have come to learn just how dangerous that is when a bad government is in power. I also think the American people on the whole have become too conceited and laden with feelings of superiority and entitlement that are not justified, leading me to wonder whether or not our hegemony is a good thing even under a good government. America is not the same country it was fifty years ago, and I'm still trying to figure out what that means, exactly.
As for eugenics--which is a policy of selective breeding based upon genes or traits--it's a nonstarter. It's a scare word. It's like asking a person how they feel about Nazism. Who would want to waste energy on discussing such an emotionally loaded concept? Having said that, I would note that we selectively breed thousands of species already--to useful effect. The distinction most people would make is that every other species on Earth is a resource (an arrogant premise), whereas humans are an end product (wishful thinking). That isn't true, which by itself makes eugenics a wide open question: Can it be used for human good? However, that isn't the only egg in the batter. There is also the issue of how much of our intrinsic "humanity" can be limited purely to genetic makeup, to the exclusion of environmental circumstances--and that's a tough cookie. I would imagine that, except for people who carry genes that make it likely their kids would be born sick or handicapped, we can't split up nature and nurture in the human equation, which means that any policy which treats only one and not the other, is not going to work well.
Medical doctors already do terminate a number of pregnancies where the child is grossly deformed or will be very ill in life. Many individuals who have debilitating diseases have sterilized themselves so as to prevent reproduction. And all of that has its place in a grander framework of good medical policy: When is it medically responsible to allow a person to have a kid? But I would also prefer a concurrent social policy that addresses the other question: When is it socially responsible to allow a person to have a kid?
Finally, all of this has to be balanced against civil liberty--which, to put it pragmatically, is our license to mess up, make bad choices, screw around, be less than our potential, and fail. If eugenic policies were made on the assumption of ideal people and ideal children, it would be tyranny all over again. People have to be free to mess up, at least to some extent, and we have to factor that into our social engineering.
On the whole, it makes me think that eugenics is not a good idea at this time, given the incompetence of government and the lack of supporting social policy. But I am not opposed to it fundamentally, provided that it is considered in the larger context of human wellbeing as I have laid out.
Me wanna ask too!!11!
1st: You sometimes dropped that you have a girlfriend. Are you still together? How have you meet?(a bit romance, please :) because I love real life stories like that)
2nd: What do you think about Germany?(Wooo, what a lame one) And please, don't say we have no humor...it's not funny anymore when Americans and Brittains explain every joke towards us because they don#t think we understand them...because it's fun...and we have one...
I know this is a wide question, so just write about what comes into you mind first
(and for info, but I'm sure you already know: Nazis don't exist anymore, nowhere, because I'm sick of hearing how we are all Nazis, even though they don't exist any more...some ex-Nazis are still living thou)
I haven't spoken here on the Compendium about my romantic life because it is neither here nor there. It isn't responsible for me to drag friends and love interests into my own affairs here or elsewhere, and any forum populated mostly by immature young men is definitely not a worthwhile place to talk about these sorts of things. But, yes, I do have a girlfriend. We met a while back, on Craigslist of all places! She is a nice person.
As for Germany, well...what do I think? I wonder quite a bit about reunification, and whether it is fully complete or still ongoing--and, if so, how. I wonder about the German economy, because Europe's economies are not well-represented in United States news media, and I feel poorly informed on that interesting subject. I also wonder about German culture, and what sorts of things define "Germanness" in the cultural sense. Here in America the stereotype is fast freeways, good beer, and loud dance music. But those sorts of stereotypes aren't worth much to me, and so I remain in the dark.
Germany has an astonishing legacy of industrial prowess, mechanical and artistic brilliance, and cultural progress. Indeed, Germany got ahead of itself so badly that we had a world war. Then the German people produced a savior who caused another world war. At that point the Germans suffered the indignity of fifty years of separation, and have since emerged as...what? Hopefully a better people, but that's for you to say more so than me.
Indeed, you should have asked me about America, and I should ask you about Germany. But, there you have it. My opinion on the Germans is that they are one of Europe's finest.
P.S. nice to meet you Lord J esq
Thanks!
Can you explain the event when an electron "splits", I guess is the right word, during super positioning?
If I understand you correctly, nope, I'd have to look it up. I am familiar with the concept, but not well enough to teach anybody about it. Here's a link:
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/QPAQC.php
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Okay, here's one question: Is it allowed for any of us to create one of these "Ask Me Anything" threads if we ever feel the need or wish? I don't really feel like ever doing it since I doubt anyone has anything they really want to ask me, so I am simply asking for the sake of everyone else.
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Okay, here's one question: Is it allowed for any of us to create one of these "Ask Me Anything" threads if we ever feel the need or wish? I don't really feel like ever doing it since I doubt anyone has anything they really want to ask me, so I am simply asking for the sake of everyone else.
Golly, I didn't think of that. But sure, if anybody seriously wants to create a thread like this, they're welcome to do so. If it ever gets out of hand (unlikely), then we'll look at it again.
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This sometimes happen on other forums as the "Hot Seat". Random forumers are selected to be interrogated on a variety of subjects by curious friends.
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Well, I don't think everyone that goes to prison believes that life without parole is worse than death.
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Well, I don't think everyone that goes to prison believes that life without parole is worse than death.
It isn't their place to decide. Under my standards, anybody deserving of the death penalty is a pretty unsavory character. But you're missing the point, which is that, if the death penalty is rare and life without parole is nonexistent, then most people who go to jail can hope to eventually be freed.
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Golly, I didn't think of that. But sure, if anybody seriously wants to create a thread like this, they're welcome to do so. If it ever gets out of hand (unlikely), then we'll look at it again.
This sometimes happen on other forums as the "Hot Seat". Random forumers are selected to be interrogated on a variety of subjects by curious friends.
Hmm...
Well, perhaps we could do what Zeality suggests, and use this one thread for everyone who wants questions asked of them. You could have it for another few days, then, say, Zeality gets it for a week, then Ramses or whoever, and so on and so forth. That way we avoid excess clutter.
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Actually, before that starts, I would like to ask Lord J about that tomato thing. Pardon if its an annoying request, but I laughed my ass off at that picture of the cat eating the tomato, and I've seen the tomato comments floating around a lot.
Hope that didn't come off as an "immature" comment, but I actually am curious.
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Actually, if no one objects, I'd like to volunteer to be the first subect of this "Ask Me Anything" thread. I have A LOT of stuff to get off my chest, and I'm tired of being a member of this Compendium and no one knowing shit about me, its depressing. I promise to behave.
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Indeed, you should have asked me about America, and I should ask you about Germany. But, there you have it. My opinion on the Germans is that they are one of Europe's finest.
This would have been boring, wouldn't it?
Our economy is...well...not the best one might say. We still spend a lot of money to rebuild the east(eastern Germany, that is). Funny thing is, even Politicians tell foreigners to not visit the east, and not because it's poor, but because people there don't like foreigners. And we have a very high unemployment rate, but that shouldn't be anything new to anyone, even though we got the lowest number of unemployed for over whatever years(forgot the number). And no money, like, new depts every new year(except the last one).
A few sentence about what is going on atm:
Our "Mehrwertsteuer"(I'm not sure about the english word, but it's the tax you pay on goods which is already in the prize) was raised from 16% to 19%(except food); tobacco became even more expensive; out state still got an agreement with the church that they are allowed to do courses ins school; school is still free(except for private ones), yet our education system...at least in Hessen where I live...is to hard compared to other federal countries; we still have this military service where everyone has to go if he is not doing a civil job and much more I'm to lazy to mention...Oh, and most Righties are still stupid like a marshmallow.
And: Did you know that you guys have stolen our Ex-Nazi Scientists? That was evil. Well, not stolen, but you took them for your own purposes(you=US and A) after you have won.
Btw, that Austrian wouldn't have caused the second WW if England an France would have acted earlier...I hate those people saying it's only our fault...damn appeasement politic, too, and italian for that matter. I mean, we where lying on the floor already, and they were still kicking us, how long did they think this would go on? Of course we accepted a psychopath like he was if we would just get back to our feet(for most people it was work/food, others needed someone to follow blablabla). And we = Germany's People from the past.
Wait...Am I allowed to answer in this Thread even though you are the one who is supposed to answer stuff? :lee:
Well, I just had to say that stuff once, hope no one thinks bad of it.
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Our "Mehrwertsteuer"(I'm not sure about the english word, but it's the tax you pay on goods which is already in the prize)
VAT - Value added tax
Wait...Am I allowed to answer in this Thread even though you are the one who is supposed to answer stuff? :lee:
Well, I just had to say that stuff once, hope no one thinks bad of it.
This is the Chrono Compendium.
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It's funny how this topic's first post utmostly contradicts the topic's title.
Assuming my previously posted question won't be answered, it would seem that the statement that counts is the one on the first post. So, practically speaking, this thread is one big nasty farce.
Edit: SCRAMBLE! :lee:
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If I understand you correctly, nope, I'd have to look it up. I am familiar with the concept, but not well enough to teach anybody about it. Here's a link:
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/QPAQC.php
Thank you for the link, still don't quite get it but someday I will.
three Questions:
1. What is your favorite story?(novel, movie, comic, Etc.)
2. What country or providence do you live in, And how is the weather?
3. How often do you eat fast food?
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Actually, before that starts, I would like to ask Lord J about that tomato thing. Pardon if its an annoying request, but I laughed my ass off at that picture of the cat eating the tomato, and I've seen the tomato comments floating around a lot.
Hope that didn't come off as an "immature" comment, but I actually am curious.
Somebody on the Compendium called me a tomato at one point, just being silly. I said "I am not a tomato," and cuppanoodles decided to make it his life's work to prove me wrong--sometimes in very humorous ways. That's pretty much it.
Actually, if no one objects, I'd like to volunteer to be the first subect of this "Ask Me Anything" thread. I have A LOT of stuff to get off my chest, and I'm tired of being a member of this Compendium and no one knowing shit about me, its depressing. I promise to behave.
Time waits for no one! Go create a topic and let loose.
Wait...Am I allowed to answer in this Thread even though you are the one who is supposed to answer stuff?
Yep. =)
three Questions:
1. What is your favorite story?(novel, movie, comic, Etc.)
2. What country or providence do you live in, And how is the weather?
3. How often do you eat fast food?
1. This might be a cop-out, but my favorite story is a novel that I'm writing. However, putting that aside, your question is a very subtle and intriguing one. To ask me my favorite story as opposed to asking me my favorite work in some medium (i.e., movie, book) is, frankly, provocative. I don't have a ready answer, and will have to think about it.
2. I live in the city of Seattle, Washington State, USA. The weather this week has been hot, but on the whole Seattle is part of a climate called "marine," which is my favorite type of climate in the world: Cloudy, wet, cool, and mild. Part of the reason I moved to Seattle some years ago was for the climate.
3. Ah, geez. I'm found out! When I was a kid, we didn't eat fast food terribly often. In college, I ate practically none. It was a mark of pride for me to say that I'd gone two, three years without touching a McDonald's anything--and it was true. But last year I undertook a pseudo-philosophical campaign to gain weight, and, in addition to having access to a car (which hadn't been the case in my college years, for the most part), I now eat fast food a few times a month--once or twice a week. In "prolific" weeks, I'd say I eat fast food three or four times. However, I love to cook or to sit down at a real restaurant, and most of the time that is what I do.
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On the topic of fast food, I used to eat fast food once every couple of months, but now that I work at McDonalds.... :oops:
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However, I love to cook or to sit down at a real restaurant, and most of the time that is what I do.
A cook, eh? Do you have a favorite recipe, & would you mind sharing it?
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What influenced your political views?
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A cook, eh? Do you have a favorite recipe, & would you mind sharing it?
Golly...no, I don't have a single favorite. But how about some tips?
1) Learn to season with salt and pepper before trying other seasonings.
2) Add rice vinegar to your next soup or spaghetti sauce, right at the beginning.
3) For the love of Gore, do NOT cook veggies or fish too long--if you must cook them at all.
4) Mushrooms, yo. Did you know that a crimini mushroom is just a baby portabello?
5) Real broth rocks so hard over canned broth. Make it! It's easy, and you can freeze it.
6) Lemongrass is my favorite seasoning. Cinnamon is a good plot-twister.
What the heck...one recipe:
Fried Matzah
Eggs
Milk
Matzah
Salt
Pepper
Vanilla extract
Sour cream
Jam (or marmalade)
This recipe gives you the opportunity to eat that stereotypical big Jewish cracker (i.e., matzah) that you've probably seen or at least heard about.
I once knew the exact proportions for this recipe, but nowadays I just do it by eye. For two people, you'll want roughly two eggs, two cups of milk, salt and pepper to taste, a half- to whole-teaspoon of vanilla, and enough matzah to use up the batter.
Set the sour cream and jam aside. Heat two tablespoons oil in a large skillet. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add the milk, stir well. Add the salt, pepper, and vanilla, and stir again. Take the matzah and crumble by hand into the bowl; stir so that the matzah gets completely coated by the mixture. Pour it all on the skillet, and stir it contanstly. It'll take a few minutes for the liquid to evaporate. At that time, the "done" period begins. If you take them off the heat then, they'll be soft and moist. The longer you cook them, the crispier they'll get. They will begin to brown, and it's especially important to stir them constantly now that they're dry. The "done" period ends when brown turns to black and your kitchen fills with smoke. Cook 'em how you like 'em. I like mine closer to the kitchen fire end of things.
Pour the stuff onto two plates. Add equal parts sour cream and jam, stir it all together. Eat it with juice or fresh fruit and something tart like a tomato.
What influenced your political views?
It was a richly gradual, organic process for me. There was never any sudden moment of awakening or change for me. I was raised in a mostly nonpolitical, but very liberal-in-spirit environment. If you separate the politics out of left-wing philosophy, what you get is high emphasis on open-mindedness, kindness toward others, respect for the environment and animals, and awareness for the consequences of one's actions, often within the context of obeying the law--for instance, littering and smoking.
My hometown was (and still is) a conservative place, but I was never exposed to the thick prejudices that define much of our modern political debate. Instead, I grew up thinking that all those past struggles like women's rights and racial prejudice were already solved, and that modern humans now knew better.
As a result of being a curious and sharp person, I began to discover politics on my own in my mid-teens. Contrary to what you might expect, I was not a partisan Democrat. Rather, I considered myself to be representative of mainstream American culture, and thus you might say that I thought of myself as a centrist Democrat.
Once I began exploring politics and learning about the issues, I slowly discovered (very slowly) that my worldview is actually much further to the left than that. First I came into the social issues, which are easier to understand. I figured out that I disagree with the Republicans on pretty much every social issue, and, in fact, even the Democrats aren't usually where I want them to be. Later on I came into my newfound economic liberalism, where originally I had considered myself center-right on the topic. Economic issues are harder to figure out, and so it took me longer to take an interest in them, but eventually I began to understand why conservative economics don't work.
I'd say my political compass finally figured itself out just in the past two or three years. It was a long journey.
Most definitely, this journey was aided by not having a religious institution breathing down my neck. My religious upbringing was totally outside of the Christian mode. I have since learned that churches are the source of almost all social conservatism. Nobody takes such stupid positions on the issues, such as valuing unborn cells over a fully-grown woman, unless they've got a powerful and persistent authority figure telling them that God would pick the unborn cells.
My education has also helped shape my politics. In this country, at least, liberalism is the friend of science and higher education, whereas conservatism views these things as a threat. More to the point, the knowledge reaped by scientific study almost always allies in part or in full with liberal political positions. Being a scientifically-minded person, scientific truth is a treasure to which I have always been open.
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Golly...no, I don't have a single favorite. But how about some tips?
1) Learn to season with salt and pepper before trying other seasonings.
2) Add rice vinegar to your next soup or spaghetti sauce, right at the beginning.
3) For the love of Gore, do NOT cook veggies or fish too long--if you must cook them at all.
4) Mushrooms, yo. Did you know that a crimini mushroom is just a baby portabello?
5) Real broth rocks so hard over canned broth. Make it! It's easy, and you can freeze it.
6) Lemongrass is my favorite seasoning. Cinnamon is a good plot-twister.
For the spices...how can you tell something is overspiced if you have a limited sense of smell? One of my main problems with cooking is that my sense of smell is quite...inferior...to most others, so I tend to spice things a lot more. While it works fine for me, it has a bad habit of making things taste horrible to others. Have any advice on this?
Also, how do you make broth? I've been wanting to do it but a brief search on the interwebtubes came up with nothing, so I figure I'll ask you since you obviously know how.
My hometown was (and still is) a conservative place, but I was never exposed to the thick prejudices that define much of our modern political debate. Instead, I grew up thinking that all those past struggles like women's rights and racial prejudice were already solved, and that modern humans now knew better.
...that sounds eerily familiar. Oh wait...that was me. Except part of my problem was growing up watching Star Trek and thinking it was much more scientifically accurate than it really was. You should have seen me in sixth grade...I was arguing about the average life-span of a human being using a fact I took from a random Star Trek book about humans living an average of 114 years or so. It was moronic.
So, what exactly do you feel about spiritual beliefs? Not religious beliefs, mind, but spiritual beliefs.
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For the spices...how can you tell something is overspiced if you have a limited sense of smell? One of my main problems with cooking is that my sense of smell is quite...inferior...to most others, so I tend to spice things a lot more. While it works fine for me, it has a bad habit of making things taste horrible to others. Have any advice on this?
Also, how do you make broth? I've been wanting to do it but a brief search on the interwebtubes came up with nothing, so I figure I'll ask you since you obviously know how.
If you can't make the judgments yourself due to a handicap, solicit feedback. That's a good idea in any case. And always be sure to spice your own food however the heck you like it; to heck with the rest of those hecking heckers.
To make--for example--chicken broth, you begin with chicken bones. Buy a whole chicken, cook it in delicious ways, and eat it. After dinner, separate the carcass and all of the large bones. Clean them up, put them in a pot, and boil them to death. Add pungent foods like onions, carrots--whatever you like--and make sure to cut them up very finely to maximize surface area. (It's all detritus in the end, anyhow.) Also use whatever spices you like. I use whatever is on hand and sounds appealing, like lemongrass, garlic powder, black pepper, and what have you. However, two caveats: 1) Do not over-season the broth, as you want it to be benign enough to use in anything that requires broth. 2) Do not make it salty; keep your salt additions to a minimum. The chicken itself (and veggies) already will impart a considerable savoriness to the broth, and, plus, the single coolest thing about homemade broth is that it isn't the salt-bomb that canned broth invariably is. Add a little rice vinegar, though, and be amazed!
Boil that shit for hours, adding water as needed to keep the level fairly consistent. (To determine the initial level, err on the side of too much water, and let it boil down as needed, tasting as you go.
When it's done, transfer the broth into another container via a fine strainer, to catch the bones, veggies, and spice flakes. Pick out anything that looks good and eat it, and throw the rest of the detritus away. Cover the broth and put it in the fridge overnight. The next day, the fat will have congealed on the top. Skim that off and either throw it away or use it in a separate dish.
Now you have pure chicken broth. It freezes very well, and it makes killer soup. If you want to stretch it, combine it with canned broth, or even water it down and make up the difference with salt. But, really, take it straight.
So, what exactly do you feel about spiritual beliefs? Not religious beliefs, mind, but spiritual beliefs.
That's a good question, and I do appreciate the distinction between religiosity and spirituality. However, I do not conceive of the same kind of distinction that many people do. Religiosity focuses on community, tradition, and structure. Spirituality focuses on personal satisfaction and a sense of meaning. But to me they both rely on the same trick: Faith. Religious faith, to be specific. Or "beliefs," as you put it.
Me, personally, I cannot derive enjoyment from faith-based conclusions about reality. It's too fake for me. It is hard to explain this to religious (or even spiritualistic) people, but the same bliss that provides such comfort to those inside its warm embrace is distinctly uncomfortable to those who have outgrown it. Real truths as opposed to acts of faith are so much more satisfying. The knowledge that we humans, and not the gods, are the architects of our own future..is so much more exciting. And the fact that all of this--you, and I, and everything--came to be not only in the absence of a divine will, but without any plan whatsoever, is so much more meaningful...because meaning is thereby something to be created, not discovered. In other words, the sky's the limit. Believers satisfy that emotional desire by saying "god's plan is unknowable" or some such, but, if you throw god away, you don't need to consign yourself to permanent ignorance and inferiority. Spiritually, the difference is between faith's "There are powers beyond our comprehension out there!" to nonreligiosity's "Let's find out!"
Anyhow, the closest I come to a personal mode of spirituality is to indulge Carl Sagan's idea that we are "star stuff," which is an elegant way of saying that many of the molecules in our bodies were born in supernova explosions. What it means is that humans are of the universe, rather than in the universe in a way that implies we are distinct from it. This is a factual truism, obviously, and it doesn't require an act of faith to accept, but nevertheless I use it as one of the ways in which I support curiosity, and thereby justify knowledge as one of the key purposes in any person's life. And while that's not spiritualistic, it's only fair to admit that, along with the facts, there is a little bit of colorful interpretation going on here.
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P.S. About that chicken broth, I forgot to tell you to add the organs and the neck (all raw).
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If you can't make the judgments yourself due to a handicap, solicit feedback. That's a good idea in any case. And always be sure to spice your own food however the heck you like it; to heck with the rest of those hecking heckers.
True, true...I've been trying, but my family tries to avoid my cooking whenever possible after that incident with potato soup a few years ago...I added way too much garlic, and while the soup tasted excellent to me, everyone else was mildly ill over it.
*snip broth directions*
Syankuu. And noted about the organs.
*snip awesomely neat stuff*
Ah, okay. I feel essentially the same way, except I don't think I've ever really considered there to be a meaning to Carl Sagan's idea either, at least not beyond the factual truism, as you say. But then, that's just the way I am. I don't attribute meaning to things...I just figure them out. I think watching Doc Brown from Back to the Future when I was two really influenced me along those lines.
Anyway...
Are there any foods you are allergic to, or just despise?
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Are there any foods you are allergic to, or just despise?
I am mildly allergic to both mahi mahi and eggplant, which will make my tongue itch slightly. But I eat both anyway.
As a kid I had two taste aversions: tomato sauce and hot dogs. Both were the result of eating said food and then happening to be sick soon afterward. The tomato sauce aversion was particularly intense, lasting for years and having genuine power to make me queasy even in small amounts. One time I was on a camping trip with my sixth grade class, and we had spaghetti for dinner that night. I didn't even think about it at the time, but I was sick the entire night anyway. I slowly got over it by continuing to eat foods like pizza and by enjoying lasagna in small portions. Today, tomato sauce is one of my favorites.
Back to the present. I do have an official list of yucky foods: Brussels sprouts, okra, liver, and most squash. (Squash can be salvaged under the right conditions; the others I just plain don't like.)
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I am mildly allergic to both mahi mahi and eggplant, which will make my tongue itch slightly. But I eat both anyway.
Interesting. I've noticed the same thing with eggplant myself. But then I find the taste of eggplant so horrid...though perhaps I should say texture rather than taste...
As a kid I had two taste aversions: tomato sauce and hot dogs. Both were the result of eating said food and then happening to be sick soon afterward. The tomato sauce aversion was particularly intense, lasting for years and having genuine power to make me queasy even in small amounts. One time I was on a camping trip with my sixth grade class, and we had spaghetti for dinner that night. I didn't even think about it at the time, but I was sick the entire night anyway. I slowly got over it by continuing to eat foods like pizza and by enjoying lasagna in small portions. Today, tomato sauce is one of my favorites.
Hot dogs I can understand, but tomato sauce? That's almost a staple in most American food dishes. I'm amazed you could get by like that.
Back to the present. I do have an official list of yucky foods: Brussels sprouts, okra, liver, and most squash. (Squash can be salvaged under the right conditions; the others I just plain don't like.)
...how can you hate Brussel sprouts? They be delicious, especially when cooked in a vegetable broth. Liver and squash, not so much, but okra is okay.
But then, I find myself disliking most beans, mainly because they're so squishy and otherwise tasteless and I hate the texture of ultra-squishy foods...probably has something to do with hating the baby food I was fed with as a toddler.
What are your absolute favorite foods? Is there any specific food you just could not stand to live without?
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What are your absolute favorite foods? Is there any specific food you just could not stand to live without?
There are a great many foods and drinks in the top tier of my good graces. Some of my favorites are coffee, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, lamb, clams, crab, halibut, tuna (raw), salmon (raw), tiramisu, cheesecake, orange juice, cherries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, artichokes, kidney beans, black beans, milk, swiss cheese, sour cream, fresh sourdough bread, butter, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fish sauce, rice vinegar, cider vinegar, Original flavored Baked Lays, Guinness, grapefruit juice, brie cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, filet mignon (what meat-eater wouldn't pick that?), horseradish, wasabi, yellow mustard, black pepper, lemongrass, cream, honey, sugar, lentils, chocolate malt Ovaltine (gonna get a glass of that right now...), garlic, onions, live pickles...I could go on, but I imagine the audience would fall asleep if they haven't already.
The hardest food for me to give up altogether would be chocolate.
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Well, you certainly have a well-developed palatte. And I think just about everyone will agree with you when it comes to chocolate.
Do you prefer caffinated or decaffinated coffee? And what sort of blends do you tend to prefer?
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Do you prefer caffinated or decaffinated coffee? And what sort of blends do you tend to prefer?
Espresso over drip; dark roast over mild roast; iced over hot. Caffeinated, of course. I prefer lattes, although I'm not above putting the occasional flavor in, such as caramel, cocoa, orange, hazelnut, etc.
Kona coffee--when I can get my hands on it--I will usually prefer to drink without milk.
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Okies.
Hmmm...
Let's say I was planning a small gathering of friends and wanted snacks, but I didn't want to get the oh so typical types of chips and sodas and whatnot. I still want to get party-style snacks, but of a healthier sort, the kind available in your average supermarket, like a King Sooper's. (It's owned by Kroger, if that means anything to you.) What would I look for?
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Let's say I was planning a small gathering of friends and wanted snacks, but I didn't want to get the oh so typical types of chips and sodas and whatnot. I still want to get party-style snacks, but of a healthier sort, the kind available in your average supermarket, like a King Sooper's. (It's owned by Kroger, if that means anything to you.) What would I look for?
It's say I were, damn it!
- Carrot sticks
- Cucumber sticks
- Celery sticks
- Cherries
- Grapes
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Nuts
- Jelly
- Breadsticks
- Potato Wedges
- Ready-cooked chicken (i.e., the kind you buy, put in the fridge and can eat cold) (possibly expensive)
- Crackers
- Cheese slices
- Jam
- I understand something called Punch is something of a staple party food in America.
Bear in mind how tolerant your friends will be of the fruit, vegetables and meat products: consider if they'll think of each item as 'rabbit food', against their vegatarianism (if they are vegetarian) etc., but first and foremost, allergies. You don't want anyone dying from those nuts you got.
You may also have some recipe books and/or family recipies kicking around you can take a look at. If it's not a surprise party, ask round for what people want, ask your mother or some other likely-party-host-at-least-in-the-past relative what they would suggest.
I know it's generally not something males enjoy doing (I know I don't), but you can try browsing in a supermarket. You can even try a small one, just for inspiration for similar items you can then get from a larger supermarket or more specialist shop.
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Let's say I was planning a small gathering of friends and wanted snacks, but I didn't want to get the oh so typical types of chips and sodas and whatnot. I still want to get party-style snacks, but of a healthier sort, the kind available in your average supermarket, like a King Sooper's. (It's owned by Kroger, if that means anything to you.) What would I look for?
It's say I were, damn it!
Aha, I would expect nothing less! You'll be a light unto the British isles, who are sadly forgetting to use the subjunctive as well.
I go the opposite route. For special parties, I like to get top of the line, genuine sodas and gourmet junk food. Radical_Dreamer can vouch for the pleasure in this. I want to get some Sioux City Sarsaparilla next time I have some kind of bash and see how that works out. My last cool new drink was a Frosty's blue cream soda.
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Let's say I was planning a small gathering of friends and wanted snacks, but I didn't want to get the oh so typical types of chips and sodas and whatnot. I still want to get party-style snacks, but of a healthier sort, the kind available in your average supermarket, like a King Sooper's. (It's owned by Kroger, if that means anything to you.) What would I look for?
When I want to have something healthy as a snack at a party, I go with satsumi oranges, or something similar. They come in a cardboard crate, and are about the size of tangerines. You can easily puncture the rind with your thumbnail, and they aren't very liable to squirt juice everywhere when you do so. Also, Hawaiian sweet bread is a good, relatively healthy snack. You can get a big circular loaf and just tear hunks out of it. When you're done, the pie tin can become a frisbee.
I go the opposite route. For special parties, I like to get top of the line, genuine sodas and gourmet junk food. Radical_Dreamer can vouch for the pleasure in this. I want to get some Sioux City Sarsaparilla next time I have some kind of bash and see how that works out. My last cool new drink was a Frosty's blue cream soda.
Zeality speaks sooth. The general, even brand name soda is crap, particularly here in the states where corn syrup is used in place of sugar. Presently, Jones has started using pure cane sugar in their canned sodas, chosing quality over subsidy, and it is a vastly improved product because of it. Places like Whole Foods also stock varieties of cane sugar sweetened sodas, and I've recently enjoyed some good black cherry cream soda from said market.
On the chips front, I've taken to Tim's Cascade chips, after being unable to find original Ruffles in a quantity I could reasonably consume. That may not be available outside of Washington and Oregon, however. I'm not actually sure, off hand.
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A point you have on the "I were" bit. I can't believe I made such a basic mistake.
Anyway, thank all three of you for your advice. Methinks I'll probably combine all three suggestions into one picking and choosing what I like best...it's what I usually do for suggestions.
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Eugenics has become a personal desire of mine. I want to be angry at the world for being the way it is; this situation precludes eugenics. In a universe in which thought, personality, and behavior can be determined by biology and environment, it is our duty to posterity to remove fate from the equation and grant humanity the freedom to think for itself without the whims and inhibitions of brain chemistry. But it is correct that the world is not ready for the program, nor ethically mature enough. Though it is a caustic and youthful topic, dysgenics seems logical and is one of the threats I perceive civilization as facing. Still, I think sociocultural values and traditions ingrain a lot more "stupid" in people than biology ever could.
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Eugenics has become a personal desire of mine. I want to be angry at the world for being the way it is; this situation precludes eugenics. In a universe in which thought, personality, and behavior can be determined by biology and environment, it is our duty to posterity to remove fate from the equation and grant humanity the freedom to think for itself without the whims and inhibitions of brain chemistry. But it is correct that the world is not ready for the program, nor ethically mature enough. Though it is a caustic and youthful topic, dysgenics seems logical and is one of the threats I perceive civilization as facing. Still, I think sociocultural values and traditions ingrain a lot more "stupid" in people than biology ever could.
I have to agree, presuming we are talking about screening genetic defects and the like, which I am wholly in favour of.
I just don't trust humanity to be able to do it reasonably however. We don't understand our own brain chemistry or our own DNA well enough in order to be able to manipulate it successfully, and we probably won't for at least another seventy years. Even then I wouldn't dare allow anyone--ANYONE--the ability for many years yet, till I am certain humanity is beyond petty idiocy such as racism and homophobia. The last thing I'd want is for people to start selectively breeding out certain ethnicities, or homosexuality.
One thing I would love, on the other hand, is to breed out psychopathy and sociopathy. Some day we may be able to cure these mental illnesses and I hope we are able to do so--the number of people who could live normal lives once cured is astounding--but until that time, I don't think we can trust anyone who is psychopathic or sociopathic. We'd have to lock them up, and as someone who wishes to rehabilitate all criminals and eliminate the causes of crime so prisons are unnecessary, that bothers me significantly.
Then again, as I said, I wouldn't trust anyone to try. We'd do a lot more harm than good right now.
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I wonder what the world would be like if we could all be the way we wanted...
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I wonder what the world would be like if we could all be the way we wanted...
I think the world would self-destruct out of the sheer amount of chaos that would result. Consider the number of people who would like to be rich and powerful, or all of the teenagers who write Mary Sue and Marty Stue fanfiction, or are even vageuly interested in having super powers or being vampires or owning a unicorn or what have you. Unleashing the sheer power of imagination as reality would be an extreme disaster that, as I said, would like destroy the world in some form.
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How often do you swear in your daily speech?
Have you ever used anyone and thrown them away? If so, what for?
Do you think sexuality is more of a blessing or a curse?
What do you think of Internet relationships?
William Dembski, one of the foremost spokespeople for the "theory" of intelligent design, holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Chicago and another Ph.D. in philosophy of science from Northwestern. What does this say about him to you? What does it say about those universities? The educational system in general?
What is your opinion of the label "emo"?
What do you think of the possibility of Matt Damon as Captain Kirk in Star Trek XI?
How critical do you think sex is to one's healthy psychological development?
What is your opinion of democracy?
Have you ever met anyone involved in a non-academic career that you considered a potential intellectual equal?
What's my biggest flaw?
How much did you study in college? In high school?
What ethnicity are you? Were you raised in a multiracial environment?
To what extent do you believe that success is based on making other people happy? Do you believe that true altruism exists?
How do you feel about affirmative action in college admissions? What steps would you take to modify college admissions in the U.S. if you had magical powers to dictate your policies to everyone?
Are there any fields of study that are taken seriously in academia which you have no respect for?
Is a "normal life" necessarily a good thing?
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What caused the odd glitch seen in the attached screenshot?
[attachment deleted by admin]
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What caused the odd glitch seen in the attached screenshot?
Wow, my name, twice. No idea how that happened... I noticed the same thing happened with Exodus once. He appeared twice, too.
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What caused the odd glitch seen in the attached screenshot?
You doctoring the image? More likely is Pvt Fumv refreshed, causing the database to be updated mid-query. I'll take a look at the SMF source to see if I can see.
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Indeed, SMF uses a table called log_online to retrieve some of the last online data. If a user refreshed, it seems their data will again be added to this table and the timestamp will again be within the past 15 minutes, causing SMF to process the data again.
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I wonder what the world would be like if we could all be the way we wanted...
That's a question in spirit if not in structure, so I'll give it a shot.
I think the phrase "the way we wanted" presumes that people actually know what they want. In my experiences I have found that many people who think they know who they want to be actually don't, and many more are so far away from getting their act together that they don't even bother with the charade of knowing. Thus, if we applied your scenario to the people of Earth as we are now, many folks would be forced into picking something for themselves that isn't meaningful. In other words, false choice: (It's like pollsters sometimes do: "Which do leftists hate more: Successful people, or a strong national defense?")
And if many people were forced into being who they want to be without knowing what that is, I agree with Kyronea that the world would become a more chaotic place--although I would disagree with the extent of chaos involved, because some kind of order inevitably develops in human populations.
But let's suppose that everybody can indeed conceive of an ideal personality for themselves. In that case, there is a subtler and, to me, more interesting question begged: Your scenario requires anyone who answers it to suppose a knowledge not only of what it is that people want to be, but how those desired personalities would mesh together in a larger society. On the contrary, that kind of information is not easily come by. Even I would feel like a fool trying to describe to you what the world would indeed be like if everyone could be who they wanted to be.
And so I join you in simply asking the question--because it is a good question--and not daring to presume an answer.
How often do you swear in your daily speech?
Have you ever used anyone and thrown them away? If so, what for?
Do you think sexuality is more of a blessing or a curse?
What do you think of Internet relationships?
William Dembski, one of the foremost spokespeople for the "theory" of intelligent design, holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Chicago and another Ph.D. in philosophy of science from Northwestern. What does this say about him to you? What does it say about those universities? The educational system in general?
What is your opinion of the label "emo"?
What do you think of the possibility of Matt Damon as Captain Kirk in Star Trek XI?
How critical do you think sex is to one's healthy psychological development?
What is your opinion of democracy?
Have you ever met anyone involved in a non-academic career that you considered a potential intellectual equal?
What's my biggest flaw?
How much did you study in college? In high school?
What ethnicity are you? Were you raised in a multiracial environment?
To what extent do you believe that success is based on making other people happy? Do you believe that true altruism exists?
How do you feel about affirmative action in college admissions? What steps would you take to modify college admissions in the U.S. if you had magical powers to dictate your policies to everyone?
Are there any fields of study that are taken seriously in academia which you have no respect for?
Is a "normal life" necessarily a good thing?
These are (mostly) some good questions! You should have taken them to twenty. Then I could have accused you of playing 20 Questions. =)
1. How often do you swear in your daily speech?
I don't swear all that much. When I do, it is typically for one of three reasons: Emphasis, personal amusement, and "conforming" to a style of conversation. In that order. Emphasis not because I believe these words emphasize anything, but because I know that they attract people's attention. Personal amusement because to me it is humorous folly that humans attach such grave moral judgments to certain words, when words themselves are inherently meaningless. It is an extremely simplistic sort of morality that will lead people to vilify words and not the intended meanings of the people using them and the audience receiving them. And so I feel at liberty to use any word as the muse strikes me, even ones we consider obscene--at least when I am not constrained by formal settings or special audiences, where the meta of being vulgar is more important than the substance that might be expressed thereby.
I should also note that a good writer will seldom if ever have need to swear; there are always more effective ways of writing ideas. It is a stylistic choice only that a good writer swears.
Some obscenities I will refrain from speaking almost always, due to their incredible emotional baggage that is likely to distract entirely from any reasonable point--such as cunt and nigger. (And I should note to the audience that those words (and a few others) are not cool to write on this website unless you have very good cause to do so. Thankfully, it hasn't been a problem here.)
2. Have you ever used anyone and thrown them away? If so, what for?
To be honest, I have rarely been in the position of influence required for one to do that. But to be equally honest, I do not have as many intrinsic compunctions about doing so. Respectable people, I wouldn't "use and toss." But the world abounds with fools, and while I would nowadays err more often on the side of kindness despite idiocy rather than "use and toss," there are plenty of occasions where I would choose the latter. Sometimes one can even do so without the other person knowing.
To my recollection, I have never abused subordinate workers in this way. I have done so to a couple of friends, however. For me, a good friendship requires mutual respect. (That's the "what for" you asked about.) When the other party isn't up to snuff as a person, I tend to lose patience--and some measure of decency. In the handful of times I can remember where this happened, I have typically dissolved the friendship or let it go inert before getting to the point where "use and toss" became emotionally harmful to the other person. But there's a lot of ground between "use and toss" of any kind, and "use and toss" that is emotionally harmful. I had a friend for almost two years whose abundance of wealth I used to score countless free meals and other perks before I felt that it was getting to a bad point.
Remember that the "use and toss" mentality is often undetected by either the user or the used, or even by both. That entails a lot.
3. Do you think sexuality is more of a blessing or a curse?
Good question. Biologically, it's obviously a good thing. But in every other sense, I think "curse" edges in for the win. When I think about the billions of women who have been mistreated, and the billions more of women and men alike who have handicapped their own behavior on grounds of sexuality, I think we have done great injustice to ourselves as a species.
Now, of course, sexuality is a wonderful thing in many ways--a source of deep companionship, endless art, and even personal meaning for a great many people. Yet many of these good elements are purchased at a high price of bad ones. The reason sexuality is such a good source of art, for example, is partly that it opens the human mind up to deep wonders, but also--perhaps even more so--partly that it causes people more suffering than almost anything but torture, slavery, and illness.
The reason I can judge the good versus the bad so easily is that I have already dealt with this question in the past in a slightly different fashion: Do I envision sex to exist in a more ideal human future? The answer is no.
In general, I find that created sources of meaning, rather than discovered ones, are more rewarding anyway. Sexuality is a physical condition of our existence; what a shame that people of ages past (and present!) have made so much misery out of it.
4. What do you think of Internet relationships?
They can be every bit as meaningful as in-the-flesh ones, and often help to broaden a person's horizons. That is, if you're talking about general friendship. If you're talking about something like romance, which obviously requires a physical component to reach its full potential, then I see it as a waste of time unless the virtual portion of the relationship is a space-holder for an eventual physical one.
5. William Dembski, one of the foremost spokespeople for the "theory" of intelligent design, holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Chicago and another Ph.D. in philosophy of science from Northwestern. What does this say about him to you? What does it say about those universities? The educational system in general?
As it stands today, most people who complete their requirements for graduation can earn a degree of their choosing, regardless of their personal beliefs. I read an article in either the NY Times or the Washington Post last year about creationists who were earning degrees in evolutionary biology so that they could speak with the authority of a degree on their favorite subject. The universities in question treated them fairly.
To what extent should personal opinions influence the kind of degree a person can earn? Currently, it seems to be "zero." So long as you do what you're asked, you get the degree. And for the most part I think that is the way it should be. Let science look out for itself. We don't need to help it along by weeding out unscrupulous agents of ignorance from its midst. Sociologically, that sentiment might have considerable and severe ramifications, however, and so I do endorse the idea of having some kind of a scrutiny applied to the college degree process. But what form that scrutiny might take and how it would be enforced effectively and justly, are a mystery to me. I will have to think about it.
6. What is your opinion of the label "emo"?
Let me put it this way: I know "emo" when I see it. To me, that makes it a legitimate label--because it means the phenomenon described by the label is real.
7. What do you think of the possibility of Matt Damon as Captain Kirk in Star Trek XI?
Actually I don't care. Berman and Bragga managed to wring out almost all of my emotional investment in Star Trek over the course of many years--from about 1994 through 2005, when Enterprise bit it. (Or was that 2004?) Nowadays, I only care about TOS, TNG, and films I - VI. (And maybe VII and the first few seasons of DS9.) What happens with the newer Star Trek is irrelevant to me. I have moved on to other creative sources.
8. How critical do you think sex is to one's healthy psychological development?
Like food, very important. But, again like food, it's all about the "how" and the "in what ways" rather than the more simplistic "yes or no." For most sexually mature humans our bodies demand sex, and our Abrahamic condemnation of sexuality in modern society is the source of a great deal of tension, suffering, crime, cultural cheapness, and psychological disorder.
I can't believe you can commit murder on television and still get a child rating, while a female nipple is off-limits to most broadcasters completely. I can't believe that a woman not wearing one of two undergarments constitutes a greater disturbance of peace and sensibility for most people than, say, the cheapness, inhumanity, abusiveness, and violence that abounds so readily in our entertainment media.
If we were more open about sex, the world would be a better place.
9. What is your opinion of democracy?
So long as it is the legal style of governance in America, I support it as an American--and I work on its behalf. But personally I don't like or respect democracy much at all. Democracy is, to me, best described by a more modern synonym: popularity contest. A democratic decision has no inherent truth or value to it. In lieu of government by the people, I am a supporter of meritocracy. My preferred national political framework is the meritocratic empire, a theoretical type of nation that to my knowledge has never existed, and not the democratic republic we practice here in the United States.
10. Have you ever met anyone involved in a non-academic career that you considered a potential intellectual equal?
Yes. Silly question.
11. What's my biggest flaw?
You're a self-defeating, cynical, depressed person who pretends to know more than he actually does, in a way that prevents him from achieving knowledge and meaning at a fuller clip which would otherwise be within his grasp. Was that too harsh? The good news is that none of that is permanent. Nearly all of us have work to do in meeting Burning Zeppelin's world where everyone is the person they want to be.
12. How much did you study in college? In high school?
Excepting math, which is a weakness of mine, I rarely studied. I rarely took notes. They don't tend to serve my style of learning. Another way to put it is that I have learned over the years how to take good notes, enabling me to take far fewer notes than a "line-by-line" note-taker would. However, this is not to say that I did not invest a great deal of time in my studies. I did...but not through study in the classical sense of taking notes, poring over them, and sticking my nose in the selected reading and coming out two hours later with ink stains.
People should do what helps them to learn the most. I can see why note-taking is popular in schools and universities, but it isn't for everybody.
13. What ethnicity are you? Were you raised in a multiracial environment?
I am white. Very white, actually, owing to my complexion and aversion to suntans. I'm pink, too. Pink and white.
Well, that's not exactly ethnicity, is it? I am third-generation eastern European on my dad's side, and American for many generations on my mom's side--with a token 64th Cherokee Indian--ultimately going back to England. I have blue eyes and brown hair. I am pretty darn hairy, in fact.
I was not raised in a multiracial environment. Most of the people I knew where Caucasian like me. However, I was exposed to multiracialism a fair bit in school, on television, and in the (prolific) reading I did. What I was not exposed to, generally, was the modern state of racial and ethnic strife here and abroad. But neither was I exposed to bias and prejudice at home. My childhood was beautifully free of that--which I didn't realize until I grew up. It was a great help to me.
14. To what extent do you believe that success is based on making other people happy? Do you believe that true altruism exists?
Inherently, I see no requirement at all that success be predicated upon making others happy. However, for many of us as individuals, our personality and convictions make it a requirement...to varying degrees in varying people. For me, I think it is more important to show people honesty and basic kindness. Let them find happiness on their own. To the extent my actions take away from the happiness of others, I accept it without distress if (and only if) the actions are in accordance with my principles, and I am confident in those principles.
"True altruism" does exist. There is a beautiful piece of truth, which I encountered a while back on the road of life, which revealed that everything one does, one does for oneself--so that even actions for others are inherently selfish. However, there was another truth I encountered, somewhat further along the road of life, which revealed that "altruism" is a social, not a personal phenomenon. If one genuinely expresses an action intended on behalf of another person (or people), then, from the society's bird's eye point of view, altruism has occurred. As with most things, this "true" kind of altruism is not as clean-cut as the eight-grade morality book tells us. It is, for instance, not necessarily well-received, or even noticed, by the recipients. And it may do more harm than good. But it is real.
15. How do you feel about affirmative action in college admissions? What steps would you take to modify college admissions in the U.S. if you had magical powers to dictate your policies to everyone?
If I had magical powers, I'd tackle education at the lowest levels first. That's where our work has to begin. But, to answer your question, I support racial and gender quotas in most cases, as a mea culpa which admits that our society has not yet solved these problems--and in some cases has stalled completely. One good piece of news is that gender quotas are no longer required in many undergraduate departments around the country--although they are still needed in a few (such as my own aerospace engineering), and are still much more widely needed at the postgraduate level.
Look at it this way: One Bill Cosby goes far further than one generic white guy when it comes to tackling the many issues facing the African American community. But to get more Cosbys in a hostile climate, you need to give all the potential Cosbys out there the best opportunity you can. If you're serious about tackling those issues in the African American community. And I am.
Ditto the female "community," and all the other "communities" out there, rightly or wrongly demarcated as such.
16. Are there any fields of study that are taken seriously in academia which you have no respect for?
Back in the day, I had a very hard time respecting CHID--"Comparative History of Ideas"--at the University of Washington. I still do, to a lesser extent, and I also think the Information School is on thin academic ground. To generalize it, I am wary of departments that exhibit either of the following qualities: A) A supposed basis on hard science where little or none exists; B) A basis on "meta."
I should note that neither of those qualities is something I inherently oppose; rather, studies based upon either of those qualities seem to attract a disproportionate number of people whose interest does not lie in education, truth, progress, and all that other good stuff upon which a college is based.
17. Is a "normal life" necessarily a good thing?
Define "normal."
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What are some of your favorite words to use in writing? (I understand this is limited greatly by context, but when context allows, which words do you feel a great joy to use either because of their form or sound or any other quality?)
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I can't believe you can commit murder on television and still get a child rating, while a female nipple is off-limits to most broadcasters completely.
Really? I have noticed it is generally the opposite (though not to those extremes).
Why is it that most artsty, "intellectual" (in a Lord J esq way) and sporty people usually not good at maths? I've seen people have multiple intelligences, but when it came to being good at maths, they were either only extrodanarily good at maths, or good at other fields in varying degrees. Or should I get out more?
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I can't believe you can commit murder on television and still get a child rating, while a female nipple is off-limits to most broadcasters completely.
Really? I have noticed it is generally the opposite (though not to those extremes).
Why is it that most artsty, "intellectual" (in a Lord J esq way) and sporty people usually not good at maths? I've seen people have multiple intelligences, but when it came to being good at maths, they were either only extrodanarily good at maths, or good at other fields in varying degrees. Or should I get out more?
Actually, I think Lord J's 'not good at math' is actually a 'better at math than 99% of people' sort of thing. He said it was the only thing he had to study much for. Now, considering he's trained in what, Aerospace Engineering, I think it's safe to say he's not too shabby at it. Likewise, I'd say the selfsame thing: math is kind of tough for me, and I don't think I'd be able to do above third year type. That said, I'm good enough at it to have gotten through Mechanical Engineering, so I'm not really bad at it. Oh, and I'm also the 'artsy' type: a writer, and becoming a Classicist now. So, meh, there are people like me and Lord J that are adept at both. Don't let his 'worst at math' throw you off.
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What'd you think of the first Democratic debate?
I've got a soft spot for New Mexico, but Richardson just avoided the questions a little too much (though he did try to do a 180 later on). Obama seemed under pressure and needy of a cigarette, while Hillary was blatantly and sickingly trying to appeal to general audiences. I am proudly against her campaign; though a female president would be charming and invigorating, let us not elect that person. My charges of power familial control over the presidency aside, I don't like her stances on issues. A couple of Mike Gravel's ideas may not be in the right place, but it was satisfying to hear him call out every Democrat there who authorized the war and exert blame on them for it in addition to W. In the end, Wolf Blitzer is a sucker and time unequal was allotted to each candidate.
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What are you thoughts on the theory of Simulated Reality.
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What's my biggest flaw?
Hehehehe. As of now, I would like to make that question my own.
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Yeah, Lord J, just give us a rundown on the primary members (people who post lotz) and why they suck.
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And one that doesn't post lotz, which would be me.
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If you're going to give us a rundown on things we could all do better, include your own biggest flaw in the list. It's only fair.
Also, name some of your favorite games that came out within the last year.
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What are some of your favorite words to use in writing? (I understand this is limited greatly by context, but when context allows, which words do you feel a great joy to use either because of their form or sound or any other quality?)
Oh, beautiful question. But, because it is example-based, it is a question whose answer is too long for me to recite fully. Will you accept the following selective answer?
Also, a disclaimer: You asked about words in particular, but, because of the way I write, it is difficult for me to focus on words without edging toward greater English structure here and there. So forgive me if I seem to veer away from just words.
I enjoy certain sounds above others. I agree with Tolkien that the "-or" suffix sound is one of my favorite, especially if you soften the R to the point of most British enunciation, as well as extend it. However, here I am already getting away from words themselves, and into sounds. (But you did mention sound!) I also like the long "I" sound. I really like the--now, if I post the symbol for this, nobody will know what I mean--the "aw" sound. If you can comprehend the difference between the sounds of the words "pa" and "paw," you know what I mean. I like the "wr-" prefix sound, because to me it gives the excuse for extra richness in the R. Letter by letter, some of my favorite sounds are A, I, J, K, R, S, T, Z, and the soft J (which doesn't occur in English but is like a cross between J and Z). I'm a fan of most diphthongs--and not just because I know what that word means--because of the richness and complexity of sound they inevitably bring.
Moving on from sounds and letters, I enjoy many words on a "just because" basis, like "coin." And there are other words I enjoy on a meaning basis, like "ambition." These two are not mutually exclusive, and some words I like not only just because, but because they have a special meaning too.
Words can also taken on extra beauty in relation to their neighbors. I love long sentences that have a heavy pulse--a lyrical cadence with lots of good-sounding, fleshy words. I also love short sentences with two or three key words that punctuate an idea with the exclamatory force that only a short sentence can bring.
I could go on, and on, of course, but let that suffice as a start, and if you want to ask a follow-up question, please do.
What'd you think of the first Democratic debate?
I haven't watched any of the debates thus far. But from what I've read, I think none of the candidates were as honest, earnest, or visionary as they could have been.
What are you thoughts on the theory of Simulated Reality.
I certainly think it will eventually become technologically possible to fool people into thinking they're someplace they're not, if that's what you mean.
What's my biggest flaw?
Hehehehe. As of now, I would like to make that question my own.
I don't know much about you. At least in this community, your biggest flaw is that you resist being taken seriously, and seriousness in general. Monty Python is great, but I wouldn't want to live in their television show. You? Probably not. Most of the people who have difficulty accepting seriousness usually do so out of either deep insecurity or extreme immaturity.
And one that doesn't post lotz, which would be me.
I think that's enough of that particular question, actually. Besides, in your case, I don't know enough to venture any insight.
But I will give mine, since Hadriel asked: I have a hard time finishing things. Call it sloth, call it perfectionism, call it what you will.
Also, name some of your favorite games that came out within the last year.
Twilight Princess is the only game I actually bought in the past year, so that says something. I'm excited by Spore, but that's not actually out yet. I really loved the early Metroid games, but I have had the hardest time getting a taste for the FPS genre the series has become.
Honestly, though, I haven't done much gaming in the past year--and very little with games that are brand new.
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What's my biggest flaw?
Hehehehe. As of now, I would like to make that question my own.
I don't know much about you. At least in this community, your biggest flaw is that you resist being taken seriously, and seriousness in general. Monty Python is great, but I wouldn't want to live in their television show. You? Probably not. Most of the people who have difficulty accepting seriousness usually do so out of either deep insecurity or extreme immaturity.
Oh, but the face behind the laughing mask not always laughs itself.
It is a curious concept you put there. Not to say it is not valid, indeed, to certain cases. (Don't worry, now, I won't start with the 'O but seriousness is just a concept to be played with' thing, this time). Seriousness is not something to be "accepted". It is rooted in the personality of the responsible in a way that it is naturally expressed behind the masks of one's actions, inactions, words and what have you. If there is peace and balance to one's trait, one won't be locked to it, insecurity and immaturity will lose their relevance. The moment one is like water, and yes I borrow that concept from Mr. Bruce Lee, one has composition (security, maturity) defined, yet shapeless nature. Fixed seriousness (much like any fixed thing) is like ice. Throw it at a wall with enough power, and it shatters.
Even more curious is the comparsion you made with Monty Python... The thin layer of seriousness present in their work makes it of a density unmatched. I don't really know of any other person or group of people who have been able to criticize, in a single shot of a movie, a context, the perspective people have of it, the way they represent it and the very critics these people make of it, without having to spit a single 'serious' word.
And please, I'm more of a Steve Odekerk kind of guy, really: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkThvBxUc_I&mode=related&search=
(not to say I'm not a very Monty Python kind of guy, also)
=)
What's my biggest flaw?
Now, I would like to make that question ZealitY's, Ramsus', Radical Dreamer's and Daniel Krispin's.
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It's mostly just the one word posts, but I guess there's no helping.
My biggest flaw is easy.
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My biggest flaw is procrast- you know what? I think I'll come back to this later.
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What are you thoughts on the theory of Simulated Reality.
Do you Have any problem with this on the ethical level?
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It's mostly just the one word posts, but I guess there's no helping.
My biggest flaw is easy.
Remember that thread that you made that was about...well, nothing?
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I think ZealitY's biggest flaw is that he doesn't love Sephiroth enough. Reunion shimasuka?
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What are you thoughts on the theory of Simulated Reality.
Do you Have any problem with this on the ethical level?
Not necessarily the ethical level. I would prefer that people exist in the real universe, where our experiences are based upon physical phenomena rather than simulations of the same. This is on the assumption that no simulation could replace the experiences of the universe until we gain a complete understanding of the universe--at which point I suppose the issue becomes moot, notwithstanding the question of our survival and propagation.
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My biggest flaw is procrast- you know what? I think I'll come back to this later.
I have trouble with procrastination too. And you know what? You are all enablers.
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Does a proper procrastinator have the necessary get-up-and-go to actually enable further procrastination?
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I think we're pretty much half procrastinators, half procrastination-enablers. Maybe with a leaning to the enablers side.
Edit: I actually meant procrastinaters as the side being leaned towards, but now that I think about I'm not so sure.
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My biggest flaw is procrast- you know what? I think I'll come back to this later.
I have trouble with procrastination too. And you know what? You are all enablers.
I can live with that.