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Wednesday, August 31
Governing a Household
Seen in today's paper: an article about an Egyptian business woman who is campaigning to have Egypt re-embrace polygamy. The issue of whether polygamy is (or should be) acceptable aside, one of the threads in the article caught my attention: "Dorbek recasts the license that Islam gives men to marry up to four women and gives it a modern flavor, relevant to today's world. 'I'm calling for women's rights: their right to get married even if to a married man,' Dorbek said." I found it interesting that nowhere in the article does it mention any campaign on Ms. Dorbek's part for the equal right for a woman to marry multiple husbands. Nice try with the spin, though.
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The Sun and the Rain
We had a nice rainstorm (complete with a smattering of pea-sized hail) right before sunset on Saturday, which created one of my favorite optical effects: a golden-tan glow that makes everything seem very warm (color-wise) diffused through a haze of rain. :)
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Tuesday, August 30
Seeing the Future
At work tonight, while slogging through a document that definitely fell into the vaguely defined "unfun" category, I abruptly decided that I need a computer that can ignore temporal mechanics and access information from the past and future as well as the present. That way, I could just download the completed document from tomorrow and print it out. Then I realized that would create several nasty paradoxes (since technically no one would actually finish the document, it couldn't actually exist - damn grandfather paradox). Rather than abandon the prospect, however, I decided to incorporate the elements of the " many-worlds interpretation" of quantum theory, which postulates the creation of a new, parallel universe every time a quantum event occurs. So all I need is a quantum computer capable of accessing computer data from the same computer in a closely aligned parallel universe (and of course in the future); then I can download a copy of the completed document that an alternate me did. Then I decided that if I was going to do that anyway, why limit it to being lazy at work? Why not go ahead and download all the novels I'm going to write (which isn't nearly as dishonest as downloading unpublished future novels by other authors, 'cause I, or a version thereof, wrote them - can you steal from yourself?). Then I got to thinking about "stealing from yourself" and wondered if any of the alternate "me"s had the same idea (likely, especially since all of the alternate "me"s created after I had the idea would also have the idea by default), which made me wonder if any of them happened to live in a world where it was already possible, which brought up the possibility that an alternate me is already downloading the stuff I wrote. So listen up, alternate "me"s: I want royalties. :P Just leave a copy of something that will make me a millionaire in the C:\Temp\Alternate Reality\ folder I just created while you're downloading other stuff. Quid pro quo. Labels: quantum mechanics, science
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Thursday, August 25
"August 18, 2005. This expedition took us deep into uncharted territory, across hard terrain and rugged landscapes. There, within an unnamed forest, we came upon Lanicus Ellenus, a flighty creature rarely seen in her natural habitat. We noted the unique signature of her nest, particularly the book, computer and various CDs. This particular specimen also seemed to exhibit unusual plumage in the form of blue toenail polish. Unfortunately, at about this time the Lanicus took notice of us, and, as every field biologist is aware of how dangerous these creatures can be, we wisely retreated . . ."
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Friday, August 19
Making an Example
So a widow in Texas was awarded $253.4 million in a lawsuit against a pharmaceutical company. [insert various rants/commentary/wailing and dismay over excessive awards, etc. here] Okay, now that that's over, I have an honest question (not my usual sarcasm-dipped rhetoricals). Around $24 million of the award was for mental anguish and loss of companionship, but a staggering $229 million was for punitive damages. Here's my question: if punitive damages are imposed " as a punishment and example to others," and thus are independent of the suffering of the plaintiff, why does the plaintiff get to keep them? Wouldn't it make more sense to set up a fund that helps all the victims of the company (not just the first to sue), or channel the money into nonprofit research that can help avoid the problem in the future? And isn't it essentially "double jeopardy" if juries repeatedly impose punitive damages for the same action in different cases (i.e., there are 4,200 other lawsuits pending; can you really be punished 4,200 times for the same thing?). It would make more sense to me if the company was fined for punitive damages once (with the money going to help alleviate whatever problem the company created) and each plaintiff was restricted to receiving special and general damages. Opinions?
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Linguicide
Michael Kelly had a column in the local paper yesterday about language, particularly the effect that poor grammar usage by adults has on younger generations (e.g., "lay" vs. "lie"). One of the examples he used was the use of "nauseous" when the speaker really means "nauseated" (going so far as to use it as a pun in his closing statement). As I was unfamiliar with the conflict between these two words (and since he didn't explain them), I looked them up and discovered that he's wrong (Merriam-Webster has a footnote about the formerly incorrect usage now being accepted). This sparked a discussion with Lisa, who isn't comfortable with the concept of "incorrect usage" becoming accepted simply through usage by a majority of the people, about the concept of language evolution and how the grammar standards we were taught in school differ from those taught a century ago and will differ from those taught a century from now. Obviously Modern American English differs from Middle English which differs from Old English which differs from Latin, but even more than that the version of English we learn today is different than that taught even a few generations back (in subtle ways, but enough that "the rules" of grammar are really little more than temporary preferences of the society). Mr. Kelly's point was that these changes "erode communication" (which he calls "nauseating"), but I wonder if it's truly a case of the language breaking down, or simply another example of a living language evolving as the society that uses it changes. In other words, will people two or three generations from now really be less able to communicate, or will they just have a different set of rules? This isn't to say that grammar rules have gone right out the window or that I won't still wince when I hear "I'm going to lay down" or "Jeff and me are going to the movie"; it just means that the insistence of some grammarians that language standards should be fixed and the population should be chastised when not conforming with them is, and always will be, a losing battle.
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Wednesday, August 17
Can You Hear Me Now? Good
I'm not one to gasp in concern about tales of cell phone irradiation or brain tumors caused by microwaves, but I had a first-hand demonstration this week of just how much electromagnetic energy we encounter every day that did make me pause for a moment. I was listening to a radio station from outside Omaha on my way to work on Tuesday. It was fading in and out, but I liked the song so I was tolerating the gaps. I pulled up to a stoplight behind two other cars and the radio went out completely (just static). Twenty seconds later, at the exact moment the light turned green, the radio popped back in, crystal clear. Thinking maybe it was a fluke, I intentionally repeated it today, with the same result. I'm not going to rush out and buy those little gold stickers for your cell phone that supposedly absorb radiation, but I do wonder if 50 years from now we'll be seeing reports on the effects of long-term exposure to weak EM fields on the human body, particularly the brain, which generates its own weak EM field (I've had an EEG, which measures that field, and I've read medical journal articles on experiments that can induce euphoric or religious experiences by exposing people to EM fields of varying strengths). Something to think about.
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Tuesday, August 16
Music Update
Just so Tim isn't unhappy. I found Tristan Prettyman on iTunes tonight. So far so good. You can listen/watch one of her singles on her site. I also found an acoustic version of a song I already had, and of course I can't resist a good acoustic version, so I bought "L-L-Love" by Blondfire, a duo of which I hadn't heard until I found out that they used to be called Astaire (and them I knew). Their site says they were "forced to discontinue use of the name," which sounds suspiciously like "we got sued."
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Monday, August 15
Happy Birthday!
To Linde, who turns, um, let's see, carry the one, subtract seven, dammit, I need paper. Stupid dots. Let's just guess and say 26. Labels: birthdays
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Exothermic or Endothermic?
This is kind of funny. Still tinged with fire-and-brimstone, but more as a candy-coating rather than the main ingredient, which is far preferable to the mean messages that the church on 13th street usually has.
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House Update
Nothing earth-shattering. Just some minor improvements.
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Sunday, August 14
Adding Insult to Amusement
The scene, a dark theater deep within the heart of Omaha. On the flickering screen, Owen Wilson, in an amusing-if-predictable role, charms his way through the nameless "eye candy" of the movie, dancing through the "what she wants to hear" magic formula that only seems to work in the movies. And then, in one moment of clarity, his character recites a line of verse to one future conquest and ends with "A little poetry, from Sarah McLachlan." I light up. Laura looks at me and cracks up laughing. The woman on screen swoons and trembles. I continue to giggle like a schoolgirl for another 15 seconds before lapsing into a satisfied glow. An hour later as we're leaving the theater, something occurs to me. "Wait," I said, stopping on the sidewalk with a confused look. "Something isn't right." It slowly dawns on me that saying you like Sarah McLachlan because you think it's what women want to hear (and therefore will score) and liking Sarah McLachlan because she's the greatest musician to ever live are two entirely different things. Blasphemy! And since the tactic was pulled from the "things women like in men that aren't really manly" bag (along with crying and various other assorted "awww, he's sensitive" activities), I'm just going to stick my tongue out and remain defiant. :P On an entirely unrelated point, I have yet to have a woman swoon and tremble when I mention I have a limited edition print of Sarah on my dining room wall. If anything, it's usually more of the sideways "Are you sure you're straight?" look.
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Thursday, August 11
Last of the Baby Pictures
For this week, anyway. Alec was all smiles today. Kyle was just hungry. Like her mother, she has no qualms about letting people know that she's ready to eat. :) Lane is busy planning our next adventure (I'm thinking Joslyn, maybe, or perhaps " The Cave" . . .). Labels: twins
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Wednesday, August 10
I Can't Say I'm Surprised
Disappointed, of course, but not surprised. It was more or less a foregone conclusion. Contrary to the Discovery Institute's position, though ("We think this is a great development ... for the academic freedom of students"), this is actually a great detriment to the students. "Academic freedom" is a wonderful concept, but the idea that this is the driving force behind the debate is laughable. On one hand, high school students aren't equipped to be deciding whether a scientific theory is valid or not (especially not with a brief intro of the cursory elements and no real indepth understanding of how it works). That's not the way science works. Science is guided by peer review and experimentation by people with expertise in the field, not by 10th graders who "feel" that the theory is wrong. On the other hand, those students will be at a disadvantage in any competition for college placement and science-related jobs. The facade put forth by "intelligent design" proponents (that they're pushing for "equal time" out of respect of "academic freedom") is almost insulting. If the tables were reversed and Creationism or "intelligent design" was the dominant idea taught in high schools, what do you suppose the odds are that the Discovery Institute would say that it was a "great development for academic freedom" if a board voted to minimize "intelligent design" and teach evolution? They're pushing for "equal time" because they're the minority; they wouldn't be nearly as accommodating if they were in a stronger position.
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Tuesday, August 9
Smile for the Camera
Today was Kyle's turn to smile. And be friendly. And blow bubbles. And practice facial expressions. And be amused by sneezes. Alec was too busy staring out the window and dealing with hiccups. In the meantime I taught Lane how to play Scrabble. She did well, but she couldn't compete with my piéce de résistance ("quest" on a triple word score). We also tried to figure out why the copy of "Neverwinter Nights" I loaned her keeps crashing (to no avail). Labels: twins
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Monday, August 8
Ack, It's Another Immortal
Not keeping a very low profile, though. A " thousand years of power"? Oh, look, another.
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New House Update
'Cause, you know, it's only been like 5 months since I've done one.
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Sunday, August 7
Oh, One More
Just because it's the weekend and everyone should smile on the weekend. Labels: twins
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1.024 Gigs, Thank You Very Much
I managed to upgrade my RAM without breaking anything. Yay. Mike and Tim are saying "What the hell? It's about damn time." Cris and Mull are saying "That's cool." Everyone else is saying "What the hell? What are you talking about?" Amusingly, when I rebooted for the first time, Windows recognized the additional RAM but Norton didn't (or rather, it sort of recognized it). The memory monitor was still set to 512 megs and kept telling me that I had 143% of my memory free.
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Thursday, August 4
Update for Mom
My mother e-mails me to see if I'm still alive if she doesn't see a post for more than three days. I don't really have anything new to add (other than I saw a reply to my Public Pulse comment today that completely missed my point, so I think I'm done submitting things there), so everyone will have to settle for pictures of the twins. Labels: twins
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