There are many wonderful pictures of outer space, fractals, and fine art available from various online sources. Oftentimes I have noticed that no matter how refined the resolution, somewhere along the way a nerd has managed to insert the title in the lower right-hand corner of the picture, typically in bright white or yellow, ruining the overall effect.
The point of a picture is beauty. The name of the picture is less to the point, but can be supplied by the filename. Identification is the intended purpose of a filename in an operating system. I have downloaded, then deleted, gigabytes of marred photos.
If it is ever necessary to insert text into a picture--and think carefully of every other possible option before consenting--it should be done in a manner that is unobtrusive. Rather than stand out in any way, the text should be hidden, such that the viewer must hunt for it in order to find it. This calls for a tiny font size and a color that blends seamlessly into the background. Better still would be to not insert any text at all. Leave art to the artists. Follow the proverb of medicine: do no harm.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Let the Thorn Remain
Upon reflection, I decided to keep my dungeon crawl posts. Somewhere out there is a rude prude who does not like the idea of players cheating. My cheat file is a thorn in his side. I say let the thorn remain.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
My Favorite Living Celebrity
There is at least one living celebrity that I would like to know, assuming I had a magic wish granted to me by a genii: Ian McKellen, the actor who played Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings. I don't really know much about the Shakespearean actor, other than he is one of the few out gay men in Hollywood and has had a great career. That he played Macbeth implies depth and profundity, which no doubt came in useful during his LOTR gig.
Gandalf is one of my favorite characters of all time. I can't but think of him as a role model for what I would like to become, if I could. The magic helps, naturally, but he is always saying wise things that speak to the heart.
Tolkien was a great writer. I don't know why literary critics put him down, but perhaps it is because they come from an academic environment, where the analytical faculties are favored to the exclusion of all else. They judge literature using left-brain criteria. Such critics miss the point of art. They would be better off as proofreaders. Being a good critic means knowing the human animal--what he is and what he can be. There must be a bias favoring writers that really get it, whether or not their prose conforms in every respect to established conventions. An analyst concerns himself with details, but the details of the parts are inferior to the sum of the whole. Critics need to get off their high horse once in a while. Just because something is wildly popular does not make it bad.
Gandalf is one of my favorite characters of all time. I can't but think of him as a role model for what I would like to become, if I could. The magic helps, naturally, but he is always saying wise things that speak to the heart.
Tolkien was a great writer. I don't know why literary critics put him down, but perhaps it is because they come from an academic environment, where the analytical faculties are favored to the exclusion of all else. They judge literature using left-brain criteria. Such critics miss the point of art. They would be better off as proofreaders. Being a good critic means knowing the human animal--what he is and what he can be. There must be a bias favoring writers that really get it, whether or not their prose conforms in every respect to established conventions. An analyst concerns himself with details, but the details of the parts are inferior to the sum of the whole. Critics need to get off their high horse once in a while. Just because something is wildly popular does not make it bad.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Water on the Moon
This is the best news I've read all year. Scientists have discovered water on the Moon. The Moon is better equipped to support life than it at first appeared.
If we ruin this planet, a handful of us may find a second chance on a smaller satellite orbiting around the Sun. There may be enough water to sustain a small village.
If we ruin this planet, a handful of us may find a second chance on a smaller satellite orbiting around the Sun. There may be enough water to sustain a small village.
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
One of the outcomes of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is that plenty of highly qualified gay servicepeople are discharged from the military.
Rather than tolerate a gay psychiatrist, our military prefers an incompetent psychiatrist who believes that Sharia law is more important than the U.S. Constitution. The Army turns away native-born loyal sons, while embracing the enemy within its ranks, with predictable results.
Homosexuality was never incompatible with military service. In many ways, it is ideally suited to the military life. This has been known for a long time. But people forget or choose not to review history. Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat the most unpleasant chapters. Read the world news today, and you should find several dozen examples.
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is yet another example of the low level of wisdom of our esteemed leaders, such as Barack Obama, who is now the Defender of DADT. What the military needs is not more gadgets or more money, but more wisdom. It is possible to do more with less, as long as the leadership is wise. Alexander beat the Persians with 30,000 troops. But wisdom and ethics are in short supply in Washington, D.C.
Congress keeps throwing more money at the wars on the theory that money fixes everything. Of course they would think so. Money and power is all that a typical Congressman ever desires.
Watching "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" is always an eye-opener for me. Some of our esteemed leaders could not reason their way out of a paper bag. A refresher course in history should be a prerequisite for everyone who aspires to serve in Congress. The Minnesota Multi-Phasic Personality Inventory may offer minimal protection against sociopaths serving in Congress. The whole lot of them should be subjected to daily urine tests, conducted in public on live television, to guard against alcohol and drug abuse. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. If a cook at McDonalds must submit to urinalysis, then how much more important is it that our leaders be drug-free? The abysmal performance of our leaders, measured by GNP, the unemployment rate, academic performance of our students, the number of uninsured, the number of incarcerated, and the national debt, warrants such a change in policy. I would also strip them of their health insurance, replacing their plan with whatever they choose to offer the American people. But their salaries should be tripled, at a minimum. It is never wise to pay a small salary to a politician, because he will use it as a justification for accepting bribes. Better to overpay and hope for the best.
Rather than tolerate a gay psychiatrist, our military prefers an incompetent psychiatrist who believes that Sharia law is more important than the U.S. Constitution. The Army turns away native-born loyal sons, while embracing the enemy within its ranks, with predictable results.
Homosexuality was never incompatible with military service. In many ways, it is ideally suited to the military life. This has been known for a long time. But people forget or choose not to review history. Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat the most unpleasant chapters. Read the world news today, and you should find several dozen examples.
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is yet another example of the low level of wisdom of our esteemed leaders, such as Barack Obama, who is now the Defender of DADT. What the military needs is not more gadgets or more money, but more wisdom. It is possible to do more with less, as long as the leadership is wise. Alexander beat the Persians with 30,000 troops. But wisdom and ethics are in short supply in Washington, D.C.
Congress keeps throwing more money at the wars on the theory that money fixes everything. Of course they would think so. Money and power is all that a typical Congressman ever desires.
Watching "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" is always an eye-opener for me. Some of our esteemed leaders could not reason their way out of a paper bag. A refresher course in history should be a prerequisite for everyone who aspires to serve in Congress. The Minnesota Multi-Phasic Personality Inventory may offer minimal protection against sociopaths serving in Congress. The whole lot of them should be subjected to daily urine tests, conducted in public on live television, to guard against alcohol and drug abuse. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. If a cook at McDonalds must submit to urinalysis, then how much more important is it that our leaders be drug-free? The abysmal performance of our leaders, measured by GNP, the unemployment rate, academic performance of our students, the number of uninsured, the number of incarcerated, and the national debt, warrants such a change in policy. I would also strip them of their health insurance, replacing their plan with whatever they choose to offer the American people. But their salaries should be tripled, at a minimum. It is never wise to pay a small salary to a politician, because he will use it as a justification for accepting bribes. Better to overpay and hope for the best.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
The Recurring Mantra Concerning Afghanistan
Whenever I read a mainstream media article concerning Obama's decision on whether to send more troops to Afghanistan, the consensus seems to be, we must do it. The reasons we must increase our military involvement are seldom explained in any detail, but simply repeated, over and over, as though it were obvious, but it is far from obvious. The mindless lurch towards pointless warfare is why the United States has lost much of its wealth, power and prestige in the world. Almost everything at the local store says "Made in China" rather than "Made in USA." Instead of investing in infrastructure, education, and research, the U.S. has thrown the lion's share of public assets on fancy military gadgetry. A backwater province like Afghanistan is of little moment to anyone but the hawks on the right. Even the old U.S.S.R. was wise enough to withdraw. Arrogant pride is a weakness, never a strength.
What the United States must do is find meaningful employment for its young people and prepare the future generations to take on the challenges of today and tomorrow. It is an ill omen that instead of solving vital problems of great concern to ordinary Americans, our leaders instead spend their time debating a mission in a faraway land where the locals do not speak our language, do not share our culture, do not share our history or values, and many of them, if not most, either despise or distrust us. As for the leader of Afghanistan, Karzai, he believes the United States to be a nation of fools, led by a great fool, and he acts accordingly. His election was a corrupt self-appointment and many of his allies are known criminals.
The goal now should be to withdraw in good order and take all of our assets with us, including all monies, equipment and collateral that may have been spent upon Karzai's corrupt and inept government over the years.
What the United States must do is find meaningful employment for its young people and prepare the future generations to take on the challenges of today and tomorrow. It is an ill omen that instead of solving vital problems of great concern to ordinary Americans, our leaders instead spend their time debating a mission in a faraway land where the locals do not speak our language, do not share our culture, do not share our history or values, and many of them, if not most, either despise or distrust us. As for the leader of Afghanistan, Karzai, he believes the United States to be a nation of fools, led by a great fool, and he acts accordingly. His election was a corrupt self-appointment and many of his allies are known criminals.
The goal now should be to withdraw in good order and take all of our assets with us, including all monies, equipment and collateral that may have been spent upon Karzai's corrupt and inept government over the years.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The Missing Modifier
Several months ago, I posted a message in a forum about my batch file, which handles cheating in Dungeon Crawl.
"For years" needed a modifier like "off and on," "periodically," or "every once in a blue moon." I've been hostile to adverbs ever since reading Stephen King's "On Writing." The Old Master said something to the effect that adverbs should be shot on sight. However, some readers require modifiers in order to comprehend the meaning of words that they will otherwise interpret in a quite literal sense.
This is instructive. If the game is regarded, even by fellow players, as a symptom of nerdiness, then I should want to abandon it at the earliest opportunity. While I have enjoyed playing it, none of my friends or acquaintances appreciate it in the slightest.
Is Dungeon Crawl a worthwhile leisure pursuit or an eccentric waste of time? I am undecided. The "dungeon crawl" category may disappear in the future, but not today. I am going to chew on the idea a bit before I do any deleting.
For years, I've been working upon a batch file to assist in cheating at Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup. Fast, easy and tested by time...
if you use a Windows PC and want, not just discussion or opinion, but an actual working batch file to do all of the work for you... this does the trick without any intervention on your part other than saving your game when you want a backup.
"For years" needed a modifier like "off and on," "periodically," or "every once in a blue moon." I've been hostile to adverbs ever since reading Stephen King's "On Writing." The Old Master said something to the effect that adverbs should be shot on sight. However, some readers require modifiers in order to comprehend the meaning of words that they will otherwise interpret in a quite literal sense.
Igor wrote:
>For years, I've been working upon a batch file to assist in cheating
>at Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup. Fast, easy and tested by time...
Years? It's got to be what, five minutes' work?
-Some Guy
---
From: Another Guy wrote:
> Years? It's got to be what, five minutes' work?
Hahaha, so true.
---
>>On Mar 20, 9:17 am, Some Guy wrote:
>LOL ! Nerds.
Says the man who's spent years on a batch file to cheat at a computer game! Short of wearing Spock ears, could you get nerdier?
-Some Guy
---
Another Guy write:
What is this I don't even
...isn't everyone in this newsgroup a nerd, anyway?
This is instructive. If the game is regarded, even by fellow players, as a symptom of nerdiness, then I should want to abandon it at the earliest opportunity. While I have enjoyed playing it, none of my friends or acquaintances appreciate it in the slightest.
Is Dungeon Crawl a worthwhile leisure pursuit or an eccentric waste of time? I am undecided. The "dungeon crawl" category may disappear in the future, but not today. I am going to chew on the idea a bit before I do any deleting.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Why Blog?
The blog receives few comments, which sometimes concerns me. Does my writing do me any credit? Am I making any sense at all? Such doubts may occur to other bloggers as well. But if a blog only receives ten hits per day, with most of these being click-and-go, then one can't expect much feedback.
Why should someone bother reading an unpublished amateur, when there are best-selling luminaries online, offering their thoughts in many cases for free? I don't know. If the quest for readership were all that mattered, then no one would bother blogging. There are heavy hitters servicing just about every conceivable niche. When I visit Border's, I'm overwhelmed by the many different books and writers that I've never even heard of before. I haven't enough remaining time in my life to read all the books, even if the inventory never changed. This is the golden age of literature. Books are plentiful, cheap, well-constructed, proofread until nearly perfect, and can even be ordered online without ever leaving one's home.
I view my blog as a public journal for recording my thoughts, ideas and opinions. It is safer than a word processor, because if my computer ever dies, the articles remain secure in the cloud. In my day, I have seen many a hard drive crash and be irrecoverable. Besides, my thoughts may be useful or at least amusing to others. Who am I to assume otherwise? In the case of a certain cult classic game, there are obvious reasons for players to read igor's little insights. I can't imagine playing that game without my trusty regen.bat, which protects against sudden death.
The blog is more for me than anyone else. I like reading my own material, because I tend to agree with myself. No big surprise there. My blog is my favorite blog of all. I'd rather write on it or read it than watch my favorite show. Since February, the blog has really cut into my television watching. I have a massive backlog of shows I have been meaning to watch. This is the golden age of television, as well, although not television news.
Writing is both therapeutic and an effective exercise of the mental faculties, which slide toward decay in a world of canned entertainment. Whenever someone feels troubled over an issue, they should write about it. Reviewing one's own writing can be instructive, like looking into a mirror. I am aware of at least some of my faults, if not all. I also see some good qualities, which is why I continue.
However, when writing, exercise caution concerning negative events or emotions. For instance, many political writers indulge their spleen to excess. Their hatred is tribal in nature and does not seem grounded in reality. For instance, Limbaugh and Coulter are forever going on about liberals. They do not know what they are talking about. Theirs is non-productive writing. Perhaps they make a great deal of money through their writing. Money is not as important as ethics. I would not trade places with either of them for all the money in the world.
Be careful with the digging up of old bones, such as conflicts, infatuations, or traumas of the past. Sometimes it is best to leave old bones undisturbed in their grave, particularly if one has moved on. By thinking about a subject, one gives it energy. Monsters can rise from their slumber to haunt us once again. Deny them your power. Rather than brood, focus instead upon the present.
However, some of us are reflective by nature and seem to have no choice but to analyze events in the past in the hopes of arriving at a better understanding. There may be instances when one chooses to travel into subterranean caverns in search of self-knowledge. It is a dangerous journey, with fell creatures lurking in the shadows. Here there be dragons. But such an expedition can prove cathartic. Old memories can serve as an instruction, maybe even a useful one, for myself and others. I will only be around for so long. After I am gone from this earth, the only record I leave behind may be stories. They needed to be birthed. I carried them to term and placed them in a nest somewhere out in the world. Then I returned to the sea.
By writing a story, I transcend it. The beast is dissected, with every part labeled. It is pinned down, framed and hung upon a wall. Thereafter, its power over me diminishes. If this is the attitude that a writer takes, then excavations of old bones can be constructive rather than destructive.
Avoid alcohol, the bane of all writers, because in the long run it inspires melancholy thoughts. For an inhibited, reserved writer, booze may seem like just the thing. A friend of mind refers to it as mental lubrication. I have not found it to be helpful at all. As for marijuana, it relaxes the analytical faculties, reducing the quality of prose. Reading, in particular, becomes far more challenging. I doubt marijuana would be of much use to a writer, unless he suffers from writer's block. If therapy is the main goal, rather than prose quality, then marijuana may be of benefit.
For my part, I prefer sobriety when writing or reading. The only drug that I have found useful for intellectual work of any kind is caffeine in the form of coffee, chocolate, or tea. Some writers swear by nicotine, which is supposed to improve concentration, although I have never observed any such benefit. However, if nicotine seems beneficial, then I would suggest absorbing it through a patch, rather than smoking, or else using a vaporizer on unprocessed, cured tobacco. The tobacco in most cigarettes has harmful additives, and combustion renders tobacco more carcinogenic. The goal would be to maximize the benefit and minimize the harm. However, you could easily become addicted to nicotine, which is one of the most addictive substances known to man. This is the main reason that I avoid it.
Sharing one's thoughts with others is not a bad idea, because there is a slim possibility that your output may be of benefit to others. However, I must add with reluctance a warning. On today's Internet, everything is traceable, archives are kept forever, lawsuits are becoming more common, and government oversight of private power is insufficient. A private individual of modest means should consider the many benefits of remaining as anonymous as possible. Of course, there is no such thing as total anonymity, but there is such a thing as "good enough" anonymity. Even at the cost of clarity, it may be prudent to refrain from mentioning keywords such as names and places, at least until such things are rendered irrelevant by the inexorable march of time. There are exceptions, such as a wealthy writer with a lawyer on retainer. It is all right to be the knight in shining armor, if you can afford the suit and horse. Otherwise, remain in the forest among the trees, dressed in green.
Why should someone bother reading an unpublished amateur, when there are best-selling luminaries online, offering their thoughts in many cases for free? I don't know. If the quest for readership were all that mattered, then no one would bother blogging. There are heavy hitters servicing just about every conceivable niche. When I visit Border's, I'm overwhelmed by the many different books and writers that I've never even heard of before. I haven't enough remaining time in my life to read all the books, even if the inventory never changed. This is the golden age of literature. Books are plentiful, cheap, well-constructed, proofread until nearly perfect, and can even be ordered online without ever leaving one's home.
I view my blog as a public journal for recording my thoughts, ideas and opinions. It is safer than a word processor, because if my computer ever dies, the articles remain secure in the cloud. In my day, I have seen many a hard drive crash and be irrecoverable. Besides, my thoughts may be useful or at least amusing to others. Who am I to assume otherwise? In the case of a certain cult classic game, there are obvious reasons for players to read igor's little insights. I can't imagine playing that game without my trusty regen.bat, which protects against sudden death.
The blog is more for me than anyone else. I like reading my own material, because I tend to agree with myself. No big surprise there. My blog is my favorite blog of all. I'd rather write on it or read it than watch my favorite show. Since February, the blog has really cut into my television watching. I have a massive backlog of shows I have been meaning to watch. This is the golden age of television, as well, although not television news.
Writing is both therapeutic and an effective exercise of the mental faculties, which slide toward decay in a world of canned entertainment. Whenever someone feels troubled over an issue, they should write about it. Reviewing one's own writing can be instructive, like looking into a mirror. I am aware of at least some of my faults, if not all. I also see some good qualities, which is why I continue.
However, when writing, exercise caution concerning negative events or emotions. For instance, many political writers indulge their spleen to excess. Their hatred is tribal in nature and does not seem grounded in reality. For instance, Limbaugh and Coulter are forever going on about liberals. They do not know what they are talking about. Theirs is non-productive writing. Perhaps they make a great deal of money through their writing. Money is not as important as ethics. I would not trade places with either of them for all the money in the world.
Be careful with the digging up of old bones, such as conflicts, infatuations, or traumas of the past. Sometimes it is best to leave old bones undisturbed in their grave, particularly if one has moved on. By thinking about a subject, one gives it energy. Monsters can rise from their slumber to haunt us once again. Deny them your power. Rather than brood, focus instead upon the present.
However, some of us are reflective by nature and seem to have no choice but to analyze events in the past in the hopes of arriving at a better understanding. There may be instances when one chooses to travel into subterranean caverns in search of self-knowledge. It is a dangerous journey, with fell creatures lurking in the shadows. Here there be dragons. But such an expedition can prove cathartic. Old memories can serve as an instruction, maybe even a useful one, for myself and others. I will only be around for so long. After I am gone from this earth, the only record I leave behind may be stories. They needed to be birthed. I carried them to term and placed them in a nest somewhere out in the world. Then I returned to the sea.
By writing a story, I transcend it. The beast is dissected, with every part labeled. It is pinned down, framed and hung upon a wall. Thereafter, its power over me diminishes. If this is the attitude that a writer takes, then excavations of old bones can be constructive rather than destructive.
Avoid alcohol, the bane of all writers, because in the long run it inspires melancholy thoughts. For an inhibited, reserved writer, booze may seem like just the thing. A friend of mind refers to it as mental lubrication. I have not found it to be helpful at all. As for marijuana, it relaxes the analytical faculties, reducing the quality of prose. Reading, in particular, becomes far more challenging. I doubt marijuana would be of much use to a writer, unless he suffers from writer's block. If therapy is the main goal, rather than prose quality, then marijuana may be of benefit.
For my part, I prefer sobriety when writing or reading. The only drug that I have found useful for intellectual work of any kind is caffeine in the form of coffee, chocolate, or tea. Some writers swear by nicotine, which is supposed to improve concentration, although I have never observed any such benefit. However, if nicotine seems beneficial, then I would suggest absorbing it through a patch, rather than smoking, or else using a vaporizer on unprocessed, cured tobacco. The tobacco in most cigarettes has harmful additives, and combustion renders tobacco more carcinogenic. The goal would be to maximize the benefit and minimize the harm. However, you could easily become addicted to nicotine, which is one of the most addictive substances known to man. This is the main reason that I avoid it.
Sharing one's thoughts with others is not a bad idea, because there is a slim possibility that your output may be of benefit to others. However, I must add with reluctance a warning. On today's Internet, everything is traceable, archives are kept forever, lawsuits are becoming more common, and government oversight of private power is insufficient. A private individual of modest means should consider the many benefits of remaining as anonymous as possible. Of course, there is no such thing as total anonymity, but there is such a thing as "good enough" anonymity. Even at the cost of clarity, it may be prudent to refrain from mentioning keywords such as names and places, at least until such things are rendered irrelevant by the inexorable march of time. There are exceptions, such as a wealthy writer with a lawyer on retainer. It is all right to be the knight in shining armor, if you can afford the suit and horse. Otherwise, remain in the forest among the trees, dressed in green.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
My Favorite Celebrity
If I could travel back in time and spend a year with any celebrity from any time in recorded history, it would be Oscar Wilde.
Wilde was a gifted storyteller. His contemporaries raved about him. He got himself invited to all the best parties just because he could hold a room spellbound with his stories, insights and wit.
I'd like to go back in time as a young man, in order to compete with and take the place of Bosie, the homme fatale that led Oscar to his financial and social ruin. I'd have been a better influence, I think. Not as reckless, but curious and eager to learn.
In many ways, I think of Oscar Wilde as the Christ-figure of the gay community. The impression is inescapable. Of course, Oscar's fate was milder by far, but he lived in better times. Had Jesus lived in the modern age, he would have survived to a ripe old age. I do wish Jesus came back today and ran for President. But I suspect few people would vote for him. He'd be far too liberal.
Another person I'd like to have known was Robert Ross, Oscar's best friend and the executor of his literary estate. In some ways, Ross is even more interesting than Oscar--more sensible in many ways, wise, good, and cautious. He came out in the 1800's, which boggles the mind a bit. Courage was not something he lacked.
Wilde was a gifted storyteller. His contemporaries raved about him. He got himself invited to all the best parties just because he could hold a room spellbound with his stories, insights and wit.
I'd like to go back in time as a young man, in order to compete with and take the place of Bosie, the homme fatale that led Oscar to his financial and social ruin. I'd have been a better influence, I think. Not as reckless, but curious and eager to learn.
In many ways, I think of Oscar Wilde as the Christ-figure of the gay community. The impression is inescapable. Of course, Oscar's fate was milder by far, but he lived in better times. Had Jesus lived in the modern age, he would have survived to a ripe old age. I do wish Jesus came back today and ran for President. But I suspect few people would vote for him. He'd be far too liberal.
Another person I'd like to have known was Robert Ross, Oscar's best friend and the executor of his literary estate. In some ways, Ross is even more interesting than Oscar--more sensible in many ways, wise, good, and cautious. He came out in the 1800's, which boggles the mind a bit. Courage was not something he lacked.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
On Courage
Many people live in fear of various fates, such as poverty, disease, or death. It is possible for some to avoid poverty and disease. However, death is assured for every mortal, although in the future, I foresee some progress being made on this front. Even if scientists do find a way to extend the human lifespan, how will they forestall the end of the Universe? These are complicated matters. I like to listen to scientists and hear their insights for solving problems. Governments that only pay attention to opinion polls are bound to make costly mistakes. The scientist, also, must be heeded, because it is possible that he really knows something. Most of us just have opinions. It is incredibly difficult to ever really know something. If in doubt, consult other scientists.
Humans do not fear death; what they fear is the unknown. Death is the great unknown. We fear what will come during death and after death. Will there be pain? Will the pain be intense? After the pain ends, will there be an afterlife full of torment? Will we be reincarnated into a lower or a higher form? How will we be remembered: as heroes, as average folk, or not at all? These are the questions that may occur to a soldier, a cancer patient, or an elderly person. They are eternal questions that have been asked from ancient times to the present.
Different seers have supplied different answers. Some answers flatter our ego. These I view with suspicion. Man is ruled by his ego too much. It is a known weakness and must be guarded against. Even very intelligent people succumb to the weaknesses of their ego.
Other answers seem pessimistic--for instance, the idea that everything is only material, random and irrelevant, without any higher purpose. That I view with suspicion also. I assign an ethical value to actions based upon what I perceive as the likely outcomes. It is true that this is subjective on my part. But every human being lives in a subjective state of mind. Objectivity is possible to approach, but in the long term, it is not a sustainable state for a human being. At least I have never seen pure objectivity in anyone I have ever met. It is my opinion that outcomes are important. We should want the good to prevail. To this end, good people should not serve evil. It is sometimes difficult to determine what is good and evil, however. This is why freedom of speech is important, in order to have open discussions with others, that we may arrive at a more accurate answer. Many minds are better than just one way of thinking.
I am not sure what comes after death, because I have not crossed the river Styx. In due course, I will know, and everyone alive today will also know. "Knowing" may not be the right choice of word for an inanimate corpse. I am not sure how to phrase the concept. Death is the great leveler. We will be equal then, even if we were not equal in life.
Finding courage is as simple as recognizing that death need not be feared. Death is a transition from one state into another, from being into non-being. What seems important to an individual may not be so important in the greater scheme of things. We live in small worlds. When we die, our small world is destroyed, and what is left is the greater world to which we return in total, leaving nothing behind. Our constituent parts will be used by other organisms according to the cycle of nature. Our thoughts and ideas, which we flattered ourselves as being special, are already shared by others and will still be considered by others in the future. We are replaceable; or if not, then perhaps we were unnecessary in the first place. Nature is a superb engineer who designs redundancy in all of her systems. Even the Earth is replaceable; or if not. . . does it matter to the Sun? I think that the Sun will go on shining, whatever happens to the Earth. There are probably beings similar to us in other locations in the Universe, too far away for us to contact.
What is there to worry about? What is there to fear? All that is ever at stake is time, and just a short span of time at that. The extra-cautious may live longer. Is life, then, just a contest to see who lives the longest? Is it a contest to see who acquires the most possessions before the end? What kind of a contest is that?
To me, what is more important is living in an ethical manner, which seems simple enough to do. Be honest, when you can. Share your ideas with others, if it is possible. Live with forthrightness. Try to contribute whatever it is that is within you, that spark of light that can be found in the doing. It may not always be possible. Life is an opportunity, although nothing is certain. Some lives are cut short by the vagaries of fate. Never fear, there are others. No sooner does one light fade than another shines.
Of course, there has always been the problem of evil in the world. The present time is not all that much worse than times past. In many ways, the present is better. Think about the Dark Ages. Would you want to have lived during that violent and uncertain period, when the climate was colder? Reading history is necessary if you want to make an accurate comparison between the past and the present. It is tempting to assume that we have the hardest situation of all, but many of our ancestors had a harder time still.
Many good people despair, because evil-doers sometimes have the upper-hand. The wicked are often rich and strong and less concerned with ethics than with power over others. If another does harm to you, even to the point of death, then their crime weighs upon their soul, not yours. The harm wrought by an evil-doer serves to increase the intensity of your light and the light of others. Even in the darkness, light pours forth. Do not underestimate its power. At first, the light seems like nothing. You may not even be aware of it at all. But it carries the force of right, and there is no greater force. Try as it might, the darkness can never be victorious, because it is nothing and cannot create, because it has no energy.
A spiritual crime marks the perpetrator, diminishing their power in manifold ways. It is difficult enough to determine what is right, without tripling one's bets by doing any harm. Others may commit all manner of evil, even in the name of God. They may use underhanded methods to get ahead, to claim a victory over you. Over the generations, such ways are bound to return to harm their own bloodlines in ways they cannot foresee. In harming you and yours, they harm their own kind even more. Few believe this, but history offers evidence. It is a strange thing, almost like a law of the Universe. But do not use this belief in karma as an excuse for doing nothing, for accepting without resistance any evil that ever happens. That too is a mistake.
Humans do not fear death; what they fear is the unknown. Death is the great unknown. We fear what will come during death and after death. Will there be pain? Will the pain be intense? After the pain ends, will there be an afterlife full of torment? Will we be reincarnated into a lower or a higher form? How will we be remembered: as heroes, as average folk, or not at all? These are the questions that may occur to a soldier, a cancer patient, or an elderly person. They are eternal questions that have been asked from ancient times to the present.
Different seers have supplied different answers. Some answers flatter our ego. These I view with suspicion. Man is ruled by his ego too much. It is a known weakness and must be guarded against. Even very intelligent people succumb to the weaknesses of their ego.
Other answers seem pessimistic--for instance, the idea that everything is only material, random and irrelevant, without any higher purpose. That I view with suspicion also. I assign an ethical value to actions based upon what I perceive as the likely outcomes. It is true that this is subjective on my part. But every human being lives in a subjective state of mind. Objectivity is possible to approach, but in the long term, it is not a sustainable state for a human being. At least I have never seen pure objectivity in anyone I have ever met. It is my opinion that outcomes are important. We should want the good to prevail. To this end, good people should not serve evil. It is sometimes difficult to determine what is good and evil, however. This is why freedom of speech is important, in order to have open discussions with others, that we may arrive at a more accurate answer. Many minds are better than just one way of thinking.
I am not sure what comes after death, because I have not crossed the river Styx. In due course, I will know, and everyone alive today will also know. "Knowing" may not be the right choice of word for an inanimate corpse. I am not sure how to phrase the concept. Death is the great leveler. We will be equal then, even if we were not equal in life.
Finding courage is as simple as recognizing that death need not be feared. Death is a transition from one state into another, from being into non-being. What seems important to an individual may not be so important in the greater scheme of things. We live in small worlds. When we die, our small world is destroyed, and what is left is the greater world to which we return in total, leaving nothing behind. Our constituent parts will be used by other organisms according to the cycle of nature. Our thoughts and ideas, which we flattered ourselves as being special, are already shared by others and will still be considered by others in the future. We are replaceable; or if not, then perhaps we were unnecessary in the first place. Nature is a superb engineer who designs redundancy in all of her systems. Even the Earth is replaceable; or if not. . . does it matter to the Sun? I think that the Sun will go on shining, whatever happens to the Earth. There are probably beings similar to us in other locations in the Universe, too far away for us to contact.
What is there to worry about? What is there to fear? All that is ever at stake is time, and just a short span of time at that. The extra-cautious may live longer. Is life, then, just a contest to see who lives the longest? Is it a contest to see who acquires the most possessions before the end? What kind of a contest is that?
To me, what is more important is living in an ethical manner, which seems simple enough to do. Be honest, when you can. Share your ideas with others, if it is possible. Live with forthrightness. Try to contribute whatever it is that is within you, that spark of light that can be found in the doing. It may not always be possible. Life is an opportunity, although nothing is certain. Some lives are cut short by the vagaries of fate. Never fear, there are others. No sooner does one light fade than another shines.
Of course, there has always been the problem of evil in the world. The present time is not all that much worse than times past. In many ways, the present is better. Think about the Dark Ages. Would you want to have lived during that violent and uncertain period, when the climate was colder? Reading history is necessary if you want to make an accurate comparison between the past and the present. It is tempting to assume that we have the hardest situation of all, but many of our ancestors had a harder time still.
Many good people despair, because evil-doers sometimes have the upper-hand. The wicked are often rich and strong and less concerned with ethics than with power over others. If another does harm to you, even to the point of death, then their crime weighs upon their soul, not yours. The harm wrought by an evil-doer serves to increase the intensity of your light and the light of others. Even in the darkness, light pours forth. Do not underestimate its power. At first, the light seems like nothing. You may not even be aware of it at all. But it carries the force of right, and there is no greater force. Try as it might, the darkness can never be victorious, because it is nothing and cannot create, because it has no energy.
A spiritual crime marks the perpetrator, diminishing their power in manifold ways. It is difficult enough to determine what is right, without tripling one's bets by doing any harm. Others may commit all manner of evil, even in the name of God. They may use underhanded methods to get ahead, to claim a victory over you. Over the generations, such ways are bound to return to harm their own bloodlines in ways they cannot foresee. In harming you and yours, they harm their own kind even more. Few believe this, but history offers evidence. It is a strange thing, almost like a law of the Universe. But do not use this belief in karma as an excuse for doing nothing, for accepting without resistance any evil that ever happens. That too is a mistake.
The Difficult Assignment
I remember when I first went to work at my last company, one of the senior people on my team took a dislike to me--I would say an instinctive dislike, like that of a dog for a cat. For a long time, I did not understand why, because I never sought any conflict with others. I think the main problem was that I was male, and she didn't like any of the men in our department, but she disliked gays even more. Since I was both gay and male, that represented a double whammy. The fact that I didn't subscribe to her particular religious beliefs represented the icing on the cake.
She was more subtle than most and knew ways of getting her ends without being too obvious about it. For instance, she found a way to get our boss to transfer her most difficult assignment to me. She had received the task a couple of years ago, but with her cunning had managed to put it off with a variety of excuses. She admitted that it was too difficult for her, which may have been an indiscretion on her part, although she never expected that I would solve it by myself. She was hoping by the confession to discourage me. But I like challenges, if they only involve mind work.
She calculated that since I was just starting out with a new language, the hard stuff would do me in. I'd get canned, and she could work her social magic to get a new recruit that she liked better, preferably a straight white female. Anytime I went to ask her questions about the assignment, she would obfuscate or make a belittling remark questioning my intelligence or work ethic. I took a hint and remained alone in my cubicle, talking to no one, doing nothing but thinking, reading the reference manuals and absorbing many things. I looked at old programs and studied how other programmers went about handling similar chores. Remember, when reinventing the wheel, it is best to reinvent as little as possible. Whenever I found good ideas, I adopted them or made notes of them for future use.
The assignment involved displaying data in realtime on a mainframe screen. Our customer desired the capability of sorting a list of names by alphabetical order (with lowercase and uppercase taken into consideration), and/or by date, and/or by category, and/or by subcategory, and/or by status, and a couple of other fields that escape my memory at this time. Up to ten different flags could be selected or unselected and would alter the results. In SQL, this is a simple matter that requires just a few statements. In the old programming languages, it is not such a simple matter. There was no "SORT" command available of any kind. It was necessary to reinvent the wheel, and that is what I did. I created a series of sorting algorithms, using flags (indicators) to keep track of each of the many different stages of my subroutine. Nested loops held sorts within sorts within sorts. It was a sordid (sorted) affair.
The code was written over a decade ago, and today I am not sure whether my sorts could have been characterized as bubble or insertion sorts. Wikipedia disparages the bubble sort to such an extent that I suspect there would have been complaints over efficiency if I had used it. But I had a vague memory of the various sorting techniques I had learned in college, and "bubble sort" seemed like a fun, nifty name, so that was the label I applied to my technique, whether it was accurate or not. Everything took place in memory, by necessity, without any temporary data files, which meant that each time the user advanced to the next page, the sorting had to be performed all over again. There was not a large amount of data involved.
I was careful to document the program with remark statements, although I have my doubts over how much they helped in understanding the process. The older languages rely quite a bit on GOTO statements, which are rightfully associated with spaghetti code. I tried to use structured techniques, such as subroutines, as much as possible, but it was not always possible due to the limitations of the language, particularly in a realtime environment. As for object-oriented techniques, forget it.
Yes, there were plenty of bugs I had to iron out, but in the end it worked and remained largely unchanged for the next ten years. I think that was one of the tasks that earned me my first raise and guaranteed my job security.
Now of course she wanted to know how I solved it. When I told her I used a bubble sort algorithm, she had no idea what I was talking about and didn't want to know. She never liked listening to technical explanations. Her interests concerned the social hierarchy, and she much more intrigued by the higher-ranked individuals than by anything having to do with the peons. She assumed I had borrowed all the code from another programmer. So she went around asking the other senior programmers if they had helped me in any way. She spent much of every day whispering and gossiping with others, usually about other people in the department or about her husband, who she detested. Only about half her day was ever spent by the computer. No, other than helping with advanced syntax, the senior programmers hadn't had much interaction with me at all. In fact, some of them were unaware I was working there. Some programmers live in their own insulated world and are not quick to notice changes in the outside world, even in their own department.
She was always alert for the risk of someone giving me any assistance or advice, and always sought to nip that in the bud whenever she could. For my part, I am by nature reluctant to ask others for help, especially strangers. If someone else helps me, then I tend to keep an internal ledger with their contribution marked down for future repayment. She did succeed, however, in damaging some of the working relationships I tried to build with others, because she was politically connected, and her boss thought she was the perfect Christian. She did all the little political things that I mentioned in this article. I could see the writing on the wall, in terms of my future at that company. But if you work in such an environment, then perhaps you should do as she did, if climbing up the corporate ladder is your goal.
She was more subtle than most and knew ways of getting her ends without being too obvious about it. For instance, she found a way to get our boss to transfer her most difficult assignment to me. She had received the task a couple of years ago, but with her cunning had managed to put it off with a variety of excuses. She admitted that it was too difficult for her, which may have been an indiscretion on her part, although she never expected that I would solve it by myself. She was hoping by the confession to discourage me. But I like challenges, if they only involve mind work.
She calculated that since I was just starting out with a new language, the hard stuff would do me in. I'd get canned, and she could work her social magic to get a new recruit that she liked better, preferably a straight white female. Anytime I went to ask her questions about the assignment, she would obfuscate or make a belittling remark questioning my intelligence or work ethic. I took a hint and remained alone in my cubicle, talking to no one, doing nothing but thinking, reading the reference manuals and absorbing many things. I looked at old programs and studied how other programmers went about handling similar chores. Remember, when reinventing the wheel, it is best to reinvent as little as possible. Whenever I found good ideas, I adopted them or made notes of them for future use.
The assignment involved displaying data in realtime on a mainframe screen. Our customer desired the capability of sorting a list of names by alphabetical order (with lowercase and uppercase taken into consideration), and/or by date, and/or by category, and/or by subcategory, and/or by status, and a couple of other fields that escape my memory at this time. Up to ten different flags could be selected or unselected and would alter the results. In SQL, this is a simple matter that requires just a few statements. In the old programming languages, it is not such a simple matter. There was no "SORT" command available of any kind. It was necessary to reinvent the wheel, and that is what I did. I created a series of sorting algorithms, using flags (indicators) to keep track of each of the many different stages of my subroutine. Nested loops held sorts within sorts within sorts. It was a sordid (sorted) affair.
The code was written over a decade ago, and today I am not sure whether my sorts could have been characterized as bubble or insertion sorts. Wikipedia disparages the bubble sort to such an extent that I suspect there would have been complaints over efficiency if I had used it. But I had a vague memory of the various sorting techniques I had learned in college, and "bubble sort" seemed like a fun, nifty name, so that was the label I applied to my technique, whether it was accurate or not. Everything took place in memory, by necessity, without any temporary data files, which meant that each time the user advanced to the next page, the sorting had to be performed all over again. There was not a large amount of data involved.
I was careful to document the program with remark statements, although I have my doubts over how much they helped in understanding the process. The older languages rely quite a bit on GOTO statements, which are rightfully associated with spaghetti code. I tried to use structured techniques, such as subroutines, as much as possible, but it was not always possible due to the limitations of the language, particularly in a realtime environment. As for object-oriented techniques, forget it.
Yes, there were plenty of bugs I had to iron out, but in the end it worked and remained largely unchanged for the next ten years. I think that was one of the tasks that earned me my first raise and guaranteed my job security.
Now of course she wanted to know how I solved it. When I told her I used a bubble sort algorithm, she had no idea what I was talking about and didn't want to know. She never liked listening to technical explanations. Her interests concerned the social hierarchy, and she much more intrigued by the higher-ranked individuals than by anything having to do with the peons. She assumed I had borrowed all the code from another programmer. So she went around asking the other senior programmers if they had helped me in any way. She spent much of every day whispering and gossiping with others, usually about other people in the department or about her husband, who she detested. Only about half her day was ever spent by the computer. No, other than helping with advanced syntax, the senior programmers hadn't had much interaction with me at all. In fact, some of them were unaware I was working there. Some programmers live in their own insulated world and are not quick to notice changes in the outside world, even in their own department.
She was always alert for the risk of someone giving me any assistance or advice, and always sought to nip that in the bud whenever she could. For my part, I am by nature reluctant to ask others for help, especially strangers. If someone else helps me, then I tend to keep an internal ledger with their contribution marked down for future repayment. She did succeed, however, in damaging some of the working relationships I tried to build with others, because she was politically connected, and her boss thought she was the perfect Christian. She did all the little political things that I mentioned in this article. I could see the writing on the wall, in terms of my future at that company. But if you work in such an environment, then perhaps you should do as she did, if climbing up the corporate ladder is your goal.
Where are the Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers?
A 25-year survey of entries to the global L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest shows that California, New York, Texas and Florida top the list for total entries.
One of the judges said, "It makes sense that states that are the most related to the space program or high-tech industry would have the most interest in science fiction and fantasy."
Maybe.
Another factor is that California, New York, and Texas have larger overall populations. With fantasy, in particular, I don't see how the space program or the high-tech industry has anything to do with it.
One of the judges said, "It makes sense that states that are the most related to the space program or high-tech industry would have the most interest in science fiction and fantasy."
Maybe.
Another factor is that California, New York, and Texas have larger overall populations. With fantasy, in particular, I don't see how the space program or the high-tech industry has anything to do with it.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Life in the Corporate World
What I discovered in the corporate world is that the quality of work that you do matters a little bit. You might even get a raise. Bosses are always surprised when someone actually does any work. But not all bosses value work. Some grow insecure when they see that you are making them look bad by doing more work than they do.
What really matters is who you suck up to, who you flatter, and whether you inflict any slight (intentional or not) upon the proud and powerful. It is wise not to pay so much attention to the work. Pay closer attention to the social hierarchy. Ignore and shun those who are lower ranked. Fawn over those who are higher ranked. Also, there are a series of rituals that must be strictly observed: always donate money or gifts to the birthday/wedding/baby/funeral/cancer/charity causes. You must budget at least a hundred dollars a month to all the beggars, even if you think their cause is bunk. Some people at work have nothing better to do with their time than go around collecting money for various causes. This is the sole method by which they interact with many of their coworkers. If their only interaction with you is negative, then they will remember it and pay you back with gossip and lies. Always attend dinners/meetings/parties and wear a smile and nod at all the appropriate moments. Always avoid saying anything of substance.
Never confide in anyone at work, because the very first chance they get, they will spill whatever confidential information you gave them to your supervisor and all of your coworkers, and they will continue to remind everyone of the details for the duration of your career. Never confide the problems of your family. Coworkers are always looking for ways to make themselves look better at your expense. If you or your family looks bad, then it follows that your coworkers look better by comparison. No matter how much a coworker smiles and acts friendly, do not trust them. You are in direct competition, and whether you remember this or not, they always remember. The most common method in which good workers are sidelined is through treachery. Trust no one.
I'm reminded of an episode in my career. I thought that I had made a friend out at work. She seemed friendly, educated, and was certainly very talkative, although she hated the work. One day I mentioned in passing something that indicated that I was gay. The very next day, she went around behind my back, telling everyone the gossip. That had consequences for me. No more raises from then on out, and I was stuck maintaining old systems using old programming languages. I did not receive any training in Java or any of the newer languages. She received training, however, although she complained bitterly and constantly about the work. The irony was that she hated programming, but I liked it--but it didn't matter one bit in the scheme of things. The occasional homophobe would drop a bombshell in my presence just for fun--usually some petty remark about anal sex, "queers" or "faggots." I've heard all of that nonsense so many times, it really does not offend me as much as it did when I was younger. In some cases, they had to apologize, and in other cases, they didn't. It all depended on who overheard their remarks.
As for office romance, luckily I have no experience in that dangerous game, but I have seen many good workers get canned for their sexual behavior. If you do get involved with someone, be careful about concealing it. Or else start looking for a new job, because the minute people become aware of an office romance, it will be all they ever talk about. If there is even a hint of adultery or unusual practices, then eventually the two involved parties will be terminated. Their names will be erased from all company literature. It will be just like they were never there.
I knew of a young fellow who seemed to be a good programmer. He worked with me on a program or two. But he failed to comprehend the rigid social hierarchy and rules of our environment, such as I have discussed in this post. His manager assigned him too little work, which is a surprisingly common problem, particularly for new hires.
Instead of using his spare time to schmooze and cozy up to the higher ranked individuals, as I have suggested here (even though I never did it), he stayed in his cubicle. He was what I would call a stereotypical programmer--more interested in computers than in socializing.
Whenever he finished his assignments, he would play a computer game. Believe it or not, games were tolerated to a certain extent. Even my supervisor was known to play Solitaire on occasion, besides taking the occasional nap. I never dared. Besides, there aren't many games that I like, besides Crawl and "Age of the Titans." Also, there's something about playing games at work that seems wrong to me.
However, he became too relaxed in this pursuit of idleness, and being a young man, went online to satisfy his curiosity about the opposite sex. That specific behavior resulted in immediate termination. Be aware that your company in all likelihood spies on all employees' Internet usage, whether it be private emails to your grandmother or the web sites you visit. If you are highly ranked in the hierarchy, this is of less concern. If you are a peon, best be careful, lest you be peed on. Surf the Internet no more than the other peons and only surf the G-rated sites. Reading the news on Mother Jones or a blog like mine should be safe. There is no adult content on my blog and never will be. But on the other hand, do not surf more than your coworkers. You should visit them on occasion for a variety of reasons, one being just to get an idea for how much they surf at work and what the accepted practices are.
You may be skilled. You may be a hard worker. But you have to be a good liar, too, if you want that promotion. Always be prepared to lie and try to be convincing when you do it. Always express opinions that agree with the majority of people, or else don't express any opinion at all. Once your supervisor discovers that you believe something other than what they believe, he or she will always be searching for faults. People are tribal and only want to help members of their tribe. The other tribes can fall off the face of the earth for all they care. If your boss is a conservative Christian, but you aren't, then you are automatically in the wrong from then on out, no matter what the issue may be. Time to start looking for a new job.
If you haven't the stomach to do all of these things, and do them on a daily basis without question, then do not consider a job in the corporate world. Or else get used to the reality that you are not going to advance far, but are going to be stuck in the same position for the duration of your career.
What really matters is who you suck up to, who you flatter, and whether you inflict any slight (intentional or not) upon the proud and powerful. It is wise not to pay so much attention to the work. Pay closer attention to the social hierarchy. Ignore and shun those who are lower ranked. Fawn over those who are higher ranked. Also, there are a series of rituals that must be strictly observed: always donate money or gifts to the birthday/wedding/baby/funeral/cancer/charity causes. You must budget at least a hundred dollars a month to all the beggars, even if you think their cause is bunk. Some people at work have nothing better to do with their time than go around collecting money for various causes. This is the sole method by which they interact with many of their coworkers. If their only interaction with you is negative, then they will remember it and pay you back with gossip and lies. Always attend dinners/meetings/parties and wear a smile and nod at all the appropriate moments. Always avoid saying anything of substance.
Never confide in anyone at work, because the very first chance they get, they will spill whatever confidential information you gave them to your supervisor and all of your coworkers, and they will continue to remind everyone of the details for the duration of your career. Never confide the problems of your family. Coworkers are always looking for ways to make themselves look better at your expense. If you or your family looks bad, then it follows that your coworkers look better by comparison. No matter how much a coworker smiles and acts friendly, do not trust them. You are in direct competition, and whether you remember this or not, they always remember. The most common method in which good workers are sidelined is through treachery. Trust no one.
I'm reminded of an episode in my career. I thought that I had made a friend out at work. She seemed friendly, educated, and was certainly very talkative, although she hated the work. One day I mentioned in passing something that indicated that I was gay. The very next day, she went around behind my back, telling everyone the gossip. That had consequences for me. No more raises from then on out, and I was stuck maintaining old systems using old programming languages. I did not receive any training in Java or any of the newer languages. She received training, however, although she complained bitterly and constantly about the work. The irony was that she hated programming, but I liked it--but it didn't matter one bit in the scheme of things. The occasional homophobe would drop a bombshell in my presence just for fun--usually some petty remark about anal sex, "queers" or "faggots." I've heard all of that nonsense so many times, it really does not offend me as much as it did when I was younger. In some cases, they had to apologize, and in other cases, they didn't. It all depended on who overheard their remarks.
As for office romance, luckily I have no experience in that dangerous game, but I have seen many good workers get canned for their sexual behavior. If you do get involved with someone, be careful about concealing it. Or else start looking for a new job, because the minute people become aware of an office romance, it will be all they ever talk about. If there is even a hint of adultery or unusual practices, then eventually the two involved parties will be terminated. Their names will be erased from all company literature. It will be just like they were never there.
I knew of a young fellow who seemed to be a good programmer. He worked with me on a program or two. But he failed to comprehend the rigid social hierarchy and rules of our environment, such as I have discussed in this post. His manager assigned him too little work, which is a surprisingly common problem, particularly for new hires.
Instead of using his spare time to schmooze and cozy up to the higher ranked individuals, as I have suggested here (even though I never did it), he stayed in his cubicle. He was what I would call a stereotypical programmer--more interested in computers than in socializing.
Whenever he finished his assignments, he would play a computer game. Believe it or not, games were tolerated to a certain extent. Even my supervisor was known to play Solitaire on occasion, besides taking the occasional nap. I never dared. Besides, there aren't many games that I like, besides Crawl and "Age of the Titans." Also, there's something about playing games at work that seems wrong to me.
However, he became too relaxed in this pursuit of idleness, and being a young man, went online to satisfy his curiosity about the opposite sex. That specific behavior resulted in immediate termination. Be aware that your company in all likelihood spies on all employees' Internet usage, whether it be private emails to your grandmother or the web sites you visit. If you are highly ranked in the hierarchy, this is of less concern. If you are a peon, best be careful, lest you be peed on. Surf the Internet no more than the other peons and only surf the G-rated sites. Reading the news on Mother Jones or a blog like mine should be safe. There is no adult content on my blog and never will be. But on the other hand, do not surf more than your coworkers. You should visit them on occasion for a variety of reasons, one being just to get an idea for how much they surf at work and what the accepted practices are.
You may be skilled. You may be a hard worker. But you have to be a good liar, too, if you want that promotion. Always be prepared to lie and try to be convincing when you do it. Always express opinions that agree with the majority of people, or else don't express any opinion at all. Once your supervisor discovers that you believe something other than what they believe, he or she will always be searching for faults. People are tribal and only want to help members of their tribe. The other tribes can fall off the face of the earth for all they care. If your boss is a conservative Christian, but you aren't, then you are automatically in the wrong from then on out, no matter what the issue may be. Time to start looking for a new job.
If you haven't the stomach to do all of these things, and do them on a daily basis without question, then do not consider a job in the corporate world. Or else get used to the reality that you are not going to advance far, but are going to be stuck in the same position for the duration of your career.
Obama on the Economy
Republicans picked up two governorships yesterday.
I suspect local issues are a huge factor in both races, but there is another obvious factor and that is Obama. His policies regarding the economy have been neither intelligent nor innovative. He is nothing like FDR. I don't understand the wisdom of throwing money at fat cats on Wall Street, the same rascals that wrecked the economy in the first place. Perhaps they donated money to the politicians, but that is no excuse. "Cash for Clunkers" is difficult to defend as well. He is also spending a fortune on foreign wars that have no possibility of benefiting the United States in any way, shape, or form. Obama has spent a pile of money without much benefit accruing for ordinary people. If the Democrats lose again in 2012, the reason will be a lack of ideas. Rather than show themselves to be different from Republicans, some Democrats look like right-wing conservatives themselves.
The following proposals would save money, make money, and give hope to ordinary people. Stop the wars, create new jobs programs that will hire the unemployed in meaningful and useful work, increase the funding for Americorps and the Peace Corps, legalize marijuana and let law enforcement focus on real crimes, increase funding for education, connect rural communities to broadband Internet service, and build mass transit to reach more communities so that our highways serve trucks, instead of cars, and people do not feel the need to purchase cars.
Right now, the Peace Corps is a joke. In return for working two years in an underdeveloped country, a volunteer is given $6000, or enough to purchase a moped and a computer. Such a volunteer would find more profit in working at McDonalds. Americorps awards $100 per month of service and a stipend that supposedly pays living expenses. These amounts should be quintupled, at least. They were adequate for 1980, but guess what, there has been inflation since that time.
As for education, there is a shortage of funds for graduate research assistants, who cannot pay all the fees and living expenses based upon their minimum-wage (or below) salary. Those working toward a Ph.D. or Master's degree are compelled to take out loans which must be repaid at a later date on a paltry professor's salary. College professors should be paid more to reflect the enormous investment in time and effort that they made in earning their degrees. All too often, universities cut back on scholarship and research, while spending freely on games.
How do we pay for all these proposals? Simple. End the wars and reduce military spending. Done. The budget deficit can be pared down and eliminated in ten years, as well. No additional taxes--in fact, taxes can be reduced. The United States has carried the cross of world security for too long. It is time for other countries to step in and share the burden.
Republicans express no interest in any of these proposals. Republicans want more war. They can never get enough. Republicans prefer to give taxpayer money to big businesses while running up the budget deficit. When trying to drum up public support for these core GOP beliefs, Republicans talk about abortion, gays, God, and guns. The only chance for reforms gaining any traction lies with the Democrats, but many Democrats are just Republicans in disguise. What we need in Washington are more liberals that are willing to try brave new ideas.
I have found one Republican that makes good sense to me: Ron Paul. The Democrat that I like best is Barney Frank. I may not agree with them on everything, but the times I have heard them speak on television or the radio, I have been impressed. Not all politicians are bad. Whenever someone talks against politicians, I mention those two names, the standouts, who have a strong sense of ethics and are not afraid of taking a bold position on an issue.
I suspect local issues are a huge factor in both races, but there is another obvious factor and that is Obama. His policies regarding the economy have been neither intelligent nor innovative. He is nothing like FDR. I don't understand the wisdom of throwing money at fat cats on Wall Street, the same rascals that wrecked the economy in the first place. Perhaps they donated money to the politicians, but that is no excuse. "Cash for Clunkers" is difficult to defend as well. He is also spending a fortune on foreign wars that have no possibility of benefiting the United States in any way, shape, or form. Obama has spent a pile of money without much benefit accruing for ordinary people. If the Democrats lose again in 2012, the reason will be a lack of ideas. Rather than show themselves to be different from Republicans, some Democrats look like right-wing conservatives themselves.
The following proposals would save money, make money, and give hope to ordinary people. Stop the wars, create new jobs programs that will hire the unemployed in meaningful and useful work, increase the funding for Americorps and the Peace Corps, legalize marijuana and let law enforcement focus on real crimes, increase funding for education, connect rural communities to broadband Internet service, and build mass transit to reach more communities so that our highways serve trucks, instead of cars, and people do not feel the need to purchase cars.
Right now, the Peace Corps is a joke. In return for working two years in an underdeveloped country, a volunteer is given $6000, or enough to purchase a moped and a computer. Such a volunteer would find more profit in working at McDonalds. Americorps awards $100 per month of service and a stipend that supposedly pays living expenses. These amounts should be quintupled, at least. They were adequate for 1980, but guess what, there has been inflation since that time.
As for education, there is a shortage of funds for graduate research assistants, who cannot pay all the fees and living expenses based upon their minimum-wage (or below) salary. Those working toward a Ph.D. or Master's degree are compelled to take out loans which must be repaid at a later date on a paltry professor's salary. College professors should be paid more to reflect the enormous investment in time and effort that they made in earning their degrees. All too often, universities cut back on scholarship and research, while spending freely on games.
How do we pay for all these proposals? Simple. End the wars and reduce military spending. Done. The budget deficit can be pared down and eliminated in ten years, as well. No additional taxes--in fact, taxes can be reduced. The United States has carried the cross of world security for too long. It is time for other countries to step in and share the burden.
Republicans express no interest in any of these proposals. Republicans want more war. They can never get enough. Republicans prefer to give taxpayer money to big businesses while running up the budget deficit. When trying to drum up public support for these core GOP beliefs, Republicans talk about abortion, gays, God, and guns. The only chance for reforms gaining any traction lies with the Democrats, but many Democrats are just Republicans in disguise. What we need in Washington are more liberals that are willing to try brave new ideas.
I have found one Republican that makes good sense to me: Ron Paul. The Democrat that I like best is Barney Frank. I may not agree with them on everything, but the times I have heard them speak on television or the radio, I have been impressed. Not all politicians are bad. Whenever someone talks against politicians, I mention those two names, the standouts, who have a strong sense of ethics and are not afraid of taking a bold position on an issue.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Road Warrior
On a recent visit to the big city, one driver in a huge pickup truck tailgated my small car. I was traveling two miles above the speed limit, but that wasn't fast enough for him. He followed ten feet behind, shining extra-bright headlights into my car.
A tiny driving error on my part could have caused death for both of us. I suppose the aggressive driver felt that, in the event of an accident, he'd be protected from harm by his vehicle's greater bulk as well as an air bag and seat belt. This may be so, although I have my doubts. Colliding at seventy-two miles per hour, it is possible for a large vehicle to turn over several times, and for the outer shell to be twisted, along with the driver's body and brains.
Aggressive drivers for some odd reason like to gamble on losing their lives, just as long as they think the odds are mostly in their favor. This is why they spend money on a big, fancy truck loaded with all kinds of protective devices. They want to be the big road warrior. Never do they consider winding up in a wheelchair, paralyzed for life, with a nurse to change their colostomy bag--or visiting the same fate upon a stranger.
I'm embarrassed to confess that I didn't change lanes. It would have been the wiser alternative, but I don't like caving in to bullying. Something about moving aside for these high and mighty road warriors rubs me the wrong way.
He followed for longer than I expected. Even when an opportunity arose to change lanes, he didn't. He just kept following ten feet behind me. In order to conform to the posted speed limit, I decelerated slightly. As you might conclude from this post, his brakes were functional. The drama served to keep me alert on a long trip. I found it invigorating. But I would not recommend it to others.
After about fifteen minutes, he gave up and changed lanes. That was when I reconsidered and decided to change lanes, as well. I didn't want to encounter another tailgater. One is enough. If you play dice with Thanatos, know when to quit. Sooner is better than later.
There seem to be a great many aggressive drivers out on the road these days. There are some stretches of highway where almost nobody obeys the speed limit. I noticed several drivers going at least a hundred miles an hour. I can't imagine being in such a hurry. For what? The end of the world? They may reach the end of their world, all right.
In general, I prefer remaining in the right lane and going a little bit under the speed limit, just for the comfort of a relaxed drive. Isn't it better not to worry about cops and not to bother passing others? Driving faster than the already high speed limit is like purchasing a lottery ticket where the prize is death. The smaller prizes are engine failure or a tire blowout. The consolation prize is wasted fuel.
I suppose this is the sort of thing that old people like me worry about. When I was younger, I used to speed as much as I could, too. It is exciting, like a carnival ride, and competitive, like a video game.
What can be done to make our highways safer? I thought Virginia was insane, because of all the signs along the highway warning of traffic fines and stringent law enforcement ("speed checked by aircraft," "crush crime," "buckle up--it's the law that saves lives"). But I must admit, in Virginia, drivers were more observant of traffic laws overall. I don't know whether the signs were the reason or not, but I have my suspicion. Ironically, I saw fewer patrol cars in Virginia than in other states, so it may be that Virginia has more bark than bite when it comes to highway enforcement.
In the future, people may travel less, because widespread high-resolution, three-dimensional videoconferencing with surround sound and aroma replication should reduce the need for visitation. In fact, telecommuting might become a viable option for most workers, allowing people to spend their days among their family, instead of ambivalent strangers who are in direct competition. This would be healthier from a psychological perspective. In the Middle Ages, many people worked from home. It was one of the positive aspects of that period, besides the many religious holidays.
It is my hope that high-speed trains will replace cars as the conveyance of choice. Trains are faster, more efficient, less polluting, and safer. Besides, cars are a huge expenditure of money, a terrible burden upon poor people as well as the middle class. Wouldn't it be better not to have to buy a car in the first place? Spend the money instead on home improvements, on travel, on retirement savings, and on education. Mine is probably a minority view at this time, judging by the huge amounts of money people spend on their vehicles these days.
A tiny driving error on my part could have caused death for both of us. I suppose the aggressive driver felt that, in the event of an accident, he'd be protected from harm by his vehicle's greater bulk as well as an air bag and seat belt. This may be so, although I have my doubts. Colliding at seventy-two miles per hour, it is possible for a large vehicle to turn over several times, and for the outer shell to be twisted, along with the driver's body and brains.
Aggressive drivers for some odd reason like to gamble on losing their lives, just as long as they think the odds are mostly in their favor. This is why they spend money on a big, fancy truck loaded with all kinds of protective devices. They want to be the big road warrior. Never do they consider winding up in a wheelchair, paralyzed for life, with a nurse to change their colostomy bag--or visiting the same fate upon a stranger.
I'm embarrassed to confess that I didn't change lanes. It would have been the wiser alternative, but I don't like caving in to bullying. Something about moving aside for these high and mighty road warriors rubs me the wrong way.
He followed for longer than I expected. Even when an opportunity arose to change lanes, he didn't. He just kept following ten feet behind me. In order to conform to the posted speed limit, I decelerated slightly. As you might conclude from this post, his brakes were functional. The drama served to keep me alert on a long trip. I found it invigorating. But I would not recommend it to others.
After about fifteen minutes, he gave up and changed lanes. That was when I reconsidered and decided to change lanes, as well. I didn't want to encounter another tailgater. One is enough. If you play dice with Thanatos, know when to quit. Sooner is better than later.
There seem to be a great many aggressive drivers out on the road these days. There are some stretches of highway where almost nobody obeys the speed limit. I noticed several drivers going at least a hundred miles an hour. I can't imagine being in such a hurry. For what? The end of the world? They may reach the end of their world, all right.
In general, I prefer remaining in the right lane and going a little bit under the speed limit, just for the comfort of a relaxed drive. Isn't it better not to worry about cops and not to bother passing others? Driving faster than the already high speed limit is like purchasing a lottery ticket where the prize is death. The smaller prizes are engine failure or a tire blowout. The consolation prize is wasted fuel.
I suppose this is the sort of thing that old people like me worry about. When I was younger, I used to speed as much as I could, too. It is exciting, like a carnival ride, and competitive, like a video game.
What can be done to make our highways safer? I thought Virginia was insane, because of all the signs along the highway warning of traffic fines and stringent law enforcement ("speed checked by aircraft," "crush crime," "buckle up--it's the law that saves lives"). But I must admit, in Virginia, drivers were more observant of traffic laws overall. I don't know whether the signs were the reason or not, but I have my suspicion. Ironically, I saw fewer patrol cars in Virginia than in other states, so it may be that Virginia has more bark than bite when it comes to highway enforcement.
In the future, people may travel less, because widespread high-resolution, three-dimensional videoconferencing with surround sound and aroma replication should reduce the need for visitation. In fact, telecommuting might become a viable option for most workers, allowing people to spend their days among their family, instead of ambivalent strangers who are in direct competition. This would be healthier from a psychological perspective. In the Middle Ages, many people worked from home. It was one of the positive aspects of that period, besides the many religious holidays.
It is my hope that high-speed trains will replace cars as the conveyance of choice. Trains are faster, more efficient, less polluting, and safer. Besides, cars are a huge expenditure of money, a terrible burden upon poor people as well as the middle class. Wouldn't it be better not to have to buy a car in the first place? Spend the money instead on home improvements, on travel, on retirement savings, and on education. Mine is probably a minority view at this time, judging by the huge amounts of money people spend on their vehicles these days.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Dr. Venom
This morning I read the web site of a highly educated fool. Let us call him Dr. Venom. He was a passable writer. Initially, I liked what I saw on his well-designed web site, which dealt with psychology and career prospects therein. I was just on the verge of recommending him to a graduate student when I saw what he had to say about sexual orientation. Dr. Venom classified homosexuality under "Perversions" and said it resulted from (he wasn't clear on this) bad parenting or childhood trauma or green eyes or thin lips or a broken toenail. In other words, he hadn't a clue. He was spouting off at the mouth without any basis other than homophobia.
Dr. Venom is a cunning spider. If I had entered his intricate web as a young man, he would have filled me with poison. He murders by proxy, using lies. Beware of people in authority who use their professional license as a platform for spewing hatred and nonsense. Even intelligent, highly educated people can be absolutely wrong. Intelligence unaccompanied by empathy makes a poor human being and a terrible counselor.
Dr. Venom is a cunning spider. If I had entered his intricate web as a young man, he would have filled me with poison. He murders by proxy, using lies. Beware of people in authority who use their professional license as a platform for spewing hatred and nonsense. Even intelligent, highly educated people can be absolutely wrong. Intelligence unaccompanied by empathy makes a poor human being and a terrible counselor.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Fighting Blogger
I've been fighting against the Blogger engine for as long as I've been using Blogger. It does not permit much freedom in customizing the design and fails to support subcategories.
What I want are the following, in order of importance:
1. Subcategories extending to a minimum of two levels, although more would be better. Ten levels of subcategories would be optimal. A blog without categories is like a book without a table of contents.
2. A more robust Comment feature, one that does not drop comments by accident without any explanation.
3. Useful gadgets for the blog. Most of the add-ons are annoying gimmicky substitutes for content that the writer should instead provide.
3. The ability to customize the header in any way, shape, or form.
4. The ability to customize the appearance of the rest of the blog.
5. Better templates.
6. The ability to delete an article while editing, before publishing. Right now, Blogger stores everything, whether the article is empty or not.
I am considering moving over to Wordpress. The cost in terms of broken links would not be all that high. The only downside as I see it is lack of advertising support, but I can afford five bucks for sure.
If I do make the move, never fear. My last message here will link to the new site.
I sure am glad I mowed the blog last week. There won't be as much moving to do. I anticipate the move taking a couple of hours. But first, I need to examine Wordpress and make sure the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence. Reports of security vulnerabilities in Wordpress are quite alarming. Perhaps that explains why somebody out there is hitting my router with port-scans. Yes, I do have a Firewall. D'oh!
As for LiveJournal, that is now owned by a Russian company. Sorry, Russian readers, but I do not have a high overall opinion of Russian democracy, right at the moment. The fact that they laid off a bunch of programmers in San Francisco and moved the jobs over to Russia does not sit well with me, either. It is just another thorn in the side of our ailing country. San Francisco is one of my favorite cities in the world. Don't mess with SF.
As for Myspace, it is owned by Murdoch, and no more need be said on that score. Windows Live Spaces may be worth considering. I'm not that much of a Microsoft h8r; after all, I use Windows XP. They probably have the security angle covered. I'll just bet they don't bother with categories (#1 on the list above) or for that matter any other innovation. A Microsoft solution aims for a solid and sound imitation of the other players in the market without getting ahead of them. Reports of browser incompatibility are not too surprising. Microsoft still expects everyone to use IE. More troublesome for me is that Microsoft censors the word "democracy" in China.
What I want are the following, in order of importance:
1. Subcategories extending to a minimum of two levels, although more would be better. Ten levels of subcategories would be optimal. A blog without categories is like a book without a table of contents.
2. A more robust Comment feature, one that does not drop comments by accident without any explanation.
3. Useful gadgets for the blog. Most of the add-ons are annoying gimmicky substitutes for content that the writer should instead provide.
3. The ability to customize the header in any way, shape, or form.
4. The ability to customize the appearance of the rest of the blog.
5. Better templates.
6. The ability to delete an article while editing, before publishing. Right now, Blogger stores everything, whether the article is empty or not.
I am considering moving over to Wordpress. The cost in terms of broken links would not be all that high. The only downside as I see it is lack of advertising support, but I can afford five bucks for sure.
If I do make the move, never fear. My last message here will link to the new site.
I sure am glad I mowed the blog last week. There won't be as much moving to do. I anticipate the move taking a couple of hours. But first, I need to examine Wordpress and make sure the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence. Reports of security vulnerabilities in Wordpress are quite alarming. Perhaps that explains why somebody out there is hitting my router with port-scans. Yes, I do have a Firewall. D'oh!
As for LiveJournal, that is now owned by a Russian company. Sorry, Russian readers, but I do not have a high overall opinion of Russian democracy, right at the moment. The fact that they laid off a bunch of programmers in San Francisco and moved the jobs over to Russia does not sit well with me, either. It is just another thorn in the side of our ailing country. San Francisco is one of my favorite cities in the world. Don't mess with SF.
As for Myspace, it is owned by Murdoch, and no more need be said on that score. Windows Live Spaces may be worth considering. I'm not that much of a Microsoft h8r; after all, I use Windows XP. They probably have the security angle covered. I'll just bet they don't bother with categories (#1 on the list above) or for that matter any other innovation. A Microsoft solution aims for a solid and sound imitation of the other players in the market without getting ahead of them. Reports of browser incompatibility are not too surprising. Microsoft still expects everyone to use IE. More troublesome for me is that Microsoft censors the word "democracy" in China.
Category: Medicine
Asthma
Back Pain
Dentistry 1 & 2
General Philosophy Regarding Medicine
Psychology: Asperger's Syndrome, Dr. Venom
Nota Bene: writer is not a licensed caregiver--just an opinionated patient.
The Blogger engine does not support subcategories.
Back Pain
Dentistry 1 & 2
General Philosophy Regarding Medicine
Psychology: Asperger's Syndrome, Dr. Venom
Nota Bene: writer is not a licensed caregiver--just an opinionated patient.
The Blogger engine does not support subcategories.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
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