If you've heard of "the game" (Haha you lost it) then you'll know how this works.
Basically, just say that you know what "IT" is and you win. "IT" is not really anything at all. And if someone tries to imply that "IT" really is something real then say to them "I don't think you really know what IT is...are you sure you know what IT is?"
Friday, April 9, 2010
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Have aliens visited Earth?
I was just watching this video and it got me thinking...
These kinds of videos are very convincing. Although, I don't particularly buy it for a few reasons. For one, I think the people that believe in extraterrestrial's visiting Earth are simply so hopeful that this is true that they may stretch the truth or simply be purposefully ignorant.
Many of the clips in the above video could very well just be satellites passing by, a glare on the lens, or even a computer generated fake. The truth is we've never seen an extremely detailed and reliable photo/video of any such extraterrestrial craft and to think a small blurry dot floating across the screen is proof is just not enough.
I admit some of the clips are quite miraculous and I would very much like to know if we have E.T. watching us from the moon, but as far as we've experienced and learned so far, such life and intelligence is rare in the universe. Not to mention traveling several light years in a craft of some sort is virtually impossible.
Although, I have hopes that somewhere out there a planet has sustained a life form smart and powerful enough to create warp drives or inter-dimensional worm holes or whatever and has decided to help us out a little on our evolutionary path. I can only hope though, and like praying, it doesn't do shit :(
These kinds of videos are very convincing. Although, I don't particularly buy it for a few reasons. For one, I think the people that believe in extraterrestrial's visiting Earth are simply so hopeful that this is true that they may stretch the truth or simply be purposefully ignorant.
Many of the clips in the above video could very well just be satellites passing by, a glare on the lens, or even a computer generated fake. The truth is we've never seen an extremely detailed and reliable photo/video of any such extraterrestrial craft and to think a small blurry dot floating across the screen is proof is just not enough.
I admit some of the clips are quite miraculous and I would very much like to know if we have E.T. watching us from the moon, but as far as we've experienced and learned so far, such life and intelligence is rare in the universe. Not to mention traveling several light years in a craft of some sort is virtually impossible.
Although, I have hopes that somewhere out there a planet has sustained a life form smart and powerful enough to create warp drives or inter-dimensional worm holes or whatever and has decided to help us out a little on our evolutionary path. I can only hope though, and like praying, it doesn't do shit :(
My 'Pessimistic' Prediciton of the Future
Well I just made a post like this a few days ago, and I got to thinking that there are a lot of bad things that could kill us in the future. I'm going to try and list as many of them as I can and when they might take affect.
10-50 years from now:
-War with Iraq blows up into WWIII / Crusade War II
-War with North Korea (Nuclear Apocalypse)
-Global Climate Change starts to really take affect and cause major natural disasters
-Glen Beck's followers form a cult and try to take over the world. (It's possible)
-Illegal Mexicans become majority of population, middle-class virtually wiped out.
-Large corporations take over the world and we become their peasants. (Oh wait this is already true)
-390 meter wide asteroid Apophis hits the Earth causing debris to black out the sky all over the world. (predicted around 2036)
-We're well overdue for a Yellowstone eruption and with recent quakes it may be sooner than we think. It would obliterate most of North America.
50-100 years from now:
-Oil runs out in its entirety. A majority of people fall to the dark ages (if we don't switch power sources)
-Advances in robotics replaces workforce with robots. No jobs for anyone.
-Human overpopulation will cause every city to be much like the overpopulated cities of China and Japan.
-The world's atmosphere will be so polluted that the natural wilderness will have a hard time surviving.
-Mass extinctions all over the world mostly in part to human civilization.
100-500 years from now:
-Earth becoming a global desert.
-Probably send the planet into a similar state just after the dinosaurs were wiped out.
1000+ years from now:
-Insects are the few creatures still thriving. Eventual evolve to dominate the world.
-Signs of human civilization slowly being wiped off the face of the Earth.
This was just for fun. Most likely a majority of this will never happen, but only if we really try to make it not happen, especially the global warming issues. Or we can just sit around, let it happen, and pray for Jesus to save us.
10-50 years from now:
-War with Iraq blows up into WWIII / Crusade War II
-War with North Korea (Nuclear Apocalypse)
-Global Climate Change starts to really take affect and cause major natural disasters
-Glen Beck's followers form a cult and try to take over the world. (It's possible)
-Illegal Mexicans become majority of population, middle-class virtually wiped out.
-Large corporations take over the world and we become their peasants. (Oh wait this is already true)
-390 meter wide asteroid Apophis hits the Earth causing debris to black out the sky all over the world. (predicted around 2036)
-We're well overdue for a Yellowstone eruption and with recent quakes it may be sooner than we think. It would obliterate most of North America.
50-100 years from now:
-Oil runs out in its entirety. A majority of people fall to the dark ages (if we don't switch power sources)
-Advances in robotics replaces workforce with robots. No jobs for anyone.
-Human overpopulation will cause every city to be much like the overpopulated cities of China and Japan.
-The world's atmosphere will be so polluted that the natural wilderness will have a hard time surviving.
-Mass extinctions all over the world mostly in part to human civilization.
100-500 years from now:
-Earth becoming a global desert.
-Probably send the planet into a similar state just after the dinosaurs were wiped out.
1000+ years from now:
-Insects are the few creatures still thriving. Eventual evolve to dominate the world.
-Signs of human civilization slowly being wiped off the face of the Earth.
This was just for fun. Most likely a majority of this will never happen, but only if we really try to make it not happen, especially the global warming issues. Or we can just sit around, let it happen, and pray for Jesus to save us.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Who To Trust
I'm not a politician, theoretical physicist, astronomer, etc. I do not claim to be an expert on anything at all really. I know some things, but a majority of what I know is what people have told me. Whether those things are true or not, I can't really know for sure because I did not take the time to do the research. So, how do people know what they are told is true?
A big part of it has to do with who you trust. For example, if Richard Dawkins announced that he has done research in the evolution of humans and states that they are very close descendants of some ancient primate species, I would believe him because he is an expert in that particular field. Also, the fact that many other scientists have come to the same conclusion. Although, I don't particularly believe him on the basis of him being popular and showing up on TV occasionally. The point is that people with power are the people we trust and this should not be the way we base trust.
Now, for a negative example, let's say Glenn Beck makes an announcement that humans are not descendants of primates but actually created by god a few thousand years ago. I would not believe him for a number of reasons. He is not an expert in this field. He has no evidence to show. He does not have experts coming to the same conclusion. So why do people end up believing in him? He's on TV. Therefore, he has power/popularity.
Typically people of greater power than you or people that have a following are the people that are trusted (i.e. the president, radio hosts, your parents). Even if these people have done no research at all, they are trusted because of their greater power over you. You think of yourself as inferior and less knowledgeable compared to these people.
This is, what I believe, one of the greatest weaknesses that mankind possesses. We do not have the ability to learn everything individually. So, we must divide up the work and trust that those people doing a certain thing are doing it truthfully. Doctors go through school and do the work in order to help people medically. IT professionals study computers and programming languages in order to use and help people use computers, etc. In some cases, however, people are influenced to believe things that are not true because they have been told by a so called "expert" in a particular field that it is true, or in the Glenn Beck case, we might already have a positive opinion of the individual and might thus believe a majority of what he says. We cannot individually do all the research ourselves, so we must trust them.
However, what we can do is learn how to trust and who to trust.
They should earn our trust if:
If someone has done valid research into something.
If someone's research complies with someone else's similar conclusions.
If someone has proved themselves in the past in the same field of work.
They should not earn our trust if:
If someone has a large following of people.
If someone speaks fluently and with good vocabulary.
If someone shows off their power.
If someone is influential.
If someone makes a claim in a field of work they have not previously researched.
These are all just things to understand when someone tries to tell you some "truth" they think they have found. You don't have to believe me because, like I said, I'm no expert but I have done a bit of thinking in the matter and have read a few things related to this. So, believe me if you want to, but really it's up to you whether you want to trust me or not...perhaps, then proving my point.
A big part of it has to do with who you trust. For example, if Richard Dawkins announced that he has done research in the evolution of humans and states that they are very close descendants of some ancient primate species, I would believe him because he is an expert in that particular field. Also, the fact that many other scientists have come to the same conclusion. Although, I don't particularly believe him on the basis of him being popular and showing up on TV occasionally. The point is that people with power are the people we trust and this should not be the way we base trust.
Now, for a negative example, let's say Glenn Beck makes an announcement that humans are not descendants of primates but actually created by god a few thousand years ago. I would not believe him for a number of reasons. He is not an expert in this field. He has no evidence to show. He does not have experts coming to the same conclusion. So why do people end up believing in him? He's on TV. Therefore, he has power/popularity.
Typically people of greater power than you or people that have a following are the people that are trusted (i.e. the president, radio hosts, your parents). Even if these people have done no research at all, they are trusted because of their greater power over you. You think of yourself as inferior and less knowledgeable compared to these people.
This is, what I believe, one of the greatest weaknesses that mankind possesses. We do not have the ability to learn everything individually. So, we must divide up the work and trust that those people doing a certain thing are doing it truthfully. Doctors go through school and do the work in order to help people medically. IT professionals study computers and programming languages in order to use and help people use computers, etc. In some cases, however, people are influenced to believe things that are not true because they have been told by a so called "expert" in a particular field that it is true, or in the Glenn Beck case, we might already have a positive opinion of the individual and might thus believe a majority of what he says. We cannot individually do all the research ourselves, so we must trust them.
However, what we can do is learn how to trust and who to trust.
They should earn our trust if:
If someone has done valid research into something.
If someone's research complies with someone else's similar conclusions.
If someone has proved themselves in the past in the same field of work.
They should not earn our trust if:
If someone has a large following of people.
If someone speaks fluently and with good vocabulary.
If someone shows off their power.
If someone is influential.
If someone makes a claim in a field of work they have not previously researched.
These are all just things to understand when someone tries to tell you some "truth" they think they have found. You don't have to believe me because, like I said, I'm no expert but I have done a bit of thinking in the matter and have read a few things related to this. So, believe me if you want to, but really it's up to you whether you want to trust me or not...perhaps, then proving my point.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Individuality And The Power Struggle
Ever since the start of high school I've noticed something about individuality...no one has it. I went to a catholic grade school where everyone was required to wear strict uniforms, walk in straight lines from here to there, follow strict schedules, etc. This whole system was designed to suppress us. Of course growing up in this environment and having no knowledge of anything outside of this subservience system, I was surprised when I arrived at high school.
I went to a public high school which means no uniforms and more relaxed guidelines. That's not to say that high school didn't also have it's own strict schedules and rules, but it was something new that I hadn't experienced before. I saw so many different people and they expressed themselves with the clothes they wore and they seemed so much more "out there." Over the course of the next four years in high school I worked my way towards finding who I was and what I was really interested in. I had never been interested in music during grade school because I was literally afraid of expressing myself. In high school, however, I felt more freedom to express myself and be whatever I wanted to be.
I began exploring the world of music. I began (as all do) by listening to the radio. However, I did something more after that that a majority of people don't bother with...I researched into different music that wasn't just on the radio. I used my individuality to think for myself and decide for myself what I found interesting to listen to. Now I sit here a good five or six years later listening to 1970s progressive rock from Italy while everyone else is still listening to Linkin Park or Green Day on our local radio stations.
I suppose the whole point of this is to teach you a lesson on what is true freedom and perhaps happiness. If not happiness, then at least what is right and what should be. Freedom is individuality and individuality is making your own choices and expressing yourself and how you are different from others. If you take pride in calling yourself average, then you are directly calling yourself a servant to others that may create what is average. We are all just animals on this rock in space (yes, humans are animals too) and we need to stop this power struggle. The average man gives into whatever the high power puts on his television/radio/newspaper/school/everything-everywhere and doesn't bother to peek outside of this artificial reality. So, please, if you enjoy something, don't settle with what is given to you. Go find more or make more yourself.
I went to a public high school which means no uniforms and more relaxed guidelines. That's not to say that high school didn't also have it's own strict schedules and rules, but it was something new that I hadn't experienced before. I saw so many different people and they expressed themselves with the clothes they wore and they seemed so much more "out there." Over the course of the next four years in high school I worked my way towards finding who I was and what I was really interested in. I had never been interested in music during grade school because I was literally afraid of expressing myself. In high school, however, I felt more freedom to express myself and be whatever I wanted to be.
I began exploring the world of music. I began (as all do) by listening to the radio. However, I did something more after that that a majority of people don't bother with...I researched into different music that wasn't just on the radio. I used my individuality to think for myself and decide for myself what I found interesting to listen to. Now I sit here a good five or six years later listening to 1970s progressive rock from Italy while everyone else is still listening to Linkin Park or Green Day on our local radio stations.
I suppose the whole point of this is to teach you a lesson on what is true freedom and perhaps happiness. If not happiness, then at least what is right and what should be. Freedom is individuality and individuality is making your own choices and expressing yourself and how you are different from others. If you take pride in calling yourself average, then you are directly calling yourself a servant to others that may create what is average. We are all just animals on this rock in space (yes, humans are animals too) and we need to stop this power struggle. The average man gives into whatever the high power puts on his television/radio/newspaper/school/everything-everywhere and doesn't bother to peek outside of this artificial reality. So, please, if you enjoy something, don't settle with what is given to you. Go find more or make more yourself.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
My Prediction of the Future
I'm trying to think of a good way to organize this and I think I'll just make a list according to years into the future:
10 years:
-"Smart" power lines - allowing for a more efficient electricity grid.
-The beginnings of a networked highway system - allowing automatic-driving cars
-Increased Solar/Wind/Nuclear power...maybe Fusion Power?
-More online usage, perhaps increasing independent thinking
-Possible religious war in Iraq (may lead to more atheism). North Korea could be involved.
20 years:
-More efficient networked highway/road system
-Fusion Power more likely possiblity
-Global government in the making, perhaps online voting type system. I don't suspect there will be a single "world leader."
-Possible religious war
-First stable/livable Moon or Mars base
50 years:
-Perfect network of roads. All cars everywhere drive themselves
-Robots almost completely replace all human workforce in factories, etc.
-With almost all jobs replaced by robots, mostly unemployed people - I suspect there will be more high-end NASA researching, Artists, Corporate Biz. Stupid people unable to compete against robots will either be aided by the government or die out if the republicans have their way.
-More cyborgs (half-human/half-machine)
-Cyborg discrimination
-Hopefully religions are left with crazy nutjobs preaching in the alleyways
100 years:
-Wars and discrimination don't exist
-Advanced space exploration with Mars and the Moon being settled on.
-Possible human exploration of other far off gas giants and their moons (Probably not settled though).
-Evidence of life found on Mars or Jupiter's moon Io
-Fusion Power is a reality and widely used
-Possible virtual worlds where people actually live inside the computer via cyber brains
I'll probably add more possibilities and 200 years, 300 years, etc. later.
10 years:
-"Smart" power lines - allowing for a more efficient electricity grid.
-The beginnings of a networked highway system - allowing automatic-driving cars
-Increased Solar/Wind/Nuclear power...maybe Fusion Power?
-More online usage, perhaps increasing independent thinking
-Possible religious war in Iraq (may lead to more atheism). North Korea could be involved.
20 years:
-More efficient networked highway/road system
-Fusion Power more likely possiblity
-Global government in the making, perhaps online voting type system. I don't suspect there will be a single "world leader."
-Possible religious war
-First stable/livable Moon or Mars base
50 years:
-Perfect network of roads. All cars everywhere drive themselves
-Robots almost completely replace all human workforce in factories, etc.
-With almost all jobs replaced by robots, mostly unemployed people - I suspect there will be more high-end NASA researching, Artists, Corporate Biz. Stupid people unable to compete against robots will either be aided by the government or die out if the republicans have their way.
-More cyborgs (half-human/half-machine)
-Cyborg discrimination
-Hopefully religions are left with crazy nutjobs preaching in the alleyways
100 years:
-Wars and discrimination don't exist
-Advanced space exploration with Mars and the Moon being settled on.
-Possible human exploration of other far off gas giants and their moons (Probably not settled though).
-Evidence of life found on Mars or Jupiter's moon Io
-Fusion Power is a reality and widely used
-Possible virtual worlds where people actually live inside the computer via cyber brains
I'll probably add more possibilities and 200 years, 300 years, etc. later.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)