The Identity Zone
Posted 12:11 PM

I am not my dominant memes. I am not an emergent property of the chaotic system of neural connections and feedback loops. I am not my conciousness. You cannot disect me and find me. I am all of me. Where do my boundaries end? Do I say that they end at my skin? Or do I include all of the other influences, the coat I bought and how it affects me, and affects others in their interaction with it is also part of me. Thinking from there I see that I am intimately interwoven with the tapestry of the universe - connected to all things indirectly and yet, as shown by chaos theory, intimately.

Recursive genes make powerful animals, and recursive memes are powerful ideas. They grow and multiply, they engineer whole thought environments to promote themselves within and without. My identity, this crenellated feedback meme, creeps through my neurons. Even while typing this, I am denying it, and thereby its roots push deeper. It rationalizes itself in my mind while I speak, and tries to maintain its hold on my psyche.

This identity is a fine and glorious illusion! (So it speaks).

The Nirvanas and Heavens of which religion speaks is freedom from the grip of these memes. When I am free of them, I experience a pure and constant feeling of ecstacy. My entire being is present without knots of self analysis, without clusters of fears and desires labeling themselves as "my identity". I am not concious, and yet I am able to perform to the peak of my ability.

Athletes and some mucisians call this "the zone".

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Howard Dean: Where to Go From Here
Posted 5:50 AM

So, we have this massive and effective political movement... we're capable of getting 10-20% of Amerians to vote for someone out of the ordinary, for a vision of transformation of this country.

That's not something to be taken lightly.

The loudest message we will take to Washington is no more corporate welfare:

Small business growth is the best way to create jobs at home, not corporate tax cuts. Which is why I, personally, cannot support the Edwards and Kerry "corporate tax cut system" of creating jobs. Yes, Edwards, Kerry and Bush all think that the best way to help this country is by giving big businesses tax breaks and making ordinary Americans work longer hours to pay for them.

We will continue to support his voice and his message.

The Dean Machine will take its grassroots organizing power and use it to promote proressive local politicians, senators and congressmen.

The Dean Meetups will not stop. We will continue to meet and discuss how to best implement Howard's (and our) vision for America.

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Natural Bigger Breasts
Posted 8:15 AM

The times may change, but some things will always be the same. Researchers in Japan have developed a technique for making a woman's breasts larger, without the need for silicone or salt-water implancts. The technique uses fatty tissue combined with regenerative stem cells to create a lasting and natural-looking increase in breast size.

Sure, stem cells can be used to cure blindness, and repair damaged hearts - but who'se really worried about that? I'm predicting that breast enlargement will be the first major commercial success in the stem cell industry.
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Sky Marshals
Posted 2:01 PM

If they insist on putting armed Sky Marshals on planes, then they'd better use frangible ammunition with biometric controls on them that prevent anyone else from firing them except the Sky Marshal. Otherwise, they are essentially handing a gun to potential terrorists, making it more difficult for them to be overwhelmed by the passengers.

Labels: politics

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Visual Studio Watch Variables
Posted 11:21 AM

This blog entry is a mental note to remember that you can add your own classes to show up with more than (...) in the watch variable window.
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Question about Principles of Nonviolence
Posted 7:00 AM

If you are a Buddhist who has sworn to uphold a doctrine of nonviolence, is it consistent with that philosophy to destroy weapons and weapon-manufacturing facilities - as long as nobody gets hurt?

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Howard Dean Remixed
Posted 6:58 AM

If you haven't heard it, download the Howard Dean remix by Faulkner. I know it's a bit scary. I still like it.
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A Kerry Vs. Bush race
Posted 12:44 PM

Bush can no longer sell missiles to America. He says the word "terrorist" and nobody's scared. People are very upset at having a trillion dollar deficit and an economy that's spiraling downward in exchange for joint-strike fighters. The military-industrial complex needs a missile salesman in office or the gravy train is over. They know that the people are on the verge of cutting military contracts.

John Kerry knows how to sweet-talk people. He's an old professional. If Bush is good at scaring us into paying for a bigger military, Kerry will be excellent at making us "OK" with the new taxes and government restrictions that will be required in the near future. The Kerry campaign's primary source of income is "lawyers and lobbyists". My guess is that he will make the best missile salesman the country has ever seen.
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Howard Dean Political Flashmobbing
Posted 4:04 PM

We no longer can afford to have corporations, whether they be Democrat or Republican, run our country. Saturday at 4PM Eastern, Howard Dean supporters will be standing on street corners holding signs, putting posters in their car windows and handing our flyters that proclaim, "I am Howard Dean's special interest". If you like Dean's message of personal empowerment, print your own, head to a crowded area in town, and join us!

The TV will probably not be reporting on this event and so far "objective news agencies" have done everything in their power to crush our hopes. In the end, they will fail. People around this country sick of handing over their very minds to "network programmers".

Even if you aren't sure about Dean, and only got your information about him from the TV, try stepping out of the house on Saturday and seeing for yourself what's really happening out there.

Labels: politics

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Doing my homework
Posted 3:37 PM

No matter where you stand on social issues, it's important to understand what these issues really are. Read The Tragedy of the Commons by Garett Hardin. If you have ever cared about anything political, or social... this is required reading. (Coming clean: I've quoted it before, but I just read it for the first time.)
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Great article on the Democratic Primary
Posted 7:59 PM

Excellent analysis of this season's Democratic primary and how an intense battle results in a superior candidate. This year's crop of Dems, regardless of who gets nominated, will give George Bush a run for his money.

Labels: politics

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If Kerry gets the nomination
Posted 7:19 AM

I don't care if Dean endorses Kerry. If Kerry gets the nomination, I'm writing in "me".

Labels: politics

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