Blurbs! 2

No is a very powerful word. Normally we water it down with justification, but when you leave it on it's own it provides no room for negotiation and throws people off rhythm. It shouldn't be overused, but it's useful.

So I was having a conversation a while ago and I said something on the spot that I found really was accurate and that I should develop further. What I said was "Humans are like vectors- the direction we're going is part of who we are". I'm just glad I remember what vectors are.

Yesterday I went to a presentation about the dangers and checkered history of ecological engineering, and it was interesting. I thought his best points, aside from actual scientific refutations of why things wouldn't work, were the points about who held that power and what availability of this technology would do to inter-state politics. However, I found this presentation actually made me begin to consider it as an option: a desperation move to be sure, but something to do if it turns out humanity is too stuck on realism to do anything about the problem in time. I find it unlikely that things will improve any other way, as commercialism and population grow faster than green technology can be invented or implemented. This gives us some time to get our act together/ invent artificial ecosystems for colonization. One specific thing he mentioned that I thought was interesting was carbon scrubbers pumping pressurized CO2 underground, and various problems that would cause. I agree, but if there is a fairly simple way to get the O2 out of it, pure carbon is a useful resource. We could build a space elevator with that much.

Philosophy class was interesting yesterday. It had some interesting conversation. However, although most people were pleased with it, one person on Facebook took issue, saying we should stay on topic and not talk about pointless stuff. This seems flawed to me, and much more fixated on a profess-absorb method of teaching,rather than what I heard of as the Socratic method where you actively challenge and think about what you learn. Philosophy is better suited to that kind of method, and is not limited to the curriculum. If we get off topic, as long as we learn, we're doing well.

I've decided that if they let you go to lectures for free, working in a university cafeteria might be one of the coolest jobs ever. Great environment, access to constant learning, eternal youth... Great stuff. Only the work itself would kinda suck.

So I'm in the middle of a conversation with a friend from Sweden, and I realize we've been talking about the economy, health care, and job experience. A little part of me that considered myself a kid that would never be as boring as my parents died at that moment. Well, I'm still gonna be more interesting than THEM.