In 1993, biochemist Kary Mullis won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his development of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a process that allows the amplification of specific DNA sequences. Since then, though, he has often played the enfant terrible to his once-adoring scientific 'parent'.
read more | digg story
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Many African girls at risk due to practice of Breast Ironing
I just don't understand what the shit is wrong with people sometimes. Shouldn't it seem obvious that there are so many better ways to deal with the root of a problem like this than punishing and mutilating young girls. And how often does that even work anyway I wonder?
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Monday, January 26, 2009
Cocaine
Daily Mail Article from the UK
This is a comment I made on an article about cocaine that I found on current.com.
"If you are not an emotionally broken or weak willed person, it is easy to use many types of drugs responsibly or recreationally and still lead a very normal life just like anyone else.
I laugh at this reactionary uneducated response everyone seems to be enjoying by throwing around this "coke whore" phrase. It's funny how easy it is for ignorant people to judge and berate someone they don't even know in order to try and build up this fantasy that they are so much better than anyone else. Its amazing how much child like behavior still permeates throughout our adult years.
All you ever see are those who are the broken ones and never those who are perfectly fine and have no idea what the problem is with the broken people.
Regardless, those who are actual "whores", whether they be a drug whore, a designer clothes whore, a Big Mac whore or an alcohol whore, they are simply people who need love and attention and who were probably fucked up in the first place by some ignorant a-hole. Why isn't there a war on a-holes instead of all these external things we cannot control!?
The focus just needs to be on helping them. We can't wipe the world clean of every ill that exists out there. But, we can do our part and just step up when an individual needs help. If we don't get rid of the a-holes (ourselves) then nothing will change."
This is a comment I made on an article about cocaine that I found on current.com.
"If you are not an emotionally broken or weak willed person, it is easy to use many types of drugs responsibly or recreationally and still lead a very normal life just like anyone else.
I laugh at this reactionary uneducated response everyone seems to be enjoying by throwing around this "coke whore" phrase. It's funny how easy it is for ignorant people to judge and berate someone they don't even know in order to try and build up this fantasy that they are so much better than anyone else. Its amazing how much child like behavior still permeates throughout our adult years.
All you ever see are those who are the broken ones and never those who are perfectly fine and have no idea what the problem is with the broken people.
Regardless, those who are actual "whores", whether they be a drug whore, a designer clothes whore, a Big Mac whore or an alcohol whore, they are simply people who need love and attention and who were probably fucked up in the first place by some ignorant a-hole. Why isn't there a war on a-holes instead of all these external things we cannot control!?
The focus just needs to be on helping them. We can't wipe the world clean of every ill that exists out there. But, we can do our part and just step up when an individual needs help. If we don't get rid of the a-holes (ourselves) then nothing will change."
Friday, January 23, 2009
A response I made on Current.com
Post on Current.com that spawned this discussion: Being Gay is a Gift from God
Original Post:
aswift1 - "I love this. I am Christian, and I know that's not the cool thing to be on this web site, but I am proud of it. Whatever. I love that this man of God is not so intimidated by the thought that the ignorant Christians will judge and shun him for making this statement. More power to him! I want to go to this guy's church."
Response to Original Post:
Nephwrack - "aside from the dick jokes, the wordng of the modern bible was decided at the council of nycea, by a bunch of males. add to that the fact that we've just taken our first baby steps away from chauvanism in the last century, and you have humanity worshiping a male god figure. not to say that the devine is female either though, i dont think an omniscient, omnipotent being would limit itself to one sex or another, including t/g. more than likely the divine has no sex or sexual preference, no matter how much we limited meatbags would like to think of it in human terms. regardless, religion is false in any form, as it is an attempted connection to the divine through a man colored filter. before all the atheists jump on my bandwagon however, ti'm not denying the existence of a God/divine presence/force/spaghetti monster/etc, as it is just as impossible to prove the nonexistence of such a being as it is to prove it's existence."
My Response:
"@aswift1 - As an Atheist, I for one am happy to have you up here. I have begun to learn to be more patient with those of any religious faith even when we have very different views on life as a whole. I am not completely there yet, but I feel I am on my way. It is still tough to hold certain conversations without letting those damn emotions creep in to muck it all up. I do believe the key to success for any person is to get themselves to a place where they can discuss the tough stuff without ruining the opportunity to communicate and learn by letting emotions take over the conversation.
@Nephwrack - "it is just as impossible to prove the nonexistence of such a being as it is to prove it's existence." Incredibly well said my friend! It seems to me that many people are beginning to come to this particular conclusion of which you have explained very well with your whole response. It essentially brings us to a fork in the road. And at this place, you have turned one way while I have turned the other. For me, It just seems too fanciful to believe there is any kind of conscious creator of all things out there at all. But where you are is not so far from where I am, and so I can appreciate your decision while still being satisfied with mine. And that right there is where everyone needs to be able to get to. To accept all others while being satisfied with themselves. Of course, that is not to say we should then stop trying to progress from where we."
Original Post:
aswift1 - "I love this. I am Christian, and I know that's not the cool thing to be on this web site, but I am proud of it. Whatever. I love that this man of God is not so intimidated by the thought that the ignorant Christians will judge and shun him for making this statement. More power to him! I want to go to this guy's church."
Response to Original Post:
Nephwrack - "aside from the dick jokes, the wordng of the modern bible was decided at the council of nycea, by a bunch of males. add to that the fact that we've just taken our first baby steps away from chauvanism in the last century, and you have humanity worshiping a male god figure. not to say that the devine is female either though, i dont think an omniscient, omnipotent being would limit itself to one sex or another, including t/g. more than likely the divine has no sex or sexual preference, no matter how much we limited meatbags would like to think of it in human terms. regardless, religion is false in any form, as it is an attempted connection to the divine through a man colored filter. before all the atheists jump on my bandwagon however, ti'm not denying the existence of a God/divine presence/force/spaghetti monster/etc, as it is just as impossible to prove the nonexistence of such a being as it is to prove it's existence."
My Response:
"@aswift1 - As an Atheist, I for one am happy to have you up here. I have begun to learn to be more patient with those of any religious faith even when we have very different views on life as a whole. I am not completely there yet, but I feel I am on my way. It is still tough to hold certain conversations without letting those damn emotions creep in to muck it all up. I do believe the key to success for any person is to get themselves to a place where they can discuss the tough stuff without ruining the opportunity to communicate and learn by letting emotions take over the conversation.
@Nephwrack - "it is just as impossible to prove the nonexistence of such a being as it is to prove it's existence." Incredibly well said my friend! It seems to me that many people are beginning to come to this particular conclusion of which you have explained very well with your whole response. It essentially brings us to a fork in the road. And at this place, you have turned one way while I have turned the other. For me, It just seems too fanciful to believe there is any kind of conscious creator of all things out there at all. But where you are is not so far from where I am, and so I can appreciate your decision while still being satisfied with mine. And that right there is where everyone needs to be able to get to. To accept all others while being satisfied with themselves. Of course, that is not to say we should then stop trying to progress from where we."
Friday, January 16, 2009
Les Claypool Concert Tickets - Hollywood Palladium in Los An
I hope i am able to make it to this show. It sounds like it will be fun. I am interested in seeing what Saul Williams can do with his live show. And of course there is the great Les Claypool!
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Daily Wisdom
The present moment is changing so fast that we often do not notice its existence at all. Every moment of mind is like a series of pictures passing through a projector. Some of the pictures come from sense impressions. Others come from memories of past experiences or from fantasies of the future. Mindfulness helps us freeze the frame so that we can become aware of our sensations and experiences as they are, without the distorting coloration of socially conditioned responses or habitual reactions.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Daily Wisdom
Honesty can be cultivated by transforming your inner language. For example, you might think: "I am no good." or "They are not good." Is it true? For some strange reason, people want to wallow in the idea of being either the best or the worst. What is true in this moment? How close can we get to the reality of our experiences?
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Daily Wisdom
January 7
This mind and body is our household. If this inner household is not in order, no outer household can be in order.
January 8
No matter how hard you pursue pleasure and success, there are times when you fail. No matter how fast you flee, there are times when pain catches up with you.
January 9
Try to be reasonable in the way you grow, and don't ever think it is too late. It is never too late. Even if you are going to die tomorrow, keep yourself straight and clear and be a happy human being today. If you keep your situation happy day by day, you will eventually reach the greatest happiness of enlightenment.
January 10
On the basis of the belief that all human beings share the same divine nature, we have a very strong ground, a very powerful reason, to believe that it is possible for each of us to develop a genuine sense of equanimity toward all beings.
This mind and body is our household. If this inner household is not in order, no outer household can be in order.
January 8
No matter how hard you pursue pleasure and success, there are times when you fail. No matter how fast you flee, there are times when pain catches up with you.
January 9
Try to be reasonable in the way you grow, and don't ever think it is too late. It is never too late. Even if you are going to die tomorrow, keep yourself straight and clear and be a happy human being today. If you keep your situation happy day by day, you will eventually reach the greatest happiness of enlightenment.
January 10
On the basis of the belief that all human beings share the same divine nature, we have a very strong ground, a very powerful reason, to believe that it is possible for each of us to develop a genuine sense of equanimity toward all beings.
Friday, January 09, 2009
Low Prices, Convergence Devices Dominate CES
Good little article about emerging trends with newly launched electronic devices considering the state of our economy here in the US.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Daily Wisdom
January 5th 2009
Wisdom does not mean knowledge but experiential understanding. Wisdom helps you to change radically your habits and perceptions, as you discover the constantly changing, interconnected nature of the whole of existence.
January 6th 2009
We plant merit with our minds, and we commit crimes with our minds. With our minds, we imprint images. This one mind is like an artist. It can draw anything, and what it draws is realized. If you surrender your impressions, ideas, thoughts, and so on at the moment they arise without imprinting them on your mind, your mind will not be tainted, just as the lotus flower is not tainted by the muddy water whence it grows.
Wisdom does not mean knowledge but experiential understanding. Wisdom helps you to change radically your habits and perceptions, as you discover the constantly changing, interconnected nature of the whole of existence.
January 6th 2009
We plant merit with our minds, and we commit crimes with our minds. With our minds, we imprint images. This one mind is like an artist. It can draw anything, and what it draws is realized. If you surrender your impressions, ideas, thoughts, and so on at the moment they arise without imprinting them on your mind, your mind will not be tainted, just as the lotus flower is not tainted by the muddy water whence it grows.
Monday, January 05, 2009
When elections like this get to this granular of a level and it turns into a battle of splitting hairs to confirm who actually won, it starts to get a bit frustrating to deal with. You begin to just expect someone to concede and be done with it. Of course, it is easy to say this when the person you wanted to win is the winner at the time, but what about if it is the person who you do not want to win? To be honest, when it came down to a recount initially, I had assumed that Al lost and was fine with it just being over. Now that it seems Al has one, I am very happy to hear that, but again, it looks like Norm Coleman may try to contest and fight for another recount.
I guess, as Americans, we should be happy that we have a system that goes to such lengths to ensure that our system is being run fairly and that whoever is considered the winner actually deserves to be the winner. I can say that I am happy for that. As an American with the freedom to speak his own mind though, I can also say without persecution, that sometimes the way our systems are designed really annoy the shit out of me!
NYT Minnesota Senate Race
I guess, as Americans, we should be happy that we have a system that goes to such lengths to ensure that our system is being run fairly and that whoever is considered the winner actually deserves to be the winner. I can say that I am happy for that. As an American with the freedom to speak his own mind though, I can also say without persecution, that sometimes the way our systems are designed really annoy the shit out of me!
NYT Minnesota Senate Race
Turning On, Tuning In and Painting the Results
The Chapel of Sacred Mirrors in Chelsea will close at the end of this month. That may not mean much to most of the art world’s hipper denizens, but it will to visionary and psychedelic-art fans for whom the chapel has been a mecca since it opened in 2004.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tapping the Power of Podcasting
I am very excited to see what more the future holds for the podcasting medium. It's potential clearly has not yet been fully realized and I believe it will definitely become a very integrated part of our lives in the near future.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Fiber showdown looms as Verizon builds in AT&T territory
I am sure that I do not understand the full scope of what this means, but it is interesting to see from the comments how people are just plain frustrated with these companies regardless of what this "showdown" means for the future of the business.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
One failed bank gets the housing fix right
When the FDIC seized mortgage giant IndyMac it was one of the biggest bank failures ever. Now the troubled lender just may lead us out of the housing mess. This is an interesting article about how Indymac was actually a test bed for a foreclosure prevention program.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Daily Wisdom
Sunday, January 3rd
The temptation is to conclude that perhaps meditation is alright for some but dead wrong for you. In my case, meditation started out painful and tedious beyond words. Extremely convincing arguments for giving up before you have even started will almost certainly occur to you-don't listen to them.
Monday, January 4th
When we fall on the ground it hurts us, but we also need to rely on the ground to get back up.
The temptation is to conclude that perhaps meditation is alright for some but dead wrong for you. In my case, meditation started out painful and tedious beyond words. Extremely convincing arguments for giving up before you have even started will almost certainly occur to you-don't listen to them.
Monday, January 4th
When we fall on the ground it hurts us, but we also need to rely on the ground to get back up.
Friday, January 02, 2009
Daily Wisdom
There simply is nothing to which we can attach ourselves, no matter how hard we try. In time, things will change and the conditions that produced our current desires will be gone. Why then cling to them now?
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Daily Wisdom
"How, dear sir, did you cross the flood?"
"By not halting, friend, and by not straining I crossed the flood."
"But how is it , dear sir, that by not halting and by not straining you crossed the flood?"
"When I came to a standstill, friend, then I sank; but when I struggled, then I got swept away. It is in this way, friend, that by not halting and by not straining I crossed the flood."
"By not halting, friend, and by not straining I crossed the flood."
"But how is it , dear sir, that by not halting and by not straining you crossed the flood?"
"When I came to a standstill, friend, then I sank; but when I struggled, then I got swept away. It is in this way, friend, that by not halting and by not straining I crossed the flood."
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