10.04.13
What an astonishing thing a book is…
05.25.12
It’s absurd all the way down…
Via Brent Simmons:
Both Douglas Adams and Monty Python have been noted for their sense of the absurdity of life. The difference is that for Adams there is always an answer — and even a question — underneath all the absurdity. It’s hidden and it may be deeply strange, but it’s ultimately knowable.
But for Monty Python it’s absurd all the way down.
If we geeks had theological debates, I think this would be our debate.
10.05.11
Rest in Peace Steve Jobs
In his own words, spoken like a true Buddhist and Visionary:
…And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
And for a little context, here is a quote from President Obama about Steve Jobs giving him an iPad2, “Steve Jobs actually gave it to me, a little bit early. Yeah, it was cool. I got it directly from him.”
05.22.11
Epistemology
Karl Popper believed that even scientific knowledge does not qualify as the ultimate truth. Rather, scientific theories should be accepted as provisionally true as no amount of corroborating evidence can rule out the possibility that some contradictory evidence will turn up in the future.
Great quote, though I forgot where I found it…
05.18.11
Nucular
CNN suggests we ask How close is your home to a nuclear power plant? While I’m all for spreading useful information like this, it’s unfortunately positioned to scare people rather than inform.
Here’s the closest plants for Durham…
On the flip side of the coin, xkcd drew up this humongous and informative chart to help people understand relative levels of radiation.
05.15.11
Ambiguity and Changing Behavior
From Switch, by Dan and Chip Heath:
Ambiguity is the enemy. Any successful change requires a translation of ambiguous goals into concrete behaviors. In short, to make a switch, you need to script the critical moves.
(I got this quote from the Kindle most popular highlights for the book.)