Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: For Good Friday

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  • Paul Litterick,

    Down the Rabbit Hole is now available in a Quantum Edition.

    I rest my case.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Far out. Really? They did the roughcasting around the skirts of some houses (and the odd patio) like that in Pt Chev and people think that was bad.

    Really. And expect people to be sentenced in a few years for some of this. A couple of weeks ago was the turn of the architects, council officers and building inspectors that oversaw the addition of a floor at the primary school in San Giuliano di Puglia, that collapsed in the 2002 earthquake killing 27 people, including all the local boys born 1996.

    I also strongly suggest not looking up the word "Vajont" on Wikipedia.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    "PS: the low wooden A-frame design is wise."

    Might have something to do with 800yrs experience eh?

    The one thing that didnt get factored in (tho' it is part of the legend myth corpus) is tsunami.

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    I rest my case.

    I didn't think this was a competition. Or evangelism. Just a safe place to express ideas.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    It is a Law of Internet that any advertised product with Quantum in its name is fraudulent.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell,

    I kind've like the conceit:

    ...if they wish to “Go Quantum” by using a randomization function on their DVD player, the film restructures itself every time it’s viewed so it’s never the same film twice

    There are a few classic films this would work wonders for ;-)

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    Ruaumoko

    Looked into his throat a while back at the Waimangu Valley. Very impressive. A close relative of the giant Japanese namazu, I reckon.

    I didn't think this was a competition. Or evangelism. Just a safe place to express ideas.

    You don't even have to evangelise. Just pursuing an 'impure' line of thought is enough to have the inherently authoritarian go all mediaeval on you.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Kerry Weston,

    Because thinking about things like quantum entanglement mangles even the cleverest brains? And no matter how awesome that shit is, it doesn't help to put bread on the table, or offer direct and easy solutions to social problems?

    Quantum entanglement, at a distance, even! Synchronicity - told ya. Tho quantum entanglement sounds like a state John Key might find himself in rather soon.

    Apparently, reality is just a state of mind after all.

    That was a good link, thanks Rich. Interesting fella called Ian McN posting in the comments and some book titles to add to the "Must Read One Day" pile. Like Roger Penrose: "the Road to Reality" - anyone read it and is it any good??

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Ruaumoko, kia ora!

    Pops up in this more popular guise of late, and as the name of the marae at the Kelston Deaf Education Centre. Stomp!

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Hilary, I'm not sure this is a safe place to admit to reading New Scientist .

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • WH,

    People are always finding ways of incorporating good ideas and criticisms into their personal positioning strategies. It makes me want to not. I am such a rebel like that.

    It's not the good ideas I mind obviously, it's the scarcely concealed implication, 'this is how neat I am', which leads to the feeling that you're less having a genuine conversation than participating in someone's extended image management effort. I dunno, maybe I have this wrong.

    Since Nov 2006 • 797 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    But why are we here now? I think it is to give us a chance to do our best for each other and our world, and that treating others as we ourselves would like to be treated - in a family, community or bigger context - is a universal principle for the advancement of humanity.

    Hear, hear, Hilary. That's a big part of my belief system too.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    Getting back to Russell's original posting. I think the meal cooked with love tastes better because of the positive energy it creates, and that is shared and multiplied by those who gather to eat it. I reckon one day we will learn how to measure this energy, but in the mean time does I think it's fine to speculate.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    It's not the good ideas I mind obviously, it's the scarcely concealed implication, 'this is how neat I am', which leads to the feeling that you're less having a genuine conversation than participating in someone's extended image management effort. I dunno, maybe I have this wrong.

    Maybe you have. Maybe some people just like good ideas and loathe bad ones, and come here to discuss ideas freely. Maybe.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    It's not the good ideas I mind obviously, it's the scarcely concealed implication, 'this is how neat I am', which leads to the feeling that you're less having a genuine conversation than participating in someone's extended image management effort.

    I think that's unfair. Isn't it human nature to speculate on the meaning of existence? I think therefore I am and all that. And some of us have had a few decades to do this. It's not to do with being superior or inferior to anyone else. That's what I meant about needing a safe place.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock,

    'Down the Rabbit hole' is also known as 'what the [bleep] do we know?'

    Critisism here.

    And here.

    And here.

    And here.

    And here.

    And here.

    It is human nature to specuate on the nature of existence. But I would very gently suggest that pseudoscience is not the way to be going about it.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • ScottY,

    When threads like this discuss matters of religion and belief, it's inevitable that people will put forward their own belief systems. There's nothing wrong with that. The blogosphere would be an empty place if people didn't express their opinions.

    On the other hand, if people want to put forward their personal philisophies for examination, they need to be prepared for criticism. As long as its constructive and not nasty.

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    Since it's Easter how about a discussion on death and /or resurrection. Why do people talk about death as passing on or over if they don't think there is a destination?

    From my experience of being with people dying from terminal illness I've noticed that a little while before they die they seem to reach out to something as if there is some amazing presence or scene they can see but we can't. From then on the death process is like a peaceful running down of a clock.

    Why is it that people a long way away geographically sometimes know the time that a person died? Why do pakeha have more trouble with the concept of an afterlife than Maori who acknowledge the presence of ancestors on formal occasions?

    And what really happened to the historical Jesus?

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    How would we reach any conclusions? It is all speculation, anecdote and meaningless phrases like 'positive energy.'

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    It's not really essential to reach conclusions in a discussion like this.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • ScottY,

    And what really happened to the historical Jesus?

    That they nailed him to a cross is, I think, generally accepted by most historians.

    As for his resurrection, I don't personally believe any of it, but then that's just my view.

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    OK, my turn. I think it is all untrue: resurrection, afterlife, the historical Jesus.

    There, done.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • ScottY,

    Why do people talk about death as passing on or over if they don't think there is a destination?

    "Passed on" or "passed over" are common euphemisms for "died". We should be careful about attributing meanings to words or phrases when no such meanings are intended.

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    Why do people talk about death as passing on or over

    Passed away is probably more common, but any are surely just to give some comfort to those left behind. 'She's / he's dead' doesn't have the same implied sense of placidity that we need to assign to the departed to make ourselves feel better.

    "They've gone to a far better place"....well, actually no...they're dead.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

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