Author Topic: Very Brief Observations (Read 45751 times)

Steven Saus · **Reply #25 on:** January 31, 2007, 06:54:04 PM

Quote from: SFEley on January 23, 2007, 08:12:54 PM

(Although typing "worse" above was a struggle to maintain my objectivity -- this one hit me really bad, and after four days of it my tongue is feeling like it's been flayed.)

Lo siento, Stephen. I had it bad enough a year or so ago that I literally couldn't drink water for most of a day. I lived off of vanilla pudding for about a week (smoother than Jell-o).

SFEley · **Reply #26 on:** January 31, 2007, 09:53:54 PM

Quote from: Thaurismunths on January 31, 2007, 05:50:09 PM

How much deeper would the ocean be if you removed all the water-absorbing sponges?

That's an even more dangerous experiment than you suggest. The hazard is that you'd have to put the sponges somewhere. If you took all the sponges out of the ocean and put them on dry land, at least a few of them could mutate to absorb dry land instead of water. Natural selection would then favor those sponges, which would multiply very rapidly until there was nothing on Earth's surface but non-porous sponges floating on water.

And cockroaches. They'd still survive to battle over sponge-turf.

Thaurismunths · **Reply #27 on:** January 31, 2007, 10:11:39 PM

Quote from: SFEley on January 31, 2007, 09:53:54 PM

That's an even more dangerous experiment than you suggest. The hazard is that you'd have to put the sponges somewhere. If you took all the sponges out of the ocean and put them on dry land, at least a few of them could mutate to absorb dry land instead of water. Natural selection would then favor those sponges, which would multiply very rapidly until there was nothing on Earth's surface but non-porous sponges floating on water.

Um...Steve? I think they're called "trees."

SFEley · **Reply #28 on:** February 01, 2007, 03:11:35 AM

Quote from: Thaurismunths on January 31, 2007, 10:11:39 PM

Um...Steve? I think they're called "trees."

Yes! And the danger is imminent!

You've been listening to my documentary podcast, right? They're ready to start marching at any time.

Thaurismunths · **Reply #29 on:** February 01, 2007, 03:34:46 AM

Quote from: SFEley on February 01, 2007, 03:11:35 AM

You've been listening to my documentary podcast, right? They're ready to start marching at any time.

It's not their fault! Trees are harmless if left alone and it's our fault for invading their natural habitat. How would you feel if trees came and pushed over your house and turned your family in to furniture and decorative trim work?

Russell Nash · **Reply #30 on:** February 03, 2007, 10:30:47 AM

Quote from: Thaurismunths on February 01, 2007, 03:34:46 AM

Quote from: SFEley on February 01, 2007, 03:11:35 AM
You've been listening to my documentary podcast, right? They're ready to start marching at any time.

It's not their fault! Trees are harmless if left alone and it's our fault for invading their natural habitat. How would you feel if trees came and pushed over your house and turned your family in to furniture and decorative trim work?

It really depends on the quality of the trimwork. I really like quality trimwork.

Thaurismunths · **Reply #31 on:** February 03, 2007, 01:40:23 PM

Quote from: Russell Nash on February 03, 2007, 10:30:47 AM

It really depends on the quality of the trimwork. I really like quality trimwork.

I suppose that's true... Grandma always brags that she had nicely turned legs back in her day.

fiveyearwinter · **Reply #32 on:** February 07, 2007, 08:06:21 PM

Brief Observation: You know you're hungry when you refer to the contents of the vending machines at work as a "cornucopia."

Bdoomed · **Reply #33 on:** February 08, 2007, 02:37:25 AM

Quote from: SFEley on February 01, 2007, 03:11:35 AM

You've been listening to my documentary podcast, right? They're ready to start marching at any time.

THE ENTS ARE COMING!!!
land absorbing sponges would be fun... infinate trampolines!

oddpod · **Reply #34 on:** February 08, 2007, 08:23:55 AM

how will the sponge empire get on whith the zombe over lords?

can we exspect to see SvZ some time soon?

Thaurismunths · **Reply #35 on:** February 08, 2007, 11:41:53 AM

Quote from: oddpod on February 08, 2007, 08:23:55 AM

how will the sponge empire get on whith the zombe over lords?

Oh, not well at all. They've been going at it for ages...
http://www.utexas.edu/courses/wilson/ant304/projects/projects97/dentep/dentep.html

Brian Reilly · **Reply #36 on:** February 09, 2007, 03:18:43 PM

Separated at birth!

Ursula Le Guin- Science fiction/fantasy goddess, genius etc. The Dispossessed may be my favourite SF book after Banks' Use of Weapons.

Madalyn Murray o' Hair- Atheist activist, alternated between being highly unpleasant and highly entertaining. Except when she was being both.

Thaurismunths · **Reply #37 on:** February 09, 2007, 06:19:22 PM

Holy Cow!
Is that Gomez Addams?

ClintMemo · **Reply #38 on:** February 12, 2007, 09:06:13 PM

Brief observation:
I discovered Escape Pod back in November. In December, I bought the complete archive, copied it and sent the originals to a friend. I've been plowing through the whole thing from the beginning, on my way to and from work, on my daily dog walk and when ever else I get the chance.
Now, whenever I read something, I hear Steve Ely's voice in my head, unless it's a woman, then it seems to be Mur Lafferty. Steve reads ASP code very well.

Also, whenever I close my eyes and try to go to sleep, I hear DaiKaiju playing in my head.

Russell Nash · **Reply #39 on:** February 13, 2007, 02:20:06 PM

Quote from: ClintMemo on February 12, 2007, 09:06:13 PM

Brief observation:
I discovered Escape Pod back in November. In December, I bought the complete archive, copied it and sent the originals to a friend. I've been plowing through the whole thing from the beginning, on my way to and from work, on my daily dog walk and when ever else I get the chance.
Now, whenever I read something, I hear Steve Ely's voice in my head, unless it's a woman, then it seems to be Mur Lafferty. Steve reads ASP code very well.
Also, whenever I close my eyes and try to go to sleep, I hear DaiKaiju playing in my head.

Assimilation is complete.

SFEley · **Reply #40 on:** February 13, 2007, 05:43:23 PM

Quote from: ClintMemo on February 12, 2007, 09:06:13 PM

Now, whenever I read something, I hear Steve Ely's voice in my head, unless it's a woman, then it seems to be Mur Lafferty. Steve reads ASP code very well.

Heh. Though in real life, I try not to. (PHP, Perl, and Ruby are more my things these days.) >8->

Very cool, Clint. And welcome aboard!

Michael · **Reply #41 on:** February 19, 2007, 04:36:16 PM

Brief Observation: New Orleans is still a great city to visit, it is NOT underwater, and you would never know there had been a flood, unless you go looking for evidence of it by taking one of the "flood" tours.

ClintMemo · **Reply #42 on:** February 22, 2007, 01:24:33 AM

My neighbor has a Lexus. If he has more than one Lexus, does he have two Lexus, two Lexuses or two Lexi?
What if, instead, he has more than one Infiniti?

Thaurismunths · **Reply #43 on:** February 22, 2007, 03:20:45 AM

There are few things in life more bizarre than being 13 years old and elbow deep in a heifer, groping around the uterus for a calf’s nose.

SFEley · **Reply #44 on:** February 22, 2007, 02:43:58 PM

Quote from: ClintMemo on February 22, 2007, 01:24:33 AM

My neighbor has a Lexus. If he has more than one Lexus, does he have two Lexus, two Lexuses or two Lexi?
What if, instead, he has more than one Infiniti?

The plural in all of these cases is the same: it's pronounced "too much disposable income." >8->

Russell Nash · **Reply #45 on:** February 22, 2007, 08:54:26 PM

Quote from: SFEley on February 22, 2007, 02:43:58 PM

Quote from: ClintMemo on February 22, 2007, 01:24:33 AM
My neighbor has a Lexus. If he has more than one Lexus, does he have two Lexus, two Lexuses or two Lexi?
What if, instead, he has more than one Infiniti?

The plural in all of these cases is the same: it's pronounced "too much disposable income." >8->

Or compensation for a short coming

Startrekwiki · **Reply #46 on:** February 22, 2007, 09:49:41 PM

Hmm. I think that the "youth is wasted on the young" idea has the makings of a story [*scribbles something down*] alright.
In my personal, teenage opinion, yes, youth is wasted on the young, but it's not the young's fault. Wouldn't it be amazing to have genetic memory so that this problem could be avoided? Sounds like the "constant clone" idea from Aeon Flux, but this way, the industrialized education system would fall to something even better, because if the memory was even simply two generations long, we would progress in twice the speed. War veteran's would have a say in their thoughts, and there would be a huge problem with twins. I say two generations, because individuality has to be maintained. without it, we don't progress as a species, which is at least as important as evolving in terms of knowledge.

It's more realistic than living forever: having a continence forever. A constant memory...

ClintMemo · **Reply #47 on:** February 22, 2007, 10:06:42 PM

Quote from: Startrekwiki on February 22, 2007, 09:49:41 PM

Hmm. This has the makings of a story [*scribbles something down*] alright.
In my personal, teenage opinion, yes, youth is wasted on the young, but it's not the young's fault. Wouldn't it be amazing to have genetic memory so that this problem could be avoided? Sounds like the "constant clone" idea from Aeon Flux, but this way, the industrialized education system would fall to something even better, because if the memory was even simply two generations long, we would progress in twice the speed. War veteran's would have a say in their thoughts, and there would be a huge problem with twins. I say two generations, because individuality has to be maintained. without it, we don't progress as a species, which is at least as important as evolving in terms of knowledge.

It's more realistic than living forever: having a continence forever. A constant memory...

So whose memories would you get, mom's or Dad's? What if they don't agree on things? What if they get divorced?
"Your honor, I want her memories expunged from our child."

What if everyone gets' the same basic memories? Now there's a bit of state mind control to ponder.
Values forcibly instilled in one generation don't take effect until that generation comes to power, by then, the other side is in control.
To end this, the villian conconcts a plan to take control for 30 continuous years so that his side's values are forced on the generation that replaces him. Once that happens, then his side rules from then on.
(Bwahahahaha!)

Startrekwiki · **Reply #48 on:** February 22, 2007, 10:11:41 PM

See! Good source for a story! I speculate that the "Mind Control" idea is still a bit far from reality, but "basic principles" is a good idea.. A national source could ispell anti-war thoughts into individuals who later pass them on to the next generation. Or the other way around. See how this could get to be a very complicated matter? Great for a story.

Anarkey · **Reply #49 on:** February 22, 2007, 10:32:38 PM

Quote from: Startrekwiki on February 22, 2007, 10:11:41 PM

A national source could ispell anti-war thoughts into individuals who later pass them on to the next generation.

<obcommandlinegeek>
I know you mean dispell. But when I read that, the national source ispelling anti-war thoughts, I immediately went to myself "Huh, now they won't even let the rebels spell things wrong! That's really dictatorial.
</obcommandlinegeek>