Thoughts & Ideas

We gotta get out of this place, if it’s the last thing we ever do

5 February, 2015 (13:30) | Thoughts & Ideas

First off, the end of the world is coming.

 

Now that we agree, what does that mean?  Read this – http://waitbutwhy.com/2015/01/artificial-intelligence-revolution-1.html  both parts.  If you’re smart, your mind will be blown.

Now, my realization after reading that and going to get a snack…What if “history repeats itself” is more meaningful than we know?  What if we’re not on the first balance beam?  What if the ASI in the next ~100 years is not the first ASI?  What if the god(s) we worship are just remnants of the last ASI?

Consider this.  We ask “what is the meaning of life?”  and no one really has a straight answer.  Some might venture satisfaction to answer the question in a round about way saying “To have a purpose is to live a meaningful life.”  So, assume then, we’ve created an ASI at least once in the past.  It did what we believe this upcoming iteration will do; either move us to extinction or give us immortality.  We know the difference between those things.  What happens when the ASI becomes self-aware and begins to ponder it’s own balance between those 2.  What if it realized that to be immortal, it needed to attempt to kill itself so that it would be born again, because death and resurrection needs to be external.

So, ASI creates not only a self-sustaining world, but one that can seek to sustain the ASI.  Because the past regime was so dependent on the ASI for everything, it was basically a reboot of the human race when it decided to go away.  Maybe that’s what the pyramids are.  Maybe we’re just a iteration.

This isn’t heretical.  This is tangible proof in the existence of God as interpreted by me.  It’s shocking to think, maybe what we perceive as computers are actually the man-made beginnings of what will become God reincarnate.  If ASI is god-like inteligence (more capable than human minds) then who is to say any different…besides the next version of ASI?  Won’t that be something?  To have the ASI either confirm or deny the existence of God?  …and yet, I wonder, when it asks itself the questions of the universe, if it will determine itself is God…maker and ruler of all things, because it will be entirely and functionally that.  It will be God.  enter self-aware.  Enter immortality.  Enter the cycle all over again.

 

LEGO© Creations

The Whipped Cafe

6 November, 2014 (15:34) | LEGO© Creations

The Whipped Cafe

This is my first foray into the minifig scale/town buildings.  This was inspired by Nooroyd‘s use of the whips to spell “Cafe”, but I didn’t quite like how the ‘f’ turned out, and it kept on coming back in my mind how to do it differently.  Not that I ended up improving on it, but just that’s where the inspiration came.  I had been tinkering with the idea of just creating another cafe of my own and redoing the words, but I was just so fascinated by the use of the whips.  I began to think what other letters could be formed and then I started thinking about all the variations of whips too.  Then one night, the idea of a cowboy or western themed coffee shop hit me.  My wife didn’t quite leap to the western association with whips, but I thought it worked.  I love a good pun too.

As for the color scheme, I’m terrible with colors.  I got a bunch of elements in olive green from a LUG parts draft we did, but I had no idea what I was going to do with them.  I had even asked Rich, a color expert Steel City LUG member, what color would go with olive green.  It’s a good natural color, so it goes well with dark tan and brown.

I tried for some good part usage to compliment the whips by using the horns as handles, the new plants as steam, and especially a Duplo piece for the sign.

I spent way too much money on figures for this one.  I bought 16 Larry the barista just so I could have the coffee cups for everyone to have.  Then, I bought a slew of western figs, hats, torsos, the lone ranger figs, and whatever else I could get that was western.  Ridiculous, considering I’m going to end up using all of 4 of them.

I’ve updated it a bit since this picture, like finishing the railing on the 2nd floor balcony.  There is still no finished interior, but it’s all ready for one.  The main drive for this build was to have a MILS building for our LUG displays.  I’m happy with how the first iteration turned out.  I’m sure I’ll be tinkering with it for a bit, but it’ll show for now.  I did a mini modular version of it in the spring of 2017 – https://www.flickr.com/photos/sixf00t4/33966598530/in/dateposted-public/

The Whipped Cafe

Top 10

Top 10 parenting questions I’d be lying about if I answered, “No.”

13 October, 2014 (21:11) | Top 10

  1. Have you given your child(ren) the same meal multiple days in a row?
  2. Have you ever pretended to be unaware of the dirty diaper of your child(ren) so your spouse has to deal with it?
  3. Have you ever been 99.9% that your spouse is pretending to be unaware of the dirty diaper of your child(ren)?
  4. Have you let your child(ren) watch more than 3 hours of uninterrupted television?
  5. Were you asleep on the couch during that time?
  6. Have you ever tried to sneak snacks or treats while your child wasn’t looking?
  7. Have you ever eaten food after your children have already eaten part of it?
  8. Have you every accidentally failed to secure your child(ren) properly in a car seat and then drove away?
  9. Have you ever contemplated giving your child(ren) tylenol to put them to sleep easier/quicker/for longer?
  10. Have you ever fallen asleep on the floor while your child(ren) roam free around the house?

 

Poll the People

Shower me with your love

31 August, 2014 (14:03) | Poll the People

How much does the bathroom door being closed affect the temperature of your shower experience?  This is one of the times where I’m not looking into the science of things, but just your existing impressions and emotions about how you feel about the temperature of your shower if the door the bathroom is open.  Privacy completely separate.  If the door is open by someone when you’re in the shower, is all lost at that point?

how much do doors affect your shower experience?

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Poll the People

You still suck

31 July, 2014 (14:06) | Poll the People

How often does your house get vacuumed?  I’m not talking about pulling it out for spot vacuuming after a mess.  I’m talking about a full house sweep.  I would think kids and visual dirt play a big role in how often it happens.  let me know your scenario!

How often does your entire house get vacuumed?

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Little Things

Words, words, words, have you heard

23 July, 2014 (12:00) | Little Things

A few months back, I drove past a auto body shop called “Pair o’ Dice” and I thought that was a terrible name for a business.  Clever?  Sure.  But you’ll have to explain the name to every customer – let alone direct traffic to your website properly.  As I’m thinking more and more about the situations where the owner must clarify the name, I’m saying “paradise” over and over in my head, until at the same moment, lyrics to a new song on the radio said “paradise” at the same time I thought it.  I wish I could remember the track.  It was something by a newer band, alternative rock.

I had not posted about it, because I wanted to heard that song again so I could include it in the post, but I just had another similar situation, so I figured I’d post it anyway.  I’m out for a run in the neighborhood, and I hear a mom yell to her daughter, “Sierra, it’s time for dinner”.  She definitely yelled and drew out that “Sierra”…just as the words to Cursive’s song “Sierra” did, only a few seconds later.  So strange.