About Time

I had a slightly surreal experience this morning. I have a clock that besides showing a digital readout on its face projects the time on to the ceiling. I just have to turn my head, look at the ceiling and see the time. I did that this morning and saw that it was 5:99. Hmmm. This somehow intrigued me though in my half awake state I wasn't exactly sure why. I even watched a few seconds wanting to see it turn 5:100. When I realized that there was something wrong I rolled all the way over and looked at the clock proper. It read 5:59. Looking back at the ceiling I confirmed that it definitely said 5:99. I then remembered that that second digit had taken to having a mind all its own, sometimes not even bothering to show up at all. So life settled back into its mostly understandable framework of reality. But even after I explained the mystery I still had a nagging little disappointment that I never got to see 5:100.

*Sigh*

Blue Avenger out


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Ho Ho Ho It's Magic

I've recently realized what I think is an interesting correlation between some of the ancient ideas about how magic works and elements of our modern technology.



The first idea is that names have power and that you can have power over something if you know its true name. This is corresponds to two elements of computer technology. The first is the password (true name) that gets you access to computer files. Passwords most definitely can give you power over many things. The second element is the true name and identity of that user at the other end of the keyboard connected to the world wide web. Anonymity gives people power to be whoever they say they are for whatever reason they want. Some of the reasons are innocuous but some are malevolent. Finding out their real identity dissipates their power and gives you the power to hold them accountable.



The second idea is that you can have power over somebody if you have a piece of them such as blood, hair or nail clippings. This sounds to me a lot like DNA testing. Although this isn't totally like a wizard casting a spell on you, in the near future DNA testing may allow doctors, using gene therapy, to cure conditions or even improve the human body.

The third idea is the ancient alchemists goal of changing lead into gold. With the advent of atomic theory and the standard model we have been able to a small degree turn one element into another. Though not done on a large scale, it is theoretically possible.

So, how do we account for what seems like correlations between some of the ideas of ancient magic and elements of our modern technology? Coincidence? Possibly. Keen insight by the minds of ancient people? Maybe. Or could it be that these represent archetypal concepts inherent in the structure of human thought? Beats me.

Something to think about.

Blue Avenger out


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Fixed

In my last post the hyperlink I set up for super duper games wasn't working right but I managed to fix it. (YAY for me!)

This is just for FYI. Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

Blue Avenger out.

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Super Duper New Year

I know that we are well under way in the new year with almost a dozen days gone by so I'm going to have to run a little to catch up. This is in part due to how I spent the first few days of this year which is to say that I was sick. I worked New Years Eve as I generally do after going out to dinner earlier in the evening with family. Then for the next three days I felt like a rabid camel with nails in it's tongue was licking the inside of my guts. Ah, sweet memories.

Anywho, enuf of that and on to this. I have a couple of small gifts for the blogoverse to celebrate the new year. First, there is a website that I'm regularly on called super duper games and I'm giving out the link right here. It is a website where you can play many abstract games against real people but not in real time. You make your move and then later they make their move and so on and so on. This can be done over several hours, days or even weeks. All the games are abstract type (think checkers and chess, although these aren't available there) and most are full info games though there are a few with some random elements. They also have tournaments (some even have prizes) and ladders. It's a nice community of players and you can find me there under the name BlueAvenger.

Second, Angel and I went to the Dodge theater on the 9th to see the Smothers Brothers. We really enjoyed it. One surprise was the opening act, a guy by the name of Chris Bliss. This guy was no kid and although he had obviously been around a while, I had never heard of him. He did a stand up routine that was very funny and very edgy. But the thing that I realy liked was that at the end of his act he did a juggling routine, which, although it used only three balls, was quite something. And now, if I can do this right I present to you a video of him from YouTube.

Makes me want to get back in practice my self.

Ya'all have a good new year and keep a positive outlook.

Blue Avenger out