Archive for November, 2007

Recently Chuck Norris has jumped on the Mike Huckabee bandwagon, prompting a wide array of feedback from the would-be voters. Which prompted me to do a little research, resulting in this overview of the Chuck Norris support platform.

So my real question is: why would i not vote for this guy?

Sociology is the study of patterns of social relationships. The other sciences seem to be the study of other sorts of relationships. H. Krebs, a lurker on this Coop, wonders why in the hell won’t anyone write a book about grand concepts that sweep across disciplines (philosophy, physics, law, biology, economics, religion, psychology, chemistry, anthropology, linguistics). She suggested we start with duality and brainstorm a list. So, I thought I’d start the list with duality, list some other things on my own, and the open it up for said storm of brains. Turns out, my list didn’t get any longer. I know this post is ridiculous, but as Tony Soprano would say with a shrug, whaddaya gonna do.

Duality. Examples: (wave/particle as in quantum mechanics) (mind/body as in Decartes) (signs/signifiers as in semiotics) (yin/yang) (id/superego as in psychoanlaysis) (mass/energy as in Einstein) (structuralism/poststructuralism) (modernity/postmodernity) (base/superstructure)

Note that many of these divide up the world into two, yet really describe them as one system in which opposing forces are at work to shape diachronic change–i.e., the unity of opposites, or more precisely and interestingly, dialectics, though it’s prob very passe to talk dialectics these days…but in case you think it’s only Marx and Hagel, note that it’s sort of an organizing concept in Taoism, too.

Okay, and I tried to think of some other things that can’t get lumped in the above taxonomy. Spirals/circular stuff…nope, that’s all wrapped up in an explanation of dialectics. Okay… entropy! There you go–thermodynamics, fragmentation, nyce. Except the more I think about that, the more I think that it’s just another way of thinking about the workings of the above concept. Stick with me, I’m an amateur at this:

So, within a system there is a continuum of forces generally divisible into two categories–e.g., the light and the dark side, in the Star Wars formulation, or the solid and the scattered, etc. There are two possible ways (probably both) that these two components of the binary articulate. 1) Synthesis: They build and play off each other (see, again, dialectics). 2) Entropy: They’re conflicting and increasingly falling to pieces.

It’s not bullet-proof, but it’s cool-sounding in my head right now. And the only other category of sweeping concepts that I can think of is power. Power is about how things (like those things above) interact, are subject to one another, relate to one another. There is power in both synthesis and in entropy. So it’s like the seran wrap concept that stretches across all the other concepts I came up with, and holds them together with its awesome explanatory power.

So power is the Occam’s razor of all theories (keeping in mind that within power, there are competing theories in the structuralist/post-structuralist vein, as in coercion/consent, Machiavelli/Foucault)? I’ll buy it. You?

There was some discussion of possibly adding Google AdSense to the Coop, us clicking whenever we check in, and then giving that revenue to a charity of our choice. I also think it might be nice to add one or both of these links to click-to-donate compendiums to the blogroll.

http://www.oneclickatatime.org/          http://www.thenonprofits.com/

Discussion on these possibilities?

And even more interesting, what are your charities of choice and why?

The physics world is abuzz. This 248-dimension structure (graphical representation and explanation of its immense size) has been solved. It is being sold by a surfer/physicist (no university affiliation) as the new grand unifying theory.

Two people protest a speech that Gonzales gives at UFL in the most peaceful and profound way.

The first protester, dressed as a Guantanamo detainee with a shirt that says “Civil Liberties,” gets on stage. Gonzales ignores the protester. Police come and silently whisk the protester away. The second protester, dressed as a liberal hippie, gets on stage carrying a banner that says “Habeas Corpus.” Again Gonzales is silent. Again the police whisk the protester away. The symbolism is great and transparent reminding us of the liberties that the Bushies have taken away from us in the past seven years.

I have seen a VW Beetle with an Immersive Media logo on the door in downtown Lawrence over the past few days. I think this means that Google is imaging Lawrence for their nifty, if not scary, Street Level view of Google Maps. I’ve didn’t see it driving, so maybe they were just stopping by for some sweet football action on their way to another destination.

What a fun way to take a work break!  Each vocab word you get right, they donate 10 grains of rice to someone somewhere.  What’s important is I am at vocab level 40.  Beat that!

freerice.com

I know he seems like a crazy person, but I think that is what we need. I’d vote for him over Obama and Hillary, even if they ran a combined ticket.

Vote right the first time so you don’t have to change you position later..

Approximately 66% of 3000 undergraduates at NYU said they would give up their right to vote for free tuition. What would you give up your right to vote for?

Personally, I find the thought of giving up my right to vote sickening. It is the one thing I have that can help dictate the direction of this country. I think voting matters so much that no crime should be punished more severely than voter fraud, tampering, or any other form of unfairly influencing a vote.

So currently in Dubai there is dwindling of oil reserves, a huge upsurge in international (US) investment, key members of staff who are receiving huge benefits from their positions in office via their deferred multi-million dollar stock option plans, and well, michael jackson.

Tourism in Dubai

About Dubai - Wikipedia Specifically read the Economy and Human Right and Labor sections.

Halliburton in Dubai

Halliburtion quarterly report has some kinks

Could someone please explain to me what the fuck is going on? I mean, you know, besides the obvious.

And, as a payoff for all of this noise, here’s Michael.

and i’ll add one more since i fucked up. (good call liz. way to keep me honest)

Michael is now normal?