Planet Atheism » Polymath

A Consistent Schedule for Spring!

Polymath — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:15:00 +0000

Alright, so, I'm feeling very optimistic today. It took my basically the entire day to clean the living room and the front bedroom yesterday, but I did it. I think that's why I ended up oversleeping on my naps. When Boyfriend returned home from class in the evening, he seemed quite pleased--although, he returned a little earlier than I expected, so that threw a bit of a monkey wrench into the surprise.

So, on the itinerary for today:

Change graduation date.
Continue Outline for SciFi Novel

and make website

Nap 10:00-10:30 AM

Take out more recycling

Wash dishes

Begin cleaning back bedroom

perhaps finish?

In Defense of Vampirism X: Another Failure

Polymath — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:48:00 +0000

Did a lot of cleaning in the apartment, overslept on all naps since four o'clock in the morning. Feeling annoyed, but well rested and ready to resume cleaning efforts. The Boyfriend will be getting home at about seven o'clock tonight and I would like to have most of the apartment done. Blah blah blah. Looks like I'm going to be heading back to another drawing board.

After I got my tax refund, I scrambled to get my hands on a Playstation 3 Slim. I've been dying to play the Playstation games I bought almost a year ago when my last PS 3 conked out after 45 minutes. I checked Amazon obsessively every day to make sure it was in stock, and then a few days before my refund came, it went out of stock--and all that was left was the really expensive ones.

So, I did some searching and I saw that J&R had the 250GB for $350, and I checked J&R obsessively until the refund was deposited into my account. That same day, I ordered the PS3 from J&R, thinking that it would be the saving grace for my problems of staying awake. Only to get an e-mail a couple of days ago saying that the PS3 is on backorder, and that they should be arriving "soon" and "shortly." The page was only updated to "temporarily out of stock" after I ordered and so I have no idea if when it actually went out of stock--and I'm annoyed as hell. I feel like this is a repeat of last time: My money's spent, and my decent selection of Playstation 3 games are sitting around collecting more dust. I'd heard of brick and mortar shortages, but everyone kept saying to just get one online, and that turned out not to be of any help either. Now I'm thinking I should have just forked over the extra money for the more expensive one. Wah.

In Defense of Vampirism IX: Some Success

Polymath — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:51:00 +0000

As per my latest attempt to adopt a polyphasic sleep schedule (more specifically, a dymaxion sleep schedule), I've had some mild success. I've been getting about four hours of sleep for every 24 hour period--which is not the desired two hour total amount of sleep, but I think I'm getting there. Being on the computer, doing research on novel writing or some other such thing usually helps. I've been having a lot of ideas for stories, and I'm attempting to stay focused on one at a time. This is one driving factor behind staying awake: finishing my novel.

Unfortunately, another thing that's been helping to keep me awake is nightmares. If I sleep for longer than I should, I usually end up having a nightmare. It's been like this for as long as I can remember. Before starting a polyphasic sleep schedule, I'd have nightmares too frequently to ever enjoy sleeping--this became much worse when I got to college. A little over a year ago, I tried seeing a psychologist at school, but they began to outsource their services to psychologists in the area, and I just didn't have the money for that. I've recently attempted, yet again, to reach out to Psychological Services, telling them that I don't have insurance and cannot afford an outside psychologist, but I have received no answer. I will try calling them again. I fear that these problems will only compound if I do not talk to a professional about what I've been feeling and what I've been going through--and I think I have a sneaking suspicion of what it is...

Also, although I still watch documentaries with some frequency, I have taken a break from the news for a while. Right now, all I'd like to focus on is getting a lot of fiction and nonfiction reading done, planning my class schedule for the next Fall semester, and writing. I'm reading Yevgeny Zamyatin's We. I am really enjoying it. I'm struck by how well Zamyatin created a familiar, but different, language of the future. And I'm hoping that with more practice, I'll be able to compete with minds like his. I know I am not alone in this.

In any case, for now, writing, reading, and watching good anime is going to have to serve as my therapy until someone at school will see me. Keeping some kind of a consistent schedule going will be a good help, in addition to making sure that I don't feel as though I'm not honing my writing skills. I'm still feeling hopeful.

In Defense of Vampirism VIII: The Fourth Drawing Board

Polymath — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:38:00 +0000

As the title suggests, this is going to be the fourth time I start a polyphasic sleep schedule from scratch. I was nearly nodding off in all of my classes, and my exhaustion and lack of concentration was no doubt very obvious to my professors, so I decided to just try to sleep monophasically, but minimally. I ended up sleeping about six hours a night. After six hours of sleep each night, I would feel groggy, grumpy, and just plain... mummified. Not to mention, every time I turned around, I had a ton of reading to do for my classes and seemingly no time to do it.

Taking time to cook, clean, eat, do homework, and then sleep for six hours a night seemed to be impossible. The apartment was becoming an insurmountable mess, and this was also taking its toll on my concentration and calm. In addition to all this, my nightmares returned. My eyes would pop open in the darkness in the middle of the night, and my heart would be beating a mile a minute. I then realized why I thought polyphasic sleep was such a good idea in the first place. During a polyphasic sleep schedule, even Everyman, I'm not in a rush to get anything done. I can do all of my homework, get a lot of cleaning and clutter attacks underway, run errands, go to class, eat healthy and still have time to watch a movie with the Boyfriend, or work on my extracurricular writing projects. And I accomplish these things even without completely adapting. This is why I have to keep trying.

So, I'm thinking of enacting some new tactics. For one, I find it hard to sleep for too long when there's music playing, so I've decided to try to have some music in the background of my naps. I'll also continue some of my other tactics for staying awake, such as washing my face with peppermint soap, cold water, putting the alarm clock across the room. Another new tactic lifted from Steve Pavlina's blog: Don't think too far ahead! I realized that (especially during my first attempt), I was trying to plan my entire daily and weekly schedule--and deviating from the schedule was just more unnecessary stress. I'll do what I need to get done, and then I'll do what I want when I have time remaining.

I'm hoping (!) that this will be my last attempt. A successful one.

Eastern Coast Blanketed by Another Winter Blast

Polymath — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:35:00 +0000

I suppose I'm in the "Snow Lover" category. While I'm extremely vulnerable to the cold, I do love winter, and I think snow is one of the coolest things this planet offers. Hah.

On the other hand, the weather is definitely going to interfere with the two job interviews I have this week. That means walking to the interview in snow boots and then changing out of them as soon as I get to the designated Interview Room. I definitely don't want to look disheveled and wet during an interview.

In Defense of Vampirism VII: The Third Drawing Board

Polymath — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:19:00 +0000

Alright. I know my legions of adoring fans have been sitting around wondering, "Where is Ursula...?" Fear not, I have returned!

But anyway.

So. This is going to be my third joust with polyphasic sleep (in particular, the Dymaxion Sleep Schedule). With the start of classes, it was extremely difficult for me to fit in my noon nap, and my six o'clock evening nap into my schedule. So I ended up returning to my biphasic sleep habits. I was trying to maintain the same sleep schedule with a full class schedule--and it wasn't working. So, it dawned on me (yeah, I know, Genius Alert) that I had to change my sleep schedule. I have changed my 6-12-6-12 nap schedule to 4-10-4-10. That will enable me to have my full day of class without worrying about trying to squeeze in ten or twenty minute naps here and there. I'm hoping this schedule will be transferable to other semesters, since the nap times don't typically coincide with class times.

These times are also more likely to coincide with business hours, so I can take a nap at the library or the student center without worrying about looking like a homeless person rather than a student. I would prefer not to make a spectacle of myself, although it's very possibly unavoidable.

By the way, sleeping biphasically/monophasically reminded me of one of the reasons why I decided to begin polyphasic sleeping in the first place: nightmares and night terrors. It's a truly wonderful thing not to be scared of going to sleep, not knowing what kind of emotional turmoil your dreams will bestow upon you. The Boyfriend complains about my polyphasic sleep attempts, but he forgets all the times I've woken him up during the night screaming or crying. And I'd prefer not to refresh his memory. Sleep has never been my friend--for as long as I can remember, so it's time I just kick sleep's ass.

Unfortunately, I just don't have time to make videos everyday, but maybe I'll make videos once a week or once a month. If I can find some decent open source video editing software, that would be great. Although, the computer labs may already have Final Cut Pro--I'll have to check. Minimizing my rambling would be a really great thing.

Wish me luck on my umpteenth dymaxion sleep experiment!

No Shortage of Mouth-Breathers

Polymath — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 07:08:00 +0000

What Have I Done?

Polymath — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:28:00 +0000

In light of all the political issues I would like to discuss, in order to perhaps associate myself with the online, twenty-first century civil rights movement, I have decided to create another blog specifically for that purpose. I have called it In Vinculis, and it will serve as a place for me to discuss political matters without feeling like I'm crowding out all of the other things I would like to write about, namely my polyphasic sleep schedule, finishing my degree, delving into mathematical and scientific pursuits, and continuing to pursue my own literary pursuits as well.

While I realize that my political writings and my more personal development-related writings don't have to be separate, I think including my political writings on this blog may take some of the focus off of the plethora of other topics I would like to explore. I will be focusing on issues relating mostly to atheism, the relation between science and politics, corruption, and issues relating to those of us who are a part of the African diaspora. I will be exploring these issues from a local, national, and international spectrum. I hope I will be able to keep with it in light of my busy class schedule.

So, if you're at all interested in that, feel free to check it out. It's quite new and I have yet to properly promote it.

This is Why You Should Fear the Tea Party: Scott Brown

Polymath — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 14:50:00 +0000

Just like Glenn Beck said they would, the Tea Partiers have managed to get one of their guys in office--in Massachusetts. I have not yet been able to find out if Scott Brown is himself a Tea Partier, or if he is merely a Tea Party sympathizer. Either way, the fact that they endorse him is bad enough. With far less money earned and spent, Brown somehow managed to convince Massachusetts that he had their best interests at heart. The hand voting results for Massachusetts favor Coakley 51.12% to Brown's 47.77%. The Diebold counted votes just about mirror the hand counted votes in favor of Brown, and there are more machine voting locations than hand counting locations. Some of those commenting on that Black Box Voting article say that it is difficult to determine if the difference in hand counted votes versus machine counted votes is because of the possibility of a more liberal western Massachusetts as opposed to a possibly more conservative eastern Massachusetts. Either way, I think Coakley did herself and her supporters a great disservice by conceding.

On the Virtue of Theft: Looting in Haiti

Polymath — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 03:33:00 +0000

Google the phrase "looters prowling" and see how many articles you can find using that phrase in reference to Haiti.

The media and the U.N. have been prematurely pressing the panic button about the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake since day one. How are people who have been stranded for days supposed to survive if they don't take food and supplies from the rubble? How many more people are going to have to die waiting for help?

Vendors in Haiti are trying to sell fruits, vegetables, and meats. Does this make any sense? In a city that has been completely toppled by a natural disaster, how many people are going to have a couple bucks on their person to purchase food? How about... not a single goddamn person. I find it disgusting and disturbing that opportunists--the States included--are not being called out for their bullshit rhetoric and posturing. Oh man, brave former President Clinton is helping to chuck packs of water with the lowly military and aid peons. I guess he didn't notice the fucking camera staring him in the face?

The second link above casually mentions that a couple of "looters" have already been shot dead in Haiti by the police--and some witnesses say that others were brutalized by the Jordanian force. Neocolonialism at its height...

And then there are the people who take things like stereos and clothing. So...? Is that worth shooting into a crowd of presumably innocent people because some are stealing stereos? As if any of the shit sitting under the rubble would be of use to the person who owns the establishment now or in the near future?

Is this logic seriously warped, or is it just me?

Clinton and Bush Look to Haiti’s Future

Polymath — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:02:00 +0000

Clinton and Bush got together in a robotic performance both on stage with Obama and then on television to urge people to send money to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. Bush, as terse as always says, "Just send your cash."

Now, I think it's obviously a good thing that the current and former presidents are getting together to call for a sustained effort in Haiti--this will bring more attention to the relief effort and to the horrendous conditions in which too many people are living, but why are people being discouraged from sending water, blankets, and other tangible items? Why are people being urged to simply "send cash?" The Clinton Foundation claims that "one hundred percent of your donation will be used for Haiti relief efforts," and Bush's charity says that 99% of the money they receive will go to Haiti relief efforts. If we are to assume that this is true, then when, exactly, do they plan on getting this money to Haiti? People are dying now, people are thirsty now, people are hungry and scared now. How is this money going to help anyone in the short term?

The answer?

It won't.

The American Red Cross--just one organization--has already raised about $12,000,000 since the earthquake tore through Haiti, and yet people are still dying in the streets; people are still hungry and thirsty, people are still suffering from the collapse of buildings, from the heat, and from anguish. And people in the areas surrounding Port au Prince are being completely ignored. But go ahead, just send your cash and they'll be sure to save tons of lives.

I dare say, the US is a little more interested in Haiti's future, than its present. For instance, after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Ray Nagin toppled public housing in order to make the poor invisible to all the affluent yuppies he was trying to attract to the city. Do I think something similar will happen with Haiti? Absolutely. But this isn't just about money. Haiti is also auspiciously close to Cuba and will serve as an ominous presence to the country. So, rest assured. This isn't all about money. It's also about power.

The Relief Effort in Haiti

Polymath — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:43:00 +0000

Just like the relief effort after Hurricane Katrina, there have been mythological tales of uncontrollable darkies attempting to steal from the more prosperous Dominican Republic. Some of it could very well be true, and some of it has already turned out to be flat out lies. This should come as no surprise. One report claimed that looters were "prowling" the streets intermingling with crowds, presumably to avoid detection.

Are you kidding me?

Looting is the last damn thing the UN peacekeepers or the States should be worrying about right now. Getting people drinkable water, food, and medical attention is only... a MILLION times more important. And as the people of Haiti walk and sleep amongst their dead, they will understandably become more desperate and more angry. Focusing on the "looting" and "security" displays an ignorance that never ceases to desist.

I've been seeing a lot of ads on news websites of charitable organizations with slogans like, "Act Now to Help the People of Haiti," and I can't help but wonder how much of that message is sincere and how much of that sincerity is feigned in the face of the Almighty Dollar. What percentage of those millions of dollars is going to the relief effort and how much of it is going to the pockets of the CEO's? That, amongst many things, will determine how much aid Haiti is going to be able to get.

Wyclef Jean's Yele is definitely one organization that is legitimately trying to get funds to Haiti. He says they're going to need a millions dollars a day, because the next few days are crucial, as more people continue to die.

Just a couple links, of many, that I've come across online:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100115/ts_ynews/ynews_ts1059
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8460574.stm

Goals for my Short, Measly Life I: Make My Own Clothes

Polymath — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:46:00 +0000

I'm a target market. I accept that. People expend a great deal of money and time trying to attract buyers in my demographic for any number of things that they are trying to convince me that I need. But that doesn't mean I have to buy into it. And aside from books (which are available at the neighborhood and college library), there really isn't much that I need aside from the basics.

I do a majority of my shopping online--this includes clothes shopping. So while I'm perusing the internet catalogs looking to replace my tattered rags, I often come out empty cart-ed. In the end, although I have far fewer clothing items than most of the people I know, I just don't find it worth it to spend money on something that I'm not ecstatic about wearing. Unless I'm absolutely in love with some item of clothing for one reason or another, I'm not buying it. I end up buying books and just forgetting about the whole enterprise altogether.

So, I recently began to wonder why that happens with such regularity. I enjoy fashion. I enjoy wearing clothes in vibrant colors, and experimenting with a number of different looks. So why don't I just fork up the dough and call it a day? Well, I realized that although I enjoy fashion, I'm not particularly fond of the fashion trends of today. What I desperately need is a Polymath Clothing Store, where I can explore a vast variety of clothing options that don't include ironic/moronic statements on cheap t-shirts, or pocketbooks made of yarn for that (never convincing) DIY look.

Then I remembered, that as a young lass, I often made clothes for my dolls, and crocheted simple little items just for the hell of it. Why in the world did I stop? If I had kept at it, I bet I could be a pretty damn good seamstress at this point.

And so...

I made a pledge that by 2011, I want to be making a majority of my clothes. Panties, bras, and shoes are things that I'll leave to the mega-corporations or the independent stores just for the sake of maintaining sanity, but other than that, I don't see why I shouldn't embark on my own personal fashion line. I have also pledged that if I do decide to buy clothing, I will only buy clothing from thrift stores--and adjust it as I see fit.

Obviously, in order to embark upon this one among many of my life's prospective journeys, I'm going to need adequate supplies. I have been searching the internet far and wide for affordable supplies. The most expensive item I will have to purchase is a sewing machine. It's entirely possible for me to sew by hand, but that would take ages considering the clothing that I've been fantasizing about. The following is a preliminary list of things for which I am going to have to keep an eye out:

Sewing machine
Fabric of various sorts
Sewing Table
Sewing and yarn needles
Yarn
Crochet needles of various sizes
Knitting needles of various sizes
Dress form (to be purchased in the distant future)
Caddies for storage
Patterns
Buttons
Embroidery machine (to be purchased in the distant future)

Doing my own kinky twist extensions has opened and reopened a whole world of DIY possibilities.

Why I Watch "9/11 Truth" Documentaries

Polymath — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:02:00 +0000

It wasn't until the end of the last decade that I was able to watch footage from 9/11 without an overwhelming feeling of fear and sadness. At the time, my mother worked in Lower Manhattan a couple blocks away from the Twin Towers, and if she hadn't had an early appointment that morning she would have been in one of the lower floors of the World Trade Center, at the end of her commute. And only now, a little over eight years later, have I been able to watch footage without crying.

I lived and went to high school in Jersey City, New Jersey. I could see the Statue of Liberty and the Twin Towers from my school and from my house, if I tried hard enough. In the beginning of my precalculus class, a student burst in saying something akin to, "The Twin Towers have been hit!" Time crept by, and hardly anyone in the class spoke. There was a television in the classroom, but it didn't have channels. So all the news we received was delayed by ten, fifteen, or twenty minutes. Footage of the second plane hitting looped over and over again. Time crept by, and hardly anyone in the class spoke.

At some point, the kid returned and said, "The Twin Towers are gone." His eyes were wide, hands sweeping horizontally as if someone had taken a broom and swept them up.

Someone asked, "What do you mean 'gone'"?

He said, "They're gone. They're not there anymore." Again he left without anyone noticing.

I remember looking toward the window in the general direction of the city, but I couldn't see anything. I thought about that morning. I thought about the thin stream of yellow light coming from my mother's bedroom door--the door ajar. I had assumed she was getting dressed, so I decided not to bust in on her. I said, "Okay, Mommy, I'm leaving." I didn't hear any response. I said, "Mommy? I'm leaving," this time a little louder. Still no response. I knocked a bit. I figured she was in the shower. I left.

They made us stay in school the whole day, but I desperately wanted to go home. I heard stories of cell phone conversations cut short by the disaster, students crying. What I saw was people in crowds, people shuffling their way out, people talking. I don't remember hearing anything.

On the way to the bus, I saw the plume of smoke above distant buildings. I stared, transfixed and mute. I said nothing until I got home. My mother was already there. She had already changed from her business attire. She came up to me, held me, and said something like, "Finally, the last baby to come home." On television was the face of Osama bin Laden. My mother had a bad cough for weeks afterward.

This was my freshman year of high school--the beginning of my young adulthood.

Shortly thereafter, my mother was laid off. She never worked in Manhattan again. She has since never had a job that has paid as well as the one she lost. Before 9/11, according to household income, we were lower middle class. Afterward, according to household income, we were lower class. The very day I started college, she moved to Ohio. Life isn't easier out there, but she likes it.

I watch "9/11 Truth" documentaries not because I think "9/11 was an inside job," but because they show, in great detail, how the bluster of the American government, the sterility of the American media, and the supposed superiority of American society is all nonsense. We are a corrupt and posturing nation that has failed our own people and has committed itself to the slaughter of brown people in other nations. We are so obsessed with "business as usual," that we abandon our humanity in the face of the Almighty Dollar.

The complete lack of security, the request that those who evacuated Tower 1 return to their offices, the inability of fire fighters to communicate with one another, the lack of proper medical care for the first responders, the lies told to the first responders as to the surrounding air's safety, the lies told to laypeople in order to further justify an absurd war, and the continued fear-mongering rhetoric in the face of an epic failure--all of these things point to an incompetent, corrupts government that favors death and destruction rather than peace, liberty, or civil rights.

It seems pretty obvious to me.

Rational Response Squad Tells Me I’m Stupid for Pointing Out Sexist Ad

Polymath — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 13:58:00 +0000

ME: As a woman atheist, I find it a little disturbing that your google ads
feature a busty white woman in a tiny cop suit as a means of getting
attention. How is the objectification of women okay for the fight against
irrationality? This cheap means of advertising also excludes women and
non-white atheists from rational discourse, since its target audience is
clearly young white men. There must be another way to get your message out
there.

RRS: I run about 15 different ads. The one you're objecting to is clicked 10 times more frequently, this includes clicks from women. We pay per impression, not clicks, so the most rational thing to do is run the ad you object to more often. If we had the budget of the Vatican things would be different.

ME: Simply because women are included in the people who click the ad doesn't mean it's not sexist. The ends don't justify the means, and as a black woman atheist, I'm offended.

RRS: Be offended at humanity, as I am. Don't misdirect your frustration, you do so by directing your frustration at us.

ME: My anger does indeed also rest with the ills of humanity, but I have a very good reason to be frustrated with your organization and organizations like yours who would propagate the ills of humanity to suit your own ends. I think doing so does your organization a disservice. Sexism is a huge problem with many of the world's major religions, and to shrug off sexism as a necessity in the fight against irrationality seems to be counterproductive. I suppose you also misdirect your frustrations with Christian apologists and Intelligent Design proponents when you attack them and their followers for misrepresenting science and their own doctrines in order to suit their own ends? I suppose the best thing to do would be to shut down the Rational Response Squad and say, "What the hell--we can't possibly win the fight against irrationality, and that's that."

But you won't do that. You won't shrug off the hurtful mythology of some religions, because their ideas can be dangerous for scientific discovery, politics, public education, and people's lives. Your fight is important--you recognize that. But then you would denigrate or downplay the fights of others for the sake of convenience. I find this irresponsible.

RRS: Honestly I find it disgusting that one would assume that an ad is sexist simply because it portrays an attractive woman. Such thinking to me is irrational, illogical, and downright stupid. I thought you should know.

At what point in fighting for women to be accepted or being treated equally did you despise attractive women being models?

Your argument needs to be taken up with any man that would derive a lower opinion of women as a result of the ads, not the people running the ads.

This conversation will not go anywhere from here. We've had this argument dozens of times. We've ended up feeling that people arguing cases like yours are just as irrational as the religious people we seek to save from their beliefs.

So be offended... we are of you.

________________________________________________________________

After that I didn't respond. I didn't see the point. I thought I was being decently civil in demonstrating my points, but apparently I'm an idiot because I'm attempting to point out their hypocrisy. This is why I can't bring myself to join certain organizations or align myself with any official groups--I'm way too hesitant to label myself.

I never said the ad was offensive because it had an attractive woman in it. Because first of all, the woman isn't attractive. I'm no supermodel, but I have no reason to feel threatened by some anonymous figure in an ad. I'm confident enough in myself and I don't feel guilty for it. The only reason I decided to e-mail the Rational Response Squad in the first place is because I frequent a number of atheist blogs that run Google Ads on their sites and that ridiculous ad with the busty white woman in the cop suit was getting on my nerves. How can one make claims to progressivism while making ads that explicitly exclude non-white atheists and women who do not approve of objectifying other women? This kind of nearsightedness is what causes people like me to reject organizations like the Rational Response Squad even though I believe in many of the same things they do.

Did I ask them to pull the ad? No. Obviously, they can advertise any way they see fit. But that doesn't mean that I have to automatically align myself with an organization simply because they are atheists. Is it so much to ask to be included in popular discourse? Is it so much to ask that my opinions and perspectives be given respect?

The Oxford English Dictionary, defines objectification as such:

1. The action or an act of objectifying something; a material thing which embodies or expresses an abstract idea, principle, etc.

2. spec. The demotion or degrading of a person or class of people (esp. women) to the status of a mere object (see OBJECTIFY v. 2); reification; (also) behaviour or an attitude characterized by this.
sexual objectification: the regarding of a person or class of people (esp. women) only as a sex object.

Hello? Is this not what they are doing when their most prominent ad is one of a woman with her boobs hanging out and her skirt hiked up? Not to mention, they didn't even try to counter my points on the exclusion of non-whites. Go ahead. Go to their site. Check out all of their banners and ads. All of the ads that feature people--are of white people. These people would presume to be the saviors of rationality? While they become irrationally angry with me for pointing out something that I think is pretty damn obvious?

One of their ads features a woman in camouflage holding up a badge, and looking straight into the camera--fully clothed. This woman is presumably also attractive, so why not show that ad a bunch of times all over the internet?

Did I attack any of them personally? No. I expressed frustration at their tactics, while also telling them that I realize their cause is important. Rationality is extremely important, but one must also have principles.

In Defende of Vampirism VI: The Second Drawing Board

Polymath — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:26:00 +0000

I'm definitely going to have to purchase Pure Doxyk's book about polyphasic sleep at some point. The holidays ripped me to shreds, and I'm going to have to start from Square One. But that's okay. New Years' is a nice holiday, but I haven't cared about it for years--and I'm not going to stop now. So, starting today, I am going to attempt to adjust to a dymaxion sleep schedule. Again.

The good thing, however, is that I have designated one of my notebooks to story ideas, poems, and drafts of the first and second order. So I'm working on some of the details of my sci fi novel and I'm still working on my sci fi poem! I'm also hoping to write a research paper or two at some point, but I don't want to get too caught up in planning too many projects.

Old White Men Aren’t the Only Outspoken Atheists

Polymath — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 07:12:00 +0000

I get tired of watching YouTube videos of Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins, crossing my fingers, hoping that at some point they will begin to revise their arguments against Creationists/Christians who ask questions like, "How can you have a strict moral code as an atheist?" or "How can you restrict the science classroom by telling teachers they can't at least offer intelligent design as an alternative to natural selection?" Please excuse me while I take some time out to slowly move my cupped fist over my large, imaginary phallus.

The only decent, non-scripted, unrehearsed debate concerning intelligent design versus evolution is one that took place over ten years ago at Seton Hall. The video is provided below.

Of course, because this debate is about science and not morality, those kinds of questions do not get asked. Although towards the end (if I remember correctly) Buckley basically says that he isn't convinced by the evidence behind the theory of evolution because he doesn't like the idea. Seriously. That's what he said.

The only debates I've seen since that point have been focused on big-headed rabble rousers giving the same answers to the same questions. Yeah, yeah. "You know what they say about the definition of insanity," etc. They seem to believe that if you appeal to a person's logical sensibilities, then that person has no choice, but to start seeing things from your point of view. This is CLEARLY not the case. There are tons of intelligent, religious people who think kids should be singing christmas carols in schools and that the Gap has no right to mention non-believers in their commercials. It's about emotions, and because prominent atheists have already indulged in the drama component of the believer/non-believer divide, then they need to be dismissed, in my opinion. Once you offend people, they stop listening. Obviously.

This is not to suggest, however, that I also do not feel a great sense of rage when believers deign to tell me what I can do with my vagina, but engaging in the rage game gets nobody nowhere fast. (Double negatives intended.)

Also, I would really love if young, influential progressives such as The Young Turks would be a little more outspoken about their agnosticism or atheism. Just say it! Just tell people you're a goddamn heathen! But "the young people" that matter probably haven't even figured out that they are atheists, and would most likely not be willing to discuss such things for fear of ostracism.

...To which I say: Fuck that!

I'm going to include myself, Ursula the Polymath, in that list of young, cantankerous atheists who are sick and tired of being told to just shut up and say "Merry Christmas." In the upcoming days, weeks, months, and for eternity, I will be posting links, videos, and analysis of debates involving evolution and atheism--in addition to providing you with my first-hand account of my polyphasic sleep experiment, independent learning, and a section I am currently working on called "Polymath Required Reading." (You can also take a look at the Budding Polymath Show for some videos about my sleep experiment.)

Don't coddle your delusions! Open your mind, instead.

Coddling Your Delusions

Polymath — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:59:00 +0000

The ghost orchid is one of few ghosts that can actually be said to exist. But the idea that there are a select few who can contact ghosts, or the "dearly departed," is one that persists.

After a tense conversation a couple of nights ago with a couple I respect, they each insisted that John Edward and Edgar Cayce are legitimate -- that John Edward can contact the deceased and Edgar Cayce made any accurate predictions, assertions, or medical diagnoses. Afterward, the Boyfriend told me it was better not to press the matter with the aforementioned couple. And his insistence that it would do no good only made me search that much more vehemently for proof and examples of their folly. I wanted to make my case clear, and after obsessing over these people (the supposed psychics), I realized that perhaps there is no point trying to discuss the "supernatural" or the "paranormal" with intelligent, seemingly logical people who simply want to believe that there are such forces and entities that govern our lives.

Am I the ignorant one? Should I simply silence myself? Is this a futile enterprise? More than likely, the answer is "yes" to all of these questions. But with enough calm discussion, and the presentation of what I think are sensible arguments, intelligent people should be able to be reached.

Of course, the subject of self deception is nothing new. Although I can't cite the exact studies here, I had read and heard (NPR) that at least generally speaking, people who lie to themselves are happier and tend to succeed more than those who are pessimistic or realistic about their abilities; religious people tend to be happier. There is a correlation here, of course. So when you tell someone that John Edward is a cold reader who most likely used skillful editing to skew his accuracy and Edgar Cayce was spacey (rhyme not intended) even as a kid, there tends to be a long, uncomfortable silence from the opposing party. (There are many books on self-deception that, unfortunately, I can't afford, but hope one day to be able to buy. Right now, I'm just going to work on getting a library card.)

It seems that leaving people alone to their faiths is a good idea, but the more people believe ridiculous things, the more influence they have over the people who do not. If you can, find a clip of John Edward on Crossing Over that's at least five minutes long -- then compare it to Derren Brown's cold reading exercise of the same ilk. Then tell me again that John Edward can listen to the dead.

"It's all bullshit folks. It's all bullshit, and it's bad for ya."

In Defense of Vampirism V: The Drawing Board

Polymath — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:10:00 +0000

A combination of persistent poverty, attempting to adjust to a polyphasic sleep schedule, and the holidays do not bode well for trying to stay healthy and get a decent amount of exercise. In my video titled, "Polymath's Dymaxion Sleep Schedule Experiment: Cycle 4," I had temporarily managed to keep my sleep schedule consistent for one 24 hour period of time. But with going back and forth between the Boyfriend's parents' house, and our apartment, I just haven't had the kind of consistency needed for the adjustment. Right now, I'm back to a de facto Everyman Sleep Schedule. I've been working on this now for at least a couple of weeks, and it's not getting easier with all of the mistakes I've been making. I need some kind of a regular schedule where I can just be alone and do what it is I need to do.

I started trying to get healthier this passed summer, and it was working, but all of my effort is going down the drain with all the goddamn food that people want me to eat all the time. That's one of the problems with being a young adult surrounded by older people, is that they always seem to think you're starving to death--when I clearly am not.

No, I don't want that fiftieth helping of mashed potatoes! No, thank you, I don't want any more chocolates, or muffins, or biscuits, or cakes, or pies, or cookies, or pig lard! And you just can't say these things loud enough. I don't even like sweets anymore, but these days it's like they're the only thing to eat. The only breakfast carbohydrates available are in the form of danishes or cupcakes. This Binge Fest people call the holiday season is probably one of the most infuriating times of the year for me. And I love food! Don't get me wrong. But I really start to hate it when eating it is the only goddamn thing I seem to be doing with my time. And being uncomfortably full makes it that much more difficult to wake up when I need to.

Not to mention, I've been worried about getting some exercise in when I'm adjusting to the dymaxion sleep schedule because I'm worried that working out before adapting means not waking up on time. But at this rate, it's not going to make any difference. The longer I wait to adjust, the more time I have to sit around and get fat, and it's driving me crazy.

When my sister got married, and I got a look at the pictures of myself, I had to face the facts: I'm overweight. I'm not fat, and I'm certainly not obese, but I'm getting up there. My shirts don't fit me as well as they used to, and I only have on pair of jeans that hasn't ripped. But being broke means I don't have the money to replace any of it. And having to buy jeans that are one or two sizes bigger than what I wore a couple years ago is going to tear at my soul.

The Boyfriend's metabolism just burns up everything he touches--it's ridiculous. And with all the eating we've been doing, even he has managed to put on some weight. I can only imagine how much weight I've probably put on this week.

Blagh!

I just want to feel the way I used to feel. This weight just isn't comfortable for me at all. I can't run very fast anymore--or very far, and these days I almost don't want to try. I was going to the school gym in the mornings, but now that I've dropped the semester, I'm not sure if I still can. I would like my early to mid-twenties NOT to be characterized by wanting to lose weight and feeling uncomfortable. And it has to stop now.

Does Political Activism Require Privilege?

Polymath — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:35:00 +0000

After watching a mega-debate with our friendly neighborhood Hitchens, Harris (who was actually tolerable), Dennett, and four other inconsequential wackos, I began thinking of an earlier debate with Christopher Hitchens and this black atheist whose names escapes me at the moment. The black atheist's prepared speech/introduction was reasonable and well-written, but in the midst of debate he was nearly incomprehensible. Eventually, the debate got out of hand as the audience ceased to ask questions and began speeches of their own. The idiotic, although comical, moderator didn't help. After a great deal of received heckling and self-degradation, Hitchens walked off stage and left the babbling black atheist to himself. It was absurd.

There's one moment in particular, that I return to in my mind time and again in moments of silence or menial tasks. When Hitchens mentioned Kuwait and Irag, the black atheist instantly replied, "I don't give a damn about the Kuwaitis." If I remember correctly, Hitchens replied, "Well, you should." Many black people are frustrated with the overwhelming concern and support for impoverished people overseas, and disgusted by the disdain many rich people have for poor people in their own country. It's easy to sympathize with the poor when you don't have to worry about bumping into one of them. When disaster is displayed on screen, it becomes a spectacle--a sad movie, something unfortunate, but which does not directly affect you. The spectator and the spectacle are separated by production and drama. Not to mention, the media through which the event has unfolded should be sympathetic to the poor/impoverished/downtrodden in order for the spectator to also be sympathetic.

Then, the poor, typically forgotten, must be seen. But they are subject to a scrutinizing gaze that determines if and when they get help, in what form the help they receive will be given, and the period of time that help will be available to them. You cannot separate yourself from nor critically gaze upon the poor if you are among them.

I often wonder how I fit into this equation. In the summer of 2006, when I went to New Orleans, I went for free. A couple of my friends were heading to New Orleans and asked me if I wanted to come. I wanted to see the trouble in New Orleans myself, and do something good with my time.

In Defense of Vampirism IV: The Reboot

Polymath — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 01:47:00 +0000

Well, yesterday I crashed. I left home without my alarm clock and I spent the night at the Boyfriend's parents' house, relying on him to make sure I woke up. And despite the fact that I make sure he wakes up when he wants to get to work on time, he basically casually mentioned waking up to me, and then let me doze right back on to sleep. Curses!

Consequently, I decided to take that opportunity to reevaluate my polyphasic sleep adjustment strategies. As you may have noticed, I started the Budding Polymath Live Show on UStream. I'm hoping that broadcasting live and recording my progress put me under a much more critical microscope.

I woke up from my six o'clock evening nap about 40 minutes too late tonight, which annoyed me. I went on a little outing to the other side of the city this afternoon in an attempt to get some fresh air. It helped some, but the bus was so crowded, it didn't give me much opportunity to get some reading done. It also wasn't very relaxing, as I'd hoped it would be.

My next nap is at midnight, and that's where the trouble is going to start. Doing yoga and using Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap to keep perky will help, but I'm also hoping to get some cleaning/reorganizing done. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's clutter--although the design of this blog may suggest the opposite. Once I get the clutter situation under some reasonable control, I'm going to engage in another activity that fills me with immense joy: making schedules. I need to get my goals organized. I'll be asking myself questions like:

"How many fiction and non-fiction books would I like to read per month?"
"Where should I shop (either in real life or in cyberspace) for the best soy products?"
"How many pages of my novel would I like to write per month (at a minimum)?"
"How many novels would I like to write per year?"
"What kinds of time management and personal development endeavors will I be able to apply to a polyphasic lifestyle?"
"Which days per week would I like to be studying math, and how many hours per day?"
"How can I give touching gifts while horribly broke?"

etc.

Perhaps the burning desire to actually answer these questions and have concrete goals in mind will get me going faster. Not to mention, I still have to practice waking up when the alarm goes off. (Foiled again!)

Graghlshpein...

I've had a headache for a while now, and I gotta take some Advil before I lose my mind. Is the headache caused by the adjustment to a polyphasic sleep schedule or by all this goddamn dry heat that's evaporating my meat-liquid brain...?

Here’s the Problem with Making Fun of William Shatner:

Polymath — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:30:00 +0000

...He's already done it himself.

But yeah, Sarah Palin's rendition of his autobiography was cute and quaint--I even smiled a bit as I watched it. And although she looked at Shatner triumphantly as she finished, I knew her reading hadn't helped her out at all. Can all she think about is revenge against the people who mock her ostensible idiocy? Why doesn't she pick up a history, civics, or political science book and read that one aloud to Conan O'Brien's audience? Two birds, one stone.

Polymath Code of Conduct II: Institutionalized vs. Independent Learning

Polymath — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:09:00 +0000

Yesterday, I had another mishap that wasn't as bad as my previous crash, but still rather annoying. I should have practiced getting up with the alarm again, but I guess I got caught up doing something or other... Transitioning to a polyphasic sleep schedule has made me a bit intolerable. When I wake up from one of my naps I typically do not want to be bothered. The Boyfriend is getting a little fed up with me; but I told him that the payoff would be worth it. If there isn't a payoff, he's going to be pissed. I'm pretty determined, though, and I just can't see myself being satisfied with a mono- or biphasic sleep schedule. I'm tired of feeling mummified. In any case, despite all of the irritability, I do find it to be a rather enjoyable experience.

Right now, however, I'm still awake and I'm trying to keep it that way. I'm still considering taking an additional nap at three o'clock, but I think I've got a good momentum here and I don't want to screw it up. Perhaps giving in to that additional nap is the only way! I wonder.

On a positive note, I finished braiding my hair, and I think for a first attempt, it didn't come out half badly. The roots aren't very tight, but I figure it's better that way. I don't want to feel my throbbing brain while I'm trying to take my naps. Kinky twists are a great transitioning style, and I'm going to try to keep this doo maintained for as long as possible. If I have to, I'll occasionally pick a section and re-braid so I don't have to redo it all at once.

Success! I don't know why I didn't think of doing this sooner!

Another enterprise into which I have considered delving is independent learning. I found a plethora of great free online textbooks for calculus, physics, and organic chemistry, not to mention the MIT Open Course ware. If I get started now, by the time I start Borough of Manhattan Community College in Fall 2010, I might be able to ace the placement tests--or at least have the jump on my classmates. It's been too long since I've had a chemistry or a biology class, and just heading straight into it without preparation is foolhardy. Granted, a community college would be a more supportive environment for me.

Not to mention, with the gloriousness that is the intarweb, I don't see why I couldn't learn calculus or physics decently on my own with enough discipline. Plus, I still have the books I bought in anticipation of classes I couldn't take due to an inordinate number of unfortunate events.

-sigh- Once I get myself adapted to polyphasic sleeping, there are so many things I could do. Teaching myself calculus and physics could be the project that keeps me awake during the midnight to dawn stretch.

Where Polyphasers Go to Die

Polymath — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:50:00 +0000

I spent the better part of today cleaning up, trying to get my blood flowing--trying to feel filled with purpose. I knew that if I engaged in some activity that gave me a more wide-reaching sense of purpose, such as reading or writing, I would most certainly not be able to concentrate and consequently fall asleep. Although this is an unfortunate symptom of adapting to an alternate sleep schedule, it doesn't cease to vex me...

Though I don't think trying to switch to the Uberman sleep schedule would be wise right now, I have been thinking about trying to add an additional nap during the midnight to dawn period. So that would be another nap at three o'clock in the morning. Perhaps I should try it out and come up with a snappy name for it.

In Defense of Vampirism III: So Far, So Good

Polymath — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:43:00 +0000

So... I'm still awake. This may be due to my staggering resilience or to the headache, but whatever it is--it's working and I hope it keeps working until I'm adjusted. I have a little over an hour until my next nap, and although the dymaxion sleep schedule is intended to be more flexible, I don't trust myself to get in an extra nap or to take naps too early or too late. I want my schedule to be as regular as possible.

Again, besides writing and tweaking this blog, I haven't been doing anything productive. I'd rather stay awake watching mindless action movies (like Spider-Man 3) than sit around reading the same page of The Architecture of Matter over and over again.

Again today, I didn't get any sun because I got caught up watching movies, but it's probably for the best. If I'd spent my day walking around, perhaps I would have been too tired to take a short nap? It's raining right now, and as far as I know, it's going to be raining all day tomorrow, so it'd probably be a good idea to go out and get some air, then come home and get in some chores. I've been rather grumpy and lazy while adapting, and I'll be glad when it's over.

Someone commenting on another person's potential polyphaser's sleep log said that a good way to stay awake is to play video games. Unfortunately, the PS3 I bought from Ebay is officially broken, so until I manage to magically get that fixed, I'll have to settle for Kongregate--it's a truly wonderful thing.

Gragh! I apologize for the gruesome inarticulateness of this entry, and I apologize in advance for the state of future posts while I adjust to a dymaxion sleep schedule. I just read over what I've written and I realized that it seems rather disjointed.

What's a dinosaur to do?

In Defense of Vampirism II: The Crash

Polymath — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:55:00 +0000

Well... I crashed.

In the middle of watching David Lynch's Fire Walk with Me with the Boyfriend, I had to take my midnight nap, so we paused the movie and returned to our respective corners. He went to play keyboard and I retreated to the other side of our L-shaped couch. I assumed that sleeping on the couch would be uncomfortable enough to wake me up, but every time my alarm blared, I turned it off. I woke up officially at about nine o'clock this morning feeling like utter fecal matter. My head and back hurt and I was sufficiently zombified.

Lesson Learned: Do NOT watch movies in order to stay up.

This is not to suggest, however, that I wasn't warned. Many, if not all, of the people I'd read about who had at least attempted polyphasic sleep schedules suggested having some kind of major project to work on in order to stay up and stay motivated. I have plenty of prospective projects I'd like to work on in order to stay awake, but trying to focus on anything while adapting to a polyphasic sleep schedule is an ordeal in and of itself. Not to mention, people seem to think that the Dymaxion sleep schedule is the most difficult to which to adapt... But I will push on!

I think one major flaw in my attempt thus far is that I haven't been getting enough sunlight. You see, last week I cut off my dreads. I just got tired of looking at them. They were clogged with beeswax and they were dry and unevenly-sized, and I just couldn't take it anymore. The Boyfriend suggested I try to remove the build up, but I didn't have the patience for that, so I just lopped them all off. As I suspected it would, my new short 'fro made me look dumpy, so I decided to braid my hair. However, without the required funds for a salon visit, I did some YouTube research and decided to do it on my own. (That way, I could also achieve the exact style I wanted!) I ordered some afro kinky bulk hair online and went to the local beauty supply store to purchase the necessary oils, moisturizers, rubberbands, combs, etc. While there, I happened upon a single 99J (dark burgundy) color hair pack and decided to buy that too. I thought it would be quite cute if I had some dark burgundy in the front and off black in the back.

Last Wednesday, I braided the dark burgundy into my hair, using up the entire pack--and I'm still waiting for the rest of the hair to come... The two shipping options were priority and express mail, so I ordered it via priority mail and assumed it would arrive by the end of the week. I was more than wrong. I was dead wrong. The online beauty supply only shipped the hair yesterday, so I'm hoping that it will come by the end of this week so I can stop running around looking crazy. About 1/3 of my head (the front) is braided and the rest is a short 'fro. When I do go outside I wear a hoodie (thanks be to the gods for autumn), and not a soul is the wiser.

Today, I've decided to head over to the computer lab to work on my super secret up-and-coming online business, and maybe do a little bit of outside reading to get my fill of the cool autumn air and clear sky. I'll consider last night's flub my reboot, and get over it.

In Defense of Vampirism: Dymaxion Sleep Schedule

Polymath — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:13:00 +0000

Although my absence from the intarweb has caused narry a stir to anyone but me (yet!), I'd like to update that I have been experimenting with polyphasic sleep, which is essentially power napping a few times within a 24-hour time frame. Polyphasic sleep schedules make the most sense for polymaths who are looking to make the most out of each day.

For as long as I can remember, I've hated sleeping. My mother has rather exhaustively described how, even as a baby, I remained wide awake into the wee hours of the night, babbling and carrying on in my developing meat-liquid brain. And as an older, but no wiser, primate I have come to resent sleep more and more. About a week ago, the boyfriend stumbled on some article on polyphasic sleep and I was in love! I quickly retreated to my room to engage in some obsessive research which lead me to thinkers like Puredoxyk and Steve Pavlina who have successfully experimented with polyphasic sleep with no discernible adverse effects.

I am essentially on the "Everyman" sleep schedule right now, but that's because I'm trying to adopt Dymaxion and it's been a bit of a bumpy ride. I'm sleeping about 5 hours per 24 hour day, and I'm still working on getting to two. My main problem is waking up during the midnight to dawn stretch. At some point I end up turning my alarm off and going back to sleep for two or three hours. No good. I'm hoping that I can get this down by the Spring semester.

To combat my instinctual morning snooze-pressing, I used a tip from Steve Pavlina: for an hour I practiced getting up as soon as the alarm went off. I set my alarm for five minutes ahead, I crawled into bed with my stuffed leopard, and I snuggled under some comfy blankets--as if I was actually going to sleep. I even closed my eyes and zoned out. After five minutes, when I alarm went off, I immediately planted swung the covers to the side, planted my feet on the floor, turned the alarm off and went to the kitchen to make tea. I did this every five minutes. At noon, when it was time to actually take my nap, the alarm went off at thirty minutes after, and I swung the covers to the side, planted my feet to the floor, and turned the alarm off. I think in my head I thought I was still practicing. I'm going to get in some more practice tomorrow, and hopefully it will be second nature to me soon.

I'll tell you how that goes...

Polymath Code of Conduct I: Productivity

Polymath — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:08:00 +0000

In order to graduate in Spring 2010 (a year after I was initially intending to graduate), I am going to need to take 20 credits next semester, and that means taking a whopping six classes. To quote the boyfriend, "You're going to get murdered." And this is certainly true. This is not to say that taking six classes is impossible--in fact, I did it once before--but it means that I am going to have to learn some good tricks of the trade if I am going to be successful. I will have to balance class, exercise, and just a bit of a social life if I am going to FINALLY relieve myself of Rutgers, the State University, Inc.

My list of classes for Spring 2010 will be posted soon enough, but in the meantime I've been looking into some means of increasing productivity. Due to what I perceived to be my earlier failure of not switching over to Geological Sciences in my sophomore year as I was continually contemplating, I fell into a bit of a rut from which I am not in recovery. I've been spending my time watching "Sex and the City" and "Seinfeld" rather than spending my time doing more productive things. I'm also considering reading the news like I used to rather than watching the news from a variety of YouTube channels. If I'm reading the news rather than watching it, I can get more of an in-depth cover of the story and (hopefully) get less distracted by related videos. So, here are my goals for greater productivity:

Read only one news article each morning
Get up when the alarm gets up the first time
Take "power naps" if necessary
Keep a list of long-term and short-term goals
Perform minor cleaning duties during the week
Perform major cleaning duties during the weekend
Wash clothes every Wednesday morning
Do more studying and reading outside of the apartment
Make calls while in transit
Learn to speed read

While those are the things I really need to work on, here is a list of things I have already managed to accomplish:

Going to the gym at least three times a week
Eating 4-6 small meals a day
No soda or artificially sweetened juice
Eating healthy snacks, such as baby carrots
Getting up early
Blogging semi-regularly

Granted, I still need to improve upon some of these things, but at least I'm getting them done goddammit! Accomplishing these things have made me feel a million times better about myself and the future. As Scott Young says, it's very important to enjoy your passions most of all--even if you do have to put in an effort to get focused.

My Newest Hero: Garrett Lisi

Polymath — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:08:00 +0000

I had heard of A. Garrett Lisi some months ago when there was a short piece about his accomplishments in theoretical physics, but I hadn't "officially" heard about him until a couple days ago when I happened to stumble upon some article about him in a UK online newspaper/magazine--the name of which escapes me at the moment.

And in case you haven't heard--and you most likely haven't--Garrett Lisi is an American man who graduated with a PhD in theoretical physics and then decided to live a nomadic life with his seemingly long-time craftswoman girlfriend in Hawaii. As a van dweller he worked on a paper called "An Exceptionally Simple Theory of Everything" (when you can read online for free) that seems to be the only viable rival to string theory in combining all the known forces. I think he's at least on to something big, and the Hadron collider will most likely be one of the determining factors in whether or not his theory is given any more credit.

He's often been described as the "surfer dude" who came up with an alternate theory of everything, but that description doesn't do him much justice in my opinion. Just because he doesn't have any university affiliations or tenure-track professor position doesn't mean he should be dismissed. People seem to think that scientists are completely reasonable people who lack the idiotic feelings of exclusivity and superiority that plague us peons--but it's not true. The reason why his alternate theory of everything has not caused more waves is because he's not part of the club. Period. I'm sure if Brian Greene had decided to apply the E8 shape to the theory of everything, then he would be given a preemptive pat on the back for solving the problem of the universe. Such as it is.

The following is a brief talk he did with TED:

So... Garrett Lisi is my newest hero because he is one example of an independent researcher. Of course, he had to get a doctoral degree before he was able to work on his independent research project, but he didn't have to be a part of The Club in order to get noticed, although it's going to be a little more difficult for his new alternate theory to get any credit. On the other hand, it's very possible that his "Exceptionally Simple" theory of everything is nonsense; because hearing him talk about the beauty, elegance, and symmetry of nature makes me cringe... just a little. Because I think that kind of corny rhetoric is just tasty fodder for creationists and idiots in general. But we'll see.

Eight Down and One to Go: First Bachelor’s Degree

Polymath — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:52:00 +0000

I can't tell if I'm experiencing some extreme form of senioritis or if I'm just feeling hopeless, but I have no strong desire to finish this degree. If I obtain this degree it would make it a little easier for me to obtain a writing position and to get writing samples to submit to prospective jobs. However, this also means that I will be ineligible for other forms of financial aid should I decide to go for an associate's degree and then obtain another bachelor's degree--which I have been very seriously considering for at least a year and a half now. I love to write, and I'd love to obtain a position that would enable me to use my talent for marketing, public relations, social media-kind of writing projects, I also can't bring myself to give up on astrobiology and geology.

Since it would take me at least another four years to get another bachelor's degree in something completely different from my initial degree, in that time I'm going to need some kind of career or long-term job to keep me going, in case I'm not eligible for any school-based aid, which I most likely wouldn't be. So, in order to qualify for many entry-level positions (and some internships) that involve creative or professional writing, I'm going to need that bachelor's degree; but if I'm going to make sure that I get as much financial aid as possible, I'm going to need not to get that bachelor's degree. And having two bachelor's degrees is not some golden ticket to getting a job. Although, I read that the job market is supposed to get better in 2017 or 2018--and at that point I should be in graduate school at least. I guess it's not that uncommon to be in one's early 30's in graduate school? BLAH BLAH BLAH. I'm going to have to stop planning too far ahead, although I think it's important for one to know what kind of a mess one is getting oneself into. But I think it would be more than worth it.

Remembering Post-Katrina New Orleans

Polymath — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:33:00 +0000

This morning, for whatever reason, I found myself thinking about my Post-Katrina New Orleans Summer of 2006. Unfortunately, I haven't been back since. I'd been to the South before then, having traveled to Alabama and Mississippi to visit family, but I had never encountered the kind of South that New Orleans embodies. The decadence coupled with the bizarre, and perverse, and poverty-stricken. And I don't say this disparagingly, mind you. I wished that I had encountered New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina, because there seemed to be this dwindling energy about the place that I could only vaguely tap into. It was tense, and intense, and it changed my life. It was so easy for me, as a stuffy north eastern darkie to pick up and leave when I could no longer handle the place, but the people who lived there had to rebuild their lives from the bottom up--their homes were shattered and dispersed, and they were just trying to be strong.

I kept a Xanga account at the time, which I used to chronicle my experiences. Upon my return, I promptly deleted it. I wish I hadn't.

C’mon Atheists, Just Admit It: Human Behavioral Ecology

Polymath — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:30:00 +0000

Christopher Hitchens, one of my favorite public intellectuals, recently appeared with Tony Jones in a talk about whether or not "religion poisons everything." This is quite typical of his talks and debates. What gets me about each of these talks is that Hitchens claims that you can have a strict moral code as an atheist, and claims that we have "instincts" that prevent most people from harming others and from harming their own children and the children of others. He then says, "Everyone knows this to be true. No one has to tell you that" or "I don't have to explain why I love my children." Well, actually it would do very many non-famous atheists a lot of good if you would elaborate on your reasons for thinking it's possible to have a strict moral code as an atheist. It's true, there are times when he says that a species that would practice cannibalism and constant warfare would die out rather quickly, I still think this explanation deserves more attention.

I am of the opinion that having a strict moral code as an atheist who is also a proponent of science, and in particular sexual and group selection as one of the mechanisms of evolution, is a little difficult. Mortality seems to be based in large part on empathy and a significant decrease or increase in certain hormone levels. To see another in pain, or to see another in fear of something, strikes an increase in adrenaline in the individual that causes the "fight or flight" reaction--both of which are potentially beneficial for your survival and, by extension beneficial for the production and survival of offspring and community. In addition, to see an infant (either your own or that of another) causes a decrease in adrenaline. Individuals who experience a decrease in stress-causing hormones neither fight the infant nor do they fly from the infant, thereby ensuring its continued care and thus, the ability of this infant to grow and produce offspring of its own. This means that behavior, like morphology, is subject to selective pressures that directly or indirectly enable reproductive success.

AND, these things are testable, except they would result in cruel and unusual experimentation that I don't think would even be worth it... There doesn't seem to be me to be any major problem with having/enacting some version of moral relativism in everyday life and the law.

Happy Samhain All!

Polymath — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:02:00 +0000

I often describe myself as an atheist, although I enjoy celebrating the changing of the seasons... the natural cycle of the year. So, in some ways I consider myself pagan, but it may be more accurate to describe myself as a heathen. I don't believe there's any overlying purpose to the changing of the seasons, but I don't see any reason not to celebrate the ever-so slight daily shifts of hue, the soft cold of an Autumn day, and the vague hope that it'll snow by Yule. The world can be a beautiful place without a heavenly overseer...

To be quite honest, holidays such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas don't give me a nostalgic feeling at all. All I feel is fear of expectations not met, money not made, bills not paid, family in shambles. In order to focus, I'm going to have to set some kind of monthly goal system. Maybe each month I should try to lose five pounds until I'm down to the weight I was back in my senior year of high school. Maybe every month I should try to read at least one book and write at least one novella-length story from start to finish no matter how shitty I find the idea. This is going to have to be in addition to remembering holidays, people's birthdays, making money, studying, socializing and attempting to plan for the future (within reason).

SIDE NOTE: I'm going to have it make it a new rule to carry around a laptop just in case I want to write some kind of paper, or jot something down. That would also go well with some of my other hypothetical monthly goals.

I just feel like I make too many plans to get more organized, but the actualized organization is lagging slowly behind. And during times like these, it's important to be able to appreciate all of the transient good fortune I've had so far this year, and make sure I don't get my family too worried about me.

Professional Writing Certificate

Polymath — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:33:00 +0000

The "Schedule of Classes" for Spring 2010 have been posted and I've been scouring the pages for interesting classes. There are many! But despite the immense temptation, I have made the final decision to just go ahead as originally planned and get my Professional Writing Certificate. So, along with the completion of my degree I will be granted a Professional Writing Certificate--two seemingly important pieces of paper for the price of one! And although I am appearing to slip into cynicism, I'm secretly really excited about learning Final Cut Pro (a major plus for new media jobs), proposal writing, and honing my general business writing skills, which admittedly, are mostly self-taught.

I decided to get out of the apartment early today to get some fresh air and to take a look at the autumn leaves. Despite the persistent haze and gloom overhead, the streets are alight with yellows, reds, and oranges. I felt I could breathe, and I realized that although it takes a great deal of solitude and concentration in order to dedicate oneself completely to writing creatively (or otherwise)--you still gotta get up and get some damn air! Tomorrow I'll try to get up a couple hours earlier and get in some jogging and weight lifting--get those endorphins flowing.

Post-Spring 2010, I will be writing part-time and taking science classes part-time. I feel that I am in the midst of my dreams!

Meet the New Newark College Life Examiner

Polymath — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:45:00 +0000

After a rather speedy rejection from Demand Studios and maybe two weeks of waiting, Examiner.com has accepted me as their Newark College Life Examiner. WritersWeekly really gave it to Examiner for not providing its writers with a decent livable wage--and I think those criticisms are completely warranted. However, like one former Examiner.com writer commented, if you don't have any experience, and you're willing to write for maybe $100-$200 (average) a month, then Examiner.com is for you. As a broke soon-to-be college graduate, I think writing for $100 a month is a lot better than writing for $0.00 a month. I figure I'll apply to Demand Studios again once I have some more clips from Examiner.com. At least with Examiner, you don't have to contribute lengthy pieces. It seems very possible to be able to abide by the 3-4 articles/posts per week rule and at least make some extra pocket change.

I've recently attempted to re-invigorate my AssociatedContent.com content by contributing a couple articles. They were quite shittily written and I hardly made any money from them, but it at least gave me an idea of what kind of money they're willing to pay for original, well-thought out writing. Basically, whatever doesn't fit with my Newark College Life Examiner will go to Associated Content.

Scribd.Com has become another interest of mine since I decided to start focusing on my writing again. It seems it is the Facebook of writing, and I think it'll be a good resource for someone like me who is going to need feedback and criticism from people with experience. If I can achieve my four pages a day for the month of November, then I can use December and January to promote the finished product and maybe even get a small press to pick it up. Of course, the publishing part could potentially never happen... Actualizing my writing and scientific dreams is going to take some time, and since I don't have anything better to do with my life, I better get this show on the damn road.

In another direction entirely, I've been giving some thought to getting an Associate's Degree in Mathematics from a community college in NYC for Fall 2010-Spring/Summer 2011 and then trying to apply to Columbia's School of General Studies and NYU's Special Post-Graduate program. I think getting an Associate's Degree before the second Bachelor's would serve as positive reinforcement for the long journey ahead and would be a way to make sure I get recommendations and a solid math education. Not to mention, community college would be a hell of a lot cheaper. Also, I think living in a place that doesn't require a daily drive to do just about ANYTHING would be the ideal situation for me. I dig public transit-friendly places. Living somewhere where there are a lot of free and non-free things to do would be nice.

Weekly Beautification Ritual

Polymath — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:53:00 +0000

Today I decided to perform my Beautification Ritual. This is something I do every now and again to feel rejuvenated and positive for the coming week. I think everyone should have a day specifically for feeling good and taking care of yourself--for the whole day. This doesn't necessarily mean sitting in front of the mirror and admiring your sprightly good looks... A Beautification Ritual simply means you take just one day to get your life back in order. For me, this means thoroughly washing and styling my hair, optional manicure and pedicure, cleaning and organizing my room, watching a funny movie, making "to-do" lists for the upcoming week, washing clothes, taking care of some stray homework, playing with Dr. Lester (my guinea pig) for an extended period of time, and possibly meditation.

I used to engage in Beautification Rituals every week until I started my Quarter-Life Conundrum, then I just suddenly stopped--which was stupid. If I am to embrace true polymathism, then I am to start getting myself on a regular, daily schedule, right? My goal for November is to get up some time between five and six o'clock in the morning, take multivitamins, head over to the gym, take a shower, eat breakfast, write a few articles/blog/both, write some pages of my upcoming novel for NaNoWriMo, get some chores done, do homework, read/watch something interesting or funny, and do it all again. Of course, I am going to have other obligations in between, but that's the general idea. I'm not going to be able to do this everyday, but I'm hoping every couple of days at least.

By Spring 2010, I'd like to have a novel written, my first undergraduate degree finished, a professional writing certificate completed, and be on my way to embracing the sciences. Functional workaholism, here I come!

Welcome to My Humble Abode

Polymath — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 02:32:00 +0000

Against my better judgment, I have started another blog. I have had at least four or five before this, all in varying stages of decay. I have decided to start this blog because I came upon the realization that my voracious appetite for everything just isn't going to stop. In light of my impending graduation, I know my English degree isn't going to be enough. One of my many passions is evolution and astrobiology--and turning to writing and literary theory in favor of science would feel like giving up a finger or a toe: I could make due without it, but it wouldn't feel right. There would always be something nagging at me, pulling at my shirt, asking me to come out and play.

In even worse judgment, I have decided to include (the closest thing to) my real name in the heading. Pseudonyms are pointless in these days of the interweb. The possibility of anything I write not being included next to my real name is rather slim--so what's the point? As a private person, I loathe the idea of people I "dislike" being able to read anything I write, but it's not about them. It's about me, and the fact that I have goals that can only be accomplished by putting my name on something. No shit? No shit.

So, in the hopes that I can actually manage to maintain this thing, I welcome you to my internet lair. As a budding polymath, you're likely to feel that this is a very scattered place--and you're right. As the subtitle says, I think of myself as an aspiring writer (fiction and non-fiction), scientist, literary theorist, film critic, entrepreneur, blah blah blah. The world is a big place, and I plan to have it all... for dinner.