"Taking a break from little girl news..." written by Tinypliny on estrip.org

11/05/08 12:07 - 52ºF - ID#46540

Taking a break from little girl news...

This channel would like to triple cheer

Science!
..Choice!..
...Peace!...
....Dreams!....
....Justice!....
.....Courage!.....
.......Evolution!........
..........Rationalism!...........
....................Moderation!....................
.................................Forethought!....................................
.......................................and................................................

Obama!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

tinypliny writes at 11:29:58 11/05/08 - Comment #41673: Hehe, it would awesome if I had a centre-allign formatting tag as well. :)

And my, your teenage strong brood of 522 teenage kids create such loudly deafening and opinionated babble. Thank goodness you are quite a generous cool parent. LOL ;-)

paul writes at 10:30:08 11/05/08 - Comment #41669: First, I love your use of the size tag. Barely anyone takes advantage of that feature.

Religion - If I never heard about it again it would be awesome. I find it ironic that estrip is pretty much my only exposure to it. Religious people would probably say it was a sign - that my own creation is speaking back to me in religious terms. I just think its irritating like a teenager that talks back to its parent.

jim writes at 10:06:23 11/05/08 - Comment #41667: With that bit I was talking more about day to day necessities then scientific practice, starting to get tangential to the original question.

tinypliny writes at 10:02:27 11/05/08 - Comment #41666: @(e:Jim): "I have no problem creating a personally preferred/privileged frame of reference, as a by product of my existence limited in space and time. To me that's a situational necessity, but allowed to persist only to reasonable limits as such."

I don't have a problem with creating such a frame as well, but I have a big problem when scientists ignore this frame of reference, conveniently forget about limits and start to generalize the results of a few such limited experiments to everyone and every scenario. *That* is bad science.

Generalizing without recognizing limitations and not being cognizant of pitfalls in such a generalization is equal to being dogmatic, married to your hypotheses and practicing scientific fundamentalism (equivalent to religious fundamentalism or even extremism).

I personally want to release a fatwa against such scientists. Or may be a well-directed jihad might be better? Hmm...

drew writes at 09:57:59 11/05/08 - Comment #41665: hmm. Those thoughts will have to come later. I promised Janelle I would watch law and order with her.

drew writes at 09:53:46 11/05/08 - Comment #41664: some quick thoughts, and then maybe a longer response will follow.

Of course we are friendly--that's well established.

Also, no doubt that Science produces wonder--I've experienced as much.

Now for the things that require more thought . . .

drew writes at 09:51:08 11/05/08 - Comment #41663: Sadly, not every scientist requires "thinking for oneself" (although it should) Some teachers of science simply want the old orthodoxy repeated.

The proclamations of a person of faith should also be held to a standard. No, I do not use the scientific method every week (as that would be science) but there are other measures of truth that are considered.

Good liturature isn't less good or less life changing because it isn't subject to independant observation. It resonates with experience, and with the established body of knowledge, or it doesn't. It makes people better, or it makes people worse.

And a priest/minister/rabbi that does not take a scripture and proclaim it in such a way that it builds a healthy community can and should be criticized, and often is.

tinypliny writes at 09:49:06 11/05/08 - Comment #41662: Nice thoughts, (e:drew). Two additional comments.

"Both are a way of life (or should be) both can reveal truth, or conceal it--when it is practiced wrongly."

I couldn't agree more. There is good science as well as bad and one rotten science experiment at the base can topple the whole pyramid of sound experiments built on top of it.

"For the spiritual world, for meaning, for purpose--for those questions, I find science lacking. (I know science gives answers, but they don't resonate with me or inspire)"

And here, I have to disagree a bit. What is inspiration? Is inspiration not 50% hope and 50% wonder? Science provides both in more generous doses than any other discipline. What is purpose? What is the purpose of what? Of us being here? Or being what we are? Or us doing anything "worthwhile"? I think practicing good science aids humanity in many many ways, touches lives through healing and small comforts, shapes lives by understanding a bit more of our being everyday, brings purpose to the pursuit of a happy contended life, defines contentment in terms of service to others, helps us examine disparities and come up with solutions, examine evolution and yet impose our strong inherent need for equality by erasing the unequal and sometimes brutal effects of evolution in populations. Thus, depending on how you look at it science can be as resonant and inspiring as you want it to be just as social science can be as rigorous and real as you make it. :D

jim writes at 09:44:12 11/05/08 - Comment #41661: And disagree in a vehemently friendly way (just to be clear).

jim writes at 09:43:00 11/05/08 - Comment #41660: Ah, I disagree of course, Drew.

Lack of reproducibility makes me very suspicious. It's hard for me to take specific religious claims seriously when they require preferred frames of reference in a general sense. That foundational distrust means I can't derive any satisfaction from religion.

I have no problem creating a personally preferred/privileged frame of reference, as a by product of my existence limited in space and time. To me that's a situational necessity, but allowed to persist only to reasonable limits as such.

And so there's my horror at any hint of special or revealed truth in a nutshell.

tinypliny writes at 09:38:28 11/05/08 - Comment #41659: I have to agree with Jim word for word. :)

Also, science requires you to think for yourself and practicing it well requires that you try and critique what is believed every time you think of something new. A scientist, unlike a priest is not received well (and may in fact be denied funding or booed off the stage), if s/he preaches without experimental/observational evidence and logic to back up his/her statements in a sound fashion.

drew writes at 09:34:15 11/05/08 - Comment #41658: Good faith, like good science, involves constant examination and constant re-evaluation.

Like science, religion tends have rituals, habits, disciplines. These can become a healthy way of life, or mindless superstition and dogma.

Both are a way of life (or should be) both can reveal truth, or conceal it--when it is practiced wrongly.

I love science (well, I studied a social science, so the "real" scientists might disagree) to understand the truth of the natural world, there is no better method.

For the spiritual world, for meaning, for purpose--for those questions, I find science lacking. (I know science gives answers, but they don't resonate with me or inspire)

jim writes at 09:26:46 11/05/08 - Comment #41657: Heidi, my take:

Scientific claims can be verified independently. The scientific method aims to increase accuracy and precision in understanding the world. Things which are science could conceivably be rediscovered were the world to fall into a dark age and we forgot all current knowledge.

Religion is that which will never arise the same way twice. Religion and faith are about things that can't be assessed outside of the context of their own claims and culture. If we all forgot about Jesus today, tomorrow he'd be gone for good. Unless he came back for a second time of course :)

Some science is messy and imprecise - we model weather with only the ability to understand some of the patterns and systems that occur, and global warming is tough to explain with concise equations, but it is possible to picture an outside alien taking notes and coming up with similar theories.

The great thing about science is that it encourages you to throw out that which has been disproved. Religious texts have crufty old stuff that ends up just conveniently ignored, treated as literature, or in the worst case sneaks up and snares the unlucky innocent village herbalist.

tinypliny writes at 09:22:57 11/05/08 - Comment #41656

Oh yeah, I also have rituals like compulsive journal feed checking and scheduling at least one meeting a week with my advisor during which I babble on and on about everything new in whatever I read that week till she throws me out of her office*. LOL

---------

For the record, she has never thrown me out and always (strangely) seems to be interested in what I am babbling about, but she does look at her watch when the 1/2 hour is up and I am still babbling.

tinypliny writes at 09:17:50 11/05/08 - Comment #41655

I treat science not only like a religion but almost as a life partner. Haha. I live and breathe it, practise it, preach it, am married to it, think about it constantly, read about it, speak about it, build shrines to it - as in small mounds of books with notes on them, worship it, have super-strong faith in its potential and last but not least, push it on people and also try to convert them. All criteria satisfied. Except one, maybe. Science* does not make its followers blind and close-minded. :)

------------

not to be confused with Scientology, btw.

heidi writes at 09:09:20 11/05/08 - Comment #41654: Yea, SCIENCE!!

Someone has accused me of treating science like a religion, having faith in it like Christians have faith in Jesus. Thoughts?

Permalink: Taking_a_break_from_little_girl_news_.html
Words: 22
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: work

11/03/08 07:07 - 54ºF - ID#46485

Question for the web experts here

I am responsible for the setting up an interactive web portal for a bunch of researchers. I am not doing any of the active coding or programming or any behind the scenes work for actually setting it up but merely giving the web people an idea of what I would like to see.

((e:paul), this is the same project I talked to you about, ages back. Its finally being hosted at the NCI.)

Ideally, I want a forum-like interface online with email functionality. The forum should have the ability to accept emailed posts from researchers (who are disinclined to login and post online) and display these emails in appropriate subject threads - somewhat like Google Groups + Gmail. The forum should also have sections with restricted memberships for say, certain working groups.

The question is, am I making a reasonable request and is this kind of thing do-able on a website? Would I need to provide any extra information?

Permalink: Question_for_the_web_experts_here.html
Words: 159
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: the odes

11/02/08 11:31 - 42ºF - ID#46472

How big a pile was this?

From
The search for a missing Buffalo girl came to a happy ending Saturday night.

Police combed the neighborhood after the girl's mother reported her missing from their Sweet Avenue home Saturday afternoon.

It turned out Reid was home all along.

The six year-old was found sleeping under a pile of clothes in the house.

One has to wonder...

Permalink: How_big_a_pile_was_this_.html
Words: 69
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: e:strip

11/01/08 01:59 - 47ºF - ID#46460

E:Strip: The Written Word

Thank you SO MUCH for the party, (e:paul), (e:matthew) and (e:terry)! I LOVED seeing you all. (e:peeps), ALL OF YOU ROCK!

The humble comment bubble rose from the footnotes this Halloween and carried out its alphabetized vendetta.

The armed attack of the comment bubble extracted some arbitrarily awesome sweet personal, political and candy-raver responses!!

I don't think any other bunch of folks can quite randomly turn a last-minute hastily-put-together costume into such a rich and varied interactive real-time experiment. It speaks volumes about us as a community.

Step out from your virtual pixels and claim your real comment bubbles by dropping virtual ones. :)

Indeed!

(e:hodown), you are hands down miles and mountains better than the Joan character. I am positive she cannot make those figs-from-heaven that you made. Nor can she ever look as awesome as you did!

Get over it! ;)

Yeah, and I will see you in hell.

I will leave you with this powerful message.

Thanks for the pen (e:paul). I think I lost it...
Sorely missed:

(e:imk2): Are you feeling better???? I missed you. :( How did (e:limsey)'s show go??
(e:boxerboi): You! You! You m&m! See you on Monday. ;)
(e:mrmike): You are probably the world's only handsome zombie!
(e:gardenmama): I can't wait to meet you!
(e:theecarey): Did I miss you????!!!
(e:leetee) & (e:uncutsaniflush): Hope you had an awesome Halloween!
(e:lilho): Good wishes for getting better!
(e:ladycroft): Wish you were here!
(e:Chico): Missed you as well.
Other (e:missingpeeps): Have an awesome weekend!

Permalink: E_Strip_The_Written_Word.html
Words: 338
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: the odes

10/28/08 09:57 - 38ºF - ID#46398

Survey is in the air...

Okay, quick and random 4-point (e:strip) behaviour survey:

1. Have you ever ignored people intentionally as a sort of getting back at them for ignoring you in the past?

2. Did you feel guilty about it?

3. Did you care more about your guilt and give up your ignore-stance?

4. Or did you care more about your vendetta and continue ignoring till the end of time?

Please answer with a yes/no, at least. Thanks for your time! (In advance).

-TP

metalpeter writes at 07:22:08 10/30/08 - Comment #41334: In terms of (e:strip) no

Have I ignored people, sure at work all the time or you just drown people out who talk about stuff you could care less about everyone does that, but the answer to your question is no because I have never done it to someone because they did it to me.

tinypliny writes at 08:52:43 10/30/08 - Comment #41272: Okay, I think I have made a decision. I am going to kill the albatrosses of non-interaction and disinterest that have somehow crept into my life.

I don't feel guilty any more.

tinypliny writes at 06:28:25 10/29/08 - Comment #41223: Wow! That's a ton of answer, I am going to have to statistically analyze all of those now. (And of course decide on my vendetta/guilt/ignore question, that is harder. :()

More responses and thoughts are still welcome!

libertad writes at 02:00:19 10/29/08 - Comment #41208: 1) I don't think that I have every done that

2) If I did I probably would feel guilty about it if they were trying to communicate with me and I refused.

3) I would probably care more about my guilt

4) I tend to forgive even the most heinous violations eventually.

When I was younger I was very vengeful and did some things that I now find pretty shameful as a way to make them pay for what they did. Now I believe that they will get theirs when the time is right and I really don't need to do anything.

ladycroft writes at 12:34:26 10/29/08 - Comment #41203: 1. not as a way to 'get back' at them. just because they disgust me at the time.

2. nope.

3. nope.

4. i've never been able to ignore someone forever. when i think it's time, i'll connect with them again. if they don't want me, smell ya later!

hodown writes at 09:07:51 10/29/08 - Comment #41195: Ok I just read Paul's responses. My thinking is along those same lines. My favorite is: "I never feel guilty about retribution".

hodown writes at 09:06:18 10/29/08 - Comment #41194: 1. Yes. Many times when I was younger.

2. Not at all.

3. Nope.

4. Yep. I tend to be vindictive. I could go into stories from my younger years, but we'd be here a while.

jim writes at 08:42:54 10/29/08 - Comment #41191: 1. You have to know when to cut your losses, but also not ruin friendships that are salvageable. So, sometimes, yeah, I do this.

2. No, not usually.

3. If the person is a good friend, sure.

4. Nope.

janelle writes at 08:31:33 10/29/08 - Comment #41190: 1. No. I find it really hard work to be mean or get back at people. I do ignore people if they in general bother me and I don't want anything to do with them. But I tend to ignore them politely, if that makes sense.

jenks writes at 11:41:57 10/28/08 - Comment #41179: 1- I have had to force myself to TRY to ignore people, but I am nearly always unsuccessful. e.g. "how long will it take for him to notice I haven't called?" -> i rarely make it past about 24h before breaking down. So I guess that's not really retaliatory, but it's definitely reactionary.

2- guilty, no.

3- if i felt guilty about it, I would give up. I don't handle guilt well at all.

bottom line, i am too attention-hungry to ignore much of anything.

conversely, ignoring me is probably the NUMBER ONE way to make me totally insane.

But the bigger question- who are you debating ignoring, and what did they do to you?

gardenmama writes at 10:49:36 10/28/08 - Comment #41174: Oh, excuse me, did you say something? I wasn't paying attention... hahaha

1. No - I usually figure if they're ignoring me it's because I probably was rude to them and/or otherwise pissed them off somehow. Of course, that doesn't stop me from going out of my way to make them have to pay attention to me.
2. No - feeling guilty is way over rated.

Actually, the only place this planned ignoring may ring true is in the case of my teenage daughter. Sometimes it's very necessary and self-preserving on my part. They will try you endlessly sometimes.

zobar writes at 10:38:53 10/28/08 - Comment #41173

Not really, but that's not to say I don't ignore people. If I see somebody I haven't seen in a while and I'd like to keep it that way, and I can tell that they don't recognize me, I'll slink away.*

If I see somebody that I owe some work that I'm invariably procrastinating, I'll usually try to avoid them but it never works very well.

- Z

_______________

At my ten-year high school reunion I totally walked into an entire bar filled with people like this.

news writes at 10:31:17 10/28/08 - Comment #41171: 1. No - ignoring is not vendictive enough.
2. No - I never feel guity about retribution.

heidi writes at 10:17:48 10/28/08 - Comment #41169: 1. No
2. But I would feel guilty if I did.

I hope if someone felt ignored, they'd tell me. I tend to be oblivious.

Permalink: Survey_is_in_the_air_.html
Words: 80
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: the odes

10/27/08 02:39 - 44ºF - ID#46360

Deepavali ki Haardik Shubhkaamnaayen!

Aap sab ko deepavali ki haardik shubkaamnaayen!*

Hearty well-wishes to you all on this day of the festival of lights.

Permalink: Deepavali_ki_Haardik_Shubhkaamnaayen_.html
Words: 23
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: tourism

10/26/08 03:43 - 58ºF - ID#46351

A Sequence of Haircutters

With this latest haircut, I have had 18 of them in Buffalo. Some of them have been more memorable than the others.

My first one was all the way up at North Plaza. For want of a better sense of direction, and the gleeful excitement of having a "metro" train service within walking distance once again, I took it all the way up to south campus and was quite disappointed when the driver announced that it was the last stop. I don't know what I had been expecting but I do remember wondering whether it would come out in another city's downtown.

Somehow this seems so appropriate, not to mention way cooler. Downtown to downtown - symmetric underground and overground sections. Like a light rail but also like a tube. The romance was killed brutally at south campus.

So back to the main story, that trip was memorable not only for the huge metro asymmetry disappointment but also for the near hysterical haircutter. She started carelessly whacking my hair off. I don't really ask too much from my haircutters. I just want it all off and a decent non-eggy looking outcome at the end. But I got more than I paid for.

She told me the whole in-detail story about how she was going to call her wedding off because she had just found out that morning that her fiance had given her a fake golden ring with a fake diamond pasted on it. She also sniffled into my hair. I didn't mean to be insensitive but.. Geez. I never went back.

The second haircutter had moved his shop from Utica to the basement of an old people's home on Main Street. It started out okay but I was the only one below 60 in that room and one of the old ladies was bitterly complaining that her new hair colour was not purple enough.

It unsettled me. Oh, and that place smelled really funky as well.

A few haircuts at not-very-memorable-places later, I met this haircut lady!

I swear she must have been a drill sergeant in her past life! She yelled at everyone in the shop - customers and employees alike, and gave me something very close to a military buzzcut. I was too scared to say anything and slunk out!

Then I met the best haircutter ever - LaShawn! I don't think anyone ever cut my hair so well as her. My hair didn't grow out of shape for a whole month! It was as if she had sprinkled magic dust on my hair and bullied it into behaving.

Unfortunately, she went on maternity leave after I had that haircut and I haven't seen her since.

The next one was downright freaky. While cutting my hair, he casually mentioned how his dream career was to become a mortician! Nice way to boost confidence levels in a client.

The last really interesting haircutter was an indophile.

He was covered in so many tattoos, it was hard to tell what kind of clothes he was wearing! He told me that his boyfriend usually tried out unique designs on him first and that's how he ended up with so many. I found that what little I know about Hinduism was very deficient compared to his encyclopaedic knowledge!

I seem to have knack for meeting the most bizarre haircutters and going to the weirdest of haircutting settings.

dragonlady7 writes at 11:50:55 10/28/08 - Comment #41182: I laughed out loud at this post!!

Your fantasy of a subway to another city could be answered more or less by taking the real train to another city. Amtrak goes to Toronto (which is an actual city, like a mini-New York with fewer smell issues), Rochester (which has, um, buildings!), Syracuse (full of concrete!), Utica (which is almost like a city!), Schenectady (come for the whores, stay for the crack!), Albany (home of our corrupt state government!) and New York City (which doesn't really need explaining). Also, it's a very scenic ride along the edge of the Mohawk River, and you get a sweeping panorama of some lovely towns like Herkimer (home of a Rev. War general) and Canojaharie. Lots of lovely old Victorian houses, and some older Federal-style buildings too.
Anyway.

I haven't had a haircut in years. I just keep not getting around to it. But I now have 3 hair stylists in my roller derby league. Pummelina, of the Suicidal Saucies, works at Style Lab on Elmwood. I don't know where Cha-Cha Wheels works now, but I could find out. And Beauty School Knockout, a rookie this season, manages a big spa and salon out in the suburbs somewhere, I'd have to find out the name. Cha-Cha especially has done some really great work with people's hair in the league. And she's funny as hell.

Your adventure stories are great.

gardenmama writes at 10:21:23 10/27/08 - Comment #41010: Two women I work with go to a stylist on Kenmore Ave. near Elmwood. They are both happy with her and said she only charges $12. I can get her phone # if you are interested.

pmrk writes at 09:35:23 10/27/08 - Comment #41008: I have no idea what he charges for a haircut. If I see Patrick this week, I will ask him.

tinypliny writes at 11:03:06 10/26/08 - Comment #40998: @(e:gardenmama): I need a haircutting relative!!!!

@(e:pmrk): I need to check this salon out. How much does he charge for a simple haircut sans shampoo?

pmrk writes at 10:04:47 10/26/08 - Comment #40994: My friend and neighbor Patrick owns East End Salon on Allen Street near Main. He does an excellent job on my husbands hair which can be difficult as its very thick and kinda curly. I also recommended him to (e:Matthew) but I don't know if he went to him or not.

gardenmama writes at 09:08:34 10/26/08 - Comment #40992: This post was very funny. But it can be really difficult finding someone you are happy with. I went to one guy for over 20 years, and loved his work, but he moved to a shop way out in E. Amherst (almost to Lockport) and his prices are so high I just couldn't justify going to him anymore. I go to my step-sister now and I'm usually pretty happy with what she does - and she charges me really discounted rates. Regular haircuts aren't really her thing though - she specializes in hair replacement.

Permalink: A_Sequence_of_Haircutters.html
Words: 578
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: music

10/24/08 10:18 - 51ºF - ID#46313

It's a wild world... of awful covers!!!!

If you need some aural self-punishment, look no further. Just push play!

::DOWNLOAD SOUND::

This is one of the 400+ covers from hell, painstakingly sung with acoustic shredding prowess by none other than proud Frenchman - Grum Lee!

Another mind-blowing cover: Grum Lee's smooth... er.. Rough Criminal! If Michael Jackson were dead, he would surely be moonwalking in his grave if heard this. So should you, even if you are alive, BTW.

::DOWNLOAD SOUND::

And nothing is ever complete without a complete destruction of the Final Countdown. Yeah finnnnnnnaaaaall couuuuuunnnttdown!!!! Yeah.

::DOWNLOAD SOUND::

Permalink: It_s_a_wild_world_of_awful_covers_.html
Words: 94
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: eating in

10/23/08 11:55 - 42ºF - ID#46290

Whoring Peppercorns. Since early 1600s

In response to (e:zobar)'s profound question: "What kind of deranged individual shakes whole black peppercorns onto their food? ", I present some over the top derangement from Palakkadu and neighbouring Thalassery. :)

~~~~Theyyam.~~~~

~~~~Fresh Peppercorns!!!~~~~

~~~~Dried Peppercorns~~~~

~~~~Pongal~~~~

~~~~Ravai Kanjeevaram Idly~~~~

~~~~Pongal, Bonda and Rasam~~~~

~~~~Tiiru Chadam (Or Seasoned yogurt rice)~~~~

Yeah, we are completely deranged about food, colour and spices, down south. :)

More Thalassery ->

dragonlady7 writes at 12:49:43 10/26/08 - Comment #40978: I use whole peppercorns in my cooking, yes, but I don't just sit at the table and shake whole peppercorns over my food! I put the peppercorns into a grinder and grind them over my food before i eat it.
That's what (e:zobar) was referring to, I think. Sure, cooking with them-- I'd expect you would, especially if you lived somewhere they grow. (How awesome would that be, incidentally? This native North American of European stock is totally bowled over by the thought of just going in the backyard and picking some peppercorns. Wow! I routinely get bowled over at the thought of doing the same with lemons or limes, incidentally.)
But you don't just shake them over your plate, such that you would need a shaker-top dispenser on your container of peppercorns.

tinypliny writes at 05:44:58 10/24/08 - Comment #40909: MAN!!! WHY does EVERYONE get to go home except me????? I am SO JEALOUS!

chaibiscoot writes at 12:06:30 10/24/08 - Comment #40884: I had to comment! I am going to be home -Bangalore - for 6 months doing fieldwork in slightly over a month from now and cannot wait to indulge the south indian in me. Btw, I regularly use whole peppercorns in my cooking.

jbeatty writes at 11:52:35 10/24/08 - Comment #40883: I love food porn!

james writes at 10:48:00 10/24/08 - Comment #40878: Jesus Christ Tiny. You can't put up pictures of delicious food without making me some.

theecarey writes at 10:40:20 10/24/08 - Comment #40877: my tummy is growling after looking at these yummy looking, I mean, "Deranged" food pics. Take me home with you. hehe

zobar writes at 01:00:43 10/24/08 - Comment #40865: Sure, just pop 'em like Tic-Tacs.

- Z

tinypliny writes at 12:19:37 10/24/08 - Comment #40863: I need to make all these more often. Though I can't deep fry at home, I can steam/season. Thanks to (e:zobar), I remembered many things I have stopped making just because I don't recall what they taste like, over the past couple years.

I miss home. I need to complete this proposal and visit home as soon as can. :(