From: owner-eda-thoughts-digest@smoe.org (eda-thoughts-digest) To: eda-thoughts-digest@smoe.org Subject: eda-thoughts-digest V1 #146 Reply-To: eda-thoughts@smoe.org Sender: owner-eda-thoughts-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-eda-thoughts-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk eda-thoughts-digest Monday, August 24 1998 Volume 01 : Number 146 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: ET: just a wierd lil thing ["Seth D. Fulmer" ] Re: ET: food for thought (a clarification) ["Seth D. Fulmer" ] ET: a story...:( ["israel freeland" ] ET: My Ramblings [Steven J Neville ] ET: Re: and now for something completely different ["Kevin Pease" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 02:18:02 -0400 From: "Seth D. Fulmer" Subject: Re: ET: just a wierd lil thing At 02:49 PM 8/22/98 -0500, Naomi Vaughn wrote: >reality > >a blurred reality, >of clear chaos. >the deafening silence, >of the darkening light. >maddening joy >in the faces, of aged youth. >disfunctionally perfect families, >all lined up in a row. >is this reality? I doubt it's reality but it would sure be heaven for me! I like the way you have each line an oxymoron of itself: "deafening silence", "aged youth". I will go no farther unless you(or someone else) wants me to do so. I don't want to drag us into another 15K debate over a poem unless someone other than me wants it. :) Anyhow, Good Poem and I hope you have a Fantastic Day!! :) Seth D. Fulmer mailto:kaosking@voicenet.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 02:30:25 -0400 From: "Seth D. Fulmer" Subject: Re: ET: food for thought (a clarification) At 08:30 PM 8/20/98 -0400, Kevin Pease wrote: >>> Mike Connell writes: > >>argument. Considering I have seen some rather large posts (10K to 15K or >>greater) and larger than normal digests (28K when the norm is 20K), it >>tells me there may have been mild arguments..... > > Ooops. Heheheh. I think the large posts are probably mostly mine. I >said it before, and I'll say it again... I get carried away, and I like to >ramble. :) Hey Kevin, I gotta step in here...The large posts aren't all yours...They're yours and mine. I can't let a friend get in trouble without stepping up and claiming guilt as well. > But, I don't think we've really been arguing... spirited discussion, >maybe. Let me just interject at this point - if I *have* offended anybody >here, or anybody feels like I'm being argumentative with them (or with >somebody else), I apologize. That was never my intent. Oh, I agree! spirited discussion indeed! :) I have a friend back home Dennis who's going to college in upstate NY(which is off topic but hey) and whenever he's home and I'm home, I'll call him up and we get into 3-4 hour discussions on perfection and the biblical ramifications of the word....Sometimes we go off the topic and get into just biblical ramifications, or other stuff but nevertheless(I'm rambling) it's a very interesting discussion and you learn quite a lot in the end(or even throughout the discussion). I really do NOT know what I'd do without him. > I honestly don't understand the rash of unsubscribers, though, because I >don't think anything that's been said has really been ugly, mean-spirited, >or rude. And, again, I'd like to interject, and say to anybody else out >there who may be reading, and contemplating shuffling off this mortal >list... please don't. As far as I'm concerned, if you have a problem with >something I've written, if you disagree with me, or if you're offended by >something I've said, then LET ME KNOW. Send me email privately, and let me >know if I've said something to bother you, or if you just want to tell me, >"You suck! Shut UP!" I'm a big boy, and I can handle a little criticism... >if you don't want to disagree with me on the list in public, then disagree >with me via email in private, but either way, let me know you disagree. I'm >certainly not here to step on any toes, and if anything I've said has caused >people to leave, again, that certainly wasn't my intent. But, I can't know >if I'm doing something stupid unless you viewers act now, and email me >today. Quantities are limited. :) Same here. I don't intend on offending a single individual, so if I ever do...now, in the past or in the future, let me know and I'll do my very best to correct the situation. Seth D. Fulmer mailto:kaosking@voicenet.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 02:51:27 -0400 From: "Seth D. Fulmer" Subject: Re: ET: Re: eda-thoughts-digest V1 #130 At 05:54 PM 8/20/98 -0400, Kevin Pease wrote: > I wish you'd make up your mind... in one post, you say you haven't >achieved any of your goals... in this post, you say you achieve them left >and right, and it's just practically raining achieved goals... which is it, >you can't have it both ways, you know. It's like somebody saying they're >"sort of" pregnant - you either ARE pregnant, or you AREN'T pregnant, you >can't be "kinda". So have you achieved goals, or have you not achieved >goals? It's like baby steps. To walk 10 feet, a baby needs to make his/her first step first. That's one small, very insignificant goal, but (s)he's achieved it. However, the baby has not achieved the goal that was originally set: to walk 10 feet...therefore (s)he has not achieved goals. That first step is insignificant. It's worthless...to me...I feel I need to say that because others would consider that first step to be a great event. I've achieved a TON of very insignificant goals: getting all As, being Boy of the Month...with the National Latin Exam, I got 1 wrong. My goal was perfect. The fact that I failed that goal makes what I "did" achieve insignificant. > If you're given the code, you could fix it... the fix is actually pretty >simple for many programs. In many cases you just have to change the >variable in the program that contains the year. When they were originally >made, they only included a 2-character variable for the year, which was the >last two digits of the year. And that became the standard. The problem is, >when the year hits 2000, all the computer programs will assume that the 00 >in their year variable means it's 1900. A lot of systems won't crash, >they'll just display the wrong date until they're told to look at a four >digit year. You're very correct. I understand the Y2K problem already though :) > Well, yeah, it's worth it to fix it. That's like GM saying, "Well, we >have this problem where the wheels fall off the car... lots cars are >crashing, but we've decided it isn't worth fixing. Oh, but we've fired all But you said, and it's true too that the majority of computers will not crash but simply record incorrect data inside databases...or even interpret old data incorrectly. That's a matter of error checking protocols which should be with the software and not the hardware. That way, this problem would be simply a problem of software. Throw out the old software and recreate it, or fix it if you have the code. >But when they were doing it at the time, it made sense, because the changing >of the millennium really didn't enter into their consciousness - when this >new program they're running keeps crashing left and right, can you really >blame them for not having said, "Gee what happens when this program turns >50?" They were smart guys... you can't expect them to have thought of every >possible contingency that could happen then, or 50 years into the future. I see what you mean...but they shouldn't have put so much responsibility with the hardware. We would never in the current age put the world in the charge of robots...However, now that I bring this up, in essence we're doing the very same thing with the government today. I suggest that each (wo)man does his/her duty and then their efforts come together. But instead the "program"'s all set in place and the laws/Constitution(the hardware) has error checking in place(the Supreme Court). If one wants to change the "date/time code"(an amendment...i.e. software), it needs to go through the Supreme Court and the laws(hardware) already in place. Thus, it's not so simple to make a software change any more. I tried to put computer terms to real life political science examples to show what I mean by my views on the Y2K issue. I say that the chips should have been set to just give the raw date(2 or 4 digits...it doesn't matter) and the programs should get the date, interpret it and if it interprets it wrong, then all you have to do is put a new timer chip in the computer, change the software in the computer. Even if you know 1900 won't be needed, then you can just change the software and forget changing the chip. It's that simple if that would have only been done in the 50s. :) Seth D. Fulmer mailto:kaosking@voicenet.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 03:06:24 -0400 From: "Seth D. Fulmer" Subject: Re: ET: Re: "perfect" Alright, this is my last post tonight...I swear :) I'll make my "weekend post" tomorrow. Seth D. Fulmer mailto:kaosking@voicenet.com At 06:02 PM 8/20/98 -0400, Kevin Pease wrote: > In what way is a lack of imperfection a fault? I would expect a perfect >being to be above anger & hate, and lack those qualities, as well. I >wouldn't call somebody who is incapable of anger & hatred faulty, I would >call them a hell of a lot closer to perfect than I'm ever likely to get. Ok, take your example of anger and hate. I'm up against someone who loves me more than anything and lacks anger and hate. If I did harm against myself, then he would have to stop me and if I did everything in my power to harm myself then after a while I have either found a way to get past his "perfection of skill" or I've just: annoyed myself, hurt myself, and will go onto other things to attack(Note that I'm not attacking anyone...It's just a demonstration of how lack of something is a fault). To be perfect, there can't be any loopholes. My fraternity has bylaws that we've been updating for at least 5 years. There are others that can't find a loophole in it. The other day several weeks ago, my chapter had elections and I found a loophole in it because the wording was so precise that no loophole could be found. I just had to get deep enough with the semantics to find it(which for me didn't take very long. I love semantics). >You're assuming here that a lack of ANYTHING is a fault, and that's just not >so. I lack 300 extra pounds... I'd like to think that's not a fault. I Ok, take that example...You're in a situation that you're sumo wrestling. Lacking those 300 extra pounds would put you at a Major disadvantage and the chances of you winning would be next to nothing. >lack a hatred of nature... I'd like to think that's not a fault. I lack >physical characteristics that would make me female... I'd like to think Actually, I hate that part of myself. I was talking with my mom this weekend saying how my head is too big and asking her what she thought and she said that compared to other guys my head was perfect but compared to a female it was big...but she said that's normal. I said "Well I hate the biological differences and I wish to neutralize the biological differences". I would gladly go through the difficulties that females go through in life even if so to respect their hardships more. >complete lack of imperfections. I'll agree it's impossible to achieve, but >I'll disagree with your claim that to be perfect, you also have to be >imperfect. If somebody completely lacks imperfections, then they're >perfect. Yes, theoretically if someone is perfects they lack imperfections in the semantic sense. However in not a semantic sense, the idea that everyone thinks of with perfection...I guess I'm saying that's not perfection. I can find a loophole through that and defeat that being that is "perfect". Do ya see what I'm saying? :) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 01:27:17 PDT From: "israel freeland" Subject: ET: a story...:( First, a note from the EDA-thoughts list manager: This post below was sent to the Jewel list. Because of the list policy of not having stories, lyrics etc not written by Jewel, I sent it on to this list instead, and at least temporarily subscribed the author to eda-thoughts - Mike :-) The Fence ******************************** There was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Then it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there." A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us. Show your friends how much you care. Send this to everyone you consider a friend... ***************************** i dont really know why i am sharing this story with all of you. maybe its because im sad... maybe because i just lost someone close... or maybe just for advice... take care israel ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 20:39:32 +1000 From: Steven J Neville Subject: ET: My Ramblings Hi all Firstly, thanks to those who responded to mr previous post. BIG HUG. Man, I was really down that day, bad niteclub experience the night before. Anyway, thanks for listening. Steve ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 10:21:17 -0400 From: "Kevin Pease" Subject: ET: Re: and now for something completely different >> Ben writes: >ps-anyone who can tell me where I stole that subject line from gets... well, >it can be discussed I know where it's from... Monty Python... I'm just not sure I want to know what I get. :) Kevin - ---------- Kevin Pease kbpease@boston.crosswinds.net (ICQ UIN: 3106063) (AOL Instant Messenger: kbpease) http://www.crosswinds.net/boston/~kbpease "I feel like a quote out of context, withholding the rest, So I can be for you what you want to see; I got the gestures, sounds, I got the timing down, It's uncanny, yeah you'd think it was me; Do you think I should take a class to lose my southern accent? Did I make me up, or make a face 'til it stuck? I do the best imitation of myself..." -----(Ben Folds Five)----- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 11:19:44 -0400 From: "Seth D. Fulmer" Subject: ET: My weekend and thinking Hello Angels, As you all pretty much know I went home for the weekend from college(and thus from my computer/Internet). Friday I went to the movies and saw "Something about Mary" for the 2nd time. This time I analyzed it and thought about why I liked Mary. Was it because it was Cameron Diaz, or was it because it was her personality? I realized that I would never get with Mary's character type because I am not into sports that much, and I'm not into successful people(as society defines successful people) too much either. I adore helping people, but I also realized that I was as mentally disturbed as all the other guys in the movie(Ted, Pat, Norm, Brett, Don) and that Warren(I think that was Mary's brother's name) wasn't so helpless as I had thought. As I learned a few months ago "Ignorance is sweet bliss" sometimes. Saturday afternoon, I had a discussion with my mom where I asked her what she thought about the size of my head and how my hands were so big and how I was going bald. I was surprisedly in good spirits about my balding. Instead of blaming my parents, I blamed the fact that I was male...Where are you going to find a bald female? She asked me how my hands were too big and I explained how I can't reach into my computer to put chips in without scratching them up and then I realized that "that" is a skill I value a lot in myself: My computer skills. We went onto the big head thing and she explained that she thought I had a normal sized head for a male but a large sized head for a female, which was normal. Then, I asked her what she would do if she's having a discussion with friends and someone walks up to her and starts insulting something on her that she can change(like her shirt, shoes, pants) versus something she can't change(the color of her skin for instance). She explained that she would either ignore the person or if she couldn't do that, she'd walk away. She obviously has never met up with a person as persistent as I am(if I want something I get it...not that I am rude like that). Saturday evening, my parents went to pick up my sister from college majorette camp and they dropped me off to get a video or 2. A friend(sorta) from High School Heather was working there and she said "Hi" to me. I've seen her work there several times before and for the past 2-3 times I leave, she's staring after me. She's a nice girl and shy as well. In fact, I can never bring myself to think of her in any "unclean" way(it's a disgusting thought)...which actually bothers me because I get my own way(even with myself). I was thinking about asking her out...while riding home and I asked myself why I don't. Probably because she'd either say she has a boyfriend or would never want to go out with a guy who has more hair on his chest than on his head(exagerated). In any case, I had rented "Fallen" and "The Man with the Iron Mask". Throughout "Fallen" I was freaked out and I'm asking myself "Why are you afraid? Nothing can hurt you." Then after my shower I watched "The Man with the Iron Mask". I realized that I have 2 "personalities" moreso. I have a side that's more ruthless than the King Louis yet I also have a side that's kind and generous like Philip. In the same respect, I have another side that's courageous and would run through an onslaught of bullets to fight an army with only a sword to fight with. Now, I've noticed in the past that I have a tendency to copy mannerisms and personality traits from what I witness. Now, Friday my dad had told me about some guy he works with that was looking to buy a computer so he wanted to speak to me because of my experience. So Sunday, my dad called the guy up and I spoke to him. He was looking for an educational computer for his child. Part of myself told me to tell the guy honestly what would be the best for him educationally. Although part of me as well was thinking on the kid's side that the child would want to play games so I should tell him a computer that was maximized for games. It was difficult deciding but in the end I felt good that someone felt confident in my abilities. What struck me strange about the weekend though was that I saw somewhere where someone said "You try so hard to be perfect, you never stop to have fun", and there was some more afterwards but I realized they could be somewhat talking about me. In my life, rather than going to a party, I would sooner stay behind and do business because the party would just depress me. The one time I've had a back massage, I didn't like it because it lowered the amount that I was defensive. I had to lower my guards too much and I was having too much fun and it felt too good...so I told the person to stop. Anyhow, I thought I'd write some good characteristics about myself. If anyone has any to add to it, let me know, because my brain is wracked: I love to dance ballroom style I love to act and sing as well I know a lot about computers I like to help people in general need I am not rude no matter what I can speak 4 languages and learn much more I know the greek alphabet backwards and forewards. I always love new experiences I write poetry, compositions and novels I also love to read poetry, novels and compositions. I like to look at art; Dali is my favorite I like pretty much any music I learn rather quickly Seth Fulmer A.K.A. "The Angel that thinks too much" mailto:kaosking@voicenet.com Cool Quote of the Day/week/timeperiod of your choice: "And I'm sorry I didn't always have a match That could start a fire big enough for your heart to catch." - Jewel Kilcher ------------------------------ End of eda-thoughts-digest V1 #146 **********************************