Every other week or so, I run across another instance of the magical powers of microwaves or lasers or some such thing. Yesterday, was no exception.
Depending on the scientific literacy of the reader, the reactions that could be generated upon reading the first few paragraphs of this blog post are diverse. "Chameleon particles", "ghost particles", and "shining light through walls" will give the typical lay reader the idea that modern science is a joyride through Sci-Fi la-la land.
I am not equal to judge the scientific merit of the topic discussed from this blog, but I won't deny the writing could be improved a little. It definitely makes reading the reading of a technical article a much more enjoyable process.
Sometime I need to start collecting common myths on some scientific topic, say microwaves, and post them here, debunking each one. That would also be highly entertaining.
- JALGT
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Monday, January 5, 2015
The Bittersweet (Original Composition)
Give me a day of joy,
I’ll give you a night of tears.
Give me a newborn child
I’ll take him before his years.
Send me a lover and I’ll call
Him away to die in a war.
Give me a saint and I’ll make
Him struggle to his very core.
This is the bittersweet.
Where two cities meet.
Where wheat among tares are grown.
Surely you will now agree
Though you can’t have known,
The pain it really took
To make you free, to make you free.
The very God of this world
Came in flesh and blood to earth.
Mocked by His creation,
A servant He was from birth.
Can you understand why
The righteousness you now wear
Came through death’s bitterness
To receive sweet heaven’s care?
This is the bittersweet.
Where two cities meet.
Where wheat among tares are grown.
Surely you will now agree
Though you can’t have known,
The pain it really took
To make you free, to make you free.
Heaven bears its own.
But, not without the pierce of thorn.
Life’s never been so beautiful
When joys are ever plentiful,
Death comes to reap what was sown.
Glory be to Thee,
Our God, who is completely good,
To teach Your children humility
To avoid life’s aching futility
By resting in Your unfailing Word.
Friday, January 2, 2015
Five Features of Tonality
"Conjunct melodic motion"*
Describes the characteristic short movements typically taken by tonal melodies. Up and down by 2nd, 3rd, and maybe 4th and 5th intervals. Typically not much more.
"Acoustic consonance"
Describes the degree to which sounds that are harmonizing tend to 'work' well together... have consonance. Like the a major third interval. An example of a harmony lacking consonance would be an augmented fourth.
"Harmonic consistency"
While this may sound like a similar feature to the previous one, it has more to do with structure than actual musical consonance. It describes whether the harmonies used in a particular piece of music tend to exhibit similar structure. Say, three note arpeggios on the second inversion... that would be a rather strict harmonic consistency.
"Limited macroharmony"
Take a section of a particular musical piece. The sum total of notes you hear in that section should be limited to a relatively restricted set of notes, typically 5 - 8 for tonal melodies.
"Centricity"
Prominence of a particular note throughout a piece or centeredness around such a note, ending there or serving as some sort of musical goal. This is usually the tonic for much of Western, tonal music.
Now, the beauty of this array of tools is their incredible flexibility as well as breadth of application. Many examples of tonal music do not exhibit one or more of these features, while conjunct melodic motion, limited macro harmony, and centricity can be found in virtually any piece of music.
We can also pick up any particular piece of music an examine it under the eye of a particular tonal feature.
* As termed by Dmitri Tymoczko in A Geometry of Music
Describes the characteristic short movements typically taken by tonal melodies. Up and down by 2nd, 3rd, and maybe 4th and 5th intervals. Typically not much more.
"Acoustic consonance"
Describes the degree to which sounds that are harmonizing tend to 'work' well together... have consonance. Like the a major third interval. An example of a harmony lacking consonance would be an augmented fourth.
"Harmonic consistency"
While this may sound like a similar feature to the previous one, it has more to do with structure than actual musical consonance. It describes whether the harmonies used in a particular piece of music tend to exhibit similar structure. Say, three note arpeggios on the second inversion... that would be a rather strict harmonic consistency.
"Limited macroharmony"
Take a section of a particular musical piece. The sum total of notes you hear in that section should be limited to a relatively restricted set of notes, typically 5 - 8 for tonal melodies.
"Centricity"
Prominence of a particular note throughout a piece or centeredness around such a note, ending there or serving as some sort of musical goal. This is usually the tonic for much of Western, tonal music.
Now, the beauty of this array of tools is their incredible flexibility as well as breadth of application. Many examples of tonal music do not exhibit one or more of these features, while conjunct melodic motion, limited macro harmony, and centricity can be found in virtually any piece of music.
We can also pick up any particular piece of music an examine it under the eye of a particular tonal feature.
* As termed by Dmitri Tymoczko in A Geometry of Music
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Discussion, Truth, and Action
There is the greatest difference between presuming an opinion to be true, because, with every opportunity for contesting it, it has not been refuted, and assuming its truth for the purpose of not permitting its refutation. Complete liberty of contradicting and disproving our opinion is the very condition which justifies us in assuming its truth for purposes of action; and on no other terms can a being with human faculties have any rational assurance of being right.
--John Stuart Mill, "Liberty in Discussion"
--John Stuart Mill, "Liberty in Discussion"
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Conversation... Montaigne
I feel much prouder of the victory I gain over myself when, in the very heat of the combat, I make myself give way to the force of my adversary's argument, than I feel gratified by the victory I gain over him through his own weakness.
-- Michel de Montaigne, "Of the Art of Conversing"
-- Michel de Montaigne, "Of the Art of Conversing"
Monday, December 29, 2014
Ideas and Truth
Whoever wishes to have ideas must first prepare himself to desire truth and to accept the rules of the game imposed by it. It is no use speaking of ideas when there is no acceptance of a higher authority to regulate them, a series of standards to which it is possible to appeal in a discussion. These standards are the principles on which culture rests.
-- José Ortega y Gasset, "Putting Truth in Checkmate"
-- José Ortega y Gasset, "Putting Truth in Checkmate"
Education is Wasted on the Young
Consider the brightest boy or girl at the best imaginable college--much better than any which now exists--with the most competent faculty and with a perfect course of study. Imagine this brightest student in the best of all possible colleges, spending four years industriously, faithfully, and efficiently applying his or her mind to study. I say to you that, at the end of four years, this student, awarded a degree with the highest honors, is not an educated man or woman. And cannot be, for the simple reason that the obstacle to becoming educated in school is an inherent and insurmountable one, namely, youth.
-- Mortimer J. Adler, "Adult Education"
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Sleep
Are you asleep?
"Shh! Don't disturb the blissful peace....", his voice died out in a groan.
Why are you sleeping? Don't you want to wake up?
"Leave me alone!"
Why are you sleeping at a time like this? His arms are up and he's seriously getting frustrated.
growling
He stops and does not continue. He's half afraid the little monster is going to spring up and go for the throat.
The thing glared at him. "Who was this insolent fellow who felt he could wake him from his peaceful sleep." He hated waking up. He hated seeing the world. The last time he woke up and tried to do something, he almost got shot and killed by a maniacal human who claimed he couldn't exist.
Sigh.
The person turned around and started to leave. He was starting to feel pretty low. It's going to take something fantastic, but this little creature could do something. I mean, people don't believe things like him exist. He stopped and turned, wondering. Just what would happen if he yanked him up off the ground.A quick cost benefit analysis settled his mind. He strode over full of purpose.
Wow! The thing bites!
But, it didn't bite him.
The troll had heard me whisper, "People believe more lies than truth until they see truth staring them in the face."
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Concerning Trolls
Reminds you of the title to something else, doesn't it...
Maybe this has not dawned on you yet, or maybe you've known it for a while, but if it is not obvious already, this Trallferd fellow is most definitely a troll. And, yes this is he.
I have a human handler, the man who gives me access to the rest of the world, but he's not that important. In fact, he's so insignificant, that he let me hijack his blog. Henceforth from now, this place is my domain. And, may I say, it's going to be a welcome transition.
It has now been 1 year, 1 month, 1 week, and 1 day, since "Trallferd the Theoretician" last contributed to the blogosphere with his electronic pen. In this time, a great many things have happened. My handler has started to act sort of strangely. He takes to ranting about the world at random and closeting himself in his room or walking out at night in seclusion. Like I said, he behaves strangely.
What is more, I feel a wind of change coming on me. My fingertips sort of tingle, and there is an odd, giddy feeling in my head. These things do not happen very often. These things do not bode particularly well. Or, they may be the start of something fantastic... too soon to tell.
Anyway, the point I want to make here is that not all trolls are mindless wackos belaboring their way through the tides of the internet. Some are curious, insightful, crafty but kindhearted souls. Really, trolls have been largely misunderstood. I mean, there is such diversity among the troll races that one should never be too quick to generalize their kind. Of course, I do not speak of the shameless impostors who make their way about the world wide web. They're just a bunch of jerks.
Maybe this has not dawned on you yet, or maybe you've known it for a while, but if it is not obvious already, this Trallferd fellow is most definitely a troll. And, yes this is he.
I have a human handler, the man who gives me access to the rest of the world, but he's not that important. In fact, he's so insignificant, that he let me hijack his blog. Henceforth from now, this place is my domain. And, may I say, it's going to be a welcome transition.
It has now been 1 year, 1 month, 1 week, and 1 day, since "Trallferd the Theoretician" last contributed to the blogosphere with his electronic pen. In this time, a great many things have happened. My handler has started to act sort of strangely. He takes to ranting about the world at random and closeting himself in his room or walking out at night in seclusion. Like I said, he behaves strangely.
What is more, I feel a wind of change coming on me. My fingertips sort of tingle, and there is an odd, giddy feeling in my head. These things do not happen very often. These things do not bode particularly well. Or, they may be the start of something fantastic... too soon to tell.
Anyway, the point I want to make here is that not all trolls are mindless wackos belaboring their way through the tides of the internet. Some are curious, insightful, crafty but kindhearted souls. Really, trolls have been largely misunderstood. I mean, there is such diversity among the troll races that one should never be too quick to generalize their kind. Of course, I do not speak of the shameless impostors who make their way about the world wide web. They're just a bunch of jerks.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
My Platform - The Principles
In the interest of discussing the issues more (which is, all too often, done very little in the political sphere), I have the following to post. This is the last section of my platform. Actually, it is the only part of my personal issue platform that doesn't contain actual planks, just statements of principles. Think of them as the foundation upon which the rest of the platform is built. Basically, this section embodies three principles: the rule of law, freedom, and the golden rule.
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1 - Legislate less; let people live more. Live and let live. The individual’s freedom is the foundation of America’s greatness past and its strength to come.
2 - Preserve life to the utmost. This does not exclude the use of the death penalty, as its execution properly recognizes the sacred importance of life. Capital punishment should be sparingly used, though. Only three types of crimes really deserve it: rape, murder, and treason. Prosecuting abortion isn’t about violating a woman’s body or right to choose; it is about not punishing the innocent in the name of serving another’s wishes OR assuaging her undeserved suffering.
3 - You can’t legislate morality. You create an environment in which morality can thrive. That environment is freedom.
4 - The best person to be in charge of a parent’s child is the parent. Not the federal government, an international body, a public school or daycare, or anyone else.
5 - Rights are negatively secured, not positively mandated. Thus, the right to freedom, life, the holding of one’s property--these are about something of yours not being taken from you. These are rights. The right to an education, a good job, a nice home, healthcare--these are not rights--they are positively enforced. They are about giving you something you don’t already have, not about securing what you have already earned.
6 - Legislation guided by special interests is especially wrong.
7 - Equality is about not placing one race, gender, people group above another, not about making up for past wrongs, or overcompensating to tip the balance of “advantage.” Equality is about treating with an even hand, almost as if the race, gender, ethnicity is not seen.
8 - The greatest robber, and the one which usually gets away with it, is the government.
9 - Keep it simple; keep it fair, keep it unforced, if possible.
10 - When there is a question about federal law, consult the Constitution. Before a federal law is made, consult the Constitution. Before anything is done by the federal government, consult the Constitution. It’s the rulebook.
-----
The entire platform can be found here.
-----
1 - Legislate less; let people live more. Live and let live. The individual’s freedom is the foundation of America’s greatness past and its strength to come.
2 - Preserve life to the utmost. This does not exclude the use of the death penalty, as its execution properly recognizes the sacred importance of life. Capital punishment should be sparingly used, though. Only three types of crimes really deserve it: rape, murder, and treason. Prosecuting abortion isn’t about violating a woman’s body or right to choose; it is about not punishing the innocent in the name of serving another’s wishes OR assuaging her undeserved suffering.
3 - You can’t legislate morality. You create an environment in which morality can thrive. That environment is freedom.
4 - The best person to be in charge of a parent’s child is the parent. Not the federal government, an international body, a public school or daycare, or anyone else.
5 - Rights are negatively secured, not positively mandated. Thus, the right to freedom, life, the holding of one’s property--these are about something of yours not being taken from you. These are rights. The right to an education, a good job, a nice home, healthcare--these are not rights--they are positively enforced. They are about giving you something you don’t already have, not about securing what you have already earned.
6 - Legislation guided by special interests is especially wrong.
7 - Equality is about not placing one race, gender, people group above another, not about making up for past wrongs, or overcompensating to tip the balance of “advantage.” Equality is about treating with an even hand, almost as if the race, gender, ethnicity is not seen.
8 - The greatest robber, and the one which usually gets away with it, is the government.
9 - Keep it simple; keep it fair, keep it unforced, if possible.
10 - When there is a question about federal law, consult the Constitution. Before a federal law is made, consult the Constitution. Before anything is done by the federal government, consult the Constitution. It’s the rulebook.
-----
The entire platform can be found here.
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