I am absolutely fascinated with black holes! Ever since I read that an object which passes along the edge of a black hole emerges bearing some characteristics of the black hole, I have considered them as sacred as prayer. Spend significant time in prayer and one emerges bearing more characteristics of the Holy. Now this finding that the interior of a black hole can contain infinite content without changing size and it reads to me akin to what the mystics call a Unitive experience, or as the article terms it: "infinitely dense singularity." And whyever shouldn't the Universe itself and the deepest aspects of our spiritual selves mirror one another? We are, after all, stardust.
I remember thinking when I was young, maybe ten or twelve years old, that whatever is truly true, will be true in all times and places, and beyond time and place. These strange interactions between time and place, uncertainty and entropy, etc. in the quantum world are hard to get my mind around, but don't contradict my childhood insight. Many people have perceived that the finite does not contradict the infinite, or vice versa. Speaking of time spent in prayer recalls the teaching of Patanjali in the Yoga Sutra. Some of the Yoga philosophy is certainly arguable, but its practical psychology is outstanding: granted that no matter how much water you add to mud it won't become pure water, the more water you add the nearer you come. Many yogic spiritual practices have parallels in seemingly unrelated religions. I must say that I admire the New Reformed Orthodox Order of the Golden Dawn for their understanding of the role of ceremony in spirituality. The power of ritual and ceremony can be astounding; it is best to have guidance and supervision, but sometimes it just comes.
Did Free Pens Cause the Opioid Crisis? [Click] Does this point the way to a political campaign technique? It would probably work if used rarely, but I suspect it would not if used universally.
Trump Can’t Stop Confessing [Click] “Proving white-collar crimes is an exceedingly difficult task for prosecutors. Trump is doing his best to make it easier.”
I saw listener's question on the previous thread. Not much going on since I got back, other than catching up on things. Today's routine doctor appointment turned out to be yesterday, so I had to reschedule for 8:40 a.m. Friday. That's effectively the middle of the night for me. Otherwise the biggest news is that the Bears have all but mathematically clinched the divisional title.
Yep; you ZAP them bugs, give them a chance to grow, and when they are at their most vulnerable, ZAP them again, and keep it up, every time reducing their numbers. Works better than trying to do it all at once. Same as cancer chemotherapy.
A Taste of the Next Two Years [Click] Josh Marshall live-tweets the Trump/Pence/Schumer/Pelosi public “press availability.” Quick summary followed by live-tweets and video clips. The summary is enough for me. Suffice it to say that Dear Leader does not seem to have had the wheel hand.
I am absolutely fascinated with black holes! Ever since I read that an object which passes along the edge of a black hole emerges bearing some characteristics of the black hole, I have considered them as sacred as prayer. Spend significant time in prayer and one emerges bearing more characteristics of the Holy. Now this finding that the interior of a black hole can contain infinite content without changing size and it reads to me akin to what the mystics call a Unitive experience, or as the article terms it: "infinitely dense singularity." And whyever shouldn't the Universe itself and the deepest aspects of our spiritual selves mirror one another? We are, after all, stardust.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the article, Alan! If anyone missed it:
How Black Holes Keep Their Size While Growing Constantly
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/12/black-holes-complexity/577648/
I remember thinking when I was young, maybe ten or twelve years old, that whatever is truly true, will be true in all times and places, and beyond time and place. These strange interactions between time and place, uncertainty and entropy, etc. in the quantum world are hard to get my mind around, but don't contradict my childhood insight. Many people have perceived that the finite does not contradict the infinite, or vice versa. Speaking of time spent in prayer recalls the teaching of Patanjali in the Yoga Sutra. Some of the Yoga philosophy is certainly arguable, but its practical psychology is outstanding: granted that no matter how much water you add to mud it won't become pure water, the more water you add the nearer you come. Many yogic spiritual practices have parallels in seemingly unrelated religions. I must say that I admire the New Reformed Orthodox Order of the Golden Dawn for their understanding of the role of ceremony in spirituality. The power of ritual and ceremony can be astounding; it is best to have guidance and supervision, but sometimes it just comes.
DeleteDid Free Pens Cause the Opioid Crisis? [Click] Does this point the way to a political campaign technique? It would probably work if used rarely, but I suspect it would not if used universally.
ReplyDeleteTrump Can’t Stop Confessing [Click] “Proving white-collar crimes is an exceedingly difficult task for prosecutors. Trump is doing his best to make it easier.”
How The IRS Was Gutted [Click] The original reference is a very long read.
Top Warren Operative Talking to O’Rourke, Others[Click]
A summary of things Cohen has cooperated on, and hasn’t. [Click] (He did not commit to full cooperation.) He is being helpful about the Trump Organization.
Courts likely to strike down Republican lame-duck power grabs, experts say [Click]
Forgotten statue kept in a margarine tub is 2,000-year-old treasure [Click] Quite fine, but the photo of the Bronze-Age gold bulla is amazing.
Gene study unravels redheads mystery [Click]
Nicola Sturgeon’s clarity on Brexit reminds us what a leader looks like [Click] Another lesson for US politicians, methinks.
I saw listener's question on the previous thread. Not much going on since I got back, other than catching up on things. Today's routine doctor appointment turned out to be yesterday, so I had to reschedule for 8:40 a.m. Friday. That's effectively the middle of the night for me. Otherwise the biggest news is that the Bears have all but mathematically clinched the divisional title.
ReplyDeleteBill, I sympathize about timing. My 10:40 doctor's appointment was effectively the crack of dawn for me. I was very grateful it wasn't earlier!
DeleteSpeaking of such things: Started my antibiotic today. The directions say to take one capsule (10 mg) every twelve hours. for ten days.
Yep; you ZAP them bugs, give them a chance to grow, and when they are at their most vulnerable, ZAP them again, and keep it up, every time reducing their numbers. Works better than trying to do it all at once. Same as cancer chemotherapy.
DeleteA Taste of the Next Two Years [Click] Josh Marshall live-tweets the Trump/Pence/Schumer/Pelosi public “press availability.” Quick summary followed by live-tweets and video clips. The summary is enough for me. Suffice it to say that Dear Leader does not seem to have had the wheel hand.
ReplyDeleteSlightly warmer today. Minimal melt. Glad for what I get.
ReplyDeleteTrump Shows Weakness In Confrontation with Democrats [Click]
ReplyDelete‘He Stormed Out of the Oval’ [Click]