Greedya

Bugger is also an Australian slang word, meaning 'bummer' (like you feel annoyed). It has nothing to do with sodomites here lol.

Bad sci fi stories tell science like essays, rather than ingeniously embed science in the plot. I can stand 'bad science' if the logic is consistent, but I can't stand sci fi that's not character-oriented. From my reading experience, bad sci fi comes from people who don't know how to tell a story. Well, actually I love scientific fields that are not yet well established, like evolutionary psychology. And I give +50 bonus points for stories that tell us that some current scientific belief us wrong 'cause scientists make mistakes and have blind faith in the scientific method as if science is god - science can't be wrong. Just saying as a follower of the Popper's falsificationism ;p * notes to self - Bayesian update, Bayesian update *

I understand there isn't a clear borderline between sci fi and fantasy.. But Harry Potter is obviously a fantasy story. And a series of children books ('cause the universe is a little childish and the adult characters act foolishly sometimes). Quidditch is rubbish in terms of game design. Peter Pettigrew is sometimes clever and sometimes idiotic. Dumbledore is sometimes overly myopic and sometimes very calculating (it's possible but still unbelievable). Sci fi is thought-provoking and more grounded on assessment of the future and/or what-if analysis. There are implications - be it political, ethical, social - to think about. On the other hand, fantasy is more about creativity and imagination, usually beyond scientific possibilities (strictly speaking, it's near impossible). Science fantasy has both features. Just my 2 cents though.

May I request that you contact dkstories please?

Help would be appreciated. I am writing my granddad's biography (who already passed away), and there is information I need but I can't find on the Internet - or in the library. It is technological diffusion. A question like "when did DNA tests become commercially available in the UK and what were the prices at the time?" I can make a guess based on U.S. data (which is not appropriate), and I can calculate historical prices based on inflation alone (which doesn't account for the market dynamics). They're my best guesses, but of course, rigour is preferred. I'm not asking you to answer that question.. because I have lots of questions lol. I just would like to know how you guys research on historical topics and answer historical questions. Maybe I've been looking in the wrong places. Thanks!

I am a little troubled by your definition of knowledge. First, are you implying that knowledge is a posteriori? Secondly, I think knowledge is partial, so you can't perfectly know how much you know. Thirdly, the 'apt and ability' to acquire knowledge is not solely dependent on the learner. As a proponent of externalism, I believe that the cognitive processes depend partly on the learning process and the environment. Finally, there are factors beyond control that may affect the learning process - and intelligence in your definition. For instance, poor people may be too hungry to learn anything. They'd be slow learners due to hunger, but that doesn't really mean they're not intelligent, right?

Depends on how you define 'learning.' And how you evaluate the worth of a human being. But I generally agree with you that 'formal education' doesn't necessarily make for a 'more socially responsible' person. I am a little saddened by the fact that today's formal education puts too much emphasis on the job market. It trains young minds to respond positively to the market trends, and these herd behaviours and bandwagon effects can be disastrous without sufficient rationalisation. Some ads say, "XXX million members can't be wrong," or "XXX million people have read this book, so you should too," or "A lot of investors are buying this stock, so you should too." The logic is crap. Totally crap. And even people with Ph.D.s from prestigious universities make such mistakes sometimes. I've witnessed that with my own eyes.

You may be dumb, mate. I may be dumb too. Socrates once said the best knowledge is in knowing that one knows nothing at all. The more you know, the more you know how much you don't know. Being dumb is a good thing, and a philosophical mind'd better start with a dumb mind - a mind that knows nothing and makes philosophical enquries without assuming anything. You may have to ask what 'dumb' means, and why (or why not) it is important. Anyway, I guess your issue is not about whether or not you're dumb. It is that you take how other people think about you a little too seriously. You can't please the whole world, so it is okay that someone thinks negatively of you. If your friends think negatively of you because you don't know something, then they're not your friends. Dumb or not - it is just a tag. A perception. A subjective evaluation. Maybe a necessity. In an open economy like this, some people know something more than other people because specialisation makes the market more efficient.

Yesterday I had quite a serious talk with a group of PhD students in medicine. Well, kinda interviewing them actually. It was fun as much as killjoy. Do you guys know that herpes viruses are transmissible by kissing? Herpesviruses are creepy, good at evading immune systems and can establish lifelong, recurring infections. And there is an established, very unlikely albeit possible, chance of receiving HIV and Hepatitis-B from kissing. Yucks. In related news, last night I tried a strawberry-flavoured condom with my bf. It tasted awful, and my bf didn't feel as good as without. But it is medically recommended that only rubber-covered cocks be suckable if you're into NSA. Even more frighteningly, it is rarely discussed about the health risk of slipping condoms, which is, according to some discussants, more worrisome than the risk of broken condoms. If you're really risk-averse, it's great to have a BF / GF in an honest, monogamous relationship. Promiscuity is a trade-off between fun and risk, y' know I'm not saying it's bad. I'm saying it's a choice that needs to be justified. Whether or not your country's healthcare is publicly funded is another dimension here (um, NOTE: no political discussion on this forum). Anyway, have fun and play safe! (well, you can either have more fun and play less safe or have less fun and play more safe teehee!)

Mate do whatever makes you happy and plan well - and realistically. 200k annually isn't very realistic at your age unless you have a brilliant business idea and become an entrepreneur urself. I no longer chase after money 'cause that's a helluva life. I want to lay back a bit, and have enough money for retirement. That's all. Not having my own house is ok. Not living a luxurious life is ok. I am happy this way 'cause I don't like working like crazy. Finally, asking people to vote is a bad idea. You shouldn't be influenced by this kind of stuffs because you don't know 'why' a person votes yes or no. Most likely, nobody has enough information to judge your life for you.

Some more.. . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4cmrMJul1g

I stick to the classics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHmvkRoEowc

Oh boy - I know life can be hard sometimes. I wish you'd find the strength in you soon. Best wishes!

Charles Darwin would agree that my ancestors are monkeys.. Wait. That doesn't sound right. The first life forms on earth are single-cell eukaryotes. Wait. That doesn't sound right. I should keep my mouth shut, or someone would be mad at me for opposing the theory of Adam and Eve.

Can't wait to read your mystery project! Are you gonna do a detective story, fantasy/supernatural or horror? A lot of these are nitpicking. Minor details that do not harm the 'feel' of the story. But you and I seem to be a little obsessed with line-by-line scrutinising, eh? There you go - Chapter 2 Somehow I