Transparency in this situation to me would mean being able to openly discuss any subject even when faced with the impossibility of escaping inconsistencies with the older views. Besides, it provides a perfect opportunity to not only reflect but reach a greater understanding with whomever is shedding light on your inconsistencies.

Transparency to me doesn’t necessarily mean sharing every detail of one’s life. I haven’t discovered any meaningful way for me as an individual to *easily* use this data for some greater purpose. Despite the quickening pace of societal changes we are undergoing brought on by technology, the social web is in its infancy. Facebook for example hasn’t given me ways to capitalize on the information I share – I can’t even archive and search it without much external effort. That being said, I don’t feel I currently add value telling the world about the nice walk I had with my dog, I still do of course, and I’ll certainly share some random song lyrics for no reason… maybe a reason or value isn’t required.

I suppose I do try sharing in a way that will hopefully provide food for later thought; a tag to be added to and expanded. There’s an immense possibility that some fantastic technology will come that allows me to fully utilize this life stream to improve myself and the world around me. This could just be me dreaming about and romanticizing an idea of transcending human biology, there may be some fear that by not sharing and archiving I’d miss out on this potential future. So in a sense I share primarily for my own edification and enlightenment, if someone happens to connect with what I share, positively or negatively, and they share in-kind I genuinely appreciate it. I think humans are inherently social in this regard and this was true before technology. Just as the Internet has changed “authority” it has given us further opportunities to enhance and strengthen our social connections whilst improving ourselves. As the technology evolves we evolve with it; if this evolving socialness forces us to be more truthful, introspective, and empathetic all the better I say.

I’ve also questioned the idea of transparency when it involves an organization I represent. There can be a certain paranoia at times when being transparent and vocal may prevent future career growth. My definition of transparency may not align to another or even be perceived as a positive thing. It also raises further questions about loyalty to oneself vs. others or the organization.

Ballmer at Microsoft’s company meeting stated company values include being self-critical, open and respectful with integrity and honesty. Great in principle, but both the individual and company face a dilemma. Is my future going to be at risk if I remain true to my ethics and values by being transparent and vocal? Does Microsoft risk disappointing shareholders, customers, and the media by doing the same? Should the individual speak out when a company is being hypocritical and not walking the talk?

One recent example, Microsoft decided to move Live Spaces customers to WordPress, the announcement made completely misrepresents actual usage data. How does this story align with the company values previously stated? Taking it further from a technical and IP perspective, does this business decision even align with Microsoft’s stance regarding GNU Public Licensing, isn’t this also somewhat hypocritical? What should my stance be given my unfavorable opinion, how transparent and vocal should I be on this topic, what form should it take, and so on?

Perhaps one measure of a person and their transparency is their ability to be self-critical and open about this very thought process in the most public of ways? I say person, because it brings up the corporate personhood debate, and to me it seems clear that being transparent is of greater risk to an individual than a corporation. Reward for living transparently will come from within for the individual that chooses to live as such; I don’t think the same can be said for the corporation. If anything, capitalism seems to encourage corporations to push back against ethics in an effort to increase value and thereby forces the avoidance of true transparency.

It’s at this point I start wondering, what does that actually says about the individuals who embody the corporation? If the majority of individuals believe they are living these values the corporation should follow suit right? Why then do we see so much evidence to the contrary and why do people remain in this flock as it masochistically heads in for slaughter? Are we so lacking in foresight to not see how inaction today may cause an irreparable reaction for us tomorrow? I personally can’t live with this idea, I need to have some hope that it’s just a matter of time before we live in a more just and empathetic society.

Published on October 5th, 2010 11:04pm

Me:

Astrology is complete pseudoscience anyway. It doesn’t matter how the astrologer claims to make their measurements and predictions.

The idea that we’d be affected by the gravitational forces and alignment of any celestial bodies is complete bunk. If it were true we’d be affected just as much by comets and other NEO’s, not to mention the exoplanets; most of which haven’t even been discovered until recently. Astrology got its start in a time when the Earth was the center of the universe and the retrograde motion of other planets couldn’t be accurately explained.

Astrologers have just modified their “science” over time in an attempt to remain relevant. This is no different than any other form of religion and divination. I’m guessing that’s a good reason why there is more than one method for astrology and so many variations of religion despite central foundations for either.

Astrologer:

Corey, astrology is not a pseudoscience. it is the oldest science we know of. As far as claiming to make predictions goes, I don’t claim them , I make them and they come true.

The idea is you are affected by magnetic fields and the science,Quantum science backs up the fact that astrology is a science.

The critics are always people who have not studied the science and know nothing about it except for sun sign columns seldom written by astologers

Me:

Talk about bullshit but I’m glad you responded and even mentioned quantum mechanics. Consider the following, Richard Feynman a man who helped create quantum mechanics said the following during a lecture on gravitation:

“The only applications I could think of were, first, in some geophysical prospecting, in predicting the tides; nowadays, more modernly, in working out the motions of the satellites and the planet probes, and so on, that we send up — and also, modernly to calculate the predictions of the planet’s position, which have great utility for astrologers to publish their predictions and horoscopes in the magazines.

That’s the strange world we live in, that all the advances and understanding are used only to continue the *nonsense* which has existed for 2,000 years.”

http://research.microsoft.com/apps/tools/tuva/index.html
feel free to search and watch the video…

Also this page from Feynman’s book “The Meaning of it All”, http://goo.gl/7BDHx

Sorry [name redacted], but astrology is in fact pseudoscience.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrology#Research

Astrologer:

Corey since when did Richard Phillips Feynman study the subject, he is quoting others in his work and they have not studied the subject. I recognize where he got his thoughts on this subject.
As for astrologers disagreeing with other astrologers ( one of his arguments ) all scientists disagree with one another on methods and methodologies. As I said earlier, today’s critics are bascially scientists in other fields of science along with certain religions. Instead of buying into the works of some who are determined to put the subject down – you should read the history of astrology and why science and religion want to keep it from being accepted.
So, sorry Corey, Feynman is not an expert on the subject

By the way my quantum comments are backed by a scientist who has been in Quantum physics longer than Feynman and is considered the best in the field.As for astrology being 2000 years old , it is older and again this shows he does not know the science. His comments are nonsense and as you put it in response to me “bullshit”

Me:

I take no issue with astrology except when it claims to be science. The fact you claim it is tells me you don’t understand the basic premise of science. I completely understand as I’m sure Feynman did as well; astrology first started forming in the 4th century BC, like I said before, it’s been modified and updated over time to try and remain relevant to people. The latest incarnation of this is your proclamation of a connection to quantum mechanics.

Astrology gives people the same thing religion does, comfort in the face of chaos. If the placebo that these beliefs provides makes people happy and does no other harm I see nothing wrong with it. I do think it’s disingenuous to say that astrology is science but if people know this and still want to spend money on this placebo so be it.

I would love to know who this scientist is that you mention, especially if he has worked in the field longer than Feynman…
“For his contributions to the development of quantum electrodynamics, Feynman, jointly with Julian Schwinger and Sin-Itiro Tomonaga, received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965.”

There is no scientist who disagrees with the scientific method. If they do they’re practicing pseudoscience.

“I fully agree with you concerning the pseudo-science of astrology. The interesting point is that this kind of superstition is so tenacious that it could persist through so many centuries.” — Albert Einstein, 1943

Astrologer:

I wrote a reply Corey and thought it took, obviously I did something wrong, I will check back tomorrow and reply if it is not on here. I mentioned the scientist and credentials and our war of words. Study the subject Corey, to criticize something without knowing how it works means you just got caught up in a critics( scientist or not) LACK OF KNOWLEDGE.

Me:

If it’s not there now it won’t be tomorrow.

A while back I did a search for the best scientific explanation for astrology. In that search I read some of this book. My conclusion is astrology remains a pseudoscience:
http://www.amazon.com/Scientific-Basis-Astrology-Tuning-Planets/dp/0312077955

In the book the following theory is provided:
(1) Planets effect the solar cycle in specific ways.
(2) The solar cycle effects the geomagnetic field.
(3) The geomagnetic field affects life on Earth in certain observed ways.
(4) Specifically, many species, including man, can be influenced by particular states of the geomagnetic field.
(5) The particular influences appear to correlate with the planetary positions.
(6) I propose that the behavior of the fetus at the time of birth is linked to the cycles within the geomagnetic field, which in turn are influenced by the solar cycle and positions of the planets. Resonance is the phenomenon by which the fetus is phase locked to specific cycles.

Considering the full history of astrology and the fact that early astrologers had no idea what electromagnetism even was I don’t see how they could’ve formed any testable method based on their theories. I still see no evidence of that today.

Please provide a link to a peer reviewed scientific paper that validates this theory. This should be a great challenge as I know of no such work.

Astrologer:

Wow! Corey whether you realize it or not you just gave all the reasons WHY astrology works. And by the way the magnetic fields were known by astrologers way, way back then. You see Corey , you are just reading books by the scientists you happen to like, you are not reading the books by the scientists I have studied – the books do exist . Funny you wanted to know the quantum scientist I quote but you were not interested to hear or read the astrologers
point of view from their research ( written long before your scientists were born).New knowledge isn’t always new!

Me:

So astrologers know how to measure electromagnetic fields? Really?! Astrologers have knowledge of what the fundamental particles are, can astrologers name and talk about any of them with other physicists? What about scientifically explaining how all the man-made electromagnetic fields (which didn’t exist centuries ago) might affect the efficacy of predictions? Surely if astrology works based on these well defined subjects astrologers would have scientific degrees or at least an understanding of a related field?

Since astrology has been around so long surely there would be empirical evidence showing how the accuracy of astrologer’s predictions have improved over time? All the research studies I’ve investigated show that “have repeatedly failed to demonstrate statistically significant relationships between astrological predictions and operationally defined outcomes.”

“Astrologers have argued that there are significant obstacles in carrying out scientific research into astrology today, including lack of funding, lack of background in science and statistics by astrologers, and insufficient expertise in astrology by research scientists and skeptics.”

To me, if astrology were indeed science; astrologers would have the background required to prove their theories. The science of astrology would be universally accepted instead of being practiced by only 1 in 10K people.

“Effect size tests of astrology-based hypotheses conclude that the mean accuracy of astrological predictions is no greater than what is expected by chance.”

Do astrologers keep statistical evidence of claims and predictions to show accuracy? Has this accuracy improved over time? This is a fundamental part of science.

What I’m most curious about now is how you personally use astrology in your daily life? I ask because something psychics often say is “that’s not how it works” when asked why they aren’t rich, famous, successful, happily married, whatever.

If astrologers could make accurate predictions scientifically we’d all be using it in our daily lives and over time we’d improve the predictions to be correct more often than mere chance allows.

If you want to persuade people to believe your claims provide references to these scientists, to these books, and to these studies. And please understand my argument is against astrology being science, not against you personally. Again, I’m not against astrology I’m against it being called science. I find astrology to be fascinating, the history, the beliefs, the psychology involved and so on. Astrology can be beneficial to some people, other than the lack of critical thinking involved; I’m really not bothered by it.

How to identify pseudoscience:
1. Use of vague, exaggerated or untestable claims.
2. Over-reliance on confirmation rather than refutation.
3. Lack of openness to testing by other experts.
4. Absence of progress.
5. Personalization of issues.
6. Use of misleading language.
7. Absence from citation databases.

Examples given:
1, 2, and 5. “As far as claiming to make predictions goes, I don’t claim them, I make them and they come true”

3. “today’s critics are bascially scientists in other fields of science along with certain religions”

3, 5, and 6. “By the way my quantum comments are backed by a scientist who has been in Quantum physics longer than Feynman and is considered the best in the field”

4. “magnetic fields were known by astrologers way, way back then”

5. “science and religion want to keep it from being accepted”

6. “all scientists disagree with one another on methods and methodologies”

And most importantly…
7. Every reply provided.

I realize I’m not going to change your opinion here. That would require critical thinking. And I suppose that in itself provides further evidence for the lack of science.

Ever since I posted about helping people out I’ve tried following my gut when it comes to people asking or appearing to need assistance. Not too long ago I noticed a man who seemed as if he was living out of a backpack almost by choice rather than necessity. At first in passing I gave him some slices of Hot Mama’s and some extra stuff Pike St Fish Fry gave me. He reminds me of an older wise man with a gnomish white beard, he just seems relaxed and peaceful at all times.

One late night walk with Terra not too long ago I stopped and got to asking him about my gut feeling, just to see if I was right. In a very relaxed conversation Norton and I talk about being in the flow, feeling a general unease building, and about luck and opportunity. Over an hour later, with Terra being a chill puppy, we’ve managed to cover topics like music, politics, human rights, and new forms of society. Talking Žižek, Kierkegaard, and Examined Life; geeking out on thoughts of the Universe and the interconnectedness of everything.

Walking from my stop on Broadway still reading the comments my Gramps had written in his copy of the Denial of Death there was a girl with a dog and some art. One of the pieces she had just happened to catch my eye. So I stopped and turned around, I’m not even sure why, perhaps it reminded me of being a kid and visiting my Dad for weekends at the beach. I asked about what inspired her to make the girl the way she did and commented how the rays of sunlight flew off the board. I asked how much she wanted for it and she commented about how she’s living out of a car so make an offer but in the past they’ve gone for $200. My gut says eh, go for it, my brain says, bit rich for my blood. I tell her I’ll see what I can do and after hitting up the ATM a couple blocks down head back with $200. Telling her about how my Mom does stained glass and has always been a bit of a starving artist I hand over the cash. She began to thank me profusely, tells me how far out and down to Earth I seem. She signs the back and mentions about driving around from place to place and to check her out on MySpace. I end up getting home and am like, wait did I just do that? Have I been taken? I search for her name and sure enough she’s got some other awesome stuff posted online.

After not talking to Norton for a while I stop by again to see how he’s doing and to actually ask about whether or not he’s living out of a backpack by choice. Either I couldn’t bring myself to ask him the first time or I was just too busy thinking about other stuff to ask previously. Turns out that my gut feeling was almost dead on here as well. I’ll spare the details now since I’m still curious about what got him to this point, if he’s settled and actually peaceful and what would he need in life if he’s not. I think when I do speak to him next I’ll give him this $25 Amex gift card I received, seems like the least I can do considering how much enjoyment I’ve received from our conversations.

Meanwhile off the topic of gut feelings I have mixed feelings about non-profit awareness and the general pushiness of those requesting donations in public. I usually pick one a month and donate enough for Microsoft to match, sometimes more. I’ve lost track of the various causes I’ve donated to and I guess this is where I become uncomfortable. I usually stop and see what’s what, then after remembering that I’ve donated prior and even after mentioning that I’ve donated, instead of saying thanks they’ll sometimes say, “well why not make a regular commitment”! Great, but if I donated to every cause I’d like every single time I’m asked  and did so regularly I’d be the one asking for donations before too long. I guess I’d prefer if they’d just state what they’re out for, hand over some info and call it good. If I want to take the time to donate there don’t try and push for regular installments or a minimum amount. Doing otherwise just makes it easier to justify avoiding you altogether.

The more I think about these gut feelings though the more I realize that when I follow them the happier I become and the happier I seem to make the people around me. This surely can’t be a bad thing.

In the process of trying to fall back to sleep I pretty much thought about the following:

1. Design a tattoo in Illustrator and Photoshop that fits the scene in my head/dream.
   • Think about a conversation with Grandma in a hypothetical future situation. “I’m not getting it yet, but as soon as I get into great shape that tattoo is coming.”
   • Use Illustrator and Photoshop design as background for site.
   • Use Illustrator design to create a movie with AfterEffects.
   • Convert movie to Silverlight/Flash for site.
2. Print some photos I’ve taken at Costco.
   • Design and create a DIY wire photo frame which features the photos in between two pieces of glass suspended in a 1x4x9 frame.
   • Share results online with a process video.
3. Join the CrossFit gym across the street so that I can go every Thursday morning in addition to the regular gym visits every Tuesday evening.
   • Buy some weights for home and figure out some more home workout options.
   • Get in great shape.
4. Get tattoo.
5. Looking at ceiling from the bed realizing that I should take a photo of what I’m looking at. Then using Photoshop and Illustrator convert it to a line drawing to then create a design for what I’d like to have built.
   • Thinking of the design. Thinking of how it’d best be accomplished. Creating the mental lines.
   • Use screen capture app to record the process of converting a photo into a design.
   • Take design get it built then do a making of the entire thing.
6. Take long beach vacation.
7. Take a road trip to visit family in California after November 2nd.
   • Return from California very chill and ready for great times ahead.
8. Idea for blog post about the way I think.
9. Need to buy camera gear for Leetspeak’s first show.
   • Need to attend show and hook up audio recorder to monitor output to be able to make a decent quality video.

Trying to go back to sleep now… Thinking… Man I need to find something new to fall asleep to. I’m really starting to pick out individual instrument patterns. Damn, that really is a pattern. I wonder if I could recreate this. I should try and recreate song, record process.

Okay, I need to sleep… I’m laying on a beach listening to the waves and there’s an awesome girl next to me. We go snorkeling in the really clear waters and see some turtles. Chilling on a board, now there’s some dolphins off in the distance. Flash forward to getting out of water after splashing around a bit with the awesome girl. Have sex with awesome girl in awesome villa on the beach. Lay out on beach as the stars come out and fall asleep to the sight of the milky way.

And after all that I eventually fall asleep, I think, at least that’s the point where I forget everything and eventually wake up. Getting ready for work, realize I need to create a list of shit to do. Realize that I should just record every idea I had while trying to fall back to sleep.

Record list.
Post.

I filled in that dot next to his name for the fact that he’s an very intelligent grounded leader with good morals and a strong philosophical sense – a passionate open thinker.

The problem for what I think is a disproportionate amount of Americans is that they’re lacking in these very qualities themselves.

They’re probably the same people that would like to think they’re some how resembling a person with good morals themselves, the type that probably feels like someone who speaks with intelligence is talking down to their them. When you get right down to it, the people who just can’t get over the fact that they voted against a President because he was black and they lost.

So in the end, because the battle in America ultimately boils down to a dichotomy in ways of thinking. The roots of distrust, fear, and irrational thinking are ingrained in so many Americans.

It allows stupid bullshit to delegitimize his position and cause even logical thinkers to throw rationality to the wind and prevent anything getting done. Of course if you point out the irony in this persons fear the shut down even further.

So really, I figure that could be what causes History to not reflect his Presidency as being a completely effective.

At this point I should probably clear up the fact I have a sense that, in the grand scheme of things, Humanity is inherently flawed and destined to destroy itself. Humans by nature can’t possibly have enough time at any given moment of their short life to actually process every piece of information. It just can’t be done. So instead we make quick and often rash decisions without thinking about the future consequences. We’re probably just not evolved enough to get past this. I mean crap, we’re only about 425~ years away from Galileo and Copernicus and the rest of their Science vs. Religion drama. Look how well that logic argument has gone.

By the time we’re old enough to actually be able to be wise and give the time and thought to these things, our original values are too instilled in us to change. We’re probably just not evolving fast enough for a cataclysmic event not to happen. Whether that be from a natural evolutionary event caused by irresponsible population growth — or from a man made event caused during the process. World War, Global Warming, Global Disease, take your pick.

I guess I shouldn’t be a glass half empty type of guy and have some faith here. Maybe it’s because in my gut I really know that faith without fact isn’t always going to be best? Or maybe I’m simply not evolved and intelligent enough to always be right every time I go with my gut instinct. Bummer.

No matter how Humanity goes, I get the feeling that there’s bound to be some major event that will determine either which way everything turns out. Maybe we’ll discover we’re not alone in the Universe and take a giant leap forward. Hell, maybe the first Mayans were already visited and all the 2012 crap is true, here come the end days.

To me it would really just suck to not be around to witness this event. I personally believe so what, if I’m dead then so what, it’s not like I will have the ability to care anymore. So everyone else being dead too won’t really bother me. However, it would sure be a shame to not have lived to the fullest should all life continue and I not had a positive impact on those around me.

I’ve definitely been having more of this self reflection and outwardly contemplation time lately and the entire thread with Dan basically plays into it. There was also this chat I had with Chad the other day at work about Dawkins and being a “militant atheist” that I’ve been thinking about as well. I’m definitely generalizing things a bit and being argumentative about the entire “radical religious right”.

If you missed the first or second parts be sure to check those out before reading on.

From: Corey Gouker
Sent: Sunday, August 30, 2009 11:08 AM
To: JACKIE/DAN ROBINSON
Cc: John Gouker
Subject: RE: FW: PHOTO TO THINK ABOUT

I’m sure in 2 years things will look quite a bit different, though you’ll still be the same and will have your next crazy thing to be forwarding about.

Yes I’ve used a government run health system. I lived in England for a year where I used their National Health Services. It was fantastic. There was a doctor seemingly on every corner. My doctor was around the block, I called, next day walked in sat down and was taken care of. I needed a prescription, I walked next door paid the equivalent of $12 if I remember right and was given both prescriptions (having had them in the US, they would’ve cost over $90 here).

The government already runs a health system here it’s called Medicare. The government already runs a lot of Socialist services, unemployment services, your Military, the Education system, your highway system, etc. Of course no system is perfect there’s flaws everywhere, typically the flaws are human based though.

Not sure what Indian reservations have to do with anything. I’ve not had a chance to read up on them, but my understanding is that they’re on sovereign soil.

It’s funny that you mention serving our country. In a previous email you talked about blindly following. I think this is kind of ironic since I don’t think there’s been a single war since World War II where America’s interests have been at stake, where American freedom has been at stake. If you can name one I’d love to hear know, 9/11 doesn’t count either because it was a terrorist attack and completely unrelated to the Iraq war.

I’m assuming you went to Nam; ever stop and wonder why you even went, why America went? Maybe that’s why you’re so jaded now, because you were fucked then and you’re afraid of being fucked now. You certainly weren’t fighting for our country then, you were fighting for people in power so they could have more control and more wealth. It’s extremely unfortunate that Americans had to fight and die in battles that they should’ve never been in.

With that said, I certainly don’t equate intelligence with being in the military or having served in any Government capacity.

Frankly, I don’t think you should be the one to tell me I’m uneducated in history.

• The reason EVERYTHING is made outside of our borders is all the folks that whined about the air quality due to steel mills than “acid rain” remember that?
  • Excuse me? Provide some data here that backs up your statements. So everything America imports is made out of steel in other countries?
  • We import goods from other countries because they’re either produced more, can be produced for less, or America simply doesn’t have the ability to produce them.

• Then it was the coal fired power plants, now it’s we can fix EVERYTHING in a few months with out reading any of the bills and tax the crap out of EVERYONE (yes you also) if “cap & trade” gets passed ,everything will go up, you don’t think for a second the power company’s will let the profit drop do you?
  • There’s really no argument here, reads to me like a sentence from Palin. I’ll just refer to this article about Goldman Sachs and cap and trade that I sent a while ago. Guessing you didn’t read any of it then?

See, I respect those who have served in battle. I respect them for the courage that it takes to be part of that. With that being said, I certainly don’t need to join and blindly follow. Just because you served in Nam and witnessed some fucked up shit doesn’t give you any special rights to tell anyone they don’t know life or haven’t lived it. Not me or your son.

I quit school at 13, worked ever since, went to England for a year, have travelled to a few other countries, had a pretty fucking good time ever since. I’ve also had the fear of dying or killing too when some fuck tried to mug me. It doesn’t take military service to know what living is.

It’s advisors and czars, the only people complaining are those that haven’t done their research and those who have something to gain by negatively portraying the fact that Obama has been picking people to advise him in matters that he needs advising. What’s not normal about this? Or do you forget that George W. Bush had 26 czars and appointed more than Obama?

Quit being a fucking idiot and lecturing me on doing my research when you clearly haven’t. Most of them suck huh? Well give me an example, give me some data.

• But Everyone that has been in power for the 65 years has had a lot of faults but this administration sure seams to have more than the normal what ever that is.
  • As soon as you figure that one out do share. Why is it that when people like you are uncertain of something you fall back on some generalized faith based assumption that has no merits?

Yeah, you’re right, American life was probably better for you in 1950. I mean just think, Obama would’ve been sitting at the back of the bus just where you’d like him to be. Plus you got to enjoy LSD and listen to Elvis while freaking out about that Russian nuke that never came.

FYI, I still don’t lock my front door or the car.

Keep living that American dream, old man.

Another reply after realizing Snopes updated their post:

From: Corey Gouker
Sent: Monday, August 31, 2009 12:17 PM
To: JACKIE/DAN ROBINSON
Cc: John Gouker
Subject: RE: FW: PHOTO TO THINK ABOUT

Oh and Dan… You might want to check out Snopes again:

“However, the characterization of the pictured book as “a Muslim’s view of a defeated America” is erroneous: The book does not posit a “defeated America,” nor does it express a Muslim point of view.”

See, that’s the beautiful thing about a world based in fact and science. New facts come out, people admit they were wrong, and then things progress from there, with the new facts as the basis for future thinking.

I think I must’ve worn down Dan’s attention span since all I got in return was this one line response:

From: JACKIE/DAN ROBINSON
Sent: Monday, August 31, 2009 12:40 PM
To: Corey Gouker

Subject: Re: FW: PHOTO TO THINK ABOUT
Thanks I will,this is one of the Great things in our nation the chance to exchange ideas !

LMAO… Pretty sure that’s short for “man, it’s good thing you’re not standing in front of me otherwise I’d kick your ass and give you a taste of my first amendment rights”. We’ll see if I get anything more noteworthy soon enough.

From: Corey Gouker
Sent: Saturday, August 29, 2009 2:21 PM
To: JACKIE/DAN ROBINSON
Cc: John Gouker
Subject: RE: FW: PHOTO TO THINK ABOUT

Well since you sent this directly to me, and since it went to my Inbox instead of the Junk E-Mail folder, I guess you want a response. So…

Have you even read the book?

If so, please tell me why you think it’s a problem that the President is reading this? Or are you just basing everything on the caption below the image?

Since I’m almost positive you jumped to conclusions and assumed the most paranoid thing possible here’s the description:

“This is not a book about the decline of America, but rather about the rise of everyone else.” So begins Fareed Zakaria’s important new work on the era we are now entering. Following on the success of his best-selling The Future of Freedom, Zakaria describes with equal prescience a world in which the United States will no longer dominate the global economy, orchestrate geopolitics, or overwhelm cultures. He sees the “rise of the rest”—the growth of countries like China, India, Brazil, Russia, and many others—as the great story of our time, and one that will reshape the world. The tallest buildings, biggest dams, largest-selling movies, and most advanced cell phones are all being built outside the United States. This economic growth is producing political confidence, national pride, and potentially international problems. How should the United States understand and thrive in this rapidly changing international climate? What does it mean to live in a truly global era? Zakaria answers these questions with his customary lucidity, insight, and imagination.”

Having actually read this book I can say it makes me happy that:
1. The President can actually read.
2. The President is actually reading something of substance.

You probably haven’t watched the movie IOUSA, you should. Had you either read this book or watched this movie you’d understand just how relevant both are to the current situation in the United States.

The problem isn’t just government, it’s the people too:

1. Americans don’t save nearly enough anymore.
2. Americans don’t sell enough domestic goods to counter the foreign purchases.
3. Americans take too many risks without thinking about future consequences.

Foreign countries own nearly 45% of the debt in the United States. In publicly traded companies there’s something called “controlling interest”, in the simplest form it means that the controlling parties have a 50% + 1 stake. Thus they can control the outcome of the company.

With foreign countries owning so much of your debt they can basically control your outcome. That’s what this book is about – that and the climate change. Since at this point solving the energy problems and fiscal responsibility are the two ways for America to actually survive.

So please, wake up, there’s very little threat from foreign radicalism, the threat is clearly at home. If you can’t understand that then you should ask your God for some insight and pray that everything will magically work itself out.

Next, the book itself, it’s a best seller, written by an Indian man who went to Yale and Harvard. Are you telling me because he’s Muslim that makes it bad? Are you really that much of a paranoid racist? According to Wikipedia, he supported Ronald Reagan in the 1980′s, I guess that meant Reagan had radical ideas and intent for the country too? Even the Snopes article talks about the authors secular upbringing.

Maybe the problem for you isn’t really the fact Obama is reading this book. Maybe your real problem is that you rely on headlines without depth, faith without fact, paranoid delusions without rational thought. You’re too busy thinking Obama is the non-American anti-Christ, who is going to kill your Grandma on a death panel while turning her corpse into biofuel for his hippy-mobile.

I honestly wish I could actually understand the way you think. In my view, it’s your actually your inability to think and understand basic Scientific premises that has me dumbfounded. What’s stupid is that we probably actually agree on many many things, it’s unfortunate that we simply take different approaches in thinking about them.

You probably believe in God, thus you probably believe the Earth is 6000 years old and that God created Earth and Man in 6 days. So somehow you throw away all fact because it scares you or you don’t quite understand. You’re too scared that you “don’t know” so you take comfort in your faith. It’s such a big part of your core that it takes over everywhere in your life. Someone sends you an email that the Government is going to kill your gran instead of treat her and you believe it.

The sad thing is you and I couldn’t even have a real debate. You simply wouldn’t even take the time to actually read, become informed, do some research. You’ll just shut down your brain and throw out some more bullshit that relies on faith and no fact. Instead of sending out dozens these really fucking stupid emails every day, why don’t you actually take the time to read or listen to one good discussion about this stuff? Something with a little substance.

Since that’s obviously not going to be the case, since you’re probably just going to get out of your chair, scratch your ass then grab a Bud Lite from the fridge, do us both a favor. Stop sending me any of this lame email, it all goes to my junk folder anyway. If you do have something constructive and want a debate, by all means, but quit sending me this crap that’s full of right winged-paranoid-red necked-Christian views. It’s not informative because it lacks anything of substance.

Well, tell you what, here’s something in return for you to review. Consider it an example of what I’m talking about. It ties into the book and the movie as well. It’s another bit of the puzzle for the recession of American dominance and the rise of proper globalization. So here’s the TED talks from Hans Rosling (he’s Swedish just so you know):

Hans Rosling: Let my dataset change your mindset
Hans Rosling shows the best stats you’ve ever seen

In some ways what’s happening around the world is the great equalization of wealth and power. Some would say it’s Socialism, suppose so in a way. It’s probably got something to do with the corrupt rich that are in power trying to keep their wealth and power instead of reallocating it to the lower-middle class of America. With so much of America owned by other countries and with America stumbling to correct the problems, others are bound to catch up. In many ways it’s a very exciting time to be alive and to witness a radical shift. With so much on the line,  no matter what the outcome is, it’ll likely be drastically different from the way things are now.

-Corey
P.S. To share the discussion I’ll be posting this over to my website for others to chime in if they wish.

Dan’s reply:

From: JACKIE/DAN ROBINSON
Sent: Saturday, August 29, 2009 7:33 PM
To: Corey Gouker
Subject: Re: FW: PHOTO TO THINK ABOUT

Let’s do this young man let’s wait 2 years and we will see just what happens to our nation. Have you ever used or know someone whom has been in a gov run health system ?? Check out how OUR gov treats the people on the res ?? If you get hurt or sick after 6 or 7 months into the year see what you get. And I’m not as dumb as you may think by the way what branch of the military have you served in and ever fight for OUR country ?? The reason EVERYTHING is made outside of our borders is all the folks that whined about the air quality due to steel mills than “acid rain” remember that? Then it was the coal fired power plants, now it’s we can fix EVERYTHING in a few months with out reading any of the bills and tax the crap out of EVERYONE (yes you also) if “cap & trade” gets passed ,everything will go up, you don’t think for a second the power company’s will let the profit drop do you? If you read HISTORY you should all ready know how this will turn out.
You sound just like my thirty year old son that has never experienced much in life,other than school . We had a saying at KHE SANH  ” you have NEVER lived until you almost die. For those who fight for it,Life has a flavor the PROTECTED will Never know.
You never know what the “advisers, Caz’s” what ever name you want to hang on the people with obams ear think unless you study them have you ? I have and most of them SUCK ! But Everyone that has been in power for the 65 years has had a lot of faults but this administration sure seams to have more than the normal what ever that is. Hope this will give you something to think about, And your probably right we could sit down and agree on alot of things but I’m most likely more than 45 years older than yourself and I remember how much better life was here in the 1950′ than today no crack,car jacking etc. in fact we never even had to lock our houses or cars can’t do that any more here how about there ?? And no I not a racists just a concerned citizen ! You just don’t have enough time in to know what is happening to this nation. Good Luck  kid

From: JACKIE/DAN ROBINSON
Sent: Saturday, August 29, 2009 7:26 AM
To: Corey Gouker
Subject: Fwd: FW: PHOTO TO THINK ABOUT

And yes it’s TRUE PER SNOPES !!!!!!!!!!!

What does Obama   read?

The  name of the book Obama is reading is  called The  Post-American  World, written by a muslim/ Post-America  - The world After America ???

Please  forward this picture to everyone you know,  conservative or liberal  to expose Obama’s radical ideas and intent for  this country!

photo  verified by snopes

It’s amusing to see that at least part of the replies are getting through since more of these emails now mention that they’ve at least tried to verify what’s said via Snopes.com. As if something posted to Snopes makes it true or false, I imagine they check here then call it good rather than doing a generalized search cross referencing material from multiple sources. Then again, that’s a wider problem on the Internet. More amusing is that Snopes updated things just today to say the description is inaccurate.

Look for more of these soon, it’s bound to get interesting.

Example; Budweiser, here in America certain people take pride if something is American made, even more so if it’s almost 200 years old. “Gee, that’s almost as old as the United States”…

Another; Stella Artois, apparently with roots dating to 1366 (now that would be old than America, “folks”). It says so right on the label. Budweiser’s spin is practically the same. Funny thing, since to a Brit I know, apparently Stella is “Belgian mans’ piss”; I’ve come to think of Budweiser the same.

I don’t particularly like either lager really. For what it’s worth I’d take the Stella any day, but neither are amazing in any way. I’ve been on a Tripel kick lately…

They’re no different than any other well traveled international beer. They all sell and remain popular because of the same, “made with its roots in history” – marketing crap that is universally appreciated around the world by those with love of country over pragmatism. Dos Equis (though the original dude was German), Carling, Molson, Heineken, Sapporo, the list is quite extensive really.

A special lesson I’ve also been told by another Brit. “Americans need to learn there are other countries a lot older than America”. You know sir, they do. I took this to mean that these older countries probably have lessons to be learned? You know, like the entire tax, health care, well… Socialist thing?

Isn’t it about time people realize that it doesn’t really matter what country you’re from? The roots of your history and values aren’t that different than that of your fellow man abroad? Stop worrying, drink beer, be merry, and for fucks sake pass the pitcher around.

At home though, what the hell is the point? The only email I get are bill reminders, for bills I’ve already paid; and receipts for crap that are stored anyway. Then every day I get a handful of emails from family. Nearly all of which is some random thing that spread around the web months ago, is likely false, inaccurate, makes no sense, full of bold faced type with tons of spelling and grammatical errors, etc etc etc.

To top it all off most of the time it’s sent out to a bunch of other people which just perpetuates things. I’ve tried informing family about sites like snopes.com and to just do a simple search before sending stuff out, you know, simple fact check. I’ve given links to the Microsoft security pages so they know what’s what, I’ve provided links to all the virus information things and so on. Yet every year I get an email about Bill Gates giving money for every email sent. Crap about Obama’s birth certificate, or the same crazy talk over and over…

I’ve just decided to post up this email through though because it’s a prime example… I’ve gotten into the habit of replying all to most of  my Dad’s stuff, mainly because most of it is bullshit and the first hit off Google reveals the stupidity. Anyway I love this reply from the person who forwarded the original email, he goes on this right wing rant. Why? I’m not sure, since the original email was about some supposed Smart car accident which wasn’t even a Smart car:

——————————————————————————–
From: JACKIE/DAN ROBINSON
Sent: Monday, August 03, 2009 1:40 PM
To: Corey Gouker
Subject: Re: Still want a Smart car?

You may find alot of things unbelievable, but that’s ok, if the left wingers keep getting their way EVEN You will be in deep shit if you can’t think and defend you and yours ! obama folks wants servants not citizens !! Ask yourself why does the black house need over 40 carzs ? That are not accountable to the “PEOPLE” ?? But you spend more time to point out things that DON”T mean Shit kid. We are LOSSING our Nation and those of us that have given body parts to Protect your rights can’t see what is going on today. Hell you are probly at work stealing your employers time and money sending e-mail, but you Don’t see anything WRONG with that do you ! I wish people like your generation would spend as much time looking and thinking about why you have the FREEDOMS you have and are about to lose. Just something for you to think about. Dan

On Mon, Aug 3, 2009 at 1:18 PM, Corey Gouker wrote:

This isn’t even a Smart Car. Not saying that a Smart Car wouldn’t have the same fate, like you said, any compact car would likely have the same outcome from being sandwiched in between two trucks like that, especially with the rear one going at any speed.

But these stupid crappy emails that get sent around are just stupid when they can’t even tell the truth and real story.

First, look at the wheel right beneath that red trucks’ bumper. Notice it has 5 bolt holes. Smart Car’s have smaller wheels and only have 3 bolt holes which you can see in the picture below. In fact, most sub-compacts (like my Mini Cooper S) only have 4 bolt holes. Most likely this was a regular sized/compact car. On top of that, all the body panels on the Smart Car are plastic and pretty much snap and lock into place. These would’ve flown off the car in a bunch of pieces, clearly the car in the photo is a huge hunk of steel aluminum and other junk.

For more info about this stupid email see here:

http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/forums/f3/crash-not-24793/
http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/photos_two_cars_overturn_in_wr.html

This was linked in the forum. What’s amusing about it is that both the Smart and SUV overturned. The driver of the Smart was able to just get out on his own. The driver of the SUV needed to be rescued after the officer smashed the window open. The SUV was smoking and leaking.

At any rate, I find this to be really amusing considering the number of people that’ll drive a motorocycle but wouldn’t think of driving a Smart.

Take a look at this video though:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju6t-yyoU8s

Shows a Smart going into a wall at 60mph. Sure you’d still be dead from doing 60-0 in a second (would happen in any car), but they could still open the door without any issues to remove your corpse.

-Corey

——————————————————————————–
From: J. Clinton Gouker
Sent: Monday, August 03, 2009 11:37 AM
To: JACKIE/DAN ROBINSON
Cc: bill d shuster; Breanna Gouker; Corey Gouker; dave; sallyshopr; Stan

Subject: RE: Still want a Smart car?

Hey Dan! LOL, No need to spend $,$$$.$$ on a casket !Same goes for any small “COMPACTABLE” car. Honda ain’t no different in that situation. They didn’t crash test it that way. It’s obvious they don’t want to scare the customers away !!!!

——————————————————————————–
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 08:03:15 -0700
Subject: Fwd: Fw: Still want a Smart car?
From: JACKIE/DAN ROBINSON
To: J. Clinton Gouker

Here’s a “obama motors car” If you go “green” you die !!!!!!!!

Well, I’m not really sure what to say in reply to Dan. I mean it really made no sense in the context of the prior thread, except maybe that little jab at the Smart car being Obama’s “green” car of choice or soemething. The racist and incoherent brainwashed tripe about the down fall of America really doesn’t coagulate for me.

Why? Because, I enjoy helping people and figure why the hell not. I could easily diagnose the problem in 15 minutes.

Just now I was at QFC down the road. On the way out a lady in her Sebring as parked in a disabled spot with her placard. Anyway, she stopped us and started asking slowly for some cash. She said she had cerebral palsy and apparently forgot her wallet at Shell around the corner, when she went back it was gone. By this point she was bursting into tears. Apparently she had no cash and no gas, and with her wallet gone she was in a bind. Figuring that was the case I already grabbed my wallet and pulled out $5. Handing it to her she grabbed my hand and thanked me kindly.

I felt bad and all and honestly $5 isn’t much to help someone in a bind. I’m more than happy to give when I know pretty well it’s going to go do some good. I mean it’s not like she was outside a Wine and Liquor store asking for booze.

Though this reminds me, a while back at a Safeway a guy asked for money for food. I had none, I don’t normally carry cash as I prefer plastics. I said I’d be happy to grab him some food, a sandwich or something. He wanted a ham sandwich. Five minutes later I came out with a ham sandwich and a bag of chips. But the dude ditched. Seriously!? I got stood up by a homeless guy and couldn’t even get him the food. Sigh. I guess maybe he figured I wouldn’t really be helping him out.

So when I got home tonight the thought did cross my mind. How do you really know when someone needs, requires, deserves help? I mean really. I honestly don’t know if that lady really needed help. She could’ve easily been a crafty scam artist doing that to every easy mark. Hell she’d probably gather at least enough cash to buy her groceries or whatever for the night. Then again why go to all that trouble for $5?

How does one really know? When do you help, when do you not?

Anyway, this post really was just meant to show the place and show the progress as I move, build, and move, and hopefully finish up.

First are the pics of the place prior to any move and any work. then next we have construction photos of the first half of the loft space, this is the work done to create the office portion. It has already added another 120 sq. ft. of liveable space.

Click for a description:

I’ll try and add more and update everything. Crap is everywhere right now and the place is a mess. There are currently only 3 pieces of furniture in the place, a Dacke kitchen island from Ikea and two barstools. Am seriously hoping today will be the day I find all the furniture for this place, or at least some of it.

How on Earth does my sister’s boyfriend (fiancé) afford to buy a MacBook and an iPhone barely out of jail? I’m not sure exactly how long he’s been out, guess there was work release time or something. But, seriously? I realize that getting busted for dealing nothing but weed is a pretty lame thing to go to jail for, especially since Marijuana should be legalized and taxed. But how does one come into a job that quickly making enough money to just drop 2g on Apple crap any other way than selling Weed 2 grams at a time?

Maybe I’ve become a much for froogle of a spender or maybe I’m just not being a good consumer.

One hundred day breaks which Microsoft contractors are required to take after a year of gracious service have become a total love hate thing for me. I love that it’s like a paid vacation sort of. I hate the struggle to pay bills. I love that I can get stuff done. I hate that I don’t get enough done. I love the time to relax and think. I hate that after that’s done I can get bored. I’ve heard full time employees (FTE) that go to contracting praise the decision as the best thing since MSFT’s closing price xmas ’99. Meanwhile contractors, myself included, can complain like mad knowing the income and benefits could be better plus for some there’s always the hope a FTE position will open up.

With that said, I guess I’ve not felt one way or the other about the direction I’ve been taking lately. The best I can do is just go with the flow like always, kick back relax, and just do whatever my gut says is right for me in this moment.

On January 3rd from noon till around 3:45pm I let God roll those cosmic dice as I entered into my interviews for a FTE position at Microsoft (yeah that sounds ominous doesn’t it). First off, I was expecting the interviews to last a lot longer, I’ve done a full 8 hour interview at both Apple and Microsoft before, so this seemed short. The questions all felt straight forward and I think I did an okay job of staying relaxed and actually enjoy the entire process. Since really it should be enjoyed and experienced so that regeardless of outcome I can learn from it. Oh and it certainly helped I had a 40oz water bottle filled and refilled, water == moist mouth and calmness. Though, I will say, it’s a good thing I had a chance to use the loo. One thing that did stick in my mind is that early on I was asked what my 1, 5, 10 year plan was. Geez, what an open question, you want to give your honest answer but want to make sure the answer you give gets you the job as well. How to word it, how to make it right. Then later, in my closing interview I was asked if I wanted to revise my answer since I’ve had some time to think about it. Well crap, was this a chance to correct an answer they weren’t quite looking for? Who knows. Maybe I’ll get to ask at some point. But the point I was going to make was that when this question was asked twice I didn’t even really think about my previous post or thoughts regarding all that. Maybe my brain just kicked in and without consciously realizing it I verbalized exactly how I felt about my next 1, 5, and 10 years. I really don’t know about the next 10 years, seems impossible for me to visualize at this point in life. I have an idea of where I’d like to be so long as I continue down the road I’m now. So yeah, I’ll go with that for now.

Five days later I got a voice mail that started my neurons firing with analysis a couple hours after that I got a reply to my email. Just like that at 2:56pm, definite direction… Interviews went well and I was being offered the position. Like my original offer to come up and work with the eHome team, I think I took about 14 seconds to make a decision. Two days later I got everything in writing and finished up my side of the paperwork. Right now I’m just waiting for the 28th to come by and the real stuff to kick in then.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess after I’ve settled, I’ll feel like the entire experience, and the 13 years leading up to this point is akin to falling in love. Or maybe that’s just the romanticism coming out in me. What I’m trying to say is that it seems like so many things, like falling in love with the right person, is a struggle that has no end in sight. After that moment where everything clicks into place looking back in hindsight one might think, “well that wasn’t so bad”.

Maybe in 10 years I’ll be doing something completely different, maybe I’ll be completely embedded into the road I’m currently paving, who the hell knows. Right now I’m definitely feeling energized and have a renewed sense of enthusiasm about everything. Yeah, I’m still a cynic, but heck, maybe even that will change.