Geek Orthodox Pilgrim's Blog - Monasticism, Music, Machines and everything in between.

ClimateGate, Closed Peer Review, Bugs in Model Code and other Problems

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:47:47 -0700

The implications of the leaked emails from University of East Anglia CRU (Climatic Research Unit) continues spill shockwaves across the net. Here are a couple of collections of articles and a complete database of the leaked Climate gate documents:

http://www.globalwarming.org/2009/11/30/cooler-heads-digest-30-november-2009-special-climategate-issue/

http://www.climate-gate.org

NaNoWriMo Failure! An incredibly lame self-justification that you too can use!

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:15:59 -0700

OK, so the final word count looks pretty pathetic. I think I actually may have written a word or two more, but I didn't have the heart to update my totals (on either the main NaNoWriMo page, or in Second Life write-in boards). But I'm still excited, because this is one of those moments where the usual spin about turning failures into triumphs is less hollow! So where did it all go wrong? where did it go OK? Here is the skinny:

NaNoWriMo and Open Source Software For Novelists and Scriptwriters

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:00:55 -0700

OK, now that I am firmly entrenched in this years NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), it is time to take a look at what Open Source Software exists for writers. As luck would have it, there is a fair number of very useful tools for the writer. Let me mention a few, but first let me plug my own NaNoWriMo page, so that you too can see my complete lack of progress!:

http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/242225/

REVENGE OF THE NEWTON or How I learned to give up the palm and love the iPod, and how you can too!

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:31:50 -0600

THE USUAL LONG AND RAMBLING INTRODUCTION STARTING WITH THE HISTORY OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PDAS (Skip a bit, brother!)

It was around 1995 when I saw a sysadmin at Sun whip out his newly released palm pilot and check off an item on his todo list after talking to me about some system issue or another. I said "whoa! hold the phone! what is that?" He gave me a quick tour of the device, and I immediately went to the palm pilot website.

I knew a zen-cool device when I saw one.

The last time I had seen a zen-cool device was when I had picked up my TRS-80 Model 100. There was a device that qualified. You could edit text (using the last bit of code that Bill Gates wrote before he went management - oh how different it could have been!), keep a simple to do list and calendar, write programs in basic, dial into Compuserve and BBS systems at 300 baud (you didn't scroll text, just read it as it came in). Steve Roberts turned a mobile computing device into a technomadic geography independent lifestyle, which I thought was a logical point of mobile computing devices.

New Medical Conditions Diagnosed for Second Life Residents

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:13:19 -0600

After unofficial medical studies conducted in Second Life, a number of new conditions have been routinely diagnosed:

Sim-crossing Migraine: your brain hurts after crossing a sim border - may also cause hallucinatory travel.
Non-Sititus: You experience an inability to sit down, or sit on an unintended target.
Hormonal Ruthing - the appearance of your suddenly changed avatar causes you to freak out.
Unorthagonal Myopia: everything looks distorted from the wrong angle.
Ban-line Bulemia: your vehicle/boat/whatever hits a ban line and vomits you up.
Prim-Dropsy: you fall down because you accidentally delete what you are sitting on.
Macular Camera Obscura: you suddenly can't see because your camera is pushed outside the scene.
Bakerosy - you appear to have a rare skin disease because you can't rez properly.
Snow Prim Blindness: you TP to where hundreds of grey squares appear to be coming at you.
VertigoHavok: you experience dizziness or nausea, due to bad SL physics movement.
Slow Lagtabolism: everything SLOOWS down and gets jerky.
Cache Crack Addiction: you look jerky and fast because you are trying to write your cache to something stupid like a memory stick.
Pose-insons Disease: your av appears to be having nervous degeneration due to a bad gesture or pose
Teleportapalegia: the inability to move after teleporting
Lackasyncitiis: you experience uncoordinated movements and missing objects

If you experience these or other unusual symptoms, get to a virtual clinic right away!

A Consideration Of Virtual Life - Part 1

Fri, 01 May 2009 22:00:24 -0600

Photo: My Second Life Avatar, “Strannik Zipper” on a real California beach.

Introduction

I have long considered writing a series of articles about the Metaverse, and the idea of life in virtual worlds in general, focusing on Second Life in particular. I decided to wait until my first Rez Day had passed (date of virtual birth or entrance into Second Life), which it now has. I have now spent various amounts of time for over a year in the Virtual World of Second Life, and feel that now is the time to write about it.

"God's Revelation To The Human Heart" - A lecture by Fr. Seraphim Rose - Now Streaming Online!

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:40:16 -0700

Fr. Seraphim Rose gave a notable lecture at the University of Santa Cruz in 1981, just a year before he reposed, to a class which was a survey of world religions. Several people found this lecture (alongside another that was given) to be life changing for them. Amidst the spiritual smorgasboard that was UC Santa Cruz, Fr. Seraphim stood out. The lecture which is now available in streaming form, is preceded by an introduction by Fr. Damascene Christiansen, and the lecture is read by a member of the St. Herman Brotherhood for the first several minutes (this part of the lecture wasn't taped). Then the audio switches, and you can hear the rest of the lecture as given by Fr. Seraphim.

Listen here: God's Revelation To The Human Heart, and get the book here.

How to give everyone a piece of the pie without destroying the pie.

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:12:44 -0700

Popular media constantly creates the false dichotomy between free enterprise (which is portrayed by greedy destructive industrial capitalists), and socially responsible action (which always seems to mean some form of socialism, big government programs, handouts, government control of people and the economy, etc.)

FreeToChooseMedia.org is creating a series of documentaries that combat this narrow dichotomy. An offering which is now airing on PBS, showcases some programs and companies that have been effective in alleviating poverty, stimulating economic growth, and allowing people to participate in rather than be marginalized by, free trade, self-determination and the rule of law. Check out the website above, watch the excerpt below, and watch for this program on a PBS station near you.

The 25th Anniversary Of The Repose of Hieromonk Seraphim Rose

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 21:04:06 -0600

I had the great priviledge to attend the services and other events this past labor day weekend, which coincided with the 25th anniversary of the repose of Hieromonk Seraphim Rose, who is one of my greatest "spiritual heroes". If you have never read the biography, Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works by Hieromonk Damascene, I highly recommend it.

Both laypeople and clergy came from all over the US and Canada for this event. I have described the event briefly at phronema on this page, where you can also find a link to photos.

A Jesus Movement Flashback: Randy Stonehill at the Koinonia Koffeehouse

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 14:15:08 -0600

The last time I heard Randy Stonehill play live was 25 to 30 years ago! This was back in the day, when Randy, Larry Norman, Tom Howard et al, were on Solid Rock Records. Randy also co-wrote songs with and was a good friend to Keith Green, whose concerts and newsletters I fondly recall (I was even involved in helping with the San Jose memorial concert). Randy is one of the major contributors to the Keith Green documentary "Your Love Broke Through" (see excerpt).

Just Say No to Real ID! (National ID Card)

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 13:58:22 -0600

OK, you're going to think I have taken the plunge into fringe world, and perhaps I have on this issue. But allow my alarmist tendencies to come to the front for a moment, and consider this juxtaposition: The words of Elder Pasios the New and a portion of the film by Aaron Russo "Freedom To Facism" on the National ID card. As fringe as this would seem, this is an actual issue now!

Exhibit #1: A clip of the film: Freedom To Facism by Aaron Russo

Exhibit #2: The words of Elder Paisios on National ID Cards (below):

The Ron Paul Rally In Silicon Valley

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 17:36:07 -0600

In Charleston Park, amidst the buildings of the Google campus (what used to be SGI and Sun Microsystems), people set down their lawn chairs, coolers and signs, and listened to Ron Paul and supporters make the case for Paul's presidential bid. Paul had done an extensive interview for Google employees the day before (view here). Now on a makeshift stage in the park, he gave a rousing speech after four of his supporters. The first four speakers were:

Dr. Clark Carlton: The Orthodox Case for Ron Paul in 2008

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 13:21:56 -0600

Dr. Clark Carlton, author of The Faith book series, as well as several good essays and articles around the net and podcaster for Ancient Faith Radio, has sent an open letter (pdf) to fellow Orthodox Christians about the presidential election of 2008. Being Dr. Carlton, he does not leave ancient Orthodox history out of the discussion, but the discussion ends up coming to the same conclusion that I have: “We need a Ron Paul in the White House more desperately now than we ever have at any time in our history.” Read the open letter (pdf) here.

Vespanomics solves environmental, financial, traffic, parking and oil dependency problems!

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:51:59 -0600

While not condoning the sort of forced eco-facisms and questionable science proclamations that seem to be in vogue, I *DO* heartily support voluntary eco-responsibility as the best long term developmental solution to all sorts of problems.

A quote: "If Americans were to switch just 10% of their total mileage to scooters, they would consume 14 - 18 million gallons less fuel per day and carbon dioxide emissions could be reduced by 324 million pounds per day as well. (Source ICR survey, May 2006) On a personal level, they could also reduce fuel consumption by approximately 58%, carbon dioxide emissions by 80%, and significantly reduce traffic congestion."

Official Presidential Candidate Endorsement

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:56:01 -0600

I initially intended to keep politics out of this blog. I hate the fact that the campaigning starts earlier every time. It occurred to me that by the time the campaigning is at it's peak, most of the good candidates are gone, and I always end up thinking I want to vote "none of the above".

So I am jumping into the fray, and jumping early. I am hereby endorsing Ron Paul for president in 2008 and I will only make one request of you my readers: check him out as thoroughly as you like before you decide on anyone else. Check out the principles he is endorsing (and has consistently stood by for his entire congressional career). I think he ought to generate bipartisan appeal for several reasons, although he is a classical conservative (and therefore also a classical liberal) with strong libertarian sensibilities where it counts. This is the first presidential candidate I have seen for a long time that I didn't think was merely the lesser of candidate evils.