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[Dave Dunwoody]

I made this thread because I need a place to spit out the random ideas that often take the wheel and consume my thoughts. I have a form of autism in which I become hyperfocused on concepts, to the point that it's like being stuck in a hurricane which is only exacerbated by external stimuli (i.e. other people). So I often isolate myself in order to sort the thoughts out. Usually writing them out will "exorcise" them from my mind. That's why I write. It's the only healthy way I know of to channel this chaotic mess inside my head.

So I was thinking about infinity in the shower. How would you explain that to a person? Can you conceptualize it? I mean, I get it. I know what it is. But if someone came up to me and said "I understand nothing about infinity," I don't know what I'd say.

Forever? Endless? Aren't those synonyms for infinite? It doesn't really explain anything. Say you tell the person that infinity means endless. They say "How can something be endless?" And if I think about it - I really don't know either. I just know that it's possible.

When I was a kid I thought the universe was infinite. Now I understand that it has a finite mass, which of course raises the question of what's past that. What is infinity?

[Zombie Zak]

Well, if you like that concept, try the concept of the number "0".

How do you explain a number, that does not exist in the mathematical context?  Introduced by the Moors in the 11th century to Europe!  How do you explain a number that doesn't exist?

[Dave Dunwoody]

Funny how hard it is to conceptualize both everything and nothing.

I got a frog fountain



I thought it might help calm my brain. I've been really scrambled lately. Rearranged my office too. Is there anything to feng shui? I don't know, but it's nice to get a change in scenery once in a while, even if it's just a quarter-turn of the desk.

[Lord Anubis]

How do you explain a number, that does not exist in the mathematical context?  Introduced by the Moors in the 11th century to Europe!  How do you explain a number that doesn't exist?

I'd explain it the same way the Moors did.

When the Moors and monks were translating all those old mathematical and scientific works from Arabic back into Latin (or whatever other European language the monk was using), the monks kept tripping over the idea of a zero, especially because in Arabic it's a definite symbol (a dot).  If there's nothing there, why are you telling me something?  They couldn't grasp the concept of a placeholder in the row of digits.

Finally, the Moors struck on the idea of explaining a zero as a hole in the row of numbers.

Ahhh, say the monks.  That makes sense.  And so they would draw a little hole in the row of numbers where the zero was supposed to be.... 101.

True fact.

[Dave Dunwoody]

So Permuted Press should become a religion, I've decided. In order to help friends of Permuted during these trying economic times, Permuted's apocalyptic titles should be redesignated as scripture written by prophets. Of course, not all of our end-times visions can come to pass, which is why we will splinter off into 30 or so denominations within the first few weeks. I want to preemptively implore you, my children, to follow me in Empirical Permutedism, lest ye be lost among the heretics.

[Kody Boye]

Does this mean we get to wear loincloths and bow at Jacob's feel chanting, 'Jacob, Jacob, Jacob, Jacob'?

If so, I'm totally in.

*goes off to get buff, which he's been neglecting to do*

I'm not religious, but I'll worship Jacob!... 

(It doesn't sound as wrong as it does... seriously.)

[Zombie Zak]

Yea, though I walk through the valley of life, I shall fear no walking snak pak.  I shall hunker down and persevere though thick, through thin, through famine, through gluttony, through drought, through excess.  I shall fear no creature great nor small that crawls upon the face of this living land.  I shall kill 'em, kill 'em all....

[Dave Dunwoody]

Got the Clive Barker print I've been waiting on. Goes right behind my desk - it's sweet, just sweet. Pic attached below!

Also got the first batch of Empire stickers I ordered for Horror Realm. Check 'em out at le vlog

[Zombie Zak]

Cool print.

And neat stickers!

[Dave Dunwoody]

Would one regular cat make nine zombie cats?

[Snell]

Pleas share your deepest musings here!

Q1: Does time exist?

I was watching this video of Deepak Chopra and he said time doesn't exist. And I was like, why did I bother setting my clock ahead this weekend? But I got to thinking about just how arbitrary time may or may not be.

If there were no matter, and we had no form - if the entire universe were one energy, pure consciousness, then I would accept the argument that no, time does not exist. But here we are in these impermanent, gradually-deteriorating bodies - relative to us, time does exist, because we observe change in ourselves and change is how time is quantified. Deepak Chopra may aspire to an existence in which he does not exist in the fourth dimension, but at this point (in time) he does.

Time, like all dimensions, is relative to the nature of one's self. Consider a mathematical point in space. It has no length, width, or height. Therefore it does not exist in those dimensions - and they do not exist relative to the point.

Q2: Daylight Savings Time is stupid

More of a comment than a question, really.

Dave, this is a really well written joke! Your setup is metaphysical and damn interesting, as I, too, like to ponder the universe.  Not really a joke at all, but a reflection--a redirection.  That's what makes the punchline so hilarious and unexpected.

[Dave Dunwoody]

Thanks DL. I do enjoy to ponder the nature of existence. That's why this zombie cat thing is consuming me.

[stonecrusher]

Daylight savings time is outdated.  It was origionally for farmers, though I don't know why what time it is matters when you get up with the sun. 

[Kody Boye]

I already know why the universe was made.

It was made so I could have people to inappropriately flirt/touch with when I am able to.

Mwa ha ha.

[Doug (Ancient) Wojtowicz]

Thanks DL. I do enjoy to ponder the nature of existence. That's why this zombie cat thing is consuming me.

Headline: Local author found partially consumed.  Cat apparently died from choking on bones.