tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-103820462011-07-20T03:49:47.540-07:00Searching for knowledge and other things of value since childhood. Excerpts from this search now available in blog format.larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.comBlogger291100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1124660647994042072005-08-21T14:31:00.000-07:002005-08-21T14:44:08.003-07:00

The other day there was a lady I'd just met and wanted to talk to again before she left. Unfortunately, I was deep in conversation with someone else as she was leaving. I didn't stop my conversation so I didn't get a chance to talk with her. Was I..A. Too polite, I should have ended the other conversation.B. denying fate, That was my chance and I missed it.C. saved by fate, Fate and the other

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1109648445144711362005-03-02T18:35:00.000-08:002005-03-02T18:16:25.630-08:00

Why I don't take the Bible literallyThe reasons I don't read the Bible literally leads from two factors, freedom of choice and human nature (much of which is captured by the story of Adam and Eve in the garden). We have been given freedom of choice that allows us to choose to believe, to follow God's calling, etc. In the same way, humanity choose which words of God (and Jesus) to include in the

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1109648058084605012005-02-28T19:21:00.000-08:002005-02-28T19:34:18.086-08:00

Thoughts on why the Bible alone isn't enoughGod created everything in this universe we live. If I want to understand an artist, I look at all of their creations not just one painting. In the same way my understanding of God will be very incomplete if I only look at one book, the Bible.

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1109482828664270212005-02-28T18:33:00.000-08:002005-02-28T19:20:45.600-08:00

Restaurants (Fast Food, Other & Non Specific)Physician & Surgeons (Specialist & Non Specific)Automobile Parts-New & UsedAutomobile Repairing & ServicePizzaAttorneys/LawyersAutomobile Dealers-New & UsedDentistsHospitalsBeauty SalonsSource: Top 300 Yellow Page ListingsDentists? What are they doing on the list? Do they have something they're not telling us?

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1109481741959691252005-02-27T11:30:00.000-08:002005-02-27T11:25:43.826-08:00

A random romp across the blogosphere.In a post at Decision '08, Mark curses "the day that lunatic George Bush and his neocon cabal took over the reins of this country in a coup d'etat!" A coup d'etat is just what Tim at The Black Kettle fears he has been the victim of, except it is of the judicial type. A more judicial type of treatment is what duckdaotsu argues soldiers like Jason, an Marine

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1109469247684733432005-02-26T16:55:00.000-08:002005-02-26T18:39:23.826-08:00

Should Satan be a bigger part of mainstream Christian beliefs?The Devil should remain a marginal part of Christian doctrine for two reasons. First, the most difficult temptation is very personal. If the Devil visited me tonight, I would not have a problem saying no to him, whatever he said. It is when the temptations come from my own mind (or my friends') that it is hard to say no. Second, people

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1106764410844718542005-02-25T15:26:00.000-08:002005-02-26T18:38:54.613-08:00

Comments on what you, as a reader, can expect from this blog.Main TopicsI'm currently suffering for a glut of posting possiblities. However, I plan to focus on two types of posts:Religious Snippets – Short comments on religious ideasLightly and randomly – I make "carnivals" of blog links, list interesting facts and statistics, and any examples of diversity and oddness I run accross.Style and

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1109209970765711292005-02-23T17:26:00.000-08:002005-02-24T22:03:41.620-08:00

Frivilous Law Enforcement Some individuals in states with legalized gambling are being threatened with fines and jail time for playing poker in bars. This isn't big stakes poker but poker with no money involved.Farce Hidden in Serious Writing It is not everyday you read about child abuse, Sesame Street monsters, and complaints that there isn't enough people to call monsters in the world in a

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1109038287547009592005-02-21T17:53:00.000-08:002005-02-24T22:05:06.126-08:00

Press Release of the Franklin Party – For Immediate ReleaseIn 2004, the federal government spent 22% more than it took in. If the government was an average household, it would be spending nearly ten thousand dollars more than it makes. Obviously this is poor money management.It would be nice if something like strong economic growth would fix the budget for us. Unfortunately, with tax cuts and

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1109037166533738352005-02-21T16:51:00.001-08:002005-02-24T22:38:10.303-08:00

The rather small grassroot political party has been renamed the Franklin party. It will now be providing press releases on current issues and events. These press releases will, of course, be written on the subtle line of between seriousness and humor. Despite this, any facts and figures will accurate and based on widely available statistics.A list of similar parties is available at the D.C.

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1108831690395390492005-02-19T08:27:00.000-08:002005-02-19T21:45:24.180-08:00

I'm in a long running email conversation on religious topics with a professor I once worked for. This is an excerpt from my answer to the question "What happens when we die?".All we know for sure is that we have one lifetime on Earth. This is our first gift from God. One of the other gifts I believe he gives us is eternal life*, or something after death. There is nothing you or I can do or

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1108611319589504312005-02-16T19:06:00.000-08:002005-02-16T19:37:59.153-08:00

Analysis of the factors that lowered the barriers against torture at Abu Ghraib and elsewhereNow that all the reports are out and Abu Ghraib has faded from the news, I wanted to look back at what was learned. Understand this, helps better understanding what should be changed and how well the causes of Abu Ghraib have been addressed.I am most concerned about the torture by the military that

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1108362779492578052005-02-13T21:48:00.000-08:002005-02-13T22:40:06.596-08:00

I'm in a brainstorming mood so here a couple of crazy/interesting ideas for my blog. BTW I'm happy I'm still here after 18 postsAsk An Expert I ask a question that I think they would find of value if they asked themselves and see what I they answer (or if they do).Other Side Awards I give out awards to individuals who do something serious that is unintentionally ironic or humorous. I can think of

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1108085231886216872005-02-10T17:19:00.000-08:002005-02-10T17:27:11.886-08:00

North Korea has officially announced it has nuclear weapons (not that it wasn’t widely known anyway).Advice for Pres. Bush“…You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is "Never get involved in a land war in Asia", but only slightly less well known is this: "Never go in against a Sicilian, when *death* is on the line." -Vizzini in The Princess BrideAdvice for

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1108082103233293762005-02-10T16:07:00.000-08:002005-02-10T16:35:03.233-08:00

Number of people necessary for better than even odds that...At least two individuals share a birthday23At least three individuals share a birthday 88At least one individual has your birthday254At least two individuals have birthdays on same or consecutive days14At least two individuals have a birthday in the same month5At least three individuals have a birthday in the same month11At least one

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1107824052780632002005-02-07T16:30:00.000-08:002005-02-07T16:54:12.780-08:00

I was recently introduced to Steven Wallace's poem of The Snow Man at Hoarded Ordinaries. These are my thoughts on the poem:When we focus on our own discomfort, we only see what the world is doing to me. When the wind blows cold, we see cold on our face. When it is raining, we see wet clothes. However, if we move past our discomfort we become aware of the landscape and much more. Now we can see

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1107807755645911992005-02-07T14:38:00.000-08:002005-02-07T13:55:34.716-08:00

Approximate risk of dying during your lifetime in United States from...Cause of DeathLifetime OddsDeaths per YearHeart disease1-in-5700000Cancer 1-in-7560000Stroke 1-in-23160000An accidental injury*1-in-35110000Influenza and Pneumonia 1-in-5566000Motor Vehicle Accident 1-in-10044000Intentional self harm (Suicide)1-in-120 32000Firearm** 1-in-120 30000Assault 1-in-22017000Fall** 1-in-

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1107812141444391032005-02-07T14:34:00.000-08:002005-02-07T19:24:42.370-08:00

Wanted: good blogs to read and readers for my blogMy biggest challenges in blogging are finding good blogs to read and getting discussions started at my blog. I visit lots of blogs only to discover they aren’t being updated anyone or are long since defunct. The percentage of blogs that last over six months must be small (~5%?) for all the abandoned ones I’ve seen. To avoid these blogs, I use link

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1107811176733801582005-02-07T14:30:00.000-08:002005-02-07T13:28:44.983-08:00

A Favorite TrailWalk down a favorite trailMove past scattered treesCome upon a meadowOf life, summer and greenThe path, it’s familiarThe meadow, often crossedMove through memoryRecall the old againStop along this quiet trail Stand within quaking grassFind a young damselflyOf motion, flight and wingsThe sight, not familiarThe road, yet uncrossedMove through momentsFind the new againEntry type: I

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1107483544034951902005-02-03T17:43:00.000-08:002005-02-03T21:04:31.720-08:00

Thoughts on the book by Aldous Huxley I found Brave New World a book with more complexity than I expected. His imaginary world is divided into two society, a modern scientific one and a primitive one on reservations within the modern society. The modern society is, of course, a distopia, but the primitive world is also deeply flawed. I see distopias as societies where one or two desirable goals

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1107211880323957612005-01-31T14:25:00.000-08:002005-01-31T14:56:02.090-08:00

I heard the story of the train crash in California, and, as I read more, I discovered tragedy usually found only in art. This is how I imagine it would have felt to be Juan Alvarez in this tragedy. Imagine you are very depressed and decide to commit suicide. You drive your car on the tracks between a couple of intersections. You sit there for a few seconds and are suddenly seized by the will to

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1107150662151097032005-01-30T21:48:00.000-08:002005-01-30T21:54:48.430-08:00

A few random thoughts offered as tribute to the courage of Iraqis in voting on SundayTo give the victory to the right, not bloody bullets, but peaceful ballots only, are necessary. -Abraham Lincoln I hope that democracy will be successful enough that Iraqis will start making statements (see below) that show they are starting to take democracy for granted. We’d all like t’vote fer th’best man

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1106953362447630882005-01-28T14:55:00.000-08:002005-01-28T15:02:42.446-08:00

A case study for the end of cheap supplies of a once valuable historical resource (2 of 3)Before I get into more details about the replacements for oil, I will consider the example of the whale oil crisis in the middle of the 19th century This example is not novel. Other cases of peaking resources are wood in 18th century England, ivory from elephants, and precious metals in a mining boom town.

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1106891989719332512005-01-27T20:10:00.000-08:002005-01-27T23:48:14.773-08:00

Blog inspires thoughts on peak of oil production and end of cheap oil (1 of 3)This evening I was reading a blog entry about the peak of oil production at Heavens Rim. It got me thinking... The peak of oil has been widely predicted and I've seen estimates between 10 years and never. (If I had to guess, I'd say about 40-50 years and it will be a gradual process.) Assuming that oil production peaks

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1106763958026073212005-01-26T11:19:00.000-08:002005-01-27T13:28:18.790-08:00

The reasons I write a weblog can be split into two categories - personal and communal. I address my personal reasons with, “Why do I write?” and the communal ones with “Why do I choose to blog?”. Why do I write? I write to clarify my thoughts and beliefs. Sometimes I write to remember. Other times I write because I must. Most times I write to clarify my thoughts and beliefs or to communicate.

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1106720024584580872005-01-25T23:10:00.000-08:002005-01-27T13:31:31.910-08:00

Etiology: Assignment of a cause, an origin, or a reason for something. In case you’d like to know (and before I forget), this is the etiology of some of the items on this page. Origin of webpage prefix and homepage thoughtJames Burke wrote a book called Connections. In his book, he talks about the origins and connections between some of our most important modern technologies. The technologies

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1106719749243698272005-01-25T23:06:00.000-08:002005-01-27T13:32:31.540-08:00

The following disclaimers henceforth apply to this blog.The author of this blog takes himself too seriously and may not know what he is taking about. The author makes every effort to reflect the views of the individual who created this blog accurately and takes full responsibility for any inaccuracy. This site makes no warranties, expressed or implied, and any injuries incurred while thinking

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1106691503855687462005-01-25T14:04:00.000-08:002005-01-27T13:40:50.743-08:00

A useless fact in words per minute:Average speaking is about 150 words per minute (wpm). Adults read at an average of 250-300 wpm. With a typical paperback, An hour of speaking represents 25 pages. An average adult reads 40-50 pages per hour. An odd quote: If someone says you can have your cake and eat it too, they probably want to eat your cake. Idea to ponder - Self-deceptionMy Conjecture -

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10382046.post-1106632988682014072005-01-24T21:12:00.000-08:002005-01-27T13:41:53.223-08:00

Occasionally I have a problem that I think through by writing it down. My problem? Well, I can't decide whether I'm a Republican or a Democrat. First, I find it difficult to determine what the two parties stand for since their traditional platforms don't seem to match their record in power. Neither party is as fiscally responsible as I'd like... This exercise soon turned into what I didn't like

larshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17941357391413606033noreply@blogger.com0