LOT OF SPOILERS BELOW.

As I ramble through various books.

I have not seen the movie Apocalypse Now (1979)

I have read Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, a few times. Listened to it just yesterday as an audiobook.

In the book, I don't think Kurtz wanted to die, he was still trying to escape back to the tribe he had been living with.

Died of sickness, rather than violence I think.

Though one could argue spiritual sickness can prelude physical sickness, weakness.

Kurtz was well known for the amount of ivory he collected, though his competitors dismissed it as fossil for having been dug up.

Kurtz briefly talked about justice, earlier in a journal I think he had high ideals, until they degraded and he wrote exterminate all the brutes.

. . . Kurtz though, unlike Curze, had the appearance of higher ideals I think, before he fell off.

Curze started in pretty quick into the Night Haunter I think.

. . . Though some have argued Kurtz was 'many different ideals to many different people. That he was more like water, fitting into whatever container, person, environment he came across.

The power of nurture.

Though that is not to say the natives of Africa 'was so much or the only influence.

The prime amount of brutality and depravity one reads in the Heart of Darkness, comes from the colonizers, taking advantage of their moment of greater power to indulge their greed.

. . There is a Russian in the book, a follower of Kurtz.

Reminds me of Elver a bit, but Elver realized that Curze feared he was wrong.

No woman that I recall, Curze being close to.

. . .

Another book,

In the Penal Colony by Franz Kafka.

Torture execution, assumptions of guilt, submitting oneself to the punishment, but the 'punishment malfunctions and is very quick, the grave of the former Commandant, where it is written by his believers that the Commandant will rise from the dead someday.

But then, Curze 'possibly suffered greatly in the years leading 'up to his death.

. . .

Another book,

Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky.

There is a conversation about the 'Extraordinary Man, who accomplishes great benefits for the people, by making small sacrifices of others.

Razumihin expressing horror at the idea of such morally allowed and 'encouraged bloodshed.

Later when questioned about people who mistake themselves as great and able men who fail in their ends,

Raskolnikov says they will suffer the consequences of their failure, prison for example. But also their conscience.

"But the real geniuses," asked Razumihin frowning, "those who have the 'right to murder?"

"Oughtn't they suffer at all even for the blood they've shed?"

Raskolnikov,

"Why the word 'ought? It's not a matter of permission or prohibition. He will suffer if he is sorry for his victim. Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart. The really great men must, I think, have a great sadness on earth, he added dreamily, not in the tone of the conversation.

Suicide comes up frequently in the book in many different characters.

Sonia for example, does not commit suicide, by her faith, and by her step families need of her.

Svidrigailov, perhaps finding he has nothing but hedonism and cannot truly connect with others, does.

Konrad Curze, I am not sure ever much 'connected with anyone in a positive manner, if he he did, it was always contrasted or polluted.

Svidrigailov, I do not 'think was 'sorry for others.

Raskolnikov though, perhaps was.

There is the argument I see people make at times though, of Warhammer, the need for speed in the Great Crusade,

Terrible threats all around,

Oncoming moments that will have to be faced, The Heresy.

Looks like they have come together again to attack Iran a country of over 93 million people.

Why, one wonders.

Well, we know why.

But if you don't.

Here's a clue.

Three letters

Begins with O

Ends with L.

A thought suddenly occurs to me,

As I think of how people enjoy different styles of fiction.

Some people liking fast action place, others enjoying slow purple prose plots.

It might be interesting in a way, to hear a story be told X different times, in X so many ways.

Though, arguably I 'have read a series like that before.

Enders Game and Enders Shadow by Orson Scott Card.

Though thinking on it, he probably 'wrote a bit in the same style for each of the books, to a degree.

. . .

I guess there are franchises that utilize many different authors, and see many different genres.

Often touch on the same 'world, though not 'quite exactly the same conflict.

Yes author A may write a story about Admiral Thrawn and a bunch of killer insects,

And author B may write a story about Admiral Thrawn and some Rebels.

But one did not see 'both authors write about the situation with killer insects or the situation with rebels. From different narrators or style.

(Shrug) Well has happened somewhere, likely 'many times in various places I'd imagine.

Everything in life is a gamble,

That one fails sometimes, I do not think by itself is damning,

The context of failure matters,

Sometimes it is acceptable,

And sometimes one wins, or hopes to win later on, based on earlier progress made,

Failure is at times a stepping stone to victory,

And that is no failure at all.

Stepping on stones because of failure is failure.

I wonder how much accent plays into music genres,

Whether some languages and accents are more suited to some genres than others,

Quicker or slower, syllables, so on.

Show us some examples of the different accents you are listening to.

An MMORPG where the world expands or contracts, depending on how many players are logged in, or in a certain zone.

One should avoid slippery stones and take the bridge.

Wet socks and underpants are unpleasant.

If there is no alternative, remove your boots and socks and roll up your trouser legs.

Bare feet will provide better grip and stability.

O I L > petroleum crude > 70 differrent kinds of refinery depenging on the kind of crude that is availble to them.

.. ' Oil Refinery Types are:

1. Topping Refineries
2. Hydroskimming Refineries
3. Conversion Refineries
4. Deep Conversion Refineries
5. Crude Oil Refineries
6. Lube Oil Refineries
7. Petrochemical Refineries
8. Fuel Refineries
9. Lubricant Refineries
10. Chemical Refineries
11. Standalone Refineries
12. Integrated Refineries
13. Mini or Modular Refineries
14. Medium Refineries
15. Large Refineries
16. Inland Refineries
17. Coastal Refineries '...

https://www.fractracker.org/2017/12/global-oil-refineries-emissions/

Tracking Global Oil Refineries and their Emissions

December 29, 2017/by Ted Auch, PhD

Potential Conflict Hotspots and Global Productivity Choke Points

Today, FracTracker is releasing a complete inventory of all 536 global oil refineries, along with estimates of daily capacity, CO₂ emissions per year, and various products. These data have also been visualized in the map below.

Sigh of relief, temporary or not.

I probably won't debate this in the future, so I'll just toss it here.

Debate about,

Whether schools Language Arts should focus on the Regional and Classical books over modern and foreign books.

Though Classic Foreign books would be acceptable.

ROUND 1

0

I suggest the purpose of schools is often tied to the purpose of a nation.

Solidarity, connection, cooperation.

All three are related, and feed back into each other.

It is valuable in terms of function, that we share similar values.

Schools are generally public, funded by state, funded by the people.

Common understanding and clarity of communication rises by shared perspective and experience.

1

Classics,

A focus upon the Classical, ensures continuity between generations.

Invigorates the heart, stokes flames, to value a nations identity, often it's foundations.

Like a family tree, we branch out to many places, but we trace ourselves back to a common trunk, to a common beginning.

A focus upon classics ensures we take what is of proven value.

People sometimes speak of older eras movies or or older era music being better, but what has occured, is we are but focusing on the best of what was produced in that era.

Time allows that, no recent fads or pop culture absurdities, only that which is proven good.

Regional Origin,

How does one create a sense of loyalty and community?

By 'looking at what is within one's community.

How does one create a sense of autonomy?

By 'looking at what has been within our ancestors hands and actions.

What they did, we can do. We 'ought do, in many cases.

How does one reach across a political aisle?

By knowing what one has in common.

2

Nations are vast in their origins of time, even one so recent as America.

There's enough content to fill what little time school provides.

Mind you, my arguments do not 'prevent recent or foreign books.

But 'does focus on Classical and Regional books.

I imagine a counterargument being that schools should focus on creating a love for reading,

But what matters a love for reading if the people are divided or read trash?

There is a 'limited amount of time in school, let public schools utilize it effectively.

ROUND 2

Hm, I 'could pass on this round, and ideally this becomes a two round debate.

But I think I'll meander a short time some more words.

3

Hm, Tribalism, Globalism, Family, Xenophobia.

America focuses a lot on the 'American identity, focuses a lot on outgroups to whatever ingroup one belongs.

To the detriment I argue, of the local.

Sure it's nice if people get along with the mass, but then what do they become but Capitalism cogs.

'Roots are how a community is developed to it's maximum potential. Not moving here and there about the country for the highest paying job.

If you move, your kids'll move too.

One 'maintains a garden by being territorial. Set in one's ways.

People are less likely to choose short term gain, if said change is being effected where they will live in 50 or more years.

So I say again, Regional Books. Regional Identity, Regional Pride, as a prime focus.

4

Regional books will always be of limited utility and number,

Which is why the Classic books exist, that others can be understood and appreciated, but more importantly that certain schools of thought appropriating the classics for local values can be established and maintained.

One's core values are most important, reading books of other places,

That it's always through a lens one reads outside books.

Comparing and contrasting the foreign with one's core teachings and values.

5

Recently published books are unfamiliar to the parents, they are less likely to have read them themselves.

It offers a chink in the education of their children, that ideas and values opposed by the parents might be 'slipped in under the radar.

Oppose the new, maintain the Classic.

Most kids will concentrate on techno-globalization.

A few will specialize.

If you want to enforce a national and cultural ideology you need to do it between years 0 to 8...Like Catholics and Muslims do.

Just read, The Integral Trees by Larry Niven,

The physical world was interesting, but I didn't like the death, sex, and slavery in the book.

. . . I suppose it's explicit descriptions of such that bother me at times.

Various forms of media, and 'expressions of different forms of media, hit different.

One can read of Ancient Rome, or watch Waterworld (1995),

But the edges are softened, one's eyes are blurred, one only see's 'part of a picture.

. . . Well, I'm sure 'some history books are explicit, but some are more clinical, or not focusing on nasty aspects of existence.

"techno-globalization"

I don't think globalization is a sustainable model.

In my opinion,

Humans are tribalistic, and 'societies are tribalistic,

Failing to be part of a tribe, leads to disintegration and weakness where X individuals and their descendants are metaphorically eaten by tribes.

. . .

Well, I don't think globalization is a sustainable model for X,

It 'is a sustainable model for Y.

. . .

Theoretically we 'could have a stronger one world government.

But even within such a system there will be tribes, and I prefer a greater degree of loyalty to one's closer tribe.

I often think people ought video and audio record their entire lives.

The human brain memories seem too fragile, subject to invention and distortion.

Flaw of course, is that digital and electronic recordings can 'also be edited. . . Hm, to a 'degree, possibly ways around that and safeguards to mitigate tampering.

I often think people ought video and audio record their entire lives.

The human brain memories seem too fragile, subject to invention and distortion.

Flaw of course, is that digital and electronic recordings can 'also be edited. . . Hm, to a 'degree, possibly ways around that and safeguards to mitigate tampering.

I don't know what the benefit of that would be, but I think the cost is huge.

There is a big difference between being fully engaged, living in the moment, so to speak, and recording the moment. When I see people doing taking selfies in front of a beautiful sunset, I think it is a shame that they aren't enjoying the sunset, rather than focused on telling others that they saw the sunset. The POV is all wrong, when you are recording, you pretty much have to assume an "external" point of view at the expense of the internal experience, which in the end, is where reality takes place for us. If you are recording everything, there is no time to stop and smell the roses, so to speak.

Well, on the happy side of the question, I like to reminisce about past moment sometimes.

There are funny, beautiful, interesting moments in life.

Sometimes useful moments.

I'd settle for an unobtrusive bodycam, or camera/mike on some glasses.

. . .

On a less happy side of things,

I sometimes worry how many abusive moments or people there might be in life.

And whether living without any privacy, in a type of human hivemind, might be better for people.

Also people with mental illness of drug use,

'Recording of events maybe would help convince 'some of them to degrees.

Well, on the happy side of the question, I like to reminisce about past moment sometimes.

There are funny, beautiful, interesting moments in life.

Sometimes useful moments.

There are also embarrassing, intimate, and private moments in life, minimally you'd want the ability to turn it off when you want..

I'd settle for an unobtrusive bodycam, or camera/mike on some glasses.. . .

Even unobtrusive and automatic, it seems like you still have the POV problem. I'm retired now but in my career, I was considered a great public speaker, motivational and all that, people would tell me I seemed very comfortable on stage, some would tell me I could be a motivational speaker or TV Evangelist if I wanted. But...when there were cameras, I would fold like a lawn chair, just knowing there's a recording completely discombobulated me.I think it was my POV went from focusing on the audience and content, to the audience is focusing on me now, it really threw me off.

On a less happy side of things,

I sometimes worry how many abusive moments or people there might be in life.

And whether living without any privacy, in a type of human hivemind, might be better for people.

Yeah, it would be great to deter crime too, but that raises the privacy issue, which is the biggest concern, I don't trust the government to respect my privacy, and if you can turn it off, then criminals would just do that.

Also people with mental illness of drug use,

'Recording of events maybe would help convince 'some of them to degrees.

Good point, one of my roommates in college would have absolutely no memory of when he was drunk, if he wasn't with us we would start calling around to find out where his car was, what he did, etc. He could have used it. But it does seem that the times it would be most important are the times when people would be most likely to turn it off.

Maybe not, so much of our life is recorded now, maybe privacy is just a thing of the past.

I am once again up way later than I should be lol

Deer.....Dog.........Luna

.v............v..............v..

tic..........tic.............tic

...............................

I dislike panhandlers,

I suppose it's the 'suddenness of such interactions,

The loss of my money,

The questionability whether they will ever put the money towards getting out of the hole they are in (If they are in a hole).

I often think of my money in terms of time and effort that it took me to get it,

Such drives me towards conservative spending,

I 'hate having to work for other people.

Sometimes when I buy food, I briefly imagine I am 'literally eating bills or coins.

. . . Is it 'appearances I wonder?

Avoidance of discomfort?

Attempt at 'minor goodness?

Hm, I doubt the last one. I don't generally give to charities. . . But I 'have done financial things for family, and done it gladly enough.

But they are 'family.

It helps me rather, to think of it as paying 2 dollars for X minutes of introspection. For it 'does spark that.

I have been given much by others at times in life.

I have given 'some to others, I don't keep track of the amount.

I paid someone's bus ticket, last time I was on the bus. . . But I had a lot of time to think about it, they were trying to pay the rest on some confusing phone app.

Perhaps it was the talking 'why I paid, it wasn't much, as I took advantage of the fact that another passenger had overpaid in cash, not having exact change for the bus, and the bus not giving change.

But the 'talking back and forth between the passenger and the bus driver was annoying. Paying the small amount made the talking stop.

But I can never tell my motivations, can it not be I had 'some good intentions as well?

But such money was not being 'asked of me, it is something I gave freely.

I dislike panhandlers.

Though I believe I am not a good person.

I do not prepare literature of help programs in the area to give with the change,

I do not inquire of their situation or how I might help.

Sigh, my Mother and eldest brother give to charity.

(Shrug)

. . .

"Don't Give Up" by Eagle-Eye Cherry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziDG8bBqp38

I am doubtful of 'Karma, but I do believe in cause and effect.

Perhaps it is 'good for my personality, character, soul (Poetically speaking) to give 'some. Lackluster motive and pressure or not.

Also people with mental illness of drug use,

'Recording of events maybe would help convince 'some of them to degrees.

Wiki via Google AI....' Fuller's Chronofile contains over 140,000 pieces of paper, as well as 64,000 feet of film, 1,500 hours of audio tape, and 300 hours of video recordings. The Chronofile is cross-referenced alphabetically using 13,500 5x8 inch index cards. Photos from Fuller's childhood from age four were added retrospectively.^{[7 '..}

From time magazine ..' On January 10, 1964, visionary architect and futurist R. Buckminster Fuller was featured on the cover of Time magazine, with an iconic illustration by Boris Artzybasheff. Fuller, known for his pioneering work on the geodesic dome, was celebrated for his ideas on sustainability, efficiency, and innovation in design. His appearance on Time highlighted his forward-thinking vision for the future of architecture and technology, pushing the boundaries of what was possible in construction and human habitats.

#BuckminsterFuller #TimeMagazine1964 #GeodesicDome'

I am known for being blunt. Don’t take what I say personally.

See 3rd post in link below as it has hilarious vid via UK, Norman Fosters 2010 composition of all three of Fullers prototpe Dymaixon Omni-transport ideas.

One of the comments by the narrator is at 0.25 ..a man so far ahead of his time, even the future had trouble keeping up '... ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M54KclI-hYo

I've heard we 'grow AI in a sense, unsure of what they are/are to become.

Suddenly the idea of comparing them to the development of human souls comes to mind.

My arguments in short,

(0) The word Value implies a single standard, unlike values

(1) Value is zero, nothing.

(2) A point in every direction, is the same as no point at all.

(3) Meanings are fictions.

NIHILISM My Argument

'Value, is an empty 'spot of 'nothing, a 'zero that can 'ever be filled with 'any integer,

There 'is 'no 'Value.

There are 'values, subjective 'lovely 'lies that we tell ourselves, that we tell the 'world.

Yet there 'is no singular Yard'stick, we each have our own yardsticks. Fabricated, fictional, figurative, imagined, 'pretenses.

Val'ue implies a single standard,

A 'reason to care, 'The 'Truth.

But when people realize that singular 'Truth 'not exist, 'often their morality 'flexes.

When someone says it is 'wrong to 'kill another human, there is a Nihilist somewhere who 'laughs. For that 'value does not exist.

That 'claimer exists, and claimer 'values things, but there is no 'Value.

And when people realize 'that, there is a Nihilist somewhere, who 'despairs.

For within them was an attraction to the idea of the Value existing as a Transcendent, Objective Moral Truth.

But it didn't exist. It doesn't.

There are 'values, pretenses, claims, attractions existing in disharmony and mismeasurement with one another.

Good and Evil exist. . . claims the Moralist.

They are wrong, Lies. . . Are what exist.

We can 'create meaning, claims the Existentialist.

They are wrong, Their 'Meanings too, are 'fictions.

Thin layers of paint upon their eyes to hide the abyss. Green gem spectacles.

Existence 'has no 'Value. Only delusions.

A person will care, because that is human.

But when one human lifts others from poverty,

Eh, heck with it, I find it dull to color code so much, and it's application and appreciation by others is questionable.

. . . I suppose I 'kind of like it.

But I'm only a third of the way through with all I have to say in round 1, and there's going to be 2 more rounds. Do I 'really care enough about it to commit myself to that?

Nah.

What an asshole.