The Dragon Crystals

Part 2 of a dragon story I made up tonight for my son (part 1 is here):

So a long time ago, in a land far, far away – called China – there were dragons.

And there were dragon detectors, like the one invented by Zhang Heng (but that’s another story).

But there were also wizards and magicians and witches (good ones) who tried to help the people. You remember that when the people were good, the dragons of the air, the sea, the land, and the fire would sleep. But when the people didn’t take good care of the land, and made war with each other, the dragons would awaken and cause terrible disasters.

So one day, the most powerful wizards and magicians and witches (good ones) all got together and created the most powerful spells ever. And they went out in all four directions and to the air, the sea, under the land, and even into the fire of volcanoes! And they said their magic spells in secret so nobody would ever know, way up in the clouds, and far out to sea and under the ocean, and deep underground, and even in the fiery lava at the bottom of volcanoes. And nobody knows how they did it, but they captured the dragons, hundreds of them, from all four directions and from all the places around the earth. And they captured them in crystals, that are very very hard, and froze the dragons forever – as long as the crystals don’t break.

Now only the very best people get to take care of these crystals and they are spread out all over the world to keep them safe. They didn’t get all the dragons mind you, so disasters still happen, but the ones they did capture they sure don’t want to let out – because nobody knows the secret spells anymore to put them back in.

And I have one of those crystals for you.

it says what kind of dragon it is and where it was captured

Now some people will tell you it’s a fake, and there are sure some fakes out there – just like there are fake guns, and made-up monsters and other pretend things. But this one is real (I think) and if you stare really hard at it, sometimes you can see the dragon move. And if you do – you know it’s real.

I know you’ll do a good job helping to take care of us by keeping your dragon safely inside the crystal.

I love you, and I trust you, and you’re old enough to take good care of things, so I’m giving this crystal to you to take care of forever and ever. Just like (mommy and) I will take good care of you.

Forever and ever.

Dragons and Earthquakes

A story I made up for my son tonight:

A long time ago in a land far, far away there were dragons. The land was called China and the people there feared and respected the dragons of the air, the land, the sea, and the fire.

When the people were good and took good care of the land, the sea, the air, and their fires, the dragons were kind and slept most of the time. But when the people were bad, and destroyed the land, put their garbage in the sea, polluted the air, and fought with their fires (instead of cooking and making good food and keeping warm), then the dragons were mad and would warn the people to be good.

Dragons in the air would flap their wings and bring terrible storms, dragons of the sea made big belly-flops and bring waves and floods to wash away the towns, dragons of the fire would huff and puff and make volcanoes explode, and dragons of the land would whip their tails back and forth against their homes in the earth – causing great earthquakes.

The people knew they could not stop the dragons except by taking care of the earth and respecting the dragons, who would just as well wipe all the people out to save the earth if they had to. So the people tried to be good.

And one day, a very smart man named Zhang Heng invented something to keep the people safe. He remembered when he was a little boy, that his Nai Nai (grandmother) told him that the lizards and frogs were cousins of the dragons and would always be the first to know if an earthquake was going to happen. If that was going to happen, the lizards and the frogs would all stop laughing and singing and go find a place to hide. Now Zhang Heng was not so foolish to think he could stop the dragons, and he knew that not everybody could pay attention to the frogs (like the people in the mountains or the city) but he knew he could help the people so not so many died or got hurt in the earthquakes.

So he made an invention called the “dragon detector”.

He took a big cookie jar and turned it upside down. Then he put a pendulum inside (you know, like the long swinging thing you see on big old fashioned clocks). The on the outside of the cookie jar he decorated it with little dragons all around it, like they were crawling down the sides. In the mouth of each dragon was a marble, and on the floor around the jar were little toy frogs, mouths open to catch the marbles.

Zhang Heng knew that if the dragons of the earth started whipping their tails back and forth, the pendulum would swing inside the cookie jar and tap the inside – jiggling the dragon on that side. The dragon would drop his marble – right into the mouth of the frog! And the frog’s mouth would close – just like the real frogs!

it looked kinda like this

Not only that, but you could tell what direction the earthquake was coming by looking at which frog had closed her mouth! That way, you knew which way to run in order to be safe! Zhang Heng thought this was a great invention and took it to the Emperor to show him.

But the Emperor’s men laughed at Zhang Heng. “Cookie jars?” “Marbles?” “Toy frogs?” “How can you tell us about dragons by playing with toys?!? You don’t know what you’re doing and you’re acting like a baby playing with toys!”

But Zhang Heng knew what he was doing and knew that he was right, so he quietly set up his dragon detector outside the Emperor’s castle. Then he sat down and he waited, and sure enough, not too many days later the dragon on the North side dropped his marble into the mouth of his cousin the frog, and she closed her mouth up tight.

“Ha ha!” said the Emperor’s men, “That stupid toy is foolish and worthless! We feel no earthquake, yet your toy says their is one! You lose!”

But Zhang Heng knew what he was doing and he knew that he was right, so he quietly sat down and he waited.

And sure enough, later that day a boy just about your age came running into the Emperor’s castle, crying “Help! Help! An earthquake is knocking down our houses and our people need your help!”

“Come here my boy, ” said the Emperor, “and tell me where you are from and we will send help right away.”

“Longxi, my Emperor,” said the breathless boy, “a day’s run North of here!”

“North!” said the Emperor to his doctors and soldiers, “take your men North to Longxi and help the people there!”

Then the Emperor looked at Zhang Heng and he smiled.

“You!” he shouted at his men who had teased Zhang Heng, “Go…make…some…toys…”

And the Emperor and Zhang Heng were best friends forever, and they saved lots of people by knowing where to send help long before a runner could come and tell them where the earthquake was.

And that’s the story of the dragons and the earthquakes, and the first dragon detector.

From a long time ago, in a land far, far away – called China.

Where they say dragons still sleep to this day…..

(read part 2 – The Dragon Crystals here)

A Cacophony of Fallacies in the House of Commons

Quincy Adams Wagstaff, MP

There is a real scorcher of false logic at play in the House of Commons this week. The majority government plans to propose a bill that critics suggest will unduly infringe on rights, and the government claims is needed to fight crime. The argument put forth today by the government was shockingly fallacious.

Here’s the argument broken down as a logic problem:
A happens, and B happens, so A causes B.
B happens, and C is a kind of B, so if B happens, C happens.
A causes B, and C is a type of B, so if A happens, C happens.

C is terrible, so we must do Q.
Q is new, so Q is good, because new is good.

If you don’t believe we must do Q, it is because you love C.
Only horrible people love C, so if you love C then you are the same as those horrible people.

And here it is as it played out today in the House of Commons:
(Canadian) Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, rebutting criticism of C-51 bill:

“As technology evolves, many criminal activities, such as the distribution of child pornography, become much easier,” he told the House. “We are proposing to bring measures to bring our laws into the 21st century and to provide police with the lawful tools that they need.

“He can either stand with us or with the child pornographers.”

#1: Fallacy: Confusing Cause and Effect
“As technology evolves, many criminal activities…become much easier.”
Although these two things may occur at the same time, it does not mean that A causes B.

#2: Fallacy: Assuming that if a General effect happens, a Specific sub-set of the General effect will happen.
“…many criminal activities, such as the distribution of child pornography, become easier.”
Although X is a subset of Y, if Y happens, it does not mean that X subset will happen.

#3 Fallacy: Appeal to Fear
Creating fear in people (easier child porn distribution) does not constitute evidence for a claim (that the proposed bill is good).

#4 Fallacy: Appeal to Novelty
“We are proposing to bring measures to bring our laws into the 21st century…”
What we are doing is new, and therefore better.

#5 Fallacy: False Dilemma
“He can either stand with us or with the child pornographers.”
Either you are against this bill, or you are for it. You are not for it, therefore you must be against it.

#6 Fallacy: Guilt by Association
“He can either stand with us or with the child pornographers.”
Horrible people hold opinion B. You hold opinion B. Therefore you are a just like those horrible people.

Six fallacies in three sentences. The government does itself no favours in attempting to pass legislation by relying on such rhetorical errors (or tricks if you like). It is unnecessary to do so in order to pass the bill (the government holds the majority). It is also unseemly to use guilt by association, a child-like rhetorical tactic, in the House of Commons.

How might one respond to such lunacy?

“Child pornography is a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison, so anyone who opposes your proposal is a criminal? Has the government just criminalized dissent? Is the government threatening citizens with a decade in prison if they don’t support your proposal?”

Geek Wisdom

Sometimes the geeks get it right. Some words of eternal wisdom.

Bah weep gragnah weep nini bong – Transformers

Klaatu barada nikto – Klaatu

In the end…aren’t we all just dogs playing poker? – Edgar Teglee, Psychonauts

When someone asks you if you’re a god, you say ‘YES!’ – Winston, Ghostbusters

Get to da choppa! – Arnold

It’s a trap! – Admiral Ackbar

Good, bad, I’m the one with the gun. – Bruce “Don’t call me Ash” Campbell, Army Of Darkness

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A – Konami Code

I have come to chew bubblegum and kick a$$. And I’m all out of bubblegum. – Roddy Piper, They Live

Understanding is a three-edged sword. – Vorlon ambassador Kosh, Babylon 5

Spooooooon! – The Tick

Leeeroy Jenkins!!!! – Leroy Jenkins

It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations. – The Hobbit

I did it thirty five minutes ago. – Ozymandias, Watchmen

Do or do not. There is no try – Yoda

Selections from a Topless Robot contest. Click here – read more.

Noisettes – Never Forget You

For some reason this makes me think of “Little Shop of Horrors”….

I have too much respect for the idea of God to make it responsible for such an absurd world.

Georges Duhamel

Stop Wasting Your Time Solving Problems

From Leadership Freak:

Search: "building" + "people" <>

Don’t solve people’s problems give them confidence they can solve them.

You’re missing the boat if you:

* Think more about processes than people.
* Jump in and help people solve problems.
* Fix rather than build.
* Speak more than listen.

You’re on target when you:

* Let them talk about problems while you talk about their strengths.
* Explain why you believe in them.
* Honor their hard work rather than their frustrations.

Training or other resources may be required to solve problems; however, instilling confidence comes first.

Read the whole thing by clicking on these words.

Professional blog-as-resume? What the Pros look for.

From Erica Glaiser’s blog, which is one of the best damned social media blogs out there, and a 2011 nominee for Canadian Weblog Awards in Best Written, Business & Career, and the Science, Technology & the Internet categories.

Here’s her take on why the hell and how the hell you should approach blogging if you want it to be an extension of your brand or resume. Obviously that’s not the case with this blog, but it’s good advice nevertheless.

Professional blogs are basically there to serve as an expanded resume, and it helps to know why you’re bothering to become a little publishing machine. What is it employers are going to see for all this effort?

Passion
Everyone can tell when you’re stoked about something (so write about stuff about which you are stoked. It’ll be a better read). Employers ❤ passion.

Insight
“Thought leadership” is the more grandiose buzzword for strong analysis. Tear something apart. Put it back together. Show me you saw beneath the surface, figured out a motivation, or connected some previously unconnected dots with your keen, keen mind.

Ambition
The fact that you bother to construct this whole persona, do research to impress me with your investigative skills, and make images to ease my understanding & please my eye says “hey, this person really wants it”.

Personality
An employer who wants to get to know the you behind the resume will know PDQ if your charming, quirky self is the right fit for their organizational culture. This can help you find a good corporate fit, so be yourself within the realm of good taste.

Skills
Posting struggles, successes, media you’ve produced, and plain ole’ writing shows me what kind of communicator you are. Visual skills translate especially well in the blog medium—cartooning, animation, slideshares, infographics. If you make it and it doesn’t suck, post it. If it does suck, ask for critique so you can improve.

Frequency
Besides showing your knowledge of subject matter, social media & communication, frequent blogging on topical stuff shows me you know what’s going on in your industry & you’ve got the commitment to prove it.

Connections
Comments show people are reading. Retweets show your stuff is worth sharing. Clips of speaking engagements or presentations demonstrate your ability to work a room.

Capability
On a meta level, outside the subject matter you blog about, you’re making it clear you know how to think like a publisher. Brand journalism and content marketing are a growing underpinning of social media marketing. The future employer is relieved to see you’ve worked out all your blogging disasters on your own dime.

Want to read more great stuff by Erica? Sure you do. Click on these words.

Real Friends Got Your Back

source

Major Movements in Philosophy as Minimalist Geometric Graphics

by Genis Carreras

Silence

If you have a gift with words, learn to keep your mouth shut; when you speak, punctuate with pause; and when you have nothing to say, say nothing.

~source

Jack Layton – The Last Airbender?

My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic and we’ll change the world.
~ Jack Layton

You must never give into despair. Allow yourself to slip down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts. In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength.
~ Uncle Iroh, The Last Airbender