As we begin the New Year, it is time once again to take stock of what is truly important in our lives. A “measure” is how much there is of something that you can quantify. We live in a time-space continuum. Time is composed of moments, which we may or may not be able to manipulate. Space is the physical matter that exists between voids, whether we speak of stars or electrons and neutrons circling nuclei. A continuum is what holds it all together. Thus, our whole existence takes place in a time-space continuum.
Then what are the truly important things in our lives that we cannot physically measure? I offer here some possibilities:
Where is the element of symmetry in a human soul?
Where is the isotropy of God?
What are the dimensions of truth?
How do you measure the magic of music on the mind and the soul of being?
What is the reference point for feelings, such as the capacity to feel empathy and compassion and love?
Where can you stand when you try to measure “happiness?”
What are the parameters of love--a child’s love for a toy vs. an adult’s love for God?
Where is the point of fulcrum between justice and injustice?
How do you measure success--by your wealth or by your health, by your job or by your marriage, by your social status or by your family, by the things you love or by the things you hate?
As we continue this journey through the time-space continuum for another year, let us ask ourselves these questions, and try to remember what is truly important in our lives --the things we cannot physically measure.
Video. The God Theory. This video discusses why it is possible to believe in both science and God, a God that is compatible with the Big Bang and evolution. Is there a plausible purpose behind the Universe consistent with modern astrophysics?
A friend of mine, apparently with too much time on his hands, recently emailed this bit of trivia to me.
Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than for the U.S. Treasury. Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear better. It is impossible to lick your elbow. The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% (now get this...)The percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%
The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $16,400 Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair. The first novel ever written on a typewriter? Tom Sawyer. Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:
Spades - King David Hearts - Charlemagne Clubs -Alexander, the Great Diamonds - Julius Caesar
111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321
If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died because of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.
Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most popular boat name requested? A. Obsession Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter 'A'? A. One thousand Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers have in common? A. All were invented by women. Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil? A. Honey
In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes, the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase…“Goodnight, sleep tight.”
It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon.
In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them “Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down.” It's where we get the phrase “mind your P's and Q's.”
Many years ago in England, pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. “Wet your whistle” is the phrase inspired by this practice.
At least 75% of the bloggers who read this post tried to lick their elbow!
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More Trivia On YouTube
Just the Facts TV is a bi-monthly video podcast that focuses on interesting facts and fun trivia. The unusual facts and figures may not boost your I.Q., but they might really impress your friends at your next party.
The background music for the video in my previous post dealing with the $75 million mansion in San Diego was Beethoven’s “Fur Elise” played on a classical guitar. I don’t know who was playing it, but I really liked it and have played it several times.
Beethoven composed “Fur Elise” (German for “For Elise”) between 1808-1810. It is believed that Elise was a later misspelling of Therese Malfatti von Rohrenbach zu Dezza, a student of Beethoven whom he intended to marry, but instead she married an Austrian nobleman.
There are numerous versions of “Fur Elise” on YouTube. These are some of the more interesting and varied ones I found.
Video 1. This is a piece played by a student who says, “I just play only 3 weeks piano. I’m not so good. I hope you like it.”
Video 2. “Fur Elise” as played by a concert pianist. Hungary Budapest Endre Hegedus concert pianist performs in his home.
Video 3. “Fur Elise” as performed by Vanilla Mood, a Japanese group.
Video 4. “Fur Elise“(Techno Version) Dj Mystic/Dj Mystik?
Video 5. “Fur Elise” Rock (new video)
Video 6. "Für Elise" on iPod Touch
Video 7. “Fur Elise” -- RoboPianist. University of California, Riverside Electrical Engineering Senior Design
Giovanni Denina Rejeana Dizon David Vu
This is our senior design project. Our goal is to make a player-piano type device which is portable and cheap. We were able to use 16 bit to control 64 outputs, although the piano has only 61 keys. Our project can press all 61 keys at once however it will require large amount of current.
Video 8. "Foot Elise". Oksana plays Beethoven's “Fur Elise” first with her feet and then with her hands.
Once again the holiday season is here, and the toy stores are brimming with the latest electronic products for children. These “edutainment” products promise parents that the “learning skills” provided by these toys will give their children a competitive advantage as they go out into the world. Parents are told that these electronic gadgets will develop “problem-solving benefits," develop “basic math skills,” and assist in overall “cognitive development” of their children.
When I was about eight years old, my parents, who knew nothing of cognitive development, knew that I wanted a Lionel electric train set for Christmas. So on Christmas morning I arose early and with my parents rushed into the living room, where I found a large package under the Christmas tree. After ripping off the gift-wrapping paper, I beheld my gift -- a Lionel electric train set.
My father and older brother helped me to connect the track into a oval shape, showed me how to operate the transformer and make the train move forward and backward at various speeds. For a eight-year old, it was almost too much ecstasy to bear. But after a couple of days, as the newness of the gift wore off, I played with it less and less. After all, there is a limit to the number of times one can watch a toy train move around a track without getting bored.
Shortly after the new year had begun, my father bought a new refrigerator that came packed in a large cardboard carton. He unpacked the refrigerator and not only gave me the carton but also a corner of the living room where I could keep it -- my space.
Over the next few months, using my imagination and a little improvisation here and there, that cardboard carton was transformed into a car, a dump truck, a fire truck, a tractor, an airplane, an army tank, a locomotive with little Whit as the engineer, and with the assistance of a blanket and some chairs -- an underground bunker. I later cut out a couple of windows in the carton, and by cutting out three- quarters of a rectangle and bending the remaining section of the cardboard, I was able to create a hinged doorway. This was my own little room, my space, my private retreat that I could retire to when I wanted to be alone.
Neither my parents nor I realized then that the cardboard carton was assisting me in developing my “problem-solving and math skills," as well as providing aid to my overall “cognitive development.”
All I knew at that time was that I was having lots of fun.
