Everything2 New Writeups

Purple-K (thing)

2009-11-26T07:14:30Z

Purple-K is a firefighting chemical. Although bicarbonate of soda had been used to fight fires for many years prior to its discovery, in the 1950s the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory discovered that switching potassium in for the sodium in bicarbonate increased its ability to quench flame by a factor of at least two.

Fire requires four components to burn, sometimes known as the 'fire tetrahedron': heat, oxygen, fuel, and a chemical chain reaction. Purple-K is one of the few that directly attacks the chemical chain reaction, efficiently interrupting said chain reaction and hence stopping combustion. It consists, in its industrial preparation, of potassium bicarbonate and sodium bicarbonate (approximately 80% and 15% by weight), mica, Fuller's Earth and silica making up the remainder.

It is one of the most effective tools in fighting flammable liquid fires. As a result, it is used heavily in chemical and petroleum refineries, at airports and fuel…

Perceptics (idea)

2009-11-26T04:57:57Z

I've gotta be up front here, I have no reliable sources for the following information. What I've pieced together I've picked up here and there as rumor and various mad scribblings of people who used to be, or at least claim to have been, involved with Scientology. The Church of Scientology is infamously tight-lipped about these things, with much information being distributed by disgruntled former members. It took decades before anyone outside the Church had even heard of this Xenu character, despite his central role in the Church's mythology. So take the following cum grano salis.

In the late 70s, L. Ron Hubbard wrote down a list of 57 superhuman senses he claimed were possessed by thetans which people who were "clear" (free of unwanted engrams, or harmful memories) could learn how to utilize. The full list is below. Most of them appear to be normal human senses that any healthy, fully-developed adult possesses. Others, such…

Childhood (poetry)

2009-11-26T03:26:22Z

The Past dreams too

Some times look back and all I see
Is little flashes, of little me
A few tears here, a grown up there
A younger me with little care

Some blood, some bruises then a laugh
The me of what you see a half
A fall, a scrape, a kick, a slap
A seat upon papa's large lap

A small white smile upside down
A first handstand while playing clown
A duel proclaimed, the words are clear
Standing strong, I felt no fear

A big kids game, a fall down hill
I got back up of my own will
No more tears and no more crying
Work, imagining I'm flying

A flash of light , a baby's scream
A little sister, not a dream
A little baby, half my size
Taking care of her's my prize

Getting home and knowing then
That something's wrong, I'm only ten
But I knew when my dad was mad
To steer clear and not be…

wherever you go, there you are (thing)

2009-11-26T03:19:55Z

This often-repeated chestnut (and misquote) is a staple piece of conversation between science fiction fans of the older generation. Derived from Buckaroo Banzai, this was quoted to his love interest, Penny Priddy. Much like other bits of the movie, it has reached something of a cliche status (albeit not quite of a cliche as the ever-present Monty Python quotes).

Example usage:

Fan #1: Dammit, Bob, I thought the comic book store was down Emerson! Where the hell are we?
Fan #2: I dunno, Bill, but wherever you go, there you are.

Somewhat less frequently, this is used as a consolation to depressed fen who are experiencing a midlife crisis or other moments of angst. Due to the somewhat ironic nature of the standard usage, however, this often leads to the quote being taken as sarcasm.

The full and more accurate quote is: "Remember... no matter where you go, there you are."

This has…

Smile Like You Mean It (essay)

2009-11-26T02:26:28Z

This song is by The Killers, it was released on May 2, 2005, was featured on their first album, Hot Fuss, and since then it became their third single in the US and fourth single in the UK. It also reached number 11 on the UK single chart, and number 15 in the Billboard US Modern Rock Chart. In Australia, it reached number 39 on Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2004.

The meaning of the song can be easily construed to fit whatever current situation you are in:

Save some face, you know you've only got one
Change your ways while you're young
Boy, one day you'll be a man
Oh girl, he'll help you understand

The first two lines could be telling you to think seriously about the way you act, think about your reputation and how people see you, and decide if that is what you really want, and the second two lines could be taken as a completely separate statement, that you'…

The Einstein Intersection (thing)

2009-11-26T01:49:52Z

One of Samuel R. Delany's earliest novels, the Einstein Intersection is, at it's core, a retelling of the myth of Orpheus. Set in a far off future where humanity has ended and a new race populates the Earth, a young man named Lobey sets off to find his lost love, Friza. Lobey has large, extremely dexterous hands and feet and a talent for music, which he plays using holes in the handles of his machete like a flute. Like everyone else in his very slightly post-Neolithic society, he is a mutant. But, unlike many, he is "functional," an active member of society. The question of what is normal and what is functional is discussed throughout and becomes a focal point towards the end of the book.

Delany opens each chapter with a quote or two, ranging from Erasmus' The Praise of Folly to the Pepsi slogan. He also occasionally inserts notes from his journal about the novel. The notes lend a great deal to the story and its development.…

Wrong number (event)

2009-11-25T23:13:56Z

Call from 908-285-xxxx

My cell phone does not have a caller ID that you have to pay for. If a person with a number not in my contacts calls me, only the number is displayed, so it's a mystery who is on the other side of the phone connection. At the time, I was sitting with my no-longer-in-touch-with girlfriend in a coffeeshop, over a slice of pecan pie and tea. My phone rings, and I see a 908 area code, which means someone from New Jersey.

I pick up the phone and ask in my best neutral voice, "Hello?".

The girl on the other side says, in quite a suggestive way, "Hey, what's up?". Now I am utterly confused. This is someone who thinks she knows who she is talking to, and I have no idea who I am talking to and she sounds very interested. I might have taken advantage of this if that person I am no longer in touch with was not so physically satisfying.

Alas, I intend to make the situation a little…

stereotypical kingdoms in fantasy novels (idea)

2009-11-25T22:51:49Z

Fantasy writing being the derivative mess it is, many novels tend to adopt the same themes and tropes. One symptom of this includes structuring the society of the protagonist, or the societies around the protagonist, in a manner consistent to a medieval kingdom in various forms. The most common riff on these is to use Lord of the Rings with a paint job. However, over the last few decades, a few other model kingdoms have popped up.

These tend to be used, reused, warped, and given new paint jobs at a whim. The political structure may be changed slightly (Perdido Street Station, for example), but is still recognizable within the trope.

Without further ado:

The Mysterious Kingdom of Wonder: Readers are introduced to a simple but wondrous utopia threatened by an one-dimensional villain. Plot devices are employed to move the protagonists into harm's way; ultimately, this leads to them saving the kingdom. This usually involves…

Butterfly (thing)

2009-11-25T22:05:53Z

Introduction

This writeup is on an option combination, or strategy, known as a butterfly. It is an option strategy that is used to make money when an underlying ends up exactly at a certain level at expiry, while maintaining a modest risk profile.

How to set up a butterfly?

An ordinary butterfly consists of three option positions on the same underlying with the same expiry, but a different strike. The call butterfly consists of:

One long call with a strike K - X
Two short calls with a strike K
One long call with a strike K + X

So, an example could be a long 40 - short 2 times 50 - long 60. Let's investigate the payoff of this thing, by considering various scenarios that may occur at expiry.

Below or at the lowest strike: All options expiry worthlessly. Payoff is 0.
Above the lowest strike, and at or below the middle strike: The long call is in the money.

…

funeral (thing)

2009-11-25T21:16:32Z

The meaning of a rite of passage in different religions

Rituals are like ballet in that the language they speak is that of dramatic symbolism, or to describe this in different terms, 'theatricality' ¹ . In many cases costumes are also incorporated as a part of the ritual, as well as music and various other elements which vary as you move over the face of the planet, after an order that nobody seems to have figured out. The differences between rituals and ballet run more fundamental than the similarities of course, ballet is just a handy point of comparison and a form of expression, as are rituals, and rituals are also attempts at preserving traditions- some would be happy to speak of improvized actions as part of ritual too, Bobby Alexander for instance, that 'ritual defined in the most general and basic terms is a performance, planned or improvised, that effects a transition from everyday life to an alternative context within which the everyday is…

ignorant assumptions (essay)

2009-11-25T20:48:42Z

Why do people love assumptions?

First of all, I humbly suggest that the main reason why anybody makes any sort of assumption in any sort of scenario is to save time and effort. (This statement in itself is based on an assumption because I have neither the time nor the energy to bother doing extensive research on the matter at this point in time.) Sometimes this is done because there isn't much of a choice, such as in a medical emergency or most other crisis situations. Sometimes, as any overworked and under-appreciated individual will tell you, this is done to divert time and energy elsewhere, such as in the pursuit of a decent social life. Often this is done simply to avoid expending time and energy to begin with.

The more interesting concern though, is why do so many people make such ignorant assumptions? Many economists have established how and why pollution, traffic congestion and global warming…

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (review)

2009-11-25T20:33:55Z

It’s just a happy day in the Mushroom Kingdom! The sun is shining, the weather’s nice, and the [birds are FYI-ing! (Yeah… play the game to learn what that means.) One day, little Toad comes home from school… early. “You’ll never grow up into a good Toad!” his mother warns, but in the Mushroom Kingdom, your punishment is eating delicious dinner. Man, do I wish I live there. Anyways, as Mama Toad calls for Papa Toad for dinner… it turns out he is SUPER-UBER-INFLATED! And he’s not alone – everyone’s getting attacked by this new disease called “the blorbs.” Maybe I don’t want to live there anymore… back on topic, there is a Mushroom Kingdom emergency meeting to cure what is deemed incurable. Heck, even the star powers can’t do a thing about it.

But who’s stronger than a SWAT team? The Super Mario Bros. are! Who's too agile to be caught, jumping and flying and all?…

Facilitated communication (idea)

2009-11-25T19:53:57Z

Facilitated communication is a method for a helper, or facilitator, to assist a person with both motor difficulties and an inability to speak to communicate by helping the disabled person type responses to questions by feeling subtle movements and gestures the disabled person is trying to make, but cannot perform independantly due to the disability.

If this sounds a bit like using a Ouija board to you, you're not alone.

Facilitated communication caused a big sensation in the 1980s and 90s helping severely autistic people communicate, demonstrating surprising literacy and intelligence compared to all other outward signs of the person's ability. It was claimed at the time that these otherwise bright and aware people were trapped in their bodies, unable to overcome their physical limitations to let the true, fully capable person inside show through. Only because they could not communicate verbally, and had severe motor function problems, they could neither talk…

Kung Fu (how-to)

2009-11-25T19:46:28Z

Kung Fu is also a simple game that can be played with just about any number of people. There are no equipment requirements, though the game should be played on flat, preferably somewhat soft, ground.

Players stand in a rough circle and should be arms-length apart. At his turn, a player makes one smooth motion in an attempt to touch another player with his fingertips. The targeted player may make one smooth motion to dodge the attack. Play proceeds around the circle, with any player who is touched eliminated from the game at once.

The difficulty in the game lies in the fact that each "turn" a player may only move once. If the move results in the player off-balance, she must wait until the next time she can move to correct the problem. If she should happen to fall over in the intervening time frame, that is where she must stay until the game allows her to move again. The one motion rule remains in effect, so returning to a standing position can be quite complicated.

Despite its…

Preeventualism (dream)

2009-11-25T18:39:30Z

This is probably the very worst thing you could bring up at a dinner party. I mean, it's not like the future doesn't matter. Of course it matters! It matters to your kids and their kids and the survivors of global warming and overpopulation and the other 12 apocalypses and anyone who got away before the sun blew up. Or probably just robots. So you'd better be careful where you toss that plastic wrapper. It could get swallowed by a seagull, and when the poor bird chokes in mid-air and lands on the sidewalk, that old man who always walks 5 miles in the morning will find it and call the Animal Rescue League, and they'll have to do a biopsy to find the little cellophane culprit, all wadded up and covered in half-digested french fries, which happens to be the exact slimy metaphor that a not-so-well-known, living-off-of-ramen-and-tuna-salad community college student poet was grasping at to finish his master work, as he watched…

Prairie Hermit (fiction)

2009-11-25T16:27:38Z

The hot July afternoon sun cooked James as he awoke in bed, bed which is used in the loosest possible way. Three-inch sofa bed mattress which has been used by god knows how many sweaty crackheads, welfare bums and assorted societal detritus was a better name for it. But a place to sleep is a good place indeed, and James didn't care, so long as he could afford new sheets, freshly washed.

The air was thick and musty with heated dust and stale marijuana - I mean Pot, marijuana is what parents call it. James walked to the window nearest his bed, above his computer, and cracked it open; a few flakes of white paint fell from it, as always. Even though a southerly breeze was blowing into the window, it didn't help much; high Noon on the high prairie, in summer, smelled like dust and distant cowshit. An olfactory reminder, everyday, that he wasn't back home in the humid climes of eastern Ontario.

Bored, he sat at his computer desk and started rolling a joint. He had…

melancholy (essay)

2009-11-25T15:37:02Z

Every so often I get plagued with a horrible feeling of loneliness and emptiness, like nothing really matters. Nobody can really be trusted, nothing is truly certain, life is intrinsically cruel, you know the drill. I do sincerely believe it comes from a heightened awareness of our own mortality and the fleetingness of existence. If you ever encounter me in a state of melancholy, it's not because I flunked my exams or fought with my parents or broke up with my girlfriend- it's because the world as we know it is but a mere flicker in the space-time fabric of the limitless expanse of universe, and frankly that sucks balls.

I'm not actually feeling this way right now, but I felt like thinking about it because it's always near-impossible to grapple with it when you're actually stricken. I feel absolutely worthless during such junctures and usually resort to sending out mass messages to my friends who usually give me all the responses I need ranging from "That's messed up, man. Wanna meet…

I didn't want to know that (event)

2009-11-25T14:53:12Z

When I was seventeen, my family had just moved to a new town - ostensibly this happened because of the need to relocate for work. I'm always a little disconcerted when I think about it, because moving always seemed to happen when I'd made friends and was, you know, actually able to get out of the house and away from my family for a few precious hours. All a series of unhappy coincidences, I suppose.

There was little peace and quiet to be had, almost no privacy, and various other reasons why going to bed at a later hour appealed to me. Like most teenagers, my circadian rhythm was telling me that normal sleep/wake hours were for loser adults who weren't cool and listened to Abba. Since I was awake, why not stay up and watch some late night television? Lucky me: The Avengers was being re-run for the first time in probably thirty years. Pulpy B-movies were on, because pay TV still didn't have a big enough budget to run four big Hollywood movies on rotation for a week. The music…

Hood piercing (thing)

2009-11-25T06:03:53Z

Good section - but I have a few things to add about vertical clitoral hood piercings, in particular. Why? Because I have one!
I have a 1/2" 14 gauge straight barbel down there, which was the jewelry recommended to me by my piercer. It fits very well with my anatomy. The bottom ball rests under the hood, right above/touching the top of my clit.
I did a lot of research, but I wasn't prepared for the exact placement. She didn't pierce through the top surface of the hood, but at the top "corner" where the hood meets my inner labia. This means she pierced through about 1/4" of tissue!
It hurt like hell and was very intense, but that only lasted a second. I felt warm/sore/throbey for about two days, and was completely healed within the month. Normal healing time is about 4 weeks. I was told that I could have sex as soon as I felt comfortable, so long as I took precautions and keep the area clean. I didn't adhere to a rigorous cleaning schedule, but I did a few hot soaks at first. Later I…

Punt gun (thing)

2009-11-25T05:16:21Z

A punt gun is an enormous weapon used for hunting flocking waterfowl. Actually, hunting isn't really the right word. It's used for harvesting waterfowl.

A punt gun is basically a shotgun, but it can be about 140 pounds and 11 feet long with a bore diameter of 1" to 1-3/4". So it's a very large shotgun. Or perhaps an anti-duck cannon would be the best way to put it. It's difficult for a single man to carry alone, and would be absolutely impossible for a human to fire from the shoulder. These are only the largest of the punt guns, they do come in more man-portable sizes. They're called punt guns because they are mounted on small, flat punt boats so they can be fired with something approximating accuracy.

The art of punt gunning was at its peak popularity in the first decade of the 20th century, but was eventually outlawed in the United States. It's still legal to practice in the United Kingdom and Ireland, though. The procedure begins with loading the…

Shackleton's Whisky (thing)

2009-11-25T02:13:33Z

Sir Ernest Shackleton's first expedition to the Antarctic was known as the Nimrod Expedition, which set out in 1907. During this journey, he set up his expedition headquarters on McMurdo Sound, near Cape Royds, by building a hut on the shore. Due to the extreme conditions in the Antarctic, this hut has survived (with some help) to the present day. Crates of supplies and equipment have been recovered from the hut, and the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust has been working to restore and preserve the site.

In 2006, members of the Trust were working to remove some ice from beneath the floorboards of the hut when they came across a happy surprise! Apparently, to keep it nice and safe, Shackleton or his men had taken two crates of McKinlay and Co. scotch whisky and placed them under the hut. They're still there, bottles apparently intact and sealed, underneath the hut.

What to do with this treasure? Well, the obvious answer - drink some of…

GOP purity test (thing)

2009-11-25T01:17:12Z

The GOP purity test -- well that's something new. The long name is the "Proposed RNC Resolution on Reagan's Unity Principle for Support of Candidates, and the document, proposed by some Republican National Committee bigwigs, sets out "ten (10) key public policy positions for the 2010 election cycle" -- of which candidates must pick seven to merit RNC cash in the 2010 election:

(1) We support smaller government, smaller national debt, lower deficits and lower taxes by opposing bills like Obama's "stimulus" bill;
(2) We support market-based health care reform and oppose Obama-style government run healthcare;
(3) We support market-based energy reforms by opposing cap and trade legislation;
(4) We support workers' right to secret ballot by opposing card check;
(5) We support legal immigration and assimilation into American society by opposing amnesty for illegal immigrants;
(6) We support…

When I Grow Up (poetry)

2009-11-25T00:23:32Z

I'm awake and burnt now, like I never was,
It's grey and cold now, like it's always been.
Childhood wanes and morning beckons,
It's Monday now for the rest of my life.

It was nighttime then, and it seemed to seethe,
When we built it better and somehow stronger,
We were children, then, the future's better,
But it's cold and grey and dozing still.

Welcome to the Internet,
Welcome to your job.
Childhood isn't innocence,
It's just stupid, quick, and gone.

Mystery Google (thing)

2009-11-24T23:48:03Z

Mystery Google was created by Google as a form of entertainment, it seems. Basically, you type something in, but when you click "Google search" the result is what the person before you typed in. You can treat Mystery Google as a sort of fortune teller, or guide to life by asking it "what should I do?" and trying to get an answer that applies. It can give you a little fun if someone put in a joke before you, or it can lead you to new websites, music, and the like.

Some people will also put in their email address or phone number with a request for a story, a joke, sometime random, something about ninjas. These results are occasionally posted onto the website My Life Is Average, for example:

Today, I put in my number on Mystery Google, telling them to sing me their favorite Disney Song. Not about ten minutes later, I got a call, from a girl singing Hakuna Matata, then hanging up afterwards.

…

Why potheads should be eliminated (person)

2009-11-24T22:33:19Z

Ok here goes:
Actually, the discovery of the THC receptor site and the subsequent research and observations it has inspired conclusively refute the hypothesis that marijuana is dope.

Many important brain functions which affect human behavior involve the neurotransmitter dopamine. Serious drugs of abuse, such as heroin and cocaine, interfere with the brains use of dopamine in manners that can seriously alter an individual's behavior..... a drug's ability to affect the neural systems related to dopamine production has now become the defining characteristic of drugs with serious abuse potential.

According to the congressional Office of Technology Assessment, research over the last 10 years has proved that marijuana has no effect on dopamine-related brain systems....NONE

Marijuana should no longer be considered a serious drug of abuse because, as summarized by the OTA "Animals will not self-administer THC in controlled studies ..... Cannabinoids generally do not lower…