Pilate's Dream

PILATE'S DREAM (from "Jesus Christ Superstar" by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber)

I dreamed I met a Galilean;
A most amazing man.
He had that look you very rarely find:
The haunting, hunted kind.

I asked him to say what had happened,
How it all began.
I asked again, he never said a word.
As if he hadn't heard.

And next, the room was full of wild and angry men.
They seemed to hate this man.
They fell on him, and then
They ... Disappeared again.

Then I saw thousands of millions
Crying for this man.
And then I heard them mentioning my name,
And leaving me the blame.

Please Don't Call it "Earth" Day. It's "Human Race" Day

I remember April 1970, the first "Earth" Day, I was 13. Newsweek and Time magazines ran cover stories on the event. It was a big deal.

But please don't call it that. The Earth couldn't care less if it lost its atmosphere and oceans and all its lifeforms died. It would keep doing it's orbiting rotating thing, blissfully unaware of the day one billion years from now when our Sun blossoms into a red giant star and consumes it.

No, it's "Human Race" Day. A much more accurate description. Us, celebrating us, hoping we don't kill ourselves. And we might.

In April 1970, the Hippies of America, the "Environmentalists", were king. That would end half a month later, and less than a year after Woodstock, in the USA with the shooting deaths of 4 students at Kent State University by the Ohio National Guard. "Flower Power" and "Peace and Love' are all well and all, until the bullets start flying. The movement died a quick death, but not completely. The attitude remains. I have it. You too?

Currently "Climate Change" is the big issue. Should it be? What about ocean pollution? Well, both of them are problems. So why are they problems? Industrial waste. Why so much waste? Because of Industry. Because people want, and need, "stuff." All 7,000,000,000 of us. So as many see it, the real problem is Overpopulation.

And what's the solution to that?

One solution is we can adopt the People's Republic of China's attitude and make it a law to have one child per couple. Um, I don't think so as it runs up against "Freedom".

I think it's obvious we should start getting serious about colonizing our Solar System, starting with the Moon. Small steps, Elle. We can do this, we have the Engineering (thank you, Science), and we can make the jobs and therefore the money.

What are we waiting for? The next elimination round on American Idol? Is that REALLY important?

Finally, I would rather it be renamed "Humanity" Day, but that would be too accurate.

By calling it Human Race Day, we remind ourselves that racism still exists, and what we need to tell the Racists is: there is only ONE human "race", homo sapiens sapiens, one with incredible diversity, and incredible potential talent, if only we would quit the bullshit and get to know one another as individuals and ... get along.

And maybe that's the bigger problem.

But we're human. We can solve both problems, one step at a time.

Hopefully, in unison.

Hasta va vista, and for my Christian friends and families, Happy Good Friday.

Love and peace always,

Steve Colyer at http://tetrahedral.blogspot.com/
April 22, 2011
Human Race Day

P.S. feel free to pass this around.

Careers That Are Built To Last

See how the right education and training could prepare you for a stable career that pays.

By Jennifer Berry

Your career doesn't need to be as unstable as the economy.

It's true...long-term security is not a pipe dream. At least not according to Carolyn Hughes, head of HR at SimplyHired.com, which has about five million online job postings users can search.

Hughes says there are plenty long-term careers out there...but some of them might look a little different than they did a decade ago.

"These days you might have a 30-year career in a specialized firm (like an accounting firm) rather than a big corporation that has all departments in house," she points out as an example.

Want to learn more about stable career options? Keep reading to see seven careers with staying power.

Career #1 - Paralegals
Average Pay: $50,080

Many firms are hiring paralegals instead of lawyers these days to manage costs. As a paralegal, you may help prepare for trials, draft contracts, establish trust funds, or even investigate the facts of cases and take affidavits.

Why it's built to last: The U.S. Department of Labor projects excellent job growth for paralegals - 28 percent between 2008 and 2018. According to Hughes, the paralegal profession is a "solid occupation that isn't going anywhere. There's enough complexity in legal cases that this position isn't easily outsourced."

How to get started: If you're interested in becoming a paralegal, consider earning an associate's degree in paralegal studies. If you already have a bachelor's degree, a certificate in paralegal studies can provide you with intensive paralegal training in a few months. Check to see if your program offers internship opportunities, which could provide valuable hands-on experience.

[Find Paralegal Schools Near You - Go Now]

Career #2 - Accountants
Average Pay: $67,430*

No matter the economic conditions, accountants are needed to help balance books. As an accountant, your duties might include bookkeeping, preparing taxes, and financial and investment planning. Some accountants even work with law enforcement to help investigate financial crimes.

Why it's built to last: Corporations, the government, non-profit organizations, and individuals - they all need accountants to help with financial matters, Hughes says...and that need isn't waning anytime soon. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, graduates with an accounting degree are leading all others in job offers prior to graduation in 2011.

How to get started: Most entry level accounting positions require a bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field.

[Find the Right Accounting Degree Program for You]

Career #3 - Nurses
Average Pay: $66,530

An aging population and an increased focus on preventive care all spell stability for nurses. As a registered nurse, you could work closely with doctors and patients on a daily basis. Your responsibilities might also involve administering medications, performing diagnostic tests, helping with rehabilitation, and providing advice and emotional support to patients and their families.

Why it's built to last: According to the U.S. Department of Labor, employment opportunities for nurses will grow 22 percent from 2008 to 2018. "This is the kind of career that will exist whether we like it or not in tremendous demand for the next 30 years," notes Hughes.

How to get started: You can earn an associate's degree in nursing (ADN), or a bachelor's of science in nursing (BSN). If you already have a bachelor's degree, another option is to enroll in an accelerated bachelor's program to earn a BSN in 12-18 months.

[Click to Find Nursing Schools Near You]

Career #4 - Police Officers
Average Pay: $55,180

Law and order remains a priority for many communities. As a police officer, you might issue citations, respond to calls, or even pursue and apprehend individuals who break the law. The position will also require you to write reports and maintain good records, things that will be especially important if you have to testify in court.

Why it's built to last: Police officers are crucial to keeping our communities safe - and that isn't going to change. While state and local budgets are seeing cuts these days, population growth is the main driver of demand for police officers, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

How to get started: Police officers need a high school degree and - in some cases - one or two years of college or a degree. Consider earning an associate's or bachelor's degree in criminal justice. You may also want to focus on your physical conditioning - many law enforcement positions require physical agility and stamina.

[Find Criminal Justice Schools]

Career #5 - Teachers
Average Pay: $53,150 to $55,150

Teachers play a vital role in shaping the futures of our children. As a teacher, you'll plan lessons, grade tests and papers, and meet with parents and school staff to discuss your students' academic progress. You may even incorporate new media into your lesson plans.

Why it's built to last: We'll need new teachers to replace retirees and to handle the growing number of students. State and local budget problems aside, the U.S. Department of Labor expects a large number of teachers to retire over the next decade. They also expect high enrollment in rapidly growing southern and western states.

How to get started: You'll need at least a bachelor's degree to get started. If you're interested in teaching in high school, consider majoring in the subject you plan to teach while you take your teacher preparation classes. Many teacher education programs include a student-teaching internship where you can get valuable classroom time with an experienced teacher.

[Search for Teaching Programs Near You]

Career #6 - Tax Collectors
Average Pay: $53,800

Though the truth may trouble you, the tax man is here to stay! As a tax collector, you could handle delinquent accounts, investigate returns, and work with taxpayers to help them settle their debts.

Why it's built to last: You know the saying...the only things certain in life are death and taxes. And as long as there are taxes, we'll need tax collectors. The U.S. Department of Labor seems to agree, projecting employment of tax collectors to grow 13 percent from 2008 to 2018. "When you think about the position we're in as a country, there's a huge incentive to go and find out who's cheating the government - and to get that money back," comments Hughes.

How to get started: If you're interested in becoming a tax collector for state and local governments, consider earning your associate's degree in business, finance, accounting, or criminal justice. But if you want to work for the IRS, note that a bachelor's degree is required.

[Find Business and Accounting Schools - Start Now]

Career #7 - Budget Analysts
Average Pay: $69,240

Balancing a budget is a big part of any business, no matter the economic conditions. As a budget analyst, you would help your organization allocate their financial resources efficiently and effectively. You might also develop and execute budgets, research economic developments that could affect your organization, and create budget reports and summaries.

Why it's built to last: The recent recession has led to a greater scrutiny of budgets so that businesses can ensure they are operating as efficiently as possible. That makes the role of budget analyst indispensible. And as businesses become more complex and specialized, demand for budget analysts will grow 15 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

How to get started: A bachelor's degree is usually required for budget analyst positions, but some companies may require a master's degree. Consider earning a degree in accounting, finance, business, or economics.

[Find Business and Finance Schools]

*All average pay information reflects average annual salaries and is provided by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2009.

Blinded by the Light

Madman drummers bummers and Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat
In the dumps with the mumps as the adolescent pumps his way into his hat
With a boulder on my shoulder feelin' kinda older I tripped the merry-go-round
With this very unpleasing sneezing and wheezing the calliope crashed to the ground
Some all-hot half-shot was headin' for the hot spot snappin' his fingers clappin' his hands
And some fleshpot mascot was tied into a lover's knot with a whatnot in her hand
And now young Scott with a slingshot finally found a tender spot and throws his lover in the sand
And some bloodshot forget-me-not whispers daddy's within earshot save the buckshot turn up the band

And she was blinded by the light
Cut loose like a deuce another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
She got down but she never got tired, she's gonna make it through the night

Some brimstone baritone anti-cyclone rolling stone preacher from the east
He says: "Dethrone the dictaphone, hit it in its funny bone, that's where they expect it least"
And some new-mown chaperone was standin' in the corner all alone watchin' the young girls dance
And some fresh-sown moonstone was messin' with his frozen zone to remind him of the feeling of romance

Yeah he was blinded by the light
Cut loose like a deuce another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
He got down but she never got tired, he's gonna make it through the night

Some silicone sister with her manager's mister told me I got what it takes
She said I'll turn you on sonny, to something strong if you play that song with the funky break,
And go-cart Mozart was checkin' out the weather chart to see if it was safe to go outside
And little Early-Pearly came in by her curly-wurly and asked me if I needed a ride,
Oh, some hazard from Harvard was skunked on beer playin' backyard bombardier
Yes and Scotland Yard was trying hard, they sent a dude with a calling card,
he said, do what you like, but don't do it here
Well I jumped up, turnedaround, spit in the air, fell on the ground
Asked him which was the way back home
He said take a right at the light, keep goin' straight until night, and then boy, you're on your own

And now in Zanzibar a shootin' star was ridin' in a side car hummin' a lunar tune
Yes, and the avatar said blow the bar but first remove the cookie jar we're gonna teach those boys to laugh too soon

And some kidnapped handicap was complainin' that he caught the clap from some mousetrap he bought last night,
Well I unsnapped his skull cap and between his ears I saw
a gap but figured he'd be all right

He was just blinded by the light
Cut loose like a deuce another runner in the night
Blinded by the light

Mama always told me not to look up with my eyes at the sun
But mama, that's where the fun is

She got down but she never got tired, she's gonna make it through the night
She's gonna make it through the night



This is funny, Misheard Lyrics:

Jasmine the Greyhound

 In 2003, police in Warwickshire , England , opened a garden shed and found a whimpering, cowering dog.  The dog had been locked in the shed and abandoned.  It was dirty and malnourished, and had quite clearly been abused.

In an act of kindness, the police took the dog, which was a female greyhound, to the Nuneaton Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary, which is run by a man named Geoff Grewcock, and known as a haven for animals abandoned, orphaned, or otherwise in need.

Geoff and the other sanctuary staff went to work with two aims: to restore the dog to full health, and to win her trust.  It took several weeks, but eventually both goals were achieved.  They named her Jasmine, and they started to think about finding her an adoptive home.
  Jasmine, however, had other ideas.  No one quite remembers how it came about, but Jasmine started welcoming all animal arrivals at the sanctuary.  It would not matter if it were a puppy, a fox cub, a rabbit or, any other lost or hurting animal.  Jasmine would just peer into the box or cage and, when and where possible, deliver a welcoming lick.

Geoff relates one of the early incidents.  "We had two puppies that had been abandoned by a nearby railway line.  One was a Lakeland Terrier cross and another was a Jack Russell Doberman cross.  They were tiny when they arrived at the centre, and Jasmine approached them and grabbed one by the scruff of the neck in her mouth and put him on the settee.  Then she fetched the other one and sat down with them, cuddling them."

"But she is like that with all of our animals, even the rabbits.  She takes all the stress out of them, and it helps them to not only feel close to her, but to settle into their new surroundings.  She has done the same with the fox and badger cubs, she licks the rabbits and guinea pigs, and even lets the birds perch on the bridge of her nose."

Jasmine, the timid, abused, deserted waif, became the animal sanctuary's resident surrogate mother, a role for which she might have been born.  The list of orphaned and abandoned youngsters she has cared for comprises five fox cubs, four badger cubs, fifteen chicks, eight guinea pigs, two stray puppies and fifteen rabbits - and one roe deer fawn.  Tiny Bramble, eleven weeks old, was found semi-conscious in a field.  Upon arrival at the sanctuary, Jasmine cuddled up to her to keep her warm, and then went into the full foster-mum role.  Jasmine the greyhound showers Bramble the roe deer with affection, and makes sure nothing is matted.

"They are inseparable," says Geoff.  "Bramble walks between her legs, and they keep kissing each other.  They walk together round the sanctuary.  It's a real treat to see them."

Jasmine will continue to care for Bramble until she is old enough to be returned to woodland life.  When that happens, Jasmine will not be lonely.  She will be too busy showering love and affection on the next orphan or victim of abuse.

Pictured from the left are: "Toby", a stray Lakeland dog; "Bramble", orphaned roe deer; "Buster", a stray Jack Russell; a dumped rabbit; "Sky", an injured barn owl; and "Jasmine", with a mother's heart doing best what a caring mother would do...and such is the order of God's Creation.

And, just in case you wondered, Snopes.com has verified the truth of this wonderful story and the reality of these photographs which accompany the story - so you can pass this story on, and help make someone else's day to be just a little brighter! 

Atlas Shrugged (New Controversial Movie, out April 15)

‎"There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: "The Lord of the Rings" and "Atlas Shrugged." One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves Elves and Wizards, Hobbits and orcs." --Kung Fu Monkey (IMdB.com)

"Atlas Shrugged (Part I)" by Ayn Rand, comes out tomorrow. In about 50 theatres. Who is John Galt? The book answers the question. Personally, I like "Who is Kaiser Sosay?" better. "The Usual Suspects" answers that question, and is ten times the better story. Then again, "The Usual Suspects" was ten times better than most stories.


Funny story. Two students, both future Nobel prize winners, in their undergrad days, on campus. One is reading "Atlas Shrugged." The other one approaches and sees that, grabs the book, rips out the last chapter, and hands it back. "There," he says. "Now it's a good book." :-)


The book, essentially, is very ANTI-Union, and very PRO-Management. I've studied Labor-Management relations in some detail (and been both worker and manager), and believe me there's plenty of Pros and Cons to each. 

This is a fake movie poster. These are not the real stars. We wish.

‎
From The Internet Movie Database webpage on the film:
Storyline

It was great to be alive, once, but the world was perishing. Factories were shutting down, transportation was grinding to a halt, graineries were empty--and key people who had once kept it running were disappearing all over the country. As the lights winked out and the cities went cold, nothing was left to anyone but misery. No one knew how to stop it, no one understood why it was happening - except one woman, the operating executive of a once mighty transcontinental railroad, who suspects the answer may rest with a remarkable invention and the man who created it - a man who once said he would stop the motor of the world. Everything now depends on finding him and discovering the answer to the question on the lips of everyone as they whisper it in fear: Who *is* John Galt?

Clip: Dagny Taggart Confronts the Union

And NOW Young Jedi, you will DIE !!

NO-O-O-o-o-o-oooooo! You BAStard!

I hate evil.

The Fictional Wealth of Tolkien's Dragon Smaug

From Forbes magazine: 

here.

Over the years there has been tremendous curiosity about precisely how Forbes’ crack team of fictional reporters calculates the value of imaginary fortunes for our annual Fictional 15 ranking of the richest fictional characters.  I once was even accused by the host of a radio show — small-market, thank-god! — of simply making the numbers up.

To silence the skepticism and to give fans of the list some idea of just how deep the rabbit hole goes, I’ve decided to flash a little bit of imaginary ankle and walk through a typical Fictional 15 investigation, in this case of Smaug, the fire-breathing dragon from J.R.R. Tolkein’s novel The Hobbit and the forthcoming Warner Bros. movies.

Certainly Smaug is depicted as being very rich in the novel.  At one point, Bilbo Baggins, the book’s hero, addresses him as “O Smaug, the unassessably wealthy” and his gold is described as being “beyond price and count.”  But how much, exactly, is that dragon worth? (Forget the “unassessably wealthy” nonsense; I once valued Donald Trump for the Forbes 400, so I’m used to billionaires that blow a lot of smoke.)

Complete Fictional 15 coverage, including full biographies and more fictional news.

We know from the novel that Smaug’s wealth comes down to three primary components, the mound of silver and gold that he sleeps on, the diamonds and other precious gemstones encrusted in his underbelly, and the “Arkenstone of Thrain,” which is depicted as something like the Hope Diamond on steroids.  (There are certainly other valuable items in Smaug’s hoard – rare suits of armor and so on – but the point of the exercise is to establish a minimum, conservative, net worth and the total value of a pile of ancient weaponry is probably no more than a rounding error in a fortune measured in the billions of dollars.)

Let’s start with the metals.

The book describes Smaug as “vast,” “centuries-old” and of a “red-golden color.”  According to the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons’ site The Hypertext d20 SRD a true-dragon of that age and color measures around 64 feet from snout to tail.  However, a great deal of that length is likely tail.  By way of reference, Komodo Dragons are 70% tail by length, so we can estimate Smaug’s body to be approximately 19.2 feet long.

Dragons are long and narrow, so we can safely assume that Smaug can curl comfortably up on a treasure mound with same diameter as his body length – 19.2 feet.

How high is the mound?  Well, at one point in The Hobbit, Bilbo climbs up and over the mound, and we know that Hobbits are approximately three feet tall.  Assuming the mound is twice the height of Bilbo, we can say that the mound has a height of approximately 6 feet – like a six foot tall man climbing over a 12 foot mound of coins; substantial but not insurmountable.

To keep the math relatively simple and to avoid complications like integrating the partial volume of a sphere, we can approximate Smaug’s bed of gold and silver to be a cone, with a radius of 9.6 feet (1/2 the diameter) and a height of 7 feet (assuming the weight of the dragon will smush down the point of the cone by about a foot).

Now we can calculate the volume of Smaug’s treasure mound:

V= 1/3 π r² h = 1/3 * π * 9.6² * 7 = 675.6 cubic feet

But, obviously, the mound isn’t solid gold and silver.  We know it has a “great two-handled cups” in it – one of which Bilbo steals – and probably human remains, not to mention the air space between the coins.  Let’s assume that the mound is 30% air and bones.  That makes the volume of the hoard that is pure gold and silver coins 472.9 cubic feet.

We know that Bilbo eventually takes his cut of the treasure in two small-chests, one filled with gold and the other filled with silver, so it seems safe to assume that the hoard is approximately ½ gold and ½ silver, or 236.4 cubic feet of each metal.

A Kuggerrand, the South African Coin containing 1 troy ounce of pure gold, measures 32.6 mm in diameter and is 2.84 mm thick.  Solving for the volume of a cylinder( V= π r² h), then converting cubic millimeters to cubic inches, then cubic inches to cubic feet gives a volume of 8.371354e-05 (or 0.00008371354) square feet for a single coin, containing one ounce of gold.

Using similar logic, an American Silver Eagle coin (40.6 mm in diameter, 2.98 mm thick), which contains one troy ounce of silver, has a volume of 0.000136 square feet.

It’s then a trivial matter to determine the number of 1-ounce gold coins (2.8 million) and silver coins (1.7 million) in the heap.  At the moment gold is trading at $1423.8/ounce and silver at $37.5/ounce making the gold coins worth a little more than $4 billion and the silver ones worth $65 million, or $4.1 billion for them combined.

Now for the diamonds:

After all those decades of sleeping on the top of his hoard, Smaug’s soft underbelly has become encrusted with diamonds (“what magnificence to possess a waistcoat of such fine diamonds!”), making him largely invulnerable to arrows and lances, except of course for the “large patch in the hollow of his left breast” which is “as bare as a snail out of its shell.”

How much are all these diamonds worth?

Well, we know that Smaug’s body (with tail) is 64 feet long, and we know that dragons are long and narrow, so it seems safe to assume that the ratio of length to width for a full-grown true dragon is about 6 to 1, leaving us with 10.7 feet for the beast’s body width.  Six-inches by six-inches seems a reasonable guess for the size of individual dragon scale, meaning that there are 822 individual scales on Smaug’s underbelly.  Subtracting 5% for the bare patch, leaves us with 781 diamond-encrusted dragon scales.

According to Diamond Helpers, diamonds above 5.99 carats are priced individually, so let’s simplify and assume that all of Smaug’s diamonds are 5.99 carats, priced at approximately $16,700 per carat or just over $100,000 each.  Fifty diamonds per six-inch square dragon scale seems adequate to ward off most arrows, so Smaug is encrusted with 38,900 diamonds, with a total value of $3.9 billion.

Adding the diamonds to the $4.1 billion in precious metals gives us a value of $8.0 billion.

Finally the Arkenstone of Thrain:

In the narrative the Arkenstone is explicitly valued at exactly 1/14^th of the entire treasure, since Bilbo takes it as his full-share then altruistically trades it away to prevent all-out war between the dwarves and a coalition of men and elves.  If 13/14ths of the treasure is worth $8.0 billion, then the whole treasure must be worth approximately $8.6 billion, comfortably placing Smaug in 7^th place on the 2011 Forbes Fictional 15.

Make the numbers up?  Ha.

Glenn Beck FIRED !! AMERICA Wins !! Woo-HOO !

Take THAT, you ignorant Tea Partiers, or as you would spell it: ignrint.

Stewart and Colbert, VICTORY, at last:



The usual Machiavellian Rupert Fascist Murdoch Media Bull:

Beck ending show on Fox

By: CNN Political Unit (Drive-by Section, Fox Disinformation Pig Rules Division)

(CNN) - Fox News Channel anchor Glenn Beck will end his daily show later this year to develop and produce a variety of television projects to air on the channel, according to a release Wednesday.

The new agreement between FNC and Mercury Radio Arts will ensure Beck appears on the television network and through other "digital properties."

"Glenn Beck is a powerful communicator, a creative entrepreneur and a true success by anybody's standards. I look forward to continuing to work with him," Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes said in a statement.

"Glenn Beck" launched in 2009. The host previously hosted a show on CNN's sister network HLN.
Howard Kurtz, Washington bureau chief for The Daily Beast and host of CNN's "Reliable Sources" said the split was a "divorce many months in the making."

"By the end, both sides wanted out," Kurtz said in an email. "Beck's show proved too radioactive for Fox, and the network became an uncomfortable home for Glenn Beck."