Estimates of “the total number of people who have ever lived” published in the 2000s range approximately from 100 to 115 billion.

An estimate of the total number of people who have ever lived was prepared by Carl Haub of the Population Reference Bureau in 1995 and subsequently updated in 2002; the updated figure was approximately 106 billion. Haub characterized this figure as an estimate that required “selecting population sizes for different points from antiquity to the present and applying assumed birth rates to each period”. Given an estimated global population of 6.2 billion in 2002, it could be inferred that about 6% of all people who had ever existed were alive in 2002.

- World population at Wikipedia.org

Assuming that you could meet each of the 115,000,000,000 people who have ever lived for exactly one second, it would take you 3,646 years to meet each of them (though the birth rate – 157,500,000 children per year – would ensure that you never catch up).

One, one-thousand…

How much can you learn about a person in one second?

What lasting impact can any -

…. two, one-thousand…

- individual have if it would take more than a year to simply recall the names of each person born that year?

…. three, one-thousand…

Will your existence matter in one hundred years, after tens of billions of others of your kind have born, aged, and died?

…. four, one-thousand…

Consider, for a moment, what it is that makes you different – are you really that different from the 114,999,000,000 people whose names you can’t remember?

…. five, one-thousand…

LIAR!

Admit it, you can’t even remember one million other peoples’ names.

…. six, one-thousand…

Try it, write them down.

I’ll wager you recall less than 10,000.

…. seven, one-thousand…

You know what the odds are of being an Einstein or a Charlemagne or a Nebuchadnezzar or even a Judas Iscariot?

…. eight, one-thousand…

They’re infinitesimal.

You’re infinitesimal.

…. nine, one-thousand…

You hardly even matter in the solipsist dream you like to pretend the rest of us trespass upon…

…. ten, one-thousand…

You make a false distinction between “politics” and “science,” one based on argument and the other on “objectivity.” They are of exactly the same form, conducted in exactly the same way, by exactly the same people.

Both are done by humans, humans who want. Whatever truth is out there is barely detectable through the mist of envy and need and hope. They will make their words and their numbers say anything they need them to.

- Are Women Prone To Paranormal Beliefs? at TheLastPsychiatrist.com

… and it is far easier to report on “research” which reinforces an agenda – the problem of sorting out fact from contrivance (particularly if the “researcher” believes his or her own distortions of truth) cannot and should not be left to the news media but, most unfortunately, it cannot be left to the news consumer either.

Update: T+37:20:00

Need examples of the organizations disingenuously blurring the line between politics and science? An institute is defined by Princeton WordNet as “an association organized to promote art or science or education” – the following are, in fact, political lobbyist organizations and industry trade groups. The organizations’ names belie their intentions, because who wouldn’t trust Gavin Gibbons of the prestigious National Fisheries Institute?

He must be a respected scientist and not just some lame PR flack, right? *

They don’t research anything, they just game the system with political contributions and spew a seemingly-endless stream of press releases.

• Advertising Research Foundation
• Marketing Research Association
• Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America
• American Beverage Institute
• American Frozen Food Institute
• American Institute of Constructors
• American Iron and Steel Institute
• American Meat Institute
• American Petroleum Institute
• Community Associations Institute
• Edison Electric Institute
• Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries
• Investment Company Institute
• National Fisheries Institute
• Nuclear Energy Institute
• Pellet Fuels Institute
• Tobacco Institute

* Yes, I pick on Gavin Gibbons regularly. Why? Because he seems to be using automated means to post comments to blogs like this one (in which case he is a spammer – if not that, then at least blithely foolish) and he says things like “I have had a look at an advanced copy of the Sept/Oct edition of Mother Jones. And I must say “Tuna Surprise” is not much of a surprise coming from such a blatantly agenda-driven outfit.” while he works for an industry trade group and, quite obviously, minimizing and/or discrediting negative press is his employer’s sole agenda where posting comments to my blog is concerned. If you can find a more transparent hypocrite, please let me know.

Warning: Bricolage.

via FuKung.net

“… and, whether it began as an investigation into the bicameral mind or merely a creative outlet, (perhaps an escapist refuge or fugue limbo the individual entered upon encountering stressor which he was not prepared for?) it has clearly devolved into something less cogent. It has become a spectacle so ugly as to suggest that it has taken on a life of its own and will proceed without intervention to its logical conclusion: reality.”

We’ll get there. Hold on just a little longer…

Psychiatric Evidence – Schizophrenia: Auditory hallucinations of a critical nature. A large percentage of patients with schizophrenia experience “command hallucinations.”

Relevance to Bicameral Mind – Patients suffering from schizophrenia experience a partial relapse to the bicameral mind. In the absence of consciousness, bicameral man hallucinated a commanding voice that instructed him in times of stress or decision-making.

- Summary of Evidence
Julian Jaynes Society

No. Too far. Step back slowly.

Working night shift at the building at       in       it’s not uncommon to see people hiding out smoking glass pipes (highly doubt they’re hiding out to smoke tobacco) and engaging in prostitution in the back alley when I go out for a cigarette break.

All very true – just saw a male crackhead performing fellatio on another, uglier male crackhead.

I’ve seen patrol cars in the alley a handful of times, however, the one time there was someone presumably smoking drugs in the alley and a patrol car came through the officers appeared to be looking for someone else already and paid more attention to me (and the fact that I was waving them towards the woman hiding out in the corner) than whom I would consider to have been the suspicious person.

The incident in question was definitely good for a laugh.

The neighboring business whose portion of the alley is most often used has installed cameras which probably catch most of the activities in the alley, though I would be interested to know whether their recordings are ever reviewed and what would be the best recommendation you can offer to get an available patrol car through the alley on short notice to reduce the amount of illicit activity going on back there.

There was a nasty car accident the other night and it took the police a full 15 minutes to respond – they arrived long after the ambulance and a horde of concerned bystanders.

Why this letter will never be sent: Another appearance in whichever database the local police department uses to aggregate their complaints, victims, and perpetrators isn’t worthwhile.

I figure that it does not pay to make a name for oneself anywhere in there and the most I can hope for is some bad advice on top of that…

Crackpot theory of the day: Police budgets are manipulated to allow portions of a city to go downhill – whether it be in the interest of the real estate owners who often happen to comprise the city council or some Illuminati master-plan to scare honest, god-fearing `Merikuhns into submission, it definitely seems as though most cities have corpulently-safe little suburbs surrounding their invariably-rotten cores (though there is always that one part of town with all the big houses which seems to receive just enough extra police attention to keep graffiti in check).

Update T+13.23:10

Supporting evidence?

Allen Carrel recently called police to tell them about the latest drug deal he watched go down in his Columbus city, South Side neighbourhood.

“Police say, ‘Well, why did you move here? Why don’t you move out if you don’t like it?’” said Carrel, who said he calls police at least once a week.

- Crime-ridden residents say police suggest they move elsewhere
Arbroath 2009-11-01

Somehow I ended up on the Smoky Mountain Knife Works mailing list and was thusly graced with their 2009 Christmas Edition Catalog.

Nothing inherently wrong with this, in and of itself (if you discount the waste of paper and ink that represents this 5oz homage to all things `Merikuhn) – and, on the plus side, Smoky Mountain Knife Works has given me a window into the soul of their demographic; nestled within the 172-page document I was able to find a handful of products which say so much more about what it means to be `Merikuhn than all the cheap it’ll-rust-if-exposed-to-humidity pocketknives and daggers they’re schilling.

Sad but painfully true: The Instructor in that Surviving Edged Weapons training video was right… danger comes in all shapes and sizes (not the least of which would be ideas).

Desiderata Maledictus

Note: Spelling and grammatical errors preserved from original.

We Don’t Dial 911 Sign (REP1401 pg #97) – 10-5/8″ x 3-5/8″ x 1/8″.

My favorite.

This makes it really easy to determine which houses have guns and are, therefore, worth robbing. Just wait until occupants leave, or ambush them on their way into the house from their car or garage – rough them up a little bit, you could even shoot one of them, to ensure that they tell you where all their guns are hidden.

SOG Fusions (pg #72) – “Fusion is the merging of several different elements – sometimes violently! This line from SOG melds technical excellence, ingenuity, and affordability to yield products that are distinctly different from the mainstream!”

SOG Real Knife Series (pg #74) – The SEALs are elite among specialized military groups in the world today. Only a select few endure, earning the right to wear the SEAL trident on their uniform. The knife chosen by the Navy for the SEALs must be no less worthy. (Until you remember that the government buys weapons from the lowest bidder…)

Ninja Viper Sword (FRHK6634270 pg #O) – Blood grooves, notched thumb rest, deep notches in blade spine. Features: One piece black coated stainless steel construction, cord wrapped handles, lanyard holes, 27″ overall, nylon belt sheaths also have adjustable shoulder straps.

It’s all about the blood grooves.

Robert E. Lee Rifle/Sword (926802 pg #107) – This rifle replica has a secret weapon. If Gen. Lee had owned such a weapon, the South might have won! Features: Wood and cast metal construction Civil War-era non-firing rifle replica, 27″ stainless steel blade hidden inside the barrel, shoulder strap.

Because we all really wish that the Confederate army’s soldiers had swords instead of rifles because that would have given them a distinct military advantage which would have allowed them to triumph over the Union soldiers and isn’t it a pity that their secession was unsuccessful?

Drymate Gun Cleaning Pad (GPG1654 pg #127) – Features: non-woven fabric construction, Zorb-tech anti-flow absorbency technology, clear bonded backing prevents soak-through, rounded corners, stain resistant, machine washable and dryable, measures 54″ x 16″ x 1/16″. (Gun and accessories not included.)

I wonder how many angry customers call in to inquire why the gun and accessories were not included with their $10 purchase?

Disclaimer: I am not in any way affiliated with Smoky Mountain Knife Works – in fact, I’m making fun of their catalog (parody) so any use of their marketing materials should fall under the Fair Use provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

I hope that doesn’t make you angry, Smoky Mountain Knife Works employees. Please, whatever you do, don’t wield your terrible murderous arsenal against me… it’s very rainy here and it would be further embarrassing to you should all that “affordable stainless steel” rust through and/or disintegrate.

Many great points, all explored ad nauseum by agnostics or atheists and all refuted ad infinitum by fundamentalists… though I hold no love for the clergy, I am far more concerned with the driving forces behind religion.

Yes, it is concerning that there are people willing to step in and guide their fellow man into deception and subservience, but their methods are merely deviations on the tactics of thieves, slave-catchers, and pimps which likely existed prior to the advent of clergy or a religious caste; clergy have generally eschewed physical violence toward their congregations in favor of inciting violence against the other (be they Muslim, Native American, heretic, et cetera).

It is the motive and construct (the universality and persistence of religious belief and order) which particularly concerns me and provides a basis for belief in The Operator as a thanatotic or entropic force which exists at the core of the human psyche.

Religious orders exist which do not materially reward their clergy in the ways that Catholicism, Scientology, and televangelism do – why do these orders persist?

The mechanism operates itself, as if by unseen hands.

While this will likely come off (initially, at least) as a kind of self-absorbed diatribe against the way some comport themselves, I firmly believe that you should stick with it – I do not claim to have the answers here, but the issues at play are well worth examining for a variety of reasons and, if one is to be an agent of change, one must apply oneself and one’s social relations to the problem of rooting out the rancor of competitive bias, misinformed opinions, and needless argument.

The Problem: Overconfidence

Aristotle could have avoided the mistake of thinking that women have fewer teeth than men, by the simple device of asking Mrs. Aristotle to keep her mouth open while he counted.

- An Outline of Intellectual Rubbish from Unpopular Essays
by Bertrand Russell

We are all guilty of this basic interpersonal faux pas – we play the part of the know-it-all because, in most cases, it works.

In every walk of life – and in the information technology sector especially – personalities and careers are built around competence and knowledge. Many strive to be the go-to person or the lynch-pin of the organization: a cushy salary and job security are the obvious rewards.

Overconfidence kicks in when an individual assumes his or her abilities or knowledge in one specialized task will carry over into others; in the past week I have seen a handful of patently-incorrect statements of fact (all of them easily debunked) made by well-intentioned individuals when answering the questions of novices in technical forums.

While there should be no competition in the context of answering a simple technical question, some Reptilian-complex self-preservation response must be kicking in and triggering the default response – overconfidence (often coupled with a competitive attitude).

The tendency toward competitive action arises from a lack of understanding – particularly in the context of a technical forum: to make inaccurate assertions is damaging to the knowledge and growth of the individual asking the question and the reputation of the individual answering the question. So why do it?

A little note to the spammers – you guys seriously need to get organized…

The first fifteen times I received this notice (alternately addressed to “jimmy”, “josie”, “pete”, “theresa”, et cetera) I did my best to ignore it, however, (and I’m sure you’ll agree if you see my inbox) sending fifteen copies of the same e-mail template in one day is going to make it a little hard to overlook the fact that you don’t know my name when you prompt for my personally-identifying information.

Please, get your shit together – impress me if you think I’m that stupid. I’ve got my doubts about you and I will need to see something clever if I’m going to buy into the scam.

Atrocitas Sui Generis

The company that employed me strived only to serve up the cheapest fare that its customers would tolerate, churn it out as fast as possible, and charge as much as they could get away with. If it were possible to do so, the company would sell what all businesses of its kind dream about selling, creating that which all our efforts were tacitly supposed to achieve: the ultimate product – Nothing. And for this product, they would command the ultimate price – Everything.

- My Work Is Not Yet Done
by Thomas Ligotti
via Steve Dekorte

Quoque tractus; EGO mos non lego

First off, let me honestly say that I am very unhappy to be writing a negative review of a Ligotti book. I was infatuated with Shadow at the Bottom of the World; after Teatro Grottesco, it was love. So I pre-ordered this book months in advance and squealed with glee when it arrived.

. . .

In short, I would NOT suggest this book to a first-time Ligotti reader. It is not only bad, it is a poor representation of Ligotti as a writer. He can do, and has repeatedly done, much better. Go get Teatro Grottesco, NOW, and see cosmic horror at its contemporary best.

- I LOVE Ligotti, but I hated this book review at Amazon.com
by Alice Lander (2 stars)
2009-05-31

It bothers me when I see reviews which present information which is both critical and incorrect – given that Alice is reviewing a work originally published in 2002 approximately seven years after its initial publication, I would hazard a guess that she is not following Ligotti’s work closely enough.

The third story, “The Nightmare Network”, is a fairly radical departure in Ligotti’s style. It reminded me somewhat of the condensed novels of J. G. Ballard. Frankly, I found the story of two megacorporations seemingly warring across time, largely incomprehensible . . . another Ligotti parable for life I suspect. An interesting failure.

- My Work is Not Yet Done Reviews at Amazon.com
by Randy Stafford (4 stars)
2009-08-08

… and then there is the spoiler review… don’t read the spoiler review in its entirety.

I found The Nightmare Network to be one of my favorite Ligotti tales of all, in no small part because it is so loosely strung together.

Consider it a series of drugged flashbacks, the prophetic walkabout vision of a man wearing a “The End Is Nigh!” sandwich board, or a half-remembered nightmare that ebbs from memory just slowly enough to demand your acknowledgment and ruin your day.

Ligotti again transcends the horror genre with this influential piece of contemporary horror. If you have enjoyed Ligotti’s work in the past this book will be right up your alley. For newcomers this is a good place to start and I guarantee you will be searching for more of this brilliant author’s work. This re-release along with Teatro Grottesco helps bring newcomers into Ligotti’s diluted reality. Buy it! Read it again and again and share with everyone you know!

- My Work is Not Yet Done Reviews at Amazon.com
by Jacob E. Snead (5 stars)
2009-05-02

Ah, finally – someone who gets it.

Ligotti at his worst remains stellar (five-star-stellar) in comparison to the rank-and-file hack-and-slash throes-of-agony-and-torment horror author… the lingering malaise and the insufferably real anhedonia his work inspires may not change your life, but it will resonate with the Reptilian complex of your brain and, perhaps, inspire you to give up joy for just a moment and succumb to the problems of your own existence.

How does the world appear through the eyes of the disaffected monster…
… what do you see?