Saturday, September 30, 2000

Solutions... [ Index ]

This section has been reserved for Various Solutions to all the worlds problems.
( if only someone would listen...!!! )

  1. The Nine Point Problem
    This Puzzle was originally designed to determine if the gamester has the ability to;
    'Think-- Outside of The Box?'.
    What i've done; Is to show that i can--
    'Think outside of the box, That the box came in...!'
  2. Homelessness
    Commentary and Link
    Additional Commentaries
    . . . . . . The Wretched Homeless...
  3. The Middle East
    Commentary and Link
  4. The Meaninglessness of Existence
    Commentary and Link
  5. Gay Marriage
    Commentary and Link
  6. The Fermi Paradox
    Commentary and Link
  7. The Coming Robotics ( And A.I. ) Revolution...!
    Commentary and Link

Wednesday, September 06, 2000

The Nine Point Puzzle

This is a fairly old Puzzle that sets before the gamester a collection of Nine Points--
Whether they are mathematical points of no width or heighth,
or whether they are drawn points, tiny; such as those like a 'Period' is generally not revealed.
This distinction may be useful for solutions that require only 3 lines.
The Nine Points are Arranged like so:
. . .
. . .
. . .

While connecting The Nine Points with 5 lines is simple for most humanimals,
The Puzzle askes you to solve it by connecting all Nine Points with Four Lines...!
After solving this; i wondered--
Is there a solution for Three Lines...
Then Two Lines;
( Which is the trickiest...
Considering that for each solution,
One is looking for a Unique Approach... ! )

And Then One Line.
The One Line Solution is The Most Elegant...!
Once you have the tools, and insights from solving The One Line Solution;
Is there a Zen -- Zero Line Solution...!!! ( ? )
Yes...!
Finished with this;
Is there an Elegant 6, 7, 8
&/or 9 Line Solution(s...???
---
The Solutions:
( In Invisible Ink...!!! )
The Solution:
Sadly there are no accompanying illustrations, so you'll just have to read carefully...
The Three Line Solution Requires that The the top three points are connected with a line that stretches off into Infinity, As do the middle three points, and the bottom three points.
This also assumes that parallel lines meet at infinitity, which allows the lines to merge and return to the parameters of the puzzle!
If The Points have actual dimensions, then; It is possible to draw the connecting lines so that they just edge through the top of the first point, pass through the middle of the middle point, and then scratch past the last point, such that the line is at a discernable angle, and it doesn't have to extend to infinity before returning to the next line of points...!
The Two Line Solution is placed on a Inversion grid...!!! So that at the very middle of the paper is a point that represents the coordinates (0,0). Then a circle is drawn around this, it's edge represents the radial quantity of One. Such that any and all points inside the circle; such as ( .2,.6) has an Inversion Equivalency Point-- Outside the Circle. These aren't just mirror points, they are the SAME point, in Inversion Space...!!! Once this is established, The Nine Points are ploted so that the middle three points are drawn along the circles edge, while the lower three points converge at the center... meaning that the top three points are found at the outter edge of infinity...!!! The first line tranverses curved space to cut through the middle three points, then takes a tangental 90_degree turn towards the center, passes through it, which means that it simultaneously cuts through the top three points at infinity.
This is the Weakest Solution..
. Can you discover a better one...???
The One Line Solution
:
This the most Elegant. Twist ( Slightly Offset ) and Roll the paper into a cylinder-- Then connect The Nine Points with One Line, So that the result resembles a Barber Pole!
The Zen: Zero Line Solution-- Simple fold the paper over and over upon itself, so that all The Points are occupying the same vertical ( Dimensionless ) space.
---

Sunday, September 03, 2000

The Wretched Homeless... [ ! ]

What is to Be Done with The Wretched Homeless... { ? }

It seems like every few days, there is a story on The Radio or in The NewsPaper--
Concerning the plight of The Homeless, or Their effect on the Tourists Here in Hawaii.
---
When i was here about 17 years ago,
there were hardly any Homeless People,
and as such, those that were here,
were a Jolly lot of Friendly & Mentally Disturbed Lunatics that cavorted in The Parks and Shopping Centers, with nary a sidelong glance or grimace.
---
Now--
The majority of The Homelesss are The Displaced Middleclass UnEmployed,
Who are Bitter, Confused & Angry about their lives & perpetually wondering;
"What am I to do?"
And most of them; Because they're wading through The Shallow End of The Damp Masses,
Have No Idea what to do.
---
Every once in awhile;
Someone will come along with A Solution to this problem...
( Most of us Daoists see that Reality itself is The Problem,
Everything within That Reality is Exactly What it Is. )
But these Solutions Invariably fail because they depend on a Top-Down Attitude of Altruism.
---
Altruism will always fail for any long term problem;
For the Simple reason that The Humanimals Administering the Programs that are inflicted on The Destitute,
Will become Disillusioned & Inattentive because The Chattel that they are supposed to be helping--
Do not appreciate their Help...!
Or -- The resources that are being inflicted upon The Destitute are a poor match for what they really need.
---
It's complicated.
---
But a much better "Approach" --
Is to attack this, or any other humanimal oriented problem...
Not with Caramel coated Altruism...
But with The Harsh Application of Infinite Greed --
Applied by Thoughtful Ogres well schooled within The discipline of Perfect Egotism.
---
For a long time now;
i've been trying to come up with a New & Improved Adage to replace the Worn Out & Ill Conceived
"Do unto Others, As you would have Others- Do unto You."
Superficially;
This would imply that Masochists should torment & abuse their neighbors & coworkers.
And who Isn't a Masochist these days...!
---
The Replacement Adage should turn instead to The Fundamental Nature of Humanimals themselves,
So that they Aren't Expected to do anything that they're not Biologically Programmed to do.
Very often;
We see our Society & Culture trying to ReShape People to fit some cockamamie scheme of Artificial Rules & Legal Constraints that only the most Intellectually gifted Masochist can comprehend the subtlies of.
---
What we need is a set of simple rules that Do Not Coerce The Damp Masses into Behaving Themselves,
But gently ReMind them to follow their own Desires...
But in a slightly more thoughtful manner,
So that Rather than experiencing Emotional, Sexual or Fiscal Gratification for only a few moments,
They can Reap the Rewards of these Indulgences for Days, Weeks or Years thereafter. ( ! )
---
To do this;
One must only see The Elemental & Intuitive Logic
of Perfect Egotism & Infinite Greed.
---
Just as a Sphere is like a Circle, only more so.
And a Cube is like a Square, only filled out.
So it is that Perfect Egotism is like Normal, Profane Egotism, Only without the sharp edges.
And Infinite Greed is like the Rough & Severe Greed that is so very often thought of as a Sin...!
...But Taller, & with A Nice Straight Part Across The Side.
Greed is The Desire to Breath Fresh Air,
Greed is an Uncompromising Kiss on the cheek of a baby,
Greed is a puppy rolling in the Sun.
Infinite Greed is a Puppy Rolling in The Sun Forever.
--
The most easily perceived difference between Ordinary Greed & Infinite Greed--
Is that Infinite Greed is meant to last forever.
--
Ordinary Greed is Commercially Overpackaged Batteries or Cheese & Crackers.
Ordinary Greed is Wasteful Opulence.
Ordinary Greed is a Failure to Use ones Resources to their Full Potential.
---
So--
This is where The Problem of The Homeless comes in.
We should Not be giving them A Bowl of Thinly Flavored Chicken Noodle Soup for lunch or providing them with Plastic Sheets to hang over branches that they may Sleep under...
NO!
Even the most Crazed & Incoherent Lunatic that roams the streets,
Is successful at scrounging through Garbage Cans and staying out of The Freezing Rain with sufficient competence to annoy Shopkeepers and BusDrivers for months on end.
Administrators With Sickly Piles of Wealth need to affirm these Self-Sarters as A Unique & Valuable Resource that may be Exploited for The Benefit of everyone-- Shopkeepers, Busdrivers & The Homeless themselves!
---
As such;
Any solution that is devised, Will necessarily have to be custom fitted to Each Homeless Person.
A Generic Solution;
So often tried in the past, and seen to fail, over and over again, will not work.
--
The Sage that embraces Infinite Greed & Perfect Egotism must see that Diversity is The Granitish Bedrock of an Enterprise that will Resist Viruses that may Attack A Specific & thinly distributed Weakness.
---
That's what Evolution tried to teach us.
---
To touch on Perfect Egotism;
This is like the soiled version of Egotism in that it pertains to The Individual,
But this Perfectly Aspiring Individual wants to be considered The Center of The Universe.
Perfect Egotism necessitates that The Individual Never Surrender his ( or her ) Autonomous Centricity for The Good of The Community!
The Good of The Community rises out of The Holistic Representation of Each Autonomous Individual Asserting their Own Desires & Needs upon The Whole.
It is only when the individual elements of a society give up their well-being to support an influential minority* that that society becomes unbalanced & falls over.
[ * Normally; The Rich-- but occasionally, The Politically Savy ]
---
That's what Evolution tries to teach us.
In the grand scheme of Evolution;
There is a continuing undulation of lives that wax & wane throughout the aeons of time,
But always;
It is the Grand Totality of Life that survives in all its majesty at any given moment.
--
Contrary wise;
When Political Systems corrupt this balance,
and fall,
there is often nothing left to lift themselves up & continue on.
Again & again; Cultures have collapsed,
Huge & Magnificent Cities Abandoned,
And Entire Races of people dispersed and forgotten.
---
The Solution for a Nominal Social Existence
is To Simply to Embrace Your Own Selfish Interests over All Others
While You Intelligently & Greedily Exploit The Weak & Vulnerable
as Nature Intended.