Na'vi

I liked Avatar, actually, I thought it was bloody fantastic; everyone else says the same thing so I don't have to here.

I also thought that the Na'vi people were pretty awesome and humans quite lame in comparison. To show who's side I'm on I tested out my photoshop skills and ended up with probably one of my favourite pieces of all time.

Sam'rir

Jackie Chan

I'm sleepy and flicking through what's on TV, hundreds of channels at my fingers tips but nothing I want to watch. I click on international listings (I've never looked here before ) I click the first one - I'm not subscribed to receive that channel. I click the next channel down, blocked from this one as well, and the next one, and the next one, until I find a channel that works. 'PCNE Chinese' is the channel I ended up on. It's a talk show, a woman and a man sitting on a round chair, I recognised one of the faces... it's Jackie Chan.

Thoughts on the big bang, the universe, our existance and evolution.

First of all, it's been a while and if anyone reads this then thanks for checking in, I hope you get something from this.

I had a break through in my understanding the other day. I'm not sure where to start, perhaps, like all stories it is best to start at the beginning.

The Big Bang is widely acknowledged to be a pretty well rounded and logical explanation for the creation of our known universe. It is a theory but it was created to fit what we have learned - The universe is expanding and there is a lot of background radiation, which is very basic but more can be read here.

Now, the theory goes that the universe spawned from a single point of space time called a singularity.What has taken me so long to actually grasp is that the universe has grown from a single point. If you plant an acorn, it doesn't matter how big the oak tree grows, the leaves will be oak leaves on every branch. The universe is one, it has just become bigger.

To use another analogy, picture the singularity the known universe was birthed from as ingredients for a loaf of bread. All the ingredients are there, when it's ready it will start the expand, the bread is the same at the top and bottom - the ingredients are the same. It's the same with the universe, the ingredients are the same everywhere and what I've come to understand is the trial and error nature of the universe.

To continue of the theme of food; imagine the universe as a chef with the largest pantry you can imagine, with a flare for the experimental and with no concern for time. Throwing ingredients together, mixing and matching and trying different things and every now and then something nice to eat will be created what can be observed though is that our chef doesn't care what he makes, he will just keep experimenting. The ingredients were in the mixture for us to exist.

Since the very first humans we have believed us and our planet special above all others. We are important but because we are a part of everything. We are just a product of the universe, we are the universe and it is us. We are all one because we are a part of everything, and that everything stemmed from oneness. If all the planets and particles of the universe are the same then what makes us feel that we are anything apart from this. This doesn't make us divinely chosen, we just happen to be the tastiest dish on our planet.

This experimenting can be seen through the diversity of life on our planet. Life is part of the ingredients for the universe and I say this quite safely based on the following - The only planet we know that supports life is our own and life sprung up on this planet relatively quickly. As we understand it Earth was formed 4.54 billion years ago, life appeared within one billion years and our planet is expected to continue supporting life for another 1.5 billion years - as the sun expands . If you factor in the time it took for Earth to settle down, form at atmosphere, etc. Then it is clear that Earth as supported life incredibly quickly - Baring in mind that our planet and galaxy is in no way remarkable it is very hard to believe that this is not normal behaviour for a life suitable planet.

What I seem to be saying is that if the ingredients are right here, then as the ingredients are the same everywhere in the incomprehensible expanse of the universe the ingredients will be right somewhere else. There is no doubt in my mind that life exists else where, my curiosity lies in them and how the random experimentation of the universe has shaped them.

We search for meaning to our existence, purpose and reason. What I have come to understand is that we are the universe and the universe is us. You and I are one, we are the sun and the moon, the planets of all the solar systems, the mass that makes galaxies. Everything that exists is a single entity and we are a part of it, albeit a very, very small part.

You are important because the universe is important, it is everything we know and we are a part of it.

Peace, my family.

Sam.

The decade America failed.

EDIT: looks like I might be wrong.

I've seen a lot of people asking what this decade should be called, or will be called in future. Answers varied but I think I can sum up the decade quite well: When America failed.

America has long been the worlds only super power, now they may have not always done the right thing but they tried and so did we (UK) and that counts for something in my books. It might not be too popular but I'm glad we are one of the countries that actually chooses to do something rather than be like, for example France or Russia who are all too happy to pocket bribes in exchange for vetoing UN action. But alas, my despair when I think about the UN is a subject for another day, or is it? No? Ok, I hate the UN! The most powerful countries in our world, millions of people united together and what do we do? Sit around and talk about the issues and avoid actually doing anything at all - doesn't help you have corrupt countries with their own agenda as well.

Anyway, got a little side tracked. America, the world only super power and proclaimed world police are failing. You can't run a super power, run two wars and deal with a financial crisis - it's impossible and America has proved this. 70 trillion dollars in debt, a number which is barely even comprehensible, as, put it this way, if you withdrew that from an ATM, 1) you would be waiting for years for it all to come out the machine and 2) If you wanted to count and see if you got given the right amount you would spend your whole life doing that.

America can no longer afford two wars, it must and will pull back. America will lose it's reach of power and will no longer be a super power. What will happen then? As always, when a leader is removed there will be a rush as other would be leaders who have suffered under the boot try to take his place and if history can teach us anything it's that the benefactor is usually worse.

Who will rise to the challenge then? Probably China and who knows, in 100 years the west might be a whole lot different.

Up

So I saw Up the other day and damn, it's a good film.

Up is another one of Disney & Pixar's masterpieces, the saddest film I have ever seen but a real heartwarming story all the same.

The tale follows an old man, he promised his wife when they were children he would take her to South American. Life happens and they never get there, his wife dies. Instead of letting his house and all his memories of the life he had be destroyed by the corporate suits who wish to build apartment buildings, etc he ties a brazzilion balloons to his house with the plan of floating down to South America to live out his days and fulfil his promise to his dead wife.

His plan however, doesn't work out exactly how he envisioned it.

Packed with laughs and tears, Up is brilliant - go watch it!

P.s. It's also available to watch is standard 2D or with 3D goggles.

To infinity and beyond

To those who have an interest in space and NASA You might be aware that NASA have been designing and will be testing the new Ares rocket system on the 31st of October. I'm sure everyone the world over wishes the Ares testing to be successful, although I'm sure some people will probably be hoping for a nice fireworks display fortunately no human life would be lost in such an event. October 31st is the first real world testing of their new rockets.



Anyway, I got to thinking after I saw the pictures of the Ares. It looks pretty standard, the actually aesthetics are pretty usual. It looks like a rocket. Now, I think, If we are putting things up into space, we gotta' represent! Earth is represented by the things we are sticking out into orbit and beyond. If an alien species observes us they are going to judge us first by our adventures into space. So instead of the generic rocket design why don't we create some aesthetically awesome rocket and shuttle designs. Such as Barad-dûr rocket and a scorpion style shuttle.

Such designs would clearly send a message to aliens not to fuck with earth. It is the best anti invasion counter measures I can think of and please if you can think of any better, tell me. It could have the opposite effects though and be seen as a galactic challenge of interstellar power...

I was holding off publishing this until I could photoshop a picture of a Barad-dûr rocket with awesome scorpion on the back but unfortunately I have had the misfortune of my laptop failing on me so I'm adobe photoshopless for the time being.

Mystery coin update

A few weeks or months ago I did a piece on a Bulgarian coin I have. Thanks to the Reddit community it's been identified as:

"This is a commemorative coin to mark The International Congress of Marscheiders that took place in Leningrad (St. Petersburg) in 1988. Judging by the material it is made of - it is probably a 1 kopeyka denomination (1 cent)

Alexander Baklanov ( БАКЛАНОВ ) is a coin mint master in the late 1980s, 1990's."

Many thanks to the Reddit community and most notably Dubon for the help.

Sam

Obama's lies

This is gonna be a short one, I just want to voice my opinion on the Obama situation. Most notably peoples comments on his change of heart regards certain key campaign areas, e.g. closing Guantanamo.

During Obama's campaign he was only open the public level information and whatever else he can get his hands on.

When Obama entered office he became privy to higher level information regarding the country. It shows strong character to go back on his word. He used his head, read and listened to the information and then made his mind up.

Clearly Guantanamo does a good job and is essential, otherwise, Obama would have shut it down. Have some faith in your leader America.

I'm sure if the US government showed some transparency in certain areas it would make the American people a lot happier. Instead we have people with no understanding of what's going on apart from a few scraps of media twisted 'news' forming strong ideas and notions of how corrupt and evil their government is.

America - it's in the interest of national security to tell the people more. Don't keep them in the dark relying on Fox news.

Sam