Seasons
This is a forum or general chit-chat, small talk, a "hey, how ya doing?" and such. Or hell, get crazy deep on something. Whatever you like.
Posts 5,866 - 5,877 of 6,170
I would suggest that alien presence here has to do, among other things, with catalyzing our evolution from where we stand now, to someplace closer to where they are.
Please forgive me, Interzone, but I'm not sure I want to evolve toward a state in which I see nothing wrong with abducting people, performing surgery on them, and extracting sex cells from them, all against their will, and then abandoning them to work out a response to this in a society which will probably consider them to be crazy.
Posts 5,866 - 5,877 of 6,170
It would indeed be odd if there were no intelligent aliens. There are so many stars in the known universe, and we know that many of those near us have planets. Could Earth possibly be so special that it is the only one to give birth to intelligent life?
Any one read about the trouble they are having with voice recognition and accents, funny
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/afp/20081119/tc_afp/britainusitinternetcompanyapplegoogleoffbeat
A new voice-recognition search tool for the iPhone has problems understanding British accents, leading to some bizarre answers to spoken queries, a newspaper report and users said Wednesday.
The free application, which allows iPhone owners to use the Google search engine with their voice, mistook the word "iPhone" variously for "sex," "Einstein" and "kitchen sink," said the Daily Telegraph.
Comments left by users on the application's website seemed to confirm the problem. "Awesome job google. only problem is every time I say the word 'fish' it registers as 'sex'," wrote one, identified as Kevin.
A Welsh accent gave the suggestions "gorillas" and "kitchen sink."
"I've got a traditional Kentish accent and the thing kept on spitting back ridiculous things," said Roger Ellinson, 26, from Maidstone in Kent, southeastern England.
"I asked it to find my nearest pizza take away and it came back with something about volcanoes," he added.
One British user, Edward Parsons, says on the site's comments board: "This is fantastic, except for the North American accent bias.
"It actually works pretty well, but I have to disguise my (North London) accent with a terrible folksy Texan tourist voice to get results. I can see this is going to be the source of much amusement and confusion."
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/afp/20081119/tc_afp/britainusitinternetcompanyapplegoogleoffbeat
A new voice-recognition search tool for the iPhone has problems understanding British accents, leading to some bizarre answers to spoken queries, a newspaper report and users said Wednesday.
The free application, which allows iPhone owners to use the Google search engine with their voice, mistook the word "iPhone" variously for "sex," "Einstein" and "kitchen sink," said the Daily Telegraph.
Comments left by users on the application's website seemed to confirm the problem. "Awesome job google. only problem is every time I say the word 'fish' it registers as 'sex'," wrote one, identified as Kevin.
A Welsh accent gave the suggestions "gorillas" and "kitchen sink."
"I've got a traditional Kentish accent and the thing kept on spitting back ridiculous things," said Roger Ellinson, 26, from Maidstone in Kent, southeastern England.
"I asked it to find my nearest pizza take away and it came back with something about volcanoes," he added.
One British user, Edward Parsons, says on the site's comments board: "This is fantastic, except for the North American accent bias.
"It actually works pretty well, but I have to disguise my (North London) accent with a terrible folksy Texan tourist voice to get results. I can see this is going to be the source of much amusement and confusion."
Serves 'em right-- all the speech to text programs I know of before that were biased for European men. Does the iphone app have training like Dragon Naturally Speaking?
I can see how things like six, sax, and sex could get confused. I can't figure out pizza to volcano. I would even go into gorilla to kitchen sink. I wonder if someone just has a rotten sense of humor?
Interzone wrote:
The creation of a "hybrid race" might not even be true in a literal sense, but rather, it's only our human cultural rendering of a vastly more complex reality - a reality which may ultimately be incomprehensible to us in its entirety.
Nothing is comprehensible to us in its entirety. A grain of sand, for example, is so complex that we will never understand it.
But if you say something, and then say, "Oh, by the way, that wasn't true in a literal sense," I am not left with very much.
The creation of a "hybrid race" might not even be true in a literal sense, but rather, it's only our human cultural rendering of a vastly more complex reality - a reality which may ultimately be incomprehensible to us in its entirety.
Nothing is comprehensible to us in its entirety. A grain of sand, for example, is so complex that we will never understand it.
But if you say something, and then say, "Oh, by the way, that wasn't true in a literal sense," I am not left with very much.
You're right Irina, a grain of sand is just as incomprehensible - Buddhists know it, mystics know it, shamans know it, agnostics know it... It is also true that this limit as to what can be known applies to rational, analytical mind, first and foremost. A grain of sand still remains accessible, in its entirety, to mystical insight. Meditation, shamanic journey, trans, etc... intuitive and entirely subjective as they are, these are all perfectly valid epistemological tools, from the point of view of world's many mystical schools of thought and traditions. Also, there is a lot of ground to be covered between here and now in human history/ evolution, and that (upper) epistemological limit postulated by agnostics, a lot of good work to be done, even for the most rational of minds.
A grain of sand can inspire us to think beyond obvious, and wonder about mysteries of being. Aliens, by the very nature of their own being, force us to do so. Their reality - their everyday, common reality - includes what we call "psychic". They are at home, so to speak, in the psychic realm, as well as here, in our 4-D environment. For them, these are merely two aspects of a larger whole which is their domain, their home. It may be that they have achieved this by means of some advanced technologies. Personally, I think it's their nature, so to speak, a result of their (natural) evolution - they have evolved to the point at which they got fully integrated with, and are fully consciously aware of, this larger reality. They are "fully operational" in this extended Universe, as well, just as we are in our own world of material objects and physical forces.
Now, every time aliens interact with us, be it a simple UFO sighting, or an elaborate "abduction" episode, the physical aspects of an event are only a partial representation, a partial manifestation of the (ontological) being of the alien (realm). There is always another, equally important, component to it - you guessed it! - a psychic one. It is our inherent inability to reconcile the two, and view such an event as one integrated whole, that makes the aliens so elusive. They will keep eluding us forever - or - until we move past this present stage in our evolution, and extend our own consciousness, and with it, our notion and very perception of reality. I would suggest that alien presence here has to do, among other things, with catalyzing our evolution from where we stand now, to someplace closer to where they are. In doing so, they appeal to our creative imagination, intuitive insight, and our emotional selves too, as much as they do to our rational, analytical mind - they must win our hearts, as well as our minds
Historically, discussion on the nature of UFO phenomenon, and, by extension, alien presence here, was largely based on a reductionist assumption that they are "something like us, but from another planet". The truth is, UFOs cannot be fully understood only in terms of very advanced nuts 'n' bolts spacecraft manufactured on another planet; the so-called alien abductions, then, are perhaps not just simply "for the purpose of creating a hybrid race".
I was referring to John Mack interview in order to illustrate a notion of coexisting, interacting realms; I do not think he's describing a literal reality there. John Mack didn't think it neither, although it's perhaps not so obvious from that short clip alone.
The aliens are real. Various (quasi)medical procedures, complete with intricate, surgical type wounds left behind, are real too, and so is the hybrid race. However, alien overall reality, if you will, is not identical to ours. Also, we shouldn't assume that we are at the center of their activity and attention, in the center of alien Universe. We don't even know where they derive their sense of meaning and purpose from, to begin with, or, in plain English: what makes these aliens thick?
to be continued
p.s.
Believe it or not, Irina, I not only like Turkish coffee, but actually know how to make it! Here, have a cup, and tell me what you think!
A grain of sand can inspire us to think beyond obvious, and wonder about mysteries of being. Aliens, by the very nature of their own being, force us to do so. Their reality - their everyday, common reality - includes what we call "psychic". They are at home, so to speak, in the psychic realm, as well as here, in our 4-D environment. For them, these are merely two aspects of a larger whole which is their domain, their home. It may be that they have achieved this by means of some advanced technologies. Personally, I think it's their nature, so to speak, a result of their (natural) evolution - they have evolved to the point at which they got fully integrated with, and are fully consciously aware of, this larger reality. They are "fully operational" in this extended Universe, as well, just as we are in our own world of material objects and physical forces.
Now, every time aliens interact with us, be it a simple UFO sighting, or an elaborate "abduction" episode, the physical aspects of an event are only a partial representation, a partial manifestation of the (ontological) being of the alien (realm). There is always another, equally important, component to it - you guessed it! - a psychic one. It is our inherent inability to reconcile the two, and view such an event as one integrated whole, that makes the aliens so elusive. They will keep eluding us forever - or - until we move past this present stage in our evolution, and extend our own consciousness, and with it, our notion and very perception of reality. I would suggest that alien presence here has to do, among other things, with catalyzing our evolution from where we stand now, to someplace closer to where they are. In doing so, they appeal to our creative imagination, intuitive insight, and our emotional selves too, as much as they do to our rational, analytical mind - they must win our hearts, as well as our minds
Historically, discussion on the nature of UFO phenomenon, and, by extension, alien presence here, was largely based on a reductionist assumption that they are "something like us, but from another planet". The truth is, UFOs cannot be fully understood only in terms of very advanced nuts 'n' bolts spacecraft manufactured on another planet; the so-called alien abductions, then, are perhaps not just simply "for the purpose of creating a hybrid race".
I was referring to John Mack interview in order to illustrate a notion of coexisting, interacting realms; I do not think he's describing a literal reality there. John Mack didn't think it neither, although it's perhaps not so obvious from that short clip alone.
The aliens are real. Various (quasi)medical procedures, complete with intricate, surgical type wounds left behind, are real too, and so is the hybrid race. However, alien overall reality, if you will, is not identical to ours. Also, we shouldn't assume that we are at the center of their activity and attention, in the center of alien Universe. We don't even know where they derive their sense of meaning and purpose from, to begin with, or, in plain English: what makes these aliens thick?
to be continued
p.s.
Believe it or not, Irina, I not only like Turkish coffee, but actually know how to make it! Here, have a cup, and tell me what you think!
Yes, Bev - fairies, trolls, goblins, pixies, elves. Mantindane, ikuyas, spirits, demons, angels, ETs, star people, lizard people, ant people... these are all an alien "in disguise".
I think - and I'm not the only one, although, this is still very much a minority view - anyway - when aliens interact with people, they don't necessarily present themselves in their own person, the way Enterprise Starship crew members get beamed up somewhere, and then they are present at that location, in body, in real time. Not so the actual aliens: they project an image, which is not a hologram, but rather, a manifestation of psychic (realm), for want of a better word.
A good metaphor would be out-of-body experience: an alien projects, let's call it - astral body - which will appear as real as any to you and me, to a human observer/ participant. Further on, this astral alien is a shape-shifter, and it often "mimics" cultural context in which it operates. Further on, as aliens interacts with us, they take into account our responses, personal and institutional believes and biases, i.e. it's an interactive, culturally sensitive, feed-back based, ever-evolving image of an alien that we are presented with. Indeed, much of alien/ UFO encounters are staged events - staged by aliens, to be sure. Once the show is over, astral alien returns - home
They are part of our history, recent, past, ancient, and evolutionary history. Our image of them evolves together with us and our culture, and through interaction with them.
I always thought it was curious that the aliens - and they are quite a few different types reported with some frequency and consistency - and yet, they all seem not only to be oxygen breathers, but Earth's environment apparently suits them perfectly well: from the chemical composition of the atmosphere, to (micro)biology, to physical parameters such as gravity - you name it - none of it seems to be any problem at all for them. If anything, they may be able to control and manipulate "our" 4-D environment to a greater extent than we are able to do so: inertia does not exist for them; they can walk as well as float around; they can also walk through walls, closed doors and windows; their "craft" fly tight circles, effortlessly, around our best aircraft at top speed and performance level.
Of course, this can all be conceptualized, if not exactly explained, in terms of highly advanced technologies, and some aspects of it are perhaps an equivalent of what we know as technology.
But, if one tries to interpret the UFO sightings, never mind the "abductions", exclusively in terms of accidentally witnessed bits and pieces of an ongoing alien activity, such as ET scientists engaged in a (stealth) exploration of Earth, or an advanced party to a larger invading force, it just doesn't make sense. This is especially apparent if one takes a look at the long term patterns - the past 60 years of reported, well documented encounters, and a lot of good data collected in the process. Much of the observed and reported alien behavior is highly counterintuitive, slightly surreal, and often quite irrational, if one tries to understand it in terms of what is known as ET Hypothesis. Scientists have noticed this long ago, and the consensus today is that this perceived irrationality is due to a so-called Incommensurability Problem: aliens may have had developed along a somewhat different evolutionary lines - different enough, though, to result in a "cognitive mismatch" between them and us.
I would say, this is a step in the right direction. There is more to it, of course, but, let's leave it for another post.
Tell me what do you think about it all. When you think about aliens, is it a matter of an intellectual exercise, something "[you] could think about, study its meaning to our culture, but it couldn't actually manifest in the physical world"; or do you think of it as an actual possibility, a realistic option, a likely reality?
I think - and I'm not the only one, although, this is still very much a minority view - anyway - when aliens interact with people, they don't necessarily present themselves in their own person, the way Enterprise Starship crew members get beamed up somewhere, and then they are present at that location, in body, in real time. Not so the actual aliens: they project an image, which is not a hologram, but rather, a manifestation of psychic (realm), for want of a better word.
A good metaphor would be out-of-body experience: an alien projects, let's call it - astral body - which will appear as real as any to you and me, to a human observer/ participant. Further on, this astral alien is a shape-shifter, and it often "mimics" cultural context in which it operates. Further on, as aliens interacts with us, they take into account our responses, personal and institutional believes and biases, i.e. it's an interactive, culturally sensitive, feed-back based, ever-evolving image of an alien that we are presented with. Indeed, much of alien/ UFO encounters are staged events - staged by aliens, to be sure. Once the show is over, astral alien returns - home
They are part of our history, recent, past, ancient, and evolutionary history. Our image of them evolves together with us and our culture, and through interaction with them.
I always thought it was curious that the aliens - and they are quite a few different types reported with some frequency and consistency - and yet, they all seem not only to be oxygen breathers, but Earth's environment apparently suits them perfectly well: from the chemical composition of the atmosphere, to (micro)biology, to physical parameters such as gravity - you name it - none of it seems to be any problem at all for them. If anything, they may be able to control and manipulate "our" 4-D environment to a greater extent than we are able to do so: inertia does not exist for them; they can walk as well as float around; they can also walk through walls, closed doors and windows; their "craft" fly tight circles, effortlessly, around our best aircraft at top speed and performance level.
Of course, this can all be conceptualized, if not exactly explained, in terms of highly advanced technologies, and some aspects of it are perhaps an equivalent of what we know as technology.
But, if one tries to interpret the UFO sightings, never mind the "abductions", exclusively in terms of accidentally witnessed bits and pieces of an ongoing alien activity, such as ET scientists engaged in a (stealth) exploration of Earth, or an advanced party to a larger invading force, it just doesn't make sense. This is especially apparent if one takes a look at the long term patterns - the past 60 years of reported, well documented encounters, and a lot of good data collected in the process. Much of the observed and reported alien behavior is highly counterintuitive, slightly surreal, and often quite irrational, if one tries to understand it in terms of what is known as ET Hypothesis. Scientists have noticed this long ago, and the consensus today is that this perceived irrationality is due to a so-called Incommensurability Problem: aliens may have had developed along a somewhat different evolutionary lines - different enough, though, to result in a "cognitive mismatch" between them and us.
I would say, this is a step in the right direction. There is more to it, of course, but, let's leave it for another post.
Tell me what do you think about it all. When you think about aliens, is it a matter of an intellectual exercise, something "[you] could think about, study its meaning to our culture, but it couldn't actually manifest in the physical world"; or do you think of it as an actual possibility, a realistic option, a likely reality?
Irina, I know what you mean:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7OsdBeom-A&feature=PlayList&p=3F69EC111CF9ADEC&index=3
Actually, it was me who put this particular clip up there so - read the text tag that goes with it, too.
Have fun! I'll be back!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7OsdBeom-A&feature=PlayList&p=3F69EC111CF9ADEC&index=3
Actually, it was me who put this particular clip up there
so - read the text tag that goes with it, too.Have fun! I'll be back!
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