>> ^Ryjkyj:


It's really just a matter of perspective though. Compare a bee with a slug. Bees are way ahead of slugs as far as visible complexity, yet to us, they're complete idiots. Even if we do rely on them.
And humans have been around for what? Maybe fifty-thousand years? Yeah, we've done A LOT in that time. But what could we do with another fifty-thousand? What about a million? (If for some reason we overcome the astronomical probability that we'll destroy ourselves) I don't really think there's any telling what we could do.
Not to mention the fact that everyone just assumes that aliens will be some sort of humanoid or even just act human or share any of our characteristics at all. Sure, here on Earth, life is carbon-based. But then why does everybody just assume that if we encounter life, it will also be carbon based? Answer: because we can't possibly understand how it could work any other way. And not because we just assume, but because we looked and it seems impossible according to the laws of chemistry. But that doesn't mean we're right just because we can't see the answer.
What about this: math is an abstract concept like you say. But the system most of us use is based on the power of ten. The digit repeats and a new one is added at the tenth place. Could that have something to do with the amount of fingers we have? Well what if the alien in question used a system that repeated at the ninth place? Their whole system would follow different rules. What if they used a system that had an individual symbol for every number up to two-hundred fifty million, seven hundred sixty-seven thousand, eight-hundred and fifty-three? What if they were so evolved that powers didn't even make a difference and they could fill a quadratic equation with numbers that were all based in different powers?
And if they were a race (another human term) whose individual bodies consisted of different, interchangeable parts, then math would be essential to their existence. It would be as natural as eating. To a species like that, we would look like childish morons playing with our own snot. Even though we use separate, distinct powers to program computers.
And that's just assuming that our aliens only understand things as far as the three dimensions we live in. What about a fourth dimensional alien that only communicates through careful waves of sulfur emission? To us, it might just be a giant blur that smelled like shit. You know what we'd do? That's right, we'd light it on fire.


I will admit that a species that has absolutely no comparable experience with us would be a problem. There's a mad, wonderful chapter in Greg Egans Diaspora that discusses the idea of complex creatures that have evolved in multi-dimensional space. I don't recall the exact maths, but they essentially live "rotated" into extra dimensions. I'll grant they will pose a challenge.

But it's not unreasonable to assume that some life forms would have evolved on a similar ecosystem to ours. We're already comfortable in working outside base 10, and there are some smart people who are working out establishing common symbol patterns based on fundamental mathematical principles. I don't care if you can interchange your head with your elbow, or you reproduce by thought, 1+1 =2. That does not change. Same for Pythagoras' theorem, prime numbers and so on.

My overall point is that something that is smart enough to figure out all the problems of going out into space will figure out how to communicate with us.

Or more likely, simply harvest the planet for resources. They're bound to be low on food and fuel by then

>> ^ChaosEngine:

Much as I love Neil DeGrasse Tyson, I feel he's wrong on this. I've said it before, but I think our ability to understand abstract concepts such as math should mark us as sufficiently different from the other species on our planet.


It's really just a matter of perspective though. Compare a bee with a slug. Bees are way ahead of slugs as far as visible complexity, yet to us, they're complete idiots. Even if we do rely on them.

And humans have been around for what? Maybe fifty-thousand years? Yeah, we've done A LOT in that time. But what could we do with another fifty-thousand? What about a million? (If for some reason we overcome the astronomical probability that we'll destroy ourselves) I don't really think there's any telling what we could do.

Not to mention the fact that everyone just assumes that aliens will be some sort of humanoid or even just act human or share any of our characteristics at all. Sure, here on Earth, life is carbon-based. But then why does everybody just assume that if we encounter life, it will also be carbon based? Answer: because we can't possibly understand how it could work any other way. And not because we just assume, but because we looked and it seems impossible according to the laws of chemistry. But that doesn't mean we're right just because we can't see the answer.

What about this: math is an abstract concept like you say. But the system most of us use is based on the power of ten. The digit repeats and a new one is added at the tenth place. Could that have something to do with the amount of fingers we have? Well what if the alien in question used a system that repeated at the ninth place? Their whole system would follow different rules. What if they used a system that had an individual symbol for every number up to two-hundred fifty million, seven hundred sixty-seven thousand, eight-hundred and fifty-three? What if they were so evolved that powers didn't even make a difference and they could fill a quadratic equation with numbers that were all based in different powers?

And if they were a race (another human term) whose individual bodies consisted of different, interchangeable parts, then math would be essential to their existence. It would be as natural as eating. To a species like that, we would look like childish morons playing with our own snot. Even though we use separate, distinct powers to program computers.

And that's just assuming that our aliens only understand things as far as the three dimensions we live in. What about a fourth dimensional alien that only communicates through careful waves of sulfur emission? To us, it might just be a giant blur that smelled like shit. You know what we'd do? That's right, we'd light it on fire.

"The latest disaster for the solar system is that the United States has decided to go to Mars. And, of course, later we intend to colonize deep space with our Salad Shooters and Snot Candy and microwave hot dogs. But let me ask you this: What are we going to tell the Intergalactic Council the first time one of our young women throws her newborn baby out of a seventh-story window? And how do we explain to the Near-Stellar Trade Confederation that our representative was late for the meeting because his breakfast was cold, and he had to spend thirty minutes beating the shit out of his wife?

Do you think the elders of the Universal Board of Wisdom will understand that it’s simply because of quaint local customs that over 80 million of our women have had their clitorises and labia cut off and their vulvas sewn shut in order to make them more marriageable and unable to derive pleasure from sex and thus never be a threat to stray from their husbands’ beds?

Can’t you just sense how eager the rest of the universe is for us to show up?"

- George Carlin

Dane's only crime was making it big and doing it with ease. Not saying he didn't work hard. He was one of the first entertainers to embrace connecting with fans through the social media landscape. He just appealed to a broader audience of fans than normal comedians and that bugs people. Generally, connoisseurs of comedy are bitter angry people that hate their lives and they don't want to share the only thing that makes them happy with some snot nosed twilight fans.

That's the real reason why. As a "connoisseur of comedy" I welcome Dane Cook and think he's doing fine.

Keep in mind that these guys and girls don't have a choice in the amount of luggage they travel with. The government requires them to travel with a specific kit. They don't really have the option of "packing light".

Believe me, if I could just pack a change of clothes and a toothbrush for a deployment, I would.

Also, in reference to your second paragraph, it would be uncouth for me to tell you to "eat a dick", so I'll refrain.
>> ^Xax:

I've found the Internet's outrage at Delta pretty damn perplexing. If Delta got their policy wrong, shame on those who made this call. If the U.S. military and/or soldiers are mistaken about the agreement with Delta, sorry, but that's not Delta's fault.
Would it have been nice if Delta waived the fee for the 4th/5th/10th bag? Sure. Would it be nice if they offer all soldiers/vets/crippled old ladies a lollypop? Yep. Would it be nice if airplanes were fueled by farts and monkey snot? You betcha.

I've found the Internet's outrage at Delta pretty damn perplexing. If Delta got their policy wrong, shame on those who made this call. If the U.S. military and/or soldiers are mistaken about the agreement with Delta, sorry, but that's not Delta's fault.

Would it have been nice if Delta waived the fee for the 4th/5th/10th bag? Sure. Would it be nice if they offer all soldiers/vets/crippled old ladies a lollypop? Yep. Would it be nice if airplanes were fueled by farts and monkey snot? You betcha.

>> ^bareboards2:

And so it begins.
If I were black, would you be ignoring me so completely if I said I was being made extremely uncomfortable by overtly racist vids on the Sift?
Would you insult me by making more denigrating black comments?

>> ^blankfist:
Worst. Vagina. Monologue. EVAR.



If sum-one is retarded to you just point out why they are been retarded directly at them thats all you can do (obvouly don't let yourself be baited by trolls) , I don't get why you feel you need to make this post about it its not like they can do anything to you or Evan know you well for what they say to have a truly deep emotional impact on you . and aside from that if sum one is a total munch to you then all you do is respect them less and pay less atentoin to them.

granted women due to there minority online ( in certain places) get different treatment to men , but other minorities or people that are different get different or disproportional treatment as well and the people that you disagree with are not likely to change how they are by reeding what you just wrote at the top.

People go on about my spelling all the time and its frustrating to have to keep exsplaing the same thing , but in the end it dosen't really matter all i can do is exsplain why it snot important and how they are wrong and then hope they get it if not then they don't.

As for your racism example i would say the exact same thing if sum one is racist then everyone can see that there view is retarded and they can point that out and why.

the only time admin should step in is if sum-one was spamming your account to the existent that you cannot technically use video sift or something along those lines.

everyone should just stick there dick/Munt flaps out the window and let them flap around in the wind following that they should chill the fuck out.

LOL LOL I am laughing so hard my nose is started to leak snot LOL

Man that was toe-tappin' fun...

That does it! I need to start playing more. It'll be a cold day in hell before some snot-nosed slack-jawed yokel starts pickin and strummin faster than me!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/29/opinion/29collins.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha212

Gail Collins did an op ed on Bachmann, referencing this moment.

Excerpt:
History is superimportant to Bachmann, who claims that she left the Democratic Party when she was a college senior, after reading “Burr,” Gore Vidal’s caustic historical novel. “He was kind of mocking the founding fathers, and I just thought ‘what a snot,’ ” Bachmann told The Star Tribune. It was, she said, a transformational moment so critical to her worldview that she can still remember what she was wearing. (“A tan trench coat, blue pin-striped shirt, like a tailored shirt, and dress slacks.”)

It’s not everybody who switches political parties over a historical novel, but Bachmann’s vision of the past is the core to her ideology. The men who created the Constitution were perfect heroes, so infallible that they fully understood the right to bear arms would someday include semiautomatic pistols capable of firing 30 bullets in 10 seconds.

Last week, Bachmann was in Iowa, setting off alarm bells about her possible presidential ambitions and delivering a speech in which she claimed that the founding fathers had “worked tirelessly” to eradicate slavery. She then cited John Quincy Adams, who was not a founding father.

>> ^lavoll:

uhm,...? whats special about this fight?


It's two men beating the snot out of one another! ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!

I can't actually watch the video. I guess my adblocker's overzealous. Not too concerned.

damn i never knew the song "Deadfall" by Snot was about that movie. i could never really understand the lyrics and never looked into it... but it's pretty hard to forget
WELL VIVE LA FUCKIN FRANCE, MAN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x_Rp148jCQ

So.... she was concealing a snot rag in her cunt? Reminds me of my ex........:/
I'll get my coat.

nice one

shame it snot longer and evan more detail

>> ^brycewi19:

>> ^dannym3141:
This really bored me

Then you would have done crappy at the Karate Kid High School. You would have gotten the snot beat out of you just for thinking it was boring!


Well played sir!

>> ^dannym3141:

This really bored me


Then you would have done crappy at the Karate Kid High School. You would have gotten the snot beat out of you just for thinking it was boring!