Slope of Hope Blog Posts
Slope initially began as a blog, so this is where most of the website’s content resides. Here we have tens of thousands of posts dating back over a decade. These are listed in reverse chronological order. Click on any category icon below to see posts tagged with that particular subject, or click on a word in the category cloud on the right side of the screen for more specific choices.
The Jump
Those of you even a little familiar with me know that I don't get my jollies sitting in front of a television and whooping for whatever I am seeing (like, say, football, basketball, bass fishing, or anything else). But when it comes to anything to do with space exploration, I get interested.
Although I recognized the whole Felix jump thing as a fantastic marketing push by Red Bull, I still thought it was an awfully cool idea. Last week, I watched the first attempt, but that got nixed due to weather conditions. The second one did too. I figured people would lose interest.
But on Sunday morning, I saw he was having a third go at it, and I gathered the family together to watch the entire thing live. I can't remember being so excited and spellbound by anything I've seen on television (except, on the very opposite end of the emotional scale, for 9/11). The little "best of" clip below doesn't even come close to approaching the thrill of seeing things happen in real time, but it does a nice job of showing some highlights. When he stepped off the platform, it took my breath away; and seeing him spin wildly in a free-fall, only to right himself into a Superman pose and get stable, I couldn't help but burst into applause.
There's no actionable trade idea here, people. It was just really, really awesome.
Proof Positive the Tech End-Times Are Here
OK, it's over, folks. Put a fork in it.
Yeah, yeah. Pandora. Zynga. LinkedIn. Facebook. I know, I know. It's a whole new era of 22 year old multi-billionaires, all of whom, strangely, are gorgeous, white, and have English accents.
If you ever need proof that this entire thing is going to come crashing down on their heads, watch the video below. Take it from me – – – I know the Silicon Valley backwards, forwards, and stone-cold sideways. I've lived here decades. I live every day in the centerpoint of it all. I've started and sold a successful high-tech startup. I know many venture capitalists and some of the most storied entrepreneurs in this area.
But when cultural saturation has reached this level – – – when the Silicon Valley has become the new forum normally reserved for the bubble-headed pontifications of the Real Housewives – – it's all over. And you can bet your Facebook put options on that.
He Said It Again! Did You Hear Him?
I see now that no less a body than the United Nations will be considering a resolution for a worldwide ban on "blasphemy". Ummm, evidently not enough people read my post last week suggesting just the opposite – – – a coordinated, worldwide effort to deliberately be blasphemous. Receiving the papers declaring me Benevolent Dictator Of Earth is taking way longer than it should. In the meantime, you people are going to have to put up with a lot of nonsense.
Allah Akbar!
OK, I've just figured out the solution to the whole problem of those from the Religion of Peace rioting, burning, and killing all over the world. It's brilliant, if I may say so myself.
I was inspired by reading this article about how a French weekly paper is deliberating publishing cartoons that insult "the prophet". Reading this merged with my knowledge of Star Trek to yield the idea.
Those of you with the good sense to be acquainted with Star Trek's Original Series are probably knowledgeable of Charlie X, which is the second episode with Kirk. It is the story of a teenaged boy who has powers to change matter and the behavior of those around him, and he easily takes over the Enterprise.
The crew of the ship seems doomed, but near the end of the show, it occurs to Kirk that if they turn on every single instrument on the bridge, Charlie will be so overwhelmed that he'll lose the ability to control them. Spock and McCoy scamper about the bridge, flicking on all the machines that go beep, boing, and boop, and – as with all Kirk's plans – it works.
This, my friends, is how to deal with all this rioting. The idea is simple: for a solid week, every newspaper, magazine, billboard, and other media willing to participate put up images that are deliberately provocative to our Islamic friends. They don't have to be completely obnoxious – – I'm not sure where they draw the line, but I believe any image at all is considered offensive, so put him on a bicycle, a trampoline – – you name it. One solid week. All over the world.
See, the problem with the current situation is that ONE publication does something "offensive", and then they target the poor bastards at that place. With a coordinated effort, the level-headed people of the planet can provide a united middle finger to all this rioting nonsense.
I see some of you are calling this insensitive. Excuse me for a moment while I consider that point.
Hmmm.
OK, I'm done. My response: they abdicated their right to being treated with velvet gloves by torching everything in sight. I would also add the following: how about you folks grow a pair of nuts and not worry so much about sensitivity to a very specific group?
I don't demand sensitivity. I'm a good suburban Christian, and if the Islamic world decided to put up billboards all over the planet with pictures of Jesus pracing around in a tutu or making out with Buddha, I couldn't care less. I'd probably think it's funny. As I've said before, the higher power I believe in really doesn't give a flying crap. He's not that neurotic. So Jesus told me to tell you to tickle his nut sack and get a life.
Anyway, that's my idea. It'll never happen, and anyway, I've got to go into hiding now. Genius is rarely understood in its own time.
