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Cake day: July 29th, 2023

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  • Almost assuredly not, but we know so little about abiogenisis, its entirely plausible to consider that there may have been multiple origins of life on earth. The nature of cellularization, and DNA first versus RNA first models for life (or perhaps even some other “3rd” biomolecule? maybe surface level interactions on clay?), or even RNA only models. It may well be that there are other sources for abiogensis that are extraterrestrial, but that doesn’t overcome things like the concentration dilemma (you need some biophysical process to concentration “enough” of these interesting biomolecules to do meaningful stuff).

    So extra terrestrial things that stand on legs and have heads and eyes? Almost assuredly not. But it may well be that we’ve been repeatedly (or continuously) colonized by extra-terrestrial bio-molecules. I still hold out for some missions to features like Pluto where there is obviously a kind of deep-ice geochemical cycle happening (freeze-thaw based on coming close/ further to the sun). In these cycles there might be opportunities for basic biomolecules to form and accumulate. Slam a big chunk of it into a planet that is at least cool enough to have liquid water, and a geochemical cycle, that might be all you need.















  • Yeah for the short story I write the idea down for was about a high desert town in a western state. no-where in particular, but that gritty, off the grid, sandy desert western culture. somewhere between abbey and le guin, but in a modern context . a story about community having to make real decisions about things like infrastructure.

    I put the idea down a couple years ago when I was reading some local politician responding to criticisms about wasting public money and potholes and them basically being like “the budget is public. show me the waste? yall want more done? pay more taxes.”, when the reality of managing anything is costs and benefits in the context of limited resources. like the communal management of resources would have come about basically as an app this community was using to keep track of and develop the land they bought to home stead but it evolves from there.





  • I’ve played around with the idea of a very ‘direct’ democracy, where effectively, all citizens have an app and are constantly and directly “engaged” in the process. I was imagining it as being a replacement for a local government. If you don’t want to be involved, you can transfer your vote to someone you trust in the system (and take it back whenever you like). The discussions would all be open and traceable, but the votes would be pseudo anonymized.

    That way if its not your thing or you aren’t interested, you can just hand your vote to someone else and let them manage it for you (kind-of like current political parties or representatives), but take it back at will.

    I think we suffer from a lack of civil engagement, and I get tired of people who refuse to put in the work blaming “da gubberment” for things. This system would effectively require them to engage at least some level. And if they complain about “the potholes” not getting fixed, well, there is a no excuse for not knowing why they arent getting fixed. I think we all need to take more responsibility for the world we live in.