Building from the Ground Up

**Disclaimer** Any ideas that seem to be a coherent and sensible thought are entirely coincidental. If you value your sanity and intellect please leave now.
**End Disclaimer**


Lately from my classes in MITer, and observations of the world, safely cloistered in my room (this is where the bias comes in). I notice that the fundamental aspect of research and our understanding comes from the derivations of small-behavior that can be applied in a pattern to large scale behavior. And that the small system does not need to have many essential qualities and responses in order to dictate massive protocol.

Example 1: I choose LEGO blocks as a beautiful example of this mentality, since almost everyone in the Western Hemisphere has either played with and/or known of them.

Small Scale: The little standard 2x4x1 lego brick is surprisingly well engineered, with fault tolerances of <7um. A block will be made of mostly ABS plastic, if it is a spring piece, some metal, and if it is magnetic, a tiny cermaic magnet. 3 Ingredients, and I have just described about 90%+ of all lego bricks in Existence, with Pure ABS bricks being 80%+
All a lego brick has to do is bind to another lego brick with the Studs or stick/tube.

Large Scale: LEGOLAND, Mindstorms. Each tiny piece contributes to the whole in not entirely expected ways. [Look closely at some lego sculptures and be amazed at the creativity of selection of parts]

Small Scale: A Bird. Fly with other birds. Do not stray too far, do not hit anything. Try to stay at 60 degress from behind to maximize lift.
Large Scale: I have just lain the foundations for bird flocking and predator avoidance

Small Scale:A neuron, essentially the cellular stimulus and Response cell. Input signal-> output
Large Scale: Your Fecking Brain

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I make this point because some people forget that the whole is dependent on ALL of its parts, and that no portion should be neglected or ridiculed because it is not immediately clear how it will fit in.

Nano technology is another clear example on tiny contributions lead to macroscopic changes that could not have been acheived otherwise

The finale I'm trying to make comes from a moment of paradoxical implications, wherein a math fundamentals describes Set A contains Set B, but Set B contains Set A, and B does not Equal A.

Philosophy->Sociology->Psychology->Biology->Chemistry->Physics->Mathematics->Philosophy
Engineering is Just Physics
Physics is just Engineering [If you want to do any experiments]

Next Time: Biology, and why every organism deserves an examination

Extra projects and progress

Is this going to be a seasonal thing? (Update every sunday perhaps?)
Things I managed to get done since September-October
Finally install uBUNTu on my second computer, hooked it up to a cheap Hub
Got 2 free LCD monitors with broken backlights, will be replacing the original bulbs with cheap Cold Cathode Florescent bulbs something this weekend

Got a tiny camera flash unit. You switch it on, and when it's charged, press a button and the flash goes off. It is easily my new favorite toy. Wheee! *Flash*

Finished the hall sign, it is now mounted and not-so-blindingly-glowing


Started drinking coffee on a more regular basis
(missing half a class cuz you passed out during it is no fun at all), its nowhere near as restful as sleep, and it makes you look bad in front of the prof

Fan Crap: Valve claims to delay any new class/content until 2009... I call shenanigans until they have an official post.

www.brickset.com-- Excellent Archive of all Lego sets. 1992. 1991, and 1987 were good years in my book (yes i'm comparing Lego to wine, shuddup)

I got to vote absentee, wee. Go Obama.
Nothing wrong with McCain, aside from various verbal gaffes, but I'll cut the man a break, He's almost as old as my Granddad.
Problem's with Palin. Acting Cute does not make one a leader. Being unaware of foreign developments while dictating policy is tantamount to driving while blindfolded. The Executive has at it's disposal the most powerful Army [Firepower], Navy, Air, and Nuclear forces. Although our troops are courageous and valiant, they have a limit. Knowing the nuance between speaking softly and carrying a big stick is going to be critical for getting us through. This I feel Palin lacks. She may know what Main Street feels, but she doesn't know how the World feels.