Sensation!

A random bit of jib-jabbery and general side tracking. The five senses seem to fall into two distinct categories. Those focused on interpreting biochemical stimuli (smell, taste) and those that interpret wave-based stimuli (sight, hearing). Touch on the other hand seems to be a somewhat different critter.

All of the above senses, hit our nervous system through specialized organs. Light bounces off objects at specific wavelengths, and we differentiate between color and shading based on the rod and cone structures which jangle alarm bells along the nervous system. Hearing filters in the vibration of atoms at particular frequencies in through the ear canal, beating a mad rhythm on the ear drum, and eventually tip toeing up a nerve. Sight and smell work in concert and run on larger bits and pieces of the world. Receptors accept particular kinds of structures and the cells of the receptors fire information back. Touch seems to have elements of both. Our sense of temperature is a product of picking up the motion of particles. But as a semi-permeable surface, compounds can penetrate the skin triggering nerves to fire. The presence of water molecules allows us to differentiate between wet (humid) vs. dry (arid) conditions perhaps? And how about chemical reactions at the skin level. If heavily basic or acidic materials come into contact with the skin the reactions trigger the nerves, but how would such be classified? It seems like the nerves themselves are much closer to the action when it comes to the sense of touch.

Divergent views on Goddess Worship

A thought, as I read Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (again).

There's a large chunk of information being thrown about in Snow Crash regarding goddess worship in regards to Asherah. Mostly in a negative light. Asherah worship as linked with the spread of viruses, of both the physical and meta- variety.

And as something that may not have occurred to me before (or maybe it did, but not having written it down, it escaped into the void), I've started thinking about how Snow Crash compares with Tom Robbins' Skinny Legs and All, which takes a decidedly different view on goddess worship and the religious conflict (with Judaism, with Christianity, etc...) that pops up around it. I'm interested in finding out if Asherah is mentioned specifically in Skinny Legs and All.

*After a bit of digging, it looks like the name Astarte shows up in Skinny Legs and All. While close in appearance with the Asherah in Snow Crash, it doesn't necessarily entail equality. A reference to each exists in Wikipedia, both filling the role of mother goddesses. The two articles conflict a bit in whether or not they are a single entity or two separate entities.

"The goddess, the Queen of heaven whose worship Jeremiah so vehemently opposed, may have been Asherah or possibly Astarte." (from the article on Asherah) would seemingly differentiate between the two. Whereas, "According to scholar Mark S. Smith, Astarte may be the Iron Age (after 1200 BC) incarnation of the Bronze Age (to 1200 BC) Asherah.[1]" would link the two as a single entity.

The Groo Speaks Softly

The power collapses around my head! This is the second time in the past month where I've discovered the limitations of power pumped into my subterranean lair. This time however, the culprit was the vacuum. In the midst of cleaning, as if to say, "No! Bachelor-like living must be upheld!", the vacuum died off into silence as the lights around me popped out. The lights out in the living room took umbrage with my power consumption as well and withdrew the gift of light that they so frequently indulge me in. The bathroom and kitchen retained the flicker of life though. And strangely enough, the high drain appliances in the kitchen stayed on, and my media center in the living room continued to pump out the sounds of Joanna Newsom.

I am tangled in webs of wires. Overlaid. Irrationally convoluted. Now I wait for my landlord to get back so that I can access the electrical box, and reset the circuits that screamed out and went silent. In the mean time, it appears that music will continue to be had. Music in the (semi-)dark.

A Slacker Once and Always

About a month ago, I was asked if I would like to write for an online community with roots in Tacoma (it was started by a few UPS grads). With a definite interest, I was quick to respond in the affirmative. And over the past month, I keep on pushing off that first article.

So, in an act of pure futility, I'm reminding myself, via blog, that I need to get on that shit. Shoo Josh. Stop writing in me. Get thee to a topic, and write.

I'm sure that once I get started on something it'll all come in a violent burst of colour and shape.