Great Quotes

Quote: billryan

I waz reading a studi last weak , wear it sed that people with superior intellekt could read a paper wit gross misteaks and understand it perfectly while people of middlin intel often can't sea the forest thru the trees.
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I read this and didn't even realize there were spelling mistakes until I read it the second time. I read so much that my brain just looks for the clues it doesn't really see the word. I took a speed reading course once and was pretty good at it but you can't read a novel because you miss all the nuance.

Quote: EvenBob

Quote: billryan

I waz reading a studi last weak , wear it sed that people with superior intellekt could read a paper wit gross misteaks and understand it perfectly while people of middlin intel often can't sea the forest thru the trees.
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I read this and didn't even realize there were spelling mistakes until I read it the second time. I read so much that my brain just looks for the clues it doesn't really see the word. I took a speed reading course once and was pretty good at it but you can't read a novel because you miss all the nuance.
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I'd laugh my butt off if Billyran came back and said he got it wrong, and it actually means you're a dimwit.

Quote: rxwine

Quote: EvenBob

Quote: billryan

I waz reading a studi last weak , wear it sed that people with superior intellekt could read a paper wit gross misteaks and understand it perfectly while people of middlin intel often can't sea the forest thru the trees.
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I read this and didn't even realize there were spelling mistakes until I read it the second time. I read so much that my brain just looks for the clues it doesn't really see the word. I took a speed reading course once and was pretty good at it but you can't read a novel because you miss all the nuance.
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I'd laugh my butt off if Billyran came back and said he got it wrong, and it actually means you're a dimwit.
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No he got it right. I've seen this before that the brain doesn't really read the words it looks for clues. If you had to actually read every word you'd never finish a book. The brain looks for familiarity and you don't actually read a sentence you just get the gist of what it means. That's why when you're reading a good novel and you get to a part that's important you go back and read it again and again to make sure you understand it.

I took a semester-long speed reading class in high school, and it has helped tremendously. I can quickly scan most papers and understand the gist of them.
What we see and what the brain tells us we are seeing are very different. If the nerves that transmit the information from the eye to the brain aren't working right, the message gets jumbled.
Two people look at a tree. Both sets of eyes transmit a binary code to the brain, and the message center translates it. One person's nerves work fine, and the brain gets the correct message. The other person's nerves aren't well, and thirty percent of the message is lost in translation. With only 70% of the code received, instead of having the unique code assigned to trees, the code could be anything from bananas to the man on the moon. The brain takes the messy code and tries to decide what the message is. The result can be what we call hallucinations.
My Mother was legally blind for the last few years of her life, and once she accepted this, she wasn't shy about telling us what she saw.
We were in New Hope, PA, and banners were across the streets celebrating some festival. My Mom looked at the banners, and somehow, her brain told her she was looking at strawberry shortcake—not a banner that said strawberry shortcake, but actual cakes floating above the street every hundred yards or so.

Quote: rxwine

Quote: billryan

I waz reading a studi last weak , wear it sed that people with superior intellekt could read a paper wit gross misteaks and understand it perfectly while people of middlin intel often can't sea the forest thru the trees.
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Oooh you reminded me of two mind tricks. I may not get this right though since I'm not looking it up.

!. In a page of text someone can easily spot their own name much quicker than other random suggested words.

2. As long as the first and last letter are correct most people can read a page even if the other letter in between are scrambled.

I think that's what they were.
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I wasn't aware of number one, but it makes sense.

Quote: billryan

<snip>My Mother was legally blind for the last few years of her life, and once she accepted this, she wasn't shy about telling us what she saw.
We were in New Hope, PA, and banners were across the streets celebrating some festival. My Mom looked at the banners, and somehow, her brain told her she was looking at strawberry shortcake—not a banner that said strawberry shortcake, but actual cakes floating above the street every hundred yards or so.
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billryan,

Your mother may have been experiencing Charles Bonnet syndrome:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_release_hallucinations

I had an elderly friend who eventually went blind. She often described seeing all kinds of strange images which she realized were not real.

Dog Hand

"You shouldn't judge yourself. That's what the Internet is for."

From the old Craig Fergason Late night show said to Scarlett Johannson

Quote:

While circumstances may seem dire, there is often a moment of clarity or potential change before reaching a state of complete despair.

Some People need to reimagine their thinking. -- me

90% of the game is half mental. -- Y. Berra

Ya see dat kid in Right, he's 20, and might become a star, dat other kid in Center is also 20 and might make it to 21. -- C. Stengl

Was listening to the radio and they had a quote from Red skeleton. He said he enjoyed holding hands with his wife. If he didn't do that,she would be shopping

Quote: avianrandy

Was listening to the radio and they had a quote from Red skeleton. He said he enjoyed holding hands with his wife. If he didn't do that,she would be shopping
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Now THAT is funny.

tuttigym

Quote: avianrandy

Was listening to the radio and they had a quote from Red skeleton. He said he enjoyed holding hands with his wife. If he didn't do that,she would be shopping
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He is definitely a skeleton now but in those days he was known as Red Skelton. A very nice guy, he never did blue comedy everything was always family friendly.

He was a good comedian.from Vincennes Indiana I believe. He is a little before my time but I have seen some of him on classic tv. I'm not perfect but most knew who I meant

Quote: avianrandy

He was a good comedian.from Vincennes Indiana I believe. He is a little before my time but I have seen some of him on classic tv. I'm not perfect but most knew who I meant
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Took me back...


(This is a clip from a 1943 Tex Avery animation)

Ok i.guess we have to exclude Dieter lol. One in every crowd

Quote: avianrandy

Ok i.guess we have to exclude Dieter lol. One in every crowd
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In context, the animation was joking on Red Skelton's name.

I'm not entirely sure, but I think the peculiar walk the skeleton does is reminiscent of one of Red's physical comedy characterizations.

Quote: Clarence Darrow

I have never killed a man,
but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.

These 2 quotes have made me more friends than nemesis:

(1)

"Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself." In Chinese "己所不欲，勿施于人" by Confucius


(2)

“Do to others what you would have them do to you.”
In Hebrew "עשה לאחרים את מה שאתה רוצה שיעשו לך." by Jesus Christ


Per Google:

"Both **Confucius** and **Jesus Christ** emphasized ethical behavior and compassion, though their phrasing and emphasis differ slightly:

* **Confucius** (Chinese philosopher) often expressed his ethics in the form of the **Silver Rule**:

> *“Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself.”*
> This is about restraint—avoiding harm or injustice.

* **Jesus Christ** (Jewish teacher) taught the **Golden Rule**:

> *“Do to others what you would have them do to you.”* (Matthew 7:12)
> This emphasizes proactive kindness and love.

Together, these two teachings—one focused on **avoiding harm**, the other on **actively doing good**—form a powerful, complementary moral foundation.

So BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO're drawing wisdom from both **Chinese** and **Jewish** traditions, two cultures with deep philosophical and ethical legacies. That’s a strong and balanced approach to life."

Here is a Google's "do good to others quote"

“Feed a soul, not a bin...

Leftovers? Let’s pass it forward [to the hoemless].”

Sometimes, one can see with one's eyes closed, but you can't listen while flapping your gums.

Quote: billryan

Sometimes, one can see with one's eyes closed, but you can't listen while flapping your gums.
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You never learn anything while you are talking.

Quote: MrV

Quote: Mooseton

"I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time -- when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness..."


Carl Sagan, 1995

Astonishing that you would post that. It’s good stuff.

___________________________________

How prophetic.

As a boy I believed America was the greatest country in the world, a beacon of freedom and good government.

Today I watched Lady Liberty throw down her torch and start swimming back to France.
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Lay off the drugs bro.

I have not failed. I've just discovered 10,000 ways that won't work.
T.A. Edison

Hope is wishing something would happen.
Faith is believing something will happen.
Courage is making something happen.
Author Unknown

Quote: billryan

I have not failed. I've just discovered 10,000 ways that won't work.
T.A. Edison

Hope is wishing something would happen.
Faith is believing something will happen.
Courage is making something happen.
Author Unknown
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Before Edison
There's Newton

Newton did NOT fail.
He discovered 1,000,000 ways that metals [such as lead] won't be converted into gold

But nowadays
A metal can be converted into gold

See the quote below




"How can a metal be converted into gold?

Here's an Answer by "Gi Genius":

Converting a metal (such as mercury) into gold is technically possible, but extremely difficult, expensive, and impractical using current technology. Here's a breakdown of the idea and the science behind it:

🧪 Theoretical Basis: Nuclear Transmutation
Mercury (Hg) and gold (Au) are different elements with different numbers of protons:

Mercury (Hg) has 80 protons

Gold (Au) has 79 protons

To turn mercury into gold, you'd have to remove one proton from the nucleus of a mercury atom. This process is known as nuclear transmutation.

⚛️ How Could It Be Done?
Particle Accelerators
You can bombard mercury atoms with particles (like neutrons or protons) in a particle accelerator to change their nuclear structure. This might cause a mercury isotope to lose a proton and become gold.

Nuclear Reactors
Some transmutation reactions can occur in nuclear reactors by neutron capture followed by beta decay, but this is complex and depends on the isotope.

🚫 Why It’s Not Practical
Astronomically Expensive: The energy and cost of running a particle accelerator far outweigh the value of the gold produced.

Tiny Yields: You’d get nanograms or less of gold from a massive effort.

Radioactivity: The gold produced might be radioactive, depending on the process and isotopes involved.

Safety Hazards: You’d be dealing with nuclear reactions, radiation, and toxic materials like mercury.

💡 Historical Trivia
Alchemists in the Middle Ages tried for centuries to turn base metals like mercury or lead into gold. They never succeeded because they lacked knowledge of atomic structure and nuclear physics.

In 1980, scientists at Lawrence Berkeley Lab did actually turn bismuth into gold using a particle accelerator—but again, it cost vastly more than the gold was worth.

✅ In Summary
Yes, mercury can be converted into gold via nuclear transmutation, but:

It’s a scientific curiosity, not a viable method of gold production.

You're better off investing in gold or mining it than trying to make it in a lab."

Then there's Franz Reichelt (16 October 1878 – 4 February 1912), also known as Frantz Reichelt or François Reichelt, was an Austro-Hungarian-born French tailor, inventor.

The post about accelerator-based conversion of an element into gold is basic nuclear engineering. Ex: Nuclear reactors convert uranium-235 into two light elements by fission (splitting the atom) and into neptunium and then plutonium by absorption of neutrons.

Every slightly reactive chemical element turns into another chemical element over time. Ex: Carbon-14 decays and becomes Nitrogen-14. Hohum.

Alchemy aimed for the chemical conversion of elements into other elements such as gold. That is where the "chem" in alchemy originates from. And alchemy has never been successful. And never will be.

@gordonm888

What was impossible [any metal turned into gold] now it's a reality

Next project:

Could a genius create an "Elixir of Immortality" through genetic manipulation?


YES! per "Ai Genius"

"In theory:
Yes, it is plausible that extreme longevity — possibly even something close to biological immortality — could be achieved through advanced genetic engineering. But not in the way ancient myths imagined it (a single magical potion). Instead, it would involve complex, multi-layered biological interventions.

🔬 Scientific Possibilities (based on real research)
Telomere Extension:

Telomeres are the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes. They shorten as we age.

Gene therapies that extend telomeres (like activating telomerase) have been shown to extend lifespan in mice.

But: Uncontrolled telomerase activation can also lead to cancer.

Senescent Cell Removal:

As we age, cells become "senescent" (zombie-like) and damage nearby cells.

Gene editing could potentially program the body to clean these up regularly, slowing aging.

Gene Therapy & CRISPR:

Specific genes like FOXO3, Klotho, and SIRT1 are linked to longevity.

A genius could potentially develop therapies to enhance or repair these genes.

Epigenetic Reprogramming:

Turning back the "biological clock" on cells (like with Yamanaka factors) to make them youthful again.

Regeneration / Tissue Engineering:

If we could endlessly regenerate organs or tissues (via stem cells or bioengineering), lifespan could extend dramatically.

⚠️ Scientific Challenges
Cancer risk: Immortal cells often resemble cancer cells.

Complexity: Aging is not caused by a single gene but by a network of systems breaking down.

Brain aging: Even if the body is maintained, preserving the mind (memories, personality) is a separate challenge.

Ethical & social concerns: Immortality raises enormous issues around inequality, overpopulation, and meaning of life.

💡 Conclusion
A "genius" might not create a literal Elixir of Immortality in a bottle, but:

It is scientifically conceivable that, through genetic manipulation, future humanity could extend life dramatically, slow or halt aging, and even approach a form of biological immortality — though likely only for those with access to cutting-edge biotech"

Learning to peacefully exist with cancer will go a long way towards extended longevity.

"Asking questions is exactly how we learn and grow—there’s no shame in it at all. It’s way better to ask once and clear things up than to stay confused forever. Everyone starts somewhere, and curiosity is what keeps your mind sharp." By "Ai Genius"

"There are no stupid questions, but there is always one dumb mofo who tests that theory?" Sergeant Major Ernie Hayes

Quotes from the "darksides" with a tonque of snake