What exactly is the heat death of the universe and where can I find out more?: “The ‘heat-death’ of the universe is when the universe has reached a state of maximum entropy. This happens when all available energy (such as from a hot source) has moved to places of less energy (such as a colder source). Once this has happened, no more work can be extracted from the universe. Since heat ceases to flow, no more work can be acquired from heat transfer. This same kind of equilibrium state will also happen with all other forms of energy (mechanical, electrical, etc.). Since no more work can be extracted from the universe at that point, it is effectively dead, especially for the purposes of humankind. ”

[more in link]

Hey you. Long time, no chat. But that’s largely because you seem to have dropped off the face of the universe.

You’re not dead, are you? I’m pretty sure I would have felt a disturbance in the Force if you were. So let’s proceed as though you are still alive — me writing, you reading, and perhaps, at some point, you writing back… Maybe just a smoke signal to say that you’re still breathing.

Last we spoke, things had taken a turn for the worse — that’s why I ask. I don’t want to pry, so if I am, tell me and I’ll quit.

Ah! Yes, I was trying to trick you into telling me something… Anything…

Oh, and I wanted to let you know that I traced the source of that leak. It’s exactly what I thought it was. Totally out of my hands and irreparable. Oh, well. The best I can do is never use that sink again. And I’m really sorry that you got wet because of it, but — well, that’s the way leaks work, eh? You don’t see them happening until you get wet.

Been thinking about what happens from here, and I think I’ve figured it out. That is, I figure that you’ve probably got to stay away, maybe for good. If you’re where I think you are, at least. And I can’t be honest and say that I agree with it, or that I’m happy about it, but I understand; really, I do. Do whatever you need to do to find peace — I don’t think that you’re looking in the right place, but what do I know? I’m not you. And I also have a tendency to ignore advice from others, so why am I offering it?

Hah.

There was a shooting star in the general direction of your house last night. In fact, it was falling directly toward you, now that I think about it. And I’m not one to make wishes, but I did. I wished for you to find your happiness, to be able smile (and mean it) again.

I hope you’re well. Even if you’re not, I think you will be.

And by “problem”, I mean: she was on Full House, and had to put up with Dave Coulier for who knows how long.

(mercilessly stolen from The Outernet)

I had forgotten how miserable it is to build a movie in Flash.

Seriously. It seems like it would be easy, what with layers, and timelines, and a very mostly usable interface.

And then you try to apply motion through tweens, working with text, adjusting alpha layers for fades, and things start to crosswire in the midst of a project, and it hits you:

This would be much easier in Premiere.

Especially since Flash will import a Quicktime file, and so the end user will never know the difference.

Yay, me.

Boo, Flash.

The Time Traveler Convention – May 7, 2005: “Technically, you would only need one time traveler convention. Time travelers from all eras could meet at a specific place at a specific time, and they could make as many repeat visits as they wanted. We are hosting the first and only Time Traveler Convention at MIT in one week, and WE NEED YOUR HELP!”

Convenience stores aim to remake their image – Food, Inc. – MSNBC.com: “Slim Jims are making way for sushi as convenience stores transform themselves with upscale eats and shed their image as junk food pit stops.”

Burger war grows with new 15 pounder – Food, Inc. – MSNBC.com: “‘It’s like trying to eat half a cow.'”

• Using passwords based on the present is a bad idea, because in the future, the past will remind you of itself. Usually unexpectedly.
• There’s nothing quite so fun as having a mouth full of airplane glue for an hour.
• Still toying with the idea of taking this blog over to insomniactive.com and incorporating it over there, if only to be able to use some stat tracking scripts I’ve been writing. But then, that means going to wordpress… wait. Maybe it doesn’t.

  I think I know how to make this work.

  Did any of you hear the lightbulb go off? Cause I think it set my hair aflame.

• My life is filled with hurry-up-and-wait. And I’m currently in the waiting stage, and my patience is wearing.

Or a ton of ’em, even.

It’s not change that makes me apprehensive. In fact, I crave change. It’s the unknown — that part of change that leaves you in the dark, waiting for the reality.

A ponderous day ahead, I think.

Human evolution at the crossroads – – MSNBC.com: “In the book ‘Future Evolution,’ University of Washington paleontologist Peter Ward argues that we are making ourselves virtually extinction-proof by bending Earth’s flora and fauna to our will. And assuming that the human species will be hanging around for at least another 500 million years, Ward and others believe there are a few most likely scenarios for the future, based on a reading of past evolutionary episodes and current trends.”