StructuredDream

In response to this article ( http://is.gd/2Ijes ), I commented the following: The distances involved for deep space exploration are far greater than can be traversed via any conventional means, even given the unlikely acheivement of a lightspeed drive. A NASA partnership with theoretical physics, certain math-related disciplines and others would enable development of space-time models for location jumps from one point to another, overcoming or circumventing the intervening distance. While inital work would lack immediate benefit for most current NASA contractors, such an effort would inspire public support, aid the resolution of pernicious physics dilemmas, and advance us toward a future capability generally acknowledged as necessary for space exploration of real significance. Unless short-term priorities are aligned with strategic thinking, NASA's successes will continue to be relatively small, uninspiring, and to those not closely associated with the effort: difficult to justif...

Previous: Distress Call from Vulcan The commander, without even turning around informs Kirk he is "on academic suspension; that means you're grounded until the academy board rules." This hanger attendant seems to know a lot about this one particular cadet he hasn't even looked at, out of the hundreds milling about. Especially when this one cadet who just left a "surprise" academic hearing due to an emergency distress call, isn't it incredible that he can recite details no one else seems to know regarding this hearing as well as the administration position while rapidly while doing something unrelated on a touchscreen panel? Miraculous! Even more amazing, he knows details of the resolution options, and who will determine them, and all this while coordinating hundreds of flight assignments during a planetary emergency. Wow! StarFleet should just assign this guy to a starship by himself, and in 10 minutes he'd have Nero thumbing a rosary and laying han...

Previous: Why Spock Never Made the Debate Team 1 Spock claims that maintaining personal and command control "…is a quality expected in every Starfleet Captain." While arguably true, Kirk's performance during three tests, convincing his mock crew to appear, convincing his test administrators and even Spock himself to show up repeatedly for the simulation suggests that Kirk maintains control and persistence. With all this evidence right in front of him, Spock appears unable to see any of it – and for no good reason. Pride would be a good motivator, but that would require some explanation since this is an emotion that vulcans like Spock are trained to manage so that it serves their judgment, not the other way around. In response to this pitiful excuse of a criticism, Kirk hangs his head and melodramatic strings swell in the background, as Kirk is suffering over the haunting memories of his lost father…which he really doesn't have, since he never met the man… But never m...

Previous: James T. Kirk, Step Forward The Kobayashi Maru win and academic inquest is our first chance to see the adult, alternate timeline Spock in action since his absolutely fabulous line at the end of his meeting with the Vulcan Academic Council (see STbtM 018) . This council leader gives Spock, now at a lectern opposing Kirk's the floor with: "Commander." Spock: "Cadet Kirk, you somehow managed to install and activate a subroutine in the programming code, thereby changing the conditions of the test." The problem with this statement is that the conditions of the test are identical; it is the test itself that was changed, because it went from a test of crew response with certain failure to a showboat of Kirk being clever with his instructors and using the simulator to make an emotional and philosophical statement. This should have been explored, but either the writers did not understand the underlying dynamics, or any clue we may have that they do understand a...

Previous: Cheating to Win Back in the simulator control & observation room, a male test administrator turns away from Kirk, (now looking at them and waiting to converse), asks "How the hell did that kid beat your test?" as the camera zooms in on Spock who answers: "I do not know." Apparently, not a single member of the test administration team is interested in asking the one person who presumably knows what happened and has indicated he wants to show off his efforts. They prefer to stare at each other or into space and ponder deep, inscrutable mysteries rather than say, "Nice one cadet! What did you do?" How can these writers become so famous (and rich?) writing characters that constantly ignore the obvious and even act contrary to minimal sensibilities? It blows my mind that there are people giving this film 5 stars! We cut to a large meeting auditorium, where 10 senior officials, numerous lower officials, aides, and hundreds of Academy members fill...

Previous: Kobayashi Maru Begins Soon-to-be-suspended cadet Kirk orders "Alert medical bay to prepare to receive ALL crew members from the damaged ship." Uhura asks "And how do you expect us to rescue them when we're surrounded by Klingons, Captain ?" "Alert medical," he repeats superciliously, and Uhura returns to her workstation looking furious. McCoy reports: "Our ship's being hit. Shields at 60%." Kirk says, "I understand" and reaches under his seat to pull out an apple in homage to Wrath of Khan . "Should we, I don't know… fire back?" McCoy sarcastically asks. "No." "Of course not!" With klaxons in the background the simulator seems to shut down as everyone (but Kirk) bumbles around trying to figure out what happened. I was disappointed that yet again, without any apparent work, study, preparation or effort, Kirk was able to astound everyone around him with a computer subroutine that a...

In my upcoming presentations like this one , I'm considering 3 sections: Revolutionary Science (RS) Paradigms RS Project Management (RSPM) Use Cases These 3 sections roughly equate to background information, standards for administration of RS projects, and future areas where RSPM could be applied. The use case section most prominently focuses on development of technology for faster than light transportation, which seems a nearly ideal area for project management to aid physical science research. Current research in cosmology might be characterized by a diverse group of really smart researchers searching for something for which they have no clear definition and no known path to progress. They are basically adrift in the fog, seeking new models to explain anomalies like Dark Matter, Dark Energy, space-time dimensionality, conflicts and paradoxes between relativity and quantum mechanics and others. A small group within the cognitive science community has identified two critic...