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Topics - Ixxie

#1
Discordian Recipes / Indian Cooking Toolbox
September 01, 2013, 07:40:28 PM
Indian Rice:

Soak basmati rice in water for 20m then dry it off. Fry up an onion in a pot on a medium flame, after a minute or two add 0.5-1 teaspoon of cumin, 1-2 sticks of Cinnamon and 8-10 green cardamom seeds . Keep stirring for 2-3 more minutes making sure the cumin doesn't burn. Add the rice and fry it up for 2-3 minutes and add water and salt. Now because of the soak you only need about 1.5 cups of water per cup of rice. I usually add 1 cup of water initially, and add more if needed - tasting the rice as I go.

When the rice is ready - you can eat it. OR you can put the lid on the pot and roast it in the oven at 80-100 degrees C. In principle, I understand you can roast it for hours and it will get crispier and crispier. Last time I did it on 100 degrees for 1-2 hours and it was awesome. I still wanna experiment with the temperatures and times and see how to get it better.
#2
Discordian Recipes / Ixxies 'Shroom Pasta
August 31, 2013, 05:48:03 AM
Slice 500 grams or so of chestnut mushrooms, making sure not to wash them with water (you can use a kitchen papers to wipe of the shit). You roast them on a pan without oil until they will release their water and cook in it, adding pepper, nutmeg and dry white wine to taste (I like quite a bit). Fry 3-5 cloves of garlic slice against the grain in butter on a separate pan, add them and all the butter to the shrooms as soon as they are crispy. Add half a tea spoon or so of cumin seeds and cook for a few more minutes until most the liquid evaporate. Add two cups / packets of cream and cook until thick enough, adding salt and pepper to taste. Fry butter on a separate pan and roast 3-500g of wallnuts, , 250-500g of bacon. Cook 500g of tagliatelle (made with egg ofc), and when the sauce is nice and thick and tastes good mix everything together in a pot. Add three eggs and mix until it cooks in the residual heat, adding a little fire if necessary.

Serve optionally with Parmesan / Grana Padano, garlic bread, green pesto, chives, spring onions and/or a dry white wine.
#3
Discordian Recipes / the Austrian Zinger
August 31, 2013, 05:25:32 AM
Ice Berg Salad, Radishes, Strawberries, Goat Cheese, honey and a good vinegar (dark balsamico maybe). Mint and Lemon optional.
#4
I have started reading Steven Jay Gould recently, and he had an interesting perspective on the history and status of Evolutionary Theory. He wrote in his 2002 book the Structure of Evolutionary Theory the following from page 32 (emphasis mine):
Quote
As the most striking general contrast that might be illuminated by reference to the different Zeitgeists of Darwin's time and our own, modern revisions for each essential postulate of Darwinian logic substitute mechanics based on interaction for Darwin's single locus of causality and directional flow of effects. Thus, for Darwin's near exclusivity of organismic selection, we now propose a hierarchical theory with selection acting simultaneously on a rising set of levels, each characterized by distinctive, but equally well-defined, Darwinian individuals within a genealogical hierarchy of gene, cell-lineage, organism, deme, species, and clade. The results of evolution then emerge from complex, but eminently knowable, interactions among these potent levels, and do not simply flow out and up from a unique causal locus of organismal selection.

This Holarchic vision of genetic evolution has its parallel in Sociocultural Evolution; the histories of Biology and Economics seem to be eternally intertwined, and Hayek held his support for Group Selection in Sociocultural Evolution. I was googling and found this  paper by Todd J. Zywicki: "Was Hayek Right About Group Selection After All?" Review Essay of Unto Others: The Evolution and Psychology of Unselfish Behavior by Elliott Sober and David Sloan Wilson. The Abstract reads:

QuoteOne of the most controversial aspects of Hayek's social theory was his acceptance of the concept of cultural group selection. The publication of Unto Others: The Evolution and Psychology of Unselfish Behavior provides an opportunity to revisit this much-maligned component of Hayek's thought. Sober and Wilson are concerned with biological group selection, but much of their argument is equally applicable to cultural group selection. This essay revisits Hayek's views on cultural group selection in light of the model proposed by Sober and Wilson. Comparing their model to Hayek's model suggests that group selection theories are more plausible than traditionally thought and that their viability in any given situation is an empirical, not an a priori, question. So long as there are benefits to a group from greater levels of altruism and cooperation, and so long as free rider problems can be mitigated, group selection models are plausible.

Now - while I do believe that such hierarchical selection plays a significant role on sociocultural evolution, I will allow that we must still collect a lot of empirical evidence to elaborate on the details. But we do not need to know these details, in order to implement them! The following proposal I will call for now EHNIX: the Erisian Holistic Network for Intersubjective Exchange. The structure would consists of units we will call Syndicates - of the order of magnitude of 5-500 people or so. People join by free association and decide their own organizational structure, determining they own actions and goals freely. But what if these in turn established a network and allow them to evolve? But suppose they consider some or all of the following strategies:


  • Free determination and Subsidiarity: The Syndicates collects Resources, Tools, People and Skills suiting the Goals it chooses for itself, and decides on the appropriate actions. Free association and a spirit of subsidiarity would encourage regulatory structures decentralized as much as possible.
  • Organizational Holarchy: Syndicates might forge Unions, Guilds and Schools with other Syndicates, to cooperate in many ways. These in turn might be combined to form even higher level coops.
  • Third Party Contractual Enforcement and Skin in the Game: a trustworthy and impartial third party should be employed to handle contractual disputes between parties on any level of the hierarchy. The appropriate choice depends on context of course. This will provide an ad hoc anarchic judicial network to help maintain cooperation and this group selection. Skin in the Game means every individual and syndicate is responsible for the risks and chances they take, and those responsible should bear the consequences (whether positive or negative).
  • Replication by Crowdfunding: If the Syndicate or Union has Resources to spare, it can consider micro or macro investments in other Syndicates in the network - with or without interest.
  • Innovation: Using Bimodal Strategies the Syndicates might combine the bread-and-butter work with some R&D trial and error tinkering. 
  • Imitation: Syndicates keep a communication network to culture is continuously exchanged - Syndicates might adopt each others Ideas, Skills, Tools and Traditions.
  • Critical and Natural Selection: by the pressures of Ecological and Economic competition, and by the democratic consensus within Syndicates, the traits better promoting the interests of a syndicate would spread.
  • Internal Currencies, Trade and Specialization: by use of internal currencies, different syndicates or unions could encourage trade between their members, and localize capital. Specialization will allow for a great diversity in the abilities and products of the network.
  • Emergency Funds and Resources - Frugality and Redundancy: Taxes could be voluntarily agreed upon, and a the funds can be used to create an Emergency Funds and Resources. Budget will never be allowed to go into deficit, and over-leveraging will be avoiding. The extra resources be used to help accommodate individuals in distress and take advantage of opportunities but will not bail out failed projects unless there was no other choice, and will certainly ensure those responsible pay a price.
  • Antifragile Heuristics, Evolving Evolvability and the Bar Bell: The above Heuristics are intended to make the evolving structure Adaptive, Antifragile - to minimize exposure to negative Black Swans and maximize exposure to Positive Black Swans. A Bimodal Strategy is implemented, maintaining redundant critical resources as well and tools while tinkering with experiments on all levels. This is intended to keep Options diverse and Evolvability high. Sometimes what begins as a joke might end up a serious project - and this strategy aims to permit little things to grow while keeping a safety net for people.
I am quite convinced that some variant of the sketch propounded here - when implemented with enough people and resources - could be is sufficient to at least reaching a level of economic and technologic autonomy sufficient for the basic sustenance, safety and shelter (as history has proven). But I also think we could reproduce many other products of modernity in this way as well - producing critical supplies like antibiotics and basic electronic and mechanical tools on our own. Probably in many ways it might be able to them better, if tuned right. I am also convinced that the growth of such a network is feasible and sustainable in the current climate and civilization. Not only that - if successful it could survive many disasters which other current social structures are fragile to. Thus - this Network might hide in the Shadows of current Nation State Paradigm - waiting for its collapse prepared.

Personally I hope to find people with whom to implement such ideas, specifically a Permaculture / Hunting / Fishing based Syndicate operating in Central Europe, that dabbles in Nonsense, Scientific Research, Artistic Articulation, Philosophical Inquiry and Cunning Craft - a plan I codenamed Project Hydra. The wiki this article is on is called Fluxcraft and I opened it with the intent of discussing ideas in this direction, as well as others.

Open Questions:

  • Does this seem feasible?
  • Does anybody know any existing projects in this direction?
  • What kind of problems would you foresee?
  • Which heuristics, strategies and concepts would you add or remove from this list?
  • Anybody interested in helping me develop this concept farther in a serious way, even trying to implement it eventually?
#5
// I posted this on another board, but being new here I didn't know it should be posted here. //

For a variety of projects I have produced some original vector art: the Sacred Chao, a modern take on the eye in the pyramid and some weird decorative object.

I hereby release it to the Nusphere, feel free to use with or without attribution.

http://www.fluxcraft.net/stuff/Eris.pdf

#7
Two vast and trunkless legs of stone / Santo Daime
August 25, 2013, 07:35:14 PM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Daime

Curious organization, with an insane combination of Christianity, Amazon Jungle Shamanism, and African Animism amongst others - even integrating Yoga in the mix.

So, I went to one of their rituals and consumed the Daime (the Sacrament = Ayahuasca + a Special Blessing Ritual). I think I will go again, despite the slight vibe of indoctrination and Christianity that left a bad taste in my mouth. After all - 20 euros for a good dose of Ayahuasca is fair pricing, and they supply the buckets and towels and everything! In any case I am curious to learn some of their more useful techniques and beliefs - my buddy is into it and says there is a whole religious revolution in South America with some crazy panmixia of a variety of traditions.

Anybody has experience with them?
#8
So - for a variety of projects I have produced some original vector art: the Sacred Chao, a modern take on the eye in the pyramid and some weird decorative object.

I hereby release it to the Nusphere, feel free to use with or without attribution.

http://www.fluxcraft.net/stuff/Eris.pdf



#9
A couple of months ago I set up this wiki called Fluxcraft. The idea was to form a sort of decentralized collaborative interdisciplinary workshop - a playground for a variety of projects. Personally I hope to use this wiki for projects related to a variety of themes including Sustainability, Decentralization, Randomness, (Anti)fragility, Sociocultural and Genetic Evolution, (Behavioral) Ecology, Anarchism, Pragmatism, Skepticism, Empiricism and Non-Dual Mysticism.  I was hoping to have enough content in there to at least make a decent portal before inviting more people. Unfortunately I have been busy with other things, so I don't have nearly as much content as I would have liked. So now I will finally follow the suggestion of Burns and invite everybody in PD to contribute.

The intended tenor here is one of not taking shit too seriously while actually producing useful and interesting material. Bullshit Fnording is also readily welcome - indeed we have a couple of examples, however I would ask that when editing an existing article you try and keep to the general tenor of the article. Of course sprinkled comments of a less / more serious flavor are always welcome, but Trolling should be done in an artful way - so as to provide subtly entertaining yet constructive criticism. Many have pointed out the rueful and overwhelming trend of Discordian discourse towards derogatory intolerance and calumny towards anybody proposing anything even slightly more Anersian than a Spaggin-LOL-Fnord. I feel this is contrary to the Spirit of the Chao - If things get too Erisian, a Spag true to the Chao would become Anerisian to maintain the Dynamic Punctuated Stasis Harmonic Discord.

                      :horrormirth:     :horrormirth:     :horrormirth:     :horrormirth:     :horrormirth:
 
I will take this opportunity to give a short introduction of myself for those who give an Opabinia's ass:

I. I'm a Mongrel Spider Wizard of the Fractal Cult, trained in the Arcane Arts of Biomathematics, and currently finishing my Master's thesis on a class of Sociocultural Evolutionary models I call Discordian Adaptive Networks.

II. My current research interests are {Sociocultural} Evolutionary Theory, Ecology, (Anti)Fragility Analysis and Bimodal Strategies a-la Taleb, and Philosophy of Science (and Religion) - for which I utilize Network Theory, Probability Theory / Markov Random Fields and Dynamical Systems Theory. My long term aims include Weaving the Tree of Life with the Tree of Knowledge in every conceivable way and finding ways to use evolutionary theory to help promote the survival of our species (a questionable goal, but Do What Thou Wilt eh?).

III. In the last 6 months I have been residing in the Nether near Amsterdam, but I'm registered in the University of Vienna where I previously lived for 3.5 years. I have lived in approximately 5 different countries so far, and plan on GTFO here ASAP, possibly to do a PhD in Evolutionary Ecology or study from shamans in the South-American Jungles or whatever.

IV. I aim to eventually set up a Dickswordian Permaculture Research Farm where I would have to work at most 2 days a week for my sustenance, leaving the the rest of the time available smoking dope, writing fiction and doing research on the local ecosystem from my Wizard's Tower. This is part of a long term pincer-ploy to form a decentralized network of Discordian syndicates lurking in the shadow of 'civilization' -  preparing for its collapse - while simultaneously infiltrating governments and media to promote a decentralization and subsidiarity agenda that promotes the interests of the syndicates while 'civilization' still reigns.

V. I lurk in #discord and you can blame Cramulus, Burns and Trip for bringing me over here. It :fap:s jolly darn spunktacular to be here!


                      :horrormirth:     :horrormirth:     :horrormirth:     :horrormirth:     :horrormirth:

Aaaaaaaallllrriiggghty Then: Release the Kraken!
#10
In the spirit of treating mythology as the art of speaking of the ineffable, I have been messing around with a more expanded Discordian pantheon to allow a greater vocabulary for elaborated mythos. For I always felt Aneris should have been Male - and the consort of Eris (after all, isn't sex the ultimate physical symbol of non-duality?).

The Dude (cf. Dudism) corresponds to the closest thing I can see for a Discordian Buddha / Christ archetype - the Son, which represents the union of Order and Disorder. Of course these Buddha figures are inherently bias - they are Mystics and thus focus on guiding people from the Order of the Manifest to the Disorder of the Unmanifest. I have been trying to figure out what the reverse is - which would be the corresponding figure for the archetype of the Wizard. Simon Magus came to mind, and he definitely fits the bill, but I wanted a female. Then I found Hecate! She seems like the perfect deity for this role as a manifester, and is certainly considered a deity of Magi in European tradition. While the Dude is of the Way (= Dao = Chao), Hecate is the Goddess of Crossroads! She is traditionally depicted as a Three fold entity, which is fun because we can depict her as a five fold figure.

I earlier messed around with some Discordian elemental system http://www.fluxcraft.net/index.php/Magic, and I figures I could convert it to a DiPentatheon of Discordian Gods. The result is this silly sigil I call the Wholy Fnord. Some of these could probably do with improved names, especially Hecate which I particularly love.

As a fan of Alan Watts' work, I wanted to add Maya and Lilla (Illusion/Magic and Play in Sanskrit) - such beautiful names that fit the scheme so well. I envision them as eternally 5 year old androgenous deities - sometimes playing nice, sometimes fighting one another.



I might wanna try for a cosmogony later, but I am still questioning some of these choices. This could also possibly be used in an attempt to unify Discordianism with the SunGenius Church and Dudism, and expanding the pantheon to prevent it from being a trinity like Christianity xD