User:KYPark/2001

Bloom's debut, The Lucifer Principle (1997), sought the biological basis for human evil. Now Bloom is after even bigger game. While cyber-thinkers claim the Internet is bringing us toward some sort of worldwide mind, Bloom believes we've had one all along. Drawing on information theory, debates within evolutionary biology, and research psychology (among other disciplines), Bloom understands the development of life on Earth as a series of achievements in collective information processing. He stands up for "group selection" (a minority view among evolutionists) and traces cooperation among organisms -- and competition between groups -- throughout the history of evolution. "Creative webs" of early microorganisms teamed up to go after food sources: modern colonies of E. coli bacteria seem to program themselves for useful, nonrandom mutations. Octopi "teach" one another to avoid aversive stimuli. Ancient Sparta killed its weakest infants; Athens educated them. Each of these is a social learning system. And each such system relies on several functions. "Conformity enforcers" keep most group members doing the same things; "diversity generators" seek out new things; "resource shifters" help the system alter itself to favor new things that work. In Bloom's model, bowling leagues, bacteria, bees, Belgium and brains all behave in similar ways. Lots of real science and some history -- much of it fascinating, some of it quite obscure -- go into Bloom's ambitious, amply footnoted, often plausible arguments. He writes a sometimes bombastic prose ("A neutron is a particle filled with need"); worse yet, he can fail to distinguish among accepted facts, scientifically testable hypotheses and literary metaphors. His style may guarantee him an amateur readership, but he's not a crank. Subtract the hype, and Bloom's concept of collective information processing may startle skeptical readers with its explanatory power. (Aug.)

The Scholarly, Whimsical, Gentle, Lucky and Loving Dragon

Once upon a time there was a dragon. He was a scholarly, whimsical, gentle, lucky and loving dragon who watched over his neighbors and protected them from harm. Alas, he was invisible, as are all dragons, so nobody could see him.

Fortunately, along came an enthusiastic, energetic and imaginative sculptor who had the magical powers to transform this dragon into bronze for all to see.

As everyone knows, dragons come in every size and shape imaginable and can be found in all parts of the world. They are familiar to many diverse cultures, hence, this dragon has the ability to link old and young, fat and thin, from many countries.

This particular dragon is unique. He combines characteristics from all the continents on earth. He is a Global dragon!

He is 8 feet long. He is a vegetarian, which accounts for the special little beak at the bottom of his lower jaw, which he uses to clip luscious green vegetation from his surroundings. He has three stomachs where he stores his leafy greens. In time, the greens ferment and produce gas. This gas ignites when sparks are created by the gnashing of his many sharp teeth. If he becomes angry these sparks produce fire which then explode from his nostrils.

But, since this is a gentle, lucky and loving dragon, there is little chance of this ever happening. Although he doesn’t have wings, the large lump on his head, called a "poh shan", gives him the ability to fly but, as he secretly admits, he is the kind of dragon that likes to stay in one place for hundreds of years at a time.

The dragon's eyes can withstand the brightest sunlight, yet his vision is keen in the dark of night. He needs little if any sleep. He is always ready to ward off intruders and, if necessary, he might open his mouth and with his many pointed teeth and forked tongue take a little bite out of the interloper. In the middle of his forehead is a "dracontia", a precious gem, believed to give magical powers to its owner and it’s owners’ closest friends. It is said by the sages of the universe that if you rub your hand over a "dracontia" three times, you will have good fortune.

This courageous dragon has a remarkably large brain and is by far the most intelligent of all mythical beasts. He has an excellent memory that can recall events from past decades, even past centuries. He is a perpetual student and loves to study. His continuous search for knowledge sets a powerful example for all who see him. He knows every language in the world, even animal and bird talk. He is considered a Supreme dragon having five claws like an eagle’s talons on his feet rather than three or four as with lesser dragons. He loves children and gum drops. He likes to position himself in such a way as to be crawled on and under and round about.

Rather than end in a barb, this loving dragon has a tail that ends with a heart. The fifteen bony plates that run along the vertebrae of his spine are just the right size for children to sit between in comfort and safety. It should be noted that the number fifteen is divisible by both three and five, two numbers having special dragonian powers which have to do with good health, longevity, and curiosity.

His strong ethical values and deep spirituality cause him to be particularly delighted when families are attracted to him, surround him, play, pat and hug him. He is a visionary and a wise dragon who fervently hopes that he will have a profound influence on all children who embrace him.

by Nancy Schön