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Joined 9 days ago
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Cake day: January 28th, 2026

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  • Greg Egan’s Diaspora sets out how humanity could explore the galaxy and even the multiverse, which if you can’t be bothered reading consists of:

    1. Upload conciousness into computers, leave physical bodies.
    2. Miniaturise computers until we have spaceships in the grams/nano grams
    3. As we’re no longer connected to time we can build massive solar system sized technologies, built by nanotech, that sure could take hundreds of years to build but in our virtual realms we could easily sleep.
    4. Use Lasers to propel our nanogram spaceships to 90% light speed. Even then for the astronauts, time is almost nothing (time goes slower the faster you go). A trip across the galaxy would feel like mere weeks to you. We could explore the universe as immortals.
    5. At this point we should have a pretty good understanding of dark matter/energy and how to move between universes (the multiverse, depending if you accept it as a base for explaining non locality)
    6. Which would allow us become eternal.

    In the here and now the only way to travel to another system with our current tech is via nuclear pulse engines.

    Basically you build a large spaceship. Stick it on massive shock absorbers which are in turn connected to a metre plus thick steel plate.

    Cut small hole in the middle. Have a door that opens closes.

    Eject 1kt explosive device out door. Repeat 500x till you get to orbit.

    Basically you could get a spaceship up to very high speed with nuclear pulse engines to turn a multi hundred year journey into less then 100 years.

    That said the biggest problem with interstellar journeys is that our material science and manufacturing tolerances are pretty shit. Essentially all of the air will leak out through the metal skin of the spaceship.

    I still think carving put an asteroid, sticking engine on it (see nuclear pulse engines) , covering it in ice and water will solve the problems radiation shielding, losing critical gases and provide ample fuel and water for a very long journey.


  • Gaspar Noe’s Climax

    A French film based on a true story where a hip hop dance troupe had their punch spiked with a large amount LSD before discovering they were snowed in the hall they had been partying in.

    The film is continuously shot with no cuts, with the cast adlibbing their lines. The dancing is amazing as is Bangalter’s utterly amazing soundtrack (very far away from any Daft Punk).

    I’m sure Gaspar took liberties with the story but after discovering a child had ingested the punch I became quite sick and horrified. I could barely watch the film after that, the insanity that befores everyone is truly sickening.

    Having accidentally ingesting a large amount of LSD (my first trip) at a young age (14) it bought a lot back.

    And I very much enjoyed a large part of the film but after that part of the plot it really fucked me up.




  • Indeed, other pearls of wisdom

    • do not trip when your neighbours are having a huge domestic violence incident

    • do not watch 8 hours of simpsons/futurama commentaries. For the next 8 hours after that I had David X Cohen and Matt Groening narrating everything I was doing in my house.

    • test your acid. 5 bromo dragonfly (dob) when you’re thinking you’re getting LSD is no fun.

    Microdosing is great, both for cognitive stuff, pattern recognition and for deep analytical work.

    As well for mood and well being.