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Mysterious Logbook: Difference between revisions
Replacement of double-dashes with em dashes, to more accurately reflect the original text
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</tt> | </tt> | ||
== | ==NOTE—BAROTRAUMA== | ||
===-05-=== | ===-05-=== | ||
[[File:Logbook 005.png|right|thumb|400px]] | [[File:Logbook 005.png|right|thumb|400px]] | ||
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Clarity to come out and greet me? "Hail to Clovis Bray, first among men?" <br> | Clarity to come out and greet me? "Hail to Clovis Bray, first among men?" <br> | ||
Yes, absolutely, I did! The lunar artifact promised me a solution to the <br> | Yes, absolutely, I did! The lunar artifact promised me a solution to the <br> | ||
indifference of the cosmos. It told me I was unlike all | indifference of the cosmos. It told me I was unlike all others—and, damn <br> | ||
false modesty, damn vanity, I am different! Not for my present qualities, <br> | false modesty, damn vanity, I am different! Not for my present qualities, <br> | ||
but for my future influence. I shine with noon's light, reflected back <br> | but for my future influence. I shine with noon's light, reflected back <br> | ||
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It is a mistake to imagine that the Greatest Man, the God-Emperor of <br> | It is a mistake to imagine that the Greatest Man, the God-Emperor of <br> | ||
History and Ruler of Circumstances whose influence reaches to the end <br> | History and Ruler of Circumstances whose influence reaches to the end <br> | ||
of time, will live in the | of time, will live in the future—in the full flowering of human glory. That <br> | ||
man lives NOW, at the tiny bottleneck before the vast explosion, when it is <br> | man lives NOW, at the tiny bottleneck before the vast explosion, when it is <br> | ||
still possible for an individual's decisions to touch the entire species and set <br> | still possible for an individual's decisions to touch the entire species and set <br> | ||
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Children are viral replicators of our ideas. But there is a certain terror about <br> | Children are viral replicators of our ideas. But there is a certain terror about <br> | ||
them. They alter our legacy, mutate | them. They alter our legacy, mutate it—as Clovis II modified Competitive | ||
===-07-=== | ===-07-=== | ||
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And Clarity is here. All the signs point to it. | And Clarity is here. All the signs point to it. | ||
:<span style="color:#008080;">If I | :<span style="color:#008080;">If I succeed—no forgiveness for those </span><br> | ||
:<span style="color:#008080;">tight-fisted Ishtar tools. I know they had working prototypes. </span><br> | :<span style="color:#008080;">tight-fisted Ishtar tools. I know they had working prototypes. </span><br> | ||
:<span style="color:#008080;">They could have shared.</span> | :<span style="color:#008080;">They could have shared.</span> | ||
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:<span style="color:#008080;">with cloned organs and good eating. No guilt!</span> | :<span style="color:#008080;">with cloned organs and good eating. No guilt!</span> | ||
== | ==NOTE—SAVAGING== | ||
===-09-=== | ===-09-=== | ||
[[File:Logbook 009.png|right|thumb|400px]] | [[File:Logbook 009.png|right|thumb|400px]] | ||
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Perhaps the sows simply acted in self-defense. | Perhaps the sows simply acted in self-defense. | ||
== | ==NOTE—EUROPA LIFE== | ||
===-010-=== | ===-010-=== | ||
[[File:Logbook 010.png|right|thumb|400px]] | [[File:Logbook 010.png|right|thumb|400px]] | ||
| Line 352: | Line 352: | ||
Dropped dead of dysautonomia while rummaging for leftover pork chop. <br> | Dropped dead of dysautonomia while rummaging for leftover pork chop. <br> | ||
I am now in recovery in a medical SMILE pod. I have no breath and <br> | I am now in recovery in a medical SMILE pod. I have no breath and <br> | ||
no | no pulse—it is the return of oxygen to dead tissue that does most of the <br> | ||
damage. I should be asleep. But I have to get this down quickly! | damage. I should be asleep. But I have to get this down quickly! | ||
While I was dead I HAD A DREAM. | While I was dead I HAD A DREAM. | ||
I was in a working exobody. I felt so strong. Everything so | I was in a working exobody. I felt so strong. Everything so vivid—no need <br> | ||
for waxy eardrums or jelly eyeballs. Like seeing for the first time, after a life <br> | for waxy eardrums or jelly eyeballs. Like seeing for the first time, after a life <br> | ||
of cataracts. I think I was immortal. | of cataracts. I think I was immortal. | ||
The only unpleasant aspect of the experience was my amnesia. I couldn't <br> | The only unpleasant aspect of the experience was my amnesia. I couldn't <br> | ||
recall my own name. I saw someone walking past | recall my own name. I saw someone walking past me—I think it must have <br> | ||
been Anastasia? | been Anastasia?—and not only did I fail to recognize her, but it never even <br> | ||
occurred to me that I should. | occurred to me that I should. | ||
When I awoke, I thought I must have had a near-death vision. So I checked <br> | When I awoke, I thought I must have had a near-death vision. So I checked <br> | ||
my nerve logs. Every last spark in my brain is | my nerve logs. Every last spark in my brain is recorded—and nothing in <br> | ||
that cerebral panic can account for my dream. The mind is the brain. It is <br> | that cerebral panic can account for my dream. The mind is the brain. It is <br> | ||
impossible to have a vision without correlated neural | impossible to have a vision without correlated neural activity—yet I did! <br> | ||
Wonderful! This is why I came here. Unmapped secrets! Impossible <br> | Wonderful! This is why I came here. Unmapped secrets! Impossible <br> | ||
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and its discoveries my memetic grandchildren. When we depart the cradle <br> | and its discoveries my memetic grandchildren. When we depart the cradle <br> | ||
of this solar system to begin our colonization of the galaxy, the dominant <br> | of this solar system to begin our colonization of the galaxy, the dominant <br> | ||
ideology of our | ideology of our time—the core logic we use to organize and plan our <br> | ||
relationship with the | relationship with the cosmos—will be scattered to become the LUCA: the <br> | ||
Last Universal Common Ancestor of all future human growth. <br> | Last Universal Common Ancestor of all future human growth. <br> | ||
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:<span style="color:#008080;">The article doesn't explain. Savaging again.</span> | :<span style="color:#008080;">The article doesn't explain. Savaging again.</span> | ||
== | ==NOTE—CLARITY== | ||
===-013-=== | ===-013-=== | ||
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put it. "If A can become B, then B can become A. We say that state B (say, <br> | put it. "If A can become B, then B can become A. We say that state B (say, <br> | ||
a mixed drink) comes after state A (say, sugar and water) only because there <br> | a mixed drink) comes after state A (say, sugar and water) only because there <br> | ||
are more probable pathways from A to B. Wait long | are more probable pathways from A to B. Wait long enough—longer than <br> | ||
the | the universe—and your drink really can return to state A, spontaneously <br> | ||
unmixing itself." | unmixing itself." | ||
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:<span style="color:#008080;">What does this actually <u>mean</u> in common language? Invoking </span><br> | :<span style="color:#008080;">What does this actually <u>mean</u> in common language? Invoking </span><br> | ||
:<span style="color:#008080;">the Loschmidt paradox is certainly not common language. Ah, but perhaps an allusion | :<span style="color:#008080;">the Loschmidt paradox is certainly not common language. Ah, but perhaps an allusion to—</span> | ||
I believe that Clarity may be akin to the mythical universal solvent, the <br> | I believe that Clarity may be akin to the mythical universal solvent, the <br> | ||
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This is the unexplained secret of creation. HOW DID THAT ORIGINAL <br> | This is the unexplained secret of creation. HOW DID THAT ORIGINAL <br> | ||
LOW-ENTROPY STATE COME TO BE? In the first place and the first <br> | LOW-ENTROPY STATE COME TO BE? In the first place and the first <br> | ||
time—the egg of history? | |||
What if Clarity was responsible? | What if Clarity was responsible? | ||
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===-015-=== | ===-015-=== | ||
<tt> | <tt> | ||
'''//encrypt -pkey(clovisroot) - qdresist(shor) | '''//encrypt -pkey(clovisroot) - qdresist(shor) —''' <br> | ||
'''rng_seed(AM_241) | '''rng_seed(AM_241) —pad(padwilla)''' <br> | ||
'''Warning: this transmission will expend''' <br> | '''Warning: this transmission will expend''' <br> | ||
'''entangled qubits for security''' | '''entangled qubits for security''' | ||
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<tt> | <tt> | ||
'''//encrypt -pkey(clovisroot) - qdresist(shor) | '''//encrypt -pkey(clovisroot) - qdresist(shor) —''' <br> | ||
'''rng_seed(AM_241) | '''rng_seed(AM_241) —pad(padana)''' <br> | ||
'''Warning: this transmission will expend''' <br> | '''Warning: this transmission will expend''' <br> | ||
'''entangled qubits for security. ''' | '''entangled qubits for security. ''' | ||
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<tt> | <tt> | ||
'''//encrypt -pkey(clovisroot) -qdresist(shor) | '''//encrypt -pkey(clovisroot) -qdresist(shor) —''' <br> | ||
'''rng_seed(AM_241) | '''rng_seed(AM_241) —pad(padelsie)''' | ||
</tt> | </tt> | ||
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to remind her of her own self-interest. | to remind her of her own self-interest. | ||
== | ==NOTE—WHY EXOMINDS FAIL== | ||
===-020-=== | ===-020-=== | ||
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:<span style="color:#008080;">I am reminded of that hideous Europan thing! Why does my brain </span> | :<span style="color:#008080;">I am reminded of that hideous Europan thing! Why does my brain </span> | ||
:<span style="color:#008080;">insist on free-associating its way back to self-destruction? And again I return to </span> | :<span style="color:#008080;">insist on free-associating its way back to self-destruction? And again I return to </span> | ||
:<span style="color:#008080;">savaging the | :<span style="color:#008080;">savaging the young— </span> | ||
The driver of this degenerative loop is a process we call "billboarding." No <br> | The driver of this degenerative loop is a process we call "billboarding." No <br> | ||
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===-023-=== | ===-023-=== | ||
<tt> | <tt> | ||
'''//encrypt -pkey(clovisroot) -qdresist(shor) | '''//encrypt -pkey(clovisroot) -qdresist(shor) —''' <br> | ||
'''rng_seed(AM241) | '''rng_seed(AM241) —pad(padelsie)''' <br> | ||
'''Warning: this transmission will expend''' <br> | '''Warning: this transmission will expend''' <br> | ||
'''entangled qubits for security.''' | '''entangled qubits for security.''' | ||
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beyond our own that it can manipulate us like stones on a go board. | beyond our own that it can manipulate us like stones on a go board. | ||
Terrifying, | Terrifying, obviously—but not malevolent. | ||
:<span style="color:#008080;">NOT MALEVOLENT!!!</span> | :<span style="color:#008080;">NOT MALEVOLENT!!!</span> | ||
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[[File:Logbook 026.png|right|thumb|400px]] | [[File:Logbook 026.png|right|thumb|400px]] | ||
reactor makes | reactor makes sense—it requires less frequent refueling than a fusion <br> | ||
plant, and it's easy to hide something in the design that will allow it to <br> | plant, and it's easy to hide something in the design that will allow it to <br> | ||
achieve, ah, extremely prompt criticality. | achieve, ah, extremely prompt criticality. | ||
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<tt> | <tt> | ||
'''//decrypt -pkey(clovisroot) | '''//decrypt -pkey(clovisroot) —pad(padelsie)''' | ||
</tt> | </tt> | ||
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The raid on the Ishtar Collective went off flawlessly. Some casualties during <br> | The raid on the Ishtar Collective went off flawlessly. Some casualties during <br> | ||
the outbreak, of | the outbreak, of course—they were woefully unprepared for their artifacts to <br> | ||
switch into expand-and-exploit behavior. Necessary sacrifices, alas. They died <br> | switch into expand-and-exploit behavior. Necessary sacrifices, alas. They died <br> | ||
meaningful deaths for a vital human project, even if they didn't know it. <br> | meaningful deaths for a vital human project, even if they didn't know it. <br> | ||
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I will be the first, of course, but I will not go in the flesh. I will use my <br> | I will be the first, of course, but I will not go in the flesh. I will use my <br> | ||
assistant as remote proxy. It is all so exciting that I can | assistant as remote proxy. It is all so exciting that I can hardly— | ||
Can | Can hardly— | ||
<tt> | <tt> | ||
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</tt> | </tt> | ||
== | ==NOTE—THE WATER AND THE WAVE== | ||
===-030-=== | ===-030-=== | ||
Quickly! Quickly, have to get it down. I | Quickly! Quickly, have to get it down. I saw— | ||
I was a beast upon the earth, a salamander or an eel. Water passed through <br> | I was a beast upon the earth, a salamander or an eel. Water passed through <br> | ||
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the pure and abstract management of power. | the pure and abstract management of power. | ||
:<span style="color:#008080;">Note: reminds me of a | :<span style="color:#008080;">Note: reminds me of a book—</span> | ||
:<span style="color:#008080;">theory and practice of something, by E. Goldstein? Or that Michels tract about</span> | :<span style="color:#008080;">theory and practice of something, by E. Goldstein? Or that Michels tract about</span> | ||
:<span style="color:#008080;">oligarchy?</span> | :<span style="color:#008080;">oligarchy?</span> | ||
| Line 1,061: | Line 1,061: | ||
===-032-=== | ===-032-=== | ||
<tt> | <tt> | ||
'''//encrypt -pkey(clovisroot) -qdresist(shor) | '''//encrypt -pkey(clovisroot) -qdresist(shor) —''' <br> | ||
'''rng_seed(AM241) | '''rng_seed(AM241) —pad(padelsie)''' <br> | ||
'''Warning: this transmission will expend''' <br> | '''Warning: this transmission will expend''' <br> | ||
'''entangled qubits for security.''' | '''entangled qubits for security.''' | ||
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</tt> | </tt> | ||
What lay | What lay beyond— | ||
<tt> | <tt> | ||
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entire half of the sky, pebbled with granules, seething with promontories <br> | entire half of the sky, pebbled with granules, seething with promontories <br> | ||
and flares. We stood beneath a blue hypergiant, titan of suns, looming over <br> | and flares. We stood beneath a blue hypergiant, titan of suns, looming over <br> | ||
all. It should have killed my human-bodied companions | all. It should have killed my human-bodied companions instantly—with <br> | ||
peak radiance in the far ultraviolet, it would cook flesh. | peak radiance in the far ultraviolet, it would cook flesh. | ||
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:<span style="color:#008080;">We assumed the star could not be 13 billion years old.</span> | :<span style="color:#008080;">We assumed the star could not be 13 billion years old.</span> | ||
:<span style="color:#008080;">because stars this hot and bright die swiftly. But that was before we | :<span style="color:#008080;">because stars this hot and bright die swiftly. But that was before we saw—</span> | ||
Our instruments identified glints of brighter light against the sunfire. <br> | Our instruments identified glints of brighter light against the sunfire. <br> | ||
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We must not provoke them to war. | We must not provoke them to war. | ||
== | ==NOTE—[[Radiolaria|VEX FLUID]]== | ||
===-037-=== | ===-037-=== | ||
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The Vex radiolarian fluid is obviously too virulent for use in exominds. But <br> | The Vex radiolarian fluid is obviously too virulent for use in exominds. But <br> | ||
if exposed to Clarity, the Vex patterns break down, and the fluid takes on <br> | if exposed to Clarity, the Vex patterns break down, and the fluid takes on <br> | ||
some of the properties of Clarity | some of the properties of Clarity itself—namely, its reductive effect. | ||
Introducing a tiny aliquot of this reified Clarity into an exomind solves the <br> | Introducing a tiny aliquot of this reified Clarity into an exomind solves the <br> | ||
loop/billboard/crash cycle. As far as I can | loop/billboard/crash cycle. As far as I can tell—permanently. | ||
THE COMBINATION OF VEX FLUID AND CLARITY IS THE KEY TO <br> | THE COMBINATION OF VEX FLUID AND CLARITY IS THE KEY TO <br> | ||
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===-041-=== | ===-041-=== | ||
<tt> | <tt> | ||
'''//encrypt -pkey(clovisroot) -qdresist(shor) | '''//encrypt -pkey(clovisroot) -qdresist(shor) —''' <br> | ||
'''rng_seed(AM241) | '''rng_seed(AM241) —pad(padelsie)''' | ||
</tt> | </tt> | ||
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clones of ourselves, because the exploration of possibilities lets us find new <br> | clones of ourselves, because the exploration of possibilities lets us find new <br> | ||
ways to survive a changing universe. If the 52-card playing deck has never <br> | ways to survive a changing universe. If the 52-card playing deck has never <br> | ||
been shuffled the same way twice in the entire history of the | been shuffled the same way twice in the entire history of the universe— <br> | ||
imagine how many possible grandchildren I could have produced! | imagine how many possible grandchildren I could have produced! | ||
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<tt> | <tt> | ||
'''//decrypt -pkey(clovisroot) | '''//decrypt -pkey(clovisroot) —pad(padelsie)''' | ||
</tt> | </tt> | ||
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</tt> | </tt> | ||
== | ==NOTE—D.E.R.== | ||
===-045-=== | ===-045-=== | ||
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retreated into catatonia. Then he crashed. | retreated into catatonia. Then he crashed. | ||
Oh, I still have the connectome scan I used to make | Oh, I still have the connectome scan I used to make him—that Mr. Zhuk <br> | ||
can live | can live again—but the Zhuk who evolved over the past several weeks, the <br> | ||
Zhuk I had so many endearing arguments with, is lost. | Zhuk I had so many endearing arguments with, is lost. | ||
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of Mr. Miller, lest she think l plan to dose her with Vex fluid. | of Mr. Miller, lest she think l plan to dose her with Vex fluid. | ||
—M. Sundaresh came upon me just now. She seemed fascinated by my <br> | |||
distress. She said several comforting things, and then made one extremely <br> | distress. She said several comforting things, and then made one extremely <br> | ||
unpleasant suggestion that my pride and haste had caused Mr. Zhuk's death. <br> | unpleasant suggestion that my pride and haste had caused Mr. Zhuk's death. <br> | ||