You don't have to be autistic to work here but...

Hi,

Alot of the top IT engineers I have worked with have had major issues with their other kinds of intelligence (especially social).

When I found an article
investigating autism in IT workers I felt strangely vindicated and sad at the same time.

Where I work right now is a haven for IT engineers, and they placed at a large distance from their end customers.

We've definately created a good place for them to work and play to their strengths.

Playing to people's strengths is all part of managing them - but what happens when you take someone so far outside of their comfort area that they freak out?

Just saying "Do your job" doesn't cut it in my book.

NP out

But can science explain a Picasso?

Hi,

Soon for sure.

V S Ramachandra is definitely in my top 10 scientists of all time, and I had never heard of him before watching this presentation.

Anyone interested in the science of the brain, and art, should watch this video.

If you're of Indian heritage watch it twice :-)

I immediately mailed an artist friend of mine to ask if numbers evoked colours in her vision.

NP out

The Day after the Rapture

Hi,

Many fundamentalist Christians believe that before the end of the world all true believers will be lifted up to heaven to dwell with their god. This whole process is referred to as The Rapture.

Actual belief about when the Rapture will take place is divided. But most of these beliefs have the earth continuing in dire straights for some time afterwards.

A new web based service has started up to deal with the problems facing Christians caught up in the Rapture.

People can lodge documents and messages with the service which will only be released once the Rapture takes place.

Once you're lifted up to heaven you can put your legal affairs in order and say goodbye to loved ones who did not make the grade. Tricky legal positions will crop up - such as you will not have left a corpse so normal inheritance law will not apply. So you can lodge a power of attorney with this service which is enacted after you have been physically transported to heaven.

It is good to see web entrepreneurs finding and exploiting new religion driven markets. The site must be run by pagans to make sure that the service keeps running after all of the true believers have departed.

However I'm not so sure that fundamentalist Christians should be targeted so aggressively. They've got enough problems of their own to deal with.

Personally I won't waste my money on it - I'll be one of those left behind...

NP Out

Book Burning - Criminal or Cleansing?

Hi,

I've just finished reading a news story about an amazing pastor in the US who is encouraging the burning of violent computer games and music by his parishioners.

Normally I am against any kind of censorship for adults. In the past book burning has been associated with some very bad groups of people indeed.

After reading the article however I do not consider this burning exercise to be censorship. It is more akin to the burning of items during pagan cleansing rituals.

Burning items to cleanse yourself is still a part of modern culture. From the photos of old lovers through to burning your rejection slips from publishing houses.

The Pastor is encouraging his community to cast out influences which are damaging to them. He's engaging the young people in his community in a positive way through a negative act.

Read the whole article on him before you pass judgment.

Wow - it looks like I am actually agreeing to someone burning books, and they're Christian...

I wonder at what point I will start disagreeing with this move when it escalates.

NP Out

Another Giant Penis

Hi,

Well that title got your attention didn't it?

Previous posts have covered my love of practical jokes and fertility symbols. So I just had to blog about an excellent school prank perpetrated in US High school.

Overnight a "2008" made from desks on a school playing field morphed into a giant phallus.

Nice one kids.

The original article also has a quote from a student with the surname of Cummings. Which is as my US cousins would say "pure gravy".

NP out