Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Totem Soup Inspiration - Rudyard Kipling



"If"
By: Rudyard Kipling


If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

Source: A Choice of Kipling's Verse (1943)

Monday, December 15, 2014

Totem Soup Science - 3 Cool Videos To Expand Your Brainbits


So what is the difference between you and a rock? This seems like an easy, even stupid question. But even the smartest people on earth have no idea where to draw the line between living and dead things. Which leads to mind-blowing implications. What is life after all? And is death really a thing? Lets look into it together


There's science in everything -- even emoji.





That's it for now. Stay tuned for more mind expansion!

- The one, the ONLY, Holytotemic

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Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Totem Soup Science - A Thought Experiment

 Sitting here pondering the future of human existence, matters of faith, and science I am made aware all too much of the terrible fate this planet is heading towards. Tonight, while thinking, I happened to have "Richard Dawkins: The God Delusion" playing in the background. With the storm of thought going on in my head and the information of pure truth and science pouring into my ears, I had a thought. For this thought experiment to work imagine no language barriers or government. Picture the entire world, every country, participating in a people swap. The percentage of the swap would be based on land mass, population density, and what random country those people are getting swapped to. So say the USA has to swap a percentage of people with Japan. A group of Japanese folks come to live in the United States, and a group of Americans go live in Japan. Keep in mind we are talking percentages here. Now what if this swap happened worldwide every 5, 10, or 20 years. What would happen to religion? What would happen to the human genome? What would happen to science? Education?

Would religion dissolve? Think about it. The major religions definitely have an epicenter, if you will. If you start dispersing people en mass, they will be exposed to different culture. They will be exposed and expose belief systems they are familiar with and not familiar with. Ideas will be traded. An almost forced enlightenment will happen. Same with education. It would be an explosion of enlightenment. Groups of people talking, sharing, communing that would have never met under normal circumstance, even in this great age of the internet. Now lets move to the human genome, yes "interbreeding" between different races happens in today’s society. I absolutely hate the fact that I wrote interbreeding for lack of a better word, makes it sound like dogs and cats are screwing. Sorry about that sidebar...and mental image... Would this mandatory migration mix our genetics better than our current statistically stagnant gene puddles? Lets be honest, statistically speaking, the majority of the genetics of the US have been in our shallow end of the pool for quite some time. And the shallow pool of the United States had shallow beginnings not very long ago in comparison with the rest of the world.


I really have no idea where this came from, where it would go, or even if it would make sense to anyone more familiar with genetics and evolution like Richard Dawkins. I wouldn't mind someone in the field chiming in on the comments area. Anyway, just an interesting thought.





That's it for now!
- The one, The ONLY, Holytotemic

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Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Totem Soup Update - Cutting the ties that bind

The reason I gave for closing my account:
"I have been using the pen name "Holytotemic" for almost 15 years. My closest freinds call me "Holy" for short. I want my name back. I am the ONLY Holytotemic on the internet. Google it. I challenge you to find another thats not linked to me or totem soup. I have personal reasons to not use my real name as well that involve being stalked by *******removed for personal reasons*******. I will be closing my account until the point I can use my pen name, or at least give you my real name but hide the real name from public view."

Good bye Facebook you were the annoying friend I didn't know how to get rid. You were like the hiv, but more time consuming. You were the cause of the loss of so much valuable time. I am 3 times more productive without you. I will remain on Twitter, Google + and here providing content for those who care to follow along.




That's it for now!
- The one, The ONLY, Holytotemic

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Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Totem Soup Update - The lazy weekend, and the week it bled into

I have been taking it easy the last few days. I have a skin condition that comes and goes, and well it's here right now. When it's here I get lazy because, among the places it effects, the bottom of my feet get it pretty badly. This makes walking a bit painful. I bite through it at work, but when I am home it's lazy time. I decided to pick up a game that allows me some interaction online and fulfills my love of MMO's. I didn't want to get back into World of Warcraft, the latest expansion was fun...but it got boring quick with the pandas. I may pop back on for the next expansion just to see if they somehow managed to break the monotony. I actually got "Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn". Gotta say, I am loving it. It's fun on the PS3, except for the chat stuff. The ps3 can totally handle large scale MMO's, if it weren't for the necessity of chat. Plugging in a keyboard is a pain in the ass, but game play with a controller was adapted very well. Leads me to think a console version of World Of Warcraft would not be that hard. The way they use the ps3 controller for spell casting, hotbars, and fast switching the hotbars is really well done. I paid the $24 for the game and a free 30 days of play, which I thought was worth it considering how much WOW is for just a month. So far I am enjoying the gameplay, the quest and leveling system, and pretty much everything. As I said, my only beef with this, and basically all console MMO's is the chat system. It's just clumsy. 


I really recommend the game, head here for details:http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/. I have looked at the rankings on review sites, and the game is getting 4.5/5 and 8/10 on average. I concur. 




That's it for now!
- The one, The ONLY, Holytotemic

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Post Edit: Easy link for playtime cards - http://store.na.square-enix.com/store/sqenixus/en_US/pd/ThemeID.29853700/productID.307536100#.VBdC-GdOWM

Wowhead for Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn - http://xivdb.com/

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Totem Soup Update - Time To Catch Up And Reconnect

I admit over the last year and a half I have been slacking, I apologize. I will be using the next week or two to catch up, give props where they were due, and post up a ton of fun stuff (some on back order, but still fun).

To everyone I have lost time for I am trying to get it all back on track now.




That's it for now!
- The one, The ONLY, Holytotemic

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Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Totem Soup Science - Proof Of Evolution, Right In The Human Body

The human body is a treasure trove of vestigial traits. A vestigial trait is a remnant of something we once had, but no longer need. Basically it is something that has been evolved away, but left a bit of itself behind. To those who cling to the outdated thought of creation, read on with an open mind. Evolution is as much a theory as gravity is at this point. Some of these evolutionary leftovers range from funny to deadly.

1) Plica Semilunaris


The small fold of tissue located on the inside corner of your eye (not the little bump in the very innermost corner, but the small flap right next to it). Your plica semilunari are the vestigial remnants of what are are most commonly found in birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Basically, the remnants of A THIRD EYELID!!! Apparently only one species of primate, the Calabar Angwantibo, is known to still have this third eyelid, referred to as "nictitating membranes". The membrane is typically translucent, and serves to moisten the eye, and clear debris. Just watch your cat blink very carefully, and you may see this neat structure in action!

2. Male Nipples
I really didn't think an image is required for this one. Male nipples, while ridiculous and serve no purpose, seem more aesthetically pleasing than anything else at this point. The biological function of male nipples is indeed a mystery. The story of male nipples begins, where all human life begins, in the womb. All fetuses begin life in the womb as females. In the absence of a fetal Y-chromosome, the embryo will develop into a full-blown female. When a Y-chromosome is present, however, the fetus will produce hormones like testosterone and develop into a male, but the nipples have already developed by this point, and just stick around. This essentially makes them like bulbs on a Christmas tree, fun to look and poke at.

3. Tonsils

These are the immune system's first line of defense, apparently, against ingested or inhaled foreign pathogens. However, the basic immunological roles of tonsils have yet to be understood. Simply put, the function may have once had must be no longer required, due to the frequency of them trying to kill their owner, and being removed.

4. The Ear

Well, not the ear itself, but a lot of the surrounding tissue and muscles. We have the muscles that most monkeys have to rotate and move the ears for better reception, but many of us can't even wiggle our ears. I can, and it's gloriously silly, but is it useful for more than a laugh from my kids? Not really. Also, in about 10% of the population, the outer rim of the ear called the helix can show signs of vestigial features. A thickening of the helix called "Darwin's tubercle" occurs at the juncture of the upper and middle thirds of the ear, a feature common to many mammals. I, personally, have this on one ear and not the other! The picture provided is indeed my ears, and, half vestigial trait it is! The feature is present in approximately 10.4% of the population, making me even more rare.

5. Arrector Pili

GOOSEBUMPS! No, not the books. Arrector Pili are the smooth muscle fibers that contract involuntarily to make your hair stand on end or make your skin bumpy. If you were a more furry creature this could make you warmer in the cold, or look larger to a predator. Clothing, fire, weapons, and the loss of hair (in comparison to our other primate cousins, not your pattern balding), have made this a vestigial trait as well. It serves no purpose in our own species, it has a function in our relatives (other primates), and did so in our ancestors.

6. Coccyx

It is also known as the "tailbone" for a reason. It's, pretty much, whats left from the days when we did have tails...and the unfortunate few that are still born with them. As a point of fact, most mammals have a tail at one point in their life, even if it is only during development in the womb. This includes humans as well. As I stated before, sometimes the tail sticks around even longer...


More vestigial traits listed here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_vestigiality
But if you Google it, so much more awaits: The Google Results

UPDATE (POST EDIT): http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/pope-francis-declares-evolution-and-big-bang-theory-are-right-and-god-isnt-a-magician-with-a-magic-wand-9822514.html



That's it for now!
- The one, The ONLY, Holytotemic

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Monday, October 27, 2014

Totem Soup Nature - Earth's 10 Most Mysterious Lost Worlds

This is one of the most beautiful and scientifically intriguing videos I have seen in a while. Even today, in this age of communication and knowledge, new things are still being discovered on our very own tera. Enjoy the visuals!

Earth's 10 Most Mysterious Lost Worlds:
http://youtu.be/-HhXOz0EsP0

More Information
1. Melville Range - http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/10/131025-lost-world-australia-gecko-frog-skink-science-animals/

2. Sima Humboldt - http://www.wondermondo.com/Countries/SA/VEN/Bolivar/SimaHumboldt.htm

3. East Scotia Ridge - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/06/east-scotia-ridge_n_1183476.html

4. Palawan Highlands - https://www.rainforesttrust.org/projects/complete-projects/palawan-island-philippines/

5. Bosavi Crater - http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8210000/8210394.stm

6. Movile Cave - http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/features/what-lies-beneath-the-movile-caves-dark-secrets/2003026.article

7. Mount Roraima - http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/media/tepui-roraima/?ar_a=1

8. Challenger Deep - http://www.extremescience.com/deepest-ocean.htm

9. Son Doong Cave - http://www.sondoongcave.org/

10. Lake Vostok - http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/160667-3500-species-discovered-in-lake-vostok-underneath-miles-of-ice-in-conditions-similar-to-jupiters-europa

Hope you enjoyed the learning experience and visuals as much as I did researching every one of those locations. The poster provided some links on his youtube video post as well, but I am a skeptical man and wanted to look around myself. Its a big world. Keep your eyes open and you may be the next tone to discover the next mystery.


That's it for now!
- The one, The ONLY, Holytotemic

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Friday, October 24, 2014

Totem Soup Science - What is Aquaponics?

 

Here's a good video on aquaponics from TEDx Talks. Simply put, aquaponics, is a food production system that combines conventional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as snails, fish, crayfish or prawns in aquariums or ponds) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment. 



That's it for now!
- The one, The ONLY, Holytotemic

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Thursday, October 23, 2014

Totem Soup Update - Something New, Why Not?

With my current issues on Facebook, and the instability that lies therein, I have made a decision. Totem Soup Podcast has been down for almost 2 years now, and I doubt it will ever come back with my work, children, and friend situation. Simply put, the economy really doesn't allow for a social life when you have kids and try to be the best parent and provider you can. I will be wiping out all podcast posts and audio related to it. Everything about the podcast is going and this will be where I post whatever the hell I want. I will keep randomly doing memes, comics, videos, and audio, but none of it will be an officially assembled podcast. This is going to be Totem Soup, meaning whatever is flowing through Holytotemic's brain is going to end up here. I will remain on Twitter and Google+ for sure, because they don't care what name I use, as long as I use them. So coming up you are likely to see new memes, new comics, projects I am working on, and just random crazy. I have used "Holy Totemic" as a pseudonym for 12 years, and I will be damned if Mark Zuckerberg is going to take that from me.



That's it for now!
- The one, The ONLY, Holytotemic

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Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Totem Soup Update - Go fuck yourself Mark Zuckerberg.

I could not come up with a better headline for this article. For the last 12 years I have gone by the pen name Holytotemic or Holy Totemic, depending on if a last name is required. Not one social media network has a problem with this, except apparently Facebook. I simply don't use my real name online, even friends I have known for years call me my pen name in real life over my real name. So from the time I opened my account (years ago) to about 2 months ago, my name on facebook has been comfortably set as "Holy Totemic". Then my account was disabled...
I have no recourse but to stop using Facebook all together. Mark Zuckerberg, you are scum. The lowest of the low. In the last few years facebook has gone from social media, to a shameless advertising platform. A place where I get the latest updates on what starlet has a sex tape scandal, and my friends and families updates are hidden from me. I can buy advertising, promote my post, but I only see one in ten of my best friends posts. I would gladly give my real name, if I had an option to hide it from everyone unless it's needed for legal reasons. You have taken my freedom of speech, because, let's be honest here, having opinions and keeping a job is a hard position to have in this super free country we live in. So, in closing:


That's it for now!
- The one, The ONLY, Holytotemic

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