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Tank birthday and I'm a Geezer
- Thread starter Paul B
- Start date
Paul B
NJRC Member
Wisdom.
There is an old Testament reading (6:12-16) that explains if you are generally seeking wisdom, then open your mind and heart and wisdom will seek you out and be found sitting by your front gate.
That is a little before my time (not much). Religion and science have a lot in common. Most of us believe all scientific principles come about from thought, assumptions, experiments, study, and then fact.
Science's main method is deduction. It moves in a precise and convincing fashion from general to specific.
The process of discovering some "fact" is based on solid starting "assumptions".
Science relies on a starting assumption. Not necessarily fact. Where do the assumptions come from?
Scientists use life experiences and detailed observations to guess at starting assumptions. But they are guesses and for the most part, can't be proven.
(Ref: James Magner MD)
Many Scientist "facts" in the past are no longer facts today. The GPS in your car would not function on Newtons "facts". It needed Einstein's input about space, light, time and hair styles to correct the "facts of the past. Although Newton was close and close was good enough at that time.
The "fact" that the Earth was flat turned out to be wrong. But it was a good theory because many times when a boat ventured out to far, it never returned so they figured it fell off the "face of the earth".
In reality what could have just as easily happened is that on those boats, half the sailors were hired rowers and the other half were boat owners. They all took part in rowing. But the hired people (maybe were Liberals) were mad that they were rowing as hard as the owners, but the owners were making more money. They didn't get along so the owners started rowing on one side and the hired people were on the other side.
After a loud argument, the hired people stopped rowing to spite the owners. So the boat just kept going around in circles until the batteries went dead on their I Phone-4s and they couldn't text so they got bored to death and jumped overboard. It's just as plausible as any other theory.
Galileo surmised that the Earth was not the center of the universe. The Pope wasn’t amused by that one at all and at the time, Popes didn’t have much of a sense of humor so he ex communicated poor Galileo and took away his free pass to the Venetian public aquarium.
Scientists today try to explain their "facts" but often fall short. They fumble through trying to explain gravity and it is all around us. They teach that the Earth has a solid iron core and it forms a giant molten magnet that attracts everything.
I am in my workshop and have plenty of magnets. So far, I have yet to find a magnet that would attract one of my fish that jumped out and rolled under my tank.
Scientists speak of the vastness of the un- ending universe. My mind can't envision that much space so I just believe that at the end of the universe there is a brick wall with tar paper on top. Beyond that there are Strawberry fields forever.
That assumption makes as much sense as any scientific theory.
Many scientific discoveries came about by accident. I can think of four off the top of my bald head. X Rays, Microwaves, safety glass and smoke detectors. . Darwin also surmised that life came about by accident in a primordial pond. So far, that has not been disproven.
I of course think life was brought here by Aliens. Bowlegged bald Aliens who were just bored and wanted to go to a disco. (Remember, this was a long time ago)
There is a term used by medical “experts” whereby the cause is deduced from the effective remedy. This term is called “ex juvantibus”
“If the patient fails to respond to a specific treatment, the cause of the illness is a different one”
(ref: Water Chemistry for Advanced Aquarists “Guido Huckstedt” )
In other words if a sick patient is treated with antibiotics, and doesn’t recover, the cause will probably not be bacterial.
What is the point of this discussion? The point is not everything we do in life, or reef aquariums will have a basis in scientific research. Much of it, like scientific research is guesswork, conjecture and yes, luck.
There is an old Testament reading (6:12-16) that explains if you are generally seeking wisdom, then open your mind and heart and wisdom will seek you out and be found sitting by your front gate.
That is a little before my time (not much). Religion and science have a lot in common. Most of us believe all scientific principles come about from thought, assumptions, experiments, study, and then fact.
Science's main method is deduction. It moves in a precise and convincing fashion from general to specific.
The process of discovering some "fact" is based on solid starting "assumptions".
Science relies on a starting assumption. Not necessarily fact. Where do the assumptions come from?
Scientists use life experiences and detailed observations to guess at starting assumptions. But they are guesses and for the most part, can't be proven.
(Ref: James Magner MD)
Many Scientist "facts" in the past are no longer facts today. The GPS in your car would not function on Newtons "facts". It needed Einstein's input about space, light, time and hair styles to correct the "facts of the past. Although Newton was close and close was good enough at that time.
The "fact" that the Earth was flat turned out to be wrong. But it was a good theory because many times when a boat ventured out to far, it never returned so they figured it fell off the "face of the earth".
In reality what could have just as easily happened is that on those boats, half the sailors were hired rowers and the other half were boat owners. They all took part in rowing. But the hired people (maybe were Liberals) were mad that they were rowing as hard as the owners, but the owners were making more money. They didn't get along so the owners started rowing on one side and the hired people were on the other side.
After a loud argument, the hired people stopped rowing to spite the owners. So the boat just kept going around in circles until the batteries went dead on their I Phone-4s and they couldn't text so they got bored to death and jumped overboard. It's just as plausible as any other theory.
Galileo surmised that the Earth was not the center of the universe. The Pope wasn’t amused by that one at all and at the time, Popes didn’t have much of a sense of humor so he ex communicated poor Galileo and took away his free pass to the Venetian public aquarium.
Scientists today try to explain their "facts" but often fall short. They fumble through trying to explain gravity and it is all around us. They teach that the Earth has a solid iron core and it forms a giant molten magnet that attracts everything.
I am in my workshop and have plenty of magnets. So far, I have yet to find a magnet that would attract one of my fish that jumped out and rolled under my tank.
Scientists speak of the vastness of the un- ending universe. My mind can't envision that much space so I just believe that at the end of the universe there is a brick wall with tar paper on top. Beyond that there are Strawberry fields forever.
That assumption makes as much sense as any scientific theory.
Many scientific discoveries came about by accident. I can think of four off the top of my bald head. X Rays, Microwaves, safety glass and smoke detectors. . Darwin also surmised that life came about by accident in a primordial pond. So far, that has not been disproven.
I of course think life was brought here by Aliens. Bowlegged bald Aliens who were just bored and wanted to go to a disco. (Remember, this was a long time ago)
There is a term used by medical “experts” whereby the cause is deduced from the effective remedy. This term is called “ex juvantibus”
“If the patient fails to respond to a specific treatment, the cause of the illness is a different one”
(ref: Water Chemistry for Advanced Aquarists “Guido Huckstedt” )
In other words if a sick patient is treated with antibiotics, and doesn’t recover, the cause will probably not be bacterial.
What is the point of this discussion? The point is not everything we do in life, or reef aquariums will have a basis in scientific research. Much of it, like scientific research is guesswork, conjecture and yes, luck.
deepblue68
POTM Winner
Beautiful woman there on santas lap! Enjoy paul!
deepblue68
POTM Winner
She reminds me Sharon Stone.
deepblue68
POTM Winner
Lol ! A little less hair these days! I have same problem.
Paul B
NJRC Member
The last time I cut out much of that encrusting sponge in my tank I overdid it and killed most of my SPS corals that I have been trying to grow for years. It isn't bad as I like LPS much better anyway.
I probably won't be replacing those SPS because at my age, it isn't important and my tank is still filled with corals and life in general. I also think I have over 30 mostly interesting fish.
My wife is requiring more help from me every day now so I am left with less time for tank stuff. I still keep it up, change some water, dose and feed. But I don't get to crazy any more. If I see something I like, and it is different or interesting, I will buy it but I am not looking for a showcase tank. I actually never did and always thought of my tank as an experiment.
I have been lucky that I haven't done something really stupid to crash it yet. But the day is young.
I probably won't be replacing those SPS because at my age, it isn't important and my tank is still filled with corals and life in general. I also think I have over 30 mostly interesting fish.
My wife is requiring more help from me every day now so I am left with less time for tank stuff. I still keep it up, change some water, dose and feed. But I don't get to crazy any more. If I see something I like, and it is different or interesting, I will buy it but I am not looking for a showcase tank. I actually never did and always thought of my tank as an experiment.
I have been lucky that I haven't done something really stupid to crash it yet. But the day is young.
Paul B
NJRC Member
Two days ago I took my wife to her PT person and of course I have to go to my favorite LFS near there. This is the filthy place who has been there for 50 years. I didn't want to get any fish because I have way to many now but there was this long nose butterfly there who was looking at me as if to say "I heard you have a really comfortable tank and I would love it if you would take me home". How could I resist?
I think he was about $30.00. Most places charge double for them but I am not sure why.
He had a little ich, maybe flukes but he is fine now and made friends with my copperband who is about the same size. I lost my last long nose and a few other fish when I cut way to much sponge out and let a lot of sponge poison exude into the water.
Now I am only trimming a little sponge at a time and am working on a Laser to see if I can more surgically trim it but that is a little while away.
I also bought rock about 10" long covered in polyps. I wanted 3 or 4 more of those little green clown gobies because they are tiny and don't add much stress to the tank but he didn't have any. He gives them to me for 6 bucks.
I have 4 or 5 of them now.
This is my last one.
I think he was about $30.00. Most places charge double for them but I am not sure why.
He had a little ich, maybe flukes but he is fine now and made friends with my copperband who is about the same size. I lost my last long nose and a few other fish when I cut way to much sponge out and let a lot of sponge poison exude into the water.
Now I am only trimming a little sponge at a time and am working on a Laser to see if I can more surgically trim it but that is a little while away.
I also bought rock about 10" long covered in polyps. I wanted 3 or 4 more of those little green clown gobies because they are tiny and don't add much stress to the tank but he didn't have any. He gives them to me for 6 bucks.
I have 4 or 5 of them now.
This is my last one.
Paul B
NJRC Member
Good Morning. Today at National Cemetaries all across the US they are having a "Laying of the Wreaths" ceremony on the graves of "all" the Veterans. We are having very heavy rains here on Long Island today and I am going because I think the rains will unfortunately keep many people from doing this, what I feel is a very important and Patriotic gesture.
I hope people across this great nation try to go to honor the people who allowed us to be in this and all hobbies.
Have a great day and Merry Christmas
I hope people across this great nation try to go to honor the people who allowed us to be in this and all hobbies.
Have a great day and Merry Christmas
Paul B
NJRC Member
It was extremely easy for me to quit smoking Cold Turkey and anyone could do it.
It was 1971 andI was on this LZ on the Cambodian border "enjoying" a cigarette while I was 50 yards away from our burm or perimeter talking to a helicopter pilot friend of mine. (There were no roads)
I walked out there to get the mail from him which was in a big Santa Claus sack, but green of course.
It was a small "LOH" helicopter and the engine was running.
As we were talking, a few bullets, I think two or three hit the side of the bird a few inches from me. They are very loud as they penetrate aluminum but not very noisy when they penetrate you. My friend took off and all I had was this 50lb sack of mail.
I ran as fast as I could and was afraid to drop the sack because I guess I figured it offered some sort of bullet proof protection. ( Maybe it did because I am still here.)
Anyway, I made it to our perimeter which was two layers of sandbags about a foot high and I jumped over and "bit dust".
Even though I though I was 19 years old and in excellent shape, almost immediately I started choking on this disquesting black, sticky tar stuff that was oozing from my nose and mouth. The taste was horrible, sort of like detritus mixed with 2 week old clams that were left on the sidewalk in Boca Raton Florida.
From that moment on, I couldn't go near a cigarette even though they were free there and you got 4 of them with every C Ration meal that I ate every day for the year.
It was simple and would work for most people.
It was 1971 andI was on this LZ on the Cambodian border "enjoying" a cigarette while I was 50 yards away from our burm or perimeter talking to a helicopter pilot friend of mine. (There were no roads)
I walked out there to get the mail from him which was in a big Santa Claus sack, but green of course.
It was a small "LOH" helicopter and the engine was running.
As we were talking, a few bullets, I think two or three hit the side of the bird a few inches from me. They are very loud as they penetrate aluminum but not very noisy when they penetrate you.
My friend took off and all I had was this 50lb sack of mail. I ran as fast as I could and was afraid to drop the sack because I guess I figured it offered some sort of bullet proof protection. ( Maybe it did because I am still here.)
Anyway, I made it to our perimeter which was two layers of sandbags about a foot high and I jumped over and "bit dust".
Even though I though I was 19 years old and in excellent shape, almost immediately I started choking on this disquesting black, sticky tar stuff that was oozing from my nose and mouth. The taste was horrible, sort of like detritus mixed with 2 week old clams that were left on the sidewalk in Boca Raton Florida.
From that moment on, I couldn't go near a cigarette even though they were free there and you got 4 of them with every C Ration meal that I ate every day for the year.
It was simple and would work for most people.
reefsandrotts
NJRC Member
The buisness I own,I contribute to wreaths across America every year.
Its such a beautiful thing as they lay the wreaths they say the soldiers name.
Thank you to all who have and are currently serving our country.❤
Its such a beautiful thing as they lay the wreaths they say the soldiers name.
Thank you to all who have and are currently serving our country.❤
reefsandrotts
NJRC Member
Merry Christmas Paul