Melville's First Incompleteness Theorem

I promise nothing complete; because any human thing supposed to be complete, must for that very reason infallibly be faulty.

These are Ishmael's words from Herman Melville's Moby-Dick (Chapter 32). This reminds me of Gödel's First Incompleteness Theorem, though broader in its implications. I'm going to call this Herman Melville's First Incompleteness Theorem!

Gods and Atheists

[T]he gods had a habit of going round to atheists' houses and smashing their windows.

--The Colour of Magic, by Terry Pratchett

If only gods did that in our world too (or kept on doing that for the last millennia or so), a lot of doubts concerning their existence would vanish.

Note to terrorists and extremists: No. You doing that in their place, even if it's by the will of God/gods, doesn't prove anything.

Explosion Engineering

In a time when many people around the world think that Iranians train suicide bombers in other countries (and they're probably right), how do you think I feel when I walk into the university and find white flags everywhere saying "Explosion Engineering?" (the red large text in the photo)


Okay, granted. Apparently this is a valid engineering discipline, and I think the right non-literal translation would be "explosives engineering" but still it feels weird.

He Does Exist

If you look at a watch, you can easily tell that it was designed and built by an intelligent watchmaker. Now, what would you say if there has been no power failure in your area for a long time, you are ripping your favorite Lord of the Rings DVDs to your hard disk so you can easily watch them several times a day (skipping parts from time to time) and the operation is supposed to last about three hours and only a few minutes before it is finished the power goes out only for a few minutes? What do you conclude? If you are smart enough to see that the watch has a watchmaker (so God exists!), you can easily see that Murphy does exist, too. It is as clear as daylight!

Lost: a Long Loved One

During the last two years, we hardly ever parted. Almost anywhere, at parties, out with other friends, at work, in university classes, and even occasionally at night in my bed, we were together. There were many times that I was depressed, and she cheered me up. There were many times that no one was around but her.

At the time that we were almost washed away together by the stream in flood at Tangeh Savashi, we didn't even think about parting; and all that night after that when she was horribly sick. But sooner or later, it happens.

I always enjoyed reading A. A. Milne's poems.

"Wherever I am, there's always Pooh,
there's always Pooh and Me."

And now I even enjoy more since it reminds me of the time she was my Pooh.

I'm going to buy another cellphone but I will not forget the happy days we had together. Whether or not we will meet again some time in the future, I don't know.