Madelaine McMasters

Though I am certainly quite interested in how the brain operates, and am wary of any technique that alters it (including formal education), I wouldn't say I don't like such techniques. I'm a huge fan of formal education! I'd also be willing to enter a well constructed clinical trial of psilocybin. My optometrist, sharing my endless curiosity about the brain, has (only half jokingly) asked if I'd be his clinical trial buddy if such an opportunity presented itself. I accepted. Many years ago (20 at least) I read of the case of a young California man who'd spent excessive time playing a headset immersive VR game,. He eventually developed cognitive problems that interfered with his daily life. A subsequent examination revealed he was having "flashbacks" similar to those experienced by those who'd taken "acid trips". Since then, evidence has grown that exposure to hallucinogenic imagery, whether via immersive computer visuals or drugs, causes the brain to wire new neural pathways as it attempts to make sense of the stimuli. Perhaps first named "The Tetris Effect" it's now referred to as "Game Transfer Phenomena". It's worth keeping this in mind as we stand at the leading edge of a potential VR age. I've been commingling SL and RL memories for years and would be cautious about immersing more deeply in VR. Still, I can imagine very much liking that immersion. Education, VR, psychoactive drugs - if you add daily living to the mix, that's four methods of brain alteration that I'm wary about and interested in, three of which I have and continue to enjoy. I don't recall my dreams, so don't know if SL presents in them. I do know that my SL and RL memories do commingle, not to any worrisome extent, but enough for me to remain wary.

You're crap at it.

I have some SL guidance for you, Sippie. Post more! SL pearls are cheap.

Now that's an entrance, Catfish!

Hi, Dream! Having nothing to say has never stopped me. It already being said has never stopped me either. There, I've set the bar low enough you can get over it. But, if you just like to read, I'm not the only one here that can't be shut up.

I was suffering during the whole video too, luckily the poor guy didn't get hit by any car I've had two encounters like this. The first was on I-94 between Milwaukee and Chicago, mid-day. Two ducks and their chicks decided to hitchhike. I stopped my car, straddling the left two lanes, and flagged down a car to straddle the right two. After several minutes of honking, quacking, yelling, laughing and general madness, we got the tour party turned around and off to safety. I don't think I've ever seen so many smiling faces on the Interstate. Some years later, at night, I encountered a magnificent snapping turtle trying to cross the Milwaukee River via bridge. I'd been bitten and tail whipped by one when young, and wasn't looking for a repeat experience. I tried to coax her off the bridge with my feet, but she wasn't having it. It was just a matter of time before a drunk came along and killed us both (that's another story), so I called 911 for someone with gloves. Two squad cars later, after trying to figure out where she wanted to go, we got Ms. Wiggly to the river bank. I'll never know for sure if we'd got her to her destination, or back to her starting point. Think twice before accepting my help. I imagine the beaver in that video escaped without harm. S/he was probably in only a bit more danger than the person wielding the camera, and possibly as oblivious to it. Every day I see new road kill, or evidence of predation in my yard, I am thankful I'm a human.

Are we gonna have to have a Triumvirate of the Adorable, too? I'm not giving up that appellation without a fight.

Amelia, we were beginning to think you'd never join us! Welcome aboard!!! ...nails your shoes to the forum floor.

I'm from Wisconsin, where we use "Chicago screwdrivers"...

... beams aboard while the cloaking field is down and rearranges all your furniture.

I guess you're just not as memorable as me? Or have a better memory? Take your pick. I do recall you being a little cautious during our brief Hippiestock photo shoot. I don't know why people find me intimidating, which probably explains why I haven't been able to shake giving that impression. I was eager to put you at ease because I enjoy your humor and was hoping to draw out a little playful snark. I did actually meet a few lurkers while composing the Hippiestock photo, but I was asking for that, much as Scylla is doing here. In the years since, I really recall only one person IMing me (at The Far Away) and mentioning their knowledge of me from the forums. That wasn't actually the reason they IMed me. It was Feynman.

Though I don't often have time for a good chat, I do welcome random civil IMs. How I approach them depends on the IM and the context. Curiously, the most common topic for random IMs has been Dr. Richard Feynman, who's last name appears in my profile. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling to know that an appreciation of Feynman can get people to break the ice with him.

In my home, the chopsticks are safe. It's the food you should fear.

In the dozen years I've been here, this happened only once. ...pouts as her unused autograph pen leaks. (Now you know, I'm not pitch black, I'm India black.)

How do you know?

Instant coffee? What the hell is wrong with you? Turtle slippers/bathrobe and pink crazy straw? ...swoons

Hey! Four is better than nuthin... ...and it ain't over yet. C'mon you lurkers, don't make us chase you down!

I have...

You're at a red carpet event? May I have your autograph? Rookie move! Monsters lurk behind trees to catch those who run to hide behind them. The indoor equivalent of this is to hide under your bed. Has anyone ever survived that? No! Honestly, it's a miracle humanity survives.

In the interest of science, I’d be happy to help you find your upper limit, which I’ll be equally happy to suggest as the forum edit time.

I list defenestration as an interest in my SL profile.

I quite enjoyed teasing the couple who turtled their sunfish after yelling at me "Real kayakers don't pedal!" We can all be snobs on the water, until you encounter a Redneck Yacht Club. You can't pedal or sail past one of those without being offered a line... and a beer.

Quotes are no more authentic than edited originals. Every quote is an invitation to edit it. I do that all the time.

Yes, I imagine moderators can see our edits... if they look at our posts. There's ample potential for subterfuge to escape their attention. There's good reason for LL to wish to minimize the attention moderators must give us. Allowing edits indefinitely affords us the ability to keep informational posts up-to-date. Logging those edits publicly is the sunshine that disinfects.