The Book of Genesis

Second edition

1. In the beginning was the void,
2. No matter existed nor energy and no time passed
3. A singularity in the void arose, creating the first second
4. The singularity gave rise to cause and effect
5. And the bang was very big, and all matter and energy was created
6. Over the next few seconds, the laws of physics were created
7. Matter spread out and energy gave it speed
8. The laws of physics made ripples in the matter
9. The ripples became clouds of hydrogen
10. The clouds gave rise to stars
11. The stars burned hotly and exploded into clouds of light elements
12. The clouds of elements formed stars and gas giants
13. The new stars burned less hotly, and lasted longer
14. The gas giants heated up and formed molecules
15. The new stars finally exploded into clouds of all the elements
16. The gas giants were blown up and added molecules to the clouds
17. The new clouds condensed to form stars, gas giants and rocks
18. The rocks condensed around each other and around the gas giants
19. The stars burned, the gas giants heated up
20. The rocky planets melted and then cooled
21. The molecules on the planets reacted with each other
22. Some molecules were formed that could make copies of themselves
23. The copying molecules rapidly scavenged the free molecules
24. Copying molecules that could take stuff from others evolved
25. Molecules developed shells to protect their resources
26. Shelled molecules developed the ability to divide themselves
27. Bacteria multiplied and gained the ability to photosynthesise
28. The bacteria changed the atmosphere of the planets
29. Bacteria developed the ability to group together
30. Groups of bacteria started to specialise in symbiosis
31. Some groups gained the ability to replicate as a group
32. Some of these self-replicating organisms developed sex
33. These organisms are to be worshipped and adored.
34. The sexual organisms became rapidly more complicated
35. Every environment available was filled with organisms
36. Organisms condensed into ecologies
37. Ecologies shaped the planet's atmosphere and climate
38. Each living planet cooled itself as its star grew hotter
39. Some organisms on each planet evolved predictive organs
40. These brains grew and developed larger and larger
41. Then one organism devoted massive energy to its brain
42. And the organism became self-aware

All praise Douglas Adams!

Meta-blogging

In response to an article by Timothy Garton Ash in the Guardian, I posted the following:
There are many ways that a blog site might be moderated or trimmed of the fat.

• The Wiki method condenses opinions to a single article presenting all sides, and is easier to read as a long-term resource. It is, perhaps, what should be done to each thread at the end to summarise the views expressed.
• Threading allows side discussions and flame-wars to be ignored.
• Ratings identifies the degree of support that each statement has, but can be abused by multiple registrations to pump up the posts of an egotist.
• Polls do this a little better, and usually allow each IP address, as well as each registration, only one vote.
• Killfiles - ignoring specific posters who have a tendency to be offensive - are a good option, and can be used as a signal to moderators that particular posters are worthy of a ban.
• One method I recall combined polling with commenting. You could vote on the options in the poll, or add your own option and vote for that. It tended to get silly, but at least the comments were limited in length.

So how about something like this:

1. Each article has a poll.
2. All users can vote for or against each option - one vote per IP address.
3. Registered users can add one (and only one) additional poll option.
4. Each poll option has a pop-up window containing an explanatory note, linked to a separate discussion thread on that option.
5. Poll options are limited to, say, 60 characters.
6. If an added option receives more than double the number of rejections than approvals, and that number is more than 10% of the total number of people voting, it is removed.
7. Original poll options by the article author do not get removed.
8. Discussions are moderated by the author of the poll option, who has deletion rights on any comment.
9. Posters (not the posts) are rated by other registered users on several different scales:
   • Manners
   • Agreement with opinions
   • Clarity of arguments (even if disagreed with)
   • Openmindedness (the ability to concede points)
   Opponents can therefore express respect for each other without confusing it with disagreements on matters of opinion.

Comments and suggestions for elaboration will be welcome here.