This re-instated what passes for faith in humanity

[Occhidiangela]

Hi,
All of this is related to the Anthropic principle which, while debatable, at least starts from the observable (we are, after all, here).

From the Wiki link:

Dark energy can only have such a profound impact on the universe, making up 70% of all energy, because it uniformly fills otherwise empty space. The two leading models are quintessence and the cosmological constant.

I note that air at one atmosphere, on a standard day, is made up of roughly 70% Nitrogen. The symmetry between dark energy and Nitrogen, both necessary fillers it would seem, is most likely coincidental. Perhaps it provides a sign, a la Bill Engvall "here's your sign."

/Commence free association

The proverbial 80% solution, when seen through this lens, is an overachiever's "good enough" solution. Is the last 20% the pure oxygen that leads to high end burn out? Are shooting stars dark energy that reached for perfection, and failed?

Perhaps "good enough" at 70% is good enough universally. Improvement beyond that energy state allows for excursions into fine tuned quality, yet any reach to perfection remains, thanks to entropy, "just beyonod our grasp" as 1.0 is assymptotically approached when T = infinity in the positive direction. We must go positively, since travel in the other direction from T = now toward t = "negative infinity" arrives at T = 0 before T = -1 and entery into the Unbanged Universe -- which seems a sterile, even frigid, universe to me. No thanks. :whistling:

But I digress. :rolleyes: What's a theory worth without practical application?

70% is the minimum passing grade in most curricula. It was once a D, now it tends to be a C, but the 70% required to get beyond the filler stage remains a constant.

Note the Slacker's Imperative: "If the minimum weren't good enough, it wouldn't be the minimum." Even Slackers are accomadated by a minimum standard of 70%, although if we get caught cheating, we tend to earn an absolute zero. :angry: No free lunch, no short cuts, we must follow the Universal rules.

In application, Patton's maxim that "a good plan vigorously applied now beats a perfect plan tomorrow" fits harmoniously, as it demands energy added to "good enough" in order to preempt a stasis in mediocrity. Put another way, it takes effort just to be average, a state somewhere above "the good enough" energy state.

I conclude, given all of the above, that while the Universe precludes anyone, even a football player, from giving 110% effort, the excursions beyond the minimum is what give life its meaning -- a metaphorical oxygen if you like; is what makes life interesting; and is what makes "all the difference" to poets like Frost. In any event, horizontal or otherwise, it shows Sturgeon to be a curmudgeon.

If I could get Murphy to buy me a frosty ale as we toast Einstein's relatives, we can put a wrap on this bean burrito of a free association. As the Universe is populated by great clouds of hot gas, this latest flatus debatus is right at home, and we can accept that third base meets and exceeds the 70% solution.

/End free association

Occhi

Disclaimer: No caffeine was harmed in the creation of this free association, although a few free radicals might have been. Prudence dictates that we now imbibe some antioxidants. Isn't she sweet? Small wonder John Lennon wanted her to come out to play. ;)
Dolce Prudence, vino rosso per mi amici..