Bathroom, handlers, and resonance

The Bathroom. We are driven beyond the politics of the left and right. Long may they survive. We have arrived at what may only be called politics of the bathroom. Modern politics seems now confined to a small room needing frequent deodorizing.

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Handlers. Many celebrities, mostly those driven to political activism, have handlers pumping, pumping, and pumping them to make news. The most recent is the footballer Kyle Kaepernick, who’s most recent activity was to stick in the eye of Miami Cubans the affirmation of Fidel Castro’s greatness (in education and more). He has little understanding of what Castro did, what he represented, how he operated, and how many died opposing his injustice. Despite his ignorance, he does make news for those regarding him merely as an useful idiot*. Kaepernick is truly just that, having not the slightest understanding of his usefulness. No doubt, he regards himself as an athlete-intellectual – or maybe an intellectual athlete. He is incorrect. He is just plain stupid. His reputation is diminished; soon he will soon be dropped.

*This term has been used for generations, first apparently by Lenin, to describe those duped into making good comments about bad regimes. Though applied by both the right and the left, it is typified in the book by Mona Charin, Useful Idiots: How Liberals Got It Wrong in the Cold War and Still Blame America First. What is remarkable is the methods are always the same, namely to parley their message using news sources to spread the word. If news sources had any credibility these days, it might work, but all the big news channels are so tainted that few believe anything. The smaller channels appeal only to their base(s).

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Resonance. Look out now as various news agencies sound the depths of discontent looking for an issue that resonates against Donald Trump. The same agencies also looked for one with Bush. With Bush it took some years. They pounded and pounded and finally one. It was the Iraq war. The economic downturn helped. The other side tried the same with Obama, and finally found a few with Obama care, foreign policy, and spending. Pound baby, pound. What will work with the new guy is not yet clear. He’s not yet even inaugurated; yet the battle is engaged. They should, in my view, save their ammo, for the months ahead. With the last months of pure bathroom effluent, the country is war weary from obnoxious smell. [Mixed metaphor. Maybe "stinking war" would be better. :)]

Behavioral Science and Problem-Solving

I. I. Introduction. Concerning our general behavior, it’s high about time we all had some understanding of how we operate on ourselves, and it is just as important how we are operated on by others. This is the wheelhouse of behavioral sciences. It is a vast subject. It touches our lives constantly. It’s influence is pervasive and can be so subtle we never notice it. Behavioral sciences profoundly affect our ability and success at problem-solving, from the elementary level to highly complex wicked problems. This is discussed in Section IV. We begin with the basics of behavioral sciences, Section II, and then through the lens of multiple categories and examples, Section III. II. ...

Where is AI (Artificial Intelligence) Going?

How to view Artificial Intelligence (AI). Imagine you go to the store to buy a TV, but all they have are 1950s models, black and white, circular screens, picture rolls, and picture imperfect, no remote. You’d say no thanks. Back in the day, they sold wildly. The TV was a must-have for everyone with $250 to spend* (about $3000 today). Compared to where AI is today, this is more or less where TVs were 70 years ago. In only a few decades AI will be advanced beyond comprehension, just like TVs today are from the 50s viewpoint. Just like we could not imagine where the video concept was going back then, we cannot really imagine where AI is going. Buckle up. But it will be spectacular. *Back then minimum wage was $0.75/hr. Thus, a TV cost more than eight weeks' wages. -------------------------

Principles of Insufficiency and Sufficiency

The principles we use but don't know it. 1. Introduction . Every field, scientific or otherwise, rests on foundational principles—think buoyancy, behavior, or democracy. Here, we explore a unique subset: principles modified by "insufficiency" and "sufficiency." While you may never have heard of them, you use them often. These terms frame principles that blend theory, practicality, and aspiration, by offering distinct perspectives. Insufficiency often implies inaction unless justified, while sufficiency suggests something exists or must be done. We’ll examine key examples and introduce a new principle with potential significance. As a principle of principles of these is that something or some action is not done enough while others may be done too much. The first six (§2-6) of our principles are in the literature, and you can easily search them online. The others are relatively new, but fit the concepts in the real world. At times, these pri...

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