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Comments XIV

  The only way to keep alive is to keep moving. It seems to be in the nature of man to push questions to the brink of impossibility and beyond.   An error made in the problem solution for today can generate the impossible problem having no solution for tomorrow. Induction and analogy, though important, often prove to be the lazy man’s route to problem solving – particularly when they are imprecisely or inaccurately   applied.   While induction is a valid mathematical technique, analogy merely provides heuristics and example to help with problem understanding.  One good marker of an impossible problem is this:  The greater the number of solutions offered, the more difficult or impossible it must be.  -------------------------------- Confusion Theory.  Yes, there is a confusion theory.  It purports many things.  Included are studies that suggest confusion may enhance the learning of complex topics.  Another is that they generate a sense of skepticism over reported events.  

Comments XIII

Jobs?  "I don't want one," is the response from 34.3% of people.  This is the latest statistic from the Wall Street Journal, where it is noted this is up from 30% just two decades ago.   In a recent paper, Declining Labor Force Attachment and Downward Trends in Unemployment and Participation, by economists Regis Barnichon and Andrew Figura divided those out of the labor force using a simpler standard: whether or not the person says they want a job.  the paper is rather technical, but understandable.  But it does render a couple of questions.  (1) How much unemployment by those not wishing employment can a prosperous nation absorb - and remain prosperous?  (2) What is the critical mass whereby this "don't want a job" attitude toward work becomes epidemic in society?  The answer the the second question is unexplored. There is another population out there not yet analyzed.  This group, those people employed by in totally non productive venues.  Many governm

The End of Computing

The End of Computing.   We put forth the question as to the end of computing.   That is, we ask when will computing and computers come to their end of innovative applications, though this is not a discussion about bigger and faster machines.   Sure, bigger, faster computers can and will push to new limits ordinary and well explored topics.    They have this, and will so continue.   We are entered into a discussion about the use of computers to solve new, even revolutionary, problems   of this world.  Examples of innovations now at the end of their road .   Of course, these examples may simply reveal this author’s lack of futuristic insights.  ·          Watch making – long the epitome of machines, the watch is now engineered with precision and at least mechanically do just about everything ever desired – extremely accurate time keeping.   Even still there has evolved a new technology for this task. ·            The horizontal milling machine - Just about everything a m

The Case of the Repeated Noun

When the same noun is used on both sides of the verb it has a remarkable effect. It confers a meaning that may entrance, or even inspire the reader. Linking the same stem in this manner confers a deeper meaning and affect an emotional response.  If implies a deeper meaning, which actually upon reflection is incumbent on the reader to create.  It is really just a linguistic trick used by all the our masters* of language.  But they must be applied with the author mindful of just the right application. Here is a famous quote: "Luck is believing you're lucky." --- Tennessee Williams Here is another: Dryden to Lawrence (of Arabia) in the film: "It is recognized you have a funny sense of fun."  The remaining of these were generated from noun and verb lists.  Though all were constructed in just two hours, it should take you just two minutes to review.  All bunk. Hope is in the imagination of the hopeful. Freedom is life's realization to be free. Memory is

Impossible Problems – Arising in Education

The is the third in our series of impossible problems articles.  Education is an easy target because so many problems of education have no solution or at least no clear solution consensus. See, Impossible problems - conflicting information: http://used-ideas.blogspot.com/2013/10/impossible-problems-arising-from.html Impossible problems - complexity: http://used-ideas.blogspot.com/2013/09/impossible-problems-arising-from.html Impossible Problems – Arising in Education by G. Donald Allen Almost all of the problems of education are impossible, or at least difficult. In fact, there seems no field of study for which almost every problem is impossible. The education literature is totally loaded with impossible problems; even still we are constantly hearing of local solutions on this problem or that. A teacher has finally connected with her students and this is how… ; A district has developed a professional development program that fully engages the teacher in fully engaging the stu