First Blog

Here are a couple of comments you may not have heard before.  The left and the right extremes.  Each has locked him or her self into cubicles and thrown away the keys.  Nothing except highly polarized information sustaining their viewpoint can penetrate their view-ports.  Of course, there are constant visits by their clergy to keep them pure, and to review the catechism.  When you enter one of the cubicles, you have a life sentence .   Can you image one on the far right saying, “You know that idea of Obama on health care makes sense.  I could go with it.”  Or someone from the far left, saying “The surge of Bush in Iraq actually had a benefit and began to stabilize the area.” Never, never, and never. Said the lefty to the righty, “My billionaires are honest, trustworthy, and brave.  Yours are dishonest money grabbing capitalists.”  Said the righty to the lefty, “My billionaires are simply trying to preserve the best form of government that has ever been.  Yours are closet comm

The killer Dylann Roof, of the Charleston church murders  is all the things that have been mentioned, racist, hater, perverted, and more.  All agree. These killings are also about stupidity.  This dropout is just plain stupid, a traditional breading ground for bad ideas and violence.  One thing about stupid people is they cannot admit or acknowledge it.  In most cases, they don't even know it.   They often wrap themselves in an idea or concept though which they can believe a truth or mission has been found, conveniently transcending academic achievement.  In this case it was racism and associated hatred.  Though he had dropped out, he had found his higher mission, and this proved in his mind he "knew" his higher objective had been achieved. This is one of many the forms of radicalization. It is one of those forms that must express itself in violence. He is also a product of schools that no longer teach any form of citizenship or personal responsibility.  He ta

In a recent report of compensation of university presidents, it is reported that the average annual compensation (in all forms) is just over $428,000 in 2014, up 7% from a year earlier, according to an analysis of 238 chief executives at 220 public universities from the Chronicle of Higher Education, nearly four times what the average full professor makes.   See http://money.cnn.com/2015/06/07/pf/college/highest-paid-public-university-presidents/ That’s a lot of money.   But what is the true compensation?   They suffer universal contempt from the faculty* who think the job is mostly routine, something any (very careful) idiot can do.   They are also living at the whim of their boards that seem to reflect the general public opinion which is about the same as faculty.   Most of them have given up successful research careers, which is what brought them into the business in the first place.   They live in the money world, where all kinds of observation is made about great educatio

When I was a kid, we had at least two delicacies at Christmas time, pickled herring and sardines.   Both were luxuries.   I came to love them both.   Need I mention that both come in variations of quality?   Well, they do.   Let’s talk sardines, those tiny fish packed into a small tin in a variety of sauces, mustard, tomato, olive oil and more.   Let's talk about sardines packed in olive, or extra virgin olive oil, my preferred.   Thinking they are all the same, you go to the store, and select the brand in your price range, normally about $1.00-5.00 for a 3.75 oz. tin.   What to pick? Sardines come from Mexico to British Columbia, from Morocco, Portugal, Norway, Scotland, and Poland.   There are many more places from which these prized tiny little fishes are harvested and packed. Do not be deceived.   The price is a not solid indicator of the quality, and the quality is not exactly determined by price.   Except in one case.   King Oscar sardines are packed in Poland.

The scale of crime and punishment.   This is a timeless hierarchy, sweeping across human history. When the citizen parks illegally, there is a punishment appropriate.  When the small time street crook is caught for stealing a few bucks and is caught, punishment appropriate is administered.  (The police are here) When the corporate embezzler steals thousands and is caught, punishment appropriate is administered. (The district attorney is here.) The ancient Code of Hammurabi ends here. When the CEO of a "cannot fail company" errors costing billions to investors is caught, there seems to be little punishment, aside from possibly losing their position. (Politicians are here - sometimes.) When the high level administrator of a nation agency errors costing lives and trillions in treasure is exposed, who is punished?  In many cases there can be an increase in their level of admiration. (Who is here? Who is complaining? Who is punished, except for the public?)

Said the upstanding  citizen to the professional gambler, "You are a moral disgrace to all our decent citizenry."  Said the gambler, "Sir, while what you say may be true, I do much good by serving as the instrument of morality to punish many of your other upstanding citizens who stray from their moral heights."

With the arrest of a man for quadruple homicides in Washington DC this week, having been found first by his DNA signature leading to a name,and then tracking his cell phone traffic*, we are confronted with the issue of whether all citizens should have on file a DNA record.  One's DNA signature is absolutely unique. Of course, when there is an issue, there is a controversy.  Should we or shouldn't we have such records?  The one group claims individual rights while the other claims the greater good.  Samo, samo. In this note we argue in favor of DNA typing.  Here are some reasons. a. Clearly when a perp leaves DNA floating about, he/she becomes more easily identifiable.  Just as in the early days of finger printing.  Now no self-respecting perp leaves those about anymore.  b. Having a DNA signature will allow medical researchers in the decades ahead to make dramatic correlations between the DNA and various diseases and other medical conditions.  This could lead to remarkab

Many people know how to handle kindness, love, and charity. For they know how to give these. Other people know how to handle hate, vengeance, and retribution, for the same reason. Love is a curious commodity.  Note the word "commodity.".  It implies capacity, intensity, quality, constancy, and longevity.  Humans vary, and so do their expressions and meanings of love. More importantly is their capacity for love.  Remarkably, many have diminished capacity for love, but unlimited capacity for hate, a mirrored expression of feelings. Soccer is the only sport I know of where the fans regularly sing in chorus.  The songs are filled with joy and enthusiasm. It must be inspiring to the home team.  In soccer, with relegation* the norm, the excitement of games for teams near the bottom are every bit as high as games between the top contenders.  However, it is relatively easy to see large differences in the quality of the play.  *The bottom three teams are relegated

The Police.   There is a strong movement toward which all police officers must wear body cameras.   The claim is that not only will such cameras deter abuse and other conflagrations of the law, but will document the officer’s daily activities.   The camera will create a log of all activities of this officer, and this is becomes a part of the officer’s permanent file.    A few consequences on the pro side include Documentation of abusive actions of the officer.  Clarification of charges made by the officer or by the perpetrator. A strict adherence by the officer to written procedures. These sound like a welcome relief to the critics.   And for about 1% of all police officers, it means that the tendency to abuse must be curtailed.   This sounds good.   However, there is a con side to this. 1.        As mentioned above, the officer’s permanent file containing all encounters will reveal all mistakes made, and there will be these.   2.        The camera will make the o

My dad used to say if you want a serious problem to solve, find one that no one has yet solved. Knowing now that the best minds work on the hardest problems, these unsolved or open problems must be difficult. In this short piece, we talk about time, its elusive meaning, and its close cousin of order. The God Problem.  Is there or isn't there?  Those that believe do believe on faith, an inner sense of knowing.  Those that don't mostly believe it is only a matter of time and the endeavors of science to solve there is no God.  But suppose such a solution is offered?  The universe is this way or that...  But who made the universe is the next level.  But suppose the universe is this way or that?  Then how were the laws created?  And when this is resolved, how did the laws come into place?  In short, what ever is resolved, the next question is "Why's that? Who did that?"  The God Problem is one of infinite regression for the scientist, but solvable by act of faith alone

For years now, various parties both inside the USA and out have been claiming the Iranians are getting close to having sufficient fissionable materials to build a nuclear bomb. From 2012 onwards this party or that has made claims of three months, six months, up to a year or more to reach that milestone.  In the meantime, Iran seems to have increased their numbers of functioning centrifuges - needed to separate the heavier versions of uranium.  Lately, estimates are two-three months, six months, and up to a year or more.  Hmmm... So far, no one has suggested the Iranians already have enough such material. Do the math.  Even accounting for the wildest estimates from 2012 on, it seems certain or certainly plausible the milestone has been reached.  I conjecture Iran is working now toward multiples of critical mass materials.  Of course, they won't tell us, and even if we (i.e. the govt) knows, they won't tell us. Other countries, particularly those with sophisticated intelligenc

Many robots, at the industrial, home, and combat levels now exist.   They are becoming more powerful almost at a Moore’s law rate of doubling capacity every 18 months.   For decades now, many movies have depicted robots at more human levels.   Many of these films and let’s say “philosophers of robotics” suggest robots exceeding human capacity in almost every way.   One recent movie, “The Machine”, illustrates a robot vastly more powerful that humans, intellectually and emotionally, but also more human that humans.   They can pass the Turing test (Imitation game*) easily.   Ray Kurzweil** suggests that computer intellectual capacity will exceed humans by 2050,   easily passing the Turning test, and that by 2099 clear distinctions between humans and machines will no longer exist.   This is a tall order, if only considering the aspects of problems solving.***     Steven Hawking**** suggests that robots may be the next evolutionary step of humanity, and that perhaps humans have co