First Blog

  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. ------------------------- 

  Advice, Bad Advice, and Damned Advice Don Allen   Everyone gives advice, and almost everyone takes it now and then. Advice, though, is inherently incoherent, inconsistent, and inaccurate.   Now and then, it can be critical. But even the stingiest, coldest, or most loving of us give it freely. A glossary follows but first consider a few examples.   ·         When you take advice, are you substituting another’s thinking for your own? ·         Sometimes I wish I followed my own advice. But nooooo! I took someone else’s advice. Wrong. ·         When you give advice and someone takes it, then are you not somewhat responsible for outcomes? ·         There have been times I rejected good advice because I didn’t like who was giving it. ·         Companies call in consultants to give advice, but the consultants seldom know the fine points of the business they are advising. People call in psychologists for the same reasons. ·         Ministers and priests are always giving

  Is Artificial Intelligence Conscious? I truly like the study of consciousness, though it is safe to say no one really knows what it is. Some philosophers has avoided the problem by claiming consciousness simply doesn’t exist. It's the ultimate escape clause. However, the "therefore, it does not exist" argument also applies to "truth", "God", and even "reality" all quite beyond a consensus description for at least three millennia. For each issue or problem defying description or understanding, simply escape the problem by claiming it doesn’t exist. Problem solved or problem avoided? Alternately, as Daniel Dennett explains consciousness as an account of the various calculations occurring in the brain at close to the same time. However, he goes on to say that consciousness is so insignificant, especially compared to our exalted notions of it, that it might as well not exist [1] . Oh, well. Getting back to consciousness, most of us have view

 

  Why are anti-inflammatory foods good for you? Anti-inflammatory foods are considered good for you because they can help reduce chronic inflammation in the body, which is associated with a wide range of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and various autoimmune diseases. Chronic inflammation is a long-term, systemic immune response that can damage healthy tissues and lead to the development of these health issues. Specific examples follow. a.       Reducing Chronic Inflammation: Anti-inflammatory foods contain compounds that can help reduce the production of pro-inflammatory molecules in the body, such as cytokines and prostaglandins. This can help lower overall inflammation levels. b.       Protecting Against Chronic Diseases: Chronic inflammation is a common factor in the development of many chronic diseases. Consuming anti-inflammatory foods can help lower the risk of these diseases by mitigating the underlying inflammation. c.       Supporting Immun

  Becoming Creative Don Allen Introduction . How to become creative? This question is on all minds if only out of curiosity, but specifically on how to do it. In this short note, we identify two main types of creativity. Many types associated with a topic, e.g. digital, educational, art, and science, have detailed interpretations online. We look here at more of a foundational level, as in what’s common with all. Assume there is some problem at hand about which you want to find a solution or an explanation. Very rarely, if ever, does the creative process work spontaneously, rendering up some solution to something about which you are substantially unknowledgeable or unaware. Sometimes, though, it happens when you notice something unusual that you cannot explain. However, this creates a problem, upon which you must focus. Alternate terms for creativity include innovation, inspiration, and intuition.   Creativity is not for amateurs, even though folks, me included, are always firing

 Creativity and innovation can be compared with learning to high dive.  You can read books on them for days, months, or years. But until you actually do it, you don't know how, and moreover hardly know what to do.  A complement I always give athletes, is that they practice, and hopefully with a patient coach. They know practice is essential. But for creativity, some think they just need a course or a couple online videos, and they're ready to create. Not so. Bottom line is that creativity is both a skill and an intellectual activity. Without practice and even with, there's never a guarantee. BTW, most attempts at creativity amount to crap, just like those first dives into the deep.  

 One, who hanging by his fingers from a cliff, calls it climbing a mountain. 

 “The real hopeless victims of mental illness are to be found among those who appear to be most normal. Many of them are normal because they are so well adjusted to our mode of existence, because their human voice has been silenced so early in their lives, that they do not even struggle or suffer or develop symptoms as the neurotic does. They are normal not in what may be called the absolute sense of the word; they are normal only in relation to a profoundly abnormal society. Their perfect adjustment to that abnormal society is a measure of their mental sickness. These millions of abnormally normal people, living without fuss in a society to which, if they were fully human beings, they ought not to be adjusted.” ― Aldous Huxley, Brave New World Revisited

Politicized science and research did not begin in the United States. It began much earlier. For example, during the Black Plague of the 14th century, politicians together with doctors created a causation for the plague from 1347–1351. It was decided that the plague was caused by contagion and was attributed to public bathhouses, then very popular. Bathhouses everywhere were closed. The consequence was from that time on, for centuries, people were reluctant to take baths, except rarely. The cause of disease even into the 19th century was said to be caused by “malaise” and this, supported by the government and physicians, implied little care could be given. At the time of the American Revolution, bloodletting was a prescription for fever. It worked by reducing the fever, but unhappily it killed many patients. This was supported by science and the government. Without giving more examples, let’s fast forward to the 20th century with the development of the atomic bomb. This was co-produced

Events that can cause national panic (ordered). 1.       A military attack. 2.       A serious food shortage. 3.       A highly contagious disease. 4.       The economy tanks. Others (unordered) ·         High energy costs. ·         Massive unemployment. ·         Illegal immigration. ·         Crime. ·         Climate change. ·         Low birth rates.

 Well, when you can write, even your letters are great.