When my family lived in Nauvoo, Illinois - beginning in 1947, the Wayne Earls made a big impression on us - on everyone, in fact. Wayne had married the homely daughter of a rich woman - who was please to find such a impressive husband for her daughter.
They used her money to build a motel on the crest of a hill overlooking the river. The rooms facing the river sold well, but the other rooms did not. The motel lost money.
Wayne later managed the office of stock broker, in a nearby town, and Lee Ourth worked for him then. But he was caught. using company funds to speculate in stocks for himself, and left his job in disgrace.
What happened to him after that, I do not know.
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Once Out of Touch with Reality, You Stay Out of Touch
And this situation applies to many people today. They are not aware (of much of anything) and are not aware of this.
There are two responses to the assertion: the simplest, is to say it doesn't matter much - most people have never understood their situation very well, and probably never will. But the running of the world does not depend on them - this is done by other people, who are not doing too bad a job of it.
The immediate response to this is to note - that they are doing a poor job of it. Not an impossible job, but so far from what they should be doing - it's remarkable they can get away with it.
They do get away with it, because few are noticing, with their conscious minds - and because, with their unconscious minds, they approve of this incompetence.
The last thing I noted - the unconscious acceptance of gross incompetence - is something new, that showed up in the first half of the 20th Century (with the rise of Fascism) - but whose appearance was masked, by the dramatic appearance of TV and the Computer, in 1950-1980.
Too many things were happening, and we could not cope with all of them. The situation was not impossible - there were still many things we could do, one thing at a time.
But most of those, would challenge those who running things.
There are two responses to the assertion: the simplest, is to say it doesn't matter much - most people have never understood their situation very well, and probably never will. But the running of the world does not depend on them - this is done by other people, who are not doing too bad a job of it.
The immediate response to this is to note - that they are doing a poor job of it. Not an impossible job, but so far from what they should be doing - it's remarkable they can get away with it.
They do get away with it, because few are noticing, with their conscious minds - and because, with their unconscious minds, they approve of this incompetence.
The last thing I noted - the unconscious acceptance of gross incompetence - is something new, that showed up in the first half of the 20th Century (with the rise of Fascism) - but whose appearance was masked, by the dramatic appearance of TV and the Computer, in 1950-1980.
Too many things were happening, and we could not cope with all of them. The situation was not impossible - there were still many things we could do, one thing at a time.
But most of those, would challenge those who running things.
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
James Decided He Wanted a More Permanent Relationship with Nora
The James here was James Joyce, the Nora was Nora Barnacle, and the date was 1904.
I am reading Nora by Brenda Maddox - a huge book, which says on page 27:
To Joyce's grateful astonishment, she unbuttoned his trousers, slipped in her hand, pushed his shirt aside, and acting with some skill (according to his later account) made him a man.
On the basis of this, Jame's feeble mind, decided it wanted a more permanent relationship with Nora - but one that did not include marriage. This arrangement was satisfactory to Nora also - who was living in a condition of near poverty. She thought he would become rich and famous - and she would get him to marry her.
All this would happen, but much later. Their relationship would become one of the many dysfunctional relationships of their time.
I am reading Nora by Brenda Maddox - a huge book, which says on page 27:
To Joyce's grateful astonishment, she unbuttoned his trousers, slipped in her hand, pushed his shirt aside, and acting with some skill (according to his later account) made him a man.
On the basis of this, Jame's feeble mind, decided it wanted a more permanent relationship with Nora - but one that did not include marriage. This arrangement was satisfactory to Nora also - who was living in a condition of near poverty. She thought he would become rich and famous - and she would get him to marry her.
All this would happen, but much later. Their relationship would become one of the many dysfunctional relationships of their time.
Being a Software Developer is a Young Man's Game
Just how young you need to be, varies considerably, of course, but from my own experience, I would say when you get over Sixty, you are probably getting too old.
This is a very touchy subject, and I have avoided it myself. But as I tried to update my programming skills, in the last few years, I was finally forced to recognize this. I don't have that kind of brain power anymore.
As we get older, every part of us (body and mind) gradually deteriorates - and it finally gets to the point, where we can no longer function, and we die. We not only need to recognize that we die - we also need to recognize, that we gradually fade away.
This is a very touchy subject, and I have avoided it myself. But as I tried to update my programming skills, in the last few years, I was finally forced to recognize this. I don't have that kind of brain power anymore.
As we get older, every part of us (body and mind) gradually deteriorates - and it finally gets to the point, where we can no longer function, and we die. We not only need to recognize that we die - we also need to recognize, that we gradually fade away.
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Good with Things, Bad with People
I am often amazed by all the clever things are in our world. Just as I am depressed by how badly we treat our selves. Something is out of balance here, I wonder what it is.
Perhaps it is due to our Christian background, with its belief that we are inherently evil. A machine, by contrast, cannot be evil - it's simply impossible. But with people, it is not only possible, but unavoidable.
This belief was challenged by non-religious people, as being ridiculous - and was dismissed without further thought. But most people remained religious, and continued to accept it.
The important qualification here is most people - which forms, in any democracy, an overwhelming political fact. The rights of minorities should be protected - but often they are not. Once any group assumes power, it often assumes absolute power. And becomes impossible to stop.
What I have said so far, is reasonable, and easily accepted. But this overlooks an important dynamic in our time - that everyone is aware of, but hesitates to say out loud. It is this - there is a hidden power structure in control, that cannot be easily identified - but is all-powerful. And it will squash anything that opposes it.
It is sometimes call public opinion - a mysterious force that arises from the masses. And which terrifies everyone.
I have left a number of questions unanswered here. Some of them very deep, that have remained unanswered for thousands of years. And some of which, have appeared only recently, in the last fifty years or so.
They can all be summarized easily - the human race is in bad shape.
Perhaps it is due to our Christian background, with its belief that we are inherently evil. A machine, by contrast, cannot be evil - it's simply impossible. But with people, it is not only possible, but unavoidable.
This belief was challenged by non-religious people, as being ridiculous - and was dismissed without further thought. But most people remained religious, and continued to accept it.
The important qualification here is most people - which forms, in any democracy, an overwhelming political fact. The rights of minorities should be protected - but often they are not. Once any group assumes power, it often assumes absolute power. And becomes impossible to stop.
What I have said so far, is reasonable, and easily accepted. But this overlooks an important dynamic in our time - that everyone is aware of, but hesitates to say out loud. It is this - there is a hidden power structure in control, that cannot be easily identified - but is all-powerful. And it will squash anything that opposes it.
It is sometimes call public opinion - a mysterious force that arises from the masses. And which terrifies everyone.
I have left a number of questions unanswered here. Some of them very deep, that have remained unanswered for thousands of years. And some of which, have appeared only recently, in the last fifty years or so.
They can all be summarized easily - the human race is in bad shape.
Monday, May 28, 2018
How Our Family Went from Being Poor Immigrants to Rich Americans
Our family story is no different from that of millions of other American families - but it's time someone remembered our history for us.
My maternal grandmother came to America, from a poor part of England (and those certainly did exist, at the time) with her mother. Her father came also, but he was not considered important - our family was descended from a Matriarchy, that went a long way back - all the way to Queen Victoria.
They settled in Boston, the proper place, at the time, for the English to migrate to (along with the Irish, but that is another story),
Her family sent her to Business School, of which many existed - to learn a trade for herself. She learned to operate a Typewriter - a new invention, at the time. The hadn't been standardized yet, so she, and her classmates learned how to use all of them!
The Boston paper showed a photograph of her and a classmate, dressed formally, in long black dresses - going to work in the Financial District! She, and her typewriter, could compete easily with the men clerks, with their beautiful handwriting.
This was progress, even if many people did not like it. She, and her family, were going up in the world, no matter the costs were to anyone else. The typewriter was the latest thing - and grandmother, as a young woman, was the latest thing also!
Grandmother married another immigrant, from Nova Scotia, who (with the help of his sister, who had married into a rich Boston family) got a job for him at the family's business college.
They bought a fine house, in a Boston suburbs - and my mother was born there.
They had arrived!
My maternal grandmother came to America, from a poor part of England (and those certainly did exist, at the time) with her mother. Her father came also, but he was not considered important - our family was descended from a Matriarchy, that went a long way back - all the way to Queen Victoria.
They settled in Boston, the proper place, at the time, for the English to migrate to (along with the Irish, but that is another story),
Her family sent her to Business School, of which many existed - to learn a trade for herself. She learned to operate a Typewriter - a new invention, at the time. The hadn't been standardized yet, so she, and her classmates learned how to use all of them!
The Boston paper showed a photograph of her and a classmate, dressed formally, in long black dresses - going to work in the Financial District! She, and her typewriter, could compete easily with the men clerks, with their beautiful handwriting.
This was progress, even if many people did not like it. She, and her family, were going up in the world, no matter the costs were to anyone else. The typewriter was the latest thing - and grandmother, as a young woman, was the latest thing also!
Grandmother married another immigrant, from Nova Scotia, who (with the help of his sister, who had married into a rich Boston family) got a job for him at the family's business college.
They bought a fine house, in a Boston suburbs - and my mother was born there.
They had arrived!
How Software has Changed
It is strange, that someone like me, who is not a software expert at all - should be giving a historical overview of its development. But perhaps the experts are too close to the action - and I am far enough away from it, to get a wider view.
I am far away, in rural Costa Rica, in a small scenic town surrounded by coffee fields - but with a fast Internet connection. An unusual combination.
I was looking back over my life, something an old man sometimes does, that ended with me doing time in the Computer Industry in California, in the Eighties and Nineties.
I noticed then, and I continue to notice, that the people there had no idea what was going on. And seemed determined to not notice. Perhaps they were suffering from too much change, and had to protect themselves from it.
Rapid change was happening, for sure. And most people did not know how to cope with it. Someone should do some research on this, and find out what this really means, to them. I think they will be surprised, by what they discover.
In the Eighties, we did not yet realize, that we were into Computers. We just called it High Tech - and became obsessed with making money out of it, whatever it was. Often by the shadiest of means - people were stealing things from other people, at an incredible rate. This was highway robbery, in other words, although the highway was new.
As soon as people smell money - they want some of it. And money was there.
I had been working in Southern California, along the Pacific Coast. From Ventura County, southward into LA country, then into Orange Country, and into San Diego. All this was being developed, and High Tech was part of this rapid development. The area was transformed from beautiful small towns, into a horrible megalopolis. It was time for me to get out.
I moved North, into Silicon Valley. It continues to amaze me, to this day - how many Americans do know know what the Valley is, or where it is. I can hardly blame them, it was so new, and so strange - we could hardly believe it ourselves, at the time. But real it was - in a weird way.
By this time, we knew we were into computers, but a new kind of computer - the Personal Computer. A big thing three feet high, two feet deep, and a foot wide. I had one, complete with all the adapters, you added to it, so it could do anything.You bought the extra software you needed also. These were sold on optical disks, you inserted into your Desktop.
I had a whole table loaded with equipment - a fancy monitor that could be rotated from horizontal to vertical orientation, three printers, and a scanner.
This was so complicated, I used a computer shop to do all my customization for me. I would lug it over to them, in back of my car - and pick it up, a day later, with all my improvements installed.
I am far away, in rural Costa Rica, in a small scenic town surrounded by coffee fields - but with a fast Internet connection. An unusual combination.
I was looking back over my life, something an old man sometimes does, that ended with me doing time in the Computer Industry in California, in the Eighties and Nineties.
I noticed then, and I continue to notice, that the people there had no idea what was going on. And seemed determined to not notice. Perhaps they were suffering from too much change, and had to protect themselves from it.
Rapid change was happening, for sure. And most people did not know how to cope with it. Someone should do some research on this, and find out what this really means, to them. I think they will be surprised, by what they discover.
In the Eighties, we did not yet realize, that we were into Computers. We just called it High Tech - and became obsessed with making money out of it, whatever it was. Often by the shadiest of means - people were stealing things from other people, at an incredible rate. This was highway robbery, in other words, although the highway was new.
As soon as people smell money - they want some of it. And money was there.
I had been working in Southern California, along the Pacific Coast. From Ventura County, southward into LA country, then into Orange Country, and into San Diego. All this was being developed, and High Tech was part of this rapid development. The area was transformed from beautiful small towns, into a horrible megalopolis. It was time for me to get out.
I moved North, into Silicon Valley. It continues to amaze me, to this day - how many Americans do know know what the Valley is, or where it is. I can hardly blame them, it was so new, and so strange - we could hardly believe it ourselves, at the time. But real it was - in a weird way.
By this time, we knew we were into computers, but a new kind of computer - the Personal Computer. A big thing three feet high, two feet deep, and a foot wide. I had one, complete with all the adapters, you added to it, so it could do anything.You bought the extra software you needed also. These were sold on optical disks, you inserted into your Desktop.
I had a whole table loaded with equipment - a fancy monitor that could be rotated from horizontal to vertical orientation, three printers, and a scanner.
This was so complicated, I used a computer shop to do all my customization for me. I would lug it over to them, in back of my car - and pick it up, a day later, with all my improvements installed.
Here is where my story begins.
It's been a long buildup, but it was necessary. Things were changing, once again - and everything was changing fast.
The Desktop was being replace by the Laptop - were everything (hardware and software) was included in one tidy, low cost, package!
The Desktop was being replace by the Laptop - were everything (hardware and software) was included in one tidy, low cost, package!
The Java programming language was introduced - it wasn't sold, it was given away, for free - by Sun Microsystems - who wanted to get rid of Microsoft. They didn't succeed in getting rid of Microsoft - it was too clever and ruthless for that. But they did succeed in reinventing the Software Development process.
It was made part of a much larger package - what came to be called an Ecosystem! From then on, you became part of software company's protected territory - sometimes call its Walled Garden. Apple had one of those - along with Google (a big one!) Amazon, and Facebook. All of them were tied together, by the Internet - something brand new.
And they all created a financial boom, that still has not ended. Startups still come and go, like mushrooms on manure. The usual insanity.
But quietly below all this sound and fury - a new kind of Software Development was taking place. Developers were quietly helping other developers to do their work. And the work they were doing was amazing!
It's so amazing, I cannot understand it - but I can clearly see it is based on cooperation, not competition.
They have created new people (Computer people) that are extremely well paid. But these are putting almost every one else out of work.
And everyone else, meanwhile. is having a panic attack - and doing everything wrong.
Sunday, May 27, 2018
An innocent Young Woman, who Married an Older Man
When I was working in Silicon Valley, I knew his woman personally.
I was working, in the early Nineties, for Borland Software Company, in Scotts Valley, California - halfway between San Jose, Santa Cruz. It had a beautiful campus, that included a full-size basketball court, and a Olympic-sized swimming pool. And this gal took us running, in the scenic hills around Scotts Valley - every day during lunch break.
This was before Google came along - and Borland offered even better benefits. Unfortunately it did stay in business long, and soon disappeared - along with many other Silicon Valley companies.
We did a lot of talking during these runs - everyone told us about themselves - and she told us about herself. She had married this older man - and discovered, to her surprise, that he had had a number of previous relationships (woman and their children) - that he continued to support. Her relationship was one of many.
She didn't think this was fair - but couldn't think of a way of getting out of it.
I was working, in the early Nineties, for Borland Software Company, in Scotts Valley, California - halfway between San Jose, Santa Cruz. It had a beautiful campus, that included a full-size basketball court, and a Olympic-sized swimming pool. And this gal took us running, in the scenic hills around Scotts Valley - every day during lunch break.
This was before Google came along - and Borland offered even better benefits. Unfortunately it did stay in business long, and soon disappeared - along with many other Silicon Valley companies.
We did a lot of talking during these runs - everyone told us about themselves - and she told us about herself. She had married this older man - and discovered, to her surprise, that he had had a number of previous relationships (woman and their children) - that he continued to support. Her relationship was one of many.
She didn't think this was fair - but couldn't think of a way of getting out of it.
People Had a Feeling for What They Were
And they also had a feeling for how well things were going for them - as individuals, and as a group. If things were not going well, they did something about it. This is common sense, taken to an extreme.
But somehow, we are not not as intelligent as we used to be. The reason for this, is not hard to understand - because our world has become more complicated. Or, more accurately - more complex.
It is no longer clear to us, what the best way to proceed is. And, more importantly, if we are the right force to make these changes. Other forces have gradually taken over, and do not want us to interfere with their operation.
Let me say this again - other forces have arisen, and we are not sure how to cope with them. We are surrounded by strange forces - and many of us, have made the decision - to not understand them!
I could go to the trouble of describing what these forces are. But that is not necessary - many of us have made the decision to not understand what they are - and they are not going to change their minds about this.
I saw this most clearly, the last time I visited the States. My cousin, and his wife, who live in Northern Virginia (in the DC area) let me live with them for two weeks, and were as considerate as they could be.
My cousin explained to me, how he had failed in Ohio, but had been saved by his sister, and her husband. Who had let him live with them, discover what he was talented for, and build another career, for himself. An amazing story!
There was only one problem - they did not want discuss why this happened, or what was happening to them at that time. There was not going to be any serious talk, around the dinner table.
This was hard on me - I love serious talk, but this is was forbidden.
Allow me to say this another way, slightly differently. People have changed, and we need to understand how they have changed.- but we are not doing a good job of this.
And the situation is getting worse, as the Computer is getting smarter - and become another force, we cannot understand. It is not really hard to understand - I am not too bright, but I can understand it.
But, once again, people do not want to understand.
But somehow, we are not not as intelligent as we used to be. The reason for this, is not hard to understand - because our world has become more complicated. Or, more accurately - more complex.
It is no longer clear to us, what the best way to proceed is. And, more importantly, if we are the right force to make these changes. Other forces have gradually taken over, and do not want us to interfere with their operation.
Let me say this again - other forces have arisen, and we are not sure how to cope with them. We are surrounded by strange forces - and many of us, have made the decision - to not understand them!
I could go to the trouble of describing what these forces are. But that is not necessary - many of us have made the decision to not understand what they are - and they are not going to change their minds about this.
I saw this most clearly, the last time I visited the States. My cousin, and his wife, who live in Northern Virginia (in the DC area) let me live with them for two weeks, and were as considerate as they could be.
My cousin explained to me, how he had failed in Ohio, but had been saved by his sister, and her husband. Who had let him live with them, discover what he was talented for, and build another career, for himself. An amazing story!
There was only one problem - they did not want discuss why this happened, or what was happening to them at that time. There was not going to be any serious talk, around the dinner table.
This was hard on me - I love serious talk, but this is was forbidden.
Allow me to say this another way, slightly differently. People have changed, and we need to understand how they have changed.- but we are not doing a good job of this.
And the situation is getting worse, as the Computer is getting smarter - and become another force, we cannot understand. It is not really hard to understand - I am not too bright, but I can understand it.
But, once again, people do not want to understand.
Saturday, May 26, 2018
My New Windows 10 Laptop
Has this been a hassle!
I ordered a refurbished laptop from Amazon, and it was delivered to Miami. I use aeropost to fly my packages to Costa Rica - and they have recently have said I could import packages duty free - $600, every 6 months! So I gave this a try. Big mistake!
I had to take my laptop to their office in Cartago (the nearest large town) - so they could print all the forms, necessary to do this (why they could not use their laptops to do this, I have no idea). Then I get a notice from saying $60 has been charged to my credit card. The standard charge is 13% of the price, which was $286! Then a get a notice saying the laptop is available to be picked up in Cartago.
I get back on the bus to Cartago, a one hour ride - and get the laptop, packaged in a large box. But it has started to rain, and when it rains there, the streets turn into rivers. My taxi takes me to the bus stop, going back to Orosi, and I wade through ankle-deep water to get on the bus.
I take it home, and install it. It asks me for my email password, when what it really wants is my Windows password! But I do get it working - only to find Windows is not authorized on it! I complained to Amazon - but so far, no answer.
I installed the Chrome browser, but it keeps losing some of its tabs. Something is wrong there.
I ordered a refurbished laptop from Amazon, and it was delivered to Miami. I use aeropost to fly my packages to Costa Rica - and they have recently have said I could import packages duty free - $600, every 6 months! So I gave this a try. Big mistake!
I had to take my laptop to their office in Cartago (the nearest large town) - so they could print all the forms, necessary to do this (why they could not use their laptops to do this, I have no idea). Then I get a notice from saying $60 has been charged to my credit card. The standard charge is 13% of the price, which was $286! Then a get a notice saying the laptop is available to be picked up in Cartago.
I get back on the bus to Cartago, a one hour ride - and get the laptop, packaged in a large box. But it has started to rain, and when it rains there, the streets turn into rivers. My taxi takes me to the bus stop, going back to Orosi, and I wade through ankle-deep water to get on the bus.
I take it home, and install it. It asks me for my email password, when what it really wants is my Windows password! But I do get it working - only to find Windows is not authorized on it! I complained to Amazon - but so far, no answer.
I installed the Chrome browser, but it keeps losing some of its tabs. Something is wrong there.
Friday, May 25, 2018
Grandmother Wrote Homilies
Wikipedia
A commentary, without formal introduction, division, or conclusion, on some part of Sacred Scripture, the aim being to explain the literal, and evolve the spiritual, meaning of the Sacred Text.
A commentary, without formal introduction, division, or conclusion, on some part of Sacred Scripture, the aim being to explain the literal, and evolve the spiritual, meaning of the Sacred Text.
She made a modest living from writing these during the Depression, when money was hard to get.
There was a company then, that provided Offering Envelopes for the churches. People could put their money in these envelopes (one for each Sunday) and drop them in the offering plate that was being passed around. A church officer, would open the envelopes, and give each person credit for his contribution. - usually in the form a written statement that could be used for income tax purposes.
On the back of each envelope, was a short homily. This company employed a number of writers - and Grandmother was one of those.
She got the ideas for these homilies from listening to the sermons, in her church.
Hatred in the Office
You will not see this discussed very much - the most important dynamic in many people's lives - what goes on in the office they work in.
When did the Office (with a capital O) begin? It must have begun in the many business activities created by the Industrial Revolution. All these had to be managed properly, to maximize their profitability. This was the essence of Capitalism - people working to make more money (capital) that could be used hire more people.
But also a hierarchical power structure, where those at the top of structure benefited the most. Those at the very top, the Industrialists, became extremely wealthy.
Meanwhile (sometime in the 19th Century) the Office appeared. And developed its own peculiar social institutions - similar to those of Slavery. This affected many people, but they were not aware of it.
The Office created its own kind of people - who accepted its terms without question, and without thinking about it. The more ruthless of these, were determined to rise through the ranks - and became managers of the other workers - and made more money.
When I became an Electronic Engineer in 1959, the Office was well-established - and an unavoidable fact of life. But one I was very uncomfortable with. I could not be an Office person.
I have a cousin who also had this problem. He graduated as a Social Worker, tried to work in Ohio, found he could not work in an office, and was out of a job. His wife left him in disgust, taking their children with her. Fortunately, he had a sister, living in the DC area (in Northern Virginia). She and her husband invited him to live with them, while he sorted out his problems. He took Adult Education courses, that included tests, to see what kind of work he was suited for. He became an Surveyor, where he did not have to work in an office. Became a success at that - and remarried.
But I return to my personal history. My father had been a small businessman - he could never work for anyone else. These were common in the Forties, and they included the family farmer. In the Fifties, these started to disappear - much to my amazement, but to no one else's.
One fundamental instruction affected all of them - they were not to notice what was going on! And so they didn't.
What I noticed was bizarre, and is probably not entirely accurate - but it was this. Society developed into superhumans, and subhumans. And the superhumans treated the subhumans very badly. This has been true throughout history, it is a fact of human nature. But in this case, this social difference was unconscious. and not noticed!
The Unconscious, one of our greatest discoveries - was being ignored, and ignored completely!
When did the Office (with a capital O) begin? It must have begun in the many business activities created by the Industrial Revolution. All these had to be managed properly, to maximize their profitability. This was the essence of Capitalism - people working to make more money (capital) that could be used hire more people.
But also a hierarchical power structure, where those at the top of structure benefited the most. Those at the very top, the Industrialists, became extremely wealthy.
Meanwhile (sometime in the 19th Century) the Office appeared. And developed its own peculiar social institutions - similar to those of Slavery. This affected many people, but they were not aware of it.
The Office created its own kind of people - who accepted its terms without question, and without thinking about it. The more ruthless of these, were determined to rise through the ranks - and became managers of the other workers - and made more money.
When I became an Electronic Engineer in 1959, the Office was well-established - and an unavoidable fact of life. But one I was very uncomfortable with. I could not be an Office person.
I have a cousin who also had this problem. He graduated as a Social Worker, tried to work in Ohio, found he could not work in an office, and was out of a job. His wife left him in disgust, taking their children with her. Fortunately, he had a sister, living in the DC area (in Northern Virginia). She and her husband invited him to live with them, while he sorted out his problems. He took Adult Education courses, that included tests, to see what kind of work he was suited for. He became an Surveyor, where he did not have to work in an office. Became a success at that - and remarried.
But I return to my personal history. My father had been a small businessman - he could never work for anyone else. These were common in the Forties, and they included the family farmer. In the Fifties, these started to disappear - much to my amazement, but to no one else's.
One fundamental instruction affected all of them - they were not to notice what was going on! And so they didn't.
What I noticed was bizarre, and is probably not entirely accurate - but it was this. Society developed into superhumans, and subhumans. And the superhumans treated the subhumans very badly. This has been true throughout history, it is a fact of human nature. But in this case, this social difference was unconscious. and not noticed!
The Unconscious, one of our greatest discoveries - was being ignored, and ignored completely!
Thursday, May 24, 2018
When You Learn how to Build a Web App Yourself
You notice how defective most Apps are.
This is not hard to spot. Every app stores it's information in a database - that keeps track of everything that goes on with that app. Updating this information, or retrieving it, whenever necessary, should be as simple (and fast) as it can be - that's what databases (and there are number of them) were designed to do.
I am not a database expert myself - but I do know how they should work. And I know any App design tool (and there are many of them) builds a database for you, as part of its services.
This takes awhile - the App design tool spins its wheels - and then hands you an astonishing number of files, with important information in them - that make everything work together.
As an App designer, you have to know how this huge amount of information works. Acquiring this expertise takes some time - but once you have it, companies, with plenty of money at their disposal, will come looking for you.
This is not hard to spot. Every app stores it's information in a database - that keeps track of everything that goes on with that app. Updating this information, or retrieving it, whenever necessary, should be as simple (and fast) as it can be - that's what databases (and there are number of them) were designed to do.
I am not a database expert myself - but I do know how they should work. And I know any App design tool (and there are many of them) builds a database for you, as part of its services.
This takes awhile - the App design tool spins its wheels - and then hands you an astonishing number of files, with important information in them - that make everything work together.
As an App designer, you have to know how this huge amount of information works. Acquiring this expertise takes some time - but once you have it, companies, with plenty of money at their disposal, will come looking for you.
Success in a World that Has Failed
The most important fact we should be aware of in today's world - is that it has failed. Once we have recognized that, we can understand much of what is going on.
This, however, is impossible! The process of failing, has gone on so long, and been so thorough - we can no longer recognize what is going on around us.
The crucial difference was Television - that captured the minds of people everywhere. I stopped watching it, because I could see it was having too much of an effect on me. But most people still watch it - and depend on it, for much of their information.
It created an alternative reality - that seemed much better than the real one. And, as a result, people have rejected the Scientific reality that made affluence possible, for much of the world.
TV was followed by the Computer - but the two technologies (that are entirely different) have been confused in the minds of most people.
Even Computer people, have not taken into account, the effects of TV, on the world they have inherited. I refer you to Cory Doctorow on the fight for a configurable and free internet. This is an excellent discussion - but concentrates on the Computer world, and not the TV world that surrounds it.
This, however, is impossible! The process of failing, has gone on so long, and been so thorough - we can no longer recognize what is going on around us.
The crucial difference was Television - that captured the minds of people everywhere. I stopped watching it, because I could see it was having too much of an effect on me. But most people still watch it - and depend on it, for much of their information.
It created an alternative reality - that seemed much better than the real one. And, as a result, people have rejected the Scientific reality that made affluence possible, for much of the world.
TV was followed by the Computer - but the two technologies (that are entirely different) have been confused in the minds of most people.
Even Computer people, have not taken into account, the effects of TV, on the world they have inherited. I refer you to Cory Doctorow on the fight for a configurable and free internet. This is an excellent discussion - but concentrates on the Computer world, and not the TV world that surrounds it.
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
The Working Class
This class of people, were created by the Industrial Revolution, with its factories, that manufactured everything imaginable. And the organizations that provided the services, that were necessary also - especially the Railroads and Steamships. But also many other services, many of them provided by the National Government - such as the Courts, that were kept busy by companies and organizations, suing each other.
My father's people worked for the Santa Fe Railroad, in Ft. Madison, Iowa. They were working class people - and were exploited (sometimes ruthlessly) by the Santa Fe - that also had its own hospital, for the many people injured on the job.
Today, The Dignity of Working Men showed up, printed by the Harvard University Press. I haven't read it, because I am more concerned with working in the Computer Ecosystem - something I am familiar with - and I have the scar tissue that resulted from - this time in the trenches - to prove it.
My father's people worked for the Santa Fe Railroad, in Ft. Madison, Iowa. They were working class people - and were exploited (sometimes ruthlessly) by the Santa Fe - that also had its own hospital, for the many people injured on the job.
Today, The Dignity of Working Men showed up, printed by the Harvard University Press. I haven't read it, because I am more concerned with working in the Computer Ecosystem - something I am familiar with - and I have the scar tissue that resulted from - this time in the trenches - to prove it.
Democratic voters reject tradition, choosing outsiders in their quest to regain power
Washington Post
The woman in the video is Stacey Abrams, a fat, black woman, with limited appeal - it seems to me. But her message is right on - no one is unseen, no one is unheard.
The woman in the video is Stacey Abrams, a fat, black woman, with limited appeal - it seems to me. But her message is right on - no one is unseen, no one is unheard.
The Overwhelming Presence of the Bad
I sit here, at 3 o'clock in the morning, a battered old man, who can barely function, certain I have learned one thing, in my life, but having a hard time saying what that is.
It's about the Good and the Bad, I am sure. And the amount of each in the World. Hardly a new subject - but as important as ever. I am certain that the Bad has acquired new power, and is masquerading as the Good. Another insight, as old as the hills. That can easily be categorized as paranoia.
There is so much bad in the world, people hardly know how to respond to it - or how to recognize it. And most people have decided to not even try. The smart thing, they have decided, is to not be - to stay out of the battle - and let the strongest force win. If the winner is bad - that's not their problem.
Our most important task now, is convincing people to get real again - and fight against the Bad. Something most of them are extremely reluctant to do. It's much safer to not be at all.
We now have a powerful technology to help us fight back - the Computer. That I am using, right now, to write this blog. It is the perfect writing device. And we have the Cloud, that this writing is being saved to.
All we have to do, is get people to understand it. They are using it, already - without understanding it. And it is biting them in the ass.
We now have two tasks: (1) understand ourselves, and (2) understand the Computer. The two are interrelated.
It's about the Good and the Bad, I am sure. And the amount of each in the World. Hardly a new subject - but as important as ever. I am certain that the Bad has acquired new power, and is masquerading as the Good. Another insight, as old as the hills. That can easily be categorized as paranoia.
There is so much bad in the world, people hardly know how to respond to it - or how to recognize it. And most people have decided to not even try. The smart thing, they have decided, is to not be - to stay out of the battle - and let the strongest force win. If the winner is bad - that's not their problem.
Our most important task now, is convincing people to get real again - and fight against the Bad. Something most of them are extremely reluctant to do. It's much safer to not be at all.
We now have a powerful technology to help us fight back - the Computer. That I am using, right now, to write this blog. It is the perfect writing device. And we have the Cloud, that this writing is being saved to.
All we have to do, is get people to understand it. They are using it, already - without understanding it. And it is biting them in the ass.
We now have two tasks: (1) understand ourselves, and (2) understand the Computer. The two are interrelated.
Tuesday, May 22, 2018
George and Martha Washington
I am listening to American Originals Abigail Adams. that I got for free, from Audible.
I have been comparing it, in my mind, to another famous American husband and wife - George and Martha Washington.
The contrast could not be more stark. George married Martha to acquire her large estate, that she inherited from her first marriage - along with a number of slaves. She had children from her first marriage, but none from her second - which indicates that George was not interested in her sexually.
Martha was not much of a writer, the few letters we have from her, had unusual spelling, that she invented, as she wrote them. For her, writing was mostly bookkeeping, that she used to manage her plantation.
George was an General in the Revolutionary War, the first president of his country, and presided over the Constitutional Convention, that made it powerful. He was, in short, an important person.
Martha stayed home, in Mount Vernon, and managed it wisely. She was an important person also - but was not recognized as one.
Abigail, by contrast, was a person in her own right - as her many letters show. Letter writers, at that time - wrote much better, than they talked. Informal writing came later, and was not practiced, at the time.
She was self-taught learner - but learned well. And didn't mind showing it. She and her husband, John Adams - were the among the few Founding Fathers (and a Mother) from the North. The rest were from Virginia.
John Adams, sad to say, was a poor father. He was completely absorbed in his diplomatic duties - and did not take his family with him when he was overseas. Abigail was not much help here - instead of insisting that he take his family with him, when her children were young, and needed a father, the most - she only insisted on joining him later, so she could enjoy the cultural amenities of Paris.
She did notice how Thomas Jefferson, who was also in Paris - was a threat to their future. As he would soon prove to be. And she confronted him directly about this. She was fighter, more so than her husband, who did not understand the competitive political situation then.
I have been comparing it, in my mind, to another famous American husband and wife - George and Martha Washington.
The contrast could not be more stark. George married Martha to acquire her large estate, that she inherited from her first marriage - along with a number of slaves. She had children from her first marriage, but none from her second - which indicates that George was not interested in her sexually.
Martha was not much of a writer, the few letters we have from her, had unusual spelling, that she invented, as she wrote them. For her, writing was mostly bookkeeping, that she used to manage her plantation.
George was an General in the Revolutionary War, the first president of his country, and presided over the Constitutional Convention, that made it powerful. He was, in short, an important person.
Martha stayed home, in Mount Vernon, and managed it wisely. She was an important person also - but was not recognized as one.
Abigail, by contrast, was a person in her own right - as her many letters show. Letter writers, at that time - wrote much better, than they talked. Informal writing came later, and was not practiced, at the time.
She was self-taught learner - but learned well. And didn't mind showing it. She and her husband, John Adams - were the among the few Founding Fathers (and a Mother) from the North. The rest were from Virginia.
John Adams, sad to say, was a poor father. He was completely absorbed in his diplomatic duties - and did not take his family with him when he was overseas. Abigail was not much help here - instead of insisting that he take his family with him, when her children were young, and needed a father, the most - she only insisted on joining him later, so she could enjoy the cultural amenities of Paris.
She did notice how Thomas Jefferson, who was also in Paris - was a threat to their future. As he would soon prove to be. And she confronted him directly about this. She was fighter, more so than her husband, who did not understand the competitive political situation then.
Paperwork is the Curse of the Undeveloped World
I have a new Windows 10 laptop waiting for me, but it is taking three weeks to get it through Customs! Undeveloped countries, are undeveloped, because they have so much paperwork, it takes forever to get anything done.
The president of the country, once set up a special commision, to solve this problem - but it was never heard from again!
Developed countries work at being efficient - but undeveloped countries work at being inefficient, because this feels right to them.
I once passed a huge new modern building in a small town (Tucurrique) where there was practically nothing else there. It was built by the government, to get foreign companies to relocate there! No one had.
It never occurred to them, that far more was needed. No company in its right mind, would relocate to somewhere, where the roads are so bad - it takes hours to get there. The local people are eager to work, but the supervisory people, needed to manage them, would never live in such a place.
Costa Rica has built free trade zones (in Heredia) that meet all these requirements. But these have created their own problems. This new money is not interested in anything - but their own short-term interests. And this town, that used be a good place to live in - has deteriorated badly.
Development has to be managed carefully - and Costa Rica has no idea how to do this.
Any developed country has zoning laws, that specify what can be built where, and how it is to be built. In Costa Rica, anyone can build whatever he wants, anyplace he wants. And the result is an ugly mess - where only the desperate will live.
The president of the country, once set up a special commision, to solve this problem - but it was never heard from again!
Developed countries work at being efficient - but undeveloped countries work at being inefficient, because this feels right to them.
I once passed a huge new modern building in a small town (Tucurrique) where there was practically nothing else there. It was built by the government, to get foreign companies to relocate there! No one had.
It never occurred to them, that far more was needed. No company in its right mind, would relocate to somewhere, where the roads are so bad - it takes hours to get there. The local people are eager to work, but the supervisory people, needed to manage them, would never live in such a place.
Costa Rica has built free trade zones (in Heredia) that meet all these requirements. But these have created their own problems. This new money is not interested in anything - but their own short-term interests. And this town, that used be a good place to live in - has deteriorated badly.
Development has to be managed carefully - and Costa Rica has no idea how to do this.
Any developed country has zoning laws, that specify what can be built where, and how it is to be built. In Costa Rica, anyone can build whatever he wants, anyplace he wants. And the result is an ugly mess - where only the desperate will live.
Monday, May 21, 2018
What Happens When Most People cannot Think?
We don't know, but we are about to find out - because that is the situation now, in America.
It's not that Americans cannot think - they just don't want to, and that amounts to the same thing.
Madeleine Albright in her book Fascism, A Warning does mention some possibilities - none of them pleasant.
It's not that Americans cannot think - they just don't want to, and that amounts to the same thing.
Madeleine Albright in her book Fascism, A Warning does mention some possibilities - none of them pleasant.
[Sponsored
The Church was the Gospel Restored
This posting is about the church my family belonged to - the RLDS church.
I grew up in it, but then left it, when I went to the U of Illinois, in 1959. I am the only one of my extended family who has ever done this.
Being an outsider, gives me the ability to see it more objectively, than they can.
The RLDS church was formed by rich farmers in Northern Illinois, who had been members of the LDS church - and wanted their church back. And once they had this church, they wanted another Joseph Smith to lead it. This was not a smart decision, but it seemed necessary to them, at the time.
The obvious choice was Joseph Smith's oldest son, Joseph Smith III. But he was not interested. He, and his mother, were living in the wreckage of a town left by his father - in Nauvoo, Illinois. His mother had remarried, and was not interesting in any kind of religious activity.
Joseph Smith III, and his two brothers, also living in Nauvoo, had a big problem - no income! And no prospects of getting any in Nauvoo. To become successful, they would have to move, as plenty of people had done before them - but they did not!
Perhaps their mother decided to act for them - but for whatever the reason, they became employed by the RLDS church, with Joseph Smith III - as their leader. And their mother never had any interest in the RLDS church after that.
JS III was expected to act like his father - a role he was not interested in. But he was interested in making the church his own - and proceeded to do so, with a strong missionary effort. His missionaries, were instructed to present the church as the gospel restored - quoting passages from the Bible, to prove this.
This strategy worked, and many new members were acquired this way. Including members on both sides of my family, early in the 20th Century. Mormonism was not abandoned - but these new teachings were added to it.
The church had some serious difficulties, in the Seventies, that I have never understood. But the results were clear enough, it became divided into many churches - each claiming to be the restored gospel.
The largest group inherited its members, and its property, from the RLDS church - but changed its name to The Community of Christ.
Meanwhile the LDS church gained strength, purchased most of the property in Nauvoo and are turning it into a historical museum.
I grew up in it, but then left it, when I went to the U of Illinois, in 1959. I am the only one of my extended family who has ever done this.
Being an outsider, gives me the ability to see it more objectively, than they can.
The RLDS church was formed by rich farmers in Northern Illinois, who had been members of the LDS church - and wanted their church back. And once they had this church, they wanted another Joseph Smith to lead it. This was not a smart decision, but it seemed necessary to them, at the time.
The obvious choice was Joseph Smith's oldest son, Joseph Smith III. But he was not interested. He, and his mother, were living in the wreckage of a town left by his father - in Nauvoo, Illinois. His mother had remarried, and was not interesting in any kind of religious activity.
Joseph Smith III, and his two brothers, also living in Nauvoo, had a big problem - no income! And no prospects of getting any in Nauvoo. To become successful, they would have to move, as plenty of people had done before them - but they did not!
Perhaps their mother decided to act for them - but for whatever the reason, they became employed by the RLDS church, with Joseph Smith III - as their leader. And their mother never had any interest in the RLDS church after that.
JS III was expected to act like his father - a role he was not interested in. But he was interested in making the church his own - and proceeded to do so, with a strong missionary effort. His missionaries, were instructed to present the church as the gospel restored - quoting passages from the Bible, to prove this.
This strategy worked, and many new members were acquired this way. Including members on both sides of my family, early in the 20th Century. Mormonism was not abandoned - but these new teachings were added to it.
The church had some serious difficulties, in the Seventies, that I have never understood. But the results were clear enough, it became divided into many churches - each claiming to be the restored gospel.
The largest group inherited its members, and its property, from the RLDS church - but changed its name to The Community of Christ.
Meanwhile the LDS church gained strength, purchased most of the property in Nauvoo and are turning it into a historical museum.
Our World is Destroying Itself
And, as is always the case, the people in it - are not aware of this.
This should not surprise us, building a large society is a complicated business, things are bound to go wrong somewhere - and sometimes those errors are fatal.
Is it possible to detect these fatal errors? Not really, but it easy to detect the many problems that crop up - and state, that they must be fixed. And if they are not fixed, things will get worse.
And one of these big problems for America now. is the huge difference in income that has arisen. The rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer - and the middle class is disappearing. And most Americans are ignoring this.
They don't argue with the statistics, they just disagree on their importance. And, in the back of their minds - they are certain that America cannot fall. So certain, they will ignore any evidence to the contrary.
They all say, with one voice "Nothing is really wrong!" Which changes nothing.
But, at the same time - they elect Trump, and cannot see much wrong with him.
If you want a strong optimistic case, read Thanks, Meghan Markle, We Needed That. And I quote from that:
This divorced biracial woman, 36 years old, who had built her own career.
This should not surprise us, building a large society is a complicated business, things are bound to go wrong somewhere - and sometimes those errors are fatal.
Is it possible to detect these fatal errors? Not really, but it easy to detect the many problems that crop up - and state, that they must be fixed. And if they are not fixed, things will get worse.
And one of these big problems for America now. is the huge difference in income that has arisen. The rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer - and the middle class is disappearing. And most Americans are ignoring this.
They don't argue with the statistics, they just disagree on their importance. And, in the back of their minds - they are certain that America cannot fall. So certain, they will ignore any evidence to the contrary.
They all say, with one voice "Nothing is really wrong!" Which changes nothing.
But, at the same time - they elect Trump, and cannot see much wrong with him.
If you want a strong optimistic case, read Thanks, Meghan Markle, We Needed That. And I quote from that:
This divorced biracial woman, 36 years old, who had built her own career.
Sunday, May 20, 2018
What Most People are Interested In, and What They are Not
It's important to speak of most people when talking about people - because the masses have become important, and decide what 80 percent of the people (or more) want. This is power, and power that cannot be denied!
The first thing they ask themselves is - what does everyone else want? And they have the amazing ability to determine what that is - and they are seldom wrong.
So what's new? You may say, people have been this way forever - we are social beings, and our most important accomplishments have always been social.
True, but the size of these societies are now greater, and consist of more of the same. This quantitative difference, creates a qualitative result. As every advertiser knows.
Now I have said what they are - it's time for me to say how they got that way. And the answer is easy - Television! They all watch the same TV shows.
This is their reality, and they will accept no substitutes.
The first thing they ask themselves is - what does everyone else want? And they have the amazing ability to determine what that is - and they are seldom wrong.
So what's new? You may say, people have been this way forever - we are social beings, and our most important accomplishments have always been social.
True, but the size of these societies are now greater, and consist of more of the same. This quantitative difference, creates a qualitative result. As every advertiser knows.
Now I have said what they are - it's time for me to say how they got that way. And the answer is easy - Television! They all watch the same TV shows.
This is their reality, and they will accept no substitutes.
People and Technology
People have never been very good at using technology. They have never said "We are this way now, but let's try something new, to see what its effect on us will be." We just let any technology that comes along change us, whatever way it wants to. And after it changes us (as it always does) we don't bother to notice what those changes have been.
Technology is in control of us - and not the other way around. At least that's the way it is now.
But if we go back to the beginning, millions of years ago, when we first became human - things were different. We now say we were hunter-gatherers. We had language, and this gave us the ability to look around us, and adapt to the conditions in every part of the world. We were clearly in control of our little world, but we were only one species, out of many. We were still animals, if somewhat unusual animals.
But then we became Civilized. And became something different altogether, as the Wikipedia entry shows. This is when Technology began - our most important invention.
I am not much of a historian, and will skip over the next few thousands of years - and begin in 1936, when I was born, but fast-forward from that, to 1980, when the Computer was born.
This I can remember clearly - and I can remember what our reaction to that was - we went insane! We didn't know what a computer was - but we knew it was a big deal, and we rushed to get on the newest bandwagon. Every company in existence, wanted to use it to make money. Instead, it put most of them out of business, and changed the rest, permanently.
And, as usual - we didn't stop to notice this. A few of us did, but most did not. And this has created a huge gap between Computer People - and everyone else.
Most people in the world, saw that the way the world was, was not in their interest - and opted out of it. There was even a song for this: Stop the world, I want to get off!
Since they didn't want to control the world - new dictators arose, to do this for them.
Technology is in control of us - and not the other way around. At least that's the way it is now.
But if we go back to the beginning, millions of years ago, when we first became human - things were different. We now say we were hunter-gatherers. We had language, and this gave us the ability to look around us, and adapt to the conditions in every part of the world. We were clearly in control of our little world, but we were only one species, out of many. We were still animals, if somewhat unusual animals.
But then we became Civilized. And became something different altogether, as the Wikipedia entry shows. This is when Technology began - our most important invention.
I am not much of a historian, and will skip over the next few thousands of years - and begin in 1936, when I was born, but fast-forward from that, to 1980, when the Computer was born.
This I can remember clearly - and I can remember what our reaction to that was - we went insane! We didn't know what a computer was - but we knew it was a big deal, and we rushed to get on the newest bandwagon. Every company in existence, wanted to use it to make money. Instead, it put most of them out of business, and changed the rest, permanently.
And, as usual - we didn't stop to notice this. A few of us did, but most did not. And this has created a huge gap between Computer People - and everyone else.
Most people in the world, saw that the way the world was, was not in their interest - and opted out of it. There was even a song for this: Stop the world, I want to get off!
Since they didn't want to control the world - new dictators arose, to do this for them.
Saturday, May 19, 2018
What if JavaScript wins?
Medium
This the kind of writing I like - it shows how people influence software. By choosing the software projects they want to work on.
Most people only want to use software - and are not interested in understanding it. They grab whatever they can get their hands on - and use it to make themselves more competitive - in a dog-eat-dog environment.
This the kind of writing I like - it shows how people influence software. By choosing the software projects they want to work on.
Most people only want to use software - and are not interested in understanding it. They grab whatever they can get their hands on - and use it to make themselves more competitive - in a dog-eat-dog environment.
Devastatingly Human
The New York Review
The Review reviews books - but many other things, as well. This is about an Art Show in London.
The painting shown here is a shocker. I hope you can see it. The family, the wife and the daughters, are forcing their father into his business suit.
I saw this happening to the American family that owned the house I now live in. The result was tragic - the husband died, and is buried here. The wife and daughters have gone back to the States.
The Review reviews books - but many other things, as well. This is about an Art Show in London.
The painting shown here is a shocker. I hope you can see it. The family, the wife and the daughters, are forcing their father into his business suit.
I saw this happening to the American family that owned the house I now live in. The result was tragic - the husband died, and is buried here. The wife and daughters have gone back to the States.
Once We Knew What We Were
This knowledge was not something intellectual, that came much later. It was the knowledge every living being has, simply by being alive. It is functioning, and it simply gets on with the business of being alive. Every cell is full of complicated activities, that happen many times a second. It is a unified whole - what else could it be?
For humans, the situation is more complicated, because we have become many selves, and they sometimes do not work together very well.
In fact, saying this is a radical understatement - we now have a part of ourselves, that is destroying the rest of us! We are not aware of this, and cannot become aware of it.
To say more about this situation, I will have to go back in time to the Sixties, when some of us became dissatisfied with our situation - and decided to do something about it. We believed we could make a better world - and, in fact did so, with the Civil Rights movement.
But the reaction to this was overwhelming - and resulted in the Vietnam War. In ten years, we went from optimistic reform - to resignation to the inevitable. And, most importantly - no awareness of this!
This where I am today, surrounded by people who do not know what they are - and don't want to know. I am tempted to be like them - and constantly have fight against this temptation. It's amazing how easy it is for me, to switch from being me - to being not me.
For humans, the situation is more complicated, because we have become many selves, and they sometimes do not work together very well.
In fact, saying this is a radical understatement - we now have a part of ourselves, that is destroying the rest of us! We are not aware of this, and cannot become aware of it.
To say more about this situation, I will have to go back in time to the Sixties, when some of us became dissatisfied with our situation - and decided to do something about it. We believed we could make a better world - and, in fact did so, with the Civil Rights movement.
But the reaction to this was overwhelming - and resulted in the Vietnam War. In ten years, we went from optimistic reform - to resignation to the inevitable. And, most importantly - no awareness of this!
This where I am today, surrounded by people who do not know what they are - and don't want to know. I am tempted to be like them - and constantly have fight against this temptation. It's amazing how easy it is for me, to switch from being me - to being not me.
Friday, May 18, 2018
James Joyce: The Ultimate Collection
Amazon
This was only 99 cents! For some of the best writing of all time. This is not annotated as The Dead is (I can recommend that too, because it explains the Irish English, that Joyce uses so generously).
Pay your 99 cents, and take a look at the Table of Contents.
This was only 99 cents! For some of the best writing of all time. This is not annotated as The Dead is (I can recommend that too, because it explains the Irish English, that Joyce uses so generously).
Pay your 99 cents, and take a look at the Table of Contents.
When General Motors went Bankrupt
Americans did not believe this could happen. How could the biggest and most important company in America, go belly-up? But went broke anyway.
It applied for a bailout, and got one - too many GM workers, were out of work. But the Feds were smart - in return for their money, they got most of GM stock. And when you own most of the stock of a company,- you own the company!
As it worked out, the Feds made money on the deal - because GM started making money. How did they do that? They started making small cars.
American car companies always made BIG cars - expensive to buy and expensive to own (they used a lot of gas). This fit in with America's self-image - Americans had big houses, and they had big cars also.
Our parents generation liked this bigness. My father always owned a big new car - not the very newest - he thought that was going too far, but one that was fairly new.
But my generation, especially the ones who went to college, were not that interested in cars - no matter what kind they were, and actually preferred older ones - as long as they were in good running order. A car was for transportation, not for display. Although no one knew this at the time - they were the dominant buyers.
There was a big market for small cars in other countries, as well. I frequently see Chevy subcompacts down here in Costa Rica.
It applied for a bailout, and got one - too many GM workers, were out of work. But the Feds were smart - in return for their money, they got most of GM stock. And when you own most of the stock of a company,- you own the company!
As it worked out, the Feds made money on the deal - because GM started making money. How did they do that? They started making small cars.
American car companies always made BIG cars - expensive to buy and expensive to own (they used a lot of gas). This fit in with America's self-image - Americans had big houses, and they had big cars also.
Our parents generation liked this bigness. My father always owned a big new car - not the very newest - he thought that was going too far, but one that was fairly new.
But my generation, especially the ones who went to college, were not that interested in cars - no matter what kind they were, and actually preferred older ones - as long as they were in good running order. A car was for transportation, not for display. Although no one knew this at the time - they were the dominant buyers.
There was a big market for small cars in other countries, as well. I frequently see Chevy subcompacts down here in Costa Rica.
I Did the Stupidest Thing Possible
I could not have done a stupider thing, if I had tried for a hundred years.
I left my daypack in a taxi. I had just filled it with the latest info, for my latest purchase from aeropost, plus all things I used on a regular basis - it was an important part of me.
The taxi driver was not much help, when I stopped at the Post Office, to check on my mail, and came back to the taxi, he was not there. He was standing on the sidewalk, looking stupid, and didn't realize I had returned.
I told him to take me to the bus to Orosi, but he did not take me there, a transfer I was familiar with - but a different place, which left me confused, since I didn't know exactly where I was. I should have made myself check in with myself, so I would know where I was, and my daypack was. But my\ mind was not working very well, and I left the taxi, without putting on my daypack - that I always have with me, when I am traveling.
I left my daypack in a taxi. I had just filled it with the latest info, for my latest purchase from aeropost, plus all things I used on a regular basis - it was an important part of me.
The taxi driver was not much help, when I stopped at the Post Office, to check on my mail, and came back to the taxi, he was not there. He was standing on the sidewalk, looking stupid, and didn't realize I had returned.
I told him to take me to the bus to Orosi, but he did not take me there, a transfer I was familiar with - but a different place, which left me confused, since I didn't know exactly where I was. I should have made myself check in with myself, so I would know where I was, and my daypack was. But my\ mind was not working very well, and I left the taxi, without putting on my daypack - that I always have with me, when I am traveling.
Thursday, May 17, 2018
The Rise of the Masses
I am reading The Revolt of the Masses again. The most important thing Garcia y Ortega did when he wrote this book, was to simply recognize their existence. So far as I know, not much has been done with his discovery since then.
Fascism got plenty of attention, but the important contribution of the Masses in its development, was not noticed - even by Ortega himself, who was almost killed, because he did not notice this soon enough.
The masses were the most important fact of their time - but were invisible.
Or they were invisible, before the arrival of the Computer - that, with its Internet, made them an inescapable fact - at least to Computer people. Only a small part of the population, to be sure, but an important part.
Some of these Computer people have realized that the Computer Industry should become more ethical - and in Software Development, they have done just this - made an ecosystem, where cooperation is more important than competition.
But the Masses are still with us - and have ignored this with all their strength! As long as they are in control, mass stupidity is still the order of the day. And they have elected leaders who will enforce this stupidity.
Fascism got plenty of attention, but the important contribution of the Masses in its development, was not noticed - even by Ortega himself, who was almost killed, because he did not notice this soon enough.
The masses were the most important fact of their time - but were invisible.
Or they were invisible, before the arrival of the Computer - that, with its Internet, made them an inescapable fact - at least to Computer people. Only a small part of the population, to be sure, but an important part.
Some of these Computer people have realized that the Computer Industry should become more ethical - and in Software Development, they have done just this - made an ecosystem, where cooperation is more important than competition.
But the Masses are still with us - and have ignored this with all their strength! As long as they are in control, mass stupidity is still the order of the day. And they have elected leaders who will enforce this stupidity.
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
There are Different Kinds of Black People
There are different reactions to this statement.
Some people (including some Black people) will insist they are no different from White people. And they should be treated the same way.
There is a lot of truth to this - but only some truth. Beauty is only skin deep, we will all agree - but that skin is important, especially in women, in some situations. Black women, with White skin - were more likely to be favored by their White owners - and bear his children. Blacks in the American South, were commonly a racial mixture.
And there is another consideration - Blacks came from Africa. But in Africa, there are many different kinds of Blacks. There is a greater diversity in Black people that any other race.
The ones we are familiar with, descended from slaves that were purchased in Africa (from other Blacks) and they were chosen because they were strong, and could survive brutal working conditions, and tropical diseases.
But something else became important, after Blacks moved North, after the Civil War, and became concentrated in Black Slums, in large cities. They became different people - and not the most desirable people.
This is true of any population - they are greatly affected by the other people in their population. For better, or for worse.
Some people (including some Black people) will insist they are no different from White people. And they should be treated the same way.
There is a lot of truth to this - but only some truth. Beauty is only skin deep, we will all agree - but that skin is important, especially in women, in some situations. Black women, with White skin - were more likely to be favored by their White owners - and bear his children. Blacks in the American South, were commonly a racial mixture.
And there is another consideration - Blacks came from Africa. But in Africa, there are many different kinds of Blacks. There is a greater diversity in Black people that any other race.
The ones we are familiar with, descended from slaves that were purchased in Africa (from other Blacks) and they were chosen because they were strong, and could survive brutal working conditions, and tropical diseases.
But something else became important, after Blacks moved North, after the Civil War, and became concentrated in Black Slums, in large cities. They became different people - and not the most desirable people.
This is true of any population - they are greatly affected by the other people in their population. For better, or for worse.
America Was Rich and Powerful
But is not so rich and powerful anymore. And Americans cannot understand why.
This is not surprising - most people, everywhere and at everytime - did not know what was going on. And did not especially want to know. And, for that matter, those who should have known, and could have changed how things were done - didn't know, and didn't do anything, either.
Consider this panel discussion Afghanistan: Endless War?, sponsored by the Council of Foreign Relations. This should have been made as a video presentation - a text transcription of the event, was hard to me to follow.
These people do know what is going on - but few are listening to them - and no one in the Trump Administration, is listening to them.
Big things are happening - but America is not part of them.
This is not surprising - most people, everywhere and at everytime - did not know what was going on. And did not especially want to know. And, for that matter, those who should have known, and could have changed how things were done - didn't know, and didn't do anything, either.
Consider this panel discussion Afghanistan: Endless War?, sponsored by the Council of Foreign Relations. This should have been made as a video presentation - a text transcription of the event, was hard to me to follow.
These people do know what is going on - but few are listening to them - and no one in the Trump Administration, is listening to them.
Big things are happening - but America is not part of them.
They Are Part of a New Reality
There is a new outlook in America, and it contrasts sharply with the Scientific outlook that was once dominant. They hate Science, because it is too limiting. They believe, they can believe whatever they want - and whatever they believe, is the way it is!
In a way, they are right - and in another way, they are wrong. There are different classes of reality, and they should be clear, which one they are talking about. But they are not. They insist, there is one reality - and it is the one they believe in.
This would be acceptable, if they knew what they believed in, but they don't. They insist on not knowing - and at the same time, believe they do know, and know completely. To put this another way: in their minds, not knowing is the same as knowing - and even better, because they can believe whatever they want.
I must be more explicit, and describe actual beliefs. One of these, is the belief in Progress. The American, who parks his car in a Shopping Center, and then walks in, to view all the wonders on display - is a firm believer in Progress. And believes it is there to benefit him (or her).
They do not want to know, that this affluence is threatened, and is disappearing. They are certain it will last forever, and anyone who says differently, should be dealt with severely!
To put this yet another way - they know something else is in control, and it is responsible for what is going on - and not them. They can grab whatever they want, and not worry about anyone else.
In a way, they are right - and in another way, they are wrong. There are different classes of reality, and they should be clear, which one they are talking about. But they are not. They insist, there is one reality - and it is the one they believe in.
This would be acceptable, if they knew what they believed in, but they don't. They insist on not knowing - and at the same time, believe they do know, and know completely. To put this another way: in their minds, not knowing is the same as knowing - and even better, because they can believe whatever they want.
I must be more explicit, and describe actual beliefs. One of these, is the belief in Progress. The American, who parks his car in a Shopping Center, and then walks in, to view all the wonders on display - is a firm believer in Progress. And believes it is there to benefit him (or her).
They do not want to know, that this affluence is threatened, and is disappearing. They are certain it will last forever, and anyone who says differently, should be dealt with severely!
To put this yet another way - they know something else is in control, and it is responsible for what is going on - and not them. They can grab whatever they want, and not worry about anyone else.
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
The Experience is the Product
Vimeo - at Mind the Product
I usually have some way, to describe, or summarize - any site I am linking to.
But here, I can only ask you to start to watching it. And then let you do whatever you want.
I had to watch the whole thing, because for me - it was so interesting!
Your mileage will vary.
I usually have some way, to describe, or summarize - any site I am linking to.
But here, I can only ask you to start to watching it. And then let you do whatever you want.
I had to watch the whole thing, because for me - it was so interesting!
Your mileage will vary.
I'm Trying Something New in Aeropost
Aeropost is the service that gave me an address in Miami, that my online purchases could be sent to. They then fly these purchases to Costa Rica, send them through Customs, and deliver them to the nearest large town, Cartago. And charge me plenty for their services. A letter, for example, costs me 84 cents, minimum.
They love to see me walk in the door - because I represent money, the precious American dollar. I may not be much in the States, but I am important down here.
They now allow me to purchase $600, every 6 months - tax free. The local merchants hate this, and tried their best to block it - but the Central American Free Trade agreement, that passed recently, made it possible, once again.
Aeropost has a web site, that is really quite good - and lets you manage all your purchases there. As soon as a purchase is shipped in the States, you notify Aeropost that it is coming to Miami, providing them with a tracking number, and an invoice. They do everything else, charge my credit card, for their services - and let me know, when it is available in Cartago.
I bought a Windows 10 laptop (tax rate 13%), from Amazon, for $286, and decided to get it tax-exempt. I filled out the necessary paperwork, and it arrived in Miami last Thursday. As of today (Tuesday), it has not been flown to Costa Rica, yet!
I continue this account on May 19, and what I have to report is not good. Costa Rica Customs does not want to do the tax exempt imports, that it is required to do by law. It requires many forms to be completed, with multiple copies of each.
I had to take my laptop to the Cartago office of Aeropost, and let the woman there, who speaks English, use it to print the required forms, that I had to sign, over and over. She then informed me, that it would be two weeks, before my new laptop, would be delivered!
She is not aware that come organizations exist to serve their users, and some organizations only exist to serve themselves.
They love to see me walk in the door - because I represent money, the precious American dollar. I may not be much in the States, but I am important down here.
They now allow me to purchase $600, every 6 months - tax free. The local merchants hate this, and tried their best to block it - but the Central American Free Trade agreement, that passed recently, made it possible, once again.
Aeropost has a web site, that is really quite good - and lets you manage all your purchases there. As soon as a purchase is shipped in the States, you notify Aeropost that it is coming to Miami, providing them with a tracking number, and an invoice. They do everything else, charge my credit card, for their services - and let me know, when it is available in Cartago.
I bought a Windows 10 laptop (tax rate 13%), from Amazon, for $286, and decided to get it tax-exempt. I filled out the necessary paperwork, and it arrived in Miami last Thursday. As of today (Tuesday), it has not been flown to Costa Rica, yet!
I continue this account on May 19, and what I have to report is not good. Costa Rica Customs does not want to do the tax exempt imports, that it is required to do by law. It requires many forms to be completed, with multiple copies of each.
I had to take my laptop to the Cartago office of Aeropost, and let the woman there, who speaks English, use it to print the required forms, that I had to sign, over and over. She then informed me, that it would be two weeks, before my new laptop, would be delivered!
She is not aware that come organizations exist to serve their users, and some organizations only exist to serve themselves.
Monday, May 14, 2018
Ethics and Business
In the Industrial Era, that culminated in the 19th Century, business was unethical - and that was considered a virtue. And indeed, this worked - the Industrial countries became rich! They also started on a series of wars, culminating in WWII, and the Holocaust.
These were so destructive, they were never repeated - but were replaced by many smaller wars, that were destructive to the small countries involved, but actually improved the economy of the larger countries, because they could sell them arms!
Two radically different technologies happened next - Television and the Computer. And most people thought they were the same. However, the Computer, with its Internet and Cellular networks - built a Global Economy, a process sometimes called Globalization.
People. whether they wanted to or not - had to get along with everyone else. Because what everyone did, affected everyone else!
Did people accept this? Absolutely not! They went completely crazy instead, and formed Trade Agreements, made by the Rich and Powerful, in the countries involved. That made everyone poorer.
I worked for 20 years, in the Eighties and Nineties, in the Computer Industry. In that time, I never worked for a single ethical company - or on a single successful project. The two are related - to be successful technically, you have to be ethical.
You can see this in Software Development - an successful ecosystem (as they call it) that rewards Developers who help other Developers. In this small (but profitable) world - things work right!
These were so destructive, they were never repeated - but were replaced by many smaller wars, that were destructive to the small countries involved, but actually improved the economy of the larger countries, because they could sell them arms!
Two radically different technologies happened next - Television and the Computer. And most people thought they were the same. However, the Computer, with its Internet and Cellular networks - built a Global Economy, a process sometimes called Globalization.
People. whether they wanted to or not - had to get along with everyone else. Because what everyone did, affected everyone else!
Did people accept this? Absolutely not! They went completely crazy instead, and formed Trade Agreements, made by the Rich and Powerful, in the countries involved. That made everyone poorer.
I worked for 20 years, in the Eighties and Nineties, in the Computer Industry. In that time, I never worked for a single ethical company - or on a single successful project. The two are related - to be successful technically, you have to be ethical.
You can see this in Software Development - an successful ecosystem (as they call it) that rewards Developers who help other Developers. In this small (but profitable) world - things work right!
Being Calm, in a World that has Panicked
TED
Amber Case
Calm Technology: Principles and Patterns for Non-Intrusive Design
Amber Case
Calm Technology: Principles and Patterns for Non-Intrusive Design
The video Amber Case made, for O'Reilly, is called - Calm Technology offers a way out. Unfortunately, I cannot play it on my laptop, so I bought her book.
Here is a quote from it:
The idea of an unobtrusive technology is not new. It was a century ago that people were thinking about how to harness and create something that would become the first Calm Technology: electricity. Electricity is all around us. It works in the background without actively requiring our attention.
An ideal app or technology is one that becomes invisible in its functioning. It provides us a utility that we need without drawing excessive attention to itself. Unlike electricity, much of our current technology breaks without warning, or interrupts us with status or software updates, taking us out of our flow and away from our goals. It stands against us and outside of us.
Well put! But she does not understand the world she is writing about. The people in that world are suffering from a panic attack. People cannot understand the Computer technology that has been forced on them - and have gone into shock. Computer technology is not hard to understand, once you cross over that gap, but looking at that gap, people freeze, and cannot do anything.
This also applies to people in the Computer Industry, but its affect on them is different - their values have been reversed, They produce products difficult to use - but think they are just the opposite - easy to use!
We have two populations, looking at each other - over what seems to them, to be an unbridgeable gap.
There is a solution to this, which she recommends - put people in that gap!
This would help solve another problem - the Computer is putting people out of work. This would put them back in work again.
This would help solve another problem - the Computer is putting people out of work. This would put them back in work again.
Sunday, May 13, 2018
What was Wrong in Computers
This is a continuation of I Knew Something was Wrong, that ended in 1980, when my career as an Electronic Engineer, ended.
I decided to become a Technical Writer, instead. And I was introduced to a new kind of insanity - the Computer Industry.
I had no idea what I was getting into (no one did, actually) I just needed a job, and there were jobs in Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties. We didn't know what we were doing - so we just said we were into High Tech.
It gradually became clear to us that we were into Computers - and they were the wave of the future. I bought the first portable computer - the Kaypro, a heavy thing I could barely lug around. But it had a keyboard, a tiny display, and two 5 inch floppy drives.
I could write my computer manuals on it and give one, on a floppy disk, to the Word Processing gals, who had their own computer. All they had to do was send it to a printer - who would print as many copies of it, as we wanted. I was much more productive than any of the other writers.
I learned the C programming language - so I could illustrate my manuals also. I learned, right then - that Software is hard. But before long, I was showing our programmers, my programming skills. And they hired me as a programmer! And I was soon a productive programmer. I could really crank out the code.
Then the company went out of business! They didn't know what they were doing, and the company went completely off the tracks. This would be the story of my life for the next twenty years - going from one company to another.
But let me continue my story. Programming back then was boring, so I stopped being a programmer, and became a Tech Writer again. And I became sick of Southern California - the traffic there was terrible! So I moved North to Silicon Valley - and lived there throughout the Nineties.
Two important things happened next - the Java Programming Language; and the Internet. If I had been smart, I would have learned the Java Language - and gone to work programming for the Internet. I would have become a highly paid Software Developer.
But I was not smart (most of weren't). I was part of the boom, in the late Nineties. The biggest boom ever, that was followed by the biggest bust, ever.
I got out, and moved to Costa Rica.
I decided to become a Technical Writer, instead. And I was introduced to a new kind of insanity - the Computer Industry.
I had no idea what I was getting into (no one did, actually) I just needed a job, and there were jobs in Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties. We didn't know what we were doing - so we just said we were into High Tech.
It gradually became clear to us that we were into Computers - and they were the wave of the future. I bought the first portable computer - the Kaypro, a heavy thing I could barely lug around. But it had a keyboard, a tiny display, and two 5 inch floppy drives.
I could write my computer manuals on it and give one, on a floppy disk, to the Word Processing gals, who had their own computer. All they had to do was send it to a printer - who would print as many copies of it, as we wanted. I was much more productive than any of the other writers.
I learned the C programming language - so I could illustrate my manuals also. I learned, right then - that Software is hard. But before long, I was showing our programmers, my programming skills. And they hired me as a programmer! And I was soon a productive programmer. I could really crank out the code.
Then the company went out of business! They didn't know what they were doing, and the company went completely off the tracks. This would be the story of my life for the next twenty years - going from one company to another.
But let me continue my story. Programming back then was boring, so I stopped being a programmer, and became a Tech Writer again. And I became sick of Southern California - the traffic there was terrible! So I moved North to Silicon Valley - and lived there throughout the Nineties.
Two important things happened next - the Java Programming Language; and the Internet. If I had been smart, I would have learned the Java Language - and gone to work programming for the Internet. I would have become a highly paid Software Developer.
But I was not smart (most of weren't). I was part of the boom, in the late Nineties. The biggest boom ever, that was followed by the biggest bust, ever.
I got out, and moved to Costa Rica.
The Limited Subculture I Grew Up In
This was a small part of the US, in the corner of Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri - with an emphasis on Kansas City. This Wikipedia entry describes this, in detail.
We did not realize we were culturally limited, and would have resented being told so - but we were anyway. And my family still resists knowing this. They believe they are Americans, in the fullest sense of the word - not in a limited sense.
One example of our limited culture, was Poetry - of which, we knew nothing. And the rest of the Fine Arts. We were ignorant, and determined to stay that way. This was also true of Americans, in general - they had little interest in the rest of the world. In that way, we were the most ignorant of the ignorant.
We were dimly aware of this - we had heard of the Ugly Americans - but had little idea what this meant. Our family did try to expand our horizons - we drove all the way to Mexico, during the Fifties, at the end of every year - and enjoyed being there. The natives were friendly, and everything was so cheap!
Our RLDS church had missions in Mexico and Honduras - but these did not last long. And the church itself did not last long. The world was changing very fast, and we could not keep up with it.
We did not realize we were culturally limited, and would have resented being told so - but we were anyway. And my family still resists knowing this. They believe they are Americans, in the fullest sense of the word - not in a limited sense.
One example of our limited culture, was Poetry - of which, we knew nothing. And the rest of the Fine Arts. We were ignorant, and determined to stay that way. This was also true of Americans, in general - they had little interest in the rest of the world. In that way, we were the most ignorant of the ignorant.
We were dimly aware of this - we had heard of the Ugly Americans - but had little idea what this meant. Our family did try to expand our horizons - we drove all the way to Mexico, during the Fifties, at the end of every year - and enjoyed being there. The natives were friendly, and everything was so cheap!
Our RLDS church had missions in Mexico and Honduras - but these did not last long. And the church itself did not last long. The world was changing very fast, and we could not keep up with it.
Saturday, May 12, 2018
The Drop Attack that Did Not Happen
About a month ago, a Neurologist decided I was subject to Drop Attacks. These are caused by defects in the Brain Stem - if the artery supplying blood to the Brain Stem, doesn't supply enough blood - my legs stop functioning, and I fall to the ground. This doesn't last very long - 10 minutes later, and can get on my feet again. He prescribed some expensive medication for me (that costs me $50 a month), and I have been taking it.
Today, I went for my daily bicycle ride, and at one point, I had to maneuver around a parked car, and across two different parts of the road. Splat, down I went - I ended up several feet to the right of bicycle, on the ground. I also saw the feet of several young people, who had arrived immediately, to help get me to my feet, and lift my bicycle up.
My bicycle had stopped working (rather suddenly) but my legs continued to work as the usually did.
I was confused, and it took me awhile, before I get myself organized, get on my bike, and continue my journey. When I took my shower, after I got home. I noticed a few bloody spots on my legs. But that was all.
Now I have new story to tell you.
Today, I went for my daily bicycle ride, and at one point, I had to maneuver around a parked car, and across two different parts of the road. Splat, down I went - I ended up several feet to the right of bicycle, on the ground. I also saw the feet of several young people, who had arrived immediately, to help get me to my feet, and lift my bicycle up.
My bicycle had stopped working (rather suddenly) but my legs continued to work as the usually did.
I was confused, and it took me awhile, before I get myself organized, get on my bike, and continue my journey. When I took my shower, after I got home. I noticed a few bloody spots on my legs. But that was all.
Now I have new story to tell you.
People Have Decided to Remove Themselves from Their World
I keep coming back this conclusion, as the simplest, and most logical way to explain what is going on in America - and in much of the rest of the world.
But it is simple, only if you realize that it can happen. It does seem rather weird. However, what people believe in, and what is really the situation - can be two different things entirely.
People think they have removed themselves from their world, and will act as though they had - usually by destroying it, in anger. Without the slightest awareness, that they are doing this.
This brings up another point - the existence of the unconscious, where most of our decisions are made.
Our consciousness is only a small part of what happens in our body. Most of what happens there is entirely unconscious - the digestion of our food, for example. Every organ of our body, is continually rebuilding itself. The outer layers of our skin, are by replaced by lower layers.
Even what we think of, as our self. We are not the same person we were. when we were small children. And in this rapidly changing world - not what were were 20 years ago.
But it is simple, only if you realize that it can happen. It does seem rather weird. However, what people believe in, and what is really the situation - can be two different things entirely.
People think they have removed themselves from their world, and will act as though they had - usually by destroying it, in anger. Without the slightest awareness, that they are doing this.
This brings up another point - the existence of the unconscious, where most of our decisions are made.
Our consciousness is only a small part of what happens in our body. Most of what happens there is entirely unconscious - the digestion of our food, for example. Every organ of our body, is continually rebuilding itself. The outer layers of our skin, are by replaced by lower layers.
Even what we think of, as our self. We are not the same person we were. when we were small children. And in this rapidly changing world - not what were were 20 years ago.
Friday, May 11, 2018
People Who do not Learn, and do Not Want to Learn
Do such people exist? Yes, they do - and in the US, they are now common.
I am taking an introductory class from edX, explaining what edX is, and how I can learn from it. The rightmost screen of their user interface, shows the text, as the speaker is speaking it.
I have said non-learners are now common, but this was not always the case. My father, who did not live that long ago - was an avid learner. When he spent four years in the Marine Corp, he saved all his money, and sent it home to his mother. He also learned Photography, using the 4x5 inch, B&W film, of the time. And learned to make movies, using 8mm film, also.
When he went home, to Ft. Madison, Iowa - he and his new bride, lived in a home owned by his mother. And he bought a Photography Studio, from the money he had saved. This was the Depression (I was born in 1936) and the Studio did not make much money then.
But when WWII broke out, he owned a gold mine - and he made the most of it - charging the most the wartime laws would permit.
Sixty years later, he could retire in style, leaving income. that his children could inherit.
He would be amazed, to learn that most of his children (and his grandchildren) are no longer interested in learning - online, or any other way.
I am taking an introductory class from edX, explaining what edX is, and how I can learn from it. The rightmost screen of their user interface, shows the text, as the speaker is speaking it.
I have said non-learners are now common, but this was not always the case. My father, who did not live that long ago - was an avid learner. When he spent four years in the Marine Corp, he saved all his money, and sent it home to his mother. He also learned Photography, using the 4x5 inch, B&W film, of the time. And learned to make movies, using 8mm film, also.
When he went home, to Ft. Madison, Iowa - he and his new bride, lived in a home owned by his mother. And he bought a Photography Studio, from the money he had saved. This was the Depression (I was born in 1936) and the Studio did not make much money then.
But when WWII broke out, he owned a gold mine - and he made the most of it - charging the most the wartime laws would permit.
Sixty years later, he could retire in style, leaving income. that his children could inherit.
He would be amazed, to learn that most of his children (and his grandchildren) are no longer interested in learning - online, or any other way.
Americans Don't Read
I am reading Fascism: A Warning - an amazing book, that all Americans should read, but one few Americans will read - for the simple reason that they don't read very much. They watch TV, instead.
Many Americans have to watch the Late News every night, before they go to sleep. Because that way they know what is going on, and can sleep better.
It never occurs to them, that they have learned little from watching the news - but have been entertained, instead.
Many Americans have to watch the Late News every night, before they go to sleep. Because that way they know what is going on, and can sleep better.
It never occurs to them, that they have learned little from watching the news - but have been entertained, instead.
The Market was Responsible for a Huge Burst of Creativity and Innovation
This thought struck me, once again, as I was using my espresso machine this morning, to make this morning's coffee. This is a marvelous machine, full of amazing parts, that cost me little.
One can quibble about whether to credit the Industrial Revolution, or the Market, for this. I prefer the Market, because I can understand it better. Revolutions come and go - but the Market is still with us. I can still see it in operation today. New Computer companies appear all the time, eager to get rich, and using the Market to help them.
Many of these marvelous new products are not that at all - but the Market quickly sorts them out, and sends most of them to the dust bin. Most of them - but not all of them, the market is not perfect. There is still of lot of crap, of all kinds, out there.
Including, most importantly, an exaggerated belief that the Market is all-important and will make all our most important decisions for us. Removing us from the necessity to think for ourselves.
And this burst of innovation, in the 19th and 20th Centuries has produced a strange effect on people in the 21st Century. They no longer want it - and are trying to turn the clock back, instead. To a time when life was simpler.
They are electing leaders, of dubious quality, that will do their thinking for them - and remove this burden from them.
I refer you to US Iran policy is driven more by psychology than geopolitics. Some clear thinking, that most Americans will not read.
One can quibble about whether to credit the Industrial Revolution, or the Market, for this. I prefer the Market, because I can understand it better. Revolutions come and go - but the Market is still with us. I can still see it in operation today. New Computer companies appear all the time, eager to get rich, and using the Market to help them.
Many of these marvelous new products are not that at all - but the Market quickly sorts them out, and sends most of them to the dust bin. Most of them - but not all of them, the market is not perfect. There is still of lot of crap, of all kinds, out there.
Including, most importantly, an exaggerated belief that the Market is all-important and will make all our most important decisions for us. Removing us from the necessity to think for ourselves.
And this burst of innovation, in the 19th and 20th Centuries has produced a strange effect on people in the 21st Century. They no longer want it - and are trying to turn the clock back, instead. To a time when life was simpler.
They are electing leaders, of dubious quality, that will do their thinking for them - and remove this burden from them.
I refer you to US Iran policy is driven more by psychology than geopolitics. Some clear thinking, that most Americans will not read.
Thursday, May 10, 2018
Death and Stress
Big Brother Goes Digital
Many people have noticed that deaths, due to social violence (mainly caused by large Wars) have gone down considerably. There are still small wars, and plenty of them - but compared to the deaths and destruction caused by WWII, these are minor.
One of the leading causes of death now, are suicides. And stress, depression, and mental illness are common.
Many societies (and many businesses) have become antisocial. People have to live with other people, who do not like them - and may even hate them. This is not good for their minds, or their bodies. Especially when they are forced to be likeable anyway.
Living a lie, destroys everyone forced to do this. And this includes almost everyone now.
They Prefer Systems that Make More Jobs
I was just talking to another American about this, this morning. The pedestrian bridge people use to get to the other side of the river, is being repainted. A job that will employ several people for at least a week, probably more.
They are using a power washer, something you seldom see in the States - but are common down here. It takes low-pressure water, from an ordinary water hose - and turns it into high-pressure water, that can blast off any dirt, or loose paint. This is creating a fine spray, that completely covers the bridge, and anyone on it. Instead of being annoyed by this, Ticos are impressed, and think they are doing a fine job!
A crew of painters, with paint brushes, and yellow paint - are involved with repainting the bridge. When one painter, with a spray gun, could do a better job - much faster.
We are looking at a cultural difference here - between an undeveloped country and a developed one. The developed one is more efficient, and is richer. The undeveloped one is poorer, but tries to spread the wealth it has, more equitably.
They are using a power washer, something you seldom see in the States - but are common down here. It takes low-pressure water, from an ordinary water hose - and turns it into high-pressure water, that can blast off any dirt, or loose paint. This is creating a fine spray, that completely covers the bridge, and anyone on it. Instead of being annoyed by this, Ticos are impressed, and think they are doing a fine job!
A crew of painters, with paint brushes, and yellow paint - are involved with repainting the bridge. When one painter, with a spray gun, could do a better job - much faster.
We are looking at a cultural difference here - between an undeveloped country and a developed one. The developed one is more efficient, and is richer. The undeveloped one is poorer, but tries to spread the wealth it has, more equitably.
I Knew Something was Wrong
I knew this, soon after I was born, in 1936. I didn't know what was wrong, but I knew whatever it was, it was seriously wrong. And I could see other people did not know this, but insisted instead - that nothing was wrong!
And to this date, they still insist nothing is wriong. And this attitude is stronger than ever - when, in fact, the situation is worse than ever. The world they see, is not the real world.
This, in itself, is nothing new - people have often been unaware of many things, usually without knowing this. Our various sense organs, can only detect so much - and our mind can only process so much. And we often yearn for the simple explanations, that religion provides.
I must resist the temptation of a historical explanation here. A long explanation of the causes of today's problems. Instead, I will stick with what I saw and felt in my own life. This will give me plenty to write about.
I was born into my father's hometown of Ft. Madison, Iowa - close the intersection of Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri, on the Mississippi River. It had the Santa Fe Railroad, in the West End of town - and the Sheaffer Pen Company on the East End.
My father's family had moved there, because of the jobs the railroad offered. These were critical - everyone had to have a job! My father, however, was a small businessman. These were common back then - it was easy to start a business, and make a decent living at it. Dad had a photography studio.
He thought himself superior to his working-class family.This is hard for us to imagine now - but America back then, was a class-conscious society. And everyone was keening aware of what class they belonged to.
And my family was religious also, they belonged to the RLDS church. For them. the most important distinction possible!
I was born into a complicated and unstable situation - that could not last, and in fact, did not last. But the people of the time, did not know this - and thought of their situation as normal and everlasting!
This was typical of America in the 20th Century - a time of huge change, but people who were not aware of this! As I said before, I knew something was wrong - but did not know what was wrong.
But I went to college - this was easy, back then, and became an Electronic Engineer (U of Illinois, 1959). I did not know it then, but America, was going to become even more out of touch with its world.
To be continued.
And to this date, they still insist nothing is wriong. And this attitude is stronger than ever - when, in fact, the situation is worse than ever. The world they see, is not the real world.
This, in itself, is nothing new - people have often been unaware of many things, usually without knowing this. Our various sense organs, can only detect so much - and our mind can only process so much. And we often yearn for the simple explanations, that religion provides.
I must resist the temptation of a historical explanation here. A long explanation of the causes of today's problems. Instead, I will stick with what I saw and felt in my own life. This will give me plenty to write about.
I was born into my father's hometown of Ft. Madison, Iowa - close the intersection of Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri, on the Mississippi River. It had the Santa Fe Railroad, in the West End of town - and the Sheaffer Pen Company on the East End.
My father's family had moved there, because of the jobs the railroad offered. These were critical - everyone had to have a job! My father, however, was a small businessman. These were common back then - it was easy to start a business, and make a decent living at it. Dad had a photography studio.
He thought himself superior to his working-class family.This is hard for us to imagine now - but America back then, was a class-conscious society. And everyone was keening aware of what class they belonged to.
And my family was religious also, they belonged to the RLDS church. For them. the most important distinction possible!
I was born into a complicated and unstable situation - that could not last, and in fact, did not last. But the people of the time, did not know this - and thought of their situation as normal and everlasting!
This was typical of America in the 20th Century - a time of huge change, but people who were not aware of this! As I said before, I knew something was wrong - but did not know what was wrong.
But I went to college - this was easy, back then, and became an Electronic Engineer (U of Illinois, 1959). I did not know it then, but America, was going to become even more out of touch with its world.
To be continued.
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Deciding Not To Be, is the Most Violent Decision you can Possibly Make
Perhaps deciding not to be is not the correct way to look at this - but it's a way that makes sense to me.
Let me introduce myself. I was an Electronic Engineer (U of Illinois, 1959). Which meant I was an expert at Vacuum Tubes, the miracle product ot the age that began with WWII, that invented Radar.
In the Cold War, America had very large, very expensive radars, built to detect Soviet Nuclear Bombers. We assumed they had them, because we had them, and they were parked on our military airports, ready to take off at a moments notice. The Soviets did not have them, however, and a nuclear war did not erupt.
I was part of these Radar systems, however - and became modestly wealthy from them myself. I had an airplane, a car, a motorcycle - and even a wife.
But in the Seventies, my career ended suddenly. The Transistor was invented, and Vacuum Tubes became obsolete. The market was flooded with Engineers looking for work.
I did the sensible thing, and became a Technical Writer - I had a technical background, and I could write. I made the same as before, but the companies I worked for, in the Eighties, appeared and disappeared at an astonishing rate. I worked in Ventura county, Los Angeles county, Orange country (several times) and San Diego.
This was a crazy life, and everyone said so. But I could only stand so much craziness - so I left Southern California, in 1990 and moved to Silicon Valley, where the Computer was taking over.
The Java programming language was invented, and the Internet. And the Valley became the center of a huge bubble, that I could hardly believe. When this bubble ended, once again thousands of people were out of work - including me.
But something more interesting was going on - in the People World (that still existed). Most people did not understand Computers, or the Global Economy, they made possible. They saw the combination as a huge existential threat, they did not want to be part of. So they did something amazing - they ceased to exist!
Let me introduce myself. I was an Electronic Engineer (U of Illinois, 1959). Which meant I was an expert at Vacuum Tubes, the miracle product ot the age that began with WWII, that invented Radar.
In the Cold War, America had very large, very expensive radars, built to detect Soviet Nuclear Bombers. We assumed they had them, because we had them, and they were parked on our military airports, ready to take off at a moments notice. The Soviets did not have them, however, and a nuclear war did not erupt.
I was part of these Radar systems, however - and became modestly wealthy from them myself. I had an airplane, a car, a motorcycle - and even a wife.
But in the Seventies, my career ended suddenly. The Transistor was invented, and Vacuum Tubes became obsolete. The market was flooded with Engineers looking for work.
I did the sensible thing, and became a Technical Writer - I had a technical background, and I could write. I made the same as before, but the companies I worked for, in the Eighties, appeared and disappeared at an astonishing rate. I worked in Ventura county, Los Angeles county, Orange country (several times) and San Diego.
This was a crazy life, and everyone said so. But I could only stand so much craziness - so I left Southern California, in 1990 and moved to Silicon Valley, where the Computer was taking over.
The Java programming language was invented, and the Internet. And the Valley became the center of a huge bubble, that I could hardly believe. When this bubble ended, once again thousands of people were out of work - including me.
But something more interesting was going on - in the People World (that still existed). Most people did not understand Computers, or the Global Economy, they made possible. They saw the combination as a huge existential threat, they did not want to be part of. So they did something amazing - they ceased to exist!
Social Organization
All human societies organize themselves. People are social beings, and automatically organize themselves into social structures.
Originally, these were small groups where everyone knew everyone else, and spoke the same language. They obtained their basic needs, of food, clothing, and shelter - directly from the animals and plants that surrounded them. They were successful, in their own small way - and soon lived everywhere on earth.
We know almost nothing about them, only a few bones are left, and a few tools. But we know they existed, and formed the first human societies. And we have to think of ourselves, as starting from there, just when we cannot be sure. We only know one thing - we were there, and we were unique.
And we should be trying to understand these people more, because they had all the human characteristics we now have, millions of years later. For example, we had little hair, but our naked skin had sweat glands - and the list is extensive, including frontal sex intercourse, that no other species has.
But people now, insist on thinking they began much later - with the huge complex, of nearly everything, we call Civilization.
I am taking a course now, where Professor Paul Collier, of Oxford University, starts with the assumption, that human societies began in a state of chaos, and poverty. And they need to be restructured, to make them successful, and wealthy.
I think he is missing the boat. And is not aware of today's most pressing problem - that people no longer consider themselves part of Global Society. It has not been good for them, and they are not going to be good for it.
This is what we need to concentrate on - but we are not aware of this problem, and for this reason, cannot fix it.
Originally, these were small groups where everyone knew everyone else, and spoke the same language. They obtained their basic needs, of food, clothing, and shelter - directly from the animals and plants that surrounded them. They were successful, in their own small way - and soon lived everywhere on earth.
We know almost nothing about them, only a few bones are left, and a few tools. But we know they existed, and formed the first human societies. And we have to think of ourselves, as starting from there, just when we cannot be sure. We only know one thing - we were there, and we were unique.
And we should be trying to understand these people more, because they had all the human characteristics we now have, millions of years later. For example, we had little hair, but our naked skin had sweat glands - and the list is extensive, including frontal sex intercourse, that no other species has.
But people now, insist on thinking they began much later - with the huge complex, of nearly everything, we call Civilization.
I am taking a course now, where Professor Paul Collier, of Oxford University, starts with the assumption, that human societies began in a state of chaos, and poverty. And they need to be restructured, to make them successful, and wealthy.
I think he is missing the boat. And is not aware of today's most pressing problem - that people no longer consider themselves part of Global Society. It has not been good for them, and they are not going to be good for it.
This is what we need to concentrate on - but we are not aware of this problem, and for this reason, cannot fix it.
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Calm Tech
O'Reilly
This is another example of Software technology being applied to Human technology.
It's a video of a very calm young woman - an info robot, whose sex appeal is so subdued, it almost doesn't exist.
The Quote of the week, is:
Empathy lies at the heart of 21st century skillfulness in teamwork, collaboration, and communication in a diverse world.
This is another example of Software technology being applied to Human technology.
It's a video of a very calm young woman - an info robot, whose sex appeal is so subdued, it almost doesn't exist.
The Quote of the week, is:
Empathy lies at the heart of 21st century skillfulness in teamwork, collaboration, and communication in a diverse world.
Bad Computer Scare
My laptop would not start this morning. Windows tried to fix it, but could not. But I started it again - and it worked! And I am using it right now.
What is going in its innards, I have no idea. I will have to upgrade to Windows 10 eventually, but an upgrade with 8 Gb of RAM. And those are not cheap!
This month, I will carry on with this laptop, keeping my fingers crossed. If I finish this month with money in the bank, I will upgrade next month.
What is going in its innards, I have no idea. I will have to upgrade to Windows 10 eventually, but an upgrade with 8 Gb of RAM. And those are not cheap!
This month, I will carry on with this laptop, keeping my fingers crossed. If I finish this month with money in the bank, I will upgrade next month.
From Poverty to Prosperity: Understanding Economic Development
This is an edX course, hosted by Oxford University, that is starting today.
It starts off by making it clear, that economic development is primarily an internal issue, in every country. And then describes, in detail, what the cultural obstacles are to this development.
Living in an undeveloped country (Costa Rica) myself - I can see quite clearly, that Ticos are avoiding this issue, by claiming they are a developing country, not an undeveloped one.
I can see, however, they are an undeveloped country - and will probably remain so - or even get worse, since it has many young people looking for jobs, that are scarce, and poorly paid. It knows that English literacy is crucial, and has many schools that include this in their curriculum - but the majority of schools do not have this.
It did have a break, with is Revolution of 1947, that provided a National Health Service - that provides inexpensive health care. It does have plenty of electricity, so much so, it exports electricity to Nicaragua, and Panama.
But it cannot plan anything, and its large cities are an overcrowded eyesore - like large cities anywhere in the undeveloped world.
It starts off by making it clear, that economic development is primarily an internal issue, in every country. And then describes, in detail, what the cultural obstacles are to this development.
Living in an undeveloped country (Costa Rica) myself - I can see quite clearly, that Ticos are avoiding this issue, by claiming they are a developing country, not an undeveloped one.
I can see, however, they are an undeveloped country - and will probably remain so - or even get worse, since it has many young people looking for jobs, that are scarce, and poorly paid. It knows that English literacy is crucial, and has many schools that include this in their curriculum - but the majority of schools do not have this.
It did have a break, with is Revolution of 1947, that provided a National Health Service - that provides inexpensive health care. It does have plenty of electricity, so much so, it exports electricity to Nicaragua, and Panama.
But it cannot plan anything, and its large cities are an overcrowded eyesore - like large cities anywhere in the undeveloped world.
Monday, May 7, 2018
Understanding Syria
Open Democracy
No Turning Back: Life, Loss, and Hope in Wartime Syria
No Turning Back: Life, Loss, and Hope in Wartime Syria
The situation in Syria is impossible, and this writer acknowledges this.
She concentrates, instead on personal stories, based on interviews she had conducted herself - and then carefully checked the facts.
The first interview was about Suleiman Tlass Farzat - and it is simply fantastic. Get the Kindle version, and read it for yourself.
An Easy Way to Enforce User Recognition in Software
Every web application consists of two parts - (1) what the user sees, and responds to, and (2) all the processing that goes on in the Server, somewhere on the Internet, in response to the User's input.
The server side is usually divided into a part that interfaces with a Database - and a Controller, that decides what happens next (often called the Business Logic). This is often referred to as the MVC (Model, View, Controller) pattern. Messages flow between all these components, to keep them coordinated with each other.
All too often. the user (and his needs) are ignored by the companies who write the software everyone uses. They assume the user exists to serve them - and not the other way around.
In my opinion, this is not a desirable situation - and should be changed, to make the user more important.
This can be done easily, by including a button on everything the User sees, asking "Are you having a problem with this?" If the user responds, he must be given a response number, and the promise that the company is working on this problem.
But to make this really work, these problems must also be listed in a public database, that everyone can view. This information can be searched by other programs, to show what companies are responding to their user inputs - or anything else, that anyone wants to know.
The object here is transparency to make visible, information that is usually hidden.
The server side is usually divided into a part that interfaces with a Database - and a Controller, that decides what happens next (often called the Business Logic). This is often referred to as the MVC (Model, View, Controller) pattern. Messages flow between all these components, to keep them coordinated with each other.
All too often. the user (and his needs) are ignored by the companies who write the software everyone uses. They assume the user exists to serve them - and not the other way around.
In my opinion, this is not a desirable situation - and should be changed, to make the user more important.
This can be done easily, by including a button on everything the User sees, asking "Are you having a problem with this?" If the user responds, he must be given a response number, and the promise that the company is working on this problem.
But to make this really work, these problems must also be listed in a public database, that everyone can view. This information can be searched by other programs, to show what companies are responding to their user inputs - or anything else, that anyone wants to know.
The object here is transparency to make visible, information that is usually hidden.
Doctor Ruth
Wikipedia
She is best known as a sex therapist, who believed in Sexual Education for the masses.
Something that Tico's, for all their advanced learning, are strongly against.
The other Central American countries are even worse - putting women in jail, for attempts to get an abortion.
She is best known as a sex therapist, who believed in Sexual Education for the masses.
Something that Tico's, for all their advanced learning, are strongly against.
The other Central American countries are even worse - putting women in jail, for attempts to get an abortion.
We are Not Interested in Environments that are Not Interested in Us
And the present global environment is such a place - it is not interested in us, but only in itself. And, as a result, most of us have ceased to exist - in an effort to get even with it.
This was not a smart response, to say the very least - but was made by our collective unconsciousness, that often takes over in critical situations. And usually makes things worse.
One of the most disturbing facts of our time, is our denial that the unconscious exists.
Back in the Seventies, I and quite a few other people, were involved in Gestalt Therapy. We had our own expert for this, who had studied under Fritz Perls, at Esalen.
Fritz was an interesting character, with an amazing ability to understand other people's problems instantly. He even had a road show, where he would appear, on stage, with people who wanted his advice.
In his own life, however, he was completely undisciplined, and sexually promiscuous. His followers knew this, but continued to believe, he had a therapeutic approach. They even formed Gestalt Institutes of their own. These always avoided anything to do with the Unconscious - but gradually withered away - as clients realized their therapy was not very effective.
This was not a smart response, to say the very least - but was made by our collective unconsciousness, that often takes over in critical situations. And usually makes things worse.
One of the most disturbing facts of our time, is our denial that the unconscious exists.
Back in the Seventies, I and quite a few other people, were involved in Gestalt Therapy. We had our own expert for this, who had studied under Fritz Perls, at Esalen.
Fritz was an interesting character, with an amazing ability to understand other people's problems instantly. He even had a road show, where he would appear, on stage, with people who wanted his advice.
In his own life, however, he was completely undisciplined, and sexually promiscuous. His followers knew this, but continued to believe, he had a therapeutic approach. They even formed Gestalt Institutes of their own. These always avoided anything to do with the Unconscious - but gradually withered away - as clients realized their therapy was not very effective.
Good at Doing, but Not at Being
I am still trying to understand people. And I want to share some of my findings with you.
My recent experience of a Drop Attack, and my recovery from that, made me appreciate the value of medical specialists (neurology, in particular) - and two friends, without whose help I could not have survived either.
But I also realized that my friendship with them was limited - in a strange way I had not thought about before. They were more than willing to help me solve my problem - but that was all they could do for me.
They did not want me to share my everyday life with them - or for them to share their everyday life with me. That much intimacy made them nervous.
My recent experience of a Drop Attack, and my recovery from that, made me appreciate the value of medical specialists (neurology, in particular) - and two friends, without whose help I could not have survived either.
But I also realized that my friendship with them was limited - in a strange way I had not thought about before. They were more than willing to help me solve my problem - but that was all they could do for me.
They did not want me to share my everyday life with them - or for them to share their everyday life with me. That much intimacy made them nervous.
Sunday, May 6, 2018
The Rise of the Pointless Job
Slashdot
The most important point about this article - is where it came from, and where it points to - Slashdot. Which was supposed to be about programming topics. But this article was written by an Anthropologist, David Graeber, for the Guardian, a British newspaper.
How did it end up in my inbox, and then, in by blog? By a lot of people, working together, who wanted other people to know about it.
We all know how bad news spreads on the Net, but this is an example of the spreading of good news, using the same medium.
Good news that some people don't want you to know about.
The most important point about this article - is where it came from, and where it points to - Slashdot. Which was supposed to be about programming topics. But this article was written by an Anthropologist, David Graeber, for the Guardian, a British newspaper.
How did it end up in my inbox, and then, in by blog? By a lot of people, working together, who wanted other people to know about it.
We all know how bad news spreads on the Net, but this is an example of the spreading of good news, using the same medium.
Good news that some people don't want you to know about.
How Can People Not Be?
This is the wonder of our age - people who do not exist. Something so strange, most people assume it is impossible. And if it is impossible, they don't have to worry about it.
This is defective thinking, at its worst - because people who do not exist, now populate, and control America. They can still function, as animals - but not as humans.
What do I mean by that? What are humans, anyway? Lots of people are now involved in answering that question - they call themselves paleoanthropologists. And they believe, we cannot understand ourselves, unless we understand our ancient history. How we came into being, and what we became, millions of years ago.
What we became, can be described in a long list:
We walked on our hind legs.
We had little hair, but sweat glands in our exposed skin.
We enjoyed frontal sex, frequently.
We took care of our sick, and our aged.
Fathers helped take care of their children.
We had fire, and used it to cook our food.
We had Language, and talked to each other, a lot.
To this list, we have to add another list of technologies, that we invented. Including Stone Tools, and the domestication of plants and animals. And our most important invention, by far - Civilization, a whole complex of inventions. This can be summarized by saying we were creative - and good learners.
The result was the Ancient World, the rise of the Roman Empire - its collapse, and then the thousand years of the Medieval World.
But you are becoming impatient with me - I promised to explain how people could not be! Please be patient - this was a very late development. That happened in only the last a few hundred years, or so.
This was the result of two revolutions - the Scientific Revolution and then the Industrial Revolution. And a series of World Wars, culminating in the Holocaust.
But people had had enough - they could not understand what was going on - and decided the best solution was to get out of that Reality, and form Realities of their own. And, without giving it much thought - cease to exist, to not be.
This was the worst possible choice - we were no longer good learners, but became total incompetents. Without realizing this, in the least.
This is defective thinking, at its worst - because people who do not exist, now populate, and control America. They can still function, as animals - but not as humans.
What do I mean by that? What are humans, anyway? Lots of people are now involved in answering that question - they call themselves paleoanthropologists. And they believe, we cannot understand ourselves, unless we understand our ancient history. How we came into being, and what we became, millions of years ago.
What we became, can be described in a long list:
We walked on our hind legs.
We had little hair, but sweat glands in our exposed skin.
We enjoyed frontal sex, frequently.
We took care of our sick, and our aged.
Fathers helped take care of their children.
We had fire, and used it to cook our food.
We had Language, and talked to each other, a lot.
To this list, we have to add another list of technologies, that we invented. Including Stone Tools, and the domestication of plants and animals. And our most important invention, by far - Civilization, a whole complex of inventions. This can be summarized by saying we were creative - and good learners.
The result was the Ancient World, the rise of the Roman Empire - its collapse, and then the thousand years of the Medieval World.
But you are becoming impatient with me - I promised to explain how people could not be! Please be patient - this was a very late development. That happened in only the last a few hundred years, or so.
This was the result of two revolutions - the Scientific Revolution and then the Industrial Revolution. And a series of World Wars, culminating in the Holocaust.
But people had had enough - they could not understand what was going on - and decided the best solution was to get out of that Reality, and form Realities of their own. And, without giving it much thought - cease to exist, to not be.
This was the worst possible choice - we were no longer good learners, but became total incompetents. Without realizing this, in the least.
Saturday, May 5, 2018
How America Lost Its Mind
Medium
This is long article, but I read every bit of it. And recommend you do too.
It finishes, by telling us how Trump came into power. because, simply put - America had lost its mind.
This is long article, but I read every bit of it. And recommend you do too.
It finishes, by telling us how Trump came into power. because, simply put - America had lost its mind.
People Like to Be Bad
Generally, this is balanced by the fact that they also like to be good. But at different times, they are predominantly one or the other. Or, more commonly, strange mixtures of both.
When they are good, they are aware of this. And when they are bad, as individuals, they are aware of this also.
But when they are bad, as a group - they are often not aware of this. This is a part of human nature, they do not want to know about. But which I am writing about this morning.
This is not a new subject, it has been discussed endlessly, for as long as people could talk, or write. But the events coinciding with the Scientific Revolution, and the Industrial Revolution - have show how evil people can be.
This has also shown how good they can be. But the dark side was truly troubling. The more thoughtful of us, decided we should learn from this lesson - so it wouldn't happen again.
And, indeed, it has not happened again. There are no longer World Wars - but many smaller ones. Just as devastating, for the people involved.
But I want to write about something else, this morning - about America, where I came from, but which I had to leave. Americans have become antisocial - they do not like people. But, as I said before - they are not aware of this!
They are no longer killing each other, in vast quantities - but the amount of hatred they experience everyday - has a huge effect on their mental health, and their medical health. A primary source of death, is now suicide! People decide they want out, and they get out.
The majority of them, however - adapt to their circumstances, and become antisocial. Without being aware of this.
They elected Trump, for example, without knowing why they elected him. And no desire to know why.
Much has been written about the inadequacies of Trump (something easy to do) - but little about the people who elected him (something much harder to do).
When they are good, they are aware of this. And when they are bad, as individuals, they are aware of this also.
But when they are bad, as a group - they are often not aware of this. This is a part of human nature, they do not want to know about. But which I am writing about this morning.
This is not a new subject, it has been discussed endlessly, for as long as people could talk, or write. But the events coinciding with the Scientific Revolution, and the Industrial Revolution - have show how evil people can be.
This has also shown how good they can be. But the dark side was truly troubling. The more thoughtful of us, decided we should learn from this lesson - so it wouldn't happen again.
And, indeed, it has not happened again. There are no longer World Wars - but many smaller ones. Just as devastating, for the people involved.
But I want to write about something else, this morning - about America, where I came from, but which I had to leave. Americans have become antisocial - they do not like people. But, as I said before - they are not aware of this!
They are no longer killing each other, in vast quantities - but the amount of hatred they experience everyday - has a huge effect on their mental health, and their medical health. A primary source of death, is now suicide! People decide they want out, and they get out.
The majority of them, however - adapt to their circumstances, and become antisocial. Without being aware of this.
They elected Trump, for example, without knowing why they elected him. And no desire to know why.
Much has been written about the inadequacies of Trump (something easy to do) - but little about the people who elected him (something much harder to do).
Friday, May 4, 2018
The Ultimate Playlist
YouTube
I didn't know there was such a thing - but here they are, all 85 of them.All eager to take possession of your mind.
But I have to warn you - you will instantly be immersed in another culture, and you may not like it,
I didn't know there was such a thing - but here they are, all 85 of them.All eager to take possession of your mind.
But I have to warn you - you will instantly be immersed in another culture, and you may not like it,
Americans no Longer Want to Build a Better World
When did this happen? Sometime in the last half of the last Century, with the most rapid change happening in the Seventies. What was most striking about this, was that Americans, for the most part - were not aware of it. And are still not aware of it.
I can remember the relief Americans felt after WWII, when they could finally spend the money they were forced to save during the War. They had made lots of money during the war, and now could spend it on whatever they pleased! They build new houses, in new suburbs, and powerful new cars. And they also went to College, in huge numbers.
They had been impoverished during the Depression, but now, by the grace of God (and the War) - they had been redeemed!
They did help the losers of the War rebuild their economies. The first time in History, this had ever been done. But they also began the Cold War, fighting Communism, with all their strength. They ignored the poverty that gripped most of the world.
The World was in serious trouble, but America did not know how to help it. And really did not want to. They had it made, and could not be bothered with the rest.
And the rest included much of themselves. The parts of themselves that did want to build a better world. These better parts of themselves were treated badly. They were not killed, as had been the case in Fascism. They were just discriminated against, in ways they could easily ignore.
I can remember the Nineties, in Silicon Valley - when companies were coming and going, like mushrooms growing on manure. And no one (including therapists, of all kinds) was noticing this.
I was noticing - and I got out.
I can remember the relief Americans felt after WWII, when they could finally spend the money they were forced to save during the War. They had made lots of money during the war, and now could spend it on whatever they pleased! They build new houses, in new suburbs, and powerful new cars. And they also went to College, in huge numbers.
They had been impoverished during the Depression, but now, by the grace of God (and the War) - they had been redeemed!
They did help the losers of the War rebuild their economies. The first time in History, this had ever been done. But they also began the Cold War, fighting Communism, with all their strength. They ignored the poverty that gripped most of the world.
The World was in serious trouble, but America did not know how to help it. And really did not want to. They had it made, and could not be bothered with the rest.
And the rest included much of themselves. The parts of themselves that did want to build a better world. These better parts of themselves were treated badly. They were not killed, as had been the case in Fascism. They were just discriminated against, in ways they could easily ignore.
I can remember the Nineties, in Silicon Valley - when companies were coming and going, like mushrooms growing on manure. And no one (including therapists, of all kinds) was noticing this.
I was noticing - and I got out.
Thursday, May 3, 2018
The Worst War of All Time
DelancyPlace
The war that engulfed China from 1851 to 1864 was not only the most destructive war of the nineteenth century, but likely the bloodiest civil war of all time. Known in English as the Taiping Rebellion, it pitted the Chinese rebels of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom against the waning authority of the two-hundred-year-old Qing dynasty of the Manchus, and in its brutal fourteen-year course at least twenty million people lost their lives to warfare and its attendant horrors of famine and pestilence. In terms of the U.S. Civil War, with which it coincided in its final years, the death toll of the Chinese civil war was at least thirty times as high.
The war that engulfed China from 1851 to 1864 was not only the most destructive war of the nineteenth century, but likely the bloodiest civil war of all time. Known in English as the Taiping Rebellion, it pitted the Chinese rebels of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom against the waning authority of the two-hundred-year-old Qing dynasty of the Manchus, and in its brutal fourteen-year course at least twenty million people lost their lives to warfare and its attendant horrors of famine and pestilence. In terms of the U.S. Civil War, with which it coincided in its final years, the death toll of the Chinese civil war was at least thirty times as high.
Why millions of Millennials are ditching the 9-to-5 to do what they love
LinkedIn
This article is loaded with statistics, the results of many surveys. It does not say all this action is in the Computer Economy - but it probably is.
It assumes some people know what they want to do - and are doing it. It does not say, they are only a small part of the population - but I am sure they are.
This article is loaded with statistics, the results of many surveys. It does not say all this action is in the Computer Economy - but it probably is.
It assumes some people know what they want to do - and are doing it. It does not say, they are only a small part of the population - but I am sure they are.
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
The Attraction of Evangelicalism in Latin America
Evangelicalism has attracted many followers here. This reason for this simple - people associate it with North America, and its affluence. And they associate Catholicism with the poverty of Latin America.
They do not have to think about this - the economic contrast is obvious, and unavoidable. The Protestant religion did, in fact - make Northern Europe, and North America wealthy. But this was a long, and violent process, that involved Industrialization.
The Evangelicals, without intending to do so - promised to make this process easy for Latinos. All they had to do, was convert - and wealth will follow! Many Latinos converted - but riches did not follow. And they lost interest in their new religion.
Moving from a Undeveloped culture, to an Developed culture, is much harder, than anyone realized. A lot of fundamental changes are required - and these changes are hard to make. So far as I know, no Latin American country has made this transition - and they have tried, as hard as they could.
Any organization (religion or business) that wants to move into Latin America, has to take these problems into account. The WalMart store I shop at down here, has Tshirts all its employees wear - saying (in Spanish) "We are here to serve you." This is a huge cultural shift for Latino organizations, who usually - only want to serve themselves.
They do not have to think about this - the economic contrast is obvious, and unavoidable. The Protestant religion did, in fact - make Northern Europe, and North America wealthy. But this was a long, and violent process, that involved Industrialization.
The Evangelicals, without intending to do so - promised to make this process easy for Latinos. All they had to do, was convert - and wealth will follow! Many Latinos converted - but riches did not follow. And they lost interest in their new religion.
Moving from a Undeveloped culture, to an Developed culture, is much harder, than anyone realized. A lot of fundamental changes are required - and these changes are hard to make. So far as I know, no Latin American country has made this transition - and they have tried, as hard as they could.
Any organization (religion or business) that wants to move into Latin America, has to take these problems into account. The WalMart store I shop at down here, has Tshirts all its employees wear - saying (in Spanish) "We are here to serve you." This is a huge cultural shift for Latino organizations, who usually - only want to serve themselves.
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