Thank Your Chef For Your Intelligence!

One of the things about being something of a "polymath wannabe" is that your mind is free to wander among all your interests and see what is new or strikes your fancy at the moment.  Sometimes you happen upon a truly engrossing and fascinating item about one of those areas.  This TED Talk by  Suzana Herculano-Houzel is one of those. 

Of all the sciences, I am probably less attracted to the 'green squishy sciences' like biology, zoology, etc. but there is one area in which I do maintain a fascination and that is the human brain.  It is in many ways still the most unexplored, unknown part of the human experience and it is easy to see how we might begin to feel it is 'special'.  There is no denying that humans have accomplished some astonishing things (like surviving) for a long time, going into space, questioning their own origins and those of the universe, etc. which I am pretty sure the average dog or lab rat does not. 

Suzana's talk addresses this, in a very informative (and scientific) way, and I found it fascinating, humbling, and thought-provoking all at the same time.  Happy thinking!!!



   

A Tale of Two Institutions

If you have read some of my other posts, you might be able to infer that I have very little tolerance/respect for some of our "institutions".  Political parties would have to be first and foremost -- I cannot for the life of me think why any self-respecting, thinking, rational human being would get within a country mile of one.

Another is "organized religion" -- or any religion with a name on it.  Again many of my reasons are the same as political parties, it is a very humanity-denying and somewhat abasing thing to commit to  a religion...particularly if you were not even given a choice in the matter but were "born" into it.  However, with religions I am a bit more tolerant in terms of respect.  I understand and appreciate that they can serve a useful purpose (thousands of different ones it seems), and are a key part of many people's lives.

I saw something today though that made me think of this again.  The pope has announced that he is willing to discuss moving some of the Catholic church's powers away from the Vatican, and to redefine some of the powers of the papacy.

What struck me is that this is the second major institution to get things completely "ass-backwards".  Churches (particularly the Catholics, but others as well) have this tradition of semi-divine central authority commanding a worldwide religion.  Yet I think that of all the endeavors, religion is best practiced "close to home" (locally) within perhaps some broad guidance.

Now, the second institution is so messed up it takes two levels of government to do it -- the US Government and the state's governments...or more particularly the "states rights" folks.  The Constitution basically says "anything the Feds do not or will not do, is the responsibility of the states".  Unfortunately, our states have massively f***d up their part of the bargain in at least two important areas: education and health care.  They have given us the worst health care "system" in the first world with untold riches for CEOs of the death panel/insurance companies, but costs four to six times other countries and medical results that are in the bottom half of the pack.  

And the (until recently) completely state-run US education system is an unmitigated, long running disaster.  We rank at the bottom of most first-world countries, and yet people howl when they can't use their local school boards to teach "creationism" or to rewrite history so that slavery never occurred. 

      

Technology That Matters

It seems like those of us who work in the technology sector only hear about the bad side of our labors.  NSA, identity theft, anonymous bullying, distracted driving, Facebook lies, Twitter bulimia, etc..  

Every once in awhile it is nice to realize that yes, technology has and does move our lives forward in a positive way.

They Canceled Your Health Policy? CELEBRATE!

Amazing how many of the wailing, "they canceled my insurance" stories turn out to be way different than they are presented.

I personally know of at least one person and have heard reliable stories of about half a dozen more....and all are much better off once they stop the teeth-gnashing and rending of clothes and actually find out what the ACA is all about!

They are finding that 1) their old policies weren't worth doo-doo; 2) they were paying way too much for them; and they can do much better covering the essentials they need under the ACA because the death panels (err...health insurance companies) can no longer use them as a funding source for yachts and third homes.

The Folly of the Filibuster

I disagree with David Brooks on this one - I don't think the presence of the filibuster helps in any way the reputation, "comity", or certainly the effectiveness of the Senate.   The filibuster is not mentioned in any fashion in the Constitution, instead it is a pure invention of evil political parties to try and subvert the process to their own ends.

Indeed, I think the filibuster is an abject admission of failure:

"My ideas or standing are so poorly reasoned out or just plain indefensible that I cannot persuade anyone to move to my side, or even compromise.  Therefore I will basically throw a second-grader's schoolyard fit until my face turns blue (or I keel over), then you will be sorry!!!".  

Kudos to the LA Times

Finally, a respectable news organization is calling an end to the climate-change denier bunk that is published not only in letters to the editor, but all over the Internet (always 'anonymously' of course) as "comments" whenever climate change is mentioned.

If you haven't been following the science (or just paying attention to the mindless drivel of cable news channels) you might not know that there is no real controversy left among actual practicing scientists that have knowledge of climatology....and you know that other science stuff. 

Unlike the "impressive" list of "distinguished scientists" that Senator James Inhofe (Oklahoma) waved in front of a hearing.  Hmm...seems to be a lot of Doctorates on here...of English, Philosophy, Mathematics....and oh yes, a bunch of TV "weather personalities" we will say to be kind.

The LA Times recently declared:

Saying "there's no sign humans have caused climate change" is not stating an opinion, it's asserting a factual inaccuracy.

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-climate-change-letters-20131008,0,871615.story#ixzz2lQn2ukyp

Pentagon Waste - Carrying on a Proud Tradition

I have written elsewhere in this blog about the proudly un-auditable Pentagon waste machine that shreds (or just plain loses) taxpayer dollars each and every day and seems very unconcerned about it.  (Of course, all they have to do is ask the Repubs for more I guess). 

Reuters is now taking its own look at it, putting a very human face on some of the very real victims -- US service men and women.  Then in the second part they outline how the Pentagon literally cannot keep track of anything...not just money.

MMTW

Massively Multiplayer Thumb Wrestling - this is just fun (and funny) but carries a few subtle ideas for thinkers too:

Now That Is Class

Even if it is a bit late, this item from the Harrisburg Patriot-News is worthy of acknowledgement (and big kudos for style!).

Another Republican Black Eye

Like most items that make it into the "BS-verse" (sorry, the Internet), the whole flap about health insurance policies being cancelled as a result of the ACA is overblown, misleading, and says more about the ignorance of the "reporters" than anything.  

In reality, the people who get letters from their insurance companies 'canceling' their policies are finding out they are much, much better off under the ACA.   Sorry Repubs -- another black eye for you! 

Wake Up Call

Thomas Friedman has written about a new phenomenon, a new view of the United States from abroad that is not flattering.  I won't steal his thunder, but I actually had a much earlier, similar experience in about 2003 though I could be off by a year.  I was on a business trip to Taiwan and our hosts took me out for dinner to one of the biggest buffet-style "mix and match" restaurants I have ever seen.  All the choices and ingredients were raw and fresh, you chose the individual items, then they were prepared and brought to your table.  The selection was huge, like a large farmer's market.

Anyway, as we sat down at our table the primary host from the company we were working with sat down across from me and asked (in impeccable English since English classes are mandatory from elementary school onward)..."Why did you elect such a stupid President?".

People in other countries tend to look up to the US, and are disappointed/dismayed when they perceive that something "stupid" is happening, which is part of the theme of Friedman's column.

As for me...I foolishly started down the road of pointing out that the American people had NOT actually elected the "stupid president", but then that led to how the Supreme Court in supposedly the greatest democracy in the world had "appointed" a president. 

Fortunately, just when it was getting really confusing (and embarrassing)...the food arrived!     

Trash Talkin'

Another interesting TED Talk - this time on trash/garbage whatever you call it.  The talk is actually more about "What I Discovered About New York City Trash", but it is interesting and well presented.

Ms. Nagle saves the best for the end,  but I won't spoil the surprise.  Let's just say garbage doesn't necessarily come from where you might think or expect.....
 

Math is Fun Too!

My last post talked about the "War on Math and Physics" in the US according to a book I am reading.  These (and their close siblings) just happen to be some of my favorite subjects.  I am fascinated by physics, astrophysics and particle physics and try to keep up on the latest developments as well as I can considering I don't have a degree in any of them - just a rabid interest.  

Math on the other hand I use, mostly in indirect ways in my work with computer software, but a good understanding of mathematical principles and techniques is behind a lot of what I do and think about every day, and leads directly to the related fields of logic and reasoning (another of my favorite areas of endeavor).

Here is a TED Talk concentrating on just one aspect of math - the Fibonacci numbers.  This is a good reintroduction to the magic of math if you have been away for awhile, and it is just plain .. fun!

"Average is Officially Over"

I mentioned elsewhere that I have been rather disappointed in the whole "boomer" generation, which is actually the "me first at all costs" generation if you scratch the surface.  I have also mentioned I am reading the book by Thomas Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum titled "That Used To Be Us: How America Fell Behind In The World It Invented and How We Can Come Back".

I am enjoying this book immensely, but that makes it a "slow read" because frankly I need to stop and think/assimilate occasionally.  This book pulls no punches, and it is full of facts and observations about the American experience the last several decades.  One of the most direct is from the chapter titled "This is Our Due" in a section entitled "The War on Math and Physics":

There is no other way to say this: Somewhere in the last twenty years of baby boomer rule, Americans decided to act as if we had a divine right to everything -- low energy prices and big cars, higher spending and lower taxes, home ownership and health care, booms without ceilings and busts without massive unemployment -- all at a time when the country was waging wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and then Libya, Our sense of entitlement expanded far beyond Social Security and Medicare to encompass...well, everything.  

How did this happen?  For one thing Washington DC showed more stupidity than is normal even for that brain-addled burg...of course the worst inhabitants are put there by the American people (paraphrased from the book):

Paul O'Neill (George W. Bush's first Treasury Secretary) warned Vice President Cheney that the growing budget deficits were unsustainable, and the huge tax cuts being pushed by the administration were unaffordable.  Cheney's response?  "You know Paul, Reagan proved deficits don't matter. We won the midterms, this is our due."  A month later, Cheney told the Treasury Secretary to find a new job.

...Senator Jon Kyl, an Arizona Republican, went on Fox News Sunday [July 11, 2010] and declared -- with no sense of irony at all -- that when Democrats raise spending in one area, the spending needs to be offset by a spending reduction in another area, but when Republicans cut taxes in one area, the cut does not have to be offset by any cut in spending.    [...] In other words, raising spending means that one and one makes two and the deficit grows.  But in the case of lowering taxes without lowering spending, one and one make one: there is no effect on the deficit.

I am getting into the part of the book where the authors map out a plan to fix things, but one very simple statement from the book that we as Americans have to understand and act on sticks in my mind:

"Average is officially over."

This is Hard to Read

The Center for Public Integrity is at it again....this time it is only indirectly related to government misdeeds.  This time it is an almost unbelievably sad story of how the coal industry has not only set up the conditions for miners to die in pursuit of their profits, but then gone to great lengths to defend/excuse the practice. 

This is a very thorough CPI investigation, but you should read at least the background piece and the first installment. It is long but worth it - the world cannot always be reduced to 140 characters or a reality show where anybody gets to "vote".