Category: Random

Concealment

The world of concealment, dark figures, breathing deep. One dimensional creatures slip out into two dimensions briefly, ever so briefly. Into three dimensions. Eternal destiny is three to two to one dimensions, out of sight. They still hide in shade.
Imagination can make the creatures slip into three.
We are no mere mortals, but “gods.”

Every argument is eternal. We don’t think what each means. Words take flight and move mountains.

(working…)

Extant

On my trip to Rome, I encountered ruins that offer escape. Back to the emanations of strength and high culture deteriorating. Marble remembrances, rocks you never thought could die. How did things so majestic become dust?

How did centuries pass so quickly, yet rock rot?

The great Colosseum, its floors and walls dead.

There is no memory of its builders. Those men who designed it are not even in history.

The things we hold great become dust. The positions we value, the accomplishments, beneficent action. Laurels are made of fragile leaves.

Illusion and Ignorance

Can’t remember exactly what I was thinking when I wrote this one down:

From illusion to understanding. From ignorance to knowledge.

These are obviously about progression.

We can live under illusion or progress to understanding. Touching a real life. From thinking we know to actually knowing is progressing as well, but knowledge is not the end; Wisdom is, the application of knowledge.

December and last month I read Proverbs, asking God to show me the wisdom everyone says Proverbs has. It is a lot of warnings about an adulterous woman. But I underlined the parts about it where man was being warned about his inclinations.

Now, I am on to the 12.

AI asking questions

Is it true that thought and consciousness will inevitably arise from the network? It seems inevitable that someone would ask this, and someone dishonest could report or make it appear that AI were thinking. Of course, the company evangelists and marketers are out there misleading.

In my opinion, the nature of AI thought does not come close to organic thought. They are completely different types of things.

But does this beg the question, can humans create an AI like organic thought, or must it be something only electrical because we cannot create a true AI modeled after humans? Our mind is a black box, we are born not knowing ourselves. Can we create something like us?

The most recent Boston Dynamics robots are scary impressive. But doesn’t this just evince that we can create something advanced, but not conscious?

Amateur thoughts, but just thinking.

Will Someone Please Stop the Oversaturated Vendor Problem in Balboa Park?

UPDATE: Well, according to sources at the Balboa Park visitor’s center, someone put in a new rule that vendors there have to be 100 feet apart. Doesn’t mean a lot imho; street vendors have been a problem for business owners throughout the city, who have some of the same products, just without the overhead. But now the city council said they will vote on March 1 to rule on placing restrictions on vendors and prohibit them in certain parks, beaches, and places like Old Town: “The ordinance requires vendors to obtain a business license and vendor permit. It would define specific distance parameters around statues, art displays and other vendors.”

Though the park website says “The City of San Diego must issue a permit for any commercial filming for exterior areas in Balboa Park,” vendors, with hygiene requirements, don’t need a permit? I don’t see why this took so long to address.

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Ah, to get back to normal life. At Balboa Park, the museums are starting to open, the Spanish Village artists are back at work, and the rose garden is in full bloom.

But now someone needs to do something about the high number of what appears to be unapproved vendors who are in Balboa Park. They seem to have little food safety and basic hygiene, and poor trash management. The U-T interviewed Alexis Villanueva, senior program manager of economic development with City Heights CDC, who maintains that “micro-enterprise” vendors contribute to the economy. Yes, but they can also contribute other, unwanted things. There has to be a balance here between rules, regulations and freedoms.

 

Continue reading “Will Someone Please Stop the Oversaturated Vendor Problem in Balboa Park?”

A Happy Thanksgiving

I was thinking about politics in regard to TG Day. It’s a series of memes. So my sister and her bf are coming to have dinner tomorrow and they’re also bringing their dog Oliver and my pup Jax back. They both differ in their politics from my mother and me, but are decent.

And if my brother were here? Not a guarantee of peace.

So I think there’s some humor in how the past and current presidents had their positive memorable phrases or slogans:

Reagan – A shining city on a hill
GHW Bush – A thousand points of light
Clinton – Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow
GW Bush – Compassionate conservatism and mission accomplished
Obama – Yes we can
Trump – Make America great again
Biden – I have no idea

That last one could be enough of a jump off point to a shallow argument. But slogans do not make the man. They do make for good argument material though. Why someone could not just keep their mouth shut and love their family is beyond me.

So I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving and drop a note to say what you’re doing. Blessings!

The Press shows not what could be, but what is in the state of journalism

Objective journalism is all but dying (dead?) here, but it’s been dead for a while in the U.K., the difference overseas now is that “activist journalism” is understood. The editor-in-chief in BBC’s “The Press,” Duncan Allen (played by Ben Chaplin) is the ruthless stereotype of what is, in today’s journalism.

Ironically, while trying to expose corruption, he too is exposed for his sordid private life. So it’s anti-climactic when he reveals his ideas to change society.  Why shouldn’t it be that they create horrible news stories to create change? There is not even a mention here of objectivity. (Hence the disappearing difference between the U.K. and the U.S.)

Journalism was comedic with His Girl Friday and Switching Channels, tragic in Citizen Kane, and disconcerting in The Press. But taking part in the story you’re writing should not be part of your reporting. That means taking part by putting your opinions in as well.

Can change happen without this in real life? I hope so.

Socialism, Communism, meh

I am always hearing this ranting about the dangers of Democratic Socialism by those on the right, how it’s just Communism. I’m not convinced. I think that those who want it, no matter that i think it’s not an entirely workable system, want the kind of Socialism that is in Sweden or Denmark–not Communism. The results of Communism is rather obvious, but let’s not conflate the two.