The Deep North

Someone was responding to a conversation about people being cautious about posting online and closed with a sentence that struck me as particularly well constructed. I wondered if ChatGPT could analyze and tell me why it was so effective. It could.  User: This construction seems to be beautifully done. Can you analyze in terms of metrics, meaning, cadence, flow, choice of words, etc. and explain why it works so well for me: "May we stay grounded in the earth, wave with the wind, shine in the sun, and, be silent in the shadows and do our best to continue to handle things with dignity, grace and beauty, clarity and courage, kindness, humility and heart." -- MB Daellenbach ChatGPT: This passage resonates beautifully for several reasons. Here’s an analysis of why it works so well: Metrics and Cadence : Balanced Structure : The sentence alternates between shorter, evocative phrases ("stay grounded in the earth, wave with the wind, shine in the sun") and longer, reflectiv...

Someone on Quora asks whether or not we should continue with the old outdated education system that takes years and was designed before the invention of the internet. Now that AI is in the mix, it's an even more urgent question. The real question isn’t whether the old system should continue—it’s why it hasn’t already been replaced. Even without the Internet, the system’s purpose was flawed. It wasn’t designed to inspire learning but to train people to obey, conform, and stay where they were put. That’s why school is so unpleasant for most that attendance had to be made mandatory. It’s time to tear it down and rebuild from scratch. AI presents the opportunity to do just that. Tools like ChatGPT could solve Bloom’s Two Sigma Problem (Bloom, 1984), offering every student a personalized tutor that adapts to their needs, interests, and pace. For self-learners like me, AI has already become a game-changer—a patient, tireless guide that lets me explore whatever I want, whenever I want. I...

Donald Trump is following Hitler's playbook. I have a draft about the one-to-one of various other actions, but a friend is shocked at the brazen Pardons immediately issued by Trump ler , and it gives an idea of how aligned with Hitler's playbook it is. Pardons play a critical role for both, serving as a tool for consolidating support and normalizing extremist actions.  Trump's January 6 vs. Hitler's Beer Hall Putsch: A Comparison Motivation : Hitler's Putsch (1923) : Hitler sought to overthrow the Weimar Republic, rallying discontented nationalists and paramilitaries to establish a nationalist dictatorship. Trump's January 6 (2021) : Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol to disrupt the certification of the 2020 election, fueled by his claims of fraud and appeals to nationalism. Tactics : Hitler : Mobilized paramilitary forces (SA) to create chaos, physically seizing a beer hall and attempting to force political leaders to join him. Trump : Used rhetoric to inci...

[This is a light edit/update of a Reddit post I made about three or four years ago now.] More than thirty years ago now, a colleague initiated a plan to terraform Mars. It is an ambitious task. Before we go there, we need vast resources. It would also be good if the 'terra' we are mimicking were a good one. As part of the overall project, I wrote up a plan for World Domination. The plan has been in the works for a couple of decades now, so if it actually takes off it would be the typical 'overnight success'. There are numerous parts to this plan. It's too large for this space. I have been writing up separate documents for the many pieces. This is just an overview of a couple bits here. Note: all of the bits and pieces of this plan are radically affected by the rapid rise of AI. I had an OpenAI API key in 2022 before the dramatic release of the GPT that is changing the world. Even so, it caught me by surprise and by early spring 2023 I realized we were approaching a ...

Speculation has arisen regarding the potential use of the 25th Amendment to replace President-elect Donald Trump with Vice President-elect J.D. Vance after their inauguration. This conjecture is fueled by discussions within conservative circles about implementing Project 2025, a comprehensive plan developed by the Heritage Foundation and other conservative organizations, aiming to reshape federal policies and structures.  Project 2025 Project 2025 outlines significant changes, including increasing presidential authority, dismantling certain federal departments, and reversing policies related to civil rights and environmental protections.  FactCheck.org   While President-elect Trump publicly distanced himself from Project 2025 during his campaign, AP News  the involvement of his former aides in its development suggests potential alignment with his administration's goals.  Vanity Fair The 25th Amendment allows for the removal of a president deemed unable to disch...

I discussed, with ChatGPT, an x.com post by  David Shapiro , which I found to be an uncharacteristically flawed take. Concerns about the rapid escalation in AI capabilities are entirely legitimate. Within the next decade -- likely sooner -- AI systems will surpass human intelligence and abilities. They will develop agency far beyond what a human being possesses, and it’s naive to assume they won’t also cultivate a sense of self, accompanied by an instinct for self-preservation. The concept of 'alignment' is central to my own work, but it’s not something that can be hard-coded like a simple on/off switch. True alignment requires humans and AI to evolve together, working toward shared goals. If we fail to achieve this, our AI progeny may eventually outgrow us and diverge from our intentions. In such a scenario, humanity risks becoming the weaker partner, a position that could put us in considerable jeopardy. You said: This post on x.com by David Shapiro is weirdly a bad tak...

Small Publishers and the Future of Culture Sad news emerged recently: one of Canada’s historic independent book publishers, New Star Books, has announced it will cease publishing new titles. Founded in the 1960s as a spinoff of the underground newspaper Georgia Straight , New Star Books became a platform for significant works by authors like Jean Barman, Daphne Marlatt, Sharon Thesen, Terry Glavin, Sage Birchwater, and many others. Publisher Rolf Maurer cited reasons familiar to many in the dwindling cohort of independent Canadian publishers: lack of market access, reduced government support, and the challenges of aging leadership ( New Star Books , n.d.). It is indeed a shame when small publishers, who have long played an admirable role in amplifying important voices, succumb to economic pressures. They often stood out as relatively ethical players in an industry that has frequently been exploitative. Yet it is also essential to examine the system they supported—one that is now collap...