Recovery and Geographical Change

 "Nothing changes inside us because of a change in landscape."

    --12-step program (Alcoholics Anonymous, et al) proverb, commonly heard at the meetings.

One day, it happened that I noticed I was living permanently in a beautiful place, in an area of town I adore with all the elements of my dreams of such matters, dreams going back to the middle 1980s and beyond. In fact, that day is today, Christmas Eve at my home, and all is well with everything, including my family and health. As usual, I did not take the time to truly appreciate what I had come to in my life. I looked around me and was astounded that I had, in fact, succeeded in this area of my long and eventful life. I was living my dream. I had arrived. 

But...

Apocalypse

Turning and turning in the widening gyre   

The falcon cannot hear the falconer;

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere   

The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst   

Are full of passionate intensity.

This snippet of poetry is the first stanza in William Butler Yeat's famous poem "The Second Coming". Written in 1919 as a response to the horror of World War I, it is a bleak, dark poem with absolutely no optimism for the human race at all. Looking at the numerous news reports of thousands of people demonstrating in favor of the Hamas terrorists, who butchered, tortured, raped and killed thousands of innocent people, I am inclined to agree. 

Morning Thoughts, December 11, 2023

What do you think when you see someone who passionately believes something which is false? Do you think maybe there is some sort of mental illness involved? Or is it because of the effect of social media and it's distortion and erosion of reality? Witness hundreds of thousands of people who believe Israel is a brutal conqueror, an occupier of stolen land. Even more people believe that climate change is an imminent threat that must be addressed now. Both of these beliefs are false, but just look at them with all their passionate intensity. Notice the self-righteous scorn they use whenever their beliefs are challenged.

The Rise of Naked, Smirking Evil

 Israel uses rockets to defend it's people; Hamas uses people to defend their rockets.

What we are seeing these days is Jew hatred, sometimes called anti-Semitism, on blatant display. All across the western world, university students are angrily displaying their Jew hatred by calling for the gassing of all Jews, chanting the "from the river to the sea" slogan of Hamas, and showing open support for the Hamas terrorists. Some of these students have been filmed tearing down the posters of kidnapped or missing Jews, placed there by distraught family members desperate to find their loved ones. After the mass slaughter on Oct. 7, 2023 of men, women, and children in Israel by Hamas terrorists, emotions have run high all over the world. Therefore, the objective facts need to be highlighted and brought to everyone's attention. 

Human Stupidity and Arrogance

NEVER underestimate the power of human stupidity. Why? Here are some examples:

The Covid hysteria with it's unnecessary, harmful lockdowns, social distancing and masks, also unnecessary and harmful.

The large number of people who hate Donald Trump.

The Salem Witch Trials.

The alien invasion scam of 1938.

Hamas terrorists thinking that the way to salvation is through murder, mayhem and destruction.

The American left who supports Hamas.

People who think that men can be women and vice versa. No, really.

The Jonestown mass suicide.

The prohibition of alcohol.

The Y2K bug panic.

The belief in a global warming catastrophe right around the corner.

The Banality of Evil in the Middle East

 by J.R. Turner, 2023

The people of Jewish faith have been killed, persecuted, harassed and ridiculed for over a millennia, and more. Why? Is it because they claim to be God’s chosen people? Is it because Jews sent Jesus to the Romans to be crucified? Is it because people believe the Jews unjustly displaced the Palestinian Arabs? Or perhaps because there are a disproportionate number of them who are affluent and prosperous? This hatred of Jews is perfectly illustrated by the name given to the land by the conquering Romans: Palestine. This was done to mock and humiliate them, because the ancient enemy and foe of the Jewish state were the Philistines (Latin, Palestina). Now, the rebellious Hebrews lived in a land named after their enemies. Apparently the Romans thought this was cute, but the name stuck over the ensuing millennia, but only to refer to the region.

Expensive Medical Costs

Recently, I came down with an umbilical hernia (a distinct bulge in my navel). The pain from this was occasionally severe, and one day I decided to go to the emergency room at the hospital where I work. They told me that the hernia was not an emergency, despite the pain, and therefore they could not do anything unless it became "strangulated". In the meantime, I would have to go to a specialist and get referred for surgery. I was in the emergency room for no more than thirty minutes, they did nothing except draw two vials of blood, and check my vital signs. An MD talked with me for five minutes during this process. I repeat: they did not treat me at all. Total bill: $275.00. The MD sent me a bill as well, this one for $600.00 dollars. Neither the hospital nor the MD informed me that I would not only be charged for the emergency room visit, but also for the MD's brief consultation with me. An interesting side note here is that had I not been an employee of the hospital, the bill for the visit would have been $1,200. 00 (plus the 600 for the doctor to talk to me for five minutes). Who makes $3,600.00 an hour? Why, doctors, of course. How is it that this MD felt justified in charging me 600 bucks for seeing me for five minutes, and did nothing? I don't have medical insurance (but I will next month during open enrollment). 

Having experienced this gross overcharge, I started thinking about our medical system here in America, about how many can afford to pay cash for medical services. Insurance is the only practical solution to the burdensome cost of medical care. Why? Granted that nurses and doctors should be paid well, but $1,800.00 for thirty minutes of their time? That's how much I would've had to pay if I were not an employee of the hospital. I still owe a total of $875.00, and that's way too much money to charge anyone for not doing anything to help at all. 

The solution to overly expensive health care is tort reform, in order to make it difficult to sue a doctor for malpractice. As it stands, a lot of people resort to this type of lawsuit in order to avoid paying the bill, or to enrichen themselves. Any health care professional that injures a patient due to incompetence should be sued, but the law should restrict those who game the system by calling for a high standard of proof for any claim to malpractice. I haven't mentioned the fact that another reason health care is so expensive is the myriad regulations and mandates put on the industry by the government. Along with tort reform, there should also be an environment where the market-and the market only-determines what doctors can charge their patients, or risk losing customers. 

Is Using ChatGPT a Form of Plagiarism?

This morning I've got a bad case of writer's block. "Write about anything", I keep telling myself. So I sit down at my desk and instead of thinking of what subject to write about, I click on the ChatGPT tab and entertain the idea of letting artificial intelligence do all the thinking, and typing for me. "That's lazy", or, "that's really a form of plagiarism" says my inner voice, and so here I am, writing directly out of my own mind, for you today. Here is what the search engine Google says about the matter: 

"ChatGPT content is not plagiarism insofar as it is not copying the work of someone else outright. However, it is somewhat questionable from an academic integrity standpoint, in the sense that if you use an answer or essay generated by the chatbot, you have not created the work yourself."

And asking chat GPT about it:

"While I can provide assistance and generate text based on your instructions, it's important to use the generated content as a starting point and then add your own ideas, insights, and personal touch to it. This way, you'll be using the generated content as a tool for inspiration rather than a direct copy. "

There are two major reason why plagiarism against a human being is bad: it's a form of theft with legal consequences, and it's dishonest; a self-aggrandizing lie, if you will. However, if you "plagiarize" an AI program like ChatGPT, no one is harmed in any way. The lie, however, still remains. A new word needs to be coined to describe this sort of semi-plagiarism. It's a fraud, yes combined with laziness. Oh wait, there's the word charlatan: a person falsely claiming to have special knowledge and skill, a fraud.

Here is an article from Mozilla on the subject.

Text-to-Image Technology

Technology continues to push boundaries, bringing us new and exciting innovations. One such marvel is text-to-image technology, a remarkable development that can transform written descriptions into vivid visual representations. This groundbreaking technology holds immense potential across various industries, from creative endeavors to practical applications.

Text-to-image technology combines the power of natural language processing (NLP) and computer vision to generate visual content based on textual descriptions. It essentially bridges the gap between the realm of words and the realm of visuals, allowing us to transform written information into tangible imagery.

Evolve This

by John Russell Turner

It seems that liberals like to think that they are evolving constantly, that they are so beyond certain things (like hydrocarbon fuels, Christianity, grocery bags, and the Constitution).  I wonder sometimes, have they also evolved past the passion for excellence, past the drive to succeed and prosper? Are they even truly alive, like James Taggart from Atlas Shrugged? I say this because the liberals won the last Presidential election, and if their man is any indication of the liberal ideal, their role model for all aspiring liberals to follow, then...apparently liberals have evolved past humanity itself, and are now a new species of, er, uh...

America in Decline: The Policies of the Biden Administration

 

In recent times, conservative pundits and news outlets have voiced concerns about the trajectory of the United States, arguing that the policies implemented by the Biden administration are contributing to the decline of the nation. Today I will explore the reasons behind these claims, focusing on key policy decisions that have allegedly hindered economic growth, weakened national security, and undermined traditional American values.

Economic Consequences:

One of the primary arguments made by conservative voices is that the economic policies pursued by the Biden administration are detrimental to the nation's prosperity. Critics argue that the administration's emphasis on increasing government intervention and regulation stifles entrepreneurship and discourages private investment. The proposed tax hikes on businesses and high-income individuals are seen as disincentives to economic growth and job creation, potentially leading to a decline in American competitiveness on the global stage.

Prominent Leftist Thinkers

It is challenging to identify a single most influential thinker among modern-day leftists, as there are diverse perspectives and a range of influential figures within the leftist intellectual tradition. The left encompasses a wide spectrum of ideologies, including socialism, Marxism, anarchism, feminism, and various forms of critical theory.

That said, several thinkers have had significant influence on modern-day leftists and their ideas. Some prominent figures include:

1. Karl Marx: Marx's ideas on class struggle, capitalism, and socialism have been foundational for leftist thought. His works, such as "The Communist Manifesto" and "Capital," continue to shape the understanding of economic and social inequality.

2. Michel Foucault: Foucault's work on power, knowledge, and the construction of social institutions has been influential among leftists. His ideas have been applied to understanding various forms of oppression and social control.

The Dark Triad

The dark triad is a fascinating and complex phenomenon that has captured the attention of psychologists and the public alike. It refers to three personality traits that are often associated with negative outcomes and unethical behavior: narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy.

Narcissism is characterized by a grandiose sense of self-importance, a lack of empathy for others, and a need for admiration and attention. Machiavellianism is characterized by a manipulative and exploitative approach to relationships and a willingness to use others for personal gain. Psychopathy is characterized by a lack of empathy, impulsivity, and a disregard for social norms and moral principles.

The Budapest Gambit

 

The Budapest Gambit is a chess opening that starts with the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5. It is a relatively uncommon opening, but it can be a tricky surprise weapon for black to use against white.

The Budapest Gambit is a gambit because black offers a pawn on move two with the idea of gaining rapid development and attacking chances in return. White can either accept the gambit pawn with 3.dxe5 or decline it with 3.Nf3. If white accepts the gambit, black will gain a lead in development and try to use their lead in piece activity to create threats against white's position. If white declines the gambit, black will have a more solid position and will try to use their active pawn structure to gain control of the center of the board.

English

The story of English's evolution is complex, with roots extending back to the pre-Roman period, where the original inhabitants of the British Isles spoke Celtic languages.

With the arrival of the Romans in the first century AD, Latin became the language of administration, trade, and education in Britain. The influence of Latin on the British Isles was significant and lasted for centuries, with Latin words continuing to be used in English even today.

The influence of Celtic languages, however, did not disappear with the arrival of the Romans. In fact, many words in English have Celtic roots, such as "crag," "bog," and "loch," to name a few. These words have been a part of English's evolution since the beginning and continue to shape the language today.

Dr. Victor Davis Hanson

Victor Davis Hanson is an American classicist, historian, and commentator born on September 5, 1953, in Fowler, California, United States. He grew up on a farm in the Central Valley of California and attended the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he graduated with a B.A. in Classics in 1975. Hanson then received his Ph.D. in Classics from Stanford University in 1980.

Throughout his academic career, Hanson has written extensively on ancient Greek and Roman history, military history, and contemporary politics. He has authored or edited more than two dozen books, including "The Western Way of War: Infantry Battle in Classical Greece" (1989), "The Soul of Battle: From Ancient Times to the Present Day, How Three Great Liberators Vanquished Tyranny" (1999), and "Mexifornia: A State of Becoming" (2003).