Godel, Escher, Bach

Some thoughts and questions while reading the book:

Douglas Hofstadter writes in Godel, Escher, Bach, "Do words and thoughts follow formal rules, or do they not? That problem is the problem of the book." That also seems to be the very crux of a working AI system - getting words, numbers, and algorithms to follow rules.

GEB writes that, "Mathematicians (and more recently linguists, philosophers, and some others) are the only users of formal systems, and they invariably have an interpretation in mind for the formal systems which they use and publish." That "some others" were clearly AI programmers in hindsight.

Did Godel, Escher, Bach predict blockchain in a way? It talks about steps to a formal system being linked in an ironclad way - just as blockchain establishes ownership in an ironclad way. Does this mean that blockchain was a precursor to AI or did they develop in parallel?

Did the book predict AI? It writes about written symbols being translated to algorithms of typographical rules including all the Internet and the very rules of physics. Are AI hallucinations inclusions of non-theorems in the AI system? Is that how we get black founding fathers? Is DEI itself a non-theorem?

Enjoying the book but it is challenging.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Matt Taibbi: In Defense of Substack. "In the last four years especially, a rift has formed in the news business, an argument primarily about method and approach." I've come to trust Taibbi, Bari Weiss, and Glenn Greenwald much more than the New York Times. That trust (and distrust) has been well-earned.

- I had never heard of NFT's (niffties?) before last week. They could be the next big thing and another reason cryptocurrency is here to stay. 

- How a 10-second video clip NFT sold for $6.6 million! 

- The latest on quantum physics and the "Proton Sea"

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Why don't US Intelligence Agencies use blockchain to protect Top Secret info and to insure proper chain of custody. Maybe behind the scenes they already are... Heh Heh... "Education isn't something you can finish." - Isaac Asimov... Speaking of education - this time of year you always see those stories about teachers who end up spending their own money to buy supplies for their students. How come we never see any stories about salespeople who have to travel for work and can't expense all the drinks they consume. Much of the cost of that alcohol comes straight out of their own pockets. But you never see Go Fund Me pages for people like me do you... It's a simple truth that doing something hard is always more fulfilling and fun than doing something easy... This is also a simple truth...

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Howard Cosell and John Lennon - such a cool photo

- Interesting read on Alexander Hamilton's early years.

- First they're installing drywall for us next they'll be using us as human batteries.

- Good for you Lindsey Graham

- Interesting - why there's a good case for sanctioning Christine Blasey Ford's lawyers

- How the Internet gave all of us superpowers

- George Gilder: Forget cloud computing, Blockchain is the future

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Interesting talk (just over an hour) by Naval Ravikant (skip the first minute of bad audio)

- If you're pressed for time or process things better by reading - here are the notes from the above Periscope

- Speaking of Naval - here he helps explain blockchain in 90 seconds

- Good Anthony Bourdain interview from 2016. As a nice touch they have added Suicide Hotline info at the end of the article.

- Heh Heh

- Very cool - honeybees seem to understand the concept of zero

- This is a very good point. And no trade deficits isn't an argument or explanation for others applying unfair tariffs to us.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- True

- 20 real-world uses for blockchain technology

- I've come to the conclusion that Doc Rivers really isn't a good NBA coach

- Pedro's the best!

- Interesting - coal power plant in Australia being reopened for blockchain mining

- Interesting (if true)

- Defeating diseases with energy. They mighty mitochondria!

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

An update on super-gambler Billy Walters (currently behind bars). I don't feel bad for Walters but I do come away with less respect for Phil Michelson... Not sure if this is true but I heard the only college willing to admit David Hogg was Trump University... If I recall my comic books correctly - Super Gonorrhea is teenage Spider-Man's biggest nemesis... If I were a pitching coach every time I left the mound I'd turn back and shout "and candlesticks always make a nice gift"... Interesting - could using blockchain end movie piracy? This could also revolutionize the way music is purchased and shared... How much do I love the Boston Bruins? Nutrocker by Emerson, Lake and Palmer was my wedding song (old-time Channel 38 Bruins fans will understand)... Cool...

How Bitcoin and Bitmining Effected a Rural Washington Community

Interesting look at how Bitcoin and Bitmining has effected an Eastern Washington community. Long read but worth it for the insights about the history of Bitcoin and the power consumption required to mine Bitcoin.

It really has an old west gold mining camp air to the whole endeavor.

On a related note - Sierra Leonne recently became the first nation to run a blockchain powered election. I think that's actually a great application for Blockchain.

This is the future.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thoughts I'd share.

- Heh heh

- I seriously want one of these trailers

- Blockchain could revolutionize the financial systems of the world in the next decade

- The two types of knowledge: the Max Planck/Chauffeur test

- Peeps flavored Oreos will turn your poop pink.

- Mensch on a bench

- Heh heh - and this is how the robot apocalypse started