Bill Cunningham 921213.2030|
The gang of 3/5, just one minute, olive branch discussion motivates this
gang of 1 to throw in his own comments. You may or may not here from
Martin as another gang of 1 when his e-mail system is fixed. I just logged
on in a brief stop between trips and find returned mail from down system.
He's perfectly capable of speaking for himself. Don't misinterpret any
short term silence on his part (or mine either, since I leave in morning).
Let me throw the brick first: I make a major distinction between militarism--
which I regard to be both stupid and dangerous, and the military--which has
some very bright people (these days), does some stupid things collectively
(but no more so than other groups of humans eg psychologists who review papers)
and who has to live with danger (usually provided by the militarist).
So, Bill P, I'm offended when you paint anybody/thing who works with/for
the military with the same tar brush. More important, that kind of labling
does more to perpetuate problems than to solve them.
For the most part, the military are just like real humans. They
have some cultural foibles and tribal jealousies that are important to
them and absurd to an outsider. So does every large organization of individual
control systems--nations, religions, you name it. For both good and ill,
man is a social (or antisocial) animal. The only escape short of becoming
an agnostic hermit is either catatonia or death. So we have a need for
police, clinical psychologists, and even the military.
There, I feel better.
ยทยทยท
_________________
Now, on the brighter side. The process of boiling down a plethora of noisy
data into something intelligible, and the process of making wise decisions
based on the "right info" apply across our modern society. Every attempt
I've ever seen to drain these swamps have come from the purveyors of fine
swamp water. So we are off on a noble quest. The military environment
happens to be a very good place to work on the problem, since the issues
are pretty clear and the grownups are willing to seek answers.
------------
To end on the brightest note, the complaints of the math being too complicated
are absolutely valid. Thank you, thank you, thank you. As I remarked before,
in my dealings with John, it don't exist if I can't understand it. This
I could understand. Step two is that it doesn't pass the so what test unless
I can explain it on a non mathematical basis. What you saw was an extract of
my struggling with that. So we ain't there yet. We still have a major
unexplained problem to deal with. But we wouldn't be this far without PCT.
Nor would the other folks on the net. So we are grateful for that.
I'll be out of town for 3 days. Hope to return and find all the world's
problems solved, including the one we are groping at.
Warm regards (really) and affection.
Bill C.