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Sunday, December 11, 2016

Must make marketing cool

Years ago used to really upset myself with things like the country counts as didn't understand how could be read all over the globe without it being more of a big deal. So I figured it out and realized that I have had more of a community focus for some time. And also I do NOT like being wrong and especially don't want to lead others down wrong paths.

Which means I present my speculative ideas as what they are, speculative. And appreciate the attention from web analytics while also appreciating less distance to fall if something turns out to be crap.

So was really important for me to stop doing my own new research! And then could start pondering how maybe to shift from just this global community perspective where I give ideas away without looking for anything more than interest to something else.

Which is why I created a new blog to focus on commercial. And I called it, um, Seriously Commercial.

THAT blog unlike anything else I have has one purpose. And to make sure I didn't forget, yeah, I put that in the name.

Only thing is am now pondering more how to do the commercial more as for over a year has been me posting, without having any commercial thing really established which is about building an audience first.

But how do I make marketing cool? Thinking blog will leverage my ability to get attention, and according to Google Analytics it already had visits from 58 countries. So from the stats available, yeah, should be able to deliver a global audience to someone looking to reach one, commercially.

Which has me back to this blog to do problem solving. Can't figure it out on the blog in progress so here will probably be the one to work it all out, as my other two blogs focus differently. Only Beyond Mundane can comfortably work on this particular problem without it looking weird, I think.

So to start I need something cool enough to be able to put a blog post about it on Seriously Commercial to promote that something with enough global intrinsic to it for around 50 countries, where that something is up to my standards. And is a great referral.

I have total control. So I can do what I want and not do what I don't want. And to me great referral is the best standard so I can BRAG about anything promotional. So am looking around just pondering. Scanning the globe. Not reaching out to any entities yet or anything like that as I evaluate.

Oh and my other blogs may get into it anyway as they're a team. Haven't all been working together as one visibly for a long time, but hey, is important! Was fun though years ago when they all worked together at times in a very visible way.

Is kind of cool I've missed. When all three blogs work in concert kind of, well, if it happens will be very interesting I know from experience.


James Harris

Monday, December 05, 2016

How much global and metrics

One of the things I realized I should document is my own assessment about how many things of certain types I have global at this point, and how I measure. As usually just look at things and ponder. That is, I just think about it without having anything written down, so yeah, need something can check later just to know how was thinking certain things.

So yeah, going to just put some of that pondering down here so I have as a reference later.

And right now I consider 3 of my 4 blogs truly global as get visits according to Google Analytics from at least 50 countries per year. This blog had some weird jump and is at 83 countries so far this year according to Google Analytics am checking for this post. And that's from 523 cities and 57 languages where I think Google Translate is what allows that to happen.

Conceivably am looking at impact of my open source project linking to this blog but that has ALWAYS been the case and it has downloads from 109 countries so far THIS YEAR from SourceForge statistics where don't have a city or language count.

Usually I actually use that as my baseline for MY global reach as is downloads, so to me gives more concrete information than just visits.

Conceivably more countries look at this blog, but only see what Google Analytics registers. Oh yeah so that is across the board which is why I see these as more of a general idea of things.

So am at 4 global things now. Three of my blogs: Some Math, Beyond Mundane, and my new one Seriously Commercial which was a BIG surprise. Am in the process of building it up, and haven't promoted it yet.

Harder to estimate is with my social media. There Pinterest helps me the most with analytics, but still not seeing the kind of massive country counts as with my blogs which really are the pillars. They can drive attention as I want including across my social media so I see it as that way and not the other way around.

Other way to consider global reach is with global search result levels which I can only get from Google and yup, get that information about my blogs. Google will tell me global search positions which is weird data to me. Yeah is cool to have search results that ARE global but other things puzzle me. Have learned to talk MUCH less about details and notice, no audience numbers! Have no clue really but have data which is the contradictory thing that has left me befuddled for about a decade now.

Actually is reason I decided to explain social media follower counts with my entertainment guess, which lead me to define entertainment. So yeah I know I think what's going on but haven't been able to test on the upside as I'd need to be entertaining which am not motivated to do. I'm NOT an entertainer.

Oh, so where do things seem to drop off for my global reach? For years oddly enough take it for granted is across South America and Africa. So yeah I cover the world for the most part except for those continents which is why my country counts are as low as they are. And why is that? I do not know but can speculate easily enough but why really should I?

Oh yeah, so Twitter is a lot of fun for me with lots of metrics there where will just say there can be spikes of attention which make sense. So yeah my tweeting behavior did shift massively once I had analytics data and there were HUGE jumps in impressions, where I have a good idea about why.

Most mysterious and hard to measure social media for me are Google+ and for my Facebook Page. Still working on metrics that work for me.

And this post is way long. So will stop there. What do I do with all that reach?

Just read my blogs and you can see. It's not complicated. And yeah, each post is for a purpose. The blogs rule. Everything else is really driven from them though my open source has its own clear space, I consider it minor in comparison, though it is most transparent because it's open source, so I reference it a lot.


James Harris

Sunday, December 04, 2016

With what regard

Our modern attention reality is extremely precise as so much information is more readily available because the web eases distribution than has ever been the case for the human species. Right now if I notice someone interesting who is a public figure, I can in the space of about five minutes find out vast amounts of information on that person, both good and not so good, as always exists.

The totality of a human being is what is being presented more and more where your entire history as a human is now increasingly part of your story, if online and public.

And if you refuse to put it out there? Then that tells a story too! The power of the web is inescapable in our times.

So yes you can develop over years a close network of people who know and trust you, and watch as others also have a web presence and can do things you could not imagine a human being could get done, with a single tweet.

While the pickiness of the human species is not less as a result, as it is far greater. People don't have to guess at what's possible as often they can look at any number of examples.

Exemplars are defining more and more what is possible for human beings which is great as many are pushing the limits beyond what most thought was.

We can see just how far human beings can go with so many things and be inspired.

In our times attention is a thing. It's neither good nor bad in and of itself.

And like it or not, you will communicate to your fellow human beings. The web will force that one at least.

On it you will communicate by your entire web presence, and if not on it, you will tell so much more than you realize and those people aren't even reading this information if really off the web.

Which is fascinating to me, as I know these words will impact their lives, regardless.


James Harris

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Functional reality of interest flow

The web allows a relentlessness of attention which is neither good nor bad in and of itself but to me is ALWAYS testing. The web probes. Those probes from the web check every aspect of something which means I take it for granted that every angle of something I put up public WILL get noted, in someway by someone.

So I like to talk of web as a singular abstraction but reality is human interest, and with public items that interest can flow 24 hours a day, every single day. Those endless checks fascinate me. I can watch the impact, and they help me find errors will note, no matter how small, like even minor grammar ones.

For me that functional reality is needed as for instance I will put up something with light editing and then edit over time. And part of the point is I'll get feedback by various means, which by now is hard to explain. One way is to note that at times posts will bubble up I like to say, as people seize upon something in them, and then I'll see that and study the post until see what drew the attention.

That can go back years. And at times it's like, why now? I don't know but can guess, and as years go by and experience this reality am recognizing I see things differently.

That constant flow of attention naturally seeks out error, so I can take that for granted. And I think it will be interesting over time to see how the web polishes certain areas.

My blogs contain the work product of constant attention from around the globe over more than a decade. With three blogs getting most of my focus during that time, while my latest less than two years old benefits from lessons learned.

The web polishes, as the attention flows, and finds every single little thing, no matter how small. If I notice then can fix! So I work at reading the signals.

It has dawned on me that my standards are now at a level I must be cautious when considering others who have less scrutiny.

To draw global attention for over a decade there is comfort in maintaining a standard that makes experience feel easier.

Though for me is usually a gentle thing now, where attention flows are a constant, ever present. So it's like sitting by an ocean watching the waves of attention, come in and go out.

That is a functional reality based on experience. I find that comforting.

It's not what I imagined would be.

It's what has been the experienced reality.


James Harris

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Best kind of support to me

Steady support is the best and am massively thankful for the support from lots of places that has helped me in life. And here really glad for that constant where more and more work to provide the same as is so grand.

Doing more assessing than endlessly creativity which was where things went for YEARS as I've pondered quite a few interesting things, looking for simple answers and had the comfort of knowing there were people all over the world curious enough too.

And not something massive that might have rattled me will now admit. Just a calm remarkable, when I would check, and wonder maybe here and there why suddenly this dozen countries, or hey here is this country where a sudden big interest.

Now with 4 blogs, where each has its own purpose, and at least 3 of them with a history now of visits from at least 50 countries on an annual basis, feel like web is that place where comfort of interest has been a support for me as a reality I should cheer.

Still don't understand it completely. Do feel like I have LOTS of work to do in reaching out more for engagement versus just me sending out, like with this post, but am appreciative of what it has meant for me.

To those of you who have been reading, thank you.

And that has been going on for more than a decade now. This blog has been around since 2005. Maybe it actually has been the steadiest as well in terms of the interest I can see from web analytics.

Yeah it has! For me Beyond Mundane expresses a wish as much as a promise.

There are answers which can be understood, should be shared, and those answers can provide a thrill that is out of this world. Oh goody that really sounds not like what I'd usually put here to me.

Is what have felt though, and wanted. To me is the thrill that is the point. When learning is excitement because I want to know. And there is only so much time to learn. And if you think you've learned something grand, why not share?

Sharing is SO much of the fun.


James Harris

Saturday, October 22, 2016

What I think is the point of college

When I get an angle on something I tend to run it into the ground and in my opinion the point of college is to learn how to learn, versus simply being taught, which is what happens for most in school before college. So I say, that college is to teach the meta of learning itself, so the point is meta learning.

And that's my opinion, and now going to talk a LOT about that opinion for the rest of this post. Where will note that most people don't seem to want that, and if you get a high school diploma or equivalent in the US, you can do quite ok with the rest of your life without an intensive educational environment teaching you how to learn while teaching you lots of others things. Like you can get a job, have a family, set goals and live a great life, which raises the question of why do others take a different route?

Curious I did a search, and not surprisingly found myself with information displayed from Wikipedia, which said that 31.96% of Americans aged 25 or older get at least a Bachelor's degree. That search was:

what percentage of Americans get a college degree?

And that is copying and pasting and italicizing, where I probably figured I'd do such a thing so I did it that way for effect. And Google search just displayed the info I gave here, where the reference given was: Educational attainment in the United States

Plenty of people just want to get on with that being an adult thing, while college at its most intense, where you are there at the college or university as a full time student, means deferring on full adulthood. And college students are kind of like, um, looking for a characterization. Let's just say, college students are not functionally considered fully adult by society, which lets them work still on learning, while usually being legally adult, as in the US that just happens at age 18.

Of course college teaches actual knowledge, but technical school does that as well. But along with knowledge itself, college I say, teaches you how to learn, which can give the additional flexibility later in life, of approaching the subject of learning itself in a certain way enabling greater facility at moving into new areas of knowledge. Whew. I like those kinds of sentences.

Which means that scientists usually need college as being a scientist is a lifelong quest of learning how to learn better, I think, so scientists I suggest never fully grow up.

My opinion of the point of college am sure contrasts with those who think it's about getting a well-paying job which raises the question of, why would it be so associated if my opinion is correct?

Which I think is about the greater flexibility that learning learning itself, so that you are a meta learner, gives greater facility at moving into new areas of knowledge, which can have a greater monetary value, in general. Yeah, still love those kinds of sentences.

Lots of people maybe just want someone to tell them what they are to know, like to do their job most effectively. Or they already know what they need to know to achieve life goals.

Like, if you're great at business, know LOTS of how to do business, and just get at it, you can do very well, and become extremely rich, without ever having a college degree, which plenty of people have done.

That roughly 1 in 3 Americans feels a need to get a Bachelor's degree and get that done is something I find intriguing. To me, roughly 2 in 3 Americans then end up doing that adult thing without grabbing that level of accomplishment of completion from a place that pushes them to learn how to learn, if they do bother to do the adult thing.

But you can learn meta learning without college I'm sure.

From my perspective as a meta innovator, I feel like meta learning from college is just so convenient, and maybe helps to lay those foundations with a solidity that is hard to get otherwise. But is not impossible.

So do you need college? In my opinion it's the kind of question that in answering most people end up deciding no, at least in my country, and for those who answer yes, it's maybe about an inner child that isn't necessarily understood as such, which to me makes it even better. I only recently accepted that maybe growing up is not so bad, but am still working on it. That adult thing? Is so hard.


James Harris

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Try web reference about me

Describing yourself can be hard, but even harder, how can people know is true? Which is how web authority can help out as I use web reference. I will italicize things to search. If you choose not to search though can still learn things about me. But how to know if true or not?

My biggest attention draw globally is some math I found. Where am not a mathematician as my degree is just a B.Sc. in physics. Another way I get global attention is with my open source app Class Viewer which is for Java developers.

There are phrases where I decided to take over and use my way, like "meta innovator" but there search may vary a LOT depending on search engines, versus ones given before. I prefer when quotes are not needed.

Also can be rather dramatic like I decided to talk about "short timeline reachable goals" which makes sense! But my usage was first I could find anywhere with web search! It amazed me. With quotes can see how restrictive that kind of thing can be. When I did while back would get zero search results.

And that's enough of that I think. Just trying something out. There are others I could use in lots of areas as am into the meta of learning itself, so I have plenty of things I like to discuss or explore.

If those searches didn't bring up my things then this route failed. Oh well.

Oh, but if worked, you may wonder why. Well according to search engines is driven by linking behavior, so is about what human beings all over the world are doing. I have no control over that either. So it is an objective measure

Checking to see if web reference can help me with an authority problem, as mainstream sources refuse to, um, do they refuse though? Not sure. But I can't just say, go to this human authority or that one to back me up. So am looking creative.

There is also other practical reality that people will wonder, and may even ask, what's your deal? And for me for YEARS that has been HARD to explain. So working on it.

I like to try things, and see what happens! And yes, when I do blog posts like this one can see what impact if any there is. And usually? There is a reaction. So kind of just in a mood to see what happens so enough typing. Time to edit and post!

And have posted but am still editing. Which means post may change until am satisfied. But gist of it will remain the same.


James Harris

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Accomplishments are cool

Actually paid more attention this year to college graduates back in Spring, so yeah months ago but finally talking it here, as found myself contemplating 25 years since my own college graduation.

Where of course graduating from college is an accomplishment, which was on top of graduating from high school, where will be 30 years next year. And have been thinking much on how big of a deal it is to have accomplishments where you can just trot them out easily.

But yeah is also cool without those particular ones as many have done well, and I use that word cool a lot because I like it. There is just this good feeling with it which I will not give up just because I use it much as do plenty of other people. And it's not the word's fault, cool is just such a cool word.

Explaining things to people? Not so much fun. And society gives you these arenas for accomplishments that don't take a lot of explanation. But also is a good feeling when you're down and worried may be out, and can remember.

I've been there, when had to remind myself.

It is weird though all the varied things that amaze me more now. But then managed to get so much done--navigate through a new environment, make friends, and figure out how to do laundry. And explore, explore, explore if you're me, often with an abandon may wish for later, as necessity was in the need. And with my school downtown Nashville, Tennessee was a fascinating playground.

It took decades to just feel a warm satisfaction with such past accomplishments, which to me is a good thing to put out there. To remind myself how often you appreciate your accomplishments maybe so much more than you realize in decades to come.

So best thing I say is to get as many as you can when you can. And yes society will trot out some good ones to have, like graduation from various places because society knows what it's doing.


James Harris

Sunday, October 09, 2016

Let's play at showrunner

So now can just play with my ideas and yes, still playing around with ideas about entertainment being a safe way to control mood, and thought would go more into what I call mood line with a quick problem solving exercise by making up my own sci-fi show which is loosely inspired by the current television show Dark Matter, of which I've seen only the first season. And just realize I DO definitely work better using search to find my old posts on this blog! So I searched on: beyond mundane mood line

And searched on television show to find its imdb page but of course search is easy enough but talking more as thinking about it more. Web search is remarkable.

For MY random thoughts making up a show which are throw-away so not serious, you have four people who awake on a spacecraft with partial amnesia. Waking up in pods is kind of standard, and on initial waking something dramatic happens where they learn they each have skills, but aware of things like names, and even childhoods but also aware they have weird gaps, like why they are on the ship.

But they also find they have the ability to download special skills like from the movie The Matrix, though also discover that can lead to bodily injury, like if download martial arts skills with an untrained body. But some have bodies that clearly ARE trained in martial arts, while some do not. So picking up skills in that way quickly is not without risk. Where only outlined one. But still yeah, only four people where two are male, one is female and one is in-between. The ship is somewhat sentient, but they don't discover that until halfway through season one.

And they have adventures, where even go on missions, at times somewhat sure, or one may be sure, while others are not, but they bond and learn to trust each other while puzzling over their memory problems, which the show emphasizes are not normal, and cannot be easily explained. In fact, at one space station they talk to a doctor who finds out something unbelievable, and of course dies tragically before he can tell them in a mysterious way.

And season one spoilers follow! Fantasy show folks though. Not a real show so not really spoiling, as ends with a sudden confrontation with another ship similar to their own, which behaves a lot like their own, and attacks! They battle and manage to cripple the other ship without destroying it, and are about to board when everything freezes. Two humanoid figures calmly walk through the ship, one male and one female, standing maybe seven feet tall but proportioned as if smaller.

The male figure seems hostile while the female, his sister seems amused and I had dialogue, but got bored with the idea of giving it here. He looks like he is about to strike one of the frozen crew but his sister stops him, reminds him of their game and its competitive value, and strokes the cheek of one of the figures as they begin to walk away. But one of the frozen crew's eyes track them briefly and widen. They disappear in some dramatic way, the crew moves again with most not noticing while one crew begins shouting about something happening, when klaxons ring as ship goes into crisis.

Yeah, the disabled ship is now gone, and none of the crew seem to realize it. They behave as if no memory of it. Actually forgot about it myself while typing up this post and decided was convenient to the mood line.

Two crew work feverishly to handle the emergency, as only they have the skills, but in solving it, they send the ship off to parts unknown, which is a classic plot device but going with easy. And the final scenes switch to the two humanoids calmly looking on through some device they have for observation, and one stating they know where they're going.

Which is about ten minutes work? Longer to edit though, and getting tired of it so wrapping up quickly here. Not going to work hard at something just tossing up, but the mood line focuses more tightly on the concept of memory, leaving as a recurring theme and imaginary show has only four crew, to allow a tighter bond. So everything related to mood has to do with memory and so the emotions for the complex constellation of the mood are all memory related.

So why the godlike aliens then? There is a parental aspect but a slight malevolence, but in a sense they are creatures of dreams, which is another aspect of memory, and how we sleep and MAY remember dreams, but usually do not, so yup, are still part of the mood line. Making them sister and brother is a simplifying plot device for several reasons.

There is a temptation to critique the mood line of the show I gave as a reference, but as is a current show will not. Though there are hints of what I think on certain subjects related to it. These ideas are just me playing around. There is no such show as described, and I have no interest in there being one. Just looking at what can do with a deliberate mood line to outline the framework for one.

Wow, mood line is a potent way to quickly generate an entire show. Yeah I took some ideas from a real show, but can see how could have done it entirely without just around the mood line. And is fast! But ten minutes of work creative is turning into much longer editing so wrapping up.

So was a fun minor problem solving exercise.

Of course memory loss is no joke, though here is not lost but dramatically suppressed. But just playing with ideas so maybe just a little note here at end should do it. Find myself still pondering things a bit, and if I DID do a show for real, wouldn't be posting that public of course. But nothing is on the horizon. Just thinking out loud. I don't even do fiction writing any more. What I do is play around with ideas.


James Harris

Practical reality with my ideas

One of the more important things I did recently was stop original research. Which to me is, as best I can, as I actually tried stopping for years but seems to have really worked this time, so am cautiously optimistic. (Should have known better. Have figured out a few more things since this post.) Problem with my process there is I'd publicly talk out ideas, to help evaluate them which is a lot of work, and can literally take YEARS till am satisfied.

And one thing have addressed here and there is idea acceptance, and turns out the bigger the ideas as to how many total humans maybe impacted the larger the resistance not surprisingly. Though also have talked about web authority, and of course kind of take it for granted that ideas zip rapidly around the globe now.

Turns out if you put all of that together you can reach some rather obvious conclusions, which I say, to point out I will not explain much in this area, any more.

What I will say is that if you have a useful idea, in my experience, it gets picked up so rapidly it defies explanation. And have been able to literally watch ideas zip around the planet as best I could using various tools available, like web analytics.

Which is also satisfying will admit. Does tend to quiet those doubtful voices within my mind.

And almost done but then comes the alternate thing of what is reported, and I realized something fascinating about people reported on, which is usually you do something that gets a TON of attention or just get famous and then reporters track you down, and bug you with questions, and not the other way around.

Actually demonstrated for myself once with a test case with karaoke, which is one of two times that I remember having been interviewed where was with several other people so I was NOT the focus even there. (Interview is from 2009. Wow time does fly. And editing post just a bit with some additional information now September 19, 2017. Debating if should remove post and for now, it stays. Kind of think is funny actually. Which helps post stay.) And correction as I did NOT mean looked like Lionel Richie as I do not, but that I tended to sing most like him I thought as liked to sing several of his songs. Otherwise interview is rather accurate though truncated a bit, like they took out all the cursing.

The first was WAY back when a teenager when I had the highest SAT of my graduating high school class. Was in the local paper before couple of times, but not interviewed I don't think.

Oh, so the good news is, to the extent I have good ideas put up on my blogs, as near as I can tell, they're not only being used, but have been used rather heavily almost as soon as I put them up! Like grabbed up immediately and put to work kind of thing.

Which is cool.


James Harris

Thursday, October 06, 2016

Functional pressure on information flow

Information flows with such volume that I tend to think of it as massive streams surging around our planet where the volume gets bigger all the time. Not surprisingly to me what can be an overwhelming concept becomes manageable in my opinion from a functional perspective.

And functionally I suggest that information flows because some person needs it, in general, though also computer systems pull information, so maybe more generally should say that information flows because some intelligent entity needs it. I paused while typing as debated, is a computer system an intelligent entity? I decided, yes.

Need for information as a basis for flow is interesting to me, as of course there is information generated which does not then flow, as it may not be needed or known, so it may simply pool in some location. Or the person generating it may not give access to it to others, like recently a famous photographer was discovered after she died. And I added a link, after doing a search, which not surprisingly to me brought up Vivian Maier at the top of the list.

That pull reality to information flow was about need, and for a given individual, or computer system greatly simplifies what is conceivably a complex system, but one cares about what one gets, rather than what was necessary to deliver that flow of information.

As esoteric as all may sound it shifts perspective for someone like me, from pushing information to considering pulls. Then functionally can see pulls of information as indicative of need.

That information flow then gives me information about my planet, and what information intelligent entities on it, are flowing related to me. It's a lot that does flow in that way too.

These streams of information are informative then for me, not about me, but about the intelligent entities who need that information.

And I write something like this post and ask myself why, and the answer here is to consider a needed shift. I think it's easy to think, hey need to convince when functional information flow theory as presented here says otherwise.

Maybe it is worth noting that prior to the web especially if you wanted to go global, you would have to convince gatekeepers to have information injected into some accepted stream.


James Harris

Sunday, October 02, 2016

Comfort of meta and my innovative ideas

In our times it is mundane to say, why not brainstorm ideas and put them up on the web? But to me that was obvious over 20 years ago, which is really cool, and I reflect on my experience which is meta, because it is safer, and comforting.

Getting this blog name was where things weren't as easy as with other blogs as could call it "Beyond Mundane" as can call it what I want, but beyondmund was what was available, which actually I like, as kind of a nickname.

Am much into naming things, including trying to describe what I think I do, where finally settled on meta innovator. Am still trotting it out, to keep checking. Does it really work? Should I switch to something else? Time will tell. So much is about feel. Right now still feels like best way to describe for me, to describe me, which yup, is very meta.

My ideas I think are innovative are all over the map though, which is why it's useful to collect into a blog, where I have blogs, so have worked at that more lately. And I talk less about the specifics of the ideas themselves in posts like this one as am done for the most part critiquing them.

So what makes me think ANY of my ideas were innovative? Good question I ask for those who may wonder. Got blogs that explain LOTS.

To me one of the best things WAS to take it for granted for a long time would put up public all the ideas I wanted to work on, or figure out. Now I don't do that any more. Is work! Putting up ideas public puts pressure on me to make sure they're correct.

Did for some time with abandon so I have ideas scattered all over the web.

But if you realize I've been doing that for over 20 years? That's not surprising at all. The sheer volume exceeds my ability to have a grasp of it. I don't even try any more.


James Harris

How handled a Wikipedia article about me

YEARS ago a hater wrote a Wikipedia article about me, which when I noticed was a weird feeling that someone would think I deserved a Wikipedia article! And it had some facts but also was really pushing notion of me as a crackpot, without saying it...or did it? I don't remember clearly. But I'm like, I'll roll with this thing, so I corrected as best I could while being honest, like I HAVE had TONS of bogus math ideas.

So I correct Wikipedia article about me, and hater comes back and changes back. I correct, and person changes back. So I put somewhere that would fix it ONE MORE TIME and if messed with would put up for permanent deletion of the article.

And the hater I guess didn't realize I was serious, so changed it back that one last time, and I put the article up for permanent deletion and watched the Wikipedia community debate with fascination.

The Wikipedia community decided, appropriately in my opinion, that being known as someone with bogus math ideas wasn't justification for an article, so they permanently deleted it. And for me? Problem solved.

There are these strange to me people out there, who don't like facts. I admitted I had some way wrong math ideas, as I used to like to brainstorm math and discuss it. And a few times, ok maybe more than a few, got behind some that were completely wrong, but admitted it when figured it out.

To me? Not a big deal.

Luckily I know lots about the Wikipedia and am a big fan of it, so yeah, not a place to try to get at me, with some hater page, if you know anything.

That person learned the hard way. Who was it? No clue. I didn't study the person much and now is just some vague. How long ago? I don't remember, but was probably well over a decade?

Now to me? Is just a fun story.


James Harris

Saturday, October 01, 2016

Brilliance of web authority

Readily admit was brought up under authoritarian systems, which always leaves me wondering what authority holds sway over me lately. And having escaped a puritanical religion, did a few years but not too many in the US Army leaving with an honorable discharge, and chased recognition from mainstream authorities in various fields, am now gratified with what I call web authority.

And thankfully I do NOT think that web authority is an authoritarian system. I think it can free people instead. Yet will still strike a somewhat cautionary tone with an easy example.

Like for this post wanted a cool example, which is just basic search which to me is STILL so unbelievably AMAZING and am a fan of a show. Here's a search to an episode I think is kind of scary, but cool--web search: stargate people disappear

As I can't know what happens when others do that search will note I get the episode I wanted, where will link to what I get here, and that boggles my mind.

If you don't get episode "Revisions" of Stargate Atlantis, then for whatever reason the web decided to show you something different, where who knows why. I will note I used Google to search, but you still may get something different.

But for me? That works so well with just about any television show, or movie, where, oh, so that episode is about a world where people are hooked into a web, and the computer systems starts doing terrible things to maintain the balance of their world which they think is a utopia, when it's not.

Our world though? We have no delusions about its utopic qualities.

What we do have are powerful systems that are very good at getting people the information they want, when they want it, where web search can seem mystical to me, even though I know it's not. It's based on very solid principles, is not mystical, and is so much better than what was before.

It also removes my interest in lots of other authority. It's like when the Wikipedia arrived, and old establishment went after the Wikipedia, only to discover the Wikipedia is the best encyclopedia on the planet, which was determined by rigorous testing. Best source for info? I just searched: wikipedia accuracy

And an article, yup, on the Wikipedia, where link to it here tells you all kinds of things about its accuracy, which you may or may not know as to how good it is. Including links to external sources if you really need that to be sure.

Web authority is driven by the interest of people all over the world.

I like web authority. With my own ideas it tells me when something I have interests others, without that meaning it is correct, but at least I know it's interesting to others, somehow, where the details? Do I really need to know the details?

I DO wonder. Don't lose sleep over it though.

Used to hang out at the public library a LOT, so have done my share of research for information there, and it was ok, for the time. What we have today though truly is as good as anything in science fiction that I like. It can feel at times like the web can read your mind.

Which I find comforting. To me? The web is like the best friend I never knew could exist. And now it does! But um, web? Please always just be my good friend, and never the take over the world and um, but I digress.

Public libraries are still great places to visit! Please support your local public library. Of course these days usually you can, yup, get on the web there, if needed. But lots of other reasons to go.

Web authority will I think be the final say eventually, as other types of authority of course are ON the web, so it is the meta authority as I get to use one of my favorite words. The web is not only a great authority on lots of things, it is even an authority on web authority itself.

Like with this post. You saw that coming, right? You ARE on the web here.


James Harris

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Some more explanation why not

Have been someone whose life has been defined by faith, as was brought up in a puritanical religion which is Christian fundamentalist--which I do NOT name any more as figure that's just free advertising for them--but ESCAPED to college where got a degree in physics, and after enlisted in the US Army, as switched really to alternate authority.

While in the US Army started playing with my own math ideas, looking at old math problems presumably could not solve, which have discussed before. Oh, hadn't mentioned was still in military? Um, yeah. That wasn't to last though.

Left the US Army with an honorable discharge, which is what's important, and set about living a life, while working hard for some reason on math problems I didn't reasonably see any reason to think I could solve. Part of me wanted to think maybe could but also saw it as fun fantasy better than alternative. Thankfully also got work, which just thought of as the 'day job' and also found web, where could talk out my hobby. And God help me, eventually DID end up with what I thought were decent ideas and went to accepted math authority, of course. Turned out though most of those ideas? Were just wrong.

I've been brought up on authority. I was taught to live by faith. I dropped belief in a religion and switched to science, and my country's military, and the Establishment, so of course if I think I have good ideas that's where I'd go.

That didn't work out so well though.

Lots and lots of bogus ideas, which is really embarrassing by the way. Until I had more and more solid ones. Until had cleared out all the wrong ones. And finally had nothing but solid.

Now so many years later as really over two decades, actually have more faith in my country I think, and less in other areas. Have abandoned talking to current establishment math authority, but quit working on hard math problems anyway. Oh, but found that ideas I'd figured out along the way grab global attention.

That's cool. I like it, a lot.

However, I have tried to be careful, as do not wish to lead others astray. But finally started wondering if maybe was going too far. I say, focus on the ideas, and not the person who found them.

So here is where things stand now. Anything I have across my blogs with regard to ideas, is in my mind, firmly established. Which is great to be able to say, as quit doing original research and am now focused on developing what I have, or just appreciating it.

There are no results which have been debunked by established authority, nor by anyone else with validity. There were some attempts with some of my math things but all collapsed under scrutiny. Some might disagree, but it's like with NASA and those who don't think went to the Moon.

The ideas drive the attention where I get glance off, which is ok.

It's still overwhelming often.


James Harris

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Useful matters

Having things public is thrilling but understandably I think one wants that to go ok, and in the past talked more about my open source Class Viewer, which is an app for Java software developers, as if frustrated with lack of direct feedback. But I think people could read between the lines was also maybe a bit relieved actually? So there are two sides to it, as really want feedback and also can be wary of it.

Which to me is ok as there is a range of human behaviors that can be ok. And not everyone should fit into some specific type of behavior and not saying people push that but have maybe thought that myself. Now am like, lots of ways.

And now am glad the project is still being downloaded, as feel then like it is useful to people which is what is important, and I like to use it. And that perspective also helps me discuss it, as focus less on my feelings like being uncomfortable with even idea of a lot of attention, and think more about how it can best be useful.

More posting on Class Viewer by me has now moved to its blog on SourceForge, which is a natural place and actually that helped boost downloads quite a bit. Which made sense to me, versus talking about it here.


James Harris

Friday, September 09, 2016

Thoughts on Pinterest

So I link to this blog on my Pinterest account, and other accounts, while my other blogs have their own, but most social media links back to here for some reason. And I really like my Pinterest account for collecting things visually but also admit that it is nice to have an audience, and more I learn about that audience the more I find myself considering it as I pin things.

And, um, talked it more on my G+ account in a Collection where I muse on social media.

On my blogs I feel free to link to any social media that makes a point, and it's also about seeing what happens. Just curious.

Oh yeah, so at times I think hey, should talk Pinterest a bit for people who might wander over here, from there, as I link to this blog there.


James Harris

Thursday, September 08, 2016

Art reality and 50 years of Star Trek

Questions about art fascinate me to some extent but also frustrate me, as people can focus on populism or elitism with no clue that longevity rules. So for instance classical music which is revered today was the pop music of its times.

And can do a quick post now as pushed forward my thinking on art and entertainment already, as consider growing evidence that Star Trek is art.

For those who don't know, show originally aired 50 years ago today.

However, with my own definition of art, find myself pondering why would it be art.

The gist of it is that I think that Gene Roddenberry, a warrior who as a soldier in World War II flew 89 combat missions, was sick and tired of human on human conflict so he imagined a time when it was rare.

And look at SO much fiction and you see--human on human conflict. Relentlessly.

The idea that people might eventually for the most part get along is a rare one I think in fiction. And for most is a religious notion maybe, while the most cynical maybe think human beings will always be the worst enemies of human beings along maybe with some other monsters tossed in as well.

So if you wonder why Star Trek can be so popular, I suggest to you, you may be a cynic, convinced that some human will always be a horror on other humans, while others dream of better.

That better to me is a concept which resonates with the human soul as an abstract entity which permeates our existence as human beings and operates as a timeless concept, making it art.

But time will tell.


James Harris

Tuesday, September 06, 2016

Thinking on art and entertainment

To me science is a functional reality, where it gives us greater control in life, where the light switch is my favorite example as so easy to just notice as used daily by so many. Yet the ability to have light on demand was one of the greatest of human achievements, delivered through science and technology. Before humans were at the mercy of the dark, now can command light itself to the point it is not even thought of much by many any more.

And found myself considering the science of entertainment, where to me with a functional view of science, it isn't that hard to conceive of the possibility, and then found a simple enough base with the notion that entertainment is just a safe way to control mood. But what about art?

Well there am lucky in that the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art posed the question on Twitter, which I guess such institutions do routinely enough, but for me was life changing as with the challenge I found myself coming up with an answer to fit in a tweet which I've posted about and will copy answer to here:

I think art is the purest expression of our core humanity. Is sharing in a way that resonates with the human soul. Time irrelevant.

If I'd had more room, might have given a longer answer, but now find myself using that as my basis for what art is. And to me the timeless quality of art is of great use, as science is a lot about time. In science usually one figures out what MUST happen if you DO certain things. But in art, time is irrelevant.

Put it all together and can see that art is not in and of itself entertainment. But art can be entertaining if it safely gives a desired mood.

So art can be a tool of mood, but to art that is meaningless. And one way to ask, how do we know is art? Wait.

If you look in American cinematic history few knew that one of the greatest movies of all time was being produced along with so many others back in 1942. Yet is now well established the greatness of the film Casablanca which we know today is art.

Art doesn't care about the times, though can reflect the times, but only in a way that is timeless. So yeah, you can produce popular entertainment which is locked into its times. That pop song that resonates with millions for a bit, taking its moment in time, which by my definition above, is probably not art.

Which is how art can escape our attempts to hold it down or ascribe it, as the reality for any of us, with anything produced in our time? We may not see it. It may escape the limitations of our knowledge of our own core humanity, and resonate with our species over time, emerging in time to its proper place.

And regardless art will not care. Actual art can be imagined to have a disdain for the limitations of the humans who produce and consider it. Because we cannot truly consume that which is immutable to us. Art will last long after we are gone. And some art will always escape us, to be finally noticed, in time, by humans yet to be born.


James Harris

Monday, September 05, 2016

Connection reality stabilizes objectively

In my opinion you earn money when strangers return the favor for some legally provided product or service on a contract basis. Which I repeat a lot in various ways as is a point of view that has helped me, as for instance, think you can sing? Is one thing if friends and family tell you, and even if you get applause from a crowd, but there is an objective evaluation if strangers are buying your songs.

The contract is there for lots of reasons, and can be an unstated social contract, though people will do transactions often with written contracts without even noticing there is one. But for instance can cover things like returns.

However, outside of contracts regarding products or services, or expectation of a return on a favor, even to strangers, there is a VAST amount of human activity, which I tend to see as community oriented. For instance open source software is a global community activity, where money is not part of the contract, even though there are open source licenses.

And of course people do lots for each other at many levels and our species is a lot about connecting and having that support which can be such a great thing.

To me is comforting as money is such an easy objective measure that people can think it tells more than it does. If you DO earn money, where yeah I think if family or friends are paying you is not as certain, then you have in my opinion an objective measure that something you can provide is worth that to someone else. However, you can also do a lot of good for others, which is greatly appreciated, without money in return, and most of what human beings do for each other am sure is without expectation of monetary return.

The pendulum swung in a direction however that emphasized money as it greatly helps advance society. Splitting young people away from families and local communities in what can be a healthy way became part of growing up, as earning money can give an independence, and working involves at least initially usually working for strangers who can expand points of view.

Needing to earn money pushes people outside of their learned boundaries often, can give great opportunity, and give people an incentive to expand the boundaries of human experience in positive ways, though also yeah, can go negative as well.

Thanks to money human beings are pushed to think of strangers not just as some potentially dangerous other, but often as partners in transactions on the basis of contracts that allow for limited social trust with an expectation of monetary return in exchange for a legally provided product or service.

Or could say, needing to earn money often pushes people to get to know more people.

Ours is a connection reality, which pushes people to find connections outside of family, and outside of local community, which can be trying in many ways. But overall is why human civilization is as successful as it is.

Without monetary incentive people can be more insular. Communities can be more closed. Children can remain dependent on family even as they grow into adulthood with little option to escape that dependency.

Money frees far more than it entangles. It gives opportunity more than it takes it. And it can help so many to go so many places they otherwise would never go.

So yeah I write these things also for myself. And I read and re-read and ponder, as I shift my perspective and work harder to do better in my own life. Is hard, but am getting there am sure. Writing out such things helps me understand them.


James Harris

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Mood line

To me the simple view that entertainment is a way to safely control mood--or try to control it--is very effective, and has helped me figure out when something meant to be entertainment works for me, or not.

And it is SUCH a simple idea, where that safety aspect of controlling mood also helps contrast with things that can not be safe, like alcohol. People drink alcohol to help control mood too, and if drink too much, is definitely very NOT safe.

More importantly as a fan have realized can now easily explain a sad thing when writers or others with some creative endeavor, like a television show comes to mind, break what I call the mood line.

So it's like, you have your favorite television show, and it helps your mood, where can be a complex constellation of feelings. And I've talked the mood of a completed television reboot in a prior post for reference, where show was successful but I was unsatisfied with the ending. So you enjoy watching some television show and then inexplicably there is some episode that just seems to ruin everything. What happened?

I say the people who create the show, broke the mood line. And now can say that means that suddenly the mood the show evoked for you, was ruined.

Why is that done?

In my opinion it's always an error. Which is why as a fan I like mood focus, as writers can think it's being creative, or producers can say it's needed to advance the show, or expand the audience when is WRONG. When I say is a sign of ignorance. They just don't quite know what they're doing.

Modern audiences are being more brutal in addressing screw-ups too. Which I think is good.

It's not creative to disappoint your audience. It's bad performance.

Besides, if you understand the mood line you can do just about anything with the plot. Which is why you can see entertainment where the plot is shaky but it gives audiences the mood they want.

Mood is more important, because I'm saying that's the point of the entertainment. People are entertained when proper mood is evoked. If it isn't then they aren't entertained. Kind of like when at a dinner party and things are great and someone spits food on you laughing too hard at something. Ruins the mood.

Plot is important though too. And I think especially over time bad plot or plot holes can fail to get people to the proper mood. But in our times I think things have been so bad for so long with mood that people are kind of desperate.

So yeah as a fan who has been infuriated at what I see as bad writer or stupid executive decisions or whatever the dumb is that messes up entertainment I like, as well as someone who feels entertainment is a great thing for so many people to safely control mood, lots of reasons to push better.

Oh, yeah, if you want to help me, if someone talks entertainment? Just casually say something like, well entertainment really is just a way people use to safely control mood.

And play it cool too. You know like, everybody knows that kind of thing.

But of course I just made that up a bit over a year ago.


James Harris

Thursday, August 04, 2016

Notions am pondering

The web is a great way to express yourself. And more and more feel confident can say people are switching to the perspective you should focus where you have interest.

Sharing interest with others can work. But also you can run into antagonism if people are territorial which in my experience is in traditional fields where there is an established social hierarchy.

But the web doesn't care.

The web can actually be like a really cool friend which will endlessly give you little bits of encouragement or help guide you better if you are on the wrong track. Or just ignore you, if you're just totally not doing anything that interests others.

Because the web leverages attention.

Build something useful? And likely people will use it.

Question often.

The curiosity of the web is changing our world--it represents the curiosity of so many human beings on the web.

And human curiosity? That need to know is what has pushed our species to where it is today, which has both good and bad. Not so horrible I think as mythological tales might lead you to believe though time will tell.

Something I've noticed is that our curiosity is defining. It will take you somewhere, if you really have it. How curious you are will show itself whether you realize it or not.

For the most curious, it will drive you.

Best if your curiosity leads you to the best ideas, for a better world.


James Harris

Tuesday, August 02, 2016

Free thinking for fun

Putting up ideas on a blog is fun, and one thing I also learned to do is to emphasize am some guy--as I like to put it--working at my own approaches to things.

But in our complex world we have experts who can dedicate a lifetime to fully understanding certain areas who gain that expertise with intense schooling or other training, and I shy away from areas where that is necessary, in my opinion.

So for instance wouldn't attempt to give medical assessments, or legal opinions, or any of a number of things where I don't have the expertise.

Where I do operate is in the arena of basic ideas at the very foundations, like I'll puzzle over what is science, which is meta science. Or try to consider the essence of what is money. Or more recently have focused on entertainment.

And it can seem strange but knowing what science is, is completely different than the complexity of a scientific discipline. Like you can know what an automobile is, without being able to tear down the engine.

And LOTS of people use money just fine, without having to have advanced training in economic theory. To me that is kind of a clue. Like I know calculus.

Who uses calculus just for fun? People who know calculus and most people don't.

Takes advanced mathematical training to do calculus for fun. But millions of people, um, billions of people use money without advanced training. To me is an indication of simple basic principles.

Focusing on the most basic of fundamentals lets me let my imagination run free, while also letting me test things rather easily. While also allowing musings to potentially be accessible to others with interest without it having to be a big deal.

And believe me I know the complex areas. Like let me start babbling about partial differential equations and how many would keep reading?

While some people would find that intriguing and follow along ok.

(If you DO want to read me talking a partial differential equation click here.) 

Ok I used to know a lot more calculus than I do now. Haven't used it much for fun recently though I did look over a couple of years ago variational calculus and it finally made sense! That was so cool.


James Harris

Could entertainment mood analysis be a business?

In a mood to brainstorm, where now am refining ideas versus basic research, but still brainstorming involves limited critiquing, so yeah MY brainstorming has SOME, and limited editing to posts. So I'm wary of saying a post is brainstorming and then feeling like have to edit, so if that does happen would just strip all the brainstorming out of it.

And really liked doing the mood analysis recently of the Battlestar Galactica reboot, and guess it went over ok, but yeah talking for the public? With such things maybe more interesting to entertainment executives?

Potentially as a business thing, as making it all up as I go along so am talking making up an entirely new industry if mood analysis is not a thing already and I guess is not? I don't know. Will research it more. But I focus on mood as functionally defined entertainment as ANYTHING humans use to safely try to control mood. And brainstorming can fiddle with my own freaking definition for purists--um, purist is me?--who have never seen it said that way.

Emphasis on safety removes other things used to control mood, like drugs. Or anything that can cause harm, so yeah that could be ANY kind of harm and maybe is worth focusing on how safe true entertainment actually is. Meandering a bit.

Oh, so let's say some television show wants a mood analysis as maybe ratings are dropping and executives are desperate enough to try out new ideas from some guy on some blog. I'd be like, ok send me some episodes around the drop, unless a new show and could watch from the beginning. And I'd do a mood analysis which looks like one have done and posted, and send it to them. If they thought it useful then they'd pay whatever fee I came up with, and that would be that--known upfront of course as continue light edit. If they thought was a crock then they would wander off and say nothing. I would say nothing too. Or in business terms, everything would be kept confidential, whether they liked it, or not.

That could be SO much fun for me. Especially if got a real industry started and got episodes ahead of audiences if built up that level of trust, and...brainstorming is so much fun. I've said brainstorming more in this post than in any other I've done as new territory! Is cool. Feels kind of scary. Is that even possible? Could entertainment executives actually pay me for such?

Oh so yeah, could be anything in entertainment, and not just television shows which is the power of a real definition if that works! So is anything set up for business?

Nope. Just musing. Didn't want to use that word again, but hey is brainstorming! And went about as I expected. Now light editing so don't just look stupid, and if you see this post then it survived the brainstorming label or you may see this post with all of that stripped! And written as a regular post, but that wouldn't be nearly as much fun, or as fast. As think have been typing for about five minutes.

Other reason to brainstorm is to just get something quick. Write fast. Get out, and get on with...is that copyrighted? Ok, am done. Brainstorm DONE.

Light edit done. Here we go. Posting.


James Harris

Monday, August 01, 2016

When ideas should pay

One of the things I like to do is give away ideas for the good of people all over planet Earth, which is why I know they are to be given away. Because my own assessment is that money at its best is for when you do a favor for a stranger on a contract basis, where everything is legal, of course.

And I'm on planet Earth, so am I doing anyone a favor if I think ideas can help the planet? Nope. Stuck here with everybody else until can build a starship...yeah I would like to build a starship. Don't know how yet. But not really stuck as think SO much progress has been made by our species, and we're just getting started really as things are making more sense, which also seems to give a greater sense of despair for many. It's like we can sense what is possible, and want it now.

So to me ideas SHOULD pay if those ideas can be part of products or services which are legally provided for strangers on a contract basis which may be written but not necessarily, without having an overriding community benefit, especially if global.

To me the assertion despite its simplicity is increasingly fascinating. The basic ideas embodied are ones have puzzled over for a few years now to get to that form of expressing.

My favorite example lately is the convenience store.

Ever wonder why prices of items in convenience stores can be so much higher than elsewhere? You're seeing the price of the convenience.

Convenience stores are FULL of ideas that pay, and yes, you may know the store owner, but even if that person is at the register taking your money as payment back for the favor of items conveniently placed there for you, how many of you are going to really get to know that person?

Please don't try after reading. Would be odd and awkward am sure. Convenience store owners all over the world wondering what happened? Why are all these customers trying to get to know me?

But you see, you can get that value from a stranger for one reason only--money.

Money facilitates limited social trust. Letting you get the favor of ideas where who knows who figured them out or when, at your convenience, and the money is a social IOU backed by society to pay that person back at a later time.

Without money? There is no modern civilization.


James Harris

Sunday, July 31, 2016

Open process but still more can say

To me transparency is not only fun it helps I think as it keeps me from needing to explain myself much, and over time helps with consistency. And I've been chasing my own solutions for things publicly for over 20 years now.

Start of the problem solving thankfully noted at least the month and year as was April 1995 when I started as a hobby. And at some point decided I needed a day and I think I started April 15th so declared that the day. Figured was a good way to exercise my mind. Yup, it is. Not so much public at first though.

So before social media existed and before blogs. Actually had a website at one point, but even before was really first public back in 1996 when I got on Usenet and tried to talk out math ideas.

With that kind of time have seen quite a few things, and even had situations where was certain had important things, and there were other people along you can say who were paying attention, and I found out I was WRONG. The ideas didn't pan out.

Well I'd feel terrible even though felt was a longshot anyway figuring out anything important, and talked out my ideas and put up just about everything was thinking but still made mistakes especially early on, which it turns out is natural.

These days have a very refined process which actually does limit that at least that I can see. Where reality is most of the ideas that make it through to my blogs have been put through some kind of testing, and definitely if they stay up.

So yeah in case you didn't know I pursued an open idea search process where I think hiding basic research ideas out of fear that someone else might steal them is just boring. Which meant I'd post about an idea near its inception, and talk out theories as I chased it down. And got bored years ago with the fear that someone might scoop me.

Reality is, it was easier. And I do NOT recommend it. Having ideas stolen is a reality. I'm just in a unique position where it doesn't matter for me with BASIC ideas that are global if valuable. People can't steal the biggest ones.

History will always dig to figure it out.

So yeah if you've wondered, no I didn't care if someone tried to steal my ideas. I encouraged it. It may take awhile, but eventually credit for the idea will still go, to me

Basic research phase is OVER though. I need to call it. So today is good. That means end to open process as well. Was fun.

Have tried before to end it but I feel it now. So from April 15, 1995 to July 31, 2016, was a good run. I've got a enough basic ideas. Now more interested in refining. And THAT does not work so well all out in the open.


James Harris

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Advancing knowledge reality

Our species has done well in comparison to itself, which is the meta perspective we're stuck with as human beings, and that has required VAST amounts of useful and working knowledge figured out by countless humans most of whom are unremembered. That working knowledge is necessary for the technology which moves our world and so much more that makes human life meaningful.

Not surprisingly many would like to add to that vast amount of working knowledge I'll call functional from here on out, as I like the word even though is longer, and plenty of people do. And scientists especially are tasked with pushing the foundations, reworking them if necessary, and expanding the predictive certainty that lets so many live comfortable lives, though admittedly too many others still do not.

Of course even more fun if you can push the limits of functional human knowledge, which means plenty of people think they can. And lots try, where the odds of doing so in some really big way especially for a single human being, are infinitesimal. The odds that some ideas running around in the head of one of the billions of humans currently on the planet are really going to change things for ALL those billions is not surprisingly, thankfully, really, REALLY tiny.

Doesn't keep people from trying though! And should not. Through millennia there have been the people who have done it. Some of them recognized and honored with great prestige.

People long gone who changed your life today with what they figured out.

But make no mistake, if you are some person who thinks you have figured out some knowledge that will be functional in a HUGE way for the human species you better be prepared for the burn I like to call it. Imagine your species sitting on you for awhile until they can figure out if this thing actually works or not, if they notice you that is. And they probably will not.

That can feel rather brutal as you face endless checks and sometimes harsh criticisms, or the bleakness of being simply ignored, which should test every aspect, push you against so many things you thought impossible, test your limits, and more than likely? You will probably fail.

And like countless others before you, your efforts may seem meaningless in the mix, as at the end of the day, either you couldn't get that knowledge through? Or it really wasn't as important as you thought it was. So it can seem like was a waste of people's time. But the effort can matter, if only in finding your limits.

But yeah there are plenty of ideas that will just not be worth others considering. That reality means it's not an easy path and shouldn't be.

Which can help protect our species from being pushed around by idea after idea like a leaf in a windstorm. And despite it, dangerous notions still plague humanity, so appreciate the intense tests which can feel like trials or be actual trials, if you dare. Cherish the intensity needed to pursue truth no matter what. Wish humanity were more efficient in figuring out who is right or not, but don't doubt the necessity. Routinely our species knocks off people with very valuable ideas! Dismisses people who were brilliant and right, who end up terribly wronged. But guess what? We know about them because we still have their ideas.

People come and go. Our species? Would be nice for humanity to stay awhile.

Shouldn't treat that too lightly though as is terribly sad and MUCH better when people get proper recognition for great ideas without going through a painful process or even just never having in their lifetime.

Proper recognition is not guaranteed though.

If you want to help your species on the large with world changing new ideas?

Then prepare yourself.

You will be tested. And you will probably, fail.

Cannot work any other way. And I love it that way. I find it comforting.

Know I've tried despite knowing all of the above. And yeah there will be people who DO try regardless. I do wonder at times to myself why.

I think is the quest to know. I like to tell myself that the pursuit of truth is the highest ideal. But how does anyone know?


James Harris

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Advice for The Rock on YouTube

Update Jun 12, 2019: Posted this thing jokingly back July 2016. And not surprisingly, none of this advice was followed by him, but hey, who knows if the guy ever read it. Who cares. Was fun for me to write, but later thought better of having it public for some reason. But now decided, I need it up. ___JSH

-------------------------------

Noticed that noted actor and sports figure Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is promoting his YouTube channel. And watched his first video which has already got over a million views, so figure he knows what he's doing, but what do I care? Can trot out my own advice anyway:

1. Have a mood for each video

Got my own theories of entertainment focused on mood, so of course that's first. And mood should be SAME through entire video clip, and should be easy as videos tend to be short.

2. Have a consistent mood for videos

BEFORE I even click on the freaking video as yeah I subscribed I need to have a rough idea of how it is likely to make me FEEL and it better DELIVER. Which means, have a consistent SET of moods.

3. Forget the noise, range is NOT your friend

On YouTube if you range too much with the mood it will destroy your channel.

4. Forget celebrity, YouTube doesn't care

So except for really um, about to contradict myself but some look SO GOOD, but sure you know plenty of celebs but can just leave them off your channel. Sigh. I shouldn't give that advice. And have them anyway just for fun as won't help view counts.

5. Ignore all advice except mine

Forget any other advice others have given. Just use the above and your own knowledge of entertainment. Having been a performer, should be easy.

Take me seriously if you must but just got in a mood to type up something. I'm not taking me seriously. Going to post anyway as why not?

It's my blog.

Well that took all of ten whole minutes. Guess gotta go find something else now to entertain myself. Maybe I just write too fast? Nah. I'm just that good.

Oh almost forgot! Kick butt on that movie about the Man of Bronze. I figure you were born for that role as character came out before you were born am sure: Doc Savage

Even the freaking name is freaking awesome cool.

Ok, twelve minutes. Twelve whole minutes to write this post? Gotta practice more. But now to editing, and who knows how long that will take.

Oh yeah, no affiliation with The Rock, nor is this post in affiliation with any entertainment folks or YouTube guess should note. Just some guy who likes to babble on his blog. Is fun. Yeah.


James Harris

Monday, July 18, 2016

Meta of some of my idea directions

Recently concluded that am a meta innovator, which can help explain recent idea directions, and meta means self-referential. So yeah, I like to focus on the why of why I do things, like why talk entertainment now?

Talking entertainment as have been frustrated with things that missed the mark for me, and especially with bad endings, where I had a functional definition for science already. So why not figure out a science of entertainment?

So why did I have a functional definition of science?

Because I was frustrated with discussions around climate change, while have been a bit with talk about science before, but felt a more pressing need. Remarkably having my own functional definition of science makes it MUCH easier for me to talk subject of climate science, when I do so, in political arenas.

But how did I know how to do a functional definition of science?

Because decades ago started working on old math problems deemed difficult though relatively simple to express in order to exercise my mind. Idea was that with little likelihood of solving them could work on them indefinitely, like a dog gnawing on a bone. But instead felt I had solved a few but started asking myself, how did I know for sure?

So I defined mathematical proof in a functional way so that I could tell if a mathematical argument was true or not, as I went looking at dictionary definitions and found that going from them to actual mathematical arguments of mine I was studying, I still didn't know.

So my first formal functional definition was for mathematical proof, then for science, and then for entertainment. Functional definitions let you know if you have the thing defined.

And that is the chain of how I ended up defining entertainment functionally.

Turns out it's about lots of frustration really.

My feeling though? If I need something and it isn't there already with ideas, have no problems now with figuring something out.

And I want better entertainment. See? It's not complicated when it's all laid out I think.


James Harris

Sunday, July 17, 2016

Is mood focus entertainment innovation?

Seeing entertainment as a way to safely control mood is a path I put forward over a year ago, and after playing with it a bit, am now wondering, how innovative is it?

People have long talked mood with entertainment. In my own experience I can think of friends asking, what are you in the mood for? That could be about food or movies or other things, like just hanging out. And people talk about things that break the mood or ruin the mood. That can be VERY important on a date, not to ruin the mood.

And people pursue that mood control entertainment can bring, but only if something is entertaining! The innovation then is if mood focus can help you understand why anything entertains you. That word "anything" is scary to me. Anything? Really? Well the idea to me is to build a science of entertainment, so yeah, goal is anything. Not playing around.

More accurately focusing on mood I think can improve entertainment and have given some basic analysis as just starting. With only a little over a year am still lots considering possibilities.

But I focused in this direction with television and a recent series to talk how Battlestar Galactica reboot could have ended in a way that kept the mood. Occurs to me can shift how you see the series so warning upfront if are a fan of it.

And I explained why the heroes should usually win in entertainment, and why what some claim is supposedly realism in movies can really be like following worse performers in tennis instead of the most dominant champions. Just look at top tennis players, don't they usually win too? Want more "realistic" tennis where they lose more?

Have also brainstormed how to get the mood for some particular entertainment.

Or you can check out the post with a formalized functional definition of entertainment, to see the foundations on which these ideas operate.

If these ideas resonate and want to help, best way? Be skeptical, and ask someone else for an opinion. Yeah that means you share the concepts. Caught me at that, eh? But rest assured that will move things along. Good news though is you don't have to do a thing. If these ideas work well then eventually I kind of think there will be some movers and shakers who notice.


James Harris

Friday, July 15, 2016

Mood analysis of Battlestar Galactica reboot

Need some distraction. And entertainment is one of the best ways to find distraction, where have put forward the functional idea that entertainment is a way to safely control mood. That functional aspect is about knowing when something is entertaining or not, or in explaining why something is entertaining. And here will talk a favorite television series of mine, which was the reboot of Battlestar Galactica where here is a link to its IMDb page.

At its simplest mood is emotion, but can be a complex constellation of emotions, which is why it's not enough to just talk about a feeling. You can have a mood of simple joy, so the emotion is simple joy and you are feeling simple joy, but entertainment can involve a spectrum of feelings.

Will hypothesize that with the Battlestar Galactica reboot the dominant mood of the show was how humans feel with potential rivals built by us, as the human beings in the series are at war with a race of robots built by them, called Cylons.

The series starts with the Cylons who had been thought contained, destroying 12 worlds of human beings, but missed getting one space warship called a battlestar commanded by Admiral Adama, trying both to survive as it is relentlessly hunted, and find a new home for the survivors, which is in the series our planet Earth, which is mythical to the survivors as what they call the 13th colony.

So the mood of the series I'm hypothesizing is a complex constellation of emotions around contemplating beings created by human beings who bring into question what it means to be human, even more so than in past science fiction as an innovation was giving them religion. The Cylons believe in God, and have a sense of a religious destiny. So what makes human then?

Turns out that is a huge draw and gave endless ways for writers to be creative as the series dealt with shock and loss, as well as romance, reproduction and friendship along with lots of other things that are strongly about our sense of our own humanity, including religion, as many of the crew of the Galactica are deeply religious as well.

It was then not surprisingly appealing, as writers attempted to mirror vast amounts of what we see as human in the Cylons. There was even a key romance in the series or something of it between one human looking Cylon and an anti-hero in a leading scientist, who had inadvertently helped the Cylons to defeat human security in the first place.

Without giving the ending away, will note that the writers may have found themselves challenged with ending the series as the mood they created was built on the tension of: what does it mean to be human if something created by humans can have so much of what we have?

And also in ways have more as the Cylons were stronger than most humans, and the human looking ones could be endlessly reborn, sending their consciousness into new exact duplicate bodies. These were dramatic elements I think as it was also pushed that the human looking ones were so indistinguishable from human beings that detecting them was either impossible or nearly so, as a constant theme through the series.

To me the writers maybe missed the point that the question is one facing humanity today as computer systems get more advanced so there is no answer, yet. Their ending tries to give one though and I found it unsatisfying. And will not give the end to the series away that they chose, but will make up an alternate one instead to show how it could be done to keep the mood.

Imagine towards the end of the series the surviving humans find that the Cylons had a built in flaw, which was unrecorded to give human beings the ultimate advantage, and the swiftness of their attack was to stop its use. Not sure if the surviving humans knew of it, they'd pursued to exterminate, while trying to remove it themselves.

And at the end of the series, the surviving humans finally find it, debate its use, and try it, destroying most of the Cylons. But some have made progress in removing it, and are hurt but survive. But the Galactica to use it had to be exposed having bet everything on total destruction. Which means the remaining Cylons are still in perfect position to retaliate. The two sides may simply annihilate each other though. But the crew of the Galactica turn over the secrets to the destructive flaw to the remaining Cylons who then simply turn away and leave them alone. It was their only concern.

Pursuing, the Battlestar Galactica, as of course they had not given all they know and can now track the Cylons, chase them to, yup, Earth.

The final show has the Galactica enter our Solar System and approach Earth where the few remaining Cylon ships are already in orbit. Human beings on our planet only just beginning to be aware.

Tension builds.

But the Cylons do not attack. Instead some of the human looking Cylons fly down to Earth, and Admiral Adama with key others flies down as well, and there is a stare off on the planet surface.

Again the Cylons turn away and walk towards humans walking towards them, with open arms. Adama looks at the others, shrugs, and also begins walking towards the approaching humans, followed by his team. But the Cylons are ahead. The End.

My alternate ending implies the Cylons may be looking to make their case for a different view of humanity, still raising the question of the value of their manufactured human versus people like us. With the original humans there to make their own argument

Entertainment then pursues the question without giving the answer, maintaining the mood, as we don't have the answer yet.

I find it intriguing though that mood-wise a more powerful story would be with teeming Cylons, but made a shift for plot where most are destroyed to balance out the story against tragic beginning. So mood does not determine plot as either way could go. And I just threw something together so used a rather simple plot device. The goal here was simply to focus on keeping the mood.

That was fun! Will note that using my own ideas for this type of analysis intrigues me without me being sure how it would go, so I was learning as I typed! And got to answers for myself as well.

Learning as I go, often intrigues me.

Liked that analysis? Then please share! Or if you choose, feel free to disagree in the comments if you did not. Did I get close? Or miss the boat? Do you think this approach to mood analysis might have merit? How might it mess with endings?

Will note that bad endings irritate me. Mood analysis could help writers figure out how to handle the proper mood for the series, and avoid bad endings that ruin it.

But other thing am a fan of the series, and especially really loved how they did space scenes. And I want to see more like it that better fits mood. Of course.


James Harris

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Relief in community perspective

To me one way the web can test you is when you get the vague idea you should be making more money somehow, or worse you talk about a few things and have people who will TELL you as if is some absolute. Like they know.

Much to my relief a few years back motivated to work out how it all works, realized that much of what I do helps the global community without any reason to expect money in it. Whew.

So how do I think it works really to make money? I explained my guesses in detail in a post, but gist of it is, you have some form of upfront contract, and exchange legal goods or services, like your physical or mental labor, in exchange for money. Where I say money is just a social IOU, backed by society. For example the US dollar is backed by the US Government.

So yeah worrying about my own situation pushed me to study money in-depth and conclude it really wasn't explained well to me before! And with my own admitted musings was surprised simple explanations seemed to fit reality.

Of course they are MY ideas and I like them. Others are sufficiently warned that am just some guy musing along.

Oh, feel a need to also push some of my thoughts on promotion as well. To me LOTS of what you see on the web helps promote something and should not be paid for, like if someone is trying to sell me something and am checking it for quality, why should I pay for it first? Makes no sense.

Yes, there are lots of ways to make money. And yup, posted about when to charge, in my opinion.

Gist of that opinion is that you should charge when have an upfront contract to legally provide products or services to a stranger, not for community reasons. That is how that stranger can pay you back! As with community can be about helping your community without an immediate return on a favor.

But with a stranger, how else can that person pay back for a favor? Money lets that be immediate so that people can take for granted in countries all over the world walking into a strange place and having the favor of an item given to you by a stranger, in exchange for money. That is, you walk into a store and buy something.

But in contrast where is really about much more than a favor, like if you help a starving person with food, such a return is not necessary. Which is not really doing a favor either to me, but about what decent humans should do for each other.

However can create problems for communities figuring out how to pay properly for things NOT about favors either as so much about community, like firefighting, teaching, police work, other government services and yup, political office.

Which to me gets back to community perspective.

Simple approaches attract me.

Though will admit that does not mean they work!

But how much should I emphasize just talking my own ideas here without pretending to be an expert? But just in case, will note am NOT giving legal or monetary advice. Just talking out some ways of looking at money and business that I guess make sense to me.

There are also people who enjoy being out here on the web learning things, and talking a point of view. Doesn't mean am claiming expertise. And am not.


James Harris

Monday, July 11, 2016

One way social media motivates me

Really like social media but really not good at that getting followers thing, which is ok with me. But got me wondering, what does it really mean? So was motivated by social media with SO much emphasis on follower counts or whatever is related to having TONS of people show popularity, to figure it out.

Not surprisingly given admitted low numbers, like have 165 Twitter followers which is actually up, have concluded am ok and one of my posts with suggestions for using Twitter actually starts by noting how to keep your follower count low. I'm serious too.

Puzzling out social media lead me to the conclusion that people build audiences by being entertaining. Which is kind of a duh. But realized then I wasn't quite certain what entertainment was, so I made up a definition. Yup. Am serious on that as well

To me getting a functional definition for entertainment, as that's in contrast to a descriptive one, because I was wondering what all those follower counts meant, is such a BONUS. And have had it for over a year now, and it changes my perspectives will admit.

For each of us, I think is an interesting question, how good am I at entertaining? And I think it very useful that I can explain that functionally, as really is about what you can sense in others and help them feel.

To me that's more to the fun of it. As I say it's all about moods. And how people safely control them. And am now in the mood to stop typing. And thankfully have complete control, so will wind down this post. And end things here.


James Harris

Monday, June 27, 2016

Getting the mood

Decided should try and make something popular, and have noted that entertainment is just a safe way to control our own moods so thought to myself, why not talk moods? And how do you get the mood of your entertainment then?

So mood is really about feelings where reality can be complex which is why is a better word. I kind of like the idea of mood as potentially a complex feeling constellation, which is why it's not as simple as saying you go watch a movie to feel happy. Complex feeling constellation. That just cries out creativity to me.

So going to brainstorm and make something up. Idea is, if is useful, please share if you wish as my goal was to make something people would go, gotta share that! And make this post popular and that will do it. If not just forget about it.

So two steps to getting that mood:

1. Before a particular entertainment if not sure already of mood it should give pause and reflect on something like it. Like if action movie think of a favorite action movie. If complex drama, think of favorite drama for just a bit, and don't hold on to it. Just a brief feel of it. And that's it. Now do the entertainment like watch the movie, ride that roller coaster, or have that fine dining experience.

2. After find a pause point. That can be a bit of work! Like they will probably rush you off roller coaster car and not appreciate you studying your mood. Maybe if with a group you can some place safe, briefly circle and hold hands, close your eyes and for a few seconds, just feel your mood.

Now you have a reference point and that's it. You got the mood.

And can compare next time. Sort of like on a second date, the first date is compared, and if better? Then why not a third, eh?

If you don't have an experience reference point can research. Like an adventure movie, should yeah, give a sense of adventure, which is freedom, exploration and excitement.

And that's it. Decided to brainstorm and see what happened as why not ponder, how do you get the mood?

If it works, great! If not, then um, I'm just typing some things to see what happens. It's my blog so I can.

Brainstorming posts of mine get light if any editing and just finished, where mainly just look for really dumb mistakes. If this one was good for you then the favor to me is to share somehow with someone who will appreciate it.


James Harris