Finding foundations and goals

Was YEARS ago when first challenged by web analytics began to find myself pondering what might I do, with a global interest revealed. And became especially challenging when focusing on the data found that while my home country the United States was source of most interest for a country, roughly 2/3rds of the interest was from outside.

So the majority of my global interest base was outside my home country and for years focused there and deliberately ignored the US, as worked to figure out foundations of my web reality.

Then was forced to shift back, as found my global impacted by behavior of US politicians, which shifted at least one of my blogs to US political focus, primarily.

And guess had an impact, which should not surprise, if that was a cause. Got curious, and according to Google Analytics for all of 2017 for this blog 3/4ths were from US, and for my math blog, close to half. This blog and the math one are biggest in terms of audience. Glad talking things made me check.

So now bulk of my visitors are from my own country for here, while is still rest of the world in slight majority elsewhere.

Like, checking other social media, as blogs ARE social media as well, can most easily with Pinterest where just checked and, of my average monthly it says just a bit over 42% are US. With almost 58% coming from elsewhere. Does help to have that data readily available.

But also had to figure out money, and how best to leverage making money with the possibility of global responsibility where I struggled. My BELIEF is have major ideas, where those gather attention, and can lead to unfortunate pressure on me, so have political positions established. But long thought best process would be to limit.

Then found myself recognizing that our planetary reality might push me more than I wished, and deliberately entered into the global discussion on climate change. And soon found myself more involved in global affairs and politics than might have wished.

Now have adopted a simple phrase to help me:

One planet. Many peoples. One human species.

Now am done with foundations considered through much of 2017, and looking for new goals for 2018, where have focused on global responsibility, limited still, and monetary necessity. As much figure out how my attention reality can be monetized within my value system, safely.

And have focused much on American entertainment industry both from curiosity, as well as practicality, as it works through things where have a personal interest as well.

That meta space reality is so much self-referential and deliberately abstract, as my global reality takes center stage in my own planning and goal setting, where will emphasize--limited as much as practical.


James Harris

Musing on copyright, work and appreciation

Often look for simple explanation from extremes, like in looking to understand copyright in the modern age, pondered the Mona Lisa. One of the most famous paintings in the world has one of the most shared images in the world--without diminishing its value.

And how often does Leonardo da Vinci get his attribution? Making sure to do so here, as his famous painting is definitely a great legacy to our world. And will use as a stepping stone into a simple explanation, with musings, on copyright in age of the web.

Valued effort should be rewarded. Great effort should be rewarded greatly, but isn't necessarily.

His painting destined to be considered the world's greatest in our times, or close if some wish to argue, was not so valued in Leonardo's life. In fact he carried the Mona Lisa around for years, fiddling with it. Which to me is a reason to not feel like I shouldn't have the right to endlessly change things I create, as to me he was the master who showed a way.

Of course if someone came to you with a picture of the Mona Lisa claiming credit, who would believe such a person? So proper attribution back to source is key. And in the web is easier. Creator can have a webpage with that information, or others can. Like Leonardo da Vinci can rest easy. No one will gain credit for his work. Some put up work trying to GIVE him credit instead, which can cause endless debate there.

We should want to reward effort. Yet even if someone slaps the Mona Lisa, say on a t-shirt, is it a problem? Image is in the public domain. Yet I don't know if that is enough to actually sell much, just having the Mona Lisa on a t-shirt. (Will ponder that angle further though.)

To me, short of it is: effort of the original should be recognized. Person who did the work should profit, or if cannot, or does not want--others should not as if they did the work.

But who would pay a premium to a person who did not do anything other than copy, if they knew?

Knowledge is key I think. And also copying is EASY in our times. In the past was not. So kind of think copying will have less and less value in the minds of most as we mature into the web age.

People in my experience DO tend to appreciate best efforts and feel like reward should go where is due.


James Harris

Does this type of synthetic fuel exist?

FINALLY our species is showing some sense and focusing better and more on the vast amounts of energy our planet gets every minute from our Sun. Turns out is far greater than we could ever need, but for so much energy production like for electricity or to move us around, we have focused primarily on that stored by plants and animals which has over long periods turned into oil or coal. That silliness has destabilized our world.

In the past they did not know better. We do.

However, focus on actually using that solar energy rather than watching it just bounce off our planet like silly fools has focused on batteries for storage of excess.

But liquid fuels actually are a very good way to store energy long-term. Are there synthetic fuels producible for energy storage for months? So people, for example in places where is relevant, could store up during summer say, and have available in winter?

Then some of that solar energy captured could be converted to such a fuel.

Such a synthetic fuel would have to NOT release carbon dioxide or any greenhouse warming gas of course, nor anything else hazardous to our environment. Would need to be stable over months at least, and yet should be easily reconverted back into energy.

Was never good at chemistry. Readily admit. Got my degree in physics while really not good with the chemistry things. However, can wonder about the fundamentals of such a fuel with very general things without understanding the quantum chemistry things involved, if exists.

Regardless may as well leave SOME notes, without pretending really know subject area. Immediately thinking of course would look for elements of similar valence to carbon as key. And yup, there is silicon of course. Yet those other things are not reactive like carbon. Research needed. Could be fun to brush up on the chemistry of carbon.

Does NOT take much to get quick answers in age of the web. And guess am refreshing? Would like to think is true. From an article on Scientific American talking if silicon life could exist:

But when carbon oxidizes--or unites with oxygen say, during burning--it becomes the gas carbon dioxide; silicon oxidizes to the solid silicon dioxide, called silica. The fact that silicon oxidizes to a solid is one basic reason as to why it cannot support life. Silica, or sand is a solid because silicon likes oxygen all too well, and the silicon dioxide forms a lattice in which one silicon atom is surrounded by four oxygen atoms

Well that was a quick and easy explanation. Interesting.

And also, a CLOSED system could limit environmental hazards. But of course the HUGE problem is that photosynthesis did most of the work for our use of carbon-based fuels, along with time and pressure. Figuring out something that could do the same with electricity, to create a synthetic fuel, could be a very difficult problem indeed. Worthy of our greatest minds? If doable, of course.

If work has been already done to figure out a synthetic fuel as meta-mused here, then yeah would like to know.

Have been editing this one more, despite brainstorming label. Here that is more about the idea than how the post was generated. In past meant limited editing.

When truth reveals

Web allows so much to be behind the scenes. And will admit prefer it that way. But can cause problems with things like making a living. Where will admit have been forced to be more forthcoming by my financial distress.

Grew up with old views about money that were wrong. Figured out when came up with idea is a social IOU backed by society that it can be very inefficient. We're just learning how badly that can go in a world where some of the most incompetent people--are the richest.

They've relied on information we did not have, and now web is letting it flow.

So for instance we can see where underpaying people, which I say was learned after slavery ended in the US as a business practice, means that money simply flows to the people underpaying. And they became the top 1% by wealth which will go away as people learn.

They stole their way into that wealth on efforts of people they did not appreciate or properly value.

Also television hid much by not giving much room to explain. Today you can read in-depth on things, on the web, and watch people fall who in the past could have simply depended on television to protect their images and careers.

We have a world dominated by incompetents, including one who is now president of the United States. Foolish people who lead our world on the path to disastrous climate change. Too dumb to do better, or act smarter. And it is taking time to clear them out. (Sounds so harsh, but is reality I believe with more evidence daily. Is sad as well.)

Is amazing though how much truth has revealed thanks to information distributing widely.

Spend so much time consuming that information and find that answers are jumping out. Many of those answers though are SO disturbing.

The 20th century in which I grew up was so much about lies. While the 21st century is so much about unmasking, and revealing truth.

So many people who I thought were one thing, and now I know, were another.

James Harris

What discoverer rules?

When was a kid remember when was at first excited by biographies of major discoverers. Pored over them, usually reading ones written for kids. Until as a teenager remember was feeling more contrary, and reading something or being taught something about some person from long ago, was suddenly skeptical. How did these people claiming these things know really?

Maybe then was a certain curiosity, as yes, wanted to be one myself! Which told myself was an impossible dream. Which I like to dangle out there for those who claim you should just go for your dreams. But what if your dream is to be the next Albert Einstein? Or the next Sir Isaac Newton? Or Gauss? Or Euclid? Or Archimedes?

As I list out a lot of names fit with science and mathematics. What about your dreams then?

And what are the actual rules in that area? What even makes a discoverer and at what level, so how do you even evaluate such dreams?

Regardless, became more suspect of claims of people who would talk as if they knew them. As grew older of course started reading biographies written for adults, and my skepticism became more clear.

But what if DID become one? Would they notice me? Such an odd thing to consider as a test like no other in human history, if possible. But of course, so much to me an impossible dream for so long.

The 21st century cares not for human pretension. I took it for granted some major figure WOULD emerge. Someone always does. Something scholars should know.

The pretension around truth fascinates me. What is truth? How do we know it?

Who are these people who believe they know, the discoverers?

How might a 21st century discoverer be different?

Good questions. Those who know their history realize, there will be an answer. Humanity has a remarkable habit of finding new levels, constantly. Someone must be called.

Maybe such scholars lack faith, in human.

Is there such a thing as destiny? Or do we make it.


James Harris