140 Random thoughts redux

Random Thoughts

Well, Dear Friends/Readers, I am not sure whether I have an eclectic mind or I just got a bit bored after four consecutive days off during which I did no housework that I did not HAVE to do. I read three (yep) novels,* did the LLC taxes to take to the accountant, filed my county business license, took one dog to vet, and watched HOURS of the Olympics and, 

for exercise, I moved from TV to computer to search topics that had popped into my mind. Maybe, just maybe, I am going gaga! Yes, I got the “must-do’s” done, but that was it!

[* Tartt: The Goldfinch; Saunders: Lincoln in the Bardo; and Gabaldon: Seven Stones to Stand or Fall. If you need something to read, I recommend them all.]

Back to whether or not I have an eclectic mind or just bored. First, “eclectic” is a Greek word meaning to “pick out” or “choose” according to the Oxford dictionary (OED). One problem I see is that I did not set out to choose or to pick out the various subjects – they were more like “mind-pops” from who knows where – maybe TV, the newspaper, radio, or a magazine. I really don’t know.

The following are the topics about which I have ruminated and Googled these past four days:

Cryptocurrency – What is it? Why is it? Where did it come from? Will it last? Will I ever use it? Doesn’t it need even more regulations than “regular money?”

I think it is exciting and a little bit (no, a lot) scary. It seems to me a bit like Pay Pal for grown-ups with money – lots of money.

The Cloud – What happens there? Why do I not know more about this? Can I access it? Okay, it’s for digital data storage. Is all my “stuff” in the Cloud? How do I know? If it is there, I did not consciously put it there.

Pain – I do not like pain. I do not want pain. Why do these Olympic athletes continue to participate again and again after all the rips, tears, breaks, bruises, and rehab? What motivates people to have a passion that hurts one?

Prejudice – Is it not worse now that it was 10 or 15 years ago? Why? Has it always been just lying latent and now has reared its head again? I heard a podcast on NPR (no, I can’t remember which one as NPR is on whenever I am at the computer) talking with bankers about how few home loans are made to minorities (fewer than 10% of applications) and how this leads to gentrification which leads to changing neighborhoods and loss of local businesses. One case cited a Philadelphia area that had been largely minority rentals. Many of the residents had lived there for generations. Now, it is townhouses and brownstones and gone are the mom ‘n' pop stores and in have come the Starbucks, brand-name clothes boutiques and upscale bistros. Where do these minorities go? Doesn’t this contribute to the rich (the developers) get richer and the poor (minority renters) get poorer? Sad.

AI – Artificial Intelligence. OH, MY! Read Dan Brown’s Origin. He opens up many questions about religion and truth and the meaning of life and how AI fits into it all. Okay, so I spent a good bit of time googling AI. 

Then, an ah-hah moment. I am asking AI questions about the ethics and ability of AI to Google’s AI algorithms. I am merely asking AI about AI. Apparently, it so far developed that not only will there be self-driving cars (sorry, I love to drive and like being in control), but some AI computers dream and can talk to other AIs. A great read on this subject should you be interested is Medium.com – an article by Y. Zunger, October 11, 2017.

Life expectancy - People born in 1946 have a lower life expectancy than those born in 1942 according to an actuarial table on Boredom Therapy. This was not explained. I searched a number of sites about life expectancy and got nothing to explain what I had read. This worries me. Was this fake news?

AND

Sad stuff – I won’t be around when the granddaughter graduates college. She is 18 months old and has a mania already for cell phones, remotes, and computers. I wonder what she will do as an adult. This last one is making me melancholy. Thus, I will quit thinking about big things and play bridge online. And, yes, I work tomorrow!

       Happy thoughts, Glenne