Jan 22Member-onlyThe ASI FoundationWhy Artificial Intelligence Needs to Rule Us In late September, the 27th to be exact, of 2169, Neil Hedberg triggered the creation of Ranallo XX. By attaching the last quantum board to “Ranny’s” mother board and turning on the power supply, the Artificial Super Intelligence project was complete. …AI11 min readAI11 min read
Nov 7, 2021Member-onlyA Global Crisis……and a Personal Calamity — After watching Greta Thunberg rail at the world’s leaders during the recent COP26 conference in Glasgow, Scotland, lambasting them for their hypocrisy in giving lip service to protecting the environment after the Paris 2015 symposium while doing little to actually protect Mother Earth during the last six years, it was…Cop 2611 min readCop 2611 min read
Sep 16, 2021Member-onlyThe Sheep (and the Goats)I’m not a religious guy, but I have deep spiritual values. Nonetheless, I take my inspiration where I can find it, and one of the most inspiring (and one of my favorite) verses in the New Testament is this: 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to…Trump4 min readTrump4 min read
Sep 11, 2021Member-onlyThe GateBlood. Body bags. Beheadings. — Trillions of dollars of treasure. Used for our health, education economy, environment, infrastructure. Or not. Instead, our blood and treasure were used in our quest for justice, for national pride, and, yes, to satisfy a President’s ego and feed the inflamed passions of his Republican followers. What did they create? …History3 min readHistory3 min read
Jul 26, 2021Member-onlyToo Much Freedom?Are We the Land of the Free? Given the widespread lack of critical-thinking ability, and the equal lack of exposure to philosophical studies, Americans have virtually no ability to distinguish between significantly different ideas. “Freedom” and “license” are chief among these. When liberty becomes license, dictatorship is near. …Covid 194 min readCovid 194 min read
Jul 25, 2021Member-onlyEdge of MadnessHas America Lost its Mind? There have been many stories about America’s dysfunctions: social (“culture wars”), political (Donald Trump), and economic (conflicts with China), but none have been explored with the frequency and intensity as our collective insanity in the face of Covid-19 and its variants du jour. The highest…The Culture Wars2 min readThe Culture Wars2 min read
Jul 8, 2021Member-onlyTrump and Taxes:Al Capone Proved that Tax Evasion Will ALWAYS Get You — The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has just filed charges against The Trump Organization and its Chief Financial Officer, Allen Weisselberg, for tax fraud and tax evasion. Not surprisingly, more charges are likely to be filed (when is another question). …Trump2 min readTrump2 min read
Jun 6, 2021Member-onlyRecognize and Organize Against Your Enemies……Republicans will NEVER cooperate President Joe Biden had a long and distinguished career in the United States Senate. Through both personal and national tragedies, Biden maintained a bipartisan, conciliatory approach towards some of the most intractable problems we have faced. As a life-long Democrat, he was loyal to his party’s…Tricky Dick Nixon4 min readTricky Dick Nixon4 min read
Mar 31, 2021Member-onlyTime for Entertainers to Go on Strike….the only way to fight Voter Suppression In his book, Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business, Professor Neil H. Postman argued that Americans are controlled by their addiction to entertainment rather than by state control and/or media control. With his cries of “Fake News!”…Voting Rights5 min readVoting Rights5 min read
Mar 8, 2021Member-onlyThe Political Meaning of “Those Were the Days” (from “All in the Family”)….a half-century memorial Boy, the way Glenn Miller played, Songs that made the Hit Parade, Guys like us, we had it made, Those were the days. 2. Didn’t need no welfare state, Everybody pulled his weight, Gee, our old LaSalle ran great, Those were the days. Chorus: And you knew…5 min read5 min read