In programming you deal a lot with abstractions. Computer code is very complex but repeats certain patterns over and over, so we abstract those patterns away to a single thing. Occasionally these abstractions break down – this is called a leaky abstraction. The thing is, as I look at the world I’ve noticed that abstractions are by no means the sole domain of programmers, they are the rule. Every thing is built on abstractions. The one that fascinates me is our social structure. I was introduced to this by a friend reading Hobbes’s Leviathan (which I have not read). The basic premise of the book is that a whole bunch of people working together are far more powerful than any individual. And even many weaker individuals have more strength when combined than a few stronger individuals.
Category Archive: Blog
Cyborg
There’s a lot of debates going on now, and it has been going on for several years, as to whether all the digital influence on our lives is making us smarter. One group says that children do worse now on spelling tests because of spell check. Anther group counters that the the quality of writing by student has gone up because they have access to professional tools. The back and forth is endless.
When we try to measure intelligence (an already difficult task) we have to ask what that means. Often it breaks down into two camps. In one camp we have ‘raw’ intelligence and rote memorization – what can people do with just their brains. The other group is concerned with real world output. I fall into the second group. The truth is that we don’t have to ask the question ‘What can people do without a computer, with out the internet, with out a cell phone, with out a calculator’. These tool are always there, they are more prominent than ever and their proliforation is accelerating.
Grass is Stupid
I’ve been working on this article for a while, but the New York Times beat me to it. The unchanging, manicured, suburban lawn, I hate it. Not just for what it is, but for what it suppresses. I, like so many other, do give in to the social pressures and put forth the minimal effort in caring for my lawn, but I must take this opportunity to plea for a change. We should all just stop. I promise – nothing bad will happen, but we have the potential for much good. Our current methods employ a damaging two stroke engine, load of toxic chemicals all in a pursuit that distorts our view of nature and wastes our time.
Why I Don’t Like Harry Potter
“If it forms the habit of reading, in people who might not read otherwise, it is the best literature.”
- Edgar Rice Burroughs
I certainly agree with Mr. Burroughs, however, I do not believe that is the base line for which we should settle. So much more can be (and has been) achieved by fiction. Harry Potter get’s kids to read, and that’s a good thing. But why couldn’t it have been written as a piece of science fiction. I know – so many people will groan, conjuring images of prosthetic laden aliens. But that’s not what I’m talking about. It could have been an epic piece of near-future, terrestrial fiction. Why am I so hung up on this point? It’s a matter of framing.
Car Values and the Electric Conversion
I don’t know a lot about economics so I may be way off base here, but I think something interesting is going to happen when we start shifting to electric cars. First, my axiom – I believe that when we start shifting to electric cars it’s going to be an accelerating process. This is because many people will genuinely enjoy having electric cars (no oil changes, no stopping for gas, linear torque curve) others will want the latest gadget, they may even be cheaper (than combustion) with in a few years of adoption. This is where my theory comes into play. Everything associated with fossil fuel cars will rapidly depreciate in value as this transition happens. 10% fewer gas cars on the road will mean 10% less gas sales. This will cause a number of gas stations with low profitability to close. The customers who frequented those stations are now inconvenienced. Mechanics will face the trouble. Even if they try and liquidate, the very tools necessary to service a combustion engine will be worth less (only a little less at first, but over time…). Fewer gas stations, fewer mechanics will start to make combustion engines an inconvenience, further driving people to electrics.
The Next Decade
This entry is coming a little late, most sources were talking about The Next Decade’ the first week of January and fizzled out by the second. Here we are, half way through April, but still less than 1/30th of our way into the decade. I think the topic is still fair game. The concept that I want to touch on is exponents.
A few simple rules of organization:Our Energy Future
I’ve had an interest in energy since I was young. I saw estimates that oil reserves would run out in my lifetime and became intrigued as to what that would be like. I love high gas prices. Every time that gas goes up, money is dumped into alternative research, and the gap between those alternatives and fossil fuels decreases. Of course the huge negative to high prices that I must highlight is that they have disproportionately negative effect on the poor. 
Lansing Give Camp 2010
It’s time for Lansing Give Camp 2010, we have over 100 developers for 15 charities. I will be posting updates as time allows over the weekend.