Sugoi & Yokunai

Research paper shows that Diversity is Not Our Strength.  A recently released study showed that diversity (job-related, cognitive, demographic) did not improve performance.

Thomas Jefferson High School found out the hard way when they adopted DEI guidelines for admission. Their ranking dropped out of the top 10 schools, and now rank 14th place. Probably on their way down lower.

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Oregon doctors concerned about rise in fentanyl use among pregnant women.  The things we have to worry about in modern Portland. 

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Why? Washington introduces electric vehicle rebates for low-income households.  Why do low-income households need to be saddled with EVs?  How are they going to power their cars in their low-income housing? Are their apartments going to be retro-fitted with charging stations?  Who's going to service them?  Any thoughts about the resale value?  Or when a fender-bender junks their lithium battery and suddenly their car is unsafe to drive?  Will you buy a used EV from a low-income owner? 

Plus:

Half of U.S. households can only afford a $400 car payment. Their options — new or used — are scarce.

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Why does Oregon have closed primaries? If I were in control, I'd make it so that if you were Independent, you get to vote for any candidate, Democrat or Republican, Green or Libertarian. Because you are independent. Instead, Oregon shuts you out of everything. Independent is NOT a political party. 

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Four solar flares at once!  Are we due for a spectacular auroral display?

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The Obamacare gift just keeps giving.  Since Obamacare, physicians have had to close independent practices, and work for hospitals or private equity groups.  Oregon Medical Group is owned by one of them, Optum, which has a non-compete agreement. So if a physician leaves, they have to hire someone to replace that person quickly, because that doctor can't join a competing group. In this case, 32 providers left in over two years. And since it's hard to hire physicians or nurses to work in Oregon, there are problems. Big problems. People are fleeing this state for a reason, and I would bet that fewer are giving Oregon a look compared to the past.

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Dr. Marty Makary raises an interesting point:

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You think owning a Tesla is being green. Think again. And I'm not even talking about the hidden diesel generators that power the charging stations you'll visit.

Oh, and speaking of Tesla – it finally happened. A driver who had his Tesla on autopilot, just killed a motorcycle rider.  As if Elon Musk didn't have enough on his hands already.  Teslas are apparently easy to mess around with.

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In a similar vein, Britain is committing economic suicide as it pursues Net Zero carbon dioxide emission goals. See what happens with the political science majors think they know enough physics to run the country?

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Does light truly have an infinite lifetime?  Can a photon last forever?  Who knows?  And I can't believe that's only NOW that scientists have discovered that light itself (without heat) can cause water to vaporize.

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Bookmark this!  How to land a plane in an emergency.  When you don't have any actual experience, you know.  Hint: Play Flight Simulator a lot!

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This is beginning to be a huge problem. AI needs data centers, and data center consume a LOT of energy. So AI company CEOs have to immerse themselves in energy technology and get involved in energy policy.  But how do you get a LOT of energy quickly? You can use unreliable solar or wind for this. You need hydroelectricity, nuclear or good old petroleum-based energy sources. Yes, it's all and well to say you support green energy efforts, but when rubber meets the road, you have to listen to people other than Al Gore or John Kerry.

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Even Nate Silver has noticed that many are avoiding Ivy League schools, and are enrolling in state universities? Why?

GPT-4 is as good as a human radiologist.  Yeah, computer vision is one area that has progressed a LOT recently. But there will still be a need for a human radiologist, and a human radiologist with AI will be better than one without AI.

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Oh my. Larry Ellison is moving Oracle's global headquarters from the Bay Area peninsula to Nashville, TN.  Oracle's HQ was one of the sights to see as you cruise down 101.  I can't imagine not seeing it anymore. Wow, this is huge, and may signal more high profile exits from the Bay Area. 

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What to do? Do you fine-tune? Or just use RAG for your AI model?  Well, it's getting to be that RAG is more practical.  Fine-tuning with LoRA may be just for the big guys. 

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Curious to know how far you are from shopping and the library? Someone created a map for you called Close.  Although libraries are far less necessary than they used to be.  Now, they're becoming a place for the homeless to hangout in the daytime, so that they can use the free WiFi and bathrooms.  At least that's the case in Portland and other major cities in the West.

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Interesting table I found recently:

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Man, this is sad, and encapsulates all the B.S. with the COVID vaxxes.

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OHSU is feeling the effects of Portland policies. Why is the ED overcrowded?

Unresponsive patients who have overdosed on fentanyl and need interventions beyond Narcan have become more common as well.

Pharmaceutical giant Bayer is getting rid of middle managers. They're asking their nearly 100,000 workers to ‘self-organize’ to save $2.15 billion.  Okayyyyy.

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New research suggests that the universe is filled with particles capable of traveling faster than light. First we were told it was impossible. Then we were told that it's just "accelerating" past the speed of light. Now, the universe might be "filled" with tachyons. Science is never settled, is it?

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This guy has five excellent ways to fix Congress.  I like these ideas very much.

Download 5_simple_rules.mp4

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The DIctionary of Obscure Sorrows. This pairs well with the music of Harold Budd & Brian Eno. Such as this one.

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Yep, there's a whole industry that has built up on the whole climate change agenda. In reality, the U.S. already has done much to curb CO2 emissions, and compared with China and India, we emit relatively little. So some have advocated scrapping unnecessary carbon emissions laws, and naturally those who created the climate crisis industry are upset. No one really knows what the goal of carbon reduction is and what the impact of carbon reduction would be or how expensive it would be.  This guy doesn't know what the effects climate change efforts will be either, just to spend money on his projects.  This is one of the biggest grifts.

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Do you even need antivirus software in 2024? Some say you don't, because platforms like Apple have taken care of vulnerabilities adequately. Plus antivirus software often slows you down, and sometimes it does more nefarious things, since it has access to everything on your hard drive.

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China needs American consumers to buy, but America isn't buying as much. How far will China go to increase exports? And the Fed and other economic forecasters think inflation is going to go down further, but how, when spending is increasing and the government keeps doing things to stoke inflationary pressures?  Like student loan forgiveness and restricting leases in Alaskan oil fields? 

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I've never heard of this organization called Greater Portland, which is supposed to be the "official regional economic development organization" serving the Portland area. Their CEO, Monique Claiborne, thinks Portland is on the upswing and "business is in". Who is she fooling? Read the comments. People know that Portland has passed the point of no return. Well, Monique's from Detroit so maybe compared with that city, Portland is OK. But take a look at the city. Try taking this freeway underpass so you can cross safely.  The city has gone to the criddlers, and is no longer ours. But they still want our tax money.  Another article on Fox News highlights worry about the upcoming SCOTUS decision on the legality of homelessness. Again, it shows that many of the homeless aren't interested in housing or shelters. They want to be able to use the city like their toilet and trashcan, while we pay the taxes and get to enjoy less of the city.

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The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that it was permissible for the police to forcibly use your finger to unlock your phone. Hey, if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about, right? The enhanced security features of Apple phones are so nice.

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Perovskite touch screens are versatile. They can also be fingerprint readers, LEDs, and photoplethysmography sensors (detecting change in blood flow in the fingertip).

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On Friday, the Guardian published this story stating the the FBI has identified that the Chinese have already infiltrated much of our infrastructure and could "pull off a devastating blow" at any time. Basically they have us hostage (thanks to Biden's policy).  The next day they ran this story of Chinese researchers having a hard time at the border when they want to come in to study at American universities. This is a dilemma, because judging from research papers I've read and seeing news articles on science breakthroughs, Chinese researchers seem to be involved in 75% to 90% of all the major breakthroughs and advances in AI, physics, chemistry, medicine and math. We seem to need them, for sure. Then again, I'm not sure we can trust anything Chris Wray says anymore.

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"The worst medical scandal of modern times". Guess which one that is. Nope, it's not the COVID-19 vaccine, although that one's is pretty bad, too.  It's not even the medical profession pushing for things like Black Lives Matter, climate change policies, gun control, Ukraine support or Palestine support in the medical journals – that's more a show of political naïvete, editorial bias and skewed ideology than horrific. Nope, keep guessing.

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This bombshell information was hidden, and places like Oregon decided to can doctors and nurses because they weren't vaccinated, with the reason that they would transmit the virus to patients can cause harm. Of course, we now know that this is not true. But the damage has been done.

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Lahaina residents are finding out just how much Biden and the Uniparty government care about them.  FEMA says that they can't help with efforts to rebuild 1000 homes, but FEMA will only help with 169 homes.  Meanwhile another $60 billion goes to Ukraine, and the House waves Ukraine flags.  You know why they don't help you, Hawaii? Because you're in the bag, as far as the Democrats are concerned. You'll still vote for them no matter how badly you feel you've been discarded. That's why.

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Well here's an interesting fact about Portland DA Mike Schmidt. He has never prosecuted a felony or rape case in his career. Can you believe that? And he's the DA. So inexperienced and unqualified for the position. How is this possible? That alone should disqualify Mike Schmidt from re-election. Hoo boy.

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This video of Bill Maher is making the rounds. This time he doesn't slip in a derogatory remark about Trump.

Download maher_small_world_after_all.mp4

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The Supreme Court ruled 9-0 that it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of race or gender even though no real harm has been done.  It didn't seem to me to be related to reverse discrimination, but that is how some are looking at it.

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Rene Gonzalez favors a harder line against homeless camps. Yes! I like the cut of his jib.

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Novo Nordisk has done to Kalundborg what Microsoft did to Seattle. The city has been transformed. All due to Ozempic and obese Americans.

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Northern hemisphere ocean spray (especially around the UK, where it was tested) may be a major source of "forever chemicals".

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OHSU puts its trauma surgeon director on administrative leave because he said something that offended a resident. I know someone who used to work at OHSU who was afraid of something just like this.  That person had to walk on eggshells because you never know what might offend the modern snowflake student. I'll bet this surgeon will soon quit and work somewhere else instead.  (This might be an opportunity for Providence to score a top surgeon. Move the whole team over, just like the heart transplant team, then have St Vincent be designated a trauma center instead. Score!)

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At dayuse.com, you can find a hotel that will let you use a room for a few hours.  For innocent purposes, right?

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So, you are more likely to get better grades if your last name starts with A,B,C or D?  Crazy.

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Teaching doctors how to think. Doctors need to be confident, but not too confident. How you learn that?

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Katherine Maher, the new CEO of NPR has some weird conceptions of what truth is. This encapsulates so well how the modern liberal thinks, and Maher lays it out so clearly. "Everyone has their own truth." This, in conjunction with her other statements about how people like her should determine what speech gets to be allowed, is the basis of the modern Democrat.  Imagine her being YOUR boss.

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Grumpy Website is a showcase of bad user interface at various websites.

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Fools Gold (iron pyrite) may be somewhat valuable after all.  Due to its lithium content.

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Nearly half of China's major cities are shrinking. Another problem for them to worry about.

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The organization Women Who Code is apparently shutting down. So goes the scuttlebutt, although you'd never guess by their website now. Too bad, really. No reason stated for this. 

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Ukraine is heading for defeat. Yeah, we kinda new that. When it's Biden and Zelensky against a guy like Putin, who do you think is going to win? No contest. But all that money, which we'll never get back.

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GPT vs resident physicians. Apparently GPT has attained parity. But that's just regurgitating facts. And it will need RAG to stay current, and subtle reasoning may still be elusive. I'm still sticking with a human physician who uses AI rather than AI alone.

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Some quality science-fiction short films at 1ksuns.com.

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Nice review article on aging and vitamin D metabolism. Get your levels checked and take supplements if the levels are too low.

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Google is trashing their flagship product by trying to incorporate AI.  The Register has also noticed that Google search with AI just gives you spammy garbage. In my experience, it's not all like that, but certain search terms will generate this, such as when you search for items to spend money on. Too bad for Google – they're becoming the Alta Vista of the modern era.

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Here's a weird idea.  The Strange Theory That There Is Only One Electron In The Universe.  Could it be that all electrons are the same thing?  Weird perspectives are not new in quantum physics. Like positrons are just electrons moving backwards in time.

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When there's a will, there's a way. Queensland researchers create device that consumes carbon dioxide and generates electricity. And if you think that's unusual, how about this: Human hair transformed into renewable energy storage.  Barber shops and hair salons are sitting on a gold mine!

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Are noise-canceling headphones bad for you?  I am not convinced that they are. I think they are of benefit and this article doesn't change my mind.

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Lots of executive shuffling at Legacy. So Kathryn Correia has decided to retire after all. They've brought George Brown back, and the interim CEO (who was their CFO) has decided to quit and go elsewhere.

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FAFO. Google is not messing around.  Also, things got a bit more complicated for those who like to organize protests that often turn violent. Who will want to take responsibility now? And of course, the Left is upset about this. 

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Mr. Element 118. Yuri Oganessian is the only living man to have an element named after him.

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A nova might light up in Corona Borealis between now and September. Being in the PNW, it will probably be cloudy when it happens.

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If you own a vacant buidling that is unsafe and could catch fire, probably because it's inhabited by criddlers, Seattle's mayor wants to be able have it demolished.  Then it will be worth nothing, so you'd better sell it quick or take care of it now.

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Oregon has the second highest number of jobless claims. But if you file for unemployment, don't expect to get your unemployment check soon. And if you're homeless, don't expect to get your shelter soon.

It's always that, isn't it?

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In Germany, centuries-old trees will be cut down for windmill farms. They call it "green energy".

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Emergent phenomenon. Sometimes when you play around with differing amounts of orders of magnitude change, you see emergent phenomenon. And this is what happened with single-atom layer gold.  It behaves as a semi-conductor.

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If you were an engineer looking for a job, would you trust an AI interviewer? Who's looking at that information? Where's it going?

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When you touch metals and smell that metallic smell on your fingers, it's your secretions that you're smelling.

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There are SO MANY AI startups now. Many want to solve a problem you didn't know you had. But this posting is true – many need to put more thought into what they are doing.  GitHub pilot sounded good in the conception, but the author's right. It just converted time spent coding to time spent reviewing (and debugging).

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Well, the woke crowd ruined the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, Victoria's Secret, and beauty pageants. Now there's an AI beauty pageant. I doubt that they can ruin that.

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For once, Sen. Ron Wyden is right. A hidden addition to the warrantless FISA extension can compel everyone to being a spy.  But will Wyden be able to successfully oppose his Dem colleagues?

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Hollywood is fighting hard to prevent job losses from AI. Admirable, and I support this. But man, the current output from screenwriters is really bad. Just not sure that AI is going to make that better.

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The geeks are going hiking. The Hack Club is going to get together to hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. But bring printed circuit boards? Not the best place to work on something like that. Just enjoy the outdoors, and leave that stuff behind. Get some color.

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A new FDA-approved device to alleviate tinnitus. Hope this works. I know some folks who could use some relief.

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Chen's algorithm could upend quantum computing. But we're not hearing much about it. Too complicated.

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Here's a review article linking N1-methyl pseudouridine in the mRNA vax to cancers and decreased immunity. This needs to be more widely read and implications understood.

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Reminder: Oregon's minimum wage increases again on May 1.  And prices will increase accordingly. Are you getting an increase in your pay?

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Good.  The AI on Apple's iOS 18 will be local and will not be server-side.  It'll probably be a small model, capable of working on smaller phones.

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Heh. Looks like OpenAI's web crawler got caught in a robots.txt trap.

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Love this AI-generated class photo. Complete with made-up names.

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Yes, next question. Is Paxlovid a dud? 

Paxlovid, which now costs $1,400 for a 5-day course, has only shown benefit in a very rare population – that is, unvaccinated people who’ve never encountered the virus and are at high risk of serious Covid-19.

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Portland taxes are increasing. Of course, they are. You get less of your city to enjoy. But you pay more for it. And the same idiots keep getting elected. 

I love this title: "Vega Pederson’s Newly Appointed Homelessness Czar Resigns Amid WW Inquiry Into Treatment of Women". Was this truly bullying, Or maybe those women didn't like being told how things should be done. This is probably why truly capable people don't bother running for leadership positions in Portland. You'll get fired for "bullying".

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In-N-Out wants to locate in Beaverton. The want to be placed in a bad location that will cause a horrendous traffic jam. There are better places. I'm glad that this location is being denied.

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Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center is being sued by hospital staff who had to step down due to the vax requirement. Don't know how far this is going to go, but I hope that they win. This could be bad news for other hospitals, too.

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More bad news for Portland. They're going to lose a shipping container port. There will be a direct loss of 696 jobs and 870 indirect losses.