Leveraged Intelligence

Half Truths

Welcome to a new Friday offering for the Loose Blogger Consortium, a wild, thoughtful, rambunctious, creative group of free spirits – all listed in clickable links on the left – who are just a joy to read.  Each Friday, we take a common topic and post on it more or less simultaneously.  Not everyone can post every Friday, but there are going to be some great posts out there to enjoy.

Of course, I want you to read this one first …

Truth is really hard to pin down with a definition.  Look at this from Wikepedia:

Truth can have a variety of meanings, from the state of being the case, being in accord with a particular fact or reality, being in accord with the body of real things, events, actuality, or fidelity to an original or to a standard, truth "behind" everything, the ontological truth. In archaic usage it could be fidelity, constancy or sincerity in action, character, and utterance. Various theories and views of truth continue to be debated among scholars and philosophers. There are differing claims on such questions as what constitutes truth; what things are truthbearers capable of being true or false; how to define and identify truth; the roles that revealed and acquired knowledge play; and whether truth is subjective, relative, objective, or absolute.

These types of definitions of truth itself, we usually leave to Philosophy.  Even though we can’t easily pin truth down and philosophy may seem a bit ethereal to the reader, truth in some sense is essential to almost all of our considerations.  Try to deny what I just said without telling me it is not true!

Truth is very powerful – and the definer of truth holds a mighty tool … or weapon … in her or his hand!  Where there is power, there is temptation.  Where there is temptation, the potential arises for corruption.  However, because of the need for action in the world, we don’t usually define truth philosophically, we usually define it through techniques, institutions and leadership.  Let’s take a look at a few of these.

Religion usually tries to give us unassailable truth, Holy Truth.  Yet, even here not all truths codified as laws are equal and this is why Christ railed against the Pharisees, telling them, "Woe to you teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices — mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law — justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel" (Matthew 23:23,24) 

It is often due to the belief in competing “unassailable” truths that causes so many to lose sight of the camels entering their gullets leading to destruction of their fellow man and their world rather than uplifting anyone or anything to the divine.

Sales and Marketing are the economic siblings of these other methods.  You have a need.  No, listen, you have a need – let me show you.  I  have a solution that fulfills that need.  I’m telling you the truth.

Sales are necessary, for we live in a world of commerce.  As the consumer, it is up to you to be responsible for determining what you actually DO need, not simply what you are being told you need.

Debate tournaments require alternation between arguing one side of an issue then the other as the participants progress through the tournament.  Competing “truths” ultimately lead the participants to realize that in the big picture of the proposition being considered, they are alternating between half truths, that the whole truth obviously contains both sides they argue.  It would be kind of fun were there some way to apply some fuzzy logic to their scores; but, of course, the debate is hardly won simply with logic.

A trial is somewhat the same, with an attorney arguing for a client and avoiding as skillfully as possible arguments that contradict their position.  They are trying to elevate interpretation of provided evidence, testimony being part of that evidence, to the level of truth in the jurors’ minds.  The jurors sit as judges of truth.  The difficulty is, of course, that the wealthier clients have access to more skilled attorneys, giving their half of the truth a whole lot better chance.

This also is the main method of our public presentations by Congress.  They debate on the floor, but most of the time it is not really to convince one another, it is to convince the public to put pressure on the other side.

Observation and Reporting is another approach to truth, the approach supposedly being used as not only part of scientific data gathering, but also by journalists using various media.  As soon as a scientist or a journalist has a vested interest in the outcome, the observation is potentially tainted!  At that point, they may become conscious or unconscious promoters of specific outcomes.  Science best achieves the best outcome with control subjects and double-blind observations where neither observer nor observed can possibly connect the dots at the point of observation.  That is not an approach that can be applied to journalism, obviously, and we rely to a large extent upon the integrity of the journalist.

Commentary is really a journalistic cousin of observation and reporting.  The journalist’s perspective is added quite openly and can be considered as such.  Unfortunately, the compartmentalization of reporting and commentary, the compartmentalization that prevents the contamination of purpose and opinion, is becoming less and less observed as news media compete more and more for money via ratings and advertising on a 24/7 stage!

Charismatic Leadership tends to cast an aura of truth.  Danger Will Robinson!  Quite often we believe not what was said, but WHO said it.  Up to a point, that is necessary, for we haven’t the expertise, resources or time available to observe all evidence firsthand.  All that we can do is keep our eyes and our minds open and watch out for signs of adoration in ourselves that can be blinding and examine all evidence we can garner.  In other words, when it comes to charisma, be as aware of yourself as of the leader!

It is equally damning to reject their presentation simply because they are charismatic.

Propaganda had a brutal master, the Nazi Information Minister, Joseph Goebbels!  Read some of his views of truth and be chilled:

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”

“Think of the press as a great keyboard on which the government can play.”

“Intellectual activity is a danger to the building of character”

“Whoever can conquer the street will one day conquer the state, for every form of power politics and any dictatorship-run state has its roots in the street.”

Propaganda did not disappear with the Third Reich!  It still has many adherents although most don’t reach the level of Nazi ruthlessness.  We will all agree that propaganda is still out there in abundance and we even will agree that it sprouts wherever there is power to be gained.  The tough part is that we will disagree about which part is truth and which part propaganda!

Art.  Don’t forget art.  Just because you don’t have words for it doesn’t mean it doesn’t fill out truth.  This is an original artwork, Foxes by Franz Marc (on the left) next to a reproduction of it that Carly did in art class (on the right):

After each student copied the original of their chosen artist, they were asked to do the Mona Lisa in the style of that artist!  Look at the result Carly produced!

That teacher, Tracy Michelson, is magnificent!  TRUE art.

Individual Research and Education is probably the last, best hope.  The conclusion I come to is that truth can only be decided by the individual and I encourage each and every one to stay on top of issues the way only you can.  It is better that we have aware people informing themselves as best they can than that information be squelched or censored.  It is a messy path filled with bumps and potholes, but it sure seems to beat anything else.  The danger is selling yourself on a half truth, not trying to cover all the bases at all and then ignoring new input.  Be sure you can argue the opposing viewpoint(s), even if you only think they are 35% true.  One of the great inoculations against half truths seems to be input from a variety of sources!  It takes courage to discard beliefs in the face of new knowledge, especially if you seem to be alone in doing so.

Don’t always be alone, though.  One of the essential parts of finding truth is what you share with friends and loved ones – even when you are wrong!!

Human Response to the Mind Control Attacks

Like so many human responses, it solves nothing – but it makes our followers feel better.

The Wooden Spoon: A Modern Parable

A group of people gathered weekly at their local place of worship.  They were followers of a humble man with heart that wouldn’t end and in celebration of that humility, they partook of weekly communion in fellowship by eating soup with a wooden spoon.  Everyone was served a bowl and the nourishment reminded them of what they shared as a community and they went forth renewed.

Some went forth to their art studios, grabbed their chisels and paint brushes, inspired and refreshed to create great works of beauty and meaning.  Others took up musical instruments and produced enchanting and uplifting melodies.  Still others went to gardens and grabbed shovels and trowels and pruners, bringing forth fruits, vegetables and beautiful shade trees.

But, there was another group who insisted that their leader only wished them to use wooden spoons for everything, because that was what he showed them as a tool of shared sustenance and fellowship.  They forgot that he was himself a carpenter by trade.

So, they came to the art studio with their spoons and their insistence.  Unfortunately, they were unable to carve any marble and found themselves only able to scoop a little mud or clay into unrecognizable forms.  The paint smeared when spread with the spoon.  They were very angry and said that artistic endeavors were bad!

So, they marched as a group to the music studio and found that the only sound they were able to produce was a cacophony of clacking sounds when they whacked their spoons together.  Again, they were angry and insisted that the musical instruments were an abomination.

Last, they went into the garden.  They did a little better here.  They could dig small holes with the spoons, provided the earth was soft, and they were able to plant small plants.  Of course, they couldn’t prune anything and the plants became unruly.  And, it took a long time to plant a shade tree, trust me.

Then, worst of all, they discovered that one of their members had used tools for paleontology, had uncovered some preserved soft tissue from a Tyrannosaurus Rex in a 65 million year old Earth stratum, and immediately dipped their spoons in ink, writing very large:

Noah lived with dinosaurs!

The flood of Noah was 4350 yrs ago. This T- rex lived, died, and was buried (protecting it) 4350 yrs ago.

Or do you believe that this T-rex died 65 million yrs ago and still has "stuff" coming out of its blood vessels.

http://creation.com/still-soft-and-stretchy#_ftn4

The Creation Museum
Petersburg, KY
"Prepare to Believe"

Unfortunately, one of the parishioners had a sense of humor and asked the obvious question:

Why didn’t Noah collect two of each kind of Dinosaur like he was supposed to?

Again, they were quite angry.  And, the worst part is that using their spoons now spoiled the taste of the soup!

The Puzzle of February 12th

What is it about February 12th?  I opened the paper this morning and the theme of the day just jumped out at me.  Let me put the evidence in front of you and you see if you can find the theme:

Today is Abe Lincoln’s 200th birthday.

Today is Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday.

Today is the NAACP’s 100th birthday.

Today is Bill Russell’s 75th birthday.

Okay, reader, these are the puzzle pieces.  What is the blog theme for February 12th?

Seeking a Laminar Flow

Well, I just come in from a trip back to the Midwest – which is not Chicago, that’s the Mideast – visiting my family in Kansas.  And what is the work situation I find?  You guessed it.  Everything had quit working and half the economy had collapsed.

Now, what are my options at that point?  I actually needed to do something and fast!  Let’s see, I could get up and walk around with a worried expression on my face.  I could deny that anything was wrong.  I could look for someone else to blame.  Or, best of all, I could become tense, angry, frustrated…and take it out on everyone else!

So what’s the worst thing that a person can do facing crisis?  Why, increase turbulence, that’s what.  Just like our little guy in the picture, what you need to do when facing the precipice is seek the laminar flow.  For those non-physicists out there:

• Laminar Flow: non-turbulent streamline flow in parallel layers.
• Turbulence: a stretch of water in a river or the sea with disrupted flow caused by one current flowing into or across another current

As Tarzan would say, “Laminar good; turbulent bad.”  So, how do you change turbulence to laminar flow?

• Remove boulders from the main channel where possible.
• Let the water flow at an even pace.
• Redirect the flow, but don’t block it.
• Relax all tension around the periphery.  Guys know all about this one.

Now, it’s the readers’ turn.  What are some of the things you do to bring laminar flow back into your lives when turbulence intrudes?

You Can’t Handle the Truth!

It’s no wonder Jack is pissed.  I directed him to a site with some unvarnished science and he rejected the findings flat out.  He was working for the government at the time, our government, the government of the good old USA.  If you believe that the government would never reject science due to political expediency, you don’t know Jack!

Denying well-supported scientific theory is a dangerous tactic of governments with a long history.  When Einstein produced the Theories of Relativity, the German government produced a Nobel prize winning physicist to deny it.  They publicly debated it and, Nobel prize or not, the poor sucker was out of his league taking the lame side of the argument.  Einstein cleaned the sucker’s plow!

The dangerous part is why the debate was put on in the first place.  It was because Einstein was a Jew!  His government would rather deny his rock solid theories that would have led to their own betterment than accept it coming from a Jew.

The prejudices aren’t always ethnic or racial, but governments always have agendas.  Even good governments, whatever that means!  Often, the prejudices are immediate economic realities.  Sometimes, they are because of competing political parties.  Sometimes, they are because of perceived external threats, real and imagined.  It’s amazing how the Nazis could reject Einstein and try to discredit his theories – but be all too happy to try to use E = mc² to try to create an atomic bomb to blow up their enemies.  If that heavy water shipment had not been blown up in transport, who knows?

The media then become part of the circus.  What I am delighted to see is that scientific media writers are coming to the realization that became apparent in Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land.  Valentine Michael Smith, a human raised on Mars by Martians, has knowledge of how the universe works exceeding what other humans know.  This allows him to perform “miracles” like making pieces of matter disappear by folding it 90 degrees away from everything else in all dimensions (or something like that).  So, he is performing before a circus crowd and throwing eggs out over them…and causing them to disappear in midair.  The crowd is totally bored by this, because they assume it is just another trick.  He has to learn how to sell his acts of substance to the marks as though they were tricks for amusement.  Well, that is what science writers are doing now.  They are starting to sell some solid science as entertainment!

And, you know what?  The government finds it easier to fight science than it does entertainment!

What do you think?

Picture from A Few Good Men (1992)

Superbowl With a Wizard

We’ve known Art Zugnoni for about forever.  And he’s been wandering this planet for about forever, turning 90 extremely young years this past November.  Everyone uses so much hyperbole anymore – well, everyone but me, just the facts, ma’am – that 90 years young sounds like baloney.  But let me make my case:

• Every year, we get together to watch the Superbowl, this year included.  Last year, when Art was merely 89, the dog sneaked front paws up onto the table to check out all the food sitting there.  Art jumped up, RAN to the other room, and got the dog down.
• At the age of 88, he decided he needed a new fence.  So, he went out, got all the materials, tore down the old fence, dug the fence post holes, mixed the concrete and poured it, sank the new posts, added the boards, put in a gate and then called it an afternoon.  In the summer sun.  Only comment, “Wow, that made me kind of tired.”
• Up until this year, he has wanted some extra money, so he has been working 20 hrs./week in a machine shop.  I’m not sure if he is still doing it.  He’s been awfully busy with other stuff and he may just be doing custom work out of his garage.
• He just built a Tesla coil in his garage!  Old people don’t do crap like that.  Young people don’t do that!  He saw one on Myth Busters, one of his favorite shows and decided he would make one for himself.  Don’t believe me?  Watch this video:

Note: what this video shows is the actual Tesla Coil that Art built operating in his garage.  It’s pretty impressive!

How cool is that?

Art was just written up in the local news rag.  You’ll find that there is more that he has done right here:

The Wizard of Washington Manor

Apparently 90 is the new 35!  Any of you have some unbelievable elders around you?  Are any of you unbelievable elders?

Entering Tomorrow with Willy Ley

I don’t know if Willy Ley wrote the book you see below, but he wrote a book about the first men to travel to the moon that sticks with me today.  His problem was that he was way too scientific and far too apolitical to imagine what would really happen!

Willy thought that the world would actually make sense.  He had a vision of a scientific expedition of about 50 people in a rocket who would set up a temporary colony on the moon to study the environment as scientists.  He had no idea that it would actually be the result of a political race for bragging rights and dominance.  When you think of it, Willy probably knew science better than he knew people and their motivations.  Silly Willy.

Futurists have always had this problem.  They look at the engineering and the science and assume humanity will fall as much in love with it as they have.  But science is only a small motivation for human beings overall and seldom turns the crank of the government gears.  But, adventure does.  And records do.  And images do, like the way the world adopted a wild-haired genius named Albert Einstein.  But not science, not really.

Yet, something so human that it generated a technological miracle never imagined by the futurists I read as a child happened on the first Moon landing forty years ago this coming July.  No one had anything I can remember even remotely like it in anything I read.  The first step on the Moon was seen live around the world on TV sets in everyone’s living room!  Unbelievable!

And that is probably why the futurists who will come out of the woodwork with predictions for the beginning of this New Year will probably be wrong, too.  They will miss the fact that human communication is the driving force behind so much of the future.  The fact that I am publishing this piece from my living room for anyone in the world to read is something they never imagined.

Happy New Year!  Happy future.

Quick, bathe! The Ants are Coming…

We are being overrun by ants!  It happens periodically and it is truly an awful thing.  Where are they getting in?  Do we have any more clear caulk?  Do you think if we put the house on stilts?  Questions, questions…but, the one you will never hear a person ask another is, “Can you believe the stink of those ants?”  At least, not any people that I’m acquainted with.

Yet, that’s precisely how they find their way into your house, into your pantries, scouting crumbs or anything else that strikes their fancy.  They rub their abdomens on the surface of whatever they happen to be crawling over – especially when they are carrying something big, like a crumb – and the other ants actually smell the pheromones they leave on the trail by using their antennae.  That’s why they keep coming in single file, sniffing and twitching as they go.  Their sense of smell (more like their chemical analysis, truth be told) is so acute that it is many times more sensitive than that of a dog.  And a bloodhound can smell a scent 4 years old!  A dog can actually smell a bone under two feet or more of dirt.  And it isn’t just more sensitive, it’s more qualitatively precise.  When we walk into a house and there is a stew cooking, we smell the symphony.  The dog smells individual ingredients and, if he hadn’t devoted so much of his brain to smell, he might be able to tell you what each was.  And, yet…the ant can smell many times better.

So, it seems to me that there should be non-hazardous products available to actually confuse the ant smell-o-vision.  I mean, how hard would it be to put the smell of a dreaded ant predator over their trail?  Product idea, American industry!!

My wife and I have our own version.  We got a 5-gallon bucket of Vicks Vaporub and have been using a trowel to jam it into all our corners, cracks and crevices.  It has a few downsides, sure, but it has eliminated our ant problem!

What do you guys do?