Monthly Archives: November 2024

The Days Just Ahead

November 25, 2024 – 11:10 am

Former General Mike Flynn — who knows a thing or two about what the entrenched Washington oligarchy is capable of, and willing to do — has posted a threat-assessment of the risks we face between now and Inauguration Day. Read it here.

By Malcolm | Posted in Politics | Comments (2)

Stephen Wolfram On AI And Irreducible Complexity

November 23, 2024 – 3:50 pm

Following on my previous — and alarmist — post about AI, I think I should add some further remarks about what may or may not be possible. Back in 2014 I wrote a post, as part of a linked series on free will and determinism, about the idea of what the English scientist Stephen Wolfram […]

By Malcolm | Posted in Science, Technology | Comments (1)

Brake Failure

November 21, 2024 – 5:18 pm

Here is a link to a detailed survey of the current status of AI research, including a clear-eyed assessment of what we should expect in the near future. I won’t lie: I find this extremely alarming. The linked report makes it very clear that we are just a few years away from creating entities that […]

By Malcolm | Posted in Technology | Comments (2)

The Iron Law Of Oligarchy

November 20, 2024 – 2:59 pm

RFK on Ukraine: Robert F. Kennedy Jr EXPOSES the TRUTH about Ukraine in 3 minutes. Make the World Safe again pic.twitter.com/T8Vpeyw2Io — Marjorie Taylor Greene Press Release (Parody) (@MTGrepp) November 20, 2024

By Malcolm | Posted in Foreign Affairs, Politics | Comments (0)

Can The Fever Have Broken?

November 19, 2024 – 1:22 pm

In the runup to the election I said how worried I was about rising conflict between the two warring American social and political factions once the winner had been determined. I thought it likely, barring massive fraud, that Trump would win, and I thought that if that happened the seething Left would stage massive chimpouts […]

By Malcolm | Posted in Society and Culture, Politics | Comments (5)

Whoa

November 17, 2024 – 11:57 am

Elon Musk has made no secret, over the past several years, of his ambition to colonize Mars (and if anyone can pull it off, he can). With that in mind, here’s something remarkable that I just learned today: Those of you of a “certain age” will remember the name Werner von Braun — a former […]

By Malcolm | Posted in Curiosities | Comments (1)

Heavy Mental

November 16, 2024 – 4:54 pm

In a comment to our previous post, our friend “Whitewall” observed that in the wake of the recent election, the Dems “currently overcome with a case of raging hormones, like before … just worse now.” Indeed they are. On the bright side, though, we can be thankful for X: I’m crying pic.twitter.com/JtG3ldaumh — Not Jerome […]

By Malcolm | Posted in Tomfoolery | Comments (1)

Repatriated

November 16, 2024 – 10:42 am

We’re back from our eight-day visit to Rome. Glad to see the U.S. still standing. Did I miss anything?

By Malcolm | Posted in General | Comments (3)

You’ve Got Nobody But Yourselves To Blame

November 8, 2024 – 10:44 am

Dear Democrats, Four years ago, you took the keys to the family car. Did you drive it with care and respect? No. You got high as a kite and took it for a crazy, reckless joyride, without any consideration for the damage you were causing. From bumper to bumper – border security, immigration, foreign policy, […]

By Malcolm | Posted in General | Comments (7)

Service Notice

November 5, 2024 – 5:46 pm

Tomorrow, just as the reverberations of today’s election begin to ripple around the globe, the lovely Nina and I are heading off to the Eternal City for a long-postponed visit. I might find time to post something or other, but if not, I should be back in harness here in about ten days. (As for […]

By Malcolm | Posted in General | Comments (4)

Playing With Matches

November 3, 2024 – 6:41 pm

By now you’ve probably heard about the sad end of P’Nut the Squirrel, who, during his brief time on Earth, lived in happy and playful companionship with a fellow named Mark Longo (who had rescued the wee rodent after its mother had been squashed by a car). As their relationship blossomed, Mr. Longo had made […]

By Malcolm | Posted in Society and Culture, Politics | Comments (13)