Motus Mentis

7 Comments

1. Adam says

   I’ve spent my career on the hardware side of electrical engineering with average-at-best programming skills and I can confirm the modelling tool is horrific.

   I base that claim on the simple lack of repeatability cited by the reviewer at the link.

   Any modelling tool that, given the same data inputs and variable weights, fails to generate consistent results is no tool at all.

   Such a situation is the equivalent of attempting to build a castle upon quicksand.

   Everyone involved with the development, promotion, and use of this junk code has blood on their hands.

   Posted May 7, 2020 at 6:12 pm | Permalink
2. Malcolm says

   Adam,

   Indeed. And I am not forming a very favorable impression of that Neil Ferguson fellow, I have to say. Not much there to love.

   Posted May 7, 2020 at 6:54 pm | Permalink
3. susan says

   So interesting! Thanks very much for posting

   Posted May 8, 2020 at 12:28 am | Permalink
4. Adam says

   I would only add that Mr. Ferguson’s record of hysteric predictions and utterly hypocritical violation of the lockdown tell us everything we need to know about his quality.

   There are many guilty parties in this global disaster. I pray they are brought to justice on this side or the other.

   Posted May 8, 2020 at 1:43 am | Permalink
5. Patrick Brehon says

   You’re missing the point Sir: it worked. Modelling and MMT shut down the West, well that part of the West that was engaged in populist revolt against the ruling class. If you can’t remove the upstart tribunes of the uppity plebes by impeachment, scandal or election you can impoverish and imprison their voters. That’s done.
   The Fronde is over.

   This is all that happened; ruthlessness meet opportunity and ruthless won.

   Credulous populations trusting in ‘Science’ were beaten into bankruptcy, begging and Gulag from home. The model worked, and worked magnificently.

   American elites are several trillion dollars richer, the upstart voters especially small businessmen are broken and tamed- and polishing their begging bowls.

   We just transformed into a palace economy, where the palace’s money and fount of all wealth is MMT [Modern Monetary Theory; you can create as much money as you need].

   There are 3 dangers and 3 wins for the elites from MMT: 1] MMT works and we transform into a centrallly controlled economy where all actual wealth including the precious 401K’s/Bunds come from the palace.

   2] MMT collapses the money supply, in which case if you want to eat you’ll take the government chit – or starve.

   3] MMT both works for the elites in that they’ll have whatever is real wealth, controlled by the palace ala Fed, DC and fails for the people who are holding worthless COVID dollars – but will have to beg with their polished and very, very Blue tinted begging bowls to eat. Beggars don’t make revolutions. Middle class people with everything to lose and much to gain risk revolution. The rest is romantic nonsense, the political equivalent of bodice rippers ala 50 shades of Grey. We’re into shades of Blue- all great and small must play Blue to eat.

   They’ve essentialy wrapped up the economy and ended the Fronde du Trump in one fell swoop, while simply wielding draconian police powers without the pronouncements of Dracos. That is power wielded in the raw – really the best kind. Legitimacy is a middle class affectation, an indulgence really. Legitimacy isn’t necessary when you have the power of bread, peace and force all in one.

   Thanks to “!Science!” and modeling total victory has been accomplished.

   Posted May 9, 2020 at 10:04 am | Permalink
6. Malcolm says

   PB,

   I haven’t “missed” the point – we all understand that this virus is a proxy, or perhaps we should say a weapon – in a bitter cultural and political war.

   That wasn’t, however, the point of this post.

   As for whether “victory has been accomplished”, we are still deep in the fog of war. Yes, this has been a painful setback — but there is no reason to surrender.

   Posted May 9, 2020 at 11:54 am | Permalink
7. MikeZ says

   I’m torn between “Holy Shit!” and “Yikes!” on this one.

   – M (still writing software for a living)

   Posted May 10, 2020 at 12:39 pm | Permalink