discoveryinstitute--2020-03-25--Was the COVID-19 Virus Designed? The Computer Doesn’t Know

The world is awash with news and information on 2019-nCoV ( also called SARS-CoV-2 , or HCoV-19 ) , the coronavirus responsible for the dreaded COVID-19 , disease .
Amid the wave , I read an open-access paper from Nature Medicine on the question of whether this virus was , as the paper states , “ the product of purposeful manipulation.
” In other words , was this virus designed by a human agent ?
The authors discuss the part of the Coronavirus that attaches with very high affinity ( very easily ) to human ACE2 receptors .
They point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use for predicting protein affinity would not have predicted this result .
Therefore , they concludes , this part must have been the result of natural selection and not of design .
I am not a microbiologist , and can not judge the methodology used to analyze questions of whether or not natural selection is capable of producing the high-affinity attachment points for human ACE2 receptors .
So , for present purposes , I will simply take the paper ’ s conclusions as fact .
Where I do have experience , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The intelligent design community has spent quite a bit of time and effort examining the proper logical basis for a design inference .
Unfortunately , most of the scientific community has missed the important lessons in design detection that can help them analyze the evidence for and against design in a more rigorous way .
The paper errs in a number of basic ways .
First , the authors made the common mistake of assuming that ruling out one specific mechanism of design necessarily means that they have ruled out all possibilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only design process considered was a computer analysis of likely binding targets and genetic engineering of the needed proteins , using software common in the United States .
The authors did succeed in showing that that particular design hypothesis was false .
Where they failed is when they generalized this result to all possible design hypotheses .
Put another way , a human agent is not obligated to use the method they described and falsified .
This problem is not unique to them ; it is a bad habit of the scientific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When constructing science experiments , you define a “ null hypothesis ” such that proving your null hypothesis false provides evidence for your actual hypothesis .
However , this method relies on the null hypothesis being close to a complement of ( similar in structure to to ) the hypothesis being tested .
Thus , the truth of the hypothesis you are testing should be at least largely entailed by the falsification of the null hypothesis .
Here is an example : If I wanted to test the hypothesis “ water has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ null hypothesis , “ water has no weight , ” and then show that this hypothesis is false .
The two propositions “ water has weight ” and “ water has no weight ” are natural complements of each other .
When it comes to design , however , scientists have a bad habit of constructing null hypotheses which are decidedly not complements of the hypothesis they are trying to test .
In this case , they set up one possible mode of design and tested it .
They presumed that their other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was logically entailed by their refutation of a particular design scenario .
However , that isn ’ t the case .
If you need a practical example in this siutation , let me outline a few : ● A researcher could have access to an improved system for determining protein binding which is not publicly available ( and therefore the authors of the paper are not aware of it ) .
● A researcher could use directed selection .
Determining a sequence ahead of time and inserting it is not the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are made by random edits which are then screened .
This method does not depend on any pre-determined model of protein interaction because the binding is determined experimentally , by trying out various models and choosing the one that works best .
● A researcher could use natural selection as a tool of design .
The researcher would intentionally put humans in close proximity with animals with coronaviruses and wait until a mutation occurred which was selected for in a human so that the human gets the disease .
I have no reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened .
But they are possible and the paper did not address any of them .
This is why their logic of design inference—it would only be design if a computer model favored it— was faulty when they ruled out design .
In fact , as the ID community has noted , in general , total exclusion of design is not possible .
That fact is simply a natural outcome of the logic of design .
A thing could be designed to “ look natural.
” The best we can do is establish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an inference to design .
That is decidedly not the same thing as evidence against design .
The reason for this is simple : Designing agents have powers not present in the “ natural ” world but they are also free to utilize anything that is present in the natural world .
Therefore , the powers of agents form a superset of the powers of the natural world .
Wind and dirt can ’ t do calculus but calculus professors certainly can blow dirt around .
So , what should the paper have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have investigated one particular design scenario and found it to be invalid.
” The paper could have said that , “ based on these results , we don ’ t find any justification for inferring design.
” That ’ s certainly a valid statement .
They err when they confuse failing to infer design with ruling out design .
The two simply aren ’ t equivalent , and the ID movement has considerable research showing why that is the case .
Perhaps if the authors , editors , or reviewers were aware of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mistakes would not be made .
We will never go back to the pre-COVID-19 workplace The virus forced us to realize : Staying together apart has never been so easy COVID-19 : Do quarantine rules apply to mega-geniuses ?
How did Elon Musk , who has a cozy relationship with China , get his upscale car factory classified as an essential business during the pandemic ?
If we are going to hold some people up as business icons , why should it be those who—in the present COVID-19 troubles — have relations with @ @ @ @ @ @

The world is awash with news and information on 2019-nCoV (also called SARS-CoV-2, or HCoV-19), the coronavirus responsible for the dreaded COVID-19, disease. Amid the wave, I read an open-access paper from Nature Medicine on the question of whether this virus was, as the paper states, “the product of purposeful manipulation.” In other words, was this virus designed by a human agent?
The authors discuss the part of the Coronavirus that attaches with very high affinity (very easily) to human ACE2 receptors. They point out that the current software that we use for predicting protein affinity would not have predicted this result. Therefore, they concludes, this part must have been the result of natural selection and not of design.
I am not a microbiologist, and cannot judge the methodology used to analyze questions of whether or not natural selection is capable of producing the high-affinity attachment points for human ACE2 receptors. So, for present purposes, I will simply take the paper’s conclusions as fact. Where I do have experience, however, is in the logic of design inferences.
The intelligent design community has spent quite a bit of time and effort examining the proper logical basis for a design inference. Unfortunately, most of the scientific community has missed the important lessons in design detection that can help them analyze the evidence for and against design in a more rigorous way.
The paper errs in a number of basic ways. First, the authors made the common mistake of assuming that ruling out one specific mechanism of design necessarily means that they have ruled out all possibilities of design. In this paper, the only design process considered was a computer analysis of likely binding targets and genetic engineering of the needed proteins, using software common in the United States. The authors did succeed in showing that that particular design hypothesis was false. Where they failed is when they generalized this result to all possible design hypotheses. Put another way, a human agent is not obligated to use the method they described and falsified.
This problem is not unique to them; it is a bad habit of the scientific community which stretches back into the 1800s. When constructing science experiments, you define a “null hypothesis” such that proving your null hypothesis false provides evidence for your actual hypothesis. However, this method relies on the null hypothesis being close to a complement of (similar in structure to to) the hypothesis being tested. Thus, the truth of the hypothesis you are testing should be at least largely entailed by the falsification of the null hypothesis.
Here is an example: If I wanted to test the hypothesis “water has weight,” I would establish the null hypothesis, “water has no weight,” and then show that this hypothesis is false. The two propositions “water has weight” and “water has no weight” are natural complements of each other.
When it comes to design, however, scientists have a bad habit of constructing null hypotheses which are decidedly not complements of the hypothesis they are trying to test. In this case, they set up one possible mode of design and tested it. They presumed that their other hypothesis, that there was no design, was logically entailed by their refutation of a particular design scenario. However, that isn’t the case.
If you need a practical example in this siutation, let me outline a few:
● A researcher could have access to an improved system for determining protein binding which is not publicly available (and therefore the authors of the paper are not aware of it).
● A researcher could use directed selection. Determining a sequence ahead of time and inserting it is not the only way to build proteins. Many proteins are made by random edits which are then screened. This method does not depend on any pre-determined model of protein interaction because the binding is determined experimentally, by trying out various models and choosing the one that works best.
● A researcher could use natural selection as a tool of design. The researcher would intentionally put humans in close proximity with animals with coronaviruses and wait until a mutation occurred which was selected for in a human so that the human gets the disease.
I have no reason to believe that any of these things happened. But they are possible and the paper did not address any of them. This is why their logic of design inference—it would only be design if a computer model favored it— was faulty when they ruled out design.
In fact, as the ID community has noted, in general, total exclusion of design is not possible. That fact is simply a natural outcome of the logic of design. A thing could be designed to “look natural.” The best we can do is establish that there is no evidence to justify an inference to design. That is decidedly not the same thing as evidence against design.
The reason for this is simple: Designing agents have powers not present in the “natural” world but they are also free to utilize anything that is present in the natural world. Therefore, the powers of agents form a superset of the powers of the natural world. Wind and dirt can’t do calculus but calculus professors certainly can blow dirt around.
So, what should the paper have said? How about: “We have investigated one particular design scenario and found it to be invalid.” The paper could have said that, “based on these results, we don’t find any justification for inferring design.” That’s certainly a valid statement. They err when they confuse failing to infer design with ruling out design. The two simply aren’t equivalent, and the ID movement has considerable research showing why that is the case. Perhaps if the authors, editors, or reviewers were aware of what ID theorists actually say, such mistakes would not be made.
Also by Jonathan Bartlett:
We will never go back to the pre-COVID-19 workplace The virus forced us to realize: Staying together apart has never been so easy
and
COVID-19: Do quarantine rules apply to mega-geniuses? How did Elon Musk, who has a cozy relationship with China, get his upscale car factory classified as an essential business during the pandemic? If we are going to hold some people up as business icons, why should it be those who—in the present COVID-19 troubles — have relations with China that necessarily raise questions.


discoveryinstitute--2020-03-23--Equity Concerns for Education Access During COVID-19 Closures

Clearly , closing school doors can bring both positive and negative results .
The obvious positive : closing may slow the peak of the spreading virus .
However , the CDC reports that 19-year-olds and younger appear to have milder COVID-19 illness , with almost no hospitalizations or deaths reported to date in the United States in this age group .
However , the fear is that they can still carry and spread the virus .
On the flip side , for a large number of children , the best place for them to be is actually in school .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ children may lack access to educational materials or even meals at home .
And what is to limit children from contacting others when they ’ re away from school ?
Beyond the basic public health risks that vulnerable students face when schools close , the bigger worry that has school leaders scrambling right now is equity .
In Washington state some schools are exploring online learning .
But that raises some equity questions : Do all students have computers at home ?
Do they have Wi-Fi ?
What about suitable support for students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience even be successful ?
This leads to another question .
If some kids do not have access to online learning , should public schools make up the lost school days ?
If so , should those who pursuing tech-based learning be exempted ?
At this point , I would argue families who can afford online learning programs should pursue them—with supervision .
For those families that do not have the same opportunity , perhaps the schools ( maybe through contracted education companies ) , could provide paper-based learning with access to teachers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may require the schools to provide computers and Wi-Fi access to needy students .
In the end , we all want our children to be able to stay on top of their learning and to avoid the rest of the school year falling by the wayside .
Let ’ s hope that there is a cure for the coronavirus sooner rather than later and children will be back to school .

Clearly, closing school doors can bring both positive and negative results. The obvious positive: closing may slow the peak of the spreading virus. However, the CDC reports that 19-year-olds and younger appear to have milder COVID-19 illness, with almost no hospitalizations or deaths reported to date in the United States in this age group. However, the fear is that they can still carry and spread the virus.
On the flip side, for a large number of children, the best place for them to be is actually in school. Many parents remain working, and some children may lack access to educational materials or even meals at home. And what is to limit children from contacting others when they’re away from school?
Beyond the basic public health risks that vulnerable students face when schools close, the bigger worry that has school leaders scrambling right now is equity.
In Washington state some schools are exploring online learning. But that raises some equity questions: Do all students have computers at home? Do they have Wi-Fi? What about suitable support for students with disabilities? Will the online learning experience even be successful?
This leads to another question. If some kids do not have access to online learning, should public schools make up the lost school days? If so, should those who pursuing tech-based learning be exempted?
At this point, I would argue families who can afford online learning programs should pursue them—with supervision. For those families that do not have the same opportunity, perhaps the schools (maybe through contracted education companies), could provide paper-based learning with access to teachers over the phone or email. This may require the schools to provide computers and Wi-Fi access to needy students.
In the end, we all want our children to be able to stay on top of their learning and to avoid the rest of the school year falling by the wayside. Let’s hope that there is a cure for the coronavirus sooner rather than later and children will be back to school.


discoveryinstitute--2020-03-21--Living Amid a Pandemic

Living Amid a Pandemic

It ’ s been a blissfully sunny week in Seattle — the kind of week Seattleites pine for after their gray and soggy winters .
The official start of spring isn ’ t until today , but the cherry blossoms have already been out for a long time .
Of course , it doesn ’ t really matter this year .
The crowds have been told to stay away from the cherry trees — and from everything else , for that matter .
The arrival of spring in 2020 isn ’ t bringing hope and a sense of new life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Churches are shuttered to the public .
So are restaurants ( except for takeout ) .
So are movie theaters , barbershops , and gyms .
Grocery stores are still open , but their shelves are increasingly bare — not just of hand sanitizer and toilet paper ( those vanished days ago ) — but now of bleach , paper towels , and even meat and poultry .
Businesses struggle to operate .
Each new day brings increasingly draconian ( not to mention conflicting and confusing ) orders issued by multiple layers of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acting in our best interests in the name of science .
The occasional tone-deafness of the bureaucrats might be amusing in a novel .
The CDC website patiently instructs people about how they can create their own disinfectant with bleach or rubbing alcohol .
It would be more helpful if the CDC explained how to actually acquire either liquid — since neither is readily available in stores .
Meanwhile , the current pandemic has further exposed the most obnoxious features of the American news media .
On the one hand , media outlets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doomsday coverage .
On the other hand , when ordinary people actually take the doomsday coverage seriously , those same media outlets chide them for acting as if the doomsday reporting is correct and rushing to stores to stock up on disinfectants and food .
The tendency during any crisis is to become all-consumed by it .
That was true after 9/11 , and it is true now .
Obviously , if you are dealing with the illness of a loved one with COVID-19 , there is good reason to be consumed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ destruction or have lost your job because of government-imposed shutdowns — shutdowns that may well be called for , but are nevertheless ruinous to many and even corrosive of a free society in some cases .
As the outbreak continues to unfold , it may get harder and harder to focus on anything besides the pandemic .
Nevertheless , we should resist the temptation to let it dominate our lives .
Anglo-Irish writer C.S .
Lewis ( 1898-1963 ) was no stranger to fears wrought by pandemics .
During his childhood in Belfast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million people a year in Europe died from tuberculosis ( TB ) , making it “ one of the most feared diseases in the world.
” In Ireland itself , more than 11,000 people a year died from TB , many of them young people .
In fact , among youths aged 15 to 25 , a terrifying 55.4 percent of all deaths in Belfast were due to TB .
Years later , Lewis ’ s brother Warren still recalled the fear that permeated every upper middle class home in Belfast , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection .
His parents were especially concerned about allowing their sons to be exposed to the rain and damp , worrying that TB might develop as a result .
Then , as now , isolation reigned as a chief strategy for protection .
The Lewis brothers were quarantined inside their home whenever it rained — which , given the weather in Ireland , meant their confinement often seemed endless .
They were ordered inside at the first drops of rain , and then penned inside their nursery , with a gate put across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get out .
“ We spent an extraordinary amount of our time shut up indoors , ” remembered Warren .
“ We would gaze out of our nursery window at the slanting rain and the grey skies , and there , beyond a mile or so of sodden meadow , we would see the dim high line of the Castlereagh Hills — our world ’ s limit , a distant land , strange and unattainable.
” ( W.H .
Lewis , “ Memoir of C.S .
Lewis , ” published in Letters of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two active children to tolerate , the confinement was not wasted .
Indeed , according to Warren Lewis , it bequeathed a long-term legacy : [ T ] his recurring imprisonment gave us occasion and stimulus to develop the habit of creative imagination .
We learnt to draw : my brother made his first attempts at writing : together we devised the imaginary country of “ Boxen , ” which proliferated hugely and became our solace and joy for many years to come .
And so , in circumstances that might have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s gifts began to develop ; and it may not be fanciful to see , in that childhood staring out to unattainable hills , some first beginnings of a vision and viewpoint that ran through the work of his maturity .
There are other terrors beside pandemics , of course , and C.S .
Lewis experienced some of them as well .
Like many young men of his era , he served — and was wounded — on the hellish front lines of World War I .
Two decades later , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world war — this time against Hitler ’ s Germany .
As the Nazis swept over Europe and the grim new reality began to set in , many likely wondered what the use of learning was at a time like that .
Shouldn ’ t everyone focus instead on the war effort 24/7 ?
A few weeks after the war started , Lewis sought to answer this question in a sermon that was later published as “ Learning in War-Time.
” His advice seems eerily applicable to our own situation , just substitute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : I think it important to try to see the present calamity in a true perspective .
The war creates no absolutely new situation ; it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it .
Human life has always been lived on the edge of a precipice .
Human culture has always had to exist under the shadow of something infinitely more important than itself .
If men had postponed the search for knowledge and beauty until they were secure , the search would never have begun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war with “ normal life.
” Life has never been normal .
Even those periods which we think most tranquil , like the nineteenth century , turn out , on closer inspection , to be full of crises , alarms , difficulties , emergencies .
Plausible reasons have never been lacking for putting off all merely cultural activities until some imminent danger has been averted or some crying injustice put right .
But humanity long ago chose to neglect those plausible reasons .
They wanted knowledge and beauty now , and would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes .
C.S .
Lewis , “ Learning in War-Time , ” in The Weight of Glory In coming days , you and your loved ones may struggle with fear and anxiety and worry .
You may also find yourselves with more time on your hands than you know what to do with .
Make the most of the opportunity .
Learn a new skill .
Read good books .
Watch inspiring films .
Reconnect with your family by having discussions about things that matter .
Above all , remember the wise admonition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men had postponed the search for knowledge and beauty until they were secure , the search would never have begun.
” Author ’ s note : The description of Warren Lewis ’ s recollections about the fear of TB in the Lewis household is based on unpublished passages in W.H .
Lewis , “ C.S Lewis : A Biography , ” a manuscript on deposit at the Marion Wade Center , Wheaton College .

“Human life has always been lived on the edge of a precipice.” C.S. Lewis
It’s been a blissfully sunny week in Seattle — the kind of week Seattleites pine for after their gray and soggy winters. The official start of spring isn’t until today, but the cherry blossoms have already been out for a long time.
Of course, it doesn’t really matter this year.
The crowds have been told to stay away from the cherry trees — and from everything else, for that matter. The arrival of spring in 2020 isn’t bringing hope and a sense of new life. It’s bringing fear.
Draconian and Confusing
Churches are shuttered to the public. So are restaurants (except for takeout). So are movie theaters, barbershops, and gyms. Grocery stores are still open, but their shelves are increasingly bare — not just of hand sanitizer and toilet paper (those vanished days ago) — but now of bleach, paper towels, and even meat and poultry. Businesses struggle to operate. Each new day brings increasingly draconian (not to mention conflicting and confusing) orders issued by multiple layers of bureaucracy — all assuring us they are acting in our best interests in the name of science. The occasional tone-deafness of the bureaucrats might be amusing in a novel. The CDC website patiently instructs people about how they can create their own disinfectant with bleach or rubbing alcohol. It would be more helpful if the CDC explained how to actually acquire either liquid — since neither is readily available in stores.
Meanwhile, the current pandemic has further exposed the most obnoxious features of the American news media. On the one hand, media outlets fan the flames of fear with their doomsday coverage. On the other hand, when ordinary people actually take the doomsday coverage seriously, those same media outlets chide them for acting as if the doomsday reporting is correct and rushing to stores to stock up on disinfectants and food.
The tendency during any crisis is to become all-consumed by it. That was true after 9/11, and it is true now. Obviously, if you are dealing with the illness of a loved one with COVID-19, there is good reason to be consumed. So too if you are facing financial destruction or have lost your job because of government-imposed shutdowns — shutdowns that may well be called for, but are nevertheless ruinous to many and even corrosive of a free society in some cases.
Resisting a Temptation to Obsess
As the outbreak continues to unfold, it may get harder and harder to focus on anything besides the pandemic. Nevertheless, we should resist the temptation to let it dominate our lives.
Anglo-Irish writer C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) was no stranger to fears wrought by pandemics. During his childhood in Belfast, Northern Ireland, more than a million people a year in Europe died from tuberculosis (TB), making it “one of the most feared diseases in the world.” In Ireland itself, more than 11,000 people a year died from TB, many of them young people. In fact, among youths aged 15 to 25, a terrifying 55.4 percent of all deaths in Belfast were due to TB. Years later, Lewis’s brother Warren still recalled the fear that permeated every upper middle class home in Belfast, and the elaborate measures people took to prevent infection. His parents were especially concerned about allowing their sons to be exposed to the rain and damp, worrying that TB might develop as a result.
Then, as now, isolation reigned as a chief strategy for protection. The Lewis brothers were quarantined inside their home whenever it rained — which, given the weather in Ireland, meant their confinement often seemed endless. They were ordered inside at the first drops of rain, and then penned inside their nursery, with a gate put across the door so they couldn’t get out. “We spent an extraordinary amount of our time shut up indoors,” remembered Warren. “We would gaze out of our nursery window at the slanting rain and the grey skies, and there, beyond a mile or so of sodden meadow, we would see the dim high line of the Castlereagh Hills — our world’s limit, a distant land, strange and unattainable.” (W.H. Lewis, “Memoir of C.S. Lewis,” published in Letters of C.S. Lewis)
Legacy of a Confinement
Although difficult for two active children to tolerate, the confinement was not wasted. Indeed, according to Warren Lewis, it bequeathed a long-term legacy:
[T]his recurring imprisonment gave us occasion and stimulus to develop the habit of creative imagination. We learnt to draw: my brother made his first attempts at writing: together we devised the imaginary country of “Boxen,” which proliferated hugely and became our solace and joy for many years to come. And so, in circumstances that might have been merely dull and depressing, my brother’s gifts began to develop; and it may not be fanciful to see, in that childhood staring out to unattainable hills, some first beginnings of a vision and viewpoint that ran through the work of his maturity. W.H. Lewis, “Memoir of C.S. Lewis”
There are other terrors beside pandemics, of course, and C.S. Lewis experienced some of them as well. Like many young men of his era, he served — and was wounded — on the hellish front lines of World War I. Two decades later, as an Oxford academic, he faced another world war — this time against Hitler’s Germany.
As the Nazis swept over Europe and the grim new reality began to set in, many likely wondered what the use of learning was at a time like that. Shouldn’t everyone focus instead on the war effort 24/7? A few weeks after the war started, Lewis sought to answer this question in a sermon that was later published as “Learning in War-Time.”
Substitute “Pandemic” for “War”
His advice seems eerily applicable to our own situation, just substitute “pandemic” for “war”:
I think it important to try to see the present calamity in a true perspective. The war creates no absolutely new situation; it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has always been lived on the edge of a precipice. Human culture has always had to exist under the shadow of something infinitely more important than itself. If men had postponed the search for knowledge and beauty until they were secure, the search would never have begun. We are mistaken when we compare war with “normal life.” Life has never been normal. Even those periods which we think most tranquil, like the nineteenth century, turn out, on closer inspection, to be full of crises, alarms, difficulties, emergencies. Plausible reasons have never been lacking for putting off all merely cultural activities until some imminent danger has been averted or some crying injustice put right. But humanity long ago chose to neglect those plausible reasons. They wanted knowledge and beauty now, and would not wait for the suitable moment that never comes. C.S. Lewis, “Learning in War-Time,” in The Weight of Glory
In coming days, you and your loved ones may struggle with fear and anxiety and worry. You may also find yourselves with more time on your hands than you know what to do with.
Make the most of the opportunity.
Learn a new skill. Read good books. Watch inspiring films. Reconnect with your family by having discussions about things that matter.
Above all, remember the wise admonition of C.S. Lewis: “If men had postponed the search for knowledge and beauty until they were secure, the search would never have begun.”
Author’s note: The description of Warren Lewis’s recollections about the fear of TB in the Lewis household is based on unpublished passages in W.H. Lewis, “C.S Lewis: A Biography,” a manuscript on deposit at the Marion Wade Center, Wheaton College.


discoveryinstitute--2020-04-16--Is Space Travel Our Destiny?

Is Space Travel Our Destiny?

A few days ago I published the paper “ The Solar System : Favored for Space Travel ” in the journal BIO-Complexity .
I thought it would be helpful for me to give a short summary of the paper to Evolution News readers .
I was motivated to do the study after two papers were published in 2018 on the difficulty of launching rockets from super-earths .
Super-earths are the most common type of planet that are being discovered around exoplanets .
They are somewhat loosely defined as being larger and more massive than Earth but smaller and less massive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , super-earths seem to transition from rocky to gas-dominated composition above 1.5 times the size of Earth .
Together , the two studies not only showed that it is more difficult to launch rockets from super-earths , but it is also more difficult to launch interstellar missions from stars less massive than ours .
One of the authors , astronomer Mike Hippke , wrote : Notice their choice of words : “ surprised , ” “ lucky , ” and “ fortunate coincidence.
” The authors of the papers made use of simple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from planets and their host stars to arrive at their conclusions .
The starting point is the Tsiolkovsky equation .
The inescapable conclusion is that as you increase a planet ’ s surface gravity , an increasingly larger fraction of the rocket ’ s mass is propellant .
In fact , the propellant mass fraction rises exponentially with the planet ’ s mass .
But , it ’ s even worse than Hippke and Loeb concluded .
The atmosphere makes it harder to launch rockets in two ways .
First , it creates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Second , the higher pressure at the surface of a super-earth reduces the effective thrust of a rocket .
It gets still worse , since super-earths should have thicker atmospheres than Earth .
And , if you expect to return astronauts to the planet , you ’ ll have to deal with the greater heat generated on reentry .
Those super-earths with substantial hydrogen in their atmospheres ( probably a substantial fraction ) will make it even harder on our wannabe space explorers .
Since hydrogen is a lightweight molecule , the atmosphere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it has a larger scale-height ) .
This would require a rocket to travel much farther from the planet before the air drag became negligible ; the overall air drag would be greater .
We shouldn ’ t overlook the basic raw materials for building rockets .
Earth is well-endowed with abundant minable metal ores and fossil fuels .
What ’ s more one of the best rocket propellants , hydrogen , is easily extracted from water , as is one of the best oxidizers , oxygen ( which can also be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that next time you take a drink of water .
Once you leave a planet , you can begin to consider further adventures .
As Loeb noted , launching an interstellar probe from the habitable zone of a low mass star , a red dwarf , is more difficult .
“ Gravity assists ” from massive planets in a system help , but red dwarfs rarely have giant planets like Jupiter .
What ’ s more , if you ’ re going to build a large interstellar ship , the raw materials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essential ingredient .
An asteroid belt is not a given in a planetary system .
Once you depart your home system , there are two main challenges to interstellar travel : distance and dust .
The typical spacing between stars in the solar neighborhood is several light-years .
The nearest star other than the Sun is Proxima Centauri , at 4.22 light-years .
This means it would take us 4.22 years to travel to Proxima Centauri if we were traveling at the speed of light .
But , when you are traveling to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ material .
Most of it is in the form of tiny dust grains smaller than 0.1 micron .
Dust impacting a spaceship traveling at high speed can cause a lot of damage .
You can compensate for it by taking into account some amount of eroded spaceship mass in its design , but that increases the required initial mass .
Best to minimize the interstellar dust encountered on the voyage .
The density of stars and the abundance of interstellar dust vary greatly depending on your home address in the Milky Way Galaxy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low dust region of the Milky Way , but we are in a “ dust hole.
” As the Solar System bobs up and down relative to the flat disk as it orbits about the center of the Milky Way .
Sometimes we are a little closer to the center .
Right now we are closest to the center in our ~220 million year orbit , and we are also close to the mid-plane of the disk .
This means the Sun is currently passing through the densest region of stars in its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There is no better time to set off on our first interstellar mission !
What should we make of this ?
Should we be surprised that the Earth and the Solar System seem to be better than most other locations for space travel ?
We certainly don ’ t need to do space travel to survive .
Our ancestors weren ’ t space-faring folk .
Why didn ’ t we find ourselves living on one of the much more common planetary systems where space exploration is more difficult ?
If you subscribe to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes perfect sense .
It follows the same pattern — the cosmos is designed for discovery .
We were meant to do science and explore the cosmos .
Image : Proxima Centauri and Proxima Centauri b ( artist ’ s imagining ) , by ESO/M .
Kornmesser / CC BY .

A few days ago I published the paper “The Solar System: Favored for Space Travel” in the journal BIO-Complexity. I thought it would be helpful for me to give a short summary of the paper to Evolution News readers.
I was motivated to do the study after two papers were published in 2018 on the difficulty of launching rockets from super-earths. Super-earths are the most common type of planet that are being discovered around exoplanets. They are somewhat loosely defined as being larger and more massive than Earth but smaller and less massive than Uranus or Neptune. From observations, super-earths seem to transition from rocky to gas-dominated composition above 1.5 times the size of Earth.
Two Studies
Together, the two studies not only showed that it is more difficult to launch rockets from super-earths, but it is also more difficult to launch interstellar missions from stars less massive than ours. One of the authors, astronomer Mike Hippke, wrote:
I am surprised to see how close we as humans are to end up on a planet which is still reasonably lightweight to conduct space flight. Other civilizations, if they exist, might not be as lucky. On more massive planets, space flight would be exponentially more expensive. Such civilizations would not have satellite TV, a moon mission, or a Hubble Space Telescope.
Another author, Harvard astronomer Abraham Loeb, noted:
Chemical propulsion requires a fuel mass that grows exponentially with terminal speed. By a fortunate coincidence the escape speed from the orbit of the Earth around the Sun is at the limit of attainable speed by chemical rockets. But the habitable zone around fainter stars is closer in, making it much more challenging for chemical rockets to escape from the deeper gravitational pit there.
A Choice of Words
Notice their choice of words: “surprised,” “lucky,” and “fortunate coincidence.” The authors of the papers made use of simple equations relating rocket propulsion and gravitational forces from planets and their host stars to arrive at their conclusions. The starting point is the Tsiolkovsky equation. The inescapable conclusion is that as you increase a planet’s surface gravity, an increasingly larger fraction of the rocket’s mass is propellant. In fact, the propellant mass fraction rises exponentially with the planet’s mass.
But, it’s even worse than Hippke and Loeb concluded. The atmosphere makes it harder to launch rockets in two ways. First, it creates a drag force on the rocket. Second, the higher pressure at the surface of a super-earth reduces the effective thrust of a rocket. It gets still worse, since super-earths should have thicker atmospheres than Earth. And, if you expect to return astronauts to the planet, you’ll have to deal with the greater heat generated on reentry.
Those super-earths with substantial hydrogen in their atmospheres (probably a substantial fraction) will make it even harder on our wannabe space explorers. Since hydrogen is a lightweight molecule, the atmosphere will be much more puffy (technically, it has a larger scale-height). This would require a rocket to travel much farther from the planet before the air drag became negligible; the overall air drag would be greater.
Basic Raw Materials
We shouldn’t overlook the basic raw materials for building rockets. Earth is well-endowed with abundant minable metal ores and fossil fuels. What’s more one of the best rocket propellants, hydrogen, is easily extracted from water, as is one of the best oxidizers, oxygen (which can also be obtained from the atmosphere). Think of that next time you take a drink of water.
Once you leave a planet, you can begin to consider further adventures. As Loeb noted, launching an interstellar probe from the habitable zone of a low mass star, a red dwarf, is more difficult. “Gravity assists” from massive planets in a system help, but red dwarfs rarely have giant planets like Jupiter. What’s more, if you’re going to build a large interstellar ship, the raw materials available in an asteroid belt are an essential ingredient. An asteroid belt is not a given in a planetary system.
Distance and Dust
Once you depart your home system, there are two main challenges to interstellar travel: distance and dust. The typical spacing between stars in the solar neighborhood is several light-years. The nearest star other than the Sun is Proxima Centauri, at 4.22 light-years. This means it would take us 4.22 years to travel to Proxima Centauri if we were traveling at the speed of light.
But, when you are traveling to other stars you invariably run into solid material. Most of it is in the form of tiny dust grains smaller than 0.1 micron. Dust impacting a spaceship traveling at high speed can cause a lot of damage. You can compensate for it by taking into account some amount of eroded spaceship mass in its design, but that increases the required initial mass. Best to minimize the interstellar dust encountered on the voyage.
The density of stars and the abundance of interstellar dust vary greatly depending on your home address in the Milky Way Galaxy. We not only reside in a low dust region of the Milky Way, but we are in a “dust hole.” As the Solar System bobs up and down relative to the flat disk as it orbits about the center of the Milky Way, sometimes we are a little closer to the center. Right now we are closest to the center in our ~220 million year orbit, and we are also close to the mid-plane of the disk. This means the Sun is currently passing through the densest region of stars in its entire orbit through the Milky Way. There is no better time to set off on our first interstellar mission!
What should we make of this? Should we be surprised that the Earth and the Solar System seem to be better than most other locations for space travel? We certainly don’t need to do space travel to survive. Our ancestors weren’t space-faring folk. Why didn’t we find ourselves living on one of the much more common planetary systems where space exploration is more difficult? If you subscribe to The Privileged Planet thesis, then it makes perfect sense. It follows the same pattern — the cosmos is designed for discovery. We were meant to do science and explore the cosmos.
Image: Proxima Centauri and Proxima Centauri b (artist’s imagining), by ESO/M. Kornmesser / CC BY.


discoveryinstitute--2020-04-15--An Empirical Argument for Intelligent Design

Professor Michael Behe invites us to review the sweep of his argument for intelligent design , as he has presented @ @ @ @ @ other publications , form Darwin ’ s Black Box to Darwin Devolves , from irreducible @ @ @ @ @ of Adaptive Evolution .
This is , from top to bottom , an empirical argument @ @ @ @ @ .
It can only be fairly evaluated on empirical not religious grounds .

Professor Michael Behe invites us to review the sweep of his argument for intelligent design, as he has presented it in his books and other publications, form Darwin’s Black Box to Darwin Devolves, from irreducible complexity to the First Rule of Adaptive Evolution. This is, from top to bottom, an empirical argument, as he points out. It can only be fairly evaluated on empirical not religious grounds.


discoveryinstitute--2020-04-15--Stephen Meyer Investigates Scientific Evidence for Intelligent Design

For the first time , you can have living room access to over seven hours of teaching by intelligent design pioneer Stephen Meyer in a brand-new online course .
A favorite of students young and old ( er ) , Meyer will delight both as he explores the scientific evidence for intelligent design ( ID ) found in physics , cosmology , biology and the chemical origin of life .
Join Stephen as he investigates the scientific evidence for intelligent design in the origin of life , the development of biological complexity , and physics and cosmology .
In 42 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientific basis for the theory of intelligent design — the idea that key features of life and the universe are best explained as the product of an intelligent cause rather than an unguided process .
In this course , Meyer will guide you through the major concepts and information presented in his path breaking books Signature in the Cell and Darwin ’ s Doubt , as well as previewing some of the material about physics and cosmology in his book The Return of the God Hypothesis .
Each video lecture is accompanied by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digital certificate of completion is offered for those who finish the course .

For the first time, you can have living room access to over seven hours of teaching by intelligent design pioneer Stephen Meyer in a brand-new online course. A favorite of students young and old(er), Meyer will delight both as he explores the scientific evidence for intelligent design (ID) found in physics, cosmology, biology and the chemical origin of life.
Join Stephen as he investigates the scientific evidence for intelligent design in the origin of life, the development of biological complexity, and physics and cosmology. In 42 short video lectures, Meyer explores the scientific basis for the theory of intelligent design — the idea that key features of life and the universe are best explained as the product of an intelligent cause rather than an unguided process. In this course, Meyer will guide you through the major concepts and information presented in his path breaking books Signature in the Cell and Darwin’s Doubt, as well as previewing some of the material about physics and cosmology in his book The Return of the God Hypothesis. Each video lecture is accompanied by a short quiz, and a special digital certificate of completion is offered for those who finish the course.


discoveryinstitute--2020-04-17--The Jack Kevorkian Plague

The Jack Kevorkian Plague

Death is in the air .
No , I am not referring to the coronavirus .
The pathogen I mean is a cultural pandemic , the embrace of doctor-prescribed suicide and of administered homicide as acceptable responses to human suffering .
Let ’ s call it the “ Jack Kevorkian Plague , ” after the late pathologist who in the 1990s became world-famous by assisting the suicides of some 130 people .
Before Kevorkian , the euthanasia movement was mostly a fringe phenomenon .
After Kevorkian , although certainly not because of him alone , assisted suicide had been made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the American public accepted the practice .
Now , a mere 20 years later , lethal-injection euthanasia is legal and popular in Belgium , Canada , Colombia , Luxembourg , and the Netherlands .
Doctor-assisted suicide is legal in Germany , Switzerland , the Australian states of Victoria and Western Australia , and nine U.S. states and the District of Columbia .
Pressure to legalize euthanasia is increasing in Australia , France , India , Italy , New Zealand , Portugal , Spain , and the United Kingdom .
The media report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the limited prism of “ compassion.
” Kevorkian attempted to justify his campaign likewise .
But compassion was never his true motive .
As he wrote in his book Prescription Medicide : The Goodness of a Planned Death , “ Helping suffering or doomed persons kill themselves ” was “ merely the first step , an early distasteful obligation…that nobody in his right mind would savor.
” So , if it wasn ’ t about compassion , what was the real point ?
Kevorkian saw euthanasia as the perfect means to steer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indeed , his great insight was that once society embraced that “ distasteful first step , ” the sanctity-of-life ethic — which he disdained , seeing it as an irrational religious belief — would be obliterated , and the door would be opened to using the bodies of people who commit suicide as natural resources available for utilitarian purposes .
Kevorkian gave several examples of what he meant .
He thought that euthanasia clinics should be established that “ make the quantum leap of supplementing merciful killing with the enormously positive benefit of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he argued , if we are going to help people die , we might as well derive benefit from their deaths .
In 1998 he assisted the suicide of Joseph Tushkowski , a former police officer with quadriplegia .
After Tushkowski died , Kevorkian ripped out the man ’ s kidneys — the medical examiner called it “ a bizarre mutilation ” — and then at a press conference offered them to the public , “ first come , first served.
” Today , three countries —Belgium , Canada , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s idea to join euthanasia to organ harvesting , although they don ’ t do it in such a crude fashion .
Rather , suicidal persons go to the hospital to be killed , and immediately afterward their bodies are moved to a surgical suite for organ procurement .
Canada has gone so far down the road that organ-donation organizations are advised in advance so that suicidal persons can be solicited for their organs .
Kevorkian also advocated child euthanasia .
In 1988 , in an article in Medicine and Law , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as severe spina bifida , paraplegia , and hydrocephalus ” should be candidates for euthanasia ( and experimentation ) , provided that proper consent were given .
Today , under a bureaucratic euthanasia checklist known as the Groningen Protocol , the Netherlands permits , although it has not explicitly legalized , infanticide for conditions of the kind that Kevorkian referenced .
Netherlands law permits euthanasia more broadly for children twelve years of age and older .
In Belgium , there is no lower age limit for euthanasia .
According to official euthanasia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least three children in Belgium have been euthanized , including a nine-year-old .
Children in Canada can not be euthanized , but that restriction may soon be repealed .
Some pediatricians there have volunteered to euthanize minors once it becomes legal , perhaps even without parental consent , if the children are “ mature.
” Kevorkian believed that access to assisted suicide and euthanasia is a fundamental human right that should be available to any competent person wanting to die .
Canada ’ s Supreme Court has partially agreed .
In 2015 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistance in dying ( MAiD ) , ” as it is euphemistically called , for all competent patients with a medically diagnosed condition that causes “ irremediable suffering , ” including “ psychological pain.
” An Ontario court has ruled that this right to be killed is fundamental and that it trumps Canada ’ s Charter right of “ freedom of religion and conscience.
” Under the province ’ s rules of medical ethics , physicians who by religion or conscience are opposed to lethally injecting a sick patient must do so anyway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they know is willing to kill .
If they don ’ t want to be complicit in such deaths , the court sniffed , they should get out of medicine .
Canada ’ s broad euthanasia license still requires an underlying medical diagnosis .
Kevorkian opposed any such restriction .
In Prescription Medicide he wrote that “ optional assisted suicide ” should be “ available for individuals , sometimes in good physical and mental health who choose to be killed , ” for whatever reason , including “ physical ( the end stage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or severe trauma ) , mental ( intense anxiety or psychic torture inflicted by self or others ) , or doxastic ( religious or philosophical tenets or inflexible personal convictions ) .
” In Germany , Death as a Right The Federal Constitutional Court in Germany recently ruled that such death on demand is a right .
From the decision : Kevorkian , too , thought that individuals should have a right to assisted suicide and that the decision should not belong only to medical professionals who would assist in the act .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ court has ruled that not only do citizens have a fundamental right to commit suicide or to be assisted in their suicide but that others have a concomitant right to assist .
Kevorkian advocated the establishment of regional euthanasia centers where people could go to be killed .
Switzerland allows the operation of suicide clinics that people from around the world attend — that , indeed , they pay to attend .
The Netherlands permits a “ mobile ” euthanasia service that makes house calls when a suicidal person ’ s own doctor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought that mental illness should be no impediment to assisted suicide .
In practice , that boundary has been crossed repeatedly , with the hastening of death made legal .
For example , as reported in The American Journal of Psychiatry , Michael Freeland , an Oregonian , obtained a lethal prescription after being diagnosed with cancer .
Subsequently he became psychotic and was committed to a hospital for depression with suicidal and possibly homicidal thoughts .
He was hospitalized for a week .
The discharging psychiatrist noted with approval that , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from his house , the lethal prescription remained “ safely at home.
” In a further slap at true compassion , Freeland was permitted to keep the prescribed overdose even though the psychiatrist reported that he would “ remain vulnerable to periods of delirium.
” ( Freeland died of natural causes more than two years after receiving the initial prescription . )
Meanwhile , in Belgium , a transsexual was euthanized legally after becoming distraught by a botched sex-change surgery .
In another case there , a psychiatric patient , taken advantage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by his replacement because she was so distressed over the victimization .
Elderly couples who don ’ t want to be widowed have received joint euthanasia killings .
The list of the mentally ill and distraught people who are not otherwise sick but who have died by euthanasia or assisted suicide goes on and on , not just in Belgium but across the Western world .
What Is “ Obitiatry , ” You Ask ?
About the only policy that Kevorkian advocated that has not yet been implemented somewhere in the world is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that , you ask ?
it is human vivisection on living patients before euthanasia .
He wrote in Prescription Medicide : Will we ever conduct experiments on patients before they are euthanized ?
I hope not .
But the question must be asked : How can it be forbidden logically , once we embrace Kevorkian values ?
In his day , Kevorkian believed that human life was expendable .
Increasingly , so do we .
He advocated a radical definition of personal autonomy , countenancing suicide as a right .
Increasingly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ naked utilitarianism according to which human body parts could be deemed more important than the principle that the life of a suicidal person should be preserved .
His view on this matter now prevails in three major Western countries : Belgium , Canada , and the Netherlands .
In that light , why not allow lethal experiments on people who want to die and to benefit society in the process , by becoming research subjects ?
Let me conclude this depressing essay with a few simple questions .
Did it shock you ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ which Kevorkian ’ s twisted vision is being implemented ?
Did it at least make you queasy ?
If not , that fact alone demonstrates how thoroughly the Jack Kevorkian Plague permeates our culture .
Kevorkian was convinced that he was leading society into what he considered a more rational future , one in which the value of life would be relative and the bodies of the suicidal commodified .
At the time , most observers rolled their eyes and assured us that it could never happen .
But it has happened and @ @ @

Why has Taiwan done so well in combating COVID-19 — this pestilence that the press initially was calling the “Chinese coronavirus” or “Wuhan virus”? Simple: Taiwan’s leadership assumed everything it was hearing was a lie. A PBS News Hour feature sheds light on the skeptic posture


discoveryinstitute--2020-04-15--Bill Walton and Jay Richards Discuss the Economic and Health Crisis Created By COVID-19

Discovery Institute Senior Fellows Bill Walton and Jay Richards sat down with economist Steve Moore to discuss the health and @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus , and how to respond without all of our freedoms and civil liberties being @ @ @ @ @ many policy proposals driven by partisan politics , China ’ s role , the World @ @ @ @ @ left ’ s agenda .

Discovery Institute Senior Fellows Bill Walton and Jay Richards sat down with economist Steve Moore to discuss the health and economic crisis created by the coronavirus, and how to respond without all of our freedoms and civil liberties being trampled. They explore the many policy proposals driven by partisan politics, China’s role, the World Health Organization, and the left’s agenda.
Recording Date: March 25, 2020


And Now… Crypto-COVID!

While the equity markets have garnered a lot of attention in the COVID-19 pandemic , cryptocurrencies have been largely ignored by the media .
This is partly because interest in cryptocurrencies in general has waned over the last two years .
Cryptocurrencies are no longer new , but they still don ’ t do a whole lot for the global marketplace .
In any case , the COVID-19 pandemic has shed some light on their market mechanics .
One issue has been lack of access to resources .
Mining is a fundamental operation of cryptocurrencies and it requires an ever-increasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves and for the power they utilize .
As manufacturing slows down due to the pandemic , miners can ’ t get equipment needed to keep the system going .
At the same time , the payouts from mining is quickly dropping .
In May , the reward for mining a bitcoin block will drop by half ( known as “ the halvening ” ) .
This reward schedule is built into the algorithm itself , so it is difficult or impossible to change .
Thus , not only are mining companies having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their efforts are also about to drop quickly .
Add to this the energy problem .
Bitcoin especially has a huge power problem .
Will countries that are struggling in a mid- or post-pandemic depression still be able to provide low-cost power to Bitcoin mining operations ?
This is unclear .
On the one hand , energy companies are having a hard time because fewer people are out and about , so energy consumption ( and therefore price ) has gone way down .
On the other hand , just like all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slowdown in providing energy .
If energy needs to be rationed , it seems unlikely that Bitcoin mining will be chosen over some other public function .
Another of Bitcoin ’ s problems is that the black market ( the primary use of Bitcoin today ) is also suffering economically .
There are reports that Mexican drug cartels are having trouble sourcing fentanyl , which comes from China .
Supply chain issues affect drug dealers , too , and thus impact the market activity of Bitcoin .
Bitcoin may have one advantage : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to send cash to everyone to keep the economy moving , the value of that cash diminishes .
Bitcoin , however , has a maximum amount of coinage that can ever be created .
Therefore , there is literally nothing that anyone can do on the Bitcoin platform that would be similarly inflationary .
That could lead to a more stable store of wealth .
It is still too soon to know where Bitcoin will go .
Both the technology and the pandemic are too new , and nobody really knows what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for other cryptocurrencies , the rush to the US dollar has caused for a rise in stablecoin prices .
For those unfamiliar with the lingo , a stablecoin is a cryptocurrency directly tied to a real-world asset ( usually U.S. dollars ) .
Coindesk recently noted that there has been a sudden rise in the demand for stablecoins .
The move to dollar-backed cryptocurrencies has corresponded to the economy ’ s general shift towards a need for dollars .
It ’ s unclear whether this is a temporary trend or signifies a real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In short , I have few answers at present , just some observations from the sidelines .
Cryptocurrencies are worth keeping an eye on , but they still play a relatively minor role in today ’ s economy .
Further reading on the ups and downs of cryptocurrencies : Is lack of trust Bitcoin ’ s biggest security threat ?
It ’ s almost a parable : Everyone can see , no one can access , the millions trapped in the ether by a password known only to a dead man ( Jonathan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social value of trust ( Jonathan Bartlett ) Bitcoin is a classic bubble investment .
In large data sets , correlations are easy to find .
Useful relationships are more elusive .
( Gary Smith ) Chair of Forbes media says money is about trust Facebook Likes cryptocurrency but the Faceless bureaucrats are not so impressed .
Stay turned .

While the equity markets have garnered a lot of attention in the COVID-19 pandemic, cryptocurrencies have been largely ignored by the media. This is partly because interest in cryptocurrencies in general has waned over the last two years.
Cryptocurrencies are no longer new, but they still don’t do a whole lot for the global marketplace. In any case, the COVID-19 pandemic has shed some light on their market mechanics.
One issue has been lack of access to resources. Mining is a fundamental operation of cryptocurrencies and it requires an ever-increasing supply of computing power—both for the computers themselves and for the power they utilize. As manufacturing slows down due to the pandemic, miners can’t get equipment needed to keep the system going. At the same time, the payouts from mining is quickly dropping. In May, the reward for mining a bitcoin block will drop by half (known as “the halvening”).
This reward schedule is built into the algorithm itself, so it is difficult or impossible to change. Thus, not only are mining companies having trouble sourcing equipment, the payout for their efforts are also about to drop quickly.
Add to this the energy problem. Bitcoin especially has a huge power problem. Will countries that are struggling in a mid- or post-pandemic depression still be able to provide low-cost power to Bitcoin mining operations? This is unclear. On the one hand, energy companies are having a hard time because fewer people are out and about, so energy consumption (and therefore price) has gone way down. On the other hand, just like all of the slowdowns, there may be a slowdown in providing energy. If energy needs to be rationed, it seems unlikely that Bitcoin mining will be chosen over some other public function.
Another of Bitcoin’s problems is that the black market (the primary use of Bitcoin today) is also suffering economically. There are reports that Mexican drug cartels are having trouble sourcing fentanyl, which comes from China. Supply chain issues affect drug dealers, too, and thus impact the market activity of Bitcoin.
Bitcoin may have one advantage: It is non-inflationary. As governments rush to send cash to everyone to keep the economy moving, the value of that cash diminishes. Bitcoin, however, has a maximum amount of coinage that can ever be created. Therefore, there is literally nothing that anyone can do on the Bitcoin platform that would be similarly inflationary. That could lead to a more stable store of wealth. It is still too soon to know where Bitcoin will go. Both the technology and the pandemic are too new, and nobody really knows what the long-term interaction will look like.
As for other cryptocurrencies, the rush to the US dollar has caused for a rise in stablecoin prices. For those unfamiliar with the lingo, a stablecoin is a cryptocurrency directly tied to a real-world asset (usually U.S. dollars). Coindesk recently noted that there has been a sudden rise in the demand for stablecoins. The move to dollar-backed cryptocurrencies has corresponded to the economy’s general shift towards a need for dollars. It’s unclear whether this is a temporary trend or signifies a real shift in the dynamics of cryptocurrencies.
In short, I have few answers at present, just some observations from the sidelines. Cryptocurrencies are worth keeping an eye on, but they still play a relatively minor role in today’s economy.
Further reading on the ups and downs of cryptocurrencies:
Is lack of trust Bitcoin’s biggest security threat? It’s almost a parable: Everyone can see, no one can access, the millions trapped in the ether by a password known only to a dead man (Jonathan Bartlett)
How Bitcoin works: The social value of trust (Jonathan Bartlett)
Bitcoin is a classic bubble investment. In large data sets, correlations are easy to find. Useful relationships are more elusive. (Gary Smith)
and
Chair of Forbes media says money is about trust Facebook Likes cryptocurrency but the Faceless bureaucrats are not so impressed. Stay turned.


discoveryinstitute--2020-04-20--Taiwan Learned Not to Trust

Taiwan Learned Not to Trust

Why has Taiwan done so well in combating COVID-19 — this pestilence that the press initially was calling the “ Chinese coronavirus ” or “ Wuhan virus ” ?
Simple : Taiwan ’ s leadership assumed everything it was hearing was a lie .
A PBS News Hour feature sheds light on the skeptic posture that America must adopt toward Beijing going forward : In short , Taiwan heard what the rest of the world was hearing : that something strange was happening in Wuhan .
But whereas Italy , the United States , and most of the rest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” was as much of the story as we needed to hear , Taiwan sent its own investigators to Wuhan : [ Taiwanese Dr. ] Steve Kuo : The SARS outbreak is a wakeup call for Taiwan .
And we learn a lot from the SARS outbreak .
[ PBS News Hour ’ s ] Nick Schifrin : Dr. Steve Kuo is the former head of Taiwan ’ s CDC , and led the SARS task force in 2003 , when the SARS epidemic made hundreds of Taiwanese sick and killed more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world.The very next year , authorities prepared for the next crisis .
That preparation allowed Taiwan ’ s CDC to detect the COVID-19 threat before the Chinese government announced it .
Steve Kuo : We pick up the signal that there is some strange outbreak in the Wuhan areas at the end of the last year from social media networks.We decided , and we did send two medical doctors to Wuhan from Taiwan CDC to get a better understanding of what happened there , OK ?
And then five days later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediately to set up and activate the central command centers .
Nick Schifrin : That centralized command center launched border restrictions before almost anyone else , set local quarantine rules , and turned to technology.One phone app allows Taiwan residents to find stores with masks in stock .
Another app provides information on all of those who are COVID-19 positive , where they have been , and their case history .
And the government made sure it had enough medical equipment .
Steve Kuo : After the SARS outbreak , actually , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a stockpile for all medical supplies for 30 days for the hospitals .
Nick Schifrin : Another reason Taiwan acted so early , they didn ’ t trust either the Chinese government or the head of the World Health Organization , who , in January , praised China ’ s response , [ emphasis mine ] says Bill Stanton , the former top U.S. diplomat in Taipei .
William Stanton : He was just defending the Chinese position and echoing what they had to say .
And it made the Taiwanese even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing for that reason.China doesn ’ t allow Taiwan into the WHO , and that ’ s really stupid , because Taiwan is one of the main countries in the world that has expertise on international health issues .
Taiwan was conducting its own investigation in Wuhan at the same time that the World Health Organization was , it turns out , shredding its institutional credibility by assuring the rest of the world on January 14th that there was no reason to fear—let alone any reason to take precautions — due to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daily Beast ’ s Christopher Dickey writes , the WHO ’ s “ reliance early in the pandemic on China ’ s information—and lies ” meant that it had allowed itself to become politically compromised and consequently meant that it had failed in its responsibly to warn and protect .
The WHO would take another eight weeks before declaring the virus a pandemic on March 11th .
The WHO spent February advising against travel bans .
The WHO spent March equivocating about the value of face masks .
And the WHO has spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position , critiquing its critics , and calling for unity in response to the division that its own failures have helped produce .
There is no greater immediate human rights concern than ensuring we collectively learn how to avoid the needless loss of life that is now taking place globally due to the failures of the WHO and the Chinese Communist Party .
Taiwan acted proactively , guided by realpolitik as much as past experience .
All that is to say , Taiwan acted like a nation state .
We should be glad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach to regimes and institutions that may be more hollow than we care to consider .

Center on Human Exceptionalism
The mission of Discovery Institute’s Center on Human Exceptionalism is to affirm and uphold the intrinsic nature of human dignity, liberty, and equality. In resistance to a growing movement against unique human personhood, we aim to revitalize a commitment to the traditional Western view of human rights and human responsibilities — summed up by the term “human exceptionalism.” Read more


discoveryinstitute--2020-04-18--Sci-fi Culture: There’s Life Here on Planet Covid!

Although there is always something happening here in Genre World , the current pandemic has put quite a damper on new releases and anticipated series .
With major releases postponed , we sci-fi fans tirelessly check our email and bookmarked sci-fi news sites for any good news .
If you ’ re one of those , have no fear !
I ’ ve compiled a short list of what ’ s been going on in the community over the past few weeks .
Expect to see more updates like these as long as needed .
Navigating the COVID-19 crazy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Coronavirus Movie Delays : Every Film and Show Affected by COVID-19 , ” not only for which upcoming films and tv releases are postponed , but also which productions are halted .
Some pretty good upcoming sci-fi makes this list , including titles like Matrix 4 , Infinite , and Stranger Things , Season 4 .
I ’ m especially bummed about the setback in the production of Amazon ’ s Lord of the Rings ( which I have been looking forward to with much anticipation ) .
If you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A First Look at Dune Vanity Fair recently released a first look at the upcoming adaptation of Frank Herbert ’ s classic 1965 novel Dune .
With heavy hitters like Jason Mamoa , Josh Brolin , Dave Bautista , Stellan Skarsgård , Zendaya , and Timothée Chalamet , I ’ ve no doubt this film will have the talent it needs to succeed .
In addition , Denis Villeneuve ( Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 ) will be taking on the role of director ; an addition that I am particularly curious and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adapting the 1965 novel , VF has this to say about it ’ s somewhat difficult filmability : Maybe I ’ m the only one , but I definitely remember the 2000 miniseries release of Dune and I was a kid so it certainly must have been more memorable than VF ’ s Anthony Breznican thinks—for sci-fi fans at least .
Still , Breznican has a point .
Adapting Herbert ’ s novel to the big screen is no easy task..
I , for one , am excited to see if Villeneuve succeeds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” docuseries on Disney+ I ’ m a fan of both Star Wars and Star Trek .
Sure , I ’ ve heard the arguments against taking either side before .
So have you , probably .
But here ’ s the reality : As productions and releases continue to get delayed , our pool of bingeworthy sci-fi will get smaller .
Breaking past the barrier of rejecting one in favor of the other might open up a whole new world .
If you have been allegiant to Star Trek , like me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wars a shot , I would highly recommend binging through The Mandalorian .
For those who have already worked their way through the first season , however , there is good news .
While Disney isn ’ t releasing new episodes or a premiere of season 2 ( unfortunately ) just yet , they are releasing an exclusive behind-the-scenes featurette titled “ Disney Gallery : The Mandalorian.
” For a more in-depth look , check out Jax Motes ’ article over at sciencefiction.com .
Expect it to be released May the 4th ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) … .
be with you ( darn it , I did ! )
.
Meanwhile , here are some recent “ wait out COVID-19″ binges , courtesy Sci-Fi Saturday at Mind Matters News .
If you didn ’ t get around to them before , this is your chance to try them .
Many of the shorts are free .
Shelter in Place ?
Your Sci-Fi Video Game Binge List : You ’ ll never know where the long hours went .
Has your ISP lifted bandwidth limits in your area due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Great news for gamers too !
Here ’ s my list of top-notch sci-fi apocalypse games .
How sci-fi treats pandemics Five sci-fi apocalypses to help you wait out COVID-19 One thing for sure , all those doomsday preppers , at whom we silently rolled our eyes years ago , are now crackin ’ a secret smile .
Never mind , us sci-fi buffs are going to need more than fizzy water and disinfectant .
We need food for the mind !
Here ’ s a sci-fi binge list , to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and viewing the world through the silver screen ?
Here are some of Adam Nieri ’ s other recommendations and reflections : 2019 ’ s Best and Worst Sci-Fi TV : 2019 featured many sci-fi television and movies that were less sci-fi than political narrative .
In 2019 , I fell out with Netflix .
I felt bombarded by more and more edgy content , as though Netflix wanted me to know how “ adult ” it is .
Rather than producing a few amazing originals , Netflix started vomiting up a ton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Great Silence becomes personal .
The film images the fate of those who seek significance in the stars and may well wait indefinitely .
In a world where the divine touch of extraterrestrial intelligence doesn ’ t elevate human existence to any level of significance , we are left with Ad Astra : a slow , methodical decay of human significance .
Alita , Battle Angel A Mind Matters Review : If you love anime and felt betrayed by the flop of Ghost , I would highly recommend Alita .
Another Life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falls in love .
Then it descends into a convoluted drift of uncertain storytelling .
And the victim is not primarily the viewer , who has other options .
The victim is the art itself .
Dirty Machines : Short time travel flick exceeds expectations A Mind Matters Short Film Review : A tense soundtrack , intriguing ending , and thoughtful stylistic choices make Dirty Machines : The End of History a thoughtful exploration of a logically tricky subject .
Now , if the director can just resist the temptation to get woke… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Series ReviewThe attention to detail and the realistic portrayal of space set it apart from run-of-the-mill sci-fi .
I love the deep mystery surrounding the show ’ s central narrative device , the proto-molecule .
It is somewhat sentient and is desperately trying to figure out what happened to the civilization that created it and was then wiped out while it lay dormant in our solar system for millions of years .
The Expanse , Season 4 : The Best So Far ?
A Mind Matters Perspective : Unlike critic Zac Giaimo , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depends on what you are looking for .
Season 4 is , as critic Zac Giaimo notes , integral to character building and plot development for the overall series .
I gave it 9/10 in an earlier review .
However , I don ’ t know if I completely agree with Giaimo ’ s Amazonian optimism .
Season 3 set up urgent questions that should be answered by the end of the show , preferably beginning in Season 5 .
The Feed—A Mind Matters TV Series Review : I started out thinking that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tyrant-AI-takes-over flick and it is so good to be wrong !
Imagine a world where your mind is stored on social media .
Now , what happens if someone steals , then abandons it ?
What will you do ?
Her ( 2013 ) : If you created her , is it real love ?
In this retrospective Mind Matters movie review , Adam Nieri ponders the questions raised by a thoughtful AI film .
Unlike Catherine , Samantha is exactly what Theodore was looking for .
No surprise there ; Samantha is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Theodore ’ s preferences from when he initially began speaking to her .
She exists only to be Theodore ’ s soulmate .
Is that enough ?
How To Become Human—A Mind Matters Short Film Review .
This new film turns a conventional sci-fi storytelling premise upside down .
Rather than an AI struggling to become human in a human-dominated world , we watch a human struggling to be more like an artificial intelligence in an AI-dominated world .
Lost in Space , A Mind Matters TV series review .
I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s track record , but was pleasantly surprised .
If I could rewind time a week and add a piece of 2019 sci-fi to my list of the year ’ s Best and Worst Sci-Fi TV , I would add Netflix ’ s Lost in Space , Season 2—which came out just after I had published .
Let ’ s fix that now .
Love , death , & robots Despite the trash and ruined expectations , several shorts were enjoyable and downright fun to watch Nightflyers : A Mind Matters TV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not deserve all the criticism it received .
It ’ s the saga of a ship of scientists making their way through the cosmos to unlock the secrets of a mysterious entity known as Volcryn .
It turns out that Volcryn is not the only mystery ; the good ship Nightflyer holds many of its own secrets .
The Outer Worlds—A Mind Matters Game Review : You must discover the dark secret of the Halcyon space colony , despite the greed and corruption of a handful of powerful corporations .
After the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 ) turned out to be , I hesitated to invest my time and money in another role-playing game ( RPG ) epic .
But I am glad I did .
Picard ( 2020 ) : Episode 1 Is an AI-Themed Mystery .
The mystery is related to another familiar Star Trek character .
Seeing the Star Trek universe from a different perspective—that is , not from the interior of a starship—was super refreshing and rewarding .
It gives viewers a unique look at what day-to-day life is like for other people ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Star Wars universe ) .
Star Trek : Picard — On second thought , some serious quibbles .
Now that I ’ m four episodes in , I ’ ve got ta say , the “ haters ” might be onto something .
Not everything but something .
Why does Picard seem to be obsessed with Commander Data ?
And what happened to The Federation ?
Star Trek fans are quick to point out that Star Trek : Picard takes an unnecessary malevolent tone towards The Federation .
Why do the Romulans look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I ’ d like some answers .
Simulation : Would a simulated universe even make sense ?
A well-crafted short sci-fi film suggests , intentionally or otherwise , maybe not .
I ’ ve seen quite a few sci-fi short films over the years and Simulation is certainly one of the better ones .
However , beyond that , I ’ m not sure this film knows what it is ; it ’ s an identity crisis .
Sprites : Will plausible robots replace movie stars ?
A short film prepares us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Loop : Pushing the boundaries of the possible .
Simon Stålenhag ’ s captivating post-apocalyptic landscapes remind us that the world could , at any time , be different from what we think it is .
Science fiction , as an art , has always meant to inspire .
It ’ s meant to push the boundaries of the possible .
And Stålenhag ’ s world isn ’ t just different , it ’ s unique .
Terminator : Dark Fate—A Mind Matters Movie Review .
Aside from the fact that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 , I was constantly being reminded of the film ’ s obvious political agenda .
Movies like Terminator : Dark Fate don ’ t seem to be made by people who care about the narrative .
They seem to think that they need only make something that looks like a movie but acts as a medium for broadcasting their message to the masses .
War of the Worlds : Epix ’ s new War of the Worlds gets personal .
And it works !
Wells ’ s alien invasion ( state of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world of COVID-19 .
Although the new series is set in Europe , the dialogue is mostly in English .
We follow the paths of several apocalypse survivors who seek refuge from the alien robots that are killing any remaining humans .
I love the tension that the show conveys and the characters it seeks to develop .
Also , a defense of science fiction fans : Does science fiction encourage narcissism ?
As a sci-fi critic , I think most fans are just looking for a genre where they can understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true that many people who are attracted to science fiction feel like outcasts or disconnected from mainstream popular culture .
And many of them feel welcome , loved , accepted , and validated in the sci-fi community .
Does that really make them narcissists ?

Although there is always something happening here in Genre World, the current pandemic has put quite a damper on new releases and anticipated series. With major releases postponed, we sci-fi fans tirelessly check our email and bookmarked sci-fi news sites for any good news. If you’re one of those, have no fear! I’ve compiled a short list of what’s been going on in the community over the past few weeks. Expect to see more updates like these as long as needed.
Production and Release Delays
Navigating the COVID-19 crazy, I found IGN’s comprehensive list, “Coronavirus Movie Delays: Every Film and Show Affected by COVID-19,” not only for which upcoming films and tv releases are postponed, but also which productions are halted. Some pretty good upcoming sci-fi makes this list, including titles like Matrix 4, Infinite, and Stranger Things, Season 4. I’m especially bummed about the setback in the production of Amazon’s Lord of the Rings (which I have been looking forward to with much anticipation). If you’re prepared to wait, wait.
A First Look at Dune
Vanity Fair recently released a first look at the upcoming adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic 1965 novel Dune. With heavy hitters like Jason Mamoa, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgård, Zendaya, and Timothée Chalamet, I’ve no doubt this film will have the talent it needs to succeed. In addition, Denis Villeneuve (Arrival and Blade Runner 2049) will be taking on the role of director; an addition that I am particularly curious and hopeful about.
When it comes to adapting the 1965 novel, VF has this to say about its somewhat difficult filmability:
Still, for decades, the novel itself has defied adaptation. In the ’70s, the wild man experimental filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky mounted a quest to film it, but Hollywood considered the project too risky. David Lynch brought Dune to the big screen in a 1984 feature, but it was derided as an incomprehensible mess and a blight on his filmography. In 2000, a Dune miniseries on what’s now the SyFy channel became a hit for the cable network, but it is now only dimly remembered. Anthony Breznican, “Behold Dune: An Exclusive Look at Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, and More” at Vanity Fair
Maybe I’m the only one, but I definitely remember the 2000 miniseries release of Dune and I was a kid so it certainly must have been more memorable than VF’s Anthony Breznican thinks—for sci-fi fans at least.
Still, Breznican has a point. Adapting Herbert’s novel to the big screen is no easy task.. I, for one, am excited to see if Villeneuve succeeds.
The Mandalorian: The “making-of” docuseries on Disney+
I’m a fan of both Star Wars and Star Trek. Sure, I’ve heard the arguments against taking either side before. So have you, probably. But here’s the reality: As productions and releases continue to get delayed, our pool of bingeworthy sci-fi will get smaller. Breaking past the barrier of rejecting one in favor of the other might open up a whole new world. If you have been allegiant to Star Trek, like me, and are thinking of giving Star Wars a shot, I would highly recommend binging through The Mandalorian.
For those who have already worked their way through the first season, however, there is good news. While Disney isn’t releasing new episodes or a premiere of season 2 (unfortunately) just yet, they are releasing an exclusive behind-the-scenes featurette titled “Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian.” For a more in-depth look, check out Jax Motes’ article over at sciencefiction.com. Expect it to be released May the 4th (nope, not gonna say it)…. be with you (darn it, I did!).
Meanwhile, here are some recent “wait out COVID-19″ binges, courtesy Sci-Fi Saturday at Mind Matters News. If you didn’t get around to them before, this is your chance to try them. Many of the shorts are free.
Shelter in Place? Your Sci-Fi Video Game Binge List: You’ll never know where the long hours went. Has your ISP lifted bandwidth limits in your area due to thousands more Americans working from home? Great news for gamers too! Here’s my list of top-notch sci-fi apocalypse games.
and
How sci-fi treats pandemics Five sci-fi apocalypses to help you wait out COVID-19
One thing for sure, all those doomsday preppers, at whom we silently rolled our eyes years ago, are now crackin’ a secret smile. Never mind, us sci-fi buffs are going to need more than fizzy water and disinfectant. We need food for the mind! Here’s a sci-fi binge list, to keep our minds occupied.
Still stuck indoors and viewing the world through the silver screen? Here are some of Adam Nieri’s other recommendations and reflections:
2019’s Best and Worst Sci-Fi TV: 2019 featured many sci-fi television and movies that were less sci-fi than political narrative. In 2019, I fell out with Netflix. I felt bombarded by more and more edgy content, as though Netflix wanted me to know how “adult” it is. Rather than producing a few amazing originals, Netflix started vomiting up a ton of terrible originals.
Ad Astra: The Great Silence becomes personal. The film images the fate of those who seek significance in the stars and may well wait indefinitely. In a world where the divine touch of extraterrestrial intelligence doesn’t elevate human existence to any level of significance, we are left with Ad Astra: a slow, methodical decay of human significance.
Alita, Battle Angel A Mind Matters Review: If you love anime and felt betrayed by the flop of Ghost, I would highly recommend Alita.
Another Life All fun and games till an AI falls in love. Then it descends into a convoluted drift of uncertain storytelling. And the victim is not primarily the viewer, who has other options. The victim is the art itself.
Dirty Machines: Short time travel flick exceeds expectations
A Mind Matters Short Film Review: A tense soundtrack, intriguing ending, and thoughtful stylistic choices make Dirty Machines: The End of History a thoughtful exploration of a logically tricky subject. Now, if the director can just resist the temptation to get woke…
The Expanse: A Mind Matters TV Series ReviewThe attention to detail and the realistic portrayal of space set it apart from run-of-the-mill sci-fi. I love the deep mystery surrounding the show’s central narrative device, the proto-molecule. It is somewhat sentient and is desperately trying to figure out what happened to the civilization that created it and was then wiped out while it lay dormant in our solar system for millions of years.
The Expanse, Season 4: The Best So Far? A Mind Matters Perspective: Unlike critic Zac Giaimo, I preferred Season 3 but it really depends on what you are looking for. Season 4 is, as critic Zac Giaimo notes, integral to character building and plot development for the overall series. I gave it 9/10 in an earlier review. However, I don’t know if I completely agree with Giaimo’s Amazonian optimism. Season 3 set up urgent questions that should be answered by the end of the show, preferably beginning in Season 5.
The Feed—A Mind Matters TV Series Review: I started out thinking that the show was just the usual ho-hum tyrant-AI-takes-over flick and it is so good to be wrong! Imagine a world where your mind is stored on social media. Now, what happens if someone steals, then abandons it? What will you do?
Her (2013): If you created her, is it real love? In this retrospective Mind Matters movie review, Adam Nieri ponders the questions raised by a thoughtful AI film. Unlike Catherine, Samantha is exactly what Theodore was looking for. No surprise there; Samantha is, literally, adjusted and updated according to Theodore’s preferences from when he initially began speaking to her. She exists only to be Theodore’s soulmate. Is that enough?
How To Become Human—A Mind Matters Short Film Review. This new film turns a conventional sci-fi storytelling premise upside down. Rather than an AI struggling to become human in a human-dominated world, we watch a human struggling to be more like an artificial intelligence in an AI-dominated world.
Lost in Space, A Mind Matters TV series review. I was skeptical at first, based on Netflix’s track record, but was pleasantly surprised. If I could rewind time a week and add a piece of 2019 sci-fi to my list of the year’s Best and Worst Sci-Fi TV, I would add Netflix’s Lost in Space, Season 2—which came out just after I had published. Let’s fix that now.
Love, death, & robots Despite the trash and ruined expectations, several shorts were enjoyable and downright fun to watch
Nightflyers: A Mind Matters TV Series Review Despite its flaws, Nightflyers does not deserve all the criticism it received. It’s the saga of a ship of scientists making their way through the cosmos to unlock the secrets of a mysterious entity known as Volcryn. It turns out that Volcryn is not the only mystery; the good ship Nightflyer holds many of its own secrets.
The Outer Worlds—A Mind Matters Game Review: You must discover the dark secret of the Halcyon space colony, despite the greed and corruption of a handful of powerful corporations. After the raging dumpster fire that Fallout 76 (2018) turned out to be, I hesitated to invest my time and money in another role-playing game (RPG) epic. But I am glad I did.
Picard (2020): Episode 1 Is an AI-Themed Mystery. The mystery is related to another familiar Star Trek character. Seeing the Star Trek universe from a different perspective—that is, not from the interior of a starship—was super refreshing and rewarding. It gives viewers a unique look at what day-to-day life is like for other people (much as The Mandalorian did for the Star Wars universe).
Star Trek: Picard — On second thought, some serious quibbles. Now that I’m four episodes in, I’ve gotta say, the “haters” might be onto something. Not everything but something. Why does Picard seem to be obsessed with Commander Data? And what happened to The Federation? Star Trek fans are quick to point out that Star Trek: Picard takes an unnecessary malevolent tone towards The Federation. Why do the Romulans look different? I’m still watching but I’d like some answers.
Simulation: Would a simulated universe even make sense? A well-crafted short sci-fi film suggests, intentionally or otherwise, maybe not. I’ve seen quite a few sci-fi short films over the years and Simulation is certainly one of the better ones. However, beyond that, I’m not sure this film knows what it is; it’s an identity crisis.
Sprites: Will plausible robots replace movie stars? A short film prepares us to think about it.
Tales of the Loop: Pushing the boundaries of the possible. Simon Stålenhag’s captivating post-apocalyptic landscapes remind us that the world could, at any time, be different from what we think it is. Science fiction, as an art, has always meant to inspire. It’s meant to push the boundaries of the possible. And Stålenhag’s world isn’t just different, it’s unique.
Terminator: Dark Fate—A Mind Matters Movie Review. Aside from the fact that it felt like a retextured version of Terminator 2, I was constantly being reminded of the film’s obvious political agenda. Movies like Terminator: Dark Fate don’t seem to be made by people who care about the narrative. They seem to think that they need only make something that looks like a movie but acts as a medium for broadcasting their message to the masses.
War of the Worlds: Epix’s new War of the Worlds gets personal. And it works! Wells’s alien invasion (state of emergency, lockdowns) feels familiar in the world of COVID-19. Although the new series is set in Europe, the dialogue is mostly in English. We follow the paths of several apocalypse survivors who seek refuge from the alien robots that are killing any remaining humans. I love the tension that the show conveys and the characters it seeks to develop.
Also, a defense of science fiction fans: Does science fiction encourage narcissism? As a sci-fi critic, I think most fans are just looking for a genre where they can understand and be understood. It’s true that many people who are attracted to science fiction feel like outcasts or disconnected from mainstream popular culture. And many of them feel welcome, loved, accepted, and validated in the sci-fi community. Does that really make them narcissists?


discoveryinstitute--2020-04-17--Reopen Schools State by State

Reopen Schools State by State

What ’ s good for one state may not be good for the next .
Authority over schools rests with governors .
They should decide when schools open in their states .
For example , Alaska , having the least amount of coronavirus cases is not comparable to the hot bed of New York , even though both Alaska and New York have shut down schools for the rest of the year .
On Tuesday , President Trump publicized a reopening the country council , which will provide counsel regarding social distancing efforts moving forward .
Participants include hundreds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care , agriculture , and sports .
Yet no one from education in on the council .
This is a mistake .
An educational leader from each state should be included in this group—possibly each state superintendent .
Some federal agencies are saying that getting the economy moving is linked to having schools safely open their doors , freeing up parents to re-enter the workforce .
President Trump unveiled his framework for reopening the economy with a proclamation to state governors on Thursday , April 16 : In a nutshell , “ You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The various sectors of our economy are linked together .
As one cog moves , the rest begin to turn .
However , one state may be ready for the shift while others have longer to wait .
Therefore , states need to consider their local conditions in how and when they reopen to reduce the possibility of a rebound of the virus .
For example , Alaska could move at a fairly expeditious pace , while enforcing proper crowd distancing within the classrooms , the cafeteria , even buses .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throughout the United States .
Of course , there needs to be measures in place to control any future spread of the coronavirus .
Many creative ideas are emerging on how one could do this .
For example , in Maryland , the idea has been put forward for health officials to classify and quarantine people who have contracted the virus .
However , this is challenging to implement .
A study at Johns Hopkins University estimates it could take 100,000 public health officials nationwide to effectively trace the virus and slow its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re-opening the economy as the coronavirus diminishes .
But America has been tried and tested before .
We have always prevailed .
We must try , with caution , calculated movements to reopen our schools , our economy , and our lives .
It starts with individual states .

What’s good for one state may not be good for the next. Authority over schools rests with governors. They should decide when schools open in their states.
For example, Alaska, having the least amount of coronavirus cases is not comparable to the hot bed of New York, even though both Alaska and New York have shut down schools for the rest of the year.
On Tuesday, President Trump publicized an “Opening the Country” council, which will provide counsel regarding social distancing efforts moving forward. Participants include hundreds of leaders from business, technology, health care, agriculture, and sports. Yet no one from education in on the council. This is a mistake. An educational leader from each state should be included in this group—possibly each state superintendent.
Some federal agencies are saying that getting the economy moving is linked to having schools safely open their doors, freeing up parents to re-enter the workforce. President Trump unveiled his framework for reopening the economy with a proclamation to state governors on Thursday, April 16: In a nutshell, “You are going to call your own shots.”
The various sectors of our economy are linked together. As one cog moves, the rest begin to turn. However, one state may be ready for the shift while others have longer to wait. Therefore, states need to consider their local conditions in how and when they reopen to reduce the possibility of a rebound of the virus.
For example, Alaska could move at a fairly expeditious pace, while enforcing proper crowd distancing within the classrooms, the cafeteria, even buses. This approach could create pockets of economic rejuvenation throughout the United States.
Of course, there needs to be measures in place to control any future spread of the coronavirus. Many creative ideas are emerging on how one could do this. For example, in Maryland, the idea has been put forward for health officials to classify and quarantine people who have contracted the virus. However, this is challenging to implement. A study at Johns Hopkins University estimates it could take 100,000 public health officials nationwide to effectively trace the virus and slow its spread.
There is no playbook for re-opening the economy as the coronavirus diminishes. But America has been tried and tested before. We have always prevailed. We must try, with caution, calculated movements to reopen our schools, our economy, and our lives. It starts with individual states.