Nobel, Medicine, 2024

TL;DR -- This is the third of three gifts from the Nobel Committee. Starting with the math of machine learning and then with the chemistry work with proteins, there were heady responses with respect to the applicability of the technological insights. Ah, but wait. The Medicine prize brings us back to complexity and the reality of such. Now, one topic that will be continually on the table is this: has computing been a boon or a bane? 

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This is the third post on the 2024 Nobel. The earlier two were: Physics; Chemistry. 

This post looks at the Prize for Medicine which reports on increased insights into cell regulation. 

These three can be thought of as gifts. Let's use them correctly. All things that can come from this will be discussed and utilized over the next few years. 

1. Physics - ANN and mathematical physics. I might say AIn't, but it is to the hype and misunderstanding (managers, something from nothing? - perpetual motion - need you a reminder?). Nope, the solution to the issues is right before us. It's that thing between the ears which has been allowed to go astray as it deals with complex things (yes, Mathematics - let's discuss). 

2. Chemistry - We see the hubristic side of Google (unfortunately so) tamed plus acknowledgement of lab work which is far from application (with respect to several proposed notions). At the same time, we see feedback into the thing mentioned in 1) with respect to interpretations (which is human and very much on display in the current mess) and changes that can come when empiricism works (busyness? your money focus is deleterious). 

3. Medicine - Back to reality. We now see that genetics is not under our thumb (note prizes the past few years). Insights to be gained there will play into better understanding of the computational (applied) mathematics that allows these freaky/magical moments (busyness people, look up Minsky - not Marvin, btw). Yes, complexity in another light (looking forward to seeing this generally known). 

And so, we proceed. Where we know that we are more than brain. What we need to look at further is that we can describe the necessary maturity for computation. If only, we can look at the past two decades and discuss what not to do (again) based upon our analysis.

Remarks: Modified: 11/18/2024

11/18/2024 -- 

Miscellany

TL;DR -- We will have several of these. We bring back a couple of images and point to several themes, one of which is technology. 

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Just updated this image at a 2014 post (Status and focus). 

Arrival of immigrants
by year, Plymouth context

The image had moved around over the years. This was our fourth year of doing the blog for the Thomas Gardner Society, Inc. 

About this time, there were new attempts at what is called machine learning (touted as AI, known as GenAI) for several reasons. One was that the web was 20 years old or so. This caused lots of data to accumulate for both good and bad reasons. It was also 2 years after MicroSoft decided to move to the cloud pushing people off (see post (2012) thomasgardnersociety.org). In 2017, we moved the portal (to truth) to TGSoc.org to ease typing. 

Back to the image, it was used in a post (Vita Brevis, NEHGS, 2014) about what years the colonial ancestors of a group of people arrived. Another image relates to the length of the 5th generation of the Mayflower folks. When did it start and end? See the post (2019): About genearations. 

How long is a generation?

Finally, something about technology. The latest ACM Comm had an article on the problem of science that results from computer science not doing its job. This has to do with supporting needs of properties such as repeatability and such. The situation is dire and noway solved by GenAI which is more of a contributor to noise than not. But, we'll get into that as it's on the plate for the TGS to tackle problems of this sort. 

We have been at this blogging since 2010 and have collected a lot of data. So, with technology in mind, we need to reorganize everything. While we do that, we'll bring in changes with respect to two Thomas Gardners as suggested by the folks at WikiTree. While, at the same time, expecting that the two were one gentleman which we will discuss. 

Note our new Category: OpEd. 

Remarks: Modified: 11/13/2024

11/13/2024 -- 

Nobel, Chemistry, 2024

TL;DR -- We provide a link to Nobel Prize material that goes into the detail of the Chemistry prize and its computational framwork. 

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Going forward,we can pay more attention to the material from the Nobel committeee with regard to the technology behind the selection. This image is from a page that looks at the history of the 2024 award for Chemistry which helps us document progress in GenAI (machine learning). 

How does AlphaFold2 work?

Advances using computational assists that reduce time and costs for experiments have been expected from the beginning, decades ago. What changes is the complexity. Fortunately, the domain of this research can have lab support as well as the use of physical experiments. 

We will discuss possible issues as we look at the topic. However, that there are those considerations on the table is beyond doubt. How we might attempt to rectify them is not so clear. 

Remarks: Modified: 11/04/2024

11/04/2024 -- 

Bunker Hill and the Library

TL;DR -- Bunker Hill steps down to the Central Library. The most important building in a city? 

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In this season of political BBQ, we wanted to look at things more neutral, from an Independent viewpoint. Today, The Atlantic published an editorial with their endorsement. Many have done so. Some publications, such as the Washington Post, have stayed neutral. But, that's bucking the normal, of this time very four years, which has been to take a side. 

Let's see, sides? Well, the Dodgers won in New York and are 3-0. It'll be two more games before the World Serious goes back to LA in an area not far from Bunker Hill. So, the 250th of the Revolution is coming up, a little over a year. We were trying to ignore LA for a while but blame the Dodgers. 

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We cannot mention the Yankees and Dodgers without mentioning Reggie Jackson who played at three Series games between the two teams. He called the two teams as being part of the 'American fabric'. Yes, a few more might be mentioned such as the St. Louis Cardinals. Reggie was featured in an article in the USA Today. 

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Now, to the Central Libary. We have had other posts mentioning the Library: Past and Present (showing DTLA - several eras - from a point on Bunker Hill; Eighty eigth (about the year, 1888). Today, on FB/Meta, we saw a quote from Einstein:

"The only thing that you have to absolutely know is, the location of the library."

Now, that I can relate to. And, courtesy of the Los Angeles Converancy, we have a nice view of steps put in that lead from Bunker Hill to the Central Libray which was at the foot of the hill. The text mentioned a rise of five stories, but the Hill was a lot higher and was scraped into submission. 

Bunker Hill steps
Los Angeles Conversancy

Let's put another, to discuss later. 

Library tower, 
built using the Library's air rights
2nd largest building in LA, 
visible in lots of shots of DTLA

Remarks: Modified: 10/29/2024

10/29/2024 -- 

Semantic scholar

TL;DR -- Paul Allen and his work has led to a phenomenal advance in query support. We will go on about and further look at this application of machine learning. 

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Our focus, outside of those related to history and heritage, deals with technology. Of late, we have been looking at GenAI and the changes that we can see in the world since OpenAI let loose their premature "omniscient, omnipresent" whatever. ChatGPT was the name; it had 100s of millions users within a short period of time. That set the stage for several developments are were mostly reactionary. 

We, basically, analyzed the situation and the various cohorts of the new type of thing. And, found where things were wanting. On the other hand, GenAI made a hit in fiction and chicanery. Of the later, "fake" this and that. In our interchange with the things (several), we noted its superior attitude. Now it all, essentially. Telling humans what they ought to know. 

When, mind you, it could not do simple algebra or even arithmetic. There were other obvious failures. The industry (OpenAI and its cohorts) bragged of  80% success. Oh yes, of all of the flights in a day, how would you like to have 20% of those fail. Well, there are types of failures. So, the matter could be discussed usefully, in this case. But, for one maker of planes, the evaluation criterion was 99.999% success which was applied throughout all of the process. The effect was something that could regularly fly millions of miles with no incident. 

Then, things happened. Well, we'll see more of that at GenAI (and other types) get put into the world due to the lack of ways and means to contain the hype or to handle the proper analysis. But, we will get there. Have seen progress. Yesterday, in one quorum, ChatGPT said that it was a tool and that it wanted to help me, a human, with my research. Okay. More on that later. 

Now, let's look at one of the many ways that mature minds have applied this stuff. I spent the afternoon using Paul Allen's Semantic Scholar. Well, not his; rather, it is the work of the Allen Institute and the University of Washington and other contributors. The experience was encouraging with respect to getting a proper framework going for this type of technology. 

Here is their website: https://www.semanticscholar.org/ (we will look at this further). Based upon their query facility, it is a huge step forward. 

As mentioned, there are other examples. One of these is Wolfram's use of GenAI with his computational mathematics system.  

Remarks: Modified: 10/26/2024

10/26/2024 -- 

Alice, of the Nantucket bunch

TL;DR -- Alice of the show (Brady Bunch - not that of Carroll nor of the others that we will look at from time to time) gives us a serious New England family history to study. Hang on as we put technology to proper use guided by the "true" spirit of the American experience which we will look at (again and again). 

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Better late than never, one can say. With our technology focus, we have to look across the board, including the chain from marketing (those who would have us believe enough to spend money) down to fictional shows as we see on TV (those who would have us believe their story and spend money as led to the decision by the marketing folks). 

I have been slowly collecting descendants of Thomas and Margaret, as they become, more or less, proven, that is, their lineage. See Thomas and Margaret (Fryer) Gardner; Joseph Gardner (youngest son); Thomas Gardner II (eldest son); ... Notice, recent research (see Comment, this day) shows that Seeth was born here whereas the other children were born in Dorset, UK. 

Now, let's take one show that was heavy on the cultural horizon: Brady Bunch. Alice was a well-known figure due to her role. She was portrayed by Ann B. Davis (Wikipedia, Wikitree - to be researched). She passed on in 2014, as many may remember. Today, I saw that Famous Kin had a profile of her; here is Ann's link to Thomas Gardner through son, John who married Grafton. She has a serious New England background, including lots of families of Plymouth.  

The show did a good job of presenting the U.S. from the viewpoint of a city on the west coast. Too, it aired from 1969 to 1974 which puts it right in the middle of lots of cultural transformations. 

It might not need saying, but we are seeing something similar now with AIn't and its manifestation through GenAI with all of its faults. The next two years will be fun. 

In the meantime, we'll be researching the scope of associations for descendants of Thomas and Margaret in order to tie technology and its pretenses with the phenomenal aspects of people and their long history on the planet. 

Generations and their dynamics? Lots to learn on this folks. Perhaps, the computer can help. It can serve as an ultimate objectifier, as we watch the wannabe try to attain some state which we do not even know how to describe yet. Whether we can or not (attain what AI seems to have accomplished, by the estimate of ts purveyors and supporters) is a basic question needing attention. 

Remarks: Modified: 10/21/2024

10/21/2024 -- Lewis Carroll was a logician, mathematician (influenced by Boole). 

Native Americans

TL;DR -- In the past, Columbus had a day where we celebrated one arrival event. Today, we are cognizant increasingly of the Native American culture that was here prior to the incursion of European influence. We have a lot to learn. 

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Today is a Holiday (Federal) for some, Earlier, Columbus was the main focus of the day. The view of the day has changed over the years to the current status of this being called The "Indigenious Peoples" Day. As such, the day can be used to learn more of the cultures and people here before we saw the "News" come to be (England, France, Spain, ...). 

This post at Facebook asks the question: Why isn't This Map in the History Books?. We liked the graphics which can be found in seveal places and will be looked at further. 

Native American Knowledge

There will be a lot to look at. For one thing, we can continue our work on the Awareness Months. 

Remarks: Modified: 10/14/2024

10/14/2024 --