The Carters

TL;DR --  Many families have long ties of family history going back over the 400 years. Then, the Revolution came 150 years later. Recently, President Jimmy Carter passed on. We got motivated and looked at his ancestry and that of his spouse. They have New England ancestors from the early times. They have cousins, too, the singing Carter family one of whose members married Johnny Cash. There are many families that we can consider as we did with the Adams family (of the 2nd President of the U.S.). And, there are other groups and evnts to commemorate. The U.S. has many organizations devoted to keeping this type of history alive. With technology, things will get even more interesting. 

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We have always paid attention to collateral families. With WikiTree, many families can trace a relationship map that goes beyond blood connections and in-laws. One can see cultural ties through time that will become more visible as people become aware, via technology, of them and their importance. 

The 250th of the U.S. (which starts in April of this year and goes until the 250th of the end of the Revolutionary War) will be several years in duration and will generate interest in research. The Carters are an example family that we can pay attention too. Our ancestor, Thomas Gardner, was in north New England. The ancestors of the Carters was of the New England of the South (Virginia, &c.). There are ties between the regions and families that have already been touched upon. We'll pull those together this year as we pay attention to the 400th families who continued here until they helped the U.S. get started.

Just as we did with the Adams family (Another Adams), where we associated Pres. John Quincy Adams with his later cousin "Grizzly" Adams (of TV fame - except that was an actor playing a role - Grizzly Adams was a real dude), we can look at the Carters. Johnny Cash married June Carter (Wikipedia) who was a descendant of Thomas Carter. This family was hugely successful in music. 

These Carters have many cousins in the U.S. and elsewhere. People might talk of the distance of the relationship, but relattionship can have meaning in terms of the U.S.  

Recently, President James Earl Carter (Wikipedia) was in the news, having died in December with a recent Day of Remembrance being held in the U.S. in which there was a service at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. According to WikiTree, President Carter has an interest family tree. His ancestor, Thomas Carter, came into Virginia in 1635. There was major amount of arrivals in the north in that year, too. 

For now, putting that aside, let's look at the First Lady: Eleanor Rosalyn Carter, has a New England pedigree, as well: Wikipedia; WikiTree. We will start with her as she has Patriots that have been proven for membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution who has, with others, been working to organize remembrance of the start of the U.S. for several years now. We will look at those activities as well as what is needed to carry on the work. 

The First Lady Carter had these Patriots (quick survey, so not complete).

• Benjamin Jacobs (1747-1827) - D.A.R. record 
• John Jennings, Sr - D.A.R. record 
• Etheredge - D.A.R. record 

D.A.R.'s records represents the work that goes into proving history and genealogy which represents lots of hours spent by volunteers. 

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Additionally, there is an organization that has a broader role than D.A.R. with many other organizations as members. Named The Hereditary Society Community (HSC) of the United States, this collection of groups meet yearly in Washington, D.C. and are another example of continued interest and research. 

Of interest is one historic event that the HSC honors and which influenced the U.S. Namely, we will see a reflection this year on one (in 1225 AD) of several attempts in old England to establish a Magna Carta. 

• Magna Carta (Wikipedia)
• Commeration in 2015 by U.S. and Britain
  
• 25 Sureties 

Most attendees at HSC meetings from the U.S. have heritage back to the 400-years-ago arrival as well as having an ancestor who was at the 1215 event at which King John sealed the deal. These were barons who were to see that John behaved. Up to 2015, there was a major effort to document these folks on Wikipedia. As well, WikiTree had a project to prove the ancestors on this side of the pond. 

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President Carter was a definite technologist. Too, he had different views that we can discuss. His willingness to pick up a hammer at an old age tells a lot about his character. 

The past two years of GenAI have brought to the fore issues needing discussion and resolution. Our take on that matter is that there is a balance to be attained. We would like to phrase it in those extremes of the modern time: screen or hammer. If that does not make sense, we definitely have some work to do to establish the definitions of the imperatives that living successfully and sustainably requires. 

Remarks: Modified: 01/13/2025

01/13/2025 --  

Simmons Foundation, on training AI

TL;DR -- Jim Simmons has been almost a myth due to his success hidden behind the walls of the "hedge" phenomenon. However, his Simmons Foundation is non-profit and open. And, their approach is amenable to what we want to focus on, define, and accomplish. An example of the Foundation's work is shown. 

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I have followed Simmons' work from a distance for a while. Jim Simmons is an example of the mathematics and physics interest in things economic and financial which needs some scrutiny. We have written on that approach which leads to a non-sustainable economy several times. However, Simmons founded a non-profit: Simmons Foundation (SF). 

That caught our attention, as an example of approaches that merits attention and as we noted with the Gairdner Foundation's work. The Gairdner focus is older and bio-medical. SF has a broader perspective which aligns with our technology thrust. 

A news article got us to look at SF a little closer today. This work caught our eye, in particular. But, their overall thrust is appealing. This is an example. 

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  New Datasets Will Train AI Models To Think Like Scientists - example of curating the data prior to training. As well, the specifics will be interesting as this approach would allow heavily accurate machine learning (ML) systems that would be locally expert. 
  

Okay, given that, let's get back to the foundational issues. We use AIn't for very good reason. Too, the emphasis ought to be ML. And, "think like scientists"? That is hugely debatable, and without resolution which we intend to show. 

What is missing is "adult" leadership in the equations underlying decisions plus any understanding that by necessity is imperative. We will get to the expected resolutions, eventually. How and why will not be subject to the extreme attempts at control as we see coming from the "numeric" camp. 

Most of the material has been touched upon in our posts abetted by links ot other sources. So, the work will be more than indexing and determining proper generalizations. We have to resolve open issues which are not new, generally. The means for proper research is there after decades of maturing systems brought by the efforts of many. Processes need to follow suit and will through time and effort.  

Remarks: Modified: 01/13/2025

01/13/2025 --  

Warning, on AI

TL;DR -- The Nobel's can be used to learn the history of science and to discuss choices made plus their ramifications through time. 2024 showed the Nobel focus on machine learning. In general, we can find many types of warnings that are not being heeded or even discussed. 

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We mentioned the Nobel prizes this year, several times, example: Nobel Week. Because of the theme of some prizes in 2024, we finally paid attention. The Nobels can be used to trace the history of science since the Awards started so as to have philosophical discussions about choices. Why related ANN merely to mathematical physics? Wait, physics underlies everything else intellectually, one view says. 

Okay, fair enough. But the mathematical frameworks related to physics go far beyond those used so far in GenAI. This is an empirical matter that can be an ongoing discussion. GenAI came on the scene in 2022. We saw 2023 as a get acquainted time where sides of the issues were established. Cautions were thrown to the wind in 2024 as things went full speed ahead. Yet, the issues of hype continued to exist in public view. 

But, the use of ML (the AI of current mode) has exploded across the land. Repercussions are imminent (which timeframe?). Perhaps, we'll learn something. 

So, Scientific American provided us an opinion that express a "Warning about AI" which compares things to the bomb era and race. The author has a site and partners: Not just Math; Partnership on AI. 

Did the Nobel choices add to the necessary conversation? We have not seen yet anything positive, but it is still early. And the topic is here to stay. 

Along with its machine intelligence focus in the Prizes, the Nobel committee honored a person attempting to end nuclear war. 

Remarks: Modified: 01/10/2025

01/10/2025 --  

U.S. and growth

TL;DR -- The U.S.? We know when it started. We can look back before it was there. And, we can come forward. This post presents an image that covers several decades and the growth of the U.S. through acquistion and depicts some of the details for those major events. 

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This image was in a post on Facebook. Its provenance can be ascertained including the FB post. The title mentions "Western Social Studies" which we can research as well, 

However, from the viewpoint of the 250th, this image shows the partitioning of the U.S. in terms of the acquistion time with some information that is particular to the events. 

We see the area of the colonial period on the right. Florida is below that. The western territories up to the Mississippi are to the left of the colonial. Then, we have the west where huge amounts of land were acquired. This is the list of topics to study:

•  Lousiana Purchase of Jefferson -- represents the largest portion. 
• Texas and Oregon frame the left coast with its interior which was obtained from Mexico. 
• Mexican Cessation - this came from the Alta California portion of New Spain.  

The image show the time and population acquired for each of these areas. It also shows a nice bit of work representing the information and is an example of technology advancement. 

As an aside, on FB, the post got lots of comments some of which voice a difference in view. That type of range of opinion will be sought as people strive to express their viewpoint which is the sort of thing that the internet/web attempts to encourage. 

Our focus will continue with history and genealogy. In terms of history, the 250th can motivate us to learn more about our country. As well as those two subjects, we will be addressing technology.  

Remarks: Modified: 01/02/2025

01/02/2025 --  

Gardner's Beacon, Vol XIV, No 1

This issue of Gardner's Beacon continues our interest in regular presentation of ongoing work as well as reviews of common interests. ...

Topics:

Activity, 2024

LSU, College of Science

Technology

Following the Nobel Prizes 

...

GB XIV, 1 (PDF w/links)

New: Mobile-friendly issue of

GB XIV, 1  

See Vol. XIV, No. 1 of Gardner's Beacon for links to Sources.

Remarks: Modified: 12/29/2024

12/28/2024 --  1st release. 

12/29/2024 -- General release. 

250th and more

TL;DR -- 250th and 400th will resonate through the coming decades as we learn more about then and what might have been missed in the history taught as a general principle. 

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Let's start by pointing to two private groups on Facebook. These two links are to public information about the groups. After this introduction, we can discuss the two anniversaries that are the focus of the groups and which have current attention. 

The focus of the first group deals with the start of the U.S. 

• 250Years America's Founding (link) -- We have mentioned the 250th for some time. Organizations, such as D.A.R. have had this as a focus for over a decade. But, the time is coming up fast: Battles of Lexington/Concord. This part of the turmoil began on April 19, 1775. This group has been presenting information about the times before the turmoil. An example is that the Boston Tea Party was about a year before. After Lexington/Concord, the focus shifted to Boston where the British troops had settled surrounded by the patriots. And, a date that is honored every year is the July 4th signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

In a post this summer, the site offered the report, of General Gage who lead the British troops, about the battle of Bunker Hill. Prior to the opening of those hostilities, the General offered everyone a pardon except for two individuals, Samuel Adams and John Hancock. One we remember via beer. The other had the elaborate signature. 

 The second group goes back further to the first arrival on these shores of people attempting to start a new life. One might say that this is in regard to New England north however it covers most of the colonial activity along the east coast. 

• New England Family Genealogy and History (link) -- This group has been around for nine years and helps with research in the New England of the northern colonial states. The group's purpose: Sharing Research, Stories, Photos & Family Data about New England (Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island and Connecticut). As such, it covers families from colonial times to the present. Here is an example recent post: Nutfield Genealogy. 

For both of these groups, the initial effort was before the anniversary to celebrate; work carried (or will carry) on after the anniversary. There is no end to this type of focus which will allow us to bring to bear the facilities of modern technology to fill in where history, as an industry, fails to take note. 

Remarks: Modified: 01/13/2025

01/13/2025 -- President Carter and Rosalyn both descend from New England (south). We look at a few of The First Lady's patriots. 

Nobel, Chemistry, 1901

TL;DR -- Significant to us were the Prizes for Physics, Chemistry and Medicine. In this post, we point to the 1901 award. As such, that is a good start with van der Walls and Hoff for physics and chemistry. 

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We mentioned the 2024 Nobel Prizes earlier with more references to the Physics award which dealt with  machine learning. At the time, we emphasized the importance of the one for chemistry and for medicine. 

This post looks at the 1901 prize. It can be categoried as dealing with theoretical chemistry. After studying the advance of science and pondering what might bridge the gaps that are currently found in knowledge as we see observe the problems of technology, we settled upon theoretical chemistry as a central theme. Looking at the first Nobel prize in Chemistry is a good place to start. 

Nobel, Chemistry, 1901

In Physics, van del Waals was the first Awardee for his work in thermodynmics but focused on his PhD thesis from 1873. Contemporary with van der Walls in doing the early work in thermodynamics was Josian Willard Gibbs who was an American and who we wrote of as a descendant of Thomas Gardner and Margaret Fryer through their son George. 

In Chemistry, Jacobus Henricus van 't Hoff (Wikipedia) was the first Awardee for his work in the "the discovery of the laws of chemical dynamics and osmotic pressure in solutions" and demonstrated the importance of physical chemistry. 

Tying back to the 2024 Prizes, we see that the mathematical aspects of physics and its kin has advanced tremendously with an acceleration that accompanied the growth, recently, of computing prowess. Both the physics and chemistry prizes acknowleged advanced computing which applied knowledge brought forth by studies in mathematical physics. 

Another topic that will be constantly at hand is the Philosophy of Physics. Wikipedia provides a good overview, except the material is rated as "original research" as an indication of value, improperly source information, and perhaps even viewpoint. There is also an article on the Philosophy of Chemistry (Wikipedia) which does not have the problem. They quote Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling as their first philosopher. One interesting twist? Is it thing or action that is important? That issue resonates to this day. A resolution was to accept both and make the situation the focus. 

BTW, philosophy of science is important by default, almost, to the upcoming discussions. 

Note: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Chemistry; Modeling and Chemical explanation).  

Remarks: Modified: 12/30/2024

12/30/2024 -- See post (Nobel, Medicine, 2024) for link to those for Physics, Chemistry, and Medicine.