Category: Society
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RHIC to EIC!
Wow! It’s the end of an era, one that I was able to sample over 25 years ago. This article tells part of the story. I suppose some people can work on a single project throughout their entire careers, but this has not been my experience. One of my first “work” adventures happened while I…
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Incentives
Sometimes, I like to think that I’m not like other people. What a delusion! I’m just like other people. I pay attention to incentives, just like everyone else. While different incentives are more or less effective with different people, we all respond to them. In my case, I sometimes care what other people think. When…
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Generational Nostalgia
There are fewer common touchpoints in our world today than when I was a kid. Everyone is going to remember where they were during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is something we all shared in 2020. However, recent movies, songs, books, and other news are probably a much less cohesive set of memories for today’s teenagers.…
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Why Do We Do What We Do?
Humans are complex. Both internal and external forces motivate us. I would like to understand better why we do the things we do. Here are some possibilities. We make decisions based on our Identities. If I think of myself as the kind of person who works out, I might be more motivated to exercise regularly.…
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Requirements for Leadership
When things are going well, you don’t need great leaders. Maybe a leader from a previous generation set things in motion. Things can continue along the well-worn and known paths. You just need to honor your traditions and avoid overthinking things too much! No big deal. Problems arise when big changes happen quickly. Suddenly, there…
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Might vs. Right
I’m not on Twitter or X or most other social media platforms. Nevertheless, I did run across the following. This is WRONG. I only need to think back to T. H. White’s wonderful novel, The Once and Future King. Even the musical Camelot gets this right! “Might does not make right!” I learned this as…
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Human Authored
I stumbled upon the following link today. https://authorsguild.org/human-authored Are people going to care “…in an increasingly AI-saturated market” that books are still being written by humans without AI assistance? I’m curious how copyright law is going to change in the coming years. For companies that use AI to write software, I’m pretty sure they’re going…
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Misplaced Loyalty
People want to belong. At times, especially in high school, we sacrifice what’s in our best interest to feel a sense of belonging. I think it’s a mistake to tell someone that you would do anything for him or her. I’m not going to commit murder for anyone! I’m all about being agreeable and doing…
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Which Is Better?
Here’s a quote that’s stuck with me for a long time. “And, indeed, I will ask on my own account here, an idle question: which is better–cheap happiness or exalted sufferings? Well, which is better?” — Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Notes from Underground While I read a slightly different translation, this is close enough. Whether it’s “lofty…
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Wide Awake at 4 AM
It’s not unusual for me to wake up early. Am I so excited for the Sun to rise that I don’t want to miss it? While my mind is awake, I don’t always feel like my body is getting enough rest. And I struggle with taking naps. Of course, when I’m on vacation, my only…