The Single Mind Of Man

You know what I know and I know what you know.

Of the stuff I know, I have a pretty good idea of what you know. Same for you. You know which of your stored understandings I know or should know. You also know which of your understandings I do not understand, and likewise, I for you.

This information that you do not understand, I try so hard to share with you. I wish you would listen. As you wish for me.

Because of what we both know, or think we know, we can speak a common language. When I say "another Nixon", it has meaning to you that a computer cannot yet comprehend. It compacts into two words a world of understanding. As to who among the current presidential candidates is least likely to be "another Nixon" - this is a question we may discuss. We will use our common language and refine our definitions and understandings as we go.

As the mechanical brain gets better at understanding what we say, will we humans then get better at subtlety?

Computers may aggregate our complexity, but they will never penetrate our subtlety. They may know that we speak in mysteries and parables, but never can map the parables to their own lives or the mysteries to their own being.

There used to be something called The Way. The formless path. It may be still around.

Has the air in here changed, or is it you?

The War On Rust Trumps The War On Terror

A bridge has fallen in Minnesota. Twenty more are in worse condition, but have not fallen yet. Gravity and rust are the new axes of evil. They must be dealt with.

Deferring maintenance to pay the costs of a war of adventure has created another battlefield. Here at home.

The war has come home.