AI – Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, October 11, 2021

SymphonyOctober 11, 2021

Social media algorithms are a huge problem. Burning out YouTubers probably wouldn’t have hit the radar, only driven users elsewhere. But, Frances Haugen’s revelations from Facebook could be a game changer. This has full attention from both parties in Congress; more importantly, it has the attention of the American public.

The arguments says that greed directed Facebook to use “ranking” algorithms, which decide what users see on Facebook. It was purportedly safe because of AI. The moral lapse from greed is obvious. The untrustworthiness of AI is a warning for those who might follow this Google executive religion, that literally worships a man-made AI as a deity. But, no one in the discussion looks at the turning point of Facebook’s moral wandering: going public. It all started after Facebook’s IPO.

Once Facebook was publicly traded on the stock market, news stories quoted large investors angry that there weren’t more opportunities to place advertisements. Facebook stock tumbled after some bad images in the press, allowing opportunist investors to get more control of Facebook at a lower price. Now, we see the results of a heavy profit -oriented Facebook. The problem started when the company went public. Now, the problem has manifested itself through ranking manipulation. If the ranking manipulation can end across the social media empire, so many other problems would be solved. And, Facebook might be the last straw.

At the hearing, Haugen said:

If we had appropriate oversight or if we reformed 230 to make Facebook responsible for the consequences of their intentional ranking decisions, I think they would get rid of engagement ranking.

While Congress heard matters of greed and ranking manipulation in social media, the Arizona legislature dug deeper into election fraud form 2020. Nothing would undo Biden’s presidency because Congress chooses the president. But, major changes to end election fraud in the future could be soon coming. And, those who knew Trump had the vote would be vindicated, especially from attacks by a news industry that has contradicted everything coming from the Arizona hearings.

Changing social media may be the last hope for Democrats. They aren’t pushing their own political agenda because they know that their majority is not backed by the actual vote. If Biden and the House truly believed that they won the election fair and square, they would be pushing their Leftist goals hard. But, they aren’t. And, that says a lot about what they know that they aren’t telling us. So, they must join Republicans to force the issue on social media, essentially converting Facebook—and in turn YouTube—into public utilities.

When does regulation of hate become censorship of free speech? Facebook deleted content labeled as “misinformation” which is now seen as truth out of Arizona. But, movements should be larger than Facebook. If any fundamental change is to happen in a nation, it shouldn’t be from one post going viral on a website. That’s not what daily, ordinary social media platforms are for. We need daily events and lifestyle highlights to become viral. But, movements that change humanity must be bigger than anything social media could help or hinder. Such a movement is what we are looking at. Putting a stop to “ranking” algorithms was just one clip along the way of something much bigger—something that is already here and will only grow.

In Cadence

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, November 26, 2018

SymphonyNovember 26, 2018November 26, 2018

Taiwan held something akin to a “mid-term” election this past Saturday. The people revolted against the previous revolt. When electing the DPP two years ago, the people were fed up with the capitulation policies of Ma. Now, they are fed up with bad management of infrastructure, also an “establishment culture” surfacing in what should be the “opposition party”, among other grievances. Taiwan’s government cautioned China to wait and see how the election affects cross-strait policy before jumping to any conclusions—because they think China can’t figure that out.

China’s government and the Western press are going head to head. China held the American children of an estranged father and money laundering defendant. The New York Times made sure to plaster the picture of the young adult brother and sister at the top of the story. Exploiting children to sway outcomes just isn’t fair.

But, it didn’t stop at children. The New York Times also posted about cheap labor building Chinese AI. And, Forbes published an article with a graph that makes it look like China’s economy has bottomed out. The battle between China and its great and powerful foe—the Western press—rages on. China is at an unfair disadvantage, but presses forward fearlessly and valiantly.

In Cadence

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, February 5, 2018

SymphonyFebruary 5, 2018February 5, 2018

Writing about China is difficult. On one side there is the Western push toward the false narrative that “all things China are bad”, then on the other side pulls gravity from an invisible black hole gobbling up the truth. China is a yeah-boo, more yeah and more boo than most other countries. Anyone expecting a narrative—West or East—while reading the truth about China might instinctively think that the truth supports “the other side”.

But, Symphony doesn’t take that stance. China is just China. It makes wise moves, it makes foolish moves, just like every other nation on Earth.

This week was a week of economics. China is cracking down on cryptocurrency—just as it cracks down on anything it can’t control with externally-applied force. The cryptocurrency market in China is fleeing from the crackdown. Yet, China is reaching out to Europe and Britain.

While the economy in Europe is big on China’s list, so is the Vatican. Now, the Vatican wants an unholy marriage with China similar to the one with Medieval Europe: Beijing and the Vatican choose Chinese bishops and the underground Church gets pulled out from underground. In other words, both Western and Eastern powers crush the little guy. This will actually cause the underground Church in China to grow even more.

Just how control is driving away cryptocurrency, so will Sino-Vatico control drive the underground farther underground. Like jell-o in the hand, tightening the grip makes them slip through the fingers. A better solution would have been, more or less, status quo: Let China keep doing whatever they want and let the Vatican excommunicate whomever they want. But, the Vatican knows that would be the better solution. Does China know that the Vatican knows?

Any kind of agreement between the Vatican and China is pointless since China doesn’t plan to ever compromise anyway, especially on the Vatican’s human rights agenda as well as Taiwan. In the end, Catholics worldwide will hate China more. China should avoid all talks with the Vatican because any Westerner can foresee that it will only reap ill will in the West. Perhaps that is the Vatican’s deeper agenda in “making a deal with the dragon”, as it were. If China is the tiger then the Vatican is the monkey; the tiger has been warned.

China making infrastructure and economic inroads to Europe, is a good thing, but not on most levels people consider. Firstly, it is an indication that China feels a squeeze from the US and is looking for new trading partners. Secondly, it will cause the Westernization of China more quickly. Europe and Britain don’t like dishonesty. Many of the dishonest practices Chinese businessmen are notorious for—which the Communists are cracking down on for the record—won’t be tolerated. In terms of “ethics”, China will have to Westernize in order to do business with the West. Perhaps that is why Beijing is pushing it—to help with the crackdown.

The second matter is more militarily strategic. To governments, all infrastructure is military infrastructure. If China has a roadway into Europe, that is a roadway that can be used by an army—in either direction. So, finances between China and Europe carry two approaching stigmas: 1. China’s power is morphing into economics and 2. China is laying-in wartime infrastructure.

Changing to an economic power will weaken China’s ability to use military force. Taiwan is making economic power moves of its own by positioning itself to become an AI development hub for the world—which China’s customers could likely be dependent on if they aren’t already. No one wants to drop bombs on customers, yet China is busily making both.

These economic relations will “tame the dragon”, as it were, which may not be what China wants. Secondly, Europe is inviting China to become a stronger military power in their own back yard. China is no traitor, but nor are the Chinese loyal to anyone but the Chinese. Russia should try to halt China’s relations with Europe for Russia’s own good. Believe it or not, China may hold Russia in check before this is all over. Making inroads for China might be Europe’s salvation in decades to come.

In Cadence

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, January 29, 2018

SymphonyJanuary 29, 2018January 29, 2018

It was a week of protests in both Hong Kong and South Korea. Neither side of any controversy rose above the fray. For the powers that be, it was PR gone bad. For the masses, it was spitting in the wind. When the governed don’t want the ambitions of the controlling few, the solution is not Delphi method, but re-evaluation at the fundamental level. When the disgruntled masses reject the powers that be, peaceful boycott can make more lasting changes than any message sent by heated protest.

No one forced students to attend Baptist University in Hong Kong. If 90% of the student body objects to the mandatory Mandarin classes then 90% of the student body would do better to simply find another school. If the leadership at the university believes Mandarin classes can help students, then one would think the students would volunteer for them. A better way would be to make the classes both optional and tuition free for students and alumni of up to four years. If leadership is correct that the most widely-spoken language in the world, right in Hong Kong’s back yard, would be useful for Hong Kongers—and classes with university credit were free for students and alumni—the university would see an influx of enrollment.

No one is forcing South Koreans to attend the Olympic Games. If South Koreans don’t want the Kim Dynasty to participate in the games, they can save themselves the expense and either save the time of going or replace that time with a public stand-in, carrying educational signs during the Olympics, whether on-sight or off. If the democratic South Korean government wants to promote a unified stance with North Korean athletes, they can use the abundance of Internet technology to poll the public on what would make the people happy to that end. Since South Korea’s new president is so popular, he should not have lacked feedback when asking his many supporters what they want to do.

Taiwan made it’s own—and likely most aggressive—move. By entering the world of AI development, Taiwan is entering the ring with other big players, such as China. Few will see it as the bold move that it is. The miracle of Taiwan’s AI venture was that the move did not insight protests.

The only positive communication seemed to be between China and Japan. They are communicating about communicating. That’s always a good thing.

In Encore

Encore of Revival: America, November 20, 2017

SymphonyNovember 19, 2017November 19, 2017

When Trump came home, the bleacher coaches had a thousand and one opinions. The press expected victory overnight. But, the success of a diplomacy trip is not found in what happens during the trip, but what comes in the weeks and months—and years—after.

Too many loud voices don’t know how to think long-term.

Artificial Intelligence has become a religion. Many might have guessed that with how many tech users and leaders idolize their own technology. But, it is becoming official. The attempt to create a computer smarter than humans—that seeks to obtain more civil liberties than humans—should be immediately regarded as an enemy of the state and the people.

While AI could be engineered to smartly serve the people, certain ventures seek to personify machines and revere them as sentient—a dark hope to make AI-oppressors of the sci fi movies become a dark reality. No one in right and wise mind would not call for an immediate dismantling of those projects that overtly seek to make humans lesser than the machines humans create.

Technological advances have not brought peace in America. No, America needs Jesus.