Different Things

From the early days of AI being discussed by relatively "normal" people, I have suggested that it was misnamed.  

I have had a layman's understanding of the various permutations of AI for quite some time.  There was AGI which was Artificiial General Intelligence.  It was generally understood to be when a machine was as smart or capable of learning as most any human.  Then there was ASI which was Artificial Super Intelligence.  That one was understood as when a machine was as smart as all of humanity.

My issue with the naming early on was that if it was an actual intelligence, calling it "artificial" was not particularly informative.  I suggested that a better name/description would be Manufactured Intelligence. I still think my name is more accurate.  More importantly, my suggestion and Trump's idiocy are totally different things.

Artificial Intelligence, as we now know it, will not be changed by merely calling it Super Intelligence.  No clarity will be gained by observers or users.  The actual machine entities will not be made more powerfiul or smarter or easier to use or more intuitive or a better investment by playing stupid name games at the governmental level.  

I suppose there might well be those who are not paying close attention that could be convinced that Felon47 and his band of incompetents were actually doing something.  They aren't. What is being done is analogous to a non-swimmer flailing in deep water.  They are seriously trying to obscure the fact that they have no desire and no ability to understand anything at all about the probable longterm effects of a Machine Intelligence.  The goal is to protect themselves while they leave you playing the role of the canary in the coal mine.

Why are you alright with that??

The Steel Girder That Broke The Camel's Back

 I have seen bunches of posts on Bluesky suggesting that the other journalists in attendance should act in support of their cohorts that are verbally and unjustly attacked by POTUS or his disgusting band of incompetent suckups.

Today he has said - though as we all know, Felon47 is simply not a reliable source of information or even intent - that he is banning representatives of CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO from the WH.  Now, you should definitely NOT assume that I have any significant respect for the mealy-mouthed, weak-willed parrots that masquerade as journalists from those outlets but, one must work with what one has rather than what one wishes they had.  That said, it should be clear to anyone that serving him weak sauce serves no purpose other than to encourage his worst instincts.

Now would be a really good time for all of the journalists to band together for a cause.  Actually, they should band together for several causes.  Access. honesty, civility, respect, should all be the minimum a journalist gets.  They should walk out all together and refuse to return unless and until the Orange Scourge and his handlers publicly state their intention to change their ways and then back it up with action.  

We do NOT live in a monarchy.  Respect is not owed or guaranteed to anyone simply because they are sucking up tax dollars.  This behavior on Felon47's part should absolutely change things.  This ought to produce an audible crack in the camel's vertebrae.

Is It Really What It Is?

 As a general rule, we all like to pretend (or pretend to believe) that the Supreme Court justices are above and beyond politics.  We know that is a lie and we know that everyone else knows it is a lie but we do like pretending.

Normally, we like to assign the absence of politics to the specific rulings that they make.  I wonder though, if recently we have not seen another aspect of politicization of the Supremes.  Inside Congress, sometimes a representative that is in a seat that could be vulnerable in an upcoming election will wait to see if their vote will actually change anything before casting it.  They might even vote against the stated desire of their party once they know for sure their vote is meaningless.  In that way, they get to claim they did not support a position that is unpopular with their constituency.  

I hate that that is a thing.  I hate that the polity continues to fall for it.  It is an ongoing source of irritation for me.  I wonder if it isn't about to get worse.

Specifically, I wonder if Alito and Thomas were not simply polishing Felon47's knob once they were sure nothing would come of it.  I have not read the dissent(s) (or the decision for that matter) but, I am aware of the Felon's predilection for revenge against those who politically oppose him.  I wonder if they were just playing politics as the court continues to move away from the original intent (as I understand it).

In truth, the fact that it might be a reasonable suspicion is almost as bad for the court as would be proof that is what happened.  I doubt we will ever know for sure but, I have not observed a reason to believe it could not have happened that way.