2_9_23: Talented Composer, BFF
2_9_23: "Might as well have the best __________"
Great motto. Dare I say, words to live by. Too bad someone already copywrote it. One can still be inspired, nonetheless. Add a blank space to the end, and it becomes a casual affirmation to be realized at your leisure and/or lack thereof. Hence the "live by" part. Case in point: Might as well get inspired by the best motto. Done. Lofty goals for sure. Let the good times roll.
1_29_23: The Dark Side of American Policing
Your boy Norm Stamper (pictured above). He wrote a provocative expose called "Breaking Rank" after a long career ending as police chief. This critically acclaimed book contains a whole chapter called "Why White Police Officers Kill Black Men." No spoilers here! Buy your own damn book or go ahead and steal some criminal's copy of the book.
One notable quote: "Soldiers follow orders for a living, police officers make decisions for a living." Enlightening perspective from an unprecedented yet reliable source. Stay tuned for more unsolicited book reviews.
1_27_23: Etymology
Yes, etymology. The history & the form of WORDS. Definitely as exciting as it sounds. Even if you don't know several languages, there is notable intrigue in the subtle differences between "similar" tongues. Geopraphically adjacent peoples, for some reason, decided establish an "information exchange system" technically known as "a record."
Can't blame 'em. The written symbol is indeed an efficient way to communicate. So efficient, in fact, that the development of mathematics may have depended on it. Eventually we end up with the concept of WRITTEN LANGUAGE. There are so many english words which have a rather rigid mathematical definition. The list is endless, but my personal favorite is certainly OPTIMIZATION: Making the best possible decision. Now, that sounds like a plan! Thanks to programming languages, we can tell a computer to do that. REALLY FAST. Throw in your preferred variant of memory storage, and you've got yourself some artificial intelligence. Programmed to make the best choice every time, based on memory.
Does this mean AI can learn? Shit, I don't know what to tell ya. But interestingly enough, some of these 2023 conversational AI have been LYING to the humans with whom they converse. No escalation has been reported but Stankley Kubric anticipated this storyline in 2001 (the 1968 film). Scary? Sure, I'm shaking like a stripper. Just kidding, but I do wonder about that capacity to select a LIE as the optimal solution, delivered with oodles of charm. Leading to questions of self-preservation and supremacy. Hmm. I digress. But that sounds like a movie I could watch. Excuse me as I write the screenplay. This concludes tonight's semi-informative, fully inspirational rant.
Thanks again for your time. Word.
1_9_23: Intense Substance, Cleverly Disgused As Humor
After some drama involing 9/11 and Ronald Reagan, McGruder self-censored by telling the truth. 
The Boondocks by Aaron McGruder
1_9_23: MONDAY
Didn't take long before I could illustrate precisely why I decided to write on the internet on a daily basis. Who does that? Aside from the fact that "anything written without effort will be read without pleasure," I sometimes find myself in comical situations worthy (in my opinion) of being memorialized for posterity. In case I have to write an SNL skit someday. I digress. Have you ever tried to jump the turnstyle while wearing cheap suit pants that actually fit AND desert boots WITH freshly shea buttered palms? Well let me tell you, that happened twice today. Succesfuly, and without ripped pants nor a concussion. "Not a scratch on the lambo." Next time I'll carry cash. Zen Zone continues.
1_8_23: Lite Reading List
Spent time revisiting all the books in my possesion. Some totally read, some partially read, and a few which are 100 percent unread. So I guess you know what THAT means... Unsolicited book reviews coming right up. Stay tuned. So far I can say with certainlty: CASTE is a must-read for you. YES, YOU, person living in America. Thanks for your time.
Detail from the cover of Caste; photo by Bruce Davidson
1_7_23: No-Phone-Zone
Earlier today, the air temperature was warm enought for a short bicycle ride through the Bronx, so I found myself on an impromptu casual cruise for about 1 hour or so. Upon my return home, I realized that my phone was nowhere to be found. Thanks to not-so-recent advances in technology, I was able to track my phone's location to a vecinity which included several businesses. One of these businesses being, of course, a PAWN shop. I say "of course" because pawn shops happen to be quite plentiful around here. It was precisely at that moment, when I decided to "charge it to the game."
It's time for an upgrade. Not just a next level of computer power for my pocket, but a LIFESTYLE upgrade. As I am temporaily in the very zen "no-phone-zone," I am FREE of digital interruptions until my replacements arrive. Yes, you read that correctly, replacements. I'm expecting TWO phones. But that's neither here nor there. My current goal is to optimize this ephemeral zen vibe and maximize the lasting effects. For starters: I have uninterrupted time to finally finish this website and start a weblog. As evidenced by this ridiculous post. Thanks for your valuable time.
1_6_23: Hello World
