A site devoted mostly to everything related to Information Technology under the sun - among other things.
Sunday, June 7, 2026
Launching a Second Scientific Revolution
From Imprimis
At times, the article below reads like advocating change for the sake of change. The graph that compares the US to Sweden life expectancy does not talk to research, it probably indicates better implementation of basic medicine as well as non-existent gun-violence in Sweden.
The statement of COVID-19 is a proof without a proof; in effect, the author trying to replace some facts with his own facts.
There are valid points in this article. And some of the suggestions, such as Replication, do make sense. (The replication criterion may kill 90% of the high energy physics experiment papers.)
However, this is the standard debate strategy of listing some facts, then concluding whatever one wishes. The facts make one's argument look and sound legitimate, even if there is no clear connection.
Science is messy, mistakes are made, strong minds and wills try to control the narrative and money, but in time we seem to converge to Scientific Truths.
Can it be improved, yes.
Should we lend the funds and energy to a slogan like "Make America Healthy Again", I say no. This is a partisan position and prone to the same abuses that have been observed in the practice of scientific research from time to time. Those maleficent incidents do not supply justifications for throwing the baby out with the bath water, so to speak.
An example of misleading "facts:" Per a paper from decades ago, we had more returns on research performed on breast cancer. Of course!!! Anyone in science knows that the impact of an idea in a mature field is much less. That does not necessarily speak to the originality of the science, but the maturity of the field.
McDonald still fries its burgers because it has invested in frying and will have to retool its kitchens. Does this indicate that we have not come up with how to make a better burger?
I do think that we need a Science of Sciences
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https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/launching-a-second-scientific-revolution/
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Thursday, June 4, 2026
Robotic Dogs to Assist Monterrey Police
BBC
Those robotic canines are rather sinister-looking. Other than that, if you watch the video-clip about security preparations in the Mexican city of Monterrey, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, I am not sure it is going to reassure you if you intended to go there: it looks as if they are preparing for all-out war, no more and no less.
We have come to accept the militarization of the police, by the way, and not only in Mexico, where drug-cartel-related violence is off the scale. This is a good illustration.
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The BBC's Will Grant got a first-hand look at security preparations in Monterrey, Nuevo León, a city in northern Mexico, ahead of the 2026 Fifa World Cup. Mexico is set to host 13 matches during the tournament, with the city of Monterrey hosting four of them.
Monterrey's police department will have 11 helicopters, 2 Black Hawks, and 90 armoured vehicles for the World Cup. Robotic dogs will also patrol the streets, while personnel in a central command centre will be monitoring activity across Nuevo León.