Jim Houston and Donald Trump's Policies

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At the end of March, Jim Houston died in the hospital after what was apparently several days of severe respiratory distress. We had to break into his house to find him, he lasted a few hours at the hospital. They were not sure if it was respiratory, a stroke, a heart attack, or something else. Jim was in good health, although he was overweight. He was 62 years old. He was a member of various Academy and ASC committees and so would every week be at some social event, such as the ASC clubhouse where there would be perhaps 50-100 people in close quarters.

At the time, COVID-19 tests were not readily available, nor were his doctors particularly sensitive to the fact that COVID-19 mortality was not just respiratory (like the flu) but could indeed show such effects as what Jim died of (ie stroke, heart failure, neurological). So we do not have formal tests that prove that Jim died of COVID-19, but we all think he did. I am told that the state of CA may indeed go back and check to see, how they do that I do not know, but I presume that they have blood samples in the freezer.

Jim was one of my best friends.

There are some things I think are reasonable to conclude from this.

First, that the official numbers are low. I know at least two people who died of the coronavirus who are not on the official death statistics. Jim was not tested and the second person tested negative which makes his friends scratch their heads because if he did not die of the coronavirus we dont know what he died of (heart attack the day before he was going to be hospitalized for severe respiratory symptoms).

Second, Trump was warned by the CIA and others of the danger of a pandemic in January at the very latest, if I understand the situation. Had he warned the American people, and had people known not to congregate in the March time frame, and were told to wear a mask, I am sure that Jim Houston would not have died at that time. Maybe he would have gotten the virus later, maybe we all will, maybe we will die of it eventually, but not at that time.

Therefore, I blame Trump and his policies for my friends death and I do not take kindly to those who push theories that you dont have to wear a mask. I dont know what is going on in Sweden, but I sure as hell know what is going on in the USA and I dont think this is funny or subtle.

Thank you.

 

3D and Learning Things on Spec

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A friend wanted me to learn a variety of technologies involving 3D on spec (i.e. for free) because he thinks it will be good for me and it will help me to make money.  I am sure he is sincere.  I promised to write a blog post which will attempt to explain the situation.

1. I am not sure the exact numbers, but I would guess that I spend at least half my time (as integrated over some period of time) learning new things on spec.  I learn them because they will help me do projects I want to do and because I think they are important to know about.  Examples are machine learning, so-called physically based rendering, Tensorflow, Arnold, Python, Javascript.  Therefore, if there is something new to add to the list of things I learn on spec, then it needs to get in line, there is a lot in the queue ahead of it.

2. I have no particular hope or interest in making money with 3D.  I dont think it is very likely so telling me "learn this and you will make a lot of money" means nothing to me.  I do hope, however, to do good work, possibly but not necessarily with 3D, in some sense of the term "good work".  That may mean research, or an art project, or perhaps a public service project of some sort.  However this is not for you to say, nor is it for you to say what skills I will need to do that.    

 3. I sincerely doubt I will be permitted to make a living going forward, and even if I am permitted, I doubt it will be with computer graphics.  You dont agree with that?  Fine!  Offer me a job.  Be specific.  Put it in writing.

4. I spent a great deal of time in Hollywood.  Every asshole is trying to get work for free.  Just do this and you will make a lot of money.  How do you say "fuck you" in Hollywood?  "Trust me".

5. I have had non-subtle experiences with things that are universal formats, or which are designed for the production flow of a large corporation.  The individual need not apply.  It isnt designed for the individual nor is it useful to him/her outside of the context of the large corporation.

6. Therefore, if you want me to do something for free, I suggest you make your best case and then leave it alone.  If I can, I will.  If I dont think it is worth my while, then I wont, at least not at that time.  Very often, in things like this, it may be that I do get to it, but in my own time.

I have no doubt my friend means well.

Blocked from FB for being Pro Biden

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I guess Facebook is banning people who support Biden.  If you donate to a Democrat and somehow that gets posted on Facebook, then someone on Facebook says such a post is offensive, then you are blocked.

There is no way to protest.

Time to nationalize Facebook.

Still Time to Prepare REDACTED for Revolution

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I realize you are too important to have a conversation with me, but I still think it is a mistake that you are not arming REDACTED for the coming revolution, even if I am uncertain what side you will be on. Better safe than sorry, I always say. A dozen or so anti armor weapons, some RPGs and of course a few SAMs as bought on the ever helpful darkweb. I could see you maintaining a covert communications channel based on the plumbing and infrastructure of underground NY, or maybe laser/microwave line of sight over the park to the East Side or perhaps over the river to NJ. A stockpile of a couple of hundred AR 15s and several 10s of thousands rounds of ammunition, whats the harm? Not to mention a first aid station. Lets not be stupid here, which ever side you are on, the indications of approaching violence are clear and present. I am ready to come by and help out! You only need to call!

 

No Tax Returns? No Constitution

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Even after the NY Times report and another ruling by an appeals court, there are still no released tax returns.  The reason is obvious: we have a completely corrupt justice system in this country that needs to be entirely removed and replaced, probably by violent revolution.  What else would work?   Oh yes, and that Supreme Court nominee who was (is?) a member of an extreme Christian group, nominated by a traitor and criminal, and jammed into the court by the right wing minority party.  Legitimate?  Of course not.  Too bad the US Constitution utterly failed.

 

 

On Courtesy

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I am not a member of their clubs and I will not dine with traitors and murderers. I dont know about Scalia, but I sure know about Trump and McConnell and Kavanaugh and Barr. I may not live in a democracy, I may live in a right wing and corrupt dictatorship but sadly, I will not be silent. Those of us who are disenfranchised are, by definition, not respected or listened to, we are not treated with the least courtesy but with contempt. We may be the despised lower orders but perhaps we can ruin their indigestion for at least one meal. You really dont need to lecture me about courtesy, Seth, because you know me well enough that you know I grew up in Virginia and if there is one thing a Virginian knows it is courtesy. But I was also taught that there are times when you do not throw your pearls before swine. I am not their humble and obedient servant and I know whose family estate they buried all the bodies on. They violated their oath, let them know the people hate them. In this situation, let them show courtesy to the American people by respecting and abiding by their oaths of office. That would be real courtesy.

 

Your Independent Affiliation Will Not Save You

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My right wing friend told me how frightened he was by "The Squad" and he was concerned that Biden would appoint people to his administration that would be radicals.  "No one knows!" he said.  Then he proudly said that he was not a Republican but planned to reregister as an Independent as soon as he could figure out how to use the California online registration system.

My response is as follows:

1. The so-called squad are just four junior congressmen who were legally elected. There is nothing to fear from them except perhaps as a bellweather that the people of the US have woken up to the gross and unacceptable failures of capitalism and neo-liberalism. They cant do anything if Americans dont elect a majority who agree with them to the house and the senate and then have a president who agrees enough to sign a bill.

2. The fear of Biden is also stupid. Biden has spent 50 years in government as a committed centrist. The people he appoints will in general abide by his beliefs. The problem you have is that American beliefs have changed because of the failures of the right wing policies that have been in place since Bill Clinton. It is those policies that have failed and people demand a change.

3. The corruption of the judiciary, the huge deficit, the children in cages, the destruction of decades of bipartisan foreign policy, the treason of the government, all of these things are going to be laid at the feet of the right wing. It doesnt matter their so-called party affiliation, all of you are guilty for humiliating this country and destroying our government. If I am wrong, tell me about when you contacted your congressman to demand that Trump be impeached for treason, tell me about the donations you made to people running against the republican swine/traitors, tell me that you voted against Trump in 2016 and plan to do so again in 2020. Tell me that you hate Mitch McConnell.

4. The electoral college is over. Justices nominated by a traitor are illegitimate. If our constitution cant be fixed it is time for a new constitution. This right wing abomination has gone on way too long.

Will The Police Murder You if You Protest Peacefully

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My friend, Richard Thompson, esq, suggests that as a white person I am unlikely to be murdered outright if I protest injustice.  Just teargassed and beaten.  Accordingly this suggests that by teaming up with people of color one may be able to prevent them being killed by our right wing police forces.

Moral Improvement and the Redemption of Sin Through Good Works

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I have always believed in the possibility of moral improvement through the process of higher education.  For a large part of my life this did not seem possible due to other responsibilities and a regrettable lack of resources.  

But miraculously some of those resource constraints have been lifted and my need for moral improvement has never been greater.  But people seem to be confused about why I would want an advanced degree so this note is an attempt to quantify some of what I might hope to achieve.

1. First, to be around and work with smart people on a variety of projects.  Whenever I am around smart people I seem to get smarter and I am always inspired and challenged by their work and their ideas.  Sometimes what makes a group interesting is where it is located. Some places are just naturally more interesting than others. Sometimes it is the group that makes a place interesting.

2. Bring my technical skills up to date, presumably by taking courses possibly on a tutorial (Oxford/Cambridge) basis.  

3. Be in an environment where I am exposed to people doing new work, including lectures by interesting people who have come to visit.  

4. Similar to the above, but slightly different, be in an environment where people are interested in doing new work, where that is their raison d'etre, and where they are aware of what the current work in an area is.  

5. Have access to a lab or facility where new things can be tried.  

6. And of course, a credential would be nice.  There are various types of credentials that are possible here and some flexibility because the normal requirements for a career are not present.  In other words, a PhD would be desirable from certain institutions, but since I am not going to have a normal career as a professor at a research university or an art institution, the need for a credential(s) and what type are more ... open ended?  ambiguous? 

7. Of course the ultimate goal is to do new work, work that is better for the exposure to new ideas and new people, possibly get this work published.  This work would speak for who I am and would hopefully lead to new opportunities in a world changing at great speed and going to hell in a handbasket as we watch.

If it is not possible to do all of these, then having some of these would be useful.

To the best of my knowledge the best way to achieve this is to be affiliated with one of the major industrial research labs or one of the graduate programs in the appropriate field.  

This was not so clear to me earlier in my "career", it makes me wonder if things might have changed.  It seems to me that 30 years ago it was a lot easier to hang around a research group or graduate program even though one was not affiliated. It seemed to me that those in "industry" were closer to those in "research".  Maybe that was an artifact of the time and the fields of interest.  Whatever. Not any more.

In a perfect world, one might imagine that I got a PhD in Computer Science and an MFA in Art or Design and be acknowledged and loved in my various fields.  That would be rewarding and demonstrate what I think of as the redemption of sin through good works.

It is not impossible that this could be inspirational to others who have fallen into despair and hopelessness. 

Thank you for listening.

Statute of Limitations to Add To the List

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1. Remove the electoral college, 2. Find a way to invalidate and rehold elections that have been compromised, 3. End voter suppression, 4. End the Supreme Courts ability to throw an election as in 2000, and 5. Increase the Statute of Limitations ot make it possible to bring the criminals to justice.