Control of the Desktop

My battle with the system to control my desktop continues.  I have learned that Google controls "devices".

My daughter ensures that I have a spectrum of devices:  Nixplay Frame and fitbit Flex.

The Open System Interconnection Reference Model had 7 levels.  IBM added an 8th level for User at both ends.

I'm at a library using the Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet.  Chrome still wants to be my default browser.

It may be that that is what I want for this device.  It is not what I want for my real HP Laptop computer.

Perception is Key

Perception was more important than reality in the Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) strategic nuclear policy of the Cold War.  If a party was perceived as weak enough to be attacked, it would be of little consequence to the millions of dead that the attacking party was wrong.  On the other hand, would one expect to be able to achieve savings by focusing on perception rather than reality?

In the good old days, the US could retaliate against a terrorist country for a terrorist act against the US or a US citizen.  If we got it wrong, nobody knew except for the real perpetrator and, possibly, us.  If someone credible spoke out, we would have a new target.

While thinking about the War on Terror, I realized that, if we have a list of “bad guys/countries”, we can pick a (deserving) target and punish them.  Everybody will think that crime does not pay except for the real perpetrator.

I can see an analogy with local law enforcement.  Now, with DNA evidence, the innocent of the particular crime is being set free but no replacement is being found.

Back to Basics

In the midst of cultural conflict, it seems logical that it would be good to go “back to basics” periodically.

I associate “back to basics” with the attitude often attributed to Vince Lombardi while he was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers and the approach used by physicists to derive results from “first principles.”

During my “mid-life crisis,” I decided that my core values were:   Liberty, Justice, and Compassion.  I did not develop a definition for each term.  Liberty was what our Founders Fought for.  My Justice was not blind.  My Justice was, like God, all seeing.  My Compassion was compassionate.  It should be obvious that these values are frequently in conflict.  For years, I considered “conflict” to be bad and we should try to avoid it.

An article on the back page of an old physics newsletter about Quakers and conflict was enlightening.  I’ve forgotten how Quakers address conflict but they sort of consider it good.