Articles
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A flashlight finite state machine
January 24, 2026
Read moreI’ve muddled around with this off and on for years,
without really finishing it; but my friend Robert started playing with an AI formal requirements tool, and I needed a test case. -
Sakharov's prophetic reflection
January 16, 2026
Read moreAndrei Sakharov saw it coming. Living through the advent of the Soviet Union and directly experiencing its repression gave Sakharov plenty of examples of how a corrupt regime achieves power. He would, I think, be aghast at the current trajectory of the United States, formerly a beacon of democracy.
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Mailing list
January 12, 2026
Read moreI have set up an email notification list to tell folks when I post something here. If you want to be added, or deleted, please just let me know and I’ll be happy to take care of it.
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Thoughts on "How the internet drove down regard for actual facts — and education", an article by Philip Bump, Jan 4, 2026
January 6, 2026
Read moreMy father recently sent me an op-ed published on MS Now (formerly MSNBC) by Philip Bump titled “How the internet drove down regard for actual facts — and education”.
Mr. Bump offers a compelling analysis in his opinion piece. I mostly agree; “the Internet” (and more specifically, the algorithmically-driven echo chambers referred to as “social media”) have been significant contributors to the current sociopolitical situation. It’s too easy to just blame them, though – I think they’re enablers and amplifiers of our current culture’s worst tendencies, which would be present regardless of the predominance of social media. The real question at hand is what do we do about it?
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The Tyranny of Run-Flat Tires
June 9, 2025
Read moreWe have discovered just how evil “run flat” tires are. Many vehicles today come equipped with so-called “run flat” tires. At some point, car manufacturers gave up on good engineering and decided that rather than equip a vehicle with a spare tire, they could save space and money by giving the customer… nothing! No spare. No tools to remove the tire. No jack. No space in the trunk or under the car to store a tire. Instead, we get tires that you can drive on, for a bit, in a punctured condition. That will get you off the freeway; maybe it will get you to a tire shop, if you’re not driving in the middle of nowhere. But that shop is not going to repair your run-flat tire – no, you’ve driven on it! Now you need a new tire. Oh, the tires aren’t new? Well, you’re probably going to need two new tires, as they must match in diameter. Ah, but your car is all-wheel-drive; now you may need four new tires, as they must all match. And did we mention, run-flat tires cost quite a bit more than the regular kind? Oh good grief.