Herbert A. Simon and attention

Herbert A. Simon (1916-2001) was an American political scientist best known for his contributions to economics, psychology and computer science. Wikipedia says,

"...Simon was among the pioneers of several modern-day scientific domains such as artificial intelligence, information processing, decision-making, problem solving, organization theory, and complex systems." (Wikipedia: Herbert A. Simon, 12.19.22 UTC 07:17)

The rest of this post is some quotes from Simon.

Attention and information

"What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention, and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it." (Designing Organizations for an Information-Rich World, 1971)

"Solving a problem simply means representing it so as to make the solution transparent." (The Sciences of the Artificial, 1969)

Jef Raskin and ease of use

Jef Raskin (1943-2005) was an American computer interface expert best known for his contributions to the Macintosh project at Apple. Wikipedia says,

"Parallel to the Lisa's development, a skunkworks team at Apple was working on another project. Conceived in 1979 by Jef Raskin, the Macintosh was envisioned as an affordable, easy-to-use computer for the masses, with the Lisa's graphical interface." (Wikipedia: Mac (computer), 12.28.22 UTC 09:13)

The rest of this post is some quotes from Raskin.

Ease of use

"A well-designed and humane interface does not have to be split into beginner and expert subsystems." (The Human Interface: New Directions for Designing Interactive Systems, 2000)

"An interface is humane if it is responsive to human needs and considerate of human frailties." (The Human Interface: New Directions for Designing Interactive Systems, 2000)

Alan Cooper and simplicity

Alan Cooper (1952-) is an American software designer best known for his contributions to Visual Basic. Wikipedia says,

"In his 1998 book, The Inmates Are Running the Asylum: Why High-Tech Products Drive Us Crazy and How to Restore the Sanity, Alan Cooper outlined his methodology, called Goal-Directed design, based on the concept that software should speed the user towards his or her ultimate goal rather than ensnare him or her in computer minutiae." (Wikipedia: Alan Cooper, 12.16.22 UTC 00:01)

The rest of this post is some quotes from Cooper.

Simplicity

"No matter how beautiful, no matter how cool your interface, it would be better if there were less of it." (AZQuotes.com)

"Ironically, the thing that will likely make the least improvement in the ease of use of software-based products is new technology. There is little difference between a complicated, confusing program and a simple, fun and powerful product." (The Inmates Are Running the Asylum, 1998)

"A powerful tool in the early stage of developing scenarios is to pretend the interface is magic. If your persona has goals and the product has magical powers to meet them, how simple could the interaction be?" (About Face 3: Essentials of Interaction Design, 2012 by Alan Cooper, David Cronin and Robert Reimann)

Jan Tschichold and typography

Jan Tschichold (1902-1974) is a German calligrapher and designer best known for the Sabon typeface and his contributions to the modernism. Wikipedia says,

"He favored non-centered design (e.g. on title pages), and codified many other Modernist design rules. He advocated the use of standardized paper sizes for all printed matter, and made some of the first clear explanations of the effective use of different sizes and weights of type in order to quickly and easily convey information. This book was followed with a series of practical manuals on the principles of Modernist typography..." (Wikipedia: Jan Tschichold, 10.12.22 UTC 14:26)

The rest of this post is some quotes from Tschichold.

Typography

"The aim of every typographic work - the delivery of a message in the shortest, most efficient manner." (AZQuotes.com)

"Readers want what is important to be clearly laid out; they will not read what is too troublesome." (AZQuotes.com)

"White space is to be regarded as an active element, not a passive background." (AZQuotes.com)

Robert Cailliau and online content

Robert Calliau (1947-now) is a Belgian computer scientist best known collaborating with Tim Berners-Lee to create the World Wide Web. The rest of this post is some quotes from Cailliau.

World Wide Web

"When we have all data online, it will be great for humanity. It is a prerequisite to solving many problems that humankind faces." (AZQuotes.com)

"I'd like the reader to decide if he is willing to pay minute sums for content. I'd like the economics of the web to be controlled between authors and readers, not advertisers." (AZQuotes.com)

"There was a a time when the community that was on the Net was homogenous and civilized. Now it's not. We're in the middle of chaos. It may calm down. But the alternative is that there's a total meltdown of the system and that it becomes unusable. That would be a catastrophe." (AZQuotes.com)

Information as an optimization problem

When making a blog post or webpage, one can think of information as an optimization problem (IAAOP) based on 4 criteria:

1. Minimization of text
2. Maximization of relevant information
3. Clarity
4. Accuracy

Jean Baudrillard and hyperreality

Jean Baudrillard (1929-2007) was a French philosopher best known for his contributions to postmodernism. Wikipedia says,

"Simulacra and Simulation is a 1981 philosophical treatise by the philosopher and cultural theorist Jean Baudrillard, in which the author seeks to examine the relationships between reality, symbols and society, in particular the significations and symbolism of culture and media involved in constructing an understanding of shared existence." (Wikipedia: Simulacra and Simulations, 12.23.22 UTC 15:06)

The rest of this post is some quotes from Baudrillard.

Hyperreality

"The real is not only what can be reproduced, but that which is already reproduced, the hyper-real." (Simulations, 1983)

"I observe, I accept, I assume the immense process of the destruction of appearances (and the seduction of appearances) in the service of meaning (representation, history, criticism, etc.) that is the fundamental fact of the 19th century." (Simulacra and Simulation, 1981)

"...we are in a logic of simulation, which no longer has anything to do with a logic of facts and an order of reason. Simulation is characterized by a precession of the model, of all the models based on the merest fact..." (Simulacra and Simulation, 1981)

Vannevar Bush and the memex

Vannevar Bush (1890-1974) was an American inventor best known for his work at the U.S. Office of Scientific Research and Development during World War II. Wikipedia says,

"[Bush] emphasized the importance of scientific research to national security and economic well-being, and was chiefly responsible for the movement that led to the creation of the National Science Foundation." (Wikipedia: Vannevar Bush, 12.19.22 UTC 05:04)

The rest of this post is some quotes from Bush.

Information

"Consider a future device for individual use, which is a sort of mechanized private file and library. It needs a name, and to coin one at random, memex will do. A memex is a device in which an individual stores all his book, records, and communications, and which is mechanized so that it may be consulted with exceeding speed and flexibility. It is an enlarged intimate supplement to his memory." (As We May Think, 1945)

"There is a new profession of trail blazers, who find delight in the task of establishing useful trails through the enormous mass of the common record. The inheritance from the master becomes, not only his additions to the world's record, but for his disciples the entire scaffolding by which they were erected." (As We May Think, 1945)

Collection of quotes about minimalism

This post is a collection of quotes about minimalism. There are 2 quotes listed below. License: CC BY-SA 3.0

1. "Minimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is set out to expose the essence, essentials or identity of a subject through eliminating all non-essential forms, features or concepts." (Wikipedia: Minimalism (visual arts), 12.17.22 UTC 23:11)

2. "Literary minimalism is characterized by an economy with words and a focus on surface description." (Wikipedia: Minimalism, 12.17.22 UTC 17:15)

Collection of Cy Twombly works

This post is a collection of works by Cy Twombly (1928-2011). There are 4 works listed below alphabetically.

• Apollo and the Artist (1975)
• Leaving Paphos Ringed With Waves III (2009)
• Untitled (New York City) (1968)
• Untitled I (2005)

Collection of Mark Rothko paintings

This post is a collection of paintings by Mark Rothko (1903-1970). There are 4 paintings listed below alphabetically.

• No. 6 (Violet, Green and Red) (1951)
• Orange, Red, Yellow (1961)
• Untitled (1952)
• White Center (Yellow, Pink and Lavender on Rose) (1950)

Collection of Joan Mitchell paintings

This post is a collection of paintings by Joan Mitchell (1925-1992). There are 10 paintings listed below alphabetically.

• Bonjour Julie (1971)
• Bracket (1989)
• City Landscape (1955)
• East Ninth Street (~1956)
• Ici (1992)
• George Went Swimming at Barnes Hole, but It Got Too Cold (1957)
• Merci (1992)
• My Landscape II (1967)
• Noon (1969)
• Sans Neige (1969)

Collection of Jackson Pollock paintings

This post is a collection of paintings by Jackson Pollock. There are 10 paintings listed below alphabetically.

• Autumn Rhythm (Number 30) (1950)
• Blue Poles (1952)
• Convergence (1952)
• Easter and the Totem (1953)
• Eyes in the Heat (1946)
• Mural (1943)
• Mural on Indian Red Ground (1950)
• Number 17A (1949)
• One: Number 31 (1950)
• The She-Wolf (1943)

Collection of Willem de Kooning paintings

This post is a collection of Willem de Kooning paintings. There are 10 paintings listed below alphabetically.

• Abstraction (1949-1950)
• Ashville (1948)
• Excavation (1950)
• Fire Island (1946)
• Interchange (1955)
• Painting (1948)
• Untitled XIX (1982)
• Whose Name Was Writ in Water (1975)
• Woman I (1950-1952)
• Woman II (1952)

Collection of historical events when Uranus was in Gemini: 1941-1949

This post is a collection of historical events during the last Uranus transit in Gemini (1941-1949) that are relevant to this transit. Uranus represents revolution and innovation, while Gemini represents duality and versatility. The next time Uranus will be in Gemini will be between 2025 and 2033. There are 5 events listed below chronologically. Source: Wikipedia

• World War II (between 1939 and 1945)
• 1942: Manhattan Project begins
• 1943: Colossus computer is created for cryptography
• 1945: United Nations is created
• 1945: Cold War between the United States and Russia begins

Collection of historical events when Neptune was in Aries: 1861-1874

This post is a collection of historical events during the last Neptune transit in Aries (1861-1874) that are relevant to this transit. Neptune represents idealism and dreams, while Aries represents courage and aggression. The next time Neptune will be in Aries will be between 2025 and 2039. There are 7 events listed below chronologically. Source: Wikipedia

• 1863: International Red Cross is established
• 1865: Slavery is abolished in the United States
• 1869: Periodic table is discovered
• 1872: Yellowstone becomes the first U.S. national park
• 1873: James Clerk Maxwell publishes A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism
• 1874: First impressionist exhibition

Collection of historical events when Pluto was in Aquarius

This post is a collection of historical events when Pluto was in Aquarius that are relevant to this transit. Pluto represents death and transformation, while Aquarius represents community and technology. The next time Pluto will be in Aquarius will be between 2023 and 2044. There are 6 time periods and 21 events listed below chronologically.

    305-329 AD

• 313 AD: Edict of Milan
• 325 AD: Council of Nicaea

    550-574 AD

• 553 AD: Second Council of Constantinople
• 570 AD: Muhammad is born

    795 - 819 AD

• Carolingian Renaissance in Europe
• 800 AD: Charlemagne becomes Holy Roman Emperor

    1041-1063

• Movable type printing is developed in China
• 1054: Great Schism between Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches

    1286-1308

• 1296: Scottish War of Independence begins
• 1291: Switzerland is established
• 1299: Ottoman Empire is established

    1532-1553

• Protestant Reformation spreads in Europe (began in 1517)
• 1532: Spanish conquest of the Incan Empire begins
• 1534: Church of England rejects papal authority
• 1543: Nicolaus Copernicus publishes On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres

    1777-1797

• American Revolutionary War (between 1775 and 1783)
• 1781: Immanuel Kant publishes Critique of Pure Reason
• 1781: Uranus is discovered
• French Revolution (between 1789 and 1799)
• 1792: Mary Wollstonecraft publishes A Vindication of the Rights of Women
• 1796: Smallpox vaccine is created

Sources

Wikipedia: 4th century, 6th century, 8th century, 11th century, 13th century, 16th century, 18th century

Collection of Aphex Twin songs

This post is a collection of Aphex Twin songs. There are 4 songs listed below alphabetically.

• Girl/Boy Song
• Rhubarb
• Stone In Focus
• Windowlicker

List of levels of artificial intelligence

This post is a list of the levels of artificial intelligence. There are 3 levels listed below in ascending order. License: CC BY-SA 3.0

1. Weak artificial intelligence

"...implements a limited part of mind, or, as narrow AI, is focused on one task." (Wikipedia: Weak artificial intelligence, 11.25.22 UTC 17:23)

2. Artificial general intelligence

"...ability of an intelligent agent to understand or learn any intellectual task that a human being can." (Wikipedia: Artificial general intelligence, 12.9.22 UTC 03:21)

3. Superintelligence

"...hypothetical agent that possesses intelligence far surpassing that of the brightest and most gifted human minds." (Wikipedia: Superintelligence, 12.2.22 UTC 12:14)

List of astrological signs by esoteric ruling planet

This post is a list of astrological signs by esoteric ruling planet. The traditional ruling planets can be found at this link. There are 12 signs listed below according to the Zodiac calendar. Source: mermaid-uk.net

• Aries: Mercury
• Taurus: Vulcan
• Gemini: Venus
• Cancer: Neptune
• Leo: Sun
• Virgo: Moon
• Libra: Uranus
• Scorpio: Mars
• Sagittarius: Earth
• Capricorn: Saturn
• Aquarius: Jupiter
• Pisces: Pluto

Explanation of annual profections in astrology

Annual profections is a timing technique in astrology that determines which planet will be the most important planet (time lord) for a person in each year of their life.

The ruling planet of the sign of a person's 1st house will be the time lord for that person during their first year of life (age 0 to 1). In the second year of a person's life (age 1 to 2), the ruling planet of the sign of their 2nd house will be the time lord, and so on.

In annual profections, the time lord is the traditional ruling planet (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) and not the modern ruling planet (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) of each sign.

Explanation of secondary progressions in astrology

Secondary progressions is a timing technique in astrology that determines the experience for a person in each year of their life.

In secondary progressions, one starts with a birth chart and moves a birth chart forward one day for one year of life to determine the experience of that year of life.

For example, to determine the experience for a person when they are 22 years old, the birth chart should be moved forward 22 days and the progressed birth chart should be indicative of that year of life.

Explanation of solar arc directions in astrology

Solar arc directions is a timing technique in astrology that determines the experience for a person in each year of their life.

In solar arc directions, one starts with a birth chart and moves all planets forward one degree for every year of life to determine the experience of that year of life based on the aspects (angles) between natal planets and shifted planets (progressed planets).

For example, to determine the experience for a person when they are 10 years old, all planets should be moved forward 10 degrees and the aspects between natal planets and shifted planets should be indicative of that year of life.

Explanation of zodiacal releasing in astrology

Zodiacal releasing is a timing technique in astrology that determines the length of chapters in a person's life.

To use this method, start from either the Lot of Spirit (career), Lot of Fortune (health) or Lot of Eros (love) in a natal birth chart (rules for calculation at this link) and the sign of the Lot will determine the length of the first chapter in a given aspect of life (listed below). The length of the second chapter will be determined by the next sign in the zodiac calendar, and so on.

It should be mentioned that a year in zodiacal releasing is 360 days instead of 365 or 366 days, so chapters do not normally change exactly on a person's birthday. The length of each chapter by sign is listed below according to the zodiac calendar.

• Aries: 15 years
• Taurus: 8 years
• Gemini: 20 years
• Cancer: 25 years
• Leo: 19 years
• Virgo: 20 years
• Libra: 8 years
• Scorpio: 15 years
• Sagittarius: 12 years
• Capricorn: 27 years
• Aquarius: 30 years
• Pisces: 12 years

Source: theastrologypodcast.com

Collection of timing techniques in astrology

This post is a collection of timing techniques in astrology. This is not a complete list of timing techniques. There are 6 techniques listed below alphabetically. Source: The Astrology Podcast

• annual profections
• secondary progressions
• solar arc directions
• transits
• Vimshottari dasha
• zodiacal releasing