Friday 11/01/2024
There was nothing on the google calendar but I had an internal to-do list. First up, a walk. On return I spent a bit of time looking for things to do in Seattle, Christmas week. Found one thing, sent to Dennis and Laurel, except I used her old email. Called Romie to find out if her iMac was finally on the proper network, and it is, and now she can print. So that’s off my mind.
Then finalized the AV report to Rhonda on auditorium improvements. Two punchy pages of recommendations.
After lunch I sat and read a chapter of Nexus, a book Joanne loaned me that I need to get read and give back. It’s about the history of information in human society, and the part I read had an example that was chilling in the light of current events. He reviews the history of the witchcraft scare of 1580-1650, during which tens of thousands of people were accused of witchcraft, tortured, and executed. This really started with a book by a crank who spun an elaborate conspiracy fantasy about thousands of secret witches at black masses having sex with Satan. The fantasy was picked up and elaborated by others and became the new consensus reality. He writes,
Witch hunts were… a prime example of a problem that was created by information, was made worse by more information. … demonstrates that releasing barriers to the flow of information doesn’t necessarily lead to the discovery and spread of truth. It can just as easily lead to the spread of lies and fantasies and to the creation of toxic information spheres.
Fear of immigrants, anyone?
At 3pm I took a tech squad call from Gloria, who had some small email issues. Then out to Safeway, leaving the car up at the surface lot. At 5:45 met with Joanne, Patty and Caroline to drive across town to try out the new location of Kirk’s Steakburgers. This restaurant has been a Palo Alto fixture for decades, in various locations, but just last week they moved to a new place in Midtown. Had a good burger and shake and good conversation with people I like.
Codgerville 