War Game... not!

In the 1980s I was sooo tired of fighting difficult people at work, a domineering mother, preteen kids I was raising alone, a crazy ex-wife and a pain-in-the-butt significant other, that I began my dissertation based upon an article and collaborative experiment at Scientific American magazine. It was on the opposite of War Games. The magazine asked readers to submit their solutions to a one-on-one transaction problem that gave points to benefit societal win-win cooperation. Geek readers submitted all kinds of complex and esoteric solutions but the one that won was simple, and the field of Game Theory was blessed with Nice, Clear, Procable and Forgiving.

This one-on-one transaction scenario, the cooperative version of what is unfortunately called The Prisoner's Dilemma, deals with an exchange between two entities. For example, as when buying an item over the internet, three outcomes are possible. Hopefully the buyer gives his credit card information and the seller sends buyer the requested item, in which case both win, and both buyer and seller get two points each. The second possible outcome is where the buyer sends credit card information but the seller does not send the item, therefore the seller wins three points and the buyer zero. The third possible outcome is where the buyer sends a fraudulent payment but the seller sends the item, and the buyer wins three points and the seller gets zero. Seem familiar?

Key is that, overall, a win-win nets more total points to society than that of the other two outcomes, and that there is a clearly demarcated start and end to the transaction, which is iterated multiple times.

The solution was to be Nice, Clear, Provocable and Forgiving...

   - Nice: My entity starts "nice" (whether buying or selling) in the first transaction, trusting... the honeymoon.

   - Clear: Both entities are aware of (but don't have to agree to) this solution/rules.

   - Provocable: When either buyer or seller screws the other, at the next transaction the loser screws the winner.

   - Forgiving: Then everything is forgiven, with no rancor and no grudge held, to start fresh at the following transaction.

Such a simple and naive set of rules couldn't possible win, you say? It did, over a Kalman Filter based Estimation Theory solution and every other engineer/scientist's submission, which were numerous.

When I used it, what it did was to regiment or train me to follow a wining procedure... sort of like dog obedience classes actually train the owner, not the dog.

When used, this solution works great in dating, but, unfortunately, this one-on-one format does not conform well to marriage, since marriage does not have individual transactions with clearly demarcated start and end, but is a continuous form. It also works good with acquaintances, friends and family. The work situation is mixed, not one-on-one, so only part of the work environment benefits from using this solution.

Since formulated, this solution has spread like wildfire in the interested technical and psychological communities, with extensions attempted for one-on-many couplings, blurred start/ends, and other interesting situations.

This solution worked for me before, and I now need it again, so I've brought out my figurative brass knuckles.

- © 2009 by Willy

Out with the old

A promising new year is coming in an hour. Full of possibilities and chances. Anything is possible if I focus on it... and let go my luggage and garbage. No "resolutions," just trying to stick to current goals.

Having a tough time.

Why Are We Here?

I'm thoroughly disgusted. The shallow-and-selfish have ruled me much too long, and have thrashed me in doing so... from broken heart to broken retirement... but the worse injury is that they have broken my spirit. I'm sick and tired of it... I'm mad as hell, and I won't take it any more!

Let me back up. Our real purpose may be love in action. This includes contributing to others through kindness... thus serving others. I know that this is not a popular activity... matter of fact, you're seen as an idiot for doing so among the shallow-and-selfish... but then look at the shape we're in due to them.

Arthur H. Prince stated that the purpose of life is not to be happy. The purpose of life is to matter, to be productive, to have it make some difference that we have lived at all.

I agree with that, but if THEY don't contribute, what good are they? And if we're here to contribute to others, then what is the purpose of those others we contribute to? Why are THEY here? OK, so, either EVERYBODY contributes, or I quit them!

In the case of the financial sector, and as stewards of the public dollar, it's the obligation of government to exercise due diligence to protect the common wealth and serve the public good. This is something much lacking lately. Advocates of servicing the public need are not doing their job, so I'm withdrawing from all Wall Streeters, big bankers and their ilk.

Withdrawing? What? Well, I won't take it any more. I'll say no to the greedy gunk that have been controlling our destiny and getting rich at our expense. I won't give them my dollar and enable their bad behavior. I've been gradually withdrawing from financial sector markets into less risky and more tangible assets. Not only that but I have been simplifying my life and cutting down on buying... by fixing, finding a used one, reducing consumption or making do without.

I will be kind to others, but I will also closely monitor their behavior, and will disengage when I see a lack of reciprocity. I will play the well-known solution to the Prisoner's Dilemma (see Scientific American, starting circa 1982). I will be Nice, Clear, Provocable and Forgiving... and continuously observe and monitor them. If they don't contribute, I'm firing them.

I'm now dealing with my co-dependence to a much grander scale. This is going to mend my spirit. The financial sector and other shallow-and-selfish can kiss my $.

- © 2008 by Willy
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It's Coming, Again

In engineering, as in physics, we're very used to detecting things indirectly. You are too. Your dog barks and you know somebody's there. An object's shadow is sometimes larger than the object itself. Observation of effected and unexpected dynamics give it away. Correlation with associated behavior points it out.

Well, one thing that's coming is clearly the upcoming national bankruptcy due to the financial sector's unbridled professional thieves, with their accomplices in congress... an inevitable derailment that seems unstoppable and will destroy this country from the inside. Since we've had these before, you'd think we'd steer away.

The real thing that's coming and welcomed is Christ's birthday. Since Labor Day, we've had Christmas displays at stores. Closer in it's not just traffic jams and full parking lots but the inability to do regular shopping.

In my specific case, two additional things give away the season.

One is the inevitable upper respiratory infection, no doubt due to chilly temperatures while hiking and bicycling. Some Decembers are worse than others, and this one has been bad, having had to take off a week from work. It still lingers.

The second thing that gives away the season for me specifically is that my home stationary bicycle gets dusted off and begins its use, which will happen today. It's just too cold to hike or bike given that I'm still sick, and my regular gym is closed on Sundays.

I like the time off at Christmas. I really want to enjoy my peace and quiet both at home and at work. I can catch up at work this time of year simply because the storm quits swamping the boat and I can bail it dry, and I can relax and do my activities at home unencumbered with commitments.

I've had many discussions on the life of solitude that I've chosen lately. I find it joyful in its simplicity, with a maximum of independence, and better than monastic life by far. While taking a class on stress management from a nun, I just had to ask her what the hell does a nun in a monastery know about stress? She responded that she has to live with 50 other women!

There is also a third thing that could be coming. I've been very human, but I'm understanding my prior mistakes and trusting on early sensing and detection to stay away from trouble. The larger shadow will tell me trouble's coming, and then I must control myself, and stay detached and away. Unlike the upcoming national depression, this one I can avoid.

Yep, there's lots of stuff coming, again. Some good and some bad.

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- text © 2008 by Willy