A basic principle at I-MAG STS is that if we cannot express a mathematical
or statistical model in software then we must maintain a discrete silence
about whatever problem that model should have solved or at least
explained. Nor could we have the liberty of criticizing the positions of
others. This goes back to a statement attributed to the celebrated 19th
century French mathematician Louis Augustin Cauchy: "Men pass on.
Deeds abide." We interpret that to mean talk is nice and all, but it is what
gets done that really matters.
One of the points we made in the original Acalanes material was that when
we asked our HIROLA application software what California in 2008 most
closely resembled, the answer we got back was England 1940. For those
who are not avid readers of history, England's condition then was dreadful.
Her army had been defeated in France. Her navy was losing the Battle of the
Atlantic to German U-boats. When the Royal Air Force asked for help
against the far more powerful and experienced Luftwaffe 567 foreigners
and 7 Americans came. Routinely outnumbered 3:2, with an average of 10
(ten) hours of solo flying time, and an average age of 22, RAF pilots had an
average survival time of under three weeks. 544 Pilots and aircrew would be
killed in less than four months. At least 27,450 civilian were killed and over
32,000 wounded. Over 1000 fighter planes and over 500 other planes would
be lost. Hundreds of thousands of families were shattered as trainload after
trainload of children were evacuated from the cities, especially London.
or statistical model in software then we must maintain a discrete silence
about whatever problem that model should have solved or at least
explained. Nor could we have the liberty of criticizing the positions of
others. This goes back to a statement attributed to the celebrated 19th
century French mathematician Louis Augustin Cauchy: "Men pass on.
Deeds abide." We interpret that to mean talk is nice and all, but it is what
gets done that really matters.
One of the points we made in the original Acalanes material was that when
we asked our HIROLA application software what California in 2008 most
closely resembled, the answer we got back was England 1940. For those
who are not avid readers of history, England's condition then was dreadful.
Her army had been defeated in France. Her navy was losing the Battle of the
Atlantic to German U-boats. When the Royal Air Force asked for help
against the far more powerful and experienced Luftwaffe 567 foreigners
and 7 Americans came. Routinely outnumbered 3:2, with an average of 10
(ten) hours of solo flying time, and an average age of 22, RAF pilots had an
average survival time of under three weeks. 544 Pilots and aircrew would be
killed in less than four months. At least 27,450 civilian were killed and over
32,000 wounded. Over 1000 fighter planes and over 500 other planes would
be lost. Hundreds of thousands of families were shattered as trainload after
trainload of children were evacuated from the cities, especially London.
Baron Cauchy around
1840 (age 51)
1840 (age 51)