perm filename W88.OUT[LET,JMC] blob
sn#855348 filedate 1988-04-01 generic text, type C, neo UTF8
COMMENT ⊗ VALID 00396 PAGES
C REC PAGE DESCRIPTION
C00001 00001
C00036 00002 ∂02-Jan-88 1434 JMC
C00037 00003 ∂02-Jan-88 1516 JMC
C00038 00004 ∂02-Jan-88 1529 JMC parking
C00039 00005 ∂02-Jan-88 1602 JMC
C00040 00006 ∂02-Jan-88 1909 JMC supercomputing considered harmful
C00042 00007 ∂03-Jan-88 1055 JMC (→21146 10-Feb-88)
C00043 00008 ∂04-Jan-88 1309 JMC re: russell account
C00044 00009 ∂04-Jan-88 1318 JMC re: Keys
C00045 00010 ∂04-Jan-88 1442 JMC 15 puzzle
C00048 00011 ∂04-Jan-88 1621 JMC re: Outside User Computer Account
C00049 00012 ∂04-Jan-88 1702 JMC re: Gurevich
C00050 00013 ∂05-Jan-88 0013 JMC
C00051 00014 ∂05-Jan-88 1131 JMC re: Outside User Computer Account
C00052 00015 ∂05-Jan-88 1222 JMC
C00053 00016 ∂05-Jan-88 1226 JMC re: quick meeting
C00054 00017 ∂06-Jan-88 1101 JMC two things
C00055 00018 ∂06-Jan-88 1110 JMC re: two things
C00056 00019 ∂06-Jan-88 2247 JMC reply to message
C00057 00020 ∂07-Jan-88 1430 JMC re: Funds for Workshop proposal
C00058 00021 ∂07-Jan-88 2049 JMC re: quality TV
C00059 00022 ∂07-Jan-88 2058 Mailer re: A saying
C00060 00023 ∂08-Jan-88 1614 JMC
C00061 00024 ∂08-Jan-88 1646 JMC re: Paul Haley
C00062 00025 ∂08-Jan-88 1720 JMC letter for me to sign
C00063 00026 ∂08-Jan-88 1723 JMC
C00064 00027 ∂09-Jan-88 0103 Mailer re: Quality TV
C00068 00028 ∂09-Jan-88 0115 Mailer
C00069 00029 ∂09-Jan-88 1409 JMC
C00070 00030 ∂09-Jan-88 1410 JMC
C00074 00031 ∂10-Jan-88 2228 JMC re: the origin of the name LISP
C00075 00032 ∂10-Jan-88 2345 Mailer re: Quality TV
C00077 00033 ∂11-Jan-88 0019 JMC telegram to Mints
C00078 00034 ∂11-Jan-88 0103 JMC lunch
C00079 00035 ∂11-Jan-88 1143 JMC
C00080 00036 ∂11-Jan-88 1425 JMC reply to message
C00081 00037 ∂11-Jan-88 1431 JMC re: lunch
C00082 00038 ∂11-Jan-88 1436 JMC
C00083 00039 ∂11-Jan-88 1718 JMC
C00084 00040 ∂11-Jan-88 1736 JMC proposal
C00085 00041 ∂11-Jan-88 1738 JMC re: free baby gates
C00086 00042 ∂12-Jan-88 1100 JMC re: meeting
C00087 00043 ∂12-Jan-88 1106 JMC re: free baby gates
C00088 00044 ∂12-Jan-88 1138 JMC re: Center
C00089 00045 ∂12-Jan-88 1227 JMC re: Counter-reaction
C00090 00046 ∂12-Jan-88 1419 JMC reply to message
C00091 00047 ∂13-Jan-88 0044 JMC
C00092 00048 ∂13-Jan-88 1036 Qlisp-mailer rescheduling meeting
C00093 00049 ∂14-Jan-88 1057 JMC reply to message
C00094 00050 ∂14-Jan-88 1100 JMC rsvp
C00095 00051 ∂14-Jan-88 1128 Mailer re: "College Woman" article on AIDS
C00096 00052 ∂14-Jan-88 1142 JMC re: Commonsense and nonmonotonic reasoning seminar
C00097 00053 ∂14-Jan-88 1211 JMC modem or multiplexer not working
C00098 00054 ∂14-Jan-88 1215 JMC
C00099 00055 ∂14-Jan-88 1433 JMC contract
C00100 00056 ∂14-Jan-88 1438 JMC re: mtg
C00101 00057 ∂14-Jan-88 1504 JMC re: mtg
C00102 00058 ∂14-Jan-88 1529 JMC re: modem or multiplexer not working
C00103 00059 ∂14-Jan-88 1548 JMC re: Qlisp project continuation
C00104 00060 ∂14-Jan-88 1557 JMC re: Qlisp project continuation
C00105 00061 ∂14-Jan-88 2217 Mailer re: Airline Fares Query
C00108 00062 ∂14-Jan-88 2322 JMC report and proposal
C00110 00063 ∂15-Jan-88 0101 JMC
C00111 00064 ∂15-Jan-88 1355 JMC a draft
C00114 00065 ∂15-Jan-88 2241 Mailer re: nonviolence
C00119 00066 ∂16-Jan-88 1823 Mailer re: MLK day
C00122 00067 ∂16-Jan-88 2335 Mailer re: nonviolence
C00124 00068 ∂17-Jan-88 0017 Mailer peace talks
C00125 00069 ∂17-Jan-88 1307 JMC re: MLK Day
C00126 00070 ∂17-Jan-88 1340 JMC re: destroying the credibility of famous people
C00127 00071 ∂17-Jan-88 1417 JMC re: destroying the credibility of famous people
C00128 00072 ∂17-Jan-88 1550 Mailer re: peace talks
C00130 00073 ∂18-Jan-88 0040 Mailer re: secret nuclear tests by US
C00131 00074 ∂18-Jan-88 1721 JMC re: baby gates
C00132 00075 ∂18-Jan-88 1725 JMC re: nuclear tests
C00133 00076 ∂18-Jan-88 1848 JMC didn't work
C00134 00077 ∂18-Jan-88 2157 JMC re: Emacs and WAITS characters
C00135 00078 ∂19-Jan-88 0010 JMC re: UT reimbursement for moving expenses
C00136 00079 ∂19-Jan-88 1055 JMC dentist
C00137 00080 ∂19-Jan-88 1542 JMC
C00138 00081 ∂19-Jan-88 2231 Mailer re: support of the Afghan rebels
C00140 00082 ∂20-Jan-88 0759 JMC good news
C00141 00083 ∂20-Jan-88 1044 JMC
C00142 00084 ∂20-Jan-88 1121 JMC Ershov
C00143 00085 ∂20-Jan-88 1512 JMC reply to message
C00144 00086 ∂20-Jan-88 1754 JMC re: Fac. Senate and the Decline of Western Culture
C00145 00087 ∂20-Jan-88 1803 Mailer re: correction regarding SAIN meeting
C00147 00088 ∂21-Jan-88 1141 JMC re: Hi there
C00148 00089 ∂21-Jan-88 2220 JMC industrial lecturers
C00149 00090 ∂21-Jan-88 2327 JMC re: industrial lecturers
C00150 00091 ∂22-Jan-88 1006 JMC re: industrial lecturers
C00151 00092 ∂22-Jan-88 1208 JMC reply to message
C00152 00093 ∂22-Jan-88 1211 JMC re: Most enjoyable
C00153 00094 ∂22-Jan-88 1222 JMC re: industrial lecturers
C00155 00095 ∂22-Jan-88 1230 JMC re: reply to message
C00156 00096 ∂22-Jan-88 1254 JMC re: Most enjoyable
C00157 00097 ∂22-Jan-88 1302 JMC industrial lecturer
C00158 00098 ∂22-Jan-88 1304 JMC re: industrial lecturers
C00159 00099 ∂22-Jan-88 1311 JMC re: kronos
C00160 00100 ∂22-Jan-88 1428 Mailer In defense of the British
C00167 00101 ∂22-Jan-88 1430 JMC re: Jim Gray
C00168 00102 ∂22-Jan-88 1524 JMC
C00169 00103 ∂22-Jan-88 1712 JMC re: CSLI Internships
C00170 00104 ∂22-Jan-88 1720 Mailer re: The British and the subhumans
C00172 00105 ∂22-Jan-88 1808 Mailer Tasmanians
C00173 00106 ∂22-Jan-88 2313 JMC re: Paris
C00174 00107 ∂23-Jan-88 1742 JMC reply to message
C00175 00108 ∂23-Jan-88 1836 JMC re: Hello...
C00176 00109 ∂24-Jan-88 1201 Mailer In defense of the British
C00182 00110 ∂24-Jan-88 1609 Mailer self defense and apology
C00185 00111 ∂24-Jan-88 1615 Mailer further opportunity for misunderstanding
C00186 00112 ∂24-Jan-88 2147 Mailer re: L.LILITH on American Indians
C00188 00113 ∂24-Jan-88 2217 JMC
C00189 00114 ∂25-Jan-88 0218 JMC
C00190 00115 ∂25-Jan-88 0853 JMC re: surprise present
C00191 00116 ∂25-Jan-88 1044 JMC re: Industrial Lectureship
C00192 00117 ∂25-Jan-88 1504 JMC re: AI and Formal Reasoning Proposal
C00193 00118 ∂25-Jan-88 1650 JMC absence
C00194 00119 ∂25-Jan-88 1745 JMC report for nsf
C00195 00120 ∂25-Jan-88 1925 JMC re: RE: re: surprise present
C00196 00121 ∂25-Jan-88 2151 Mailer cultural imperialism and American Indians
C00206 00122 ∂25-Jan-88 2154 JMC starting earlier
C00207 00123 ∂26-Jan-88 1131 Mailer re: Stanford hinterlands development
C00208 00124 ∂26-Jan-88 1135 Mailer re: The next administration and dwarfs
C00209 00125 ∂26-Jan-88 1239 JMC mailing address
C00210 00126 ∂26-Jan-88 1239 JMC passing the buck
C00211 00127 ∂26-Jan-88 1255 JMC decline
C00212 00128 ∂26-Jan-88 1310 JMC re: Symbolics Multiprocessor
C00213 00129 ∂26-Jan-88 1421 JMC reply to message
C00214 00130 ∂26-Jan-88 1741 JMC re: Visiting Research Associates
C00215 00131 ∂26-Jan-88 1745 JMC re: Hello
C00216 00132 ∂26-Jan-88 1752 JMC re: What's the word for...
C00217 00133 ∂26-Jan-88 2241 Mailer One measure of the success of AMA propaganda
C00218 00134 ∂26-Jan-88 2252 Mailer rubism
C00219 00135 ∂27-Jan-88 1017 JMC re: Your Institution
C00220 00136 ∂27-Jan-88 1025 JMC Squires
C00221 00137 ∂27-Jan-88 1706 JMC re: expenses
C00222 00138 ∂27-Jan-88 2308 JMC reply to message
C00223 00139 ∂28-Jan-88 0009 Mailer re: Bush's 58 combat missions
C00225 00140 ∂28-Jan-88 0121 JMC re: Lunch
C00226 00141 ∂28-Jan-88 1040 JMC re: Andrei Ershov
C00228 00142 ∂28-Jan-88 1517 JMC re: Lunch
C00229 00143 ∂28-Jan-88 2119 JMC re: proposed additional Qlisp tasks
C00230 00144 ∂29-Jan-88 0130 Mailer Rather not
C00232 00145 ∂29-Jan-88 1103 JMC
C00233 00146 ∂29-Jan-88 1359 JMC re: nsf
C00234 00147 ∂29-Jan-88 1430 JMC re: A big thankyou...
C00235 00148 ∂29-Jan-88 1624 JMC re: chance meeting
C00236 00149 ∂29-Jan-88 1630 JMC
C00237 00150 ∂29-Jan-88 1744 JMC reprints
C00238 00151 ∂29-Jan-88 2304 Mailer free speech
C00242 00152 ∂30-Jan-88 1155 JMC re: IWoLES (copyright release)
C00243 00153 ∂30-Jan-88 1212 Mailer Split atoms not wood.
C00275 00154 ∂30-Jan-88 1311 Mailer press bashing
C00277 00155 ∂30-Jan-88 1753 JMC re: Wednesday
C00278 00156 ∂30-Jan-88 1756 JMC re: Paris hotel
C00279 00157 ∂30-Jan-88 1852 JMC re: Passing of `Frontier Gandhi'
C00280 00158 ∂31-Jan-88 1920 Mailer re: Iran/Contra & tyranny
C00282 00159 ∂31-Jan-88 2216 JMC
C00283 00160 ∂31-Jan-88 2320 Mailer re: The US a `declining IMPERIAL nation??'
C00286 00161 ∂01-Feb-88 1153 JMC two extreme approaches to AI
C00293 00162 ∂01-Feb-88 1154 JMC
C00294 00163 ∂01-Feb-88 1407 JMC re: MY generation
C00295 00164 ∂01-Feb-88 2203 JMC re: meeting at LUCID (on wednesday)
C00296 00165 ∂01-Feb-88 2310 JMC Gosper
C00297 00166 ∂02-Feb-88 1314 JMC
C00298 00167 ∂02-Feb-88 1600 JMC
C00299 00168 ∂02-Feb-88 1738 JMC re: nonhyphenating "non"
C00300 00169 ∂02-Feb-88 1742 Mailer re: United Nations & Israel
C00301 00170 ∂02-Feb-88 1855 JMC reply to message
C00302 00171 ∂03-Feb-88 0436 JMC re: IWoLES
C00307 00172 ∂03-Feb-88 0437 JMC re: IWoLES
C00308 00173 ∂03-Feb-88 1023 Mailer re: More mathematical style
C00310 00174 ∂03-Feb-88 1405 JMC Robert Halstead
C00311 00175 ∂03-Feb-88 1453 JMC re: More mathematical style
C00312 00176 ∂03-Feb-88 1547 JMC
C00313 00177 ∂03-Feb-88 2236 JMC You may hear something to your advantage
C00314 00178 ∂03-Feb-88 2239 JMC Boesch
C00315 00179 ∂04-Feb-88 1258 JMC re: Monday the 15th
C00316 00180 ∂04-Feb-88 2007 Mailer re: random flame
C00317 00181 ∂05-Feb-88 1057 JMC re: Sequent Computer
C00318 00182 ∂05-Feb-88 1242 JMC Bert Halstead
C00319 00183 ∂05-Feb-88 1427 JMC archive room
C00320 00184 ∂05-Feb-88 2343 JMC re: yet *another* way to waste some time?
C00321 00185 ∂06-Feb-88 1648 JMC re: IWoLES
C00322 00186 ∂07-Feb-88 1302 Mailer Western civilization
C00324 00187 ∂07-Feb-88 1333 JMC
C00325 00188 ∂07-Feb-88 1333 JMC nsf[1,val]/2p
C00326 00189 ∂07-Feb-88 1351 JMC reply to message
C00327 00190 ∂07-Feb-88 1519 JMC re: Book
C00328 00191 ∂07-Feb-88 1527 JMC re: Book
C00329 00192 ∂07-Feb-88 1616 Mailer Accuracy in Academia
C00333 00193 ∂08-Feb-88 0855 JMC re: QLISP budget draft
C00334 00194 ∂08-Feb-88 0904 JMC budget
C00341 00195 ∂08-Feb-88 0936 JMC
C00342 00196 ∂08-Feb-88 0953 JMC re: budget
C00343 00197 ∂08-Feb-88 1256 JMC
C00344 00198 ∂08-Feb-88 1316 JMC re: Software subcommittee report
C00345 00199 ∂08-Feb-88 1344 JMC electronic address
C00346 00200 ∂08-Feb-88 1613 JMC industrial lecturers
C00347 00201 ∂08-Feb-88 1619 JMC
C00348 00202 ∂08-Feb-88 1803 JMC
C00349 00203 ∂08-Feb-88 2215 JMC reply to message
C00350 00204 ∂08-Feb-88 2222 JMC re: Software subcommittee report
C00360 00205 ∂09-Feb-88 0233 JMC intro
C00361 00206 ∂09-Feb-88 1306 JMC re: seminar
C00363 00207 ∂09-Feb-88 1308 JMC re: intro
C00364 00208 ∂09-Feb-88 1427 JMC postpone lunch
C00365 00209 ∂09-Feb-88 1509 JMC re: postpone lunch
C00366 00210 ∂09-Feb-88 1612 JMC
C00367 00211 ∂09-Feb-88 1807 Mailer re: SRI
C00369 00212 ∂10-Feb-88 0915 Mailer re: Yet another flight to EastRidge Field...
C00371 00213 ∂10-Feb-88 0949 Mailer re: Yet another flight to EastRidge Field...
C00372 00214 ∂10-Feb-88 0950 JMC re: Yet another flight to EastRidge Field...
C00373 00215 ∂10-Feb-88 1628 JMC re: Industrial Lectureship
C00374 00216 ∂10-Feb-88 1755 Mailer one handed driving
C00376 00217 ∂11-Feb-88 1248 JMC
C00377 00218 ∂11-Feb-88 1737 JMC re: Point of Fact
C00378 00219 ∂11-Feb-88 1740 JMC files
C00379 00220 ∂11-Feb-88 2040 Mailer quote for today
C00380 00221 ∂12-Feb-88 0027 Mailer
C00381 00222 ∂12-Feb-88 0804 JMC re: Is that what Boesh wants, do you think?
C00383 00223 ∂12-Feb-88 0806 JMC re: next week
C00384 00224 ∂12-Feb-88 1002 Mailer re: and talking about south africa
C00385 00225 ∂12-Feb-88 1352 JMC your Daedelus paper
C00387 00226 ∂12-Feb-88 1354 JMC re: honors project/CSLI internship
C00388 00227 ∂12-Feb-88 1406 JMC re: honors project/CSLI internship
C00389 00228 ∂12-Feb-88 1411 JMC re: honors project/CSLI internship
C00390 00229 ∂12-Feb-88 1422 JMC re: honors project/CSLI internship
C00391 00230 ∂12-Feb-88 1656 JMC re: Alliant & Symbolics
C00392 00231 ∂12-Feb-88 2349 Mailer dog eat dog
C00396 00232 ∂12-Feb-88 2357 Mailer dog eat dog
C00397 00233 ∂13-Feb-88 1240 JMC re: Oops, sorry
C00398 00234 ∂13-Feb-88 1844 JMC re: Tonight: plans
C00399 00235 ∂14-Feb-88 1611 JMC lunch?
C00400 00236 ∂14-Feb-88 2106 JMC re: lunch?
C00401 00237 ∂14-Feb-88 2124 Mailer re: Inc. letter for Boobists to consider
C00403 00238 ∂15-Feb-88 1020 JMC re: ooops
C00404 00239 ∂15-Feb-88 1039 JMC re: Software Subcommittee Reminder
C00406 00240 ∂15-Feb-88 1205 JMC re: budget
C00407 00241 ∂15-Feb-88 1400 JMC Re: Industrial Lectureship
C00409 00242 ∂15-Feb-88 1515 JMC re: CBCL
C00410 00243 ∂15-Feb-88 1652 JMC
C00411 00244 ∂15-Feb-88 1658 JMC re: tentative darpa schedule
C00412 00245 ∂15-Feb-88 1706 JMC My Datamedia doesn't function suddenly.
C00413 00246 ∂16-Feb-88 0105 JMC terminal,multiplexor,modem or line
C00414 00247 ∂16-Feb-88 1138 JMC telegram to Neil Jones
C00415 00248 ∂16-Feb-88 1250 JMC Paris
C00416 00249 ∂16-Feb-88 1459 JMC
C00417 00250 ∂16-Feb-88 1555 JMC terminal not working
C00418 00251 ∂16-Feb-88 1853 JMC
C00419 00252 ∂17-Feb-88 1503 JMC advice
C00420 00253 ∂17-Feb-88 1930 JMC re: advice
C00421 00254 ∂17-Feb-88 2056 JMC alternate plan
C00422 00255 ∂18-Feb-88 1421 JMC re: book
C00423 00256 ∂19-Feb-88 0123 Mailer re: Air Line Ticket Problem
C00424 00257 ∂19-Feb-88 0240 JMC
C00425 00258 ∂19-Feb-88 1146 JMC
C00426 00259 ∂19-Feb-88 1348 JMC re: book
C00427 00260 ∂19-Feb-88 1807 JMC reply to message
C00428 00261 ∂19-Feb-88 2324 JMC memo to faculty
C00429 00262 ∂20-Feb-88 1019 JMC re: CS101
C00430 00263 ∂20-Feb-88 1028 JMC re: CS101
C00431 00264 ∂20-Feb-88 1125 JMC
C00432 00265 ∂20-Feb-88 1714 JMC Please send
C00433 00266 ∂20-Feb-88 1856 JMC Gordon Bell
C00434 00267 ∂20-Feb-88 1857 JMC trip
C00435 00268 ∂20-Feb-88 1858 JMC (→21166 26-Feb-88)
C00436 00269 ∂24-Feb-88 2316 JMC re: Gordon Bell
C00437 00270 ∂24-Feb-88 2321 JMC reply to message
C00438 00271 ∂24-Feb-88 2323 JMC re: Dinner Thursday, a problem I fear
C00439 00272 ∂24-Feb-88 2323 JMC re: book
C00440 00273 ∂24-Feb-88 2325 JMC re: book
C00441 00274 ∂25-Feb-88 1415 Mailer failed mail returned
C00442 00275 ∂25-Feb-88 1737 JMC
C00443 00276 ∂25-Feb-88 1816 JMC re: letter of interest to symbolics
C00444 00277 ∂25-Feb-88 2128 JMC dinner
C00445 00278 ∂26-Feb-88 0001 JMC Expired plan
C00446 00279 ∂26-Feb-88 1516 JMC re: dinner
C00447 00280 ∂26-Feb-88 2304 JMC
C00448 00281 ∂27-Feb-88 0132 Mailer Federal Spending as a Percentage of GNP
C00449 00282 ∂27-Feb-88 1733 JMC re: Job
C00450 00283 ∂27-Feb-88 2358 JMC re: The latest AIList
C00451 00284 ∂28-Feb-88 1523 JMC re: ISO meeting news
C00452 00285 ∂28-Feb-88 1528 JMC islisp
C00453 00286 ∂28-Feb-88 1654 JMC re: ISLISP
C00454 00287 ∂28-Feb-88 1717 JMC re: my master's courses
C00455 00288 ∂29-Feb-88 0118 Mailer re: Olympics
C00456 00289 ∂29-Feb-88 0946 JMC re: CPL
C00457 00290 ∂29-Feb-88 1426 JMC re: course description
C00458 00291 ∂29-Feb-88 1605 JMC Faculty and Staff Directory
C00459 00292 ∂29-Feb-88 1620 JMC
C00460 00293 ∂29-Feb-88 1835 JMC
C00461 00294 ∂29-Feb-88 1935 JMC pills
C00462 00295 ∂29-Feb-88 1945 JMC nonmonotonic logic
C00463 00296 ∂29-Feb-88 2321 JMC re: AI course
C00464 00297 ∂01-Mar-88 1128 Mailer re: Raccoon living in the campus
C00466 00298 ∂01-Mar-88 1135 Mailer re: why are fiscal years not calendar years?
C00468 00299 ∂01-Mar-88 1209 JMC
C00469 00300 ∂01-Mar-88 1509 JMC re: Dinner tonight?
C00470 00301 ∂01-Mar-88 1533 JMC re: Dinner tonight?
C00471 00302 ∂01-Mar-88 2011 JMC re: National Geographic
C00472 00303 ∂01-Mar-88 2309 JMC state of computer chess
C00473 00304 ∂02-Mar-88 0301 JMC two paths to AI
C00475 00305 ∂02-Mar-88 0941 JMC re: two paths to AI
C00476 00306 ∂02-Mar-88 1219 JMC re: stopping by your office
C00477 00307 ∂02-Mar-88 1233 JMC re: $
C00478 00308 ∂02-Mar-88 1500 JMC re: book
C00479 00309 ∂02-Mar-88 1551 JMC
C00480 00310 ∂02-Mar-88 2059 Mailer How many lives will it cost?
C00489 00311 ∂02-Mar-88 2136 Mailer the Olympics and Theodosius
C00492 00312 ∂02-Mar-88 2241 JMC Houston
C00493 00313 ∂03-Mar-88 1051 JMC history request
C00495 00314 ∂03-Mar-88 1101 JMC article
C00496 00315 ∂03-Mar-88 1243 JMC industrial lectureships
C00499 00316 ∂03-Mar-88 1458 JMC re: industrial lectureships
C00500 00317 ∂03-Mar-88 1459 JMC re: CS350
C00501 00318 ∂03-Mar-88 1736 JMC re: industrial lectureships
C00502 00319 ∂04-Mar-88 0948 JMC re: CSD Comp. The Second Coming
C00503 00320 ∂04-Mar-88 0950 JMC re: Industrial lectureships
C00504 00321 ∂04-Mar-88 1013 JMC industrial lecturers
C00507 00322 ∂04-Mar-88 1518 JMC re: industrial lecturers
C00508 00323 ∂04-Mar-88 1521 JMC re: industrial lecturers
C00509 00324 ∂05-Mar-88 2046 JMC paper to Professor Hook
C00510 00325 ∂06-Mar-88 0950 JMC Encyclopedia article
C00511 00326 ∂06-Mar-88 0953 JMC Encyclopedia article
C00512 00327 ∂06-Mar-88 1000 JMC Nagorno-Karabakh
C00513 00328 ∂08-Mar-88 1254 JMC re: Prof Moriarty an unindicted co-collaborator?
C00514 00329 ∂08-Mar-88 1259 JMC re: SAIL's operating expense/budget
C00515 00330 ∂08-Mar-88 1300 JMC re: SAIL's operating expense/budget
C00516 00331 ∂08-Mar-88 1412 JMC re: no ride
C00517 00332 ∂08-Mar-88 1749 JMC re: SAIL's operating expense/budget
C00519 00333 ∂08-Mar-88 1800 Mailer AIDS
C00521 00334 ∂10-Mar-88 1125 JMC re: Amount of idle time with cutoff d in Fibonacci
C00522 00335 ∂10-Mar-88 1133 JMC
C00523 00336 ∂10-Mar-88 1443 JMC re: ssp club
C00524 00337 ∂10-Mar-88 1537 JMC reply to message
C00525 00338 ∂10-Mar-88 1847 JMC SAIL charges
C00527 00339 ∂10-Mar-88 1932 JMC F-16 and possibly dinner
C00528 00340 ∂10-Mar-88 2132 JMC re: Re: Scheduler inefficiencies
C00529 00341 ∂11-Mar-88 1304 JMC Ketonen papers
C00531 00342 ∂11-Mar-88 1353 JMC supercomputer center comments
C00533 00343 ∂11-Mar-88 1735 JMC re: lin
C00534 00344 ∂11-Mar-88 1756 JMC re: Hi there, got your message
C00535 00345 ∂11-Mar-88 1921 JMC re: Hi there, got your message
C00536 00346 ∂12-Mar-88 1342 JMC re: Hi there, late as usual
C00537 00347 ∂12-Mar-88 1345 JMC re: A second try
C00538 00348 ∂13-Mar-88 1309 JMC re: test of mail
C00539 00349 ∂13-Mar-88 2136 JMC re: letter
C00540 00350 ∂13-Mar-88 2344 JMC re: lin
C00541 00351 ∂14-Mar-88 1039 JMC (→21213 18-Mar-88)
C00542 00352 ∂18-Mar-88 0001 JMC Expired plan
C00543 00353 ∂18-Mar-88 1131 JMC messages
C00544 00354 ∂18-Mar-88 1216 JMC dinner?
C00545 00355 ∂18-Mar-88 1224 JMC confusion about formal reasoning
C00547 00356 ∂19-Mar-88 1233 JMC re: oops
C00548 00357 ∂19-Mar-88 1242 JMC re: oops
C00549 00358 ∂20-Mar-88 2124 JMC reply to message
C00550 00359 ∂20-Mar-88 2331 JMC Lin Fangzhen
C00551 00360 ∂21-Mar-88 0859 JMC re: find yuen
C00552 00361 ∂21-Mar-88 1113 JMC statement to Congress on supercomputers
C00556 00362 ∂21-Mar-88 1140 JMC re: statement to Congress on supercomputers
C00557 00363 ∂21-Mar-88 1341 JMC re: Lin Fangzhen
C00558 00364 ∂21-Mar-88 1418 JMC symposium query
C00559 00365 ∂21-Mar-88 1429 JMC title and abstract
C00561 00366 ∂21-Mar-88 1536 JMC re: title and abstract
C00562 00367 ∂22-Mar-88 1949 JMC
C00563 00368 ∂22-Mar-88 1950 JMC
C00564 00369 ∂22-Mar-88 1959 JMC trip cancellation
C00565 00370 ∂23-Mar-88 1400 JMC
C00567 00371 ∂23-Mar-88 1404 JMC
C00568 00372 ∂23-Mar-88 1545 JMC
C00569 00373 ∂23-Mar-88 2124 JMC re: a puzzle about introspection
C00570 00374 ∂24-Mar-88 1219 JMC re: a puzzle about introspection
C00572 00375 ∂24-Mar-88 1603 JMC
C00573 00376 ∂25-Mar-88 1432 JMC flyer
C00574 00377 ∂25-Mar-88 2134 JMC
C00575 00378 ∂26-Mar-88 1340 JMC
C00576 00379 ∂27-Mar-88 0043 Mailer truce in Nicaragua
C00579 00380 ∂27-Mar-88 1720 JMC dinner tonight? or
C00580 00381 ∂27-Mar-88 1743 JMC re: dinner tonight? or
C00581 00382 ∂27-Mar-88 2134 Mailer re: Jackson!
C00583 00383 ∂28-Mar-88 0822 JMC re: IFIP Working Conf. in China, July 88.
C00584 00384 ∂28-Mar-88 1958 JMC re: Retreat
C00585 00385 ∂29-Mar-88 0049 JMC re: IFIP Working Conf. in China, July 88.
C00587 00386 ∂29-Mar-88 0936 JMC re: TTAC summary
C00588 00387 ∂29-Mar-88 0937 JMC
C00589 00388 ∂29-Mar-88 0937 JMC YSP
C00590 00389 ∂29-Mar-88 1459 JMC message for Elkan
C00591 00390 ∂29-Mar-88 2229 JMC
C00592 00391 ∂30-Mar-88 1423 JMC re: Hi, would you
C00593 00392 ∂31-Mar-88 0931 JMC re: Publisher
C00594 00393 ∂31-Mar-88 2116 JMC reprint request
C00596 00394 ∂31-Mar-88 2224 Mailer PRC Students
C00597 00395 ∂31-Mar-88 2225 JMC re: What/where has Noam Chomsky written recently?
C00598 00396 ∂31-Mar-88 2234 Mailer re: Foothill Park
C00602 ENDMK
C⊗;
∂02-Jan-88 1434 JMC
To: RPG
I'm back. Let's meet. How about Wednesday lunch?
∂02-Jan-88 1516 JMC
To: bscott@SCORE.Stanford.EDU
My office is very cold. How can this be corrected?
∂02-Jan-88 1529 JMC parking
To: TAP
CC: CLT
Carolyn and I need parking stickers. My relevant information is
in the file public[1,jmc]. You can ask Carolyn (in 362) for hers.
∂02-Jan-88 1602 JMC
To: ai.throop@R20.UTEXAS.EDU
I'm back and contemplating your message.
∂02-Jan-88 1909 JMC supercomputing considered harmful
To: faculty@SCORE.Stanford.EDU
As everyone knows, there has been big and successful
propaganda for the proposition that what the country
needs to be successful in computing is a collection
of supercomputer centers. According to NSF people,
this has seriously impacted NSF's support for research
in computer science. While the propaganda was going
on, I and, I suppose, most of you stayed out or went
along, hoping to get a few crumbs. I think we need
to study whether spending all that money on supercomputer
centers is cost-effective and how it has impacted
computer science research. There is a new campaign
to increase expenditure on supercomputing by $1.5 billion
in the next five years.
∂03-Jan-88 1055 JMC (→21146 10-Feb-88)
To: "#___JMC.PLN[2,2]"
We have returned to Stanford from Texas.
∂04-Jan-88 1309 JMC re: russell account
To: croft@SAFE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent 4 Jan 1988 1302-PST.]
Please change the name of my Russell account from johnmc to mccarthy or
if that is already occupied to jmc. I use csli machines rarely. I
suppose freezing my account on csli is because you are phasing out
the machine. If that is not the reason, I would prefer to keep the
account.
∂04-Jan-88 1318 JMC re: Keys
To: AI.BRANTON@R20.UTEXAS.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon 4 Jan 88 15:15:30-CST.]
No, I left them. Please check again. They should be in a small manila
envelope in the upper right hand drawer. I hope no-one swiped them.
There should be 7 keys, not 5. Carolyn's keys are in the mail.
∂04-Jan-88 1442 JMC 15 puzzle
To: ai.throop@R20.UTEXAS.EDU
I have understood your message and am ready to talk. What times and what
numbers are good for calling you? I agree that the present way of solving
the problem is suboptimal and have several ideas. It looks like the
simple better-worse system is not good enough to express the human
heuristics even though it is good enough to solve the puzzle. My ideas
involve some of
1. equivalence classes of positions
2. more flexible restrictions to subsets of positions
3. macromoves. This is the one that offers me the most difficulty.
Consider *blocked-4*. Imagine that we restrict the blank to the
last 2 columns and first 3 rows, i.e. to 6 squares arranged vertically.
We consider cyclically permuted postions as equivalent, and we don't
care about the positions of any tiles except those we are trying to
get in the right places now, i.e. tiles 3 and 4. We also don't care
about the location of the blank. Then the space of
equivalence classes has exactly 4 members. An equivalence class is
characterized by the number of other tiles between 3 and 4 in clockwise
order and this number is in the set {0,1,2,3}. Each move in this space
increases or decreases the number by 1. Our goal is that the number
should be 0. However, each move
in this space corresponds to several moves in the original space, i.e.
to a macro, because we have to rotate the configuration in order to
make the change.
I think the above concepts are not peculiar to the 15 puzzle.
∂04-Jan-88 1621 JMC re: Outside User Computer Account
To: GOTELLI@SCORE.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon 4 Jan 88 16:09:48-PST.]
I have suggested to Jussi that he go elsewhere.
Another matter. SAIL still doesn't recognize Pat Simmons, TAP,
as a user even though it knows that room 358 is her office.
∂04-Jan-88 1702 JMC re: Gurevich
To: coraki!pratt@SUN.COM
[In reply to message sent Mon, 4 Jan 88 16:40:14 PST.]
Actually, I passed the buck on visiting professors to Nils some time
in the Fall.
∂05-Jan-88 0013 JMC
To: TAP
What is the place and time of my vtss course? Ask Virginia Mann.
∂05-Jan-88 1131 JMC re: Outside User Computer Account
To: GOTELLI@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Tue 5 Jan 88 08:16:58-PST.]
Pat is now recognized.
∂05-Jan-88 1222 JMC
To: VAL
Vladimir, I hope you can come to this meeting.
Reminder: a meeting will take place at Nils' conference room
(MJH 220) on Thursday the 7th at 3pm to discuss the present
and future of AI courses.
∂05-Jan-88 1226 JMC re: quick meeting
To: JUSTESON@SUSHI.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Tue 5 Jan 88 10:06:27-PST.]
To whom should the note be sent? Paper or electronic?
∂06-Jan-88 1101 JMC two things
To: CLT
I transferred $8537 from Texas savings account to checking.
Did you pay any bill from Menlo Medical Clinic recently? I have a
statement from Blue Shield I interpret as saying that I was billed
directly for a $35 service performed on Nov. 27 that was counted against
my $500 deductible coverage. I'm phoning the clinic, since it's hard to
see what they could have done for me on that date.
∂06-Jan-88 1110 JMC re: two things
To: CLT
[In reply to message rcvd 06-Jan-88 11:06-PT.]
I think I will go to Mary Fisher's party. Also I have
a dinner Friday evening to meet a congressional
candidate (no spouses). Menlo Clinic says it
must be some other McCarthy, but there still may
be a bill.
∂06-Jan-88 2247 JMC reply to message
To: RPG
[In reply to message rcvd 06-Jan-88 21:16-PT.]
Friday's out. How about Monday at 11 - my office?
∂07-Jan-88 1430 JMC re: Funds for Workshop proposal
To: jamesp%brandeis.csnet@RELAY.CS.NET
CC: aaai-office@SUMEX-AIM.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message from jamesp%brandeis.csnet@RELAY.CS.NET sent Thu, 7 Jan 88 11:43:40 EST.]
Peter Hart has taken my place with regard to AAAI workshops, and I assume
Claudia will reroute your message to him.
∂07-Jan-88 2049 JMC re: quality TV
To: STEINBERGER@KL.SRI.COM
CC: su-etc@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message from STEINBERGER@kl.sri.com sent Thu 7 Jan 88 11:06:39-PST.]
It amazes me how un-self-conscious Ric Steinberger is in ascribing
virtues to All in the Family. All his praise amounts to saying
that its views agree with his own on a certain variety of issues,
i.e. that it was propaganda for his side of them.
∂07-Jan-88 2058 Mailer re: A saying
To: russell!rustcat@LABREA.STANFORD.EDU,
su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from russell!rustcat@labrea.stanford.edu sent Thu, 7 Jan 88 16:21:55 PST.]
"But for the grace of God there goes John Bradford."
John Bradford - 1510?-1555. Exclamation on seeing some
criminals taken to execution. Dict. of Nat. Biog.
as cited on Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, p. 79.
I would imagine "There but for the grace of God go I"
is the result of someone polishing the Bradford quotation.
∂08-Jan-88 1614 JMC
To: RPG
OK, 9am Monday or how about 9:30?
∂08-Jan-88 1646 JMC re: Paul Haley
To: STAGER@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri 8 Jan 88 16:27:23-PST.]
His business number is
412 931-7600, Intelligent technology.
His home number was
215 947-4455 in Huntington Valley, PA,
but someone got a Christmas card from him with home adress
307 Hill st. Swickley, PA.
∂08-Jan-88 1720 JMC letter for me to sign
To: TAP
Please prepare a letter for me to sign addressed to Dr. Steve Squires
at DARPA with a copy to Dr. Richard P. Gabriel at Lucid saying
It is appropriate to pay for the travel of Will Clinger and Richard
P. Gabriel to the Paris meeting of the International Standards
Organization concerned with the standardization of Common Lisp
from the funds of the Qlisp project.
∂08-Jan-88 1723 JMC
To: CLT
Scherlis home number: 703 276-1658. RPG is phoning him this weekend
about Qlisp matters.
∂09-Jan-88 0103 Mailer re: Quality TV
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from greep@russell.stanford.edu sent Wed, 06 Jan 88 11:24:25 PST.]
When Ric Steinberger says he liked "All in the Family" because it presented
the issues, he fails to understand that different people have different
views about what issues are important. That program defined the issues
from a liberal point of view and ridiculed Bunker who had a different
point of view. (At least I suppose Lynn Bowman's taking it as preferring
Bunker's point of view is eccentric. I watched it only about twice.)
Steinberger says, "By doing so in a humorous light it allowed viewers to
see some of the limitations of their own world views." So far as I have
heard it didn't let anyone see the limitations of the liberal point of
view.
Suppose a Goldwater supporter had had corresponding access to the media
and produced a program with a liberal foil showing liberal views as
ridiculous. It would have presented different issues. For example,
it would have mentioned the communist massacre in Cambodia (humorously,
of course). It would have worried about the excesses of welfare, the
the destruction of housing by rent control, the explosion of litigation.
There would have been a lawyer proud of the exaggerated verdicts he
obtained, it would have dramatized Tom Wolfe's "Radical Chic". In a
more recent period it might even have done a Wide Weird World skit of
the kind that got Joe Bob Briggs fired from the Dallas Times-Herald.
My point isn't that this is what the networks should have shown, although
perhaps I might have like the show. My point is that it is blind to
suppose that the liberal way of defining the issues is the only way
and that only conservatives are appropriate targets of humor.
Of course, if anyone at Stanford were to put on a show that made
fun of the excess of feminism or the gay rights movement or the
anti-Apartheid movement, he would be attacked by the Administration
for insensitivity, oppressing women, being homophobic, and racist.
To many liberals, there can be no humor that makes fun of liberal
sacred cows.
∂09-Jan-88 0115 Mailer
To: su-market@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
free baby gates
∂09-Jan-88 1409 JMC
To: VAL
I took a copy of Gelfond's "autoepistemic ..." from your desk.
∂09-Jan-88 1410 JMC
To: CLT@SAIL.Stanford.EDU, IGS@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
∂09-Jan-88 0947 RPG Qlisp Situation
To: JMC
CC: rpg-q
I spoke to Scherlis last night. He was distressed by the situation
but thought it could be fixed quickly if we act quickly.
First, we should call Paul Chock and find out whether he can
begin to act before any paperwork arrives. We should get him up to
date on the rest of our actions to straighten this out.
Second, we should call Tice DeYoung at SPAWAR, who is Pucci's boss, and
explain what happened. We should say that because of personnel shuffling
at Lucid we underran by some $250k and that we want a no-cost,
no-additional-task extension to complete the work, using that money. His
number is (202)692-3966. Also ask him whether he can begin to act before
he gets any paperwork from Stanford, Lucid, or DARPA. We should explain
we've talked to Scherlis. If he is not at that number, we should ask if he
is at DARPA and then to call Scherlis' number at DARPA and find DeYoung
there.
If DeYoung is not available, we should try John Pucci at (202)692-9207.
Third, to get the second 18 months, we should send a 1-page summary of
what we've done and what we want to do. This should be in bulletized
format. Of importance to DARPA is the availability of Qlisp to other
groups and the potential for Qlisp to become a resource to the community.
Scherlis has pushed Encore to deal with Lucid and Qlisp, and that
relationship has now started, so we can use that. Apparently Encore
has good currency these days at DARPA.
That summary should be netmailed to Squires and cc'ed to Scherlis.
Scherlis was concerned that the tasking contract at Stanford might
not provide for a second 18 months, but I'm pretty sure we set it
up that way. He said if it is, then another 18 months is a good
bet, and they can get it done in about 1 month.
On a related topic, he is concerned that CSD is dropping the ball with
DARPA funding. He is concerned that the faculty cannot work together to
propose coherently and that the tasking contract is not being utilized
effectively. Though he didn't say it, I got the impression that funding
from DARPA to CSD could be in short supply unless this situation is not
fixed. Possibly I should meet with Nils to discuss this.
-rpg-
∂10-Jan-88 2228 JMC re: the origin of the name LISP
To: RWW@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message rcvd 10-Jan-88 21:15-PT.]
I named it LISP in Fall 1958, and it stood for "list processing".
I think I was trying to construct something out of "list processing",
and LISP seemed cute.
∂10-Jan-88 2345 Mailer re: Quality TV
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU, poser@RUSSELL.STANFORD.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from greep@russell.stanford.edu sent Wed, 06 Jan 88 11:24:25 PST.]
I was imprecise in suggesting that the right wing "All in the Family"
would blame the litigation explosion as a whole on liberalism - only
part of it. This part would include the fantastic product liability suits,
preventing landlords, including municipalities, from evicting destructive
tenants and preventing the police from keeping order. Actually, the
"anti-establishment" ideology of the 1960s and 1970s unleashed the
liberal lawyers against many institutions that were previously respected -
at least to the extent of not attributing to them evil motives.
∂11-Jan-88 0019 JMC telegram to Mints
To: MPS
Please wire him
Please wire or write details of proposed Tallin meeting. In
principle I would like to come.
∂11-Jan-88 0103 JMC lunch
To: helen@PSYCH.Stanford.EDU
How about some day this week other than Tuesday? Thursday is best.
∂11-Jan-88 1143 JMC
To: ai.throop@R20.UTEXAS.EDU
When and where would it be convenient to have me phone.
∂11-Jan-88 1425 JMC reply to message
To: PHY
[In reply to message rcvd 11-Jan-88 14:23-PT.]
It's in my calendar.
∂11-Jan-88 1431 JMC re: lunch
To: helen@PSYCH.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon, 11 Jan 88 14:26:45 PST.]
In that case, how about Thursday of next week, noon at Faculty Club.
I have white hair, a white beard and reliably wear blue Adidas
running shoes.
∂11-Jan-88 1436 JMC
To: VAL
darai.w87[doc,clt] contains useful prose.
∂11-Jan-88 1718 JMC
To: hart@SRI.COM
Is this your correct address?
∂11-Jan-88 1736 JMC proposal
To: mann@VENERA.ISI.EDU
I have resigned being in charge of AAAI workshops. Peter Hart is now
handling both the applied and the basic research workshops. His net address
was hart@sri.com and presumably still is.
∂11-Jan-88 1738 JMC re: free baby gates
To: BALDWIN@SCORE.Stanford.EDU
CC: CLT@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon 11 Jan 88 12:24:04-PST.]
They can be obtained during the day at 846 Lathrop Dr. Stanford.
Call first 857-0672. Acknowledge that you want them so I will
turn down any other request.
∂12-Jan-88 1100 JMC re: meeting
To: rivin@GANG-OF-FOUR.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Tue, 12 Jan 88 10:58:56 pst.]
Make it 2:10, and I'll be on time.
∂12-Jan-88 1106 JMC re: free baby gates
To: BALDWIN@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Tue 12 Jan 88 09:57:03-PST.]
I forgot to say that there are two gates.
∂12-Jan-88 1138 JMC re: Center
To: RPG
[In reply to message rcvd 12-Jan-88 11:29-PT.]
My initial reaction is that the proposal won't fly in its present form.
Also there are ambiguities. What is the proposed relation between
the part of the Qlisp effort now at Stanford and what you propose?
What relation do you propose between me and the Center. What you have
written is very hasty, but it also seems to me that apart from the
writing, the proposed Center is not sufficiently thought out.
We'll discuss it on Friday.
∂12-Jan-88 1227 JMC re: Counter-reaction
To: RPG
[In reply to message rcvd 12-Jan-88 12:22-PT.]
ok, see you tomorrow. I'll try to be more precise about my concerns then.
It was somebody else I am to meet on Friday.
∂12-Jan-88 1419 JMC reply to message
To: VAL
[In reply to message rcvd 12-Jan-88 13:18-PT.]
It is an early Stanford AI memo. The CS library has the whole collection.
It was also reprinted in Minsky's Semantic Information Processing. I'd
be surprised if it you won't find it superseded by McC and Hayes.
∂13-Jan-88 0044 JMC
To: ME
I'd like to get back my bike locker.
∂13-Jan-88 1036 Qlisp-mailer rescheduling meeting
To: qlisp@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
Since neither Carolyn nor Dick Gabriel can make it tomorrow,
I propose rescheduling qlisp meetings to Wednesday noons
starting next week.
∂14-Jan-88 1057 JMC reply to message
To: PHY
[In reply to message rcvd 14-Jan-88 08:50-PT.]
I have a conflict with the 25th.
∂14-Jan-88 1100 JMC rsvp
To: MPS
Please phone Chris 818 354-4431 to confirm that I will attend the
TTAC meeting at JPL on March 15 and 16.
∂14-Jan-88 1128 Mailer re: "College Woman" article on AIDS
To: LYN@SIERRA.STANFORD.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from LYN@sierra.stanford.edu sent Mon 11 Jan 88 01:22:41-PST.]
How can Lyn Bowman know that the vaccine theory of AIDS hasn't "been
printed in any American newspaper or newsmagazine"?
∂14-Jan-88 1142 JMC re: Commonsense and nonmonotonic reasoning seminar
To: VAL
[In reply to message rcvd 14-Jan-88 11:10-PT.]
No conflict with either.
∂14-Jan-88 1211 JMC modem or multiplexer not working
To: bjork@Score.Stanford.EDU
Last night Timothy, who is now two, pushed some buttons and
did something else so that my terminal doesn't work. I thought
it was the buttons at first, but I tried all 32 settings of the
five buttons without success. Could you fix it or perhaps talk
me through fixing it this evening? I expect to be home by 6pm
and can arrange to be home any specific time after that.
∂14-Jan-88 1215 JMC
To: bjork@Score.Stanford.EDU
I mean the buttons on the multiplexer. I think I understand the terminal.
∂14-Jan-88 1433 JMC contract
To: schwartz@VAX.DARPA.MIL
At the planning meeting in Austin, you and Bob Simpson told me that
our basic research in AI contract would be renewed at the reduced
budget agreed on. It is now a year since the old contract expired,
and when I called Bob earlier this week he told me that the renewal
was now in doubt again. What is the situation?
∂14-Jan-88 1438 JMC re: mtg
To: SHOHAM@Score.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Thu 14 Jan 88 12:57:04-PST.]
Tuesdays and Thursdays aren't great, because I teach two courses on
those days. How about lunch tomorrow or shortly thereafter?
∂14-Jan-88 1504 JMC re: mtg
To: SHOHAM@Score.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Thu 14 Jan 88 15:00:31-PST.]
I have made a reservation for two at noon at the Faculty Club.
∂14-Jan-88 1529 JMC re: modem or multiplexer not working
To: BJORK@Score.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Thu 14 Jan 88 13:12:40-PST.]
A call around 7pm to 857-0672 would be very welcome.
∂14-Jan-88 1548 JMC re: Qlisp project continuation
To: LES
[In reply to message rcvd 14-Jan-88 15:34-PT.]
Do we need the full $790K to meet Lucid's proposal or can part of that
be met from the underexpenditure?
∂14-Jan-88 1557 JMC re: Qlisp project continuation
To: LES
[In reply to message rcvd 14-Jan-88 15:51-PT.]
That's so, but if the continuation is effective when the 18 months
ends, then the underexpenditure still exists.
∂14-Jan-88 2217 Mailer re: Airline Fares Query
To: SINGH@SIERRA.STANFORD.EDU, SCHAFFER@SUSHI.Stanford.EDU
CC: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from SINGH@Sierra.Stanford.EDU sent Thu 14 Jan 88 21:48:06-PST.]
I don't thnk there is anything illegal about trying to use airplane
tickets differently from the way the airline intended them to be used.
Neither Congress nor any state legislature has made it illegal. Moreover,
it isn't even a civil tort that would entitle an airline to sue for
damages. This is because there is no contract to use the ticket in a
particular way. However, it is also not illegal or a violation of
contract for an airline to refuse to accept a ticket presented for a
flight in violation of the conditions under which it is sold. An airline
could make you sign an agreement to use a ticket in a particular way. In
that case they could sue you for damages if you used it some other way.
Presumably it could be fraud to make a misrepresentation in buying a
ticket, but usually it isn't necessary to make any statements about your
intentions. It isn't in the interest of an airline to make such contracts
and then sue individuals who violate them. The publicity would be
disadvantageous.
∂14-Jan-88 2322 JMC report and proposal
To: rivin@Gang-of-Four.Stanford.EDU
It looks pretty good. How about adding something like:
In the current Lucid implementation, each act of creating and concluding a
process takes about one millisecond. If the average process created takes
more than 10 milliseconds to execute, the efficiency is good. It is also
necessary to avoid having more than about 1000 processes active even if
they are small. To keep the processors busy requires at least as many
processes as processors. In the examples we have studied so far it hasn't
been difficult to find enough AND-parallelism to meet these conditions,
although it is sometimes necessary to do a little tuning of program
parameters that determine when the program decides whether to do a
collection of tasks in parallel. In problems of irregular structure,
where it is difficult to determine the size of computation of each
process, programming for high efficiency, i.e. n-fold speedup will be
harder.
∂15-Jan-88 0101 JMC
To: bjork@SCORE.Stanford.EDU
Thanks, I'm back in business.
∂15-Jan-88 1355 JMC a draft
To: shoham@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
The following can be fired off in whatever direction is appropriate.
This letter is in support of making an exception to the rule about
Fullbright scholars returning to their countries of origin in the case of
Professor Yoav Shoham in connection with his work as Assistant Professor
of Computer Science at Stanford University.
There is a great shortage of qualified people working
in Shoham's area which happens to be my specialty also.
The field of using mathematical logic to express common sense
knowledge in a way that can be used by intelligent computer
programs started about 30 years ago, but progress has been alow.
The main reason has been the shortage of people who combine the
necessary knowledge and ability in logic with the necessary
interest in the basically non-mathematical problem of
common sense reasoning and problem solving.
This specialty is important to maintaining the U.S. lead in
technology related to defense. The current DARPA research projects
in developing artificial intelligence systems for a pilots associate,
an autonomous land vehicle and naval battle management will all experience
performance limitations related to their ability to use common
sense knowledge.
Shoham is one of the few people who combine the abilities required
to advance this field as evidenced by his PhD thesis and his more recent.
This is why we chose him for our faculty and why he is included in our
current DARPA project on developing the logic approach to artificial
intelligence. We expect him to develop this difficult field by his own
research and also to help students get started in it.
Sincerely,
∂15-Jan-88 2241 Mailer re: nonviolence
To: CHIN@SUMEX-AIM.STANFORD.EDU
CC: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from CHIN@sumex-aim.stanford.edu sent Fri, 15 Jan 88 17:19:10 PST.]
It doesn't "show the failure of `the parliamentary system' to carry out
its democratic task" when the Congress goes against the polls on a
particular issue for two reasons.
1. The collection of all possible poll results is inconsistent. Therefore,
it is impossible for the results of all polls to be obeyed. Circular
preferences are easy to set up.
2. We pay Congressmen to use their judgment - not to obey polls.
We may disagree with a Congressman on one issue but vote for him
because we prefer his position to that of his opponent on issues
that are more important to us. As Chin says, Congressmen have
been voting in ways disapproved by Sandinista supporters for
several elections. If this is what the voters regarded as most
important on election day, these Congressmen would have been
out long ago.
It is entirely legitimate for a side to point this out when
Congress votes opposite to poll majorities. This is a way for that
side to persuade people to vote against those Congressmen by
emphasizing an issue on which those Congressmen disagree with a
majority. It is demagogic to claim that a Congressman is
undemocratic when he goes against the polls on a particular issue.
On the non-violence issue, the deliberate creation of martyrs is
an inferior form of political argument. Willson and his fellows played
chicken with various trucks and trains for several years. They were
expecting to win politically when one of them was killed or injured.
It eventually happened, but it doesn't prove that moving nuclear
weapons or supplies for the Contras is a mistaken policy of the
U.S. Government. I agree with Lyn Bowman that forcing the democratically
elected authorities to kill or injure you in order to carry out legally
adopted policies is illegitimate and should subject those who do it
to arrest and punishment for any illegal acts they perform.
I think Bowman is exaggerating in saying that non-violent illegal
protests have killed anywhere near as many people as violent
illegal protests. However, non-violent protests have often
led their supporters to violence by creating martyrs. The
"peace movement" of the late sixties started out non-violent
and graduated to violence in a matter of months once the argument
that non-violence was insufficiently effective took hold.
∂16-Jan-88 1823 Mailer re: MLK day
To: VAVASIS@SUSHI.STANFORD.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from VAVASIS@Sushi.Stanford.EDU sent Sat 16 Jan 88 12:58:48-PST.]
Vavasis says,
The previous message complains that people who attack MLK day are
automatically labeled as racists. The reason for this is that
the people best known for their attacks on MLK day, like the
governor of Arizona, ARE racists, as far as I can tell. A
non-racist individual who wants to criticize the MLK legacy
should accompany his or her criticism with something constructive
about civil rights.
As usual liberals claim the right to infer guilt by association - even
if the association is extremely tenuous, as it is here.
He is mistaken on several points. To be attacked as racist is far easier
than that. It is often sufficient not to join a cause that someone with
authority to attack people as racist wants you to join. It is often
insufficient to do "something constructive about civil rights".
Vavasis should cite a source if he wishes to claim that J. Egar Hoover
has a justified reputation for inaccuracy.
One has a right to criticize anyone without a requirement that
one do "something constructive" about anything.
Finally, the way MLK day is observed today smells like an enforced
religious observance to me. Doubtless it will decay with time.
∂16-Jan-88 2335 Mailer re: nonviolence
To: CHIN@SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU
CC: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from CHIN@SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU sent Sat, 16 Jan 88 22:45:45 PST.]
The Contragate hearings changed Congressional positions about aid to the
Contras only marginally (although with substantial effects because the
votes were close). The surprising thing about the Administration's
actions wasn't that they were trying to get around Congress's attempts to
prevent them from aiding the Contras but that they were dealing with Iran
in the attempt. Chin's original message referred to actions that were
essentially public and to polls, and this presumably includes Congressional
votes to aid the Contras.
It should be noted that the United States doesn't have a parliamentary
system in the strict sense. Policy making is divided among
Congress, the President and the judiciary in a complicated way.
In particular, Congress cannot tell the President what to do in
foreign policy except by restrictions on the use of appropriated
money.
∂17-Jan-88 0017 Mailer peace talks
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
Daniel Ortega has agreed to negotiate with the Contras and to
release some political prisoners. What this amounts to remains to
be seen. However, consider that the "peace movement" has made
only negative contributions to this result - insisting that
the Contras were only terrorists and that there weren't any
political prisoners.
∂17-Jan-88 1307 JMC re: MLK Day
To: paulf@UMUNHUM.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sun, 17 Jan 88 10:35:26 PST.]
I substantially agree with your latest, but if you are going to repeat
the quote from Bryan, then you might as well correct the name from Bryant.
∂17-Jan-88 1340 JMC re: destroying the credibility of famous people
To: cphoenix@PORTIA.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sun, 17 Jan 88 13:30:48 pst.]
Reagan has been attacked many times on BBOARD.
∂17-Jan-88 1417 JMC re: destroying the credibility of famous people
To: cphoenix@PORTIA.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sun, 17 Jan 88 14:00:28 pst.]
I can't be sure, but I don't think so.
∂17-Jan-88 1550 Mailer re: peace talks
To: CHIN@SUMEX-AIM.STANFORD.EDU
CC: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from CHIN@SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU sent Sun, 17 Jan 88 14:47:28 PST.]
Homer Chin says,
"Most of the so-called "political prisoners" in Nicaragua are
ex-Somoza national guards, and have been convicted of crimes such as
torture, death squad activity, etc."
This is the level at which most of the "human rights organizations"
such as America's Watch have treated the question of the political
prisoners. What is the etc.? Counter-revolutionary activity?
Were there actual trials, and what standards of evidence did
they have? What are the sentences, and are the prisoners released
when they complete their sentences? It's eight years now.
If "most" have been so convicted, what about those who weren't?
Does Chin know of a source that addresses these questions?
Or does Chin simply choose to believe what the Sandinistas say about their
prisoners?
∂18-Jan-88 0040 Mailer re: secret nuclear tests by US
To: bill@ISL.STANFORD.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from bill@isl.stanford.edu sent Sun, 17 Jan 88 19:04:43 PST.]
It was officially stated long ago by the AEC and DOE that not all
smaller tests are announced. This is repeated from time to time.
What's new is that some organization now claims that they have dated
them by reference to seismic records. They conclude from this
that a comprehensive test ban is verifiable. DOE declines to affirm
or deny the correctness of their list.
∂18-Jan-88 1721 JMC re: baby gates
To: jcm@NAVAJO.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon, 18 Jan 88 16:25:20 PST.]
They're gone. Sorry.
∂18-Jan-88 1725 JMC re: nuclear tests
To: bill@ISL.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon, 18 Jan 88 15:18:17 PST.]
No, I haven't read anything about what is currently being tested,
but I suppose that a good fraction of them test something new
in weapons, a few are basically scientific, and others are
concerned with keeping current equipment working.
∂18-Jan-88 1848 JMC didn't work
To: JJW
<ctrl>q followed by ≥ to emacs resulted in ↑] or maybe it was ↑[
rather than ≥.
∂18-Jan-88 2157 JMC re: Emacs and WAITS characters
To: JSW
[In reply to message rcvd 18-Jan-88 21:55-PT.]
Could it be done in such away that it could be reasonably given to
the Free Software Foundation and made standard?
∂19-Jan-88 0010 JMC re: UT reimbursement for moving expenses
To: kathy@RATLIFF.CS.UTEXAS.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri, 15 Jan 88 13:14:47 CST.]
It will be fine if either signs it.
∂19-Jan-88 1055 JMC dentist
To: CLT
Dr. Wilcoxon's office called to say that it's time for
your cleaning and checkup.
∂19-Jan-88 1542 JMC
To: LES
Elliot Levinthal returned your call.
∂19-Jan-88 2231 Mailer re: support of the Afghan rebels
To: cphoenix@PORTIA.Stanford.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from cphoenix@portia.stanford.edu sent Tue, 19 Jan 88 21:40:47 pst.]
I'm puzzled by what Chris Phoenix means by "shot down with their own missiles".
The Afghan rebels manufacture no missiles. They were originally given
Soviet-made Strela (arrow) missiles obtained from Egypt and maybe Israel.
These were ineffective - as they are against Israeli planes. Only within
the last year and a half have we supplied American made Stinger missiles,
and these were shooting down a plane or helicopter a day and forced the
Soviets to change tactics and fly high.
While I'm at it, does Jeff Mogul oppose supplying the Afghan rebels with
Stinger missiles?
∂20-Jan-88 0759 JMC good news
To: VAL
Jack Schwartz told me he regards the agreement we made in October as
binding. Thus the basic AI will be funded. We have two years to persuade
him that DARPA should continue to support you fully or to get NSF support.
∂20-Jan-88 1044 JMC
To: VAL
We're discussing Schwartz in Nils's office.
∂20-Jan-88 1121 JMC Ershov
To: suppes@CSLI.STANFORD.EDU
I think he spells his name Andrey. He is not director of the
Computation Center, although that is one of his addresses. His
other address is at the Council of Cybernetics in Moscow, although
I don't know how he divides his time between there and Novosibirsk.
∂20-Jan-88 1512 JMC reply to message
To: PHY
[In reply to message rcvd 20-Jan-88 14:11-PT.]
Yes, didn't Pat tell you?
∂20-Jan-88 1754 JMC re: Fac. Senate and the Decline of Western Culture
To: cheriton@PESCADERO.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Wed, 20 Jan 88 16:35:29 PST.]
I agree with you entirely. Are you supposing that I am still in the
Senate? I'm thinking of trying to get back in this Spring.
∂20-Jan-88 1803 Mailer re: correction regarding SAIN meeting
To: T.TWINKIE@LEAR.STANFORD.EDU, gay@LEAR.STANFORD.EDU,
su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from T.TWINKIE@lear.stanford.edu sent Wed 20 Jan 88 13:31:57-PST.]
Once upon a time there were two perfectly good prefixes in English,
"bi" and "semi". Biweekly meant every two weeks and semiweekly meant
twice a week. Unfortunately, American railroads, for some unknown
reason, maybe just because it's shorter, started using biweekly
for twice a week. Still later some dictionary writers, noticing
this, in an orgy of non-prescriptiveness, kept semi- as it was
but allowed bi- to have either meaning. Webster's collegiate
lists semi- as having a unique meaning and bi- as ambiguous but
mainly a synonym of semi- in biweekly but still keeping biennial
as meaning every other year.
∂21-Jan-88 1141 JMC re: Hi there
To: helen@PSYCH.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Thu, 21 Jan 88 11:39:54 PST.]
OK, whip him on.
∂21-Jan-88 2220 JMC industrial lecturers
To: faculty@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
It is time for suggestions for industrial lecturers next year. We need
one per quarter. Appropriate candidates are people from local
industry with something to say to our students not otherwise covered
in our courses. We need course descriptions from them in time to
put them in the catalog.
∂21-Jan-88 2327 JMC re: industrial lecturers
To: paulf@UMUNHUM.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Thu, 21 Jan 88 22:55:40 PST.]
Do you think he would be interested, and do you know him?
∂22-Jan-88 1006 JMC re: industrial lecturers
To: ULLMAN@Score.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri 22 Jan 88 09:32:04-PST.]
I assume this is the Jim Gray who formerly worked for IBM. My
concern is getting industrial lecturers for next year so that
their courses can be included in the catalog. Do you think he
might be interested for next year, and do you have his
co-ordinates?
∂22-Jan-88 1208 JMC reply to message
To: VAL
[In reply to message rcvd 22-Jan-88 11:53-PT.]
That's ok. 3 or 3:30, your choice.
∂22-Jan-88 1211 JMC re: Most enjoyable
To: helen@PSYCH.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri, 22 Jan 88 10:57:53 PST.]
I enjoyed it too. How about next week, same time? Maybe at the Shopping
Center, some place. I really didn't find out, because of talking too much,
about the ideas of your "generation".
∂22-Jan-88 1222 JMC re: industrial lecturers
To: ZM
[In reply to message sent 22 Jan 88 1030 PST.]
What was the Lamport disaster? Was it something the Curriculum Committee
would have anticipated and avoided? In my view, an occasional disaster
is to be expected with industrial lecturers. Sometimes, they don't know
what's involved in teaching, and sometimes their other work takes priority
at the last minute. I don't think anyone would have anticipated a disaster
with Lamport, since he is better known scientifically than most of our
industrial lecturers and gives respectable talks at meetings.
What kind of approval do you have in mind. I can barely bring myself
to do the work involved in finding the lecturers and extracting the
course descriptions. If it comes to more, I'll quit. If the Curriculum
Committee would like to take over the Industrial Lecturer program,
I wouldn't mind.
∂22-Jan-88 1230 JMC re: reply to message
To: VAL
[In reply to message rcvd 22-Jan-88 12:09-PT.]
3 it is.
∂22-Jan-88 1254 JMC re: Most enjoyable
To: helen@PSYCH.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri, 22 Jan 88 12:26:50 PST.]
See you then and there.
∂22-Jan-88 1302 JMC industrial lecturer
To: FLAVIU@IBM.COM, Hennessy@SIERRA.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message from FLAVIU@ibm.com sent 22 Jan 88 12:03:13 PST.]
I received your message about the course and will get back to you
as soon as I have had time to receive and evaluate the proposals.
Fall or Winter 88-89 will be good.
∂22-Jan-88 1304 JMC re: industrial lecturers
To: ULLMAN@Score.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri 22 Jan 88 10:23:11-PST.]
I don't know Kolaitis.
∂22-Jan-88 1311 JMC re: kronos
To: CLT
[In reply to message rcvd 22-Jan-88 12:36-PT.]
ok
∂22-Jan-88 1428 Mailer In defense of the British
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
Standards of morality in the treatment of other peoples have risen
through time, and the British have been one of the major causes of the
rise. More humanitarian causes have first arisen in Britain than in any
other country.
First of all, it is a distraction to argue about whether A
considers B as human or subhuman. The total massacre of other peoples has
often occurred when there was no question raised of whether they were
human.
Here are some historical items.
1. In the Bible, God criticizes the Jews for being too nice to
other peoples.
2. The ancient Greeks undertook wars to get slaves.
3. The Romans considered the testimony of slaves usable only if it
was obtained via torture.
4. I don't know of any ancient society that considered slavery
wrong, i.e. considered it wrong to capture slaves of other nations. In
many cases taking slaves was an improvement over simply massacring the
other population. Of course, there were struggles by particular peoples
to free themselves from other peoples' slavery.
5. It takes a certain level of social organization to make
effective use of slaves, so massacre was more common among very primitive
peoples, but some slaves were kept.
6. As far as I know the British Anti-Slavery Society founded by
William Wilberforce around 1790 was the first anti-slavery organization.
They succeeded in getting the British navy to suppress the African slave
trade. I believe slavery was abolished in the British Carribean colonies
somewhat earlier.
7. The British White Man's Burden attitude was an improvement over
the earlier attitude that conquests were solely for the purpose of
exploitation. Moreover, increased humanitarian standards were pioneered
by the British and they suppressed many evil practices in their colonies.
For example, in 1829, after some debate about the inadvisability of
interfering with native religion, the British illegalized suttee, the
custom of pressuring a widow to throw herself on her husband's funeral
pyre.
8. British mistreatment of the Irish was exacerbated by the
religious issue as long as it was customary to oppress wrong religions.
However, religious tolerance became a value in England substantially
before it became a value very many other countries - a value though not a
decisive value.
9. In all countries that were ruled by another, sentiment against
the former ruler plays an important political role. Anti-British
sentiment in the U.S. based on the American Revolution was a usable tool
for politicians until the U.S. passed Britain in prosperity. Anti-British
sentiment, sometimes translated into anti-American sentiment, still enables
Indian politicians to escape blame for their incompetence.
10. Of course, the Indian independence movement and Gandhi's
campaign for it were justified. However, one doesn't have to believe
every propagandist accusation made during the campaign.
11. It was quite a wrench for the British to give up their empire
in the 1940s and 50s. It will be at least as much a wrench for the
Soviets to give up theirs. By the way, the Indians, perhaps including
some of those who write on BBOARD, are hypocritical in still belaboring
the British for their FORMER imperialism while refraining from criticizing
and even supporting CURRENT Soviet imperialism in Afghanistan. I'm not
very familiar with Indian politics, but it seems that because the
Pakistanis support the Afghan freedom fighters who are Moslems, the Indian
Government supports Soviet imperialism. Doubtless, I'm oversimplifying
here, and perhaps someone will provide a fuller explanation of Indian
policy concerning Afghanistan.
Of course, it's not only Indians that beat the drum about
the FORMER British imperialism in order to counter criticism of
their toleration of Soviet and other communist imperialism. Non-Soviet
examples: China in Tibet, Vietnam in Cambodia and Laos.
∂22-Jan-88 1430 JMC re: Jim Gray
To: ULLMAN@Score.Stanford.EDU, nilsson@Score.Stanford.EDU, jlh@VSOP.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message from ULLMAN@Score.Stanford.EDU sent Fri 22 Jan 88 14:07:35-PST.]
I'm out of the loop as regards next quarter. I would need to see strong
new evidence to support getting Jim Gray permanently.
∂22-Jan-88 1524 JMC
To: shoham@Score.Stanford.EDU
Do you remember the Schwartz date?
∂22-Jan-88 1712 JMC re: CSLI Internships
To: HILBERT@ALAN.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri 22 Jan 88 16:58:03-PST.]
If the time turns out convenient, I would attend the lunch. For whom
are these internships, i.e. graduate students, undergraduates, post docs?
∂22-Jan-88 1720 Mailer re: The British and the subhumans
To: RTC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from RTC rcvd 22-Jan-88 14:04-PT.]
In almost every case of colonialism, including U.S. settlement of the West,
the central authorities respected native rights more than the colonists
did. It is the colonists that were in direct conflict with natives and
who settled on land. The Spanish king made regulations restraining
the Conquistadores, and the British and the U.S. governments made
treaties with the Indians. The Quakers in Philadelphia protested at
the behavior of the frontiersmen. The frontiersmen took the fact
that they suffered massacres by the natives as a reason for taking
revenge. I suppose if I look up Tasmania and Australia in the
Britannica, I'll find out something about the circumstances in which
the natives of Tasmania died out. If so, I'll report back.
∂22-Jan-88 1808 Mailer Tasmanians
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
from the Britannica
"Their five tribal groups numbered only some 2,000 people at the
onset of European settlement in the early 19th century, and the
last full-blooded Tasmanian died in 1876. As a consequence of
the "black war" and attacks from white outlaws, they were removed
in the interim to Flinders Island, off the northeast tip of
Tasmania, where the survivors languished and died."
Doubtless a more complete account is available.
∂22-Jan-88 2313 JMC re: Paris
To: RPG
[In reply to message rcvd 22-Jan-88 20:31-PT.]
Thanks. The same hotel will be fine.
∂23-Jan-88 1742 JMC reply to message
To: SHOHAM@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sat 23 Jan 88 16:39:20-PST.]
Nils's message to Schwartz mentions Feb 17.
∂23-Jan-88 1836 JMC re: Hello...
To: T.TECHNO@MACBETH.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sat 23 Jan 88 14:38:10-PST.]
I don't want to make a commitment in advance. Phone me when
you want to do it.
∂24-Jan-88 1201 Mailer In defense of the British
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
Here's a try at stating my main points more clearly.
1. In grumbling about Indians, I was more influenced by
what I have read than about specific BBOARD contributions,
although what I have read from Indians on BBOARDs doesn't
seem to require revising my opinion.
2. Dwelling on past imperialism plays an important role in diverting
attention from present imperialism, e.g. Soviet, Chinese, Vietnamese and
other communist imperialism. By the way, MRC, the fact that both the
communists and the Kuomintang favor Chinese rule of Tibet doesn't justify
it. The Tibetans want to be free of Chinese rule and should be.
3. Part of my reason for defending the British has to do
with the situation in Northern Ireland. The 1921 partition
had some elements of gerrymander, putting too many Catholics
with the Protestants. Moreover, the Catholics in Northern
Ireland have had some justified complaints about unequal
treatment. However, none of this justifies either the goals
or the methods of the IRA. Babbling about British imperialism
30 years after its demise merely diverts attention from
evaluating what actually needs to be done.
As far as I can see, the British position is reasonable in the remaining
issues left over from colonialism - Northern Ireland, the Falklands,
Belize and Gibraltar. Giving Hong Kong back to China in 1997 is legally
the right thing to do, and they don't have any real alternative, but there
is a substantial probability that it will cause a lot of suffering.
4. Ideas about treatment of less developed peoples than one's own
have passed through three stages. The first stage regards them
as a natural resource, to be optimally exploited. The second
recognizes that a colonial power has responsibilities for the
welfare of the people it rules. The third stage says that a
country has no right to rule other people even for their own
good.
The third stage view is often extended these days to say that a country
has no right even to try to influence the politics of another.
I suspect the sincerity of almost everyone I have read expressing
this view, because they seem to apply it in an ad hoc way, e.g.
saying that America has no right to influence events in Nicaragua
but has a duty to influence them in South Africa.
5. All the above considers what goes on in terms of nations.
Another way of looking at it has also been common - thinking
about it in terms of ideology, e.g. religion or social philosophy.
Christians in all countries should unite and help each other
wipe out paganism. Protestants in all countries should unite
and help each other avoid being ruled by the Pope. Moslems
should unite in bringing the words of the Prophet (correctly
interpreted, of course) to rule. Workers all over the world
should unite (under the leadership of the CPSU). The Soviet
Union is doing its "internationalist duty" in Afghanistan.
People supporting democracy all over the world should unite
to stem the advance of communism, and the United States
should help them.
6. My own opinion agrees substantially with this last, i.e.
the U.S. should support democracy worldwide. It is tempered
by two other considerations. First, the safety of the U.S.
itself is an over-riding consideration in U.S. policy.
Second, the U.S. shouldn't be too bossy, when we are in
a position to influence other people's internal policies.
Of course, there isn't agreement on what "supporting democracy"
means. The communists have also adopted that phrase, and
some Americans believe that suppressing news about the "turbas"
breaking up meetings of the Nicaraguan opposition is supporting
democracy.
∂24-Jan-88 1609 Mailer self defense and apology
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
I am somewhat surprised by Harinder's statement that he is the
only author of Indian origin to write on BBOARD lately. Maybe
he is. It occurs to me that one name that I took to be Indian
probably isn't. In any case my original remarks were only
tangentially referring to India and Indians. My reference to
what I have read was mainly to non BBOARD sources and,
certainly not to his recent messages. Had I thought I was
responding to them, I would have read recent ones carefully.
I have read Naipaul and like what he says. He can't really
be classified as an Indian author, however, because he was
born and raised in the West Indies. If I remember correctly,
his grandfather emigrated from India.
Nevertheless, especially after Harinder's first complaint, I
should have read his message and reworded mine so as not to
ignore his.
Finally, I don't agree with his view that thinking about past
imperialism is the way to avoid similar events in the future.
The world situation has changed to much for that. Western
originated ideas and modern technology have penetrated the
whole world too much for that. The modern imperialisms,
which I hope Harinder will at least mention in his promised
next message, are of quite different origin.
∂24-Jan-88 1615 Mailer further opportunity for misunderstanding
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
In my latest I should have referred explicitly to Harinder's
remarks about British common law, etc. and his remarks that
it and American self-governance are models for the world to
emulate.
∂24-Jan-88 2147 Mailer re: L.LILITH on American Indians
To: helen@PSYCH.STANFORD.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from helen@psych.stanford.edu sent Sun, 24 Jan 88 20:37:39 PST.]
The Navajo-Hopi land dispute has no obvious just solution. If I remember
correctly, Navajos were squatting on land long ago allocated to the Hopis
and after many years of court battle, now have to leave. Helen seems to
assume that the solution to their problems is to fight with someone.
I doubt it. Maybe the Indians could live on the land in the ways their
ancestors did - provided they were willing to accept their ancestors'
standard of living and the occasional episode of famine characteristic
of primitive ways of life. However, most find living on the fringes
of white society better than that. Still better, most of them think,
is to find a way to use their land to achieve the standard of living
of other Americans. They can also use lawsuits. When they don't
succeed their children migrate to the cities.
∂24-Jan-88 2217 JMC
To: MPS
Please texify safire.2[let,jmc].
∂25-Jan-88 0218 JMC
To: IGS@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
When will you be back?
∂25-Jan-88 0853 JMC re: surprise present
To: ATM%UWACDC.ACS.WASHINGTON.EDU@FORSYTHE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sat, 23 Jan 88 23:33-0800.]
I confess - and from time to time.
∂25-Jan-88 1044 JMC re: Industrial Lectureship
To: yao.pa@XEROX.COM
[In reply to message sent Mon, 25 Jan 88 10:28:30 PST.]
It is very likely possible. Do you have any restrictions on which quarter
it would be given? I hope to make my recommendations for lecturers
in about a week. I'm glad to hear from you again.
∂25-Jan-88 1504 JMC re: AI and Formal Reasoning Proposal
To: SIMPSON@VAX.DARPA.MIL
[In reply to message sent Mon 25 Jan 88 14:28:54-EST.]
The system promises to get this in the mail tomorrow.
∂25-Jan-88 1650 JMC absence
To: MPS
If you are going to be away on any given day, please ask whomever you
call to MAIL me a message.
∂25-Jan-88 1745 JMC report for nsf
To: JK
We need a final report for NSF on the grant "Mechanical Theorem Proving
and Development of EKL". One or two pages will do. They probably won't
give us the continuation without it.
∂25-Jan-88 1925 JMC re: RE: re: surprise present
To: ATM%UWACDC.ACS.WASHINGTON.EDU@FORSYTHE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon, 25 Jan 88 16:56-0800.]
It was one of Vera's books, and I was about to throw it away when I
read it. Then I decided that you might be interested in what Americans
thought about Holland at the turn of the century. I haven't seen the
Calvino, and I can offer you Yourcenar's Mishima if you haven't seen
it.
∂25-Jan-88 2151 Mailer cultural imperialism and American Indians
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU, helen@PSYCH.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
Every Spring there is an Indian "powwow" at Stanford. This is a big
fair with dozens of booths selling Indian jewelry and things to eat.
An important item is fried bread and various kinds of tacos - if I
remember correctly. There is a program of dances. At the times
I have wandered through, about two-thirds of the people present
seem to be Indians. They are of a wide variety of tribes, and
many more tribes than I can recognize as distinct are mentioned
by the MC. The fried bread and tacos seem to include wheat flower,
something that arrived here from Europe. On the other hand, they
are somewhat different from anything available around here.
Pickup trucks are parked everywhere, and I read somewhere that
Indians really go for pickup trucks. Clearly this festival is
quite unlike anything that occurred two hundred years ago. The
language, of course, is English, since people from many tribes
are present. On the other hand, a variety of Indian traditions
are represented, and the MC emphasizes the different tribes.
Prizes are awarded.
I suppose an anthropologist would scorn the powwow, because
anthropologists always seem to scorn mixed cultures. To me
mixed cultures are more interesting than pure ones, because
one gets to see change at first hand.
Such festivals are one of the ways present day Indians have
fun and keep their traditions alive. It is significant that
most of the people at the powwow are young. In fact it seems
to me that there are rather few old people.
I don't know how these people make a living. I never heard reservations
mentioned by the MC, so I suspect that most of them make their livings in
towns and cities just like other Americans, but I didn't think to ask.
As far as I could tell, no-one but Indians was involved in
running the show. So this is part what Indians choose to
do these days.
I recall some leftist Indian politics, i.e.
there were petitions at one booth asking for the freedom
of (Leonard?) Peltier. I believe he was convicted for his
part in a shootout in which some FBI agents were killed.
These booths did not seem to dominate the powwow.
Doubtless, Indians differ in their opinions on the extent to which
the original life style can or should be maintained. I'm sure these
opinions are available to be read. Does anyone know what magazines
Indians publish in which they express their opinions on these
matters.
Helen mentions Indians developing their tourist industries. They have
done that for a hundred years. Not very many people can make a living
at that unless the tourists can be attracted away from the main
roads and into the Indian reservations. The Indians have also gone
in for mining, coal and uranium, the Navajos have (or had) a
transistor factory, and Indian tribes all over the country have
taken advantage of their local sovereignty to operate gambling
houses that are illegal in the surrounding areas.
My own opinions, based on no study, are the following.
1. Indians individually want prosperity about as much as other
Americans do. Many will leave the reservations if they see
opportunities to make a better living. They will also intermarry
with the non-Indian population. My first wife was part Indian
from two different directions, but had no Indian connections,
because this was many generations back. Thus my two daughters
are part Indian.
2. Like many other Americans, Indians want to preserve some of their
traditions. Some are prepared to sacrifice more for this than
others. Some have little choice because of lack of education
and off-reservation experience.
3. The reservations are a vast potential resource for them even though
most of the land left to them wasn't good for nineteenth century agriculture.
However, the most promising way for them to make a living on this
land is to attract rather conventional industry. This is what
outside corporations can manage and what Indians can learn from
them how to manage. With conventional industry, the Indians can
earn conventional wages, and this is doing much better than
the semi-unemployment characteristic of many reservations.
4. These views are not cultural imperialism, because I have no
authority over any Indians. I don't expect any to read this, so
I'm not even offering them advice.
Indians today are not children, understand American culture as well
as anyone else, and are equally aware of the options open to them.
5. There is only one way in which imperialism comes into the picture.
This is through the involvement of Government. This involvement
cannot be avoided, because the Indians, after all these years,
still need Government help. They need it for schooling, for
health care, for attracting industry. They are also legally
involved with the surrounding states and counties, and the
Federal courts have to decide lawsuits involving different
tribes and lawsuits involving Indian tribes and other governmental
entities.
All this make room for imperialism - or rather paternalism.
Public policy on Indians has oscillated ever since President
Grant appointed an Indian, Ely S. Parker, to be Commissioner
of Indian Affairs. The oscillation has been between facilitating
assimilation and facilitating maintenance of traditional ways
of life. Naturally, policies have been affected by various
forms of corruption, e.g. people wanting Indian land or other
resources. As long as Indians need Government money charges
of paternalism cannot be avoided.
This is a long message for someone who hasn't read much about
Indians except in book reviews.
∂25-Jan-88 2154 JMC starting earlier
To: helen@PSYCH.Stanford.EDU
Is it feasible to start a bit earlier Thursday. I still have a 1:15 class
and will need to park on returning. How about even 1130?
∂26-Jan-88 1131 Mailer re: Stanford hinterlands development
To: rick@HANAUMA.STANFORD.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from rick@hanauma.stanford.edu sent Tue, 26 Jan 88 09:44:21 pst.]
If you wanted to make sure of preserving your ability to jog unimpeded
around Felt Lake you should have made the high bid on leasing the area
from Stanford.
∂26-Jan-88 1135 Mailer re: The next administration and dwarfs
To: LYN@SIERRA.STANFORD.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from LYN@sierra.stanford.edu sent Tue 26 Jan 88 11:23:37-PST.]
If you think the parties are "conserving their heavy-hitters", you have
an exaggerated view of the power of the parties over the optimistic
adventurers who want to be President.
∂26-Jan-88 1239 JMC mailing address
To: hart@SRI.COM
What's your current mailing address? I have a buck from John Self to
pass to you.
∂26-Jan-88 1239 JMC passing the buck
To: jas@uk.ac.lancs.comp
I am no longer in charge of workshops, so I'm forwarding your note of dec 28
to Peter Hart who is.
∂26-Jan-88 1255 JMC decline
To: mdmcleish@WATDRAGON.WATERLOO.EDU
I have decided not to promise to contribute to publications
except when I have a paper in hand.
∂26-Jan-88 1310 JMC re: Symbolics Multiprocessor
To: JSW
[In reply to message rcvd 26-Jan-88 13:09-PT.]
I'm interested in the Symbolics multi-processor.
∂26-Jan-88 1421 JMC reply to message
To: JSW
[In reply to message rcvd 26-Jan-88 13:20-PT.]
Monday or Wednesday afternoon next week would be fine. Friday ok
except for VAL seminar.
∂26-Jan-88 1741 JMC re: Visiting Research Associates
To: SLOAN@Score.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Tue 26 Jan 88 15:28:48-PST.]
Both Gregory and Foster are reasonable people, and there will be some
benefit from having them here. Nils must decide whether it's worth what
it would cost in pay and office space.
∂26-Jan-88 1745 JMC re: Hello
To: CS.PURVIS@R20.UTEXAS.EDU
[In reply to message sent Tue, 26 Jan 1988 19:11 CST.]
I returned 7 keys, but I didn't check which they were. Is there
any way of finding out whether the 4.134 key was included? I suppose
I would have left it in my desk, since I never used it and it would
have been included. Sorry I didn't remember about it specifically.
I did remember your display tweaking tool, however. Suezette would
know what's known about the keys I returned.
∂26-Jan-88 1752 JMC re: What's the word for...
To: PLAMBECK@Sushi.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Tue 26 Jan 88 13:18:02-PST.]
orrery
∂26-Jan-88 2241 Mailer One measure of the success of AMA propaganda
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
Very likely, Lun Bowman's recollection of the behavior of the medical
profession is similar to his recollection of the behavior of the
Oklahoma legislature. It wasn't the Oklahoma legislature but
the Indiana legislature. And they didn't pass any bill, they
merely referred the question to the Committee on Swamps.
∂26-Jan-88 2252 Mailer rubism
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
It seems to me that the readiness of intellectuals to believe any
kind of story about the stupidity of state legislatures in rural
states, e.g. that one or another legislated pi to be 3, requires
a name. Let's call it rubism.
∂27-Jan-88 1017 JMC re: Your Institution
To: Petrie@MCC.COM
[In reply to message sent Wed 27 Jan 88 11:29:47-CST.]
It sounds like a plausible way to proceed. When I'm ready for the
next stage in exploring it, I'll get in touch with you again.
Unfortunately, I haven't had time to do anything since I got back
from Texas.
∂27-Jan-88 1025 JMC Squires
To: IGS@SAIL.Stanford.EDU, CLT@SAIL.Stanford.EDU,
RPG@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
I finally got him. He said whether they would go for an increase
in Lucid's activity depends on what it is and what it costs. Therefore,
we need a budget both ways and prose describing it. I promised him
a net message soon.
∂27-Jan-88 1706 JMC re: expenses
To: MPS
[In reply to message rcvd 27-Jan-88 15:18-PT.]
I suppose so, but you might see if Stanford can check it.
∂27-Jan-88 2308 JMC reply to message
To: JK, NSH
[In reply to message from JK rcvd 27-Jan-88 18:30-PT.]
This should work, but we need it in a few days. It doesn't have
to be very good, but part of the proposal will do fine.
∂28-Jan-88 0009 Mailer re: Bush's 58 combat missions
To: ILAN@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU, LYN@SIERRA.STANFORD.EDU
CC: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from ILAN@score.stanford.edu sent Wed 27 Jan 88 23:03:57-PST.]
Missions off carriers would have been in the Pacific, and they probably
varied widely in danger. However, the DFC is the medal right below the
Congressional Medal of Honor and was not given lightly, especially to
junior people, which Bush was. After 40 years, Bush may not remember
what it was like. Also perhaps he was a very calm pilot; it makes for
survival. It may have bothered him no more than being Dan Rather's
target.
It's also quite possible that Bush knew what Rather was likely to do
and was prepared for and even hoped for a shouting match. His present
problem is getting the Republican nomination, and his problem is on
the right. Many of us to whom he is appealing are just as pleased
to have him stonewall Dan Rather, since we agree with North's
objectives if not his judgment about Iran.
∂28-Jan-88 0121 JMC re: Lunch
To: ELLIOTT%SLACVM.BITNET@FORSYTHE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent 12 Jan 88 16:18 PST.]
How about this Friday the 29th? I have some things that may
interest you.
∂28-Jan-88 1040 JMC re: Andrei Ershov
To: chapman@RUSSELL.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Thu, 28 Jan 88 10:06:53 PST.]
I saw Ershov in August and again in October. In August he told me that
after his operation, they found no more cancer and he was not taking any
treatment - either radiation or chemotherapy. In October he seemed fine
though we didn't discuss his health. I suppose you or someone else from
CPSR saw him in Italy. I have heard that Soviet medical doctrine calls
for concealing certain bad news from the patient, so maybe his doctors
weren't really as optimistic as he thought. I haven't heard anything
of one matter he had intended to pursue, but that could be for other
reasons.
If the news is true, it's really bad news. He is the most important
single bridge between foreign and Soviet computer science and would
be even more important in developing scientific relations under
conditions of glasnost and renewed detente. He is also a very humane
man and protected people in his laboratory who were attacked for
dissident opinion or for wanting to emigrate.
∂28-Jan-88 1517 JMC re: Lunch
To: ELLIOTT%SLACVM.BITNET@FORSYTHE.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent 28 Jan 88 13:19 PST.]
See you at noon tomorrow.
∂28-Jan-88 2119 JMC re: proposed additional Qlisp tasks
To: edsel!arg@LABREA.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Thu, 28 Jan 88 19:13:14 PST.]
Igor, rivin@gang-of-four is the main person to whom your message should
have been directed. Maybe you already sent it to him?
∂29-Jan-88 0130 Mailer Rather not
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
Suppose Rather was asking questions essentially included among those
Bush had answered under oath before the Congressional committees.
By asking them again he was merely pursuing a certain political
agenda of his own, trying to keep before the public this aspect
of Bush instead of the aspects Bush wanted to emphasize. This makes
it a kind of game. If Bush had agreed to a taped interview that
Rather could edit, then Rather could really have emphasized what
he pleased by cutting out the rest. Bush turned the tables on
Rather, at least if Rather cares whether Bush scores with the
conservatives. Presumably if Bush gets the nomination, Rather
will try to bring up the Iran-Contra affair again. However,
unless he can find something new to say, the public will regard
it as even more boring after the present flap. So maybe Bush
won again. It doesn't seem like something for grown men and
women to get excited about. Just keep score.
∂29-Jan-88 1103 JMC
To: MPS
Claudia Mazzetti, aaai@sumex
∂29-Jan-88 1359 JMC re: nsf
To: CLT
[In reply to message rcvd 29-Jan-88 12:43-PT.]
I've met Keenan in the lounge and have talked with him, though not
about our problems with money.
∂29-Jan-88 1430 JMC re: A big thankyou...
To: Rice@SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri, 29 Jan 88 12:34:59 PST.]
I would be grateful for a copy of the SuperComputing paper mentioned in
your message.
∂29-Jan-88 1624 JMC re: chance meeting
To: KEARNS@CS.COLUMBIA.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri 29 Jan 88 18:31:38-EST.]
I have forgotten what I might have lost. Actually I was at UT Austin
for the entire Fall. Most likely, I was also going to Austin and
picked it up, since I don't remember losing anything. Probably I'm
naive about NY.
∂29-Jan-88 1630 JMC
To: MPS
Dr. Norton D. Zinder
Biology Dept.
Rockefeller University
New York, NY 10021,
212 570-8644 will help in nominating Bruce Ames
∂29-Jan-88 1744 JMC reprints
To: MPS
I forgot to ask you to put on the first page of each reprint
the fact that it was reprinted from
Textverarbeitung and Burosyteme edited by Endres and Reetz. Perhaps
the best way to do it is to copy also the title page of the book
and make it the last page of the reprint.
The copies are in my reprint drawer under CBCL.
∂29-Jan-88 2304 Mailer free speech
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
From New Republic, Feb 8
"THE ODDS ON JIMMY: It's almost tautological to say that the
public career of Jimmy the Greek, oddsmaker, was based on
ethnic stereotyping. Until last weekend, nobody was upset
by this. Then, in an impromptu television interview, Jimmy
went in for some stereotyping of his own. He openly mused
about the superiority of blacks in sports, a result, he said
of their longer and more powerful body structures. Trouble
is, he's partly right on this. Twenty-five percent of black
men are above six feet tall; only ten percent of white men
are. This does help explain the disproportionate presence
of blaks on pro football and basketball teams. Where Jimmy
went off was in his facile explanation. He put it all on
white slaveholders who, before the Civil War, he said,
bred slaves for size. There's no evidence, say both C.
Vann Woodward, our most distinguished historian of the
South, and Robert Fogel, the path-breaking quantitative
historian of the slavery economy, that this is true
(although slaves were bred on some farms for numbers).
Jimmy's real offense was not bad history, but his worrying
alout about werhe in sports there would be room for whites
if coaches' jobs weren't reserved for them. Triumphing
over decades of bigotry, blacks have finally made it big
in sports, a surrender of the athletic establishments to
meritocracy. So Jimmy's set-aside for whites in coaching
is, in fact, a grotesque parody of the excessive demands
by some minorities for anti-meritocratic quotas in some
areas of national life. Were there a genuine meritocracy
in football, blacks would be disproportionately represented
on the field and fairly represented in management. But
all this public discussion was too much for CBS, and on
the weekend of Martin Luther King Day, otherwise zealous
First Amendment defenders all over the natin celebrated
the sacking of Jimmy the Greek."
My opinion is that the New Republic is still somewhat timid about
offending liberal opinion. The percentage of blacks that merit would put
in coaching jobs is just as unpredictable and just as properly determined
by competition as is the percentage of blacks on the field.
∂30-Jan-88 1155 JMC re: IWoLES (copyright release)
To: mcvax!inria.inria.fr!queinnec@UUNET.UU.NET
[In reply to message sent 29 Jan 1988 12:13-EST.]
That will be ok. I have a draft of my extremely short contribution
and I will try to MAIL it today.
∂30-Jan-88 1212 Mailer Split atoms not wood.
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
There is a bumper sticker "Split wood not atoms". Of course, wood
burning produces many orders of magnitude more pollution than does nuclear
energy. Nevertheless, environmentalist sentimentality resulted in a large
increase in wood burning. After about 15 years the results of the studies
of this pollution are coming in, and regulations are being made. Naturally,
the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), in its statement approving
the regulations, isn't about to mention its role in creating the problem
by attacking nuclear energy. There is a general doctrine that corporations
are morally and legally responsible for unintended side-effects of their
actions, but environmentalist organizations are not. They can get away
with saying that if only people had done every thing they said, the
observed side-effects of people doing some of what the environmentalists
say wouldn't occur. The following A.P. stories are rather long and describe
the current situation with pollution from wood burning.
Returning to the bumper sticker, I bought one in Berkeley and
reversed it so it said "Split atoms, not wood". Twice people reversed
it back, and finally I took it off my car after deciding that political
dialog by bumper sticker didn't have much future anyway.
a061 0807 30 Jan 88
PM-Wood Burning-Regs, Adv 03,1091
$Adv03
For Release Wed PMs, Feb. 3, and Thereafter
Gradual Curb on Wood Smoke Emissions Begins This Year
By DAVID HENCH
Associated Press Writer
HANOVER, N.H. (AP) - Harry Locker enjoys the pleasant aroma of wood
smoke on cold New England mornings as much as anyone, even knowing it
can be unhealthy.
Locker, a graduate student at Dartmouth College, has for four years
been researching ways to determine how much wood smoke contributes to
air pollution, something that monitoring agencies in Vermont, Maine
and New Hampshire say they need to assess the problem.
Though wood-smoke pollution is ''not the worst environmental
situation in the world,'' Locker is glad nonetheless that federal
emissions standards for new wood-burning stoves take effect this
summer.
The Environmental Protection Agency regulations, adopted last week,
mandate a sharp reduction in particles emitted by stoves manufactured
after July 1.
Sellers have until 1990 to exhaust their supplies of unregulated
stoves, and tougher restrictions on particles take effect in 1990 for
producers and 1992 for sellers.
The new stoves, some already certified and being sold, reduce
emissions by improving combustion efficiency. Some use design
improvements; others have a catalytic combustor described by EPA as
''in effect, a smoke afterburner.''
Standards are tougher for catalytic stoves because the catalytic
elements - typically platinum or palladium bonded to a ceramic
backing - deteriorate with time.
Both approaches add to the cost of a stove - about $200 for
catalytic models and $120 for non-catalytic ones. But there are
benefits: the new stoves burn less wood to produce a given amount of
heat. They also emit less creosote, which builds up in chimneys and
must be cleaned out periodically to avoid chimney fires.
''It's true that the price that you see on the showroom floor will
go up a little bit, but you'll make it back,'' says David Doniger of
the Natural Resources Defense Council in Washington. The EPA agrees,
estimating $29 million in savings in five years for consumers
nationwide.
Smoke from wood-burning stoves is considered by some scientists to
be northern New England's worst homegrown air pollution problem.
Wood-smoke pollution also is prevalent in parts of the West.
One component of wood smoke, polycyclic organic matter, contains
carcinogens. Locker estimates that half of such compounds in the air
come from wood-burning stoves.
In addition to causing cancer, wood smoke contains carbon monoxide
and small particles that lodge deep in the lungs and can lead to
respiratory and cardiovascular problems.
But the health risks of wood smoke in northern New England have been
difficult to gauge. Monitoring agencies not only can't determine how
much air pollution is from wood-burning stoves, but they lack health
risk assessments for compounds in the smoke, making it impossible to
accurately assess the dangers of exposure, says Norman Anderson,
Maine's assistant state toxicologist.
Oregon discovered wood smoke as a significant pollutant only after
it had clamped stringent emissions controls on industry and still
couldn't meet federal Clean Air Act standards.
After discovering that much of its pollution was caused by
residential wood-burning, Oregon passed state emission controls for
stoves that took effect in mid-1986. Colorado followed on Jan. 1,
1987.
With more state and local restrictions looming, stove manufacturers
asked the EPA to set federal regulations. ''They wanted a federal
standard so badly they would accept a good one,'' said Doniger.
The immediate impact of the regulations on pollution will be
negligible.
''If you have an area with wood-smoke problems that you want to
mitigate, these regulations are not going to do that,'' says Andrew
Smith, staff scientist for the Natural Resources Council in Maine.
The regulations don't affect fireplaces or wood-burning furnaces and
boilers. And they don't affect the millions of stoves already in
service and expected to have useful lives of 10 to 20 years.
Still, 400,000 to 800,000 new stoves are sold each year, says
Doniger, and since most being used now were bought in the energy
crisis of the 1970s, they are aging.
The catalytic stoves require attentive operators to work
effectively, says Thomas Noel of New Hampshire's Air Resources
Division. Colored paper contains heavy metals that can foul
combustors in much the same way that leaded gas affects a car
designed to burn unleaded. The devices must be replaced periodically.
A recent study by the Coalition of Northeastern Governors indicated
that some new stoves - with and without catalytic combustors - do not
significantly reduce emissions once they are installed in a home.
Noel and Vermont's air quality planner, Richard Poirot, question
whether people will make the effort to operate the stoves properly.
''There's a certain perception that this is the federal government
entering into their living room and it isn't even doing anything
about the Midwestern power plants,'' Poirot says. The reference was
to northern New England's principal air pollution concern, acid rain
caused by industrial pollutants drifting in from the Midwest.
Though more than 40 percent of the region's residents burn wood to
heat their homes and wood smoke can comprise 40 percent of air
pollution in some areas, says Poirot, geography and climate make the
pollution less serious than in Western states.
Weather experts say wood smoke pollution becomes most acute when an
inversion of warm air traps smoke in valleys. Though northern New
England has many valleys, they are shallower than those in the West,
and the legendary abrupt changes in New England weather mean that
most inversions end quickly.
Air quality is monitored at 24-hour intervals, and officials say
that no violations of federal air quality standards have yet been
attributed to wood smoke in northern New England.
''It's one thing to say we don't violate this federal standard and
it's another to say we don't have a problem,'' Poirot cautions.
Alex Driessen, an environmental consultant and volunteer with the
New Hampshire Lung Association, is puzzled by the attention being
given wood smoke pollution.
''It's out of priority. I think it's a non-issue issue,'' Driessen
says. He says other pollutants are produced in greater volume, such
as auto emissions, are a more pressing issue, along with acid rain.
But Locker, for one, is pleased with the EPA controls - even though
he also wants to put a wood-burning stove in his house.
''There's still a certain amount of romantic attraction about
wood-burning'' he says.
End Adv for Wed PMs, Feb. 3
AP-NY-01-30-88 1048EST
***************
a064 0830 30 Jan 88
PM-Wood Burning-Colo, Adv 03,0871
$Adv03
For Release Wed PMs, Feb. 3, and Thereafter
Mountain Towns Moving to Clean Air
With PM-Wood Burning-Regs
By ELLEN HADDOW
Associated Press Writer
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) - Worried that dirty mountain air might
tarnish their image and turn away skiers, Colorado resort towns are
clamping down on pollution from wood-burning stoves and fireplaces.
As a result, the after-ski drink before a cozy wood fire is becoming
a thing of the past in many ski towns.
''Our decision was to market clean air, but we really didn't have a
choice,'' said Telluride town clerk Leslie Sherlock, the enforcement
officer for the town's strict air quality ordinance.
Mountain towns are particularly vulnerable to particulate pollution,
experts say. Their 7,000-feet-plus elevation and their location in
deep, small valleys intensify the harmful effects of wood burning,
street sanding and car traffic.
Air inversions, which trap cold air in the valleys under a layer of
warm air, are more the rule than the exception in the mountains.
Aspen, for instance, had only 11 inversion-free days last winter.
''Ski towns have the most invested so they have more interest than
other towns,'' said Scott Miller, an air quality specialist for the
Colorado Department of Health in Grand Junction.
Restrictions on the number of wood stoves and fireplaces that can be
installed in new homes and condominiums are the most common tactics
so far, but the ski towns are thinking about getting even tougher.
In Crested Butte, homeowners who do not have a state-certified
wood-burning stove that includes a catalytic combustor by Sept. 1
will begin paying a $20-per-month polluters' tax. Combustors cause
the wood to burn more thoroughly, reducing the volume of particles
emitted.
In Telluride, the owner of a new house cannot install either a
fireplace or wood stove without first buying two wood-burning
permits, which cost $800 to $1,200.
Aspen planners, meanwhile, are pushing for mandatory removal of
fireplaces unless they are converted to gas flames, and removal of
all wood stoves that don't meet state standards.
The new ordinances have been controversial.
Pitkin County Commissioner Fred Crowley wonders if the ''pendulum
has swung too far the other way.''
As a building inspector and Aspen resident in 1976, he remembers
when local officials provided incentives for the installation of
energy-efficient fireplaces and wood stoves.
''Now the energy crunch is over and clean air is the new soap box,''
he said. ''It all depends on who's on what high horse.''
There is a problem, Crowley acknowledges, particularly on heavy
inversion days. ''We just can't turn the sky to mud.''
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has adopted new standards,
sharply limiting smoke from new stoves used for heating.
When the Colorado Health Department measured cities and towns for
the new standards, Miller said, six cities were found to have
unusually high levels of particulates - Pagosa Springs, Telluride,
Aspen, Canon City, Lamar and Denver.
The first four are towns lying in narrow valleys. Miller said Lamar,
on the eastern plains, has a problem with dirt roads and blowing
dust, while Denver has a variety of pollutants, most attributable to
cars.
Vail, Steamboat Springs and Crested Butte, all mountain ski towns,
fell just below the top six communities, he said.
The ski towns, through local ordinances, have taken different
approaches to control air pollution.
Crested Butte is pinning its hopes on the polluters' tax, which
takes effect Sept. 1. The new stoves start at $600 and can run as
high as $2,000, said Fred Dyer, Crested Butte public works manager.
Selling stoves that are not on the approved list is illegal, and 10
people were cited for violations last year, said Jim King, senior air
pollution control specialist for the Colorado Health Department.
Dyer estimates 90 percent of the buildings in Crested Butte have
wood stoves. So far, 45 owners have bought new stoves, and there are
350 left to go.
''We'll see a lot more as we get closer to the deadline,'' Dyer
said. ''The community has been responsive. With the winter air now,
you can see it and smell it and feel it in your lungs.''
In Telluride, residents have until October to change to
state-approved stoves, Sherlock said. Violators will be subject to
fines of $300 per day or 90 days in jail.
To encourage conversions to the state-approved stoves, she said, the
town paid rebates of $200 in the first year of the ordinance, which
was passed in 1985, $150 the second year and $100 now. About 20
percent of the estimated 500 to 600 stoves in town have been
converted so far, she said.
Another incentive program financed by the town offered $750 to any
resident who would give up wood burning entirely. That subsidy is
down to $250 this year and will be phased out in October.
''It has reduced pollution since we started and it will reduce it
more,'' she said.
''Ambiance for skiers is an issue, but we decided we can market
clean air instead of fireplaces,'' Sherlock said.
End Adv for Wed PMs, Feb. 3
AP-NY-01-30-88 1115EST
***************
a066 0842 30 Jan 88
PM-Wood Burning-Company, Adv 03,0459
$Adv03
For Release Wed PMs, Feb. 3, and Thereafter
Leading Woodstove Maker Responds to Tougher Regs, Yuppie Market
With PM-Wood Burning-Regs
By DAVID GRAM
Associated Press Writer
RANDOLPH, Vt. (AP) - Vermont Castings Inc. was founded at the height
of the oil price shock in 1973 and is now the nation's largest
woodstove manufacturer. Over 15 years, the business and the product
have evolved, responding now to tough new environmental regulations
and an increasingly Yuppie market.
Vermont Castings' vice president for marketing, David Kimball, said
two big changes have swept the woodstove industry.
First, the market for stoves that simply supply heat has been
virtually saturated. Most people in northern New England and other
cold regions who might burn wood because it's cheaper than oil or gas
already are doing so.
Second, woodstoves have been found to be sources of pollution,
prompting the new regulations and giving the industry a marketing
problem among environmentally conscious people who thought of burning
wood as a harmless, pleasant part of moving ''back to the earth.''
''When we first got into the business, what we had was a
self-sufficiency market,'' Kimball said.
Rising oil prices helped to make hauling, splitting and stacking
wood and tending the fire worth the trouble. The exertions also gave
some people the satisfaction of freeing themselves from the grip of
big oil companies and foreign producers.
MORE
AP-NY-01-30-88 1137EST
- - - - - -
a068 0857 30 Jan 88
PM-Wood Burning-Company, Adv 03, 1st add, a066,0239
$Adv03
For Release Wed PMs, Feb. 3, and Thereafter
RANDOLPH, Vt.: foreign producers
Now, the price of oil has dropped, rebellion against large
corporations isn't as much in vogue and the typical woodstove buyer
is often keen to first impress a friend with the hot car in the
driveway, then with the warm stove in the den.
''Now it's a decorative market,'' Kimball said. The stoves ''are
seen as an alternative fireplace. . . . They're a thing of beauty, a
piece of furniture more than anything that provides a primary source
of heat.''
Robert Ferguson, chief of engineering for Vermont Castings, said
when the first anti-pollution regulations affecting woodstoves were
passed in Oregon and then in Colorado a few years ago, the company
was ready to respond.
Vermont Castings, like others in the industry, had been working to
perfect a stove using a catalytic combustor - a device that
effectively burns the smoke from burning wood. Ferguson said two of
the company's models meet new federal Environmental Protection Agency
regulations with room to spare.
Some Western communities have encouraged conversion of wood burning
stoves to gas as a way to reduce emissions. In the company boardroom,
Kimball displayed an unlit freestanding fireplace with the ''gas log
option,'' then turned a round switch on the wall - and instantly a
fire crackled in the hearth.
End Adv for Wed PMs, Feb. 3
AP-NY-01-30-88 1149EST
***************
a066 0842 30 Jan 88
PM-Wood Burning-Company, Adv 03,0459
$Adv03
For Release Wed PMs, Feb. 3, and Thereafter
Leading Woodstove Maker Responds to Tougher Regs, Yuppie Market
With PM-Wood Burning-Regs
By DAVID GRAM
Associated Press Writer
RANDOLPH, Vt. (AP) - Vermont Castings Inc. was founded at the height
of the oil price shock in 1973 and is now the nation's largest
woodstove manufacturer. Over 15 years, the business and the product
have evolved, responding now to tough new environmental regulations
and an increasingly Yuppie market.
Vermont Castings' vice president for marketing, David Kimball, said
two big changes have swept the woodstove industry.
First, the market for stoves that simply supply heat has been
virtually saturated. Most people in northern New England and other
cold regions who might burn wood because it's cheaper than oil or gas
already are doing so.
Second, woodstoves have been found to be sources of pollution,
prompting the new regulations and giving the industry a marketing
problem among environmentally conscious people who thought of burning
wood as a harmless, pleasant part of moving ''back to the earth.''
''When we first got into the business, what we had was a
self-sufficiency market,'' Kimball said.
Rising oil prices helped to make hauling, splitting and stacking
wood and tending the fire worth the trouble. The exertions also gave
some people the satisfaction of freeing themselves from the grip of
big oil companies and foreign producers.
MORE
AP-NY-01-30-88 1137EST
- - - - - -
a068 0857 30 Jan 88
PM-Wood Burning-Company, Adv 03, 1st add, a066,0239
$Adv03
For Release Wed PMs, Feb. 3, and Thereafter
RANDOLPH, Vt.: foreign producers
Now, the price of oil has dropped, rebellion against large
corporations isn't as much in vogue and the typical woodstove buyer
is often keen to first impress a friend with the hot car in the
driveway, then with the warm stove in the den.
''Now it's a decorative market,'' Kimball said. The stoves ''are
seen as an alternative fireplace. . . . They're a thing of beauty, a
piece of furniture more than anything that provides a primary source
of heat.''
Robert Ferguson, chief of engineering for Vermont Castings, said
when the first anti-pollution regulations affecting woodstoves were
passed in Oregon and then in Colorado a few years ago, the company
was ready to respond.
Vermont Castings, like others in the industry, had been working to
perfect a stove using a catalytic combustor - a device that
effectively burns the smoke from burning wood. Ferguson said two of
the company's models meet new federal Environmental Protection Agency
regulations with room to spare.
Some Western communities have encouraged conversion of wood burning
stoves to gas as a way to reduce emissions. In the company boardroom,
Kimball displayed an unlit freestanding fireplace with the ''gas log
option,'' then turned a round switch on the wall - and instantly a
fire crackled in the hearth.
End Adv for Wed PMs, Feb. 3
AP-NY-01-30-88 1149EST
***************
∂30-Jan-88 1311 Mailer press bashing
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
When a public figure makes specific charges against a newspaper
or TV program, it is usual for the media to refer to it as
press bashing. They then refer to him as appealing to general
anti-media sentiment. Notice that this avoids any discussion
of the specific complaint. For example, the public figure may
have charged that the media person distorted what he said
in order to push the media person's own political agenda.
By referring to generalized anti-press sentiment, whether
there was distortion in the particular case may be ignored.
∂30-Jan-88 1753 JMC re: Wednesday
To: RPG@SAIL.Stanford.EDU, IGS@SAIL.Stanford.EDU,
CLT@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message from RPG rcvd 30-Jan-88 17:40-PT.]
Carolyn and I would prefer to have the "business meeting" 5pm to
(say) 7pm with eating optional. I'd probably stay for it, and
she probably wouldn't. Is this feasible?
∂30-Jan-88 1756 JMC re: Paris hotel
To: edsel!jlz@LABREA.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sat, 23 Jan 88 12:47:31 PST.]
I have been dithering, which is why you haven't heard from
me. Anyway the reservations that have been made are ok.
I might shrink them, but if I do, I'll contact the Hotel
Napoleon directly.
∂30-Jan-88 1852 JMC re: Passing of `Frontier Gandhi'
To: singh@GLACIER.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent 30 Jan 1988 1845-PST.]
Who kept Khan in jail and when?
∂31-Jan-88 1920 Mailer re: Iran/Contra & tyranny
To: J.JEALOUS@HAMLET.STANFORD.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from J.JEALOUS@hamlet.stanford.edu sent Sun 31 Jan 88 14:45:48-PST.]
David Zicarelli has a taste for bombast - whimsical bombast at that.
This specimen gives no hint of the declared reasons for supporting
the Contras. (1) They see no reason why these self-declared
Marxist-Leninists will turn out less tyrannical than any of the
recent previous batches. Therefore, they consider revolt against
them as legitimate and to be supplied - at least to the extent of
a few percent of the level at which the Soviets are supplying
the Sandinistas. (2) They see that since World War II communist
control of countries has always advanced and never retreated, and
they fear it will be Mexico next. (3) They saw the Contras as
people who have staked their lives and not as just pressure to
be turned on and off at a whim. They saw the Boland Amendment
as whimsical betrayal and were eager to mitigate its effects.
There are counter-arguments to this point of view, but
Walter Karp doesn't bother with them, just pours on the
accusations and doom-saying in a cute way.
∂31-Jan-88 2216 JMC
To: MPS
landau.1
∂31-Jan-88 2320 Mailer re: The US a `declining IMPERIAL nation??'
To: singh@GLACIER.STANFORD.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from singh@glacier.stanford.edu sent 31 Jan 1988 2237-PST.]
The phrase "imperial nation" is a bit vague. Does it imply the existence
of an empire? There is good reason to restrict the term "empire" to
direct rule over foreign countries. In that case the U.S. isn't
an empire has had only a few colonies in its history, e.g. the
Philippines. However, the term can be used fuzzily enough so it
applies to the period of U.S. leadership after World War II.
The habit of blaming foreigners for relative or absolute decline
isn't limited to empires. For example, blaming the developed world for
its troubles is common in the undeveloped world. Some Americans,
including politicians, indeed wrongly blame foreigners for our trade
deficit and other troubles. My opinion is that it is our own fault.
Excessive environentalism, excessive social programs, a substantial part
of Helen's generation "turning on, tuning in and dropping out" of
productive work for a long time, neglect of industrial efficiency, and
emphasis on the next quarter by the business school graduates, are
only some of the causes.
The relative decline is inevitable, because the U.S. was farther
ahead of other countries than could reasonably be maintained.
However, there has been a small absolute decline in standard
of living. Even if our society doesn't recover its efficiency,
technology will rescue us from this one eventually.
∂01-Feb-88 1153 JMC two extreme approaches to AI
To: ailist@SRI.COM
1. The logic approach (which I follow).
Understand the common sense world well enough to express in
a suitable logical language the facts known to a person. Also
express the reasoning methods as some kind of generalized logical
inference. More details are in my Daedalus paper.
2. Using nano-technology to make an instrumented person.
(This approach was suggested by Drexler's book and by
Eve Lewis's commentary in AILIST. It may even be what
she is suggesting).
Sequence the human genome. Which one? Mostly they're the
same, but let the researcher sequence his own. Understand
embryology well enough to let the sequenced genome develop
in a computer to birth. Provide an environment adequate for
human development. It doesn't have to be very good, since
people who are deaf, dumb and blind still manage to develop
intelligence. Now the researcher can have multiple copies
of this artificial human - himself more or less. Because
it is a program running in a superduper computer, he can
put in science programs that find what structures correspond
to facts about the world and to particular behaviors. It is
as though we could observe every synaptic event. Experiments
could be made that involve modifying the structure, blocking
signals at various points and injecting new signals.
Even with the instrumented person, there would be a huge scientific
task in understanding the behavior. Perhaps it could be solved.
My exposition of the "instrumented man" approach is rather
schematic. Doing it as described above would take a long time, especially
the part about understanding embryology. Clever people, serious about
making it work, would discover shortcuts. Even so, I'll continue
to bet on the logic approach.
3. Other approaches. I don't even want to imply that the above two
are the main approaches. I only needed to list two to make my main
point.
How shall we compare these approaches? The Dreyfus's
use the metaphor "AI at the crossroads again". This is wrong.
AI isn't a person that can only go one way. The headline should
be "A new entrant in the AI race" - to the extent that they
regard connectionism as new, or "An old horse re-enters the
AI race" to the extent that they regard it as a continuation
of earlier work. There is no a priori reason why both approaches
won't win, given enough time. Still others are viable.
However, experience since the 1950s shows that AI is
a difficult problem, and it is very likely that fully understanding
intelligence may take of the order of a hundred years. Therefore,
the winning approach is likely to be tens of years ahead of the
also-rans.
The Dreyfus's don't actually work in AI. Therefore, they take
this "Let's you and him fight" approach by babbling about a crossroads.
They don't worry about dissipating researchers' energy in writing articles
about why other researchers' are on the wrong track and shouldn't be
supported. Naturally there will still be rivalry for funds, and even more
important, to attract the next generation of researchers. (The
connectionists have reached a new level in this latter rivalry with their
summer schools on connectionism). However, let this rivalry mainly take
the form of advancing one's own approach rather than denouncing others.
(I said "mainly" not "exclusively". Critical writing is also important,
especially if it takes the form of "Here's a problem that I think gives
your approach difficulty for the following reasons. How do you propose to
solve it?" I hope my forthcoming BBS commentary on Smolensky's "The
Proper Treatment of Connectionism" will be taken in this spirit.)
The trouble is "AI at the Crossroads" suggests that partisans of each
approach should try to grab all the money by zapping all rivals.
Just remember that in the Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels mentioned
another possible outcome to a class struggle than the one they
advocated - "the common ruin of the contending classes".
∂01-Feb-88 1154 JMC
To: VAL
I have a few suggestions on your draft introduction.
∂01-Feb-88 1407 JMC re: MY generation
To: helen@PSYCH.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon, 1 Feb 88 13:44:18 PST.]
Next week isn't great. It looks like Wednesday, Feb 10 is possible,
however, and I won't have the pressure of a class at 1:15. Is noon in
front, suitable?
∂01-Feb-88 2203 JMC re: meeting at LUCID (on wednesday)
To: rivin@GANG-OF-FOUR.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon, 1 Feb 88 20:49:59 pst.]
Sure.
∂01-Feb-88 2310 JMC Gosper
To: DKE
has been laid off by Symbolics, although they offer him a job
in the Macsyma group if he'll move back East. He wants to stay
here, and now seems interested in a permanent Research Associate
position. I said I would be glad to PI for him if he would
write a proposal. Actually you probably know much more about
the mathematical interest of his work than I do, and I hope
you would be interested in helping get it started. Anyway
he's coming in Friday at 4pm. Is that convenient for you?
∂02-Feb-88 1314 JMC
To: MPS
There's stuff in my out box to be mailed today.
∂02-Feb-88 1600 JMC
To: MPS
Please tex justes.re1 suitably decorated to each person requesting it.
∂02-Feb-88 1738 JMC re: nonhyphenating "non"
To: VAL
[In reply to message rcvd 02-Feb-88 17:01-PT.]
If he's right that it is never done, then we should change.
Every so often someone says "monotonic logic" for non-monotonic
logic, so I hyphenated in an attempt to reduce the frequency
of this error. Most people discussing the logic don't hyphenate.
I believe the editors of Artificial Intelligence have accepted
whatever convention authors use. If Matt is wrong, I have no
strong opinion. I guess "nonmonotonic" is used by more people.
∂02-Feb-88 1742 Mailer re: United Nations & Israel
To: PEYTON@SUSHI.STANFORD.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from PEYTON@Sushi.Stanford.EDU sent Tue 2 Feb 88 12:12:27-PST.]
Explain please what policy you advocate for Israel and what you
would expect its consequences to be.
∂02-Feb-88 1855 JMC reply to message
To: VAL
[In reply to message rcvd 02-Feb-88 18:54-PT.]
I have to leave now, but I'll try to get to it tonight.
∂03-Feb-88 0436 JMC re: IWoLES
To: mcvax!inria.inria.fr!queinnec@UUNET.UU.NET
[In reply to message sent 29 Jan 1988 12:05-EST.]
A FEW NOTES ON THE FUTURE OF LISP
John McCarthy, Stanford University
I must confess that I find myself with a lack of concrete and
ambitious ideas about the future of LISP. Here are a few, however.
1. Common LISP represents a reasonable standardization of present
practice, but it's overly complex. A cleaned up LISP is desirable,
perhaps starting from Scheme. At first it should be the work of one
person or a small group --- not a committee representing diverse
interests. I don't know whether the present efforts in that direction
will lead to a consensus. If there is to be a co-operative effort, it
shouldn't have a fixed time scale, and it should not be in competition
with Common LISP standardization now. The phenomenon to avoid is what
might be called academic logrolling in which I'll agree to put your bright
idea in if you agree to put in mine. This is what has made previous
committee designed languages unsuccessful. It partially affects Common
Lisp, but the enormous effort of communication and implementation has
mitigated its effects.
2. Allowing higher order functions should provide the possibility
of much greater generality. However, I don't know how to use them to get
substantial advantages in actual programming.
3. Combining LISP with logic programming offers advantages that
many people are exploring. However, it seems to me that the following
difficulty has limited success so far and may even be fundamental.
Regarded semantically, a pure LISP program may be regarded as a collection
of equations characterizing some functions. Likewise a Prolog program may
be regarded as a collection of sentences characterizing some predicates.
It is reasonably straightforward to allow both notations getting some
sentences characterizing both functions and predicates. However, LISP
taken by itself not only characterizes some functions but it also provides
definite evaluation rules, e.g. call-by-value and call-by-name that
compute these functions reasonably efficiently. Likewise Prolog has a
reasonably efficient standard evaluation rule, although more care has to
be taken with Prolog than with LISP to write the program in such a way
that the evaluation is successful an efficient. The catch is that there
doesn't seem to be a good standard evaluation rule for a LISP-Prolog
mixture. Maybe one can be found.
4. There are good theoretical prospects for combining LISP with a
proving system and with a specification transformation system that would
yield programs that automatically meet specifications. I think it won't
amount to using the specifications as a programming language, because the
user will have to specify how the specifications are to be transformed
into a program.
5. Another way of putting the previous point is to say that major
improvement in language will probably require new ideas for separating
logic and control.
∂03-Feb-88 0437 JMC re: IWoLES
To: mcvax!inria.inria.fr!queinnec@UUNET.UU.NET
[In reply to message sent 29 Jan 1988 12:05-EST.]
Please acknowledge the receipt of my text.
∂03-Feb-88 1023 Mailer re: More mathematical style
To: ILAN@SCORE.Stanford.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
CC: STEINBERGER@KL.SRI.COM
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from ILAN@score.stanford.edu sent Mon 1 Feb 88 23:26:31-PST.]
Ilan, do you have a precise reference to your Boole quote? He might well
not have been referring solely to mathematical abstractions since he had
spent some years running a general school. Whatever he was referring to, Ric,
he was doing it before 1864, which is when he died.
It shows vigor, though not necessarily masculine vigor, for
Ric Steinberger to undertake to root out sexism in nineteenth
century writers. In the new edition of Boole's works,
we'll make it read
"Of the many forms of false culture, a premature converse with
abstractions is perhaps the most likely to prove fatal to the growth
of a persynly vigour of intellect."
∂03-Feb-88 1405 JMC Robert Halstead
To: bledsoe@R20.UTEXAS.EDU
I heard that M.I.T. denied him tenure. That was a big mistake.
You should try to get him. I think he's very good. He is doing
the Multilisp system that is the main competitor of our Qlisp.
Incidentally, did you find out anything about whether there is
some way I can get utexas not to take back their contribution
to my TIAA?
∂03-Feb-88 1453 JMC re: More mathematical style
To: STEINBERGER@KL.SRI.COM
[In reply to message sent Wed 3 Feb 88 13:43:50-PST.]
I didn't mean to offend and will be a bit more careful not to.
∂03-Feb-88 1547 JMC
To: MPS
∂03-Feb-88 1545 PHY vita
John, Zohar has asked me to get a copy of Nati Linial's vita which you
have. Please let me have a copy. Thanks, Phyllis
∂03-Feb-88 2236 JMC You may hear something to your advantage
To: rms@PREP.AI.MIT.EDU
if you telephone Bryan Boesch at DARPA 202 694-5800.
He is interested in DARPA supporting GNU.
∂03-Feb-88 2239 JMC Boesch
To: rms@PREP.AI.MIT.EDU
won't be in the office till next Monday. Please acknowledge
this message.
∂04-Feb-88 1258 JMC re: Monday the 15th
To: DEK
[In reply to message rcvd 04-Feb-88 12:15-PT.]
Monday the 15th is fine with me, but the Faculty Club won't be
open. Suppose I come by your house and we go to lunch somewhere
in Palo Alto?
∂04-Feb-88 2007 Mailer re: random flame
To: cphoenix@PORTIA.STANFORD.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from cphoenix@portia.stanford.edu sent Thu, 4 Feb 88 10:24:00 pst.]
Writing "it's" instead of "its" and vice versa is usually a typo
rather than a lack of knowledge of grammar. At least I see the
error occasionally in the writings of people who usually get it
right. The complaint should be "Why don't people proof-read?".
∂05-Feb-88 1057 JMC re: Sequent Computer
To: MPS
[In reply to message rcvd 05-Feb-88 10:23-PT.]
Please ask Igor to talk to McAlister if he hasn't already. I think
it's best to channel all dealings with people wanting to sell
the Qlisp project through Igor.
∂05-Feb-88 1242 JMC Bert Halstead
To: jlh@SONOMA.STANFORD.EDU
, according to rumor, has not been given tenure
at MIT. This seems to me like MIT's mistake.
Perhaps we have a slot open to which he might
be encouraged to apply?
∂05-Feb-88 1427 JMC archive room
To: nilsson@Score.Stanford.EDU
The new building should have a faculty and department
archive room. I'm being driven out of my office by the
quantity of paper I have accumulated, but I don't want
to let it get too far away.
∂05-Feb-88 2343 JMC re: yet *another* way to waste some time?
To: GINSBERG@SUSHI.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri 5 Feb 88 16:40:55-PST.]
My class on Thursday meets at 1:15, so lunch seems reasonable if
started promptly. I would take part.
∂06-Feb-88 1648 JMC re: IWoLES
To: mcvax!inria.inria.fr!queinnec@UUNET.UU.NET
[In reply to message sent Thu, 4 Feb 88 21:51:01 +0100.]
Certainly put it in composed as you like.
∂07-Feb-88 1302 Mailer Western civilization
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
From the National Review's house poet.
Stanford Caves In
It's back to Swahili at Stanford
And courses more cordial to blacks,
While Plato and Proust, although they've vamoosed,
Still hang by their nails in the stacks.
W. H. von Dreele
I can't make up my mind about this opus from the Feb. 19
issue. It isn't just a simple vote for the great books.
Perhaps it's somewhat racist, or perhaps it can be regarded
as just criticizing the Black Student Union. From von Dreele's
distance and given his medium, nuances are doubtless lost.
Also it fits with his view of liberal universities to take
Stanford's caving in as a foregone conclusion.
I'm not going to write a letter of protest. Anyway National
Review can't be regarded as racist.
∂07-Feb-88 1333 JMC
To: VAL
nsf[1,val]/2p
∂07-Feb-88 1333 JMC nsf[1,val]/2p
To: VAL
Sorry I mailed the subject line. It looks good, but I
want to think more. I fixed a few typos.
∂07-Feb-88 1351 JMC reply to message
To: VAL
[In reply to message rcvd 07-Feb-88 13:47-PT.]
It's files[let,jmc] that is the list of all my files. I'll have
to move it to another directory in order to make it accessible,
because I want to keep my letters protected. Let me think about
how to avoid undesired side effects in doing that.
∂07-Feb-88 1519 JMC re: Book
To: VAL
[In reply to message rcvd 07-Feb-88 14:58-PT.]
1. I think it's called MINIMA on some directory.
2. It's now in f87,jmc here, as are all my Texas files.
I'll check on the others.
∂07-Feb-88 1527 JMC re: Book
To: VAL
[In reply to message rcvd 07-Feb-88 14:58-PT.]
I can't find anything later on MRHUG, and the circumscription
paper seems to be MINIMA[S77,JMC]. It should be checked against
the published text, however.
∂07-Feb-88 1616 Mailer Accuracy in Academia
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
Reed Irvine, the somewhat rightist publisher of Accuracy in Media,
started Accuracy in Academia, which promised to report on what was
being taught in colleges and universities. Starting it gave rise
to many protests that it was the start of a witch hunt. Last year
I decided to subscribe at $15 to form my own opinion. I just
received my notice to renew the subscription, and therefore it's
time to fulfill my BBOARD promise to report on it. It seems to me
that there is no reasonable complaint about witch hunting.
Perhaps Irvine would like to see some of the professors he
complains about fired, but he doesn't advocate any actions
except counter-propaganda in his magazine. There are three
main kinds of articles.
1. Profiles of individual professors and their offerings, usually
done by more-or-less right wing students at the schools in question.
The professor is always asked for a statement. The ones he chooses
are usually rather far out 1960s radicals who have become professors.
Some are quite frank about indoctrinating. Often there are
complaints that he or she gives low grades to students who disagree.
2. Complaints about violations of academic freedom, most commonly
disruptions of lectures by people the left hates but also accusations
of left wing campaigns aimed at firing professors who displease the
left, e.g. by taking CIA research contracts.
3. Reports on Marxist and other leftist academic conferences.
Come to think of it, there are probably reports on right wing
conferences too, but from a favorable point of view.
Sometimes the magazine is dull, because one left wing professor
is often like another. Still there is enough variety to justify
renewing my subscription. If someone wishes to look at the
magazine, I've kept a few issues. To subscribe, write
Accuracy in Media
1275 K Street, N. W., Suite 1150
Washington, D.C. 20005
∂08-Feb-88 0855 JMC re: QLISP budget draft
To: rivin@GANG-OF-FOUR.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon, 8 Feb 88 03:43:02 pst.]
The budget looks ok to me. I'll ask Carolyn to also look at it this
morning.
∂08-Feb-88 0904 JMC budget
To: CLT
Please let both me and Igor know what you think of the following budget.
∂08-Feb-88 0343 rivin@Gang-of-Four.Stanford.EDU QLISP budget draft
Received: from Gang-of-Four.Stanford.EDU by SAIL.Stanford.EDU with TCP; 8 Feb 88 03:43:01 PST
Received: by Gang-of-Four.Stanford.EDU (4.30/25-eef)
id AA09147; Mon, 8 Feb 88 03:43:02 pst
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 88 03:43:02 pst
From: Igor Rivin <rivin@Gang-of-Four.Stanford.EDU>
Message-Id: <8802081143.AA09147@Gang-of-Four.Stanford.EDU>
To: jmc@sail, les@sail
Subject: QLISP budget draft
The budget email to boesch is beneath the dotted line. I guesstimated
the cost of Gabriel & co's foreign travel. Is the comment re Alliant
upgrade reasonable? Please let me know asap, so I can mail this off...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is a draft of the proposed budget for the next 18 months. I hope
this has all the information you need. If not, please let me know.
The budgeted amount for upgrading the Alliant FX/8 to the eight
processor configuration is only a rough estimate
(the line that says Capital equipment: 4 processors, 1 cache, 32meg)
We should have a quote from Alliant shortly, however.
Igor
Proposal to DARPA
for
QLISP on Parallel Processors
Budget for 18 months beginning 1 March 1988
Personnel 18 Month Cost
Prof. John McCarthy (25% acad. yr., 50% Sum.) 47,087
William Gosper, Sr. Research Assoc. (100%) 90,000
Igor Rivin, Research Assoc. (100%) 72,216
Arkady Rabinov, Research Assoc. (100%) 83,214
Carolyn Talcott, Reseach Assoc. (50%) 40,842
Joe Weening, Research Assoc. (100%) 72,000
Dan Pehoushek, Research Programmer (100%) 43,506
Alex Gorbis, Student Res. Assist. (50% acad. yr., 100% Sum.) 22,310
--------, Student Res. Assist. (50% acad. yr., 100% Sum.) 22,310
--------, Student Res. Assist. (50% acad. yr., 100% Sum.) 22,310
--------, Student Res. Assist. (50% acad. yr., 100% Sum.) 22,310
Pat Simmons, Secretary (50%) 15,993
---------
Salary Base 554,098
Allowance for salary increases 18,470
(5% beginning 9/1/88)
---------
Salary Total 572,568
Staff benefits (26.2% till 9/1/88, 153,448
27.1% thereafter)
Consultants (10 days/yr. @ $600) 6,000
Travel (8 East Coast trips/yr. @ $1200, 27,000
14 Western trips/yr. @ $600)
Foreign Travel (4 trips @ $2000) 8,000
Computer maintenance 60,000
Computer time costs 80,000
Other direct costs 40,000
---------
Subtotal 776,568
Indirect Costs (73% of above) 566,895
Capital equipment: 2 Sun 3/50MQ-8 Workstations 9,000
Capital equipment: 2 Fujitsu Eagle disk 12,000
Capital equipment: 4 processors, 1 cache, 32 meg.? 200,000
Lucid Subcontract 1,684,100
---------
Total 3,265,563
∂08-Feb-88 0936 JMC
To: MPS
campbe.3
∂08-Feb-88 0953 JMC re: budget
To: CLT@SAIL.Stanford.EDU, IGS@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message from CLT rcvd 08-Feb-88 09:42-PT.]
I assume that if Joe stays we don't need a separate systems person,
but this should be discussed with Joe. I guess we should budget
for the larger computer usage.
∂08-Feb-88 1256 JMC
To: CLT
CC: MPS
Your id is on your desk in the midst of the front papers.
∂08-Feb-88 1316 JMC re: Software subcommittee report
To: ouster%nutmeg.Berkeley.EDU@BERKELEY.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon, 8 Feb 88 13:14:39 PST.]
I have little information at present beyond what you have already included
in mentioning AI. I have put in a request for some further information,
but it's not certain how much I'll get.
∂08-Feb-88 1344 JMC electronic address
To: golshani@VAX.ASU.EDU
The local expert doesn't like the net address you gave
and suggested golshani@vax.asu.edu. Did it work?
∂08-Feb-88 1613 JMC industrial lecturers
To: stager@Score.Stanford.EDU
How much time do I have left to get in the catalog
copy for the industrial lecturer courses for next
year?
∂08-Feb-88 1619 JMC
To: RDZ@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
Gosper, Bill (symbolics secret: 969-0955),rwg@scrc-yukon
∂08-Feb-88 1803 JMC
To: aaai@SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU
I assume you passed the buck on Olson to Peter Hart.
∂08-Feb-88 2215 JMC reply to message
To: ZVONA%OZ.AI.MIT.EDU@XX.LCS.MIT.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon, 8 Feb 1988 23:44 EST.]
Many thanks.
∂08-Feb-88 2222 JMC re: Software subcommittee report
To: ouster%nutmeg.Berkeley.EDU@BERKELEY.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon, 8 Feb 88 14:09:32 PST.]
The material I was waiting for came tonight. It's certainly not in
shape to be included as is in a report. In particular, I wouldn't want to
rely entirely on the Institute of the U.S.A. and Canada, because they
are experts in what Americans ought to "know" about the Soviet Union.
However, it makes me even more certain that my information of twelve
years ago is obsolete. I have a recent book by Tyuugu, and my colleague
Vladimir Lifschitz will look at it. Tyuugu is in Tallin, and the
Estonian school is probably untypical of the Soviet Union. Anyway
I'll telephone Alker and let you know what results. Here it is.
∂08-Feb-88 2045 ZVONA%OZ.AI.MIT.EDU@AI.AI.MIT.EDU
Received: from OZ.AI.MIT.EDU (AI.AI.MIT.EDU) by SAIL.Stanford.EDU with TCP; 8 Feb 88 20:45:14 PST
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 1988 23:44 EST
Message-ID: <ZVONA.12373248657.BABYL@MIT-OZ>
From: David Chapman <ZVONA%OZ.AI.MIT.EDU@XX.LCS.MIT.EDU>
To: jmc@SAIL.STANFORD.EDU
cc: zvona%OZ.AI.MIT.EDU@XX.LCS.MIT.EDU
Hi... sorry this is so delayed; my thesis proposal deadline was Friday
and I was tied up this weekend. I hope this is still useful.
What I know is based on a conversation with Victor Segreyev, who is at
the USA Institute at the Arbatov. He does formal modeling of
political thinking, for example making "cognitive maps" of JFK's
belief system at various points during the Cuban missile crisis. His
work is similar to Schank's in flavor, though there seems not to be a
lot of direct connection.
He has one of apparently very few AI labs currently operating in the
USSR, and it is in the Economics department because the CS department
doesn't believe in AI. According to him, funding for AI is very
tight. On the one hand, the CS people think it's flakey nonsense, and
on the other the Marxist state philosophers think that Marxism is
incompatible with people being machines. The military actually wants
to fund AI, but (O wonderful irony!) they can't, because ALL research
money in Russia has to go through the Academy, which isn't interested.
Apparently this situation has been the case since Academician
proponents of AI all died in the late '70s. Up until then, AI was
counted as part of cybernetics, which of course the USSR had always
been strong on. A fair amount of what now counts as AI there is still
pretty cyberneticky -- "pattern analysis", e.g.
So since there is almost no official support of AI, the people who do
it all have backgrounds in something else and are part of some other
discipline. There are apparently a fair number of very hairy
mathematicians and physicists playing with it. They got connectionism
about two years ago and are heavily into it.
What I find most interesting is the connections with the Vygotsky
tradition of cognitive science. Vygotsky sort of plays the roles of
Piaget, Chomsky, and George Miller rolled into one in the Soviet
tradition. His work is very different from the western cognitive
science tradition; and, I think, much better. It was suppressed for
political reasons from about '30-'55, then there was a bunch of good
work done along his lines until the '70s, when it apparently went out
of political favor again. Lysenkoism. However, there's been a surge
of interest in it in the West in the last five/ten years (there's a
good summary by a guy called Wertsch called I think "Vygotsky and the
Social Formation of Mind") and some of it is getting translated.
Anyway, it turns out that there are a few people left working in this
tradition, and some of them are doing AI. These people seem to be
very smart (in particular, they recognize the very important
connections with the Sacks/Schegloff/Jefferson conversation analysis
program, which almost no one in the west recognizes). Unfortunately,
their work isn't translated.
It seems that there is work being done in almost all subareas of AI
over there. Segreyev left behind a recent summary collection volume;
it's in Russian, but he translated all the paper titles for us. They
have a bunch of vision work, mostly pattern analysis style, which is
presumably bogus. They have a lot of cognitive modeling, again of a
roughly Schankian variety, and presumably with the strengths and
weaknesses of Schankism. They have a bunch of NL processing stuff.
They have some robot arm work. There wasn't anything on theorem
proving or planning or that sort of thing, but I'd be surprised given
that a lot of their AI people are mathematicians if there wasn't some
work being done.
While we didn't talk about it in any detail, I got the impression that
the available computational resources are very poor; IBM PC level at
best.
The overall impression I have is that the (relatively few) people
doing AI there are very sharp, but that there is no coherent
leadership and no institutional support, so that the work they do is
spotty. But this is really based on relatively little talk with a guy
who doubtless has axes to grind within the Soviet Union and probably
also some impression he wants to leave with the Capitalists.
Hayward Alker, who is a professor in the Poli Sci department here, is
a friend of Segreyev's. He can probably tell you more than I. He
also has a stack of papers left behind by Segreyev; some his work and
some others'. Most are in Russian, but you might want to get the
abstracts of the rest translated. Alker is hralker@athena.mit.edu.
He doesn't read his mail much, so you might want to cc
rhhu@reagan.ai.mit.edu, who is one of his graduate students who
(nevertheless) works in this lab on NL stuff, and can (a) poke Hayward
and (b) probably also knows a fair bit about Soviet AI. Oh, yeah, you
could also call Alker: his number is (617)253-3642.
If you write something up about this, I'd be interested to see the
result.
Let me know if there's anything in this that you'd like me to expand
upon.
David
∂09-Feb-88 0233 JMC intro
To: VAL
I don't see that there is a problem of inferring imperative
sentences. When a program infers should-do(<immediate-action>),
a demon causes this action to be performed. This was stated
in Programs with Common Sense.
∂09-Feb-88 1306 JMC re: seminar
To: VAL
[In reply to message rcvd 09-Feb-88 10:37-PT.]
OK
Ideas about Mental Situation Calculus
Mental situation calculus involves mental actions and other mental
events affecting a mental situation. Mental situations are more than
just databases of beliefs, but contain also pedigrees of the beliefs.
This can permit formalizing "reason maintenance systems". However,
there is more, information about goals, for example. How much more
is far from clear. Formalized contexts come into the picture as
well as other kinds of intensional objects. The talk will present
a number of concepts and preliminary ideas about how they should
interact.
∂09-Feb-88 1308 JMC re: intro
To: VAL
[In reply to message rcvd 09-Feb-88 10:30-PT.]
It should be a small step in a theory that adds to situation calculus a
formalization of goals, but I haven't actually written it down. The point
is that, unlike some philosophical logicians, I don't forsee a need for a
separate "logic of imperatives".
∂09-Feb-88 1427 JMC postpone lunch
To: helen@PSYCH.Stanford.EDU
I unfortunately have a noon meeting. Possibilities include 1pm, or
Friday, or even Saturday.
∂09-Feb-88 1509 JMC re: postpone lunch
To: helen@PSYCH.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Tue, 9 Feb 88 15:01:21 PST.]
Saturday at 1pm it is. Where shall I pick you up?
∂09-Feb-88 1612 JMC
To: helen@PSYCH.Stanford.EDU
see you then and there
∂09-Feb-88 1807 Mailer re: SRI
To: D.DAVEB@OTHELLO.Stanford.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from D.DAVEB@othello.stanford.edu sent Tue 9 Feb 88 16:43:26-PST.]
SRI started after World War II as Stanford Research Insitute.
Many Stanford faculty and graduates students were active in it in
it early years. It did and does some classified research. It
became independent around 1970 and paid (or is still paying)
$25 million to Stanford for its independence. In the early 1970s,
campus radicals wanted Stanford to "put it under community control".
Obviating further issues of this kind may have been one of the
triggers of its becoming independent.
∂10-Feb-88 0915 Mailer re: Yet another flight to EastRidge Field...
To: paulf@UMUNHUM.STANFORD.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from paulf@umunhum.stanford.edu sent Tue, 9 Feb 88 22:15:23 PST.]
As to closing Reid-Hillview, you have left out two considerations.
1. Whoever has a better use for the land might offer to buy it at
a price the cheapskates who fly airplanes won't collectively match.
2. If it belongs to Santa Clara County, as I believe it does, what
the Government giveth, the Government can take away. If a dumb
reason for closing it down is offered, all the aviators can do is
take their excellent reasons for keeping it open to the Board of
Supervisors - perhaps via a political campaign expert.
∂10-Feb-88 0949 Mailer re: Yet another flight to EastRidge Field...
To: paulf@UMUNHUM.STANFORD.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from paulf@umunhum.stanford.edu sent Wed, 10 Feb 88 09:41:13 PST.]
Is the price of a parking space for an airplane still cheaper
than the price for parking a car?
∂10-Feb-88 0950 JMC re: Yet another flight to EastRidge Field...
To: paulf@UMUNHUM.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Wed, 10 Feb 88 09:41:13 PST.]
On another matter, please phone me about your suggestion of
Bass as an industrial lecturer 3-4430.
∂10-Feb-88 1628 JMC re: Industrial Lectureship
To: yao.pa@XEROX.COM
[In reply to message sent Mon, 25 Jan 88 11:24:09 PST.]
We definitely would like your course, but because I don't have all the
others yet, I hope you flexibility about which quarter still exists.
I need a course description suitable for inclusion in the Stanford
catalog, and I have to get them in by the end of the month. Naturally,
I'll be less nervous if I get it much sooner. These descriptions run
10 to 20 lines and they consist mainly of lists of topics. At least
the first part does not consist of complete sentences.
∂10-Feb-88 1755 Mailer one handed driving
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
A sudden blowout of a front wheel can jerk the wheel right out of
your hands. Obviously this is even more likely if you are steering
with one hand. I suppose power steering mitigates the problem, and
it could be designed so as to make a sudden blowout no little
more dangerous to one-handed drivers than to two-handed drivers.
I think it should be.
Perhaps no-one has adequate driving experience to drive fully safely,
because too many of the crises that sufficiently skillful driving
will enable one to surmount are very rare. For this reason, practicing
in sufficiently sophisticated simulators would be good for everyone.
With present cars, two-handed driving is probably safer but perhaps
not if one has to concentrate on it in order to avoid using one hand.
Concentration on one aspect of a task detracts attention from others.
Cars and driving instruction should be designed so that the attention
is directed outside the car almost all the time. The same applies
to airplanes.
∂11-Feb-88 1248 JMC
To: MPS
Please call Virgina Mann and tell her VTSS160 will not have an in class final.
∂11-Feb-88 1737 JMC re: Point of Fact
To: RPG
[In reply to message rcvd 11-Feb-88 15:04-PT.]
Summer 1958 is the first conditional expression recursive definition.
Fall 1958 is the first use of the name LISP, the start of the project,
and the first programs hand-compiled from LISP recursive definitions.
Early 1959 is the first interpreter.
April 1960 is the date of publication of the first paper.
So any of 1988, 1989 or 1990 would be reasonable.
∂11-Feb-88 1740 JMC files
To: VAL
Sorry to have misled you. Look at projec.tex[s85,jmc] for the names
of files that Sarah TEXed.
∂11-Feb-88 2040 Mailer quote for today
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
from an article entitled `Among the Intellectualoids' in the American Spectator
Toward the end of a particularly grueling session of papers
at the recent convention of the Modern Language Association
in San Francisco, Stephen Greenblatt spoke yearningly of
what every English professor wishes for - "the moral
authority of homelessness".
∂12-Feb-88 0027 Mailer
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
I forgot who it was asked me to look at Accuracy in Academia.
∂12-Feb-88 0804 JMC re: Is that what Boesh wants, do you think?
To: rivin@GANG-OF-FOUR.STANFORD.EDU, CLT@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
CC: RPG@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message from rivin@Gang-of-Four.Stanford.EDU sent Fri, 12 Feb 88 01:32:52 pst.]
It looks good on the whole. The parts of the bullets that are sentences
should have periods at the end. You should put in a reminder of why
we are concentrating on computer algebra, i.e. that it provides
a known basis of algorithms on which to compare QLISP performance
with uniprocessor algorithms that have gotten a lot of work.
Remember that Boesch said that new hardware would be a target
of opportunity, i.e. they would use money that couldn't otherwise
be shipped. Doubtless someone else got some hardware when our
proposals slipped.
I suppose you are right about the finances, and you have to be
straight with Boesch about that. We can't hire Gosper till we
have the money, and we will probably lose him if the delay is
too long. Joe is still a student till summer.
Carolyn is away till Sunday night, but you can fire it off when ready.
A modified version can alway be sent if she proposes revisions.
∂12-Feb-88 0806 JMC re: next week
To: rivin@GANG-OF-FOUR.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri, 12 Feb 88 02:37:46 pst.]
OK, are you currently applying for academic jobs there?
∂12-Feb-88 1002 Mailer re: and talking about south africa
To: Z.ZIMBABWE@MACBETH.STANFORD.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from Z.ZIMBABWE@macbeth.stanford.edu sent Thu 11 Feb 88 22:53:07-PST.]
I have no idea of who did what to whom in the events relating to the
coup in the xxx Homeland and its reversal by the South Africans.
I suspect that Jim Bob Way doesn't either, but since he knows who
are the bad guys, all else follows automatically.
∂12-Feb-88 1352 JMC your Daedelus paper
To: MPS
Just the Daedalus paper
∂12-Feb-88 1151 PMACLIN%UTMEM1.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu your Daedelus paper
Received: from lindy.stanford.edu by SAIL.Stanford.EDU with TCP; 12 Feb 88 11:51:08 PST
Received: by lindy.stanford.edu; Fri, 12 Feb 88 11:52:20 PST
Received: by Forsythe.Stanford.EDU; Fri, 12 Feb 88 11:50:45 PST
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 88 13:31 CST
From: <PMACLIN%UTMEM1.BITNET@forsythe.stanford.edu>
Subject: your Daedelus paper
To: jmc@sail.stanford.edu
X-Original-To: jmc@sail.stanford.edu, PMACLIN
I read with interest your "Two Extreme Approaches to AI" on AIList. If
possible, I would appreciate it if you could send me a copy of your Daedalus
paper and any other of your key papers on AI. Although I have been studying AI
for two years, I am still rather a novice. Thanks.
Philip Maclin
Computer Science Dept.
Univ. of Tennessee at Memphis
877 Madison Ave.
Memphis, TN 38163
Phone 901 528-5848
PMACLIN@UTMEM1
∂12-Feb-88 1354 JMC re: honors project/CSLI internship
To: P.PROMETHEUS@HAMLET.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri 12 Feb 88 13:45:45-PST.]
Sorry, I forgot what you wanted. Please remind me.
∂12-Feb-88 1406 JMC re: honors project/CSLI internship
To: P.PROMETHEUS@HAMLET.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri 12 Feb 88 13:58:00-PST.]
Can you come this afternoon at 4:45 to 356 Margaret Jacks Hall?
We can discuss the points you raise. However, the financial situation
of my projects precludes summer commitments now.
∂12-Feb-88 1411 JMC re: honors project/CSLI internship
To: P.PROMETHEUS@HAMLET.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri 12 Feb 88 14:03:49-PST.]
I prefer to be phoned on the day you would like to meet, but I
already know that Wednesday is no good.
∂12-Feb-88 1422 JMC re: honors project/CSLI internship
To: P.PROMETHEUS@HAMLET.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri 12 Feb 88 14:11:34-PST.]
Monday is a holiday, but I expect to be in. If you don't have a key
to MJH you can telephone 3-4430 from the Stanford phone near the
information booth. 2pm would be best, but 4:30 is possible.
∂12-Feb-88 1656 JMC re: Alliant & Symbolics
To: JSW@SAIL.Stanford.EDU, IGS@SAIL.Stanford.EDU,
CLT@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message from JSW rcvd 12-Feb-88 16:15-PT.]
That's Igor.
∂12-Feb-88 2349 Mailer dog eat dog
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
The discussion so far doesn't take into account anti-trust law in
the U.S. and its history.
(1) It is illegal for the companies in an industry not to compete
with one another. An agreement to divide up a market is called
a cartel and is illegal. The reason that it is illegal is that
it is regarded as a conspiracy against the customers. For a long
time the Anti-trust division of the Justice Department ruled
that it was illegal for automobile companies to collaborate
on safety and air pollution reduction research. I'm curious
about who knows or can guess the rationale of this prohibition.
Foreign competition has induced Congress and the Justice
Department to relax some of the prohibitions. Both MCC
and Sematech have required Justice Department waivers to
allow the companies to collaborate.
(2) Certain forms of competition are also against the anti-trust
laws. For example, it is illegal to offer a price that cannot
be sustained for the express purpose of forcing a competitor
out of business with the intention of raising the price later.
It is also illegal to require customers to agree not to buy
from a competitor. In each case there is a fine line, the
subject of enormous amounts of case law, between what is
legal and what is illegal. Holding a sale is legal but not
if the purpose is to drive a competitor out of business. I
gather it's ok if he is incidentally driven out of business.
One frequently reads of cases where a manufacturer is sued
on charges of illegally inducing retailers not to carry another
manufacturer's products.
As far as I know, Silicon Valley firms haven't been in legal
trouble either for excessive collaboration or excessive
competitive measures. I would suppose that excessive
competitiveness is more likely than the reverse.
However, the discussion would make more sense if Messrs Bowman
and Singh would mention specific practices they find objectionable.
∂12-Feb-88 2357 Mailer dog eat dog
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
For those who found my previous message too long, I'll put it this way.
Dog is legally required to eat dog. If the dogs are too friendly,
both dogs will go to jail.
∂13-Feb-88 1240 JMC re: Oops, sorry
To: helen@PSYCH.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sat, 13 Feb 88 12:26:07 PST.]
I was there at 1155. At two minutes after 12 I suddenly also remembered
that the date was for 1pm and went off and sat in my car reading the
New York Times. At 1232 I got your first message, concluded that it
was for 12 after all and rushed down, waited a bit and rushed back.
We could go now if you like.
∂13-Feb-88 1844 JMC re: Tonight: plans
To: helen@PSYCH.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sat, 13 Feb 88 18:41:16 PST.]
That will be fine. See you at 9.
∂14-Feb-88 1611 JMC lunch?
To: helen@PSYCH.Stanford.EDU
I hadn't danced at a party with a rock band since perhaps the
last time I was at a Wizard's thing. How about lunch Friday
or Saturday; maybe noon would be better this time, since
we both seem to have jumped the gun yesterday.
∂14-Feb-88 2106 JMC re: lunch?
To: helen@PSYCH.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sun, 14 Feb 88 20:23:56 PST.]
It shall be as you say.
∂14-Feb-88 2124 Mailer re: Inc. letter for Boobists to consider
To: SINGH@SIERRA.STANFORD.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from SINGH@sierra.stanford.edu sent Sun 14 Feb 88 18:31:45-PST.]
There is nothing objectionable to an advocate of competition in referring
a customer to a competitor who can meet his needs better. It happens all
the time. The customer will be back when the referrer's products suit
his new needs.
As for countering, the company president is right that reducing
competition is better for the companies involved. However, it's very
often worse for the customers and the country as a whole. There are
many cases in which the competitors in a localized (say to one country)
get together and relax. It sometimes lasts for decades. Then they
get zapped by firms that survived a more competitive environment.
The European Common Market ended many comfortable
non-competitive relationships and added greatly to European prosperity.
For example, the Europeans are finally following us into deregulating
air travel. Aha! Harinder, was airline deregulation a mistake?
∂15-Feb-88 1020 JMC re: ooops
To: DEK
[In reply to message rcvd 15-Feb-88 09:30-PT.]
I'm here too, so that will be fine.
∂15-Feb-88 1039 JMC re: Software Subcommittee Reminder
To: hearn%hilbert@RAND-UNIX.ARPA, ouster%nutmeg.Berkeley.EDU@BERKELEY.EDU
CC: cweissman@DOCKMASTER.ARPA,
"mchenry@guvax.bitnet"@RAND-UNIX.ARPA, blumenthal@a.ISI.EDU
[In reply to message from hearn%hilbert@rand-unix.ARPA sent Mon, 15 Feb 88 09:20:46 PST.]
I think our report should say that the access restrictions to Crays
in Western institutions are not useful, giving the following two reasons.
1. The Soviets are not going to allow programs of military significance
out of their country to be run on foreign computers. The risk of defection
or copying is just too great. If the CIA thinks there is any chance some
Soviets are that careless, then they should try to take advantage of it.
2. Occasional access to a supercomputer is not worth as much as having
a fully owned computer whose total computing capacity exceeds the share
one gets of the supercomputer. The Soviets have enough computer capacity
so that bootleg time on Crays in foreign countries cannot significantly
add to it.
∂15-Feb-88 1205 JMC re: budget
To: rivin@GANG-OF-FOUR.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon, 15 Feb 88 11:48:06 pst.]
Yes.
∂15-Feb-88 1400 JMC Re: Industrial Lectureship
To: ZM
∂15-Feb-88 1314 yao.pa@Xerox.COM Re: Industrial Lectureship
Received: from Xerox.COM by SAIL.Stanford.EDU with TCP; 15 Feb 88 13:14:44 PST
Received: from Cabernet.ms by ArpaGateway.ms ; 15 FEB 88 12:48:57 PST
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 88 12:48:56 PST
From: yao.pa@Xerox.COM
Subject: Re: Industrial Lectureship
In-reply-to: "Your message of 10 Feb 88 16:28 PST"
To: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
Cc: yao.pa@Xerox.COM
Message-ID: <880215-124857-1832@Xerox>
Dear John,
Thank you for your message. According to the Stanford Catalogue, Leo Guibas
teaches a Computational Geometry course (No. 368) in the Winter. Assuming it
will be given next year, I think my special topics course probably should not be
offered concurrently, and Spring may be the best time if your schedule permits.
I will send you a course description shortly.
Frances
∂15-Feb-88 1515 JMC re: CBCL
To: VAL
[In reply to message rcvd 15-Feb-88 14:50-PT.]
yes
∂15-Feb-88 1652 JMC
To: MPS
rota.1
∂15-Feb-88 1658 JMC re: tentative darpa schedule
To: GENESERETH@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon 15 Feb 88 16:48:54-PST.]
In any version given to DARPA, please list our time as (McCarthy and
Lifschitz). I want to get them used to him.
∂15-Feb-88 1706 JMC My Datamedia doesn't function suddenly.
To: ME
I reset the multiplexer to no avail. Maybe the
SAIL end needs to be reset.
∂16-Feb-88 0105 JMC terminal,multiplexor,modem or line
To: bjork@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
One of them doesn't work. Please phone 857-0672 Tuesday am.
∂16-Feb-88 1138 JMC telegram to Neil Jones
To: MPS
CC: CLT, ZM
All we could offer is half pay for Winter quarter and no
transportation expenses. Obligation would be to teach
one course. This isn't at all what I had in mind when we
talked, but let me know whether this is of interest. Even
this isn't certain.
John McCarthy
Pat, I'll supply address in Denmark tonight.
∂16-Feb-88 1250 JMC Paris
To: RPG
I'm presently planning to take the Air France non-stop Saturday
night, arriving Sunday afternoon at 4:40. How long ought I stay
if I am to have some effect in calming LISP politics? I prefer
to minimize the length of the trip.
∂16-Feb-88 1459 JMC
To: DEK
The library robot can have a TV camera.
∂16-Feb-88 1555 JMC terminal not working
To: bjork@Score.Stanford.EDU
I had our babysitter push CALL just now, and she got no result.
∂16-Feb-88 1853 JMC
To: bjork@Score.Stanford.EDU
Both the terminal and the printer are working - without replugging.
∂17-Feb-88 1503 JMC advice
To: helen@PSYCH.Stanford.EDU
I'm sure we can find a time. I'll be out the rest of
the afternoon. One possibility, if an hour will suffice,
is lunch tomorrow at the Faculty Club. Otherwise, phone
(home:857-0672) or (office: 3-4430).
∂17-Feb-88 1930 JMC re: advice
To: helen@PSYCH.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Wed, 17 Feb 88 17:49:19 PST.]
Come to my office at 1130 and we'll walk over. They start serving at
1145 and stop at about 1330. That will give an hour counting walking.
My office is 356 Margaret Jacks. It is in the front of the building
right next to psychology.
∂17-Feb-88 2056 JMC alternate plan
To: helen@PSYCH.Stanford.EDU
I can pick you up around 11am in front and we can go somewhere else.
∂18-Feb-88 1421 JMC re: book
To: VAL
[In reply to message rcvd 18-Feb-88 14:18-PT.]
Add the note saying it became the circumscription paper.
∂19-Feb-88 0123 Mailer re: Air Line Ticket Problem
To: ARK@SAIL.Stanford.EDU, sumane@COYOTE.STANFORD.EDU,
su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from ARK rcvd 19-Feb-88 00:54-PT.]
Is it illegal to use someone else's ticket or is it merely that the
airlines are not obliged to honor it?
∂19-Feb-88 0240 JMC
To: helen@PSYCH.Stanford.EDU
Good luck with the talk!
∂19-Feb-88 1146 JMC
To: CLT
Dick should be available at 6:30 pm at home. Remind me.
∂19-Feb-88 1348 JMC re: book
To: VAL
[In reply to message rcvd 19-Feb-88 12:06-PT.]
I suppose the 1899 is a postal code, and since someone
might imagine it to be a date, it should probably be
dropped.
∂19-Feb-88 1807 JMC reply to message
To: MPS
[In reply to message rcvd 19-Feb-88 16:05-PT.]
Thanks. I return Wednesday evening.
∂19-Feb-88 2324 JMC memo to faculty
To: MPS
Please distribute the following memo to faculty on paper.
The biography is on my desk.
The Formal Reasoning Group proposes to reappoint Jussi Ketonen
as Senior Research Associate. His biography is attached. Any
comments on the appointment should reach me by Monday,
Feb 29.
∂20-Feb-88 1019 JMC re: CS101
To: REGES@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sat 20 Feb 88 09:00:25-PST.]
The students who take the course are a quite different group from what I
expected. All of them have used word processors, have written programs
and own computers. This enables one to deal with history, projection of
the future and issues on quite a sophisticated basis. My opinion is that
the course should stay in the catalog but be given only every other year.
I'd like to teach it again sometime, say the year after next.
∂20-Feb-88 1028 JMC re: CS101
To: REGES@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sat 20 Feb 88 10:20:54-PST.]
It's ok as is, but I'll think a little about revising it.
∂20-Feb-88 1125 JMC
To: helen@PSYCH.Stanford.EDU
1230 will be fine.
∂20-Feb-88 1714 JMC Please send
To: MPS
a copy of ames[w88,jmc] to Norton Zinder whose address you will find
in notes[1,jmc].
∂20-Feb-88 1856 JMC Gordon Bell
To: nilsson@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
I will be back from France Wednesday night. If you can schedule
lunch with him at a good time (e.g. Friday), we can discuss what
has happened to research support. Cheriton is also interested.
∂20-Feb-88 1857 JMC trip
To: MPS
I will be at Hotel Napoleon, Paris. Return Wednesday night,
UTA 501.
∂20-Feb-88 1858 JMC (→21166 26-Feb-88)
To: "#___JMC.PLN[2,2]"
In Paris till Thursday, Feb 26.
∂24-Feb-88 2316 JMC re: Gordon Bell
To: nilsson@TENAYA.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sun, 21 Feb 88 10:21:28 PST.]
I'll try then. It seems to me that Pat could do some work for you, but
please don't swipe her.
∂24-Feb-88 2321 JMC reply to message
To: CLT
[In reply to message rcvd 23-Feb-88 13:59-PT.]
Did it before I left if Pat understood my message.
∂24-Feb-88 2323 JMC re: Dinner Thursday, a problem I fear
To: helen@PSYCH.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Tue, 23 Feb 88 15:41:25 PST.]
Sure. I'll call you.
∂24-Feb-88 2323 JMC re: book
To: VAL
[In reply to message rcvd 23-Feb-88 17:26-PT.]
I think the abstract is worth including.
∂24-Feb-88 2325 JMC re: book
To: VAL
[In reply to message rcvd 24-Feb-88 20:33-PT.]
The collaboration evaporated, so maybe we should use the first version.
∂25-Feb-88 1415 Mailer failed mail returned
To: JMC
In processing the following command:
MAIL
The following message was aborted because of a command error,
namely, nonexistent recipient(s):
lb0q
------- Begin undelivered message: -------
25-Feb-88 1415 JMC +@andrew.cmu.edu
re: Workshop sponsored by AAAI?
[In reply to message sent Thu, 25 Feb 88 15:47:03 -0500.]
I am no longer running the AAAI workshop program. Please send your request
to Peter Hart, HART@SRI.COM and also to aaai-office@sumex.stanford.edu.
------- End undelivered message -------
∂25-Feb-88 1737 JMC
To: VAL
Sure, include the questions and answers.
∂25-Feb-88 1816 JMC re: letter of interest to symbolics
To: rivin@GANG-OF-FOUR.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Thu, 25 Feb 88 18:12:49 pst.]
I agree with the letter and propose that you sign it yourself. Give
yourself the title ``Manager, Qlisp project''.
∂25-Feb-88 2128 JMC dinner
To: helen@PSYCH.Stanford.EDU
Monday or Tuesday would be good. If you get done tonight at what
seems to you a reasonable hour to go out for espresso or the like, that
would also be fine. Paris was ok, although I didn't do much but
attend the meeting and think about my own work.
∂26-Feb-88 0001 JMC Expired plan
To: JMC
Your plan has just expired. You might want to make a new one.
Here is the text of the old plan:
In Paris till Thursday, Feb 26.
∂26-Feb-88 1516 JMC re: dinner
To: helen@PSYCH.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri, 26 Feb 88 13:18:05 PST.]
Done. Don't break your neck, and have a good time.
∂26-Feb-88 2304 JMC
To: ARK
Not yet.
∂27-Feb-88 0132 Mailer Federal Spending as a Percentage of GNP
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
National Transfer
Defense Payments Interest Total
1960 9.5 4.8 1.4 18.2
1970 8.3 6.5 1.5 19.8
1980 5.0 10.4 2.0 22.1
1987 6.4 9.2 3.1 23.0
source = National Review
∂27-Feb-88 1733 JMC re: Job
To: hirani@JESSICA.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent 27 Feb 1988 1728-PST.]
We don't have a position at present. However, you might make your
qualifications known to Jussi Ketonen, jk@sail and Shankar, nsh@sail
in case something turns up.
∂27-Feb-88 2358 JMC re: The latest AIList
To: RDZ@SCORE.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sat 27 Feb 88 23:17:00-PST.]
I saw it. Actually the part that refers to me is related to an opinion
piece of my own in AILIST. I have tentatively decided not to respond
further, because I would have to write too much disentangling my views
from her (Eve Lewis, whom I don't know) representation of them before I
could even begin to argue. For example, I didn't take a position against
sequencing the human genome; in fact I'm for it.
∂28-Feb-88 1523 JMC re: ISO meeting news
To: MATHIS@a.ISI.EDU
[In reply to message sent 28 Feb 1988 14:46-EST.]
Congratulations.
∂28-Feb-88 1528 JMC islisp
To: RPG
What were the votes like? Is Eulisp still alive? If so, to whom should
I write for information? Probably I would like to react to their ideas,
now that the issue of standardization has been temporarily settled.
∂28-Feb-88 1654 JMC re: ISLISP
To: RPG
[In reply to message rcvd 28-Feb-88 16:12-PT.]
I wasn't asking about Eulisp as an issue, i.e. as a competitor for
standardization. Do you think Eulisp is also dead as a research
project?
∂28-Feb-88 1717 JMC re: my master's courses
To: TEICH@SUSHI.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sun 28 Feb 88 16:28:21-PST.]
I dunno. Phone or come and see me, and we'll work it out. Who is
teaching it?
∂29-Feb-88 0118 Mailer re: Olympics
To: ILAN@SCORE.Stanford.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from ILAN@score.stanford.edu sent Mon 29 Feb 88 00:32:08-PST.]
Ilan's complaints about the Olympics might make sense if some one
person or group was responsible for all the characteristics he
complains about. However, these characteristics, and many others
that various people complain about, are the resultant of many
applied forces over many years. One can either accept it as it
is or try to change it in some direction.
∂29-Feb-88 0946 JMC re: CPL
To: RPG
[In reply to message rcvd 29-Feb-88 09:00-PT.]
I have to be elsewhere at 11. I'll be in by 2pm.
∂29-Feb-88 1426 JMC re: course description
To: yao.pa@XEROX.COM
[In reply to message sent Mon, 29 Feb 88 11:29:13 PST.]
Thanks for the course description.
∂29-Feb-88 1605 JMC Faculty and Staff Directory
To: MPS
I assume it came out in the Fall while I was away. I need
two copies, one for the office and one for home.
∂29-Feb-88 1620 JMC
To: ME
There's lots of garbage in NS, and HOT is currently producing some.
∂29-Feb-88 1835 JMC
To: MPS
tiaa.1
∂29-Feb-88 1935 JMC pills
To: CLT
My pill bottle disappeared last weekend. Have you seen it? I think
I put it in a "safe place".
∂29-Feb-88 1945 JMC nonmonotonic logic
To: DEK
I will be glad to oblige any time you want to hear about it.
It will take from 15 minutes to an hour according to how
much you want to learn. If your curiosity extends beyond
that, reading will be more efficient. I would be interested
in your reaction, because I suspect that the importance
of formalizing nonmonotonic reasoning, on which I would expect
to be convincing, wouldn't sustain mathematical interest until
there are more sharp mathematical theorems and conjectures.
∂29-Feb-88 2321 JMC re: AI course
To: SNOW@Sushi.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon 29 Feb 88 23:11:02-PST.]
How about Tuesday at 2:30?
∂01-Mar-88 1128 Mailer re: Raccoon living in the campus
To: UEDA@SIERRA.Stanford.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from UEDA@sierra.stanford.edu sent Tue 1 Mar 88 10:31:01-PST.]
I have lived on the Stanford campus for 25 years. I see a raccoon on campus
about every other year. I have seen them on my porch and once I saw four on
my street investigating the grate to the storm sewer. I can't recall whether
I have seen a live opossum, but I have seen many killed by cars. Skunks are
quite common. Across Junipero Serra, I have seen deer rarely, and I hit
one with my car some years ago on Page Mill Road near 280. I saw coyotes
once. I saw a rabbit once. Owls are common on campus, and the campus is
a veritable Bangladesh of ground squirrels.
There are plenty of wild animals on campus, but most of them are nocturnal
and rather shy. They are even more afraid of dogs than of people. However,
many are even more common than when the area was intensively farmed.
∂01-Mar-88 1135 Mailer re: why are fiscal years not calendar years?
To: HAILPERIN@Sushi.Stanford.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from HAILPERIN@Sushi.Stanford.EDU sent Tue 1 Mar 88 11:06:41-PST.]
Congressional sessions start in January, and the fiscal year is
designed to start shortly after Congress has passed the appropriation
bills. Formerly the fiscal year started July 1, but because Congress
didn't get around to passing the bills, it was postponed to October 1.
Congress still doesn't get around to passing the bills on time, because
delay to the last minute and beyond is often found to be a useful
tactic for getting one's way. Also the last minute House-Senate
conference is a way of sneaking in a bit of pork.
∂01-Mar-88 1209 JMC
To: MPS
ARTIFI.2[W78,JMC] 07-May-78 Collier's Encyclopedia article on AI
ARTIFI.3[W78,JMC] 09-May-78 Another draft of Collier's article on AI
ARTIFI[W78,JMC] 02-Apr-78 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE - for Collier's Enc.
∂01-Mar-88 1509 JMC re: Dinner tonight?
To: helen@PSYCH.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Tue, 1 Mar 88 15:03:01 PST.]
6 is fine or even 5:30. I'll surely be hungry. However, if Thursday or
Friday would permit more leisure for you and you would prefer it, I have
no present commitments.
∂01-Mar-88 1533 JMC re: Dinner tonight?
To: helen@PSYCH.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Tue, 1 Mar 88 15:31:16 PST.]
See you there.
∂01-Mar-88 2011 JMC re: National Geographic
To: MPS
[In reply to message rcvd 01-Mar-88 16:28-PT.]
4:30 is ok. Put it in my calendar.
∂01-Mar-88 2309 JMC state of computer chess
To: ilan@SCORE.Stanford.EDU
I'm revising an encyclopedia article on AI, and I need to revise
the part about the performance of chess programs. What are the
facts about Berliner's program's recent victory in Pittsburgh?
What was the name of the tournament? What rating did the program
get? Do you know the outcome of the recent effort to rate the
best micro-computer programs?
∂02-Mar-88 0301 JMC two paths to AI
To: jbn@GLACIER.Stanford.EDU
The two paths to AI described were at two ends of a spectrum. The
logic approach is being pursued by me and others. The approach
at the other end which involved simulating the genetic and
embryological mechanisms is not being pursued by anybody for
lack of present understanding of genetics and embryology. Remember
it first required sequencing the human genome. It was the opposite
of the other in the sense that the first requires understanding
the methods of intelligent behavior while the other involved
creating artificial intelligence without understanding intelligence
at all. I am not sending this to Laws, because I haven't any evidence
that others misunderstood my point.
∂02-Mar-88 0941 JMC re: two paths to AI
To: jbn@GLACIER.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Wed, 2 Mar 88 09:21:36 PST.]
I agree about the ant, but that is closer to the logic end of the
spectrum, since it involves attempting to understand how the ant's
mental processes work. Sequencing the human genome will probably
be undertaken as a several billion dollar U.S. Government project
in the next few years. The technology is in hand to complete it
in about ten years. There is no present prospect, however, of
simulating the embryology.
∂02-Mar-88 1219 JMC re: stopping by your office
To: TEICH@SUSHI.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Wed 2 Mar 88 12:10:13-PST.]
Afternoon, today, for example. I teach on Tuesdays and Thursdays,
1:15-2:05 and 4:15-5:30.
∂02-Mar-88 1233 JMC re: $
To: SHOHAM@Score.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Wed 2 Mar 88 11:03:34-PST.]
I think not. Ask Betty to harass Pucci.
∂02-Mar-88 1500 JMC re: book
To: VAL
[In reply to message rcvd 02-Mar-88 14:13-PT.]
I'll try, but I may not succeed. I suggest you write.
∂02-Mar-88 1551 JMC
To: ilan@Score.Stanford.EDU
Thanks for the information.
∂02-Mar-88 2059 Mailer How many lives will it cost?
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
We see from the following news story that the FDA has coerced
manufacturers of aspirin into agreeing not to advertise it as a preventive
for heart attacks until the FDA has acted further. The study on which the
desire to advertise it was based was broken off before its normal
termination for "ethical reasons". The ethical reason was that aspirin
had turned out so effective that the people running the study determined
that the participants taking the placebo could not ethically be subjected
to that given the evidence of aspirin's effectiveness. (When I asked my
doctor about it, he had his nurse tell me to start taking an aspirin every
other day. I wonder if he violated some rule by doing so).
Doubtless the FDA considers that orderly procedure requires that
someone submit some evidence to them before they can authorize advertising
aspirin. Actually they seem to be working in a gray area of law, because
aspirin is not a new drug and has never required a prescription.
However, if the study published in the New England Journal of
Medicine, every month delay in getting aspirin into widespread use will
cost many lives. The study involved 11,000 men and they had about 70
fewer heart attacks over (say) 3 years. If we suppose that the number of
with the health status of the doctors taking part in the text is (say) 33
million, then 150,000 heart attacks would be prevented over a comparable
period, say 1/3 fatal or 50 thousand. Any FDA caused delay, therefore,
costs about 1500 lives per month. Let's hope they work very hard.
They acted fairly fast in the case of AZT, but then they were under
political pressure.
So far as I know, no-one has done a study to determine whether the
whole system of FDA approvals saves lives from misuse of drugs in
comparison with the lives it loses by the delays it causes compared to the
former situation in which new drugs are used whenever people and their
doctors decide to do so.
However, the new system is certainly more orderly and in
accordance with what I will call the regulatory ethic. As many human ills
as possible are to be ascribed to greed, etc. and the cure is "tough new
regulations".
a236 1607 02 Mar 88
AM-FDA-Aspirin,0509
FDA Gets Agreement from Manufacturers on Aspirin Claims
By PAUL RECER
AP Science Writer
ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) - Prodded by the Food and Drug Administration,
pharmaceutical companies agreed Wednesday to avoid any advertising
that claims aspirin can help prevent a first heart attack, despite a
report in a medical journal that drew this conclusion.
FDA Commissioner Frank E. Young announced the agreement after he met
for more than an hour with company representatives who came to his
office in this Washington suburb after he sent a letter reminding of
the FDA's power to regulate.
At a news conference, Young said he had told the manufacturers that
if they promoted their products for a use not supported by an FDA
analysis, they could be guilty of mislabeling, and ''this mislabeling
can lead to regulatory action by the FDA.''
He said the manufacturers agreed to ''exercise voluntary restraint''
and to refrain ''from further promotion'' of aspirin as a protection
against first heart attack. But Young insisted that the action was
not in response to ads that already have run.
William C. MacLeod, director of consumer protection at the Federal
Trade Commission, which regulates drug advertising, refused
repeatedly at the news conference to say if his agency had taken any
action regarding ads by aspirin manufacturers. Nor would he confirm
that inappropriate ads had been run.
Young said the meeting was prompted by the publicity surrounding a
study published Jan. 28 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
In the study, more than 11,000 physicians over the age of 40 took
one aspirin every other day, while another group of physicians took
placebos, or fake aspirin. At the end of 57 months, the study showed
that those taking aspirin had a 47 percent fewer heart attacks.
While refusing to say if the action was prompted by any ad that has
run, Young said the drug manufacturers had agreed to voluntarily
''refrain from further promotion of the study results.''
Marie-Claude Stockl, public affairs director for Bristol-Myers, said
in a statement: ''We agree with the FDA that the final results need
to be reviewed by the agency before communicating the use of aspirin
for primary heart attack, and our actions to date have been
consistent with that position.''
Several drug companies have produced ads that promoted the use of
aspirin to help prevent a second heart attack. These were based on a
1985 study that was analyzed by the FDA. This earlier study has been
incorporated in the agency's professional labeling statement on
aspirin.
But the study announced in January was the first to show evidence
that aspirin could help prevent a primary, or first, heart attack.
Young said his concern is that the aspirin study involved a narrow
group - all physicians in good health - and that an analysis of the
study had not been completed.
The FDA said the aspirin therapy is not appropriate for everyone and
''could do more harm than good'' for some.
AP-NY-03-02-88 1858EST
***************
∂02-Mar-88 2136 Mailer the Olympics and Theodosius
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
1. The first modern Olympics were in Greece in 1859, and
only Greeks participated. They gave valuable prizes as had
the ancient Greeks.
2. The modern amateur athletic movement as started in the mid
nineteenth century had three features:
a. There were attempts to restrict it to gentlemen. These
lasted less than 20 years.
b. They wanted to exclude people who trained continuously
or used professional coaches. The idea was to encourage non-athletes
to take part. This didn't last long either. Part of the motivation
for the class restrictions (the first Canadian rules excluded Indians
and people in manual occupations) may have been to eliminate people whose
occupations kept them in condition.
c. No valuable prizes. This lasted the longest.
3. It is right to emphasize Theodosius's Christianity. Not only did
he clobber the Olympics, but he was the emperor who made the first
decrees outlawing Jewish and pagan worship and temples of all kinds.
His biography in the present Britannica is evidently quite old, because it
seems to me to be enthusiastic about his suppression of paganism and
is not at all in accordance with the liberalism of the Britannica
articles written recently.
In short Theodosius is not just another Christian who happened to be
intolerant. He can fairly be described as the founder of Christian
intolerance. The emperor Constantine was converted in 312 and tolerance
continued more or less until the time of Theodosius in the 370s.
∂02-Mar-88 2241 JMC Houston
To: RPG
She said there were reservations at the Wyndham hotel and that people
would be picked up there and taken to the Rice campus. She may be
in her office now, 723-0936.
∂03-Mar-88 1051 JMC history request
To: ALLEN.NEWELL@PT.CS.CMU.EDU
In a review of a bad book, The Question of Artificial Intelligence,
I plan to make some remarks about the institutional history of AI including
something like the following.
"AI didn't start as an establishment. Minsky and I were fortunate that the MIT
Research Laboratory of Electronics had a ``joint services contract'' that
permitted its head, Jerome Wiesner, to say yes instantly when we
encountered him in the hall in May 1958 and asked for a secretary, a key
punch, and two programmers. He countered by asking if we wanted to
supervise six graduate students in mathematics whom he had committed
himself to support but had no immediate job for. I believe that the
Newell and Simon work at Rand started in a similar informal way."
Is my conjecture correct or was there a formal proposal to begin your
and Herb's work on complex information processing?
∂03-Mar-88 1101 JMC article
To: MPS
Please get me a copy of
Shannon, C. E., "Programming a digital computer for playing chess,"
Phil. Mag., 1950, 41, 356-375.
∂03-Mar-88 1243 JMC industrial lectureships
To: stager@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
Here are the industrial lectureships. I don't have one for Spring.
Fall 1988
Topics in Computational Geometry
Discussion of selected topics in computational geometry. Emphasis on topics of
current research interest. Subjects that will be covered include range search
problems, geometric optimization problems, and finite-precision geometry.
Familiarity with analysis of algorithms is assumed.
- Frances Yao
COMMUNICATIONS SECURITY
Winter Quarter 1989
Whitfield Diffie
Bell-Northern Research
685A East Middlefield Road
Mt. View, CA 94043
(415) 968-5792
Communications Security -- Concepts of privacy and authentication in communication
systems, vulnerability to interception and modification. Basic notions of
cryptography: general system, specific key, plain text, cipher text, cryptanalysis,
illustrated by examples of cryptosystems in historical context. Certification:
known and chosen plaintext attacks, design criteria. Study of a modern conventional
cryptosystem, the U.S. Data Encryption Standard. Key Management and public key
cryptography. Examination of the RSA system, arithmetic, factoring, and prime-
finding. Cryptographic modes of operation. Security protocols for data
communication networks. Technologies for building security equipment. Pre-
requisite: general familiarity with discrete mathematics, programming and
communication systems.
∂03-Mar-88 1458 JMC re: industrial lectureships
To: STAGER@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Thu 3 Mar 88 13:35:52-PST.]
Please call them and ask them for material comparable with what was
printed last year. Diffie's number is 940-2513, and Yao is at Xerox
Palo Alto Research center.
∂03-Mar-88 1459 JMC re: CS350
To: STAGER@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Thu 3 Mar 88 14:03:14-PST.]
No, but I will be teaching CS326.
∂03-Mar-88 1736 JMC re: industrial lectureships
To: STAGER@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Thu 3 Mar 88 16:29:26-PST.]
That's fine.
∂04-Mar-88 0948 JMC re: CSD Comp. The Second Coming
To: cheriton@PESCADERO.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri, 4 Mar 88 00:57:55 PST.]
Roger.
∂04-Mar-88 0950 JMC re: Industrial lectureships
To: RDZ@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri 4 Mar 88 01:57:40-PST.]
Bobrow and friends undertook to give a course in AI programming
a few years ago and reneged at the last minute. They show no
signs of wanting to recommit. For next Spring we have Frances
Yao from PARC who will lecture on computational geometry. I
have no industrial lecturer for the Fall. A few I tried declined.
∂04-Mar-88 1013 JMC industrial lecturers
To: faculty@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
Here are the industrial lectureships for next year. I don't have one for
Spring. If we could get one today, it could be included. Several
leads evaporated.
Fall 1988
Topics in Computational Geometry
Discussion of selected topics in computational geometry. Emphasis on topics of
current research interest. Subjects that will be covered include range search
problems, geometric optimization problems, and finite-precision geometry.
Familiarity with analysis of algorithms is assumed.
- Frances Yao
COMMUNICATIONS SECURITY
Winter Quarter 1989
Whitfield Diffie
Bell-Northern Research
685A East Middlefield Road
Mt. View, CA 94043
(415) 968-5792
Communications Security -- Concepts of privacy and authentication in communication
systems, vulnerability to interception and modification. Basic notions of
cryptography: general system, specific key, plain text, cipher text, cryptanalysis,
illustrated by examples of cryptosystems in historical context. Certification:
known and chosen plaintext attacks, design criteria. Study of a modern conventional
cryptosystem, the U.S. Data Encryption Standard. Key Management and public key
cryptography. Examination of the RSA system, arithmetic, factoring, and prime-
finding. Cryptographic modes of operation. Security protocols for data
communication networks. Technologies for building security equipment. Pre-
requisite: general familiarity with discrete mathematics, programming and
communication systems.
Frances Yao, a former member of the Stanford Computer Science faculty, is a
research scientist with Xerox Palo Alto Research Center where her current
field of interest is computational geometry; Whitfield Diffie is manager
of secure systems research for Bell-Northern Research, and inventor of
public key cryptography.
∂04-Mar-88 1518 JMC re: industrial lecturers
To: WIEDERHOLD@SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU, ARK@SAIL.Stanford.EDU,
ZM@SAIL.Stanford.EDU, stager@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
CC: cbarsalou@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU,
"*PS:<WIEDERHOLD>LITWIN.INRIA-NSF-PROPOSAL-88.1"@SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message from WIEDERHOLD@SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU sent Fri, 4 Mar 88 15:08:32 PST.]
There will be one more industrial lecturer - Witold Litwin in the Fall.
Gio Wiederhold will email you the course description and the bio.
∂04-Mar-88 1521 JMC re: industrial lecturers
To: WALDINGER@WARBUCKS.AI.SRI.COM
[In reply to message sent Fri 4 Mar 88 15:15:51-PST.]
No, Gio Wiederhold got to me first with another proposal. You might
ask Mark if he would be interested for the following year.
∂05-Mar-88 2046 JMC paper to Professor Hook
To: MPS
Please TEX and print a copy of GLASNO[W88,JMC] and take it Monday morning
to Professor Sidney Hook at the Hoover Institution. His office is,
I think, on the third floor of the Lou Henry Hoover building (not Hoover
Tower). If he isn't there, he said to leave it in his box in the mail room
there. A receptionist can tell you where it is.
∂06-Mar-88 0950 JMC Encyclopedia article
To: MPS
artifi.3 has been revised and put in TEX. Phone the Collier's man
and tell him it's ready and will be mailed. Besides mailing him
one, make his double spaced if you can, put about ten in a
file folder with my other reprints. I'll use it to send to
non-technical inquiries about AI such as those from high school
students.
∂06-Mar-88 0953 JMC Encyclopedia article
To: MPS
Write a cover letter in my name and say that if he needs to shorten
it he should phone, and I'll tell him what to cut.
∂06-Mar-88 1000 JMC Nagorno-Karabakh
To: taleen@SCORE.Stanford.EDU
I'm curious whether the current demonstrations in Armenia about
that place are basically anti-Russian or really represent a
well-known issue. Had you heard about this matter before it
got into the news?
∂08-Mar-88 1254 JMC re: Prof Moriarty an unindicted co-collaborator?
To: rwg@RUSSIAN.SPA.Symbolics.COM, "dek@sail.stanford.edu"@ELEPHANT-BUTTE.SCRC.SYMBOLICS.COM
[In reply to message from rwg@RUSSIAN.SPA.Symbolics.COM sent Tue, 8 Mar 88 05:52 PST.]
Not me.
∂08-Mar-88 1259 JMC re: SAIL's operating expense/budget
To: tom@POLYA.Stanford.EDU, Nilsson@TENAYA.STANFORD.EDU,
wheaton@ATHENA.STANFORD.EDU
CC: ball@NAVAJO.STANFORD.EDU, ARK@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message from tom@polya.stanford.edu sent Tue, 8 Mar 88 12:02:46 PST.]
The price of SAIL computing has grown inordinately. Arthur volunteered to
see if "taking SAIL private" would help. I doubt it would help a lot,
because of the little I remember from when Jim showed me the budget, but I
favor having Arthur look and see.
∂08-Mar-88 1300 JMC re: SAIL's operating expense/budget
To: tom@POLYA.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Tue, 8 Mar 88 12:02:46 PST.]
Another direct explanation might also be worthwhile.
∂08-Mar-88 1412 JMC re: no ride
To: SHOHAM@SCORE.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Tue 8 Mar 88 13:40:42-PST.]
That's ok, I enjoyed driving enough so that I was even thinking of
declining it.
∂08-Mar-88 1749 JMC re: SAIL's operating expense/budget
To: nilsson@TENAYA.STANFORD.EDU, tom@POLYA.Stanford.EDU
CC: wheaton@ATHENA.STANFORD.EDU, ball@NAVAJO.STANFORD.EDU,
ARK@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message from nilsson@Tenaya.stanford.edu sent Tue, 8 Mar 88 16:09:19 PST.]
Well, if it turns out that the costs behind the prices charged for SAIL
have to be confidential, that is another argument for the Cheriton
position that CSD-CF is a useless dinosaur. Maybe Arthur can help us
figure ways and costs of the Formal reasoning group abandoning SAIL and
CSD-CF even before the end of 1989. That probably doesn't involve any
information that CSD-CF possesses.
∂08-Mar-88 1800 Mailer AIDS
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
The flap over the Masters and Johnson AIDS survey again points to
the harmful consequences of the ideological opposition to a really
widespread sample to determine the incidence of AIDS infection. It
is a scandal that six years after the identification of the disease,
this has not been done. The fault lies substantially with those who
who raise hypothetical civil liberties objections, e.g. someone might
be stigmatized. As one ostrich said to the other, "If we all put
our heads in the sand, no-one will be stigmatized for looking
different".
∂10-Mar-88 1125 JMC re: Amount of idle time with cutoff d in Fibonacci
To: pehoushe@Gang-of-Four.Stanford.EDU, qlisp@Gang-of-Four.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message from pehoushe@Gang-of-Four.Stanford.EDU sent Thu, 10 Mar 88 11:20:19 pst.]
I don't understand the point of this analysis. Surely, when a processor
finishes one task, there will be enough tasks on the queue so it can
pick up another.
∂10-Mar-88 1133 JMC
To: MPS
minker.re1
∂10-Mar-88 1443 JMC re: ssp club
To: P.PROMETHEUS@MACBETH.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Thu 10 Mar 88 12:11:55-PST.]
Currently 3:15pm on Fridays is when the seminar on Common Sense and
Nonmonotonic Reasoning meets.
∂10-Mar-88 1537 JMC reply to message
To: yuly@CSV.RPI.EDU
[In reply to message sent Thu, 10 Mar 88 17:19:56 EST.]
Thanks for your paper. Unfortunately, my supervision capacity is already
overtaxed, and I don't think you and I have enough common interests to
warrant your joining my group.
∂10-Mar-88 1847 JMC SAIL charges
To: nilsson@Score.Stanford.EDU, ball@NAVAJO.STANFORD.EDU
The SAIL facility was created in 1966 at the Stanford Artificial Intelligence
Laboratory which I organized. It was the first general purpose time-sharing
system to put display terminals in offices. I played a major role in
developing time-sharing computer technology.
Now I am being driven off the system I created in the first place
by exhorbitant charges for disk space, namely $4.00 per megabit month.
My disk charges are enough to buy a disk drive a month. The $4.00
per megabit month are almost enough to buy IC memory chips to store
the data.
Unless there is a reduction in charges, I will have to move off SAIL
after 22 years. It will be very inconvenient.
These costs are mostly for personnel.
∂10-Mar-88 1932 JMC F-16 and possibly dinner
To: helen@PSYCH.Stanford.EDU
I've been away the first part of this week and will be away the
first part of next week. How about some time this Friday, Saturday
or Sunday evening?
∂10-Mar-88 2132 JMC re: Re: Scheduler inefficiencies
To: pehoushe@Gang-of-Four.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Thu, 10 Mar 88 20:10:37 pst.]
If you are mailing to qlisp, please don't copy me separately.
∂11-Mar-88 1304 JMC Ketonen papers
To: MPS@SAIL.Stanford.EDU, sloan@Score.Stanford.EDU
I need to get this out today, so it's urgent to get it to Yvette as soon
as possible. The salary should be according to the proposal. If $55K
was the number, that's ok.
Dr. Jussi Ketonen developed the EKL system for interactive theorem proving
while a Senior Research Associate in the Formal Reasoning Group. His work
was supported by an NSF grant at that time. He left Stanford to work for
Lucid on the development of Common Lisp (in 1984 I believe). In early 1987
he decided to return to research. Also at that time N. Shankar, research
associate, needed NSF support. Therefore, we applied for a grant to support
Shankar's and Ketonen's work in computer aided theorem proving. The grant
was awarded but for less money than requested. Therefore, it was decided
to support Shankar fully and to re-appoint Ketonen for 20 percent time.
Dr. Ketonen's skills as developer of the EKL system are sufficiently
unique that he is the only person qualified to develop a new version.
The NSF proposal and the resulting grant mention him specifically.
∂11-Mar-88 1353 JMC supercomputer center comments
To: faculty@Score.Stanford.EDU
The nsf bill including support for supercomputer centers
is scheduled for "markup" in the House of Representatives
on March 29. There are to be two panels of testimony
on the subject before then - apparently all from enthusiasts.
I talked, on the advice of a Congress hacker friend, with
Grace Ostenso, the staff director of the relevant subcommittee.
She told me that the only possibility for input would be a
statement.
I propose a statement that states that support for researchers, not for
supercomputing, is the dominant need in computer science research.
I would welcome messages offering to help draft such a statement
or to sign it.
∂11-Mar-88 1735 JMC re: lin
To: SHOHAM@Score.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri 11 Mar 88 16:41:22-PST.]
I thought Lin gave quite a good paper at the knowledge meeting and want
to see him in. Do you know who chairs the admissions committee?
∂11-Mar-88 1756 JMC re: Hi there, got your message
To: helen@PSYCH.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri, 11 Mar 88 17:52:44 PST.]
You have indeed been working hard. Today is Friday and tomorrow is
Saturday. Tomorrow would be ok.
∂11-Mar-88 1921 JMC re: Hi there, got your message
To: helen@PSYCH.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Fri, 11 Mar 88 18:55:44 PST.]
That will be fine. See you at 2.
∂12-Mar-88 1342 JMC re: Hi there, late as usual
To: helen@WHITE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sat, 12 Mar 88 13:33:16 PST.]
That's ok.
∂12-Mar-88 1345 JMC re: A second try
To: helen@GANG-OF-FOUR.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sat, 12 Mar 88 13:44:51 pst.]
I got it and replied that it was ok.
∂13-Mar-88 1309 JMC re: test of mail
To: Q4034%PUCC.BITNET@FORSYTHE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sun, 13 Mar 88 16:01:45 EST.]
It worked.
∂13-Mar-88 2136 JMC re: letter
To: Q4034%PUCC.BITNET@FORSYTHE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sun, 13 Mar 88 16:29:15 EST.]
While still a child
Nor yet a fool to fame
I lisp'd in numbers
For the numbers came
- Alexander Pope, Epistle to Arbuthnot
LISP, Prolog and ADA represent three sets of ideas in programming languages.
Each class of ideas is worth pursuing. Also each is best for a certain
class of problems. ADA has the additional problem of having been designed
by a committee. I don't know whether DoD is making a mistake in requiring
its use for certain purposes.
∂13-Mar-88 2344 JMC re: lin
To: SHOHAM@SCORE.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sun 13 Mar 88 23:34:23-PST.]
I think it's Mike Genesereth!
∂14-Mar-88 1039 JMC (→21213 18-Mar-88)
To: "#___JMC.PLN[2,2]"
I will return Thursday night March 17.
∂18-Mar-88 0001 JMC Expired plan
To: JMC
Your plan has just expired. You might want to make a new one.
Here is the text of the old plan:
I will return Thursday night March 17.
∂18-Mar-88 1131 JMC messages
To: MPS
There are three messages on my answering machine. The first and third
request information. Please call them back and give them the info.
∂18-Mar-88 1216 JMC dinner?
To: schwartz@VAX.DARPA.MIL
I will be in Washington Thursday and Friday the 24th and 25th. Thursday
would be a good time for the dinner we were contemplating and Friday is
also possible.
∂18-Mar-88 1224 JMC confusion about formal reasoning
To: simpson@VAX.DARPA.MIL
CC: bscott@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
I haven't succeeded in reaching you by phone. Betty Scott thought you
said that the information we supplied you was the last step on the way
to receiving the money for Formal Reasoning. However, according to her
recent conversation with John Pucci, the situation is more complicated,
and we can't expect any money till June when the $10 million extension
is in place. Pucci told her, as I understand it, that I should call you
about some kind of emergency funding and also to make sure that you,
we and he understand the same thing about what is going on.
∂19-Mar-88 1233 JMC re: oops
To: CLT
[In reply to message rcvd 19-Mar-88 10:49-PT.]
OK to both. If you want I'll pick you up at the office at 5:15.
∂19-Mar-88 1242 JMC re: oops
To: CLT
[In reply to message rcvd 19-Mar-88 12:40-PT.]
Let it be that way.
∂20-Mar-88 2124 JMC reply to message
To: CLT
[In reply to message rcvd 20-Mar-88 21:18-PT.]
I forget who yuen is, but there is no reason for paying for accounts
for the other two.
∂20-Mar-88 2331 JMC Lin Fangzhen
To: genesereth@SCORE.Stanford.EDU
CC: shoham@SCORE.Stanford.EDU
I understand his application is being rejected. Both Yoav and
I think he is very good. He gave a good paper at the recent
Theoretical Aspects of Reasoning about Knowledge conference
at Asilomar.
∂21-Mar-88 0859 JMC re: find yuen
To: CLT
[In reply to message rcvd 21-Mar-88 00:44-PT.]
Agreed.
∂21-Mar-88 1113 JMC statement to Congress on supercomputers
To: faculty@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
Here's the statement I propose to send to the Congressional
Committee. I hope those who endorsed the idea will endorse the
statement.
%super[w88,jmc] Statement on supercomputers
We are concerned that the present NSF emphasis on
supercomputer centers and engineering research centers
is having an adverse effect on research in computer
science by drastically reducing NSF support for individual
and small group research in computer science.
As in other sciences, almost all of the advances in computer
science to date has been the result of research by individuals and small
groups. This is the most flexible way of doing research and the one that
gives the best opportunities for young researchers to make innovations.
The only justification for a large basic research organization is when
expensive research facilities, e.g. a particle accelerator, is necessary
to do the research at all. In the early days, laboratories with
tens (but not hundreds) of researchers played an important role
in computer science, because laboratories of that size were necessary in
order to afford adequate computer facilities. With the advent of
computer workstations, the cost of providing an individual researcher
with individual computer facilities for most kinds of computer research
is now in reasonable relation to his salary. Departmental facilities
provide an important supplement.
The emphasis on research centers leads in the long run (ten years)
to domination of research by established ideas and by the most
active administrators rather than by the best researchers.
For these reasons we believe the recent emphasis on
supercomputer centers and engineering research centers has
had significant detrimental side-effects on American computer
science. The symptom noted is that proposals with excellent
ratings by the reviewers are often not funded or funded at
very reduced levels.
The issue of individual grants vs. supercomputer centers
and engineering research centers is independent of the issue of merit
vs. geography in the awarding of grants.
∂21-Mar-88 1140 JMC re: statement to Congress on supercomputers
To: jcm@RA.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon, 21 Mar 88 11:32:59 PST.]
Thanks for your comments. The issue of merit vs. geography is of concern
to Congressmen, because most of them come from districts where not much
research takes place or the resarch doesn't compete very successfully
for grants awarded on merit. I hope that clarifies the sentence for you.
I expect the matter to be painfully clear to the Congressional staffers
who read the letter.
∂21-Mar-88 1341 JMC re: Lin Fangzhen
To: GENESERETH@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
CC: shoham@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message from GENESERETH@Score.Stanford.EDU sent Mon 21 Mar 88 11:52:00-PST.]
Who recommended him? I don't know if I was one and whether Yoav was.
Did he include his papers and drafts? My opinion is that he has already
done PhD level work.
∂21-Mar-88 1418 JMC symposium query
To: aaai-office@SUMEX-AIM.Stanford.EDU
Where will Danny Hillis's symposium meet tomorrow?
∂21-Mar-88 1429 JMC title and abstract
To: reis@SIERRA.Stanford.EDU
Occam's razor for computer programs
William of Ockham in the 15th century enunciated
the philosophical principle ``Do not multiply entities
beyond necessity'', and since then philosophers have studied
how to apply it. In the 1970s it became clear that intelligent
computer programs also need the principle, but for them it needs
to be made precise. Since the late 1970s various forms of
``nonmonotonic reasoning'' have been formalized in mathematical
logic and used in computer programs.
The talk will concern this interaction between engineering and
philosophy, but the emphasis will be on the engineering.
∂21-Mar-88 1536 JMC re: title and abstract
To: REIS@SIERRA.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon 21 Mar 88 15:28:49-PST.]
Possibly overheads if I get around to making them. It's April 15, isn't
it?
∂22-Mar-88 1949 JMC
To: sloan@Score.Stanford.EDU
CC: bscott@Score.Stanford.EDU
What is status of the Ketonen appointment?
∂22-Mar-88 1950 JMC
To: GLB
I'll look at your thesis proposal with a view to joining the committee.
∂22-Mar-88 1959 JMC trip cancellation
To: MPS
I have decided not to go to Washington. Please call
Marjorie Blumenthal at NAS and also call the hotel to
cancel my reservation.
∂23-Mar-88 1400 JMC
To: JK
∂23-Mar-88 1117 SLOAN@Score.Stanford.EDU
Received: from Score.Stanford.EDU by SAIL.Stanford.EDU with TCP; 23 Mar 88 11:16:43 PST
Date: Wed 23 Mar 88 11:12:14-PST
From: Yvette Sloan <SLOAN@Score.Stanford.EDU>
To: JMC@Sail.Stanford.EDU
In-Reply-To: Message from "John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>" of Tue 22 Mar 88 19:49:00-PST
Message-ID: <12384678750.29.SLOAN@Score.Stanford.EDU>
Professor McCarthy,
Ketonen's appointment papers have been signed by the Dean's Office and are now
in the Provost's Office waiting for approval. Rose Ewing in the Dean's Office
did not expect any problems with his appointment so we should know something
by tomorrow.
--Yvette
-------
∂23-Mar-88 1404 JMC
To: simpson@VAX.DARPA.MIL
Firdman
Henry Firdman & Assoc., Inc., 2954 Alta Vista Drive, Fallbrook, CA 92028
619/723-2806
∂23-Mar-88 1545 JMC
To: MPS
brady.2
∂23-Mar-88 2124 JMC re: a puzzle about introspection
To: perlis@YOOHOO.CS.UMD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Wed, 23 Mar 88 23:40:06 -0500.]
I seem to have missed the original problem.
∂24-Mar-88 1219 JMC re: a puzzle about introspection
To: perlis@YOOHOO.CS.UMD.EDU, bmoore@KL.SRI.COM, cgs.kamp@R20.UTEXAS.EDU,
thomason@C.CS.CMU.EDU, konolige@KL.SRI.COM, loui@CS.ROCHESTER.EDU,
reiter%utai.toronto.edu@RELAY.CS.NET, SJG@SAIL.Stanford.EDU,
utai!reiter@UUNET.UU.NET, VAL@SAIL.Stanford.EDU, cgs.asher@R20.UTEXAS.EDU,
jeem%toronto.csnet@RELAY.CS.NET, phayes@KL.SRI.COM,
ether%allegra.att.com@RELAY.CS.NET, BNG@SAIL.Stanford.EDU,
hector%utai.toronto.edu@RELAY.CS.NET,
hector%toronto.csnet@RELAY.CS.NET, jbarnden%nmsu@RELAY.CS.NET,
phayes@sri-kl.arpa, shoham@YALE.ARPA,
vardi@GYRE.UMD.EDU
[In reply to message from perlis@yoohoo.cs.umd.edu sent Wed, 23 Mar 88 23:40:06 -0500.]
I'm hoping to treat this kind of problem with a "mental situation calculus"
I am trying to develop. It's too lengthy and incompletely conceptualized
to describe here in general, but here is how I think it would apply to this
special case. We give K a mental situation parameter. We have -K(B,S0),
and this leads to K(-K(B,S0),result(negative-introspection(B),S0)) and
K(-B,result(Moore's-law,result(negative-introspection(B),S0))).
∂24-Mar-88 1603 JMC
To: MPS
marsla.1
∂25-Mar-88 1432 JMC flyer
To: reis@SIERRA.Stanford.EDU
It's fine except that Ockham is spelled inconsistently in the title
and the body. This is probably my error. I don't really know which
is currently the preferred spelling. If the town still exists, maybe
that's what should be used. If there is no other information, use
Ockham.
∂25-Mar-88 2134 JMC
To: shoham@Score.Stanford.EDU
Lin is in. I don't know if it's ok to tell him.
∂26-Mar-88 1340 JMC
To: CLT
I accepted the Feigenbaum invitation.
∂27-Mar-88 0043 Mailer truce in Nicaragua
To: su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
Like everyone, I was surprised by the concessions made by the
Sandinistas when it looked like they had only to sit tight and
Congress would win it for them. There seem to be several possibilities.
1. Jim Wright, who is running his own State Department these days, may
have threatened a reversal.
2. Nicaraguan communism, like Soviet and Chinese communism, may be running
out of ideological steam. It seems doubtful, because the main remaining
principle seems to be the continued rule of the party.
3. The New York Times says their economy is in terrible shape, and
the Soviets have reduced their help, especially oil deliveries.
4. The military survival and expansion of the Contras was surely
a factor. It looks like North's heroic efforts created something
that survived his fall from power. Maybe the private and foreign
aid to the Contras still amounts to something. This and Afghanistan
indicate that sometimes resistance to the communists can win important
concessions.
Newspaper reporting from Nicaragua has improved. They actually
monitor Sandinista compliance with agreements, and that is very
important for the success of this one.
The agreement is unprecedented, and let's hope it leads to a
revival of democracy.
∂27-Mar-88 1720 JMC dinner tonight? or
To: helen@PSYCH.Stanford.EDU
lunch any day this week but Tuesday?
∂27-Mar-88 1743 JMC re: dinner tonight? or
To: helen@PSYCH.Stanford.EDU
[In reply to message sent Sun, 27 Mar 88 17:38:44 PST.]
Wednesday at 1 will be fine. See you in front.
∂27-Mar-88 2134 Mailer re: Jackson!
To: LYN@SIERRA.Stanford.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from LYN@sierra.stanford.edu sent Sun 27 Mar 88 20:35:57-PST.]
As much as Republicans might like to see Jackson the Democratic
candidate, caucus states don't tell too much as compared to
primary states. The total vote in the Democratic caucuses was
about 196,000 in a state that has a population that I would
estimate at 15 million. Jackson's supporters did a good job
of mobilizing blacks and leftists to attend the caucuses.
Of course, the delegates he got are real enough, but when
no candidate gets a majority at the convention, the uncommitted
convention delegates will be skeptical about Jackson's
100 thousand in the Democratic caucuses translating into the
several million required to carry the state in November.
∂28-Mar-88 0822 JMC re: IFIP Working Conf. in China, July 88.
To: yang%vax.runit.unit.uninett@TOR.NTA.NO
[In reply to message sent 28 Mar 88 13:34 +0100.]
I did not receive your earlier message. With the uncertainty
about networks, please acknowledge this one. - John McCarthy
Passport 050056916, (expires: 27 Jun 93) (issued: San Francisco
* 1983 June 28)
∂28-Mar-88 1958 JMC re: Retreat
To: wheaton@ATHENA.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Mon, 28 Mar 88 17:55:48 PST.]
When did the retreat finally turn out to be?
∂29-Mar-88 0049 JMC re: IFIP Working Conf. in China, July 88.
To: yang%vax.runit.unit.uninett@TOR.NTA.NO
[In reply to message sent 29 Mar 88 10:08 +0100.]
Name (last, first middle): McCarthy, John (no middle name)
Title: Professor of Computer Science
Position: Stanford University
Nationality: USA
Passport no: 050056916
Affiliation: Stanford University
City: Computer Science Department
Stanford, California 94305
USA
Phone: (415) 723-4430
Fascimile: none
Net address: <JMC@sail.stanford.EDU>
Accompanying persons: none
Wish to participate in post conference tour: no
Although I may arrange to visit Peking University (Ma Xiwen)
Primary hotel choice: I know nothing about hotels, but I would
like a nice room with bath, not shared with anyone else.
∂29-Mar-88 0936 JMC re: TTAC summary
To: LARSEN%UMDC.BITNET@FORSYTHE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Tue, 29 Mar 88 09:35:31 EST.]
I think JPL should be advised to plan to overcome the slow speed
of their current system. It can be done, as the ping-pong shows,
and it will do a lot to win acceptance for telerobotics.
∂29-Mar-88 0937 JMC
To: RDZ@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
My Livermore trip is postponed till Thursday.
∂29-Mar-88 0937 JMC YSP
To: VAL
My present idea is that your CAUSES and PRECOND formalism is ok
as far as it goes, but it doesn't meet the intuitive requirements
of the the Yale Shooting Problem story. We need a formalism that
allows additional events to occur between loading and shooting.
We then get the desired scenario by minimizing OCCURS. Let's
discuss it when we both get in.
∂29-Mar-88 1459 JMC message for Elkan
To: MPS
Please tell Charles Elkan if you can find him that his father
wants him to call in England, phone 844 342 in Cambridge.
∂29-Mar-88 2229 JMC
To: ME
ns has quit and was garbaging again
∂30-Mar-88 1423 JMC re: Hi, would you
To: helen@PSYCH.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Wed, 30 Mar 88 12:04:59 PST.]
Needless to say, I didn't get this message; I was in a meeting. See you
Saturday at 2.
∂31-Mar-88 0931 JMC re: Publisher
To: MPS
[In reply to message rcvd 31-Mar-88 08:31-PT.]
I do not wish to see Nancy Osman. I have not found talking to publishers
useful.
∂31-Mar-88 2116 JMC reprint request
To: MPS
∂31-Mar-88 1718 beeson%ucscd.UCSC.EDU@ucscc.UCSC.EDU reprint request
Received: from ucscd.UCSC.EDU by SAIL.Stanford.EDU with TCP; 31 Mar 88 17:18:52 PST
Received: by ucscd.UCSC.EDU (5.57/1.1)
id AA20994; Thu, 31 Mar 88 17:19:26 PST
Date: Thu, 31 Mar 88 17:19:26 PST
From: beeson%ucscd.UCSC.EDU@ucscc.UCSC.EDU (20012000)
Message-Id: <8804010119.AA20994@ucscd.UCSC.EDU>
To: jmc@sail.stanford.edu
Subject: reprint request
saw a reference to an article of yours in Daedalus 117(1) 297-311,
Winter 1988. If you have reprints would you please send me one:
Michael Beeson
Dep
t. of Math and Computer Science
San Jose State Univ.
San Jose CA 95192
∂31-Mar-88 2224 Mailer PRC Students
To: siegman@ORPHAN.STANFORD.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
I'm surprised that the Soviet number is so high. Do you know how many
of them are of normal student age. The ones at Stanford in the late
60s and early 70s were not of student age. However, I don't know that
we can make them send students. Also my impression was that they didn't
pay for their living expenses. Instead they got the arrangement they
prefer, which is that we pay living expenses in America and they pay
living expenses of Americans in the Soviet Union.
∂31-Mar-88 2225 JMC re: What/where has Noam Chomsky written recently?
To: PMR@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU
[In reply to message sent Thu 31 Mar 88 10:58:42-PST.]
Try asking a librarian; they're good at things like that.
∂31-Mar-88 2234 Mailer re: Foothill Park
To: A.ABIE@LEAR.STANFORD.EDU, su-etc@SAIL.Stanford.EDU
From: John McCarthy <JMC@SAIL.Stanford.EDU>
[In reply to message from A.ABIE@lear.stanford.edu sent Thu 31 Mar 88 21:07:02-PST.]
Stanford doesn't pay property taxes to Palo Alto. As an educational
institution it is exempt from tax, and anyway isn't located in Palo
Alto but in unincorporated Santa Clara County land.
Perhaps some of the Stanford Industrial Park is Palo Alto. Campus residents
pay County taxes and Palo Alto Unified School District taxes. However,
Foothill Park is maintained out of Palo Alto local taxes. When Foothill
Park was being set up, Palo Alto asked other towns, e.g. Menlo Park, if
they wanted to join and were turned down. I don't know whether Stanford
was asked, but I think so. When they couldn't get anyone else to join
them, they decided to keep non Palo Alto residents out.
However, the policy of going after people who walk in is new.