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2023-07-01 "I would join the ChatGPT cult now." [長年日記]

Python has an extensive statistical computing library.

You may be thinking, "What is Ebata starting to talk about?

ChatGPT is awesome" regarding Python statistical library code, not just "ChatGPT lies.

-----

(Q1) What does np.random.randint(0, 5, GENOMS) mean?

(Q2) How to make a one-dimensional matrix multidimensional in Python?

(Q3) What if I want to make a one-dimensional matrix multidimensional in Python, and I only know the number of rows?

(Q4) How do I convert matrix elements to standard deviation values?

(Q5) How do I calculate eigenvalues from the calculated standard deviation matrix?

(Q6) How can I perform a faestimatedsis from standard deviation values calculated using Python?

So, "all" of the codes presented by ChatGPT worked -- OK? It is "All."

"I would join the ChatGPT cult now."

I am confident about it.

-----

So, who has raised ChatGPT to the level of "God"?

Needless to say, it is the OpenAI people who produced ChatGPT.

But It is engineers who support that God.

Many engineers have generously released their program code on the Internet (without any copyright concerns).

The "uncomfortable" that I wrote -- its contribution may be trivial, but it must have been useful.

That makes me happy.

-----

My messy, write-filled Python code has now completed the 319th generation of calculations and is successfully outputting data with nearly twice the accuracy of my original goal.

Oh, now it's over twice as much.

"Generation: 328: Best fitness: 20.229819753125508. Worst fitness: 2.800005438880445"

Many issues must be addressed, such as increasing speed, scaling up, etc., but that is something I will figure out in the future.

First of all, let's feel happy about what makes me happy.

I'm now off to the dining room to toast myself with a non-alcoholic beer.


2023-07-02 A supervisor unaware of their power harassment "will be retaliated against on his last day as a salaried worker, as if denied his entire working life." [長年日記]

I had heard a rumor that a thread in the company talked about me (Ebata), not to mention "Tomoichi Ebata back site."

About ten years ago, a junior colleague gave me the URL of that site, and I looked at it for about 10 seconds.

Immediately after that, I erased the entire email containing that URL.

"Because I was scared."

Among the messages I saw during those 10 seconds,

"Oh, I just saw a live Ebata-san in action."

I froze when I saw the phrase.

I am not an endangered species on the Red List.

-----

I think this site (thread) probably contains many rumors (including bad words) about me.

There may be some good stories about me listed, though.

As you can imagine,

"I don't have the heart to look directly at such a site."

-----

Oh, but you are welcome to keep the site (thread) running.

On the day of my retirement, printing a hard copy, putting it in a beautiful envelope, and handing it to Ebata -- seems like a good event.

A supervisor unaware of their power harassment "will be retaliated against on his last day as a salaried worker, as if denied his entire working life."

I believe this event could be a "retaliation system" suitable for the insidious nature of our nation.


2023-07-03 "Brilliant proofs by high school students." [長年日記]

I am really busy, but I see news like this.

"Brilliant proofs by high school students."

-----

I am very happy now.

And a senior engineer like me, who have a habit of writing differential equations for everything and pounding them into their computers, is a bit embarrassed.

I would have taken the easy way out, such as, 'I would give the area with the central angle θ as a variable and then do partial differentiation.'

-----

In addition, I think the students are great, but I also think the teacher was great in helping them write the paper and present it to the public.


2023-07-04 "I can harass a country for 100 to 1,000 years after my death." [長年日記]

As noted here, the phrase seems to come from

"In love and war, all tactics are permissible (source: Beaumont & Fletcher, "Lover's Itinerary").

They think they can do whatever it takes to win the war, whether breaching a dam, shutting off the power to cool a nuclear reactor, or destroying a nuclear reactor.

I sincerely realize that this is not just a novel or movie story.

I also wrote in my diary here,

I think "we need to put a squadron of armed men at every operating nuclear power plant in Japan to prevent this attack,"

is right.

-----

Uuclear power is an energy source that does not emit CO2.

The cost of energy production per unit cost is also low.

However, safety management and control costs are ridiculously high. If an accident occurs, the cleanup will take on the order of 100 years and cost on the order of 100 years (and is currently in progress).

If we factor in the cost of arming the reactors to protect them from nuclear terrorism, I don't think it will pay off (I'll do the math eventually).

-----

What I found out this time is that

"It is surprisingly easy for a politician to come up with the idea of a terrorist attack on a nuclear reactor."

-----

This time, I wondered what I would do if I were the head of state during the war.

As a result, I concluded, 'Even I would choose to attack the reactor.

-----

Even if my country loses the war, my cities are destroyed, and I am slaughtered disgustingly,

"I can harass a country for 100 to 1,000 years after my death."

This is quite fascinating violence.


2023-07-05 If the politician say "I am not good at remote meetings, I don't like them, I can't get my true intentions across,' and they themselves are uninformed, uneffortful, or so incompetent that they can't communicate their intentions through remote communication, we do not need such politicians in our country. [長年日記]

On March 27, 2023, the Agency for Cultural Affairs was relocated to Kyoto Prefecture.

I think the decentralization of administrative functions has its advantages and disadvantages, but I felt that the penalties were -- and are -- considerably mitigated by remote work.

However, I was astonished to see the number of times the Agency for Cultural Affairs staff traveled to Tokyo.

"Over 1,000 times in total in one month"

What in the world is going on? I wondered, but it turned out that it was apparently "an order by a politician who hates remote meetings.

-----

Under the Freedom of Information Act, I am thinking of requesting the following

'The name of the politician who calls up staff in Kyoto, the number of times he/she has called them up, (and if possible, the "reason for calling them up").'

I am serious -- furious.

-----

Every day, NHK news shows the prime minister and other officials gathered in a large conference room for meetings.

Let me estimate the cost of one hour of this "meeting" at a minimum,

- 500,000 yen/hour for Prime Minister and Minister level

- 300,000 yen/hour for the Administrative Vice-Minister level

- 200,000 yen/hour for Administrative staff,

- About 1 to 2 million yen for preparing materials, conference room rental, and other work costs

Total, roughly 7 million yen/hour.

It would be about 14 million yen for a two-hour meeting.

(This is an estimate based on the fact that even I, as a senior researcher, am priced at roughly 100,000 yen/hour (*).

(*) This is not about salary but about expenses (costs).

-----

Of course, there are meetings where 'Face to Face (F2F) is desperately needed.

In my case, I certainly find meetings where I cannot write freely on the whiteboard frustrating.

In particular, remote meetings for detailed discussions of technical specifications are honestly painful.

Hence, the "verification of whether or not these meetings, which are aired on NHK news, are worth the cost" must be done.

-----

As for politicians who call Kyoto officials to Tokyo, the question of whether it was necessary to call them from Kyoto must be disclosed to the public, scrutinized, and properly verified.

If the politician says, "I am not good at remote meetings, I don't like them, I can't get my true intentions across,' and they are uninformed, uneffortful, or so incompetent that they can't communicate their intentions through remote communication,

We do not need such politicians in our country.


2023-07-06 Why did I run for Congress? I don't care about "good society" or "friendly society" or anything. It's all about self-preservation! [長年日記]

Yesterday, I was watching the news and saw that the average annual income of the leaders of each political party in Japan and the members of the Diet were announced.

And,

"How can someone who is paid more than twice my annual income talk about 'politics based on the feelings of the socially vulnerable'?"

It seemed natural to me.

I believe that the leaders of each political party and all members of Congress are paid for their work and that their efforts are well worth it.

I think, "Isn't it enough?" (It's true).

Still, I wonder where the rationale for uttering the phrase 'feelings of the socially vulnerable' lies.

Again, I am talking about it with normal, pervasive, and questionable feelings, without emotion or complaint.

-----

If the politician has such a backgrounder -- "I had a poor childhood," "My parents abused me," "I couldn't go to school because of family financial problems" -- if they can talk about it, well, I think it would make sense.

Or,

"I may not be a "socially vulnerable person" now, but tomorrow, I may be one myself, in case of illness, accident, unemployment, or something like that."

"I think we have to protect those people now for then."

I would understand if they would say.

-----

Why did I run for Congress? I don't care about "good society" or "friendly society" or anything. It's all about self-preservation!

If there is a candidate who can say that, my vote is his or hers.


2023-07-07 "When will the day come when business trips are recognized as abuse?" [長年日記]

I consider myself a "recluse."

I also minimize our attendance at work.

If it is a technical meeting and it isn't easy to work remotely, I come to the office.

-----

The conference will be held onsite for the first time in about three years.

I arrived at the hotel early in the morning, dragging our heavy luggage and taking transit.

"When will the day come when business trips are recognized as abuse?"

I was thinking and moving on.

-----

So, in a presentation on the first day of the conference, the presenter said?

'Remote work requires a human figure, a cheerful voice, and an up-tone topic,'

I objected to the outcome of this presentation with the counter-argument,?

"I don't want to see my boss, I don't want to hear his voice, and a cheerful boss then has some bad news."

The audience seemed to be in a fit of laughter, though.

"There may be a few like me. But they exist. I hope you will continue your research on these minorities in the future,"?

I added my requested comment.


2023-07-08 I wondered, "I have five displays at home now; what's the point of adding more? [長年日記]

"The TV set in a business hotel could be used as a PC display."

was a naive estimate.

The TV was attached to the wall, over the bed, and I could not work the computer.

My ambition to keep the solution search program running for 30 hours in a hotel on a business trip was crushed.

The PC I took from home is now a mere hunk of metal in my cart.

-----

I thought, 'I should buy an LCD monitor at Big Camera in front of the station,' but then I wondered if it would be a good idea to buy it just for the duration of the conference.

Above all, it would not be easy to bring it all the way home.

I wondered, "I have five displays at home now; what's the point of adding more?

-----

In the meantime, I will consider what I can do after finishing the case.


2023-07-09 Now, what will the old age of a person who has 'curious but quick to abandon and is misanthropic' be going? [長年日記]

On local business trips, we often visit places of interest and eat local specialties after work.

I used to be the same way.

I buy my lunch at the supermarket and take my meals at the hotel.

Not because it saves money but because I "like" it. It's "easier."

-----

Incidentally --

Recent studies have shown that a major determinant of delayed aging is curiosity.

It seems important to keep thinking that 'I want to know or 'I want to be in contact with.'

Especially important is the desire to be involved with others, they said.

-----

I am not good at taking people with me, and group tours are even painful.

Nevertheless, group tours provide great security when acting in an unfamiliar place. This effect cannot be ignored.

However, once assistant devices using AI technology appear (well, they definitely will), this problem will be solved.

-----

On the other hand, I am confident in my "curiosity."

I think it takes a short time to try out a new technology.

However, I think the eclipse of curiosity is enormous.

And if they deem it unnecessary, they will quickly abandon the technology without much thought.

-----

Now, what will the old age of a person who has 'curious but quick to abandon and is misanthropic' go?

I will continue to tell you in real-time until I can no longer operate my computer.


2023-07-10 However, I completely ignore such things and use the conference solely "for my benefit." [長年日記]

When I was a student, academic conferences were often attended by students from university seminars, who would crowd into the conference venue to work behind the scenes.

Reception, venue set-up, guided tours, announcements, and various receptions were all run by students (who were slaves of the professors).

However, times have changed.

Is this another effect of the declining birthrate?

-----

Now, eminent university professors in various fields,

- personally handles the reception desk,

- carry the food to the reception hall,

- clean up after the dishes.

I am soberly shocked to see such a situation.

At the welcome party, I felt guilty and wondered, 'Am I allowed to eat a normal, stand-up dinner here?'

-----

I am used to asking an average of one question per presentation at the conference presentations I attend (to solve a problem with my research).

So I think I stand out from the crowd.

I think that some professor has probably memorized my face.

However, at the reception venue, I am used to sitting in chairs by the wall and eating meals, and when I have eaten my fill, I leave the venue as quickly as possible.

I feel guilty.

-----

As a senior researcher, I should be obliged to give good advice to young researchers, inspire them and build a bridge to future research, just like the professors at the university.

However, I completely ignore such things and use the conference solely "for my benefit."


2023-07-11 Mr.Ebata's greatest cooperation is "What Mr. Ebata does nothing". [長年日記]

Today I went on a tour event organized by the society to visit a sake brewery and a miso manufacturing plant.

I also had the opportunity to assist with some interpretation for participants at an overseas conference. Still, I have long since recalled that I am far from my ideal interpreter if I say so myself.

-----

"First, sharpen the rice and soak it in water."

"During fermentation, a cooling process is used to slow it down.

The yeast is not removed, but is frozen for a short period and stored for a long period as a raw sake."

-----

"How to translate such a phrase!"

I shouted it in my mind.

"Sharpening the rice," "soaking the rice in water," "the fermentation process," "yeas"t, and "nama-shu." All terms that never appear in my day-to-day life.

I thought, 'I shouldn't do something I'm not used to,' but I still thought, 'Even this poor interpretation should be better than nothing.

-----

In that case, one of the phrases that my friends have been telling me a lot for a long time is,

Mr.Ebata's greatest cooperation is "What Mr. Ebata does nothing"

But I try to forget the phrase -- even if it is 'the truth'.


2023-07-12 I'm in a corner right now, so much so that I can't afford to be bothered with 'unsightly my English. [長年日記]

At the international conference, I set myself the absurd task of "1 presentation - 1 question."

So, I have asked roughly 30-40 questions throughout this conference.

The reason why I have assigned myself such a crazy task is -- I am at a standstill in my research.

Therefore,

"If there's anything I can steal, I'll steal it."

My questions were repeatedly asked with the dusky and nasty intention of it.

I did not intend to enliven the venue, much less the auspicious desire to help the conference chairs.

I'm in a corner right now, so much so that I can't afford to be bothered with 'unsightly my English.

-----

At this year's conference, the chair repeatedly confirmed, "Ebata-san, you will attend the next session, right?"

I think the chair expected me to be a 'question maker."

I am not sure if I was helpful or not.

Aside from that.

-----

This time, I left the Welcome Party and Awards Presentation as soon as I ate my meal and returned to the hotel where I was staying.

Because I wanted to revise my presentation material and practice my presentation, which was scheduled for the next day.

However, the next morning, I saw a board posted at the reception desk and knew that my paper had won an award -- so I turned pale.

That means I was not there at the awards presentation ceremony when my name was called.

I was sorry and apologized flatly to the person in charge of the operation and received that certificate of commendation.

-----

This was a conversation with my wife.

Ebata: "If they had informed me of the award in advance by e-mail, I wouldn't have had to make this blunder."

Wife: "No, before that, as a human being, don't leave the awards ceremony halfway through."

My wife chid me.


2023-07-13 "Thanks to being a small-time expressionist, I don't have to put my life on the line for social networking sites" [長年日記]

I saw on the news that a prominent celebrity had committed suicide.

One of the causes was slander via social networking sites (but no news source seems to be certain at this time).

Social networking may be indispensable for those considered "expressionists," including entertainers.

Some expressionists may have no choice but to use social networking sites (or perhaps they would not be able to disobey if their office gave them a work order).

-----

I guess I am what you call a "little guy" who can write a column with this kind of content.

However,

"Thanks to being a small-time expressionist, I don't have to put my life on the line for social networking sites."

So, I feel fortunate.


2023-07-14 But at the same time, I might argue that "non-alcoholic beer is nothing more than 'carbonated barley tea'". Well, we can do it. [長年日記]

The conference venue will typically offer beverages and snacks in the lobby during the "Coffee Break at Foyer."

Whether or not these drinks and foods are allowed to be brought into the lecture hall is on a case-by-case basis, but if they are not explicitly marked as "prohibited," they are permitted within the bounds of common sense.

Nevertheless, it is good manners to keep them to a thirst-quenching or bite-snack tossed between other people's lectures.

-----

There was a revolutionary incident at this year's conference site.

The drinking water offered included "beer."

Of course, the usual beer is supposed to be consumed after all the sessions are over and during the friendliness of the speakers and audience members, so it should not be available until all the lectures for the day have been completed.

The problem is that "non-alcoholic beer" was added to this list at the conference.

This annoyed me greatly.

The appearance of non-alcoholic beer is the same as that of regular beer (although I keep saying 'change it').

Therefore, bringing it into the presentation venue seemed undesirable, even if it was a non-alcoholic beer.

But at the same time, I might argue that

"non-alcoholic beer is nothing more than 'carbonated barley tea'"

Well, we can do it.

(Definitely not a "carbonated barley tea," but as close to beer as possible.)

-----

The measures I took this time was

"Pour the non-alcoholic beer into a plastic container and toss the can into your carry-on."

This should be handled the same as carbonated beverages such as "Coke" and "Sprite" -- This will be.

-----

I am not a fan of sweetened carbonated beverages, and that being said, I do not enjoy just plain sparkling water.

In comparison, non-alcoholic beer is a truly delicious drink.

I commend the organizers of this conference for their wisdom in adding non-alcoholic beer to the "Coffee Break at Foyer."

-----

However,

"I was a little sad that there was not a single non-alcoholic beer at the banquet."

I forgot to write it on the survey sheet I submitted on the last day, so I am adding it here.


2023-07-15 When I read "My Son Seems to Have Been Reincarnated in Another World," I was shocked -- so much so that I had to hold back my sobs. [長年日記]

When I read "My Son Seems to Have Been Reincarnated in Another World," I was shocked -- so much so that I had to hold back my sobs.

We all are,

- weak enough to have to believe that their loved ones will be reincarnated somewhere other than this life,

- cowards who try to save ourselves with the self-satisfaction of "extending a helping hand to the afflicted."

These are brutally depicted.

And above all,

- "Lamentations" of a parent who has lost a child

That makes me break my heart.

I grasped this content as the antithesis of otherworldly fantasy as entertainment. That means,

"A condemnation of the continued leaving behind and neglect of those left behind in this world."

-----

Even if we join a cult, they cannot save us.

Only I can save myself, after all.

And to those suffering, all we can do is 'continue to hate and gnash our teeth at our inability to help anyone.

-----

So, in my case,

People who try to help me because they want to make themselves feel better" -- well, I don't think there's anyone that special,

I respectfully ask that such persons refrain from coming to me.


2023-07-16 I think it's true that "if you don't enjoy drinking, you're missing out on half your life" -- that's okay. [長年日記]

When I visited a sake brewery during a tour event sponsored by the Society, small plastic cups were provided with sake and whiskey for tasting.

"I feel bad for disrespecting what you've prepared for us."

I thought that.

However, I used to be a "reserve (or regular) alcoholic."

I was also worried that this would lead me back to a body that needed to consume alcohol.

However,

"Then that would be a good column topic."

I became defiant and sipped a few milliliters of sake and whiskey.

-----

In no time, the alcohol was all over me, and I was dizzy.

Instead of feeling good, I began to feel rather heavy and far from a 'return to alcohol' mood.

To enjoy alcohol, the body must be acclimated to it to some degree.

In my case, I think I have been sober too long and have lost my tolerance for alcohol.

----

I think it's true that "if you don't enjoy drinking, you're missing out on half your life" -- that's okay.

Daily chores can easily compensate for losing about half of your life.


2023-07-17 "Why craft non-alcoholic beers are not produced and sold." [長年日記]

I liked craft beer.

During my two years in the U.S., I drank local craft beer almost daily and went to breweries.

The other day I watched a program called "Matsuko no Shiranai Sekai: The World of Craft Beer," it seems microbreweries are increasing in Japan, and there are now about 700 breweries in Japan.

Under the previous liquor tax law, microbreweries would not have been allowed. The reason is that the volume of production required for approval was too large.

I just checked quickly and found that the liquor tax law has been revised. It seems that now, in one year, about 300 baths of beer are approved.

I even used to make my own (which is still illegal (in violation of the liquor tax law)).

Well, let's put that aside.

-----

Suddenly, I thought about it.

"Why craft non-alcoholic beers are not produced and sold."

You may be thinking, "What kind of market is that?" but there is a huge market.

1.6 billion markets -- for Muslims.

The market for Muslim non-alcoholic craft beer is fertile ground.

I think there is no way not to enter the market here.

In Japan alone, many users cannot enjoy beer for reasons such as pregnant women, lifestyle-related diseases, insomnia, etc.

Above all, you can do business without having to pay liquor tax.

-----

I've been doing a little research, and it seems that such a market is already in the making -- "Portugal" seems to have a huge share of the market.

However, I think we can still roll it back, and there is a market for it even in Japan.

Above all, please, for me, non-alcoholic craft beer.


2023-07-18 Recently, I came up with a new method to solve this. It's 'skip all the parts I don't like. [長年日記]

One thing about movies and plays is that leaving the theater in the middle of a performance is difficult, even if you don't like the content.

I once attended a small theater and was exhausted after being subjected to two and a half hours of a play with "poor themes, yelling acting, and cheap criticisms of social issues without twists or turns.

"Boring theater is pretty hellish"

I would not hesitate to leave my seat during a play like this.

It may hurt the pride of the actors and the director, but I think it is generally equal to the fact that the shoddy play took up my precious money and time.

However, if I alone leave the stage in the middle of a play in a small theater, it would offend those who are concentrating on the play.

It is not my intention to inconvenience other spectators.

----

Amazon Prime and NetFlix are good. They are perfect.

The freedom to give up in the middle of a project is lovely.

In that sense, scheduled recording with HDD video recorders is also good.

These days, I skip through NHK's epic dramas in minutes.

The reason is that this season's big drama is a bit too original in its creative storyline, and it is painful to watch for me.

(For example, I skipped all the full marathon scenes of the maid in the "azukubukuro" at the Kanegasaki retreat.)

However, I don't want to fall into that ugly 'if you don't like it, don't watch it' paradigm.

-----

Recently, I came up with a new method to solve this.

It's 'skip all the parts I don't like.

This is quite good. You can fast-forward and skip all the overly innovative creative parts.

This "skip all the parts I don't like" method is a last-minute compromise with my belief that "I will not stand on the side of condemnation of creators and their creations."

----

This is why I have recently become hesitant to go to the theater, even for movies and plays.

It would be nice if theater plays could be "fast-forwarded" as well.


2023-07-19 "I can play with my home as a toy." [長年日記]

I live in a detached house that I purchased with a loan.

Thanks to this, the significance of my life these days is (1) paying off my mortgage and (2) securing child support for my children -- similar to many Japanese (right?).

I, initially, was against the purchase of a detached house. In all likelihood, it would be inefficient.

The property value of a detached house's building (x land) portion is roughly halved in 10 years.

If the property is 40 years old, it will be 6.25% of the initial amount; if it is over 50, the property value will be almost zero.

It is similar to land.

Any land also has a life cycle, and land with few new tenants is valuable, but its value declines.

In this case, it would be something called 'psychological value,' which differs from market price.

"Who would want to move to a conservative, exclusive land run by old-timers?"

It's worse if you have a community association president (often an old geezer) in your area who is not very smart.

Preparing for summer festivals, cleaning up local temples and shrines, and cleaning up the neighborhood (well, I guess this is necessary), it's nothing short of a hassle.

The neighborhood association board will be tasked with electing the following board members.

People in the town can play the final card: 'If I have to serve on the board, I will leave the community association. And they have done so.

(To do this year, I prepared a report on how to "plan for the next 20 years so that everyone can make a "fair" sacrifice" and went around to persuade the residents.)

Still, the reason I haven't withdrawn from the neighborhood association is for my research.

If you are interested, please see my recent column.

But that's beside the point.

-----

Recently, I am glad that I forced myself to build a house -- because I am beginning to see the social problem of older adults being denied renewal of their lease contracts.

It is risky for a lender to rent a residence to an older adult who lives alone.

This is because older adults who die alone may become decomposing, sludgy bodies and have their real estate turned into accidental property.

Thus, a "reluctance to lend" to older people will occur.

I am also an older person, so I understand the borrowers' screams and the lenders' worries tremendously.

-----

Another reason I'm glad we built a single-family home,

"I can play with my home as a toy."

Well, a lot is going on, but specifically, here is what I mean.


2023-07-20 This invention was supposed to end the paradigm of "wars over territory to compensate for food shortages. [長年日記]

The Haber-Bosch process, which originated in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century, was heralded as "bread from the air" and significantly improved agricultural production.

This is a technology for synthesizing ammonia, an invention that, roughly explained, "makes crops ten times better than conventional ones.

This invention was supposed to end the paradigm of "wars over territory to compensate for food shortages.

-----

What would have happened if the Haber-Bosch ammonia production equipment could have been left behind in Japan's Warring States period?

At least it eliminates territorial ambitions with food. Still, it doesn't get us out of the paradigm that "rice cultivation strengthened the status system" after all -- not much has changed.

Increased food production would only lead to an increase in population, which would lead to strategic wars outside the country in search of land for crops -- and, well, that's what I was thinking.

-----

If Fritz Haber had stopped there, he could have left his name in history as a savior of humanity, but he later developed poison gas as a weapon. The anti-Jewish movement of Nazi Germany finally forced him out of his country, leading to his untimely death and leaving his name in disgrace.

What I'm trying to say is,

We should not do research for "honor" or "justice."

If you do it anyway, I think it is better to do it around "interest" and "entertainment."


2023-07-21 "Russia would have an easier time if it gave up huge territories (occupied territories) like Mongolia under Genghis Khan or the former Japanese empire until the Pacific War." [長年日記]

Russia's invasion or invasion of Ukraine is not about food, not energy, but "a war to ensure its security."

In short, it is a war to maintain a "buffer zone.

This, historically speaking, is Russia's traditional forte war pattern.

As a simple comparison, Russia's territory is 45 times larger than Japan's, and its population is about the same as Japan's.

"I alone manage a plot of land 45 times the size of my present house."

It is the same thing.

It's like protecting an entire neighborhood with just one person, and I shudder to think about it.

-----

To prevent illegal or squatters from entering my town (Russia), I would like to tag team with the surrounding neighborhood associations (Ukraine).

However, my town (Russia) has always boasted about its prominent ancestors and history. It has been calculating abundant energy and interfering in the management of other neighborhood associations (Ukraine). As a result, My town (Russia) was hated by the surrounding neighborhood associations (Ukraine, Finland, Sweden, and Switzerland).

Such is the case, finally, that the neighborhood association next door (Ukraine) expressed its willingness to ally with another neighborhood association (NATO) and expressed its hostile position to me (Russia).

To say that I (Russia) deserved it would be an understatement, but this was scary.

After all, I (Russia) am the only one managing 45 houses, so I don't know what they will do to me.

The quickest way is to replace the president of the next neighborhood association (in Ukraine) with someone I know.

I thought, 'If I ask a gangster (Wagnel) I know and scare him, three days will be enough,' but the neighborhood chairman of the neighboring town is a pretty bold guy -- this was my town (Russian) miscalculation.

-----

Living in a small country, living small -- the way of life for a small vessel like me is "easy."

"Russia would have an easier time if it gave up huge territories (occupied territories) like Mongolia under Genghis Khan or the former Japanese empire until the Pacific War."

I want to advise the Russian president, but I do not doubt that I will be killed before I can do so.


2023-07-22 Therefore, I also remember, 'I must try to write only columns that readers will enjoy' -- to earn PV. [長年日記]

I don't think there is anyone who doesn't know the story of the wolf boy.

At the time of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, there was much talk in the Japanese news that the Russian economy would collapse and Russia would not be able to stand due to Western "financial sanctions" and "exclusion from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT).

At this point, however, the Russian economy does not appear to collapse, and Russia continues to fight on Ukrainian soil.

In our country, news of "Ukraine's superiority" appears with a bang, but information on "Ukraine's inferiority" is small and scarce.

In our country, the government, parliament, and even the civilian population are unified in being 'anti-Russian' -- this is a relatively rare case.

As far as I know, no Japanese newspaper or TV station defends Russia, and politicians who speak out in defense of Russia receive flak from all sides.

-----

Come to think of it, I don't believe the former U.S. president had a good reputation in our country.

Japanese media has been running a mountain of stories that the former U.S. president will be in jail tomorrow, but at this point, nothing like that has occurred.

And I have heard comments from people in the U.S. that 'Japanese news has too much of a 'Trump-hating' bias.

From the American public's point of view, former President Trump's policies 'are not all of them, but some of them make sense,' he said, but this has not been conveyed to the Japanese media.

Anyway, whether it is "Ukraine" or "Trump," I think it is true that the Japanese media only report news that the Japanese people seem to enjoy.

It is understandable. That kind of news will likely get PV (verge views).

-----

By the way, my daughters criticized my column for 'describing painful realities with numbers and no solutions (solutions).

Therefore, I also remember, 'I must try to write only columns that readers will enjoy' -- to earn PV.


2023-07-23 Is there any way you can give me an award for this ingenuity? [長年日記]

To the Government of Japan, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), and all other retail electricity providers.

Is there any way you can give me an award for this ingenuity?

Well, what they are doing is about the level of accessible research for elementary school students. Still, I appreciated that "a senior citizen on the verge of retirement did his best."

-----

My family does not respect me, even though I have received a "best paper award" or an "encouragement award" at international conferences.


2023-07-24 The idea that "XXXX should go away" has nothing to do with democracy, principle, or -- Not good from a 'statistical' standpoint. [長年日記]

The first book I got about the JCP was this one (very famous).

I heard that the political position of the self-governing dormitory where I lived during my college days was at odds with the Minsei (Democratic Youth League). Still, I did not understand the background then or know it now.

I was just a 'parasite' student in the dorm.

To put it bluntly, if you are an engineering student, working part-time to earn a living, and then getting involved in a political movement, you are no longer a human being but a robot or a cyborg.

For science students, who are more interested in "Laplace transformations" than "politics" and "simulation programming" than "struggle," the self-governing dormitory was not a very comfortable place to be.

Aside from that.

-----

I am indebted to the Communist Party, or rather, Communist ideology, a lot -- exclusively for "irony" and "parody".

In the last three years or so alone, I have written this much.

------

Recently, a representative of a political party made a controversial remark about the Communist Party, saying that it is a party that "should be gone.

Well, we all have one or two "guys" we wish were gone.

But I promise not to say those things -- because I'm an adult.

(This time, I won't bring up the simple logic of 'eugenics' that negates this thinking. It's too much trouble.)

The idea that "XXXX should go away" has nothing to do with democracy, principle, or--

Not good from a 'statistical' standpoint.

It is not a healthy state of affairs.

Democracy is more stable when the various ideas are well scattered (like a normal distribution).

Otherwise, we would have to push and operate a one-party dictatorship or hegemony, which, in my view, looks like a 'democracy that is being forced.'

Of course, ideas and groups around the 4-5 sigma of the normal distribution that 'endorse violence,' for example, should be clamped down on, but that should be left to the law (and the violent apparatus (the police)).

I looked it up, and it seems that they are, somehow, still being properly watched.


2023-07-25 "If Hijikata Toshizo and Enomoto Takeaki had succeeded in establishing the nation of Hokkaido in the Restoration War," [長年日記]

When I was a teenager, the Cold War was a realistic fear.

The arrival of nuclear missiles and the landing of Soviet (x Russian) troops in Hokkaido was a real possibility.

On the other hand, I had never thought about a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

China was poor then (believe it or not, now).

Including me,

"50 years later, Kyiv has been invaded, not Hokkaido"

Such a future was unimaginable to anyone 50 years ago.

To begin with, Ukraine was one of the constituent states of the Soviet Union.

Ukraine's independence from the Soviet Union (1991) can be grasped in the same way that Hokkaido became independent from Japan as "Hokkaido koku."

-----

I once told my daughters about Ukraine and Taiwan using a paradim,

"If Hijikata Toshizo and Enomoto Takeaki had succeeded in establishing the nation of Hokkaido in the Restoration War,"

However, they did not understand me at all.

I think that the Hokkaido version of "Rurouni Kenshin" has not been animated.

(Or the Bakumatsu version of "Golden Kamuy," for example.)


2023-07-26 "If the Soviet Union invaded Japan, would we be in any trouble?" [長年日記]

When I was in high school, a friend of mine told me this.

"If the Soviet Union invaded Japan, would we be in any trouble?"

The Soviet Union, a socialist country at the time, nationalized all property, forbidding (Officially) the ownership of personal property.

He said, "For us common people who have no private property, doesn't it matter whether it is the Soviet Union or the Japanese government that rules?"

But, while Soviet-style socialism may have a lot of annoying things like thought control, freedom of expression, prohibition of personal property, etc., it is still "better than having your house burned down and having your family and yourself murdered, isn't it?"

I remember thinking then, 'I see, that may be true.

-----

Here are my thoughts after 50 years.

"It is a thorough fight."

The reason why I have changed in this way is, in a word, because it is 'troublesome'.

I cringe when considering the pain of accepting the new social system.

I get depressed to death just by changing the OS of my computer or the UI of Office, and now, at my age, to have to replace the entire social system (judicial, administrative, and legislative) is really "no joke."

This is what we call conservatism.

In a word, they are "absolutely against any change.

-----

'Ebata, you actively support LGBT and same-sex marriage, don't you?' The reason for this is apparent.

Because I (Ebata) don't have 1mm of disadvantage about LGBT or gay marriage

Why should I oppose a system that reduces the number of unhappy people? Are you bored? Are you stupid? I am tempted to ask.

However, I cannot approve of big changes that shake the very foundations of our social system.

"Fighting" is troublesome, but so is "adapting to a new society" -- if both are troublesome, then (taking life expectancy age into consideration) the "status quo bias" wins.

-----

I have written that "being angry" is enough to fight without patriotism.

In addition, I think 'it's too much trouble' is also a good enough reason to make me fight.

That aside.

-----

The Taiwanese government has never officially said anything about "independence from China."

The people of Taiwan just do not want to have China's authoritarian one-party dictatorship policy imposed on them.

I have thought that if mainland China adopted a Taiwanese-style democratic policy, Taiwan would gladly be a part of China.

But -- as far as Hong Kong, Tibet, and Uyghur are concerned, the people of Taiwan are thinking, 'Hey, we can't work with the current CCP. Let me see how it goes for another 100 years or so.


2023-07-27 After a long time, "I could send "thousands of mail bombs a minute" to this mail address." I was tempted to do so. [長年日記]

I was checking my spam mail a few minutes ago--

Tomoichi Ebata. You should restore your masculinity!

-----

Shut up! Mind your own business, asshole!

I'm not cheap enough to be called out by you!

I shouted.

-----

After a long time,

"I could send "thousands of mail bombs a minute" to this mail address."

I was tempted to do so.


2023-07-28 "What would happen if I explained my invention to ChatGPT instead of explaining it to others?" [長年日記]

Recently, it has become common practice to outsource patent applications to outside patent firms.

In such a situation, I have never outsourced a patent application

Because 'the cost of explaining my invention to others does not pay off.'

No, maybe it will pay off.

Be sure to describe it accurately.

'It's because explaining my invention to others is too much trouble.'

For example, even when outsourcing, conditions such as "only drawings of the application" are prepared, but "if the drawings are prepared, the patent application is as good as complete" -- at least, that's what I think.

-----

It occurred to me,

"What would happen if I explained my invention to ChatGPT instead of explaining it to others?"

So I did a little experiment.

-----

Ebata: "Write a patent application for 'an invention for tracking a suspect using multiple fixed cameras'" (*)

(*) Incidentally, there is already a mountain of publicly known examples and products for this invention, so a patent cannot be granted.

ChatGPT's answer (English translation is omitted):.

I was impressed, saying, 'Hmmm, I didn't know it could go this far.'

Of course, there was no search of publicly known examples, and even that is not in the format of a patent application (e.g., no claims), and the content is too shabby, to begin with.

However, if my leader shouts

"Ebata! I don't care if it's a "deemed withdrawal" that doesn't request a review, write one. I have a quota! My quota! "

It would be useful for "patent application writing as a quota, with no intention of getting a patent" to help the leader who cries, "I'm not going to get a patent.

Incidentally, the company policy I work for is "Writing patent applications is the soul of engineers." If any leader were to make such a statement, they would be purged instantly (true).

Hmm? So we are outsourcing our "soul" now? Let's not talk about this for the sake of my peaceful life as an engineer.

-----

Anyway, I felt a relief to know that, at least 'for the time being, there seems to be no danger of inventive work being lost to generative AI.

It is none of my business what happens to others' invention-creation and making patent applications after I retire.


2023-07-29 "Fuji School Mametan Research Annex" by Yuri Shibamura of "Marginal Operation" is a must-read for every researcher in Japan. [長年日記]

"Fuji School Mametan Research Annex" by Yuri Shibamura of "Marginal Operation" is a must-read for every researcher in Japan.

"Mametan" is a small (1 meter x 1 meter x 1 meter) robot tank that also appears in Marginal Operations.

Detailed specifications for "Mametan" were included, which were not listed in "Marginal Operation."

With all this information, I thought the author could generate a blueprint of "Mametan" in CAD, but unfortunately, there was no blueprint in the book.

However, I thought,

If this is detailed in CAD, the Chinese People's Liberation Army may develop it before the Japanese Ministry of Defense does."

It occurred to me that from the perspective of our national security, it may be the right thing to do not to generate blueprints in CAD.

(Of course, I think there are still some issues with "Mametan" in terms of operation in the field, but that's called "SF.")

Aside from that.

-----

I consider this book a must-read for all researchers in Japan because of the following three statements in particular.

(1) The essence of the technical presentation is described (p. 47)

- I thought about it as if I were a member of upper management. The need to put myself in the other person's shoes has become painfully apparent over the past few years as I have watched my seniors and superiors at work. Even if you think this is a good idea and make a presentation, if they don't accept it, they won't get it. You have to think carefully about the other person before you put your story together.

- The upper echelons are facing politicians who are even further above them. I thought that they might want equipment as a card to play for this purpose. What weapons do we have against people who don't know much about defense but who offer opinions and encouragement?

- What exactly would that be like? I began to write in my notebook and arrange the characteristics of people I didn't understand well.

- I wondered about men and summarized what they say when someone who doesn't know better takes an interest in something outside their expertise.

- The first question is, "How much is this? The next question was, "What do you use this for?

- Men would start saying things in a know-it-all way. (omitted). Anyway, if these two points are strong, I feel that I can make the upper class think that this research is worthwhile.

- First, price; second, novelty. That's what I wrote in my notebook.

(2) (One of) the national policies is described (p. 249).

- So, could I use other countries as battlefields to keep Japan out of the war? It was a difficult question for the engineers.

- I don't know how it will ultimately be used, and if I quit only, the others will do something about it, and I don't know if upper management is even thinking about that in the first place.

- I developed a new idea where "Mametan" supports other "Mametan." Since group stupidity manifests itself in route fixation, if there is a certain probability of Mametans performing supportive actions and fixated movements now, stupidity will be reduced!

- In a country, it is better to have people with various opinions and arguments, and it is better to have multiple patterns in Mametan so they are not ultimately stupid.

- Countries become stupid when they start going blindly forward as one.

(3) The "peace" specific to our country's circumstances is described (p. 250).

- "If Japan becomes a military power, that would be a problem for the Americans. The Americans would not want to see the return of the Japanese empire. Peace is the best way to prevent that from happening. As long as there is peace, Japan will not strengthen its military. Besides, some circumstances are unique to Japan."

- "Japan is not accustomed to war deaths. It has a declining birthrate and an aging population, just like China and Korea, but Japan has suffered few war deaths since the war. This is where those who do not wish Japan to enter the war can turn to for help. Politicians, leftists, and perhaps even China, South Korea, and North Korea."

- I thought Japan's peace constitution was why it did not go to war. However, I also believed that the deterrent power of the Constitution might be just that.

-----

The above may be a very "spoiler" statement.

I have taken care not to deviate from the scope of "Quotation (Article 32 of the Copyright Law)" as stated in the Copyright Handbook of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, but if I receive a complaint from Mr. Yuuri Shibamura or anyone else involved in publishing, I will immediately delete the article.

-----

Now, the book ends with an actual battle scene with "Mametan," in which the amazing "combat capability" of the distributed and cooperative robotic weapon is fully demonstrated.

What gave me chills was when Robot A measured the sniper target's position and Robot B made a long-range (2km) snipe shot from out of sight.

Even from my perspective as a researcher of distributed cooperative networks, this sniping seemed "entirely possible shortly.

-----

Incidentally, these "Mametan" seem to be mass-produced by the company I work for and Mitsubishi.

I was convinced that my company and Mitsubishi were the only two companies that could develop this robot, and that factory was the only one that could do it.

I have been fed up with the publishers' weak attitude of changing the newspaper's name from Yomiuri Shimbun or Asahi Shimbun to Yominichi Shimbun or Asauri Shimbun to get away with their deceptions. So I thought,

"I felt very comfortable with the fact that they properly disclosed the name of the company."

I don't know what the company's upper management thinks, but we are not a small-ass company that would be bothered by something like this. No problem.

My company is so generous as to let me go free, to begin with.


2023-07-30 Future smartphones should be designed with the concept of "LCDs won't crack" and "won't break even if an elephant steps on it. [長年日記]

"Neglecting to get on the scale causes weight gain. "

This shows the effectiveness of the "recording diet," also described here.

The time to gain weight is when you are away from your daily routine.

Especially during the holidays, if you are away from home and in an unusual environment, the weight gain effect is already outstanding.

-----

We do not have scales in our travel destinations, or if we do have scales, we either do not use them or they are useless to us.

This is because different scales in different locations cannot be calibrated (deviation compensation).

I know from experience that "scales in tourist areas are set "loose" (they show a lighter weight).

Because, in a tourist attraction, tourists need to eat a lot of food in a pleasant way so that the customers can drop money.

-----

To get around the calibration problem, you could take your home scale on your trip, but no one would do that.

Then we can develop a "mobile weight scale," a scale that can be carried around.

The weight can be measured with one foot, so a one-foot size is sufficient.

I just did a quick check, and there are no cell phone-sized scales.

-----

Or rather,

"Weigh yourself with your cell phone"

It would be good if we could.

Future smartphones should be designed with the concept of "LCDs won't crack" and "won't break even if an elephant steps on it.

Pencil cases and glasses could do it. There is nothing that a smartphone can't do.

This field has been a strength of the industrial products of Japan.


2023-07-31 Pipe cutter, I got it for about 1500 yen. [長年日記]

I have always been interested in working with CREFORM in addition to woodwork, but there was one problem.

"No skill in cutting steel pipe"

For woodworking, I have a complete set of screwdrivers, electric saws, chainsaws, etc., so I can make things for home use (shelves, desks, etc.) quickly and appropriately.

However, we thought it would not be easy to process metal pipes.

It was quite a misunderstanding.

Pipe cutter, I got it for about 1500 yen.

Yesterday, while I was at work, I cut a piece of pipe to make a raised bottom section for the legs of the table.

This has increased the range of processing techniques -- even though the family will likely use me.