Tuesday, November 25, 2008

The Third Option

The Liberalized Voting Rules are similar to a three-valued logic system known as a balanced ternary. It utilizes a third logical option with the assertions being less certain. Lukasiewicz devised a ternary logic system in 1917. And the Europeans have made better use of ternary logic than Americans.

New Star Trek Trailer


watch in HD

Can't wait to see this movie when it is released on May 8, 2009.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Selection Rules

The Liberalized Votings Rules which I posted a few days ago can more generally be referred to as Selection Rules. Various types of voting systems have been proposed. Among them are preferential voting and approval voting. The general topic is Rational Choice Theory.

The "DIS" vote was intended to indicate some dissatisfaction with or disapproval of a ballot measure. Often one feels the need for action on a particular issue and the measure may be defective is some manner. One may have legitimate doubts about a measure. "DIS" would be a way of indicating the position that the measure needs to be rewritten. Another name for "UND" might be "NOP" for "NO OPINION".

The President has the option of expressing disapproval for a bill before it becomes law by exercising his veto power. So why not grant voters a similar option in the case of initiatives and referendums. Badly written measures are a waste of time and disrupt the legal process.

Selections Rules can be applied to situations other than elections. For example, the choice of a person for a particular position, which computer one might like to buy or what present to get someone for Xmas.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

You Tube Live


katiesopinion and bravesgirl5 at YouTube Live

Tonight YouTube had its first live streaming event at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. Among the well known youtubers present were Katy Perry and LisaNova who hosted the event, hotforwords and thewinekone who made guest appearances, and some others like mememolly and nayders07 who could be seen in the audience.

Design Contest

I just thought that one way of illustrating the use of the Liberalized Voting Rules in my last blog would be to design a game for them. It might be best as a role playing game in which the players assume the roles of candidates and run various types of campaigns with primaries and then a general election in which the choice for office is made. I doubt if we could have this ready for Christmas or even the Inauguration. But sometime before the next election would be cool. The name that immediately comes to mind for the game is DIS. Of course one can always do a variation on the theme.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Liberalized Voting Rules


When voting on ballot measures one is usually given the choice of voting either "YES" or "NO" which sometimes fails to accurately express one's true position on the measure. One often finds oneself torn between voting either way for various reasons. For example one might feel that a measure has some features that one is in favor of and others which seem dissatisfactory and there is no way to indicate this. One is neither strictly for nor against the measure. A simple change to the voting rules will allow voters to more clearly express themselves. Logically one's vote is an "exclusive or". Only votes for and against are permitted. Loosening the rules in the manner indicated above will allow the additional votes of "UNDECIDED" and "DISCOUNT". This would make it less likely that poorly written measures will be passed.

Similarly one could allow votes for and against a particular candidate. A generalization of this would be a preference system which would allow votes for more than one candidate for office. A vote for or against would add either +1 or -1 to the tally respectively. Votes for more than one candidate would have to be weighed differently than a vote for a single candidate. A simple scheme would just split the vote so that if one voted for each of two candidates each would have +½ added to his/her tally. This would allow one to express no particular preference for each of the two candidates. A vote for one and a vote against another would add +½ and -½ respectively. No preference for three particular candidates would add +1/3 to each of their tallies. Etc. It would still be one-man-one-vote. But the vote would could be either "ALL" or "NONE" or range from solely "FOR" to solely "AGAINST" any candidate. Who would win? The candidate receiving the greatest affirmation. If the public was opposed to all the candidates for President or Vice President Congress could decided who is to hold these offices. The most democratic system is to allow the House of Representatives to make the decision. There have been proposals to reform the Electoral College. We should also consider changes in the way we are allowed to vote.

If this system was in effect in the last election I would have voted "DIS" on Prop. 8. But "DIS" translates to "NO" under the current rules which is how I actually voted. Why? I felt it was a prohibition and an interference in other people's lives. I would have preferred a measure which would have prevented either faction from making its preference public law.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

La Resistance (Résiste - France Gall)




Résiste - France Gall

Si on t'organise
  une vie bien dirigée
  où tu t'oublieras vite
Si on te fait danser
  sur une musique sans âme
  comme un amour qu'on quitte
Si tu réalises que
  la vie n'est pas là
  que le matin tu te lèves
  sans savoir où tu vas
Résiste

If you arrange
  a life well led
  which you soon forget
If it makes you dance
  to a music without spirit
  as a love that ends
If you realize that
  life is not there
  that morning when you get up
  without knowing where you're going
Resist

Prouve que tu existes
Cherche ton bonheur partout, va,
Refuse ce monde égoïste
Résiste

Prove that you exist
Seek your happiness everywhere, go,
Refuse this selfish world
Resist
Suis ton coeur qui insiste
Ce monde n'est pas le tien, viens,
Bats-toi, signe et persiste
Résiste
Be what your heart demands
This world is not yours, come,
Bats up, sign and persist
Resist

Tant de libertés
  pour si peu de bonheur
Est-ce que ça vaut la peine
Si on veut t'amener
  à renier tes erreurs
C'est pas pour ça qu'on t'aime
Si tu réalises que
  l'amour n'est pas là
Que le soir tu te couches
  sans aucun rêve en toi
Résiste

So many liberties
  for so little happiness
Is it worth it
If you want to change
  renounce your mistakes
That's not what you love
If you realize that
  love is not there
That evening when you lie down
  without a dream in you
Resist

Prouve que tu existes
Cherche ton bonheur partout, va,
Refuse ce monde égoïste
Résiste

Prove that you exist
Seek your happiness everywhere, go,
Refuse this selfish world
Resist
Suis ton coeur qui insiste
Ce monde n'est pas le tien, viens,
Bats-toi, signe et persiste
Résiste
Be what your heart demands
This world is not yours, come,
Bats up, sign and persist
Resist

Danse pour le début du monde
Danse pour tous ceux qui ont peur  
Danse pour les milliers de coeurs
  qui ont droit au bonheur...
Résiste (ter)
Résiste

Dance for the start of the world
Dance for all who are in fear
Dance for the thousands of souls
  who have a right to happiness ...
Resist (3)
Resist

Prouve que tu existes
Cherche ton bonheur partout, va,
Refuse ce monde égoïste
Résiste

Prove that you exist
Seek your happiness everywhere, go,
Refuse this selfish world
Resist
Suis ton coeur qui insiste
Ce monde n'est pas le tien, viens,
Bats-toi, signe et persiste
Résiste...
Be what your heart demands
This world is not yours, come,
Bats up, sign and persist
Resist ...


I just learnt about France Gall today and had to post this. She is very cool. Résiste was released in 1981. The translation is mine from the French lyrics and with the help of Google Translate and a French dictionary.


Edit Nov 5, 2005: added columns
Edit Nov 23, 2012: Redid YT embedded object, link and text.