Tactical

Four weeks later, Pinker convenes an extraordinary general meeting of his board. Given that the board consists solely of himself, Emily, Ada, and Philomena, the meeting unfolds over a celebratory lunch—at least, so the daughters believe, assuming it to be a toast to their father’s recent successes in exchange. The sisters, having been apart for some time, eagerly exchange family news. Only Emily remains unusually quiet, though the others tactfully refrain from addressing her reticence.

It is only as coffee is served—not casso, but a fine quinine longberry poured into Pinker’s cherished Wedgwood china—that he signals the business of the day. A gentle tap of his silver spoon on the edge of his cup silences the room.

Fig. 1 Prior Authorization and Trust in US Health Care. SEC tokenizing stocks & bonds is like IRB tokenizing access to EHR. Let’s explore this! Let’s segue to a related matter. The public response to the killing of United Healthcare’s CEO made it hard to ignore the erosion of trust in U.S. health care. Even before that, more questions were being raised about prior authorization – insurers’ tools for approving or denying a proposed treatment or drug. Patients need appropriate care in a timely manner. Providers need to spend less time dealing with barriers and bureaucracy to get patients that care. And, insurers need to be sure they are paying for the right care – not for overtreatment, unnecessary treatment, or overly aggressive care. Join us for a candid discussion of the friction points, the frustrations, and some emerging potential solutions as U.S. healthcare seeks that delicate balance

“My dears,” he begins, his gaze sweeping across the table. “This is a family occasion, but it is also a board meeting, and there are certain matters we must address. I’ve asked Simon to take the minutes—it’s a formality, but one we are obliged to observe.”

Jenks enters, offering a warm smile to the sisters before taking his seat at the side. With a folder balanced on his knees, he retrieves a pen, ready to record the proceedings.

“We are a family business,” Pinker continues. “This is why we are able to hold our meetings in this manner. However, such a structure is now considered rather antiquated. Public companies—those listed on exchanges and open to the powers and opportunities of the market—are increasingly the ones with the resources and agility to expand globally.” – The Various Flavors of Coffee

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Fig. 2 There’ll come a time when the movement (ecosystem) will need prisoners–martyrs (costs), if you like: Various Flavors of Coffee.

This passage simmers with understated tension, particularly in Emily’s silence, which hints at a deeper undercurrent beneath the surface of this ostensibly celebratory gathering. The meticulous details—the Wedgwood china, the quinine longberry coffee, and Simon Jenks’ poised pen—evoke a world steeped in tradition. Yet these very traditions are subtly juxtaposed against the modernity Pinker heralds in his speech.

Pinker’s calculated tone and the ceremonial atmosphere amplify the sense of a pivotal moment. His daughters’ contrasting demeanors—Emily’s reserve against Ada’s and Philomena’s apparent ease—add layers of intrigue, suggesting a divergence in their temperaments or alignment with their father’s evolving vision. By framing the family business as a relic in the shadow of modern corporate structures, Pinker signals an impending transformation. The meeting, cloaked in the formality of a family lunch, teeters on the edge of rupture.

See also

• World: Encounters in business.

• Ganglia: Reflexive-etiquette.

• Firm: Decision-making processes.

• Tactful: Generative plays in negotiation.

• Sound: Optimized-node symbolism.

The silver spoon’s tap punctuates this gathering with gravitas. Pinker’s reflective phrase—“a rather old-fashioned way of doing things”—underscores the crossroads he perceives. Simon’s role as minute-taker transforms what might have been an intimate family exchange into something more official, hinting that the stakes transcend familial bonds.

The scene brims with questions: Is Pinker planning to take the company public? Is he subtly dismantling the legacy he built? Emily’s quietness seems particularly loaded—does she already know what the others don’t? Even the seemingly trivial details, like the Wedgwood china and quinine longberry coffee, enrich the narrative with themes of exclusivity, tradition, and the inexorable pull of change.

Mutiny and obedience battle it out on her face
– Various Flavors of Coffee

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import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import networkx as nx

# Define the neural network fractal
def define_layers():
    return {
        'World': ['Cosmos-Entropy', 'Planet-Tempered', 'Life-Needs', 'Ecosystem-Costs', 'Generative-Means', 'Cartel-Ends', ], ## Cosmos, Planet
        'Perception': ['Perception-Ledger'], # Life
        'Agency': ['Open-Nomiddleman', 'Closed-Trusted'], # Ecosystem (Beyond Principal-Agent-Other)
        'Generative': ['Ratio-Weaponized', 'Competition-Tokenized', 'Odds-Monopolized'], # Generative
        'Physical': ['Volatile-Distributed', 'Unknown-Players',  'Freedom-Crypto', 'Known-Transactions', 'Stable-Central'] # Physical
    }

# Assign colors to nodes
def assign_colors():
    color_map = {
        'yellow': ['Perception-Ledger'],
        'paleturquoise': ['Cartel-Ends', 'Closed-Trusted', 'Odds-Monopolized', 'Stable-Central'],
        'lightgreen': ['Generative-Means', 'Competition-Tokenized', 'Known-Transactions', 'Freedom-Crypto', 'Unknown-Players'],
        'lightsalmon': [
            'Life-Needs', 'Ecosystem-Costs', 'Open-Nomiddleman', # Ecosystem = Red Queen = Prometheus = Sacrifice
            'Ratio-Weaponized', 'Volatile-Distributed'
        ],
    }
    return {node: color for color, nodes in color_map.items() for node in nodes}

# Calculate positions for nodes
def calculate_positions(layer, x_offset):
    y_positions = np.linspace(-len(layer) / 2, len(layer) / 2, len(layer))
    return [(x_offset, y) for y in y_positions]

# Create and visualize the neural network graph
def visualize_nn():
    layers = define_layers()
    colors = assign_colors()
    G = nx.DiGraph()
    pos = {}
    node_colors = []

    # Add nodes and assign positions
    for i, (layer_name, nodes) in enumerate(layers.items()):
        positions = calculate_positions(nodes, x_offset=i * 2)
        for node, position in zip(nodes, positions):
            G.add_node(node, layer=layer_name)
            pos[node] = position
            node_colors.append(colors.get(node, 'lightgray'))  # Default color fallback

    # Add edges (automated for consecutive layers)
    layer_names = list(layers.keys())
    for i in range(len(layer_names) - 1):
        source_layer, target_layer = layer_names[i], layer_names[i + 1]
        for source in layers[source_layer]:
            for target in layers[target_layer]:
                G.add_edge(source, target)

    # Draw the graph
    plt.figure(figsize=(12, 8))
    nx.draw(
        G, pos, with_labels=True, node_color=node_colors, edge_color='gray',
        node_size=3000, font_size=9, connectionstyle="arc3,rad=0.2"
    )
    plt.title("Old vs. New", fontsize=15)
    plt.show()

# Run the visualization
visualize_nn()

Fig. 3 Align Elon Musks Reaction to Stargate with Emily’s “Mutiny & Obedience”. Tokens are digital assets (keys) to open up a ledger (yellow). What exactly the ledger is about is another topic altogether. But it might be API, block chain, or access to Microsofts Azure. In essence, the way forward for government-supported AI efforts must navigate this complex landscape of technological promise versus human complexity. By learning from the decentralized and transparent nature of cryptocurrency, there’s potential to create an AI ecosystem that not only advances our capabilities but also aligns with democratic ideals of openness and participation. The journey of AI from perception to physical reality, as depicted in the neural network, should ideally reflect a path where technology serves humanity’s collective needs, not just the interests of its creators or controllers. The thing to me that’s always been weird about this is that no one’s articulated a vision for what the world will look like. They’re always willing to say it comes down to supercharged scientific research, which may very well be true, but also requires rethinking how science is organized to take advantage of these models. What does that look like? There are a lot of other social components that have to fit into it