LOL, Scott. I use Wiki and actually fund it. But I've always had the opinion that ANYTHING you find via the internet or social media must be verified. Too bad our broader electorate doesn't do that. Cheers -- Kathryn
On Thu, Jul 24, 2025 at 11:28 AM F. Scott Wilson via Mifnet < [email protected]> wrote: > Dr Wardell, > > Are Wikipedia entries still amendable by anyone? After ll, that is the > contemporary meaning of “wiki.” I used to have a really good WaPo article > from ten years ago or more that listed a number of amendments to entries > that were obviously not true - I would send the article to colleagues who > used wiki as a source. I’ll see if I can find it. We were warned in > graduate school (early ‘00s) not to cite it, and to verify independently > any information obtained from Wikipedia. When I had an argument with one > guy (a very senior guy from the finance department) about using Wikipedia > because one must double-check everything, he said it may not be precise but > it is “directionally correct.” I asked him if our most recent financial > statements were only directionally correct. > > Veritas! > > Scott > > > On Jul 23, 2025, at 9:31 PM, David Wardell via Mifnet < > [email protected]> wrote: > > > > Hi Scott, > > > > > > > > Many thanks once again for your comments. > > > > > > > > My intent in sharing this clip wasn’t specifically to start a political > > discussion. Alas, however, DOT Secretary is a political appointment—one > > which has broad and profound implications for the industry. As Kathryn > > reminded me yesterday, thus it has always been. I wish it were not so. I > > also wish that were a way to discuss some of the issues that attend the > > political decisions the department has made and continues to make. I’ve > yet > > to find one, however. > > > > > > > > We forget that all decisions come with a cost. It’s human nature to > dismiss > > the cost of decisions we like, but this does not make it so. > > > > > > > > I don’t, myself, place a great deal of trust in any newspaper at present. > > This is, however, a logical error on my part (a variation on the ad > hominem > > argument) and one that I try to avoid. I do try to make distinctions as > to > > what I read. > > > > > > > > The NYP is ranked, by people who make an attempt at objectivity, as being > > right of center (not extremely so) and neither at the top nor the bottom > in > > terms of reliability. We note, however, that newspapers generally don’t > > always rank as highly reliable (See, for example > > <https://adfontesmedia.com/> Ad Fontes Media). > > > > > > > > My purpose in sharing a ChatGPT analysis was to respond to the question > in > > the thread as to whether the statements in the piece could be verified. > I’ve > > cited ChatGPT rarely in these pages, but I am not a disciple. ChatGPT and > > variations on the LLM concept are not going away, however. They will be > with > > us for years and their effects will be profound and largely not positive. > > There are a few things ChatGPT can do reasonably well, one being > summarizing > > Internet searches. > > > > > > > > The report I shared did offer some insights but wasn’t conclusive and > > wasn’t intended to be (I believe that I said so). The answer to the > question > > as to verified sources was “not much.” As Bob observes, ChatGPT > references > > questionable sources that it ranks highly (I pointed this out myself), > but > > it can’t make logical distinctions. This is a limitation of the > technology > > and must influence how we use it—or not. > > > > > > > > As ChatGPT is deeply flawed but not useless (we can draw distinctions), > > Wikipedia is also flawed but not useless. As I’ve observed in these > pages, > > much Wikipedia content is good; some makes no sense at all. As with all > > sources, we must use it carefully and be clear abut its limitations. The > > Wikipedia problem, however, is that it has debased the > > reference/encyclopedia field to such an extent that there is no > reasonable > > alternative. Even so, none of the pre-Wikipedia sources were perfect. One > > significant problem researchers presently face is that they are > suffocated > > by the flow of information from The Internet without the tools or the > time > > to make informed distinctions, and the available curated information is > not > > in a great place. > > > > > > > > I’ll note in passing that we are all exposed to ChatGPT content more than > > we realize. Folk share it without acknowledging the source. > > > > > > > > All the best, > > > > > > > > DW > > > > > > > > > > David Wardell > > > > (757) 561-0582 > > > > <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] > > > > > > > > <https://wardell.us/url/b5s86> > > > > <https://wardell.us/url/s9qvz> > > > > > > > > > > > > From: F. Scott Wilson via Mifnet <[email protected]> > > Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2025 5:03 PM > > To: [email protected] > > Cc: Bob Kneisley <[email protected]>; F. Scott Wilson > > <[email protected]> > > Subject: [Mifnet 🛰 73276] Re: Exclusive | Pete Buttigieg's DOT spent $80 > > billion on DEI grants, delayed air traffic control upgrades: records, > > industry insiders - New York Post 20250722 > > > > > > > > Bob K, > > > > > > > > I withdraw my comment with apologies. I don’t want to invest the time, > and > > lack the patience, to try to rebut the claims. Others have commented on > the > > veracity (or not) of the claims, and the source. Notwithstanding its > > aviation connection (I guess), I do wonder why Dr Wardell chose to start > a > > political string on the Mifnet, and with an article from the New York > Post > > to boot (a newspaper I used to read on trips home on Metro North for the > > amusement and the puzzles). Now he’s trying to use an AI search > function as > > an arbiter, which I don’t think I am prepared to accept - like > Wikipedia, it > > may be "directionally correct” as a colleague used to say, but who knows? > > > > > > > > I’ll try hard to keep my knee-jerk reactions to myself in future. > > > > > > > > > > > > Scott > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Jul 23, 2025, at 9:52 AM, Bob Kneisley via Mifnet > > <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > > > > > I'm curious Scott, how do you know "This is hogwash"? Do you have a > > counter-source to the New York Post article? Personally I don't know for > > sure if Buttigieg "shelled out tens of billions on a DEI agenda", tho it > > sounds at least plausible given his well-known political leanings. In > any > > case, some evidence supporting your "hogwash" claim would be a lot more > > informative to the readers than a drive-by smear. > > > > > > > > Bob K > > > > > > > > > > > > < > https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campai > > gn=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> > > > > Virus-free. > > < > https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campai > > gn=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> www.avast.com > > > > > > > > On Tue, Jul 22, 2025 at 3:52 PM F. Scott Wilson via Mifnet > > <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > Dr Wardell > > > > > > > > This is hogwash. > > > > > > > > Scott > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Jul 22, 2025, at 3:24 PM, David Wardell via Mifnet > > <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > > > > > Sharing this lengthy New York Post piece <https://wardell.us/url/k5dgz> > > without comment, other than that it’s worth reading. > > > > > > > > A short sample: > > > > > > > > “WASHINGTON — Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg failed to > > replace outdated air traffic control systems while in office — with his > > agency instead shelling out tens of billions of dollars on a DEI agenda, > > according to federal spending records and airline industry insiders. > > > > > > > > “In one meeting, Buttigieg — who is said to be eyeing a 2028 presidential > > run — told industry executives that air traffic control upgrades would > just > > allow them to fly more planes, “and so why would that be in his > interest?” > > sources said.” > > > > > > > > There are contrary views shared in the article, which > > <https://wardell.us/url/k5dgz> may be viewed here. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > David Wardell > > > > (757) 561-0582 > > > > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > > > > > > > > <https://wardell.us/url/b5s86> <image001.png> > > > > <https://wardell.us/url/s9qvz> <image002.png> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Revised: 20250507 > > > > You are receiving The Mifnet because you requested to join this list. > > > > The Mifnet is largely a labor of love, however the infrastructure isn't > > exactly cost-free. 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See instructions at: > > https://lists.mifnet.com/ > > > > * Manage your personal Mifnet SUBSCRIPTION at: > > https://lists.mifnet.com/ > > > > * For a list of all available Mifnet commands, SEND THIS MESSAGE via > email: > > [email protected]?subject=help > > > > * View The Mifnet LIST POLICIES and PRIVACY POLICY at: > > https://mifnet.com/index.php/policies > > > > * View instructions for Mifnet DELIVERY PROBLEMS at: > > https://mifnet.com/index.php/delivery-problems > > > > * View The Mifnet LIST ARCHIVE at: > > https://lists.mifnet.com/hyperkitty/list/[email protected]/ > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Revised: 20250507 > > You are receiving The Mifnet because you requested to join this list. > > The Mifnet is largely a labor of love, however the infrastructure isn't > exactly cost-free. If you'd care to make a small contribution to the > effort, please know that it would be greatly appreciated: > https://wardell.us/url/mifbit > > All posts sent to the list should abide by these policies: > > 1) List members acknowledge that participation in Mifnet is a > privilege--not a right. > 2) Posts are always off the record, absent specific permission from the > author. > 3) The tone of discussions is collegial. > 4) Posts are expected to be in reasonably good taste. > 5) We discuss ideas and not personalities, and we don't speak ill of other > Mifnet members. > > * The Mifnet WEB SITE is: > https://www.mifnet.com/ > > * To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list at any time please visit: > https://lists.mifnet.com/ > OR: SEND THIS MESSAGE via email: > [email protected]?subject=leave > > * Send Mifnet mailing list POSTS/SUBMISSIONS to: > [email protected] > > * You may reach the person managing The Mifnet at: > [email protected] > > * Please consider the DIGEST version of The Mifnet, which consolidates all > list traffic into 1-3 > messages daily. See instructions at: > https://lists.mifnet.com/ > > * Manage your personal Mifnet SUBSCRIPTION at: > https://lists.mifnet.com/ > > * For a list of all available Mifnet commands, SEND THIS MESSAGE via email: > [email protected]?subject=help > > * View The Mifnet LIST POLICIES and PRIVACY POLICY at: > https://mifnet.com/index.php/policies > > * View instructions for Mifnet DELIVERY PROBLEMS at: > https://mifnet.com/index.php/delivery-problems > > * View The Mifnet LIST ARCHIVE at: > https://lists.mifnet.com/hyperkitty/list/[email protected]/ > -- Kathryn Creedy PHONE # 321 405 4395 US-Eastern Time Zone *Twitter*: @kcreedy *Visit me on LinkedIn*
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