Thomas journals

Lessons for thinking, Archived from my 15-year-old thumb drive: Kluge: the haphazard construction of the human mind by Gary Marcus. Copyright 2008. 13 Summary lessons in the last chapter: 1- Whenever possible, consider alternative hypotheses 2- Reframe the question 3- Always remember that correlation does not entail causation 4- Never forget the size of your sample 5- Pre-commit, so as to reduce the influence of your own impulsivity 6- Don't just set goals, make contingency plans 7- Whenever possible, don't make important decisions when you are tired or have other things on your mind 8- Always weigh benefits against costs 9- Imagine that your decisions may be spot-checked 10- Distance yourself 11- Beware the vivid, the personal, and the anecdotal 12- Pick your spots 13- Try to be rational

  Above The Salt, a novel written by Katherine Vaz. Notes by Jeffrey Thomas, 14 April  2026.  Report for the Book Group at StJames Anglican Church. An epic historical novel that sweeps through 80 years, from Madeira and all around the United States. The term “above the salt” refers to an old English tradition about the placement of the salt-cellar on a large dining table – people seated closer to the host were “above the salt", socially-favored; by exclusion, those below the salt were on a lower social level. This expression is reflected in the narrative indirectly, in its theme of social distinctions that affect lives in tragic ways; and the author refers to salt often, in relation to tears and to the ocean. I was drawn to the novel by its Portuguese connection, and I enjoyed the language and culture references; but the romantic love stories and the evocation of life in the 1800s propelled the narrative. Occasional poetic metaphorical passages evoked the emotional state ...