Tag: abn

How did Lithuania go from a small pagan Baltic polity to an empire-sized state stretching deep into Eastern Europe? — Daniel Foubert

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How did Lithuania go from a small pagan Baltic polity to an empire-sized state stretching deep into Eastern Europe?

And why did that enormous Lithuanian state eventually bind itself so closely to Poland that their elites began building a common political culture?

1. Start with the Lithuanian nobility.

It did not appear fully formed.

In the 13th–14th centuries, the ruler was surrounded by dynastic princes, district leaders, castle commanders and armed retainers.

War created the elite.

2. Under the Gediminids, military service increasingly became landed power.

Rulers distributed estates to men who defended castles, raised troops and administered districts.

By the 14th century, these relationships were producing a hereditary Lithuanian noble class beneath the ruling dynasty.

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This brief historical summary is quite good. It provides an overview of how Lithuania and Poland evolved together, both politically and culturally. ABN

Scant physical evidence for Big Five personality traits

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Collectively, these results indicate that if there are associations between the Big Five personality traits and brain structure, they are likely of very small effect size and will require very large samples for reliable detection. (Little evidence for associations between the Big Five personality traits and variability in brain gray or white matter)

I like Buddhist reasoning on the mind better. Are you thoughts wholesome? Are they conducive to enlightenment? Are your behaviors wise and kind? Are you trustworthy? Do you trust yourself?

Be mindful of how your mind works as much as you can. Personality is impermanent, subject to change. Do your best.

Aging as a Continuation of Development: A Hypothesis and Framework

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Abstract

Prevailing theories of cognitive aging depict late life as a period of compensatory decline—an effort to preserve performance despite progressive neural deterioration. We propose instead that aging represents a continuation of development: a genetically conserved, adaptive reorganization of memory systems that parallels the brain’s earlier-life transitions. Drawing on convergent molecular, network, behavioral, and comparative evidence, we argue that the well-documented decline in episodic-memory precision reflects a deliberate recalibration of plasticity from hippocampal to cortical circuits, favoring semantic integration and schematic stability over rapid encoding of novel details. This shift, we suggest, is not a workaround for loss but an evolved optimization suited to the cognitive ecology of late life, when accumulated knowledge, social insight, and intergenerational teaching become primary adaptive functions. The resulting semantic mode of cognition supports narrative coherence, emotional regulation, and wisdom, distinguishing normal aging from pathological derailments such as Alzheimer’s disease. We outline testable predictions across longitudinal, neuroimaging, and computational domains and reinterpret constructs like cognitive reserve as expressions of this developmental reallocation. By reframing aging as purposeful maturation rather than compensation, the adaptive-aging hypothesis positions late-life cognition as a distinct, evolutionarily honed phase of human development.

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This is something I have observed and tend to see aging in this way. Our natural feeling of respect for a composed and well-mannered elderly person probably reflects our instinctive understanding of this state of mind. One of my best friends in life was over 80 years old when I was in my mid-thirties. An older mind can impart wisdom just by being. Our connection to them can entail spiritual overtones that remain with us forever. ABN

Be on the lookout for this chain of progression in your middle-aging loved ones now — Ethical Skeptic

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/axxthenation + Boosters –>
Chronic Blood Clotting (lungs and brain/DVT) –>
Cognitive Decline/Confusion/Anger –>
Osteoperosis (easy bone fracturing – ribs!) –>
Frailty/Loss in Mobility –>
Dizziness/Falls –>

Massive pulmonary embolism/thrombotic stroke and death…

The studies not finding a link between /axxthenation and embolism were done in early 2022 – and could not detect this progression… do NOT buy the one-liners on this.

“Omicron” does not cause this progression (only Delta did, Aug 2021).

Be aware!!!

(Hypothesized chart is AI generated, but all causal elements are established science)

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The covid vax is and was a bioweapon aimed at weakening and killing Western peoples. The ongoing effort today to goad Europe and Russia into WW3 is similarly aimed at destroying Western peoples and Western civilization. The Ukraine War has been practice for the looming Euro-Russian War, which will inevitably involve USA. The aggressive importation of millions of enemy soldiers into the West is part of the plan. With zero loyalty to Western countries and an abundance of hatred for White people, the invaders will not shy away from mass murder when ordered. ABN

Short-term memory is key to psychological understanding

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Short-term memory is where the rubber of human psychology meets the road.

It is the active part of human psychology as it functions in real-time.

New research indicates that the thalamus, which relays almost all sensory information, is central to the operation of short-term memory. Without the thalamus, short-term memory does not occur.

See Maintenance of persistent activity in a frontal thalamocortical loop and New research: short-term memory depends on the thalamus for background.

Short-term memory is a changeable “program” that deals with and responds to the world quickly. It is the main determinant of how “you” are in the moment.

Short-term memory maintains persistent activity (in the brain/body) by relaying its components through the thalamus in response to real-time conditions.

If we discover a mistake in our short-term memory, it is typically very easy to change. For example, if you realize you forgot to set your clocks ahead, your short-term memory will quickly adjust. You might feel a little dumb for a moment, but usually it is no big deal.

This example shows how our short-term memory is connected to long-term memories, to planning, expectation, and our general sense of the world around us and what we are doing in it.

FIML is an effective form of psychotherapy largely because it focuses on the short-term memory.

By targeting short-term memory loads, FIML helps partners discover how their psychologies are actually functioning in real-time during real-world situations.

Correcting mistakes in short-term memory immediately changes how we function.

Changing the same mistake several times very often removes it entirely from the long-term memory, from the overall functioning of the individual.

Buddhist mindfulness practice focuses a lot on short-term memory.

In this respect, FIML is a kind of shared mindfulness between two people, both keeping themselves and each other honest and on the same page.

FIML may feel intense for beginners because this kind of focus with this kind of intention has probably never been engaged in before.

With practice, FIML becomes relaxed and pleasant, creating an in-the-zone feeling like you are playing a fun game or doing something important and interesting together.

When done regularly, FIML generates a very sturdy kind of mutual self-respect. ABN

Researchers find out some stuff about the brains of meditators

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…The results showed significant differences between meditators and non-meditators in three of the four frequency bands studied: theta, alpha, and gamma. “These larger amplitudes are present when measured globally (across all brain regions), but also when we examined the distribution of these brain waves across the head,” Bailey told PsyPost.

Theta activity, associated with attention and working memory, was higher in meditators compared to non-meditators. This increase was most prominent in posterior brain regions, suggesting enhanced neural processes related to focus and information processing in experienced meditators.

For alpha activity, meditators displayed greater overall power as well as a distinctive distribution pattern. While non-meditators showed stronger alpha activity primarily in posterior regions, meditators exhibited higher alpha activity in frontal regions relative to the rest of the brain. This shift in distribution may reflect greater inhibitory control over irrelevant or distracting thoughts, a cognitive function often enhanced through mindfulness practice.

Gamma activity, linked to higher-order cognitive functions and neural integration, was also higher in meditators. The increase was particularly pronounced in frontal regions, indicating potential neuroplastic changes associated with prolonged meditation practice. Gamma waves are thought to play a role in attention and the integration of sensory information, suggesting that meditation might strengthen these capacities over time.

“Since these results were obtained while participants were simply resting (not performing any task), it is not obvious what cognitive processes these differences in brain activity reflect,” Bailey explained. “However, each of these brain waves have been associated with specific neural processes – theta brain waves have been associated with the direction of attention and selection of a specific thing to focus on when distractions are present, alpha brain waves have been associated with the engagement of top-down neural activity to inhibit brain regions that aren’t relevant to the task at hand, and gamma brain waves have been associated with energy intensive processing of sensory information as well as higher order cognitive functions and working memory. The fact that meditators show increased amplitude of each of these brain activities might suggest that they can engage these brain activities more strongly when needed, perhaps providing a potential mechanism underpinning the improved cognitive function associated with long-term practice of mindfulness meditation.”

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This research describes some of the valuable, though mundane, benefits of meditation. In Buddhism, meditation fundamentally refers to the samadhi and dhyana states. The eighth element of the Noble Eightfold Path is Right Samadhi. Samadhi is the experience of conscious states of mind, with many levels of depth and importance. In many senses it is the experiential reward of Buddhist practice, a thing in itself, a practice that is its own reward. More information on samadhi can be found here. Definitionally, descriptively, samadhi is fairly simple. It entails the closing down or shutting off the the senses, while remaining mindful of what remains while that happens. It entails observing the core of awareness, residing in pure consciousness. Some states are ecstatic. Some are peaceful. Ecstatic states are intensely enjoyable but use a lot of stored brain energy, which may leave you feeling tired later on. In the Chinese Buddhist tradition, a state of ‘ordinary samadhi’ is recognized. This means the state of your ordinary daily consciousness. When we are actively mindful of this state, it grades into other samadhi states. It’s a cool side of Chinese Buddhism, which emphasizes all points in the continuum of consciousness. ABN

Idiolects and idiotics

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An idiolect is the “dialect” of one person. It is unique to that person. We all speak an idiolect unique to us. No one else speaks in exactly the same way as you do. In fact, the varieties of idolects among speakers of even the same dialect can be quite pronounced, to say nothing of speakers who have been acculturated to different dialects.

Virtually, the same thing is true for our use and understanding of semiotics. Each one of us has a unique tangle of semiotics even if we share the same culture. Even if two people were born and raised in the same very strict cult, they will have different takes on their “shared” semiotics; they will see thier semiotics in individual and unique ways.

The term “idiolect” is a blend of the prefix idio, which means “own, personal, distinct to the individual” and the suffix lect, which is taken from the word “dialect.”

In that spirit, I want to coin the term “idiotics” to mean “the semiotics unique to one person.” Each and every one of us has a very complex idiotics.

It is profoundly important to know this and to understand it deeply.

We can talk at length about the generalities of our idiotics and profit from discussions like that. But we will never fully grasp what our idiotics do, how they function, and when they come into play unless we tackle them the moment they arise.

This is so because idiotics are very complex, with many parts bonded and tangled together in unique ways. The only time we can really get anything approaching an objective view of them is when they arise as small bits within real-life conversations. We can only see them when they function in the moment, when they touch our emotions in the moment, when they determine how we hear, speak, or respond in the moment.

General discussions lead away from idiotics because general discussion by their very natures (being general) are not unique to the individual. By definition, generalities are not idiotics.

This is one reason it is possible (indeed, common, I believe) for individuals to feel horribly lonely while in the company of other people. Or to feel horribly lonely when trying to explain yourself as you get more and more lost in generalities.

If you are never able to deal with, contend with, analyze, or remark upon you or your partner’s idiotics, you will have a bad time.

FIML practice works because it works with idiotics. Ironically, working with your own and your partner’s idiotics will make you much smarter.

KOBK demonstrated in real life

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Whether this is the full reason or not, European elites are openly pressing for war with Russia. Ofc, Europe’s public elite are not the ones in control of Europe, but they are doing the bidding of those who are in control. The same playbook that brought about the Ukraine War appears to be working now on Europe as a whole. The goal of the war, should it occur, will be similar to Ukraine — kill as many Europeans and Russians as possible, destroy both regions as much as required, debase and conquer whoever is left alive. ABN

KOBK explained and demonstrated by AI

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This is a ‘humorous’ demonstration of what KOBK (Kill-Or-Be-Killed) game theory is. In real life, elites are playing at this level. The basic ineluctability of KOBK is competing powers cannot trust each other. And dominant rulers cannot trust their partners or their underlings. The public assassination of Charlie Kirk is an example of KOBK terrorism. Whoever did it is showing Donald Trump, members of Congress, assorted power-brokers and more that if you do not do as we say, we will kill you. We can get away with anything. And we can kill whoever we want, wherever and whenever we want. Do as we say and we will be nice to you. Cross us and you will pay the ultimate price. ABN

UK FLASHBACK 09/10/2024 UK: Speech control is mind-control

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This is an absurd example of brainwashed cops (not all cops are brainwashed) being stupid (not all cops are stupid). When you say someone is a ‘filthy migrant’ that person may well have been filthy (and it does not mean that all migrants are filthy). Furthermore, if someone spat on you isn’t the descriptor filthy about the least you would say about them? UK cops are trained to react to adjectives applied to migrants, but not the crime perpetrated against a citizen. I bet if she had spit on them, she would have been arrested and probably cussed out as well. Note the dead, glaring eyes of those three stupid cops; it’s an example of how mind-control gets deep into the brain. ABN

Continue reading “UK FLASHBACK 09/10/2024 UK: Speech control is mind-control” →

Stress limits speech so much, the obvious is often shrouded

~ ABN ~ 1 Comment

Historically, in most if not all, cultures, the inherent stress of speaking has been dealt with by forming hierarchies which define what kinds of speech are acceptable.

Every culture I know of still does this still today, including small subcultures wherever you find them.

Mind control, which is a covert hierarchy of dominant definitions, functions most of all by tagging words and concepts as stressful or not.

No culture anywhere throughout all of history has ever discovered the FIML technique due to the ubiquitous human fear of stressful speech.

Once you get the hang of it, FIML is the opposite of stressful. FIML removes speech stress at its most basic level.

That’s also why it is hard to see and do FIML at first. ABN

Lindsay Clancy holdout juror breaks silence: Why he voted GUILTY… and how the others tried to sway him

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The holdout juror who refused to acquit Lindsay Clancy has told of how he held firm as the other 11 tried to convince him to find her not guilty by reason of insanity for strangling her three children.

The man, whom NewsNation identified as Michael P Desronvil, told the outlet he ‘didn’t have any doubts’ – refuting the jury foreperson’s earlier remarks.Asked what convinced the holdout juror of Clancy’s guilt, Marcel told NewsNation that he was told that he felt ‘she was sane by the preparation she did’ before strangling her children. 

Marcel told NewsNation that the fact Clancy ‘took her time’ strangling each child, some in separate rooms, also helped sway Desronvil’s decision.

‘The preparation showed that she was sane and knew what she was doing, pretty much knew right from wrong, before she did what she did,’ Marcel said Desronvil told him.

Marcel explained he decided to share the juror’s perspective amid the huge response and vitriol directed at the holdout juror.

‘No matter if you agree with him or not, his name shouldn’t have been put out there like that,’ the Fugitive TV host said. 

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A major reason we punish crimes is to deter others from doing them. Societies are held together by lines that most people can see and understand. These lines often change and move, and they almost always can be reasonably argued against. But you still have to have them. When the light is red, we stop. ABN

Fourth wave cognitive behavior therapy

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The third wave of cognitive behavior therapy is a general term for a group of psychotherapies that arose in the 1980s, inspired by acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).

To me, third wave therapies seem more realistic than older therapies because they accept emotions as they are and pay close attention to how they function in the moment.

The link above is well-worth reading. The frames of these therapies are also well-worth considering.

FIML, which I am calling a “fourth wave cognitive behavior therapy,” differs from third wave therapies in that FIML does not use a professional therapist. Instead, partners become their own therapists.

Moreover, how FIML partners frame their psychologies or generalize their behaviors is entirely up to them. Similarly, their psychological goals and definitions are entirely in their own hands.

At its most basic, FIML “removes wrong interpretations of interpersonal signs and symbols from the brain’s semiotic networks.”

This process of removal, in turn, shows partners how their minds function in real-time real-world situations. And this in turn provides the tools and perspectives to reorganize their psychologies in whichever ways they like.

FIML is based on semiotics because semiotics are specific and with practice can be clearly identified and understood. They give partners “solid ground” to stand on. Words, tone of voice, gestures, and facial expressions are some of the major semiotics partners analyze.

Using real-world semiotics as an analytical basis frees FIML from predetermined frameworks about personality or what human psychology even is. With the FIML tool, partners are free to discover whatever they can about how their minds communicate interpersonally (and internally) and do whatever they like with that.

FLASHBACK 10/24: One mediocrity to follow another

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Interesting meme. Doubly interesting when we understand this is what has destroyed virtually all American and Western institutions. The process of one mediocrity choosing a worse one to follow them has destroyed academia, medical science, politics, news media and more. This decline has been aided by a clandestine army which has infiltrated those same institutions and which attacks talented young people to prevent them from reversing the trend. The results you see all around you are the proof. No policy is designed to strengthen USA, only to harm it more. ABN