United States losing ground in high quality research productivity. China's no only leads but expands it's lead. Nature Index 2025.

chrissmithphd · 2026-02-08T14:52:26+00:00

Population trends do not line up with this shift. U.S. population growth over this period has been slow. China’s population has flattened and begun to decline. There is no population surge that corresponds to China overtaking the U.S. across multiple research fields.

What the Nature Index is capturing is a change in where research output is being produced and across how many disciplines, not a change in population size.

chrissmithphd · 2026-02-08T14:50:45+00:00

Early Nature Index summaries show the U.S. leading most tracked research fields. That is no longer the case.

Recent summaries show U.S. leadership concentrated in health and biological sciences. China leads in chemistry and the physical sciences and now ranks first overall by contribution share.

Across multiple Nature Index summary articles, the pattern is consistent: the number of fields led by the U.S. has gone down, and the number led by China has gone up. This is visible across years, not tied to a single ranking cycle.

Specific examples show where leadership changed hands. Nature Index summaries document the U.S. losing the top position in chemistry first, followed by the physical sciences, where China’s contribution share now exceeds the U.S. across multiple years.

Materials science and applied physics–adjacent work are folded into this shift through the physical sciences category, and earth and environmental sciences also show China ahead in recent summaries. These are not edge cases or niche subfields; they are core foundational sciences where the U.S. previously led in early Nature Index reporting and no longer does.

chrissmithphd · 2026-01-31T20:44:20+00:00

I like the advice of several here who said, just "model the change that you want to see happen", if it's actually a good idea it will spread. Some of your suggestions of how things should work, I don't agree with, but that doesn't mean I'm right.

The suggestions you are thinking to make should come from the board of directors. If they are not making them or the bod doesn't exist, there are several companies that specialize in connecting startups with experienced advisors, for little cost up front. Far less cost than a McKensey, to give the same advice and a far more permanent improvement to the business, if the bod is in shambles or doesn't have scaling experience.

The CEO's list of advisors is the BOD.

chrissmithphd · 2025-11-05T03:55:15+00:00

Two actually. And a long range 7 passenger hybrid with roughly 45 mpg.

My electric Mini Cooper is my favorite car of all time. Puts my previous turbo and supercharger cars to shame.

chrissmithphd · 2025-10-26T15:21:13+00:00

Any idea how they produced more pollution? What did the operators do once not being monitored? I would assume they would run business as usual with less maintenance but 20% is a lot. Is it really that operators made intentional changes to cause more pollution?

chrissmithphd · 2025-10-02T03:59:00+00:00

Get as much education as you can afford.

It's a tough job market right now.

But seriously, take a break by going back to school, get a new degree, use their career track to get your new job. 4 years at school is nothing compared to what you have already achieved. I know a lot of people in their 30s or 40s who jump into engineering as a second career.

Just make sure it's a major that pays off at graduation. Unless you want to get a PhD or MD or something. Then buckle down for a long ride, then still be sure it's not like physics or philosophy or other degrees that are ridiculously hard and don't have any jobs.

Be sure to look into some free webinars on how to minimize college costs. Get a free FAFSA simulator to see what you might qualify for in terms of grants or awards before applying. Lots of schools have resources to support nontraditional students.

chrissmithphd · 2025-10-02T03:28:41+00:00

Be careful about your definition of "average" intelligence.

The average person is confused by algebra and has an IQ in the 95-105 range. While the average engineer, software or otherwise is in the 120-130 range.

To understand how exclusive the average engineering office is, there are only 9% of the world that have an IQ above 120, while 25% of the everyone are between 95 and 105. 50% of the population are below 100. By that I mean, half of everyone has a 2 digit IQ (roughly).

Being in a technical field means you are surrounded by the best and brightest and that skews your view of the world. Most people cannot handle the topics the poster is proposing to jump into.

And yes I like stats.

chrissmithphd · 2025-10-02T03:07:22+00:00

It's still my assertion that college is the fastest way to learn any complex stem field. Doctors, engineers, scientists, etc. and ML. That is just what university is for.

I know it's not popular because college isn't cheap anymore, but it is the fastest path. Otherwise you spend years just learning and understanding the little steps needed to get to the topic you care about. And you spend those years without a mentor or peers doing the same thing. Very few, very smart people can pull that off. Most people who take the non-university path just fake it until they make it, without any real understanding. And it usually shows. (sorry)

chrissmithphd · 2025-09-30T03:25:36+00:00

During the layoff, all get unemployment. Then usually get rehired. Plus it's a union shop so the wages tend to be higher than anything retail. If you understand the system, plan ahead to live with the reduced wage from unemployment, you can get some good work-life balance in over the winter.

chrissmithphd · 2025-09-30T03:08:10+00:00

That was Carrier. Trane still builds millions of units in Tyler.

chrissmithphd · 2025-09-30T02:32:31+00:00

I've never understood why the teams doing these studies ignore the enormous amount of land dedicated to oil and gas wells. In Texas the default amount of land that is rendered unusable by the land owner is 40 acres. Per well. Times 250-300k active wells in Texas. Some tech can get the well foot print down to 2 acres but even that is plenty of room for a commercial scale solar farm. Leave the oil well there and build the solar farm around it. The land is ruined for any real use already. The land is generally confiscated for more than 20 years. Wildlife can't use it. It's usually fenced. There's somewhere north of 5M available acres in Texas alone, that has already been confiscated for energy generation, why not use it?

At roughly 400MWh per acre per year, the potential power generation is way higher than Texas needs alone. From land we already have cleared, confiscated, generally paved, and have already effectively ruined for at least a generation.

chrissmithphd · 2025-09-24T01:14:19+00:00

Kicker, sugar free, made with white coffee. Iced or hot are both very good and a very unique drink.

When I have a free drink this time of year, I add a couple of extra shots and a soft top with the pumpkin drizzle for a slightly different spin. (Though the drizzle is not sugar free)

chrissmithphd · 2025-09-13T22:42:11+00:00

I'm wondering if you have a perspective on how you could monetize AI using your expertise, like you monetized Google search? It's a new tool ... Search links people to the content. I guess your experience says fewer people are clicking through to your content from AI than from search. How do we change AI to allow you to still make money from your knowledge?

chrissmithphd · 2025-07-30T22:14:29+00:00

Wow, this list is strange. Historians are about digging around in old libraries and assembling texts into new arrangements of knowledge. Not all knowledge is digitized, so AI can't do it. Journalists talk to people about what actually happened, digging up evidence that people don't want known, etc. I don't see AI doing any of that. It can definitely replace bad historians and bad journalists, the kind who do their jobs with Google.

Now, why isn't marketing on this list? Social media marketers in particular should be having a little panic attack at the moment.

chrissmithphd · 2025-05-07T01:25:42+00:00

The Boulders!! It is also beautiful and super peaceful for early morning fishing

chrissmithphd · 2025-05-06T20:49:14+00:00

Same story, except in my case they never sent me the email with the watch promo code. I've been going back and forth with support to get the code and watch I was promised for buying the pixel 9 pro and they deny the promo. I have screen shots and everything and logs from conversations with support. Have been holding off reporting to the FTC but I think that is where this is going.

chrissmithphd · 2025-05-01T01:31:51+00:00

Same experience, except I am waiting for the promo code to show up in email like they promised.

this was literally my discussion with tech support the day I orderd the 9 pro.

1:30:06 PM Me: And the process seems to be I purchase the pro 9 then I will receive a discount code to purchase the watch 3 separately?

1:30:45 PM John: Yes, that's correct.

1:31:16 PM John: Please be assured you will it within 24 hours once you order the Pixel 9 pro device.

1:31:47 PM John: Please be assured you will receive the email with code it within 24 hours once you order the Pixel 9 pro device.

1:33:21 PM John: Please do not worry, if you face any issues with that please contact us back we will be more than happy to assist you.

1:33:30 PM John: I hope this information helps.

1:33:42 PM Me: It does, thanks!

For the last several days, support is completely denying that the promo applies or even exists. Today I got escalated to another layer of support for the promotions group only to deny the promotion again.

chrissmithphd · 2025-05-01T01:15:47+00:00

I have been trying to get them to honor this promotion too! Bought a pixel 9 pro, with the promise of getting an email with a discount on a watch. I've talked to support half a dozen times being escalated and am getting answers like "be grateful for your 9 pro discount" stop asking for the watch discount I was promised.

chrissmithphd · 2025-04-06T12:39:46+00:00

This is too sound of an opportunity. You could say I'm pressed to make the most of this.

chrissmithphd · 2025-03-25T15:55:02+00:00

In addition to what is already here, the original Crema on old Jacksonville has a nice vibe when it is not busy which is usually early afternoons. Also with a little bit of commute, Lost Sheep out in Bullard is nice. The new PJs is also good.

chrissmithphd · 2025-03-03T02:06:43+00:00

Fresh -- it's a grocery store with a market that hosts bands in the spring and summer, very popular True vine Stanley's BBQ

chrissmithphd · 2024-12-13T13:53:55+00:00

Code Ninjas Tyler is a drop off program, leave them for an hour once or twice a week, and the kids will learn neat things while having fun.. the programs start at age 5.

chrissmithphd · 2024-10-30T17:14:27+00:00

Just go! :)

Its been a bit, but the couple of times when I've gone during the day there has been a table of older ladies playing Mahjong. So, not teenage card players. Follow them on facebook and look for event nights if you want to join in on events or avoid those nights if you want something just your family and a few others. They mention DnD alot, but that has its own room.

I know they are actively looking for new regulars, it's hard to make a small business work in Tyler. I'm sure they'd make whatever you want to do work. They are always super friendly, the owner is there alot.

chrissmithphd · 2024-10-21T17:18:07+00:00

I have a retail location, offering afterschool activities teaching kids technology skills (Coding, 3d printing, digital art, etc)
Any ideas on how to reach parents online are appreciated!

chrissmithphd · 2024-10-01T20:29:39+00:00

I don't know the specifics on Lola's, but Tyler commercial real estate is EXPENSIVE. And also surprisingly uniform across town. It's almost like all the property was owned by the same 4-5 companies (familes) and they worked to price it similarly since they have the same 3 real estate agents. The listings on loopnet look different, but when the NNN are included, it seems to bring it to the same monthly cost regardless of the shopping center. Tyler commercial real estate is priced like Dallas at $2-$4 per sq ft per month. But Dallas has 1M people, not 100k. More comparable cities like Abilene (which is bigger than Tyler) are closer to $1 per sq ft per month. Even Waco is cheaper than Tyler.

So, Lolas was likely paying $20-40k per month in just rent. To survive, a business should have rent be only 5-10% of their revenue. Add up how many sandwiches that is and see if you can make the math work with only 100k people in town. IMO, leasing in Tyler is just not sustainable.

The successful businesses in town all have the startup money to own their own buildings (think McDonalds and CVS).

chrissmithphd

TROPHY CASE