  The connection from the structure and dynamics of atomic nuclei (finite
nuclear system) to the nuclear equation of state (thermodynamic limit) is
primarily made through nuclear energy-density functional (EDF) theory. Failure
to describe both entities simultaneously within existing EDF frameworks means
that we have either seriously misjudged the scope of EDF or not fully taken
advantage of it. Enter the versatile KIDS Ansatz, which is based on controlled,
order-by-order extensions of the nuclear EDF with respect to the Fermi momentum
and allows a direct mapping from a given, immutable equation of state to a
convenient Skyrme pseudopotential for applications in finite nuclei. A recent
proof-of-principle study of nuclear ground-states revealed the subversive role
of the effective mass. Here we summarize the formalism and previous results and
present further explorations related to giant resonances. As examples we
consider the electric dipole polarizability of 68Ni and the giant monopole
resonance (GMR) of heavy nuclei, particularly the "fluffiness" of 120Sn. We
find that the choice of the effective mass parameters and that of the
compression modulus affect the centroid energy of the GMR to comparable
degrees.
