tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post4531506740689822022..comments2024-03-29T00:39:31.629-07:00Comments on CONTRARY BRIN: The First Synthetic Organism: Our Victor Frankenstein Moment?David Brinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-59999872316142966172013-01-18T04:37:41.434-08:002013-01-18T04:37:41.434-08:00the dissidents held of the USMC for a long time, a...the dissidents held of the USMC for a long time, and they were armed largely with bolt-action rifles. A good shooter with a bolt-action rifle and a normal-capacity pistol in good repair is often more effective and dangerous than a dolt with a typewriter. <a href="http://glendoraplumber.com/" rel="nofollow"></a><br /><br />Sammyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13182526765240519199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-91513463935567650242012-07-26T21:08:15.112-07:002012-07-26T21:08:15.112-07:00We have another contender for what caused the Grea...We have another contender for what caused the Great Silence... and it's happening now!<br /><br />Imagine an entire sentient species gridlocked on <a href="http://t.co/yLX0Eds7" title="BEARCAM! Must... not... look...!" rel="nofollow">this spectacle!?</a>Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-82155724018892647602012-07-26T20:51:35.655-07:002012-07-26T20:51:35.655-07:00onward....onward....David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-18130756313319816802012-07-26T19:31:08.170-07:002012-07-26T19:31:08.170-07:00I've a small question. We have weather balloon...I've a small question. We have weather balloons that can reach the ozone layer, correct? We also are able to through a multitude of processes manufacture ozone. So why don't we take pressurized canisters with ozone and put them on weather balloons that are designed to reach the ozone layer and not go past it... and slowly release the pressurized ozone into the layer?<br /><br />If this is done over inhabited regions, it could repair damage that is apparently being done by these intense thunderstorms. We could even initially try this out in an uninhabited region to see what the effects are: Antarctica. <br /><br />Rob H.Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-49755267475072188722012-07-26T19:26:45.829-07:002012-07-26T19:26:45.829-07:00There is a simple solution to "you can remove...There is a simple solution to "you can remove the duct tape" bit. They have security tape that leaves bits of itself behind when you peel it off. At the end of the day, security checks the tape to ensure no one unpeeled their tablet to use the camera.<br /><br />You also put a piece of paper over the camera to preserve the lens. Why? Because that way you still have a functioning camera should management decide to make use of the camera function at a later time.<br /><br />Even using the security tape, I'm willing to bet it would take less time and money than a computer program that could be overridden. <br /><br />Rob H., who is waiting for Mitt Romney's #3 Gaffe at the Olympic Games... because these things always come in threes. So. How big do you think it'll be? =^-^=Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-79750332174794513942012-07-26T18:19:34.653-07:002012-07-26T18:19:34.653-07:00Once a remote and slowly fading quirk of the arcti...Once a remote and slowly fading quirk of the arctic regions, it would seem that <a href="http://t.co/AEnQuFyk" rel="nofollow">warmer temperatures mean stronger thunderstorms mean more damage to ozone layer</a>... over temperate areas.<br /><br />...and yes, CFCs are part of the problem as well.<br /><br />Oh...joy!Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-81949656197977061822012-07-26T15:55:01.503-07:002012-07-26T15:55:01.503-07:00Finally, from the transparency front, Beijing suff...Finally, from the transparency front, Beijing suffered amssive flooding about a week ago.<br /><br />Distrust of government reporting there is so intense that local residents are compiling their own death figures.<br /><br />(The flooding was caused by the heaviest rain in 70-odd years but there's a widespread suspicion that poor planning and shoddy construction also contributed.)<br /><br />http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/beijing-residents-compile-own-death-toll-in-flooding-reflecting-mistrust-of-city-government/2012/07/26/gJQAZctRAX_story.htmlIan Gouldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04352147295160200128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-36063619889444661642012-07-26T15:29:52.721-07:002012-07-26T15:29:52.721-07:00"The europeans use panels to weigh quality of..."The europeans use panels to weigh quality of life tradeoffs multiplies by years gained. Extremely heroic measures to extend a 90 year-old catatonic for another week are logically ruled out. Emotion-propelled americans despise that.<br /><br />Till obamacare, we had a different rationing system, apparently acceptable to americans... let the insurance companies dump whomever they like, especially those ill equipped to get good lawyers."<br /><br />While true, this is misleading.<br /><br />The Europeans, Australians et al spend MORE on end of life care than do Americans.<br /><br />We just spend it more rationally.<br /><br />Yes, some treatments that have been shown to ineffective or minimally effective aren't subsidized by th government (which doesn't stop people accessing them at the unsubsidised price or through private insurance) but the treatments shown to be cost-effective are applied far more widely because the number of uninsured people is vastly lower.<br /><br />My mother is almost 90 and had a moderately severe stroke about two years ago. Her treatment since then as a public patient in Australia's system of "socialized medicine" has been exemplary.Ian Gouldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04352147295160200128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-28586462330534833082012-07-26T15:24:12.180-07:002012-07-26T15:24:12.180-07:00"They were ordering a bunch of Tablets for th..."They were ordering a bunch of Tablets for the techs to use to carry around and interface with the machines. The problem? They can't find any devices anywhere for any price that come without cameras."<br /><br />Presumably they mean tablets from established western suppliers with whom they already have a business realtionship.<br /><br />There are numerous Chinese tablets that don't have cameras. <br /><br />Tell them to check out the Onda VI40.<br /><br />As to the proposed solution of duct tape: whiteout would work even better.Ian Gouldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04352147295160200128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-42283290076212904672012-07-26T15:20:39.464-07:002012-07-26T15:20:39.464-07:00"In fact, we do one thing vastly better than ..."In fact, we do one thing vastly better than the world... medical R&D. And it is possible that our market propelled system may be a factor there. Though in fact, the US federal government funding is far more important." - DB<br /><br />You spend more on R&D whether you do it better is another question.<br /><br />(It's also notewrothy that Euroepan pharamaceutical companies base a lot of teri R&D in the US, that's partially to access the world-leading academic base in the US but it's also partially to take advantage of more favorable taxation policies).<br /><br />Many of the most important advances in pharmaology and immunology of the last decade or two have come from otuside the US: the HPV vaccine; Gleevec; statins for hypertension etc.<br /><br />Much of the US research is focused on stuff like tweaking the formula (or delivery mechanism) of existing drugs to extend the effective patent period.<br /><br />In the rest of the developed world there's less of that because new drugs have to pass cost-benefit analysis befroe government programs will pay for them.<br /><br />The HPV vaccine passes with flying colors, a reformulated faster-acting Viagra designed to be applied as a cream rather than as a pill probably doesn't. <br /><br />(In most countries, the consumer is then free to buy the Viagra cream at the full unsubsidized market price.)Ian Gouldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04352147295160200128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-25570897777790863092012-07-26T15:08:51.944-07:002012-07-26T15:08:51.944-07:00"How about facts. The US has the most ineffic..."How about facts. The US has the most inefficient and wasteful and costly medical care system in the world... and not by a little, but by approaching an ORDER OF MAGNITUDE."<br /><br />It's more liek a factor of 2.<br /><br />Total US health spending (government and private combined) works out to around $7,000 per capita.<br /><br />Health spending in other countries works out to around US$3-4,000 per capita.<br /><br />The really stunning statistic is that the US government spends - via Medicare; Medicaid and Tri-Care - as much or more per capita as does the governments of other developed countries.<br /><br />But government health care in the US only covers around 1/3 of the population while in australia for example, government healthcare covers about 2/3 of the population. <br /><br />There are some confounding factors regarding the relative outcomes: Americans back in the 60's and 70's were a lot more affluent relative to peopel in other developed countries so they tended to drink more; smoke more and eat more. Those factors show up decades later in terms of lung cancer, heart disease and so on. while overall obesity rates in countries like the UK and Australia are similar ot those in the US, obesity in the elderly is much more common in the US. <br /><br />But even allowing for that, there's no evidence that the extra $900 billion or so the US spends on health care actually yields any benefits.<br /><br />US life expectancy is lower than for the other "Most Developed Countries"; infant mortality is higher; deats from preventable causes are higher; the number of hospital beds; of doctors and of nurses aren't signficantly higher in the US.<br /><br />That extra $900 bilion is why it seems obvious that signficant reform of the US ssytem should be possible, yielding both lower costs and improved coverage and outcomes.<br /><br />Of course, that extra $900 billion is also why entrenched business interests will fight reform every step of the way.<br /><br />Actually looking at the latest figures, the gap between US performance and best practise is more liek a factor of 3. The US spends almost $7500 per capitam Japan spends $2,750.<br /><br />The figures also show that health care spending accounts for a larger part of US government spending than in other developed countries;<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_system#International_comparisonsIan Gouldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04352147295160200128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-3932913325685829372012-07-26T14:00:42.521-07:002012-07-26T14:00:42.521-07:00Ah, Rob, you stole my answer! Duct tape!
On the ...Ah, Rob, you stole my answer! Duct tape!<br /><br />On the other hand, duct tape can be removed, and adhesive residue can be removed with a little more trouble. Same sort of defeat for black paint: paint remover.<br /><br />Different answer: A tiny bit of acid on a Q-tip to permanently blur the lens.ellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-11890605383478937582012-07-26T13:42:13.607-07:002012-07-26T13:42:13.607-07:00David
We don't really disagree on the health c...David<br />We don't really disagree on the health care issue. At least not on most points.<br /><br />Lemonade is not a specious analogy. Sure, health care is not a beverage but when you are talking about the way in which the business is run there are still many mom and pop operations not much more sophisticated than a lemonade stand. Good? Bad? But fact. <br /><br />As I recall things there was very little interest in negotiating Obamacare in the run up to passage. Hell, POTUS even ignored his own initial drafts. Remember the Bauchus plan? It had a lot of common sense in it. Even with the visible revolt that was the Scott Brown election Obama stuck to his guns.<br /><br />I can't endorse a Republican alternative until I see a plausible one. But Obamacare was and remains a gigantic sop to the very forces that are driving health care costs.<br /><br />But like all such tempests it will eventually sort itself out.<br /><br />TacitusTacitushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17007086196578740689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-81846164235342477162012-07-26T13:23:58.410-07:002012-07-26T13:23:58.410-07:00They didn't consider the Nook Tablet? Pity. Th...They didn't consider the Nook Tablet? Pity. That has better processing power than the Kindle Fire and I believe it's without a camera.<br /><br />There is a simpler solution. It also costs a lot less. Duct tape. Put a bit of duct tape over the camera lens, and it can't be used.<br /><br />Rob H.Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-9420037159115637462012-07-26T12:38:21.555-07:002012-07-26T12:38:21.555-07:00@David: re: Cameras
In the instance mentioned, th...@David: re: Cameras<br /><br />In the instance mentioned, the cameras were on tablet computers, which are decidedly NOT user-servicable. <br /><br />The Kindle Fire has no camera, but it is on the low-end as comes to processing power. Because of the Fire, I can't believe there aren't other low-end tablets without cameras, but then I haven't had a laptop without a camera in a while.Nyctotherionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02094904210772895432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-66243133527381010392012-07-26T11:56:22.122-07:002012-07-26T11:56:22.122-07:00Cameras are a problem? Go to the bible.
Doth the...Cameras are a problem? Go to the bible.<br /><br />Doth they eye offend thee... pluck it out!David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-59229297122040888632012-07-26T11:55:11.356-07:002012-07-26T11:55:11.356-07:00Look, there is one fundamental about health care. ...Look, there is one fundamental about health care. It is not a fungible product and people do not buy it in market-style ways. Period. When your beloved is dying, you do not weigh costs and pick a doctor who is 90th percentile but 70% percentile in price.<br /><br />COmparing it to lemonade is specious.<br /><br />Any form of health care must have some kind of rationing, or folks will pay all they own for a 1% chance of hope.<br /><br />The europeans use panels to weigh quality of life tradeoffs multiplies by years gained. Extremely heroic measures to extend a 90 year-old catatonic for another week are logically ruled out. Emotion-propelled americans despise that.<br /><br />Till obamacare, we had a different rationing system, apparently acceptable to americans... let the insurance companies dump whomever they like, especially those ill equipped to get good lawyers.<br /><br />Now? Obamacare is crazy because it has no rationing system at all! It cannot work!<br /><br />Surprised to hear me say that?<br /><br />Well, whose fault is it? The conservatives should be the ones pointing all this out at a negotiating table, dickering and negotiating and arguing and trading till we IMPROVE the law till it works.<br /><br />I blame the $$#! assholes who refuse to do their job as negotiating partners and tweakers and improvers... of their OWN DAMN PLAN.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-75754193863716772432012-07-26T11:50:43.971-07:002012-07-26T11:50:43.971-07:00I just got back from a meeting with a semiconducto...I just got back from a meeting with a semiconductor part factory. They had a problem I thought that Dr. Brin would find amusing.<br /><br />They were ordering a bunch of Tablets for the techs to use to carry around and interface with the machines. The problem? They can't find any devices anywhere for any price that come without cameras.<br /><br />They don't want cameras, because of the risk of leaking IP. They finally put in a software kludge that disables the camera when the tablet is on site.<br /><br />Their frustrations with the ubiquity of cameras just reminded me a little of Dr. Brin. Honestly, I think that they should have embraced the cameras, because those kludges won't hold well, and the cameras could be used to bring even better augmented reality stuff to the factory. Ah well, what do I know.sociotardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11697154298087412934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-43246591943156406602012-07-26T11:48:09.217-07:002012-07-26T11:48:09.217-07:00Now to do a patented Brin-Contrary-Swerve!
In fac...Now to do a patented Brin-Contrary-Swerve!<br /><br />In fact, we do one thing vastly better than the world... medical R&D. And it is possible that our market propelled system may be a factor there. Though in fact, the US federal government funding is far more important.<br /><br />The point is, I am not raving for us to adopt Euro style socialized medicine! What I ask is an end of culture war, so that we can discuss things like sane adults.<br /><br />When Obama and the democrats came to the table with an exact clone of the REPUBLICAN PLATFORM PROPOSAL FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM... one that their current nominee had passed when he was governor... how should the GOP have responded?<br /><br />1. Opps, well, we've changed our minds and don't like that plan anymore... partly because you dems like it now... but still, that's a worthy gesture meeting us halfway, so let's negotiate.<br /><br />2. Socialism! Commies! Eeeeeeeeeevil!<br /><br />Which is the response Barry Goldwater would have given?<br /><br />Which is the response of a "side" that has gone completely stark, jibbering insane?David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-23716284885153621222012-07-26T11:43:10.547-07:002012-07-26T11:43:10.547-07:00Tacitus, those are lovely allegories. And have yo...Tacitus, those are lovely allegories. And have you noticed that it is all allegories, aphorisms, assertions and anecdotes. That's it, anymore. That is what conservatism has become.<br /><br />How about facts. The US has the most inefficient and wasteful and costly medical care system in the world... and not by a little, but by approaching an ORDER OF MAGNITUDE.<br /><br />It is also, by far, the least socialistic, and most dependent on open market forces, of all major industrial nations, with the very least government intervention.<br /><br />It is also the least effective at delivering quality health care to its people, of all advance industrial nations.<br /><br />Sure, I leave out a lot of factors. But which three facts... and those are facts, not assertions, allegories or anecdotes... which three could possibly matter as much as those three.<br /><br />EVERY other major, advanced industrial nation does a better job than us, by ALL metrics of success. So why does the right take it as an article of utter faith that we can have NOTHING, whatsoever, to learn from those who are doing EVERYTHING better than we do?<br /><br />No... we do one thing better... we create fancier assertions, allegories, anecdotes...David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-41346261961050758292012-07-26T11:41:03.092-07:002012-07-26T11:41:03.092-07:00If the Republicans campaign on repeal of Obamacare...If the Republicans campaign on repeal of Obamacare and offer nothing in its place I can't support them.<br /><br />I think some of the useful proposals that are anathema to the Dems, such as malpractice reform, would have a chance at passage under R control. <br /><br />But recall, I am not a real conservative on this issue. I want a single payer plan where it is possible to say no, and where saying yes is actually done on the basis of evidence based studies, not political fads and newly minted rights.<br /><br />TacitusTacitushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17007086196578740689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-79609268702580905862012-07-26T11:32:00.130-07:002012-07-26T11:32:00.130-07:00Here's a question, Tacitus. What do you envisi...Here's a question, Tacitus. What do you envision would have happened to the health care industry if Obamacare had been defeated and none of the suggestions had ever been enacted? Consider for a moment: this was the Republican plan, which they abandoned because Obama embraced it. Republicans are now stating their intent on scrapping the whole thing and not putting <i>anything</i> in its place, because they have nothing better to replace it with.<br /><br />So then. What would have happened to medical care and the insurance industry in the United States if it had continued down the path it was on?<br /><br />Rob H.Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-74258026653731638852012-07-26T08:40:39.100-07:002012-07-26T08:40:39.100-07:00Tacitus, I suppose you already know that Pournelle...Tacitus, I suppose you already know that Pournelle's iron law applies equally well to non-governmental entities, so I need say no more. On repairability, it 's more often because it's more economical to build it so special tools are required. There's no other good reason changing a timing belt should be an all day job, on a pinto, maybe an hour or two, tops. Helps a lot that the ECM is such a perfect little 'droid, mostly, optimizing fuel and spark in a way that isn't possible with the old tech. But I don't see any reason why serviceability should compromise the new tech.Tim H.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-72406190652929458662012-07-26T08:12:37.575-07:002012-07-26T08:12:37.575-07:00Let me do a better job on that CBO health care rep...Let me do a better job on that CBO health care report.<br /><br />"It is hot right now and everyone needs lemonade. We project that in ten years it will be even hotter and people will be even thirstier."<br /><br />"People with no money will get their lemonade for free at the municipal stand. People with a little money will also qualify for this, but we have some variables as to how much money. And some cities will have different rules than others in this regard."<br /><br />"People with lots of money will of course buy their lemonade at a non muncipal stand."<br /><br />"The glass of lemonade has to be the same at all stands."<br /><br />"There is a problematic group who have a medium amount of money. Some do not want municipal lemonade. If they have to pay anything for it they will just wait until they are really thirsty, pay their Lemonade Tax (sorry, Lemonade Mandate) then drink a whole bunch all at once."<br /><br />"We have absolutely no idea how much lemons will cost in ten years, and you demonstrate your ignorance by even asking such questions."<br /><br />"If the municipal lemonade stands start losing money on the order of the Post Office something will have to be done about that. If you ask what, you must be a Republican or a racist, if that is not a redundant statement."<br /><br />TacitusTacitushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17007086196578740689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-20994854935070373392012-07-26T01:18:30.061-07:002012-07-26T01:18:30.061-07:00Robert Poole,
"I've reported the problem ...Robert Poole,<br /><i>"I've reported the problem on the Blogger forums. If it's a bug, they'll catch it soon (I hope)."</i><br /><br />[Laughs and laughs and laughs]<br /><br />TheMadLibrarian,<br />Re: Johnny can't craft.<br /><i>"[Engines in lucite.] It's often cheaper and easier to buy new than repair old; just look at printers and iPods."</i><br /><br />Coincidentally, I was recently told exactly that. Valley gasket had blown, mechanic said it would be cheaper for me to buy a second hand motor than have him take it apart. (Family friend did it for me. Much cheaper... so far.)<br /><br />There are brands known for luxury, and brands known for... well, being known. Perhaps there's room for a company that makes electrical appliances and electronic gadgets that are designed to be tinkered with. "American Craft - Because It's Yours".Paul451https://www.blogger.com/profile/12119086761190994938noreply@blogger.com