tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post5007490268326569496..comments2024-03-18T21:52:45.757-07:00Comments on CONTRARY BRIN: A historic victory for the manic side.David Brinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-32710559235858040682010-04-05T20:10:21.720-07:002010-04-05T20:10:21.720-07:00You wrote: "Liberals are fine -- so long as t...You wrote: "Liberals are fine -- so long as they continue to smile and marginalize their lefty allies, proving that their side is dominated by the pragmatists."<br /><br />The DLC-style Democrats which you lionize may be neo-liberal but they're not liberal in the traditional sense at all. They are corporatists and 'practical' only from the most narrow, empire-centric world view which they share with their partners in crime, the neo-cons. They are in fact the sociopaths of the political world.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11209645142396947505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-23608357050034821682010-04-04T13:06:13.704-07:002010-04-04T13:06:13.704-07:00David Brin says:
I'll be semi offline for a ...David Brin says:<br /><i><br /><br />I'll be semi offline for a while...<br /></i><br /><br />Hmmmm...isn't that one more thing that the Saudis want?<br /><br />:)LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-74168556547582970282010-04-04T13:04:34.690-07:002010-04-04T13:04:34.690-07:00Davud Brin said:
There will be a same conservatis...Davud Brin said:<br /><i><br />There will be a same conservatism again, someday. <br /></i><br /><br />When there is, I'll probably be one of them. I was too much the conservative for most of my friends in college.<br /><br /><i><br />And libertarianism may grow up to take its rightful place at the negotiating table. Hence, the issue is not left-right or even liberalism. I have called it future vs past and Know-Nothing vs Smartypants and even a resumption (with almost exactly the same players) of the American Civil War.<br /></i><br /><br />It also seems to be a divide between the "authoritarin personalities" vs...whatever you'd call the opposite of that. There's a noticeable subset of today's conservatives who seem to genuinely believe that the purpose of free will is to CHOOSE FOR YOURSELF which leader deserves to be king, and then to submit to that leader. As opposed to Stalinism, etc, whose sin seems to be that a leader is forced upon a population who DIDN'T choose to submit to him.<br /><br />But the seminal American notion that no one is king? That seems to be so outrageous to the modern GOP types as to be completely beneath notice.<br /><br />I wonder if this tendency of the authoritarian personality to submit to a king is similar to the hypergamous surrender reflex you spoke of previously.LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-25630408477832625312010-04-04T12:52:34.907-07:002010-04-04T12:52:34.907-07:00Um... the Saudis who own up to 20% of Fox? And wh...Um... the Saudis who own up to 20% of Fox? And who Bush protected against questioning by the FBI, sent home in luxury during a week that Americans were forbidden to fly? And who are the only group who got everything they wanted during his term?<br /><br />I'll be semi offline for a while...David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-34382187132045362112010-04-04T12:03:35.765-07:002010-04-04T12:03:35.765-07:00"At this rate, how long is it going to be bef..."At this rate, how long is it going to be before they start decrying the treasonable links known to exist between the Democrats and the Saudi Socialists?"<br /><br />Haven't you heard?<br /><br />Obama's socialism is just a tactic to destroy America at the command of his Saudi masters.Ianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01739671401151990700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-45676744503589645802010-04-04T11:06:04.187-07:002010-04-04T11:06:04.187-07:00Sure... except that I reject the necessity of acce...Sure... except that I reject the necessity of accepting even the "liberal" label.<br /><br />Liberals are fine -- so long as they continue to smile and marginalize their lefty allies, proving that their side is dominated by the pragmatists. But still, even though one wing of our political process is sane, that does not mean we should officially call it the ONLY possible wing.<br /><br />There will be a same conservatism again, someday. And libertarianism may grow up to take its rightful place at the negotiating table. Hence, the issue is not left-right or even liberalism. I have called it future vs past and Know-Nothing vs Smartypants and even a resumption (with almost exactly the same players) of the American Civil War.<br /><br />Given that the "socialist" Obamacare bill was first written at the Heritage Foundation as the GOP alternative to Hillarycare, in 1993, it's now clear that the neocon screeching hate-fest is entirely fact-free.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-58337416352536893402010-04-04T08:25:57.556-07:002010-04-04T08:25:57.556-07:00It's hardly surprising that Roosevelt is being...<i><br />It's hardly surprising that Roosevelt is being labelled as the causer of the Great Depression... that little meme can then be applied to the present day much more readily!<br /><br />Have you noticed how these guys have a gift for twisting any criticism of their stance so that they can point it right back at you?<br /><br />At this rate, how long is it going to be before they start decrying the treasonable links known to exist between the Democrats and the Saudi Socialists?<br /></i><br /><br />I've been noticing that ever since the party of "law and order" in the 1960s started branding themselves as the party of freedom of choice--as opposed to liberals who want to control everyone. When they get away with calling the party of "Do your own thing (,man)" totalitarian, time is truly out of joint.<br /><br />It came to a head with my conservative buddy (who might not consider me a buddy any more) during the recent health-care debates, when HE accused ME of never considering th possibility that I might be wrong. This is funny (in a tragic way) on too many levels. First of all, all I ever DO is waffle because I'm always afraid I might be wrong. Second, he usually calls me on that very trait. Finally, the conservatives are the ones who treat unwavering self-assuredness as a virtue. For him to hurl that particular character-assassination at me proves (to me) that he's either insane or he's drinking the Kool-Aid of the insane.<br /><br />The phrase "I know you are, but what am I" has become the best and only response to right-wing criticisms levelled at liberals.LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-57614141069934612772010-04-04T07:12:40.097-07:002010-04-04T07:12:40.097-07:00Blecch!
I thought it was bad enough that we had tw...Blecch!<br />I thought it was bad enough that we had twerps who want to filter the internet so that Aussie kids don't get exposed to soul-stealing websites devoted to cath.. I mean pedophilia, and *.nz ... er, bestiality. <br /><br />Just a taste of <a href="http://readersupportednews.com/off-site-opinion-section/72-politics/1406-not-satisfied-with-us-history-some-conservatives-rewrite-it" rel="nofollow">the above</a>:<br /><i>"Oh? Well, thank you," Beck said with scorn during his keynote speech to the recent Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington. The presidential suggestion that the wealthy of the Gilded Age should contribute to the good of society was a clear danger that must be condemned, Beck said.<br /><br />"Is this what the Republican Party stands for? Well, you should ask members of the Republican Party, because this is not our founders' idea of America. And this is the cancer that's eating at America. It is big government; it's a socialist utopia," Beck said.<br /><br />"And we need to address it as if it is a cancer. It must be cut out of the system because they cannot coexist. ... You must eradicate it. It cannot coexist."<br /></i><br /><br />Must be cut out? Hmmm!<br /><br />It's hardly surprising that Roosevelt is being labelled as the causer of the Great Depression... that little meme can then be applied to the present day much more readily!<br /><br />Have you noticed how these guys have a gift for twisting any criticism of their stance so that they can point it right back at you?<br /><br />At this rate, how long is it going to be before they start decrying the treasonable links known to exist between the Democrats and the Saudi Socialists?<br /><br />One can only hope that this is merely symptomatic of a rabid fringe running a shell of an organisation after sane elements have departed and before it falls in on itself.<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_and_Prejudice_and_Zombies" title="what do we want? Brainzz! When do we want it? Brainzzz!" rel="nofollow">Pride and Prejudice and Selfservatives?</a>Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-12457993503373935022010-04-03T22:36:52.288-07:002010-04-03T22:36:52.288-07:00The current version of WordPress is much more secu...The current version of WordPress is much more secure than earlier versions. It might be worth a try. There is also a new book, <i>Professional WordPress</i>, that discusses how to secure it. If you do change, you might want to get a pro to help you get it up and running until you get the hang of it.sjmalarkeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06502108938156452917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-27073140106612007622010-04-03T17:56:32.883-07:002010-04-03T17:56:32.883-07:00http://readersupportednews.com/off-site-opinion-se...http://readersupportednews.com/off-site-opinion-section/72-politics/1406-not-satisfied-with-us-history-some-conservatives-rewrite-it<br /><br />http://readersupportednews.com/<br />then<br />off-site-opinion-section/72-politics/<br />then<br />1406-not-satisfied-with-us-history-<br />then<br />some-conservatives-rewrite-itDavid Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-361569543577268032010-04-03T17:10:31.995-07:002010-04-03T17:10:31.995-07:00Here's a late, half-baked, unoriginal idea. Th...Here's a late, half-baked, unoriginal idea. The last space shuttle launch is coming up soon. How come there's no lottery for a seat on it? Ten bucks, open to everyone in the world.John Kurmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04607323621206823686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-63727601657127321042010-04-03T11:42:41.198-07:002010-04-03T11:42:41.198-07:00re: free speech
I'm usually in favor of givin...re: free speech<br /><br />I'm usually in favor of giving people enough rope to hang themselves.<br /><br />How else can we get the loonies to reveal themselves in all their glory?<br /><br />Occasionally -- I'm thinking of protestors at servicemen's funerals -- we just need to unpack our earplugs from their carrying case and insert them in our own ears.lcnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-59242032012651271492010-04-03T06:27:11.263-07:002010-04-03T06:27:11.263-07:00Garrison Keillor on Health care & other things...Garrison Keillor on Health care & other things:<br />http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/garrison_keillor/2010/03/30/spring/index.html<br />The similarities between Obama-care & the GOP alternative to Hillary-care make the current criticisms seem a bit insincere. Anyway, expectations are low for the "first pancake", let's hope it's not the only one.Tim H.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-7997762401393969962010-04-03T05:40:50.287-07:002010-04-03T05:40:50.287-07:00Ah! Wonderful spam! Wonderful spam, spam spam spam...Ah! Wonderful spam! Wonderful spam, spam spam spam...<br /><br />And, as the caroling vikings fade into the sunset, I will follow up on Stefan's announcement a few days ago: Patrick Farley is looking to restart Electric Sheep comics on a full-time basis, *if* enough people pledge to toss him a peppercorn periodically. With a month to go, he's about a third of the way to his target of 3000 people @ $2 ea. (he'd prefer a lot of fans offering peanuts to a few well-heeled patrons)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2052006434/electric-sheep-reloaded-0" rel="nofollow">Pledge link here.</a>Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-32932622443021539462010-04-02T22:49:07.713-07:002010-04-02T22:49:07.713-07:00Because the dems are led by their pragmatist probl...Because the dems are led by their pragmatist problem solvers and have marginalized their crazed dogmatists. Exactly the opoposite od what has happened on the right.<br /><br />Sure, I pooh-pooh "left-right" differences as less important, but I'll admit there are some important left-right distinctions between dems and gops.But I consider them far less important than that other matter, <i>of which party is run by delusional, dogmatic loonies and which is run by practical men and women who want to move ahead, even if the steps have to be partial ones.</i><br /><br />THAT is the true psychological and moral divide, right now, between blue and gray... re, I mean blue and red.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-83768755252332330512010-04-02T20:42:46.193-07:002010-04-02T20:42:46.193-07:00OK- you demonstrate how Obama's health care &q...OK- you demonstrate how Obama's health care "reform" is really a thinly disguised GOP/corporate plan. Why didn't you take that one step further and ask WHY the Democrats (and the people) are being asked to applaud such a travesty?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11209645142396947505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-42080764273771070072010-04-02T11:21:27.710-07:002010-04-02T11:21:27.710-07:00Just please keep us informed (on the main site?) w...Just please keep us informed (on the main site?) where to look for you if this blog disappears. And I hope to gosh that it's not a site I'm blocked from at work.LarryHartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-88939557403084530192010-04-02T05:43:03.940-07:002010-04-02T05:43:03.940-07:00I don't worry so much about the fashion spam a...I don't worry so much about the fashion spam as about where some of those links might actually go. Do what you need to, I'll keep reading.<br />"sishe", the sound spammers make in the afterlife.Tim H.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-38371861777016524572010-04-02T05:28:51.820-07:002010-04-02T05:28:51.820-07:00What are the advantages of a blog over a VBulletin...What are the advantages of a blog over a VBulletin or Beehive forum.<br /><br />You can set member privileges so only you can start threads.Ian Gouldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04352147295160200128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-45136209329848178332010-04-01T21:59:45.329-07:002010-04-01T21:59:45.329-07:00The one downside to WordPress is that they have a ...The one downside to WordPress is that they have a poor record on security. You're accepting a somewhat higher than average chance of having your blog defaced if you use it. This is mitigated, though, if you're using a professional hosting service that keeps your site updated and backed up.David McCabehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16603857353437134459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-1170193360230515012010-04-01T20:30:57.474-07:002010-04-01T20:30:57.474-07:00I'm all for WordPress. But I've been sugge...I'm all for WordPress. But I've been suggesting it for a while now. ^^;;<br /><br />Rob H.Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-91615666230054913142010-04-01T20:19:17.590-07:002010-04-01T20:19:17.590-07:00A bot has found us. and blogger isn't protect...A bot has found us. and blogger isn't protecting us. Thinking of moving our community to Wordpress. Do you guys like it?David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-62085837782384196552010-04-01T20:04:10.161-07:002010-04-01T20:04:10.161-07:00I understand the random non-spammy words, but what...I understand the random non-spammy words, but what's the point of the markov chain?David McCabehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16603857353437134459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-17854803853406651092010-04-01T16:18:38.022-07:002010-04-01T16:18:38.022-07:00Oh, and sad news from Charles Stross.Oh, and <a href="http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2010/04/psa-new-book-deal.html" rel="nofollow">sad news from Charles Stross</a>.David McCabehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16603857353437134459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-10759772567233217662010-04-01T16:09:48.879-07:002010-04-01T16:09:48.879-07:00Now see this!
http://www.locusmag.com/2010/April1...Now see this!<br /><br />http://www.locusmag.com/2010/April1st_AtlasSequel.html<br /><br />http://www.locusmag.com/2010<br />then<br />/April1st_AtlasSequel.htmlDavid Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.com