tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post6513071302420520339..comments2024-03-29T06:22:47.638-07:00Comments on CONTRARY BRIN: You... yes, you... can help save the world exactly by YOUR priorities! Oh, and those killing us with their passion.David Brinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-81387399978812846752021-12-04T15:49:37.209-08:002021-12-04T15:49:37.209-08:00Hoping you folks can still get in with Google sign...Hoping you folks can still get in with Google sign-in.<br /><br />onward<br /><br />onwardDavid Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-41785673252905133542021-12-04T14:03:09.038-08:002021-12-04T14:03:09.038-08:00TCB:
I for one, pledge allegiance, at heart, not ...TCB:<br /><i><br />I for one, pledge allegiance, at heart, not to the flag, nor to the Dear Leader, nor even to the nation... but to the principles the nation is supposed to stand for. The United States is not an ethnic or linguistic nation, nor based on a single religion, nor the inherited fiefdoms of some hereditary king.<br /><br />The United States, in theory at least, is a nation founded on principles: ideas of a just society, the rights of all men, women and children, all created equal, to life, liberty , and the pursuit of happiness; ultimately, the right to hope. These were radical ideas 250 years ago, and yet so powerful that even the ugliest modern tyrants are forced to pay lip service to them. Our nation is supposed to be a vehicle that bears us toward the earthly fulfillment of these sorts of principles. If we found that this vehicle was bearing us away from where it was supposed to be taking us, better that it were abandoned and replaced with a better one.<br /></i><br /><br />You've enunciated my own feelings exactly. When I've said here that I love my country, I mean that I am proud to be part of a civilization which stands for exactly those things. Even when it doesn't live up to its ideals in practice. Which is why I can criticize (constructively) the failings of the reality of the country while not being a traitor to the ideal--whereas the flag-waving jingoists can be traitors despite their protestations of patriotism.<br />Larry Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01058877428309776731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-23748606814905188252021-12-04T13:55:34.204-08:002021-12-04T13:55:34.204-08:00Dr Brin:
Hope you'll all still have access.
...Dr Brin:<br /><i><br />Hope you'll all still have access.<br /></i><br /><br />Well, I won't know for sure until you moderate this comment. But I assume so.<br /><br />Alfred Differ:<br /><i><br />See the capitalization there? "The People" are sovereign as far as I'm concerned. We owe no fealty to anything or anyone. Period. End of Story.<br /></i><br /><br />Then what's the difference between someone who (legitimately) is allowed to vote in US elections and those who aren't? Serious question. What does "citizenship" entail?Larry Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01058877428309776731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-35700687904980449472021-12-04T13:04:51.746-08:002021-12-04T13:04:51.746-08:00SOrry folks. I hadn't made the change yet. I&#...SOrry folks. I hadn't made the change yet. I'll do it right after finishing this reply, cause I'll be posting again, today.<br /><br />No, I was not afraid my agency freinds would do anything to the pathetic pooper. They have much more on their plates and professional responsibilities. No, what I fear is they might pass the name/address on to authorities in the pooper's homeland. I doubt the current administration there would do anything, either. But downstream, once he is on those lists.... well, I'd rather try other things first.<br /><br />I'm gonna push that button, now. Hope you'll all still have access.<br />David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-23460506390954395912021-12-03T20:18:36.674-08:002021-12-03T20:18:36.674-08:00I've been here under Google account the whole ...I've been here under Google account the whole time, I think. This changes nothing for me.<br /><br />.......<br /><br />I for one, pledge allegiance, at heart, not to the flag, nor to the Dear Leader, nor even to the nation... but to the principles the nation is supposed to stand for. The United States is not an ethnic or linguistic nation, nor based on a single religion, nor the inherited fiefdoms of some hereditary king.<br /><br />The United States, in theory at least, is a nation founded on principles: ideas of a just society, the rights of all men, women and children, all created equal, to life, liberty , and the pursuit of happiness; ultimately, the right to hope. These were radical ideas 250 years ago, and yet so powerful that even the ugliest modern tyrants are forced to pay lip service to them. Our nation is supposed to be a vehicle that bears us toward the earthly fulfillment of these sorts of principles. If we found that this vehicle was bearing us away from where it was supposed to be taking us, better that it were abandoned and replaced with a better one.<br /><br />And that is where the consent of the governed comes in. A government like ours derives its strength from the willing cooperation of citizens who believe it is responsive to their will and to their needs, that it is essentially fair and effective. That it is legitimate. And we can see that such a government by consenting citizens can become very powerful indeed.<br /><br />The far right, in their folly, think they can take that vast power, use it without justice or legitimacy, and not have it fall apart in their hands.TCBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08153506222271955110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-23948313897109253072021-12-03T19:24:28.734-08:002021-12-03T19:24:28.734-08:00Dr Brin:
Maher is criticizing TACTICS and not STR...Dr Brin:<br /><i><br />Maher is criticizing TACTICS and not STRATEGY! He wants the union side to win<br /></i><br /><br />I've been a fan for years, and mostly agree with you. But he does have some particular bugaboos that disturb me. Most disturbing to me is his insistence that once someone has had COVID or is vaccinated, then...they...should no longer wear masks or social distance. Not simply that doing so is overkill, but that continued masking and distancing is "not following the science." <br /><br />As someone on Stephanie Miller's show pointed out, that's the equivalent of insisting that if your car has air bags, you shouldn't fasten your seatbelt.<br /><br />Another related pet rant of his is that the reason Americans are so susceptible to COVID is because we're all obese, and that only political correctness prevents the CDC from mentioning this. Yet, at his season closer, one of his guests was Chris Christie--famous for both his wide girth and for the fact that he had a bad case of COVID--and Maher for once didn't see fit to mention that connection.<br />Larry Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01058877428309776731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-79655304206541655702021-12-03T18:59:33.703-08:002021-12-03T18:59:33.703-08:00For the record, I'm opposed to Oaths to the Co...For the record, I'm opposed to Oaths to the Constitution as well unless the adult is in service to The People.<br /><br />See the capitalization there? "The People" are sovereign as far as I'm concerned. We owe no fealty to anything or anyone. Period. End of Story.<br /><br />A person who joins a Service can reasonably be asked to offer an Oath. To something. I'd argue it should be to "The People" but that leaves things mighty ambiguous in cases where we disagree about what is right and wrong. "The Constitution" will do as a substitute, but the oath giver needs to be prepared to deal with the fact that we have amended it numerous times and they don't get to pick and choose which amendments they'll respect. They also don't get to pick and choose which SCOTUS decisions are right because case law has much more to do with that the Constitution terms mean than most people realize. They should NOT aim their Oaths at the SCOTUS, though. Separate but Equal branches and all that stuff.<br /><br />It is important to remember, though, there are times when an oath giver is conflicted between Constitution and People. WE inflict that upon them by not recognizing the actual sovereign here in the US. WE The People express our intent through The Constitution and other instruments. <br /><br />That's why it is SO bass ackwards to have kids reciting the Pledge. Some of our Framers should be spinning at neutron star rates in their graves.Alfred Differhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01170159981105973192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-15606491295839886132021-12-03T18:55:09.962-08:002021-12-03T18:55:09.962-08:00Robert said...
So you put in a fake email address ...Robert said...<br /><i>So you put in a fake email address and it doesn't check it? So I could put in "therealrobert@davidbinblog.com" and it would take it?</i><br /><br />I believe they still verify the email, but it's not an actual Google account that you receive email at, just one used for authentication. If you're trying to be so far out of Google's radar that you don't want them to even know about the email address, then I don't think that will work. If you have your own domain, you could always create a special trap email address to use for it, then you can see if they are actually selling it or whatever it is you're concerned about (or just create an email on another service for that purpose perhaps). It does seem strange that Blogger would't support alternative logins besides just Google?Cari Bursteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05812444306433659243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-70997960473640525642021-12-03T18:47:31.559-08:002021-12-03T18:47:31.559-08:00David,
I get trained on what 'agency friends&...David,<br /><br />I get trained on what 'agency friends' do with that kind of information. Mostly they just aggregate it to help them make decisions. If your data point is a loner, they do nothing and say nothing. If it connects with others, they might spot patterns and act. What they keep trying to hammer into us is that each of us spots only a tiny segment of a big pattern IF the pattern exists. Discounting it/not reporting it to them effectively limits their ability to function as a member of the protector caste.<br /><br />I'm sure you know all that. You get to exercise judgement on whether to contribute your data point. If you are inclined to worry about anything on your conscience, though, remember there is a cost to us all when people who know say nothing. Obviously it's your personal decision.<br /><br />I'm a DoN contractor and they hammer us with this every year. They also point out that it is NOT a personal decision for us because of he work we do. I've contributed my data point a couple of times regarding different people* and nothing came of it, but I sleep soundly at night knowing that if one of them had turned up in the news I'd have done my part.<br /><br />Everyone else,<br /><br />Yes. You count too. You don't have to put up with crap and remain silent. It's not that your 'protectors' will do anything, but if you don't speak up they can't.** Get it? <br /><br /><br />* One of them had three 'indicators' suggesting a potential intel risk. Insider Threats we call them. Possible active shooter is how I saw him. He needed help or just time to cool off. Nothing came of it and he turned his life around.<br /><br />** Yes. I know they won't protect everyone equally. Protection is not really their primary job. Dealing with people who break the law IS. You have the primary duty of protecting yourself and that means making use of what tools you can use… including them.Alfred Differhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01170159981105973192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-36882375490072785632021-12-03T17:57:03.890-08:002021-12-03T17:57:03.890-08:00Last I checked you could create an account on Goog...<i>Last I checked you could create an account on Google strictly for login purposes using any email address you wish, without making it an actual email account</i><br /><br />Well, if this appears then it worked. Apparently I now have another gmail account (which I will never use) and I hope I can remember how to log in, but I'm here. Maybe.Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04909011338723657265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-3807029243883035282021-12-03T17:54:03.711-08:002021-12-03T17:54:03.711-08:00Testing…Testing…Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04909011338723657265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-86806102408015472952021-12-03T17:51:02.278-08:002021-12-03T17:51:02.278-08:00I don't know what my agency friends will do, i...<i>I don't know what my agency friends will do, if I unleash them to track down the rug-pooping obsessive, now that he has threatened physical violence.</i><br /><br />Highly unlikely that they would do anything that would end up on your conscience. A note in a file, maybe appearing on a watch list somewhere. If you're really concerned you could ask…Robertnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-22339970927559575432021-12-03T17:42:40.140-08:002021-12-03T17:42:40.140-08:00Having thought about it. I don't know what my ...Having thought about it. I don't know what my agency friends will do, if I unleash them to track down the rug-pooping obsessive, now that he has threatened physical violence. I don't want anything on my conscience. It's actually been remarkably effective to just let the AI spam filter deal with it, except for my once a month toe-dippings...<br /><br />...but someone I respect says it's time to up the filter's game. So let's try the Google account setting. SORRY! But I can one-click ban obsessives that way, a lot faster than they can set up new accounts.<br /><br />Hoping to see most of you continue. A feisty community! Proud to know you all.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-13874226895562866852021-12-03T17:36:30.927-08:002021-12-03T17:36:30.927-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-32140313801131154832021-12-03T17:31:23.698-08:002021-12-03T17:31:23.698-08:00As for Treebeard, what 'bubble" fellah? A...As for Treebeard, what 'bubble" fellah? ALL fact using professions despise your cult for hating facts. You... personally as well as your cult... wage open war on the very notion of facts that can be checked and the falsifiability of assertions.<br /><br />Bubble? The GOP used to have higher average levels of education than Democrats. Now, despite dems representing the poor, they are MANY YEARS more educated, on average. What's the Foxite response? To up their fact-using game?<br /><br />No, it is to attack the very idea of education, of facts...<br /><br />... and of democracy. The GOP lost 11 our of 12 of the last House races by population. The Senate GOP last represented a majority in 1996. ONCE across the last 30 years has a GOP president won the popular vote. Your reflex is to hate on the very notion of democracy and the will of the people.<br /><br />You parse clear sentences, unlike poor locumranch. You are even slightly entertaining. But you are a traitor at all levels.<br />David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-28187470449171548402021-12-03T17:26:12.277-08:002021-12-03T17:26:12.277-08:00Geez you folks have been very active in discussion...Geez you folks have been very active in discussions, here, at a time when I just haven't had much time to respond. So sorry about neglect or terseness. I'll reply so some things I spot.<br /><br />AFR your posting is unintentionally exactly an illustration of the complaint. You reflexively refuse any and all criticism of the left wing, and you do so with an utter canard. Bet me right now whether Bill Maher has proved his ant-trump and anti-foxite bona fines far more that you or indeed any SUM of ALL the people you know have done? Step up. We can compare rates.<br /><br />"That's not all Democrats! Don't make it sound like it is all of us!"<br /><br />Exactly! The sanctimony junnkies on our side care far more about symbolism and spitting in the faces of their allies than about pragmatic politics. So, when Tucker & co. pull the "see that maniacal stoopidity? ALL dems are like THAT!" does anyone on our radical wing say... "Maybe lt's ratchet the symbol-obsession and trigger-warning fragility-fetishism down a notch and instead act like a coalition that can win this phase of civil war"? Not for even a second.<br /><br />Dig it. Maher is criticizing TACTICS and not STRATEGY! He wants the union side to win and maybe the left should stop viewing him as Tucker with a better pompadour and instead say "Tactics are adjustable."<br /><br />David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-88744034632472696512021-12-03T15:35:13.046-08:002021-12-03T15:35:13.046-08:00I must compliment you, Dr. Brin, on how you critic...I must compliment you, Dr. Brin, on how you criticize the far left as opposed to Mr. Maher. It drives me crazy when Bill Maher talks about the Democrats "wokeness" and how they attack anyone who doesn't toe the line on political correctness, even if the offense happened years ago. I keep wanting to grab him by the lapels and scream, "That's not all Democrats! Don't make it sound like it is all of us!"<br /><br />If we can't win Republicans until Democrats stop being the "woke" party, then we might as well pack up and go home to await the Apocalypse. Because there is no way we'll be able to control the far left of the party, any more than Republicans can control their far right (or the part that is even further right than most of them!) We can never eliminate them. But if all Democrats, from Biden and Pelosi on down, get blamed every time some celebrity is attacked for saying something wrong and shouted down on the Internet, we will never win. And Bill generalizing this behavior to all Democrats certainly doesn't help. It just reinforces what the Fox News demagogues blather about every night, allowing them to say, "Even Bill Maher agrees with us."<br /><br />So thank you for making that distinction. From your lips to Maher's ears. (Not to imply that he is anywhere near THAT important. He's ego is big enough as it is. :) )A.F. Reyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08102355714883828348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-84175055384124973072021-12-03T14:42:30.504-08:002021-12-03T14:42:30.504-08:00And is insisting everyone use gender-neutral prono...<i>And is insisting everyone use gender-neutral pronouns really any crazier than insisting everyone cheer and act excited about a bunch of grown men moving a small object up and down a patch of ground.</i><br /><br />How do you judge “crazier”? By any historical or traditional standard, gender pronouns and related topics are definitely crazier than men playing sports. But within the bubble that people trying to normalize this live in, it all seems perfectly reasonable, and indeed necessary. The question people outside the bubble have is: does this process of normalization of “crazy”, whereby the fringe beliefs of Weird White People become mandatory for the whole world, have any limits? Where are they? How do we know some Weird White People won’t decide in another decade or two to rename pedophiles “minor-attracted persons” and start pushing for its normalization? Do you understand how freakish it looks to people not living in your bubble that suddenly, out of nowhere, Weird White People are all announcing their pronouns and treating gender like some arbitrary choice, and acting like everyone else must follow their lead? Do you think this Weird White People cultural coercion system will ever face resistance it can’t defeat, or that will break the nations and civilizations that host them? Don’t take your Weird White People political abstractions too seriously; they are not more powerful than culture or common human nature at the end of the day, or the end of the age—in my humble opinion, of course.Treebeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13769796990019460695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-6020963966570677052021-12-03T13:36:45.984-08:002021-12-03T13:36:45.984-08:00Last I checked you could create an account on Goog...<i>Last I checked you could create an account on Google strictly for login purposes using any email address you wish, without making it an actual email account</i><br /><br />So you put in a fake email address and it doesn't check it? So I could put in "therealrobert@davidbinblog.com" and it would take it? Robertnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-26705627817813789922021-12-03T13:17:21.429-08:002021-12-03T13:17:21.429-08:00Last I checked you could create an account on Goog...Last I checked you could create an account on Google strictly for login purposes using any email address you wish, without making it an actual email account (we used this at my previous job for logins to our system so we didn't have to maintain passwords ourselves). Not sure if that would solve everyone's concerns though. I assume there's no option to support other login account types?<br />Cari Bursteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05812444306433659243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-78870949575308211852021-12-03T12:30:47.080-08:002021-12-03T12:30:47.080-08:00I gather that you've been on the receiving end...<i>I gather that you've been on the receiving end of bullying, threats, maybe violence in just about every conceivable situation for that sort of thing</i><br /><br />No. I can conceive of way worse than I've experienced. One of my great-aunts was a 'medical experimental subject' in a Nazi concentration camp. Kinda puts 'getting a shitty timetable' into perspective.<br /><br />I <i>have</i> watched those dearest to me grow up facing barriers I didn't face, simply because they are neither male nor pigment-deprived. Barriers I didn't notice growing up, because they are both subtle and pervasive. Or not-so-subtle.Robertnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-79376871881298116032021-12-03T12:20:06.884-08:002021-12-03T12:20:06.884-08:00Re: Pledge
When I was wee, we did not sing 'O...Re: Pledge<br /><br />When I was wee, we did not sing 'Oh, Canada' in school. We sang, 'God Save the Queen', to a picture of a young QE2. How's that for indoctrination? It was many years later that I learned the anti-Scottish origin of that ditty. Wow, if I knew then what I know now. There'd be some splainin' for the school board to do.<br /> scidatahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07152319593457629592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-58805428796461076412021-12-03T11:40:51.671-08:002021-12-03T11:40:51.671-08:00Catfish 'n Cod:
On the Pledge: I agree with @...Catfish 'n Cod:<br /><i><br />On the Pledge: I agree with @toduro's student that pledged to the Constitution -- and think that's what the Pledge *should* be; the citizen's version of the oath taken by every single federal employee and official...<br /><br />THAT is what we need to pledge to. Not to an ill-defined 'nation' or even 'republic'. The Constitution, and the promises it makes of "liberty and justice for all". The Pledge makes more sense in the "nation of immigrants" than it does in most places; we (or rather, non-Confederates) don't use real or imagined ties of blood or experience to bind us together. It's the principles, and the Constitution that gives them physical form, that are the uniter.<br /></i><br /><br />I was thinking along those lines as a response to Alfred. It doesn't seem incongruous to me that <b>citizens</b> pledge allegiance to something. Not necessarily the flag or the government, but does owing allegiance to some aspect of our civilization really seem inconsistent with the concept of "citizenship"?<br /><br />I do like the idea of allegiance to the Constitution rather than the flag, the military, or the president.<br /><br />Alfred has a point that a daily pledge in school can be seen as creepy. I think we're used to thinking of such things from the perspective of someone who would rather opt out. I'd like to think that the practice (and that of school prayers, while we're at it) <b>originated</b> in communities of willing participants. Maybe a bad idea in retrospect, but not evil in intent.<br /><br />* * * <br />Robert:<br /><i><br />And is insisting everyone use gender-neutral pronouns really any crazier than insisting everyone cheer and act excited about a bunch of grown men moving a small object up and down a patch of ground (and ostracizing those who don't participate)?<br /></i><br /><br />From several anecdotes you've related, I gather that you've been on the receiving end of bullying, threats, maybe violence in just about every conceivable situation for that sort of thing (or know someone who has). Understand that many of us react differently from you to some suggestions because most of us--even the nerds like me--haven't lived the nightmare quite so completely.Larry Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01058877428309776731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-7458243356158679212021-12-03T11:25:27.798-08:002021-12-03T11:25:27.798-08:00Dr Brin:
My friends at a certain intelligence age...Dr Brin:<br /><i><br />My friends at a certain intelligence agency told me to tell them when that happens. They'll dial in (easily) on the twerp's real name and address.<br /><br />I think I'll hold off on that and instead see if switching to requiring a google account makes a difference.<br /></i><br /><br />With all due respect, why hold off? Your friends in intelligence told you to tell them for a reason. Why not respect their judgement?<br />Larry Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01058877428309776731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-73702365396907110372021-12-03T11:16:33.802-08:002021-12-03T11:16:33.802-08:00Out of vague curiosity, I dropped back down to the...Out of vague curiosity, I dropped back down to the spam bucket and saw that the harrasser has crossed an important line. He has made real world physical threats. My friends at a certain intelligence agency told me to tell them when that happens. They'll dial in (easily) on the twerp's real name and address.<br /><br />I think I'll hold off on that and instead see if switching to requiring a google account makes a difference. But #1 is to stop looking down in the shit bucket.<br /><br />===<br /><br />Well, Catfish, I would make a duty to the People be on an equal footing with the Constitution. But yeah.<br /><br />DD, a problem with all sails is that far out there it seems to be a one-way trip.<br /><br />David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.com