tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post7977370848491986329..comments2024-03-29T00:39:31.629-07:00Comments on CONTRARY BRIN: Game Development, Transparency and "The Architechs"David Brinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-54067746329473655422008-05-09T08:19:00.000-07:002008-05-09T08:19:00.000-07:00Doug, Why don't you google up some of what Nader h...Doug, <BR/><BR/>Why don't you google up some of what Nader has had to say about the Clintons, and Hillary in particular, and print it out for her?<BR/><BR/>Barring a bullet, it's not "if", it's "when".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-21205185236567437612008-05-08T14:11:00.000-07:002008-05-08T14:11:00.000-07:00My mom is going to vote for Nader if Hillary isn't...My mom is going to vote for Nader if Hillary isn't the nominee. :(Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-16696492874356375602008-05-05T11:50:00.000-07:002008-05-05T11:50:00.000-07:00An observation on the Clinton campaign:Her campaig...An observation on the Clinton campaign:<BR/><BR/>Her campaign heavily targets 'low information voters' and undecideds. As you might surmise, the vast majority of undecided voters are either not paying any attention at all (pretty hard to do), getting highly skewed non-information which drowns out real information, or mentally damaged in some way.<BR/><BR/>She is being quite successful targeting such voters. The vast majority of 'late deciders' have gone her way.<BR/><BR/>I (and I suspect you) are far from the primary target audience of her campaign at this point.<BR/><BR/>Of course, there are two different approaches for campaigning to undecideds:<BR/><BR/>The long game involves actually informing and motivating people such that they move out of the 'low information' category. I like this one, but it takes time and is most effective over the course of several elections. The DNC has been working this angle for a while under Dean. Obama is too, with the grassroots stuff and the recently announced 50 state GOTV effort.<BR/><BR/>The other angle, which Clinton's campaign and the GOP employ is to keep low information voters making decisions based on, well low/mis information. Pander and propagandize to enhance their misperceptions and get them on 'your side'. I'm not going to belabor the point with examples, since they are too well known at this point (the GOP playbook). Anyway, IMO this is destructive to democracy in the long term and a formula for bad governance whenever such a campaign wins.<BR/><BR/>No, I'm not calling Clinton a Republican... just as I don't call Republicans fascists. They do use the same tactics though.Travchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12790548845692414891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-20728531323138755612008-05-05T08:30:00.000-07:002008-05-05T08:30:00.000-07:00>> I have to say that I'm of two minds on the Poli...>> I have to say that I'm of two minds on the Police & Bikers issue here. I think that if you look at it, police brutality is an age-old problem. What causes it? Their are good cops and bad -- and especially when you have more people in it for the power. But all people are human, and frustration, low pay, and a lack of control can push most people to violence. Are police being put in an impossible situation? Is it paperwork, and less social interaction? How is the life of an officer different in an area where there is a lot of police abuse and one where there is little?<BR/><BR/>Maybe, there is also a bit of propagandizing of the police going on. If you wanted to create a police state. You would work to disenfranchise the police from the public. Maybe give them face masks and tasers and tell them citizens are out to get them. Create a sense of "other" and "us and them" in training. Or make something illegal that everyone does. The war on drugs is a great excuse to escalate more violence with dealers and no-knock laws that are killing all sorts of innocent bystanders. Of course, if the drug dealers have machine guns, you don't want to tip them off,... but how did we get to this place? When marijuana was legal, nobody was getting shot.<BR/><BR/>In Atlanta, we had an incident where the police arrested someone they categorically stated was the "mastermind of the Anonymous group" that was working to bring down the Scientologist organization. Whatever you may think about breaking the law to do what a person thinks is a greater good... it was that there was little proof of any connection to the crimes. The charges were secret. And all the police wore black, with black face masks. It looked like they were extras in a movie about a police state. There are some folks in this world who would do whatever you told them if you gave them a club and a cool uniform -- and these are people who should never be given a security job.<BR/><BR/>>> On the issue of paperwork,.. I just went to my son's pre-K teacher interview. He is in a little speech therapy (perhaps because of the bi-lingual family he is in). The amount of documentation and paperwork -- perhaps to assure that ONE person in a million isn't abusing the system, meant that this language professional spent more time documenting the appropriateness of her work than actually working with kids. Is this is what is happening to all of us? I think if I were in such a situation, I'd feel more and more helpless, uninspired, and angry. OK -- you can probably tell I hate paperwork.Fake_William_Shatnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027049743048836086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-88285248140741049652008-05-05T08:29:00.000-07:002008-05-05T08:29:00.000-07:00On the DC Madam "suicide" issue: Alex Jones interv...On the DC Madam "suicide" issue:<BR/> Alex Jones interviews Deborah Palfrey; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzvrgQ5hOM4. No matter what you might think of Alex's take on things -- it's pretty clear that she said she has no interest in suicide, she wants to fight the people who are out to destroy her, and that she suspects she will be killed and it will be made to look like a suicide. I'd read from numerous bloggers who claimed to have dealt with coroners, that there are a lot of less than upright characters who will fudge a report if that is the wish of someone with money or power -- so that might add a wrinkle to what you can believe from "official" reports. Dick Cheney's name was rumored to be on her list and she was killed one week before the gag order on that list was due to expire.Fake_William_Shatnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09027049743048836086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-89980472979100014752008-05-05T07:23:00.000-07:002008-05-05T07:23:00.000-07:00Robert,Have you learned nothing from our televized...Robert,<BR/><BR/>Have you learned nothing from our televized society? There are better ways to register your disdain for the new President Clinton.<BR/><BR/>Try this one: campaign like hell for her, vote for her, get invited to her swearing in. Then moon her at her inauguration. (the key clincher to this would be explaining to the press that you helped her get elected.).<BR/><BR/>Duty first, then mischief.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-38862549598728543202008-05-05T04:26:00.000-07:002008-05-05T04:26:00.000-07:00I know that Dr. Brin constantly talks about how th...I know that Dr. Brin constantly talks about how the Clintons will restore the Professionals to a place of honor and power in a Clinton White House, but I must admit to some doubt on that front. <A HREF="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/5/45014/07240/412/509123" REL="nofollow">Senator Clinton has been showing a blatant disregard for what these professionals say when it disagrees with her worldview</A>. Indeed, we are currently moving to the tail end of one presidency where the Commander in Chief refuses to listen to dissenting views. Might not Hillary's egotism, revealed for all to witness with her "Gas Tax Vacation" despite the fact Democrats and Economists say "it's a bad idea," be a threat to your dream of a restoration of Professionalism, Dr. Brin?<BR/><BR/>Rob H.Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-18400431267867131962008-05-05T01:40:00.000-07:002008-05-05T01:40:00.000-07:00All this talk of not voting or casting a protest v...All this talk of not voting or casting a protest vote really gets me down. Come on, 'lesser of two evils' is how our voting system works... don't like it (I don't) then advocate for changing it.<BR/><BR/>I really should write up a game-theoretic proof, but I'm a bit too lazy and the conclusion is obvious. Plurality voting leads to two relatively stable parties. Two parties leads to two choices with any effect.<BR/><BR/>There are much better systems. Ranking voting systems like IRV are my favorite. If we really wanted to empower a 'moderate independent' party (along with making other 'third' parties actually viable), this would be the way to do it. <BR/><BR/>Unfortunately, the two-party system is self-preserving. It is also very difficult to have a more equitable voting system adopted 'from the ground up' in local areas first. The plurality system is like an ESS which is quite resistant to invasion. I guess a less geeky analogy is the 'winner take all' allocation of state electors to the Electoral College.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, anyone in the US who says that they will just sit out or cast a protest vote in an election if their favorite candidate isn't on the ballot is quite simply being irrational. It is of course a personal prerogative to be irrational, but you should at least admit it.<BR/><BR/>caveat: There are some (exceedingly rare at best in the US) cases where a mass protest vote or election boycott actually carries more power to produce positive change than voting for the lesser of two evils. This election is not such a case.Travchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12790548845692414891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-39500058592806248872008-05-04T22:22:00.000-07:002008-05-04T22:22:00.000-07:00Deciding on the lesser of two evils was the point ...Deciding on the lesser of two evils was the point of the second part of my question.<BR/><BR/>Robert, you sound as if you're worried that whoever you vote for out of Clinton and McCain will turn out to be the *greater* of two evils. Well, there's no guarantees there. <BR/><BR/>This is where one's judgment comes into play.Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-45610200131884500712008-05-04T20:42:00.000-07:002008-05-04T20:42:00.000-07:00I never understood what was so evil about Cthulhu....I never understood what was so evil about Cthulhu. <BR/><BR/>Tony, I was addressing Robert and his unwillingness to choose the lesser of two evils. (For there is a a <I>lesser</I>.)David McCabehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16603857353437134459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-23374703035961180492008-05-04T20:21:00.000-07:002008-05-04T20:21:00.000-07:00Vote Cthulhu in '08, the candidate for those who a...Vote Cthulhu in '08, the candidate for those who are tired of choosing the <I>lesser</I> evil!<BR/><BR/>Seriously, my feeling is that if my preference (Obama) isn't an option, I still have the right/responsibility to do what I can by picking the best of the available options. Even if it is the "lesser evil" kind of decision. <BR/>Besides, I'm inclined to think that any one of the likely options will be an improvement over Curious George.Matt DeBlasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17666227904684289223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-85051155063226094162008-05-04T19:00:00.000-07:002008-05-04T19:00:00.000-07:00I'd be upset because the one viable candidate was ...I'd be upset because the one viable candidate was removed through some means and thus would feel it is my democratic right to complain about whoever got in.<BR/><BR/>I have had a history of writing in my dead brother's name for President because I felt the alternatives were not worthwhile (and because, dead, my brother would still be a better President than the choices given). When I lived in Massachusetts, I also knew my vote wouldn't matter no matter who I wanted because the Democratic candidate would always win.<BR/><BR/>This time, if Obama is on the ticket, I'll vote for him. I've finally found a candidate I can believe in. And if that choice is taken from me... then why should I vote? Why should I be responsible for putting in the Greater of the Evils?<BR/><BR/>Rob H.Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-6656974206636379362008-05-04T18:35:00.000-07:002008-05-04T18:35:00.000-07:00David, I'm not inhaling them, but the Kool-aid fum...David, I'm not inhaling them, but the Kool-aid fumes might clear a bit if you indicated who it was you were referring to as being 'pious and sniffly'.<BR/><BR/>Tea, anyone?Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-75835986551180325022008-05-04T16:59:00.000-07:002008-05-04T16:59:00.000-07:00Damnit Blogger, let me edit my typos!I would like ...Damnit Blogger, let me edit my typos!<BR/><BR/>I would like to register my disdain for your position more explicitly: Your private little act of righteous behavior is not helping our civilization. The blood of patriots did not give you your vote so that you could be pious and sniffly, despising the chance to help choose who will administrate your government. Yes, it's a pity that you can't choose your personal favorite out of all seven billion of us.<BR/><BR/>(Dear dear, do I sound like I've drunk any koolaid?)David McCabehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16603857353437134459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-44372221788252280902008-05-04T16:46:00.000-07:002008-05-04T16:46:00.000-07:00'destain' sounds a bit like an 'eggcorn' (fun tric...'destain' sounds a bit like an 'eggcorn' (fun tricks your subconscious plays with the nature of your typos!)<BR/><BR/>OK. having answered c), try answering the second question. How would you feel about the victor of a Clinton vs McCain contest, if you had acted disdainfully? (it's not a trick, just a technique to help you sort out your priorities)Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-56633994996498166342008-05-04T11:45:00.000-07:002008-05-04T11:45:00.000-07:00That's right, registering your disdain is the heig...That's right, <I>registering your disdain</I> is the height of democracy.David McCabehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16603857353437134459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-25573166488924802702008-05-04T11:44:00.000-07:002008-05-04T11:44:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.David McCabehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16603857353437134459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-64203874326118511802008-05-04T10:46:00.000-07:002008-05-04T10:46:00.000-07:00Tony: If my choice is McCain vs. Clinton, I will e...Tony: If my choice is McCain vs. Clinton, I will either vote for a third-party candidate or vote None of the Above as a write-in. (Indeed, I think all ballots should have as the very first choice "None" so to eliminate the first-candidate bias that ballots inherently have been found to have. And so that people can register their disdain for the candidates available.)Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-32779058778182665972008-05-04T03:36:00.000-07:002008-05-04T03:36:00.000-07:00Dr. Brin,A slew of false accusations do not make t...Dr. Brin,<BR/><BR/>A slew of false accusations do not make true claims untrue. <BR/><BR/>What you're doing here, I am very sorry to say, is the same thing most Bush supporters do when confronted with the truth. You're doing the same thing they do when they dismiss criticism of No-Bid contracts by throwing up distractions like 9/11 conspiracy theories, and arguing against those instead.<BR/><BR/>Who laid the ground-work for outsourcing everything from laundry to mess-hall through no-bid service contracts, Dr. Brin? Who first used extraordinary rendition to countries known to practice torture?<BR/><BR/>I could go on and on, and have on your Blog before, and won't today, because I know your eyes are starting to glaze over and your fingers are creeping towards your ears. I understand that response developed over 16 long years as a reaction to a massive blitz of false and malicious "47 whitewater connected killings" stories, and massively overblown "travelgate" stories.<BR/><BR/>You're right that the Clintons ran the least politicized and most professional Civil Service since Ike left the White House. Absolutely true. <BR/><BR/>The expansion of the EITC and EIC was a great thing Clinton did. So was knowing how to do a dispassionate cost-benefit analysis and pull out of Somalia.<BR/><BR/>NAFTA stands. Tax benefits for off-shoring stand. Massive media consolidation stands. Bad tax policies leading to a churn and burn housing market stand. <BR/><BR/>8 figures worth of income from the Sheiks you often...ponder...being behind a possible manchurian scenario? That stands.<BR/><BR/>You can admit all that and still come to the honest conclusion that more Clinton is better than McCain, but it's important to understand why we don't all agree with you.<BR/><BR/>It's got nothing to do with whitewater bodybags or black helicopters or cigar storage locations - and very little to do with false FEC filings ammended four times in six years and bosnian sniper fire.<BR/><BR/>The DLC is the Democratic PNAC - corpratist, jingoist, and up to it's armpits in culture war. Every single DLC affiliated Senator voted for war with Iraq. No non-DLC Senator did.<BR/><BR/>Our party has suffered the Invasion of the Party Snatchers too, we just got the smarter aliens.<BR/><BR/>_________________________<BR/><BR/>On an unrelated note -<BR/><BR/>CM riders are total feminine hygiene products sometimes. I used to live in Santa Cruz, trust me. Running red lights is dangerous. Neither of those justify tackling someone off a bike in a situation that could have killed or hospitalized him.<BR/><BR/>Thanks to their actions in the 70's, when they filmed protests and then harrased and planted evidence on the people they identified from the films, the NYP is prohibited by NY State Law from filming political gatherings. <BR/><BR/>Regarding yet another missunderstanding of a Supreme Court decision -<BR/><BR/>In Hiibel, the SCOTUS ruled that if the police have grounds for a Terry stop (reasonable suspicion), they may require that a suspect "Identify Himself" - NOT that the suspect must produce ID. This is an important distinction.<BR/><BR/>Google: Hiibel Police Chief Magazine 2004 <BR/><BR/>Complying with officers demands to maintain distance while filming them and keeping your mouth shut isn't even grounds for a Terry stop. <BR/><BR/>The cops had literally no right to lay hands on the girl in the first place. <BR/><BR/>That said, only the Sargeant behaved like a complete POS in this situation. None of the rest of those officers deserves more than a stern talking to, a couple rate very mild pats on the back.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-4195125320763306472008-05-03T23:37:00.000-07:002008-05-03T23:37:00.000-07:00Rob, it's pretty obvious who you'd vote for if it ...Rob, it's pretty obvious who you'd vote for if it was Clinton v Obama. I suspect what the answer would be to Obama vs McCain.<BR/><BR/>So, what would your response be to Clinton vs McCain?<BR/><BR/>a) Clinton<BR/>b) McCain<BR/>c) Pass (or Nader)<BR/><BR/>If c), how would you feel if<BR/>i) McCain is elected<BR/>ii) Clinton is electedTony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-61261713334272873322008-05-03T23:00:00.000-07:002008-05-03T23:00:00.000-07:00(Sorry, tried to delete the wrong comment. I repos...(Sorry, tried to delete the wrong comment. I reposted it, but it's out of order now.)Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-65301925357971865772008-05-03T22:58:00.000-07:002008-05-03T22:58:00.000-07:00Dr. Brin, you are suffering from the same reflexiv...Dr. Brin, you are suffering from the same reflexive knee-jerk reaction that you accuse me of. If you look at what I said, you will find that nothing I said was actually false. Clinton herself admitted she doesn't pump gas any longer - the Secret Service does. In the same publicity event, she implied that she hasn't <I>bought</I> gas either. I'm not making this up. This is stuff from videos of her in action that I found on Daily Kos (which is a Liberal blog).<BR/><BR/>The coffee machine? There's a bloody VIDEO showing her fumbling with it and being unable to operate the machine. This is the same sort of thing that sunk Daddy Shrub in 1992, except back then it was grocery store scanners. Now it's single-serve coffee dispensers. <BR/><BR/>The lawsuit is in California. Again, from what I found on Daily Kos (where I originally posted that little blurb). A number of "Kossites" commented on the situation.<BR/><BR/>And as for Clinton... again, Daily Kos has been going on about <A HREF="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/3/122559/0328" REL="nofollow">about Clinton's talk about "Massive Retaliation" (a term of art in nuclear strategy)</A> against Iran. These statements have all but gotten Iran up in arms. Bad enough the Shrub talks about attacking Iran. Now we have two of the three candidates for President stating they will use force over diplomacy with Iran.<BR/><BR/>Rob H.Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-3163553675438955442008-05-03T22:24:00.000-07:002008-05-03T22:24:00.000-07:00All right, we both did it. Except there's this. ...All right, we both did it. Except there's this. I would have a hard time with most modern coffee machines. And spending the last 30 years with an intern always bringing you coffee doesn't mean squat.<BR/><BR/>Sure, HRC's Iran remarks were thumb-up-the-ass dumb. Any side can come up with a dozen craphola things to tar the other guy with. Rev Wright included.<BR/><BR/>What I look for is consistent results.<BR/><BR/>BILL Clinton was consistently either honest or too smart ever to get caught. And with absolute consistency, he let public officials honestly do their jobs.<BR/><BR/>GWB is absolutely consistent at having done everything in his power to destroy Pax Americana.<BR/><BR/>Hillary falls in between. She absolutley showed horrific judgement in her all-at-once attempt at health care and I have seen other judgement lapses too.<BR/><BR/>But there's not a scintilla of evidence for anything dishonest, whatsoever, in her past or present. Moreover, and above all <I>she would appoint honest supervisors who would let the civil service go back to work. And that is (I swear it) 90% of what we need right now.</I><BR/><BR/>And if I have to vote for Hillary Clinton to get that, I will campaign through sleet and hail for her.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-48698903078843404082008-05-03T21:58:00.000-07:002008-05-03T21:58:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Acacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-25147165041885307172008-05-03T17:13:00.000-07:002008-05-03T17:13:00.000-07:00Further thanks for the Mark Anderson link.Hear als...Further thanks for the Mark Anderson link.<BR/><BR/>Hear also: Terry Gross interview:<BR/>Our Confusing Economy, Explained<BR/><BR/>http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89338743<BR/><BR/>Short answer: credit default swaps, total value greater than the stock market, much of it vapor. <BR/><BR/>Message: a whole shadow market (derivatives) was created by slipping a few lines into a bill, written by lawyers, that the Congress didn't read and isn't smart enough to understand. It took only a few years to soak up more money than the total value of the stock markets, and collapse.<BR/><BR/>[39 min 8 sec] <BR/><BR/>Fresh Air from WHYY, April 3, 2008 <BR/><BR/>Law professor Michael Greenberger joins Fresh Air to explain the sub-prime mortgage crisis, credit defaults, the shaky future of other types of loans and what we can expect from the U.S. financial markets.<BR/><BR/>Greenberger is a professor at the University of Maryland School of Law and the director of the University's Center for Health and Homeland Security.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com