tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post9021729129345924021..comments2024-03-18T21:52:45.757-07:00Comments on CONTRARY BRIN: North Korea, China and other concernsDavid Brinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-16789984329857692972019-04-13T23:17:53.136-07:002019-04-13T23:17:53.136-07:00I agree with Alfred - Nixon opening China was one ...I agree with Alfred - Nixon opening China was one of the best thing that he did<br /><br />The fact that the 0.01% then used that as an opportunity to kill the unions by outsourcing manufacturing jobs was not inherent in that decisionduncan cairncrosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14153725128216947145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-54938629241917818152019-04-13T22:11:50.434-07:002019-04-13T22:11:50.434-07:00A billion formerly starving Chinese angry at us fo...A billion formerly starving Chinese angry at us for not doing what we could do to prevent that future as compared to the future we got? I'll take that trade and give Nixon some credit for it if it helps. Anyone else deserve credit for it too? Let's share it around.<br /><br />I think the world is far better off without a large fraction of humanity starving and slaughtering each other. Way better off. 8)Alfred Differhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01170159981105973192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-40625338848089161582019-04-13T22:02:11.474-07:002019-04-13T22:02:11.474-07:00onward
onward
onward<br /><br />onward<br />David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-21195792916245614052019-04-13T20:30:47.471-07:002019-04-13T20:30:47.471-07:00Just watched the Black Mirror episode where a driv...Just watched the Black Mirror episode where a driverless pizza van hits a guy.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-8447525431604147452019-04-13T19:54:59.496-07:002019-04-13T19:54:59.496-07:00This thought popped unbidden into my head, so I th...This thought popped unbidden into my head, so I thought I'd share it here...<br /><br />I wonder when we'll see our first incident of road rage by a driverless car.<br /><br />You <b>know</b> it will happen. :)Larry Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01058877428309776731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-53937936201563892472019-04-13T17:55:09.661-07:002019-04-13T17:55:09.661-07:00Argh! The chief deviation of Leninism from Marxis...Argh! The chief deviation of Leninism from Marxism was to attempt to explain why everything Lenin was doing fit into Marxism, despite its failure to predict the Russian Revolution.<br /><br /> The chief deviation of Stalinism from Marxism was to attempt to explain why everything Stalin was doing fit into Marxism, despite its failure to predict the Stalin's murderous despotism.<br /><br />Deng Xiao Peng did the same thing. And Xi's politburo issues new interpretations of Marxism every few months. <br /><br />Any attempt to claim that I am being inconsistent does not reflect on me, but on poor pBot's lack of knowledge about any of these things and his near total lack of curiosity.<br />.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-23694978569493853322019-04-13T16:02:16.785-07:002019-04-13T16:02:16.785-07:00Hell's bells, I still think Nixon's Openin...Hell's bells, I still think Nixon's Opening to China (TM) was a bad, bad idea.<br /><br />Everybody else in this collective political bedlam seems to want to list it as one of his top "accomplishments".TCBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08153506222271955110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-73646494109013129312019-04-13T14:48:30.706-07:002019-04-13T14:48:30.706-07:00Stratolaunch takes flight. RIP Paul Allen (one of ...<a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2019/paul-allens-stratolaunch-puts-worlds-biggest-airplane-sky-first-time/" rel="nofollow">Stratolaunch</a> takes flight. RIP Paul Allen (one of my heroes).<br /><br />I was hoping for an outside loop, but no.Mike Willhttp://scidata.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-67293386765888885772019-04-13T10:19:51.463-07:002019-04-13T10:19:51.463-07:00"I more then sure that NKorean would not agre...<i>"I more then sure that NKorean would not agree with you on that."</i><br /><br />Probably not, no. After all, that could be seen as a criticism of Dear Leader, and criticism of Dear Leader is unthinkable, at least if one wishes one's family to survive. (Also, it's not like North Korea is famous for its wide-ranging educational system, nor its thorough analysis of history.)Jon S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13585842845661267920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-88843036092007705892019-04-13T10:13:33.805-07:002019-04-13T10:13:33.805-07:00Well, you said it yourself "prediuctions were...Well, you said it yourself "prediuctions were wrong".<br /><br />You really think KGB needed such help so badly.*botnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-8303134430148949352019-04-13T09:59:03.604-07:002019-04-13T09:59:03.604-07:00"because his "thoughts" have no rea..."because his "thoughts" have no real world correlations"<br /><br />This is absurd. Almost any page of Marx is about such correlations. There were thousands. He was very smart and knowledgable. It was proof of the scientific truth that many correlations do not prove a theory. It is predictions that make a theory useful. And Marx's prediuctions were wrong.<br /><br />Bush sent advisors to "help" Yeltsin transform soviet state enterprises into working companies. They helped societ commissars to steal the companies and become oligarch billionaires.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-24856925215965213142019-04-13T05:49:58.838-07:002019-04-13T05:49:58.838-07:00Well, while here/there(not sure what word to use h...Well, while here/there(not sure what word to use here) is Reality,<br />we always can find a way to communicate about it... like that Laputa Scientists. ;)<br />That is the pleasure of physics and materialism in general...<br /><br />But... if only one of opponents starting to commit detours into idealism...<br />it all become hopeless, and fast. Space of idealistic thought is just Omega Infinity. :)))<br /><br />Though it is just in circling endlessly around "strange attractor" of Reality. :P*botnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-37007766112712219542019-04-13T05:01:42.474-07:002019-04-13T05:01:42.474-07:00Re: Poe's Law
I did use two maybes, so I'm...Re: Poe's Law<br />I did use two maybes, so I'm at least partially covered. I also didn't expand on it, it was just an idea that flashed across my brain like a proverbial ghost in the machine. Of course I love math, it's an old and trusted friend. I must note this however. Some civilizations have used symbols, myth, metaphor, and language as tools to travel beyond the horizon. But some have allowed these servants to become their masters, following them into inhumanity. Most of those 'civilizations' burned out quickly and horribly. Still others have wandered in the desert of ignorance for centuries, mistaking utility for truth, not knowing the map from the territory (see: Ptolemy). Dogma is the mind-killer.<br /><br />Alfred Differ: <i>Pretty much everyone gets misunderstood...</i><br /><br />Amen. In a very real way and tragic sense, <b>every</b> man is an island.<br /><i>“People understand me so poorly that they don't even understand my complaint about them not understanding me.”</i> - Soren KierkegaardMike Willhttp://scidata.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-76369480640027782002019-04-13T01:44:24.150-07:002019-04-13T01:44:24.150-07:00https://www.lawfareblog.com/soviet-experience-afgh...https://www.lawfareblog.com/soviet-experience-afghanistan-getting-history-right*botnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-81272820540010771892019-04-13T01:36:31.754-07:002019-04-13T01:36:31.754-07:00"bot
If you read Marx you will find that his ..."bot<br />If you read Marx you will find that his diagnosis of the problems with capitalism is right on the money<br />His predictions about what would happen next - not so good - even useless<br />But his diagnosis was very good<br /><br />Smith is even better - if you read what the man actually wrote you will find that he was right almost all of the timeduncan cairncrosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14153725128216947145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-36744347927856298832019-04-13T01:03:36.774-07:002019-04-13T01:03:36.774-07:00Well, Alfred, that much I know myself. As even dr....Well, Alfred, that much I know myself. As even dr.Brin admitted, I am smart enough.<br /><br />But sadly, I really have *no* god-powers what so ever. Or even lots of experience with foreigners from USA. Especially smart ones.<br /><br />So, the sole possibility for me to try to understand is in trying to talk, with all honesty and knowledge I have, and in trying to analyze your answers...<br /><br />As for Marx... all even worse, because his "thoughts" have no real world correlations (as it is with Smith), so it is more akin to discussing any religious, theological doctrines. And I do not understand behavior, cannot read emotions of dr.Brin. As it seems he know it, that "Marx thought" is religious-like scam. He have written it himself here. But still, taking it too close to his heart... my revelations as a witness of it.*botnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-19439954502061834392019-04-13T00:43:24.493-07:002019-04-13T00:43:24.493-07:00*bot,
Relax my friend. Our host actually reads yo...*bot,<br /><br />Relax my friend. Our host actually reads you. That's an accomplishment. 8)<br />You don't have to convince him on every point you have to make. <br />That would probably take God-like powers... and maybe more.<br /><br />You are talking to a lot of westerners here and can bring your unique perspective to help us.<br />What you won't get us to do, though, is alter the terms of the language we use.<br />What you CAN get us to do is expand the terms if you make a good case for doing so.<br /><br />For example, we see a strong difference between Marx, Marxism, Followers of Marx claiming to be Marxists, Followers of those followers claiming to be Marxists, and so on. The same expanding web of variation and inconsistency applies to Adam Smith too. Pretty much everyone gets misunderstood, misapplied, intentionally misapplied, and taught to a future generation by the ignorant. I encountered this recently trying to wrap my mind around what Aristotle meant by 'motion.' It's not the term for him that we use today. I had to accept my ignorance and face up to the fact that I didn't care enough to figure it out.Alfred Differhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01170159981105973192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-81818542151568529642019-04-13T00:30:54.915-07:002019-04-13T00:30:54.915-07:00yana,
Just rank 'em.
Not really needed her...yana,<br /><br /><i> Just rank 'em. </i><br /><br />Not really needed here. Of all the ways we could check out that involve us sitting around essentially doing nothing about cosmic risks, I already agree with you that having the sky fall on us is the most likely one. I DO remember one of my profs pointing out that the heat death has already occurred if you try to account for all the energy in the universe and not just the baryonic component, but that's a different point. Falling rocks are why the dinosaurs needed a space program.<br /><br />My concern is there are many other ways for us to check out that are more immediately likely and a single-minded focus on establishing a colony on Luna will bring about one of them. Of all the ways we could die out, I think the most likely would be a self-inflicted return to feudalism. No space rock would be needed because the world would erupt with high tech weaponry when billions of us began to starve. By the time we were done poisoning ourselves almost to oblivion and returning to living with the pigs in our own filth, we wouldn't have the wherewithal to occupy other worlds. If we survived the self-inflicted wound, your space rock could arrive any time in the next few thousand years and finish us off.<br /><br />This civilization being what it is and doing what it does is your best bet for those off-world colonies. That means you need us to be ornery (because we already are), disinclined to single-minded goals (because of SOA), and selfish thinkers lead by Smith's invisible hand (because we already do that and it has lifted us out of our filth, saved our babies, and educated the masses.)Alfred Differhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01170159981105973192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-36056298729552967892019-04-13T00:25:24.553-07:002019-04-13T00:25:24.553-07:00Well... that's western meaning, for sure. Wel...Well... that's western meaning, for sure. Well, not exactly western. American flavour of thought.<br /><br />I'm sure if we'd have someone from France, or Britain, or Germany. Our talk could become even more controversial. Like real InterNational. ;) <br /><br />\\North Korea is a Stalinist state, even though Kim Jong Un<br /><br />I more then sure that NKorean would not agree with you on that. ;)*botnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-55616598681037012582019-04-13T00:16:47.605-07:002019-04-13T00:16:47.605-07:00Bot, "Marxist" means a philosophy derive...Bot, "Marxist" means a philosophy derived from the works of Karl Marx. Lenin and Stalin based their ideas (in some cases quite loosely) on Marxism, and thus created Stalinism. Stalinist thought continued to dominate Soviet actions until after Gorbachev took office.<br /><br />The philosophy is not named for whichever person is administering it at the moment - North Korea is a Stalinist state, even though Kim Jong Un couldn't be mistaken for Josef Stalin by a nearsighted man at midnight.Jon S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13585842845661267920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-78504674181665182242019-04-12T23:58:13.481-07:002019-04-12T23:58:13.481-07:00\\When I cite 150 years of Marxist thought he firs...\\When I cite 150 years of Marxist thought he first declares that he never heard of it, so it can't be true.<br /><br />150 years of history... and there was numerous versions and flavours of "Marxist thought".<br />So countless, that even experts could not know ALL... and I'm not expert and see no merit in trying to became one. Not for the sake of "knowing the thoughts of the Marx".<br /><br />Well, because I already know about it... more than I'd want... too.<br /><br /><br />\\Then he says that millions of Marxists who studied and deeply believed the literature could never have believed a word.<br /><br />Which exactly "millions of Marxists"? There is billion of Chinese, some Cuba folk, etc. I cannot claim I know about and never tried to claim it.<br /><br />I can tell only about late USSR and post-soviet Ukraine. And here, for sure. I'm the witness. Virtually nobody "studied and deeply believed the literature"... marxist books was only standing on farthest dustiest shelves. Nobody come close, out of own free will and interest.<br /><br />And most used, readed to tear-off books... was relatively rare rough-printed books of western scifi... well, ams mostly.<br /><br /><br />\\And even if Marx said it, there is no way that anyone ever believed it.<br /><br />The same as Church monopolized right to read and to explain Bible. The same was in USSR with reading Marx.<br />And double as it, with trying to use quotes from his writings in disputes. Directly.<br />Only from currently prevailed and Allowed, Edited by State Power Version. Stalin's version. Khruschov's. Breznev's...<br /><br />And even that, was allowed only to "clergy" -- higher ranked members of The Party.<br />Ordinary people could win tourist's tour into Gulag for just try.<br /><br /><br />\\And he accused me of many sis and character flaws for citing things that HE COULD JUST LOOK UP... if he showed the admirable trait called curiosity.<br /><br />My curiosity is about Your Understanding and interest in Marx...<br />because there hardly can be something new, yet more something interesting to me, about Marx himself. By obvious reason. That I already quite fed up of him, as person born in USSR.<br /><br />It's like I'd complaint -- why you do not want to try McDonald's MacMenu... :)))))))) that's so new, so delicious. For me. But hardly to you, isn't it?*botnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-76147591754779053712019-04-12T23:01:39.499-07:002019-04-12T23:01:39.499-07:00Well. I really don't get it.
Isn't my wor...Well. I really don't get it.<br /><br />Isn't my words like "What reforms you are talking bout? What "help from Bush"?" *is* correct form of paraphrazing in English?<br /><br />Do I need to repeat "Do you mean" every time?<br /><br />It's not like against it, I just didn't see use of such rules anywhere...<br /><br />If topics about Marx is so emotional to you... maybe its better for me to not answer on it at all?*botnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-67001952753467996102019-04-12T22:40:29.891-07:002019-04-12T22:40:29.891-07:00It's too bad pBot did not understand my reason...It's too bad pBot did not understand my reasons. That means he will do it again. Insisting that HE knows what *I* meant to say, and screaming at me that I have said things that I never said. Sometimes the OPPOSITE of what I said.<br /><br />When I complain that "I did not say that" he insists on repeating that I did. When I explain in detail what I actually said, he ignores my explanations. <br /><br />When I cite 150 years of Marxist thought he first declares that he never heard of it, so it can't be true. <br />Then he says that millions of Marxists who studied and deeply believed the literature could never have believed a word. And even if Marx said it, there is no way that anyone ever believed it. And he accused me of many sis and character flaws for citing things that HE COULD JUST LOOK UP... if he showed the admirable trait called curiosity.<br /><br /><br />I am tired of this process. I had hoped that Pbot would understand the problem and change his reflex to immediately make accusations. He could instead say: "Did you mean this___?<br /><br />It is what mature people do, when they argue. It is called paraphrasing. LOOK UP THE TERM! If you try it, you might like it. If you refuse, then you will do the same thing again. Perhaps tomorrow. And the next ban will be for a week.<br /><br />Too bad. I actually think you are a pretty smart guy.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />IDavid Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-15214414553664021542019-04-12T22:19:57.567-07:002019-04-12T22:19:57.567-07:00Mike, please place emo-monikers with such claims. ...Mike, please place emo-monikers with such claims. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe%27s_law" rel="nofollow">"Poe's law"</a> you know.<br /><br /><br />>> David Brin said...<br /><br />Here is an example of "lost in translation" effect. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_the_Terrible" rel="nofollow">Ivan the Terrible</a>. Wiki trying to mitigate it by proposing Ivan Grozny; "Ivan the Formidable" or "Ivan the Fearsome".<br />But more correct translation would be "dangerous". As root word for Grozny is the same as in groza/rainsorm or ugroza/danger.<br /><br />John The Dangerous -- isn't it look differ and sounds another way?<br /><br /><br />\\Stalin modified the PRACTICE to include mass murder and elimination of all argument. But the “ism” remained Leninism.<br /><br />I do not understand where and how you draw line of divide here... I showed just above how differences even with mere spelling/translation can be missleading.<br /><br /><br />\\The Afghan War was Breszhnev. Andropov was scary. But he laid the seeds of reform. And Yeltsin was helped by Bush Senior to throw it all away.<br /><br />Breszhnev become more and more senile, while staying on his post. Because, its how USSR system was working.<br />And anyway, who do you think prepared plans and provided info for him about Afgan?<br /><br />What reforms you are talking bout? What "help from Bush"? WAT???<br /><br /><br />\\Strange. *bot was terse and efficient answering Tim, when Tim asked for specifics about Ukraine.<br /><br />Well. I positively don't get it.As well as the reason behind your ban activities.Its something in between lost in translation and/or cultural differences.<br /><br />In russian speaking Inet I never saw demands like "write more terse". More often it's like "too much to read" self-excuse.And jokes about "generation of twitter".<br /><br />Well, it can be named as reason for ban, but in a bunch with or to masquarade more subtle reason "I don't like you".And reason for "I don't like you" is "hamstvo", real or pretended -- foul-mouthing/trolling or just speaking something across prevalent opinion.*botnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-3144739525867082252019-04-12T19:34:48.152-07:002019-04-12T19:34:48.152-07:00Facts over symbols, I like it. Maybe math isn'...Facts over symbols, I like it. Maybe math isn't just anthropomorphic, maybe it's fascistic.Mike Willhttp://scidata.canoreply@blogger.com