$ jlc (10,317)

The underlying assumption that you do not state is that the gov thinks it knows 'what to demand' on behalf of the poor. Climate Change is a good example of that: whilst the Paris talks are going on, surveys are showing that <20% of the people in third world countries consider it to be important, and <50% in most developed countries. Long concatenation of several articles -(http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/....

The paternalistic assumption that the gov 'knows what is right for us' is upstream from its assertion that 'therefore it can take the money from whomever it wants to make that happen'.

Jan

Point for pithy closure ...
...so to speak.

Jan

Thank you. I think that golden rice is probably more important than 98% of what we read in the news. Technology defines the future, and the release of golden rice changes that future - cannot put the genie back in the bottle.

I am glad someone still worships heroes. Who is on your short list?

Jan

I am Caucasian, but at least I am a women. You males from Europe must find it tiring to be always 'angry'...at least according to the media.

Jan

The quote concerning 'we pay the police to protect us' is the key to the matter. People believe that because we have a police department (a) they are immediately saved and (b) the police intuitively know who the 'good guy' is.

Neither of these statements reflect reality, so if you can carry, you should do so.

Jan

This is a human fallibility, jdg. If you have a weapon and are stunned by the situation and do not use it, that is because we live in a peaceful society and are not trained to react. But it is still better than not having the weapon, because if you had that extra cup of coffee that morning and happen to be alert, reaching into your pocket and pulling out a gun is a lot more effective than throwing a wad of used kleenex at the terrorists.

Jan

Wonderful article. Reading it, I am filled with enthusiasm.

Jan

That is what I thought when I first read AS. “Wow. Look at how beautifully she is expressing the things that I have thought.” I had believed that I (and my father) were the only ones who thought that way until I read some of her works.

Jan

Ha! Good morning, John!

This is the first Gulch email I looked at this morning - laughter and coffee.

Jan

Trump seems odious to me in character, but I would certainly vote for him to keep Hillary from winning. The polls are puzzling: for example, they went through strange gyrations to conclude that Bush was ahead for a long time - even when there own polls indicated differently.

Probably, what is going to make a difference is 'turnout ratio'. If more liberals get off their duffs to vote....

Jan

It kinda defines 'handgun' doesn't it. But since I live in CA, I do not have a gun.

Jan

I hope so. What I notice is that, like the Global Warming push, now one increasingly sees people questioning it. There is more pushback on the ACA now. When it fails (and it will fail) we will have had more people immunized against socialist healthcare, and that will give us a better chance to defeat a single-payor system.

If there are enough people to strongly elect a Repubilcan President, then I would consider it evidence in favor of a change in the sea wind.

Jan

When I was little, I remember my mother saying to me that being rich was not all it was cracked up to be: "Look at all the problems rich people and their families have - drugs, divorce, suicide." I thought to myself, "But that is their choice. They don't have to do that; they could do neat stuff with their money instead."

Now we are seeing this happen, with billionaires spending money on the commercialization of space or eliminating HIV and polio. So, my decision, formed as a child, is to spend it on 'neat stuff' (which is a list rather like db's):

1. Math. I am not good at math, but face it - mathematicians are the only ones who can keep the physicists humble. I would offer prize money for the development of mathematical theories such as modified/improved Alcubierre equation (such as White's mods). If we want effective FTL, we need to start with Math.
2. Physics. We might as well work up the chain here - physics for transportation and for power generation is essential. I would find a way to get Thorium reactors in production use - probably not in the US, but in some country that needs power enough to not strangle innovation. Then I can move them into the US.
3. De-extinction. We are at the point of de-extincting the passenger pigeon (research under way) and several groups are working on de-extincting the mammoth. I would put some serious money towards that, just because it is cool.
4. Minoan Linear A. This is still undeciphered, mainly due to lack of a body of texts. I mean, there are tons of plausible schemas, but nothing to test them against. I would support many digs to try to find the lost texts that can tell us about the Minoan Empire 5K+ years ago.
5. Land. I love land. I would buy tons of land, mostly in the US (which is still the best place to be) but some in other countries.
6. I am jealouse of db's #5. I agree with it, but I would not have thought to include it in this list. Hey db! If I run your name in the credits, can I make a movie? Fair trade?

Jan

I have used AVG for many years, as a general tool, and it is OK. When I find a particularly bad case, I get Malwearbytes. That company seems to move a bit faster in developing new tools for a wild virus.

Jan

My father was a great-hearted person, and I think that the thought of a Nazi weapon ending up being owned by a Jewish boy appealed to him.

Jan
(But DARN. Wudda loved to have had it.)

Apparently it is a philosophy of social obligation that is so compelling that you Must do it. Not something you or I would understand.

Jan

Apparently it is a philosophy of social obligation that is so compelling that you Must do it. Not something you or I would understand.

Jan

Yeah. Sigh.

Jan

My parents were part of the occupation forces in Germany right after WWII. It dated from then, but I do not know its story in detail.

The only good thing I can think of about my father giving it away (while all 3 or his daughters would have loved to have owned it) was that he gave it to a young Jewish boy who lived across the street from us. At least I find that amusing.

Jan

Sigh. Whine. I wish.

My father gave away his Lugar - from WWII.

Jan

Ha! Depending on how you look at it (pun intended), a microscope is an improvement in optics, but an invention in microscopy. The innovation was looking at something small and not at something distant.

Insofar as philosophy is concerned, Wm has already responded...but I was going to answer, "I suspect that you are more certain that you know Wm's philosophy than Wm is." I guess that is what working with someone for 20 years or more will do.

Per mamaemma, I probably should term my philosophy 'individualistic' while I am in the Gulch. The people here have more of my attitudes and perspectives that folks outside the Gulch generally do, but I have not found anything a perfect fit.

Jan

Hah! I did not really even notice the "bullshit". Oh dear...that is supposed to be a Bad Word, isn't it. (I was just commenting in general.)

I expect people to have strong opinions in the Gulch. Some of those opinions will be far different from mine; a subset of those may change my views and inform my future perspectives.

You will certainly up/down vote according to your own parameters. I, by mine.

Jan, has her own triggers

Thank you for replying rationally, and not just making angry comments. I have known Wm for 25+ years and worked with him for over 20. I think that you are projecting your worst nightmares onto him simply because he disagrees with you on patent/copyright issues.

Even in his above comments, Wm says only that 'the majority' of the patents are due to improvements to make a product more competitive; this leaves plenty of room (in his brain, my brain, and potentially your brain) for totally 'new stuff'. Cornelius Drebble is accorded the credit for invention of the first microscope. (I did not know that Drebble even existed...thought it was Leewenhook.) All microscopes since then have been 'improvements'. But WOW, what a difference our modern microscopes are from the 17th century variety. There is value in improvement; there is also value in total innovation. Win-win.

Were Wm to write an AS style book, the hero would be triumphant. I know this because I have read some of the things he has written: the heroes are smart (/brilliant), competent, and win out over their opponents in the end.

Jan

This really bothered me yesterday. What bothered me even more is that EFF and Pacific Legal Foundation, who should know better, were amongst the solicitors.

I may give to organizations whose work I respect and want to support, but I'll be damned if I do so on "Giving Bloody Tuesday"!

Jan

Yes. I was incorrect in thinking that the technical definition of altruism included volition. I now divide 'small "a" altruism' from 'capital "A" Altruism". The common use of the term, small "a" includes the assumption of a voluntary nature. But I now accept that the technical definition of Altruism is that it is non-volitional. (Ewwww!)

I just wanted to direct your attention to the fact that in common everyday use, the definition of the term has shifted.

Jan, looked it up in lots of places