Thanks Again!!! -- john, always cautious, or I try.

.

They are quite liberal, but occasionally there is an objectivist/libertarian post in the replies. I have a pseudonym when I post on that site.

But. They are THE place to go for SciFi gossip and often have breaking science articles before anyone else does.

Jan, occasionally cautious

thank you for the intro to io9 -- I was not aware of it. -- j

.

I have occasionally checked up on Fox (and sometimes Drudge) so see if there is a report on some matter that is of stunning importance and which I heard of in the Gulch. Often, there is no mention of it at all otherwise (and one of my best sources for new scientific breakthroughs is...io9...go figure.)

Jan

Yes! . we have some great news gatherers here!!! -- j

.

This is the sort of discussion that is ignored by the news media. Greece playing Mom/Dad with EU and Rus.

Jan

I find more important news in the Gulch than I do on Fox.

Jan

If you want to look at the empire of Alexander and the Macedonians, it was pretty impressive to be sure. It would have been interesting to see him (Alexander) as a general in WW I. Having examined some of his battles and tactics (he was brilliant), it would have been fascinating to see what strategies he devised.

Thank you for pointing that out. I kept thinking that Greece owned most of Italy in pre-Roman days (many city states such as Naples and Syracuse, etc.).

And, you are spot on correct about the rest of your post as well.

It's going to be an interesting show to watch!

What you suggest as far as only land owners being allowed to vote is the way it used to be run.

As Robert Heinlein pointed out, (To Sail Beyond the Sunset) one problem with democracy is that people figure out they can vote themselves "bread and circuses". After that, it's only a matter of time before the decline and fall.

The first time I read that, I thought "oh come on, people are smarter than THAT". Now as I look around, I see his point. There are some people who can look past the immediate gratification, (those of us here in the Gulch, for instance). But a large and seemingly increasing majority of people don't seem to be able to think past "Ooh! I can get bread and circuses!".

I'm not anti-democracy, but how do we prevent the "bread and circus" mentality from taking over? One way I thought of (although I realize it would never pass) is to limit voting to property owners (who have a tangible stake in the country/state/city they live in) and/or taxpayers (who earn the money that's being spent).

You are right on, they are working on a pipeline to go around their other problem child, and pull Greece into the Soviet (er, Russian) net.

Only when the electorate abdicates it's responsibilities. Which happened as early as 1814 in the Hartford Convention, which was similar in basis to what we have today. We were fighting a war most people sort of wanted, but didn't want to fund, and some were abhorrently against. The seeds seemed settled at that point, almost to succession.

My bet is Russia steps in just as the crisis hits and "bails" them out. Then they become the client state they have desperately wanted to be. They couldn't make it in the Euro world, and even they are pretty loose with the checkbook and bookkeeping.

it seems that the best available is spotty and sparse. -- j

.

Would Mt Olympus come with or without the gods?

The US is also susceptible to internal collapse, but that may be what needs to happen in order to rebuild a financial structure that is more sensible. (I say this knowing that the reverse happened during the Great Depression.)

Jan

Here's an idea, the Greeks has to turn back the clock a thousand years or so; Togas, a large merchant sailing fleet and tear down modern building put everyone to work building with marble again.

Or, have Macedonia take over Greece like they did a long time ago.

The unfortunate truth is that Greece is going to collapse from the inside and it won't be militarily. It will be by riots in the streets and political chaos.

Probably a testament to why 'Democracy' always fail..............

Mom is dead, no brothers, uncles can have little red dots on their chest. Problem?

Kidding aside, it is quite different with Greece, since they could be taken over militarily from outside. The US, not so much.

Jan

Greece will need to piece back together its economy first.
I really don't understand how the USA still has a space program among other things while over $18 trillion in debt.

I bid $25 for the Parthenon.

There's a full scale replica of the Parthenon in Nashville, TN. Worth visiting to appreciate what the human mind was able to create without power tools.

I don't think it's "put up with it" as much as it is "are totally clueless about it."