Saturday, January 31, 2009
Bubbles inside bubbles
Our "news" media exist in an amazingly isolated bubble. The news of today -- or rather the few stories that advance the Leninist cause -- passes through the membrane, but there is never any context, never any application of general knowledge, never any checking of numbers or facts. It appears that the inhabitants of the news bubble are Huxley's retarded Gamma types, with every minute a brand-new discovery.
Latest example: Obama's decision to allow California to make its own pollution regulations, reversing a Sultan Bush decision. The brand-R talking point heads say "Oh no! This will eliminate our freedom! If this goes through, we'll lose the right to choose any car we want! How in the world can Detroit manage this?" and the brand-D talking point heads say "About time. We need to start regulating emissions!"
Fact 1: Federal rules have limited the range of available cars since 1934. First New Deal limits on price and quantity, then WW2 limits on materials and prices, which continued through 1957, then safety and pollution rules starting in 1962 and growing stricter each year since then. We've never been able to "choose any car we want."
Fact 2: California has been setting its own emissions rules since 1967. Detroit has been adapting to this difference for 40 years. Cars have been manufactured in special California versions for 40 years. Anyone who has ever worked on cars or dealt with car specifications, has known this for 40 years. ¶ 3:04 PM
Latest example: Obama's decision to allow California to make its own pollution regulations, reversing a Sultan Bush decision. The brand-R talking point heads say "Oh no! This will eliminate our freedom! If this goes through, we'll lose the right to choose any car we want! How in the world can Detroit manage this?" and the brand-D talking point heads say "About time. We need to start regulating emissions!"
Fact 1: Federal rules have limited the range of available cars since 1934. First New Deal limits on price and quantity, then WW2 limits on materials and prices, which continued through 1957, then safety and pollution rules starting in 1962 and growing stricter each year since then. We've never been able to "choose any car we want."
Fact 2: California has been setting its own emissions rules since 1967. Detroit has been adapting to this difference for 40 years. Cars have been manufactured in special California versions for 40 years. Anyone who has ever worked on cars or dealt with car specifications, has known this for 40 years. ¶ 3:04 PM
Friday, January 30, 2009
Confidence and Plumbing aren't the same thing.
Both parties are missing the point of "stimulus". Both sides seem to agree with nonsensical statements like "Government can't create jobs" and "government
can't create wealth."
On a deeper level, the politicians are thinking solely within the narrow bounds of economics, thinking only of the flow of dollars, treating humans as nothing more than plumbing. If you pump enough liquid into the taxpaying-unit pipes, some of it will overflow into the retail pipes, and then to China. The only permissible subject of argument is how many gallons of liquid are needed to reach China.
This is phenomenally stupid and counterproductive. This is absolutely insane.
How to regain sanity? Start here: Humans have minds and souls and beliefs.
If the goal is to restore confidence, we should work to restore confidence instead of blindly pumping monetary units through the system and waiting for it to hit China.
One way to restore confidence is to provide jobs. Yes, government jobs.
Polistra has focused repeatedly on WPA/CCC, but during the Depression government jobs of all sorts, local, state and federal, formed the foundation of renewed confidence.
Example: my Okie grandfather ran out of mechanic jobs in 1932, so he signed on as a school janitor. Less pay than mechanic work, but the city school system wasn't going to disappear. This gave him confidence, which freed him to be a good father and a good citizen. And just incidentally freed him to spend money on necessities instead of hoarding it.
= = = = =
The Obama infrastructure package actually does the right thing, adding a lot of gummint jobs. Every one of those "pork projects" will give secure jobs to at least a few people for at least a year.
In the short run it doesn't matter if the projects create wealth, as long as they create confidence among American families. So why can't the Dems defend it on this deeply human basis, instead of playing the numbers game? The numbers game is exactly how we got into this mess.
In the long run, well-chosen public works projects do create wealth. Most of all they create the platform, the necessary conditions, for private generation of wealth. A smoothly functioning railroad system would be a national treasure. A modern electrical grid, invulnerable to icestorms and invulnerable to accidental or intentional "failure avalanches", would be a national treasure. In the '20s and '30s we appreciated the national wealth value of all these systems and grids: the Post Office, railroads, telegraph, telephone, radio, and electrical power. We used both regulation and nationalization to maintain and strengthen those treasures. In the modern era of deregulation, from Jimmy Carter to Phil Gramm, we have broken up those treasures and handed them to disjointed and often fraudulent businesses. Instead of designing and maintaining these national networks for national benefit, we have allowed them to be distorted and destroyed for the benefit of a few well-connected millionaires.
So yes, government can create jobs and government can create wealth. We must relearn this basic fact before we can grow and thrive again. ¶ 11:27 PM
can't create wealth."
On a deeper level, the politicians are thinking solely within the narrow bounds of economics, thinking only of the flow of dollars, treating humans as nothing more than plumbing. If you pump enough liquid into the taxpaying-unit pipes, some of it will overflow into the retail pipes, and then to China. The only permissible subject of argument is how many gallons of liquid are needed to reach China.
This is phenomenally stupid and counterproductive. This is absolutely insane.
How to regain sanity? Start here: Humans have minds and souls and beliefs.
If the goal is to restore confidence, we should work to restore confidence instead of blindly pumping monetary units through the system and waiting for it to hit China.
One way to restore confidence is to provide jobs. Yes, government jobs.
Polistra has focused repeatedly on WPA/CCC, but during the Depression government jobs of all sorts, local, state and federal, formed the foundation of renewed confidence.
Example: my Okie grandfather ran out of mechanic jobs in 1932, so he signed on as a school janitor. Less pay than mechanic work, but the city school system wasn't going to disappear. This gave him confidence, which freed him to be a good father and a good citizen. And just incidentally freed him to spend money on necessities instead of hoarding it.
= = = = =
The Obama infrastructure package actually does the right thing, adding a lot of gummint jobs. Every one of those "pork projects" will give secure jobs to at least a few people for at least a year.
In the short run it doesn't matter if the projects create wealth, as long as they create confidence among American families. So why can't the Dems defend it on this deeply human basis, instead of playing the numbers game? The numbers game is exactly how we got into this mess.
In the long run, well-chosen public works projects do create wealth. Most of all they create the platform, the necessary conditions, for private generation of wealth. A smoothly functioning railroad system would be a national treasure. A modern electrical grid, invulnerable to icestorms and invulnerable to accidental or intentional "failure avalanches", would be a national treasure. In the '20s and '30s we appreciated the national wealth value of all these systems and grids: the Post Office, railroads, telegraph, telephone, radio, and electrical power. We used both regulation and nationalization to maintain and strengthen those treasures. In the modern era of deregulation, from Jimmy Carter to Phil Gramm, we have broken up those treasures and handed them to disjointed and often fraudulent businesses. Instead of designing and maintaining these national networks for national benefit, we have allowed them to be distorted and destroyed for the benefit of a few well-connected millionaires.
So yes, government can create jobs and government can create wealth. We must relearn this basic fact before we can grow and thrive again. ¶ 11:27 PM
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Now I get it.
Okay, now I understand the basic problem with Republican thinking.
Jon Kyl, on CNN just now:
Yes, Jon, that's how a two-party system works. Each party attempts to gain a majority in Parliament, and the party with the majority gets to implement its agenda.
Your problem is that you didn't try to implement your agenda when you had the majority in both houses. You simply followed Sultan Bush in lockstep, though many of you knew his agenda was a bizarre mix of Leftism and Idiotism. Sultan Bush followed Teddy Kennedy on most domestic questions and followed Woodrow Wilson on most foreign matters. The perfectly predictable result of steering in those directions was a total catastrophe.
If the brand-R side of Congress had figured out how a two-party system works ... ... if you had tried to push an understandable agenda instead of mindlessly following an insane man ... you wouldn't be in this position now. Since you didn't perform your duty, you aren't entitled to criticize the other brand for performing its duty. ¶ 11:23 AM
Jon Kyl, on CNN just now:
We appreciate Obama's outreach efforts, but too often we are met by a response that says 'We won, so we get to do it our way.'
Yes, Jon, that's how a two-party system works. Each party attempts to gain a majority in Parliament, and the party with the majority gets to implement its agenda.
Your problem is that you didn't try to implement your agenda when you had the majority in both houses. You simply followed Sultan Bush in lockstep, though many of you knew his agenda was a bizarre mix of Leftism and Idiotism. Sultan Bush followed Teddy Kennedy on most domestic questions and followed Woodrow Wilson on most foreign matters. The perfectly predictable result of steering in those directions was a total catastrophe.
If the brand-R side of Congress had figured out how a two-party system works ... ... if you had tried to push an understandable agenda instead of mindlessly following an insane man ... you wouldn't be in this position now. Since you didn't perform your duty, you aren't entitled to criticize the other brand for performing its duty. ¶ 11:23 AM
Infrastructure
You really have to wonder why the Republican "party" is so determined to eliminate itself completely. First it votes enthusiastically for Shotgun Paulson's monstrous Hanukkah gift to his Jewish friends; then it votes against the smaller auto company bailout; now it votes 100% against the large and admittedly messy infrastructure package.
At least they're consistent. They want to give the entire economy to people who are already obscenely rich, and they want to get absolutely nothing in return for the gift. The Dems are less consistent. They voted for the original Hanukkah gift, but they have also voted (less than 100%) for the other two bailouts.
The Dems and Obama are somewhat closer to common sense.
Basic rule: If you must go into debt, use it for something meaningful and permanent, something that will improve life for your family and descendants. Buy a house for a reasonable price, buy an education. Don't use it to buy Hanukkah gifts, don't use it to impress your neighbors, don't spend it at the casino. The latest infrastructure package satisfies the basic rule. This money is mainly going toward permanent improvements in our national "house". And the brand-D politicians are on the common-sense side by supporting it. Brand-R is on the side of waste, dissipation and collapse.
= = = = =
Polistra has been pushing for infrastructure funding from the start.
Here's a reprint of an April 2007 thought:
Maybe we'd do better to bring bureaucracy backward and away from technocracy. It would do a better job of serving the poor and elderly with a more human approach, and just might be more efficient in the ways that really matter.
Example: Until 1950 the Post Office delivered twice a day, and until 1970 it could find an address without any Zip Codes at all. You could send a letter to "March of Dimes, c/o Postmaster", and the local post office would know where to put it. Now we have to put 9-digit Zip Codes on letters; if I were to send a letter to my next-door neighbor, it would have to go to Seattle for sorting and return to Spokane. This is high-tech but it is NOT EFFICIENT. My home-town paper sometimes takes 18 days to reach me from Oklahoma, which is literally horse-and-buggy speed.
The overall point is this: Much of the technocracy was planned on the basis of ever-increasing population. Malthusian theories, implanted by the Left, led government to get ready for exponential increases. We haven't had exponential increases. America now has twice as many people as in 1940, not six times as many. Thus we could be delivering mail once a day with the same lo-tech and efficient system that delivered twice a day in 1940.
When our population starts to decrease, as many Euro countries are already seeing, we'll be stuck with a lot of systems planned for a non-existent future. Technology can help, but perhaps government can find a different niche, a more personalized way of doing things.
Another helpful backward move that requires considerable government action, though not strictly a gov't matter: Rejuvenate the railroads. We have allowed them to decline dangerously. Trains are hugely superior to trucks in energy usage, especially because trains can be switched to electric power. Even in America many railroads are already electrified, and the standard diesel locomotive would be easy to convert. There's no way to electrify long-distance trucks.
Rails are somewhat more secure than highways; though nothing is purely terrorist-proof, tracks have limited access by definition, and you can't steer a bomb-carrying train into a destination that isn't on the tracks. Also, building more trains - and building more nuclear reactors to power them - would be an excellent use for the dozens of automobile plants and thousands of workers now abandoned by Ford and GM. A competent wartime government would have started this process on 9/12/2001.
= = = = = end reprint
¶ 8:53 AM
At least they're consistent. They want to give the entire economy to people who are already obscenely rich, and they want to get absolutely nothing in return for the gift. The Dems are less consistent. They voted for the original Hanukkah gift, but they have also voted (less than 100%) for the other two bailouts.
The Dems and Obama are somewhat closer to common sense.
Basic rule: If you must go into debt, use it for something meaningful and permanent, something that will improve life for your family and descendants. Buy a house for a reasonable price, buy an education. Don't use it to buy Hanukkah gifts, don't use it to impress your neighbors, don't spend it at the casino. The latest infrastructure package satisfies the basic rule. This money is mainly going toward permanent improvements in our national "house". And the brand-D politicians are on the common-sense side by supporting it. Brand-R is on the side of waste, dissipation and collapse.
= = = = =
Polistra has been pushing for infrastructure funding from the start.
Here's a reprint of an April 2007 thought:
Maybe we'd do better to bring bureaucracy backward and away from technocracy. It would do a better job of serving the poor and elderly with a more human approach, and just might be more efficient in the ways that really matter.
Example: Until 1950 the Post Office delivered twice a day, and until 1970 it could find an address without any Zip Codes at all. You could send a letter to "March of Dimes, c/o Postmaster", and the local post office would know where to put it. Now we have to put 9-digit Zip Codes on letters; if I were to send a letter to my next-door neighbor, it would have to go to Seattle for sorting and return to Spokane. This is high-tech but it is NOT EFFICIENT. My home-town paper sometimes takes 18 days to reach me from Oklahoma, which is literally horse-and-buggy speed.
The overall point is this: Much of the technocracy was planned on the basis of ever-increasing population. Malthusian theories, implanted by the Left, led government to get ready for exponential increases. We haven't had exponential increases. America now has twice as many people as in 1940, not six times as many. Thus we could be delivering mail once a day with the same lo-tech and efficient system that delivered twice a day in 1940.
When our population starts to decrease, as many Euro countries are already seeing, we'll be stuck with a lot of systems planned for a non-existent future. Technology can help, but perhaps government can find a different niche, a more personalized way of doing things.
Another helpful backward move that requires considerable government action, though not strictly a gov't matter: Rejuvenate the railroads. We have allowed them to decline dangerously. Trains are hugely superior to trucks in energy usage, especially because trains can be switched to electric power. Even in America many railroads are already electrified, and the standard diesel locomotive would be easy to convert. There's no way to electrify long-distance trucks.
Rails are somewhat more secure than highways; though nothing is purely terrorist-proof, tracks have limited access by definition, and you can't steer a bomb-carrying train into a destination that isn't on the tracks. Also, building more trains - and building more nuclear reactors to power them - would be an excellent use for the dozens of automobile plants and thousands of workers now abandoned by Ford and GM. A competent wartime government would have started this process on 9/12/2001.
= = = = = end reprint
¶ 8:53 AM
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The end of stupidity
The media are missing the most important thing about Obama's interview with al-Arabiya. They focus on his accommodating tone, but this isn't drastically different from Sultan Bush's words. What is different: Obama didn't mention democracy or freedom even once. He talked instead about real human needs: survival, "prosperity and security", and the expectation of a normal and decent life.
Every time Sultan Bush spoke about the BroaderMiddleEast, he extolled freedom and pushed the delusional Wilsonian view that "Democracies Don't War." This is utter nonsense, as Polistra and many other commentators have pointed out. In fact, America's founders knew it was nonsense. Federalist Paper #6 was devoted to a lengthy historical debunking of the idea, and a still useful disquisition on why nations are driven to make war.
This change of direction has been further verified by today's announcement from Defense Sec Gates: "Afghanistan is the fourth or fifth poorest country in the world, and if we set ourselves the objective of creating some sort of Central Asian Valhalla over there, we will lose."
Bravo. We still aren't going to win, but with the removal of the Wilsonian idiocy, we stand a chance of losing with some degree of honor. ¶ 6:02 PM
Every time Sultan Bush spoke about the BroaderMiddleEast, he extolled freedom and pushed the delusional Wilsonian view that "Democracies Don't War." This is utter nonsense, as Polistra and many other commentators have pointed out. In fact, America's founders knew it was nonsense. Federalist Paper #6 was devoted to a lengthy historical debunking of the idea, and a still useful disquisition on why nations are driven to make war.
This change of direction has been further verified by today's announcement from Defense Sec Gates: "Afghanistan is the fourth or fifth poorest country in the world, and if we set ourselves the objective of creating some sort of Central Asian Valhalla over there, we will lose."
Bravo. We still aren't going to win, but with the removal of the Wilsonian idiocy, we stand a chance of losing with some degree of honor. ¶ 6:02 PM
Monday, January 26, 2009
More language notes
While Professor Polistra is on duty ... she's been wanting to document a few small changes in American speech that happened around 1950. Some of these are interesting because two forms coexisted comfortably.
First, the pronunciation of Los Angeles. Before 1950, most people said something like Low-Zanglis. This wasn't an outsider's mispronunciation like Spokain or Missouree; even the mayor of LA called it Low-Zanglis. The modern version, Loss Anjeles, began in the '30s and took over by 1950. Here are two sound samples, only a minute apart, from the very same 1937 episode of Calling All Cars. CAC is sometimes called the father of Dragnet, but it was an entirely different and more artful show.
Low Zanglis
Loss Anjeles
Second and harder to explain, two pronunciations of sacrifice. The first, 'sacrifiss', disappeared after 1950. I'm not sure it was ever a common pronunciation in everyday speech, but it was common among actors. These two sound bytes are from a 1947 episode of Casey Crime Photographer, a lively and well-written gumshoe drama.
Sacrifisses
Sacrifice
Finally, a grammatical switch involving 'star' as a verb. The word originates from the practice of placing an asterisk or star by the name of the leading player on a printed playbill. Literally his name was starred on the program; metaphorically he was starred in the play. Around 1950 the verb turned around from passive to active intransitive, and we now say that he starred (or co-starred) in the show.
Here's just one example of the old usage from a 1950 episode of Philip Marlowe, which was the last radio show to follow the old style.
"And now, with Gerald Mohr starred as Philip Marlowe..."
The modern form of the sentence would be "And now, with Gerald Mohr starring as Philip Marlowe..."
While Professor Polistra is on duty ... she's been wanting to document a few small changes in American speech that happened around 1950. Some of these are interesting because two forms coexisted comfortably.
First, the pronunciation of Los Angeles. Before 1950, most people said something like Low-Zanglis. This wasn't an outsider's mispronunciation like Spokain or Missouree; even the mayor of LA called it Low-Zanglis. The modern version, Loss Anjeles, began in the '30s and took over by 1950. Here are two sound samples, only a minute apart, from the very same 1937 episode of Calling All Cars. CAC is sometimes called the father of Dragnet, but it was an entirely different and more artful show.
Low Zanglis
Loss Anjeles
Second and harder to explain, two pronunciations of sacrifice. The first, 'sacrifiss', disappeared after 1950. I'm not sure it was ever a common pronunciation in everyday speech, but it was common among actors. These two sound bytes are from a 1947 episode of Casey Crime Photographer, a lively and well-written gumshoe drama.
Sacrifisses
Sacrifice
Finally, a grammatical switch involving 'star' as a verb. The word originates from the practice of placing an asterisk or star by the name of the leading player on a printed playbill. Literally his name was starred on the program; metaphorically he was starred in the play. Around 1950 the verb turned around from passive to active intransitive, and we now say that he starred (or co-starred) in the show.
Here's just one example of the old usage from a 1950 episode of Philip Marlowe, which was the last radio show to follow the old style.
"And now, with Gerald Mohr starred as Philip Marlowe..."
The modern form of the sentence would be "And now, with Gerald Mohr starring as Philip Marlowe..."
Labels: Language update
¶ 7:46 PM
Portland's gayor in trouble
Sam Adams was recently elected gayor of Portland; supposedly this was an Advance for Diversity because he's openly and brazenly homosexual in the mold of Barney Frank. Unfortunately a Portland 'gadfly' newspaper found that Adams, while in the state legislature, had been diddling one of the interns who was not yet 18 at the time. (The intern is named Beau Breedlove! Sounds like a perfect porn-flick stage name, but apparently his real name.)
What makes this story unusual is that the Portland homosexual community is calling loudly for Adams to resign. I think this is a first: normally the political advocates for a privileged group work hardest to keep one of their members in office regardless of scandal. The homosexual community is quite properly angry because Adams betrayed them ... in previous years they had defended him against quiet rumors, and now they find he was lying to keep them working on his side.
What isn't unusual: the national media haven't touched the story yet, and probably won't touch it. The cable channels love scandal, but when the scandal involves a solid leftist politician, it's not a story. Didn't happen. Nothing to see here, move along.
[Later: No, I take it back. Rick Sanchez at CNN is covering the story fairly and evenly.]
A few years ago Spokane had an almost identical problem with a gayor diddling youngboy interns, and the national media gave it considerable airtime because this particular gayor was a Republican.
More story here. ¶ 9:03 AM
What makes this story unusual is that the Portland homosexual community is calling loudly for Adams to resign. I think this is a first: normally the political advocates for a privileged group work hardest to keep one of their members in office regardless of scandal. The homosexual community is quite properly angry because Adams betrayed them ... in previous years they had defended him against quiet rumors, and now they find he was lying to keep them working on his side.
What isn't unusual: the national media haven't touched the story yet, and probably won't touch it. The cable channels love scandal, but when the scandal involves a solid leftist politician, it's not a story. Didn't happen. Nothing to see here, move along.
[Later: No, I take it back. Rick Sanchez at CNN is covering the story fairly and evenly.]
A few years ago Spokane had an almost identical problem with a gayor diddling youngboy interns, and the national media gave it considerable airtime because this particular gayor was a Republican.
More story here. ¶ 9:03 AM
Sunday, January 25, 2009
"If I knew then what I knew then...."
During this snowed-in month I've spent some time pondering the past, which is probably unhealthy. It's certainly unhealthy to review past decisions on the basis of hindsight. "If I knew then what I know now" is absolutely pointless. I did write about one such regret here: marrying the wrong type of woman, which simply couldn't have been avoided given the advice and information available at the time.
There is still one decision I should have made differently based on what I knew then: I should have enlisted in the Navy after high school instead of going to college. Before graduation I was in fact planning to enlist; I don't remember now why the decision faded away.
The Navy would have given me discipline and a sense of purpose and usefulness, which I needed badly, and it would have given me hands-on training in electronics, leading eventually to a solid career.
College gave me the opposite of both: it took away discipline, and pulled me away from the obvious career path into more abstract areas that didn't do me any good.
From available facts I could predict that I would likely fit into the Navy because my father, with very similar temperament and tastes, had enjoyed his WW2 Navy service.
And if the Navy had rejected me for physical inadequacy (which was definitely possible) I still would have been better off. The pressure of the draft would have disappeared, and thus the need for a college deferment and the attraction of hippie/leftist culture would also have disappeared. From that point I could have pursued a non-college career path. ¶ 4:30 PM
There is still one decision I should have made differently based on what I knew then: I should have enlisted in the Navy after high school instead of going to college. Before graduation I was in fact planning to enlist; I don't remember now why the decision faded away.
The Navy would have given me discipline and a sense of purpose and usefulness, which I needed badly, and it would have given me hands-on training in electronics, leading eventually to a solid career.
College gave me the opposite of both: it took away discipline, and pulled me away from the obvious career path into more abstract areas that didn't do me any good.
From available facts I could predict that I would likely fit into the Navy because my father, with very similar temperament and tastes, had enjoyed his WW2 Navy service.
And if the Navy had rejected me for physical inadequacy (which was definitely possible) I still would have been better off. The pressure of the draft would have disappeared, and thus the need for a college deferment and the attraction of hippie/leftist culture would also have disappeared. From that point I could have pursued a non-college career path. ¶ 4:30 PM
Friday, January 23, 2009
Where are they now?
Shotgun Paulson has been technically out of power for two days now, and he's already disappeared from the news. That's appropriate, but I hope some reporter, or some investigative agency, is watching Shotgun carefully. His goal, after all, was to abscond with a large part of the American economy. He couldn't finish the job while he was constantly in the public eye. Now that he's placed the American economy in the hands of his friends, he can safely transfer his own cut to a nice non-extraditable country.
¶ 11:42 AM
Thursday, January 22, 2009
"Restoring the place of science"
The worst part of Obama's agenda is the bit about "restoring the proper place of science", which means that all arguments against the Earth Goddess Gaia, and all questions about evolution, are absolutely forbidden starting now.
In other words, science will be forbidden from now on.
Unfortunately we had no choice about this, because McCain's agenda was nearly identical. If anything, McCain was more solidly pro-Gaia than Obama. We Soviet citizens not only have the unique privilege of witnessing a "peaceful transfer of power", which happens nowhere else in the world [except for a hundred other countries]; we have the grand responsibility of choosing Coke or Pepsi!
= = = = =
The consequences of "restoring the proper place of science" are showing up immediately. Today the Texas state school board decided to "restore the proper place of science" by forbidding all scientific discussion about evolution. This has wide consequences, because (unlike most states) the Texas board chooses all books, thus effectively forcing the hand of publishers for other states.
Dallas Morning News says: "The anti-evolutionists lost. The scientists prevailed. The State Board of Education voted this afternoon to drop a requirement that high school science classes discuss the so-called weaknesses in the theory of evolution."
So I guess the scientists agree on the most basic points of evolution, eh?
Well, an article published just yesterday in New Scientist says otherwise. In fact the deepest part of Darwin is being destroyed by new factual discoveries.
The most basic part of Darwin's scheme is the "tree of life", whereby each new species gradually deviates or branches off from existing critters through random small mutations in its own genes. Natural selection then favors the variants that are better suited for a particular situation, or those that reproduce best.
But it turns out the tree is only half of the story, maybe less. Recent massive examination of DNA and RNA has led to the conclusion that roughly half of all changes come from transfer of genes through viruses and bacteria. In other words, half of our genes were imported from other animals or plants at various times, and half were inherited from our ancestors.
Sounds like a pretty damn basic disagreement to me.
But schoolkids are hereby forbidden to read about this basic and serious debate because it points to a "weakness in the theory."
= = = = =
Ironically, [I try to avoid that word but it truly fits here] the newer findings will strengthen the logical foundation of evolution, not weaken it.
The "consensus" view of random mutations makes the whole theory impossible.
Let's say a group of frogs is hit by radiation. And let's say that some of the male sperm cells are altered enough that their progeny would be a new species. Well, those sperm cells would have to meet up with an egg that had also undergone the exact same change, otherwise they will simply be rejected. Because radiation hits different genes in unpredictable ways, the chance of this scenario happening even once is almost exactly zero ... and then you really need to have many frogs changing in the same way at the same time in order to stand the pressures of selection.
But if the new genes are brought in by a virus or fungus, we have the same gene appearing suddenly and simultaneously in most of a local population, both male and female. Both sperm and egg cells will carry the new gene, and the change will be propagated to some of their offspring. If the change is great enough to make a new species, there will now be a good number of males and females belonging to this new species, all at once, ready and able to reproduce.
= = = = =
In science education we desperately need to look at all rational theories. We must encourage kids to examine reality directly and develop their own theories.
The right question is not "what's the current consensus?" but rather "what will increase our understanding?" ... or better, "what will generate the most interest in the students?" And if one of the answers to the latter question is Intelligent Design -- if ID makes evolution more interesting and palatable to students -- then we should teach ID. This will never happen, of course, because the American "scientific" establishment doesn't give a flying fuck about increasing understanding or generating interest. The American "scientific" establishment has only three priorities: Exterminate, Exterminate, Exterminate.
In other words, science will be forbidden from now on.
Unfortunately we had no choice about this, because McCain's agenda was nearly identical. If anything, McCain was more solidly pro-Gaia than Obama. We Soviet citizens not only have the unique privilege of witnessing a "peaceful transfer of power", which happens nowhere else in the world [except for a hundred other countries]; we have the grand responsibility of choosing Coke or Pepsi!
= = = = =
The consequences of "restoring the proper place of science" are showing up immediately. Today the Texas state school board decided to "restore the proper place of science" by forbidding all scientific discussion about evolution. This has wide consequences, because (unlike most states) the Texas board chooses all books, thus effectively forcing the hand of publishers for other states.
Dallas Morning News says: "The anti-evolutionists lost. The scientists prevailed. The State Board of Education voted this afternoon to drop a requirement that high school science classes discuss the so-called weaknesses in the theory of evolution."
So I guess the scientists agree on the most basic points of evolution, eh?
Well, an article published just yesterday in New Scientist says otherwise. In fact the deepest part of Darwin is being destroyed by new factual discoveries.
The most basic part of Darwin's scheme is the "tree of life", whereby each new species gradually deviates or branches off from existing critters through random small mutations in its own genes. Natural selection then favors the variants that are better suited for a particular situation, or those that reproduce best.
But it turns out the tree is only half of the story, maybe less. Recent massive examination of DNA and RNA has led to the conclusion that roughly half of all changes come from transfer of genes through viruses and bacteria. In other words, half of our genes were imported from other animals or plants at various times, and half were inherited from our ancestors.
Sounds like a pretty damn basic disagreement to me.
But schoolkids are hereby forbidden to read about this basic and serious debate because it points to a "weakness in the theory."
= = = = =
Ironically, [I try to avoid that word but it truly fits here] the newer findings will strengthen the logical foundation of evolution, not weaken it.
The "consensus" view of random mutations makes the whole theory impossible.
Let's say a group of frogs is hit by radiation. And let's say that some of the male sperm cells are altered enough that their progeny would be a new species. Well, those sperm cells would have to meet up with an egg that had also undergone the exact same change, otherwise they will simply be rejected. Because radiation hits different genes in unpredictable ways, the chance of this scenario happening even once is almost exactly zero ... and then you really need to have many frogs changing in the same way at the same time in order to stand the pressures of selection.
But if the new genes are brought in by a virus or fungus, we have the same gene appearing suddenly and simultaneously in most of a local population, both male and female. Both sperm and egg cells will carry the new gene, and the change will be propagated to some of their offspring. If the change is great enough to make a new species, there will now be a good number of males and females belonging to this new species, all at once, ready and able to reproduce.
= = = = =
In science education we desperately need to look at all rational theories. We must encourage kids to examine reality directly and develop their own theories.
The right question is not "what's the current consensus?" but rather "what will increase our understanding?" ... or better, "what will generate the most interest in the students?" And if one of the answers to the latter question is Intelligent Design -- if ID makes evolution more interesting and palatable to students -- then we should teach ID. This will never happen, of course, because the American "scientific" establishment doesn't give a flying fuck about increasing understanding or generating interest. The American "scientific" establishment has only three priorities: Exterminate, Exterminate, Exterminate.
Labels: Experiential education
¶ 8:16 PM
Bush, Obama, Cage, Corelli
If Bush were a composer, he'd be John Cage. Most of his acts were random, dissonant and meaningless; listening to him was physically painful. He spent long periods doing nothing at all. His acolytes and defenders try to find and celebrate the hidden meanings of his accidental lurches and squawks, and praise his long silence as an ingenious gambit. Cage's academic sycophants defended him similarly, but his reality was just as painful, pointless and empty.
At this early stage I'll tentatively compare Obama to Arcangelo Corelli. A Corelli concerto starts steadily and decisively, then forges through to the end with a constant forward drive. His melody lines are often complex, but you don't need a code book to figure out where he's going. His meaning is transparent; you can follow and appreciate without the need for intermediaries, talking points or aspirin. ¶ 12:18 PM
At this early stage I'll tentatively compare Obama to Arcangelo Corelli. A Corelli concerto starts steadily and decisively, then forges through to the end with a constant forward drive. His melody lines are often complex, but you don't need a code book to figure out where he's going. His meaning is transparent; you can follow and appreciate without the need for intermediaries, talking points or aspirin. ¶ 12:18 PM
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The oath moment
The contretemps when swearing in Obama forms a perfect little symbol for the transition. Performing the very last official action of Sultan Bush's administration, Chief Roberts was incompetent and late. A fitting end to an administration that specialized in unbelievable incompetence and lateness. In contrast, Obama was competent, eager to get under way, and nimble enough to adapt to the changed text.
¶ 6:43 AM
Monday, January 19, 2009
Language Bulletin and inauguration notes
Professor Polistra has noted a brand-new speech affectation.
Ita soundsa somethinga like a stereotypicala Italiana accenta, or perhapsa like Lawrencea Welka. Professora P thinksa this one started at CNN with Wolfa Blitzera, which is somewhata unusuala since mosta language peculiaritiesa start at Foxa Newsa. Unfortunately thisa one is spreadinga with amazing speeda to other networksa and evena to locala newscastersa.
= = = = =
Later: CNN's pre-inauguration and inauguration coverage is grossly annoying. They have said at least 936 times that a peaceful transition of power happens "only in America", which is wildly and ferociously untrue; and they've said at least 37,321 times that it's miraculous to see a black man as President since only 150 years ago a black man was "worth only 3/5 of a person", which is also wildly untrue. For CNN, absolutely everything is seen through the prism of race, everything reminds them of Bull Connor, Selma, Comrade King. It's like the old Rohrschach joke.
If you want to come closer to a valid "only in America" comment, how about the fact that Obama's father came from a country where slavery is still practiced actively. By moving to a Christian country that abolished slavery a long time ago, Barack Sr insured that his son would have the opportunity to succeed and lead. Barack Senior's children in Kenya are still living in base poverty.
= = = = =
Later still: the musical bits of the inauguration were atrocious. Aretha Franklin was supposed to sing 'My Country Tis of Thee', but instead suffered some kind of Tourette seizure, repeating words over and over without any melody or rhythm. The John Williams piece was performed well, but it was an unnecessary and derivative composition. If you want to use a formal piece based on 'Simple Gifts', Aaron Copland already did the job beautifully in Appalachian Spring. Unfortunately the tepid Williams copy of Copland only serves to illustrate the complete bankruptcy of classical music in modern America.
Obama redeemed the whole thing with a PERFECT and classical speech. I might disagree with some of the agenda points, but the spirit and soul of the speech were better than any of FDR's speeches, nearly up to Churchill's best.
Polistra detects a flavor of Louis L'Amour in the speech: "Rather, it has been the risk takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom." ... and ... "To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy."
No American politician has ever defined the basis of Western civilization so completely and correctly.
Unfortunately an alleged female "poet" then ruined the show with her pedestrian and clumsy prose. "The figuring it out at kitchen tables?" Shit.
Professor Polistra has noted a brand-new speech affectation.
Ita soundsa somethinga like a stereotypicala Italiana accenta, or perhapsa like Lawrencea Welka. Professora P thinksa this one started at CNN with Wolfa Blitzera, which is somewhata unusuala since mosta language peculiaritiesa start at Foxa Newsa. Unfortunately thisa one is spreadinga with amazing speeda to other networksa and evena to locala newscastersa.
= = = = =
Later: CNN's pre-inauguration and inauguration coverage is grossly annoying. They have said at least 936 times that a peaceful transition of power happens "only in America", which is wildly and ferociously untrue; and they've said at least 37,321 times that it's miraculous to see a black man as President since only 150 years ago a black man was "worth only 3/5 of a person", which is also wildly untrue. For CNN, absolutely everything is seen through the prism of race, everything reminds them of Bull Connor, Selma, Comrade King. It's like the old Rohrschach joke.
If you want to come closer to a valid "only in America" comment, how about the fact that Obama's father came from a country where slavery is still practiced actively. By moving to a Christian country that abolished slavery a long time ago, Barack Sr insured that his son would have the opportunity to succeed and lead. Barack Senior's children in Kenya are still living in base poverty.
= = = = =
Later still: the musical bits of the inauguration were atrocious. Aretha Franklin was supposed to sing 'My Country Tis of Thee', but instead suffered some kind of Tourette seizure, repeating words over and over without any melody or rhythm. The John Williams piece was performed well, but it was an unnecessary and derivative composition. If you want to use a formal piece based on 'Simple Gifts', Aaron Copland already did the job beautifully in Appalachian Spring. Unfortunately the tepid Williams copy of Copland only serves to illustrate the complete bankruptcy of classical music in modern America.
Obama redeemed the whole thing with a PERFECT and classical speech. I might disagree with some of the agenda points, but the spirit and soul of the speech were better than any of FDR's speeches, nearly up to Churchill's best.
Polistra detects a flavor of Louis L'Amour in the speech: "Rather, it has been the risk takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom." ... and ... "To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy."
No American politician has ever defined the basis of Western civilization so completely and correctly.
Unfortunately an alleged female "poet" then ruined the show with her pedestrian and clumsy prose. "The figuring it out at kitchen tables?" Shit.
Labels: Language update
¶ 7:35 PM
Monday, January 12, 2009
Sometimes you wonder.....
Excellent idea from Deroy Murdock in today's NRO.
Well, part of the idea is excellent. Splitting and selling is good, but splitting by alphabet is really dumb.
The alphabet is emphatically not random. For example, C, J, M, S would be large chunks with broad distribution, but Q, X, Y, Z would be tiny and far off balance. X would consist of a few Greeks, "Black Muslims", and some recent Chinese immigrants.
I have to wonder how a wise and well-informed man like Murdock could have missed this obvious fact, and how his editors could also have missed it. Maybe it only seems obvious to me because I've always been interested in linguistics and cryptology? No, anyone who ever used a phone book or an encyclopedia should have noticed it.
In the end it doesn't really matter, because computers could run a truly random split. Most of all, it doesn't matter because the basic idea makes sense, and the Feds will never, never, never, never, no never at all, consider an idea that makes sense. ¶ 8:20 AM
Fannie and Freddie’s assets should be pooled and alphabetized by the surname of each mortgage holder. Thus, Abramson and Acosta top the list. Marlowe and Moskowitz occupy its middle. Zoro and Zucker will bring up the rear. These assets then would be segmented alphabetically into 26 units.
These 26 companies would be auctioned to the highest bidders in transparent, public ceremonies. Revenues would go to the Treasury. This income should be reserved to offset the massive debts that are the domestic legacy Bush has bequeathed America’s unborn after his relentless, eight-year spendathon.
Because the alphabet does not distinguish between rich and poor, creditworthy and delinquent, nor east and west, each of these 26 companies would include mortgages on mansions and shotgun shacks, from Savannah to Seattle.
Well, part of the idea is excellent. Splitting and selling is good, but splitting by alphabet is really dumb.
The alphabet is emphatically not random. For example, C, J, M, S would be large chunks with broad distribution, but Q, X, Y, Z would be tiny and far off balance. X would consist of a few Greeks, "Black Muslims", and some recent Chinese immigrants.
I have to wonder how a wise and well-informed man like Murdock could have missed this obvious fact, and how his editors could also have missed it. Maybe it only seems obvious to me because I've always been interested in linguistics and cryptology? No, anyone who ever used a phone book or an encyclopedia should have noticed it.
In the end it doesn't really matter, because computers could run a truly random split. Most of all, it doesn't matter because the basic idea makes sense, and the Feds will never, never, never, never, no never at all, consider an idea that makes sense. ¶ 8:20 AM
Aristocracy
Listening to Sultan Bush's "farewell" press conf. One question was: Why do you think your opponents are so ferocious? Why does "Bush Derangement Syndrome" prevail?
Bush's answer was typically useless and moronic, something like "I don't pay attention to them."
The real answer is more interesting. American leftists hate Bush for the exact same reason they hate Nixon: aristocracy, plus a bit of cognitive dissonance.
Nixon continued and expanded on LBJ's policies, and continued LBJ's political tactics. Watergate was nothing new. The Left hated Nixon because he did not possess the divine right to carry out the policies and tactics of the Left.
Bush's domestic agenda is Teddy Kennedy's domestic agenda. His war policy is a direct continuation of Clinton war policy. The Left hates Bush because he does not possess the divine right to implement Emperor Teddy's policies.
American Leftists talk about ideology, but they are exclusively and solely aristocrats. If they paid even a tiny bit of attention to policy and results, they would love Nixon and Bush, and they would hate JFK. ¶ 6:36 AM
Bush's answer was typically useless and moronic, something like "I don't pay attention to them."
The real answer is more interesting. American leftists hate Bush for the exact same reason they hate Nixon: aristocracy, plus a bit of cognitive dissonance.
Nixon continued and expanded on LBJ's policies, and continued LBJ's political tactics. Watergate was nothing new. The Left hated Nixon because he did not possess the divine right to carry out the policies and tactics of the Left.
Bush's domestic agenda is Teddy Kennedy's domestic agenda. His war policy is a direct continuation of Clinton war policy. The Left hates Bush because he does not possess the divine right to implement Emperor Teddy's policies.
American Leftists talk about ideology, but they are exclusively and solely aristocrats. If they paid even a tiny bit of attention to policy and results, they would love Nixon and Bush, and they would hate JFK. ¶ 6:36 AM
Thursday, January 08, 2009
"against cold" 3
Polistra is thanking Saint Maurus again.
Spokane was spared from the worst possible meltdown. The Weather Bureau** forecast a chinook with 3 inches of rain. We got the chinook (two days of scary but not quite dangerous warm wind) ... and no rain at all. So the roofs are now dry, the streets are clean and the snowbanks are receding, but we didn't get disastrous floods.
The Author is still jangled and thoroughly exhausted. During the month of ever-increasing snow, he jumped at every drip and creak, and spent hours on a precarious ladder trying to remove snow and break ice dams. Now he's still jumping at every noise. Needs a vacation.
More to the point, the Author needs to move back to Oklahoma. As the earth rapidly enters the next Little Ice Age, Spokane winters will become ever more dangerous.
= = = = =
** For the record, I should add that exactly one of the local weathercasters was close to correct... not just on the meltdown, but during the whole emergency. Brian Albrecht at KHQ was right most of the time, while all the others followed the Weather Bureau's bad predictions. ¶ 6:26 PM
Polistra is thanking Saint Maurus again.
Spokane was spared from the worst possible meltdown. The Weather Bureau** forecast a chinook with 3 inches of rain. We got the chinook (two days of scary but not quite dangerous warm wind) ... and no rain at all. So the roofs are now dry, the streets are clean and the snowbanks are receding, but we didn't get disastrous floods.
The Author is still jangled and thoroughly exhausted. During the month of ever-increasing snow, he jumped at every drip and creak, and spent hours on a precarious ladder trying to remove snow and break ice dams. Now he's still jumping at every noise. Needs a vacation.
More to the point, the Author needs to move back to Oklahoma. As the earth rapidly enters the next Little Ice Age, Spokane winters will become ever more dangerous.
= = = = =
** For the record, I should add that exactly one of the local weathercasters was close to correct... not just on the meltdown, but during the whole emergency. Brian Albrecht at KHQ was right most of the time, while all the others followed the Weather Bureau's bad predictions. ¶ 6:26 PM
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Opening comments for a while
Appears that one entry on this blog is actually being read. Most of the time Sitemeter shows only a few random-looking clicks per day, roughly what you'd expect from sites running an automatic sweep of certain keywords, no real human readers. But in recent weeks, one entry is clearly getting referred and read often.
Unfortunately the Sitemeter service doesn't pin it down specifically; just shows that the readers are hitting the August 2008 archive. I'm turning on comments for a while, hoping to find out which entry is so popular!
= = = = =
Update 1/22/09: I tweaked Sitemeter and found out which post was the popular one, so I'm closing comments again. ¶ 5:56 PM
Unfortunately the Sitemeter service doesn't pin it down specifically; just shows that the readers are hitting the August 2008 archive. I'm turning on comments for a while, hoping to find out which entry is so popular!
= = = = =
Update 1/22/09: I tweaked Sitemeter and found out which post was the popular one, so I'm closing comments again. ¶ 5:56 PM
Slow going
Been 'under the weather' in a literal sense. Trudging through snow to the grocery store, shoveling walks, raking the roof, and trying to break up ice dams, have sapped my physical and mental energy. No spare neurons available. Good old cabin fever!
One interesting item: It appears that Wash Gov Gregoire is being vetted for an Obama cabinet appointment. Polistra has observed before that Gregoire has a unique talent for handling emergencies, and would be a great FEMA director. News conference expected tomorrow, so we shall see.
= = = = =
Later: Apparently the Gregoire rumors were unfounded. She's staying on as Governor. This is good for the state, though it would be interesting to see her in a national position. ¶ 10:28 AM
One interesting item: It appears that Wash Gov Gregoire is being vetted for an Obama cabinet appointment. Polistra has observed before that Gregoire has a unique talent for handling emergencies, and would be a great FEMA director. News conference expected tomorrow, so we shall see.
= = = = =
Later: Apparently the Gregoire rumors were unfounded. She's staying on as Governor. This is good for the state, though it would be interesting to see her in a national position. ¶ 10:28 AM
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Bravo Nickels
The original purpose of declaring a State of Emergency was to break through the red tape, take firm control, and do whatever is needed. In recent years this idea has disappeared. When mayors or governors declare an emergency, they continue to follow all suicidal environmental rules, continue to kill people unnecessarily, and then ask the Feds for more money money money money money to assist the slaughter.
Amazingly, the mayor of Seattle has remembered the original purpose of an Emergency! Greg Nickels has decided to break the rules and protect his people. He ordered the Street Dept to use salt on the streets of Seattle, because SALT WORKS.
For the last ten years, Seattle has been leading the Glorious Marxist-Leninist-MauriceStrongist Revolution, diligently applying and re-applying and re-applying totally useless but Clean de-icing chemicals, in order to keep the Waters Holy And Pure, and above all to Protect The Salmon Goddess. Mere humans have died like flies, which is of course the Final Solution Of The Glorious Marxist-Leninist-MauriceStrongist Revolution.
Bravo to Nickels for breaking out of the Revolution and deciding, however briefly, to protect the lives of mere humans.
Story here, including some interviews with Glorious Marxist-Leninist-MauriceStrongist Revolutionaries who are predictably Saddened And Disappointed by the mayor's pro-human decision. These revolutionaries want to hasten the Final Solution.
= = = = =
Meanwhile, predictably enough, the alleged so-called fucking "government" of Spokane is showing consistent fucking idiocy, predictably refusing to understand the meaning of an emergency.
Many citizens with good snow-blowing equipment have been clearing sidewalks and driveways for neighbors who can't do it; some have even been plowing streets because the city has failed to do it. Yesterday one such Samaritan was ARRESTED AND FINED for throwing snow into the street, which is technically illegal. Yes sir, that's how you encourage good citizenship. Enforce ALL the rules, ESPECIALLY the rules that make life impossible for good people. Arrest good citizens and reward evil!!!!!!! Stalin loves you, alleged so-called fucking "government" of Spokane!!!!! ¶ 7:22 AM
Amazingly, the mayor of Seattle has remembered the original purpose of an Emergency! Greg Nickels has decided to break the rules and protect his people. He ordered the Street Dept to use salt on the streets of Seattle, because SALT WORKS.
For the last ten years, Seattle has been leading the Glorious Marxist-Leninist-MauriceStrongist Revolution, diligently applying and re-applying and re-applying totally useless but Clean de-icing chemicals, in order to keep the Waters Holy And Pure, and above all to Protect The Salmon Goddess. Mere humans have died like flies, which is of course the Final Solution Of The Glorious Marxist-Leninist-MauriceStrongist Revolution.
Bravo to Nickels for breaking out of the Revolution and deciding, however briefly, to protect the lives of mere humans.
Story here, including some interviews with Glorious Marxist-Leninist-MauriceStrongist Revolutionaries who are predictably Saddened And Disappointed by the mayor's pro-human decision. These revolutionaries want to hasten the Final Solution.
= = = = =
Meanwhile, predictably enough, the alleged so-called fucking "government" of Spokane is showing consistent fucking idiocy, predictably refusing to understand the meaning of an emergency.
Many citizens with good snow-blowing equipment have been clearing sidewalks and driveways for neighbors who can't do it; some have even been plowing streets because the city has failed to do it. Yesterday one such Samaritan was ARRESTED AND FINED for throwing snow into the street, which is technically illegal. Yes sir, that's how you encourage good citizenship. Enforce ALL the rules, ESPECIALLY the rules that make life impossible for good people. Arrest good citizens and reward evil!!!!!!! Stalin loves you, alleged so-called fucking "government" of Spokane!!!!! ¶ 7:22 AM
