Friday, July 06, 2018
Speaking of 1920 poets
Idiot article in ZH:
In a move straight out of the Soviet Union handbook, PG&E has warned they may cut electrical power to some California residents during “extreme weather” to help prevent wildfires.
In the first fucking place, this is NOT the conventional idea of Soviet procedure. Conventional wisdom said that the Soviets kept industry running regardless of environmental consequences. This idea was basically true. American industry was usually more careful about avoiding pollution, fires, etc.
Since I've been exposing these conventional ideas about USSR, I tried the usual procedure on this one. I found a 1962 book on the Soviet power grid, which turned out to be HUGELY more interesting for its authorship than its information.
It didn't tell me anything surprising about the Soviet electric grid. Conventional wisdom was right. Stalin started from scratch in 1922 and forced everything (including farmers) to lay down and die for the sake of rapid electrification and industrialization.
The book included a neat overlay map giving a clear sense of Russian climate zones compared to North America;
But the best part was the authors. The book was written after a US Govt delegation made a FRIENDLY VISIT to Russia. Unthinkable concept now, as a Congressional delegation learned this week.
I was talking yesterday about modern vs ancient businessmen and poets.
This picture of the delegation is a timely gift:
Transcribed caption:
The delegation departing from Friendship Airport. 1. Secretary of the Interior Udall, 2. James K. Carr, 3. Joseph C. Swidler, 4. Howard Morgan, 5. Lee C. White, 6. Orren Beaty, 7. Floyd E. Dominy, 8. Charles F. Luce, 9. Maj. Gen. R. G. Macdonnell, 10. T. W. Mermel, 11. Fred Chambers, 12. Curtis W. Kamman, 13. Paul E. Shaad, 14. James F. McNulty.
Under a separate exchange program departing at the same time were: 15. Robert Frost, 16. Frederick Adams, 17. Franklin C. Reeves.
Most of these men were politically active Democrats, and they were making a point of seeking objective facts about Russia in a FRIENDLY way, even while the Deepstates on both sides were making warlike moves.
Best of all, there's ROBERT FROST, a poet who made beauty, a poet who celebrated the virtue of FENCES. Frost was taking part in a "separate exchange program", sharing the plane. Note that Udall is subtly supporting the 88-year-old Frost, who died four months after this picture.
All of these people were GETTING ALONG WITH EACH OTHER, and trying to GET ALONG WITH THE RUSSKIES.
Can we learn? No. We are brainless zombies.
= = = = =
Footnote: Here's an article that covers Frost's participation in this trip, and here's a poem Frost wrote after the trip. Seems sort of pointless; the title is much sharper than the poem. He should have simply published the title!
Footnote 2: I'll bet university "English" departments are busily burning Frost's TRUMP HITLER KKK ALT-RIGHT PUTIN CRIMETHINK.
Checking: Yup, sure enough. Googling "frost fences problematic" finds several attempts to Rectify Frost's own meaning into a Correct meaning. But these items were in 2012, before Trump was the devil incarnate since the beginning of time, and before we were always at war with Eurasia since the beginning of time. I don't see any refs to Frost in the current No Borders frenzy. I hope I haven't enabled them by pointing out the Russia connection.
Later thought: Why haven't the pro-Deepstate "resistance" rejuvenated Reagan? "Tear down this wall, Mr Gorbachev!" Reagan hated Russia and hated walls. Ideal role model for Antifa!
But the best part was the authors. The book was written after a US Govt delegation made a FRIENDLY VISIT to Russia. Unthinkable concept now, as a Congressional delegation learned this week.
I was talking yesterday about modern vs ancient businessmen and poets.
This picture of the delegation is a timely gift:
Transcribed caption:
The delegation departing from Friendship Airport. 1. Secretary of the Interior Udall, 2. James K. Carr, 3. Joseph C. Swidler, 4. Howard Morgan, 5. Lee C. White, 6. Orren Beaty, 7. Floyd E. Dominy, 8. Charles F. Luce, 9. Maj. Gen. R. G. Macdonnell, 10. T. W. Mermel, 11. Fred Chambers, 12. Curtis W. Kamman, 13. Paul E. Shaad, 14. James F. McNulty.
Under a separate exchange program departing at the same time were: 15. Robert Frost, 16. Frederick Adams, 17. Franklin C. Reeves.
Most of these men were politically active Democrats, and they were making a point of seeking objective facts about Russia in a FRIENDLY way, even while the Deepstates on both sides were making warlike moves.
Best of all, there's ROBERT FROST, a poet who made beauty, a poet who celebrated the virtue of FENCES. Frost was taking part in a "separate exchange program", sharing the plane. Note that Udall is subtly supporting the 88-year-old Frost, who died four months after this picture.
All of these people were GETTING ALONG WITH EACH OTHER, and trying to GET ALONG WITH THE RUSSKIES.
Can we learn? No. We are brainless zombies.
= = = = =
Footnote: Here's an article that covers Frost's participation in this trip, and here's a poem Frost wrote after the trip. Seems sort of pointless; the title is much sharper than the poem. He should have simply published the title!
Footnote 2: I'll bet university "English" departments are busily burning Frost's TRUMP HITLER KKK ALT-RIGHT PUTIN CRIMETHINK.
Checking: Yup, sure enough. Googling "frost fences problematic" finds several attempts to Rectify Frost's own meaning into a Correct meaning. But these items were in 2012, before Trump was the devil incarnate since the beginning of time, and before we were always at war with Eurasia since the beginning of time. I don't see any refs to Frost in the current No Borders frenzy. I hope I haven't enabled them by pointing out the Russia connection.
Later thought: Why haven't the pro-Deepstate "resistance" rejuvenated Reagan? "Tear down this wall, Mr Gorbachev!" Reagan hated Russia and hated walls. Ideal role model for Antifa!Labels: defensible times, infinite GOOD
¶ 5:22 PM
