But what is wrong with pointing out a historical fact that, during his reign, life expectancy in the area of Soviet Union increased dramatically? (that's despite all the victims!) Generally, bringing a very backwards country up to the status of a superpower.
Or another irony of history: yes, strong censorship. But also the first largely literate generation.
a mismatch between how the US government actually works and what people are taught in civics class and like to believe
This is basically what I was talking about nearby, BTW - only I tend to view it broader than "government", and "like to believe" as not confined to civics classes / etc.
It's really not so simple IMHO (that would be suspiciously close to "us" vs. "them"...); it's relatively hard to find somebody (out of random selection) who would refuse perks, if given the chance.
Or, look at other areas: for example a family depending on the income of somebody in the military, and extended family of that one... sure, many of them might even realize the BS of "9/11 & Iraq"... but the military member of question is of course a distinguished, honorable man.
Or family of some engineer or even blue collar worker - I'm sure many of them are quick to point out horrible pork and waste of gov spending in many areas... except if its a product related to said worker. Then the service is essential, and the price fair.
How many things can be cherished, appreciated, if we are part of them... how many start to be if we become part of them, without any specific background.
And that's just one of the simplest aspects; present also in the bureaucracy. Symptomatic, overall (and I can say it even despite being in a place formerly behind Iron Curtain - it cracks me up when people forget how many millions of them were in the Party... and how, even better, virtually all its members were closet Catholics / there isn't any phenomena of "unbaptized generation" (even if the baptism was in some small church in the country))
Of course - I just used this saying as a shortcut for, it turns out, partially disagreeing that the bureaucracy has little to do with the electorate (maybe not stated goals, sure... but they are not so relevant in the first place IMHO)
From where those people and their values come from? System of governance is also a reflection of society.
Some random felis catus to the rescue? (I'm not sure if such one is a bad or good thing...)
Not much more than for comfort of course - though sometimes I do wonder how quick the result could be with a breeding program aimed for intelligence and gripping paws;) (given less than a year for a generation...)
You put it to strongly - what if those people were to be raised by robots in the first place?;p (remember experiments with bonding newborn monkeys to an appropriate puppet?)
Too many people do want to put the elderly aside though, yes. They are too unsightly, I guess.
3rd party phone could just encrypt the conversation... Well, it's not trivial without data access (which could be blocked at said tower) - but even then, plenty of time and opportunities to speak & text in code.
And you, sir, nicely demonstrate attitudes causing your system to be so broken. Even the simple number of prisoners on death row is basically insignificant / that's essentially a separate penitentiary system altogether!
But...you just had to throw in this political drivel. Well, I'm sure you expect it to look good among like-minded people.
I certainly agree it means different thing to you (might not to such a degree to Rei - so unfortunately, you haven't found sufficiently like-minded poster, not to mention the issue of persecution complex... either way, probably different pet projects; luckily, that's not enough to bring us into (too many...) train-wreck projects of wishful thinking)
The issue is, you glorify it, you forget to mention basics which nullify hypothetical advantages and go even more against practicality.
Even your nickname seems to be determined by such fantasies... and you're trying to pretend to not be heavily emotionally invested, under wishful thinking, perhaps even blindly in awe of those few shining beacons of an engineer?
Mr. Stephenson is an author of literary fiction. But how you are convinced only those few precious brilliant engineers have the right solution, in how long writings you're willing to glorify them, how you stepped back to claiming you're victim of some sort of "abuse" by reality, is another telltale sign.
Heck, even how you fail to notice / are unwilling to strongly point out (lest it puts your pet fantasy in bad light?... I waited few enough posts) the basics of such megastructure, literally aiming only for a very narrow range of inclinations.
I've heard about it - but it would have to be a more regular service IMHO... something which is the case near my place! (rather old engines of course) Might be useful, considering their relatively very wide requirements for the type of fuel.
(seriously, completely regular (of "lowest", regional class even) services few times a day; I had a ride on one of those trains not thanks to planning it - but because I wanted to commute a short distance on some random time and day)
But they don't do that on top of another engine which already tries to optimize the hell out of its cycle. It would compromise efficiency of the former stage, weight of its cooler (BTW, heating the cabin in the winter is when the cooling works at its best...), et al.
This is your style of imagination (if you are really capable of asking "so?" when faced with how your pet fantasy would require EVERYTHING, but with much tighter tolerances for error, than what it's meant to "replace"... plus a megastructure of doubtful practicality even in easiest of conditions), airplanes from "our" times (and we CAN even build them! Take a Harrier, remove wings and canopy... doesn't mean it's anywhere near a good idea) - vs. boring reality
But please, do link to this discussion, it might help some other seekers of philosopher's stone.
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Stalin was a monster. Unquestionably.
But what is wrong with pointing out a historical fact that, during his reign, life expectancy in the area of Soviet Union increased dramatically? (that's despite all the victims!) Generally, bringing a very backwards country up to the status of a superpower.
Or another irony of history: yes, strong censorship. But also the first largely literate generation.
a mismatch between how the US government actually works and what people are taught in civics class and like to believe
This is basically what I was talking about nearby, BTW - only I tend to view it broader than "government", and "like to believe" as not confined to civics classes / etc.
Well actually, Russia (and I guess Ukraine, too) has not insignificant immigration - mostly from the rest of CIS.Still "follow the money" of course.
Don't they have certain honorable traditions, too?
It's really not so simple IMHO (that would be suspiciously close to "us" vs. "them"...); it's relatively hard to find somebody (out of random selection) who would refuse perks, if given the chance.
... sure, many of them might even realize the BS of "9/11 & Iraq" ... but the military member of question is of course a distinguished, honorable man.
... how many start to be if we become part of them, without any specific background.
... and how, even better, virtually all its members were closet Catholics / there isn't any phenomena of "unbaptized generation" (even if the baptism was in some small church in the country))
Or, look at other areas: for example a family depending on the income of somebody in the military, and extended family of that one
Or family of some engineer or even blue collar worker - I'm sure many of them are quick to point out horrible pork and waste of gov spending in many areas... except if its a product related to said worker. Then the service is essential, and the price fair.
How many things can be cherished, appreciated, if we are part of them
And that's just one of the simplest aspects; present also in the bureaucracy. Symptomatic, overall (and I can say it even despite being in a place formerly behind Iron Curtain - it cracks me up when people forget how many millions of them were in the Party
Isn't that how their presently dominating social group arrived on the islands, anyway?
Stands, somewhat. In Belarus.
~5. Make them believe in blatant lies; repetition is largely sufficient / pick those which are already popular among large segments.
Of course - I just used this saying as a shortcut for, it turns out, partially disagreeing that the bureaucracy has little to do with the electorate (maybe not stated goals, sure ... but they are not so relevant in the first place IMHO)
From where those people and their values come from? System of governance is also a reflection of society.
It's not something self-contained though; while not exactly elected, it gets perpetrated by society. "It's not corruption if I can do it"
Some random felis catus to the rescue? (I'm not sure if such one is a bad or good thing...)
;) (given less than a year for a generation...)
Not much more than for comfort of course - though sometimes I do wonder how quick the result could be with a breeding program aimed for intelligence and gripping paws
You put it to strongly - what if those people were to be raised by robots in the first place? ;p (remember experiments with bonding newborn monkeys to an appropriate puppet?)
Too many people do want to put the elderly aside though, yes. They are too unsightly, I guess.
For capability - yeah,10 years sounds more than enough.
For price per effect, in comparison with humans... ugh.
That could be one of the solutions to "too much elderly"...
The obvious thing to do is put robots in nurseries, daycare centers, kindergartens, primary school, etc. (with their staff going to elderly care)
3rd party phone could just encrypt the conversation... Well, it's not trivial without data access (which could be blocked at said tower) - but even then, plenty of time and opportunities to speak & text in code.
Russian system still hasn't snapped out of being (also) largely geared towards political prisoners / enemies of the state.
But I might start to see why you'd want it like that...
And you, sir, nicely demonstrate attitudes causing your system to be so broken. Even the simple number of prisoners on death row is basically insignificant / that's essentially a separate penitentiary system altogether!
But...you just had to throw in this political drivel. Well, I'm sure you expect it to look good among like-minded people.
I certainly agree it means different thing to you (might not to such a degree to Rei - so unfortunately, you haven't found sufficiently like-minded poster, not to mention the issue of persecution complex... either way, probably different pet projects; luckily, that's not enough to bring us into (too many...) train-wreck projects of wishful thinking)
The issue is, you glorify it, you forget to mention basics which nullify hypothetical advantages and go even more against practicality.
... and you're trying to pretend to not be heavily emotionally invested, under wishful thinking, perhaps even blindly in awe of those few shining beacons of an engineer?
Even your nickname seems to be determined by such fantasies
Wait, wait... you seriously think those are "simple applications" of the concept?... or any kind of application, for that matter?
Mr. Stephenson is an author of literary fiction. But how you are convinced only those few precious brilliant engineers have the right solution, in how long writings you're willing to glorify them, how you stepped back to claiming you're victim of some sort of "abuse" by reality, is another telltale sign.
Heck, even how you fail to notice / are unwilling to strongly point out (lest it puts your pet fantasy in bad light?... I waited few enough posts) the basics of such megastructure, literally aiming only for a very narrow range of inclinations.
I've heard about it - but it would have to be a more regular service IMHO ... something which is the case near my place! (rather old engines of course) Might be useful, considering their relatively very wide requirements for the type of fuel.
(seriously, completely regular (of "lowest", regional class even) services few times a day; I had a ride on one of those trains not thanks to planning it - but because I wanted to commute a short distance on some random time and day)
But they don't do that on top of another engine which already tries to optimize the hell out of its cycle. It would compromise efficiency of the former stage, weight of its cooler (BTW, heating the cabin in the winter is when the cooling works at its best...), et al.
This is your style of imagination (if you are really capable of asking "so?" when faced with how your pet fantasy would require EVERYTHING, but with much tighter tolerances for error, than what it's meant to "replace" ... plus a megastructure of doubtful practicality even in easiest of conditions), airplanes from "our" times (and we CAN even build them! Take a Harrier, remove wings and canopy ... doesn't mean it's anywhere near a good idea) - vs. boring reality
But please, do link to this discussion, it might help some other seekers of philosopher's stone.