Hedonism, according to Roissy
die post-coitus from a heart attack. Leave the world alone to enter a void of nothingness, no different than all those married schlubs who toiled for years to nurture and raise a legacy of strippers and delinquents
If there's nothing after death, then what are you slaving away for?
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Where is the future?
With the Middle East going up in flames in:
Egypt, Bahrain, Iran, Libya, and Yemen,
Where does it end?
According to Kristof
America has important interests at stake in Bahrain — and important values. I hope that our cozy relations with those in power won’t dull our appreciation that history is more likely to side with protesters being shot with rubber bullets than with the regimes doing the shooting.
But do you REALLY Want to know where the future really is?
Look no further than Jeopardy!>
“I for one welcome our new computer overlord,” Jennings wrote underneath his answer for the final clue of the night.
The protesters in Egypt and the rest of the Middle East can go out and whine all they want. But technology keeps accelerating. Islam isn't going to save them when artificial intelligence makes them question everything that makes us human.
Egypt, Bahrain, Iran, Libya, and Yemen,
Where does it end?
According to Kristof
America has important interests at stake in Bahrain — and important values. I hope that our cozy relations with those in power won’t dull our appreciation that history is more likely to side with protesters being shot with rubber bullets than with the regimes doing the shooting.
But do you REALLY Want to know where the future really is?
Look no further than Jeopardy!>
“I for one welcome our new computer overlord,” Jennings wrote underneath his answer for the final clue of the night.
The protesters in Egypt and the rest of the Middle East can go out and whine all they want. But technology keeps accelerating. Islam isn't going to save them when artificial intelligence makes them question everything that makes us human.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
More thoughts on Egypt
An article at National Review deserves quoting:
Many other questions are not being asked in the general euphoria over Mubarak’s demise. Why are the more oppressive governments of Syria, Iran, and Libya not subject to the same degree of popular unrest that is said to be surely spreading to Jordan or the Gulf? Is it because for all the authoritarianism of a Mubarak or a Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, there was never the threat of a genocidal Hama, or thousands perishing on the proscription lists under a Khomeini, or international assassinations of dissidents in the Libyan manner? (Would Egyptian-like protests ever have deposed Saddam and his Baathists [cf. the failure in 1991 after the Shiite/Kurdish uprising]?) Does the greater anti-Westernism of a Syria or Iran counterbalance its oppression in the minds of the populace? Much of this reminds me of a Gandhi being fortunate, to paraphrase Orwell, that he was rebelling against the British, and not Germans of the Third Reich.
What if Mubarak wasn't really that bad...he was just pro-American...
Much has been made of Western social-networking technology, whose entrance in the Arab world has ignited popular outrage over the absence of the elements of civilized life — decent housing, plentiful and safe food and water, effective sewerage, available employment. But how odd that brilliant Western technology — text messaging, Skypeing, iPhones, Google, Facebook — can facilitate the furor over endemic poverty and political oppression, but has so far been unable to materially alleviate the conditions of Middle Eastern poverty — as in novel, inexpensive methods of creating housing, cheaper energy, more plentiful food — that might trump the cultural and political impediments to wealth creation. We can spread Facebook page making to create anger over poverty, but not comparable Western innovations to more directly alleviate poverty.
In a flat world, you're value is defined by how intelligently you use a computer. Egyptians have only themselves to blame for falling behind...
Many other questions are not being asked in the general euphoria over Mubarak’s demise. Why are the more oppressive governments of Syria, Iran, and Libya not subject to the same degree of popular unrest that is said to be surely spreading to Jordan or the Gulf? Is it because for all the authoritarianism of a Mubarak or a Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, there was never the threat of a genocidal Hama, or thousands perishing on the proscription lists under a Khomeini, or international assassinations of dissidents in the Libyan manner? (Would Egyptian-like protests ever have deposed Saddam and his Baathists [cf. the failure in 1991 after the Shiite/Kurdish uprising]?) Does the greater anti-Westernism of a Syria or Iran counterbalance its oppression in the minds of the populace? Much of this reminds me of a Gandhi being fortunate, to paraphrase Orwell, that he was rebelling against the British, and not Germans of the Third Reich.
What if Mubarak wasn't really that bad...he was just pro-American...
Much has been made of Western social-networking technology, whose entrance in the Arab world has ignited popular outrage over the absence of the elements of civilized life — decent housing, plentiful and safe food and water, effective sewerage, available employment. But how odd that brilliant Western technology — text messaging, Skypeing, iPhones, Google, Facebook — can facilitate the furor over endemic poverty and political oppression, but has so far been unable to materially alleviate the conditions of Middle Eastern poverty — as in novel, inexpensive methods of creating housing, cheaper energy, more plentiful food — that might trump the cultural and political impediments to wealth creation. We can spread Facebook page making to create anger over poverty, but not comparable Western innovations to more directly alleviate poverty.
In a flat world, you're value is defined by how intelligently you use a computer. Egyptians have only themselves to blame for falling behind...
New era of HBD
With the death of publishing does this mean a new era in HBD and politically incorrect books will be coming out?
After all, these are some other titles sold on kindle:
"Time Jump Into Bondage,"
by John Savage
Dr Helena Carter suffers bondage, pain, whipping and all manner of extreme sexual torment as she "Time Jumps" uncontrollably from the body of one suffering woman in history to another.She was known as "The Ice Woman", because no man seemed to be able to get close to her. As a scientist, her interest was in studying history by "Time Jumping", now that the complex equipment had been re-designed and she was assured that there could not be a repetition of Dr Hutton's seemingly uncontrolled "Jumping". Almost at once, Dr Helena found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Worse, she too had lost control of Time Jumps, and finally when she was thrown into a future society where it had become normal for both male and female slaves to be kept and abused for the delight and sexual gratification of their owners, it seemed there was no hope for her.
"Bang Columbia: Textbook on how to sleep with Columbian women"
by Rooshv
Bang Colombia is a strategy guide designed to help you sleep with Colombian women in Colombia without paying for it. It contains dozens of moves, lines, and tips learned after six months of research in Medellin, where the author dedicated his existence to cracking the code of Colombian women, who are more challenging than their Western counterparts. In addition to teaching you the differences between Colombian and Western culture, it details the logistics of traveling through Colombia, tips on studying Spanish, a packing guide, and recommended nightlife for the country's three largest cities. You'll learn three effective methods of meeting Colombian women, how to combat their flakey nature, how to ask them out via email and phone, how to date them, how to seal the deal quickly using non-obvious shortcuts (even if you're staying at a hostel), and much more. With lines shared in both English and Spanish, Bang Colombia aims to be a must-read for every Western man visiting the country.
"Eugenics: A Reassessment (Human Evolution, Behavior, and Intelligence) "
by Richard Lynn
fascinating, multi-faceted book.Professor Lynn sets outs to rescue eugenics from the lowly place to which it fell in the latter half of the twentieth century. It is an ambitious project, and Lynn emerges with scientific and ethical orthodoxy on many fronts. He does this with enthusiasm, moving effortlessly between history, genetics, demographics and ethics before delivering a startling prediction about the central role eugenics will play in 21st century world politics....A new debate is needed, and professor Lynn's book lays a provocative challenge to those who wish to avoid the dystopian future he foresees.
Interesting times ahead...
After all, these are some other titles sold on kindle:
"Time Jump Into Bondage,"
by John Savage
Dr Helena Carter suffers bondage, pain, whipping and all manner of extreme sexual torment as she "Time Jumps" uncontrollably from the body of one suffering woman in history to another.She was known as "The Ice Woman", because no man seemed to be able to get close to her. As a scientist, her interest was in studying history by "Time Jumping", now that the complex equipment had been re-designed and she was assured that there could not be a repetition of Dr Hutton's seemingly uncontrolled "Jumping". Almost at once, Dr Helena found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Worse, she too had lost control of Time Jumps, and finally when she was thrown into a future society where it had become normal for both male and female slaves to be kept and abused for the delight and sexual gratification of their owners, it seemed there was no hope for her.
"Bang Columbia: Textbook on how to sleep with Columbian women"
by Rooshv
Bang Colombia is a strategy guide designed to help you sleep with Colombian women in Colombia without paying for it. It contains dozens of moves, lines, and tips learned after six months of research in Medellin, where the author dedicated his existence to cracking the code of Colombian women, who are more challenging than their Western counterparts. In addition to teaching you the differences between Colombian and Western culture, it details the logistics of traveling through Colombia, tips on studying Spanish, a packing guide, and recommended nightlife for the country's three largest cities. You'll learn three effective methods of meeting Colombian women, how to combat their flakey nature, how to ask them out via email and phone, how to date them, how to seal the deal quickly using non-obvious shortcuts (even if you're staying at a hostel), and much more. With lines shared in both English and Spanish, Bang Colombia aims to be a must-read for every Western man visiting the country.
"Eugenics: A Reassessment (Human Evolution, Behavior, and Intelligence) "
by Richard Lynn
fascinating, multi-faceted book.Professor Lynn sets outs to rescue eugenics from the lowly place to which it fell in the latter half of the twentieth century. It is an ambitious project, and Lynn emerges with scientific and ethical orthodoxy on many fronts. He does this with enthusiasm, moving effortlessly between history, genetics, demographics and ethics before delivering a startling prediction about the central role eugenics will play in 21st century world politics....A new debate is needed, and professor Lynn's book lays a provocative challenge to those who wish to avoid the dystopian future he foresees.
Interesting times ahead...
Monday, February 7, 2011
Friedman's BS
Mangan's blog does a great job in bringing IQ-reality to Friedman's Friedman's column.
When China can make Egyptian Ramadan toys more cheaply and appealingly than low-wage Egyptians, you know there is problem of competitiveness.
Well, yes, but why? Friedman won't go near that one, as it would upset everything he thinks he knows about global competitiveness.
Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Tunisia today are overflowing with the most frustrated cohort in the world — “the educated unemployables.” They have college degrees on paper but really don’t have the skills to make them globally competitive. I was just in Singapore. Its government is obsessed with things as small as how to better teach fractions to third graders. That has not been Hosni Mubarak’s obsession.
Another great Friedmanian theme with little or no basis in reality: education will solve all our problems. Let's see: Singapore has an estimated IQ of 103, of which the Chinese portion of the population must be closer to Hong Kong's 107 (link), and ranked at number 5 in the world, while Egypt's estimated IQ is 83, ranked number 60. Somehow I doubt that even if it were Mubarak's obsession to teach third graders fractions, Egypt will be a long time catching up to Singapore.
another Friedman column with no comments allowed. Lovely.
When China can make Egyptian Ramadan toys more cheaply and appealingly than low-wage Egyptians, you know there is problem of competitiveness.
Well, yes, but why? Friedman won't go near that one, as it would upset everything he thinks he knows about global competitiveness.
Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Tunisia today are overflowing with the most frustrated cohort in the world — “the educated unemployables.” They have college degrees on paper but really don’t have the skills to make them globally competitive. I was just in Singapore. Its government is obsessed with things as small as how to better teach fractions to third graders. That has not been Hosni Mubarak’s obsession.
Another great Friedmanian theme with little or no basis in reality: education will solve all our problems. Let's see: Singapore has an estimated IQ of 103, of which the Chinese portion of the population must be closer to Hong Kong's 107 (link), and ranked at number 5 in the world, while Egypt's estimated IQ is 83, ranked number 60. Somehow I doubt that even if it were Mubarak's obsession to teach third graders fractions, Egypt will be a long time catching up to Singapore.
another Friedman column with no comments allowed. Lovely.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Be careful what you wish for...
neocons and liberals agree on something, I get very nervous.
Here are the results of the Pew survey on Egyptian beliefs:
The Pew survey found wide streams of opinion in Egypt that seem at the very least inhospitable to democracy. When asked which side they would take in a struggle between “groups who want to modernize the country [and] Islamic fundamentalists,” 59 percent of Egyptians picked the fundamentalists, while 27 percent picked the modernizers. In a country in which the army will likely play a deciding role in selecting the next political leadership, just 32 percent believe in civilian control of the military. And a majority, 54 percent, support making segregation of men and women in the workplace the law throughout Egypt.
There’s more. When asked whether suicide bombing can ever be justified, 54 percent said yes (although most believe such occasions are “rare”) Eighty-two percent supported stoning for those who commit adultery.
Quiver. This is not going to turn out well, despite Kristof's optimism.
And we also owe it to the brave men and women of Tahrir Square — and to our own history and values — to make one thing very clear: We stand with the peaceful throngs pleading for democracy, not with those who menace them.
Who's democracy? The right to shut down women's rights? The right to go to suicidal war with Israel? The right to stone apostates to death?
After all the leg chopping, genocide, and witchcraft he's seen in Africa, why does Kristof think that backwards people are capable of ruling themselves?
Friedman urges Israel to create a Palestinian state before it's too late. Too late.
Here are the results of the Pew survey on Egyptian beliefs:
The Pew survey found wide streams of opinion in Egypt that seem at the very least inhospitable to democracy. When asked which side they would take in a struggle between “groups who want to modernize the country [and] Islamic fundamentalists,” 59 percent of Egyptians picked the fundamentalists, while 27 percent picked the modernizers. In a country in which the army will likely play a deciding role in selecting the next political leadership, just 32 percent believe in civilian control of the military. And a majority, 54 percent, support making segregation of men and women in the workplace the law throughout Egypt.
There’s more. When asked whether suicide bombing can ever be justified, 54 percent said yes (although most believe such occasions are “rare”) Eighty-two percent supported stoning for those who commit adultery.
Quiver. This is not going to turn out well, despite Kristof's optimism.
And we also owe it to the brave men and women of Tahrir Square — and to our own history and values — to make one thing very clear: We stand with the peaceful throngs pleading for democracy, not with those who menace them.
Who's democracy? The right to shut down women's rights? The right to go to suicidal war with Israel? The right to stone apostates to death?
After all the leg chopping, genocide, and witchcraft he's seen in Africa, why does Kristof think that backwards people are capable of ruling themselves?
Friedman urges Israel to create a Palestinian state before it's too late. Too late.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Democracy and Freedom
Following the chaos in Egypt and Tunisia over the last week, I've been thinking about the nature of democracy. Specifically coming to mind is the analogy of if Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what it for dinner.
The national review has a balanced article looking at responses to the question of if Islamists come after Mubarak.
Obsequiousness to dictators might seem a good short-term strategy, but in the long-term, it undercuts our interests and our moral authority tremendously.
I want to agree
We should not expect a pro-American regime should Mubarak flee into the dustbin of history. Egyptians are fiercely nationalistic and, across the region, ordinary peoples’ mindsets have been shaped by decades of anti-American propaganda. The Egyptian people will be angry that they have fallen so far behind the rest of the world.
How will the Islamic world react to HBD? Average Egyption GDP - 6,000 USD per capita.
Average IQ? 85. Seems about right to me.
Ross Douthat's column is especially enlightening:
The United States supported Mubarak for so long because of two interrelated fears: the fear of another Khomeini and the fear of another Nasser. Both anxieties remain entirely legitimate today.
The first fear everyone understands, because we’re still living with the religious tyranny that Ayatollah Khomeini established in Iran in 1979
Yup
We take refuge in foreign policy systems: liberal internationalism or realpolitik, neoconservatism or noninterventionism. We have theories, and expect the facts to fall into line behind them. Support democracy, and stability will take care of itself. Don’t meddle, and nobody will meddle with you. International institutions will keep the peace. No, balance-of-power politics will do it.
But history makes fools of us all. We make deals with dictators, and reap the whirlwind of terrorism. We promote democracy, and watch Islamists gain power from Iraq to Palestine. We leap into humanitarian interventions, and get bloodied in Somalia. We stay out, and watch genocide engulf Rwanda. We intervene in Afghanistan and then depart, and watch the Taliban take over. We intervene in Afghanistan and stay, and end up trapped there, with no end in sight.
Sooner or later, the theories always fail. The world is too complicated for them, and too tragic.
Current theories of international relations have not taken the differences in human IQ, nor the problems of Islam into account. Nor have they accounted for the disruption that technology will bring.
For all the hand wringing over what motivates people and human nature, I still stick to my main theme:
Follow the pussy.
Now, given the lack of acceptance that pickup ideology has faced in the current establishment, I doubt that International Relations theory is going to incorporate it's findings into the next trendy ideology.
So, we continue to grasp at straws trying to get a framework for understanding how we govern ourselves.
The national review has a balanced article looking at responses to the question of if Islamists come after Mubarak.
Obsequiousness to dictators might seem a good short-term strategy, but in the long-term, it undercuts our interests and our moral authority tremendously.
I want to agree
We should not expect a pro-American regime should Mubarak flee into the dustbin of history. Egyptians are fiercely nationalistic and, across the region, ordinary peoples’ mindsets have been shaped by decades of anti-American propaganda. The Egyptian people will be angry that they have fallen so far behind the rest of the world.
How will the Islamic world react to HBD? Average Egyption GDP - 6,000 USD per capita.
Average IQ? 85. Seems about right to me.
Ross Douthat's column is especially enlightening:
The United States supported Mubarak for so long because of two interrelated fears: the fear of another Khomeini and the fear of another Nasser. Both anxieties remain entirely legitimate today.
The first fear everyone understands, because we’re still living with the religious tyranny that Ayatollah Khomeini established in Iran in 1979
Yup
We take refuge in foreign policy systems: liberal internationalism or realpolitik, neoconservatism or noninterventionism. We have theories, and expect the facts to fall into line behind them. Support democracy, and stability will take care of itself. Don’t meddle, and nobody will meddle with you. International institutions will keep the peace. No, balance-of-power politics will do it.
But history makes fools of us all. We make deals with dictators, and reap the whirlwind of terrorism. We promote democracy, and watch Islamists gain power from Iraq to Palestine. We leap into humanitarian interventions, and get bloodied in Somalia. We stay out, and watch genocide engulf Rwanda. We intervene in Afghanistan and then depart, and watch the Taliban take over. We intervene in Afghanistan and stay, and end up trapped there, with no end in sight.
Sooner or later, the theories always fail. The world is too complicated for them, and too tragic.
Current theories of international relations have not taken the differences in human IQ, nor the problems of Islam into account. Nor have they accounted for the disruption that technology will bring.
For all the hand wringing over what motivates people and human nature, I still stick to my main theme:
Follow the pussy.
Now, given the lack of acceptance that pickup ideology has faced in the current establishment, I doubt that International Relations theory is going to incorporate it's findings into the next trendy ideology.
So, we continue to grasp at straws trying to get a framework for understanding how we govern ourselves.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)