Friday, April 30, 2010

QotD: "That's great it starts with an earthquake..."

You should go read the whole thing at PDB:

Rome didn’t burn in a day. History isn’t granular, digital transition but decidedly analog. ...

... Humans naturally and constantly recalibrate their definition of normalcy in order to stay sane in a fluid universe, and the expected level of civil service is one of them.

...and I feel fine.

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10 comments:

Boat Guy said...

"We're waist-deep in the Big Muddy and the old fool says to push on."

And yes, the bath-water in this here beaker is becoming a tad warmish...

The point about speed-traps and shakin folks down for seatbelt "violations" characterizes much of "police work" in many places.

9:09 AM, April 30, 2010
Joanna said...

My favorite quote from last year (no attribution 'cause I can't remember): "Glass half full, glass half empty -- it doesn't matter! What you all fail to see is that the glass is full of urine!"

9:55 AM, April 30, 2010
Anonymous said...

Years ago Ken Hackathorn told me that the USA would gradually become a banana republic like much of Central and South America. Rampant corruption, "police" becoming predatory, decaying streets and buildings, high taxes, people unsafe outside their houses at night, an insulated ruling elite, and lots of gun control (of course).

I chuckled it and chalked it up to his SF/cop background of always looking at the back end of the horse. Apparently Crazy Uncle Ken was not too far off!

Shootin' Buddy

10:38 AM, April 30, 2010
Joanna said...

Shootin' Buddy, can I be in your survival enclave? I already have a colander.

10:39 AM, April 30, 2010
Jay G said...

We're not headed for Mad Max or a banana republic.

We're headed for European-style socialism with a steady descent into 1984...

10:45 AM, April 30, 2010
Dixie said...

I'd think it would be a cross between 1984 and Snow Crash.

Gov't all-powerful in the cities, but the countryside is no-Fed-land.

11:46 AM, April 30, 2010
Don M said...

I think the distinction is not between digital and analog, but rather between linear and nonlinear. Linear systems are predictable, but may have singularities (where the rules are not reliable). Nonlinear systems are impossible to predict long term. Edward Lorenz showed in 1969 how the Navier Stokes equations were non-linear, and thus long term weather/climate predictions were not possible, whereas short term predictions could sometimes be accurate. William Schaffer demonstrated the same thing with predator-prey relationships and disease.

12:35 PM, April 30, 2010
Michael said...

Two notes from a Philly resident:

Insurance companies will not accept claims of another persons fault without a police report.

The speed-traps are still well manned, not that there was ever any doubt.

8:53 AM, May 01, 2010
George Groot said...

Was I the only one who saw the title and heard "It's the end of the world as we know it" become a damn earworm inside their skull?

and FYI, I feel fine.

2:06 AM, May 02, 2010
jimbob86 said...

.....and Birds and Snakes, and aeroplanes.....

9:31 PM, May 02, 2010

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