Mike (and Matt, et al), The seemingly impossible challenge is that we have a governmental/social system that is completely incompatible with advancing technology, coupled with a recent coup where financial interests have taken over both political parties in order to maintain the status quo (or worse).
In an enlightened society, we would be cutting back our working hours to match the "uptake" by modern manufacturing methods, so that everyone who wishes can remain employed, and further, would also have time left over for new ventures. However, our present 18th century system seeks to continue working people 40 hours/week to keep labor in abundance, to keep wages low. This is bad for everyone, because everyone is either overworked (and overtaxed), or unemployed. Apparently the "simplest" fix would be to install an instant runoff election system, which would break the stranglehold of the two party system, so that rationality could potentially emerge from SOMEWHERE. However, that is a complete non-starter, e.g. one Supreme Court nominee was doomed, because she once wrote a journal article about instant runoff elections. I see absolutely NO WAY to peacefully get from here to there, at least not in America. If someone here could see a possible path, at least there would be SOME direction in which to head. We all agree that a new system is needed, but entrenched interests (who also control the National Guard and the Military) will do ANYTHING to keep that from happening. Perhaps this will just have to happen somewhere beside America, with America being left to economic decay? Any thoughts? Steve ===================== On Fri, Sep 28, 2012 at 9:38 AM, Mike Tintner <[email protected]>wrote: > http://business.time.com/2012/**09/27/can-robots-bring-back-** > manufacturing-jobs-to-the-u-s/**?iid=biz-main-lede<http://business.time.com/2012/09/27/can-robots-bring-back-manufacturing-jobs-to-the-u-s/?iid=biz-main-lede> > > I didn't realise that Baxter robot I recently linked is by Rodney Brooks > company -and costs "only" $22,000. > > Worth quoting Gates anew: > > . In a 2007 article in Scientific American, Microsoft founder Bill Gates > predicted that we were on the verge of a robotics revolution that would > hearken back to the personal computer revolution of his heyday. In the > 1970s, Gates argued, computers were widely utilized by business, but they > were tucked in backrooms away from human workers. It wasn’t until the > advent of the personal computer that most office work was transformed into > computer-facilitated tasks that increased a single worker’s productivity > dramatically. Wrote Gates: > > “When I talk to people involved in robotics … the level of excitement and > expectation reminds me so much of that time when Paul Allen and I looked at > the convergence of new technologies and dreamed of a day when a computer > would be on every desk and in every home. And as I look at the trends that > are now starting to converge, I can envision a future in which robotic > devices will become a nearly ubiquitous part of our day-to-day lives.” > > Like I said, a GROS - a General Robotic Operating System -actually a > GGROS - General Graphic etc - is where the next Gates will be found. > > This is interesting too: > > http://www.ted.com/talks/**andrew_mcafee_are_droids_**taking_our_jobs.html<http://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_mcafee_are_droids_taking_our_jobs.html> > > > ------------------------------**------------- > AGI > Archives: > https://www.listbox.com/**member/archive/303/=now<https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/303/=now> > RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/**member/archive/rss/303/** > 10443978-6f4c28ac<https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/303/10443978-6f4c28ac> > Modify Your Subscription: https://www.listbox.com/** > member/?&id_**secret=10443978-ebee85ab<https://www.listbox.com/member/?&;> > Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com > -- Full employment can be had with the stoke of a pen. Simply institute a six hour workday. That will easily create enough new jobs to bring back full employment. ------------------------------------------- AGI Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/303/=now RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/303/21088071-c97d2393 Modify Your Subscription: https://www.listbox.com/member/?member_id=21088071&id_secret=21088071-2484a968 Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com
