Re: Predictions and Re: Smaller Government-Is it possible or a pipe dream?
At 03:17 PM Tuesday 9/8/2009, Chris Frandsen wrote: Your comment on not having much evidence to evaluate the reliability of my predictions is correct, to the best of my knowledge. Which is the most unlikely beginning condition, that we get serious or that we can decide what to do? When you suggested that your preference is for a government sized more like US around WW1 or earlier, were you referring to the number of personnel or the amount of dollars spent? Perhaps he was thinking of one where one or both of those items is comparable per capita, with the amount of dollars spent perhaps also adjusted for inflation? Or maybe the amount of dollars spent, iow, taken in in taxes, as a fraction of people's paychecks (again adjusted for inflation) that is comparable to the fraction of the paycheck taken out for taxes from the earnings of a person then with a similar job, etc., (realizing that such comparisons are going to be difficult because so many jobs today did not exist back then, and some of the jobs that did exist back then are no longer to be found . . . )? . . . ronn! :) ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Predictions and Re: Smaller Government-Is it possible or a pipe dream?
On Sep 9, 2009, at 4:56 AM, Ronn! Blankenship wrote: Perhaps he was thinking of one where one or both of those items is comparable per capita, with the amount of dollars spent perhaps also adjusted for inflation? Or maybe the amount of dollars spent, iow, taken in in taxes, as a fraction of people's paychecks (again adjusted for inflation) that is comparable to the fraction of the paycheck taken out for taxes from the earnings of a person then with a similar job, etc., (realizing that such comparisons are going to be difficult because so many jobs today did not exist back then, and some of the jobs that did exist back then are no longer to be found . . . )? Ronn! Yes! I believe that the clarification of the possible meanings of the word sized which you have provided are/ could be indeed perhaps what the gentleman was suggesting. I would not be surprised however if he took offense at any attempt at such clarification. There is sufficient evidence in his recent long string of posts here that any attempt by someone to clarify one's understanding of his comments by paraphrasing same will result in a rebuke. Thank you for your attempt, it has added to my understanding of the problem of communicating clearly. learner ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Re: Predictions and Re: Smaller Government-Is it possible or a pipe dream?
On Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 12:40 PM, Chris Frandsenlear...@mac.com wrote: Yes! I believe that the clarification of the possible meanings of the word sized which you have provided are/ could be indeed perhaps what the gentleman was suggesting. I would not be surprised however if he took offense at any attempt at such clarification. I don't take offense at questions. But I'm not particularly interested in discussing my viewpoints with people who write things like this: John Williams responded in less than 60 minutes to the previous post, used an excellent vocabulary to polarize and did not respond to the suggestion in the subject that perhaps he was hallucinating. Are we dealing with a computer program here? Or just someone who has been programmed? ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
Predictions and Re: Smaller Government-Is it possible or a pipe dream?
Your comment on not having much evidence to evaluate the reliability of my predictions is correct, to the best of my knowledge. Which is the most unlikely beginning condition, that we get serious or that we can decide what to do? When you suggested that your preference is for a government sized more like US around WW1 or earlier, were you referring to the number of personnel or the amount of dollars spent? But perhaps the more pertinent question is where do you think such a government could be established? If I am correct in assuming that this group was initially created to discuss the science fiction of Dr. Brin then I suppose you could be thinking of creating some alternate universe or time line where returning to past conditions could be stipulated. learner John Williams responded in less than 60 minutes to the previous post, used an excellent vocabulary to polarize and did not respond to the suggestion in the subject that perhaps he was hallucinating. Are we dealing with a computer program here? Or just someone who has been programmed? On Sep 8, 2009, at 1:31 PM, John Williams wrote: On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 10:57 AM, Chris Frandsenlear...@mac.com wrote: No way will that happen unless there is an international disaster and major die-off of the human species. I don't have much evidence to evaluate the reliability of your predictions, but what evidence I have seen makes me doubt their accuracy. Now when we decide to get serious about dealing with global climate change government spending will balloon even more, so prepare yourself. Another highly dubious prediction. But if taken literally, perhaps it saves itself by having the highly unlikely beginning condition, so that the ending need not be wrong if the beginning condition is not satisfied. ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com ___ http://mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l_mccmedia.com
