Update no.1004

 Update from the Sunland

No.1004

5.4.21 – 11.4.21

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

 

            To all,

 

I offer my heartfelt condolences to the British People and the British Royal Family for the passing of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich, who was born Philip Mountbatten, Prince of Greece and Denmark.  Philip was 99 years of age—the longest serving consort in British history.  He lived a long, bountiful life.  May God rest his immortal soul and comfort the Queen and the family.

 

The remote . . . very remote . . . semi-autonomous rotorcraft known as Ingenuity was dropped off on the surface of Mars by the rover Perseverance.  Ingenuity was supposed to make its first flight on Sunday but something was not quite right during the pre-flight checks.  The first flight was delayed until at least Wednesday.  Perhaps, I shall report on the first flight in next week’s Update.

 

Instead of these damnable BICP (GOP) new Jim Crow laws to suppress the vote, why don’t we deal with real documented, evidence-based problems.  “Someone told me” is not evidence; it is hearsay and rumor.  Further, let us keep things in perspective.  There have always been bad men who are willing to commit federal and state crimes to achieve their ends.  Election crimes are no different from other felonious crimes.  There have been bad men in this once grand republic for centuries.  Believers and bad men at both ends of the political spectrum have attempted to influence election outcomes.  Some have actually been successful.  Procedural safeguards have been in place for decades, certainly as long as I have been old enough to vote.

The [person who shall no longer be named] began constructing the BIG LIE long before the election [982; 3.11.2020].  He has remained consistent and persistent in the propagandist’s axiom number one—repeat, repeat, repeat.  Do not deviate—ever.  The BIG LIE directly resulted in an armed insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on the 6^th of January [991].  The BIG LIE is being carried on by the believers who have swallow the magic snake oil elixir peddled by the [person who shall no longer be named].

What we see in the BICP’s new Jim Crow laws tells us, unless you have money, can afford to take time off from work, have a car to travel to a remote polling station, they do not want you to vote.

Instead of trying to ban every initiative to make it easier for all voters to cast their votes, why don’t they focus of safeguards to protect the integrity of the vote.  

What we see today is one political party’s desperation and retribution for the BIG LIE perpetuated and amplified by the [person who shall no longer be named].  Just because his infantile, fragile ego is incapable of accepting that 81 million American citizens rejected his nonsense, antics, and outright lies, he chose to burn the whole house down exactly as Adolf Hitler did with the Red Army closing in on his bunker.  As Oliver Cromwell so eloquently and succinctly proclaimed [20.April.1653], I repeat to the [person who shall no longer be named]: ''You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing.  In the name of God, go!''

 

It is truly unfortunate that we seem to have lost the skills associated with the art of dissent.  From my perspective, argument and debate are the lifeblood of any viable democracy.  The calcification and intransigence of so many, left and right, in this once grand republic is a direct indication of the deterioration of the country.  As a neutral, non-aligned, socially liberal, politically moderate, I say we must find a way to recover from this very corrosive affliction.  Perhaps the [person who shall no longer be named] did us a favor by amplifying those forces of division in this country to graphic levels, so they are obvious to everyone, even the most casual, complacent citizen.  Who would have ever thunk'it--insurrection in our time displayed to the world to see.  How tragic is that!

 

            Comments and contributions from Update no.1003:

Comment to the Blog:

“My interest in space is less on technology, but I’ll note that capitalism has features, such as information control, that tend to slow creative technology.

“One of my major news sources is that New York Times free newsletters.  I have a couple of items from those from this morning.

“The one that’s relevant to your column is from today’s Morning update.  It discusses findings that Republicans have a long history of attacking ‘mainstream’ media.  That leads their followers deeper into the alternate universe of Fox News and its kind.  Hence, ‘cancel culture’ in its entirety.

“The other New York Times item for today comes from the Dealbook column that covers big business.  Attribute this to specifically to Andrew Ross Sorkin, who gives the Times as his source:

More than two dozen companies in the Fortune 500 paid no federal income tax despite reporting a combined $77 billion in profits over the past three years.

“That one ought to get more attention than Dr. Seuss or ‘cancel culture,’ but few of the politicians in charge want us to look closely at their employers.

“I commend to you the daily newsletter Popular Information, written by Judd Legum.  He focuses on money in politics.  His research holds up and can be checked.  There’s a subscription available, but not required at present.  I’ll be subscribing as soon as I can.”

My response to the Blog:

I am sorry for your distress.  I share your frustration.  While I have been and remain competent with .html programming, I have largely given up on the endeavor where formatting tools are not available.

Interesting observation, although I am not sure I can agree.  Capitalism and information control?  I am not sure I see the linkage or the manifest “slow[ing of] creative technology.”  Capitalism is just now being introduced into space exploration.  So far, I think that element has been positive, although I can certainly imagine some of the negatives if we do not apply appropriate regulation and enforcement.

Yes, they do!  Perhaps the most flamboyant of those long-standing Republican assaults on the Press was Spiro Agnew who publicly said:

16.10.1969:

A spirit of national masochism prevails, encouraged by an effete corps of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals.

11.9.1970:

In the United States today, we have more than our share of the nattering nabobs of negativism.  They have formed their own 4-H Club – the ‘hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history.’

These are but a few of the many Agnew pronouncements.  The [person who shall no longer be named] along with his minion sycophants are far less eloquent but remain in the same vein.  Yes, Fox News has striven mightily to pick up the mantle of earlier generations of self-proclaimed victims of the so-called liberal press.  I will note that Winston Churchill possessed a unique ability to deal with dissent.  Other could learn a great deal from Churchill’s cause and effect words 90 years ago.

Well, there certainly is that.  Corporate socialism is a bountiful and worthy topic.  The Dr. Seuss kerfuffle was not the object of the section in last week’s Update; disinformation was.  I was simply illuminating yet another example of how the disinformation of the BICP works, and those who (perhaps unwittingly) contribute to furtherance of the BICP disinformation.  And yet, they wonder (perhaps naïvely) why the mainstream Press seems to be against them.  A simple search would have easily debunked that false meme.

Thank you for your recommendation.

 . . . Round two:

“I was taught information control as part of management.  In this instance, think in terms of patents and also marketing.  Space technology is one more sector for management skills.

“I’ll note that Agnew’s approach resembles King Baby’s, but Agnew’s timing was too soon.

“I have no clue what ‘corporate socialism’ is.  Do you mean social responsibility?”

 . . . my response to round two:

Protecting intellectual property is a vital process.  Protecting a brand name is nearly as important.  However, there are boundaries to the authority implied in those statements, as we see in myriad court documents, rulings, and decisions. In this context, space is no different from ground-based environments.  Various organizations including government have attempted to exceed their legal authority, and the courts have corrected those exceedances.

Perhaps so, but history is history.  I did not agree with the man, but I did appreciate his choice of words.

Socialism has many definitions.  In this context, I shall suggest the simplest version—financial support (benefit) from the State.  No, I do not mean social responsibility; that is an entirely different topic.  Capitalism is the free, unfettered operation of corporations by the profit motive alone without regulation or interference.  U.S. corporations have not been capitalist in more than a century.  The USG has given enormous financial benefit to corporations in the name of job creation.  Jobs are one thing; retained cash is altogether another thing.  Social security is a socialist action.  From my perspective, U.S. corporations derive far more benefit from socialism than We, the People, do, as evidenced in the extraordinary intervention during the Great Recession, and even during the pandemic response.

 . . . Round three:

“That’s a fine statement about intellectual property, but the fact of it being corporate property still slows progress.

“I’m more confused than ever.  How did we jump from ‘cancel culture’ to ‘corporate socialism’ (or corporate welfare)?”

 . . . my response to round three:

Thx mate.  Well, that is a viable point of debate.  I could argue the inverse, i.e., that Intellectual Property (IP) rights encourage and spur innovation.  One company’s success inspires others to invent, produce, and sell more innovative variants—a better mousetrap.  Yes, IP rights like copyrights do slow progress in that the content is not shared.  I cannot see an alternative.  To make IP shared, we eliminate the profit motive.  What is the benefit to the developer?

Your NYT quotation was a direct reflection of corporate socialism and had nothing to do with cancel culture.  Yet, to jump to the topic you intended, I see cancel culture in much the same vein as censorship.  In its most directly applicable reasoning to the issue of cancel culture, the Supremes recorded their relevant wisdom in National Socialist Party v. Skokie [432 U.S. 43 (1977); 14.6.1977] [393] in their defense of American Nazis to march and protest in a heavily Jewish populated community.  I stand with the Supremes in the Skokie decision.  We must be careful not to suppress dissent or contrarian thought.

 . . . Round four:

“The alternative mode of development is to have government, not corporations, do the major innovations for the benefit of the entire nation rather than a few owners.

“‘Cancel culture’ is neither new nor particularly evil.  Prominent people lose their megaphones due to scandals.  So?  They always did.  It's just that some of the loudest people have been temporarily quieted for abuse of their preferred media.  I have no problem with that.”

 . . . my response to round four:

There are certainly positive examples of USG development that offered substantial benefit to society in general, e.g., NASA, DARPA, NIH, et cetera.  There are also positive examples of capitalism (the profit motive) as well.  The key is balance.  USG development for the collective good can be seen in the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 [PL 37-II-120; 12 Stat. 489; 1.7.1862] and the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 [PL 84-627; 70 Stat. 374; 29.6.1956].  Interesting to me (perhaps alone), I am currently working on a novel centered upon the result of the stimulation inspired by the former law.

I am with you in the main, so are the Supremes.  They were very careful to explain in Skokie that boundaries exist to all freedoms.  The flag-wavers like to shout that there are no boundaries to their 1^st Amendment rights.  Incitement to riot or violence is beyond the legal boundaries; thus, the charges and eventual prosecutions from the insurrection.  Further, the [person who shall no longer be named] and his accomplices [Cruz, Gaetz, Gosar, Green, Jordan, Nunes, et al] all deserve to spend time as guests of the State to contemplate the errors of their transgressions.  The next couple of years will be a truth teller for our once grand republic.  I want that whole lot from the [person who shall no longer be named] to the operatives in the Capitol Building that day to go to jail; we need a very clear statement.

 

Another contribution:

“As is frequently the case, your lengthy exchanges in 1003 with your articulate friends dealing largely with gun control brought out the best of your wisdom.

“No one sentence of yours can possibly summarize the truths you espouse, and you could not be any clearer in your attempt to counter the incessant mistaken labeling of AR-15s as assault weapons (unless modern slingshots and hunting bows are also to be so classified).  Perhaps the most fundamental truth this uniquely yet incompletely free people need to be reminded of, as you inserted quickly, is that we have very seldom been smart enough to legally ban anything without very bad unintended but perhaps predictable results!

“The deeper trouble is, gun control as presently discussed is a calculated precursor to confiscation (consistent with ratification the UN backed small arms limitation treaty very likely to be one of Biden’s next pushes).  As radical as this may sound, logic should prevail in resistance rather than emotional responses to our national crisis of poor parenting and mental health ignorance.”

My reply:

Thank you for your generous words, my friend.  I do seek to find balance.

It seems these days is a recurrent theme in my political thinking is freedom of choice and every citizen’s fundamental right to privacy.  So that theme rises up in the firearm regulation debate.  I also tend to see prohibitions is a similar light—a nuclear device to swat a fly.  I am not prepared nor can I support blanket prohibitions that penalize the vast majority of law-abiding citizens for the conduct of a very few.  It is the same with virtually every morality-based topic, e.g., abortion, prostitution, election processes, immigration reform, et al.

I like and support your concluding sentence.  To me, that is precisely the point of these related discussions.  I would also add the abandonment of the ‘Kitty’ Genovese syndrome, i.e., every citizen has an obligation to public safety—see something, say something.  We must learn to help law enforcement in dealing with these disturbed or marginal people who commit these horrific crimes.  We know they are among us; we must help law enforcement (at least until a proper mental health treatment and intervention systems can be developed and employed).

 

A different contribution:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-56672892

“Cap-106 deaths every day from personal weapons-to us over here that sounds explicitly unacceptable and ghastly in this present age.  Is there anyway of changing that 2^nd Amendment?  Can Mr Biden do it?

“All’s well here just had our 2^nd inoculation so both feeling somewhat tired (ish).  Being locked down means Covid is retreating and we have managed a lot of jobs both in and out of the house so really things are ‘turning up’.  But, as you well know the Covid threat is always there and we are very much aware of that.”

My response:

The BBC article is accurate to my reading.  The firearm violence in this once grand republic is an international embarrassment as was the tepid, laissez-faire, pandemic response of the previous administration.

I doubt the 2^nd Amendment can be changed.  However, appropriate regulation can be incorporated and enforced.  At the very root of this issue is an inherent distrust of government dating back well before the Revolution.  I am convinced there will be changes.  I hope the changes we enact and enforce are balanced and respectful of history.  Prohibition is NOT the answer in a free society.  To me, that reality applies to all of our morality issues—firearm violence, abortion, gambling, prostitution, psychotropic substance consumption, et al ad infinitum ad nauseum.

Congratulations on the 2^nd shot.  You will soon join the rolls of the fully inoculated.  We are going to get ahead of this damnable virus, but I am afraid we will have more pain ahead—far too many anti-vaxxers, non-believers, resisters, and such.  We shall overcome despite the doubters; it will just take longer to accomplish.

 . . . Round two:

“I have a link for you from NASA re Perseverance. When this rotary gets into the thin atmosphere of Mars it will be a wonderful achievement for both science and engineering. I’ll be watching!

https://earthsky.org/space/ingenuity-helicopter-flies-on-mars-perseverance-rover?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=eca0efd80d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_02_02_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-eca0efd80d-394689513

“Thanks for your comments re my last ramblings on weapons, you know I always feel uncomfortable discussing the government of other countries, I always feel I’m pocking my nose where it shouldn’t be.  However, I cannot understand this affliction with small arms.  I suppose it originates with my service career where I dealt with weapons of unbelievable power. I was cured, to me all personal weapons are absolutely and utterly superfluous.  However, Cap we don’t work under the freedom of a second amendment, what a mistake that was when it was introduced.  I’m certain others will disagree.”

 . . . my response to round two:

I offer my condolences to you and the British People for the passing of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.  He lived a good life.  I hope his passing is not too great a burden on the Queen and their family.

Thx for the info.  Yep, tomorrow morning (earth time), I plan to watch and learn.  History in the making, I do believe.

The 2^nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is always fair game for debate.  I am sorry you feel uncomfortable.  Government is public, and any public activity is also fair game for debate.  I am not a subscriber to the notion of American exceptionalism as some of my fellow citizens are.  I am a believer in American ideals that include “unalienable rights” and freedom of choice.  We are very far from our ideals as I have written in this forum and others, but we still strive to attain our ideals.  Like the physicists say, progress by jerks.

This once grand republic was born in an inherent distrust of government.  We see that reality in virtually all of our founding documents.  Regrettably, politicians are human being and inherently flawed.  Our current crop as well as prior generations did painfully little to improve from that fundamental distrust of government.  The 2^nd Amendment was created in the environment of distrust of government.  We must understand, recognize and respect the underlying root causes for things when we jump into changing them.  I am not keen on treating symptoms.

 . . . Round three:

“Many thanks for your kind words re our Prince Phillip.  His presence will be greatly missed not just here but over the entire world.  What a gentleman, we are still learning even now about his many charitable and sporting achievements, these run into hundreds.  The Queen has gone into 10 days mourning during which the funeral will take place of course with a maximum of only 30 people present. (Covid).

“Yes I do feel awkward talking to you re the way your country is governed.  I do understand the origins of the 2^ndAmendment but that was formed many years ago.  Surely by now we as the occupiers of this ‘once magnificent’ planet have progressed to peaceable and amiable attitudes towards our fellows and do not need to carry firearms which in the wrong hands do immeasurable harm.  That must stop.  Slowly perhaps but it is an essential step in progress to a better world.”

 . . . my response to round three:

Unfortunately, due to the COVID19 pandemic, Prince Philip will not receive the celebration of his life that he deserves.  Nonetheless, we should all honor a life well lived.  May God bless Prince Philip’s immortal soul and sustain the Queen and family in their hours of grief.

I am sorry you feel awkward, but I certainly understand and respect your feelings.  Yes, you are precisely correct. However, I believe the forces that led to the creation of the 2^nd Amendment are still alive and at play today.  We witnessed a negative demonstration on the 6th of January, and that event was far from the only example.  Possession of a firearm does not violate the peace or amiable attitudes.  I have possessed multiple firearms of various types all of my adult life and I have not yet felt the urge to use them.

The one thing that links most of these tragic firearm events is mental illness in various forms.  Yet, the societal intercedence to prevent mental illness transforming into homicide (or suicide) by firearms comes in direct conflict with privacy and freedom concerns.  This once grand republic has repeatedly and consistently failed to approach intervention processes to prevent mental illness from becoming homicide.  As a consequence, our revulsion at each of these tragic events leads us to avoid the difficult conflict noted above and embrace prohibition that penalizes every citizen because we fail or refuse to deal with the mental illness conflict, i.e., a nuclear device to swat a fly.

Once more into the breech and for the record, I fully support more stringent firearms regulation including registration of firearms including mine, if there are proper safeguards installed to prevent abuse by government at any level.  Further, like immigration reform, I want a full system approach that addresses the root causes.  I cannot imagine a state I can support intellectually or practically that involves blanket prohibition.

 . . . Round four:

“It’s always good to exchange views with you-certainly I do feel awkward commenting on the governance of a nation in which I do not have the ‘voters rights’.  However it’s always good to receive your views which normally and confidently I agree to.

“Over here we are currently experiencing some disturbing riotous behaviour by youngsters in Northern Island-thank God no fire arms have been used by either side.  The extraordinary description of those taking part is that many of them are hardly teenagers.  Very sad.  So who’s fault are these growing up failures due to in their development from child to adult?  We shall see.”

 . . . my response to round four:

Hopefully, the awkwardness you feel will pass.  I never expect agreement.  Disagreement is important.  We must be able to debate societal issues.

I assume you meant Northern Ireland.  Who is at fault?  The parents.  We see the same phenomenon in this country.  Yet, we routinely fail to hold parents accountable for the disasters some of them wrought upon society in the form of their children.  Hatred and disrespect of others is a learned trait, not genetic or inherent.  The same is true for other societal phenomena like racism, homophobia, xenophobia, et al.  Hatred must be confronted wherever it appears.

 

            My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)