We are developing the social individualist meta-context for the future. From the very serious to the extremely frivolous... lets see what is on the mind of the Samizdata people.
Samizdata, derived from Samizdat /n. - a system of clandestine publication of banned literature in the USSR [Russ.,= self-publishing house]
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What happens when a “we-didn’t-go-to-the-moon” moron calls an astronaut a liar? Yep. You got it in one. He gets decked… and that is exactly what happened when Bart Sibrel, an ignoramus, shoved a camera in Buzz Aldrin’s face.
One should remember Buzz is in his 70’s at the very least. So we have here a demonstration of what a lifetime of physical fitness can do. Mr Sibrel should consider himself lucky… had he done this twenty years or more ago, he would now be doing a richly deserved pretzel impression in an emergency room.
Congratulations to Buzz for giving Mr Sibrel his just deserts… and he’s definitely got my vote the next time he runs for the NSS board!
Buzz Aldrin chatting with members of National Space Society at their 1992 conference in Washington, DC (photo: D.Amon)
I have watched the documentary filmed by two french brothers this evening… and wish to make it clear they are a total exception to the below. They shared the danger of their new found friends in the NYFD, survived the WTC collapse side by side with them and throughout told an honest story.
I only wish the world of the media had more Men like them.
Why do you repeat, time after time, that we are terrorized? We are not. As a people we grieve our dead; we wish life for ourselves and our loved ones, but we are not “terrorized”. Is it perhaps your own coping mechanism, your own cowardice?
Why do you repeat, time after time, that we feel vulnerable? We have always known that. Have you already forgotten all but the youngest adults among us grew up knowing holocaust was 15 minutes away, every minute, every day, every year of our lives? Is it perhaps a realization that you too could die that makes you cry out your cowardice in our name?
Why do you repeat, time after time, that we have lost our innocence? We have long known and lived with the nightmare that some day an American city would see a mushroom cloud in its’ center. However terrible and unexpected the events we have survived, they are as nothing to what we understand we will have to survive and overcome in the future. Is it perhaps your own ignorance or failure to believe the reality of those risks that make you appear as cowards in our eyes?
Why do you repeat, time after time, that we are uncertain about our future? We are not. We will overcome any attack, no matter how deadly, and we will have the resolve to punish those responsible, to hunt them down to the ends of the Earth and kill or imprison them, even if they are crippled old men by the time we find them. Is it your own short attention span that leaves you incapable of understanding that others might take on a task of decades? Is it another sign of your lack of moral fiber and perserverence?
We are none of the things you say in our name. It is your own mirrored image you speak and write of, not ours. Do not speak for me. I am an American; I am proud of that fact; I grieve for my dead and I feel pride in the bravery and spirit and individualism shown by our heroes of that day… but I do not cower in fear and neither do my fellow countrymen.
Silence your fear-palpitated hearts and palsied hands. Listen to our voice. Listen to our spirit and share our strength….but never again tell us we are afraid or uncertain.
I flew home from London today. The fact I accepted this for a travel date is one tiny finger of defiance to those who misunderstood Americans so badly. I am not going to say a great deal as much is being said by those with far more right than I to say it. Today we remember. Today we honour. Today we come together and reiterate just how undefeatable is the spirit of our free country
Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch said to his BBC interviewer in New York City a few minutes ago: “We will fight. And we will win”. Our enemy does not understand us and has no conception of what they have awakened. If our enemies did have any idea of what they have unleashed, they would be terrified of the fearsome retribution that awaits every one of them.
“We will fight them. And we will defeat them.”
It is possible Iraq was involved in the Oklahoma City bombing, the first World Trade Center bombing, the Anthrax attacks and 9/11 itself. Although it is not in the list of events the media hounds are baying after, I would also toss in TWA Flight 800. I simply never bought the NTSB story on that one.
I don’t like conspiracy theories. That doesn’t mean conspiracies never happen. They do – and I am beginning to think this is one of them. Unlike most of the tales of twisted logic to be found in dusty corners of net.news groups, this one doesn’t set off my bullshit detectors. It’s perfectly plausible. Motives for all parties are believable and most importantly, the total incompetence of the authorities gives it a level of believability often missing from such tall tales. Most conspiracies theories would have us believe US government agencies are capable of keeping a secret, are highly competent and in some cases capable of intentionally doing weirdly evil things. All three are contrary to the embarrassing reality. None of the agencies are outright bad guys. They are just a bunch of buffoons led by idiots. In other words: totally normal government bureaucrats.
Saddam had a motive and would not blink an eye at mass murder. He’s quite experienced at it. He’s already used poison gas in battle against Iran and there is evidence he used bios against the Kurds back in the ’80’s. Bush Sr and Bill Clinton both had reasons for avoiding the war which would have ensued if investigations had proceeded to their conclusion.
A lot of very knowledgeable and quite “serious” people are questioning the official line now, and they have good information to back them up. It’s not even a hidden trail, just a baldly denied one. I’m not going to rewrite what can be read elsewhere. First look at this article from the Opinion Journal. Investigative reporters are digging out facts and getting affidavits which put Iraq up to their necks in Oklahoma City and the first WTC bombing. If Iraq really is running a hijacker training school with an old airframe one starts wondering about 9/11 as well.
We have known from the very beginning Atta met with Iraqi undercover agents in Prague. There have also been reports that Atta and friends stayed at a Kansas motel where Iraqi’s are purported to have been before the Oklahoma City bomb.
The Wall Street Journal and various reporters are not the only ones digging into this mess. Rep. Dan Burton of Indiana has a committee looking into who worked with McVeigh.
Earlier I mentioned TWA 800. The official explanation of this disaster was a spark in a fuel tank caused an explosion. I find this very hard to buy. The aircraft in question was just off the US coast on a trans-Atlantic flight. That means it had a full fuel load. A bigger explosion you might think? Not at all. Fuel vapor can only blow if there is a critical mixture of fuel and air. With the tanks near full, there would not have been much room for said vapor. My bullshit detectors went off like an Armageddon Day air raid siren on this one.
I’m willing to listen if someone can show me the numbers that prove a full fuel tank could explode. Until then, I reject the NTSB report.
Some intelligence types believe it was a missile. In particular there was a very good article in the November issue of Air Forces Monthly by Ronald Lewis, a former USAF and Army intelligence analyst (“War in the Shadows”, p34-p38) that is quite an interesting read. He does not finger Iraq, but does make an interesting case that we have been at war for nearly 10 years and the government has been keeping the lid on it, perhaps to avoid popular pressure for taking out Saddam Hussein.
We wouldn’t want to upset the Saudi’s.
A reader has noted a 747 would not require a full fuel load for this run. I still have not seen information on whether the Wing Center Tank was partially full and thus potentially explosive or if there is no way to vent and purge empty tanks on a 747.
Glenn Reynolds over on Instapundit already pointed out this post on Indepundit. It deserves to be widely read so I am reiterating it.
If anyone tells you Saddam isn’t really trying to acquire nuclear weapons and isn’t really a threat… tell them to read the above.
Adriana wishes she were dreaming and so do a number of British Plane Spotters. Let’s face it. The Greek government are a bunch of whackos and their very presence in the EU should be more than enough to convince any sane person to get far clear of it.
I expect the economic consequence to them to be absolutely disastrous. Would you recommend Greece for a holiday if you have to leave your palm pilot, your laptop, your phone and god knows what else behind? Would you even consent to a business meeting in that backward country? Not I, for damn sure.
Carla Howell’s recent debate with Michael Widmer, former Press Secretary for Governor Michael Dukakis and high tax proponent (and oh yeah, currently President of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, wink,wink, nudge, nudge) is now online. You’ll find the RealMedia link there.
Carla also reports the Massachusetts Teachers Union has done a bit of Orwellian thinking. They renamed their ” Tax Equity Alliance of Massachusetts — Education Fund” or TEAM to the media attracting false advertising name of “Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center” just to attack the ballot proposition.
When I was a kid teachers were teachers: not just another bunch of porkers at the trough.
It looks like Tony Blair has decided which of Jim Bennett’s two horses to ride and has selected the Anglospherian one..
It certainly does look like the ducks are lining up in a row really fast now.
For a number of months I’ve had it in the back of my mind September 11th would be a really good day to begin the take down of Saddam & Co. I think I’d still put a small wager on it.
I would guess the DOD re-arming has progressed sufficiently by now; troops are certainly in place or at least near at hand. The deployment of a major medical unit is indicative a serious ground offensive is due about now. The recent news from Kuwait (all thanks be to Instapundit for the link) reveals there are friendly places from which to launch an attack. We’ve long known preparations were under way in Turkey.
I’d expect we have serious forces already across the Turkish border working with the Kurds in Northern Iraq and either in Kuwait or perhaps already into the the Southern no-fly zone. Airfields were purportedly under-construction in Northern Iraq and are probably in service now. Special Forces will be in-country and ready to move on their objectives: the early capture of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and the extremely prejudicial termination of Mr Hussein. It would not surprise me in the least if contacts have been made and entire Iraqi divisions are ready to turn coat when the shooting starts.
It is difficult to read the Saudi situation: they could actually be supporting us behind the scenes. There is a lot of very empty desert out there in which to hide a US division or two. Logistical support flights could come from Kuwait or the Emirates so long as the Saudi Air Force is in on the deal, and they know where their spares come from. Out of sight, out of mind as far as Saud internal problems go. You just can’t be sure, particularly when masters are doing their best to maximize the fog of war. That is comforting: it also means Saddam doesn’t know from whence the hammer will fall.
I’ll bet on an armoured nutcracker from north and south backed up by airborne troops delivered to key objectives. Blitzkreig American Style. Our pieces are in place on the battlefield and the initiative is all ours. The eleventh would be a good day symbolically but the attack will come when the commander decides it will come. If Saddam were to attempt a pre-emptive strike to seize the initiative, we’d just chew up his best forces and spit them out. A classical offense takes a much larger force than a classical defense. The force tables are only turned when one side has near total battlefield information, absolute air superiority and the ability to place a bomb in a bunghole from ten miles away.
Saddam had better be taking care of the “eat, drink and be merry” part… his tomorrow is not long to come.
It’s time to take the gloves off. Libertarians do not give a damn about “groups” in whatever guise they come or for whatever reason they are posited. I will later join the academic debate on races as defined by clusters of genetic features and the drift of those clusters over time… but not right now. I think it is more important to establish the political and philosophical stand which we as libertarians take.
Individuals matter. Groups do not. Group politics in whatever form it appears is the Tranzi philosophy. If you could absolutely and scientifically prove one group genetically inferior to another you would accomplish nothing except establish that group for eternal victimhood under their philosophy. You succeed in making entire “racial” groups into “the genetically challenged” who then “obviously” must be protected and helped by – you guessed it – government!
The libertarian sees a person, not a member of a group, however scientific that grouping is purported to be. If that individual is a good person and successful at life and acts morally and ethically, then they are praiseworthy. If they do evil things and throw their life away, we don’t excuse them for their past, their origin, race, religion, sex or genetic makeup. Perhaps genetic feature clustering gives an individual a propensity for some particular behavior. Genes are not destiny however, as I’m sure Dr. Richard Dawkins would say.
Personally I find “genetic feature cluster” a much better term than the ill-defined “race”. Race in modern usage is synonymous with skin-colour, which is quite an inaccurate biological definition. Skin colour is merely an outward sign of the expression – or suppression – of one particular set of genes. The classical definition is probably truer to reality. I live amidst the Celtic Race for example. Celts have a unique history and certainly have identifiable genetic differences from the Rus for example. I personally am somewhat mixed but predominately Celt. Not a white (a rather useless term): a Celt.
Someday there will be enough genetic data from sequencing to calculate the true clusterings in gene space. We may at that time find humanity is broken into separate point clouds (races) or is a continuum in which there is no particular boundary, merely a space filling random fuzz. The fact that some features such as skin colour are apparent to our visual apparatus is not of great utility in actually defining the reality of human subspecies.
I believe we will one day find there are indeed definable feature clusters, but in an intermediate between the two extremes; they will be denser knots which either interconnect at their fuzzy outer boundaries or are bridged by weak cluster lines. If we were to find a cluster that is completely isolated, I would consider that strong evidence for a lineage on the way to speciating. Since all humans are mobile and interfertile, I do not believe we will find such a case.
Feature clusters (“races”) are not fixed. They drift, mix, merge and mutate over time. They are not necessarily tied to external features such as skin colour. One cannot possibly declare an Australian Aborigine and a Masai to be of the same race. They are possibly more genetically distant from each other than the Masai is from the Celt. If one wishes to look at genetic diversity within the human gene pool, the largest part of it is in Africa, so it stands to reason a scientific measure of race will find more races on that continent than on all the others put together.
The rates of interracial marriage in America, if extended over a reasonable time frame, say a thousand years, will lead to a unique “American race”. It will not sit at any of the current points in gene space of any of the current “races” It will reside at a unique new spot in that genetic n-space. All now living americans will find some of their genes in that future American gene pool; however some alleles will have outcompeted others and will be dominant. Due to climate, one would expect light skin to have a competitive advantage; other genes from other races will win the top spot for other features.
Of course if we do get a severe climate change, then the dark skin adaptation will win and a completely different set of winning alleles will define the new race.
Please recognize this is a thought experiment. It assumes a stable population more or less cut off from the outside. I believe there will be more, not less, movement of individuals over the next thousand years. I am a technological optimist. I expect us to continue the upwards trend in knowledge and the consequent upward trend in human welfare, income and mobility.
If I were to bet on any long term trend, it is that in ten thousand years the ease of travel will have made earth’s gene pool rather homogeneous and the far colonies in the Oort Cloud will be not only racially different but well down the road to full speciation.
Gene Expression takes exception to my earlier posting:
Of course, I beg to disagree. Let me give you an example of how race does matter, ripped off from Steve Sailer: “You’re a 5’0″ tall female walking down the street. Coming down the street on your side are four black men loudly talking to each other. On the other side of the street you see four Chinese men, again, talking loudly to each other. What do you do?”
To which I answer: “In which year?” Just to have a bit of fun with this, I’ll posit the thoughts running through our midget blonde’s matrilineal side heads:
1930: “Don’t they know their place? If one of them touches me daddy’ll have them all lynched!”
1950: “What is this world coming to? I’ll have to tell daddy so the police can arrest them.”
1970: “They’re probably angry over white hegemony. I’d better cross the street for safety.”
1990: “The one in the middle is kind of cute.”
2010: “Didn’t I go out with him once?”
2030: “I’d swear that was cousin Lonnie!”
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Who Are We? The Samizdata people are a bunch of sinister and heavily armed globalist illuminati who seek to infect the entire world with the values of personal liberty and several property. Amongst our many crimes is a sense of humour and the intermittent use of British spelling.
We are also a varied group made up of social individualists, classical liberals, whigs, libertarians, extropians, futurists, ‘Porcupines’, Karl Popper fetishists, recovering neo-conservatives, crazed Ayn Rand worshipers, over-caffeinated Virginia Postrel devotees, witty Frédéric Bastiat wannabes, cypherpunks, minarchists, kritarchists and wild-eyed anarcho-capitalists from Britain, North America, Australia and Europe.
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