I think it was good when we had WWII veterans in Congress and the Presidency--they didn't treat the members of the armed forces like so many toy soldiers.
😮 It seems ironic and absurd that in the midst of flooding they have no usable water. We are going to see more situations like this because we dropped the ball on climate change. Life is different now. How fortunate we all were to be able to live in some good times, when we had many conveniences our forebears did not, but did not yet have the crises our children will bear.
It occurs to me to wonder if an armed mob might attempt to spring The Former Guy from his new government residence. It would probably be best if it were a high security campus rather than a Club Fed.
I continue to think about that article about UFO’s by Michio Kaku [Click] that I posted yesterday. I am reminded of the invention of the ansible (a method of instantaneous communication) as described by Ursula K. LeGuin in The Dispossessed, and mentioned in several other stories of her Hainish Cycle. I seem to recall that the villains of The Dispossessed, in that story or another, tried to induce the theoretical physicist who developed the ansible to apply the same principle to physical objects (i.e. interstellar vehicles).
The ansible was simply a given in The Dispossessed and most of LeGuin's other stories. I never read the one where it was invented. And it may be noted that an ansible without physical FTL travel makes no scientific sense. It is precisely information that special relativity says cannot travel faster than light. (Mass is a form of information.)
Wikipedia on ansible: In The Dispossessed (1974), Le Guin tells of the development of the theory leading up to the ansible.
Wikipedia on The Dispossessed: It features the development of the mathematical theory underlying a fictional ansible, a device capable of faster-than-light communication (it can send messages without delay, even between star systems) that plays a critical role in the Hainish Cycle. The invention of the ansible places the novel first in the internal chronology of the Hainish Cycle, although it was the fifth published.
The protagonist Shevek is an Anarresti physicist attempting to develop a General Temporal Theory. The physics of the book, Principles of Simultaneity, describes time as having a much deeper, more complex structure than as it is understood [sic] . . .
At Ieu Eun University, Shevek struggles with teaching the Urrasti students and is manipulated by the physicists there, who hope that his breakthrough on the General Temporal Theory will allow them to build a faster-than-light ship. . . He has a sobering realisation that the theory he proposes will be capitalised by the Urrasti for potential warfare, not for the benefit of society. . . He flees to the Terran embassy, where he asks them to transmit his theory to all worlds. The Terrans provide him safe passage back to Anarres. ====================== The very organization of the book is complicated almost to the point of frank anarchy; a marvelous read.
OK. I was focussed on the contrast of the two governments and pretty much ignored what Shevek was working on. Especially since I'd already read other Hainish cycle books.
Best balance exercise [Click] I was reading recently that people who can’t balance on one leg for 20 seconds (the endpoint of this exercise) have a significantly lower probability of living for another ten years.
Ukraine using decoy rockets to trick Russia into wasting weapons, reports say
Ukraine has deployed a fleet of dummy rockets to trick Russian forces into wasting expensive long-range missiles on pointless targets, according to reports.
The decoys are made of wood but look like US-supplied advanced rocket launcher systems when spotted by Russian drones, the Washington Post reports.
At least 10 Russian cruise missiles have reportedly been fired by Moscow’s naval fleet in the Black Sea at the dummy targets, a senior Ukrainian official told the paper.
A source said:
When the UAVs see the battery, it’s like a VIP target.
The initial success of the replicas has left Ukraine to make more of these wooden decoys in a bid to neutralise Russia’s artillery advantage on the battlefield.
In addition, the destruction of Ukraine’s fleet of fake Himars may have been behind Russia’s claims that it has taken out a large number of the systems.
It was suggested (including by Gorbachev, as memory serves me) that if the western countries had aided the former USSR after its collapsed, it wouldn't have devolved into its current state. That could be; but maybe not.
The headline to the article I just shared said "Google bans Trump social network over violent posts", but I don't see any reference to that in the article.
I'll be leaving for the World Scinece Fiction Convention tomorrow. It's in Chicago this year but I'll be staying in the hotel and probably not active online beyond checking eamil.
The only known Navy fighter ace to shoot down both German and Japanese planes in World War II has died at 101, family says
ReplyDeleteI think it was good when we had WWII veterans in Congress and the Presidency--they didn't treat the members of the armed forces like so many toy soldiers.
DeleteJackson, Mississippi water treatment plant has failed. [Click]
ReplyDelete😮
DeleteIt seems ironic and absurd that in the midst of flooding they have no usable water. We are going to see more situations like this because we dropped the ball on climate change. Life is different now. How fortunate we all were to be able to live in some good times, when we had many conveniences our forebears did not, but did not yet have the crises our children will bear.
It's Mississippi, and the city is about 79% Black.
DeleteUkraine grain deal: Where are the ships going? [Click] Grain prices have fallen significantly.
ReplyDeleteUS to see renewable energy boom in wake of historic climate bill [Click] “Solar and wind projects to expand in size and provide bulk of total American electricity supply by decade’s end, study shows.”
ReplyDelete😊👍👍
Delete‘People are tired of being ignored while the rich get richer’: Bernie Sanders on anger and hope in the US and UK [Click]
ReplyDeleteGo Bernie!!
DeleteAs Americans ditch Covid measures, pandemic worsens for the vulnerable [Click]
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteAmericans are starting to get it: we can’t let Trump – or Trumpism – back in office [Click] “Republicans have put all their chips on extremism. But voters are sending more and more signals that they’re fed up with it.” Well, I sure hope so.
No room for complacency, though.
DeleteIt occurs to me to wonder if an armed mob might attempt to spring The Former Guy from his new government residence. It would probably be best if it were a high security campus rather than a Club Fed.
DeleteI continue to think about that article about UFO’s by Michio Kaku [Click] that I posted yesterday. I am reminded of the invention of the ansible (a method of instantaneous communication) as described by Ursula K. LeGuin in The Dispossessed, and mentioned in several other stories of her Hainish Cycle. I seem to recall that the villains of The Dispossessed, in that story or another, tried to induce the theoretical physicist who developed the ansible to apply the same principle to physical objects (i.e. interstellar vehicles).
ReplyDeleteThe ansible was simply a given in The Dispossessed and most of LeGuin's other stories. I never read the one where it was invented. And it may be noted that an ansible without physical FTL travel makes no scientific sense. It is precisely information that special relativity says cannot travel faster than light. (Mass is a form of information.)
DeleteWikipedia on ansible: In The Dispossessed (1974), Le Guin tells of the development of the theory leading up to the ansible.
DeleteWikipedia on The Dispossessed: It features the development of the mathematical theory underlying a fictional ansible, a device capable of faster-than-light communication (it can send messages without delay, even between star systems) that plays a critical role in the Hainish Cycle. The invention of the ansible places the novel first in the internal chronology of the Hainish Cycle, although it was the fifth published.
The protagonist Shevek is an Anarresti physicist attempting to develop a General Temporal Theory. The physics of the book, Principles of Simultaneity, describes time as having a much deeper, more complex structure than as it is understood [sic] . . .
At Ieu Eun University, Shevek struggles with teaching the Urrasti students and is manipulated by the physicists there, who hope that his breakthrough on the General Temporal Theory will allow them to build a faster-than-light ship. . . He has a sobering realisation that the theory he proposes will be capitalised by the Urrasti for potential warfare, not for the benefit of society. . . He flees to the Terran embassy, where he asks them to transmit his theory to all worlds. The Terrans provide him safe passage back to Anarres.
======================
The very organization of the book is complicated almost to the point of frank anarchy; a marvelous read.
OK. I was focussed on the contrast of the two governments and pretty much ignored what Shevek was working on. Especially since I'd already read other Hainish cycle books.
Deletelistener--responses to your responses on previous thread.
ReplyDeleteThanks!! Enjoyed them.
DeleteBest balance exercise [Click] I was reading recently that people who can’t balance on one leg for 20 seconds (the endpoint of this exercise) have a significantly lower probability of living for another ten years.
ReplyDeleteWell, yes. My chances of living another 10 years are probably less than those of someone younter with better balance.
DeleteHeavy Fighting Across Kherson, Russia Says 1,200 Ukraine Troops Killed (among other unlikely things), Shelling Kills 5 In Kharkiv [Click]
ReplyDeleteKremlin-appointed Kherson leader has fled to Russia [Click] Gee, that seems strange, what with his buddies winning so bigly, and all. . .
DeleteWell said.
DeleteQUAKER GUNS!
ReplyDeleteUkraine using decoy rockets to trick Russia into wasting weapons, reports say
Ukraine has deployed a fleet of dummy rockets to trick Russian forces into wasting expensive long-range missiles on pointless targets, according to reports.
The decoys are made of wood but look like US-supplied advanced rocket launcher systems when spotted by Russian drones, the Washington Post reports.
At least 10 Russian cruise missiles have reportedly been fired by Moscow’s naval fleet in the Black Sea at the dummy targets, a senior Ukrainian official told the paper.
A source said:
When the UAVs see the battery, it’s like a VIP target.
The initial success of the replicas has left Ukraine to make more of these wooden decoys in a bid to neutralise Russia’s artillery advantage on the battlefield.
In addition, the destruction of Ukraine’s fleet of fake Himars may have been behind Russia’s claims that it has taken out a large number of the systems.
I love the creativity of using decoys!
DeleteIf you are unfamiliar with the term, look up "Quaker Gun" in Wikipedia.
DeleteFDA expected to authorize new omicron-specific COVID boosters this week
ReplyDeleteAllegedly available as of Wednesday the 7th. I hope so! I have a couple days off just then in which to be super sick.
DeleteMikhail Gorbachev has died at age 91
ReplyDeleteSure was better than Pooting.
It was suggested (including by Gorbachev, as memory serves me) that if the western countries had aided the former USSR after its collapsed, it wouldn't have devolved into its current state. That could be; but maybe not.
DeleteStrange Asgard Bacteria Hint at How Complex Life Evolved on Earth [Click] Gee!
ReplyDeleteQUOTING: Alan in CA ... 8/29/2022 10:40:00 PM
ReplyDeleteGuardian: "Drinking tea may be linked to lower risk of death, study suggests"
I rather doubt that. . .
Oh, I have no doubt whatsoever. But that may be the British part of my ancestry speaking.
It has been my observation that the risk of death is 100%, tea or none. . .
Delete(Susan)
ReplyDeletehttps://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-truth-social-qanon-4chan-memes-messages-184803844.html
"Trump is spending his morning on Truth Social directly posting 4chan and Q messages, a day after calling to be reinstated as president. He’s doing explicitly what he used to try to shade or use coded language for."
The headline to the article I just shared said "Google bans Trump social network over violent posts", but I don't see any reference to that in the article.
DeleteI'll be leaving for the World Scinece Fiction Convention tomorrow. It's in Chicago this year but I'll be staying in the hotel and probably not active online beyond checking eamil.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy!
Delete