tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post4913438729049711694..comments2024-03-28T09:59:13.754-07:00Comments on bionic mosquito: Dealing With the Spaces In Betweenbionic mosquitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-80434430523015865242018-09-24T12:04:23.936-07:002018-09-24T12:04:23.936-07:00Patrick,
I hear you. Ideas are, without question,...Patrick,<br /><br />I hear you. Ideas are, without question, the drivers of human history, but how are they 'weaponized?' What does it take to make an idea a reality? Therein lies the real art and science of revolution.<br /><br />Is aggression the most effective method of spreading ideas? Can an idea which denies aggression in both means and ends find the motive force to compete with those who happily embrace it? I would answer "no" and "yes," but only time will tell.A Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-61773686030363127162018-09-24T11:54:02.051-07:002018-09-24T11:54:02.051-07:00Rien,
Well, we are all capable of independence, a...Rien,<br /><br />Well, we are all capable of independence, at least of mind, but the forces working against that are massive. Still consumers can punish producers for glaringly obvious mistakes.<br /><br />Everyone acts rationally in the sense that everyone has a reason for what they do or say, but this does not mean that these reasons are well thought-out or in any way helpful towards achieving one's ends. A Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-69609662664605100222018-09-24T11:36:55.480-07:002018-09-24T11:36:55.480-07:00I would argue that the boundary, if any, should be...I would argue that the boundary, if any, should be the point where the comments start. If the comments are open to the public, then they have crossed the boundary, and have forfeited their claim to private property.<br /><br />By that definition, Facebook and Twitter, which are both basically open forums, do not have censorship rights, even if requested by the government or any of their corrupt agencies. This even includes if they require anyone that comments to first register with their site.<br /><br />If there is no method for infusing reader comments into the article's thread, then there is an understanding of private property.<br /><br />At least, that's the opinion I have.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06962261602963343517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-92005870125787241562018-09-23T00:26:03.932-07:002018-09-23T00:26:03.932-07:00BM: "Trump doesn't happen without Ron Pau...BM: "Trump doesn't happen without Ron Paul in 2008 and 2012."<br /><br />I dunno, I have a nagging suspicion that things like RP or even Trump are in fact no more but the rationalised surface of the collective unconsciousness.<br /><br />My question is: can we derive the true mechanism by looking at the surface?Rienhttp://overbeterleven.nlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-30681729813823821592018-09-23T00:20:59.808-07:002018-09-23T00:20:59.808-07:00JB: "I would think the hazard would be more t...JB: "I would think the hazard would be more than a moral one once the owners and injured parties discovered the fraud."<br /><br />Sure, but will that deter potential criminals? History suggests not.Rienhttp://overbeterleven.nlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-7312908656500532422018-09-22T23:55:40.173-07:002018-09-22T23:55:40.173-07:00I don't believe this is a chicken or egg thing...I don't believe this is a chicken or egg thing at all. Rebellion is born of acting individuals, and they act on their ideas. I find arguments to the contrary completely ridiculous.<br /><br />Although, this ideas rule the world concept is, to me, so obvious that i may simply be blind to some larger point of argument in opposition.P Szarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09298180391605451618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-12692893075749384092018-09-22T10:40:21.411-07:002018-09-22T10:40:21.411-07:00Rien: "Well, there is quite some moral hazard...Rien: "Well, there is quite some moral hazard in this approach: Very rare payout will open the door to underpricing in order to make a quick buck."<br /><br />I would think the hazard would be more than a moral one once the owners and injured parties discovered the fraud.Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14010513213569295642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-21053280536399708482018-09-22T09:44:25.514-07:002018-09-22T09:44:25.514-07:00Victor, my comment might also be a quibble - maybe...Victor, my comment might also be a quibble - maybe we are in a chicken-and-egg thing - but here goes:<br /><br />Trump doesn't happen without Ron Paul in 2008 and 2012. Ron Paul doesn't happen without the internet - people sharing ideas freely.<br /><br />Revolutions are formed when enough people see that enough other people hold similar views - at least similar regarding what they are against, not necessarily similar regarding what they are for.<br /><br />No one fights for the revolution of those who fit in a phone booth. This is just suicide.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-63629083262255800652018-09-22T09:37:19.436-07:002018-09-22T09:37:19.436-07:00Ultimately, I don't think we can say if a corp...Ultimately, I don't think we can say if a corporation of limited liability would exist in a world absent government enforcing the limited liability.<br /><br />I hate to say "the market will sort this out," but I do believe the market will sort this out. Insurance products will be developed (including re-insurance), and these will either develop a track record of effectiveness or they won't.<br /><br />If an effective track record is developed, the idea of a limited liability corporation could continue; if not developed, then it won't.<br /><br />bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-51202835507627634242018-09-21T08:53:17.224-07:002018-09-21T08:53:17.224-07:00Are we redefining corporation?
BM is correct in t...Are we redefining corporation?<br /><br />BM is correct in that the issue is liability and a customer does not care about how an entity divvies up the profits among the owners. When an issues arises dealing with liability, where the money comes from to pay for the penalty, again, is not the customer's concern.<br /><br />Looks like an old issue stick up its ugly head again - government by insurance? But insurance also has to deal with its own liability coverage., since to be insurance an entity will have to agree to whatever the insurance entity's requirement are.<br /><br />And, still, recovery of a liability claim is an issue between the customer and the provider.<br /><br />In the end, there is no government establishing that the corporate veil can only be pierced in extreme rare occasion. I know, I lost two relatives in the DuPont Plaza fire and the union could not be touched, the corporations, they got lanced.JaimeInTexashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08729407700850451849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-61135305583942756302018-09-21T08:04:33.469-07:002018-09-21T08:04:33.469-07:00" There is no bigger threat to state power th..." There is no bigger threat to state power than that of the people sharing ideas freely. The internet opened that door. ". I would quibble with this only to point out that biggest threat to state power has always been rebellion rather than the circulation of ideas. Trumps election WAS a rebellion against state power which the political ruling class immediately moved to crush first and foremost with its judiciary vis a vis the Stalinesque Russiagate show trial, second by way of MSM agitprop and third by coming after independent media. Victorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12985538497409080098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-59224254227813764962018-09-21T01:28:58.141-07:002018-09-21T01:28:58.141-07:00JB: "That third party would, I assume, do its...JB: "That third party would, I assume, do its own research on the company to determine the risks of a payout."<br /><br />Well, there is quite some moral hazard in this approach: Very rare payout will open the door to underpricing in order to make a quick buck.<br /><br />I.e. it is assumed that the company will make an evaluation in the sense: over time X add up (chance of pay out * amount of payout) and divide this by the time interval => payment + some percentage profit.<br /><br />(that is hard to write, I hope you get my intention here)<br /><br />The time X is the big problem. Ideally X should be the life time of the plant. Assume that lifetime is... say 100 years. Also assume that the CEO of the insurer plans to stick around for 10 years.<br /><br />See where I am going?... what number is that CEO going to use? His 10 years of service (maybe add another 10 for plausible deniability) or the 100 years?<br /><br />Makes a heck of a lot of difference to the bottom line. And the CEO's performance bonus.<br /><br />(Of course I am completely ignoring the actual incalculability of the proper numbers. Insuring a car against theft or accident is easy. Insuring a one-of factory against one-of disasters is impossible)Rienhttp://overbeterleven.nlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-63737761340776018432018-09-20T20:18:18.021-07:002018-09-20T20:18:18.021-07:00The only assumption about human action in libertar...The only assumption about human action in libertarian economy is that humans make choices they believe will fulfill desires. It doesn't assume that their perception is correct. But it enobles that action by granting sovereignty to the individual. RMBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-36766177778022869382018-09-19T04:53:51.760-07:002018-09-19T04:53:51.760-07:00Limited liability extends beyond contractual agree...Limited liability extends beyond contractual agreements in our non-libertarian world. You can buy stock in, say, a chemical company which later has a spill that wipes out an entire town, and only lose your initial investment (that really happened). In a libertarian world, the investors would be liable for the damages should the company be unable to pay them. <br /><br />To be properly protected in a libertarian world, investors would need to enlist some third party to cover damages of that nature. That third party would, I assume, do its own research on the company to determine the risks of a payout. Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14010513213569295642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-19159137075260970592018-09-19T00:07:09.502-07:002018-09-19T00:07:09.502-07:00ATL: A second -and possibly more damning- assumpti...ATL: A second -and possibly more damning- assumption is that people will act rationally. I find this to be another great failing in libertarians, libertarians themselves are very rational. To the point of being autistic. (Ask me!, I was) However realism and rationalism used to be traits of people with center and right wing political preferences. Left wing is ideological and wholly unreachable by ratio. (And today's conservatives are left of of the democrats in the '50s)Rienhttp://overbeterleven.nlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-37173647280674782452018-09-19T00:02:44.151-07:002018-09-19T00:02:44.151-07:00ATL: "In a way these companies, even though t...ATL: "In a way these companies, even though they are owned and controlled by DC to some extent, are being held liable. They are being exposed for having a leftist bias and are being judged in the court of consumer opinion."<br /><br />Ah, but then you are assuming that there is independence (of the public). Which I would argue does not exist.Rienhttp://overbeterleven.nlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-23803800220728124702018-09-18T10:21:02.944-07:002018-09-18T10:21:02.944-07:00"A private company may censor content and als..."A private company may censor content and also be liable for its decisions."<br /><br />In a way these companies, even though they are owned and controlled by DC to some extent, are being held liable. They are being exposed for having a leftist bias and are being judged in the court of consumer opinion. Of course, consumer opinion is mostly leftist to some degree, so the punishment, if you could call it that, is pretty inconsequential. Those of us who do disagree probably aren't going to boycott Google or Amazon anytime soon (Facebook is easy for me. I left it a long time ago).<br /><br />And this bias, as the recently leaked video at Breitbart has shown with Google, is not always something state imposed, but is rather something felt or held personally by the ownership, upper management and probably most of the other employees.<br /><br />https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2018/09/12/leaked-video-google-leaderships-dismayed-reaction-to-trump-election/<br /><br />I think a big part of the problem is the leftist take-over of the major universities and mainstream media. The state doesn't have to force people to protect it, if they are indoctrinated since infancy to love and depend on it.<br /><br />"Remind me: who owns Facebook?"<br /><br />The hearing on capitol hill was a bit strange and telling in this regard. It's clear that these companies are not just private entities.A Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-85856133065480146112018-09-18T06:42:05.769-07:002018-09-18T06:42:05.769-07:00Hank Rearden would have never been anywhere near t...Hank Rearden would have never been anywhere near the social media industry. Francisco d'Anconia is the guy you could hope would save the day.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-19943115322686641892018-09-18T06:05:13.380-07:002018-09-18T06:05:13.380-07:00I don't see why not. If workers agree to work ...I don't see why not. If workers agree to work for and investors agree to invest in a company that will not be liable for wages and bond repayment should the company fail, that is on them. I suppose it will depend on the level of competition between corporations or the supply and demand regarding corporations, investors, and laborers as to which party makes out better in the negotiations. <br /><br />For instance, if there are many more laborers in proportion to corporations, then the corps will probably get the sweeter deal, and vice versa.A Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-12124057369292631672018-09-17T23:41:19.597-07:002018-09-17T23:41:19.597-07:00Where is Hank Rearden when you need him?Where is Hank Rearden when you need him?VirtualAlaskanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15669445908177529235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-47681745118353150642018-09-17T16:57:11.010-07:002018-09-17T16:57:11.010-07:00When I wrote "enforce all speech", I mea...When I wrote "enforce all speech", I meant requiring Social Media to remove bias. I think it was an awkward way of saying forcing those companies to allow all speech, no censoring.RMBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-63124293776076042792018-09-17T16:44:30.201-07:002018-09-17T16:44:30.201-07:00Did I make an argument to regulate all speech? It...Did I make an argument to regulate all speech? It's funny that I offered the opposite in my conclusion.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-20605835150670264622018-09-16T20:17:53.947-07:002018-09-16T20:17:53.947-07:00Insurance could provide limited liability in a lib...Insurance could provide limited liability in a libertarian world. Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14010513213569295642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-71490512254059500812018-09-16T18:32:04.951-07:002018-09-16T18:32:04.951-07:00I work in the Retirement Department at corporate h...I work in the Retirement Department at corporate headquarters of a major southeast Michigan healthcare organization. I have zero patient contact. <br /><br />I do not trust flu shots. I must submit to annual flu shots nonetheless. My employer will fire me if I don't. <br /><br />Healthcare is a quasi-government industry. Licensing, mandates, regulations, patents, and all kinds of controls beset it. The flu shot requirement stems from the Social Security Administration's insistence healthcare providers protect its "investment" in Medicare.<br /><br />As a libertarian, I understand private employers have a right to set the terms and conditions of employment. But the flu shot requirement is the SSA's doing. Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05242683448708605585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-33666636588163638522018-09-16T14:15:52.702-07:002018-09-16T14:15:52.702-07:00I think you have made the best argument I have hea...I think you have made the best argument I have heard for regulating Social Media companies to enforce all speech. It comes down to the fact that fascism is alive and well in the US. It makes pretty much any corporation of sufficient size an arm (or leg) of the state.<br /><br />But as a libertarian this feels too close to participating in the centralization of more power to the state. The only good answer is to de-monopolize the industry. That means less regulation and finding ways to make these corporations suffer consequences for demonstrating bias. The only way I know that to happen is market competition and the people affected negatively by that bias being quick to switch loyalty to different social media platforms. There has to be a path to viability for alternatives to Facebook and Youtube. If not, I don't see any way of fighting off bias except by calcifying the fascist relationship between large corporation and government.RMBnoreply@blogger.com