tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282587.post116812997275666314..comments2024-03-19T01:48:39.709+00:00Comments on Power and Control: There Is No ProblemM. Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09508934110558197375noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282587.post-1168431645078693472007-01-10T12:20:00.000+00:002007-01-10T12:20:00.000+00:00Wa,That was so nice.Thank you!!!Wa,<BR/><BR/>That was so nice.<BR/><BR/>Thank you!!!M. Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09508934110558197375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282587.post-1168386755135699752007-01-09T23:52:00.000+00:002007-01-09T23:52:00.000+00:00I wrote this years ago, but it still rings true.We...I wrote this years ago, but it still rings true.<BR/><BR/>We have at least one clear description of the failure of Communism under optimal conditions. I refer, of course, to the Book of Acts, 4:32 - 5:11, Ananias and Sephira. NewLiving translation.<BR/><BR/>1. There is no doubt that they are practicing communism:"All the believers were of one heart and mind, and they felt that what they owned was not their own; they shared everything they had...There was no poverty among them, because people who owned land or houses sold them, and brought the money to the apostles to give to others in need." From each according to his means, to each according to his need --- Marx would have been proud to call them brother.<BR/><BR/>2. They had as close to an incorruptible body of rulers as possible, who were proving their uprightness with miracles every day.<BR/><BR/>3. And they had pretty close to the ultimate Auditor; when Ananais and Sephira try to cheat the system, Peter knows about it instantly, and the punishment is swift and sure: the cheaters are struck dead on the spot.<BR/><BR/>And yet there were still cheaters, the apostles couldn't hold it together for very long, and none of the other churches outside Jerusalem seem to have even tried it. If the 12 Apostles backed up by God couldn't make communism work, how in the h*ll would any lesser mortals have a shot?? ;-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282587.post-1168356757416549542007-01-09T15:32:00.000+00:002007-01-09T15:32:00.000+00:00Interestingly, there is a common thread through al...Interestingly, there is a common thread through all of the posts that you mentioned, and, likely, through those unmentioned. Not a single one of them indicated the desire, nor ability, to take responsibility for his/her situation upon themselves. Nor, did any accept personal responsibilty for alleviating their individual situations. Therein lies the foundation of their failures and, not surprisingly, the failure of that entire dogma.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282587.post-1168228808765176852007-01-08T04:00:00.000+00:002007-01-08T04:00:00.000+00:00Your last sentence reminds me of a comment by a ch...Your last sentence reminds me of a comment by a character in a Heinlein novel: "Stupidity is the only universal capital crime."Bleeplesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11266223131463603911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282587.post-1168206827412152522007-01-07T21:53:00.000+00:002007-01-07T21:53:00.000+00:00Thanks Uncle Fester and linearthinker,I hang out t...Thanks Uncle Fester and linearthinker,<BR/><BR/>I hang out there from time to time for a copuple of reasons.<BR/><BR/>1. If I leaved a link it generates a lot of hits (relative to my normal traffic)<BR/><BR/>2. For every commenter there are 100 readers. A few of whom may be swayed by reason.<BR/><BR/>I work at the margins. One or two minds at a time.<BR/><BR/>Biggest reason:<BR/><BR/>3. It amuses me.<BR/><BR/>And yes Uncle I do have to shower afterwards.<BR/><BR/>BTW the style used here was developed over many years of usenet and FIDO Net flame wars. Vicious insults without name calling.<BR/><BR/>linearthinker,<BR/><BR/>You might be interested in John Hersey's "War Lover". A very fine novel about B-17 crews and wartime England.M. Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09508934110558197375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282587.post-1168166166884189962007-01-07T10:36:00.000+00:002007-01-07T10:36:00.000+00:00Simon,I marvel at your endurance in visiting thos...Simon,<BR/>I marvel at your endurance in visiting those places...are you a masochist, or do you just take some perverse pleasure in engaging unarmed opponents in wars of wits? <BR/><BR/>My first engineering boss, in a little office about a mile or so from you as the crow flies, had no patience for demands for "fairness". He'd say things like "what's fair is fair", and "Linearthinker, do you realize that there're about twenty-nine agencies out there who have power of review over my plans, and none of those sons-of-bitches with red pencils have to have an engineering license?" That was about 1963. He was a B-17 pilot flying missions over Europe at age twenty-one. <BR/><BR/>If people used insurance the way it's supposed to be used, nearly all could afford it. Instead, insurance has become a perceived entitlement, as well as a bargaining chip in union contract negotiations. I saw some data recently that about $1,000 of the purchase price of the average American automobile is consumed paying medical benefits mandated by union contracts. The more services that are covered by free, or low cost insurance, the more people tend to abuse the access. My observation is that the ones who bitch the loudest that they're not being treated "fairly" are the ones who're either too stupid to improve their lot, or too self-indulgent to save, or invest in their own well being, i.e., education, personal savings and investment, and insurance coverage. It's always seems easier to have someone else pay for your stupidity, as long as you can fool yourself into ignoring that what goes around comes around...and ignoring fundamental economics is part of that.linearthinkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05201292791445921817noreply@blogger.com