Scott: Moving to Mexico? me: most likely, but probably not until August or September if I do, and I'll have an internet connection me: depends on various factors, such as if I need to be in NYC in August for book launch press, etc me: I've lived there before as a freelancer, works well Scott: Do you have friends or family in Mexico? Scott: Got it. me: it would also reduce my dependency on writing for outlets that I don't like as I can live much cheaper, and would in fact be able to contribute directly to the Africa fund with part of my surplus me: my mom's family is from the border me: and my grandma used to live in Guanajuato state Scott: That makes a lot of sense then. Scott: Hopefully we can put PPM in such a position that the demand on your surplus isn't greater than an amount you'd be willing/wanting to give anyway. me: I imagine that won't be a problem, I'll have a lot more time to work on it very soon me: and go after grants, donations, etc me: we'll also have more people on board to help direct our various tasks Scott: Yea, unfortunately the cost of living in NY is fairly high. Scott: Yes, I'm looking forward to that. Scott: Speaking of which I wanted to discuss with either you guys or the Blog in general some ideas I had for the network. me: actually, Brooklyn isn't any more expensive than austin or Dallas, but I was distracted, and at any rate I like to keep low overhead Scott: I'm fully aware that some if not all the ideas will be unacceptable, but I fill I wouldn't be doing my duty if I didn't share them. me: of course, propose anything that comes to mind Scott: Excessive dating is a distraction that I wish happened more often. me: it's hard to avoid in New York when you're one of about seven straight males Scott: I've never been to Dallas but I've been to Austin. I had a great time. Scott: Clearly you have better luck than I do then. me: yeah, I'll be in Austin next week, in fact plan to get some recruiting done there Scott: By the way, I was watching something about Bushwhich (sp) being a major crime place on TV. I believe it was for prostitution. Scott: Wick me: Bushwick was one of the murder capitals of the nation just 15 years ago me: now it's pretty decent Scott: Glad to hear things have improved :) me: but I still made fun of everyone there in a column I write for a local website, thereby starting an internet civil war. Then I got on a plane and left, lol Scott: What can you do me: start a bunch of trouble and then leave, apparently me: there were over 120 angry comments on one website alone last time I checked Scott: Nothing like good old fashioned bullying. Scott: jk me: 150 on another Scott: that's impressive me: I'd managed to recruit exactly two people among that useless self-absorbed population after making several efforts Scott: I don't want to mention who, because well I'm not sure if it appropriate of me or not, but I know someone who in theory recruited clients as a result of online altercations that were made on a forum. me: I'll bet; lots of e-rage out there me: assuming this was a lawyer Scott: no :) me: is that someone you? Scott: When I said appropriate, I don't know what my ethical and legal limitations are, but this person was an investment manager. Scott: It seems forum readers interest in this person's services increased as a result of his firm stances and disagreements with other individuals. me: very good me: another new specimen of internet dynamic Scott: certainly there is an internet aspect behind it especially in cases where a person is nothing more than a moniker Scott: Whether or not you have any intentions of doing so, kindly do not attribute that particular dynamic to me if ever discussing it. me: of course me: anyway, I'm backlogged on internet dynamics that need to be written about as it is me: and I'm already aware of things similar to what you mentioned, come to think of it anyway, and will use those as examples if necessary Scott: thanks Scott: appreciated Scott: How are things coming with the Manifesto? me: good, got to finish this next Skeptical Inquirer column and then I'll complete first draft and send it to you and Clark for thoughts Scott: ok Scott: good luck with that me: If you want to discuss your new ideas, give me a ring later this evening, should be done writing by then me: I'm writing an open letter to religious congressmen demanding that they make preparations for the rapture and the War against the Beast me: which I will follow up with phone calls me: to about 300 elected officials me: which I will record for purposes of hilarity Scott: Okay, I may do just that to discuss Scott: But I'll probably post the document on the blog as well. me: perfect me: also Scott: Not to sound like a paranoid old man, but do you know your laws on recording conversations? me: in order to decide any such matters me: to some extent, it varies by state Scott: yea me: basically, I pronounce you, myself, and Clark to be a triumvirate until such time as the "republic" can be built Scott: some i know consent of both parties are required while others only one party needs to know me: any controversial issues can be decided by two of three votes Scott: I'm okay with triumvirate as long as there are no attempts on my life me: no promises, Crassus me: I get to be Caesar though Scott: then i demand constant bodyguards me: Crassus and Pompey are up for grabs Scott: and they must be loyal, not the kind that think for themselves me: post an ad on craigslist in some southern state then Scott: or will switch sides for a few shillings Scott: haha me: As I recall, the original triumvirate worked out quite well and ended with handshakes all around Scott: I'm reading the wiki on crassus as we speak me: spoiler: he was forced to drink molten gold and then died of natural causes me: unless I am thinking of pompey Scott: death by molten gold is a natural cause? Scott: I'm okay with Crassus. He allegedely died in battle and then had molten gold poured into his mouth as a symbol of his greed. me: it's a natural cause when you run around acting like Crassus me: I recommend Commentaries of Caesar, which is of course not entirely objective but which at any rate is more objective than one might expect me: when compared to reports by other historians Scott: is it available on audio-tape? Scott: jk me: there are a bunch of people running around claiming that the fall of the Roman Empire bears profound lessons for the U.S. but those people don't know what they're talking about Scott: I'm glad to hear that in some weird way. me: there are of course some lessons, but any decline in the U.S. is based on largely different causes me: you should be, Rome fell hard me: still, half of it prospered for another six, seven hundred years me: Byzantines Scott: So far history has shown that all big powers come to an end, hopefully our demise will be less violent and not too soon. me: well, largely, yes, but it depends on how one defines a power and a fall Scott: all good questions to which i have no clear answer to me: China is arguably a series of dynasties that provide a common thread of governance for four, five thousand years me: leading up to the Mao dynasty Scott: but by definition a dynasty has changed as we've become more global, no? me: of course, and the main thrust of my intentions and emphasis... me: involves that very idea me: these are all increasingly obsolete institutions - nation-states me: build by necessity of proximity, linguistics Scott: don't make fun but I can't wait until we have credible evidence or experience what we know to be intelligent life outside of our planet Scott: i foresee, optimistically and ideally, and end to bickering, etc. me: I would imagine that the bickering will amplify to some extent. There are billions who will see intelligent life as a threat to their worldviews Scott: instead of nation states, or countries, we'd become united as a planet-state Scott: I would hope more optimistically and sadistically, that fear would act as a tool to unite me: hopefully, but hopefully the correct sort of planet-state me: we can see examples in history of unification of formerly adversarial populations in the face of greater enemies, of course Scott: taking a page if you will from Watchmen me: never got around to reading it me: Reagan spoke on the issue twice me: about how we would unify in the face of an outside threat Scott: yes, the hope would be an ideally created planet-state rather than one that is bifurcated. me: the thing is, though, that many would welcome a takeover by a superior alien civilization Scott: I've never heard those speeches, but sounds like something I would be interested in hearing. me: you can Youtube them me: they are not particularly profound examples of rhetoric, of course Scott: That's the plot line in the sci-fi show V (remake of an old movie). me: note that one of the Rockefellers who just recently died spent quite a bit of money in the '90s investigating the possibility of recent visitations me: he was close to the Clintons Scott: however, in the case of V there is the dichotomy that their intentions are evil me: yeah, I've read the plot on Wikipedia me: you may be familiar with Stephen Hawking's recent warnings Scott: Do you know offhand what what to look for in youtube? i.e. Reagan unification speech/ me: one of the few near-certainties in astrobiology is that other life would be either far, far advanced or microbial in nature me: Reagan aliens Scott: that's according to hawkings? me: that's the consensus of pretty much every scientist who bothers with it (not as many as should) me: it's simply a matter of statistics Scott: well, hopefully they are advanced and kind enough to know if any of their by-products of living are toxic to human life me: there is, however, another factor that may contradict that rule me: which is that there may be a tendency of civilizations to discard corporeal existence, such that we would never find them me: I have another hypothesis me: which is that, as civilizations advance to a certain technology level, destructive power becomes more easily obtainable; this is born out by the example of nuclear proliferation and, now, nanotechnology me: a centrally-controlled civilization might determine that the risks are too great to continue me: despite the potential rewardsd me: and consciously choose to place themselves under the control of sentient machines in order to ensure that technology develops no further Scott: in some sci-fi that's generally referred to as ascension, where we essentially become energy me: and thus there may be a number of small civilizations, relegated to a few planets, which have put themselves in tech stasis as a means of risk aversion Scott: while I hear your second theory, it doesn't sound practical me: of course, that puts them at the risk of predatory civilizations that may come across them Scott: going back hundreds if not thousands of years, newer technologies were always risk factors me: absolutely Scott: i have no evidence to back this up, but i don't foresee a freeze on technological advacements me: but we can define a point at which things become fundamentally different - the point at which the power to obliterate one's own planet becomes available enough that it is likely to be used me: neither do I Scott: why stop there Scott: what about the power to destroy universes me: and in fact I prefer that we continue to approach the singularity as the rewards are of infinite value me: that power doesn't seem to be deployed very often in our own universe, at least Scott: agreed, we simply need to remain optimistic that there is a net positive Scott: yes, but a hundred years ago, we didn't have the ability to destroy countries me: I recently had a discussion with a brilliant fellow working for NASA in some capacity who is adamant that speed of light travel really is the likely limit me: and let us hope it is Scott: i don't see where the point of inflection can occur where we decide to stop me: it would basically require a technocratic conspiracy/world takeover me: which is an unlikely prospect Scott: agreed and as you say, for the best Scott: so, now warp 2.0? Scott: no me: speed of light is enough for us to colonize what we need to colonize Scott: does that preclude folds in space i.e. wormholes/ me: I don't believe so, but I am a bit rusty on wormholes and the theoretical uses we may end up having for them me: most likely we would have to create our own wormholes me: existing ones are not practical to reach me: a related concept me: is that we ought not to advertise our existence Scott: i didn't even know we knew of an existing wormhole? Scott: temporarily? permanently? me: I believe their existence have simply been deduced me: another problem in reaching them, of course Scott: got it, and makes sense, i have a weird feeling have a wormhole in our backyard would be interesting me: I'd say that's a pretty reasonable feeling Scott: speaking of technologies of advacement, something that would have profound affects, would be an improve way to transfer knowledge. Scott: plus a harddrive that is less prone to forgetfullness me: essentially, our project is a step in that direction, if only rudimentary Scott: I have an unsubstantiated theory that retention of knowledge separates the very, very smart from the genius. Scott: Fully agreed, which is one of the many reasons I am passionate about the project. me: those techs will come of their own accord and are already on their way, from the direction of Tokyo's university system me: incidentally, I had a conversation once with a brilliant Japanese research scientist who is working on one of the most potentially important developments currently in play me: about two years ago me: they had managed to have participants move a cursor on a computer without any head gear or devices me: simply by thought emissions me: which, despite the assumptions of certain of my skeptical colleagues, do exist Scott: that's pretty cool Scott: i knew it could be done using devices, but the implications are that brainwaves are wireless me: at any rate, in terms of our own contributions to this century, we can be of invaluable assistance to the extent that we can devise a more perfect collaborative tool me: or schematic, rather me: you've seen the inefficiencies that exist within every organizationn me: some of these are easily remedied me: some are more challenging me: but as I noted in that blog post the other night me: we must pay close attention to how we proceed, what works, what gets results, what ensures the highest probability of success me: I suspect that we will make particular progress in this by examining the worst methods of collaboration Scott: like you said, it's not easy to discover Scott: some instances require different mediums of communication Scott: certain people have innate preferences me: I am fortunate to have accompanied my father and uncle to Africa when I was 17 when they were working for some damned fool Pentacostal financier on his quest to establish a business empire me: if they had succeeded, I would have learned a few thinhs Scott: there are the psychological implications as well such as dismissing certain information while retaining those that support your own views me: but as they failed epically, went broke, had their passports seized, lost their equipment to corruption, blew their funds, I learned quite a bit more me: that's absolutely true Scott: i'm optimistic we can learn a lot, but I think more of what will be gained will have to be done through trial and error (scientifically if you will) Scott: sorry to hear that about your "adventures", at least some good did come out of it me: we'll have to take it step by step, accumulate observations, and only adapt new techniques after, as you say, trial and error and scientific process me: which is why I plan on implementing a variety of test methods by which two or more participants will be given tasks to be performed under various differing circumstances/schematics/limitations Scott: the psychology of organizations is certainly a relevant topic for all facets of life as well as informational systems that improve the quality and quantity of "global" knowledge. me: we'll also be contacting researchers who have done studies pertinent to our goals to see what has already been determined regarding the psychological aspects of such things me: absolutely Scott: that's a good idea, but do you plan on accounting for the differences between 2 people? maybe a slightly larger sample size? me: oops, gotta run, I'll be available by phone later me: yes, we'll have numerous tests to provide for those differences me: or, rather, to account for them Scott: got it, Scott: nice chatting and i'll post something to the blog soon. me: word,later