Sachinidis added: "The consequences of disorderly default would be incalculable for the country – not just for the economy … it will lead us onto an unknown, dangerous path."
A calculation is a deliberate process for transforming one or more inputs into one or more results, with variable change.
The English word derives from the Latin calculus, which originally meant a small stone in the gall-bladder (from Latin calx). It also meant a pebble used for calculating, or a small stone used as a counter in an abacus.
A man of realities. A man of facts and calculations. A man who proceeds upon the principle that two and two are four, and nothing over, and who is not to be talked into allowing for anything over.
Saturday, 11 February 2012
No direction home
Meeting her was like stepping into the tales of 1001 Arabian Nights.
Bob was charismatic: he was a beacon, a lighthouse, he was also a black hole.
I must have been a real schmuck to write that. I look back at that particular one and say, of all the songs I've written, maybe I could have left that alone.
The new generation causing all the fuss was not driven by the market: we had something to say, not something to sell.
Bob was charismatic: he was a beacon, a lighthouse, he was also a black hole.
I must have been a real schmuck to write that. I look back at that particular one and say, of all the songs I've written, maybe I could have left that alone.
The new generation causing all the fuss was not driven by the market: we had something to say, not something to sell.
Friday, 10 February 2012
Weather at war
'Few in the civil sector fully understand that geoengineering is primarily a military science and has nothing to do with either cooling the planet or lowering carbon emissions (Report, 6 February). While seemingly fantastical, weather has been weaponised. At least four countries – the US, Russia, China and Israel – possess the technology and organisation to regularly alter weather and geologic events for various military and black operations, which are tied to secondary objectives, including demographic, energy and agricultural resource management.
'Indeed, warfare now includes the technological ability to induce, enhance or direct cyclonic events, earthquakes, draught and flooding, including the use of polymerised aerosol viral agents and radioactive particulates carried through global weather systems. Various themes in public debate, including global warming, have unfortunately been subsumed into much larger military and commercial objectives that have nothing to do with broad public environmental concerns. These include the gradual warming of polar regions to facilitate naval navigation and resource extraction.'
Matt Andersson
Former executive adviser, aerospace & defence, Booz Allen Hamilton, Chicago
The Guardian 10 February 2012
'Indeed, warfare now includes the technological ability to induce, enhance or direct cyclonic events, earthquakes, draught and flooding, including the use of polymerised aerosol viral agents and radioactive particulates carried through global weather systems. Various themes in public debate, including global warming, have unfortunately been subsumed into much larger military and commercial objectives that have nothing to do with broad public environmental concerns. These include the gradual warming of polar regions to facilitate naval navigation and resource extraction.'
Matt Andersson
Former executive adviser, aerospace & defence, Booz Allen Hamilton, Chicago
The Guardian 10 February 2012
More and more minimum
After the Greek government held out to almost the last moment, as politicians, who had in their own minds accepted new austerity cuts, wanted to demonstrate to the public their extreme reluctance to do so, the 'troika', the European Central Bank, the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund, now have their own turn at brinkmanship in refusing to activate the latest stage of the 'bailout' until the Greek government provides 'proof' of its intention to implement the new cuts (or perhaps even the old ones).
Whatever the scepticism, it is beyond reasonable doubt that the Greek public are suffering severely from the austerity already imposed upon them. It is often reported that part of the new programme demanded is a cut of twenty per cent in the Greek minimum wage. It is seldom reported what the current minimum actually is. I believe it is rather less than half that in the UK. The argument in Greece is that the cut will stimulate economic growth and hence employment. This is one that we heard here several years ago when the UK minimum wage was first introduced and it was claimed it would destroy jobs, but it largely fell away as a false fear. Different circumstances perhaps.
Whatever the scepticism, it is beyond reasonable doubt that the Greek public are suffering severely from the austerity already imposed upon them. It is often reported that part of the new programme demanded is a cut of twenty per cent in the Greek minimum wage. It is seldom reported what the current minimum actually is. I believe it is rather less than half that in the UK. The argument in Greece is that the cut will stimulate economic growth and hence employment. This is one that we heard here several years ago when the UK minimum wage was first introduced and it was claimed it would destroy jobs, but it largely fell away as a false fear. Different circumstances perhaps.
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
To find the mind's construction
I read recently that scientists had made significant advances in artificially interpreting the electrical activity of the brain as speech. This is said to have great potential benefits, and clearly it may, for those people who are deprived of the physical ability to speak in circumstances of medical emergency.
It may have less benefit, and even potential danger, for the far larger group of humans who do still retain the ability to speak, and everyone who can communicate in some conscious and effective manner, but scientific advances are usually promoted by the identification of some plausible minority social advantage whilst the larger social and cultural implications are blithely ignored. As scientists always say, it wasn't they who dropped Little Boy from Enola Gay.
From another report:
Soldiers could have their minds plugged directly into weapons systems, undergo brain scans during recruitment and take courses of neural stimulation to boost their learning, if the armed forces embrace the latest developments in neuroscience to hone the performance of their troops.
These scenarios are described in a report into the military and law enforcement uses of neuroscience, published on Tuesday, which also highlights a raft of legal and ethical concerns that innovations in the field may bring.
The report by the Royal Society, the UK's national academy of science, says that while the rapid advance of neuroscience is expected to benefit society and improve treatments for brain disease and mental illness, it also has substantial security applications that should be carefully analysed.
The report's authors also anticipate new designer drugs that boost performance, make captives more talkative and make enemy troops fall asleep.
"Neuroscience will have more of an impact in the future," said Rod Flower, chair of the report's working group.
It may have less benefit, and even potential danger, for the far larger group of humans who do still retain the ability to speak, and everyone who can communicate in some conscious and effective manner, but scientific advances are usually promoted by the identification of some plausible minority social advantage whilst the larger social and cultural implications are blithely ignored. As scientists always say, it wasn't they who dropped Little Boy from Enola Gay.
From another report:
Soldiers could have their minds plugged directly into weapons systems, undergo brain scans during recruitment and take courses of neural stimulation to boost their learning, if the armed forces embrace the latest developments in neuroscience to hone the performance of their troops.
These scenarios are described in a report into the military and law enforcement uses of neuroscience, published on Tuesday, which also highlights a raft of legal and ethical concerns that innovations in the field may bring.
The report by the Royal Society, the UK's national academy of science, says that while the rapid advance of neuroscience is expected to benefit society and improve treatments for brain disease and mental illness, it also has substantial security applications that should be carefully analysed.
The report's authors also anticipate new designer drugs that boost performance, make captives more talkative and make enemy troops fall asleep.
"Neuroscience will have more of an impact in the future," said Rod Flower, chair of the report's working group.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)