Initially politics was an activity. “Was” and not “were” because it was something in which every concerned citizen played an part, a collective effort. Oh, I forgot to tell you that this happened in Ancient Greece during what we now call the ‘first stage of democracy’.

Then, after a little less than two millennia, it became an occupation. People who had successful careers behind them were deemed trustworthy by the rest of the community and elected into government positions. The countries which used this ‘democratic mechanism’ thrived: the US, Britain, France, …to name just a few of them.

Lately politics have become a profession. People study it in Universities and engage in it without any prior experience outside the field. I believe you all know what ‘community organizer‘ means, right?

No, I’m not going to discuss this notion right now. The results can be both good or bad, exactly as it happens with almost all human professions: both Mengele and Albert Schweitzer were MDs…

For now I’ll refrain myself to observing that people have less and less tolerance for digression on the part of the politicians.

“Nicholas Sarkozy arrested over corruption allegations”

Gerhard Schroeder, lionized in his time for cutting down to size the German welfare state is now widely criticized for his involvement with GAZPROM.

Silvio Berlusconi is serving time, disguised as ‘community service’, for tax evasion.

Need I go on?

And this is happening in what we call ‘democratic countries’. In other places former rulers are stabbed to death  or brought to justice in a cage.

In fact we have indeed progressed, as a species. The last time the French got really pissed off by their leaders quite a few people lost their heads…

The most disturbing thing in all this is that the politicians were supposed to be the ones capable/willing of doing ‘the good thing’ AND professional enough as not to exaggerate in anything they do….

Is there anything to be done about all this?

How about upping the ante?

I keep hearing ‘we need a strong leader’ or ‘we need more true leaders’. Are we really sure about that? Leaders would do almost anything to take us where THEY see fit.
How about politicians acting as ‘administrators’?
Right now politics is played, in a lot of places, as a beauty pageant. Would be rulers (leaders) come up-stage to make promises and we choose the ‘best-looking’ charmer. After a while he unfailingly fails so we ‘boo’ him out of office.
Switzerland, for instance, has another way of doing things. They talk a lot more among themselves, many ideas are put forward and then some of them get to become policies and other get dumped.
When have you last heard about a Swiss political leader or about a Swiss political scandal?

“When God solves your problems, you start to trust him.
When God doesn’t solve your problems…it’s because he trusts you!”

Just found it in my mail, I’m not this wise.

petrosjordan's avatarPetros Jordan

For a relatively tiny continent, Europe has an abundance of divisions.  Ethnicity, religion, weather, and even food have divided Europe along common fault lines throughout its history.  The chart below, taken from Yanko Tsveltkov’s Atlas of Prejudice 2, is a satirically over-broad depiction of some of the most salient of divisions.  It is meant to be overly simplified to the point of absurdity, poking fun at those who hold such blunt prejudices about large swaths of territory, so please do not take offense.

20 Ways to Slice Europe (From “Atlas of Prejudice 2”, by Yanko Tsvetkov, via http://atlasofprejudice.tumblr.com/)

For many of these maps, however, there is a kernel of truth.  My mother’s ancestors hail from Greece, and my father’s from England, which are two countries which could not be more diametrically opposed within Europe.  Indeed, in the chart below, Greece and England are on different sides in 19 of the…

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intelligent design

 

So this is what ‘intelligent design’ is about!

In fact it’s funny even if rather inappropriate since pigs appeared on the face of the Earth long after dinosaurs went extinct.

Thanks to “I fucking love science” for this subject and for the cartoon.

rocking the boat

Tesla was a great physicist and a very intelligent man but his wording was rather lousy.

I get the gist of what he wanted to say and I basically agree with him but I don’t think “anti-social behaviour” aptly describes what he had in mind.

The real meaning of ‘anti-social’ is ‘acting against the interests of the group of which the perpetrator is a member”: from stealing to high treason.
What I understand of Tesla’s words are gestures made against ingrained habits which induce social stiffness – social rigidity that inhibits innovation and adaptation.
And in fact all these gestures are pro-social, they are good for the society at large and not at all bad or anti-social.

It is true that today ‘anti-social behaviour’ has been ‘stretched’ to include all actions that disturb ‘social norms, socially sanctioned customs and widely held beliefs’ but this would be true only as long as these ‘habits’ were still useful to the society we are speaking about.

I don’t think Tesla would have condoned theft or any other criminal activity, no matter how anti-social, but he would have applauded, had those things happened during his life, what Copernicus, Giordano Bruno and Darwin had done. Or Martin Luther King.

 

urine powered generator

So what do we have here?

Four crafty teenage Nigerian girls have put together an ingenuous rig for a ‘science and technology’ fair.

“The system works like this:

Along the whole way there are one-way valves for security, but let’s be honest that this is something of an explosive device…”

A well meaning ‘eager beaver’ journalist wanting to help promote their exploit  has branded the whole contraption as an ‘urine powered generator’.

An then the hell broke loose:

It is all over the Internet and news, three Nigerian school girls have invented a urine-powered generator that can produce electricity for 6 hours from a single litre of urine!

Really? Sadly, no.

I can’t find an original source for this story, where did it come from? [was it here?] Are there really some Nigerian school girls with a urine-powered generator or is this just a hoax? Either way, all those journalists that repeated the story really should be ashamed of themselves, it is so obviously wrong and/or untrue.”

 

I’m not in the business of apportioning blame all over the internet but after finding out about this succession of events I started to have serious doubts about who is wrong and who should be ashamed of themselves….

I’m sure that most of you have already understood where I’m headed to but please bear with me.

So OK, the ‘eager beaver’ has indeed stretched the reality a little bit. It’s not an ‘urine powered generator’ but an ingenuous ‘science project’ presented by some teen age students.
So what was it that brought the wrath of the ‘eco-scammer’ on those ‘poor’ girls? Or even on the writer of the original article…
Who, and where, claimed that the contraption produced more energy than it consumed? Yes, those arguments involving thermodynamics and all that scientific mambo-jumbo that he is mentioning inside his article are absolutely correct (“trust me, I’m an engineer”, a real one that is) but perfectly misplaced.
As is the original title but while that title is an innocent exaggeration the second article is a malicious  (or myopic?) and undeserved rebuttal.

Getting back to what had started all this, that ‘thing’ is not a ‘generator’ but can be used as an accumulator!
Solar panels produce energy when the sun is up but people need light at night, obviously.
Even more importantly, solar panels produce a type of current (DC) which can be used to ‘split’ water into hydrogen and oxygen and to light a special kind of bulb but for little else. If you want to power a ‘modern appliance’, a refrigerator for instance, you need an inverter – a pricy device that transforms DC into AC.
On the other hand the type of gas powered generator used by those crafty students is relatively cheap and common enough almost everywhere in the world. Adapting it to run on hydrogen is easy, this feat was not even mentioned in the original article.

So the real meaning of what those 4 girls did is that they came up with a way to replace a costly scheme comprising a lot of batteries and an inverter with a gas bottle, an already largely available gas powered generator, an electrolytic cell and two filters.

Not a small feat, by any means!
If you take some time to think about it, of course.

And yes, there are four girls that did this, not three like the ‘eco-scammer’, who probably didn’t even bother to read the original article, wrote insouciantly after merely taking a glance at the photo that came with the inappropriately titled  news.

The original story can be read here: http://makerfaireafrica.com/2012/11/06/a-urine-powered-generator/
and the ‘eco-scammer’ rebuttal here: http://www.eco-scams.com/archives/790

 

no piggy back

For some 30 years now the western press is periodically awash with news about the impending doom that is going to engulf China. If not now then soon, very soon.

While I’m not particular fond of the Chinese communists – every political force that enjoys monopolistic control over the space where it resides eventually becomes too rigid and looses ability to cope with the day to day challenges – I must give them what is theirs.

By drawing from the rich experience of the Imperial China the current rulers have learned something. Don’t push it unnecessarily hard, don’t appear to be callous when there is no need for such thing. Not because it would be immoral or anything like that but because it is ‘a mistake’ to do such a thing.

In most countries if something like that would have happened it would have meant that the ordinary people were getting fed with the callousness of the government officials and that generalized riots will follow. Like what happened in Tunisia at the start of the Arab spring.
In  China when ever something like this grabs the attention of the public eye the ‘Party’ springs into action and promptly punishes the perpetrator instead of trying to shield him/cover up for him. This way the ‘Party’ preserves it role in the society and makes sure it remains relevant.

So please put those doom scenarios on hold, at least for as long as things like that will continue to be severely sanctioned by the ubiquitous ‘Party’.

Click here http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2666147/No-free-rides-Chinese-government-worker-sacked-picture-emerges-riding-employees-flood-avoid-getting-wet.html if you want to read the whole story and thanks Veooz http://www.veooz.com/news/WHHU7ev.html for the picture

Cine n-a vazut declaratia domnului Basescu o poate urmari aici:

http://stiri.tvr.ro/traian-basescu–intre-consolidarea-justitiei-si-reflexul-de-a-ti-apara-fratele–aleg-justitia_46274.html

Sunt doua lucruri extrem de importante in aceasta luare de pozitie:

“Proba ca nu a existat o astfel de interventie (a domnului Basescu in favoarea frate-lui domniei sale) este chiar condamnarea. Din cate stiu domnul Anghel a fost condamnat la ani grei de inchisoare.”

“Va asigur ca intre nevoia de consolidare a justitiei si reflexul firesc de a-ti apara fratele, aleg consolidarea justitiei”.

 

In paralel a existat si o declaratie a domnului Ponta, care a aparut aici: http://stirile.rol.ro/ponta-basescu-ar-trebui-sa-demisioneze-pentru-cazul-mircea-basescu-bercea-mondial-925777.html

“El (domnul Ponta) a mai spus ca nu a vazut o implicare directa a presedintelui Basescu in cazul in speta.
” Dar am vazut un caz foarte clar de trafic de influenta realizat de catre fratele presedintelui, de catre domnul Mircea Basescu, un caz care…” ”

 

In acelasi timp agentia Mediafax ne informeaza ca: “Presa straina comenteaza cazul retinerii lui Mircea Basescu, fratele presedintelui Traian Basescu, explicand ca justitia din Romania face obiectul unei monitorizari speciale a Uniunii Europene in materie de combatere a coruptiei.” http://www.mediafax.ro/cultura-media/presa-straina-relateaza-despre-retinerea-lui-mircea-basescu-12796521

 

Pai cum sa nu ne monitorizeze Uniunea Europeana in situatia in care presedintele si primul ministru pot face asemenea declaratii…

“Proba ca nu a existat o astfel de interventie este chiar condamnarea.”
Adica?!? Ar fi fost posibil ca in urma vreunei interventii sa fi fost influentat verdictul judecatorilor?!?
Asta este parerea unui presedinte despre justitia din tara pe care o prezideaza?

“Aleg consolidarea justitiei”!
La prima vedere pare a fi o declaratie de-a dreptul eroica.
Poate ca in ochii unora chiar o fi…
Si totusi. “Consolidarea justitiei” este doar una dintre optiunile posibile? Chiar s-a gandit vreo clipa si la varianta cealalta? Atat de serios incat a simtit nevoia sa ne faca si pe noi  partasi la clipa sa de indoiala? Si asta in conditiile in care din declaratia de mai sus rezulta ca este convins ca eforturile sale ar fi putut avea ceva sanse de succes…

“Dar am vazut un caz foarte clar de trafic de influenta…”
Din cate tin eu minte unul dintre reprosurile foarte vehemente care i-au fost aduse lui Traian Basescu a fost cel cu privire la disponibilitatea acestuia de a se pronunta, ferm, despre vinovatia unor acuzati inainte ca justitia sa dea vre-un verdict.
De data asta se pronunta primul ministru inainte macar ca vre-un judecator sa dispuna arestarea acuzatului, ce sa mai vorbim despre condamnare…

 

Noroc cu monitorizarea UE ca altfel…

PS. Apropo de monitorizare. Stiti de ce prin lumea civilizata politicienii de rang inalt si rudele acestora nu se prea baga in rahaturi din astea? Nu pentru ca ar fi mai cinstiti… sunt exemple suficiente … de la printese care ‘dau cu subsemnatul’ in cazuri de coruptie pana la prim-ministri care organizeaza petreceri bunga-bunga cu minore si apoi sunt condamnati pentru evaziune fiscala … Pur si simplu pentru pentru ca cei de acolo au inteles ca toata lumea e cu ochii pe ei!

 

PS II
Cum s-a ajuns aici?
Simplu. Chiar daca e greu de acceptat acest lucru explicatia e totusi simpla.

“Legea este o bariera peste care sar dulaii, pe sub care trec cateii si in fata careia se opresc doar boii” (http://adevarul.ro/news/societate/cum-ajuns-legea-bariera-doar-boi-1_50a7c5927c42d5a6636a13e7/index.html)

E adevarat ca pe plaiurile mioritice de prea multe ori ‘legea’ a fost impusa de afara sau de sus in loc sa reflecte ‘obiceiul locului’ dar ar fi cazul sa depasim o data aceasta faza a dezvoltarii noastre ca societate.
Sau dupa cum spune un prieten (are 18 ani): “Nu are nici un sens sa tot folosim istoria ca pe o scuza. Asta e situatia, este mult mai important sa ne hotaram o datat ce facem de-acum incolo!”

Deci!
Ce facem? Ce atitudine adoptam fata de lege? O consideram mai departe o unealta pe care ‘alegem’ sa o folosim dupa cum ne dicteaza interesele de moment sau intelegem o data ca ar fi mult mai bine pentru toti si pe termen lung sa punem in valoare adevarata față a legii?
Adica sa vedem “legea” ca pe un cadru, ca pe un spatiu unde ‘regula’ genereaza libertate si ne apara de tirania celui aflat temporar intr-o pozitie de relativa forta?

http://www.reportervirtual.ro/2014/06/gusa-suspectul-principal-al-scandalului-basescu-este-dan-voiculescu.html

PS III
Linkul de la PS II este doar o ilustrare despre cum cred unii ca ar putea fi folosita justita si in nici un caz nu sunt de acord cu aceasta abordare a actului de justitie sau a acestui mod de utilizare a mass media!

“Legea este o barieră peste care sar dulăii, pe sub care trec cățeii și în fața căreia se opresc numai boii”. Aceasta este mentalitatea care guvernează România, în ultimii 20 de ani.Citeste mai mult: adevarul.ro/news/societate/cum-ajuns-legea-bariera-doar-boi-1_50a7c5927c42d5a6636a13e7/index.ht

El a mai spus că nu a văzut o implicare directă a preşedintelui Băsescu în cazul în speţă.

”Dar am văzut un caz foarte clar de trafic de influenţă realizat de către fratele preşedintelui, de către domnul Mircea Băsescu, un caz care

– See more at: http://stirile.rol.ro/ponta-basescu-ar-trebui-sa-demisioneze-pentru-cazul-mircea-basescu-bercea-mondial-925777.html#sthash.8aGc2r7r.dpuf

Proba că nu a existat o astfel de intervenţie este chiar condamnarea. Din câte ştiu, domnul Anghel a fost condamant la ani grei de închisoare – See more at: http://stiri.tvr.ro/traian-basescu–intre-consolidarea-justitiei-si-reflexul-de-a-ti-apara-fratele–aleg-justitia_46274.html#sthash.7EPEJy2z.dpuf
Proba că nu a existat o astfel de intervenţie este chiar condamnarea. Din câte ştiu, domnul Anghel a fost condamant la ani grei de închisoare – See more at: http://stiri.tvr.ro/traian-basescu–intre-consolidarea-justitiei-si-reflexul-de-a-ti-apara-fratele–aleg-justitia_46274.html#sthash.7EPEJy2z.dpuf

There is a intense debate going on in some circles about this subject.
Some think that vaccines are poisonous because some of them contain traces of mercury.
Some others believe that autism can appear, at least in part, as a reaction to certain vaccines.

No real proof has ever been presented for any of those assertions yet the storm is raging on.

Here is my take on this.

Basically we have two kinds of infectious diseases that can be prevented through vaccination.
Some that have high mortality rates or survivors are left with permanent damages: small pox, polio and rabies come to my mind right now.
Others that are milder or just a nuisance, for most people at least. Measles, mumps, chickenpox… Of course, there are people who develop serious consequences from having one of these, for instance mumps can be a real problem if had at an older age and chickenpox is really dangerous for pregnant women, but on the whole this second category is less dangerous than the first.
Now what I would really like to know is would anyone seriously consider not vaccinating their children for the first category of diseases IF MOST OF THE GENERAL POPULATION HADN’T ALREADY BEEN VACCINATED?

I know that there are some religious extremists who try to disrupt immunization against polio in their countries. This only fuels my dilemma: what does it really mean to be a rational human being?

Luni seara se discuta de zor la ‘Jocuri de Putere’ despre noul consiliu de administratie al BNR.

Cum ii sade bine unei emisiuni de televiziune erau prezenti oameni cu diverse pareri asa ca atmosfera era destul de dinamica.

Se degaja totusi si un oarecare consens, nu neaparat in legatura cu subiectul in sine ci cu privire la faptul ca ‘in toamna PSD va pierde majoritatea si de aceea isi pun acum, cat mai au posibilitatea,  oameni in posturi cheie’.
N-am urmarit emisiunea de la inceput asa ca nu stiu pe ce se bazeaza aceasta asertiune dar stiu ca un calcul electoral simplu, pe care l-am si facut imediat dupa europarlamentare, arata ca dreapta ar putea castiga alegerile prezidentiale.

“Ideea e ca PSD-ul (si aliatii sai) va avea mult de munca sa scoata mai multi oameni la vot decat a scos acum. Cam asta e, asta au putut, asta au scos. (2093234 voturi) De unde si invitatia facuta PNL-ului de a reveni in USL. Si sa nu uitam ca erodarea partidului aflat la guvernare’ va produce in continuare efecte. Asta inseamna ca PSD-ul nu-si va putea permite inventarea vre-unui nou impozit sau altceva de genul asta, cel putin pana dupa prezidentiale.

Pe dreapta situatia e si mai incurcata. Aici se poate conta cu adevarat doar pe cele 10% ale PDL-ului. Problema care se pune e ‘vor putea anticomunistii furiosi sa treaca peste alianta pe care a facut-o PNL-ul cu PSD-ul pentru a-l debarca pe Basescu?’ Altfel o dreapta ‘scarbita’ nu va avea nici o sansa in fata nucleului dur al PSD-ului care va iesi disciplinat la vot.
Miscarea inspirata a lui Antonescu de a se muta la PPE va lua probabil apa ‘germana’ de la moara lui Basescu ceea ce ar trebui sa atenueze semnificativ lupta fratricida din aceasta zona a esichierului politic.” (“Da’ noi cu cine am votat?”)

‘Ar putea castiga alegerile prezidentiale’, intr-adevar, dar cu o conditie!

Sa gaseasca un candidat credibil!

Ori pana acum si-au tot dat cu stangu’- in – dreptu’…

Da, stiu, asta e caracteristica liberalismului, libertatea de idei si exprimarea lor cu aplomb – iar ambele partide ‘mari’ ce se revendica a fi de dreapta au acest termen cheie in numele lor cu toate ca acum s-au mutat cu arme si bagaje la ‘populari’ – numai ca desi ‘exagerare humanum est’ ‘perseverare’ tot ‘diabolicum’ a ramas.
Pe vremea cand era candidat Antonescu cel mai mare dusman al sau era tot un om de dreapta. Basescu, bineinteles. Si dusmania asta nu a  inceput o data cu constituirea USL-ului – si atunci ar fi fost explicabila. La fel de inacceptabila – ma refer aici la modul in care aceasta dusmanie s-a manifestat prin acte politice, dar macar explicabila. Sa ne aducem bine aminte ca USL a fost infiintat tocmai pentru ca Basescu sa fie debarcat de la putere – deci dusmania acerba intre PNL si PDL a precedat si motivat crearea USL-ului si nu invers. Si sa ne mai reamintim ca USL a inceput sa scartie din momentul in care referendumul pentru demiterea lui Basescu a fost ratat, adica atunci cand guvernul Ponta a cedat presiunilor facute de Merkel.
Ce s-ar fi intamplat daca o tineau inainte si daca rezultatul referendumului ar fi fost validat in Parlament? Antonescu ar fi fost deja presedinte de vreo doi ani? Da, e o speculatie…sa revenim…
Acum, dupa retragerea lui Antonescu, e o adevarata forfota. Din fiecare parte sunt impinsi in fata candidati mai vechi si mai noi, care mai de care cu mai putine sanse reale de a fi votati.

Ce-ar fi insa daca ne-ar veni mintea la cap si am gasi o personalitate, o adevarata personalitate, pe care sa o propulsam ‘in fata’?
Si poate chiar ar fi mai bine sa nu fi fost direct implicata in mediul politic? Oricum o data aleasa persoana respectiva va trebui sa renunte la orice afiliere politica asa ca n-ar fi mai bine sa nu datoreze, de la inceput – politic, bineinteles, nimic nimanui?

Nu are ‘aparat politic’? O candidatura la presedentie e altceva decat una la europarlamentare, ce a facut Mircea Diaconu nu se poate repeta in cazul asta?

Pai parca vorbeam despre ‘mintea cea de pe urma’… asta implica ca le va veni mintea la cap tuturor celor cu simpatii de dreapta, inclusiv membrilor de partid.
Ne-am putea da seama ca acest lucru e pe cale sa se intample tocmai daca discutand intre noi vom identifica o astfel de personalitate, o vom propune publicului larg si o vom sustine eficient.
Adica vom merge sa ‘lipim afise’ din convingere si nu pentru a fi rasplatiti dupa alegeri. Vom accepta sa facem parte din comisii electorale de circumscriptie din simt civic si nu pentru orice alte motive. Iar aparatele de partid; cele de dreapta, bineinteles, pot participa si ele foarte bine la acest efort colectiv.

Pana la urma este vorba despre viata noastra, nu a altora.

PS. Sa fie asta motivul pentru care Isarescu a fost numit din nou Guvernator al Bancii Nationale?
Ar fi un candidat extrem de credibil…
Da, probabil ca i-ar placea sa fie la carma Bancii Nationale atunci cand Romania va intra cu panzele sus in Uniunea Bancara Europeana si in spatiul Euro dar ar putea prezida acest proces si de la Cotroceni, de pe ‘duneta’. Nu trebuie sa faca acest lucru neaparat de la ‘timona’.

Duneta: puntea de comanda a vaselor cu panze.
A guverna un vas: A menține sau a schimba direcția de deplasare a unei nave cu ajutorul cârmei.