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oaktree

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Everything posted by oaktree

  1. In the months that I have viewed this forum actively, I have found that it is excellent. For a completely open forum which does not even require an email address to register, it has been able to keep trolls at bay. The strength of this forum is the quality of its membership. Most appear to be here for a selfish purpose and either do not waste time on trolls or give them a good "beating". There are also many members who are very knowledgeable about philosopy and its related fields. This cause false arguments to be exposed rapidly. I do not think there is any problem with the rules. I doubt that changing the rules or making them clearer will impact the tone of the forum. (For instance, I have never read any rules of the forum and I doubt that the bulk of the membership has. I understand the idea of making the rules clearer, but the only ones who are seriously studying the rules and people who are probably never going to be banned -- indeed, they are more like moderator material..)
  2. For a previous thread titled "Allan Greenspan" in the "Current Events" forum, click here:
  3. A previous thread titled "Ayn Rand Worldwide" in the "Current Events" forum addressed this. Click here:
  4. They say "A fool and his money are soon parted." Well, if some stranger said he'd give you IOUs for a certain amount of gold if you gave him a certain amount of dollar, you would probably be suspicious. So, the stranger puts an ideological spin on it. I light of the recent "return of the Christians", I wonder if some con man is selling "Jesus Dollars". As in, "don't use the currency of a government that allows the killing of innocent babies....", or, "they plan to strike God from pledge, make sure He stays on your dollar"
  5. ramKatori (or should I call you John Doe ) If you want your IP to be hidden, use a transparent proxy when browsing. For instance, try this: in Internet explorer click on Tools/Internet Options. Select the Connections tab and choose LAN settings. You will see a place where you can enter the IP of a Proxy Server. There are many proxy servers all over the world. e.g. the IP 61.19.240.72 is a proxy server on a computer in Thailand. If you enter 61.19.240.72 as your proxy server and 80 as the port number and then go to www.google.com, you will see a Thai language page, because Google thinks you are from Thailand. You can use Google to search for lists of free Proxies. Some problems with this. One is that the indirection makes things slow. Some of these are small machines run by hobbyists. Sometimes the hobbyist simply turns the machine off. Finally, beware of proxies marked "transparent". These are proxies that do not hide your IP address. If you are willing to pay for privacy, these are some businesses that provide an anonimizer service for a monthly fee. They give you some software which automates the task of periodically cycling you through various proxy servers. They provide their own proxies. You do lose a little privacy because being businesses they are more likely to have logs about you coming through their site than some Thai hobbyist. If you want to remain private use a yahoomail, hotmail or some such account toregister for web sites. Change emails every now and then. If the only reason to give an email is to get the initial confirmation of your account, you can use mailinator. (see www.mailinator.net) However. I would agree with Pericles(MBA) that there is no need to be completely paranoid. If you want a little privacy, register under an assumed name (like oaktree) and don't sign your posts with your real name. That part is searchable by anyone around the world. Worrying about the IP is not warranted if you live in USA. If you live in China, its different. Then you should definitely subscribe to an anonymizer service.
  6. Moderators: Sorry, I meant to post this in the Miscellaneous sub-forum, not in Current Events. If it can be modev there, I'd be grateful. If there is a way I can do it as I was the original author I'd like to learn how. Thank you.
  7. I once read an article (sorry no reference available) that "A B C books" with photographs are better for kids than ones with cartoons, because they are more real. The skeptic in mean thinks that both are equally fine. A mix of both might be best. Any thoughts?
  8. Think about it this way: if there was no monetary gain to be had from science would science advance faster or slower?
  9. Folks, this thread has been an excellent demonstation of what modern education is doing to our kids. I will present the proof in the words of the victim himself.
  10. Adrian is circulating petitions via Objectivist mailing lists. Therefore, I assume he is an active Objectivist. Therefore, I assume that he knows that Dr. Binswanger and Dr. Peikoff take different sides on the vote for president. Therefore, I assume he knows this is an issue where the dishonest can disagree. Therefore, I assume that in calling for people to look for dishonesty in this issue he is evading the fact. I conclude that he is probably the dishonest one.
  11. Since someone mentioned Tara malkani, I thought I'd post a short anecdotal thing about her. I was visiting Bombay on work and had written to Tara saying I would collect some lecture tapes from her, for me and my friends in Bangalore to listen to. Tara didn't like to send those tapes by mail or courier. They were more precious than the king's jewels. She said she would be in the business district sometime and would drop them off with the receptionist in my office. She was not sure about the day. I was there for about a week, and was not sure which day she would come. One day, as I was heading out for lunch with a group of colleagues, an elderly lady pass us. Remembet, this is Bombay (India), with the sidewalk teeming with people (think New York and raise it by an order of magnitude). Still, I noticed this lady and something about the purposefulness of her stride made me think "I wonder if that is Tara". My next thought was: "Don't be silly!" Well, when I went back to office after lunch, my tapes were there. And, when I met Tara, many months later, I recognized her as the lady I'd seen before!
  12. As an Indian and an Ayn Rand fan I can attest to a fair number of educated Indians who would be aware of Ayn Rand. (I qualify, saying "educated" because there are millions of Indians in villages and slums who cannot even read.) The availability of Rand's books on railway platforms has been mentioned. Then, there are other things: - I first heard Ayn Rand's name when I was in 7th or 8th grade, when it came up as a clue in some jeapardy-type game I was playing with friends - I've seen cartoons with references. For example, one showing people and the secrets they keep, had a pane showing a student at a college that is known for its Marxist professors secretly reading Ayn Rand - In the days when taped lectures were distributed (by ARI?) groups met in various Indian cites to listen to the tapes. - Pirated versions of FH and AS are almost always available with street-hawkers who sell pirated books. I do not think there is anything in the Indian approach to ethics that is more conduciive to Objectivism. Also, many Indians have a mystical bent. Even India's extremely bright scientists are often compartmentalized in that they many consult astrology for some key decisions in life. On the other hand, Hinduism (unlike Islam) is the most inclusive religion I know. In fact, there are many respected Indian scholars who claim that Hinduism is not a religion, but a philosophy. It is not uncommon to here someone say: "You can be a Hindu even if you are Christian!" In fact, some scholars go so far as to say that you can be an atheist and still be Hindu! More important, however, is the fact that Hinduism does not have the organization and heirachy of a system of churchs. It is the most federal of religions, with each temple more or less an independent entity, with the priests as sole-proprietors. I think the reason for Ayn Rand's relative popularity in India can be reduced to a much simpler reason: India has a large number (though not a large percentage) or well-educated English-readers who are interested in reading. So, if one focusses on any other philosopher -- Kafka, Sartre, Plato -- you will find that a large number of Indians are well-versed in their work too.
  13. I would want to amend the constitution so that a president's child cannot be president except in a situation where he succeeds a president who's office ends short of his 4-year term. I think this check/balance against "dynasties" is important. More importantly, I would set a 6-year limit on representatives and disallow and devise a limit that disallows anyone going from the house to the senate if it could result in more than 8 years in Congress. PS: This has nothing to do with Bush, for whom I am voting.
  14. Exactly! Religion is all about making up a story that the believer finds more appealing than the truth. A good example is the idea of "heaven". Many religious people have told me that I should belive in heaven simply because it is much more pleasant to imagine life after death than to imagine that the good life ends in less than a hundred years.
  15. I thought this was an extremely boring debate, where neither candidate said much that was new.
  16. "What kind of government?" It is very often morally right for a government to be something other than what the majority would have. I dare say that if today's Americans were to write a US Constitution from scratch, they would end up with a document that is far weaker than what we have today. Unfortunately, it is impractical for a government to be something other than what a vast majority would have, unless the government is willing to use force against those who disagree with it. In a "long term" sense, most governments at least start with support from a large segment of the population. The presence of US forces in Iraq ensures that democracy does not get free reign. This is a good thing. However, finally, the only practical thing to do is to leave Iraq with an "Iraqi" government. This means that Iraq might have to be left with a less than ideal law, as long as we are confident that it is one that will set them firmly on the path to freedom.
  17. Do I understand you to be saying that you would recommend that people follow the rule of law in the US but that you think they would be morally justified not following the rule of law in the US?
  18. To clarify... if Mr. Binswanger of Dr. Peikoff were to form a politcal party today, I would support them...but I would still vote for Bush.
  19. In a situation where the percentage of the votes for parties like Nader and the Libertarians is so low, it is pointless voting for them. If you think they're the best alternative (which I do not) then support them... upto the time you have to vote. Don't waste your vote.
  20. I understand the argument against price-controls. How about the legality of private price-fixing. A good example here is text books. many US companies know that Indians will not be able to afford books at US prices. So, they sell "Eastern Economy Editions" at much cheaper prices. The books come with a warning that they are not to be sold outside India (or whatever country). Would this not be a valid condition of sale? Would not the same apply to drugs, even without governmental price controls. In fact, many times a drug company will sell a drug really cheap in India because they know it will not sell at a higher price (technically, it will not sell enough volume). In a way, Indian sales are being subsidized by US sales. At the same time, without the Indian sales, the US price would have to be higher still. so, Indian sales are also subsidizing the US sales.
  21. A colleague from India was in a foreign city for a few months, on assignment. He grew up in a tiny village, and though he is a programmer, he is not much of a "man of the world". One evening, he was walking through a "bad" part of town in this foreign city. A group of 18 year olds gathered on a street corner called out to him, calling him "Bin Laden". He did not avoid the situation. Not that he was being brave. He actually did not understand the risks. Instead of walking away, he crossed the street and went up to young thugs. He explained that just because he looked like Bin Laden, that did not mean that he supported Bin Laden. He explained that Bin Laden was an evil man. One young man, who seemed to be the leader of the group asked him where he was from. "How come you're here?" "What work do you do?" To make a long story short, he ended up going to dinner with the young man (fast food) and "hanging out" for a couple of hours, telling him about India and just chatting. The odd thing is that even after the whole episode, he still did not think that he had done anything out of the ordinary. He only told us about this many weeks later. I remember one of the local guys being stunned and saying: "Didn't anybody tell you not to go down that street?" One of the girls, wide-eyed, exclaimed: "You are my hero". One sees scenes like this in movies, a little more dramatic perhaps, and not executed so naively, but with the same message. But... what is the message? What is the lesson? That thugs are soft inside? That they will respond well if you treat them right? Evidence that we need more multi-culturalism? Or, is this just the case of an ignorant guy who did the wrong thing and just happened to get away with it? Any similar stories?
  22. Spearmint, One of the most inciteful posts I have seen. Perhaps because I agree with both the points you make. Some objectivists think that holding "rule of law" as a "near primary" sets them apart from anarchists. The tricks is to understand that each individual may be breaking different laws based on their individual judgement, and yet not be whim-worshippers. Your post alludes to a deep issue within the objectivst "community". It is much more critical to address this issue than it is to swat flies like the original poster and his anti-Martha rant. PS: As for insider trading laws being impossible to obey, Martha was found guilty of lying to government investigators. It is a law that can be followed just as much as most others.
  23. Rohan, With the limited information available via a forum, any advice you get here is likely to lack depth. (End of Disclaimer) Sounds as though you do not know for sure what you want to do. Most college kids do not. Sometimes it can take many, many years to figure it out. Cannot add much to Betsy's advice in this regard. Meanwhile, it is perfectly reasonable to do something to "earn a living". Ideally, you could choose an area you like (even if you do not love it), and earn a living in that area. Is it software? If you do not even *like* any particular field, then I suppose you should choose one that you do not *dislike* and in which you can earn as much money as possible. Money makes life, and options, that much easier. It is not surprizing that you would not want to enter a field where one of the job requirements is that you lie to people. What I *do* find surprizing is that software is such a field. If you had been applying for sales or marketing jobs, I wiuld have understood. Many people incorrectly assume that sales and marketing is all about lying. With software, the ssumption would typically be the opposite. I know there are many software professionals on this forum. If you explain the type of lying etc., someone here may be able to help you. From what you have written, I understand that you are not saying that lying is what you need to do during the interview, you are suggesting thatb lying is a requirement for the job. Am I assuming correctly? Can you explain what type of software job is? What do the interviewers say? Do they want to "beef up" your resume and contract your services? Are they telling you to lie to their clients regarding your experience and qualifications? or is it something else? There are many software companies out there? Are there other more honest ones that offer lower salaries, but allow you to start as an honest beginner? What about companies hiring for in-house software work, rather than for placement elsewhere? Tuesday has come and gone, so I have to ask: how did the Tuesday interviews go?
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