http://www.whysean.com Sat, 23 Jul 2011 21:58:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.whysean.com/2011/06/04/the-pen/comment-page-1/#comment-3039 Jo Sat, 23 Jul 2011 21:58:46 +0000 http://www.whysean.com/?p=675#comment-3039 +1 Like Like]]> http://www.whysean.com/2010/05/06/one-man-one-vote/comment-page-1/#comment-3014 Sean Hastings Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:21:17 +0000 http://www.whysean.com/?p=549#comment-3014 Great thought! This might just be a general part of the same problem as "How do you decide what the slate of laws that can be voted on includes" - which is both already an existing problem in the legislative process and something that I also have no immediate good answer for. But I will think about it some more.
This might just be a general part of the same problem as “How do you decide what the slate of laws that can be voted on includes” – which is both already an existing problem in the legislative process and something that I also have no immediate good answer for. But I will think about it some more.]]> http://www.whysean.com/2010/05/06/one-man-one-vote/comment-page-1/#comment-3009 Shawn Yarbrough Sat, 09 Jul 2011 21:51:45 +0000 http://www.whysean.com/?p=549#comment-3009 A system of voting directly for many laws all at once could have a problem with unexpected interactions between laws. You could end up with multiple laws that were diametrically opposed, such as: "gay marriage is legal" and "gay marriage is illegal" both being passed at the same time. I wonder if you could have legislative race conditions. What if two laws were up for vote: 1) taxes will be reduced by 10% and 2) taxes will be reduced by 20%. They both pass, but the taxes were previously 25%, meaning now they are negative 5%, and the government goes bankrupt and sells off all its assets to cover the taxes. The problem comes from multiple laws changing at the same time. In our existing (serially-processed) legislative system, later laws supersede earlier ones if they conflict with them.
I wonder if you could have legislative race conditions. What if two laws were up for vote: 1) taxes will be reduced by 10% and 2) taxes will be reduced by 20%. They both pass, but the taxes were previously 25%, meaning now they are negative 5%, and the government goes bankrupt and sells off all its assets to cover the taxes.

The problem comes from multiple laws changing at the same time. In our existing (serially-processed) legislative system, later laws supersede earlier ones if they conflict with them.]]> http://www.whysean.com/2011/05/31/climate-economics-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-2943 nuria Sat, 02 Jul 2011 23:24:14 +0000 http://www.whysean.com/?p=665#comment-2943 Public/media debates and speculations about ecology... all jokes of a bad taste and basically a waste of time. They usually don't address the root of the problem, the real culprits, nor point at the solutions, even if they seem far away... they are nothing but a means of keeping people calm, having the feeling that something is being done. The finges should be pointing at almost every powerful politician on the planet (that includes senate and parliament). Because the real matter is never being addressed by them, nor in the big media: sure you should drive a SUV, but it should be running on free energy, or hydrogen. Not on fuel, not on electricity provided by a nuclear plant, not on vegetarian oil. And of course, it's not your fault if you can't find or afford any, because for over 60 years, these technologies have been stolen and hidden, even made criminal to use. For thirty years, Belgian politicians have gained important amounts of votes thanks to their promises of not building any more nuclear plants or closing them down. But never in all these years have they even tried, after their election. Hundreds thousands of people have manifested against nuclear powerplants over the years. But where are we at now: this year, ten trains are this year crossing Belgium stuffed with nuclear waist, and people don't even know, media doesn't even mention it. The trams in Antwerp show nowadays a sign saying: 'I run on green energy', which is nothing but doublespeak, we are talking nuclear here. Belgium is not any different than the Netherlands, Germany, or Spain... I don't believe in most manifestations, or email signups for raising x-amount of voices against this or that.... it keeps people quiet, gives them a false sense of progress, and that they are actually making a difference. I do believe in indignation, sharing from one to one, staying focussed and growing conscioussness. I think it is about time to go to the roots of the problems. Not being caught up in polemics or endless discussions that form a mist... for ourselves on the first place. Raise your voice and point at every rich or powerful person that benefits from this. Lift the veil of deceit and manipulation... Try to see through the eyes of an innocent, non-manipulated 9-year-old. Speak out your indignation to every person who might want to listen, maybe you wake something up in them... or make their day because it feels great to hear someone speak out loud meandering thoughts of your own. I can tell I went a bit off topic, but hey, that was a fun turbo ride ! Peace.
They usually don’t address the root of the problem, the real culprits, nor point at the solutions, even if they seem far away… they are nothing but a means of keeping people calm, having the feeling that something is being done. The finges should be pointing at almost every powerful politician on the planet (that includes senate and parliament). Because the real matter is never being addressed by them, nor in the big media: sure you should drive a SUV, but it should be running on free energy, or hydrogen. Not on fuel, not on electricity provided by a nuclear plant, not on vegetarian oil. And of course, it’s not your fault if you can’t find or afford any, because for over 60 years, these technologies have been stolen and hidden, even made criminal to use.

For thirty years, Belgian politicians have gained important amounts of votes thanks to their promises of not building any more nuclear plants or closing them down. But never in all these years have they even tried, after their election. Hundreds thousands of people have manifested against nuclear powerplants over the years.

But where are we at now: this year, ten trains are this year crossing Belgium stuffed with nuclear waist, and people don’t even know, media doesn’t even mention it.

The trams in Antwerp show nowadays a sign saying: ‘I run on green energy’, which is nothing but doublespeak, we are talking nuclear here.


Belgium is not any different than the Netherlands, Germany, or Spain…


I don’t believe in most manifestations, or email signups for raising x-amount of voices against this or that…. it keeps people quiet, gives them a false sense of progress, and that they are actually making a difference.

I do believe in indignation, sharing from one to one, staying focussed and growing conscioussness.

I think it is about time to go to the roots of the problems. Not being caught up in polemics or endless discussions that form a mist… for ourselves on the first place.

Raise your voice and point at every rich or powerful person that benefits from this. Lift the veil of deceit and manipulation… Try to see through the eyes of an innocent, non-manipulated 9-year-old. Speak out your indignation to every person who might want to listen, maybe you wake something up in them… or make their day because it feels great to hear someone speak out loud meandering thoughts of your own.

I can tell I went a bit off topic, but hey, that was a fun turbo ride !

Peace.]]> http://www.whysean.com/2008/09/19/free-will/comment-page-1/#comment-2914 Sean Hastings Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:39:02 +0000 http://www.whysean.com/?p=154#comment-2914 Yes. I have additional thoughts on "Free will" - I will try to get to another post on the topic. http://www.whysean.com/2008/09/19/free-will/comment-page-1/#comment-2878 Mac Sat, 25 Jun 2011 16:39:47 +0000 http://www.whysean.com/?p=154#comment-2878 I appreciate your thoughts Sean— have you gotten anywhere new since December 2009? http://www.whysean.com/2011/05/31/climate-economics-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-2629 Terry Marsh Tue, 31 May 2011 23:23:48 +0000 http://www.whysean.com/?p=665#comment-2629 Tried posting this on Facebook, no workee here it is anyway. Terry The greens may be disappointed to find out that the hydro carbon savings from leaving your headlights off is so small as a to approach the limits of practical measurement. A typical modern Alternator is usually rated about 1300 watts out put. Using a constant of 746 watts = 1 horsepower , you can see that two 45 watt headlights at full power consume about .12 HP. If your typical car is operating at the 100 HP level your full on high beams consume perhaps a bit more than 1/10th of 1 % of the power. A typical chassis dynamotor will typically have a measurement error range of 2-5% so you won’t even be able to measure your gain. You can use different numbers in my simple little model, but the results for typical cars always point to insignificant gains. Will you save gas without running lights, yes. Can you tell, probably not. You can save more by turning off the high power entertainment system . I’ve seen many systems in access of 1000 watts of Amp output. Powering the lights with solar cells sounded good until I thought of the drag generated by attaching the cells to the skin of the car. There goes the low drag aerodynamics so carefully modeled by the engineers. Unless you have access to a wind tunnel I’d skip that one. ( Or drive less than 35mph) The research is pretty conclusive that daytime running lights save lives. It’s indisputable on motorcycles, with very good research going back as far as the “Hurt” report of the 1970’s. I’m sure Google would turn up similar research for cars. My own experience living in a rural area validates this every day for me. For me the safety issue is going to win every time.
The greens may be disappointed to find out that the hydro carbon savings from leaving your headlights off is so small as a to approach the limits of practical measurement.

A typical modern Alternator is usually rated about 1300 watts out put. Using a constant of 746 watts = 1 horsepower , you can see that two 45 watt headlights at full power consume about .12 HP. If your typical car is operating at the 100 HP level your full on high beams consume perhaps a bit more than 1/10th of 1 % of the power. A typical chassis dynamotor will typically have a measurement error range of 2-5% so you won’t even be able to measure your gain. You can use different numbers in my simple little model, but the results for typical cars always point to insignificant gains.

Will you save gas without running lights, yes. Can you tell, probably not. You can save more by turning off the high power entertainment system . I’ve seen many systems in access of 1000 watts of Amp output. Powering the lights with solar cells sounded good until I thought of the drag generated by attaching the cells to the skin of the car. There goes the low drag aerodynamics so carefully modeled by the engineers. Unless you have access to a wind tunnel I’d skip that one. ( Or drive less than 35mph)

The research is pretty conclusive that daytime running lights save lives. It’s indisputable on motorcycles, with very good research going back as far as the “Hurt” report of the 1970’s. I’m sure Google would turn up similar research for cars. My own experience living in a rural area validates this every day for me.

For me the safety issue is going to win every time.]]> http://www.whysean.com/2011/02/10/monotheistic-mutations/comment-page-1/#comment-2562 Nick Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:11:58 +0000 http://www.whysean.com/?p=612#comment-2562 Socialism/Progressivism may also be a mutation a Christianity, specifically its protestant-universalist branch: http://unqualified-reservations.blogspot.com/2007/09/how-dawkins-got-pwned-part-1.html Unqualified Reservations covers this rather interesting hypothesis in detail: http://moldbuggery.blogspot.com/ http://unqualified-reservations.blogspot.com/2007/09/how-dawkins-got-pwned-part-1.html

Unqualified Reservations covers this rather interesting hypothesis in detail: http://moldbuggery.blogspot.com/]]> http://www.whysean.com/2007/12/05/drink-up/comment-page-1/#comment-2559 Frank Rudolph Tue, 26 Apr 2011 14:52:52 +0000 http://www.whysean.com/?p=45#comment-2559 I like the idea of voting on Supreme Court decisions. Accountability is something our legislators heretofore have not worried much about. But in the meantime, we already have a "last resort" power held by the people: The Informed Jury. The constitution guarantees the right of the people in a jury setting to vote "not guilty" by virtue of a law being invalid. Judges now routinely warn jurors not to do this, and I believe they are contravening the Constitution every time they do it. They will never change their practice through a lawsuit, because a lawsuit must be heard in a court where the judge can simply rule against the case and it's over. It will take a Constitutional Amendment to force them to change and that must come from the legislature. http://www.whysean.com/2008/03/22/god-is-dead-day/comment-page-1/#comment-2551 Mulligan Night – Sean Hastings Sat, 23 Apr 2011 05:43:10 +0000 http://www.whysean.com/?p=81#comment-2551 [...] A Mulligan Night party can only happen once a year. (Although God is Dead Day has similar aspects) Mulligan night usually happens wherever Daylight Savings Time is practiced, on [...]