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POPSHeaded to National Socialism A fine of millions of marks was imposed for a single bookkeeping error. Obviously, the examination of the books was simply a pretext for partial expropriation of the private capitalist with a view to complete expropriation and seizure of the desired property later. The owner of the property was helpless, since under fascism there is no longer an independent judiciary that protects the property rights of private citizens against the State. The authoritarian State has made it a principle that private property is no longer sacred. The rules begin to change slowly so that enterprise could no longer make decisions in the interest of profitability. The banks were nationalized. The heads of major companies were changed. Hiring and firing became heavily politicized. The courts ruled not on justice but on political priorities. It was no longer enough merely to obey the laws. The national will must trump economic concerns:
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POPSAre American Voters Stupid or Rationally Ignorant? Americans vote ignorantly because they willingly limit what they research because there is little incentive for one person who cannot individually make very much difference. This also explains why information from another viewpoint, or party, is rashly dismissed out of hand without consideration or deliberation, for mere convenience. Listen to this short podcast from CATO for the interesting analysis which has alot of merit. This is where Democracy fails, and why Presidents (like Bush) can be elected with less than 23% of potential voters (about 50% eligible do not vote for various reasons, including disgust): the rational decisions of individuals create a dysfunctional collective outcome
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POPSDangers of "Group Think" Evident in March to War These are characteristics of most all groups, especially highly charged political parties which are easily recognized here. Note the silence of individuals plays a key role in conformity. Speak up! Collective Rationalization reminds me of the "group think" that led America to war against Iraq (per the neoconservatives preconceived plans), even though it did not harbor terrorists or attack the U.S., just because Bush and Cheney, after 9/11, said so. This same "group think" is within the entire story of 9/11 and the Collective Rationalization for a continued "war on terrorism" to invade other countries at will. GROUP THINK MUST BE CHALLENGED TO PREVENT UNJUST WARS. Number 8 (did not have room to clip) is here: Mindguards: Some members appoint themselves to the role of protecting the group from adverse information that might threaten group complacency.
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POPSMacaques make democratic decisions Whether or not the individual monkeys were successful in getting the rest of the group to follow them didn't seem to relate to their age, sex or status. "Even the children can get the group moving," says Cédric Sueur, a graduate student who worked on the study with Petit. The style of decision-making most frequently documented in the animal kingdom is dictatorial. In mountain gorillas, for example, the obedient tribe will follow the dominant male silverback. Horses, mongooses and wolves also follow despotic leaders. But theories are emerging which suggest that mammals who make democratic decisions may have an evolutionary edge because they can pool the experience of each group member.
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POPSIt might take two to fool a crowd So it seems stupidity is infectious. Perhaps an indication that people have trouble thinking for themselves. Wasn't there a story once about the blind leading the blind into a ditch?
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POPSU.S.A.: Robot nation The ultimate American robot is The Terminator, an indestructible killing machine that stops at nothing. If only America had a mile-long assembly line to crank out millions of Schwarzeneggers, its army wouldn't be short of robotic soldiers. Robotic soldiers are only a stopgap measure until real robots can be perfected. Israel already employs bulldozer robots and, on the border with Gaza, a series of wall-mounted machine guns remote-controlled by female soldiers. Fully autonomous robots that make their own decisions about lethality are high on the US military agenda. One battlefield soldier could start a large-scale robot attack in the air and on the ground. This is dangerous new territory for warfare, yet there are no new ethical codes or guidelines in place. I have worked in artificial intelligence for decades, and the idea of a robot making decisions about human termination is terrifying.
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POPSThe Net Generation Growing up in a digital world is sure to have effected how the Net Generation behaves. What does this mean for how they should be marketed to?
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