Comments on: One bright spot in this mess. https://habitablezone.com/2022/03/05/one-bright-spot-in-this-mess/ Fri, 03 Apr 2026 22:41:18 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: podrock https://habitablezone.com/2022/03/05/one-bright-spot-in-this-mess/#comment-48727 podrock Mon, 07 Mar 2022 03:04:43 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=92139#comment-48727 Agree with your definition. Agree with your definition.

]]> By: RL https://habitablezone.com/2022/03/05/one-bright-spot-in-this-mess/#comment-48726 RL Mon, 07 Mar 2022 02:09:39 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=92139#comment-48726 There was a claim that hackers had compromised Russia's control of their own satellites (highly dubious in my opinion). But even just interfering with financial institutions would ratchet up pressure on Putin... There was a claim that hackers had compromised Russia’s control of their own satellites (highly dubious in my opinion).

But even just interfering with financial institutions would ratchet up pressure on Putin…

]]> By: podrock https://habitablezone.com/2022/03/05/one-bright-spot-in-this-mess/#comment-48725 podrock Mon, 07 Mar 2022 00:45:06 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=92139#comment-48725 Is different from the cyber-war. The former is loud and stupid. The latter is quiet and smart. And active. Who leaked the memo Pebble linked to? There's more to come, me thinks. So far, Ukraine is kicking propaganda ass. Is different from the cyber-war.

The former is loud and stupid. The latter is quiet and smart. And active. Who leaked the memo Pebble linked to? There’s more to come, me thinks.

So far, Ukraine is kicking propaganda ass.

]]> By: RL https://habitablezone.com/2022/03/05/one-bright-spot-in-this-mess/#comment-48724 RL Mon, 07 Mar 2022 00:06:24 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=92139#comment-48724 Its inexcusable that we ceded the cyber battlefield to Russia. Its inexcusable that we ceded the cyber battlefield to Russia.

]]> By: podrock https://habitablezone.com/2022/03/05/one-bright-spot-in-this-mess/#comment-48723 podrock Sun, 06 Mar 2022 21:10:59 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=92139#comment-48723 Often difficult choices. Often difficult choices.

]]> By: RobVG https://habitablezone.com/2022/03/05/one-bright-spot-in-this-mess/#comment-48722 RobVG Sun, 06 Mar 2022 20:28:20 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=92139#comment-48722 Free speech is paramount to the US constitution, but even it has provisions against falsely shouting "fire" in a crowded theater. This could be considered one of those occasions. Free speech is paramount to the US constitution, but even it has provisions against falsely shouting “fire” in a crowded theater.
This could be considered one of those occasions.

]]> By: Pebble https://habitablezone.com/2022/03/05/one-bright-spot-in-this-mess/#comment-48719 Pebble Sun, 06 Mar 2022 19:40:08 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=92139#comment-48719 As requested by some governments, though not Ukraine. As requested by some governments, though not Ukraine.

]]> By: RobVG https://habitablezone.com/2022/03/05/one-bright-spot-in-this-mess/#comment-48718 RobVG Sun, 06 Mar 2022 19:17:28 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=92139#comment-48718 But my view of Musk is different from yours. He lucked out, developing software that made him his fortune. He seems (to me) driven by things other than just profit. His aspirations of going to Mars are out of concerns for humanity, or so he says. It's hard to see a profit in the endeavor. He built a battery storage facility for Australia so they can store solar energy. He built it on time, and on budget and even promised them it would be free if he couldn't. He's one of the people you can thank for electric, and soon to be autonomous cars. He's given Starlink to Ukraine and donated 50 terminals to Tonga after the eruption. I know, I sound like a fucking cheerleader and it probably makes you a little queasy. My opinion of Corporate America and businessmen in general has soured tremendously over the years. You have a few years on me. I'm just not there yet with Musk. But my view of Musk is different from yours.

He lucked out, developing software that made him his fortune. He seems (to me) driven by things other than just profit. His aspirations of going to Mars are out of concerns for humanity, or so he says. It’s hard to see a profit in the endeavor.

He built a battery storage facility for Australia so they can store solar energy. He built it on time, and on budget and even promised them it would be free if he couldn’t.
He’s one of the people you can thank for electric, and soon to be autonomous cars.

He’s given Starlink to Ukraine and donated 50 terminals to Tonga after the eruption.

I know, I sound like a fucking cheerleader and it probably makes you a little queasy. My opinion of Corporate America and businessmen in general has soured tremendously over the years. You have a few years on me. I’m just not there yet with Musk.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2022/03/05/one-bright-spot-in-this-mess/#comment-48715 ER Sun, 06 Mar 2022 18:13:48 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=92139#comment-48715 Don't get me wrong, we all need to earn our living. And we all aren't fortunate enough to do something useful and honorable that helps humanity. But work is enobling, and a social good, and you can't blame anyone for doing whatever it takes to protect those he loves. And if you can make a business out of doing something you love because you're successful at it, then more power to ya. You can accomplish more good by heading a big company than by being a single employee, regardless of your skills and dedication. And yes, you deserve to benefit from the profits, as well. But people who are professional businessmen, Capitalists, are only interested in building a machine that generates wealth, regardless of what is consumed or who benefits--or who or what is lost in the process.. They don't care what they do or what they make, as long as its profitable. They'll switch businesses in a heartbeat, and go into something totally different if they think they can make more money at it. Its like being a soldier. If you fight to defend your country, or to oppose a brutal enemy creed, or because you are sincerely committed to the cause you fight for, then that is honorable and decent, EVEN IF YOU ARE MISTAKEN OR DELUDED IN YOUR ALLEGIANCE. But if you fight and destroy because you like what you do, because you enjoy killing strangers, because you're only in it for the money, then you are just a mercenary. I don't like mercenaries. They are like lawyers, or politicians, samurai who will sell their swords while hiding behind a smokescreen of honor and loyalty and a bogus moral code. They'll fight for either side as long as the pay is right. Sure, not everyone who gets involved in these professions is like that, but too many are, and as a culture we lavish entirely too much respect and admiration on these people. And we let them get away with way too much. I prefer scholars, scientists and artists as my friends Don’t get me wrong, we all need to earn our living. And we all aren’t fortunate enough to do something useful and honorable that helps humanity. But work is enobling, and a social good, and you can’t blame anyone for doing whatever it takes to protect those he loves. And if you can make a business out of doing something you love because you’re successful at it, then more power to ya. You can accomplish more good by heading a big company than by being a single employee, regardless of your skills and dedication. And yes, you deserve to benefit from the profits, as well.

But people who are professional businessmen, Capitalists, are only interested in building a machine that generates wealth, regardless of what is consumed or who benefits–or who or what is lost in the process.. They don’t care what they do or what they make, as long as its profitable. They’ll switch businesses in a heartbeat, and go into something totally different if they think they can make more money at it.

Its like being a soldier. If you fight to defend your country, or to oppose a brutal enemy creed, or because you are sincerely committed to the cause you fight for, then that is honorable and decent, EVEN IF YOU ARE MISTAKEN OR DELUDED IN YOUR ALLEGIANCE. But if you fight and destroy because you like what you do, because you enjoy killing strangers, because you’re only in it for the money, then you are just a mercenary.

I don’t like mercenaries. They are like lawyers, or politicians, samurai who will sell their swords while hiding behind a smokescreen of honor and loyalty and a bogus moral code. They’ll fight for either side as long as the pay is right. Sure, not everyone who gets involved in these professions is like that, but too many are, and as a culture we lavish entirely too much respect and admiration on these people. And we let them get away with way too much.

I prefer scholars, scientists and artists as my friends

]]> By: RobVG https://habitablezone.com/2022/03/05/one-bright-spot-in-this-mess/#comment-48711 RobVG Sun, 06 Mar 2022 17:12:13 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=92139#comment-48711 Please elaborate a little if you feel like it. Please elaborate a little if you feel like it.

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