The sixteen Polesotechnic League instalments of Poul Anderson's Technic History begin with the fourth of the eleven instalments collected in
The Technic Civilization Saga, Volume I, and end with the first of the six instalments collected in Volume III. Hloch's
Earth Book introduction to the tenth instalment in Volume I, "Esau," indicates that by the time of that story the League is past its prime. However, only the last three of the sixteen League instalments display any internal problems or conflicts within the League so Hloch's intimations of decline could have been withheld until then. However, all of these stories are set within the lifetimes of a single set of characters so the beginning of the terminal decline was not far off whatever way we look at it. Meanwhile, we are still living through the Chaos. What will happen in 2024?
Happy Christmas. Peace on Earth.
29 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I think you had "A Little Knowledge," SATAN'S WORLD, and "Lodestar" in mind. At least Old Nick and Falkayn had about 17 years of peace before the Mirkheim/Babur crisis burst on them.
With bunglers like "Josip" in charge I'm not expecting much of any good happening in 2024!
Merry Christmas! Sean
Sean,
You focus on "Josip." There are other problems: the ecology, two wars; Trump.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And I disagree absolutely with the kinds of "leaders" and solutions you apparently favor!
We have those wars because a weak, senile, corrupt, bungling President like "Josip" tempts the enemies of the US and the West (Russia, China, N Korea, Iran) and their proxies and catspaws to push their luck and take more chances than they would with almost any Republican as President.
Merry Christmas! Sean
Sean,
And the environment? And Trump's threats to democracy?
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
We have discussed before the only solutions, such as nuclear power, that will do any good for such environmental problems. But since no one is pushing hard enough for them, better nothing be done than forcing on people futile, useless, counterproductive "solutions."
And I don't share this weird obsession so many leftists have with Trump. I don't even want him to be reelected.
Merry Christmas! Sean
Sean,
But large numbers in the Republican Party do want him re-elected. To express alarm at this is not a weird obsession.
Better nothing be done to prevent imminent irreversible catastrophe?
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And why is that happening? Because many, many GOP leaning voters are infuriated by the corruption and dirty tricks of the Democrats. Esp. at how leftists are using "lawfare" and weak indictments to short circuit the usual political process, to prevent voters from having a say in whether Trump should be reelected. These shady maneuvers strengthens support for Trump!
Yes, if the only "solutions" being offered are futile, useless, counterproductive, and unworkable!
Happy New Year! Sean
Sean:
I agree that we need lots of nuclear to do anything to mitigate global warming, and wind solar etc. are at best a minor help. See https://app.electricitymaps.com/map for what regions have high or low CO2 emissions in the electricity sector and then click on a region to see what is used for electricity generation. Spoiler alert: the consistently green regions use some mix of hydro, geothermal & nuclear for the majority of their electricity. The regions that try to use lots of wind or solar are usually somewhat brown because they are burning natural gas whenever the sun & wind isn't generating much power.
That said, the Democrats Inflation Reduction Act includes support for nuclear (as well as wasting effort on wind & solar), so on that front I'm somewhat in favor of them.
As for dirty tricks, my impression is that the Republicans are far more guilty of that than the Democrats, see gerrymandering & voter suppression.
Kaor, Jim!
Exactly, only a serious nuclear power plant building program allied with solar power satellites in space will provide real alternatives to fossil fuels. Most of what I know about hopeless, minor things like windmills, hydro power, etc., came from reading criticisms of them in books like Jerry Pournelle's A STEP FARTHER OUR, and Robert Zubrin's THE CASE FOR SPACE.
As for electric cars, imagine me howling with derisive laughter for all the good they will do!
I disagree with what you said about the Democrats and the GOP. I have many reasons for loathing the Democrats besides their leftist insanity. I recommend looking up alternate sources for news and commentary besides a US media dominated by leftists. Such as NATIONAL REVIEW.
Happy New Year! Sean
Dang! I got the title of Pournelle's book wrong. It should have been A STEP FARTHER OUT.
Sean
Sean,
If anything is to be done about the climate or any other global emergency, then it will be done by negotiation and cooperation, not by one individual insisting that it has to be done his way or no way! You must see that that gets us nowhere.
Why would anyone want to elect an election result denier - not to mention anything else about Trump? There is something very wrong going on there. There is more than enough evidence for him to be investigated and brought to trial.
Please: howling with derisive laughter is simply unpleasant. Let's just discuss reasons for disagreement and leave it there.
Paul.
I forgot to add that, when concern about Trump is dismissed as a "weird obsession," then the discussion really has parted company with reality. Surely it has to be acknowledged at the very least that there are questions and charges to be answered?
Prosecuting a man for all his recorded efforts to overturn an election result is a shady manoeuvre?
He still says to this day that he has lots of evidence that the 2020 election result was stolen. Where is this evidence? Other people say it only because he has said it. He has done and is still doing immeasurable harm. Back in office, he will (probably) weaponize state institutions in the ways that he accuses others of doing.
I have to add "(probably)" because, of course, we do not know what will in fact happen. It is likely that, as President, he will make all sorts of partisan moves that will be opposed with who knows what results? The world is unstable. The US, still struggling to remain the main superpower, would become unstable. None of this is good.
We need international cooperation about the climate crisis, not escalating conflicts with each side saying that, of course, the other side is entirely to blame. But that is what is happening.
Re: electric cars
The energy density of any currently existing battery is *small* compared to a liquid hydrocarbon. So I don't think all electric cars are worth doing yet.
I do think plug in hybrids with a battery sufficient to take the car somewhere between 50 & 100 km are practical. That would result in most in city driving being done on the battery, with the combustion engine kicking in to turn a generator when the battery gets low on an intercity drive.
See this
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_density
for a comparison of various fuels & batteries.
Kaor, Paul and Jim!
Paul: Yes, it is weird, this leftist obsession with Trump. And the motive for all these indictments of him is crassly obvious, The Democrats are trying to keep him from running for President in 2024.
Incidentally, even a conviction of Trump on some kind of dubious felony charge could not stop him from running. The US Constitutions mandates only two requirements for a candidate to legally run: be a native born citizen over age 35. Unless a President was impeached by the House and then found guilty by the Senate with a two thirds majority agreeing to remove that President from office. Three Presidents were impeached: Johnson, Clinton, Trump--and none of them had a 2 thirds majority voting to remove them.
The insanities and phobias of so many leftists in the US are deserving of derisive laughter, where they don't drive me to fury!
What you desire, as regards international cooperation, is simply not going to happen--because human beings are quarrelsome, competitive, and violent. At most, something like the Anglosphere might arise: an alliance of English speaking and Western nations led by the US.
Jim: I agree, the inadequate batteries currently used in EVs is a big reason why electric cars are bombing. To say nothing of how EVs cost two or three times the price of an ICE car.
And the power grid and infrastructure is miserably inadequate for handling EVs.
Happy New Year! Sean
Sean,
A dubious felony charge?: inciting an insurrection? We all saw and heard him do it. To be concerned about this is a weird obsession?
Paul.
Sean,
What I want internationally will happen if enough people want it and successfully struggle against those who oppose it. Of course whether we are going to succeed remains to be seen.
Paul.
Personally, I do not accept either derision or fury as legitimate in political discourse. And surely the perceived absurdities of both sides cancel each other out? Thus, if I wanted to and if I were prepared to exaggerate slightly, then I could say that Trump's characterization of Mexican immigrants as mental patients, released convicts and terrorists polluting the bloodstream of the US fills me with fury. It certainly does not fill me with any kind of laughter. However, I am content to argue with US voters that they should not support a racist.
But the main problem is not the buffoon himself. It is the large numbers of Republicans who - despite all this or rather because of it - still support him or at least come to his defence. It cannot be claimed that the problems of the US are just down to the left.
Kaor, Paul!
And many lawyers, not all of them by any means friendly to Trump, disagree that whatever he did or said meets the strict standards and definitions set by the law for insurrection. That is why his enemies have taken recourse to these weak indictments.
And I do feel strong anger at the chaos "Josip" and the Democrats have brought on the US because of their stupidity and incompetence. Yes, I have been infuriated by how "Josip" has abandoned policing and controlling the borders. I have scant sympathy for the illegals invading the US!
International cooperation in any grand world wide sense is the last thing I expect to see.
Happy New Year! Sean
Sean,
If illegals invade, then it is because they seek a better life which they are entitled to do. But the immediate point surely is that they are not all the things that Trump accuses them of.
Inciting an attack on the Capitol in which people were killed does not meet the strict standards for insurrection? It does meet the standards for inciting a riot in which people were killed. I expect that you would be furious about such an attack if it had been provoked by a Democrat?
Destruction of the environment by the workings of the present global economic system is the first thing that I expect to see but some of us must continue to try to do something about it, not just give up.
Paul.
If you don't like illegal immigrants, you should push for heavy fines for people who *employ* illegal immigrants. That would be more effective than a wall at detering such migration.
However, think about who among current citizens who have the vote would oppose such a law.
Jim,
And immigrants who are illegal still should not be described in the language that Trump uses.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul and Jim!
Paul: Mo, illegals are not entitled to swarm into other peoples' countries, bringing with them the chaos and disruptions "Josip's" criminal negligence brought on the US. Even Democrat misruled cities and states are howling about the burdens and costs these illegals have imposed on them.
I don't share this obsession you have for Trump. I don't want him to be reelected. But the Democrats, from either stupidity or Machiavellianism, are doing their best to get him renominated.
And vague, undefined stuff about the "...present global economic system" makes no sense.
Jim: I agree! And some of the States have passed laws mandating that employers can hire only citizens or legal residents. But borders still need to be policed, and walls can help in that.
Happy New Year! Sean
Sean,
You believe that immigration should be controlled but do you agree with Trump's characterization of Mexican immigrants? (I feel I have to keep repeating the same points.)
How is it an obsession to be concerned that Trump denies an election result, instigated a riot in which people were killed and threatens to use Presidential power to go after his perceived enemies? Is this a greater obsession than permanent fury against Democrats?
There is one global economic system based on competition for profits which are made from fossil fuels which are overheating the planet. How is this vague, undefined or nonsensical?
Paul.
Sean,
Surely it is obvious that you downplay the threat of Trump simply because he is a Republican? If any Democrat had pulled half of Trump's stunts, you would rightly be enraged.
The world needs more than bipartisanship in the major powers. I am not going to spend my time getting furious about the Tories and making every excuse for Labour. Or vice versa. We have to be critical of both.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Because I don't take all that seriously Trump's penchant for overheated rhetoric. Because that is a very American characteristic. Which can also be found in spades on the left!
The First Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees freedom of speech to anyone, including those we don't like. So Trump can say what he likes, true or false.
And "Josip" and many leftists have done things I consider far worse! To say nothing of "Josip's" catastrophic bungling in almost everything he does, ranging from the chaos on the borders, the disgraceful Afghan bug out, his cringing to Iran, etc. And of course his corruption and the venality of his sleazy family, raking in millions in bribes and kickbacks. Things you tend to overlook.
I agree we have to be critical of left and right. I also believe the left is far more at fault in many, many ways than conservatives.
Happy New Year! Sean
Sean,
"Overheated rhetoric" is a euphemism for racist hate which has to be taken seriously and which he respectabilises because it is him that is saying it. There are laws against various kinds of things that people say. That kind of rhetoric is not just something that I don't like but that incites violence and does a lot of harm.
I do not overlook corruption. If it is there, then I oppose it. Please do not think that I defend Biden simply because I oppose Trump. This assumed bipartisanship is part of the problem.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I am an American and I perhaps tend to feel jaded about the kind of rhetoric that bothers you, because of being so used to it that I simply can't take a lot of it very seriously. Esp. when such politicians so often reverse themselves and "walk back" what they said.
And I remain opposed to any laws contradicting that First Amendment I cited. To say nothing of how we have a vast body of court rulings on what is permissible/impermissible speech. The courts tend to be hostile to laws contradicting that Amendment.
Noted, what you said about "Josip's" corruption, which is very real.
Happy New Year! Sean
Sean,
Now Trump is saying that Biden lets Mexicans flock in so that they will vote against Trump! In the event that Trump (i) is a Presidential candidate this year and (ii) loses again, he is already preparing his "the election was stolen" argument. And experience shows that he can get masses of people to parrot such deranged arguments. A man who cannot accept defeat in an election is not a fit electoral candidate. The Republican Party should expel him from membership as a saboteur of democracy. The fact that such an expulsion is unthinkable (and, of course, laughable) is itself a scandal. American democracy, such as it is, really is under threat.
Paul.
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