Guyute is correct. The bureaucrats never look at the quality of the work they're hiring, only the cost.
Most of the companies that get these contracts work on volume, not quality, and have poorly trained, unregulated staff who are worked too long for too little. They don't care how the job gets done, so long as they can say it's done and bill for it.
I own a landscaping company and speak from experience. Though I work outside HRM, same principles still apply.
I think Snoop is simply taking a "don't feed the troll" approach, MM. I, however, will accept your bait and give you this:
You are cherry picking and selectively using statements out of context to support your need to "prove" our ignorance.
My full statement was, "Individuals may be nihilists, but the species is driven to survive; hence looking to science (or yet discovered methodologies) to secure our existence into the foreseeable future. And while I agree that we seem hell bent on eradicating ourselves - and the planet would merely "shrug" at our extinction - the spirit of science (theory, discovery, proof, replication) provides hope for survival. At least until the Earth breaks open and swallows us whole."
Two points to consider:
1. I wrote, "...hence looking to science (or yet discovered methodologies)..." Open-ended statement, not excluding other - including faith-based - means of saving ourselves and our planet.
2. I wrote, "...the spirit of science..." Not the be all, end all science. Not science is salvation.
MM, you still seem to have a contemptuous attitude towards the denizens of LTWWB. While not all hold PhDs or were recipients of Rhodes scholarships, some of us do possess these markers. We simply do not flaunt our learnings. And there are those of us who recognize people should be judged on the quality of their character, not by the number of letters following one's name. And finally, there is the issue of context - the arena in which we are playing and the nature of the game meant to be played in said environment.
Let 'er rip, I'm sure there is insight you can bring to my ignorance. Charmed as always, Three.
I think species are driven to survive, to find other means of survival, even in the face of great odds. This is the method by which we evolved from the primordial cesspool. Change or die. Humans would not have made it through the last 1.5m years of our evolution if we were not hardwired to survive.
Individuals may be nihilists, but the species is driven to survive; hence looking to science (or yet discovered methodologies) to secure our existence into the foreseeable future. And while I agree that we seem hell bent on eradicating ourselves - and the planet would merely "shrug" at our extinction - the spirit of science (theory, discovery, proof, replication) provides hope for survival. At least until the Earth breaks open and swallows us whole.
Thanks paingirl, you're sweet. Life's been crazy, crazy busy and I rarely have chance to lurk let alone comment. When I can read it's great to see everyone's keeping it interesting while I'm away. Shenanigans ftw!
The doomsday folks referencing the Mayan 2012 thingy missed one important fact - the Mayans were sun worshippers and had, over the course of their civilization, charted/predicted solar cycles.
Our sun is coming out of a long dormant period with little solar activity. According to current sun-studying scientists (NASA-like groups around the world) 2012 and 2013 are going to see major solar activity as the sun wakes up again.
Just watched it (NatGeo provides fast, free download) and it is excellent. Makes you realize how lucky we've been so far. Please understand I'm not diminishing what the people of Japan are enduring atm.
Recent Comments
Most of the companies that get these contracts work on volume, not quality, and have poorly trained, unregulated staff who are worked too long for too little. They don't care how the job gets done, so long as they can say it's done and bill for it.
I own a landscaping company and speak from experience. Though I work outside HRM, same principles still apply.
You are cherry picking and selectively using statements out of context to support your need to "prove" our ignorance.
My full statement was, "Individuals may be nihilists, but the species is driven to survive; hence looking to science (or yet discovered methodologies) to secure our existence into the foreseeable future. And while I agree that we seem hell bent on eradicating ourselves - and the planet would merely "shrug" at our extinction - the spirit of science (theory, discovery, proof, replication) provides hope for survival. At least until the Earth breaks open and swallows us whole."
Two points to consider:
1. I wrote, "...hence looking to science (or yet discovered methodologies)..." Open-ended statement, not excluding other - including faith-based - means of saving ourselves and our planet.
2. I wrote, "...the spirit of science..." Not the be all, end all science. Not science is salvation.
MM, you still seem to have a contemptuous attitude towards the denizens of LTWWB. While not all hold PhDs or were recipients of Rhodes scholarships, some of us do possess these markers. We simply do not flaunt our learnings. And there are those of us who recognize people should be judged on the quality of their character, not by the number of letters following one's name. And finally, there is the issue of context - the arena in which we are playing and the nature of the game meant to be played in said environment.
Let 'er rip, I'm sure there is insight you can bring to my ignorance. Charmed as always, Three.
Individuals may be nihilists, but the species is driven to survive; hence looking to science (or yet discovered methodologies) to secure our existence into the foreseeable future. And while I agree that we seem hell bent on eradicating ourselves - and the planet would merely "shrug" at our extinction - the spirit of science (theory, discovery, proof, replication) provides hope for survival. At least until the Earth breaks open and swallows us whole.
I find Carl Sagan's perspective comforting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wupToqz1e2g.
:)
Our sun is coming out of a long dormant period with little solar activity. According to current sun-studying scientists (NASA-like groups around the world) 2012 and 2013 are going to see major solar activity as the sun wakes up again.
Just watched it (NatGeo provides fast, free download) and it is excellent. Makes you realize how lucky we've been so far. Please understand I'm not diminishing what the people of Japan are enduring atm.