On the Nature of Things | Forum

Colonel Sun wrote:Quillette | What’s Happening to Technological Progress?

If current rules and regulations had been in existence in the 1900s and the first half of the 20th century we would not have airplanes, air conditioning, antibiotics, automobiles, chlorine, the measles and smallpox vaccines, cardiac catheters, open heart surgery, radio, refrigeration and X-rays. The universal principle of risk aversion in the past hampered only individuals, and if only one individual in a million was immune (that is, if one in a million did not share this risk aversion) that was enough for progress to occur. Now, this risk aversion is firmly entrenched in legislation all over the world, and it is throttling innovation, leading to actions that Kahneman describes as “detrimental to the wealth of individuals, to the soundness of policy, and to the welfare of society.” The bottom line is that risk adversity is fundamentally bad for productivity, and especially for research and development.

Simple Minded wrote:

Colonel Sun wrote:Quillette | What’s Happening to Technological Progress?

If current rules and regulations had been in existence in the 1900s and the first half of the 20th century we would not have airplanes, air conditioning, antibiotics, automobiles, chlorine, the measles and smallpox vaccines, cardiac catheters, open heart surgery, radio, refrigeration and X-rays. The universal principle of risk aversion in the past hampered only individuals, and if only one individual in a million was immune (that is, if one in a million did not share this risk aversion) that was enough for progress to occur. Now, this risk aversion is firmly entrenched in legislation all over the world, and it is throttling innovation, leading to actions that Kahneman describes as “detrimental to the wealth of individuals, to the soundness of policy, and to the welfare of society.” The bottom line is that risk adversity is fundamentally bad for productivity, and especially for research and development.

excellent article. having worked at both small companies and big companies, it is not unusual for the small "skunk works" type of job shops to be 10x more productive.

We have all heard the quip that "if it saves just one life it is worth it!"

at a former employer, one of the mandates to come out of the quest for a "Safety Conscious Work Environment" (SCWE) (one can't have too many acronyms), is that employees must back their cars into the parking spaces so that they can drive out forward because it is safer. No joke.

Miss_Faucie_Fishtits wrote:We have a banner honouring Hedy Lamarr at the Museum of Broadcasting. She isn't in our roll of Electronic Communication but there are a couple of notable women pioneers.....'>....:

https://museumofbroadcasting.org/ec-pioneers.html

Colonel Sun wrote: ↑Wed Aug 28, 2019 4:04 pm -fu03F-Iah8

Colonel Sun wrote: ↑Mon Dec 16, 2019 7:18 pm APS | A material that combines graphite with cellulose from wood pulp is lighter and stronger than structural materials like steels, titanium alloys, and carbon fibers.

Quite a claim. Would [wood?] be good if it stands up to future R&D.

I'd love to sail such a wooden boat.

March 31, 2020 — Using the same technology that allows high-frequency signals to travel on regular phone lines, researchers tested sending extremely high-frequency, 200 GHz signals through a pair of copper wires. The result is a link that can move data at rates of terabits per second, significantly faster than currently available channels.

Doc wrote: ↑Sun Dec 22, 2019 8:20 am

Colonel Sun wrote: ↑Mon Dec 16, 2019 7:18 pm APS | A material that combines graphite with cellulose from wood pulp is lighter and stronger than structural materials like steels, titanium alloys, and carbon fibers.

Quite a claim. Would [wood?] be good if it stands up to future R&D.

I'd love to sail such a wooden boat.

I wonder how it would hold up to mold?

The pandemic shows that the US is no longer much good at coming up with technologies relevant to our most basic needs.

Colonel Sun wrote: ↑Sun Apr 26, 2020 3:30 am MIT Tech Rev | Covid-19 has blown apart the myth of Silicon Valley innovation

The pandemic shows that the US is no longer much good at coming up with technologies relevant to our most basic needs.

In the United States, 75% of venture capital goes to software. Some 5 to 10% goes to biotech. The other sliver goes to everything else—transportation, sanitation, health care. No wonder the pandemic has exposed venture capital’s broader failures.

Doc wrote: ↑Sun Apr 26, 2020 8:52 am

Colonel Sun wrote: ↑Sun Apr 26, 2020 3:30 am MIT Tech Rev | Covid-19 has blown apart the myth of Silicon Valley innovation

The pandemic shows that the US is no longer much good at coming up with technologies relevant to our most basic needs.

I think that is a bit much. Given all the lies the entire world was told about the CCP Virus. I suppose the article is dead on in regards to welding people in their homes and better means to curtail freedom of speech.

I wonder if Rotman is one of the "1,000 talents"?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thousand_ ... n#Reaction

noddy wrote: ↑Sun Jul 05, 2020 8:08 am

Doc wrote: ↑Sun Apr 26, 2020 8:52 am

Colonel Sun wrote: ↑Sun Apr 26, 2020 3:30 am MIT Tech Rev | Covid-19 has blown apart the myth of Silicon Valley innovation

The pandemic shows that the US is no longer much good at coming up with technologies relevant to our most basic needs.

I think that is a bit much. Given all the lies the entire world was told about the CCP Virus. I suppose the article is dead on in regards to welding people in their homes and better means to curtail freedom of speech.

I wonder if Rotman is one of the "1,000 talents"?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thousand_ ... n#Reaction

its no slight on the people of America or the Americans on this forum to say that globally, the American response is the worst , by the numbers.

spent the most money to get the least good outcomes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavir ... _responses

top 3 for most government stimulus (aka future tax payer problems)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus_recession

top 3 for most unemployemnt (aka future tax payer problems)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic

most deaths.

I realise their are lots of quibbles and knee jerks to this reality, especially with brazil and china hiding real stats but all together, its the worst combination.

Colonel Sun wrote: ↑Mon Sep 14, 2020 3:50 am Martin Hutchinson | The Windmill Effect

Colonel Sun wrote: ↑Wed Aug 26, 2020 1:41 am ACM | Where Have All the Domestic Graduate Students Gone?

One of the better replies


118582851_10157148416375806_72050482142881883_n.jpg

noddy wrote: ↑Tue Sep 15, 2020 12:11 am

Colonel Sun wrote: ↑Wed Aug 26, 2020 1:41 am ACM | Where Have All the Domestic Graduate Students Gone?

One of the better replies


118582851_10157148416375806_72050482142881883_n.jpg

high cost of living and debt based education - you would have to be mad to take on a risky degree in a field that the world only wants the best of the best.

Nonc Hilaire wrote: ↑Mon Sep 14, 2020 5:08 am

Colonel Sun wrote: ↑Mon Sep 14, 2020 3:50 am Martin Hutchinson | The Windmill Effect

Good history lesson.

I think the author misses the point that the cost and limitations of evs are precisely why they are preferred over superior hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Not much money in water and two electrodes.