[ale] ALE booth at LISA

[Jim Popovitch]

On Sun, 2004-11-14 at 16:28 -0500, Geoffrey wrote:
> Jim Popovitch wrote:
> > LOL.  This list needs some centralized protection. 
> 
> Any particular reason you're being such an ass?

Just how did you come to the conclusion that I was being an ass?

Let me recap:

You expressed frustration in paying someone for something you are
capable of doing yourself.(ref #1)  I then pointed out that I pay taxes
for far in excess of the benefit to me directly.(ref #2)  Which was an
attempt to get you to see that everyone doing it alone isn't always the
best way.  You countered (in your own being-such-an-ass mode) that I
made a ludicrous comparison, even though it wasn't a comparison.(ref #3)
You tend to think that I must benefit from centralized protection (your
term) in ways that aren't readily apparent.  I.E. I would face a larger
chaos without a police force thereby incurring a greater individual
cost.  Although I agree with your view on this it can be argued to no
end since the world is ripe with both police AND violence, usually in
the same places.

My above comment, about the list needing centralized protection, was an
effort to further trigger your mind into looking at the bigger picture
at the LISA show.  Think about the way the ALE list works:  Individual
subscribers are in total control of their involvement, their virus
security, and even their desire, or not, to read posts accusing others
of being asses.  Reducing the list to the lowest-common-denominator
could bring 'centralized protection' but is that the best thing? 

Moving forward:

At LISA I'm sure you could provide your own lighting, carpet and
heat/AC.  You admitted that paying for power was reasonable, but you
also have the capability of providing your own power if you wanted to
(generator).  The reason it is important to look at the bigger picture
at LISA is that while you MAY be perfectly capable of doing many things,
others may NOT be, or may NOT care too.  The unions have leveraged the
difference in peoples capabilities, their budgets, and their preferences
and have forced a lowest-common-denominator on ALL.  This is very
similar to the way politicians bully everyone to collect taxes and
distribute services. <-- you may have to pause and think a bit to make
that connection, please feel free to admit if you can't.

-Jim P.

References:

1)http://ike.room17.com/pipermail/ale/2004-November/016342.html

2) http://ike.room17.com/pipermail/ale/2004-November/016348.html

3) http://ike.room17.com/pipermail/ale/2004-November/016350.html