I love it when I see something like this -

[kyburg]

And it makes me think of at least two people on my FL who don't know each other. At. All.

The link?

Libertarian SF writers literally run amok at the behest of the Department of Homeland Security Undersecretary Jay Cohen to much LOLs on my part.

Best parts?

“My guess is we won’t need quite so many paid agents of the state to do that for us, which means maybe we can try being a republic instead of an incompetent empire,” he said, then railed against the Transportation Security Administration for treating passengers like “subjects” rather than “citizens.”

The 45-minute panel discussion quickly deteriorated as federal, local and state homeland security officials, and at least one congressional aid, attempted to ask questions, which were largely ignored."

Yeah, that sounds familiar. Y'see, I have trouble hanging with people who treat people just as badly as they claim people are treating them. Funny, that. You want respect, and you're not getting it? Try setting an example. Or leave. Take your pick. You want to lead, LEAD for crying out loud. Sheesh.

Among the group’s approximately 24 members is Larry Niven, the bestselling and award-winning author of such books as “Ringworld” and “Lucifer’s Hammer,” which he co-wrote with SIGMA member Jerry Pournelle.

Niven said a good way to help hospitals stem financial losses is to spread rumors in Spanish within the Latino community that emergency rooms are killing patients in order to harvest their organs for transplants.

“The problem [of hospitals going broke] is hugely exaggerated by illegal aliens who aren’t going to pay for anything anyway,” Niven said.

“Do you know how politically incorrect you are?” Pournelle asked.

“I know it may not be possible to use this solution, but it does work,” Niven replied.

“I cannot guarantee I’m going to be a great help to Homeland Security,” Niven said earlier.

Ya think?

David Brin, keeping on the topic of empowering citizens with mobile phone technology, delivered a self-described “rant” on the lack of funds being spent to support citizen reservists to back up the military, homeland security officials and first responders in times of crisis.

“It is impossible for you to succeed without us!” he shouted at the assembled officials, while banging his fist on the table and at one point jumping off his chair to wave a mobile phone in their faces.

Ghad, the only thing missing is Harlan Ellison and Oreo cookies.

octal - who is this publication, and have you ever heard or them?

betnoir - oh, the good ol' days at the LASFS clubhouse, neh?

I got curious. I Googled SIGMA and got confirmation that this really DID go down from another source. (And that source is far more concerned about them, mind you.)

No, people making a living writing speculative fiction are not innately brighter than the average bear. Better educated, perhaps...but the rest is really up for debate.

I sure as heck ain't sharing a dinner check with them.

Comments

[mycroftca.livejournal.com]

I could tell tales about Brin, Niven and Pournelle though they wouldn't entirely be germane.

Sometime, ask forestcats about David Brin.

[kynn.livejournal.com]

I was particularly amused at the tone of the article, which basically was whoever wrote the report making the writers look as bad as possible for what was just a dumb PR stunt.

[gvdub.livejournal.com]

Obviously you've never heard Dr. Pournelle hold forth on Sigma stuff. I don't think he sees it as a PR stunt at all.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

And it's really scary. *thinks* When I'm not stifling myself into asphyxiation, that is.

[luscious-purple.livejournal.com]

As Spock would say: Fascinating.

[gvdub.livejournal.com]

We'll probably get to hear about the latest meetings at the LASFS Thursday night, if Jerry's feeling up to it. If you didn't know, he's been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Apparently it's in a tricky enough place that they can't even go in for biopsy material. It's affected his speech quite a bit and his mobility a little. I may have my rather large political differences with him, but despite it all, I like the guy, since he reminds me of a lot of "good ol' boys" I've known over the years, and despite the doctorates and years of tech journalism, he's still very much a guy who grew up in Louisana and Tennesee in the first half of the 20th century.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

I hate that sort of thing. The unkind among us would say that explains a lot, but .. yeah. Note Jerry was the one to call bullshit on Larry - yup, they grow them up nice back there. (Jim's also from that part of the country.)

[the-paulr.livejournal.com]

I love Larry Niven. And I'm really sorry to see that about Jerry. That's a damn shame.

[gvdub.livejournal.com]

Jerry's been getting some focused high-intensity X-ray treatments that seem to be improving symptoms, so the outlook is not necessarily all bad. I saw him briefly last week at the club, and he seemed a little worn from the therapy. We'll see how he does over the next couple of months.

[moropus.livejournal.com]

I can't believe they would ask science fiction writers for advice on how to run the government. I love David Nivens reply and I would go even further with that rumor of his.

Makes me wish Robert Heinlein was there. He had some great, wild ideas.

[dedoc.livejournal.com]

FWIW, Jerry had already mentioned this article over at his daybook. His take is worth noting:

"Has some interesting things to say; look down at where it talks about the SF writers, Niven and I in particular. Not sure whose view of the meeting is reflected here, but clearly we're resented. Admiral Cohen has a different view."

That's as gentlemanly a way of saying "hatchet job" as I think I've heard lately.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

*shakes head* Having grown up in the district hospital where I lived - that served a community near an indian reservation (which was also largely hispanic as well) and went to school with their children, less than a handful of hours' drive from the Mexican border...I can say with absolute certainty that "illegal aliens" using services is NOT the cause of the bankruptcy sweeping our health care system. (And most of the illegals I knew growing up, were from Canada. Honest. Deported and everything. French Canadians, no less.)

Also, to add to that argument, you might wonder why so many people are now leaving the country - going RIGHT back into Mexico - to get medical attention...if it was so much worse and more expensive than what was available here. Truth is, it's not.

The issue isn't illegals using the system and not paying...it's *everyone* using the systems and being unable to pay, insured or no. Yup. Even when you're insured and your policy pays for services rendered...more often than not, the negotiated payout didn't pay enough to cover the cost of providing those services. And then there are the people who have to negotiate a payment plan...and the cost of keeping bookeepers, collection agencies...and litigation...are added into the cost of providing an aspirin at three in the morning.

I don't think it's your fault - if you've spent as much time in the service as I recall, you didn't see this slide happening over the last thirty or so years, and it began when Medicare first started getting scaled back in the mid 70's. You were provided for by a single-payer system, and not a bad one either. Out here? Not sudden. Nope.

But it's sure a knee-jerk "OH THAT'S IT" right now to blame someone. I flatly refuse. I saw it happening. I can remember when Medicare was enough to pay for services, and Halliburton actually had to help pay for indigent care as part of the deal for borrowing money to build their company from the government (yes, they did, in California, they did).

Medicare used to be enough to build new facilities. We've been providing care to anyone who needed them, back when hospitals used to grow their own food, for crying out loud.

(And I think you meant Larry Niven. David Niven always had more class. ^^)

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

As I said - those Tennessee boys are the good ones.