Article

2017-06-27 -Land of the Free

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by charger 2017-06-27 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11123 views ] Top

#1 Well, everybody knows that tech advances come mostly from war times - survival instinct vs. entrenched economic interests

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2017-06-27 07:06|| 2017-06-27 07:06|| Front Page Top

#2 Put differently, the private sector builds off the foundation created by the government.

So Obama was right - You *didn't* build that!

Posted by Bobby 2017-06-27 08:05|| 2017-06-27 08:05|| Front Page Top

#3 The internal combustion engine was designed for peaceful purposes but it was also used for tanks and aircraft. Water can be drunk but it can also drown you.

Posted by JohnQC 2017-06-27 08:10|| 2017-06-27 08:10|| Front Page Top

#4 Water can be drunk but it can also drown you.

And the things fire can do...

Face it everything has a duel use.

Posted by CrazyFool 2017-06-27 08:13|| 2017-06-27 08:13|| Front Page Top

#5 George needs a refresher with the history of 'technology'. Technology has a long tale of development and dependencies much of which starts before the 20th century and government as we see it today.

Posted by Procopius2k 2017-06-27 08:37|| 2017-06-27 08:37|| Front Page Top

#6 I'm gonna call horsecrap.

Does war kick innovation into overdrive - sure. Which came first, the chariot or the wheel? The church bell or the cannon? The telegraph or the internet? The war horse or the draft horse? The microprocessor or the loom?

Posted by swksvolFF 2017-06-27 10:22|| 2017-06-27 10:22|| Front Page Top

#7 For me, the interesting part of the article comes near the end.

New generations of technology are needed to raise productivity. If the model that has been in place since before World War II continues, then another generation of entrepreneurs will take advantage of military research and development, deploy it, and announce how much they dislike government interference in their work. Selling products is important, but we need to understand the role that war plays in consumer products. For the pacifists who love technology, and the libertarians who love it at least as much, there is a deep irony at work.

Consider all the SJWs in the tech world who might not have a job without all that icky military spending.

Posted by Thrack Chinesing8451 2017-06-27 11:50|| 2017-06-27 11:50|| Front Page Top

#8 I believe a lot of tech was created for peaceful purposes and weaponized later by the left. Social media for example.

Posted by rjschwarz 2017-06-27 14:36|| 2017-06-27 14:36|| Front Page Top

#9 Smart phone is the prettiest handcuffs I've ever seen.

Posted by swksvolFF 2017-06-27 15:24|| 2017-06-27 15:24|| Front Page Top

23:47 Zenobia Floger6220
23:32 Zenobia Floger6220
22:38 phil_b
22:18 CrazyFool
21:59 newc
21:55 newc
21:50 newc
21:46 newc
21:38 newc
21:37 newc
21:29 SteveS
20:09 gorb
20:04 Warthog
20:03 Airandee
19:50 while
19:34 lord garth
19:15 Mullah Richard
18:55 Mike Kozlowski
18:45 swksvolFF
18:42 swksvolFF
18:39 Whiskey Mike
18:33 Bugs Snong6221
18:30 swksvolFF
18:28 g(r)omgoru