[Wittrs] Re: Reforming Wittrs -- Volume of Mail, Etc.

  • From: kirby urner <kirby.urner@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: wittrs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:41:04 -0700

On Mon, Sep 28, 2009 at 12:25 PM, Sean Wilson <whoooo26505@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> (reply to Kirby)
>
> ... I really wouldn't worry about "getting in," or who has "knighthood" 
> (knights were in the Gentry, of course), or who is "Dumbledore," etc.  The 
> goal is to produce the best discussion environment as possible. It's a pareto 
> trade. If it works -- and there is no guarantee it will -- professors can 
> talk about Wittgensteinian-related matters in a low-traffic, peer-interested 
> sort of way. And we can pick up those discussions and contribute to them in 
> here, with us. The goal is never status in the exchange or recognition. It's 
> all about the ideas, only. Presumably, some of the profs might want to see 
> how their idea or comment is being considered here. If the thing works, I bet 
> you'll have some cross-dialog. It really is a nifty idea. I just need someone 
> on the inside to help me sell it.
>

OK.

Thanks to my recent work with Python Software Foundation, which I
posted about rather recently with Will to Power for subject line,
taking you up on your offer to talk "walk of life" types of stuff
somewhat unrelated to academia per se, I'm actually attuned to the
"parallel tracks one-way cross-enrollment model" (your two chambers
solution).

In this case we have an open subscription Diversity list, a lot like
Wittrs in having moderators, and then a PSF list open to PSF members
only.  PSF members are like your professors in that they're welcome on
Diversity, but no one on Diversity has an automatic right to join the
PSF list unless already a member of said inner circle.

The design has been working OK, except for the defect of making
Diversity closed archive (except to subscribers) thereby frustrating
would-be bloggers who just wanna lurk and, more important, put in
links to the raw intelligence, no login required.  Wittrs is a breath
of fresh air in contrast.

Also, I've actually proposed Knighthood as an official rank in that
Pythonic subculture, a fledgling dictatorship (so akin to a monarchy),
offering Sir Laura as a candidate for that title (she's in Sweden).
Given Python was named for Monty Python, having Knights makes some
sense.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wittrs/message/2063  (review of another
"two chamber" solution)

Our dictator is named Guido, I think I mentioned (works at Google,
whereas Sara Ford, not a member of PSF, works with Codeplex (you
needn't be on PSF to have the right kudos or whatever geeks call it
(kung fu, mojo -- the thing you need in a meritocracy if not going
purely by some degree system, possibly broken and/or corrupt))).

> And as to anyone coming along and wanting to "take it," I don't think I would 
> care. In fact, I could see the reverse happening. I think if I made the place 
> comfy, people would be happy that someone set it up. Do you realize how much 
> time all of this takes?
>
> Regards and thanks
>
> SW

I imagine professors break up into camps and war for this or that
prize, some level of fame and glory within their own chosen arena of
contest.  Having Wittgenstein on one's banner makes one a target, as
well as a champion.

Per remarks by Michael Tsarion in the added special feature, where he
talks about the DVD 'Architects of Mind Control', there's a scholarly
crowd that isn't officially academic that has footprints in academia
nevertheless, thinking of Robert Anton Wilson for example, who is just
one or two degrees of separation from Norman O. Brown, 'Walking with
Nobby' being my airplane reading to Pycon / Chicago this year (where I
delivered a workshop in Hyatt Regency to gnu math teacher candidates).

http://architectsofcontrol.com/ (the DVD by Tsarion)
http://controlroom.blogspot.com/2009/03/airplane-reading.html (walking with NOB)

In my world, academics are second rung, second tier.  We welcome them
among us, but they don't run the show.  And yet many of us are adept
at philosophy.  Esozone.com would be one of our venues.  I'm
suggesting to Trevor that we get Tsarion as a speaker, if not to our
next conference (only weeks hence), maybe the one after?

Dr. Arthur Loeb was another great bridge figure, connecting our world
to the rarefied domain of academic crystallography.  Lots of
crystallographers knew Applewhite as well (not the Hale-Bopp guy, but
definitely another one of those controller types).

http://controlroom.blogspot.com/2009/09/architects-of-control-movie-review.html
 (re first 2 DVDs)
http://mybizmo.blogspot.com/2005/02/ayatollah-of-tetrahedron.html
(E.J. Applewhite)
http://mybizmo.blogspot.com/2009/08/lightning-talk-re-mites.html  (5
mins, mentions Dr. Loeb)

I've personally met Dr. Kroto and the late Dr. Smalley, perhaps also
the third guy Curl Jr., the more demur in some ways.  They split a
Nobel for their discovery of buckminsterfullerene -- I was a delegate
to the first International Conference in Santa Barbara, representing
both ISEPP (isepp.org) and BFI (bfi.org).  Most people there just
assumed I was a chemist, as I don't easily glaze over when surfing
those waters (hey, I meet with other chemists in Linus Pauling's
boyhood home every week, should count for something eh?).

Kirby

PS:  the late Robert Anton Wilson (RAW) linked to my website from his
Encyclopedia of Conspiracies, but that URL has since been replaced by
a more official one.  GRUNCH was the entry as I recall (no copy
handy).

http://www.amazon.com/Everything-Under-Control-Conspiracies-Cover-ups/dp/0062734172/

>
>
>
> WEB VIEW: http://tinyurl.com/ku7ga4
> TODAY: http://alturl.com/whcf
> 3 DAYS: http://alturl.com/d9vz
> 1 WEEK: http://alturl.com/yeza
> GOOGLE: http://groups.google.com/group/Wittrs
> YAHOO: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wittrs/
> FREELIST: //www.freelists.org/archive/wittrs/09-2009
>
>

WEB VIEW: http://tinyurl.com/ku7ga4
TODAY: http://alturl.com/whcf
3 DAYS: http://alturl.com/d9vz
1 WEEK: http://alturl.com/yeza
GOOGLE: http://groups.google.com/group/Wittrs
YAHOO: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wittrs/
FREELIST: //www.freelists.org/archive/wittrs/09-2009

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