10 Downing St.'s latest advisor -

GlennB · 17th February 2020, 06:59 AM

Andrew Sabisky, appointed, it seems, by Dominic Cummings. Some of Sabisky's stated views:

“...“One way to get around the problems of unplanned pregnancies, creating a permanent underclass, would be to legally enforce universal uptake of long-term contraception at the onset of puberty,”

"... black Americans have a lower than average IQ than white people and are more likely to have an “intellectual disability”

Interested in the anti-narcolepsy drug modafinil, he stated: "From a societal perspective the benefits of giving everyone modafinil once a week are probably worth a dead kid once a year.”

source

The Don · 17th February 2020, 07:14 AM

Sounds like exactly the sort of person we should have with the ear of our Prime Minister.

They're messages which play to the Conservative Party faithful.

GlennB · 17th February 2020, 01:17 PM

And now he's gone. Supposedly resigned after a 'witch hunt', but I'd guess 'invited to resign'. What a shambles. Or is a cunning plan?

Darat · 17th February 2020, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by GlennB

And now he's gone. Supposedly resigned after a 'witch hunt', but I'd guess 'invited to resign'. What a shambles. Or is a cunning plan?

Shambles. I said it after the resignation of Javid, this is what we will see constantly happening. Johnson has no ability to manage anything.

ceptimus · 17th February 2020, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by GlennB

And now he's gone. Supposedly resigned after a 'witch hunt', but I'd guess 'invited to resign'. What a shambles. Or is a cunning plan?

Do you mean a Cummings plan?

Arcade22 · 17th February 2020, 04:24 PM

Cummings wanted "special" people to balance out the "normal" neurotypical ones in government. No doubt this is just a momentary setback for this wunderkind and his disturbing plans.

p0lka · 17th February 2020, 04:26 PM

Ah, I was wondering why eugenics had become the flavour of the month, wondering answered.

The Don · 18th February 2020, 01:17 AM

Originally Posted by Darat

Shambles. I said it after the resignation of Javid, this is what we will see constantly happening. Johnson has no ability to manage anything.

As President Trump has shown, constant turmoil - and the associated headlines - is a great way for certain parties to get their agenda through with minimal scrutiny.

We'll be so enraged about an advisor with alleged racist views to notice the rapid erosion of workers' rights and environmental protections, the piecemeal selling off of the NHS or the UK's inevitable slide down the global economic table.

dudalb · 19th February 2020, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by Darat

Shambles. I said it after the resignation of Javid, this is what we will see constantly happening. Johnson has no ability to manage anything.

He certainly does not seem to be doing a good job of vetting people......any decent check would have shown that Sabisky was bad news.

The Don · 19th February 2020, 11:52 PM

Originally Posted by dudalb

He certainly does not seem to be doing a good job of vetting people......any decent check would have shown that Sabisky was bad news.

It's just like the Trump administration in that regard.

Mojo · 20th February 2020, 05:53 AM

Originally Posted by dudalb

He certainly does not seem to be doing a good job of vetting people......any decent check would have shown that Sabisky was bad news.

If only they had hired some sort of “superforecaster”, then they might have predicted that this would happen.

Darat · 20th February 2020, 06:08 AM

Originally Posted by Mojo

If only they had hired some sort of “superforecaster”, then they might have predicted that this would happen.

These "superforecasters" I know it is meant to be based on some actual research but from the reports I've read it seems like they hunted for people who have bet on the winning horse five times on a trot? I'm assuming that is simply bad reporting?

Mongrel · 21st February 2020, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by Darat

These "superforecasters" I know it is meant to be based on some actual research but from the reports I've read it seems like they hunted for people who have bet on the winning horse five times on a trot? I'm assuming that is simply bad reporting?

Wait...
Did they take inspiration from Ringworld?

Quote:

Teela Brown was a member of the crew recruited by Puppeteer Nessus for an expedition to the Ringworld. Her sole qualification was that she was descended from "lucky" ancestors, six generations of whom were born as a result of winning Earth's Birthright Lottery. The consequence of her state was that she'd led such a charmed and worry-free life that she was emotionally immature and unprepared for "harsh reality." The Puppeteer saw this as a kind of artificial selection, tending to breed for a psionic power of good luck. He hoped Teela would bring luck and success to the entire expedition.

Darat · 21st February 2020, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Mongrel

Wait...
Did they take inspiration from Ringworld?

Exactly what I was thinking about.

novaphile · 21st February 2020, 05:34 PM

Quote:

He hoped Teela would bring luck and success to the entire expedition.

That was such an epic fail, it made up for the completely woo concept of genetic luck.

When I find things like that in Larry Niven stories, I'm always forced to ask...
"Was this idiocy from Jerry Pournell?"

catsmate · 26th February 2020, 06:24 AM

Originally Posted by Darat

Exactly what I was thinking about.

And look how that worked our for the Ringworld Expeditions...

Originally Posted by novaphile

That was such an epic fail, it made up for the completely woo concept of genetic luck.

When I find things like that in Larry Niven stories, I'm always forced to ask...
"Was this idiocy from Jerry Pournell[e]?"

17th February 2020, 06:59 AM	#1
GlennB Loggerheaded, earth-vexing fustilarian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Usk, Wales Posts: 26,551	10 Downing St.'s latest advisor - Andrew Sabisky, appointed, it seems, by Dominic Cummings. Some of Sabisky's stated views: “...“One way to get around the problems of unplanned pregnancies, creating a permanent underclass, would be to legally enforce universal uptake of long-term contraception at the onset of puberty,” "... black Americans have a lower than average IQ than white people and are more likely to have an “intellectual disability” Interested in the anti-narcolepsy drug modafinil, he stated: "From a societal perspective the benefits of giving everyone modafinil once a week are probably worth a dead kid once a year.” source
	__________________ "Even a broken clock is right twice a day. 9/11 truth is a clock with no hands." - Beachnut Last edited by GlennB; 17th February 2020 at 07:05 AM.

17th February 2020, 01:17 PM	#3
GlennB Loggerheaded, earth-vexing fustilarian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Usk, Wales Posts: 26,551	And now he's gone. Supposedly resigned after a 'witch hunt', but I'd guess 'invited to resign'. What a shambles. Or is a cunning plan?
	__________________ "Even a broken clock is right twice a day. 9/11 truth is a clock with no hands." - Beachnut

17th February 2020, 03:05 PM	#4
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 97,865	Originally Posted by GlennB And now he's gone. Supposedly resigned after a 'witch hunt', but I'd guess 'invited to resign'. What a shambles. Or is a cunning plan? Shambles. I said it after the resignation of Javid, this is what we will see constantly happening. Johnson has no ability to manage anything.
	__________________ I wish I knew how to quit you

17th February 2020, 04:17 PM	#5
ceptimus puzzler Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 6,460	Originally Posted by GlennB And now he's gone. Supposedly resigned after a 'witch hunt', but I'd guess 'invited to resign'. What a shambles. Or is a cunning plan? Do you mean a Cummings plan?
ceptimus puzzler Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 6,460

17th February 2020, 04:24 PM	#6
Arcade22 Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 6,823	Cummings wanted "special" people to balance out the "normal" neurotypical ones in government. No doubt this is just a momentary setback for this wunderkind and his disturbing plans.
	__________________ We would be a lot safer if the Government would take its money out of science and put it into astrology and the reading of palms. Only in superstition is there hope. - Kurt Vonnegut Jr And no, Cuba is not a brutal and corrupt dictatorship, and it's definitely less so than Sweden. - dann Last edited by Arcade22; 17th February 2020 at 04:28 PM.

17th February 2020, 07:14 AM	#2
The Don Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Sir Fynwy Posts: 31,650	Sounds like exactly the sort of person we should have with the ear of our Prime Minister. They're messages which play to the Conservative Party faithful.

17th February 2020, 04:26 PM	#7
p0lka Master Poster Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: near trees, houses and a lake. Posts: 2,267	Ah, I was wondering why eugenics had become the flavour of the month, wondering answered.
	Last edited by p0lka; 17th February 2020 at 04:27 PM.

18th February 2020, 01:17 AM	#8
The Don Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Sir Fynwy Posts: 31,650	Originally Posted by Darat Shambles. I said it after the resignation of Javid, this is what we will see constantly happening. Johnson has no ability to manage anything. As President Trump has shown, constant turmoil - and the associated headlines - is a great way for certain parties to get their agenda through with minimal scrutiny. We'll be so enraged about an advisor with alleged racist views to notice the rapid erosion of workers' rights and environmental protections, the piecemeal selling off of the NHS or the UK's inevitable slide down the global economic table.

19th February 2020, 02:31 PM	#9
dudalb Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sacramento Posts: 50,643	Originally Posted by Darat Shambles. I said it after the resignation of Javid, this is what we will see constantly happening. Johnson has no ability to manage anything. He certainly does not seem to be doing a good job of vetting people......any decent check would have shown that Sabisky was bad news.
	__________________ Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty. Robert Heinlein.

19th February 2020, 11:52 PM	#10
The Don Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Sir Fynwy Posts: 31,650	Originally Posted by dudalb He certainly does not seem to be doing a good job of vetting people......any decent check would have shown that Sabisky was bad news. It's just like the Trump administration in that regard.

20th February 2020, 05:53 AM	#11
Mojo Mostly harmless Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Nor Flanden Posts: 33,893	Originally Posted by dudalb He certainly does not seem to be doing a good job of vetting people......any decent check would have shown that Sabisky was bad news. If only they had hired some sort of “superforecaster”, then they might have predicted that this would happen.
	__________________ "You got to use your brain." - McKinley Morganfield "The poor mystic homeopaths feel like petted house-cats thrown at high flood on the breaking ice." - Leon Trotsky Last edited by Mojo; 20th February 2020 at 05:54 AM.

20th February 2020, 06:08 AM	#12
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 97,865	Originally Posted by Mojo If only they had hired some sort of “superforecaster”, then they might have predicted that this would happen. These "superforecasters" I know it is meant to be based on some actual research but from the reports I've read it seems like they hunted for people who have bet on the winning horse five times on a trot? I'm assuming that is simply bad reporting?
	__________________ I wish I knew how to quit you

21st February 2020, 12:46 PM	#13
Mongrel Begging for Scraps Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: UK, suburbia. 20 minutes in the future Posts: 2,056	Originally Posted by Darat These "superforecasters" I know it is meant to be based on some actual research but from the reports I've read it seems like they hunted for people who have bet on the winning horse five times on a trot? I'm assuming that is simply bad reporting? Wait... Did they take inspiration from Ringworld? Quote: Teela Brown was a member of the crew recruited by Puppeteer Nessus for an expedition to the Ringworld. Her sole qualification was that she was descended from "lucky" ancestors, six generations of whom were born as a result of winning Earth's Birthright Lottery. The consequence of her state was that she'd led such a charmed and worry-free life that she was emotionally immature and unprepared for "harsh reality." The Puppeteer saw this as a kind of artificial selection, tending to breed for a psionic power of good luck. He hoped Teela would bring luck and success to the entire expedition.
	__________________ “Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science.” - Charles Darwin ...like so many contemporary philosophers he especially enjoyed giving helpful advice to people who were happier than he was. - Tom Lehrer Last edited by Mongrel; 21st February 2020 at 12:59 PM.

21st February 2020, 01:17 PM	#14
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 97,865	Originally Posted by Mongrel Wait... Did they take inspiration from Ringworld? Exactly what I was thinking about.
	__________________ I wish I knew how to quit you

21st February 2020, 05:34 PM	#15
novaphile Quester of Doglets Moderator Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Sunny South Australia Posts: 2,986	Quote: He hoped Teela would bring luck and success to the entire expedition. That was such an epic fail, it made up for the completely woo concept of genetic luck. When I find things like that in Larry Niven stories, I'm always forced to ask... "Was this idiocy from Jerry Pournell?"
	__________________ We would be better, and braver, to engage in enquiry, rather than indulge in the idle fancy, that we already know -- Plato.

26th February 2020, 06:24 AM	#16
catsmate No longer the 1 Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 24,368	Originally Posted by Darat Exactly what I was thinking about. And look how that worked our for the Ringworld Expeditions... Originally Posted by novaphile That was such an epic fail, it made up for the completely woo concept of genetic luck. When I find things like that in Larry Niven stories, I'm always forced to ask... "Was this idiocy from Jerry Pournell[e]?"
	__________________ As human right is always something given, it always in reality reduces to the right which men give, "concede," to each other. If the right to existence is conceded to new-born children, then they have the right; if it is not conceded to them, as was the case among the Spartans and ancient Romans, then they do not have it. For only society can give or concede it to them; they themselves cannot take it, or give it to themselves.