From: Spike Jones (spike66@attglobal.net)
Date: Sat Jun 23 2001 - 12:11:51 MDT
> Spike Jones wrote:
> >
> > [generals are] struggling with a concept very close to what we call the
> > singularity. They grok. spike
>
> Mike Lorrey wrote: I'm sure there are some War College guys who are doing
> damn fine
> sims, but at the same time there are idiots running material/logistics
> commands who think a $50 rebreather is just as good for our SEALS as a
> $400 one... while there are visionaries who 'get it', I can guarantee
> you that there are plenty of idiots in the system who will screw up...
Point noted. One of the biggest challenges in the modern military
is that while preparing for future-tech conflicts, the generals must
maintain the capability of fighting old-tech conflicts, which is a
hell of a challenge. The war college simulates everything imaginable.
{Well, almost. I dont think they sim a hard takeoff of AI. How would
one do that? Eliezer? This is a possible career path for some
subset of the Institute: advising the war college on how to deal with
emergent AI, assuming that there *is* any logical way to deal with it.}
>Imagine: is this $50 blue goo as effective against grey
>goo as $400 blue goo?
I can assure you, such questions will be asked, early and often.
The budget is a whole nuther issue. Most people think that the
military has plenty of money, since it is such an enormous expense
in the national budget, but just the opposite is the case. Military
expenses are cut as much as possible, and as Mike points out,
sometimes more so. The colonels best able to cut costs are
those most likely to make flag rank.
It is educational to see the office of an admiral who has godlike
authority over a several hundred million dollar program. That
office generally has nothing in it that is extravagant. A typical
decoration found therein is a photograph of some curious
plane or unidentified device with signatures all over it. They
drink coffee out of styrofoam cups, and have a change jar
there to pay for it. There are plenty of 25 year old Silicon
Valley CEOs with better office accommodations, far higher
salaries, etc. Even the Pentagon, altho nicely appointed
inside, is remarkably austere. Mahogany desks will not
be found. spike
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