Excessive Technology?

I'll select a very old malt whisky for you.

In my opinion, greed and true wisdom are seldom found in the same individual. One seems almost the antithesis of the other.

6. On slavery and going back to the theme, I believe marketing snares masquerading as practical technology has enslaved this generation. 

Hmm, so power tends to corrupt? Of course British know best how Lord Acton said it. Somehow it reminds me of my favorite correction: LOVE OF money is the root of all evil.

And since it's been raised - is Scotch whiskey the most preferred? What is the characteristic of single malt? I tried Glenfiddich and it seemed stronger than Johnny black

Wisdom and greed. They are indeed antithetic in the absolute, messianic, salvific sense. But in this plane they do combine somewhere in this crazy flux. So I look at it as a race. On some lap I urge myself on, focused on some shiny, tangible, delicious and valuable reward. Maybe like Keynes' 'invisible hand' of the past century.

Now to sample scotch blend 

Scotch whisky (no e) is the only true one. Don't have time right now to get into single malts, blends, etc, but basically the purer (single) and the older, the better. Strength is usually 40 degree proof for all, at least in Britain.

I can attest to that best whiskey in the world,now if I can get the secret recipe,I will be a happy man!

On technology first - I recall netbooks were touted to be faster surfing than laptops, in general; just as tablets are presented as faster surfing than netbooks. So maybe tablets are for surfing, not necessarily for word processing

I gravitate towards scotch, but Chief? I was expecting you would cheer for Wild Turkey or some Tennessee spirit!

I guess that is correct about netbooks and tablets but they are too small for my big fingers. I am still waiting patiently  for my laptop. I much prefer the Scottish whiskey to the inferior American product,it seems to me more smoother than the others,besides you cannot improve on the best

Mr. Jm Beem and the Turkey are gaining popularity here; so I was having doubts as to the superior product; but with your assurance, Chief, I'm again saving for the Scottish stuff

I know the Scottish have been making it a lot longer than us in this country. An absolutely superior product.

Bokek, what you want to look for are 'single malts'. That means the whisky is made from 1 pure whisky, not blended from several (usually cheaper) mixes. That means it will be smoother. Beyond that, the older it is, the more expensive. Finally, there is personal taste. Some are very light in taste, some are very strong.

Gordon, I'm curious. McWhatever and MacWhatever are both common. Is Mc______ simply a bastardization of Mac_____? Which is "more" Scottish?

In the Highlands of Scotland, Mac is the norm, so kind of 'more correct'. However, both are English spellings of Gaelic names, which (like all names) existed long before spelling, or even writing. So there is really no 'correct' or 'wrong'. Incidentally, the native Scottish language is Gaelic with the ae spoken like 'cat'. Irish Gaelic has the ae pronounced as in 'wait'. Both languages are very similar and obviously share a common root.

Where does Wales and the Welsh language fit in, or does it?

It is another linked version, as is Cornish (spoken in Cornwall, SW England), Breton (spoken in Britanny, France) and Galician, spoken in SW Spain. All these people were driven west when the Germanic tribes came across Europe, pushing the Celts out.

I'm going out today, and peep into some winery. If I can afford it, which is improbable, I'd get me a single malt.

This talk about the UK, has independence to Ireland (or was it ever 'dependent"?) hurt UK economy any? And is there UK economic repercussion if Scotland becomes independent? I ask because the south and the north of our country right now are governed by "autonomous" governments, veering towards more self-governance.

And since it has been raised (and relating to technology), is Mackintosh hifi related to Mackintosh Steve Jobs, and are they Scottish?

Oh those wacky Germanic hordes! I am trying to remember the Monty Python skit about theVisigoths. Anyone remember it?

Bokek, the Republic of Ireland has been independent for 90+ years; impossible to say whether it has harmed the economy. However, there is absolutely no desire on either side to change the situation.

Regarding Scottish independence, arguments are both fr and against; the honest answer is that no-one really knows.

Regarding Mackintosh hifi, I am not familiar with it. Steve Jobs was American, and the Apple Mac was named after a type of apple. And partly stolen from The Beatles.

This is one of the reasons I never liked Apple,they stole it from the Beatles Co.I have another reason if you want to hear Gordon.

Please tell.

Large political shifts are always tricky to handle economics-wise. The German experience (although in the opposite direction) resulted in a downturn for a couple of years, but they're ok now. Gotta hand it to the Germans. I guess they are looking at this as long-term model for a united Korea

As to apple, yes I do recall being lent apple lp's, with a green apple in the middle. After about a decade of Beatles break-up, I was playing Sargon chess on a hand-me-down early Mackintosh. So this more than coincidence? Chief! Let us in on it!