My mention of Russ and his degree was an incidenal part of a larger posting about voting system statements. But this posting that Iīm replying to now is entirely about Russīs brags, and his opinions of me. Again, Rob L., Russ is posting something that has no bearing on EMīs topic.
Russ said:
What amazes me about Mike is that he has no such humulity.
I reply:
Maybe not, but at least I can spell it.
Russ continues:
He has no concept of where he stands in the pecking order.
I reply:
What pecking order? And what, if any, relevance does your pecking order have to the question of how pretentious or ignorant your postings here are? Is it that you believe that a better position in some pecking order means that you canīt be said to be pretentous, not matter what ignorance you authoritatively expound?
Russ continues:
What is he -- a friggin' janitor or something?
I reply:
Oh, a litle of this, a little of that :-) Whatever I do, I work for a living, and I genuinely earn what I make, something that canīt be said for many people who have more than I do--and that includes many who are higher in your "pecking order".
My interest in voting systems results from the harm to society that is done by its lack of democracy. That harm isnīt to people high in the pecking order. Itīs to people who are low in the pecking order. If Iīm low in the pecking order, maybe thatīs a good reason for me to prefer that there be a more democratic society.
But, in any case, it isnīt clear what pecking order position has to do with my statement that youīre proof that a degree is no guarantee agains pretentiious ignorance.
Russ continues:
Did he even finish high school?
I reply:
Youīre obsessed with finding out personal information about me. Sorry, but youīll just have to wonder. Iīm not the proper topic of this mailing list.
Russ continued:
Apparently all that time I was trying to help him get his ideas aired he imagined that he was the grand master and I was his lowly assistant. The reality was simply that I didn't have full time to devote to election methods and I was trying to leverage what little time I had by working with him and leveraging his massive time committments on the subject.
I reply:
Your website would have been, and still would be, nothing without my articles, definitions, etc.
Thatīs why you still havenīt deleted my definitions from your Condorcet explanation page.
You still advocate wv Condorcet at your webite, which, as I said, would be nothing without things from me.
Russ continues:
Mike, I got news for you. Your ideas may or may not have merit, but even if they do, you are not the legend you think you are.
I reply:
You said that before. When did I say that I was a legend? Or are you using ESP again? What did I say to you about using ESP? :-)
Saying that youīre nothing but a pretentious copier doesnīt mean that Iīm saying that Iīm a legend.
Russ continued:
And even if you eventually succeed in getting your little criteria ideas accepted (and that's a big if)
I reply:
Iīm not trying to get my criteria accepted. As I carefully (but apparently not carefully enough) explained to you, I offer information, and what, if anything, is done with it is not my department. I offer, but I donīt promote.
Russ continues:
Your pathetic little "career" never got off the ground and probably never will.
I reply:
What career? So, not only do I have a career, but I have a pathetic career? Iīm not interested in a career. I donīt do any of this for a career. Iīve suggested some criteria for judging compliance with an important standard. To repeat what I said, what, if any, use is made of what I offer isnīt my department.
Russ said:
You are a loser and you always will be.
I reply:
Rhetorical question: What does Russ think that Iīm losing and will always lose? Position in his pecking order? Russ, youīll never understand that your needs arenīt shared by everyone.
Russ continues:
You are nothing, Mike
I reply:
Not entirely clear what you mean. This too is a rhetorical question: What would I have to be to be a something to you. Why should I want to be a something to you? What am I with respect to EM or voting systems? Someone who has wanted to do his part to make information available, because the subject of voting systems has been underdiscussed, and hasnīt been dealt with as well as it should be.
Russ continued: , except perhaps a good janitor. I'll bet you clean toilets well. Keep up the good work
I reply:
If that were my job, it would be legimate and honest work. Youīre dying to know what I do, but sorry, Iīm not the topic of EM.
Mike Ossipoff
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