Drawbacks comments on Rationality Quotes: November 2010 - Less Wrong

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Comment author: Drawbacks 23 November 2010 10:23:09PM 1 point [-]

"The 350-mile detour in the Trans-Siberian Railway was caused by the Tsar, who drew the proposed route using a ruler with a notch in it." -- Not 1982

Comment author: Pfft 19 December 2010 12:48:27AM 0 points [-]

What's the source for this? Googling "Not 1982" is not helpful... I did find the following amusing quote though:

His engineers were once consulting [Tsar Nicholas] as to the expediency of taking the line from St Petersburg to Moscow by a slight detour to avoid some very troublesome obstacles. The Tsar took up a ruler and with his pencil drew a straight line from the old metropolis. Handing back the chart he peremptorily said "There, gentlemen, that is to be the route for the line!"

"The Trans-Siberian Railway". In The Living Age, seventh series volume five, 1899

Comment author: Manfred 19 December 2010 12:59:17AM 1 point [-]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Not_the_Nine_O%27Clock_News#Books_and_miscellaneous

My google-fu is strong-ish. Still, not a particularly reliable source.

Comment author: gwern 19 December 2010 12:59:19AM 0 points [-]

I wonder if Nicholas was acting in the same spirit as King Canute and likewise has been subsequently misinterpreted. (I've seen the Canute story mentioned as an example of being power-mad.) Nicholas's intention could have been something like 'Gentlemen, you were chosen for your competence in engineering and expertise in dealing with such details; I have made my general wish known to you; kindly implement it and do not bother me with what is your job.'

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