Chapter 126: Even I Wouldn’t Be Able To Resist
Lin Ran thought to himself, Philip K. Dick, you’re one of my favorite writers, where did your integrity go.
A science fiction novel exploring the preciousness of freedom, how could you add a love element at the end.
If it were him, knowing the deal Avon Books offered, he would probably say “smells so good.”
“Professor, what do you think true love should be called?” Jenny didn’t answer directly but asked in return.
Lin Ran keenly sensed something was off and asked, “Jenny, this The Truman Show won’t be credited under my name at that time, will it?”
Jenny looked as if it were a matter of course: “Of course, Professor, this idea is yours. Philip K. Dick just helped you turn it from an idea into a story.
Professor Lin’s first science fiction novel—this gimmick isn’t interesting?
With your fame in America and even globally, I believe this story can become popular worldwide.
Professor, this is a considerable income.”
Lin Ran firmly refused: “I won’t be credited. At most, when promoting, you can have Philip say the inspiration came from dialogue with me.”
Jenny held up one finger: “One school. Professor, as long as you agree, the Hearst family will donate a 12-year Chinese Language school from elementary to high school in Flushing.”
“Charter school or regular school?” Lin Ran asked.
Jenny nodded: “Regular school, but it will specifically target Chinese descent people.
Rest assured, with the Hearst Group’s influence in New York, getting approval from the New York education department is no problem at all.”
Lin Ran took a deep breath, thinking that Philip couldn’t resist the temptation was completely normal; if it were him, he couldn’t resist either. The other side knew too well what you couldn’t refuse.
After the Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed in 1943, it wasn’t hard for Chinese descent people to enroll, but good schools and maintaining cultural identity were the difficulties.
Given the involution level of Chinese descent people, as long as you create an environment for them, it’s very easy for them to make a name in academia.
Compared to the West Coast’s California, the current education level of Chinese descent people in New York is clearly much lower.
“I agree. It’s just crediting my name, no problem.
If there are any promotion needs during future distribution that require my cooperation, I agree too.”
If it were just US Dollars, Lin Ran could refuse without thinking, but this opportunity to strive for benefits for Chinese descent people was one he truly couldn’t give up.
For Lin Ran, the good thing about cooperating with Jenny was this point.
If he cooperated with others to set up a Chinese descent school, once he ran away from America in the future, he would 100% be investigated.
He could pit Fred without any burden, but he couldn’t do that to Jenny.
What was good about Jenny was that, with her background, at worst she’d be questioned, not deliberately made difficult.
To know, Patricia Hearst, of Jenny’s generation, was that Hearst who was caught, participated in a bank robbery, sentenced to 7 years, later pardoned by Jimmy Carter, released after serving less than two years.
Even until Bill retired in 2001, he specifically issued a pardon order, revoking all charges against Patricia Hearst.
The Hearst family’s influence in the Donkey Party was evident; they could be pardoned when the Donkey Party was in the White House.
Jenny extended her hand in front of Lin Ran, and Lin Ran shook it: “Pleasant cooperation.”
After the meal started, Lin Ran said, “Jenny, have you ever thought about a future without traditional newspapers.”
Jenny looked thoughtful: “No traditional newspapers?
Then what serves as the carrier for information?”
Lin Ran said, “Computers, computers shrunk to the size of a palm. People can send and receive information on them.
Reporters publish articles through these handheld computers, and readers can receive articles from the reporters they follow at any time and post comments below.”
Jenny then asked, “How do the articles get sent to their handheld computers?”
Lin Ran said, “Through satellites, satellites to distribute the signal.”
The satellite internet Lin Ran proposed was the prototype of Starlink, and the handheld computer was the simplest version of the handheld computer.
“We won’t discuss the feasibility of the technology, just the impact of similar devices on media.”
Jenny thought for a moment: “It would be terrifying. America would lose its soft power.
Purely from the text propaganda level, America is not as good as the Soviet Union.
Their text is very compelling, their theory very penetrating.
If there were such devices, the Soviet Union’s theory masters could continuously speak out on America’s problems, and combined with America’s own problems, it would easily cause irreversible influence.
I estimate that if such a thing really existed, either the White House would manage it, or it wouldn’t be allowed on the marketplace.”
Lin Ran asked, “Isn’t this a bit too pessimistic?
The Soviet Union has big problems too; won’t they be exploited by America?”
Jenny shook her head: “You haven’t been to the Soviet Union; that place is freezing cold.
The places suitable for living are only in a very small area.
Precisely because their living environment is harsh and the public lacks entertainment, they need constant movements to maintain passion and mobilization ability.
If they had what you described, they could speak out, promote, and discuss with just a handheld computer.
For them, it would greatly save the resources consumed by movements.
While for America, the contradiction between capital and workers would intensify even more.
This isn’t a good thing.”
What Jenny said was one possibility, but Lin Ran saw a different understanding from her mouth, understanding the Russians’ underlying survival philosophy from a geographical perspective, which quite refreshed him.
Jenny then teased, “Professor, if you really invent this thing and want to promote it widely in America, you must leave a backdoor for the White House to control speech.
Just like every newspaper seems free but actually isn’t.”
Lin Ran looked thoughtful; indeed, people from top families knew America’s game rules sixty years early.
No need to wait until the era of internet information explosion.
After chatting with Jenny, the moment Lin Ran walked into the restroom, he had a premonition that someone was definitely waiting for him.
But he didn’t see anyone, only heard a voice.
“Aliens or another world.”
“Aliens”
This question was the one Long Sifan found hardest to understand.
He was shocked at what tacit understanding had formed between China and Lin Ran, what information they had exchanged, for China to have him ask such a special question.
This was truly information hidden under the iceberg.
Just a few simple words flashed countless ideas in Long Sifan’s mind.
“Alive or dead?”
“Dead.”
“Transistor or vacuum tube.”
Lin Ran heard a third possibility from this English either-or question: or.
“Transistor,” Lin Ran said.
“Small or new materials?”
“Small”
Lin Ran knew this was asking whether the transistor was miniaturized and put in, or used new materials.
“Dalian Port or Yangcheng Port?”
Lin Ran was silent for a moment before saying, “Yangcheng Port”
No more sounds came from the restroom.
Lin Ran guessed that the last question wasn’t about the port, but a code.
“Come here anytime if there’s an accident.” After flushing and preparing to leave, he heard the real last sentence.
Lin Ran looked at Jenny tasting traditional Chinese food at Yulan Xuan, feeling helpless about his own identity’s sensitivity inwardly.
But in this era, if he didn’t do something, he would regret it for life.
In Southwest China, after Lin Ran’s news was passed through layers of pipes to Dean Qian’s hands, he immediately called the Group Two members for a meeting.
In Panzhihua’s Area 51, yes, here is called Area 51 internally in China.
They thought the 51 Lin Ran mentioned meant naming this place Area 51, so in future exchanges between both sides, the code would indicate the location.
Group Two referred to the semiconductor research and development team, while Group One was responsible for missile and rocket research and development.
“Everyone, according to our latest news, the Raspberry Pi is the result of transistor miniaturization.”
After Dean Qian finished speaking, the experts present didn’t show much excitement.
Because everyone had been advancing research along this technical path.
It just proved their theoretical knowledge was solid enough and their guesses reliable enough.
The scientists reacted this way; in Yanjing, the decision-makers, after confirming it was aliens, were more tense but also slightly relieved.
“Dead aliens is good news; this proves America at most obtained technology from the crashed alien spaceship.
Technology can be chased; from the first industrial revolution to the second, foreign countries have always led us.
Even if this alien technology wreckage starts the third industrial revolution, it’s just them starting first.
And we have room to chase; we’re not far behind.
Compared to them obtaining resources and population of an entire world, this is undoubtedly great good news.
But this doesn’t mean we can relax.
Because our grasp of America’s alien technology situation, if not told by White Horse, we’d still be in the dark.
I believe the Soviet Union side doesn’t know America’s situation either, or they would definitely hint even if not telling us.
Now that it’s just dead aliens, there’s nothing to worry about. We can even beat live Americans; what’s the reason not to beat dead aliens.
However, whether hand grenades or cannons, we must accelerate research and development. Only with hand grenades can we count as having a bit of living space.”
March 1, in New York, to celebrate the successful completion of Friendship 7’s manned spaceflight mission, a grand ticker-tape parade was held, hoping to honor heroes through this traditional method.
Thousands of citizens took to the streets, throwing colorful confetti along Broadway to express respect to Glenn.
This day, besides the celebration itself, there was another very important matter: International Shipping Standards Ltd. was officially established in New York.
Wall Street, representatives from capital of Western countries gathered at 23 Wall Street, the famous Morgan Building.
Although JPMorgan had undergone multiple mergers and changes by now, and 23 Wall Street was no longer their main office location, with bullet marks from the 1920 explosion still on the outer wall, it was still Morgan’s symbolic headquarters at this time.
“Sir, you should be on Broadway accepting the public’s cheers.” Lloyd’s of London’s committee chairman Miskin was talking with Lin Ran.
The scene was full of middle-aged white people in suits; Lin Ran and Xu Aizhou were the only two Chinese descent people.
“Compared to accepting cheers, I’m more interested in changing the world according to my own will.” Lin Ran was vague.
This sentence sounded very pleasing to Miskin.
Without a genius’s flash of inspiration, perfecting the shipping standards system would take much longer, costing how much silver.
Compared to Jardine Matheson, which did all kinds of bad things, Lloyd’s was a truly neutral financial institution.
Not to mention not participating in colonial trade, even their financial business for making a living adhered to neutrality and absolute marketization.
Rather than like later Goldman Sachs, gaining excess profit by stirring things up.
Miskin said, “Sir, your design for shipping container labels and even the entire shipping data modification is perfect.
We took your proposal back for Lloyd’s senior actuaries and syndicates to review.
Internally, it was used as a classic problem under the Lutine Bell for everyone to think about slowly.
Everyone couldn’t jump out of the framework you designed no matter how they thought.
And within your designed framework, no more ingenious proposal could be found.
Even without considering the redundancy for fault tolerance, it’s hard to approach your proposal’s efficiency.”
Lloyd’s history dates back to the 17th century, originating from a cafe named Edward Lloyd’s in London’s Tower Street.
At that time, the cafe was a gathering place for shipowners, businessmen, captains, and insurers; they discussed shipping and insurance matters there.
Although Edward Lloyd himself was not an insurance practitioner, his cafe provided a venue for insurance transactions, gradually evolving into the prototype of the insurance market.
Later, Lloyd’s developed into the center of global shipping insurance.
Among them, the underwriters, the actual individuals or groups bearing the risk, formed syndicates. Each syndicate was supported by capital from a group of investors.
Obviously, to make money in this market, the biggest requirement is calculation ability.
The market itself supports a large group of actuaries for risk pricing; syndicates are also good at actuarial science. Everyone has to find a suitable balance between risk and revenue.
Yet this group of people skilled in calculation and living off calculation felt helpless facing the container labeling system.
Lloyd’s Square’s actuaries either didn’t look at Lin Ran’s proposal first, thought of their own somewhat satisfactory container data management scheme, only to be outdone by Lin Ran’s.
The theoretical efficiency improvement was even worse than Hong Kong Shipping’s actual effects after operation.
Or they looked at Lin Ran’s proposal, then tried to think of better, but couldn’t come up with anything.
With the same real problem, only comparison reveals the gap.
Lin Ran’s existence left Lloyd’s syndicates in complete admiration.
If McNamara was a Shudra, actually in the financial industry, mathematics is everyone’s rice bowl, but no one believes in the caste system.
You pure mathematics Brahmin also have to show results; only then do we recognize you as a Brahmin.
Lin Ran was obviously a Brahmin who could produce results.
“This is because the underlying mathematics involved is very complex, with many factors to consider.
My brain is one of a kind.” Lin Ran pointed to his head and joked.
Miskin looked serious: “Sir, you’re right; you are humanity’s treasure.
So, if you’re interested in designing a risk evaluation model for the Lloyd’s insurance market based on historical data and probability?
Price is negotiable.”
Lin Ran shook his head: “This kind of work is too specific. I’m not interested in finance. The better the brain, the more it should be used in key places.
Money means nothing to me.”
Miskin wasn’t upset at the refusal: “Sir, if you have the will, tell me anytime.”
After Miskin left, Xu Aizhou walked to Lin Ran’s side and said, “Sir, long time no see.”
“Old Mr. Xu, you look in good spirits; that puts me at ease.” Lin Ran smiled.
Xu Aizhou said, “People are in high spirits on happy occasions.
Sir, you didn’t see the expressions of Jardine Matheson and Swire Taipan when they learned I was attending the establishment of International Shipping Standards Ltd.—so sour.
How much blood Jardine Matheson and Swire sucked in Hong Kong; sucking blood aside, they suppressed Chinese businessmen in various ways. The evils done to Chinese people since last century are too numerous to list!
This time just making them eat a small loss is enough to let me live five more years!”
Jardine Matheson smuggled opium into Mainland China in modern times, using fast clippers to smuggle to China’s coastal areas. Later, when Lin Zexu banned smoking, Jardine Matheson Taipan William Jardine personally went to London to lobby England Foreign Secretary Lord Palmerston, inciting war against China.
These are history.
What Xu Aizhou personally experienced was Jardine Matheson using capital advantage with HSBC to squeeze the living space of Chinese businessmen in shipping and trade.
In the past, Xu Aizhou relied on France capital, and now there’s also America capital, plus Barclays Bank from England and other capital not on good terms with HSBC.
A cold light flashed in Lin Ran’s eyes: “Old Mr. Xu, live a few more years; you might see even happier things.”
The ceremony officially began at 11 a.m.
A master of ceremonies rang the copper bell on the table, its crisp sound echoing in the hall.
Francis Morgan stepped onto the temporary podium and announced in a low, powerful voice: “Today, we witness the birth of International Shipping Standards Ltd. This is the combination of capital and wisdom, the starting point of a new era in global trade.”
For Morgan, this was an opportunity to reconstruct discourse power.
For Rockefeller, they were past dominators in oil and energy fields, and deeply participating in shipping standards formulation this time aimed to deeply bind energy transportation with the standardization system.
They not only hoped for funds but also further operation of the global trade chain.
What Lin Ran needed was to thoroughly activate Hong Kong’s industrial potential, preparing for Hong Kong as the fuse to ignite the entire Mainland China later.
“Sir, I fully respect your opinion. Do you know how much Mitsui and Sumitomo want a piece of International Shipping Standards Ltd.?” John Morgan’s voice sounded beside Lin Ran’s ear.
Lin Ran didn’t need to think to know, because if he hadn’t registered the patent for the honeycomb deck system, the Japanese would have.
Woo woo woo, vote for Ya at the beginning of the month~
