Hacker News Reader

ThrwyActon Voters say “yes” to city-run broadband in Colorado

I've always been annoyed at this "imagine if X was like the DMV" libertarian argument. Anecdotally, I've never really had this mythical terrible experience at DMVs in the states I've lived in, and (further anecdotally) the experience has always been better in states with higher taxes.

The free market is one way of efficiently incorporating user preferences. Responsive democratic government is another. It might be slower to adapt, but it compensates by having less perverse incentives.

ThrwyActon Paradise Papers: Dear Tim Cook

This, plus sanctions on tax havens.

ThrwyActon Paradise Papers: Dear Tim Cook

If not "crippled by government", schools and hospitals would be Darwinian shitshows that absolutely guaranteed rising health and income inequality.

I agree that things like fast computers are nice side effects of allowing capitalism to go to work in some arenas, but, in others, you definitely need government to reduce the pernicious effect of unadulterated profit motive.

It's appealing to think to yourself "hey, I make pretty good money, why shouldn't I be able to use that to buy a higher-than average education for my kid?" This is fine--hire a tutor. But taking your tax dollars to a for-profit selective academy that most don't have the option of using contributes to the degradation of public schools that you helplessly claim to be an unavoidable consequence of their being government-run.

Institutions meant to serve all only work when everyone contributes to them. Private, unregulated healthcare and education, by design, only serves those with money. Since health and education are, in the long run, how we generate personal wealth, this scheme is sure to accelerate the widening of inequality.

ThrwyActon India has banned disposable plastic in Delhi

Well thank goodness we have Betsy Devos on the case.

ThrwyActon India has banned disposable plastic in Delhi

> rural south of the US

That's the problem. Get out of there ASAP. It has no redeeming qualities. Best move of my life.

Unless you have deep roots there and you want to take on the monumental task of actually making your own part of it a better place. Maybe join the city council of a town near a place like Atlanta or Tuscaloosa, and try to spread their civilization a little further into the wilderness.