My internet provider keeps on trying to get me to sign up for cable TV and I just cannot see any good reason to do it. If I want entertainment, the Internet provides most of it. Books and time with other real people fill up the rest.
"Most of the job losses in the last 6 months or so have been government sector workers due to budget cuts. People forget that these are real jobs that put real money into the economy."
That's nonsensical. There is no such thing as putting money into the economy. The economy is people carrying out mutually beneficial transactions exchanging and transforming resources. The savings rate was too low for too long. Too many people sold claims on future resources and those claims are being called in. Unfortunately, there are not enough resources to meet all these claims. The result is quite simple: we end up having to save in order to pay down debt instead of investing which means GDP growth falls.
"I'm saying that there will be fewer jobs. Look at the examples I give: The book industry is crowing this week that total sales of books are up but, thanks to technology, employment in the publishing industry is down (let's go see what the prices are down to at Borders!)."
That would make a lot of sense if people did not want to have more stuff. But they do want to have more stuff. So those people who used to be employed making paper books will have their labor go towards a different endeavor.
"Some things just should not be in private hands. The temptation for corruption is just too great."
You know, "the government" is not some sort of an independent entity which only wants to do good in this world while having heaps of knowledge nobody else has. It's just a bunch of private parties acting with certain powers.
You know, I think that given the mood of the market the last thing you want to do is disable the trader's blackberries. They just might join the rioters.
I am still not used to the idea of blackberries not being used exclusively by businessmen. The idea of blackberries being used by rioters conjures up the image of a bunch of people in suites speaking loudly into their bluetooth headsets: "Yes... Yes.. No... Give me a sec, I need to trash that car... OK. Yes... Well, let's talk about it over lunch. OK! See you tomorrow."
Well, there is also the fact that very few people carry firearms. So if someone is carrying a gun, that is jarring. And given the purposes of guns, it is jarring in a scary sort of way.
Is "Capitol Punishment" where we force criminals to spend time with lawmakers in DC to make them feel bad how petty and small their crimes are in comparison to the crimes of politicians?
Re: This isn't something that will happen all at once.
I think before cars that auto-stop at the red-light and stop signs, I expect cars that automatically give you a ticket if you run one of these. What I already foresee as annoying is the fact that it will take forever to remove most traffic regulations which won't make sense without human drivers.
It depends upon why that area is roped off. If that area is roped off because of an unrelated reason, then sure. It's the same thing as saying: No, pouring the blood of orphans on a waterwheel is not an acceptable power generation method even if it is used to power a printing press. But what is going on is more like you standing in the park talking to a crowd and the police showing up and cordoning off the area where you are currently speaking because they want you to shut up. Sure you can walk somewhere else. But that should not be legal.
"Nope, just someone who respects a person's title, no matter how foolish it may appear."
The rest of us feel that if someone came up to us and said: "I am The Great Umperial Pontifex Smith", we would laugh at them because it's foolish. But if you want to bow down before the number of syllables a backwards system of government has put before their name, feel free.
Most of them people don't seem to realize how much technological change they are benefiting from in the background. Technology is not just computers, medicines and cellphones. It's also new better methods or making yogurts, more effective ball bearings, etc...
To be fair, from one point of view, your friend is right. Technology is changing society which can be rephrased as destroying an old society and creating a new one.
On the post: After Widespread Cheating, FBI Will Retest Agents On Surveillance Guidelines... With Much Easier Test
Re: this sort of thing is endemic
On the post: Will TV Providers Finally Realize That People Really Are Cutting The Cord -- And Not Just Because Of The Economy
On the post: Politicians, Innovation & The Paradox Of Job Creation
Re: Re: Re: Infrastructure spending
That's nonsensical. There is no such thing as putting money into the economy. The economy is people carrying out mutually beneficial transactions exchanging and transforming resources. The savings rate was too low for too long. Too many people sold claims on future resources and those claims are being called in. Unfortunately, there are not enough resources to meet all these claims. The result is quite simple: we end up having to save in order to pay down debt instead of investing which means GDP growth falls.
On the post: Politicians, Innovation & The Paradox Of Job Creation
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Infrastructure spending
Wait what? You can't separate government from politicians. Politicians are government.
On the post: Politicians, Innovation & The Paradox Of Job Creation
Re: Of course....
That would make a lot of sense if people did not want to have more stuff. But they do want to have more stuff. So those people who used to be employed making paper books will have their labor go towards a different endeavor.
On the post: Politicians, Innovation & The Paradox Of Job Creation
Re: Private Roads ( Re: Infrastructure spending )
You know, "the government" is not some sort of an independent entity which only wants to do good in this world while having heaps of knowledge nobody else has. It's just a bunch of private parties acting with certain powers.
On the post: British MP Calls On RIM To Shut Down Messenger Services To Stop Riots; Because Pissing Off Rioters Calms Them Down?
Re: Bad idea?
On the post: British MP Calls On RIM To Shut Down Messenger Services To Stop Riots; Because Pissing Off Rioters Calms Them Down?
On the post: Let Them Tweet Cake
Re: Re: The good ol' days
On the post: How Should Law Enforcement Handle Being Filmed? Officer Lyons Provides The Perfect Example
Re: Re: Re: Re: hmm...
On the post: Police, Yet Again, Arrest Someone For Filming Them, Saying It's Obstruction Of Justice
On the post: If Even The Death Penalty Won't Stop Infringement... Perhaps A Different Approach Is Needed
Re: Re: Skeptical
On the post: Court Says Sending Too Many Emails To Someone Is Computer Hacking
On the post: Court Says Sending Too Many Emails To Someone Is Computer Hacking
Re: Re: Amusing
On the post: Dear World: Self-Driving Cars Will Get Into Accidents Too (Though, This One Wasn't The Computer's Fault)
Re: This isn't something that will happen all at once.
On the post: Judge Says Making It Harder To Exercise Free Speech Does Not Create Substantial Hardship
Re:
On the post: Let Them Tweet Cake
Re: Re: Re:
The rest of us feel that if someone came up to us and said: "I am The Great Umperial Pontifex Smith", we would laugh at them because it's foolish. But if you want to bow down before the number of syllables a backwards system of government has put before their name, feel free.
On the post: Let Them Tweet Cake
On the post: Let Them Tweet Cake
Re:
To be fair, from one point of view, your friend is right. Technology is changing society which can be rephrased as destroying an old society and creating a new one.
On the post: Righthaven Fails To Pay Sanctions; Complains A Day Late
Re: The judge is unprofessional
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