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Capitalism Didn’t Make the iPhone, You iMbecile

cloudballoon says...

My takeaway from the video is not about Capitalism vs. Socialism that brought about the root of those innovations (i.e. the internet), but the direct, initial involvement of the education sector, military and/or government, NOT the "free market".

bcglorf said:

From the start of the video: iPhone, Android, macbook, pc, kindle, netflix, facebook, instagram...

The video really feels like a over drawn insistence that people recognize that the American economy isn't a pure capitalistic 100% free market environment. That's something that should really be obvious, and not require being said unless your audience are 12 year olds or idiots. It still stands that compared to other giants of the world in China or Russia, it is still America taking the lead on 100% of the innovations that Rob listed, and by comparison, a far more capitalist oriented economy sets America apart. Heck, even include the EU in there as a slightly more socialist economy than America's, and still low and behold it is America that came out with every single example listed...

notarobot (Member Profile)

The Amazon isn't "Burning" - It's Being Burned

diego says...

good video but a rather important thing he missed is, that many governments DO pay brasil to maintain the rainforest-

"Norway has followed Germany in suspending donations to the Brazilian government’s Amazon Fund after a surge in deforestation in the South American rainforest. The move has triggered a caustic attack from the country’s rightwing president.


Bolsonaro rejects 'Captain Chainsaw' label as data shows deforestation 'exploded'
Read more
Jair Bolsonaro, whose move to meddle in the environmental organisation’s governance led to Norway’s decision, reacted by suggesting that Europe was not in a position to lecture his administration.

“Isn’t Norway that country that kills whales up there in the north pole?”, the Brazilian president said. “Take that money and help Angela Merkel reforest Germany.”

After weeks of tense negotiations with Norway and Germany, the Bolsonaro government unilaterally closed the Amazon Fund’s steering committee on Thursday. The fund has been central to international efforts to curb deforestation although its impact is contested.

Brazil’s environment minister, Ricardo Salles, said the Amazon Fund had been suspended while its rules were under discussion.

In response, Ola Elvestuen, his Norwegian counterpart, said an expected payment of about $33.27m (£27.36m) would not take place as Brazil had, in effect, broken the terms of its deal. Norway has been the fund’s biggest donor, and has given about $1.2bn (£985m) over the past decade.

“He cannot do that without Norway and Germany’s agreement,” Elvestuen said. “What Brazil has shown is that it no longer wants to stop deforestation.”

This week Berlin had said it would withhold an expected payment of about $39m. Norway and Germany questioned an initial proposal from the Brazilian government for the fund’s steering committee to be reduced in size, and had warned against any weakening of the structures of the fund.

Grave concerns about the rate of deforestation since Bolsonaro took power have been repeatedly voiced by the Norwegian government and others.

According to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research, the government agency that monitors deforestation, the rate increased by 278% in the year to July, resulting in the destruction of about 870 square miles."

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/16/norway-halts-amazon-fund-donation-dispute-brazil-deforestation-jair-bolsonaro


while I do agree that for 3rd world ex colonies it is extremely tiresome to hear lectures about ecology from the US and Europe, who tore up the planet to achieve their status and continue to consume far more than 3rd world people do, Bolsonaro is dead wrong here and sadly it has to be said this is what the democracy and capitalism produce: shortsighted win-now, defer the costs decisions.

No one comes here to find socialism,they come here to escape

newtboy says...

No one comes here to find capitalism, they come from capitalist countries (except those few fleeing Cuba and Venezuela).

The masses come fleeing danger, poverty, and oppression...from capitalist countries....often caused by capitalist drug cartels. Even those fleeing socialist countries aren't fleeing socialism, they're fleeing poverty caused largely by our sanctions and embargoes of their nations.

Venezuela is poor today largely because of sanctions/embargoes (not being allowed to sell their main resource and export, oil), poor planning (basing the entire economy on one resource, oil), and corruption.... in that order.

Atrocities?! We don't have time to list the atrocities caused by capitalism. They are greater in number and detriment.

Public schools, public police, roads, medicine, food subsidies, public housing, a state (not private) military, ecological regulations, etc. These are all socialist, and are the exact reasons these same people claim the immigrants are coming.

Once again Bob misuses the channels, this is absolutely not history, not educational, not a debunking, and no one was destroyed. Just more right wing nonsense *political propaganda that ignores the salient points to make baseless claims.

Injenueity?! They're coming for our unsophisticated young women?! Now I get why the right is terrified.

If Fox News Covered Trump the Way It Covered Obama

newtboy says...

Thanks.
If it's not obvious, my replies are mostly not meant for Bob. He is closed to any new information that isn't Trump branded. He does read some, and has repeatedly privately agreed with my assessments in an effort to look more reasonable and less Russian, but won't do so publicly.

My replies are meant to inject some fact into the debate, contradicting the cultist beliefs and known lies the right has no problem spreading today. Without contradiction, those lies gain traction with those ignorant of the facts, and once entrenched the lies are infinitely more difficult to eradicate.
It's nice to know I'm not just babbling into a void....at least not all the time.

I've got passion, with a capital P, and that rhymes with T, and that stands for trouble....right here in River city.

BSR said:

I would just like to say "Thank You" for the dedication and time you put into your replies to Bob.

I suspect Bob probably doesn't read your replies as I notice he never seems to debate you.

Know that your time IS well spent regardless of Bob. If it wasn't for him I'm not sure I or others would have learned as much as I have from your writing.

I appreciate what you do and your words aren't falling on deaf ears.

You've got passion.

David Attenborough on how to save the planet

vil says...

Dont blame "capitalism", blame humans, civilisation. Some countries, communities, families are able to create institutions and rules that span generations and centuries without destroying their livelihoods. Call it capitalism if you must, but the only way for humans to survive it is if they are allowed to make meaningful decisions and shoulder the responsibility for those decisions.

I lived in a "communist" country and I can inform you that shit was removed from rivers, sulfur from power station smoke and lead from car exhaust gasses only after it reverted to a form of constitutional democratic individualistic "capitalism".

All it takes is some basic rules about shit and rivers and a will either free, or imposed by institutions, to abide.

Some big rich countries have good rules and institutions, some dont. Most poor countries dont and that is a real problem. If you cant afford to put shit anywhere else it has to go in the river.

cosmovitelli said:

Unfortunately in an individualistic capitalist system the guy who's feeding his family by pouring shit in the river will fight you tooth and nail irrespective of what it means for the planet. Every other asshole is doing it why should he starve? This is why the more socially minded countries are the ones who can control themselves, as everyone feels they have a stake in it and they know they won't starve.. unfortunately the big rich countries are by definition plunderers running on greed and desperation.

Liberal Redneck - Mueller Report Schmueller Report

newtboy says...

What is this new lie you're repeating over and over??
What evidence is there on Clinton that was missed in the never ending litany of investigations of her?
What evidence do you have Obama "pulled strings" for either? None that you could produce when I asked before....I seriously doubt you ever will address the question, because you prefer to spout nasty lies and hide when challenged.

I'll go out on a limb and say Obama didn't intervene. Prove me wrong with evidence and fact.....try with innuendo and more baseless Trumpism, be prepared for a serious lambasting.

On the other hand, Trump's "friend like Obama" did unethically if not illegally intervene repeatedly and continuously in every way possible including some extremely unethical ways ....that friend being Trump himself.

Since this is word for word what you wrote to me in private including the silly capitalization, I'm guessing it's cut and paste from a right wing blogger and has zero basis in fact. You are serious about these accusations in private, not sure why you hit sarcasm here except out of embarrassment.

As you know, we MADE money (>$12 million?) proving his cabinet was a criminal organization filled with dozens of felons....a GREAT deal by any measure. Gotta spend money to make money, and we MADE major money on the Trump investigation.

We spent well over $30 million to actually prove Clinton's innocence in just one of many instances Republicans created ridiculous politically motivated investigations, and you support spending tens-hundreds of millions more to get her for....well, you don't even know what. Republicans spent $1.5 trillion per year permanently giving Trump a tax break, you have no fiscal conservatives left in your party and only whine about spending when it's politically expedient.

Only a total proud moron could get "proven innocent" from "this report does not exonerate Mr Trump"....are you a proud moron?

bobknight33 said:

Jussie Smollett and Hillary are both guilty as sin. The evidence is there. They have another thing in common also, OBAMA hands pulling the strings of freedom. You are right, not prosecuting does not mean exoneration.
Funny how the Obama's intervene. So much for equal justice.

Trump has no friend like OBAMA to help him. We had to spend 30 Million to prove his innocence.

Michael Palin in North Korea - Special Edition

diego says...

that was great
I'm a big fan of monty python and I recognized the name but couldnt figure out who Palin was until they showed the monty python clip, had no idea he was a journalist now.
Ive always thought that NK has been unfairly demonized; they were victims of imperialism and the cold war, and sabre rattling aside they havent actually gotten into any wars beyond their own independence/civil war. The food shortages and poverty, I believe the western powers have a big hand in (much like in Cuba, Chile, Venezuela, and everywhere else capitalism was shunned). Not saying i'd model my ideal society on them, but i dont think they are as evil as they are made out to be..

Deadlocked Bench Vice is Perfectly Restored

diego says...

i just re read my comment, and please omit the chinese from my criticism which is directed entirely at capitalism and multinational corporations, the chinese IMO are not to blame for greedy western multinationals selling themselves out so they could buy everyone and keep themselves on top, they were the ones with power and control who set these conditions

How these penny-pinchers retired in their 30s

newtboy says...

Arcata, being our college town, is the most expensive town here. I would consider other nearby towns if being cheap is important. Try Blue Lake, where I am (I'm outside town), it's more rural but under 10 miles from Arcata.
We moved here 25 years ago....back then, a 1000 square ft house with an acre cost us $800a month. I've owned my home since then, so I'm out of the rent loop, but poking on craigslist looks like around $1500-$2000 for a decent house, with some more, some less depending on what you get. Nice 2-3 bedroom homes seem to be about $500000 now with some property.

Our gas is the most expensive in the country consistently, over $4.

Beyond that, it's pretty cheap. Property tax is 1%, food is reasonable, entertainment is mostly nature and community, fishing, hunting, hiking, boating, surfing, diving, even back country skiing 1/2 hour up hill, so free, although there are paid events too, we even had GWAR play a few times in Eureka, but no opera or ballet.

My wife and I live on $30k....we have 4 cars, pets, vacations, a large pond, hot tub, etc. Because I have room, I grow a lot of our produce and we have around 40 fruit trees. We aren't putting any extra in the bank, but aren't depleting our savings either.

We are the marijuana capital of America, if you know the right people, it's maybe $100 an oz for A grade, $10-20 a gram for wax/oil.

All in all, it depends on your lifestyle. It would be easy to spend all you save living here on gas, or easy to not have a car at all if you're in town and will ride a bike in the rain. While there are certainly cheaper places to live, I'm not sure there's better. Our forests are gorgeous with skyscraper redwoods, the ocean is cold but clean here, the rivers unspoilt and full of fish, our air is some of the cleanest in the lower 48, water is too, and our summer daytime temperature is mostly 70-75 F, winter is low 50's- freezing, but we have very few freezing days.

Mckinleyville, just above Arcata, was (still is?) the largest town in California with no police, only highway patrol. They got a multiplex before police!

We have a ton of immigration from the bay area, but more often than not they move back because they miss the fast pace and abundant services and entertainment....I didn't.

Hope that helps. We love it here, but we're slow paced and super cheap bastards. If you are too, come check it out.

StukaFox said:

Newt,

You've mentioned living in Humbolt County -- how is the cost of living there? Arcata is on my retirement short-list.

Tim Hortons Sponsors a Hockey Team from Kenya

Ashenkase says...

Actually:

"On August 26, 2014, Burger King agreed to purchase Tim Hortons for US$11.4 billion; the chain became a subsidiary of the Oakville-based holding company Restaurant Brands International on December 15, 2014, which is majority-owned by Brazilian investment firm 3G Capital."

So that would be Brazilian for Burger King too.

Sagemind said:

Not sure this can be tagged as "Canadian" as Tim Hortons is not even Canadian any more - they were bought out and are owned by Burger King, which is a US company.

Arnold Schwarzenegger New Blunt Message For Donald Trump

newtboy says...

The forces of capitalism did put a death nail into coal, Trump is pulling it out and putting coal on life support at our expense.

There are dozens of better, cheaper alternatives. Even natural gas beats it easily, and it's not great.

bobknight33 said:

Giving up coal is not feasible at this point in time.

There are not better / cheaper alternatives-- otherwise the forces of capitalism would put the death nail into coal.

Arnold Schwarzenegger New Blunt Message For Donald Trump

Drachen_Jager says...

If it's the forces of capitalism that should run the market, then why encourage government interference? That's the opposite of free-market capitalism.

An independent study published in Nature Energy estimated that half of all US oil production would be unprofitable if not for government subsidies. By your reasoning, shouldn't those ventures be allowed to die a natural death? All Arnold is saying is we shouldn't be INCREASING the subsidies to a dirty industry that's killing people.

In other words, your response is a non sequitur. It literally does not follow.

Aside from all that. IT'S KILLING PEOPLE! Do you really care about profit margins and the forces of capitalism more than human lives? What are profits for if not to improve the lives of people? Money, and the economy have to serve a purpose or they're just numbers.

bobknight33 said:

Giving up coal is not feasible at this point in time.

There are not better / cheaper alternatives-- otherwise the forces of capitalism would put the death nail into coal.

Arnold Schwarzenegger New Blunt Message For Donald Trump

bobknight33 says...

Giving up coal is not feasible at this point in time.

There are not better / cheaper alternatives-- otherwise the forces of capitalism would put the death nail into coal.

Drachen_Jager said:

Asking @bobknight33 to engage in some form of cogent argument is as pointless as asking shit to smell nice. Ain't gonna happen.

He comes, he drops a few word bombs, if anyone questions him or attempts any form of intelligent argument he fades into the woodwork. Why? Because he knows if he engages, he loses, because he's got nothing. Just word bombs. To quote the Bard, he is "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

I know, I know, be nice to fellow sifters. @BobKnight will receive a full apology and retraction from me if and when he proves me wrong by presenting a cogent argument instead of his usual disingenuous crap.

Robot drywall installer

ChaosEngine says...

Fair points, but this is obviously a prototype.

Ultimately, the price of these will come down and even if you need to swap out the batteries, there's no reason that can't be automated too. Hell, a roomba basically does that now. The point is it doesn't need sleep or meal breaks and it doesn't care about working hours. Or you just leave it connected to a permanent power source (if you can teach it to drywall, you can teach it to avoid the cable).

And yeah, my numbers are obviously estimates, since this isn't commercially available yet, and you'd need to factor in capital investment, maintenance, etc. But you don't have to pay it a salary, it doesn't need medical and it doesn't have to comply with health and safety regs (at least, not for the robots H&S).

I find it difficult to believe that something like this could ever be less cost-effective than a human.

Of course, that's assuming a steady rate of improvement. Bipedal robots (like self-driving cars) have been "90% there" for many years now. It might be that the last 10% is REALLY, REALLY difficult.

My gut feeling is that we will see a tipping point. There will be some really challenging engineering/programming obstacle that stops these going mainstream, but eventually, someone will solve it and then the rate of progress will be exponential.

But you're right in that, that's certainly a few years away yet. I'm fascinated as to how we as a society/civilisation deal with mass automation.

Drachen_Jager said:

But it's not going to be 1% of the cost for a very, very long time. It probably takes a team of technicians to keep it going right now. 5-10 years from now you can probably get one of those for a hundred grand or so, but maintenance would run you around the same as a full-time drywaller. You're throwing a lot of numbers out there as if they mean something, but they don't. Also, the thing needs downtime to recharge, even once the technology becomes practical and affordable, so 24/7 is not an option. Either you need a worker to replace batteries every few hours, or it needs to plug in to a base station and go offline for significant periods.



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