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The $200 Billion Rip-Off: Our broadband future was stolen (2007)

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Re: The $200 Billion Rip-Off: Our broadband future was stolen (2007)

#31
post #28
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[deleted]

Right, because a whole country is TexaFlorida and all the inhabitants are Duck Dynasty Honey Boo Boo.

Again, I still haven't heard any arguments _for_ a life in America other than "it isn't all bad" or "it isn't as bad as Hollywood makes it look".

Re: The $200 Billion Rip-Off: Our broadband future was stolen (2007)

#32
post #9

I'm Australian, am I to understand that our internet quality and distribution is only just approaching what the American's had in 2007? WTF!? I wish poor internet connection was something I could really get upset about, but I guess the rest of my life is a lot better than most around the world.

As an Australian that lived in America for a long time, trust me when I say life in Australia with crappy internet is significantly better than life in America with fast internet. You don't want to live there, trust me.

As an Australia who also has lived in the USA, wtf are you talking about? Yes, the USA is not perfect, but it is an amazing place, with so much support and infrastructure to get anything going. Everything is cheaper, available at all hours, and much better services (I am not just talking about the bars, I am talking about getting stuff done!). On top of that you have a supportive government towards startups, something Australia lacks.

Re: The $200 Billion Rip-Off: Our broadband future was stolen (2007)

#34
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You've got to be more specific when you say "there" or at least mention what you found wrong. The US is a large country with vast differences between the cities. Your experience in one area could be dramatically different from another area in the US.

I understand that a significant majority of the United States' healthcare system is lacklustre. I understand that a significant majority of the United States' only offer limited annual leave (compared to Australia's 4 weeks). I understand that a significant majority of the United States' suffers from an extremely high murder rate for a 1st world country. This is a sample of why I don't want to live in the US, even th…

Citation needed

Seriously.

Re: The $200 Billion Rip-Off: Our broadband future was stolen (2007)

#35
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You've got to be more specific when you say "there" or at least mention what you found wrong. The US is a large country with vast differences between the cities. Your experience in one area could be dramatically different from another area in the US.

I understand that a significant majority of the United States' healthcare system is lacklustre. I understand that a significant majority of the United States' only offer limited annual leave (compared to Australia's 4 weeks). I understand that a significant majority of the United States' suffers from an extremely high murder rate for a 1st world country. This is a sample of why I don't want to live in the US, even th…

The health care system is fine if you can afford it. The main problem with American health care is financial, and if you have good insurance (which should come with any good job) it's fine. Not great, but on par with the rest of the first world.

Limited annual leave depends on the job. If you're in software engineering or similar, you're unlikely to have a problem. If you get offered a job that doesn't offer the annual leave you want, either negotiate for more, or just don't take that job.

I doubt your statement that a majority of the US has an extremely high murder rate. Some parts of the country certainly do, but much of the country is perfectly safe. The overall average rate is higher than other first-world countries, but that does not imply that most of the country has a higher rate. Crime is not spread out evenly.

You may want to look into why you understand things that aren't really correct, and figure out how that happened.

Re: The $200 Billion Rip-Off: Our broadband future was stolen (2007)

#36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You've got to be more specific when you say "there" or at least mention what you found wrong. The US is a large country with vast differences between the cities. Your experience in one area could be dramatically different from another area in the US.

He might have experienced our healthcare. Even if he had insurance, our system is a clusterfuck that makes everyone worse upon contact. Or, he might be older than 30 and therefore not willing to deal with the puny two-week vacation allotment that is still socially acceptable from US employers. Or, he might have children who will have to be educated someday, and see that a system that combines astronomical tuition plu…

Australian here working for a major tech company with 5 weeks paid vacation, didn't even know 2 was standard in the US :/

Re: The $200 Billion Rip-Off: Our broadband future was stolen (2007)

#37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You've got to be more specific when you say "there" or at least mention what you found wrong. The US is a large country with vast differences between the cities. Your experience in one area could be dramatically different from another area in the US.

He might have experienced our healthcare. Even if he had insurance, our system is a clusterfuck that makes everyone worse upon contact. Or, he might be older than 30 and therefore not willing to deal with the puny two-week vacation allotment that is still socially acceptable from US employers. Or, he might have children who will have to be educated someday, and see that a system that combines astronomical tuition plu…

Are you seriously saying that life in the US is terrible if you're a woman? Do I understand that correctly? Has HN really reached that level of boneheadedness?

Re: The $200 Billion Rip-Off: Our broadband future was stolen (2007)

#38

> Then there were regulatory problems as the FCC tried to control deployment centrally while states and cities tended to view video dial tone as just another cable company to be taxed and regulated. That seems like the most egregious thing in the article: treating Internet-based video delivery as a cable company. The concept of local cable franchise monopolies is ridiculous enough to begin with, and the only possible…

They should be subject to regulation; they should not be granted monopolies. These are two entirely different concepts. The current system grants them monopolies, and fails to regulate them appropriately. This is exactly the wrong way round. But this is the problem with politicians: monopoly provides concentration of cash, and this can be tapped into far more efficiently from the perspective of political exploitation. Its much easier to garner a donation from a rich individual with concentrated cash, than many individuals. Likewise, its much easier tax a few firms or not with tax {X} in return for special favours. Its much harder to garner the support of the diffuse and middle classes (not to mention, even get/keep their attention). So, this is sort of a classic case of political economy in the instrumental sense...on both sides.

Re: The $200 Billion Rip-Off: Our broadband future was stolen (2007)

#39
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I understand that a significant majority of the United States' healthcare system is lacklustre. I understand that a significant majority of the United States' only offer limited annual leave (compared to Australia's 4 weeks). I understand that a significant majority of the United States' suffers from an extremely high murder rate for a 1st world country. This is a sample of why I don't want to live in the US, even th…

Citation needed Seriously.

http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/statistics/...

For murder rates, North America beaten by Africa only I believe.

Re: The $200 Billion Rip-Off: Our broadband future was stolen (2007)

#40
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right, because a whole country is TexaFlorida and all the inhabitants are Duck Dynasty Honey Boo Boo.

Again, I still haven't heard any arguments _for_ a life in America other than "it isn't all bad" or "it isn't as bad as Hollywood makes it look".

How do you argue for that? Life here is largely fine, but it's tough to support that because "fine" encompasses everything. There isn't much you can do besides shoot down all the incorrect statements about how it's not fine.

Most people here live decent lives, make decent money, live in decent dwellings, don't experience significant quantities of crime, etc.

Yes, there are many problems with the USA at the moment. But that does not mean that life here is somehow terrible for everyone, or even most people.

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