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Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

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Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#141

Post by mbreese »

esskay wrote: post #129
leokennis wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> outside the US consumer banking must be horrible or non-existent if its that bad the USA When I read about US consumer banking ("cashing" cheques like its 1975, all kinds of ATM fees, credit scores and having to use weird "you are not really sending money real time but because the app you are sending the payment instruction through is legit you can sort of be assured the money will be paid eventually") and then loo…

It is a bit baffling how the US is so far behind on basically everything when it comes to money, banking and payments. I'm not sure many American's even realise how god awful their setup is.

I think of it as second mover advantage. The US basically has the first system that worked. And in terms of the expectations of the 1960s, it works really well. But, because it works “good enough” there is very little incentive to make it work better… or to the level of “better” in 21st century terms. And because we’ve lived with this system for so long, all of the fees and charges have largely been internalized, so we don’t question their existence.

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#142

Post by xienze »

walrus01 wrote: post #61
heraldgeezer wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These types of countries can't even keep power, internet WAN, mobile RAN/Core, infra up on a consistent basis. I knew it had to be something like this. Yes, mask off. Yes, I am tired.

> can't even keep power, internet WAN, mobile RAN/Core, infra up on a consistent basis. You could say this as well about significant parts of Appalachia in the US and other impoverished regions of the US, and many first nations reserves in remote parts of Canada too.

> You could say this as well about significant parts of Appalachia in the US and other impoverished regions of the US

And the reaction here if say West Virginia launched a satellite would be the same: why are you wasting money doing this when .

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#144

Post by clarionbell »

sokols wrote: post #135
scrappyjoe wrote: post #104

So many strong opinions here from commenters who aren’t actually from Botswana. Let me tell you how we actually feel about it here. We think it’s awesome! The establishment of a university of science and technology in Botswana has been a long hard road, and many mistakes have been made along the way. But the fact that Botswana now has the local skill to deploy a satellite and make use of the data it provides to infor…

Congratulations on the successful launch! > .. I’d listen to the Voice of America.. I grew up listening to VoA as a kid as well, I was born in a then not so developed part of the Balkans. Sometimes I have the feeling that the ordinary Americans don't have a clue about the impact VoA had in the countries like ours.

Those in government right now certainly don't, or they don't care.

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#145

Post by sofixa »

mbreese wrote: post #141
esskay wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is a bit baffling how the US is so far behind on basically everything when it comes to money, banking and payments. I'm not sure many American's even realise how god awful their setup is.

I think of it as second mover advantage. The US basically has the first system that worked. And in terms of the expectations of the 1960s, it works really well. But, because it works “good enough” there is very little incentive to make it work better… or to the level of “better” in 21st century terms. And because we’ve lived with this system for so long, all of the fees and charges have largely been internalized, so…

I'm not sure that's a good excuse. Most Western European nations adopted the same systems shortly afterwards, and had the same type of legacy (cheques, fees all over the place, slow transfers)... But they haven't stopped there and have kept innovating and modernising. A big part of the innovation, which many Americans will hate to hear, has been enforced by the EU. Fast (seconds) and free transfers, as well as low card transaction fees have all been forced by EU laws and regulations. The banks would without a doubt prefer to be making more money from those things, but nobody is asking them.

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#146

Post by sofixa »

leokennis wrote: post #139
simfree wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Zelle works well enough for doing small (eg: only a few thousand dollars or less) instant transfers for free, and ACH works well enough for large transfers. Our banking ecosystem is extremely fragmented with thousands of small banks and credit unions, we aren't like Canada where the 5 largest banks control nearly the entire market and can change things relatively quickly.

As a counterpoint, there are nearly 4,000 banks operating in the Eurozone. In 2017 a scheme was mandated by the European Central Bank for Instant Payments (actual funds moved between banks within 20 seconds) which currently most banks support, all banks can receive and which by October this year all banks must be able to send out. It is possible in the US. But somehow it's not happening.

Don't forget that Instant Payments are free.

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#147

Post by Ray20 »

scrappyjoe wrote: post #104

So many strong opinions here from commenters who aren’t actually from Botswana. Let me tell you how we actually feel about it here. We think it’s awesome! The establishment of a university of science and technology in Botswana has been a long hard road, and many mistakes have been made along the way. But the fact that Botswana now has the local skill to deploy a satellite and make use of the data it provides to infor…

>Let me tell you how we actually feel about it here.

Can we have the opinion not from some privileged elites, but of the oppressed majority, who are literally starving to involuntarily under threat of execution finance all this support projects for this disgusting government?

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#148

Post by varjag »

Ray20 wrote: post #147
scrappyjoe wrote: post #104

So many strong opinions here from commenters who aren’t actually from Botswana. Let me tell you how we actually feel about it here. We think it’s awesome! The establishment of a university of science and technology in Botswana has been a long hard road, and many mistakes have been made along the way. But the fact that Botswana now has the local skill to deploy a satellite and make use of the data it provides to infor…

>Let me tell you how we actually feel about it here. Can we have the opinion not from some privileged elites, but of the oppressed majority, who are literally starving to involuntarily under threat of execution finance all this support projects for this disgusting government?

When USSR launched the world's first satellite into space, the enthusiasm was universal. Even among its peasants who at the time were paperless indentured servants.

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#149

Post by loudmax »

throwaway2037 wrote: post #123
tarkin2 wrote: post #91

[flagged]

Small? Not at all. Google tells me: Botswana, with an area of 581,730 square kilometers, is roughly the size of France or Texas, and slightly larger than the combined area of the UK and Ireland.

But with a population of 2.7 million. That is the more relevant factor here, and by this metric they're on the side of tiny.

And that makes their ability to develop a functioning satellite that integrates into a launch vehicle all the more impressive! Kudos to Botswana's engineers.

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#150

Post by elric »

Ray20 wrote: post #147
scrappyjoe wrote: post #104

So many strong opinions here from commenters who aren’t actually from Botswana. Let me tell you how we actually feel about it here. We think it’s awesome! The establishment of a university of science and technology in Botswana has been a long hard road, and many mistakes have been made along the way. But the fact that Botswana now has the local skill to deploy a satellite and make use of the data it provides to infor…

>Let me tell you how we actually feel about it here. Can we have the opinion not from some privileged elites, but of the oppressed majority, who are literally starving to involuntarily under threat of execution finance all this support projects for this disgusting government?

Can we maybe not shit on this parade? The number of non-disgusting governments world in space-capable nations currently sits at zero. It doesn't detract from this achievement, and people are right to celebrate it.
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