4 ms·

If we provided these areas with internet access too via satellite or balloon, you would likely have a whole legion of educated young people fixing problems from

by mnbcvx 10y ago

If we provided these areas with internet access too via satellite or balloon, you would likely have a whole legion of educated young people fixing problems from within their own society, rather than an outside force mostly wreaking havoc despite its intentions. I don't know if the average American would scoff at the idea, but I am dead sure that it would turn out better for everyone than the path we took.

DKnoll 10y ago
Don't forget a reliable power grid. The scope just grows and grows... there are no easy solutions to poverty.
- mnbcvx 10y ago
  Drop some generators then too! I live in Cambodia, and spend a lot of time out in the provinces where everyone meets up daily to charge their phones and other electronic devices around the single generator in a village. And need I mention that massive bombing campaigns don't exactly facilitate having a reliable power grid. Everything I'm saying would cost peanuts compared to what the US spends on weapons and war.
  - DKnoll 10y ago
    I think you're responding to a comment that advocates US foreign policy... I haven't ever made one. I'm just saying that Facebook and Google can't throw some balloons and gliders in the sky supplying Internet access and call it a day. There are many more barriers to increasing the penetration of technology in the third world. I also have a hard time believing that the former Cambodian regime would have allowed generators and other supplies from the US to be used by the populace.
  - DanBC 10y ago
    > I live in Cambodia, and spend a lot of time out in the provinces where everyone meets up daily to charge their phones and other electronic devices around the single generator in a village. I would love to read a blog post about this. Do people charge, who maintains the generator, is there any solar, what else do people need, what else do people want?

by mnbcvx 10y ago

DKnoll 10y ago

Don't forget a reliable power grid. The scope just grows and grows... there are no easy solutions to poverty.

mnbcvx 10y ago
Drop some generators then too! I live in Cambodia, and spend a lot of time out in the provinces where everyone meets up daily to charge their phones and other electronic devices around the single generator in a village. And need I mention that massive bombing campaigns don't exactly facilitate having a reliable power grid. Everything I'm saying would cost peanuts compared to what the US spends on weapons and war.
- DKnoll 10y ago
  I think you're responding to a comment that advocates US foreign policy... I haven't ever made one. I'm just saying that Facebook and Google can't throw some balloons and gliders in the sky supplying Internet access and call it a day. There are many more barriers to increasing the penetration of technology in the third world. I also have a hard time believing that the former Cambodian regime would have allowed generators and other supplies from the US to be used by the populace.
- DanBC 10y ago
  > I live in Cambodia, and spend a lot of time out in the provinces where everyone meets up daily to charge their phones and other electronic devices around the single generator in a village. I would love to read a blog post about this. Do people charge, who maintains the generator, is there any solar, what else do people need, what else do people want?