swatow

28 ms·

211.
by swatow 12y ago
There is another part of the theory which says that you get back the full set of Pareto optimal outcomes, by redistributing wealth (e.g. through taxes and welfare). Although see my comment above on the limits of wealth redistribution.
212.
by swatow 12y ago
Externalities don't invalidate the entire theory, they just mean that adjustments have to be made in the cases where there are externalities. Hence my emphasis on the fact that a person losing their job is not an externality. I think
213.
by swatow 12y ago
>Does the framework predict monotonic utility growth? I don't understand that question. I know the language of economics very well, but you're not using the terms in way that has an obvious meaning. >Does profit maximiza
214.
by swatow 12y ago
It would be a good thing because following the principal of maximizing profits is what is most socially beneficial, in the absence of externalities. And jobs are not an externality. You have only calculated one side of the equation. You h
215.
by swatow 12y ago
In my experience you do get a better programmer as you add IQ points. In fact I think that the technical interviews for software companies are in part measuring general intelligence, although in a programming context. As people rightly po
216.
by swatow 12y ago
Personally I don't think that programming can be compared to sushi making or any other craft. I know this goes against majority thought in HN, but I think intelligence is the most important thing for a programmer, followed by domain&#
217.
by swatow 12y ago
I think that the places I listed have more in common with each other than with the US with regard to welfare.
218.
by swatow 12y ago
I didn't see much clarity on this issue in either part. Furthermore, the responses to my post are evenly split too: bdcravens, mrow84, chaostheory and twisties vs monk_e_boy, rayiner and x0x0.
219.
by swatow 12y ago
I don't mind downvotes, but it seems that there are two groups, both arguing with me, both probably downvoting, who should really be arguing with each other. The views can be summarized as A) The author is describing the psychology of
220.
by swatow 12y ago
>Please re-read what you just wrote about race and consider whether it might have interpretations other than the one you intended. To me you seem to be asserting that race is a priori indicative of socioeconomic status, rather than the
221.
by swatow 12y ago
Are you sure about that? All the evidence I've ever seen shows a significant payoff to college education. E.g. https://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/reg/hearulemaking/2011/c... (which breaks th
222.
by swatow 12y ago
Are you also offended by the replies to my comment by rayiner and monk_e_boy? They are basically agreeing with my interpretation of the statement (although they think that the statement, interpreted this way, is true).
223.
by swatow 12y ago
It is very typical on the left for a personal account of the experience and psychology of being X to also be a political argument. Even if the author didn't intend it that way, it's certainly being used in the context of a politi
224.
by swatow 12y ago
>What's the point of saving? One car crash and it's wiped out. You save and delay the gratification, but it never comes. You save and save and save, then some bad luck wipes it out. You lose a job. A vet bill. A friend needs a
225.
by swatow 12y ago
Going with what your interpretation, I would consider wording it like that to be obfuscation by the author. The author is clearly arguing from a left wing viewpoint, and wants to emphasize lack of social mobility. Fine, but then the autho
226.
by swatow 12y ago
The fact that you answered me with this quote confirms something that I suspected but wasn't sure enough to put down in my first post: The author is being unclear about whether the statements she's making are things she claims ar
227.
by swatow 12y ago
I don't see any connection between LSD and geek culture, except for the one programmer who happened to be at that conference. I'd go further and say that I don't see a strong connection between geek culture and the countercul
228.
by swatow 12y ago
>I make a lot of poor financial decisions. None of them matter, in the long term. I will never not be poor, so what does it matter if I don't pay a thing and a half this week instead of just one thing? It's not like the sacrif
229.
by swatow 12y ago
It's not really possible to compare prices across such large time periods. The author chose to fix the price of one commodity (unskilled labor), while you chose a difference commodity (food).
230.
by swatow 12y ago
But are the majority of SF residents owners? Is it really about voting, or about savvy political lobbying by property owners?
231.
by swatow 12y ago
I realize that I was referring to number of LOC touched a day, not change to the total codebase size. I'm not sure what the first poster had in mind. For reference, I count myself as writing about ~40 LOC a day for a greenfield projec
232.
by swatow 12y ago
No, this is just an extreme example of the "don't try to be a smart guy" ideology. In practice 100-500 LOC per day is normal.
233.
by swatow 12y ago
I studied health economics a bit, and the article does a really good job of covering all the bases. This really isn't a question that can be answered with grand theories e.g. "Just give them money", "Africa needs low te
234.
by swatow 12y ago
There's another side to that, which is that charging a tiny amount has a disproportionate effect on usage (e.g. $0.00 to $0.01 has a bigger effect than $0.01 to $1.00). This shows that charging a fee has the negative impact of prevent
235.
by swatow 12y ago
Fascinating article. While the concept of a "real" dollar is a leaky abstraction (hence the constant bickering about how the price indices that determine pensions etc. should be calculated), it still is a striking way to demonstr
236.
by swatow 12y ago
It's probably not replying, because you are giving "evidence" which can easily verified, while I am making assertions based on my knowledge of the field, knowledge that you probably won't acknowledge I have because you&#
237.
by swatow 12y ago
I don't think it is ever tenable to claim that mathematics is purely a human construction. The Formalist viewpoint is that mathematics is just the manipulation of symbols, according to certain rules. But Formalists accept that these
238.
by swatow 12y ago
Are you really disagreeing with me? I simply read an article, and noted that the real issue was the government intervention, not private businesses inability to make good judgments, or individuals lack of restraint in assholish behavior.
239.
by swatow 12y ago
The key point here is that the government forces businesses to accommodate Emotional Support Animals through the Fair Housing Act, the Air Carrier Access Act and the Americans with Disability Act. This is not an issue of modern society not
240.
by swatow 12y ago
>I suspect you didn't study enough economics I studied more than enough, and more than you. Why don't you tell me the areas of economics you think involve deep mathematics?

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