My thoughts, on Steve’s thoughts
As his profile grows lamer and lamer, I finally had to say what everyone’s been whispering about. So, here’s a little constructive criticism.
“Isn’t it amazing that the human race has been roaming the world for upwards of 50,000 years. Yet we’ve only been settled for 15,000 years. And literate for only 4,000! ”
We’ve been around for over 100,000 years. People have been settled in certain areas of the world for more than 50,000. There has been writings on tortoise shells from more than 8,600 years ago. Even if you don’t want to consider these mere ideographical works and not actual writings, there were writing systems in place in the 4th millenium BC. That’s 6,000 years ago. If you ever got a single statistic correct, it’d be much more impressive than these ground breaking thoughts.
“From such a slow start.. we’ve fairly exploded in the last half millenium.”
Millenium? Eh. It’s hard for you to be wrong here no matter what you say I guess.
“We’ve realized the size and extent of the world 400 years ago, had the ability to communicate around the world 200 years ago, able to hear people across the world 100 years ago, able to see people across the world 80 years ago… and now I’m able to instantly communicate with anyone, anywhere.”
You really underestimate how smart the Greeks were. Also, 200 years ago we weren’t communicating across the ocean’s any differently than we were 200 years before that. 150 years, I’ll give you. A transatlantic telegraph cable was laid in 1866.
“More pontifications at work..”
Greaaaat
“Power companies are huge companies. They’re part of the foundations for a modern society. The money they spend and collect is jaw dropping. US GDP: 12 Trillian. Approximate Revenue of Utilities: 1.5 Trillian. And I’m a part of this industry?”
Assuming that revenue of utilities includes all utilities based in America, and all operating in America, follow me here.. GDP only calculates the the total value of final good produced within the country’s borders. For instance, that German company you work for, their US profits go into GDP, and into the revenue. GE’s US based profits go into both as well. However, any money GE makes internationally does not count towards GDP (it does count towards GNP though, funny that), however it does count towards revenues. Of course, there is also the fact that cable/phone/water/sewage/public transportation/etc all count as utilities too, none of whom are power companies.
Also, they do most of their business because of government mandated monopolies. Illegal drug trade manages to command a $312B market while fighting against governments the whole time. Much more impressive.
“Yet more pontifications of work…”
Christ. Do some actual work.
“Farmers barely survive because raw food is worth nothing — corn farmers are some of the most subsidized farmers — government subsidies keep them alive. Few people starve in America though. Why can’t we send some of our food wealth to the starving children in the world?”
I’m just going to ignore that this “argument” went off in a dozen different directions, and try to answer your last question. Because people with guns take the food from the starving people and use it as leverage. Oh yeah, and the US donates more food aid than every other country in the world combined. 57% comes from here. And it’s not helping anything as we do nothing to help protect food security, we just toss it off the boat and sail away.