Hacker News: PatentTroll

New comment by PatentTroll in "Concrete-free washing machines are lighter to transport, just as good in a spin"

PatentTroll — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 14:48:55 +0000

This. The problem is that the costs of transportation are externalized to a shipper, and the environmental costs the shipper incurs are externalized to ... future generations? And the cost of the eventual replacement is externalized to the consumer ten years from now. It may be wise for us as a society to find ways to fully account for all costs of products to use market forces to make better decisions for society as a whole, rather than enriching a segment at the expense of another.

New comment by PatentTroll in "Concrete-free washing machines are lighter to transport, just as good in a spin"

PatentTroll — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 14:42:33 +0000

Why didn't he make it himself?

New comment by PatentTroll in "My own private basic income"

PatentTroll — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 14:58:30 +0000

It is factually true that capital gains is taxed lower than income in the US.

New comment by PatentTroll in "My own private basic income"

PatentTroll — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 14:57:46 +0000

And being "capable" in the first place is largely due to luck also. What is being "capable?" Intelligence, education, discipline, motivation? Intelligence is largely genetics and your socioeconomic status as a child. Education? Intelligence plus socioeconomic status as a child and young adult. And a fair bit of luck too (i.e., admissions, etc.). Discipline? Parent's socioeconomic status and probably some genetic/psych/environmental influences. Point being, just being capable of being "capable" has much to do with things outside of your control. Most are unaware or dismissive of this. Goes back to the old adage of being born on third base and congratulating yourself for hitting a home run.

New comment by PatentTroll in "MIT’s gas-powered drone is able to stay in the air for five days at a time"

PatentTroll — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 20:40:17 +0000

I think you just invented the dirigible?

New comment by PatentTroll in "MIT’s gas-powered drone is able to stay in the air for five days at a time"

PatentTroll — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 20:39:25 +0000

I remember when we used to call them model airplanes.

New comment by PatentTroll in "A ‘very credible’ new study on Seattle’s $15 minimum wage has bad news"

PatentTroll — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 13:42:04 +0000

And what is the value created by labor? Let's split the discussion into service jobs and non-service jobs, as we all know most of these minimum wage positions are service jobs. So, what is the value of one hour of service labor? Whatever someone will pay for it. Which is set by a market of service providers all decreasing their prices to the lowest they can tolerate. Because if you can undercut a competitor, the free market says you will win the business. Which, for the people who make minimum wage, is how little a wage they will accept. Ok, what sets the floor for what people will tolerate to be paid? When looking at the minimum wage sector of the population, what is their bargaining power? What is the bargaining power of the employers? Is it a free market? What other options do the workers have? Is it a voluntary transaction if the alternative is starvation and homelessness?

New comment by PatentTroll in "A ‘very credible’ new study on Seattle’s $15 minimum wage has bad news"

PatentTroll — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 13:34:44 +0000

Or will the prices just increase to account for the higher wage? Isn't that easier?

New comment by PatentTroll in "A ‘very credible’ new study on Seattle’s $15 minimum wage has bad news"

PatentTroll — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 17:56:22 +0000

Your conclusion lies on the assumption that rational economists must oppose any measure which decreases demand.

New comment by PatentTroll in "A ‘very credible’ new study on Seattle’s $15 minimum wage has bad news"

PatentTroll — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 17:48:19 +0000

Or, if no company is willing to pay a living wage to accomplish a task, does it need to be done?

New comment by PatentTroll in "A ‘very credible’ new study on Seattle’s $15 minimum wage has bad news"

PatentTroll — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 17:47:25 +0000

And to the free marketers who point out that companies could voluntarily pay a living wage, you're not wrong! But it exposes the fault in the free market religion. The market, on a whole, will gladly enslave and abuse a small minority for the benefit of the majority.

New comment by PatentTroll in "A ‘very credible’ new study on Seattle’s $15 minimum wage has bad news"

PatentTroll — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 17:44:36 +0000

No, you're telling the customers that their food is subsidized by ultra cheap labor. Of course, higher prices will decrease the number of goods sold, which the free marketers regard as a deadly sin. Rather, when costs are fully internalized, the free market works better! Externalizing costs onto labor by perpetuating a below-living wage is a market distortion held up by government! They should hate it!

New comment by PatentTroll in "Amazon Is Trying to Control the Underlying Infrastructure of Our Economy"

PatentTroll — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 12:14:21 +0000

Also, as an Amazon shopper, their fulfillment is a known quantity to me. If I buy from your shop with your shipping, I am taking on the risk of potentially longer shipping. And I also have an increased suspicion of fake or knock off goods. So, even if I saw both listings side by side, I'd pay 10% to Amazon for their fulfillment and a perceived lower risk of knock off (despite reading much about Amazon sold knock offs). In fact, I've often bypassed the buy box to buy the same item from amazon at a higher price for these reasons

New comment by PatentTroll in "Uber Can’t Be Fixed – It’s Time for Regulators to Shut It Down"

PatentTroll — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 13:09:31 +0000

Dude, that's exactly what taxi commissions are! They certify that taxis conform to some basic standards. I'm not trying to be nice to you because the ideas you are espousing are corrosive and dangerous. I oppose your false ideology completely.

New comment by PatentTroll in "Populism and the Economics of Globalization [pdf]"

PatentTroll — Thu, 22 Jun 2017 23:53:19 +0000

Well I guess that's my point, let's have a conversation about inequality and discuss how much is too much. It's a reasonable thing to debate. Your post seemed to imply that railing against the 1% was inappropriate in some way

New comment by PatentTroll in "Uber Can’t Be Fixed – It’s Time for Regulators to Shut It Down"

PatentTroll — Thu, 22 Jun 2017 23:49:04 +0000

Yeah, that's fucking terrible

New comment by PatentTroll in "Uber Can’t Be Fixed – It’s Time for Regulators to Shut It Down"

PatentTroll — Thu, 22 Jun 2017 23:48:15 +0000

Ok, so taxis. If it is going to be a voluntary transaction, I need to know 1) the drivers background check to make sure he isn't a murderer or rapist, 2) has a clean driving record, 3) has a license, 4) carries insurance that covers me while I'm in his car, 5) is driving a safe vehicle, 6) and what the ride costs. Do you really expect each taxi passenger to sort out all of that info for each and every ride!? Wouldn't it be easier for everyone to get together to set some standards and put some folks in charge of enforcing those standards so that you can just hop in a cab and reasonably expect not to die? Doesn't that sound reasonable? Well that's all the regulation is. If you want to argue about NYC medallions and regulatory capture, you're not wrong. That shit should be figured out. By involvement in government, voting, and citizen action. What you're really mad about is the perceived inflexibility and ineffective nature of that process. But you're also the same kind of free market numbskull who supports unfettered capitalism and campaign donations, which is how a special interest strangles a government body like a taxi cab commission.

New comment by PatentTroll in "Uber Can’t Be Fixed – It’s Time for Regulators to Shut It Down"

PatentTroll — Thu, 22 Jun 2017 23:22:11 +0000

What you fail to grasp is that your rights end where others begin, and there's more people in the world who aren't you than who are you. Grow up.

Let's get rid of doctor licensing then? The free market will separate the good ones from the ones who will kill you! Pyramid schemes? You have the right to invest in one, so why outlaw it? Toxic waste dump? Go for it! Don't let the evil law stop you! Seriously, you're incredibly dull if you cannot grasp the consequences of your words. Each and every one of these hated laws came about as a result of something bad happening, and people were like "yeah, let's prevent that from happening again." Then everything is good, and idiots like you come by and scream about the big gubmint keepin you down! The horrors! Well go back in time then you moron, to the time when slavery existed (there's a law against that) or kids worked in coal mines (there's a law against that) without safety equipment (nor laws) or taxi drivers didn't carry insurance (dreaded regulations that Uner flaunted).

New comment by PatentTroll in "Uber Can’t Be Fixed – It’s Time for Regulators to Shut It Down"

PatentTroll — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 19:45:33 +0000

And what about AirBnb? Or any of the many 'gig economy' startups that flaunt labor laws? I agree with the article. Let's not punish innovation, but let's make sure we don't get a new normal of startups making money by breaking the law. And not just abstract policy wonk big gummint type of law, but like the things that make sure people don't get taken advantage of and are safe.

New comment by PatentTroll in "Populism and the Economics of Globalization [pdf]"

PatentTroll — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 18:58:49 +0000

Disagree. There certainly are large genetic and huge environmental factors in raw intelligence, and then a whole raft of environmental and cultural factors in how a person with that intelligence is able to use it. I'm a privileged, intelligent, educated white guy but I have an intellectual appreciation for what it must be like to be born to a poor minority family in a poor area. You will point to some example of some guy who made it out of the third world or the ghetto, but the reason that dude is a story is because he's an extreme outlier. Empathy man.