Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50062703

Points: 3

# Comments: 0

From the many responses on this thread, it appears that many either don't want a defintion of "pro-American" or "anti-American" or "an American Ideal" or don't have one but these are core to your point.

How would you define each?

But unfortunately, I may be wrong and bought into an urban legend/bit of propoganda:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_licensing_in_the_Un...

I was fine with the mindset but never expected to get those questions in an interview, as it'd be illegal in the States.

- Americans are usually willing to skirt the rules and figure it out later. This comes with risk but is ideal when you're early stage, low stakes, and you couldn't follow the rules anyway.

- Europeans absolutely want to do it by the book and will be shocked if you suggest otherwise. Being process oriented is great for high stakes industries where lives and safety are on the line but destroys startups, likely slowing or even killing innovation.

There is no floor to the level of "petty" that can happen here: the UK - granted, not the EU - goes after individuals who don't pay their TV license and determine the who by triangulating unlicensed TVs via radio trucks and inspectors looking in your windows.

For infant mortality specifically, in the US we count every baby with a sign of life, regardless of the age. In many developed countries, they simply don't count too premature (under 22 weeks or 500 grams, iirc) and therefore don't consider them in the metrics. It makes for an apples to oranges comparison.

You're right on "preventable and treatable deaths" with heart disease and diabetes being the biggest contributors. The question for that comes down to "is that a result of systemic issues or individual choices?" because we can do lots about one of those.

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48979905

Points: 10

# Comments: 1

By that reasoning, all PG-13 and R rated movies are "banned" just because your elementary school library doesn't carry them. Absurd, huh?

"10000s of people" can create new definitions of words as they choose, just don't be surprised when educated people think they're fools.

> "any action taken against a book based on its content and as a result of parent or community challenges, administrative decisions, or in response to direct or threatened action by lawmakers or other governmental officials, that leads to a book being either completely removed from availability to students, or where access to a book is restricted or diminished."

Though this is a fascinating definition.. anytime, anywhere says "no thanks" to carrying a book outside of purely budgetary or physical space limits, it is now a "ban".

The more fascinating question would be discovering the boundary of what PEN, et al consider a "good ban" because I bet we could come up with a few.

In the name of literacy, we need to use words properly.

A quick check here in the States showed all of them available on Amazon for under $25 each.

I suspect this is important for two reasons..

First, because yes, it's magnitudes cheaper if you don't have to build and install the infrastructure.

Second, because now you're no longer dependent on your "local provider" which is likely to expect and deal in bribes, share info with local leaders, and generally be a potential risk to everything you want to do.

Are you speaking of Austin proper or Round Rock, West Lake, Cedar Park, or similar?

In the US, the public school system can barely teach basic reading and math. And the teachers don't appear to understand 2nd or 3rd order thinking themselves so therefore are unlikely to be able to teach it.

Teaching systems thinking may be an effective solution but it needs an effective delivery system to test it.

> The EAR definition of “export” extends beyond the transportation of physical goods outside the U.S.

> A “Deemed export” is the release of technology or source code to a foreign national in the U.S. The release is “deemed” to be an export to the last permanent residence status/citizenship of the foreign national. This can occur through demonstration, oral briefing, site visit, or through transmission of non-public data.

Ref: https://exportcontrol.lbl.gov/training/export-control-overvi...

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48690198

Points: 28

# Comments: 0

> "I think just the fact that it was the first thing on offer that wasn't the thing they were already using."

Instead of just assuming things - aka making things up - you could check.

For the Declaration, Articles, and later the Constitution specifically, much of the Founder Father's reasoning and conclusions were well-documented in public via published letters, essays, and speeches at the time. No ouija board necessary.

I'm 100% onboard with transparency and auditablility are table stakes and any methodology that doesn't address those should be disqualified.