[PLUG] A Broadband Beat-Down - article from NY Times

Paul Johnson baloo at ursine.ca
Sun Jun 26 19:22:57 UTC 2005


On Sunday June 26 2005 3:40 am, Ronald Chmara wrote:

> See California's recent energy debacle for an example of possible
> problems with privatization in a capitalist democracy...

Or, for real-world examples, try BC Ferries or Vancouver's BC Transit 
district.  Ask passengers how they feel about their route being cut, 
and having to pay twice as much for half the service on a route 
farther from them.

Or BC Telecom (now Telus) customers how they like their phone bill 
doubling with no real change in service.

> "More profitable" is not always the same thing as a better product.
> Sometimes, a *worse* product is more profitable.

Case in point:  The 1995 Kia Sportage has almost the same size 
interior, 25 more horsepower and 20 MPG better fuel economy over the 
1995 Ford Explorer.  The Sportage cost $9500 well-loaded, a 
comparably-equipped Explorer would cost you well beyond twice that.

I still see plenty of Sportages on the road; my own has just under 
100,000 on the odo with at least another 100,000 left in it.  I can't 
remember the last time I saw a 10-year-old Ford *anything*.

> >  has given us the highest standard of living in the world.
>
> I suppose that would depend on one's metrics. The US does not have:
> The best education system.
> The best infant mortality rate.
> The best healthcare system.
> The best housing system.
> (etc.)
>
> All countries have a blend of good and bad, one's individually
> weighted metrics determine standard of living. According to the UN,
> the US ranks not at number one, two, or even three.
>
> *shrug*
>
> I guess it depends on your metrics.

Go by UN metrics, Canada comes out on top and the US rounds out dead 
last for first-world countries.  California, the south and American 
politics do the most to hinder us.

-- 
Paul Johnson
Email and Instant Messenger (Jabber): baloo at ursine.ca
http://ursine.ca/~baloo/
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