KaiP's comments | WingNews

KaiP | 17 years ago | on: Milton Friedman: How to Cure Health Care (2001)

First use historical statistics and if possible, historical examples of the ideas being implemented. What the article presented was not much more than circumstantial (costs are going up, we have these programs, therefore these programs are causing costs to go up). If the evidence seems sound by an independent advisory board, have a pilot program put in place at one hospital, one city, or one county and carefully monitor the results. If proven successful in those trials, expand further.

KaiP | 17 years ago | on: Milton Friedman: How to Cure Health Care (2001)

This article is a pretty clear demonstration of what I dislike about popular economics (liberal and conservative) compared to hard science. Conclusions are drawn up based on ideological assumptions, then evidence is gathered, then public policy is changed. In any given case, several explanations are possible, but rarely is empirical testing done to prove that one is more feasible than the other. Instead they coexist as equals, gaining support based on random political futures. Perhaps this is a fundamental weakness in economics and cannot be overcome, but it seems to me that not enough pressure is being put on the field to make the ideas fully testable. As a engineer and numbers guy, I want to see my tax dollars spent (or not spent) only on ideas that have been rigorously examined and tested to be the most productive for society.

KaiP | 17 years ago | on: My Web is Text Based

The main problem I have with video over text is that it takes much longer to convey the same information. I can read about 5 times faster (450-500 wpm) than most video (90-100 wpm). So other than special cases where video is crucial, I much prefer text.

KaiP | 17 years ago | on: An analysis of the Buffalo air crash

From the article: http://adds.aviationweather.gov/phputils/wrap_image.php

Not that you should use it to make travel decisions. The odds that your plane goes down, even in icy conditions, are extremely low.

KaiP | 17 years ago | on: So maybe the slackers had it right after all

I was curious about your claim, but looking at GDP/hour, it doesn't appear true:

http://www.conference-board.org/economics/downloads/Producti... (page 18)

What studies are you basing your claim off of?

KaiP | 17 years ago | on: The Elephant in the Room: Google Monoculture

The reason people find Google less objectionable than Microsoft is that it is far easier for the average consumer to switch search engines than it is for them to switch operating systems. So while Microsoft could force out better competitors, there's no way for Google to stop people from using another search engine. There just needs to be one that is worth switching to.

KaiP | 17 years ago | on: Trying to Live on 500K in New York City

Top football programs basically fund entire athletic departments. So in order to maintain a top brand, paying an excellent coach 10% of your budget doesn't seem to be a bad investment.

See http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122853304793584959.html?mod=...

KaiP | 17 years ago | on: "Nvidia is Definitely Working on an x86 Chip"

Interesting news, although pretty light on the details. Also, why is the author so angry?

KaiP | 17 years ago | on: Gaming HN for an Orange Name - A Warning

I enjoy reading interesting (#6), serious (#7), and succinct (#8) comments. Hopefully this new system will encourage such behavior.

KaiP | 17 years ago | on: Singularly Stupid

I'm tired of hearing about a better battery. Yes it would be useful and lucrative, but it's a very hard problem that has been worked on by lots of people for a long time.

KaiP | 17 years ago | on: Cal to offer course in Advanced Starcraft Theory

Here's the course list for this semester: http://www.decal.org/courses/index.php

Other DeCals include: The Ethics of Star Trek, Bookworlds: Introduction to Mythological Creatures - Here There Be Dragons, and I Keeps it Real: Race Relations in Chappelle's Show

KaiP | 18 years ago

http://ijlit.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/16/1/1

is the full text of the original article if you want more technical info.

KaiP | 18 years ago | on: 6 things that killed Waifmail (another Diary of another Failed Startup)

I prefer this kind of failure chronicle to the ones usually listed here. It talks about specific, obvious problems encountered and doesn't try to extrapolate any huge overarching themes about startups in general, which are usually somewhat misleading.

KaiP | 18 years ago | on: So... You want your code to be maintainable.

I'm not sure how having a testing framework leads directly to good design. I know they help show that things aren't broken, but I don't see how they affect the design of the modification.

KaiP | 18 years ago | on: Social Networking Is Not a Business*

I would argue distraction is a service, but not an easy one to monetize, at least in this form.

KaiP | 18 years ago | on: The Problem With Music

Interesting article, very thorough in its explanation of all the ways bands can get screwed financially. I'd be interested to see more hard data as to how common this case is, where it fits in on the spectrum (percentile-wise) of band signings.

KaiP | 18 years ago | on: Ask YC: what non-top-tier college to apply for?

Berkeley is awesome. Nothing you can't get here academically that you could get at another school. Great bang for your buck.

(EECS senior)