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Comment Re:Visas, or Green Cards? (Score 3, Insightful) 552

What you and a lot of other people don't understand is that for many of us, H1B visas are the only viable path to a green card. US immigration policy is rather ridiculous in that respect in that it doesn't have a properly designed, dedicated skilled immigration track, the way e.g. Canada, Australia or New Zealand do. So in practice that role is subsumed by the "dual-intent" H1B, where you come into the country on that as a "temp worker", and then get your employer to sponsor you for a green card.

Thus, H1B has two kinds of people lumped together into it: the true temp workers, usually paid low wages, and kicked out as soon as their visa expires; and people who are trying to actually immigrate and using it as a stepping stone. In most other countries, the two pools are separated much earlier on.

Comment Re:why not have an impact in their own countries? (Score 1) 552

Why not stay in whatever country they currently reside and try to have an impact there?

As an H1-B from Russia, let me give you the answer:

Because I get paid waaaay more in US (even accounting for cost of living and cost of property). Because this is a more stable and prospering society with crime levels several times less. Because I can actually get into politics here on any level from local to national without risking my neck.

Basically, because the grass is greener on this side of the fence.

Comment Re:Wrong assumption (Score 1) 552

TFS assumes that all great programmers actually want to live in the US.

It doesn't. It assumes that there is a sufficient number of great programmers who don't want to live where they currently live, and for whom a country like US that is easy for them to move into and that would offer great career opportunities would be very attractive. That is certainly true for pretty much anyone from a third world shithole somewhere in Africa or Asia, and even for many from relatively well off middle class families in Eastern Europe or Latin America.

Now it's true that US is not the only one offering this deal. The main players in the market today are US, Canada and Australia. Of these, US is the hardest to immigrate to and has the most associated red tape and the least clarity; Canada is arguably the easiest. OTOH, US generally offers the best career prospects, and the highest quality of life in terms of how much to earn vs cost of living, so it's still the #1 destination for skilled immigration.

Comment Re:Mod parent up. (Score 1) 552

If company X wants to hire the top 20 programmers in India then they can do that. And those programmers can work from home (in India).

They can, and do. But when that happens, people start complaining about how those programmers working in India (and hence being paid proportionally to the cost of living there) undercut them. And they also pay their taxes in India, and spend that money there, thereby subsidizing Indian economy. So from your perspective, it's better that those same people are employed in US - where they have to contend with the cost of living here (and demand the appropriate wage), pay income and property taxes here, and spend their earned money here.

Unless, that is, you're one of the people who are complaining about the "curry stench".

Comment Re:Effing Grinches That Spoiled Christmas (Score 1) 160

I thought you sided with

I don't side with. I side against. Against 8chan pedos. Against rape apologists and definitely against anyone who harass women or condone sexual abuse of children. Against #GamerGate.

And definitely against anyone who would shit all over my long-time preferred pastime of video games the way GamerGate has done. More damage has been done to the gaming community in 2014 than in any time since I've been gaming. And sonny, I've got game cartridges that are older than you are. I've got cheetoh crumbs in my couch that are older than you and your fucked up microscopic cadre of sociopaths.

Comment "moment" (Score 5, Insightful) 94

For a while there it looked like Kodak's moment had come and gone

Kodak was a dominant technology corporation for over a century. They were dominant through economic downturns, world wars, cultural changes and across industrial sectors. They were one of a handful of the most recognizable brand names of the entire 20th century (they started in 1888). They did business in three centuries.

I'm pretty sure that qualifies as more than a "moment".

Comment Re:Statehood for England (Score 1) 360

Don't forget that states themselves can initiate an amendment (through convention). Then you basically just need 3/4 of the states - first to submit the amendment, and then to ratify it.

Here's a fun fact: because of the disparity in state size and population, it's actually possible for the Constitution to be amended with less than 50% of electorate in favor, so long as they are all in smaller states (if you take the list of states and sort by population, you'll see that the top 1/4 adds up to more than 50%).

Comment Re:Tree of liberty (Score 1) 360

The constitution (hence the name) legislates the rights of the government versus its citizens and the rights of the citizens versus the government

Exactly.

And any law enacted that restricts citizens' speech (whether it is directed against government, or other citizens, or something else entirely), is enacted by the government. By Congress, specifically.

And the Constitution specifically prohibits the government to enact such laws.

Seriously, you're arguing against the literal meaning of the amendment. Even ignoring the centuries of precedence on the subject (which convincingly say that you're wrong - have a look at Brandenburg v. Ohio), even just the text itself makes it blatantly clear: Congress shall make no law. Don't embarrass yourself.

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