The Swedish model is a lot like the French model - Orange (formerly France telecom) owns all of the last-mile infrastructure, but any provider can use it for their services. So there was a large amount of competition, especially after the company Free came along. So you can get TV, phone (free calling to 100+ countries) and >50Mbps internet for about 30 Euros a month (roughly $40). Now I'm back in the US and I'm getting raped by Comcast for their 'high speed internet' which costs around $100/mo.

I'm pretty sure you could turn off the 2D assist in I-War2... I remember there was a mission that required stealth, and to reduce your thermal signature, you had to disable the assist to prevent extra thruster usage.

They did because they didnt want their computers to look like cheap pieces of crap.

Actually its been shown that in a slow economy, giving money to idle workers has a stimulating effect on the economy since those workers will spend pretty much all the money they get. With a stronger economy there is more job creation leading to less unemployment and reducing the need for money to be given to idle workers.

Regarding your 'point' of a job, economic value is twofold - first is the worker's contribution to the end product (whatever that may be); second is the worker's participation in the economy by spending the money they make in their job. These two things are inextricably linked to have a functioning economy - without production by workers, there is nothing to buy; without spending by workers, nothing gets sold. So an increase in standard of living can come about two ways - lower prices via higher productivity, or more purchasing power by workers via increase in salary or other means.

You forgot the part where the minimum wage workforce has more disposable income due to the wage increase, and is thus able to afford more of your widgets, meaning you can keep your higher paid workforce.

This may help https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

Try running it on your toaster.

This "I got mine so fuck everybody else" attitude is precisely the problem with this country.

So are you trying to say that cable as it is now is the paragon of efficiency and innovation? Even though they change at least 3x more than the rest of the world for crappier service?

Its funny, I went to buy some meat at a boucherie in France and the kid working behind the counter didn't even know what to do with my chipless American card. I don't think he had ever seen a card without a chip. Just shows how far behind the times we are in the US.

People in all those countries I listed have equal, affordable access. The UK has the NHS, France has CPAM under Securite Sociale, etc. These countries have strong government intervention setting the prices of healthcare, and as a result, costs are much lower than the US. For example, in France, you can see any public GP for 23€. Then you will be reimbursed 70% of that or 15.10€ of that from CPAM. In the US, I think most people's copay is higher than $30 to see a GP.

Umm, there are plenty of countries outside of totalitarian regimes that give everyone access to decent medical care. Just look at any of the first world countries besides the US (UK, France, Germany, etc).

I guess you haven't used your AppleTV in a while then, since it can stream from much more than iTunes. Off the top of my head, it can do Netflix, Hulu, Youtube, Qello, various sports networks, HBO Go, Vimeo, some Disney channels, etc.

Wine in Europe does indeed come in boxes. You can find many French wine producers selling their wine in boxes. The difference between the boxed French wine and boxed American wine is that the boxed American wine tends to be crap, whereas in France you can find some excellent wines in boxes. In some cases its better to go with the box, since the wine tends to last longer once opened due to the lack of aeration of the wine.

Or even better, one from 2011 which can fly and roll on the ground http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF0uLnMoQZA