Category[Slow Boring]

Cryptocurrency is the Segway of finance [Matthew Yglesias, Slow Boring]

By Spencer Chen

In [Slow Boring]

December 15, 2022

270 views

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Cryptocurrency is not a revolutionary technology, but rather a cool toy that ultimately is not very useful.
Trusted intermediaries are very useful for conducting digital transactions, as they provide peace of mind and security against fraud.
Crypto is best known for its use in speculative trading, and its primary use case is for committing crimes.
Crypto can be useful in some cases, such as for people in countries with weak banking systems, but it is not a transformative technology. A good analogy is the Segway, which is nifty but ultimately serves only very marginal niches.

Click HERE for original. Published December 15, 2022

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The midterms should be a stake through the heart of the mobilization myth [Matthew Yglesias, Slow Boring]

By Spencer Chen

In [Slow Boring]

December 13, 2022

277 views

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Swing voters are real and mobilization theory is not a viable way to win elections.
Democrats won key races in the 2022 midterms by persuading a small number of Republicans to vote for them.
Democrats need to appeal to swing voters in order to win in states like Ohio, North Carolina, Florida, and Texas.
There is no tradeoff between trying to maximize turnout and trying to appeal to swing voters.
Political advocacy involves trying to convince people to change their minds and create new possibilities.

Click HERE for original. Published December 13, 2022

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Amtrak should build a good train [Matthew Yglesias, Slow Boring]

By Spencer Chen

In [Slow Boring]

December 8, 2022

184 views

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Amtrak should focus on building a true high-speed rail infrastructure along the Northeast Corridor, connecting Washington, D.C. to New York and Boston via Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Haven, and Providence.
The Northeast Corridor has the potential to be one of the world’s great high-speed train markets due to its large cities and relatively short distances between them.
Building a strong Northeast Corridor route would not only benefit passengers, but also help relieve airport congestion in the region.
Amtrak should consider extending the Northeast Corridor to Richmond, Raleigh, Charlotte, and Atlanta, as well as to Toronto and other cities in the Midwest.

Click HERE for original. Published December 8, 2022

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