Skip to content
By using Twitter’s services you agree to our Cookies Use. We and our partners operate globally and use cookies, including for analytics, personalisation, and ads.

This is the legacy version of twitter.com. We will be shutting it down on June 1, 2020. Please switch to a supported browser, or disable the extension which masks your browser. You can see a list of supported browsers in our Help Center.

  • Home Home Home, current page.
  • About

Saved searches

  • Remove
  • In this conversation
    Verified accountProtected Tweets @
Suggested users
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @
  • Language: English
    • Bahasa Indonesia
    • Bahasa Melayu
    • Català
    • Čeština
    • Dansk
    • Deutsch
    • English UK
    • Español
    • Filipino
    • Français
    • Hrvatski
    • Italiano
    • Magyar
    • Nederlands
    • Norsk
    • Polski
    • Português
    • Română
    • Slovenčina
    • Suomi
    • Svenska
    • Tiếng Việt
    • Türkçe
    • Ελληνικά
    • Български език
    • Русский
    • Српски
    • Українська мова
    • עִבְרִית
    • العربية
    • فارسی
    • मराठी
    • हिन्दी
    • বাংলা
    • ગુજરાતી
    • தமிழ்
    • ಕನ್ನಡ
    • ภาษาไทย
    • 한국어
    • 日本語
    • 简体中文
    • 繁體中文
  • Have an account? Log in
    Have an account?
    · Forgot password?

    New to Twitter?
    Sign up
vgr's profile
Venkatesh Rao
Venkatesh Rao
Venkatesh Rao
@vgr

Tweets

Venkatesh Rao

@vgr

This is my conversational account. For my work follow @ribbonfarm, @breaking_smart, @artofgig. Tweets are 90% vacuous views, apathetically held. Mediocritopian.

Los Angeles, CA
venkateshrao.com
Joined August 2007

Tweets

  • © 2020 Twitter
  • About
  • Help Center
  • Terms
  • Privacy policy
  • Imprint
  • Cookies
  • Ads info
Dismiss
Previous
Next

Go to a person's profile

Saved searches

  • Remove
  • In this conversation
    Verified accountProtected Tweets @
Suggested users
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @

Promote this Tweet

Block

  • Tweet with a location

    You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more

    Your lists

    Create a new list


    Under 100 characters, optional

    Privacy

    Copy link to Tweet

    Embed this Tweet

    Embed this Video

    Add this Tweet to your website by copying the code below. Learn more

    Add this video to your website by copying the code below. Learn more

    Hmm, there was a problem reaching the server.

    By embedding Twitter content in your website or app, you are agreeing to the Twitter Developer Agreement and Developer Policy.

    Preview

    Why you're seeing this ad

    Log in to Twitter

    · Forgot password?
    Don't have an account? Sign up »

    Sign up for Twitter

    Not on Twitter? Sign up, tune into the things you care about, and get updates as they happen.

    Sign up
    Have an account? Log in »

    Two-way (sending and receiving) short codes:

    Country Code For customers of
    United States 40404 (any)
    Canada 21212 (any)
    United Kingdom 86444 Vodafone, Orange, 3, O2
    Brazil 40404 Nextel, TIM
    Haiti 40404 Digicel, Voila
    Ireland 51210 Vodafone, O2
    India 53000 Bharti Airtel, Videocon, Reliance
    Indonesia 89887 AXIS, 3, Telkomsel, Indosat, XL Axiata
    Italy 4880804 Wind
    3424486444 Vodafone
    » See SMS short codes for other countries

    Confirmation

     

    Welcome home!

    This timeline is where you’ll spend most of your time, getting instant updates about what matters to you.

    Tweets not working for you?

    Hover over the profile pic and click the Following button to unfollow any account.

    Say a lot with a little

    When you see a Tweet you love, tap the heart — it lets the person who wrote it know you shared the love.

    Spread the word

    The fastest way to share someone else’s Tweet with your followers is with a Retweet. Tap the icon to send it instantly.

    Join the conversation

    Add your thoughts about any Tweet with a Reply. Find a topic you’re passionate about, and jump right in.

    Learn the latest

    Get instant insight into what people are talking about now.

    Get more of what you love

    Follow more accounts to get instant updates about topics you care about.

    Find what's happening

    See the latest conversations about any topic instantly.

    Never miss a Moment

    Catch up instantly on the best stories happening as they unfold.

    1. Sarah Constantin‏ @s_r_constantin Apr 10
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation

      “Only a [insert terrible name here] would disagree with me” is a rhetorical tactic for getting weak-minded people to passively go along with you. It’s not a way to attract competent people to actively buy in and help you.

      1 reply 0 retweets 23 likes
      Show this thread
    2. Sarah Constantin‏ @s_r_constantin Apr 10
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation

      It’s kind of like — I find it skeevy to guilt-trip people into giving to charity. “You SHOULD be more generous.” The reality is, people are already pretty generous. You can provide donors *value* by offering them unusually good opportunities to help.

      1 reply 1 retweet 16 likes
      Show this thread
    3. Sarah Constantin‏ @s_r_constantin Apr 10
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation

      “Put more effort/attention into MY favored project or I’ll withdraw my approval from you” is a song anyone can sing, and the loudest, nastiest voices are the best at it. I don’t think it’s a smart tactic for those whose causes are actually good.

      1 reply 1 retweet 23 likes
      Show this thread
    4. Sarah Constantin‏ @s_r_constantin Apr 10
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation

      Yes, I admit I’m sensitive about this personally. I think shaming people for not being good enough causes a lot of toxic side-effects. I know sometimes the right thing to do *is* to try harder, but there are ways to encourage effort that install less malware, I think.

      1 reply 0 retweets 21 likes
      Show this thread
    5. Sarah Constantin‏ @s_r_constantin Apr 10
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation

      Good exhortatory content makes doing a hard thing look necessary, exciting, and *doable by you*. Skip the last part and you just demotivate people.

      4 replies 0 retweets 22 likes
      Show this thread
    6. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Apr 10
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation
      Replying to @s_r_constantin

      I suspect almost all the failures can be attributed to funding cuts over the years rather than incompetence. It is highly disingenuous of small government types to undermine state and international agency funding and then attribute failures to incompetence.

      2 replies 0 retweets 8 likes
    7. Adam Strandberg‏ @The_Lagrangian Apr 10
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation
      Replying to @vgr @s_r_constantin

      this argument makes sense for things like not having an adequate strategic national reserve, but it's difficult to see how the FDA making it illegal for local entities to create tests is a problem of inadequate funding or power

      3 replies 0 retweets 8 likes
    8. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Apr 10
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation
      Replying to @The_Lagrangian @s_r_constantin

      Agreed, it’s not a complete explanation. These comparisons are messy. For things like weird rules, the answer is nearly always regulatory capture of a weakened state agency by a private interest. I’d bet $10 that FDA policy was written by lobbyists for a big commercial lab chain

      1 reply 0 retweets 6 likes
    9. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Apr 10
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation
      Replying to @vgr @The_Lagrangian @s_r_constantin

      In general, a lot of the dumb shit attributed to state agencies that get in the way of small private actors was actually crafted by large private actors interested in keeping small fry competition in their place

      1 reply 0 retweets 10 likes
    10. Adam Strandberg‏ @The_Lagrangian Apr 10
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation
      Replying to @vgr @s_r_constantin

      re regulatory capture, it's not clear that the blame lies on companies. the regulators have the legal power. if they're getting captured, they are allowing themselves to be captured. in the case of FDA/CDC, they're not elected, so there's not the excuse of needing campaign funds

      2 replies 0 retweets 2 likes
      Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Apr 10
      • Report Tweet
      • Report NetzDG Violation
      Replying to @The_Lagrangian @s_r_constantin

      Political appointees at the top of all US state agencies are appointed by candidates who need campaign funds and return favors via handing over agencies on a platter. Hence Scott Pruitt landing in the EPA. And guy who sells weather data in charge of national weather service.

      11:36 AM - 10 Apr 2020
      • 1 Like
      • Adam Strandberg
      1 reply 0 retweets 1 like
        1. Adam Strandberg‏ @The_Lagrangian Apr 10
          • Report Tweet
          • Report NetzDG Violation
          Replying to @vgr @s_r_constantin

          worth noting that the solution to that specific problem would look more like appointing permanent deep state bureaucrats (a la @GarettJones 10% less democracy) rather than looking at budget or privatization. but then we get back to the original point of "who are the bureaucrats?"

          0 replies 0 retweets 0 likes
          Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. Undo
          Undo

      Loading seems to be taking a while.

      Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.

        Promoted Tweet

        false

        • © 2020 Twitter
        • About
        • Help Center
        • Terms
        • Privacy policy
        • Imprint
        • Cookies
        • Ads info