Stupor Tuesday results

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I did not read it. Not sure why you would want me to read something negative about a person I respect. If you can assure me it wasn't written by someone who has a personal axe to grind, and that they objectively provide the facts that can then be verified, I'll take a look.

Other than that, head in the sand is for me. I can find dozens of articles that skewer just about every public figure there is. The real question is what human with all their foibles do you respect? If I had to answer that for you, with what little I actually know about you - I would say none. That's the real difference between you and me, and also the sadness I feel for you.

So, do you respect him now that he has caved and endorsed Trump?

 

[Michchamp]

So, do you respect him now that he has caved and endorsed Trump?

I have a hard time seeing exactly what he did that was respectable.

In other news, I saw an op-ed from Neil Bush (younger brother of George W. and jeb, who's name is no longer in all caps since he dropped out) saying he now has now swallowed his pride and backs Ted Cruz since jeb is out.

I wonder if the Bush family is arranging for Neil or Marvin to take a swing at politics? there was also a Bush daughter, Dorothy, I think. she married and has a different last name, but I don't think people would be fooled for very long.

 

[tigermud]

Trump rally in Chicago cancelled due to security concerns and protestors clashing inside and out.

The nation is more diveded ever

 

[sggatecl]

 

[tigermud]

And by the end of the day trump dominates the news cycle yet again.

 

[Spartanmack]

I'm not saying there isn't a lot of technological turnover, just that we have a lot more available to us, but we're not getting happier as a result, because that's not what makes people happy.

I was responding to this part of your quote:

There are two economies now. One of them is doing great and growing. One isn't. In absolute terms, things are better than they've ever been, but people don't think in absolute terms. I think people feel like the game is rigged and they can't get ahead like they could have a generation ago. On one hand, we have more creature comforts than ever before, on the other it's provided by companies that gave up on 'the customer is always right' ages ago. If they screw you, there's not much you can do. You're sick of their BS, but you remain a customer because alternatives are few and difficult. And we're only warming up. I suspect we're heading for an age of gilded cages.

It's not JUST technological innovation or turnover - it's delivering technologies with new business plans. The pace has been slow but it's accelerating, at least for some businesses. It took awhile, AND deregulation for the hub and spoke model for airlines to be (mostly) replaced by point-to-point carriers. Similarly, cable TV monopolies have enjoyed a nice long run, but their days are numbered. It happens but for various reasons (regulation being a major one in many cases), it happens quite slowly.

I agree 100% that these gadgets don't make us happier and people hoping or expecting them to will never be happy. But I also don't think bigger, more intrusive government with ever increasing control will make Americans happier - It will have the opposite effect. Similarly, electing another crony corporatist will have the effect of slowing economic/business evolution - at least evolution that would be favorable to ordinary people/consumers.

 

[Gulo Blue]

It's not JUST technological innovation or turnover - it's delivering technologies with new business plans.

That's a huge part of it. It's tied to technological innovation because it's improving the ability for businesses to measure the use of their products in new ways. It use to be that even with software, in most cases you buy something and then you had it to use. Everythnig being a service that you kept paying for as you used it took new measuring capabilities. Now, you 'buy' a tractor, and you're actually just buying it's service and not the actual device.

Funny that long distance telephone calling went in the opposite direction. If it's expensive, we're figuring out how to meter it, if it gets cheap enough, we quit metering.

I don't like it. People like to own the stuff they rely on. It sucks to have to rely on the government and the utility companies and now a collection of non-utility companies. We always have of course, but it feels like it's always getting worse and we're always signing progressively more legal documents.

If you count the legal stuff you click 'agree' to, I suspect we now agree each year to more legal documents than a typical person from the 1980's would have in their entire lifetimes.

 

[Spartanmack]

That's a huge part of it. It's tied to technological innovation because it's improving the ability for businesses to measure the use of their products in new ways. It use to be that even with software, in most cases you buy something and then you had it to use. Everythnig being a service that you kept paying for as you used it took new measuring capabilities. Now, you 'buy' a tractor, and you're actually just buying it's service and not the actual device.

Funny that long distance telephone calling went in the opposite direction. If it's expensive, we're figuring out how to meter it, if it gets cheap enough, we quit metering.

I don't like it. People like to own the stuff they rely on. It sucks to have to rely on the government and the utility companies and now a collection of non-utility companies. We always have of course, but it feels like it's always getting worse and we're always signing progressively more legal documents.

If you count the legal stuff you click 'agree' to, I suspect we now agree each year to more legal documents than a typical person from the 1980's would have in their entire lifetimes.

Technology is also improving consumers ability to track their spending and they need to be aware of that ability and pay attention to it. Virtually every long term study of real estate shows that people are better off renting than owning a home, yet we're so programmed to believe home ownership is right for everyone and the ultimate symbol of the American Dream. Maybe ownership is better for some products but probably not all. That's not to say that a subscription based model is necessarily better but maybe a toll based system would be for some products. Does everyone who owns a car need to own a car? It's a total waste of money for a lot of people and some are figuring out that it's a lot cheaper to walk or take the bus most of the times they would get behind the wheel and then rent a car when they really need one. You're not going to find many companies that that deliver the right customer experience for their products to everyone who uses them, but you're seeing a lot of small companies that may not produce the product, but are finding creative ways to deliver it to a diverse customer base.

 

[Gulo Blue]

Technology is also improving consumers ability to track their spending and they need to be aware of that ability and pay attention to it. Virtually every long term study of real estate shows that people are better off renting than owning a home, yet we're so programmed to believe home ownership is right for everyone and the ultimate symbol of the American Dream. Maybe ownership is better for some products but probably not all. That's not to say that a subscription based model is necessarily better but maybe a toll based system would be for some products. Does everyone who owns a car need to own a car? It's a total waste of money for a lot of people and some are figuring out that it's a lot cheaper to walk or take the bus most of the times they would get behind the wheel and then rent a car when they really need one. You're not going to find many companies that that deliver the right customer experience for their products to everyone who uses them, but you're seeing a lot of small companies that may not produce the product, but are finding creative ways to deliver it to a diverse customer base.

I think it's unhealthy for some of the same reasons too much socialism is unhealthy. People should own and care about as much of the stuff they interact with as possible. If your housing and cars and tools are owned by the state or by companies you don't have the same incentive to take care of it, even if there are penalties for getting caught ruining it. Somewhere, right next to my gut feeling that people don't want to be born into a world where the state owns everything and provides everything for them there's a very similar feeling the people aren't any more satisfied paying for a subscription to everything you need in life and everything is owned by corporations.

I'm not taking a hard line here. This is great for a lot of things. I just think we're going to go too far in this direction for my tastes. And if this is what the masses do, thanks to economy of scale and free market competition, it's going to get tougher to do it any other way. If mobility services drop below the costs of car ownership and everyone flocks to it, it will become more expensive to own, fuel, and maintain a car.

 

[Spartanmack]

I think it's unhealthy for some of the same reasons too much socialism is unhealthy. People should own and care about as much of the stuff they interact with as possible. If your housing and cars and tools are owned by the state or by companies you don't have the same incentive to take care of it, even if there are penalties for getting caught ruining it. Somewhere, right next to my gut feeling that people don't want to be born into a world where the state owns everything and provides everything for them there's a very similar feeling the people aren't any more satisfied paying for a subscription to everything you need in life and everything is owned by corporations.

I'm not taking a hard line here. This is great for a lot of things. I just think we're going to go too far in this direction for my tastes. And if this is what the masses do, thanks to economy of scale and free market competition, it's going to get tougher to do it any other way. If mobility services drop below the costs of car ownership and everyone flocks to it, it will become more expensive to own, fuel, and maintain a car.

The rental model involves a higher degree of moral hazard, no doubt. But that is a character flaw or a human nature flaw, not a flaw with the business model. I'm not taking a hard line here either - I don't think renting any one product is better for everyone who has a use for that product. Someone who makes his/her living as a carpenter should probably own their own tools, but if I replace the hardwood floors in a couple rooms in my house, should I buy a compressor and a flooring nailer? Doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. The trick is striking the right balance - you need companies to offer the right mix of options either themselves or have competitors or downstream companies (Lowe's, Home Depot, etc) do it. I also think that if certain prices go up as a result, it's not necessarily a bad thing. I actually do own a compressor and a couple of nail guns because it was cheaper to buy them than rent them 3 times over separate weekends - so pricing of rentals isn't always where you'd need them to be to make that decision.

 

[Gulo Blue]

The rental model involves a higher degree of moral hazard, no doubt. But that is a character flaw or a human nature flaw, not a flaw with the business model. I'm not taking a hard line here either - I don't think renting anything is better for everyone. Someone who makes his/her living as a carpenter should probably own their own tools, but if I replace the hardwood floors in a couple rooms in my house, should I buy a compressor and a flooring nailer? Doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. The trick is striking the right balance - you need companies to offer the right mix of options either themselves or have competitors or downstream companies (Lowe's, Home Depot, etc) do it. I also think that if certain prices go up as a result, it's not necessarily a bad thing. I actually do own a compressor and a couple of nail guns because it was cheaper to buy them than rent them 3 times over separate weekends - so pricing of rentals isn't always where you'd need them to be to make that decision.

I think we are entering a very communal age where renting and subscribing to services is going to take over a lot of industries (even though I think people hate this). It will be a mix of government and corporation ownership (different mixes in different nations), but people are going to keep on owning less of the stuff around them (like cars and homes as you suggest). But what is now relatively small-time 'maker' communities will keep growing too. In an age of plenty, people will have a preference for producing and consuming craft stuff.

 

[tinselwolverine]

Super Tuesday 3.0; Rubio trounced in his home state and suspends his campaign.

Kasich looking strong in early vote counting in Ohio and appears that he may be able to fight another day. Rubio's departure could help him; they've been described as being in the same lane.

Could be a devastating night for Sanders.

 

[tinselwolverine]

CNN just projected Kasich to win Ohio.

 

[sggatecl]

CNN just projected Kasich to win Ohio.

Come onnnnnnn brokered convention.

 

[Gulo Blue]

Super Tuesday 3.0; Rubio trounced in his home state and suspends his campaign.

Kasich looking strong in early vote counting in Ohio and appears that he may be able to fight another day. Rubio's departure could help him; they've been described as being in the same lane.

Could be a devastating night for Sanders.

Rubio out hurts the brokered convention strategy. Looks like tonight is another step towards Clinton v Trump.

 

[tinselwolverine]

Rubio out hurts the brokered convention strategy. Looks like tonight is another step towards Clinton v Trump.

I don't why that is necessarily so.

Rubio supporters would more likely go to Kasich.

So if Cruz keeps up his pace and Kasich picks up his pace we could definitely see the first ballot being inconclusive.

 

[Michchamp]

...

Could be a devastating night for Sanders.

yeah, it's not looking good.

Rahm endorsing him was a bizarre move (Sanders was quick to refuse the endorsement). Cynical joke between the Hillary Camp and Rahm's office? ("Hey, we know you're poison right now in Illinois, so how about endorsing Bernie? K thanks.")

he really needed to win one today. oh well. he has plenty of money. keep on trucking, and hope Clinton keeps saying stupid shit to alienate more and more liberal voters.

 

[hailhail]

yeah, it's not looking good.

Rahm endorsing him was a bizarre move (Sanders was quick to refuse the endorsement). Cynical joke between the Hillary Camp and Rahm's office? ("Hey, we know you're poison right now in Illinois, so how about endorsing Bernie? K thanks.")

he really needed to win one today. oh well. he has plenty of money. keep on trucking, and hope Clinton keeps saying stupid shit to alienate more and more liberal voters.

Wow, I saw Sanders reaction (a quote on Facebook, or elsewhere, I think) and had NO CLUE it came following a Rahm endorsement for Sanders. How the fuck did that happen?

 

[Mitchrapp]

Arizona primary next week, I sent my absentee ballot in a few weeks ago.. the guy I voted for is out. Yeah for my vote going to waste.

 

[Michchamp]

Arizona primary next week, I sent my absentee ballot in a few weeks ago.. the guy I voted for is out. Yeah for my vote going to waste.

if it makes you feel better, I'm pretty sure Ben Carson will still take your money, if you want to send him more.