Mr. Tact wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 20:45:Nah, even donnie makes more sense in a tweet than cutter makes in a post. Remember, it's all about the hoser from the North and how things affects him, nothing else matters.Cutter wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 15:04:Wow. Why is Donald J Trump posting on this board using Cutter's logon? Seriously Cutter, with the ability to spout verbiage like that, you should be running for office...
Look, a dollar is worth a dollar to a citizen of a country regardless of exchange rates with other countries. Minimum wage, as an example, is the same in the US and Canada - on average - yet, someone working for that same rate in Canada has to work an additional 3 hours for the exact same virtual product. It didn't cost them anymore to make it or ship it, yet you're supposed to put in 30% more work as your American counterpart. Why?
If it wasn't for the fact that to try and combat piracy they drastically lower the prices on those same products in high piracy countries like China, Russia, et al. So even though their dollar is worth less they still get to pay even less - generally 50% on average - than their American counterparts on a dollar to dollar basis. So their dollar, like ours, is worth less, yet they get a discount and we have to pay more. Yeah, that's real fair. This is the same for the poor ol' Aussies.
I suppose the message they're ultimately sending is we - Can/Aus - should really be pirating the shit of software because only at that point will we get the same breaks as China, Russia, Brazil, etc. in order to curtail said piracy. And they wonder why key reseller sites thrive, particularly with countries like ours who continually get F'd in the A on this sans lube.
Slick wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 19:45:Numinar wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 19:36:Cutter wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 19:35:Darks wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 15:31:
Yea, you say that up until the enemy shows up in your back yard and you cant do a damn thing about it. Its called preventive measures. Always be prepared no matter what!
Yeah, and that sort of institutional paranoia - which is common for Americans in a way they don't understand themselves - that continually allows the MIC to keep fleecing people like you. Jesus Christ, man! Eisenhower warned the American public about that very thing when he left office!
Eisenhower, who actually stared down the Soviets at what was probably their most dangerous so you would think they would have fucking listened to him.
While I agree with all of that, there IS a very real effect on geopolitics because of the fact that the US is so ridiculously overpowered.
Many geo-political situations would have played out very differently if there wasn't the might of the empire backing one side or the other. For better or worse, it's primarily a force of deterrence.
I don't think that it has to eat 500 billion a year to be that effective, but there is a reason for it to exist that has nothing to do with "what if X country invades?" They aren't going to invade BECAUSE the force exists. If the force didn't exist, the last 70 years would have played out MUCH differently.
If China wants to invade Taiwan, and there's a couple US naval fleets just hanging out in the south China sea, then that whole situation plays out VERY differently, than if the US wasn't there. Call it empire if you will, I think that for the most part, this force has had a great impact on the way things play out across the globe, even if it's never used.
I mean look at the wars since WWII, they've gotten smaller and smaller over the years. Still devastating, but there's a reason terrorists use guerilla tactics, because no one can beat the US in all-out warfare, so there hasn't really been all-out warfare in that time period. I for one am thankful for at least that.
Even if they spend way too much goddamned money on it, and too little on education and healthcare...
Darks wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 15:31:Cutter wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 15:07:Undocumented Alien wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 11:35:Cutter wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 09:59:
Canada also gets F'd in the A with regional pricing and for no real reason at all beyond simple greed. Eff them!
Something has to pay for the "free" heath care...
Yeah, it's called not wasting a TRILLION dollars on a military-industrial complex you really have no need of.
Yea, you say that up until the enemy shows up in your back yard and you cant do a damn thing about it. Its called preventive measures. Always be prepared no matter what!
LittleMe wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 15:21:
10% tax for a digital sale. Government greed is real! That's not a reasonable tax. Mafia extortion tax by AUS govt. Notice how they hide the tax in the sale. My guess the AUS govt won't want it shown it in the receipt to cover their greedy hand.
Yes 10% will strongly encourage people to buy keys from 3rd party sites. Governments are always dealing with the unintended consequences of taxes and regulation. This will be no different.
Cutter wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 15:04:Wow. Why is Donald J Trump posting on this board using Cutter's logon? Seriously Cutter, with the ability to spout verbiage like that, you should be running for office...
Look, a dollar is worth a dollar to a citizen of a country regardless of exchange rates with other countries. Minimum wage, as an example, is the same in the US and Canada - on average - yet, someone working for that same rate in Canada has to work an additional 3 hours for the exact same virtual product. It didn't cost them anymore to make it or ship it, yet you're supposed to put in 30% more work as your American counterpart. Why?
If it wasn't for the fact that to try and combat piracy they drastically lower the prices on those same products in high piracy countries like China, Russia, et al. So even though their dollar is worth less they still get to pay even less - generally 50% on average - than their American counterparts on a dollar to dollar basis. So their dollar, like ours, is worth less, yet they get a discount and we have to pay more. Yeah, that's real fair. This is the same for the poor ol' Aussies.
I suppose the message they're ultimately sending is we - Can/Aus - should really be pirating the shit of software because only at that point will we get the same breaks as China, Russia, Brazil, etc. in order to curtail said piracy. And they wonder why key reseller sites thrive, particularly with countries like ours who continually get F'd in the A on this sans lube.
Numinar wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 19:36:Cutter wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 19:35:Darks wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 15:31:
Yea, you say that up until the enemy shows up in your back yard and you cant do a damn thing about it. Its called preventive measures. Always be prepared no matter what!
Yeah, and that sort of institutional paranoia - which is common for Americans in a way they don't understand themselves - that continually allows the MIC to keep fleecing people like you. Jesus Christ, man! Eisenhower warned the American public about that very thing when he left office!
Eisenhower, who actually stared down the Soviets at what was probably their most dangerous so you would think they would have fucking listened to him.
Cutter wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 19:35:Darks wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 15:31:
Yea, you say that up until the enemy shows up in your back yard and you cant do a damn thing about it. Its called preventive measures. Always be prepared no matter what!
Yeah, and that sort of institutional paranoia - which is common for Americans in a way they don't understand themselves - that continually allows the MIC to keep fleecing people like you. Jesus Christ, man! Eisenhower warned the American public about that very thing when he left office!
Darks wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 15:31:
Yea, you say that up until the enemy shows up in your back yard and you cant do a damn thing about it. Its called preventive measures. Always be prepared no matter what!
Cutter wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 15:04:BIGtrouble77 wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 14:26:Cutter wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 09:59:How so? I'm dual and prefer the Canadian store because I generally save a couple bucks int he conversion.
Canada also gets F'd in the A with regional pricing and for no real reason at all beyond simple greed. Eff them!
Look, a dollar is worth a dollar to a citizen of a country regardless of exchange rates with other countries. Minimum wage, as an example, is the same in the US and Canada - on average - yet, someone working for that same rate in Canada has to work an additional 3 hours for the exact same virtual product. It didn't cost them anymore to make it or ship it, yet you're supposed to put in 30% more work as your American counterpart. Why?
If it wasn't for the fact that to try and combat piracy they drastically lower the prices on those same products in high piracy countries like China, Russia, et al. So even though their dollar is worth less they still get to pay even less - generally 50% on average - than their American counterparts on a dollar to dollar basis. So their dollar, like ours, is worth less, yet they get a discount and we have to pay more. Yeah, that's real fair. This is the same for the poor ol' Aussies.
I suppose the message they're ultimately sending is we - Can/Aus - should really be pirating the shit of software because only at that point will we get the same breaks as China, Russia, Brazil, etc. in order to curtail said piracy. And they wonder why key reseller sites thrive, particularly with countries like ours who continually get F'd in the A on this sans lube.
Cutter wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 15:07:Undocumented Alien wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 11:35:Cutter wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 09:59:
Canada also gets F'd in the A with regional pricing and for no real reason at all beyond simple greed. Eff them!
Something has to pay for the "free" heath care...
Yeah, it's called not wasting a TRILLION dollars on a military-industrial complex you really have no need of.
Undocumented Alien wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 11:35:Cutter wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 09:59:
Canada also gets F'd in the A with regional pricing and for no real reason at all beyond simple greed. Eff them!
Something has to pay for the "free" heath care...
BIGtrouble77 wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 14:26:Cutter wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 09:59:How so? I'm dual and prefer the Canadian store because I generally save a couple bucks int he conversion.
Canada also gets F'd in the A with regional pricing and for no real reason at all beyond simple greed. Eff them!
Slick wrote on Feb 22, 2017, 12:52:
Interesting timing, 3 days after it was reported that Valve is appealing the 3 million fine it paid to the AUS consumer protection agency for not complying with AUS consumer law.
Man, don't get on Valve's bad side by attempting to enforce your own consumer protection laws, or else you gonna git bitch slapped.