Simon Says wrote on Nov 30, 2024, 10:58:

Cutter wrote on Nov 29, 2024, 23:54:

Bodolza wrote on Nov 29, 2024, 16:10:
I was curious why coffee was so ridiculously expensive in 1977. Apparently a combination of weather, war, and natural disasters.

Of course, after that was all resolved, prices never dropped backed down to where they were before, cause capitalism.

That isn't capitalism. Capitalism is, supposed to be at any rate, the best product and/or service for the lowest price. Competition fosters innovation, good products/services and low prices. This is all being consolidated now in all markets by private equity, America and most of the rest of the first world, "free" world, is a plutocracy. Here are some recent American specific examples - though most other countries are more or less the same now....

"In industry after industry, they can only purchase from local monopolies or oligopolies that can tacitly collude. The US now has many industries with only three or four competitors controlling entire markets. Since the early 1980s, market concentration has increased severely. We’ve already described the airline industry. Here are other examples:

Two corporations control 90 percent of the beer Americans drink.

Five banks control about half of the nation’s banking assets.

Many states have health insurance markets where the top two insurers have an 80 percent to 90 percent market share. For example, in Alabama one company, Blue Cross Blue Shield, has an 84 percent market share and in Hawaii it has 65 percent market share.

When it comes to high-speed internet access, almost all markets are local monopolies; over 75 percent of households have no choice with only one provider.

Four players control the entire US beef market and have carved up the country.

After two mergers this year, three companies will control 70 percent of the world’s pesticide market and 80 percent of the US corn-seed market."

Like in Canada for example. Our cable TV is run by two massive corps that literally split the county in half - one owns western Canada, the other the eastern half of the country. There is no competition at all. If you want access to cable or telco lines you go through them - and the motherfucking most aggravating thing about it is most of that shit was paid for with tax money. For cable, phone/data plans, etc. Canadians pay the most on Earth and get the least for it.

You're describing late-stage capitalism, when the "monopoly board" has been taken over by consolidated entities which is the logical working as intended outcome of such a system. It's still capitalism whether you like it or not.

Part of me is glad we're finally witnessing its collapse. But the inevitable pain and struggle that's ahead is going to be incredibly damaging in every way conceivable, and probably many of which we cannot yet conceive.

Cutter wrote on Nov 29, 2024, 23:54:

Bodolza wrote on Nov 29, 2024, 16:10:
I was curious why coffee was so ridiculously expensive in 1977. Apparently a combination of weather, war, and natural disasters.

Of course, after that was all resolved, prices never dropped backed down to where they were before, cause capitalism.

That isn't capitalism. Capitalism is, supposed to be at any rate, the best product and/or service for the lowest price. Competition fosters innovation, good products/services and low prices. This is all being consolidated now in all markets by private equity, America and most of the rest of the first world, "free" world, is a plutocracy. Here are some recent American specific examples - though most other countries are more or less the same now....

"In industry after industry, they can only purchase from local monopolies or oligopolies that can tacitly collude. The US now has many industries with only three or four competitors controlling entire markets. Since the early 1980s, market concentration has increased severely. We’ve already described the airline industry. Here are other examples:

Two corporations control 90 percent of the beer Americans drink.

Five banks control about half of the nation’s banking assets.

Many states have health insurance markets where the top two insurers have an 80 percent to 90 percent market share. For example, in Alabama one company, Blue Cross Blue Shield, has an 84 percent market share and in Hawaii it has 65 percent market share.

When it comes to high-speed internet access, almost all markets are local monopolies; over 75 percent of households have no choice with only one provider.

Four players control the entire US beef market and have carved up the country.

After two mergers this year, three companies will control 70 percent of the world’s pesticide market and 80 percent of the US corn-seed market."

Like in Canada for example. Our cable TV is run by two massive corps that literally split the county in half - one owns western Canada, the other the eastern half of the country. There is no competition at all. If you want access to cable or telco lines you go through them - and the motherfucking most aggravating thing about it is most of that shit was paid for with tax money. For cable, phone/data plans, etc. Canadians pay the most on Earth and get the least for it.

You're describing late-stage capitalism, when the "monopoly board" has been taken over by consolidated entities which is the logical working as intended outcome of such a system. It's still capitalism whether you like it or not.

Bodolza wrote on Nov 29, 2024, 16:10:
I was curious why coffee was so ridiculously expensive in 1977. Apparently a combination of weather, war, and natural disasters.

Of course, after that was all resolved, prices never dropped backed down to where they were before, cause capitalism.

That isn't capitalism. Capitalism is, supposed to be at any rate, the best product and/or service for the lowest price. Competition fosters innovation, good products/services and low prices. This is all being consolidated now in all markets by private equity, America and most of the rest of the first world, "free" world, is a plutocracy. Here are some recent American specific examples - though most other countries are more or less the same now....

"In industry after industry, they can only purchase from local monopolies or oligopolies that can tacitly collude. The US now has many industries with only three or four competitors controlling entire markets. Since the early 1980s, market concentration has increased severely. We’ve already described the airline industry. Here are other examples:

Two corporations control 90 percent of the beer Americans drink.

Five banks control about half of the nation’s banking assets.

Many states have health insurance markets where the top two insurers have an 80 percent to 90 percent market share. For example, in Alabama one company, Blue Cross Blue Shield, has an 84 percent market share and in Hawaii it has 65 percent market share.

When it comes to high-speed internet access, almost all markets are local monopolies; over 75 percent of households have no choice with only one provider.

Four players control the entire US beef market and have carved up the country.

After two mergers this year, three companies will control 70 percent of the world’s pesticide market and 80 percent of the US corn-seed market."

Like in Canada for example. Our cable TV is run by two massive corps that literally split the county in half - one owns western Canada, the other the eastern half of the country. There is no competition at all. If you want access to cable or telco lines you go through them - and the motherfucking most aggravating thing about it is most of that shit was paid for with tax money. For cable, phone/data plans, etc. Canadians pay the most on Earth and get the least for it.

A random thing happened this afternoon that made me laugh like an insane person. I'm in the kitchen and just randomly yelled out "HEATHEN BITCHES ASSEMBLE!" No lie, both my four legged ladies deadass woke up, ran over, and sat at my feet. Naturally, they got a reward treat each after I could compose myself.

I'm still suffering from the Thanksgiving delights that are the gift of my wife's magnificent culinary art, and although I no longer ingest Alka-Seltzer (plop-plop, fizz-fizz) I find Famotidine works very well these days..;) *groan* Happy ThanksG to the gang at Blues!

I was curious why coffee was so ridiculously expensive in 1977. Apparently a combination of weather, war, and natural disasters.

Of course, after that was all resolved, prices never dropped backed down to where they were before, cause capitalism.

So I saw these Roblox $50 gift cards on sale for $40.

Decided to see if there was a similar discount on Steam ones.

Oh, a $20 Steam Wallet gift card costs $36. So no I guess.