Messages

1

The New Joe Montgomery Birther Pit / Re: Noah smith, liar or dumbass?

« on: Today at 12:49:00 PM »

Yes, exactly what ss7 and cns said.

But to take DQs question a bit further, I think we need more socialized components to our system. Just as it would be silly for private funding to finance an interstate highway, there are several things that I believe should be common goods that we all pay for.

And economics aside, there is no debate at all that the wealth inequality gap is widening at an alarming rate, and with that lack of wealth comes a lower quality of life. And I guess my philosophy is, we (as a society) should be trying to improve the quality of life for the population rather than actively making it worse. And no, I do not think that the quality of life delta for the billionaire that just became a trillionaire outweighs the tens of thousands (maybe hundreds of thousands depending on how you want to look at it) of ppl whose quality of life took a hit so that one guy could have even more money

You think quality of life in the US has gotten worse?  Over what time period?  I'm fairly certain the data would disagree with you, even (especially?) for the poorest segments of the population.

2

The New Joe Montgomery Birther Pit / Re: Noah smith, liar or dumbass?

« on: May 01, 2024, 10:13:09 PM »

This reminds me of an interesting point I had never really considered. I was watching a streamer doing one of those political quiz type things and the question was something like "does a business have any ethical responsibility beyond making money" and the guy basically argued that no, they have no ethical responsibility except following the law. The state has the responsibility of not letting businesses be lawfully unethical. In essence I fully agree with that, and asking businesses (or people) to act ethically without legal framework is a pipe dream.

I agree with this as well, and in fact I would say that’s one of the greatest benefits to capitalism is that it encourages creativity and competition up to the very brink of what is not explicitly prohibited.

Not gEing here, just curious what is a modern day (as in, the last 5 years or so) example of competition that benefited the consumer? I do believe there probably are some, but every kind of common good/service I can think of off the top of my head all of the companies that should, in theory, be competing for my business all just keep raising their prices/lowering the quality of their product bc as long as they all do it together the consumer doesn’t really have many options

5 years seems like an arbitrary timeframe to pick, but off the top of my head I’d say a lot more places offer free (or near free) grocery delivery or 2 day delivery to compete with Amazon and others. Lots of restaurants offer pretty good deals and easy mobile ordering. Internet and 5G is improving because mobile companies realize it’s a necessity to keep customers. TVs keep getting better while generally getting cheaper. Same with phones overall.

And for things that have gone down in quality, a lot of that is due to consumer demand too. We still have access to higher quality versions of most products, it’s just that the vast majority of Americans prefer the cheaper stuff.

You might need to start a thread on where to find all these discount goods. With the exception of tvs I believe every category you listed there the price increases are outpacing inflation. Literally just this morning on the Today show they were talking about how fast food customers were starting to revolt from McDonald’s bc their pricing is getting ridiculous, I think they said Burger King and Dominoes were getting an uptick in sales bc they haven’t been raising their prices as severely as the competition.

Also, regarding phones, I’m not sure how the concept of planned obsolescence can thrive in a capitalistic society. Intentionally designing your stuff to fail should be the death knell of any company but instead it’s an incredibly successful profit strategy.

Last, I’m putting an * next to your grocery delivery example, since that is part of their business plan to intentionally take a loss for the first few years to eliminate all competition and then once they are the only game (or 1 of a small handful of like-minded games) in town they can jack the prices up with impunity. So like, short term competition with the long term business plan of not having to be competitive at all.

Oh well, at least I can still get event tickets at reasonable prices

What’s the non-capitalist, uncorrupted, inflation-proof alternative you’re implicitly advocating for?

3

The New Joe Montgomery Birther Pit / Re: Noah smith, liar or dumbass?

« on: May 01, 2024, 01:15:48 PM »

I would say capitalism is based on a form of morality

Yeah, the idea that you ought to be compensated at an agreed-upon sum for the value of work and property seems pretty moral compared to the alternative.

fair enough, i guess i should have been more precise with my wording, instead of saying capitalism as in like the theoretical version, i instead should have said capitalism as in the (inescapable) reality of how it is exists in reality today. Just because a sum is agreed does by no means imply that the sum is not exploitative.

As they say, and it bolsters what ss7 just said, "there is no ethical consumption under capitalism" and i yes i realize you didn't say ethical you said moral, however i would argue that the way you are using the word moral there is a tremendous amount of overlap with ethical

I don't know what any of this means but I also don't really care to have some further deep theoretical, semantics driven argument about it.

I'm going to go buy a burrito and not wrestle with the ethics/morality of the transaction.

sounds good, enjoy your burrito!

it was excellent 

4

The New Joe Montgomery Birther Pit / Re: Noah smith, liar or dumbass?

« on: May 01, 2024, 11:14:38 AM »

I would say capitalism is based on a form of morality

Yeah, the idea that you ought to be compensated at an agreed-upon sum for the value of work and property seems pretty moral compared to the alternative.

fair enough, i guess i should have been more precise with my wording, instead of saying capitalism as in like the theoretical version, i instead should have said capitalism as in the (inescapable) reality of how it is exists in reality today. Just because a sum is agreed does by no means imply that the sum is not exploitative.

As they say, and it bolsters what ss7 just said, "there is no ethical consumption under capitalism" and i yes i realize you didn't say ethical you said moral, however i would argue that the way you are using the word moral there is a tremendous amount of overlap with ethical

I don't know what any of this means but I also don't really care to have some further deep theoretical, semantics driven argument about it.

I'm going to go buy a burrito and not wrestle with the ethics/morality of the transaction.

5

The New Joe Montgomery Birther Pit / Re: Noah smith, liar or dumbass?

« on: May 01, 2024, 08:19:29 AM »

I would say capitalism is based on a form of morality

Yeah, the idea that you ought to be compensated at an agreed-upon sum for the value of work and property seems pretty moral compared to the alternative.

6

The New Joe Montgomery Birther Pit / Re: Noah smith, liar or dumbass?

« on: May 01, 2024, 08:11:56 AM »

The avg size of a house in the US is 50% bigger now than in the 80's when boomers were buying their first house.

This is a big part of it too, imo.  Developers aren't really interested in building "starter homes." 

OT, but along these same lines, it upsets me when I see people tearing down older kind of crappy/small houses in places like Prairie Village to build some 7 figure home.  I think it's a sin to tear down inhabitable/inhabited houses.  You want a giant mcmansion?  More power to you.  Build it in Stillwell or some plot where there's not already a house. But that plot in Prairie Village already has a house that someone would pay solid value to live in.  I don't know if there ought to be a law/regulations prohibiting that sort of thing, but I do think it's immoral.

Morality and capitalism are mutually exclusive ideas. And I’m pretty sure, at least since like 1960, every time these ideas have collided, capitalism is undefeated

I mean, they're different ideas, but not incompatible, imo. 

7

The New Joe Montgomery Birther Pit / Re: Noah smith, liar or dumbass?

« on: April 30, 2024, 02:23:29 PM »

The avg size of a house in the US is 50% bigger now than in the 80's when boomers were buying their first house.

This is a big part of it too, imo.  Developers aren't really interested in building "starter homes." 

OT, but along these same lines, it upsets me when I see people tearing down older kind of crappy/small houses in places like Prairie Village to build some 7 figure home.  I think it's a sin to tear down inhabitable/inhabited houses.  You want a giant mcmansion?  More power to you.  Build it in Stillwell or some plot where there's not already a house. But that plot in Prairie Village already has a house that someone would pay solid value to live in.  I don't know if there ought to be a law/regulations prohibiting that sort of thing, but I do think it's immoral. 

8

Essentially Flyertalk / Re: travel thread

« on: April 30, 2024, 01:22:49 PM »

I like Excellence.  It's not the cheapest but has better food than most All-Ins and provides better value than Sandals (unless you scuba a lot).

Yes.  Would recommend this for you Phil.  Stayed at Excellence Playa Mujeres in September.  Was very impressed and is more conducive to big groups than I bet a lot of places are in the hotel zone.

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The New Joe Montgomery Birther Pit / Re: Noah smith, liar or dumbass?

« on: April 30, 2024, 01:13:12 PM »

There are plenty of cheap houses in a lot of the flyover town that really thrived decades ago.  Fewer houses in the big metro areas.

Small town America kind of dying is an impact on the current housing situation that I don't see discussed very often.  A lot of our boomer parents that got these low cost homes lived in places like Norton, Kansas.  You too could buy a low cost home in Norton, Kansas!

my understanding from folks that grew up in Norton size towns in western KS is that only old & small houses are cheap and that the newer & larger homes are quite expensive as thre is a limited number of them and most come with a sizeable piece of property

the other thing to consider is nobody wants to live in Norton, KS

No doubt.  And I'm not saying they need to.  I'm saying citing the difference between Boomers' first home prices vs. millenials'/z's first home prices is apples and oranges when you consider the respective differences in location preference/requirements.

There's a higher proportion of the population now that demands/requires to live in the same place(s).

This does not seem true based on remote work alone.

You think rural areas are growing faster than Urban/metro areas?

10

Essentially Flyertalk / Re: travel thread

« on: April 30, 2024, 10:12:18 AM »

Went to Cancun for a short little vacation from Friday-Monday.  I love all-inclusives.  Just feed me good not great food and alcohol and let me lay by the pool. 

It was doubly nice because we won the vacation in a raffle. Can you believe it?

11

The New Joe Montgomery Birther Pit / Re: Noah smith, liar or dumbass?

« on: April 30, 2024, 10:09:48 AM »

There are plenty of cheap houses in a lot of the flyover town that really thrived decades ago.  Fewer houses in the big metro areas.

Small town America kind of dying is an impact on the current housing situation that I don't see discussed very often.  A lot of our boomer parents that got these low cost homes lived in places like Norton, Kansas.  You too could buy a low cost home in Norton, Kansas!

my understanding from folks that grew up in Norton size towns in western KS is that only old & small houses are cheap and that the newer & larger homes are quite expensive as thre is a limited number of them and most come with a sizeable piece of property

the other thing to consider is nobody wants to live in Norton, KS

No doubt.  And I'm not saying they need to.  I'm saying citing the difference between Boomers' first home prices vs. millenials'/z's first home prices is apples and oranges when you consider the respective differences in location preference/requirements.

There's a higher proportion of the population now that demands/requires to live in the same place(s).

12

Kansas State Football / Re: ITT We Laugh At Other Pud Teams' Pud Stadiums/Arenas

« on: April 29, 2024, 10:26:25 AM »

White Owl was a meme who showed up to ku games for a few years is my understanding.  Robert has been to damn near every kstate football game since the 70s.  Two totally different things imo.

The Robert stories are unreal.  How on earth did he get to Japan?

13

Essentially Flyertalk / Re: What song

« on: April 29, 2024, 10:22:12 AM »

‘here comes your man’ by the pixies

Great one.

14

The New Joe Montgomery Birther Pit / Re: Noah smith, liar or dumbass?

« on: April 22, 2024, 01:56:55 PM »

There are plenty of cheap houses in a lot of the flyover town that really thrived decades ago.  Fewer houses in the big metro areas.

Small town America kind of dying is an impact on the current housing situation that I don't see discussed very often.  A lot of our boomer parents that got these low cost homes lived in places like Norton, Kansas.  You too could buy a low cost home in Norton, Kansas!

15

Essentially Flyertalk / Re: Kc restaurant suggestions

« on: April 22, 2024, 10:55:59 AM »

their salsa is offensively bad. 

i'm pretty amenable to any mexican place/texmex place, but Ponak's is absolute garbage.

16

Essentially Flyertalk / Re: show us your buds (appreciate spring, you crapbags)

« on: April 22, 2024, 08:57:05 AM »

i like these baby oranges.

https://twitter.com/ksusys/status/1782187650184802684

I wish I had the time/patience to do some actual food gardening stuff.  Are fruit trees considered "gardening"?   

17

Essentially Flyertalk / Re: Kc restaurant suggestions

« on: April 22, 2024, 08:48:59 AM »

i hate ponaks.

18

Essentially Flyertalk / Re: show us your buds (appreciate spring, you crapbags)

« on: April 22, 2024, 08:45:16 AM »

Spracs went pentunias, but every time I hear begonias I think back to this:

Me too.  Kind of why I wanted to get them.

19

Essentially Flyertalk / Re: show us your buds (appreciate spring, you crapbags)

« on: April 22, 2024, 07:58:48 AM »

Planted a crapload of petunias yesterday.  Also, please admire the potted begonias:


Currently, my favorite piece is our clematis:

20

The New Joe Montgomery Birther Pit / Re: LOL TRUMP

« on: April 19, 2024, 10:07:19 AM »

"never fight uphill, me boys" is my favorite quote from civil war history too.

21

Essentially Flyertalk / Re: Kids

« on: April 18, 2024, 02:09:38 PM »

Number 2 coming in October

Please tell Mrs. DQ12 to aim for the 17th!

(October 17th, that is. Not a 17th kid lol!)

Can't have 17th without having a 2nd!

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Essentially Flyertalk / Re: show us your buds (appreciate spring, you crapbags)

« on: April 17, 2024, 11:08:35 AM »

Put in a new bed recently (this was dirt, before -- shade prevents grass from growing in this part) and added the hastas.  I love when my hydrangeas wake up.

We planted about 250 vinca in the dirt patch to the right of where this photo is to deal with the dirt over in that part of the yard.  The fence, relatively close houses, and big ass tree blot out the sun over there.  Hoping those take.

23

Essentially Flyertalk / Re: Cars.... How far have you went before getting a new one?

« on: April 17, 2024, 10:31:01 AM »

Needing to get rid of the sedan and going for with a little more size to comfortably fit my soon-to-be massive family.

My lasers are focused on the hyundai palisade.

Have you considered the Telluride?

They're basically the same, but in perusing around, I've found Tellurides to be a little more expensive. I think people see them as "cooler," which you pay a slight premium for. 

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Essentially Flyertalk / Re: Cars.... How far have you went before getting a new one?

« on: April 17, 2024, 09:42:23 AM »

Needing to get rid of the sedan and going for with a little more size to comfortably fit my soon-to-be massive family.

My lasers are focused on the hyundai palisade. 

25

Essentially Flyertalk / Re: Kids

« on: April 17, 2024, 09:36:54 AM »

Number 2 coming in October