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| Ring $136, Paid $48?; And we complain about gas prices gouging | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Oct 15 2005, 10:26 AM (555 Views) | |
| roscoe | Oct 16 2005, 09:07 AM Post #16 |
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Member
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Ever notice the camerass over the checkouts and those in the parking lot. They KNOW what brand of toilet tissue you use. The G-Man keeps it all in his book. |
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| kajtek1 | Oct 16 2005, 09:17 AM Post #17 |
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Kris, CA
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I have no illusion about privacy. A guy on another forum, living over 2000 miles away posted aerial pictures of my coach parked on my property. Do you think he could spot me peeing under the tree? What makes me really wonder here is, that lot of us cry, when gasoline prices go up few cents and 10-20% price increase during the war, or hurricane is loudly called gouging, when multiplying grocery prices in a moment is called "normal business procedures". Let me make quick calculation. $75 (in my sample) over $12.50 makes SIX HUNDRED PERCENT. In split second. |
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| Heathertee | Oct 16 2005, 09:19 AM Post #18 |
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Heather-Central Connecticut
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I like the idea of being able to "vote" with my dollar for the brands I prefer. Like Pat, I really don't mind others knowing what brands I prefer. The best part of capitalism in a democracy is, we have the choice whether to get "screwed" or not, making our own decisions on where and how to shop. |
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| cmoehle | Oct 16 2005, 09:27 AM Post #19 |
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Chris - San Antonio TX
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What Heather said.
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Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order. --Barry Goldwater | |
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| kajtek1 | Oct 16 2005, 09:38 AM Post #20 |
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Kris, CA
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So you are not attached to any places, that you have membership card for? You go to the most convenient place on you way and buy whatever you need, without a worry about paying 6 times more, than what it is worth? I say, this is another illusion. |
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| cmoehle | Oct 16 2005, 09:44 AM Post #21 |
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Chris - San Antonio TX
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Most of the time you pay for what you get and get what you pay for. Show me a cheaper, more convenient store than the SuperWalMart down the road and I'll there. |
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Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order. --Barry Goldwater | |
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| kajtek1 | Oct 16 2005, 10:01 AM Post #22 |
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Kris, CA
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So let me understand you logic Chris. When you drive on the reserve in the middle of the desert and the only station is doing the same thing, that grocery places do. Quick calculation, with $3 average fuel prices, the 600% increase would make $18 per gallon. You call it "democratic business procedures" and pay, or take your business on the desert? |
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| cmoehle | Oct 16 2005, 10:38 AM Post #23 |
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Chris - San Antonio TX
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The first time I'd have no choice but to pay as walking is not realistic. Second time I would bring enough spare fuel to pass them by and they'd go out of business. What consumerism describes applies not to isolated events and players but to the broad playing field. Thinking the outcome of a baseball season is determined by a single pitch is somewhat a romantic vision. (Small point, consummer "voting" is not democratic.) |
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Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order. --Barry Goldwater | |
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| kajtek1 | Oct 16 2005, 12:45 PM Post #24 |
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Kris, CA
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Those merchants wouldn't make those prices, if somebody wouldn't get caught on them. Now tell me how many times on your camping trip have you run out of booze and bought locally 6-pack for triple, what you usually pay? |
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| cmoehle | Oct 16 2005, 04:40 PM Post #25 |
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Chris - San Antonio TX
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Triple? That's only at the ball game. If it happened on the road, again, I'd pack more next time. |
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Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order. --Barry Goldwater | |
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| DanHouck | Oct 17 2005, 05:48 AM Post #26 |
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Land of Enchantment NM
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Kaj, sounds like you need to work on your shopping skills.
Charging what the traffic will bear is a time-honored tradition of the free market. As people are trying to explain to you, that generally is a short term thing as people quickly figure out what is going on and bypass that merchant. Other smart people figure out there's money to be made and they undersell the overcharger. Your utility example is not a good one as it is generally regulated and they are very good at getting the government regulators to let them pull stuff like the power pole overcharge example you cited. This is much more like the economic system you left than the prevailing one here. They use the government to keep out competition and force you to pay higher prices. You have these "membership" grocery stores in California in large part because the government and the left there have been very successful in keeping out competition like WalMart. They can't pull this stuff here in NM because the market here is not subject to that kind of distortion. It's not perfect but it is a whole lot better than the system you left to come here. Think you'd be riding around in a bus RV under that system? No because the governmental intervention and suppression of the free market there really holds down the opportunity for prosperity. |
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| kajtek1 | Oct 17 2005, 10:04 AM Post #27 |
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Kris, CA
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Don, I don't mind free market pricing. But it isn't my point here. What strikes me is reaction of lot of members here on different prices, that happened here. Why gas prices have no right to go higher during war and hurricane-related shortages? We yell a lot about 10, or 20 % gas price increase, yet we walk quietly by 600% price shifting between customers in the same line. So why baseball player can legally take a million per game, but the guy trying to make extra couple hundred buck on bottled water in Louisiana becomes instant criminal? If not for him water might be non-existent at all, so some babies might die. Somebody need his head examined. I hope it is not me. |
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| DanHouck | Oct 17 2005, 10:34 AM Post #28 |
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Land of Enchantment NM
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Well I don't walk quietly by it in those "membership" grocery stores. In fact, we walked into one in Colorado and we walked right out again at the register and let them know why we were doing it. Same situation as the California case, this is an area that has used government to stifle competition. If competition is allowed to run, price differentials tend to disappear quickly. But you still have to be an informed buyer. That's just the nature of the capitalistic beast. As you have experienced first-hand, it is far from perfect but infinitely better than totalitarian "managed" economies. |
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| cmoehle | Oct 17 2005, 10:40 AM Post #29 |
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Chris - San Antonio TX
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"We yell a lot about..." Some play ball, some shout from the bleachers. |
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Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order. --Barry Goldwater | |
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| 5thwheeler | Oct 17 2005, 04:14 PM Post #30 |
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Get the message?
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Well there is something we can do about it, its call protesting and its legal. Make up a few signs, alert the press and media where and when you will be "out in force". Invite your friends and family to the party and scream bloody murder. No big chain store wants to see their store manager saying "No Comment" on the six o'clock news. It works, plus you get some sunshine, exercise and camaraderie. By the way, screaming "Hell no we won't go" won't cut it and you might get a "Billy" club or two bounced off your head.
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History 101: When a popular myth is believed to be factual, teach the myth. Its not possible to underestimate the intelligence of the voting populous. Hummm, after seeing the results of the 06 election, I may have to modify my perception of the voting populous and refer to them as "Late Bloomers".
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